BPS solitons in Lifshitz field theories

Lorentz-invariant scalar field theories in d+1 dimensions with second-order derivative terms are unable to support static soliton solutions that are both finite in energy and stable for d>2, a result known as Derrick's theorem. Lifshitz theories, which introduce higher-order spatial derivatives, need not obey Derrick's theorem. We construct stable, finite-energy, static soliton solutions in Lifshitz scalar field theories in 3+1 dimensions with dynamical critical exponent z=2. We exhibit three generic types: non-topological point defects, topological point defects, and topological strings. We focus mainly on Lifshitz theories that are defined through a superpotential and admit BPS solutions. These kinds of theories are the bosonic sectors of supersymmetric theories derived from the stochastic dynamics of a scalar field theory in one higher dimension. If nature obeys a Lifshitz field theory in the ultraviolet, then the novel topological defects discussed here may exist as relics from the early universe. Their discovery would prove that standard field theory breaks down at short distance scales.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures; v2: references added and the x-axis scale of each figure has been change

Depletion of DNMT1 in differentiated human cells highlights key classes of sensitive genes and an interplay with polycomb repression

Additional file 3: Figure S2. Changes in methylation levels by genomic element. (A) Protein levels in knockdown lines by western blotting. As a control HCT116 colon cancer cells which are WT or have a homozygous mutation in DNMT1 (KO) are shown: the DNMT1-specific top band is indicated by the arrowhead at right. (B) Median levels of methylation are shown for each genomic element (listed at top). The positions of medians are also indicated at right (arrowheads). The differences between WT and KD medians were used to plot Fig. 1d. (C) Density distribution of methylation at the three main elements involved in gene regulation, shown by cell line. Demethylation seems most marked at gene bodies (Genes), indicated by increased density of probes at low methylation (β) values

5-Aminolevulinic acid-mediated fluorescence diagnosis of colon cancer: A histopathological comparison of fluorescent and non-fluorescent tumours

Background: 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) selectively accumulates in cancer cells and is metabolised in the mitochondria to the fluorophore protoporphyrin IX. The GLiSten trial evaluated 5-ALA as a fluorescent probe for intraoperative detection of colon cancer and lymph node metastases. Only 13 of 40 cases showed fluorescence, suggesting a fundamental difference between fluorescent and non-fluorescent cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate whether differences in fluorescence were due to tumour cellularity, in particular T cell infiltration, which may be of prognostic significance. Method: Primary tumour tissue was available from 30 patients. The density of tumour cells, vascularity and stromal compartment size were quantified using digitally scanned tissue sections stained with haematoxylin and eosin. A set of 300 random points was superimposed onto each tumour image. The structure indicated by each point was then categorised as tumour, stroma, vessel or other. The proportions of tumour and vessel points gave the tumour cell density and vessel density respectively. The relative size of the stromal compartment was given by the tumour to stroma ratio. A tissue section was also stained for the T cell marker CD3 by immunohistochemistry. Percentage staining was quantified in three high-density fields using the Nuance imaging system. Results: We were unable to detect any difference between fluorescent and non-fluorescent cancers in terms of tumour cell density (difference in means 3.7%; P = 0.452), vessel density (difference in means 0.17%; P = 0.684), tumour-stroma ratio (difference in mean ratios 0.12; P = 0.934), or T cell count (difference in means 0.92%; P = 0.726). Furthermore, comparisons of the distributions of each variable demonstrated substantial overlap between the fluorescent and non-fluorescent cohorts. Conclusion: The results suggest that tumour and microenvironment structure do not differ between cancers that fluoresce with 5-ALA and those that do not. We therefore propose that the cellular metabolism of 5-ALA is a more likely explanation for differential fluorescence

Activated mesothelial cells produce heparin-binding growth factors: implications for tumour metastases

Curative surgery for gastrointestinal malignancy is commonly thwarted by local tumour recurrence. The heparin-binding growth factors, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) and vascular epidermal growth factor (VEGF) are all implicated in the metastatic process, but whether or not these essential growth factors are produced by the activated peritoneum is unknown. This study reveals that peritoneal mesothelial cells constitutively express mRNA for bFGF, HB-EGF and two VEGF spliced variants, VEGF121and VEGF165. Mesothelial activation with interleukin (IL)-1b or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-a produced an up-regulation of mRNA for HB-EGF and VEGF, but not bFGF expression. IL-6 failed to stimulate growth factor expression, whereas IL-2 produced a marked suppression in HB-EGF and bFGF, but not VEGF expression. Mesothelial cells were shown to predominantly express mRNA for the intermediate affinity (bgc) IL-2 receptor. Cytokine-induced growth factor up-regulation was confirmed at the protein level using Western blotting of mesothelial cell lysates for HB-EGF and culture supernatant enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for VEGF. The production of these growth factors by human mesothelial cells may play a significant role in post-operative peritoneal tumour recurrence. Their common heparin-binding property offers a potential therapeutic target for manipulating the growth factor environment of the human peritoneum. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Nova shema za izravno upravljanje momentom asinkronih motora napajanih iz trofaznog izmjenjivača

