Prostaglandin e2 receptors in abdominal aortic aneurysm and human aortic smooth muscle cells

AbstractBackgroundProstaglandin (PG) E2 (PGE2) appears to have a role in stimulating production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and apoptosis of smooth muscle cells in diseased aortic tissue. These actions are mediated by cellular receptors for PGE2 EP receptors.ObjectiveThis study was undertaken to identify EP receptors associated with production of IL-6 by aortic explants.MethodsBiopsy specimens of abdominal aortic aneurysm were used for explant culture and preparation of messenger RNA. The presence of EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4 receptors in tissue and cells was investigated with reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. IL-6 and cyclic adenosine monophosphate were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsPGE2 or 11-deoxy-PGE1 (EP 2/3/4 agonist) reversed partially the indomethacin suppression of IL-6 secretion from explant cultures, whereas butaprost (EP2 receptor agonist) and sulprostone (EP 1/3 receptor agonist) had no effect. Aortic biopsy specimens expressed EP2, EP3-III, and EP4 receptors. Aortic smooth muscle cells expressed EP2 receptor and four variants of EP3 receptor, ie, EP3-Ib, EP3-II, EP3-III, and EP3-IV, but PGE2 did not stimulate secretion of IL-6. In contrast, PGE2 or 11-deoxy-PGE1 stimulated secretion of IL-6 from aortic macrophages.ConclusionsIn aortic explants, PGE2 stimulates IL-6 secretion by activation of EP4 receptors, present in macrophages

The prevalence of, and factors associated with, paying for sex among men resident in Britain: findings from the third national survey of sexual attitudes and lifestyles (Natsal-3)

Objectives Men who pay for sex (MPS) are considered a bridging population for sexually transmitted infections (STI). However, the extent, characteristics and role of MPS in transmission is poorly understood. We investigate these questions using data from Britain's third National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3). Methods We performed complex survey analyses of data from 6293 men aged 16–74 years resident in Britain who completed Natsal-3, a probability sample survey undertaken during 2010–2012, using computer-assisted personal interviewing and computer-assisted self-interview. Results 11.0% (95% CI10.1% to 11.9%) of all men reported ever paying for sex. Among MPS, 18.4% (95% CI 18.2% to 18.7%) of their lifetime sexual partners were paid. 3.6% (95% CI 3.1% to 4.2%) of men had paid for sex in the past 5 years. Partners of MPS constitute 14.7% of all reported partners and MPS report 15.6% of all reported STI diagnoses in the past 5 years. Paying for sex in the past 5 years was strongly associated with reporting larger numbers of sexual partners (adjusted OR, AOR for 5+ partners, past 5 years, 31.50, 95% CI 18.69 to 53.09). After adjusting for partner numbers, paying for sex remained strongly associated with reporting new foreign partners outside the UK (AOR 7.96; 95% CI 4.97 to 12.73) and STI diagnosis/es (AOR 2.34; 95% CI 1.44 to 3.81), all in the past 5 years. Among men ever paying for sex, 62.6% (95% CI 58.3% to 66.8%) reported paying for sex outside the UK, most often in Europe and Asia. Conclusions MPS in Britain remain at greater risk of STI acquisition and onward transmission than men who do not. They report high numbers of partners, but the minority are paid partners. They are an important core group in STI transmission

Theoretical uncertainties for measurements of alpha_s from electroweak observables

One of the most precise measurements of the strong coupling constant alpha_s(MZ) is obtained in the context of global analyses of precision electroweak data. This article reviews the sensitivity of different electroweak observables to alpha_s and describes the perturbative uncertainties related to missing higher orders. The complete renormalisation scale dependence for the relevant observables is calculated at next-to-next-to-leading order and a new method is presented to determine the corresponding perturbative uncertainty for measurements of alpha_s based on these observables.Comment: v4: Revised version with new tables and figure

Conformal Field Theory Approach to the 2-Impurity Kondo Problem: Comparison with Numerical Renormalization Group Results

Numerical renormalization group and conformal field theory work indicate that the two impurity Kondo Hamiltonian has a non-Fermi liquid critical point separating the Kondo-screening phase from the inter-impurity singlet phase when particle-hole (P-H) symmetry is maintained. We clarify the circumstances under which this critical point occurs, pointing out that there are two types of P-H symmetry. Only one of them guarantees the occurance of the critical point. Much of the previous numerical work was done on models with the other type of P-H symmetry. We analyse this critical point using the boundary conformal field theory technique. The finite-size spectrum is presented in detail and compared with about 50 energy levels obtained using the numerical renormalization group. Various Green's functions, general renormalization group behaviour, and a hidden $SO(7)$ are analysed.Comment: 38 pages, RevTex. 2 new sections clarify the circumstances under which a model will exhibit the non-trivial critical point (hence potentially resolving disagreements with other Authors) and explain the hidden SO(7) symmetry of the model, relating it to an alternative approach of Sire et al. and Ga

