4,386 research outputs found
Light Sneutrino Dark Matter at the LHC
In supersymmetric (SUSY) models with Dirac neutrino masses, a weak-scale
trilinear A-term that is not proportional to the small neutrino Yukawa
couplings can induce a sizable mixing between left and right-handed sneutrinos.
The lighter sneutrino mass eigenstate can hence become the lightest SUSY
particle (LSP) and a viable dark matter candidate. In particular, it can be an
excellent candidate for light dark matter with mass below ~10 GeV. Such a light
mixed sneutrino LSP has a dramatic effect on SUSY signatures at the LHC, as
charginos decay dominantly into the light sneutrino plus a charged lepton, and
neutralinos decay invisibly to a neutrino plus a sneutrino. We perform a
detailed study of the LHC potential to resolve the light sneutrino dark matter
scenario by means of three representative benchmark points with different
gluino and squark mass hierarchies. We study in particular the determination of
the LSP (sneutrino) mass from cascade decays involving charginos, using the mT2
variable. Moreover, we address measurements of additional invisible sparticles,
in our case the lightest neutralino, and the question of discrimination against
the MSSM.Comment: 25 pages, 16 figure
Measurements of neutral vector resonance in Higgsless models at the LHC
In Higgsless models, new vector resonances appear to restore the unitarity of
the W_L W_L scattering amplitude without the Higgs boson. In the ideal
delocalized three site Higgsless model, one of large prodcution cross section
of the neutral vector resonance (Z') at the Large Hadron Collider is the
W-associated production, pp \to Z'W \to WWW. Although the dileptonic decay
channnel, l\nu l'\nu 'jj, is experimentally clean to search for the Z' signals,
it is difficult to reconstruct the Z' invariant mass due to the two neutrinos
in the final state. We study collider signatures of Z' using the
M_{T2}-Assisted On-Shell (MAOS) reconstruction of the missing neutrino momenta.
We show the prospect of the Z' mass determination in the channel, l\nu l'\nu
'jj, at the Large Hadron Collider.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figures, 5 tables; v2: references added, minor
corrections, version published in JHE
From bulletins to bullets to blogs and beyond: The Karenâs ongoing communication war
Geff Green focuses on the communication approaches taken by the Karen communities displaced from Burma and who live in diaspora. Apparent control and empowerment provided by new technologies may be illusive. When using media for warfare or perhaps for more innocuous public relations purposes, activists may actually create âammunitionâ for opponents. Targeted attacks on specific communities or âaudiencesâ have a high impact by reifying discourse in a devastating way by connecting to lived experience in the victim
Nano-Derived Therapeutic Formulations with Curcumin in Inflammation-Related Diseases
Due to its vast therapeutic potential, the plant-derived polyphenol curcumin is utilized in an ever-growing number of health-related applications. Here, we report the extraction methodologies, therapeutic properties, advantages and disadvantages linked to curcumin employment, and the new strategies addressed to improve its effectiveness by employing advanced nanocarriers. The emerging nanotechnology applications used to enhance CUR bioavailability and its targeted delivery in specific pathological conditions are collected and discussed. In particular, new aspects concerning the main strategic nanocarriers employed for treating inflammation and oxidative stress-related diseases are reported and discussed, with specific emphasis on those topically employed in conditions such as wounds, arthritis, or psoriasis and others used in pathologies such as bowel (colitis), neurodegenerative (Alzheimer's or dementia), cardiovascular (atherosclerosis), and lung (asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) diseases. A brief overview of the relevant clinical trials is also included. We believe the review can provide the readers with an overview of the nanostrategies currently employed to improve CUR therapeutic applications in the highlighted pathological conditions.N.C.-M. acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the Horizon 2020 Program (PTDC/PSI-GER/28076/2017). This work was supported by the CONICYT PIA/APOYO CCTE AFB170007, Seed #2001050151 and Collaborative #2101050160âUniversity of Sharjah and Fondo di Ateneo per la Ricerca 2020, University of Sassari
Effects of hydroxyapatite and PDGF concentrations on osteoblast growth in a nanohydroxyapatite-polylactic acid composite for guided tissue regeneration
The technique of guided tissue regeneration (GTR) has evolved over recent years in an attempt to achieve periodontal tissue regeneration by the use of a barrier membrane. However, there are significant limitations in the currently available membranes and overall outcomes may be limited. A degradable composite material was investigated as a potential GTR membrane material. Polylactic acid (PLA) and nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) composite was analysed, its bioactive potential and suitability as a carrier system for growth factors were assessed. The effect of nHA concentrations and the addition of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) on osteoblast proliferation and differentiation was investigated. The bioactivity was dependent on the nHA concentration in the films, with more apatite deposited on films containing higher nHA content. Osteoblasts proliferated well on samples containing low nHA content and differentiated on films with higher nHA content. The composite films were able to deliver PDGF and cell proliferation increased on samples that were pre absorbed with the growth factor. nHAâPLA composite films are able to deliver active PDGF. In addition the bioactivity and cell differentiation was higher on films containing more nHA. The use of a nHAâPLA composite material containing a high concentration of nHA may be a useful material for GTR membrane as it will not only act as a barrier, but may also be able to enhance bone regeneration by delivery of biologically active molecules
Clinical and molecular characterization of a novel PLIN1 frameshift mutation identified in patients with familial partial lipodystrophy.
