Neutrino masses from universal Fermion mixing

If three right-handed neutrinos are added to the Standard Model, then, for the three known generations, there are six quarks and six leptons. It is then natural to assume that the symmetry considerations that have been applied to the quark matrices are also valid for the lepton mass matrices. Under this assumption, the solar and atmospheric neutrino data can be used to determine the individual neutrino masses. Using the \chi^2 fit, it is found that the mass of the lightest neutrino is (2-5)\times10^{-3} eV, that of the next heavier neutrino is (10-13)\times10^{-3} eV, while the mass of the heaviest neutrino is (52-54)\times10^{-3} eV.Comment: 27 pages, LaTeX, including several figure

Publisher Correction: Copper adparticle enabled selective electrosynthesis of n-propanol.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper

Solar Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein Effect with Three Generations of Neutrinos

Under the assumption that the density variation of the electrons can be approximated by an exponential function, the solar Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein effect is treated for three generations of neutrinos. The generalized hypergeometric functions that result from the exact solution of this problem are studied in detail, and a method for their numerical evaluation is presented. This analysis plays a central role in the determination of neutrino masses, not only the differences of their squares, under the assumption of universal quark-lepton mixing.Comment: 22 pages, LaTeX, including 2 figure

Universality of low-energy scattering in (2+1) dimensions

We prove that, in (2+1) dimensions, the S-wave phase shift, $\delta_0(k)$, k being the c.m. momentum, vanishes as either $\delta_0 \to {c\over \ln (k/m)} or \delta_0 \to O(k^2)$ as $k\to 0$. The constant $c$ is universal and $c=\pi/2$. This result is established first in the framework of the Schr\"odinger equation for a large class of potentials, second for a massive field theory from proved analyticity and unitarity, and, finally, we look at perturbation theory in $\phi_3^4$ and study its relation to our non-perturbative result. The remarkable fact here is that in n-th order the perturbative amplitude diverges like $(\ln k)^n$ as $k\to 0$, while the full amplitude vanishes as $(\ln k)^{-1}$. We show how these two facts can be reconciled.Comment: 23 pages, Late

A Nonabelian Yang-Mills Analogue of Classical Electromagnetic Duality

The classic question of a nonabelian Yang-Mills analogue to electromagnetic duality is here examined in a minimalist fashion at the strictly 4-dimensional, classical field and point charge level. A generalisation of the abelian Hodge star duality is found which, though not yet known to give dual symmetry, reproduces analogues to many dual properties of the abelian theory. For example, there is a dual potential, but it is a 2-indexed tensor $T_{\mu\nu}$ of the Freedman-Townsend type. Though not itself functioning as such, $T_{\mu\nu}$ gives rise to a dual parallel transport, $\tilde{A}_\mu$, for the phase of the wave function of the colour magnetic charge, this last being a monopole of the Yang-Mills field but a source of the dual field. The standard colour (electric) charge itself is found to be a monopole of $\tilde{A}_\mu$. At the same time, the gauge symmetry is found doubled from say $SU(N)$ to $SU(N) \times SU(N)$. A novel feature is that all equations of motion, including the standard Yang-Mills and Wong equations, are here derived from a `universal' principle, namely the Wu-Yang (1976) criterion for monopoles, where interactions arise purely as a consequence of the topological definition of the monopole charge. The technique used is the loop space formulation of Polyakov (1980).Comment: We regret that, due to a technical hitch, parts of the reference list were mixed up. This is the corrected version. We apologize to the authors whose papers were misquote

Mutations of PIK3CA in gastric adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND: Activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) through mutational inactivation of PTEN tumour suppressor gene is common in diverse cancer types, but rarely reported in gastric cancer. Recently, mutations in PIK3CA, which encodes the p110α catalytic subunit of PI3K, have been identified in various human cancers, including 3 of 12 gastric cancers. Eighty percent of these reported mutations clustered within 2 regions involving the helical and kinase domains. In vitro study on one of the "hot-spot" mutants has demonstrated it as an activating mutation. METHODS: Based on these data, we initiated PIK3CA mutation screening in 94 human gastric cancers by direct sequencing of the gene regions in which 80% of all the known PIK3CA mutations were found. We also examined PIK3CA expression level by extracting data from the previous large-scale gene expression profiling study. Using Significance Analysis of Microarrays (SAM), we further searched for genes that show correlating expression with PIK3CA. RESULTS: We have identified PIK3CA mutations in 4 cases (4.3%), all involving the previously reported hotspots. Among these 4 cases, 3 tumours demonstrated microsatellite instability and 2 tumours harboured concurrent KRAS mutation. Data extracted from microarray studies showed an increased expression of PIK3CA in gastric cancers when compared with the non-neoplastic gastric mucosae (p < 0.001). SAM further identified 2910 genes whose expression levels were positively associated with that of PIK3CA. CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that activation of the PI3K signalling pathway in gastric cancer may be achieved through up-regulation or mutation of PIK3CA, in which the latter may be a consequence of mismatch repair deficiency

Effects of Hepatocyte CD14 Upregulation during Cholestasis on Endotoxin Sensitivity

