5,562 research outputs found
New Results on e+e- Line Emission in U+Ta Collisions
We present new results obtained from a series of follow-up e+e- coincidence
measurements in heavy-ion collisions, utilizing an improved experimental set-up
at the double-Orange beta-spectrometer of GSI. The collision system U+Ta was
reinvestigated in three independent runs at beam energies in the range
(6.0-6.4)xA MeV and different target thicknesses, with the objective to
reproduce a narrow sum-energy e+e- line at ~635 keV observed previously in this
collision system. At improved statistical accuracy, the line could not be found
in these new data. For the ''fission'' scenario, an upper limit (1 sigma) on
its production probability per collision of 1.3x10^{-8} can be set which has to
be compared to the previously reported value of [4.9 +- 0.8 (stat.) +- 1.0
(syst)]x10^{-7}. In the light of the new results, a reanalysis of the old data
shows that the continuous part of the spectrum at the line position is
significantly higher than previously assumed, thus reducing the production
probability of the line by a factor of two and its statistical significance to
< 3.4sigma.Comment: 15 pages, standard LaTeX with 3 included PS figures; Submitted to
Physics Letters
First Energy and Angle differential Measurements of e^+e^- -pairs emitted by Internal Pair Conversion of excited Heavy Nuclei
We present the first energy and angle resolved measurements of e+e- pairs
emitted from heavy nuclei (Z>=40) at rest by internal pair conversion (IPC) of
transitions with energies of less than 2MeV as well as recent theoretical
results using the DWBA method, which takes full account of relativistic
effects, magnetic substates and finite size of the nucleus. The 1.76MeV E0
transition in Zr90 (Sr source) and the 1.77MeV M1 transition in Pb207 (Bi
source) have been investigated experimentally using the essentially improved
set-up at the double-ORANGE beta-spectrometer of GSI. The measurements prove
the capability of the setup to cleanly identify the IPC pairs in the presence
of five orders of magnitude higher beta- and gamma background from the same
source and to yield essentially background-free sum spectra despite the large
background. Using the ability of the ORANGE setup to directly determine the
opening angle of the e+e- pairs, the angular correlation of the emitted pairs
was measured. In the Zr90 case the correlation could be deduced for a wide
range of energy differences of the pairs. The Zr90 results are in good
agreement with recent theory. The angular correlation deduced for the M1
transition in Pb207 is in strong disagreement with theoretical predictions
derived within the Born approximation and shows almost isotropic character.
This is again in agreement with the new theoretical results.Comment: LaTeX, 28 pages incl. 10 PS figures; Accepted by Z.Phys.
Positron spectra from internal pair conversion observed in {238}U + {181}Ta collisions
We present new results from measurements and simulations of positron spectra,
originating from 238U + 181Ta collisions at beam energies close to the Coulomb
barrier. The measurements were performed using an improved experimental setup
at the double-Orange spectrometer of GSI. Particular emphasis is put on the
signature of positrons from Internal-Pair-Conversion (IPC) processes in the
measured e+ energy spectra, following the de-excitation of electromagnetic
transitions in the moving Ta-like nucleus. It is shown by Monte Carlo
simulations that, for the chosen current sweeping procedure used in the present
experiments, positron emission from discrete IPC transitions can lead to rather
narrow line structures in the measured energy spectra. The measured positron
spectra do not show evidence for line structures within the statistical
accuracy achieved, although expected from the intensities of the observed
transitions (E keV) and theoretical conversion
coefficients. This is due to the reduced detection efficiency for IPC
positrons, caused by the limited spatial and momentum acceptance of the
spectrometer. A comparison with previous results, in which lines have been
observed, is presented and the implications are discussed.Comment: LaTeX, 20 pages including 5 EPS figures; Accepted by Eur. Phys.Jour.
Crystal structure of KorA bound to operator DNA: insight into repressor cooperation in RP4 gene regulation
KorA is a global repressor in RP4 which regulates cooperatively the expression of plasmid genes whose products are involved in replication, conjugative transfer and stable inheritance. The structure of KorA bound to an 18-bp DNA duplex that contains the symmetric operator sequence and incorporates 5-bromo-deoxyuridine nucleosides has been determined by multiple-wavelength anomalous diffraction phasing at 1.96-A resolution. KorA is present as a symmetric dimer and contacts DNA via a helix-turn-helix motif. Each half-site of the symmetric operator DNA binds one copy of the protein in the major groove. As confirmed by mutagenesis, recognition specificity is based on two KorA side chains forming hydrogen bonds to four bases within each operator half-site. KorA has a unique dimerization module shared by the RP4 proteins TrbA and KlcB. We propose that these proteins cooperate with the global RP4 repressor KorB in a similar manner via this dimerization module and thus regulate RP4 inheritance
A Quantum-Proof Non-Malleable Extractor, With Application to Privacy Amplification against Active Quantum Adversaries
In privacy amplification, two mutually trusted parties aim to amplify the
secrecy of an initial shared secret in order to establish a shared private
key by exchanging messages over an insecure communication channel. If the
channel is authenticated the task can be solved in a single round of
communication using a strong randomness extractor; choosing a quantum-proof
extractor allows one to establish security against quantum adversaries.
