Baryogenesis via leptogenesis in SO(10) models

We discuss the baryogenesis via leptogenesis mechanism within the supersymmetric and nonsupersymmetric SO(10) models. We find that the nonsupersymmetric model, endowed with an intermediate scale, is generally favoured, unless some fine tuning occurs in the supersymmetric case.Comment: 9 pages, RevTex, with 1 figur

An analysis of the Sargasso Sea resource and the consequences for database composition

Background: The environmental sequencing of the Sargasso Sea has introduced a huge new resource of genomic information. Unlike the protein sequences held in the current searchable databases, the Sargasso Sea sequences originate from a single marine environment and have been sequenced from species that are not easily obtainable by laboratory cultivation. The resource also contains very many fragments of whole protein sequences, a side effect of the shotgun sequencing method.These sequences form a significant addendum to the current searchable databases but also present us with some intrinsic difficulties. While it is important to know whether it is possible to assign function to these sequences with the current methods and whether they will increase our capacity to explore sequence space, it is also interesting to know how current bioinformatics techniques will deal with the new sequences in the resource.Results: The Sargasso Sea sequences seem to introduce a bias that decreases the potential of current methods to propose structure and function for new proteins. In particular the high proportion of sequence fragments in the resource seems to result in poor quality multiple alignments.Conclusion: These observations suggest that the new sequences should be used with care, especially if the information is to be used in large scale analyses. On a positive note, the results may just spark improvements in computational and experimental methods to take into account the fragments generated by environmental sequencing techniques

Neutrino masses and mixings in SO(10)

Assuming a Zee-like matrix for the right-handed neutrino Majorana masses in the see-saw mechanism, one gets maximal mixing for vacuum solar oscillations, a very small value for $U_{e3}$ and an approximate degeneracy for the two lower neutrino masses. The scale of right-handed neutrino Majorana masses is in good agreement with the value expected in a SO(10) model with Pati-Salam SU(4)\ts SU(2)\ts SU(2) intermediate symmetry.Comment: 11 pages, no figures. References adde

Relation between quark masses and weak mixings

Simple transformation formulas between fermion matrices and observables, and numerical values of quark matrices, are obtained on a particular weak basis with one quark matrix diagonal and the other with vanishing elements 1-1, 1-3 and 3-1, and with only the element 2-2 complex. When we choose $M_u$ diagonal, then $M_d$ shows intriguing numerical properties which suggest a four parameter description of it, which implies $V_{us}\simeq \sqrt{m_d/m_s}$, $V_{cb}\simeq (3/\sqrt{5})(m_s/m_b)$ and $V_{ub}\simeq (1/\sqrt{5})(\sqrt{m_d m_s}/m_b)$. Few comments on mass-mixing relations are added

Learning Linear Non-Gaussian Polytree Models

In the context of graphical causal discovery, we adapt the versatile framework of linear non-Gaussian acyclic models (LiNGAMs) to propose new algorithms to efficiently learn graphs that are polytrees. Our approach combines the Chow--Liu algorithm, which first learns the undirected tree structure, with novel schemes to orient the edges. The orientation schemes assess algebraic relations among moments of the data-generating distribution and are computationally inexpensive. We establish high-dimensional consistency results for our approach and compare different algorithmic versions in numerical experiments

The S-layer protein DR_2577 binds deinoxanthin and under desiccation conditions protects against UV-radiation in Deinococcus radiodurans

Deinococcus radiodurans has the puzzling ability to withstand over a broad range of extreme conditions including high doses of ultraviolet radiation and deep desiccation. This bacterium is surrounded by a surface layer (S-layer) built of a regular repetition of several proteins, assembled to form a paracrystalline structure. Here we report that the deletion of a main constituent of this S-layer, the gene DR_2577, causes a decrease in the UVC resistance, especially in desiccated cells. Moreover, we show that the DR_2577 protein binds the carotenoid deinoxanthin, a strong protective antioxidant specific of this bacterium. A further spectroscopical characterization of the deinoxanthin-DR_2577 complex revealed features which could suggest a protective role of DR_2577. We propose that, especially under desiccation, the S-layer shields the bacterium from incident ultraviolet light and could behave as a first lane of defense against UV radiation

Foot Posture Index Does Not Correlate with Dynamic Foot Assessment Performed via Baropodometric Examination: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background. Clinicians employ foot morphology assessment to evaluate the functionality of the method and anticipate possible injuries. This study aims to correlate static foot posture and the dynamic barefoot evaluation in a sample of healthy adult participants. Methods. The foot posture was evaluated using the Foot Posture Index-6 (FPI-6) and the dynamics were evaluated through baropodometric examination. Two operators independently assessed the participants’ foot posture through FPI-6, and then a dynamic evaluation was performed by asking them to walk 8 times across a platform. One hundred participants (mean age: 32.15 ± 7.49) were enrolled. Results. The inter-rater agreement between the two assessors was found to be excellent. The majority of the feet belonged to the 0 < FPI < 4 class (32%), followed by the 4 < FPI < 8 (31%) and the FPI > 8 ranges (19.5%). Our “area of contact” analysis showed a significant poor correlation between FPI and total foot, midfoot, and the second metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ) (−0.3 < r < 0). Regarding “force” parameters, the analysis showed a poor correlation between the midfoot, hallux, and the second toe (−0.2 < r < 2); finally the “pressure” analysis showed a poor correlation between FPI, the fourth MTPJ, and the second toe (−0.2 < rs < 0.3) and a moderate correlation between the hallux (r = 0.374) and the fifth MTPJ (r = 0.427). Conclusions. This study emphasizes the constrained correlation between static foot posture observation and dynamic barefoot examination

Purification and characterization of DR_2577 (SlpA) a major S-layer protein from Deinococcus radiodurans

The protein DR_2577 is a major Surface layer component of the radio-resistant bacterium Deinococcus radiodurans. In the present study DR_2577 has been purified and its oligomeric profile characterized by means of size exclusion chromatography and gel electrophoresis. DR_2577 was found to be organized into three hierarchical orders characterized by monomers, stable dimers formed by the occurrence of disulfide bonds, and hexamers resulting from a combination of dimers. The structural implications of these findings are discussed providing new elements for a more integrated model of this S-layer