238 research outputs found
Expected Sensitivity to Galactic/Solar Axions and Bosonic Super-WIMPs based on the Axio-electric Effect in Liquid Xenon Dark Matter Detectors
We present systematic case studies to investigate the sensitivity of axion
searches by liquid xenon detectors, using the axio-electric effect (analogue of
the photoelectric effect) on xenon atoms. Liquid xenon is widely considered to
be one of the best target media for detection of WIMPs (Weakly Interacting
Massive Particles which may form the galactic dark matter) using nuclear
recoils. Since these detectors also provide an extremely low radioactivity
environment for electron recoils, very weakly-interacting low-mass particles (<
100 keV/c^2), such as the hypothetical axion, could be detected as well - in
this case using the axio-electric effect. Future ton-scale liquid Xe detectors
will be limited in sensitivity only by irreducible neutrino background
(pp-chain solar neutrino and the double beta decay of 136Xe) in the mass range
between 1 and 100 keV/c^2. Assuming one ton-year of exposure, galactic axions
(as non-relativistic dark matter) could be detected if the axio-electric
coupling g_Ae is greater than 10^-14 at 1 keV/c^2 (or $10^-13 at 100 keV/c^2).
Below a few keV/c^2, and independent of the mass, a solar axion search would be
sensitive to a coupling g_Ae ~ 10^-12. This limit will set a stringent upper
bound on axion mass for the DFSV and KSVZ models for the mass ranges m_A < 0.1
eV/c^2 and < 10 eV/c^2, respectively. Vector-boson dark matter could also be
detected for a coupling constant alpha'/alpha > 10^-33 (for mass 1 keV/c^2) or
> 10^-27 (for mass 100 keV/c^2).Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure
The efficient computation of transition state resonances and reaction rates from a quantum normal form
A quantum version of a recent formulation of transition state theory in {\em
phase space} is presented. The theory developed provides an algorithm to
compute quantum reaction rates and the associated Gamov-Siegert resonances with
very high accuracy. The algorithm is especially efficient for
multi-degree-of-freedom systems where other approaches are no longer feasible.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, revtex
Distribution power loss minimization via distributed generation, capacitor and network reconfiguration
This paper presents a solution to solve the network reconfiguration, DG coordination (location and size) and capacitor coordination (location and size), simultaneously. The proposed solution will be determined by using Artificial Bee Colony (ABC). Various case studies are presented to see the impact on the test system, in term of power loss reduction and also voltage profiles. The proposed approach is applied to a 33-bus test system and simulate by using MATLAB programming. The simulation results show that combination of DG, capacitor and network reconfiguration gives a positive impact on total power losses minimization as well as voltage profile improvement compared to other case studies
Promiscuous binding of extracellular peptides to cell surface class I MHC protein
Algorithms derived from measurements of short-peptide (8–10 mers) binding to class I MHC proteins suggest that the binding groove of a class I MHC protein, such as K[superscript b], can bind well over 1 million different peptides with significant affinity (<500 nM), a level of ligand-binding promiscuity approaching the level of heat shock protein binding of unfolded proteins. MHC proteins can, nevertheless, discriminate between similar peptides and bind many of them with high (nanomolar) affinity. Some insights into this high-promiscuity/high-affinity behavior and its impact on immunodominant peptides in T-cell responses to some infections and vaccination are suggested by results obtained here from testing a model developed to predict the number of cell surface peptide–MHC complexes that form on cells exposed to extracellular (exogenous) peptides.Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Progra
Unexpected positive intraoperative cultures (UPIC) at index osseointegration do not lead to increased postoperative infectious events
Introduction: The most common complication following transcutaneous
osseointegration for amputees is infection. Although an obvious source of
contamination is the permanent stoma, operative site contamination at the
time of implantation may be an additional source. This study investigates
the impact of unexpected positive intraoperative cultures (UPIC) on
postoperative infection.
Methods: Charts were reviewed for 8 patients with UPIC and 22 patients
with negative intraoperative cultures (NIC) who had at least 1 year of
post-osseointegration follow-up. All patients had 24 h of routine
postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis, with UPIC receiving additional
antibiotics guided by culture results. The main outcome measure was
postoperative infection intervention, which was graded as (0) none, (1)
antibiotics unrelated to the initial surgery, (2) operative debridement with implant retention, or (3) implant removal.
Results: The UPIC vs. NIC rate of infection management was as follows: Grade 0, 6/8 = 75 % vs. 14/22 = 64 %, p = 0.682; Grade 1, 2/8 = 25 % vs. 8/22 = 36.4 % (Fisher's p = 0.682); Grade 2, 1/8 = 12.5 % vs. 0/22 = 0 %
(Fisher's p = 0.267); Grade 3, 0/8 = 0 % vs. 1/22 = 4.5 % (Fisher's p = 1.000). No differences were statistically significant.
