Neutrinos in the holographic dark energy model: constraints from latest measurements of expansion history and growth of structure

The model of holographic dark energy (HDE) with massive neutrinos and/or dark radiation is investigated in detail. The background and perturbation evolutions in the HDE model are calculated. We employ the PPF approach to overcome the gravity instability difficulty (perturbation divergence of dark energy) led by the equation-of-state parameter $w$ evolving across the phantom divide $w=-1$ in the HDE model with $c<1$. We thus derive the evolutions of density perturbations of various components and metric fluctuations in the HDE model. The impacts of massive neutrino and dark radiation on the CMB anisotropy power spectrum and the matter power spectrum in the HDE scenario are discussed. Furthermore, we constrain the models of HDE with massive neutrinos and/or dark radiation by using the latest measurements of expansion history and growth of structure, including the Planck CMB temperature data, the baryon acoustic oscillation data, the JLA supernova data, the Hubble constant direct measurement, the cosmic shear data of weak lensing, the Planck CMB lensing data, and the redshift space distortions data. We find that $\sum m_\nu<0.186$ eV (95\% CL) and $N_{\rm eff}=3.75^{+0.28}_{-0.32}$ in the HDE model from the constraints of these data.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figures; revised version accepted for publication in JCA

An automatic recording system for the study of escape from fear in rats

Escape from fear (EFF) is an active response to a conditioned stimulus (CS) previously paired with an unconditioned fearful stimulus (US), which typically leads to the termination of the CS. In this paradigm, animals acquire two distinct associations: S-S [CS-US] and R-O [responseoutcome] through Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning, respectively. The present study describes a computer controlled automatic recording system that captures the development of EFF and allows the determination of the respective roles of S-S and R-O associations in this process. We validated this system by showing that only rats subjected to a simultaneous CS-US conditioning (i.e., CS and US occur together at the beginning of each trial) acquired EFF, not those subjected to an unpaired CS-US conditioning. Paired rats had a progressively increased number of EFF and significantly shorter escape latencies than unpaired rats across the 5-trial blocks on the test day. However, during the conditioning phase, the unpaired rats emitted more 22 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations, a validated measure of conditioned reactive fear responses. Our results demonstrate that the acquisition of EFF is contingent upon pairing of the CS with the US, not simply the consequence of a high level of generalized fear. Because this commercially available system is capable of examining both conditioned active and reactive fear responses in a single setup, it could be used to determine the relative roles of S-S and R-O associations in EFF, the neurobiology of conditioned active fear response and neuropharmacology of psychotherapeutic drugs

An automatic recording system for the study of escape from fear in rats

Escape from fear (EFF) is an active response to a conditioned stimulus (CS) previously paired with an unconditioned fearful stimulus (US), which typically leads to the termination of the CS. In this paradigm, animals acquire two distinct associations: S-S [CS-US] and R-O [responseoutcome] through Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning, respectively. The present study describes a computer controlled automatic recording system that captures the development of EFF and allows the determination of the respective roles of S-S and R-O associations in this process. We validated this system by showing that only rats subjected to a simultaneous CS-US conditioning (i.e., CS and US occur together at the beginning of each trial) acquired EFF, not those subjected to an unpaired CS-US conditioning. Paired rats had a progressively increased number of EFF and significantly shorter escape latencies than unpaired rats across the 5-trial blocks on the test day. However, during the conditioning phase, the unpaired rats emitted more 22 kHz ultrasonic vocalizations, a validated measure of conditioned reactive fear responses. Our results demonstrate that the acquisition of EFF is contingent upon pairing of the CS with the US, not simply the consequence of a high level of generalized fear. Because this commercially available system is capable of examining both conditioned active and reactive fear responses in a single setup, it could be used to determine the relative roles of S-S and R-O associations in EFF, the neurobiology of conditioned active fear response and neuropharmacology of psychotherapeutic drugs

Weak measurement combined with quantum delayed-choice experiment and implementation in optomechanical system

Weak measurement [1,19] combined with quantum delayed-choice experiment that use quantum beam splitter instead of the beam splitter give rise to a surprising amplification effect, i.e., counterintuitive negative amplification effect. We show that this effect is caused by the wave and particle behaviours of the system to be and can't be explained by a semiclassical wave theory, due to the entanglement of the system and the ancilla in quantum beam splitter. The amplification mechanism about wave-particle duality in quantum mechanics lead us to a scheme for implementation of weak measurement in optomechanical system

Benzoxime inhibits matrix metalloproteinase-13 activation and cartilage damage in osteoarthritis rats via inhibition of NF-κB pathway

Purpose: To investigate the effect of benzoxime on degradation of  articular cartilage in a rat model of osteoarthritis (OA), and the mechanism involved.Methods: The OA rat model was prepared by injecting monosodium  iodoacetate (MIA) intra-articularly to Wistar rats. Rats in the treatment group were given benzoxime (5 mg/kg) daily for 21 days through the intra-articular route. The animals were then examined for behavioral changes by assessment of asymmetry in bearing weight and paw  withdrawal threshold of the hind limb. Western blot assay was used for the analysis of inflammatory cytokine expressions.Results: The expression of P2X purinoceptor 7 receptor (P2X7R) mRNA was significantly elevated in the OA rats (p &lt; 0.02). However, benzoxime treatment caused a marked decrease in the level of P2X1-8R mRNA. Benzoxime treatment also prevented asymmetry in bearing weight, decreased paw withdrawal threshold, and inhibited the expressions of interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in plasma and cartilage. Moreover, benzoxime exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the expressions of P2X7R, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in cartilage tissue. It also significantly  suppressed OA-induced increases in the levels of inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) kinase (IKK)α, IKKβ, IκBα and NF-κB p65, and blocked OA-induced increases in the expressions of P2X7R, MMP-13 and PGE2.Conclusion: These results demonstrate that benzoxime prevents cartilage degradation in OA rats by targeting NF-κB signaling pathway. Thus, benzoxime possesses clinical and therapeutic potentials for the prevention of cartilage degradation in OA.Keywords: Interleukin-1β, Purinoceptor-7, Benzoxime, Osteoarthritis, Prostaglandin, Matrix metalloproteinase