Higgs Decay into Gluons up to O(\alpha_s^3 G_F m_t^2)

The decay of the Standard Model Higgs boson in the intermediate-mass range into gluons is considered where special emphasis is put on the influence of the leading electroweak corrections proportional to G_F m_t^2. An effective Lagrangian approach is used where the top quark is integrated out. The evaluation of the coefficient function is performed using two different methods. The first one is concerned with the direct evaluation of the vertex diagrams and the second method is based on a low-energy theorem. In a first step the tools needed for the computation are provided namely the renormalization constants of the QCD Lagrangian are computed up to O(\alpha_s^2 G_F m_t^2). Also the decoupling constants for the strong coupling constant \alpha_s and the light quark masses relating the quantities of the full theory to the corresponding quantities of the effective one are evaluated up to order \alpha_s^2 G_F m_t^2.Comment: 20 pages (revtex), 3 figure

RunDec: a Mathematica package for running and decoupling of the strong coupling and quark masses

In this paper the formulae are collected which are needed for the computation of the strong coupling constant and quark masses at different energy scales and for different number of active flavours. All equations contain the state-of-the-art QCD corrections up to three- and sometimes even four-loop order. For the practical implementation {\tt Mathematica} is used and a package containing useful procedures is provided.Comment: 32 pages, ps figures included, accepted for publication in Computer Physics Communication

Optimally shaped terahertz pulses for phase retrieval in a Rydberg atom data register

We employ Optimal Control Theory to discover an efficient information retrieval algorithm that can be performed on a Rydberg atom data register using a shaped terahertz pulse. The register is a Rydberg wave packet with one consituent orbital phase-reversed from the others (the ``marked bit''). The terahertz pulse that performs the decoding algorithm does so by by driving electron probability density into the marked orbital. Its shape is calculated by modifying the target of an optimal control problem so that it represents the direct product of all correct solutions to the algorithm.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Enhancement of the Two-channel Kondo Effect in Single-Electron boxes

The charging of a quantum box, coupled to a lead by tunneling through a single resonant level, is studied near the degeneracy points of the Coulomb blockade. Combining Wilson's numerical renormalization-group method with perturbative scaling approaches, the corresponding low-energy Hamiltonian is solved for arbitrary temperatures, gate voltages, tunneling rates, and energies of the impurity level. Similar to the case of a weak tunnel barrier, the shape of the charge step is governed at low temperatures by the non-Fermi-liquid fixed point of the two-channel Kondo effect. However, the associated Kondo temperature TK is strongly modified. Most notably, TK is proportional to the width of the level if the transmission through the impurity is close to unity at the Fermi energy, and is no longer exponentially small in one over the tunneling matrix element. Focusing on a particle-hole symmetric level, the two-channel Kondo effect is found to be robust against the inclusion of an on-site repulsion on the level. For a large on-site repulsion and a large asymmetry in the tunneling rates to box and to the lead, there is a sequence of Kondo effects: first the local magnetic moment that forms on the level undergoes single-channel screening, followed by two-channel overscreening of the charge fluctuations inside the box.Comment: 21 pages, 19 figure

Abrupt episode of mid-Cretaceous ocean acidification triggered by massive volcanism

Large igneous province volcanic activity during the mid-Cretaceous approximately 94.5 million years ago triggered a global-scale episode of reduced marine oxygen levels known as Oceanic Anoxic Event 2. It has been hypothesized that this geologically rapid degassing of volcanic carbon dioxide altered seawater carbonate chemistry, affecting marine ecosystems, geochemical cycles, and sedimentation. Here, we report on two sites drilled by the International Ocean Discovery Program offshore of southwest Australia that exhibit clear evidence for suppressed pelagic carbonate sedimentation in the form of a stratigraphic interval barren of carbonate, recording ocean acidification during the event. We then use the osmium isotopic composition of bulk sediments to directly link this protracted ~600- kiloyear shoaling of the marine calcite compensation depth to the onset of volcanic activity. This decrease in marine pH was prolonged by biogeochemical feedbacks in highly productive regions that elevated heterotrophic respiration of carbon dioxide to the water column. A compilation of mid- Cretaceous marine stratigraphic records reveals a contemporaneous decrease of sedimentary carbonate content at continental slope sites globally. Thus, we contend that changes in marine carbonate chemistry are a primary ecological stress and important consequence of rapid emission of carbon dioxide during many large igneous province eruptions in the geologic past