A comment on the anomalous ZttˉZt\bar t couplings and the Z→bbˉZ\to b\bar b decay

By reanalyzing the influence of the anomalous $Z\bar t t$ couplings on the $Z\rightarrow b\bar b$ decay process, we pointed out the ambiguity in the conventional treatment of the effective Lagrangian approach, because of the possible existence of large contributions given by constant terms beyond the leading cutoff dependent term.Comment: 6 pages, Latex, no figure

Comprehensive evaluation of peptide de novo sequencing tools for monoclonal antibody assembly

Monoclonal antibodies are biotechnologically produced proteins with various applications in research, therapeutics and diagnostics. Their ability to recognize and bind to specific molecule structures makes them essential research tools and therapeutic agents. Sequence information of antibodies is helpful for understanding antibody–antigen interactions and ensuring their affinity and specificity. De novo protein sequencing based on mass spectrometry is a valuable method to obtain the amino acid sequence of peptides and proteins without a priori knowledge. In this study, we evaluated six recently developed de novo peptide sequencing algorithms (Novor, pNovo 3, DeepNovo, SMSNet, PointNovo and Casanovo), which were not specifically designed for antibody data. We validated their ability to identify and assemble antibody sequences on three multi-enzymatic data sets. The deep learning-based tools Casanovo and PointNovo showed an increased peptide recall across different enzymes and data sets compared with spectrum-graph-based approaches. We evaluated different error types of de novo peptide sequencing tools and their performance for different numbers of missing cleavage sites, noisy spectra and peptides of various lengths. We achieved a sequence coverage of 97.69–99.53% on the light chains of three different antibody data sets using the de Bruijn assembler ALPS and the predictions from Casanovo. However, low sequence coverage and accuracy on the heavy chains demonstrate that complete de novo protein sequencing remains a challenging issue in proteomics that requires improved de novo error correction, alternative digestion strategies and hybrid approaches such as homology search to achieve high accuracy on long protein sequences.Peer Reviewe

Growth Route Toward III-V Multispectral Solar Cells on Silicon

To date, high efficiency multijunction solar cells have been developed on Ge or GaAs substrates for space applications, and terrestrial applications are hampered by high fabrication costs. In order to reduce this cost, we propose a breakthrough technique of III-V compound heteroepitaxy on Si substrates without generation of defects critical to PV applications. With this technique we expect to achieve perfect integration of heterogeneous Ga1-xInxAs micro-crystals on Si substrates. In this paper, we show that this is the case for x=0. GaAs crystals were grown by Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth on Si (100) wafers covered with a thin SiO2 nanostructured layer. The cristallographic structure of these crystals is analysed by MEB and TEM imaging. Micro-Raman and Micro-Photomuminescence spectra of GaAs crystals grown with different conditions are compared with those of a reference GaAs wafer in order to have more insight on eventual local strains and their cristallinity. This work aims at developping building blocks to further develop a GaAs/Si tandem demonstrator with a potential conversion efficiency of 29.6% under AM1.5G spectrum without concentration, as inferred from our realistic modeling. This paper shows that Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth has a very interesting potential to develop multijunction solar cells on silicon approaching the today 30.3% world record of a GaInP/GaAs tandem cell under the same illumination conditions, but on a costlier substrate than silicon.Comment: Preprint of the 28th EUPVSEC proceedings, September 2013, Paris, France. (5 pages

High resolution physical map of porcine chromosome 7 QTL region and comparative mapping of this region among vertebrate genomes

BACKGROUND: On porcine chromosome 7, the region surrounding the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) contains several Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) influencing many traits including growth, back fat thickness and carcass composition. Previous studies highlighted that a fragment of ~3.7 Mb is located within the Swine Leucocyte Antigen (SLA) complex. Internal rearrangements of this fragment were suggested, and partial contigs had been built, but further characterization of this region and identification of all human chromosomal fragments orthologous to this porcine fragment had to be carried out. RESULTS: A whole physical map of the region was constructed by integrating Radiation Hybrid (RH) mapping, BAC fingerprinting data of the INRA BAC library and anchoring BAC end sequences on the human genome. 17 genes and 2 reference microsatellites were ordered on the high resolution IMNpRH2(12000rad )Radiation Hybrid panel. A 1000:1 framework map covering 550 cR(12000 )was established and a complete contig of the region was developed. New micro rearrangements were highlighted between the porcine and human genomes. A bovine RH map was also developed in this region by mapping 16 genes. Comparison of the organization of this region in pig, cattle, human, mouse, dog and chicken genomes revealed that 1) the translocation of the fragment described previously is observed only on the bovine and porcine genomes and 2) the new internal micro rearrangements are specific of the porcine genome. CONCLUSION: We estimate that the region contains several rearrangements and covers 5.2 Mb of the porcine genome. The study of this complete BAC contig showed that human chromosomal fragments homologs of this heavily rearranged QTL region are all located in the region of HSA6 that surrounds the centromere. This work allows us to define a list of all candidate genes that could explain these QTL effects

