Assesing the effect of Coulomb repulsion asymmetry on electron pairing

Coulomb repulsion between two moving electrons loses its spherical symmetry due to relativistic effects. In presence of a uniform positive ion background this asymmetry uncovers an angular dependent attraction potential in the direction of motion. The quantum mechanical response to such an attraction potential is obtained through perturbation. It is shown that the transition amplitude between states with the symmetry of the attraction potential becomes negative and if the density of states is anisotropic, occurrence of a superconducting state becomes possible.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure

Modular forms and elliptic curves over the field of fifth roots of unity

Let F be the cyclotomic field of fifth roots of unity. We computationally investigate modularity of elliptic curves over F.Comment: Added appendix by Mark Watkins, who found an elliptic curve missing from our tabl

Elastic Correlations in Nucleosomal DNA Structure

The structure of DNA in the nucleosome core particle is studied using an elastic model that incorporates anisotropy in the bending energetics and twist-bend coupling. Using the experimentally determined structure of nucleosomal DNA [T.J. Richmond and C.A. Davey, Nature {\bf 423}, 145 (2003)], it is shown that elastic correlations exist between twist, roll, tilt, and stretching of DNA, as well as the distance between phosphate groups. The twist-bend coupling term is shown to be able to capture these correlations to a large extent, and a fit to the experimental data yields a new estimate of G=25 nm for the value of the twist-bend coupling constant

Assessment of 1183 screen-detected, category 3B, circumscribed masses by cytology and core biopsy with long-term follow up data

Discrete masses are commonly detected during mammographic screening and most such lesions are benign. For lesions without pathognomonically benign imaging features that are still regarded likely to be non-malignant (Tabar grade 3) reliable biopsy results would be a clinically useful alternative to mammographic surveillance. Appropriate institutional guidelines for ethical research were followed. Between Jan 1996–Dec 2005 grade 3B discrete masses detected in the setting of a large, population based, breast cancer screening programme are included. Patient demographics, fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), core and surgical biopsy results are tabulated. The final pathology of excised lesions was obtained. Information regarding interval cancers was obtained from the State Cancer Registry records and also through long term follow-up of clients in subsequent rounds of screening. A total of 1183 lesions, mean diameter of 13.3 mm (±8.3 mm) and mean client age of 55.1 years (±8.8 years) are included. After diagnostic work up, 98 lesions (8.3%) were malignant, 1083 were non-malignant and a final histologic diagnosis was not established in two lesions. In the 27 months after assessment, no interval cancers were attributable to these lesions and during a mean follow up of 54.5 months, available in 84.9% of eligible women, only one cancer has developed in the same quadrant as the original lesion, although the two processes are believed to be unrelated. FNAB performed in 1149 cases was definitive in 80.5% cases (882 benign, 43 malignant) with a negative predictive value (NPV) of 99.8% (880 of 882) and a positive predictive value (PPV) of 95.2% (40 of 42, both intraductal papillomas). Core biopsy was performed in 178 lesions, mostly for indefinite cytology. Core biopsy was definitive in 79.8% cases (57% benign 22% malignant) with a PPV of 100% and NPV of 99.0%. In experienced hands FNAB is an accurate first line diagnostic modality for the assessment of 3B screen-detected discrete masses, providing definitive results in 80.5% of cases. When used as a second line modality, core biopsy had a similarly high rate of definitive diagnosis at 79.8%. The stepwise approach to the use of FNAB and core biopsy would reduce substantially the proportion of cases requiring surgical diagnostic biopsy. Given the low probability of malignancy and the imperative to limit the morbidity associated with cancer screening, the demonstration of the reliability of FNAB as a minimally invasive but highly accurate test for this particular subset of screen-detected lesions has significant clinical utility

How sociable? An exploratory study of university brand visibility in social media

Social media has changed both the way in which organizations and their brands interact with their customers and the way in which business gets done. Brands are attempting to utilize social media to reach existing customers, gain new ones and build or maintain credibility and reputation. More importantly, brands need to measure their visibility in the most popular social media relative to that of competitors. This study describes a tool for collecting brand visibility information by looking at the visibility of various South African university brands and their relative positioning from a social media perspective. Correspondence analysis is then used to portray the various university brands in a multi-dimensional space so that they can be contrasted with each other in terms of their visibility in social media. The findings indicate that South African university brands are not distinctly positioned in social media and that none of them seems to currently have a concerted strategy for engaging its stakeholders in a particular social media. This means that there are both opportunities for those who manage these brands, and also threats to these institutions for taking a laissez fair attitude to social media in these times when social media are coming to dominate the Internet in particular and media in general

Up-Regulation of Tmevpg1 and Rmrp LncRNA Levels in Splenocytes and Brain of Mouse with Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Background: Two long noncoding (lnc) RNAs, which have been recognized as Tmevpg1/Ifng-AS1/NeST and Rmrp play indispensable roles in the differentiation of TH1 and TH17, respectively. The aim of the present scientific study was to analyze the expression levels of the aforementioned lncRNAs in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) as an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS).Materials and Methods: Initially, EAE was induced in C57BL/6 mice via immunization by using MOG peptide. The leukocyte infiltration rate and demyelination of neuronal axons were determined. Secondly, the expression levels of Tmevpg1, Rmrp, Tbx21, and Rorc were analyzed in the cultured splenocytes and brain lysates, by using Real-Time PCR assay; eventually, the levels of interferon-gamma and interleukin-17 evaluated by ELISA.Results: Gene expression analysis revealed that Rorc expression in the splenocytes of EAE mice in comparison to the controls was elevated; however, Tbx21 expression did not show any significant difference. Tmevpg1 and Rmrp levels increased in the splenocytes of EAE mice (4.48 times and 39.70 times, respectively, p = 0.0001). Besides, in the brain lysate, the entire genes that have been mentioned were higher than the controls (Tmevpg1: 3.35 times p = 0.02 and Rmrp 11.21 times, p = 0.0001).Conclusion: The marked up-regulation in Tmevpg1 and Rmrp transcripts suggested the essential roles of lncRNAs in the pathogenesis of EAE and multiple sclerosis indeed. Further investigations are necessary to evaluate the values of these lncRNAs as the target for the therapy or molecular marker for disease monitoring

Modulation of TRPV4 protects against degeneration induced by sustained loading and promotes matrix synthesis in the intervertebral disc

While it is well known that mechanical signals can either promote or disrupt intervertebral disc (IVD) homeostasis, the molecular mechanisms for transducing mechanical stimuli are not fully understood. The transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) ion channel activated in isolated IVD cells initiates extracellular matrix (ECM) gene expression, while TRPV4 ablation reduces cytokine production in response to circumferential stretching. However, the role of TRPV4 on ECM maintenance during tissue-level mechanical loading remains unknown. Using an organ culture model, we modulated TRPV4 function over both short- (hours) and long-term (days) and evaluated the IVDs\u27 response. Activating TRPV4 with the agonist GSK101 resulted in a C