Conclusions: UPIC at index osseointegration, managed with directed
postoperative antibiotics, does not appear to increase the risk of
additional infection management. The therapeutic benefit of providing
additional directed antibiotics versus no additional antibiotics following
UPIC is unknown and did not appear to increase the risk of other adverse
outcomes in our cohort.</p
Correction: LGR5 regulates pro-survival MEK/ERK and proliferative Wnt/β-catenin signalling in neuroblastoma
A Correction on:
LGR5 regulates pro-survival MEK/ERK and proliferative Wnt/β-catenin signalling in neuroblastoma
Gabriella Cunha Vieira, S. Chockalingam, Zsombor Melegh, Alexander Greenhough, Sally Malik, Marianna Szemes, Ji Hyun Park, Abderrahmane Kaidi, Li Zhou, Daniel Catchpoole, Rhys Morgan, David O. Bates, Peter J. Gabb and Karim Malik
Original article: Oncotarget. 2015; 6:40053-67. DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.5548.
The originally Figure 5 contains duplicate total-ERK panels.
The proper Figure 5 is attached. The authors sincerely apologize for this error
Wigner's Dynamical Transition State Theory in Phase Space: Classical and Quantum
A quantum version of transition state theory based on a quantum normal form
(QNF) expansion about a saddle-centre-...-centre equilibrium point is
presented. A general algorithm is provided which allows one to explictly
compute QNF to any desired order. This leads to an efficient procedure to
compute quantum reaction rates and the associated Gamov-Siegert resonances. In
the classical limit the QNF reduces to the classical normal form which leads to
the recently developed phase space realisation of Wigner's transition state
theory. It is shown that the phase space structures that govern the classical
reaction d ynamicsform a skeleton for the quantum scattering and resonance
wavefunctions which can also be computed from the QNF. Several examples are
worked out explicitly to illustrate the efficiency of the procedure presented.Comment: 132 pages, 31 figures, corrected version, Nonlinearity, 21 (2008)
R1-R11
Post-thaw development of in vitro produced buffalo embryos cryopreserved by cytoskeletal stabilization and vitrification
The present study was conducted to examine post-thaw in vitro developmental competence of buffalo embryos cryopreserved by cytoskeletal stabilization and vitrification. In vitro produced embryos were incubated with a medium containing cytochalasin-b (cyto-b) in a CO2 incubator for 40 min for microfilament stabilization and were cryopreserved by a two-step vitrification method at 24℃ in the presence of cyto-b. Initially, the embryos were exposed to 10% ethylene glycol (EG) and 10% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) in a base medium for 4 min. After the initial exposure, the embryos were transferred to a 7 µl drop of 25% EG and 25% DMSO in base medium and 0.3 M sucrose for 45 sec. After warming, the embryos were cultured in vitro for 72 h. The post-thaw in vitro developmental competence of the cyto-b-treated embryos did not differ significantly from those vitrified without cyto-b treatment. The hatching rates of morulae vitrified without cyto-b treatment was significantly lower than the non-vitrified control. However, the hatching rate of cyto-b-treated vitrified morulae did not differ significantly from the non-vitrified control. This study demonstrates that freezing of buffalo embryos by cytoskeletal stabilization and vitrification is a reliable method for long-term preservation
Low Temperature and Low UV Indexes Correlated with Peaks of Influenza Virus Activity in Northern Europe during 2010–2018
With the increasing pace of global warming, it is important to understand the role of meteorological factors in influenza virus (IV) epidemics. In this study, we investigated the impact of temperature, UV index, humidity, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, and precipitation on IV activity in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania during 2010–2018. Both correlation and machine learning analyses revealed that low temperature and UV indexes were the most predictive meteorological factors for IV epidemics in Northern Europe. Our in vitro experiments confirmed that low temperature and UV radiation preserved IV infectivity. Associations between these meteorological factors and IV activity could improve surveillance and promote development of accurate predictive models for future influenza outbreaks in the region
Low Temperature and Low UV Indexes Correlated with Peaks of Influenza Virus Activity in Northern Europe during 2010–2018
With the increasing pace of global warming, it is important to understand the role of meteorological factors in influenza virus (IV) epidemics. In this study, we investigated the impact of temperature, UV index, humidity, wind speed, atmospheric pressure, and precipitation on IV activity in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania during 2010–2018. Both correlation and machine learning analyses revealed that low temperature and UV indexes were the most predictive meteorological factors for IV epidemics in Northern Europe. Our in vitro experiments confirmed that low temperature and UV radiation preserved IV infectivity. Associations between these meteorological factors and IV activity could improve surveillance and promote development of accurate predictive models for future influenza outbreaks in the region
- …