This paper presents a novel controller based on Direct Torque Control (DTC) strategy. This controller is designed to be applied in the control of Induction Motors (IM) fed with a three-level Voltage Source Inverter (VSI). This type of inverter has several advantages over the standard two-level VSI, such as a greater number of levels in the output voltage waveforms, lower dV/dt, less harmonic distortion in voltage and current waveforms and lower switching frequencies. In the new controller, torque and stator flux errors are used together with the stator flux angular frequency to generate a reference voltage vector. Experimental results of the novel system are presented and compared with those obtained for Classical DTC system employing a two-level VSI. The new controller is shown to reduce the ripple in the torque and flux responses. Lower current distortion and switching frequency of the semiconductor devices are also obtained in the new system presented.U ovome se članku opisuje novi regulator zasnovan na strategiji izravnog upravljanja momentom i razvijen za primjenu u upravljanju asinkronim motorima napajanim iz trorazinskih izmjenjivača napona. Taj tip izmjenjivača ima nekoliko prednosti u odnosu na standardne dvorazinske izmjenjivače napona, kao što je veći broj razina u izlaznom valnom obliku napona, niži du/dt, manja distorzija harmonika u valnim oblicima napona i struje i niže frekvencije komutacije. U novom regulatoru moment i pogreške u statorskom toku koriste se zajedno s kutnom frekvencijom statora za tvorbu referentne vrijednosti vektora napona. Eksperimentalni su rezultati novog sustava prikazani i uspoređeni s rezultatima klasičnog sustava koji koristi dvorazinski pretvarač napona. Novi regulator pokazuje smanjeni šum u odzivima momenta i toka motora. U predloženom je sustavu također postignuta i manja distorzija struje i manja frekvencija komutacije poluvodičkih sklopova

'Mine's a Pint of Bitter': Performativity, gender, class and representations of authenticity in real-ale tourism

Leisure choices are expressive of individual agency around the maintenance of taste, boundaries, identity and community. This research paper is part of a wider project designed to assess the social and cultural value of real ale to tourism in the north of England. This paper explores the performativity of real-ale tourism and debates about belonging in northern English real-ale communities. The research combines an ethnographic case study of a real-ale festival with semi-structured interviews with organisers and volunteers, northern English real-ale brewers and real-ale tourists visiting the festival. It is argued that real-ale tourism, despite its origins in the logic of capitalism, becomes a space where people can perform Habermasian, communicative leisure, and despite the contradictions of preferring some capitalist industries over others on the basis of their perceived smaller size and older age, real-ale fans demonstrate agency in their performativity

Prognostic DNA Methylation Biomarkers in High-risk Non–muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer:A Systematic Review to Identify Loci for Prospective Validation

Context: High-risk non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (HR-NMIBC) represents over 30% of all incident urothelial bladder cancers (BCs); patients are at risk of progression, and 20–30% will die from BC within 5 yr. Current guidelines recommend induction and maintenance of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or upfront radical cystectomy for highest-risk disease, treatments with markedly different morbidity, mortality, and patient burden. There are no validated biomarkers to facilitate such treatment decisions. Alterations in DNA methylation are commonplace in BC; hence, measurable changes in DNA methylation represent an opportunity for the discovery of such biomarkers.Objective: To systematically assess the evidence regarding DNA methylation markers as prognosticators for HR-NMIBC.Evidence acquisition: Standard systematic review methods were employed with searches undertaken in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PubMed up to January 2019. Studies that included patients with HR-NMIBC and investigated the utility of DNA methylation biomarkers as prognostic tools were included.Evidence synthesis: Of 63 prognostic biomarker studies identified, 21 met the protocol-driven inclusion criteria and were directly relevant to HR-NMIBC patient outcomes: tumour recurrence (TR), tumour progression (TP), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS). These studies described 140 methylation markers; of these, the most promising were cadherin-13 (CDH13; hazard ratios [HRs]: 5.1 for TR, 6.6 for TP, 3.8–8.0 for OS), protocadherins (PCDHs; HRs: 4.7 for TR, 2.5 for TP, 3.0–4.8 for OS), Runt domain transcription factor 3 (RUNX3; HR: 5.1 for TP), Homeobox 9 (HOXA9; HR: 1.9 for TR), Islet-1 (ISL1; HRs: 1.7 for TR, 3.3 for TP), and PAX6 (HR: 2.2 for TR).Conclusions: This systematic review identifies a number of potentially useful prognostic methylation markers for HR-NMIBC. These loci (CDH13, PCDHs, RUNX3, HOXA9, ISL1, and PAX6) should be validated in prospective studies in order to translate benefit to patients.Patient summary: Early bladder cancer represents a more complex spectrum of disease than can be assessed by conventional methods Emerging studies on molecular markers will improve our understanding of this disease, and may enable more precise and personalised treatment.</p