In vitro induction of lymph node cell proliferation by mouse bone marrow dendritic cells following stimulation with different Echinococcus multilocularis antigens

The immune response of mice experimentally infected with Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes becomes impaired so as to allow parasite survival and proliferation. Our study tackled the question on how different classes of E. multilocularis antigens (crude vesicular fluid (VF); purified proteinic rec-14-3-3; purified carbohydrate Em2(G11)) are involved in the maturation process of bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) and subsequent exposure to lymph node (LN) cells. In our experiments, we used BMDCs cultivated from either naïve (control) or alveolar echinococcosis (AE)-infected C57BL/6 mice. We then tested surface markers (CD80, CD86, MHC class II) and cytokine expression levels (interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12p40 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α) of non-stimulated BMDCs versus BMDCs stimulated with different Em-antigens or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). While LPS and rec-14-3-3-antigen were able to induce CD80, CD86 and (to a lower extent) MHC class II surface expression, Em2(G11) and, strikingly, also VF-antigen failed to do so. Similarly, LPS and rec-14-3-3 yielded elevated IL-12, TNF-α and IL-10 expression levels, while Em2(G11) and VF-antigen didn't. When naïve BMDCs were loaded with VF-antigen, they induced a strong non-specific proliferation of uncommitted LN cells. For both, BMDCs or LN cells, isolated from AE-infected mice, proliferation was abrogated. The most striking difference, revealed by comparing naïve with AE-BMDCs, was the complete inability of LPS-stimulated AE-BMDCs to activate lymphocytes from any LN cell group. Overall, the presenting activity of BMDCs from AE-infected mice seemed to trigger unresponsiveness in T cells, especially in the case of VF-antigen stimulation, thus contributing to the suppression of clonal expansion during the chronic phase of AE infectio

Photon Blockade in the Ultrastrong Coupling Regime

We explore photon coincidence counting statistics in the ultrastrong-coupling regime where the atom-cavity coupling rate becomes comparable to the cavity resonance frequency. In this regime usual normal order correlation functions fail to describe the output photon statistics. By expressing the electric-field operator in the cavity-emitter dressed basis we are able to propose correlation functions that are valid for arbitrary degrees of light-matter interaction. Our results show that the standard photon blockade scenario is significantly modified for ultrastrong coupling. We observe parametric processes even for two-level emitters and temporal oscillations of intensity correlation functions at a frequency given by the ultrastrong photon emitter coupling. These effects can be traced back to the presence of two-photon cascade decays induced by counter-rotating interaction terms.Comment: minor revisions, supplementary information added, accepted for publication in PR

Perspective taking does not moderate the price precision effect, but indirectly affects counteroffers to asking prices

Precise asking-prices (e.g., $249,800), compared with round ones (e.g.,$250,000), are stronger anchors, leading buyers to counter closer to the asking-price. This 'precision effect' is driven by (i) higher evaluation of the seller's competence, and (ii) buyers using a finer-grained numerical scale when the asking-price is precise compared with round. But are buyers more susceptible to precise anchors, the more they take the seller's perspective? If so, what are the underlying mechanisms leading to this increased susceptibility? We examine the potential moderating role of trait (Experiment 1) and manipulated (Experiment 2) perspective-taking on the price precision effect and its underlying mechanisms. We test the prediction that the more buyers take the seller's perspective, the more they will evaluate a precise-opening seller as competent, which in turn will increase buyers' susceptibility to precise prices (H1). We further test two competing predictions regarding the moderating role (H2a) of perspective-taking versus lack thereof (H2b) on buyers' use of a finer-grained numerical scale when countering a precise asking-price. Results revealed that precise asking-prices lead to counteroffers closer to the asking-price. This price precision effect was driven by the scale granularity, but not the perception of seller's competence mechanism. Further, perspective-taking did not moderate the price precision effect. Exploratory analyses revealed that perspective-taking leads to higher perception of seller's competence, which in turn leads to counteroffers that are closer to the asking-price. Overall, both price precision and perspective-taking shape counteroffers (but not in an interaction), making the two factors important in negotiation processes

Networks of nonlinear superconducting transmission line resonators

We investigate a network of coupled superconducting transmission line resonators, each of them made nonlinear with a capacitively shunted Josephson junction coupling to the odd flux modes of the resonator. The resulting eigenmode spectrum shows anticrossings between the plasma mode of the shunted junction and the odd resonator modes. Notably, we find that the combined device can inherit the complete nonlinearity of the junction, allowing for a description as a harmonic oscillator with a Kerr nonlinearity. Using a dc SQUID instead of a single junction, the nonlinearity can be tuned between 10 kHz and 4 MHz while maintaining resonance frequencies of a few gigahertz for realistic device parameters. An array of such nonlinear resonators can be considered a scalable superconducting quantum simulator for a Bose-Hubbard Hamiltonian. The device would be capable of accessing the strongly correlated regime and be particularly well suited for investigating quantum many-body dynamics of interacting particles under the influence of drive and dissipation.Comment: 18 pages, 3 figure

What Provides Justification for Cheating:Producing or Observing Counterfactuals?

