1,291 research outputs found
Quasi-Exact Solvability and the direct approach to invariant subspaces
We propose a more direct approach to constructing differential operators that
preserve polynomial subspaces than the one based on considering elements of the
enveloping algebra of sl(2). This approach is used here to construct new
exactly solvable and quasi-exactly solvable quantum Hamiltonians on the line
which are not Lie-algebraic. It is also applied to generate potentials with
multiple algebraic sectors. We discuss two illustrative examples of these two
applications: an interesting generalization of the Lam\'e potential which
posses four algebraic sectors, and a quasi-exactly solvable deformation of the
Morse potential which is not Lie-algebraic.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figure
Oscillatons revisited
In this paper, we study some interesting properties of a spherically
symmetric oscillating soliton star made of a real time-dependent scalar field
which is called an oscillaton. The known final configuration of an oscillaton
consists of a stationary stage in which the scalar field and the metric
coefficients oscillate in time if the scalar potential is quadratic. The
differential equations that arise in the simplest approximation, that of
coherent scalar oscillations, are presented for a quadratic scalar potential.
This allows us to take a closer look at the interesting properties of these
oscillating objects. The leading terms of the solutions considering a quartic
and a cosh scalar potentials are worked in the so called stationary limit
procedure. This procedure reveals the form in which oscillatons and boson stars
may be related and useful information about oscillatons is obtained from the
known results of boson stars. Oscillatons could compete with boson stars as
interesting astrophysical objects, since they would be predicted by scalar
field dark matter models.Comment: 10 pages REVTeX, 10 eps figures. Updated files to match version
published in Classical and Quantum Gravit
Pass a Law, Any Law, Fast! State Legislative Responses to the Kelo Backlash
The Supreme Court in Kelo v. City of New London left protection of property against takings for economic development to the states. Since Kelo, thirty-seven states have enacted legislation to update their eminent domain laws. This paper is the first to theoretically and empirically analyze the factors that influence whether, in what manner, and how quickly states change their laws through new legislation. Fourteen of the thirty-seven new laws offer only weak protections against development takings. The legislative response to Kelo was responsive to measures of the backlash but only in the binary decision whether to pass any new law. The decision to enact a meaningful restriction was more a function of relevant political economy measures. States with more economic freedom, greater value of new housing construction, and less racial and income inequality are more likely to have enacted stronger restrictions, and sooner. Of the thirteen states that have not updated, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Mississippi are highly likely to do so in the future. Hawaii, Massachusetts and New York are unlikely to update ever if at all
Biologically active Phytophthora mating hormone prepared by catalytic asymmetric total synthesis
A Phytophthora mating hormone with an array of 1,5-stereogenic centers has been synthesized by using our recently developed methodology of catalytic enantioselective conjugate addition of Grignard reagents. We applied this methodology in a diastereo- and enantioselective iterative route and obtained two of the 16 possible stereoisomers of Phytophthora hormone α1. These synthetic stereoisomers induced the formation of sexual spores (oospores) in A2 mating type strains of three heterothallic Phytophthora species, P. infestans, P. capsici, and P. nicotianae but not in A1 mating type strains. The response was concentration-dependent, and the oospores were viable. These results demonstrate that the biological activity of the synthetic hormone resembles that of the natural hormone α1. Mating hormones are essential components in the sexual life cycle of a variety of organisms. For plant pathogens like Phytophthora, sexual reproduction is important as a source of genetic variation. Moreover, the thick-walled oospores are the most durable propagules that can survive harsh environmental conditions. Sexual reproduction can thus greatly affect disease epidemics. The availability of synthetic compounds mimicking the activity of Phytophthora mating hormone will be instrumental for further unravelling sexual reproduction in this important group of plant pathogens.
