Modeling pion physics in the ϵ\epsilon-regime of two-flavor QCD using strong coupling lattice QED

In order to model pions of two-flavor QCD we consider a lattice field theory involving two flavors of staggered quarks interacting strongly with U(1) gauge fields. For massless quarks, this theory has an $SU_L(2)\times SU_R(2) \times U_A(1)$ symmetry. By adding a four-fermion term we can break the U_A(1) symmetry and thus incorporate the physics of the QCD anomaly. We can also tune the pion decay constant F, to be small compared to the lattice cutoff by starting with an extra fictitious dimension, thus allowing us to model low energy pion physics in a setting similar to lattice QCD from first principles. However, unlike lattice QCD, a major advantage of our model is that we can easily design efficient algorithms to compute a variety of quantities in the chiral limit. Here we show that the model reproduces the predictions of chiral perturbation theory in the $\epsilon$-regime.Comment: 24 pages, 7 figure

Participant Recruitment of African American College Students at an Historically Black College and University (HBCU): Challenges and Strategies for Health-Related Research

Lack of research participation among African Americans is problematic for population relevant health disparity research. The purpose of this paper is to identify and describe challenges and strategies in recruitment of African American college students for health related research being conducted at a small Historically Black College or University (HBCU). Upon completion of a recruitment and retention literature review, study investigators constructed and tested a culturally-specific, direct-appeal protocol to recruit participants. Major barriers to recruitment of African American college students included discrete sources of distrust, lack of understanding of the research process, and logistical concerns. Implementation of a culturally-specific, direct appeal protocol led to a significant improvement in recruitment and retention of student participants. It is imperative that researchers demystify scientific investigation as a first step towards building trust between themselves and target populations, particularly those from traditionally underrepresented groups. Reasons for distrust, a need for trust and trust building strategies are offered here

Absence of vortex condensation in a two dimensional fermionic XY model

Motivated by a puzzle in the study of two dimensional lattice Quantum Electrodynamics with staggered fermions, we construct a two dimensional fermionic model with a global U(1) symmetry. Our model can be mapped into a model of closed packed dimers and plaquettes. Although the model has the same symmetries as the XY model, we show numerically that the model lacks the well known Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition. The model is always in the gapless phase showing the absence of a phase with vortex condensation. In other words the low energy physics is described by a non-compact U(1) field theory. We show that by introducing an even number of layers one can introduce vortex condensation within the model and thus also induce a KT transition.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Mitoparans: mitochondriotoxic cell penetrating peptides and novel inducers of apoptosis.

Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank Keith Holding at the University of Wolverhampton for his outstanding technical support. This work was supported in part by Samantha Dickson Brain Tumour Trust.Introduction: The amphipathic helical peptide mastoparan (MP; H-INLKALAALAKKIL-NH2) inserts into biological membranes to modulate the activity of heterotrimeric G proteins and other targets. Moreover, whilst cell free models of apoptosis demonstrate MP to facilitate mitochondrial permeability transition and release of apoptogenic cytochrome c, MP-induced death of intact cells has been attributed to its non-specific membrane destabilising properties (necrotic mechanisms). However, MP and related peptides are known to activate other signalling systems, including p42/p44 MAP kinases and could therefore, also modulate cell fate and specific apoptotic events. The ability of MP to facilitate mitochondrial permeability in cell free systems has lead to proposals that MP could be of utility in tumour therapeutics provided that it conferred features of cellular penetration and mitochondrial localization. We have recently reported that our highly potent amphipathic MP analogue mitoparan (mitP; [Lys5,8Aib10]MP; Aib = -aminoisobutyric acid) specifically promotes apoptosis of human cancer cells, as was confirmed by in situ TUNEL staining and activation of caspase-3. Moreover, we have also demonstrated that mitP penetrates plasma membranes and redistributes to co-localize with mitochondria. Complementary studies, using isolated mitochondria, further demonstrated that mitP, through co-operation with a protein of the permeability transition pore complex voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC), induced swelling and permeabilization of mitochondria, leading to the release of the apoptogenic factor cytochrome c. An expanding field of peptide and cell penetrating peptide (CPP) research has focussed on the selective targeting of tumours by engineering constructs that incorporate cell-specific or tissue–specific address motifs. Peptidyl address motifs could enhance the selectivity of drug delivery whilst the improved cellular uptake offered by CPP enhances bioavailability. Thus and as a potential therapeutic strategy, we extended our findings to design target-specific mitP analogues. The integrin-specific address motif RGD and a Fas ligand mimetic WEWT were incorporated by N-terminal acylation of mitP to produce novel tandem-linked chimeric peptides

