11,825 research outputs found
Scaling of polymers in aligned rods
We study the behavior of self avoiding polymers in a background of vertically
aligned rods that are either frozen into random positions or free to move
horizontally. We find that in both cases the polymer chains are highly
elongated, with vertical and horizontal size exponents that differ by a factor
of 3. Though these results are different than previous predictions, our results
are confirmed by detailed computer simulations.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Inclusion of non-spherical components of the Pauli blocking operator in (p,p') reactions
We present the first calculations of proton elastic and inelastic scattering
in which the Pauli blocking operator contains the leading non-spherical
components as well as the usual spherical (angle-averaged) part. We develop a
formalism for including the contributions to the effective nucleon-nucleon
interaction from the resulting new G-matrix elements that extend the usual
two-nucleon spin structure and may not conserve angular momentum. We explore
the consequences of parity conservation, time reversal invariance, and
nucleon-nucleon antisymmetrization for the new effective interaction. Changes
to the calculated cross section and spin observables are small in the energy
range from 100 to 200 MeV.Comment: 24 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Physical Review
A low-energy perspective on the minimal left-right symmetric model
We perform a global analysis of the low-energy phenomenology of the minimal
left-right symmetric model (mLRSM) with parity symmetry. We match the mLRSM to
the Standard Model Effective Field Theory Lagrangian at the left-right-symmetry
breaking scale and perform a comprehensive fit to low-energy data including
mesonic, neutron, and nuclear -decay processes, and CP-even and -odd processes in the bottom and strange sectors, and electric
dipole moments (EDMs) of nucleons, nuclei, and atoms. We fit the
Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa and mLRSM parameters simultaneously and determine a
lower bound on the mass of the right-handed boson. In models where a
Peccei-Quinn mechanism provides a solution to the strong CP problem, we obtain
TeV at C.L. which can be significantly improved
with next-generation EDM experiments. In the -symmetric mLRSM without a
Peccei-Quinn mechanism we obtain a more stringent constraint TeV at C.L., which is difficult to improve with low-energy
measurements alone. In all cases, the additional scalar fields of the mLRSM are
required to be a few times heavier than the right-handed gauge bosons. We
consider a recent discrepancy in tests of first-row unitarity of the CKM
matrix. We find that, while TeV-scale bosons can alleviate some of the
tension found in the determinations, a solution to the discrepancy
is disfavored when taking into account other low-energy observables within the
mLRSM.Comment: 42 pages plus appendices. Published versio
Sex steroid hormones and brain function:PET imaging as a tool for research
Sex steroid hormones are major regulators of sexual characteristic among species. These hormones, however, are also produced in the brain. Steroidal hormone-mediated signalling via the corresponding hormone receptors can influence brain function at the cellular level and thus affect behaviour and higher brain functions. Altered steroid hormone signalling has been associated with psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Neurosteroids are also considered to have a neuroprotective effect in neurodegenerative diseases. So far, the role of steroid hormone receptors in physiological and pathological conditions has mainly been investigated post mortem on animal or human brain tissues. To study the dynamic interplay between sex steroids, their receptors, brain function and behaviour in psychiatric and neurological disorders in a longitudinal manner, however, non-invasive techniques are needed. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a non-invasive imaging tool that is used to quantitatively investigate a variety of physiological and biochemical parameters in vivo. PET uses radiotracers aimed at a specific target (eg, receptor, enzyme, transporter) to visualise the processes of interest. In this review, we discuss the current status of the use of PET imaging for studying sex steroid hormones in the brain. So far, PET has mainly been investigated as a tool to measure (changes in) sex hormone receptor expression in the brain, to measure a key enzyme in the steroid synthesis pathway (aromatase) and to evaluate the effects of hormonal treatment by imaging specific downstream processes in the brain. Although validated radiotracers for a number of targets are still warranted, PET can already be a useful technique for steroid hormone research and facilitate the translation of interesting findings in animal studies to clinical trials in patients
Dopamine D-2 up-regulation in psychosis patients after antipsychotic drug treatment
Purpose of reviewRecently, it has been questioned whether the re-emergence of psychotic symptoms following antipsychotic discontinuation or dose reduction is attributable to underlying psychotic vulnerability or to rebound effects of chronic use of antipsychotic medication. It was repeatedly shown that relapse rates are high after discontinuation of maintenance treatment. A potential contributing factor could be the increase in density of postsynaptic dopamine D2 receptors in the striatum and the higher affinity of D2 receptors for dopamine after chronic blockade.Recent findingsTo date, little clinical evidence is available for the mechanisms involved in postsynaptic striatal D2 receptor up-regulation after use of antipsychotic medication, and most knowledge comes from animal studies.SummaryFurther research is needed to investigate whether antipsychotic medication causes neuroadaptations leading to a dopamine supersensitive state in humans, how long such hypersensitive states may last and what differences exist between high and low D2 affinity antipsychotic drugs. Further, information is needed on discontinuation schedules that provide optimal protection for relapse during hypersensitive periods
The dual hit hypothesis of schizophrenia:evidence from animal models
Schizophrenia is a heterogeneous psychiatric disorder, which can severely impact social and professional functioning. Epidemiological and clinical studies show that schizophrenia has a multifactorial aetiology comprising genetic and environmental risk factors. Although several risk factors have been identified, it is still not clear how they result in schizophrenia. This knowledge gap, however, can be investigated in animal studies. In this review, we summarise animal studies regarding molecular and cellular mechanisms through which genetic and environmental factors may affect brain development, ultimately causing schizophrenia. Preclinical studies suggest that early environmental risk factors can affect the immune, GABAergic, glutamatergic, or dopaminergic system and thus increase the susceptibility to another risk factor later in life. A second insult, like social isolation, stress, or drug abuse, can further disrupt these systems and the interactions between them, leading to behavioural abnormalities. Surprisingly, first insults like maternal infection and early maternal separation can also have protective effects. Single gene mutations associated with schizophrenia did not have a major impact on the susceptibility to subsequent environmental hits
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