197 research outputs found
Localization for Schrodinger operators with random vector potentials
We prove Anderson localization at the internal band-edges for periodic
magnetic Schr{\"o}dinger operators perturbed by random vector potentials of
Anderson-type. This is achieved by combining new results on the Lifshitz tails
behavior of the integrated density of states for random magnetic
Schr{\"o}dinger operators, thereby providing the initial length-scale estimate,
and a Wegner estimate, for such models
Caffeine blocks disruption of blood brain barrier in a rabbit model of Alzheimer's disease
High levels of serum cholesterol and disruptions of the blood brain barrier (BBB) have all been implicated as underlying mechanisms in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Results from studies conducted in animals and humans suggest that caffeine might be protective against Alzheimer's disease but by poorly understood mechanisms. Using rabbits fed a cholesterol-enriched diet, we tested our hypothesis that chronic ingestion of caffeine protects against high cholesterol diet-induced disruptions of the BBB. New Zealand rabbits were fed a 2% cholesterol-enriched diet, and 3 mg caffeine was administered daily in drinking water for 12 weeks. Total cholesterol and caffeine concentrations from blood were measured. Olfactory bulbs (and for some studies hippocampus and cerebral cortex as well) were evaluated for BBB leakage, BBB tight junction protein expression levels, activation of astrocytes, and microglia density using histological, immunostaining and immunoblotting techniques. We found that caffeine blocked high cholesterol diet-induced increases in extravasation of IgG and fibrinogen, increases in leakage of Evan's blue dye, decreases in levels of the tight junction proteins occludin and ZO-1, increases in astrocytes activation and microglia density where IgG extravasation was present. Chronic ingestion of caffeine protects against high cholesterol diet-induced increases in disruptions of the BBB, and caffeine and drugs similar to caffeine might be useful in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease
Localization for the random displacement model at weak disorder
This paper is devoted to the study of the random displacement model on
. We prove that, in the weak displacement regime, Anderson and dynamical
localization holds near the bottom of the spectrum under a generic assumption
on the single site potential and a fairly general assumption on the support of
the possible displacements. This result follows from the proof of the existence
of Lifshitz tail and of a Wegner estimate for the model under scrutiny
Understanding the Random Displacement Model: From Ground-State Properties to Localization
We give a detailed survey of results obtained in the most recent half decade
which led to a deeper understanding of the random displacement model, a model
of a random Schr\"odinger operator which describes the quantum mechanics of an
electron in a structurally disordered medium. These results started by
identifying configurations which characterize minimal energy, then led to
Lifshitz tail bounds on the integrated density of states as well as a Wegner
estimate near the spectral minimum, which ultimately resulted in a proof of
spectral and dynamical localization at low energy for the multi-dimensional
random displacement model.Comment: 31 pages, 7 figures, final version, to appear in Proceedings of
"Spectral Days 2010", Santiago, Chile, September 20-24, 201
Variación geográfica en la composición de ácidos grasos y fuente de alimento de la almeja comercial (Venerupis decussata, Linnaeus, 1758), de las costas tunecinas: cadenas tróficas
Lake and coastal Tunisian areas are rich biodiversity habitats, although little information is available about the distribution of food sources for the inhabitant species. In this study, a fatty acid analysis was used to study the trophic ecology of Venerupis decussatac ommunities from 10 sites located along the Tunisian Coast. The richest population in fatty acids was found in S4 followed by S5 and S8, while that of S1, S3 and S10 were the least rich. Results from multivariate analysis confirmed the ecological position of the studied population based on their fatty acid composition. Our results divided the ten studied populations into three similar groups according to their ecological and geographical positions in relation to environmental parameters and food and trophic links. A principal component analysis revealed that diatoms and dinoflagellates were the predominate diets in all the sampling stations. Bacteria and urban discharge dominated the dietary source of clams from S10 and S9. Zooplankton were the preferred diet of V. decussata harvested from the two S2 and S3 lakes; although green algae, phytoplankton and detritus were absent from the dietary source of the two previous populations. Despite spatial differences, clams from the north and the south could be easily distinguished from each other, which indicates the utility of this method in the dietary analysis of different food chain links. This study proves that geographic, ecologic and abiotic factors as well as their mutual interaction should be properly investigated in studies focusing on the trophic chains of aquatic ecosystems.Los lagos y las zonas costeras de Túnez son ricos en hábitats de biodiversidad. Sin embargo, hay poca información disponible sobre la distribución de las fuentes de alimentos para las especies residentes. En este trabajo se utilizó el análisis de ácidos grasos para estudiar la ecología trófica de las comunidades de Venerupis decussata de 10 localizaciones a lo largo de las costas tunecinas. La población más rica en ácidos grasos se encontró en S4 seguida de S5 y S8, mientras que la de S1, S3 y S10 fueron las menos ricas. Los resultados del análisis multivariante confirmaron la posición ecológica de la población estudiada en función de su composición de ácidos grasos. Nuestros resultados dividieron las diez poblaciones estudiadas en tres grupos similares según sus posiciones ecológicas y geográficas en relación con los parámetros ambientales y con los enlaces tróficos y alimentarios. El análisis de los componentes principales reveló que las dietas predominantes eran las diatomeas y los dinoflagelados en todas las estaciones de muestreo. Mientras que, las bacterias y la descarga urbana dominaron la fuente dietética de almejas de S10 y S9. Sin embargo, el zooplancton fue la dieta preferida de V. decussata cosechada de los dos lagos S2 y S3; las algas verdes, el fitoplancton y los detritos estaban ausentes en la fuente dietética de las dos poblaciones anteriores. A pesar de las diferencias espaciales, las almejas del norte y del sur se pueden distinguir fácilmente entre sí, lo que indica la utilidad de este método en el análisis dietético de los diferentes enlaces de la cadena alimentaria. Este estudio demuestra que los factores geográficos, ecológicos y abióticos, así como su interacción mutua deben investigarse adecuadamente en estudios centrados en las cadenas tróficas de los ecosistemas acuáticos