Emergent particle-hole symmetry in spinful bosonic quantum Hall systems

When a fermionic quantum Hall system is projected into the lowest Landau level, there is an exact particle-hole symmetry between filling fractions $\nu$ and $1-\nu$. We investigate whether a similar symmetry can emerge in bosonic quantum Hall states, where it would connect states at filling fractions $\nu$ and $2-\nu$. We begin by showing that the particle-hole conjugate to a composite fermion `Jain state' is another Jain state, obtained by reverse flux attachment. We show how information such as the shift and the edge theory can be obtained for states which are particle-hole conjugates. Using the techniques of exact diagonalization and infinite density matrix renormalization group, we study a system of two-component (i.e., spinful) bosons, interacting via a $\delta$-function potential. We first obtain real-space entanglement spectra for the bosonic integer quantum Hall effect at $\nu=2$, which plays the role of a filled Landau level for the bosonic system. We then show that at $\nu=4/3$ the system is described by a Jain state which is the particle-hole conjugate of the Halperin (221) state at $\nu=2/3$. We show a similar relationship between non-singlet states at $\nu=1/2$ and $\nu=3/2$. We also study the case of $\nu=1$, providing unambiguous evidence that the ground state is a composite Fermi liquid. Taken together our results demonstrate that there is indeed an emergent particle-hole symmetry in bosonic quantum Hall systems.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figures, 4 appendice

Role of the σ\sigma-resonance in determining the convergence of chiral perturbation theory

The dimensionless parameter $\xi = M_\pi^2/(16 \pi^2 F_\pi^2)$, where $F_\pi$ is the pion decay constant and $M_\pi$ is the pion mass, is expected to control the convergence of chiral perturbation theory applicable to QCD. Here we demonstrate that a strongly coupled lattice gauge theory model with the same symmetries as two-flavor QCD but with a much lighter $\sigma$-resonance is different. Our model allows us to study efficiently the convergence of chiral perturbation theory as a function of $\xi$. We first confirm that the leading low energy constants appearing in the chiral Lagrangian are the same when calculated from the $p$-regime and the $\epsilon$-regime as expected. However, $\xi \lesssim 0.002$ is necessary before 1-loop chiral perturbation theory predicts the data within 1%. For $\xi > 0.0035$ the data begin to deviate dramatically from 1-loop chiral perturbation theory predictions. We argue that this qualitative change is due to the presence of a light $\sigma$-resonance in our model. Our findings may be useful for lattice QCD studies.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, revtex forma

School-Based Structures That Support Teacher Use of Learning Trajectory Frameworks

The OGAP intervention incorporates two approaches to mathematics instruction that are well supported by research, but have not been uniformly adopted in U.S. schools: The first is ongoing formative assessment by teachers to tailor instruction to student needs (Black & Wiliam, 1998); the second is the use of learning trajectories to specify conceptual pathways for student development within specific domains (Daro et al., 2011; Sztajn et al., 2012). Implementing OGAP in schools involves a great deal of learning on the part of teachers and school leaders. It also involves embracing a fundamental shift in how one thinks about learning and designing instruction. The OGAP intervention provided grade 3-5 teachers with tools to support learning-trajectory formative assessment practices (described in other papers) and professional development (week- long summer training and several additional training days during the academic year). We also included a site-based approach to increase understanding and capacity across all participating teachers. Each school was asked to hold a bimonthly Professional Learning Community (PLC) with the primary purpose of collaboratively analyzing student work, using learning trajectory frameworks and determining appropriate instructional responses. PLCs were envisioned as a primary structure to support use of OGAP in the schools throughout the year. They were also intended to situate the use of OGAP tools and routines in each school and normalize opportunities for discourse about student thinking among teachers (Putnam & Borko, 2000). By providing teachers with ongoing and consistent opportunities to discuss their own students’ work and use the OGAP frameworks to make instructional decisions, we anticipated they could potentially deepen teachers’ understanding of OGAP and their own students’ thinking. In this paper, we examine five PLCs in the OGAP project in order to consider the extent to which this potential was realized

The Kv2.1 K+ channel targets to the axon initial segment of hippocampal and cortical neurons in culture and in situ

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Kv2.1 delayed-rectifier K⁺channel regulates membrane excitability in hippocampal neurons where it targets to dynamic cell surface clusters on the soma and proximal dendrites. In the past, Kv2.1 has been assumed to be absent from the axon initial segment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Transfected and endogenous Kv2.1 is now demonstrated to preferentially accumulate within the axon initial segment (AIS) over other neurite processes; 87% of 14 DIV hippocampal neurons show endogenous channel concentrated at the AIS relative to the soma and proximal dendrites. In contrast to the localization observed in pyramidal cells, GAD positive inhibitory neurons within the hippocampal cultures did not show AIS targeting. Photoactivable-GFP-Kv2.1-containing clusters at the AIS were stable, moving <1 <it>μ</it>m/hr with no channel turnover. Photobleach studies indicated individual channels within the cluster perimeter were highly mobile (FRAP <it>τ </it>= 10.4 ± 4.8 sec), supporting our model that Kv2.1 clusters are formed by the retention of mobile channels behind a diffusion-limiting perimeter. Demonstrating that the AIS targeting is not a tissue culture artifact, Kv2.1 was found in axon initial segments within both the adult rat hippocampal CA1, CA2, and CA3 layers and cortex.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In summary, Kv2.1 is associated with the axon initial segment both <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo </it>where it may modulate action potential frequency and back propagation. Since transfected Kv2.1 initially localizes to the AIS before appearing on the soma, it is likely multiple mechanisms regulate Kv2.1 trafficking to the cell surface.</p