Cholestasis is frequently related to endotoxemia and inflammatory response. Our previous investigation revealed a significant increase in plasma endotoxin and CD14 levels during biliary atresia. We therefore propose that lipopolysacharides (LPS) may stimulate CD14 production in liver cells and promote the removal of endotoxins. The aims of this study are to test the hypothesis that CD14 is upregulated by LPS and investigate the pathophysiological role of CD14 production during cholestasis. Using Western blotting, qRT-PCR, and promoter activity assay, we demonstrated that LPS was associated with a significant increase in CD14 and MD2 protein and mRNA expression and CD14 promoter activity in C9 rat hepatocytes but not in the HSC-T6 hepatic stellate cell line in vitro. To correlate CD14 expression and endotoxin sensitivity, in vivo biliary LPS administration was performed on rats two weeks after they were subjected to bile duct ligation (BDL) or a sham operation. CD14 expression and endotoxin levels were found to significantly increase after LPS administration in BDL rats. These returned to basal levels after 24 h. In contrast, although endotoxin levels were increased in sham-operated rats given LPS, no increase in CD14 expression was observed. However, mortality within 24 h was more frequent in the BDL animals than in the sham-operated group. In conclusion, cholestasis and LPS stimulation were here found to upregulate hepatic CD14 expression, which may have led to increased endotoxin sensitivity and host proinflammatory reactions, causing organ failure and death in BDL rats

Intergenerational family support for ‘Generation Rent’:The family home for socially disengaged young people

This paper critically discusses the concept of intergenerational family support in housing for young people. Recognizing increased difficulties faced by the younger generation in the housing market, this paper highlights that support from older family members is increasingly important. Nonetheless, it is critiqued that the role of the family home has been largely ignored in the current ‘generation rent’ discourse. By drawing on recent youth studies debates, this paper argues living in the family home could be an important form of support in housing, especially for marginalized youth. This paper presents insights from qualitative studies in Hong Kong and Scotland and analyses interview accounts of socially disengaged young people. It reflects how remaining at the family home could be interpreted as intergenerational support, and further elicits complexities in expectations, negotiations and emotions involved. This analysis offers new evidence and a more nuanced perspective of intergenerational family support in housing research

Incidence of oral cancer in relation to nickel and arsenic concentrations in farm soils of patients' residential areas in Taiwan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To explore if exposures to specific heavy metals in the environment is a new risk factor of oral cancer, one of the fastest growing malignancies in Taiwan, in addition to the two established risk factors, cigarette smoking and betel quid chewing.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is an observational study utilized the age-standardized incidence rates of oral cancer in the 316 townships and precincts of Taiwan, local prevalence rates of cigarette smoking and betel quid chewing, demographic factors, socio-economic conditions, and concentrations in farm soils of the eight kinds of heavy metal. Spatial regression and GIS (Geographic Information System) were used. The registration contained 22,083 patients, who were diagnosed with oral cancer between 1982 and 2002. The concentrations of metal in the soils were retrieved from a nation-wide survey in the 1980s.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The incidence rate of oral cancer is geographically related to the concentrations of arsenic and nickel in the patients' residential areas, with the prevalence of cigarette smoking and betel quid chewing as controlled variables.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Beside the two established risk factors, cigarette smoking and betel quid chewing, arsenic and nickel in farm soils may be new risk factors for oral cancer. These two kinds of metal may involve in the development of oral cancer. Further studies are required to understand the pathways via which metal in the farm soils exerts its effects on human health.</p

MRP3: a molecular target for human glioblastoma multiforme immunotherapy.

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is refractory to conventional therapies. To overcome the problem of heterogeneity, more brain tumor markers are required for prognosis and targeted therapy. We have identified and validated a promising molecular therapeutic target that is expressed by GBM: human multidrug-resistance protein 3 (MRP3).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We investigated MRP3 by genetic and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of human gliomas to determine the incidence, distribution, and localization of MRP3 antigens in GBM and their potential correlation with survival. To determine MRP3 mRNA transcript and protein expression levels, we performed quantitative RT-PCR, raising MRP3-specific antibodies, and IHC analysis with biopsies of newly diagnosed GBM patients. We used univariate and multivariate analyses to assess the correlation of RNA expression and IHC of MRP3 with patient survival, with and without adjustment for age, extent of resection, and KPS.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Real-time PCR results from 67 GBM biopsies indicated that 59/67 (88%) samples highly expressed <it>MRP3 </it>mRNA transcripts, in contrast with minimal expression in normal brain samples. Rabbit polyvalent and murine monoclonal antibodies generated against an extracellular span of MRP3 protein demonstrated reactivity with defined <it>MRP3</it>-expressing cell lines and GBM patient biopsies by Western blotting and FACS analyses, the latter establishing cell surface MRP3 protein expression. IHC evaluation of 46 GBM biopsy samples with anti-MRP3 IgG revealed MRP3 in a primarily membranous and cytoplasmic pattern in 42 (91%) of the 46 samples. Relative RNA expression was a strong predictor of survival for newly diagnosed GBM patients. Hazard of death for GBM patients with high levels of <it>MRP3 </it>RNA expression was 2.71 (95% CI: 1.54-4.80) times that of patients with low/moderate levels (p = 0.002).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Human GBMs overexpress MRP3 at both mRNA and protein levels, and elevated MRP3 mRNA levels in GBM biopsy samples correlated with a higher risk of death. These data suggest that the tumor-associated antigen MRP3 has potential use for prognosis and as a target for malignant glioma immunotherapy.</p