Perilipin 1 is a lipid droplet coat protein predominantly expressed in adipocytes, where it inhibits basal and facilitates stimulated lipolysis. Loss-of-function mutations in the PLIN1 gene were recently reported in patients with a novel subtype of familial partial lipodystrophy, designated as FPLD4. We now report the identification and characterization of a novel heterozygous frameshift mutation affecting the carboxy-terminus (439fs) of perilipin 1 in two unrelated families. The mutation cosegregated with a similar phenotype including partial lipodystrophy, severe insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, extreme hypertriglyceridemia, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in both families. Poor metabolic control despite maximal medical therapy prompted two patients to undergo bariatric surgery, with remarkably beneficial consequences. Functional studies indicated that expression levels of the mutant protein were lower than wild-type protein, and in stably transfected preadipocytes the mutant protein was associated with smaller lipid droplets. Interestingly, unlike the previously reported 398 and 404 frameshift mutants, this variant binds and stabilizes ABHD5 expression but still fails to inhibit basal lipolysis as effectively as wild-type perilipin 1. Collectively, these findings highlight the physiological need for exquisite regulation of neutral lipid storage within adipocyte lipid droplets, as well as the possible metabolic benefits of bariatric surgery in this serious disease.Wellcome TrustThis is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the American Diabetes Association via http://dx.doi.org/10.2337/db14-010
Multiphoton Absorption Stimulated Metal Chalcogenide Quantum Dot Solar Cells under Ambient and Concentrated Irradiance
Colloidal metal chalcogenide quantum dots (QDs) have excellent quantum efficiency in lightâmatter interactions and good device stability. However, QDs have been brought to the forefront as viable building blocks in bottomâup assembling semiconductor devices, the development of QD solar cell (QDSC) is still confronting considerable challenges compared to other QD technologies due to their low performance under natural sunlight, as a consequence of untapped potential from their quantized densityâofâstate and inorganic natures. This report is designed to address this longâstanding challenge by accessing the feasibility of using QDSC for indoor and concentration PV (CPV) applications. This work finds that above bandgap photon energy irradiation of QD solids can generate high densities of excitons via multiâphoton absorption (MPA), and these excitons are not limited to diffuse by Auger recombination up to 1.5 Ă 1019 cmâ3 densities. Based on these findings, a 19.5% (2000 lux indoor light) and an 11.6% efficiency (1.5 Suns) have been facilely realized from ordinary QDSCs (9.55% under 1 Sun). To further illustrate the potential of the MPA in QDSCs, 21.29% efficiency polymer lens CPVs (4.08 Suns) and viable sensor networks powered by indoor QDSCs matrix have been demonstrated
Electronic Coherence Dephasing in Excitonic Molecular Complexes: Role of Markov and Secular Approximations
We compare four different types of equations of motion for reduced density
matrix of a system of molecular excitons interacting with thermodynamic bath.
All four equations are of second order in the linear system-bath interaction
Hamiltonian, with different approximations applied in their derivation. In
particular we compare time-nonlocal equations obtained from so-called
Nakajima-Zwanzig identity and the time-local equations resulting from the
partial ordering prescription of the cummulant expansion. In each of these
equations we alternatively apply secular approximation to decouple population
and coherence dynamics from each other. We focus on the dynamics of intraband
electronic coherences of the excitonic system which can be traced by coherent
two-dimensional spectroscopy. We discuss the applicability of the four
relaxation theories to simulations of population and coherence dynamics, and
identify features of the two-dimensional coherent spectrum that allow us to
distinguish time-nonlocal effects.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure
Export of functional Streptomyces coelicolor alditol oxidase to the periplasm or cell surface of Escherichia coli and its application in whole-cell biocatalysis
Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) alditol oxidase (AldO) is a soluble monomeric flavoprotein in which the flavin cofactor is covalently linked to the polypeptide chain. AldO displays high reactivity towards different polyols such as xylitol and sorbitol. These characteristics make AldO industrially relevant, but full biotechnological exploitation of this enzyme is at present restricted by laborious and costly purification steps. To eliminate the need for enzyme purification, this study describes a whole-cell AldO biocatalyst system. To this end, we have directed AldO to the periplasm or cell surface of Escherichia coli. For periplasmic export, AldO was fused to endogenous E. coli signal sequences known to direct their passenger proteins into the SecB, signal recognition particle (SRP), or Twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway. In addition, AldO was fused to an ice nucleation protein (INP)-based anchoring motif for surface display. The results show that Tat-exported AldO and INP-surface-displayed AldO are active. The Tat-based system was successfully employed in converting xylitol by whole cells, whereas the use of the INP-based system was most likely restricted by lipopolysaccharide LPS in wild-type cells. It is anticipated that these whole-cell systems will be a valuable tool for further biological and industrial exploitation of AldO and other cofactor-containing enzymes.
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