The new generation CMB B-mode polarization experiment: POLARBEAR
We describe the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) polarization experiment
called Polarbear. This experiment will use the dedicated Huan Tran Telescope
equipped with a powerful 1,200-bolometer array receiver to map the CMB
polarization with unprecedented accuracy. We summarize the experiment, its
goals, and current status
The bolometric focal plane array of the Polarbear CMB experiment
The Polarbear Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) polarization experiment is
currently observing from the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile. It will
characterize the expected B-mode polarization due to gravitational lensing of
the CMB, and search for the possible B-mode signature of inflationary
gravitational waves. Its 250 mK focal plane detector array consists of 1,274
polarization-sensitive antenna-coupled bolometers, each with an associated
lithographed band-defining filter. Each detector's planar antenna structure is
coupled to the telescope's optical system through a contacting dielectric
lenslet, an architecture unique in current CMB experiments. We present the
initial characterization of this focal plane
The oxysterol 27-hydroxycholesterol increases β-amyloid and oxidative stress in retinal pigment epithelial cells
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) share several pathological features including β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide accumulation, oxidative damage, and cell death. The causes of AD and AMD are not known but several studies suggest disturbances in cholesterol metabolism as a culprit of these diseases. We have recently shown that the cholesterol oxidation metabolite 27-hydroxycholesterol (27-OHC) causes AD-like pathology in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells and in organotypic hippocampal slices. However, the extent to which and the mechanisms by which 27-OHC may also cause pathological hallmarks related to AMD are ill-defined. In this study, the effects of 27-OHC on AMD-related pathology were determined in ARPE-19 cells. These cells have structural and functional properties relevant to retinal pigmented epithelial cells, a target in the course of AMD.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>ARPE-19 cells were treated with 0, 10 or 25 μM 27-OHC for 24 hours. Levels of Aβ peptide, mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers, Ca<sup>2+ </sup>homeostasis, glutathione depletion, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, inflammation and cell death were assessed using ELISA, Western blot, immunocytochemistry, and specific assays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>27-OHC dose-dependently increased Aβ peptide production, increased levels of ER stress specific markers caspase 12 and gadd153 (also called CHOP), reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, triggered Ca<sup>2+ </sup>dyshomeostasis, increased levels of the nuclear factor κB (NFκB) and heme-oxygenase 1 (HO-1), two proteins activated by oxidative stress. Additionally, 27-OHC caused glutathione depletion, ROS generation, inflammation and apoptotic-mediated cell death.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The cholesterol metabolite 27-OHC is toxic to RPE cells. The deleterious effects of this oxysterol ranged from Aβ accumulation to oxidative cell damage. Our results suggest that high levels of 27-OHC may represent a common pathogenic factor for both AMD and AD.</p
QUBIC: The QU Bolometric Interferometer for Cosmology
One of the major challenges of modern cosmology is the detection of B-mode
polarization anisotropies in the CMB. These originate from tensor fluctuations
of the metric produced during the inflationary phase. Their detection would
therefore constitute a major step towards understanding the primordial
Universe. The expected level of these anisotropies is however so small that it
requires a new generation of instruments with high sensitivity and extremely
good control of systematic effects. We propose the QUBIC instrument based on
the novel concept of bolometric interferometry, bringing together the
sensitivity advantages of bolometric detectors with the systematics effects
advantages of interferometry. Methods: The instrument will directly observe the
sky through an array of entry horns whose signals will be combined together
using an optical combiner. The whole set-up is located inside a cryostat.
Polarization modulation will be achieved using a rotating half-wave plate and
interference fringes will be imaged on two focal planes (separated by a
polarizing grid) tiled with bolometers. We show that QUBIC can be considered as
a synthetic imager, exactly similar to a usual imager but with a synthesized
beam formed by the array of entry horns. Scanning the sky provides an
additional modulation of the signal and improve the sky coverage shape. The
usual techniques of map-making and power spectrum estimation can then be
applied. We show that the sensitivity of such an instrument is comparable with
that of an imager with the same number of horns. We anticipate a low level of
beam-related systematics thanks to the fact that the synthesized beam is
determined by the location of the primary horns. Other systematics should be
under good control thanks to an autocalibration technique, specific to our
concept, that will permit the accurate determination of most of the systematics
parameters.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, submitted to Astronomy and Astrophysic
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