Galactic Collapse of Scalar Field Dark Matter
We present a scenario for galaxy formation based on the hypothesis of scalar
field dark matter. We interpret galaxy formation through the collapse of a
scalar field fluctuation. We find that a cosh potential for the
self-interaction of the scalar field provides a reasonable scenario for
galactic formation, which is in agreement with cosmological observations and
phenomenological studies in galaxies.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figue
Improving small area estimation by combining surveys : new perspectives in regional statistics
A national survey designed for estimating a specific population quantity is sometimes used for estimation of this quantity also for a small area, such as a province. Budget constraints do not allow a greater sample size for the small area, and so other means of improving estimation have to be devised. We investigate such methods and assess them by a Monte Carlo study. We explore how a complementary survey can be exploited in small area estimation. We use the context of the Spanish Labour Force Survey (EPA) and the Barometer in Spain for our study
Identification of a novel synthetic lethal vulnerability in non-small cell lung cancer by co-targeting TMPRSS4 and DDR1
Finding novel targets in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is highly needed and identification of synthetic lethality between two genes is a new approach to target NSCLC. We previously found that TMPRSS4 promotes NSCLC growth and constitutes a prognostic biomarker. Here, through large-scale analyses across 5 public databases we identified consistent co-expression between TMPRSS4 and DDR1. Similar to TMPRSS4, DDR1 promoter was hypomethylated in NSCLC in 3 independent cohorts and hypomethylation was an independent prognostic factor of disease-free survival. Treatment with 5-azacitidine increased DDR1 levels in cell lines, suggesting an epigenetic regulation. Cells lacking TMPRSS4 were highly sensitive to the cytotoxic effect of the DDR1 inhibitor dasatinib. TMPRSS4/DDR1 double knock-down (KD) cells, but not single KD cells suffered a G0/G1 cell cycle arrest with loss of E2F1 and cyclins A and B, increased p21 levels and a larger number of cells in apoptosis. Moreover, double KD cells were highly sensitized to cisplatin, which caused massive apoptosis (~40%). In vivo studies demonstrated tumor regression in double KD-injected mice. In conclusion, we have identified a novel vulnerability in NSCLC resulting from a synthetic lethal interaction between DDR1 and TMPRSS4
Diagnostic and prognostic value of B4GALT1 hypermethylation and its clinical significance as a novel circulating cell-free DNA biomarker in colorectal cancer
Epigenetic modifications of glyco-genes have been documented in different types of cancer and are tightly linked to proliferation, invasiveness, metastasis, and drug resistance. This study aims to investigate the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapy-response predictive value of the glyco-gene B4GALT1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. A Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted in 1418 CRC patients (GEO and TCGA datasets) to assess the prognostic and therapy-response predictive values of the aberrant expression and methylation status of B4GALT1. Quantitative methylation-specific PCR (QMSP) and droplet digital quantitative methylation-specific PCR (dd-QMSP) were respectively used to detect hypermethylated B4GALT1 in metastasis and plasma in four cohorts of metastatic CRC cases (mCRC). Both the downregulated expression and promoter hypermethylation of B4GALT1 have a negative prognostic impact on CRC. Interestingly a low expression level of B4GALT1 was significantly associated with poor cetuximab response (progression-free survival (PFS) p = 0.01) particularly in wild-type (WT)-KRAS patients (p = 0.03). B4GALT1 promoter was aberrantly methylated in liver and lung metastases. The detection of hypermethylated B4GALT1 in plasma of mCRC patients showed a highly discriminative receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve profile (area under curve (AUC) value 0.750; 95% CI: 0.592-0.908, p = 0.008), clearly distinguishing mCRC patients from healthy controls. Based on an optimal cut-off value defined by the ROC analysis, B4GALT1 yield a 100% specificity and a 50% sensitivity. These data support the potential value of B4GALT1 as an additional novel biomarker for the prediction of cetuximab response, and as a specific and sensitive diagnostic circulating biomarker that can be detected in CRC
On the Mechanism of the Copper-Catalyzed Enantioselective 1,4-Addition of Grignard Reagents to α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds
The mechanism of the enantioselective 1,4-addition of Grignard reagents to α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds promoted by copper complexes of chiral ferrocenyl diphosphines is explored through kinetic, spectroscopic, and electrochemical analysis. On the basis of these studies, a structure of the active catalyst is proposed. The roles of the solvent, copper halide, and the Grignard reagent have been examined. Kinetic studies support a reductive elimination as the rate-limiting step in which the chiral catalyst, the substrate, and the Grignard reagent are involved. The thermodynamic activation parameters were determined from the temperature dependence of the reaction rate. The putative active species and the catalytic cycle of the reaction are discussed.
Diagnosis and treatment outcomes of adult tuberculosis in an urban setting with high HIV prevalence in Sierra Leone: A retrospective study
OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnosis, treatment outcomes, and predictors of mortality in adult tuberculosis (TB) patients in an urban setting with a high HIV prevalence. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted of adult TB patients aged >/=15 years who were treated at Connaught Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone from January through December 2017. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors of mortality. RESULTS: Of 1127 TB cases notified in 2017, 1105 (98%) were tested for HIV, yielding a TB/HIV co-infection rate of 32.0%. Only HIV-tested cases (n=1105) were included in the final analysis. The majority were male (69.3%), aged 25-34 years (29.2%), and had pulmonary TB (96.3%). Treatment outcomes were as follows: 29.0% cured, 29.0% completed, 0.5% treatment failure, 24.2% lost to follow-up, 12.8% transferred/not evaluated, and 4.5% died. The majority of deaths (80.0%, 40/50) occurred within 2 months of TB treatment initiation. Age 65 years or older (adjusted odds ratio 3.48, 95% confidence interval 1.15-10.56; p=0.027) and HIV-positive status (adjusted odds ratio 3.50, 95% confidence interval 1.72-7.12; p=0.001) were independent predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Suboptimal TB treatment outcomes were observed in Sierra Leone in 2017. More local and international action is warranted to help achieve the 2035 global TB elimination targets
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