Superscaling and Charge-changing Neutrino Cross Sections

The superscaling function extracted from inclusive electron scattering data is used to predict high energy charge-changing neutrino cross sections in the quasi-elastic and $\Delta$ regions.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures, to appear in the Proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Neutrino Factories and Superbeams, Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Frascati (Rome), June 21 - 26, 200

Fluctuations of the vortex line density in turbulent flows of quantum fluids

We present an analytical study of fluctuations of the Vortex Line Density (VLD) $$ in turbulent flows of quantum fluids. Two cases are considered. The first one is the counterflowing (Vinen) turbulence, where the vortex lines are disordered, and the evolution of quantity $\mathcal{L}(t)$ obeys the Vinen equation. The second case is the quasi-classic turbulence, where vortex lines are believed to form the so called vortex bundles, and their dynamics is described by the HVBK equations. The latter case, is of a special interest, since a number of recent experiments demonstrate the $\omega ^{-5/3}$ dependence for spectrum VLD, instead of $\omega ^{1/3}$ law, typical for spectrum of vorticity. In nonstationary situation, in particular, in the fluctuating turbulent flow there is a retardation between the instantaneous value of the normal velocity and the quantity $\mathcal{L}$. This retardation tends to decrease in the accordance with the inner dynamics, which has a relaxation character. In both cases the relaxation dynamics of VLD is related to fluctuations of the relative velocity, however if for the Vinen case the rate of temporal change for $\mathcal{L}(t)$ is directly depends on $\delta \mathbf{v}_{ns}$, for the HVBK dynamics it depends on $\nabla \times \delta \mathbf{v}_{ns}$. As a result, for the disordered case the spectrum $<\delta \mathcal{L}(\omega) \delta \mathcal{L}(-\omega)>$ coincides with the spectrum $\omega ^{-5/3}$. In the case of the bundle arrangement, the spectrum of the VLD varies (at different temperatures) from $\omega ^{1/3}$ to $\omega ^{-5/3}$ dependencies. This conclusion may serve as a basis for the experimental determination of what kind of the turbulence is implemented in different types of generation.Comment: 8 pages, 29 reference

Energy Loss from Reconnection with a Vortex Mesh

Experiments in superfluid 4He show that at low temperatures, energy dissipation from moving vortices is many orders of magnitude larger than expected from mutual friction. Here we investigate other mechanisms for energy loss by a computational study of a vortex that moves through and reconnects with a mesh of small vortices pinned to the container wall. We find that such reconnections enhance energy loss from the moving vortex by a factor of up to 100 beyond that with no mesh. The enhancement occurs through two different mechanisms, both involving the Kelvin oscillations generated along the vortex by the reconnections. At relatively high temperatures the Kelvin waves increase the vortex motion, leading to more energy loss through mutual friction. As the temperature decreases, the vortex oscillations generate additional reconnection events between the moving vortex and the wall, which decrease the energy of the moving vortex by transfering portions of its length to the pinned mesh on the wall.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure

Thermodynamic inequalities in superfluid

We investigate general thermodynamic stability conditions for the superfluid. This analysis is performed in an extended space of thermodynamic variables containing (along with the usual thermodynamic coordinates such as pressure and temperature) superfluid velocity and momentum density. The stability conditions lead to thermodynamic inequalities which replace the Landau superfluidity criterion at finite temperatures.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur

Unidirectional decomposition method for obtaining exact localized waves solutions totally free of backward components

In this paper we use a unidirectional decomposition capable of furnishing localized wave pulses, with luminal and superluminal peak velocities, in exact form and totally free of backward components, which have been a chronic problem for such wave solutions. This decomposition is powerful enough for yielding not only ideal nondiffracting pulses but also their finite energy versions still in exact analytical closed form. Another advantage of the present approach is that, since the backward spectral components are absent, the frequency spectra of the pulses do not need to possess ultra-widebands, as it is required by the usual localized waves (LWs) solutions obtained by other methods. Finally, the present results bring the LW theory nearer to the real experimental possibilities of usual laboratories.Comment: 28 pages, 6 figure

Albuminuria regression and all-cause mortality among insulin-treated patients with Type 2 diabetes: analysis of a large UK Primary Care cohort