In the case that the channel is not authenticated, Dodis and Wichs (STOC'09)
showed that the problem can be solved in two rounds of communication using a
non-malleable extractor, a stronger pseudo-random construction than a strong
extractor.
We give the first construction of a non-malleable extractor that is secure
against quantum adversaries. The extractor is based on a construction by Li
(FOCS'12), and is able to extract from source of min-entropy rates larger than
. Combining this construction with a quantum-proof variant of the
reduction of Dodis and Wichs, shown by Cohen and Vidick (unpublished), we
obtain the first privacy amplification protocol secure against active quantum
adversaries
Relation of C-reactive protein to body fat distribution and features of the metabolic syndrome in Europeans and South Asians.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations and indices of body fat distribution and the insulin resistance syndrome in South Asians and Europeans. DESIGN: : Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: A total of 113 healthy South Asian and European men and women in West London (age 40-55 y, body mass index (BMI) 17-34 kg/m(2)). MEASUREMENTS: Fatness and fat distribution parameters (by anthropometry, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and abdominal CT scan); oral glucose tolerance test with insulin response; modified fat tolerance test; and CRP concentration by sensitive ELISA. RESULTS: Median CRP level in South Asian women was nearly double that in European women (1.35 vs 0.70 mg/1, P=0.05). Measures of obesity and CRP concentration were significantly associated in both ethnic groups. The correlation to CRP was especially strong among South Asians (P0.15). CONCLUSION: We suggest that adiposity and in particular visceral adipose tissue is a key promoter of low-grade chronic inflammation. This observation may in part account for the association of CRP with markers of the metabolic syndrome. Future studies should confirm whether CRP concentrations are elevated in South Asians and whether losing weight by exercise or diet, or reduction in visceral fat mass, is associated with reduction in plasma CRP concentrations
Caspase-8 and c-FLIPL associate in lipid rafts with NF-kappaB adaptors during T cell activation.
Humans and mice lacking functional caspase-8 in T cells manifest a profound immunodeficiency syndrome due to defective T cell antigen receptor (TCR)-induced NF-kappaB signaling and proliferation. It is unknown how caspase-8 is activated following T cell stimulation, and what is the caspase-8 substrate(s) that is necessary to initiate T cell cycling. We observe that following TCR ligation, a small portion of total cellular caspase-8 and c-FLIP(L) rapidly migrate to lipid rafts where they associate in an active caspase complex. Activation of caspase-8 in lipid rafts is followed by rapid cleavage of c-FLIP(L) at a known caspase-8 cleavage site. The active caspase.c-FLIP complex forms in the absence of Fas (CD95/APO1) and associates with the NF-kappaB signaling molecules RIP1, TRAF2, and TRAF6, as well as upstream NF-kappaB regulators PKC theta, CARMA1, Bcl-10, and MALT1, which connect to the TCR. The lack of caspase-8 results in the absence of MALT1 and Bcl-10 in the active caspase complex. Consistent with this observation, inhibition of caspase activity attenuates NF-kappaB activation. The current findings define a link among TCR, caspases, and the NF-kappaB pathway that occurs in a sequestered lipid raft environment in T cells
Age-related differences in drop-jump performance are eliminated by matching triceps surae muscle strength and Achilles tendon stiffness.
INTRODUCTION Reduced leg-extensor muscle strength and tendon stiffness in old age have been associated with changes in locomotor performance and motor task execution strategy (Karamanidis and Arampatzis, 2005; Kulmala et al., 2014). However, if leg-extensor muscle-tendon unit (MTU) mechanical properties are the only primary drivers of these alterations seen with ageing remains unclear. Therefore, we examined if matching triceps surae (TS) muscle strength and Achilles tendon (AT) stiffness eliminates potential age-related differences in drop jump (DJ) performance and motor task execution strategy in younger and middle-aged adults
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