When people can profit financially by lying, they do so to the extent to which they can justify their lies. One type of justification is the observation and production of desirable counterfactual information. Here, we disentangle observing and producing of desired counterfactuals and test whether the mere observation is sufficient or whether one actually needs to produce the information in order to justify lying. By employing a modified version of the Die-Under-Cup task, we ask participants to privately roll a die three times and to report the outcome of the first die roll (with higher values corresponding to higher payoffs). In all three conditions, participants produce (roll the die) and observe the first die roll, which is relevant for pay. We manipulate whether participants produce and observe versus only observe the second and third die roll outcomes, which are both irrelevant for pay. Results reveal that people lie to the same extent—when producing and observing the counterfactuals, and when merely observing them. It seems that merely observing counterfactual information is sufficient to allow people to use this information to justify their lies. We further test whether creativity and moral disengagement are associated with dishonesty and replicate the finding showing that unethical behavior increases with creativity

Matrix Metalloproteinase (MMP)-8 and MMP-9 in Cerebrospinal Fluid during Bacterial Meningitis: Association with Blood-Brain Barrier Damage and Neurological Sequelae

To evaluate the spectrum and regulation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in bacterial meningitis (BM), concentrations of MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, and MMP-9 and endogenous inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 27 children with BM. MMP-8 and MMP-9 were detected in 91% and 97%, respectively, of CSF speci-mens from patients but were not detected in control patients. CSF levels of MMP-9 were higher (P <.05) in 5 patients who developed hearing impairment or secondary epilepsy than in those who recovered without neurological deficits. Levels of MMP-9 correlated with concentrations of TIMP-1 (P <.001) and tumor necrosis factor-α (P =.03). Repeated lumbar punctures showed that levels of MMP-8 and MMP-9 were regulated independently and did not correlate with the CSF cell count. Therefore, MMPs may derive not only from granulocytes infiltrating the CSF space but also from parenchymal cells of the meninges and brain. High concentrations of MMP-9 are a risk factor for the development of postmeningitidal neurological sequela

Structural and Functional Analysis of a β2-Adrenergic Receptor Complex with GRK5.

The phosphorylation of agonist-occupied G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) by GPCR kinases (GRKs) functions to turn off G-protein signaling and turn on arrestin-mediated signaling. While a structural understanding of GPCR/G-protein and GPCR/arrestin complexes has emerged in recent years, the molecular architecture of a GPCR/GRK complex remains poorly defined. We used a comprehensive integrated approach of cross-linking, hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (MS), electron microscopy, mutagenesis, molecular dynamics simulations, and computational docking to analyze GRK5 interaction with the β2-adrenergic receptor (β2AR). These studies revealed a dynamic mechanism of complex formation that involves large conformational changes in the GRK5 RH/catalytic domain interface upon receptor binding. These changes facilitate contacts between intracellular loops 2 and 3 and the C terminus of the β2AR with the GRK5 RH bundle subdomain, membrane-binding surface, and kinase catalytic cleft, respectively. These studies significantly contribute to our understanding of the mechanism by which GRKs regulate the function of activated GPCRs. PAPERCLIP

Mesoscopic mean-field theory for spin-boson chains in quantum optical systems

We present a theoretical description of a system of many spins strongly coupled to a bosonic chain. We rely on the use of a spin-wave theory describing the Gaussian fluctuations around the mean-field solution, and focus on spin-boson chains arising as a generalization of the Dicke Hamiltonian. Our model is motivated by experimental setups such as trapped ions, or atoms/qubits coupled to cavity arrays. This situation corresponds to the cooperative (E⊗β) Jahn-Teller distortion studied in solid-state physics. However, the ability to tune the parameters of the model in quantum optical setups opens up a variety of novel intriguing situations. The main focus of this paper is to review the spin-wave theoretical description of this problem as well as to test the validity of mean-field theory. Our main result is that deviations from mean-field effects are determined by the interplay between magnetic order and mesoscopic cooperativity effects, being the latter strongly size-dependent

Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases attenuates brain damage in experimental meningococcal meningitis

Background: Approximately 7% of survivors from meningococcal meningitis (MM) suffer from neurological sequelae due to brain damage in the course of meningitis. The present study focuses on the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in a novel mouse model of MM-induced brain damage. Methods: The model is based on intracisternal infection of BALB/c mice with a serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis strain. Mice were infected with meningococci and randomised for treatment with the MMP inhibitor batimastat (BB-94) or vehicle. Animal survival, brain injury and host-response biomarkers were assessed 48 h after meningococcal challenge. Results: Mice that received BB-94 presented significantly diminished MMP-9 levels (p < 0.01), intracerebral bleeding (p < 0.01), and blood brain barrier (BBB) breakdown (p < 0.05) in comparison with untreated animals. In mice suffering from MM, the amount of MMP- 9 measured by zymography significantly correlated with both intracerebral haemorrhage (p < 0.01) and BBB disruption (p < 0.05). Conclusions: MMPs significantly contribute to brain damage associated with experimental MM. Inhibition of MMPs reduces intracranial complications in mice suffering from MM, representing a potential adjuvant strategy in MM post-infection sequelae

Arrays of waveguide-coupled optical cavities that interact strongly with atoms

We describe a realistic scheme for coupling atoms or other quantum emitters with an array of coupled optical cavities. We consider open Fabry-Perot microcavities coupled to the emitters. Our central innovation is to connect the microcavities to waveguide resonators, which are in turn evanescently coupled to each other on a photonic chip to form a coupled cavity chain. In this paper, we describe the components, their technical limitations and the factors that need to be determined experimentally. This provides the basis for a detailed theoretical analysis of two possible experiments to realize quantum squeezing and controlled quantum dynamics. We close with an outline of more advanced applications.Comment: 30 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to New Journal of Physic