Effects of a multifaceted intervention on cardiovascular risk factors in high-risk hypertensive patients: the ESCAPE trial, a pragmatic cluster randomized trial in general practice

BACKGROUND: Several observational studies on hypertensive patients have shown a gap between therapeutic targets recommended in guidelines and those achieved in daily practice. The ESCAPE trial aimed to determine whether a multifaceted intervention focused on general practitioners (GPs), could increase significantly the proportion of hypertensive patients at high risk in primary prevention who achieved all their recommended therapeutic targets. METHODS: A pragmatic, cluster randomized trial involving 257 GPs randomized by region. The GPs in the intervention group had a one-day training session and were given an electronic blood pressure measurement device and a short recommendation leaflet. Along with usual follow-up, they focused one consultation on hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors every six months for two years. They also received feedback at baseline and at one year on their patients’ clinical and biological parameters. Main outcome measures were change in the proportion of patients achieving all their therapeutic targets and each individual therapeutic target at two years, and quality of life. RESULTS: 1,832 high-risk hypertensive patients were included. After two years, the proportion of patients achieving all their therapeutic targets increased significantly in both groups, but significantly more in the intervention group: OR (odds-ratio) 1.89, (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09 to 3.27, P = 0.02). Significantly more patients achieved their blood pressure targets in the intervention group than in the usual care group: OR 2.03 (95% CI 1.44 to 2.88, P < 0.0001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased significantly more in the intervention group than in the usual care group, by 4.8 mmHg and 1.9 mmHg, respectively (P < 0.0001 for both). There were no significant difference changes in physical and mental quality of life between groups. CONCLUSION: An easy-to-perform, multifaceted intervention targeting only GPs increased significantly the proportion of high-risk hypertensive patients in primary prevention achieving their recommended therapeutic targets. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT0034885

Detection of quantitative trait loci for carcass composition traits in pigs

A quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of carcass composition data from a three-generation experimental cross between Meishan (MS) and Large White (LW) pig breeds is presented. A total of 488 F2 males issued from six F1 boars and 23 F1 sows, the progeny of six LW boars and six MS sows, were slaughtered at approximately 80 kg live weight and were submitted to a standardised cutting of the carcass. Fifteen traits, i.e. dressing percentage, loin, ham, shoulder, belly, backfat, leaf fat, feet and head weights, two backfat thickness and one muscle depth measurements, ham + loin and back + leaf fat percentages and estimated carcass lean content were analysed. Animals were typed for a total of 137 markers covering the entire porcine genome. Analyses were performed using a line-cross (LC) regression method where founder lines were assumed to be fixed for different QTL alleles and a half/full sib (HFS) maximum likelihood method where allele substitution effects were estimated within each half-/full-sib family. Additional analyses were performed to search for multiple linked QTL and imprinting effects. Significant gene effects were evidenced for both leanness and fatness traits in the telomeric regions of SSC 1q and SSC 2p, on SSC 4, SSC 7 and SSC X. Additional significant QTL were identified for ham weight on SSC 5, for head weight on SSC 1 and SSC 7, for feet weight on SSC 7 and for dressing percentage on SSC X. LW alleles were associated with a higher lean content and a lower fat content of the carcass, except for the fatness trait on SSC 7. Suggestive evidence of linked QTL on SSC 7 and of imprinting effects on SSC 6, SSC 7, SSC 9 and SSC 17 were also obtained

New exploration of the γ-gliadin structure through its partial hydrolysis

The partial enzymatic hydrolysis of wheat gliadins constitutes an interesting tool to unravel their structural specificity. In this work, the structure and conformation of γ-gliadin were investigated through its limited chymotrypsic digestion. Using a combination of computational, biochemical and biophysical tools, we studied each of its N and C terminal domains. Our results reveal that γ-gliadin is a partially disordered protein with an unfolded N-terminal domain surprisingly resistant to chymotrypsin and a folded C-terminal domain. Using spectroscopic tools, we showed that structural transitions occured over the disordered N-terminal domain for decreasing ethanol/water ratios. Using SAXS measurements, low-resolution 3D structures of γ-gliadin were proposed. To relate the repeated motifs of the N-terminal domain of γ-gliadin to its structure, engineered peptide models PQQPY/F were also studied. Overall results demonstrated similarities between the N-terminal domain and its derived model peptides. Our findings support the use of these peptides as general templates for understanding the wheat protein assembly and dynamics