Background: Overt albuminuria (urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR) >300mg/g) is an established risk factor for progression of nephropathy and total mortality. However, whether, a reduction in ACR translates into a reduction in mortality and/or cardiovascular events among insulintreated patients with Type 2 diabetes (T2D) in routine practice is currently not known.Methods We obtained data on a large cohort of insulin users with T2D and nephropathy (baseline ACR ≥ 300mg/g) from UK general practices between 2007 and 2014. Their corresponding ACR values after one year of follow up were thereafter categorised into: (1) less than 300mg/g (i.e. albuminuria regression) or (2) >300mg/g (i.e. non-regression of albuminuria), and the cohort was followed up for 5 years for all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events. Cox proportional hazard models were fitted to estimate the risk of all-cause death.Results A total of 11,074 patients with insulin-treated T2D met the inclusion criteria. Their mean age was 62.3(13.6) years; mean HbA1c: 8.7(1.8) %; and 53% were male. 682 deaths occurred after a follow-up period of 43,393 person-years with a mortality rate of 16 per 1000 person-years. 5-year survival was markedly reduced in the group whose proteinuria persisted or progressed (91 vs 95%; log-rank p-value less than 0.001). Compared to patients whose ACR levels remained above 300mg/g, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular events were 31% and 27% lower in those whose albuminuria regressed to less than 300mg/g (aHR: 0.69; 95%CI: 0.52 to 0.91; p=0.008 and aHR: 0. 73; 95%CI: 0.54 to 0.98; p=0.041) respectively.Conclusion: In patients with insulin-treated T2D and nephropathy in routine practice, a regression in albuminuria (e.g. via better BP or glycaemic control) is associated with a significant reduction in all-cause mortality. Thus, albuminuria is not simply a risk marker of renal and cardiovascular disease, but also an independent target for therapy. Albuminuria reduction should be viewed as a goal for renal and cardiovascular protection

Targeting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway in pancreatic β-cells to enhance their survival and function: An emerging therapeutic strategy for type 1 diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease caused by the destruction of the insulin-producing β-cells within the pancreas. Islet transplantation represents one cure; however, during islet preparation and post transplantation significant amounts of β-cell death occur. Therefore, prevention and cure of T1D is dependent upon the preservation of β-cell function and the prevention of β-cell death. Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling represents a promising therapeutic target for T1D due to its pronounced effects on cellular survival, proliferation, and metabolism. A growing amount of evidence indicates that PI3K/Akt signaling is a critical determinant of β-cell mass and function. Modulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, directly (via the use of highly specific protein and peptide-based biologics, excretory/secretory products of parasitic worms, and complex constituents of plant extracts) or indirectly (through microRNA interactions) can regulate the β-cell processes to ultimately determine the fate of β-cell mass. An important consideration is the identification of the specific PI3K/Akt pathway modulators that enhance β-cell function and prevent β-cell death without inducing excessive β-cell proliferation, which may carry carcinogenic side effects. Among potential PI3K/Akt pathway agonists, we have identified a novel parasite-derived protein, termed FhHDM-1 (Fasciola hepatica helminth defense molecule 1), which efficiently stimulates the PI3K/Akt pathway in β-cells to enhance function and prevent death without concomitantly inducing proliferation unlike several other identified stimulators of PI3K/Akt signaling . As such, FhHDM-1 will inform the design of biologics aimed at targeting the PI3K/Akt pathway to prevent/ameliorate not only T1D but also T2D, which is now widely recognized as an inflammatory disease characterized by β-cell dysfunction and death. This review will explore the modulation of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway as a novel strategy to enhance β-cell function and survival

Interaction of Kelvin waves and nonlocality of energy transfer in superfluids

We argue that the physics of interacting Kelvin Waves (KWs) is highly nontrivial and cannot be understood on the basis of pure dimensional reasoning. A consistent theory of KW turbulence in superfluids should be based upon explicit knowledge of their interactions. To achieve this, we present a detailed calculation and comprehensive analysis of the interaction coefficients for KW turbuelence, thereby, resolving previous mistakes stemming from unaccounted contributions. As a first application of this analysis, we derive a local nonlinear (partial differential) equation. This equation is much simpler for analysis and numerical simulations of KWs than the Biot-Savart equation, and in contrast to the completely integrable local induction approximation (in which the energy exchange between KWs is absent), describes the nonlinear dynamics of KWs. Second, we show that the previously suggested Kozik-Svistunov energy spectrum for KWs, which has often been used in the analysis of experimental and numerical data in superfluid turbulence, is irrelevant, because it is based upon an erroneous assumption of the locality of the energy transfer through scales. Moreover, we demonstrate the weak nonlocality of the inverse cascade spectrum with a constant particle-number flux and find resulting logarithmic corrections to this spectrum