Long time motion of NLS solitary waves in a confining potential

We study the motion of solitary-wave solutions of a family of focusing generalized nonlinear Schroedinger equations with a confining, slowly varying external potential, $V(x)$. A Lyapunov-Schmidt decomposition of the solution combined with energy estimates allows us to control the motion of the solitary wave over a long, but finite, time interval. We show that the center of mass of the solitary wave follows a trajectory close to that of a Newtonian point particle in the external potential $V(x)$ over a long time interval.Comment: 42 pages, 2 figure

Bone Marrow–Derived Antigen-Presenting Cells Are Required for the Generation of Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Responses to Viruses and Use Transporter Associated with Antigen Presentation (Tap)-Dependent and -Independent Pathways of Antigen Presentation

Bone marrow (BM)-derived professional antigen-presenting cells (pAPCs) are required for the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses to vaccinia virus and poliovirus. Furthermore, these BM-derived pAPCs require a functional transporter associated with antigen presentation (TAP). In this report we analyze the requirements for BM-derived pAPCs and TAP in the initiation of CTL responses to lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and influenza virus (Flu). Our results indicate a requirement for BM-derived pAPCs for the CTL responses to these viruses. However, we found that the generation of CTLs to one LCMV epitope (LCMV nucleoprotein 396–404) was dependent on BM-derived pAPCs but, surprisingly, TAP independent. The study of the CTL response to Flu confirmed the existence of this BM-derived pAPC-dependent/TAP-independent CTL response and indicated that the TAP-independent pathway is ∼10–300-fold less efficient than the TAP-dependent pathway

A Role for NKG2D in NK Cell–Mediated Resistance to Poxvirus Disease

Ectromelia virus (ECTV) is an orthopoxvirus (OPV) that causes mousepox, the murine equivalent of human smallpox. C57BL/6 (B6) mice are naturally resistant to mousepox due to the concerted action of innate and adaptive immune responses. Previous studies have shown that natural killer (NK) cells are a component of innate immunity that is essential for the B6 mice resistance to mousepox. However, the mechanism of NK cell–mediated resistance to OPV disease remains undefined. Here we show that B6 mice resistance to mousepox requires the direct cytolytic function of NK cells, as well as their ability to boost the T cell response. Furthermore, we show that the activating receptor NKG2D is required for optimal NK cell–mediated resistance to disease and lethality. Together, our results have important implication towards the understanding of natural resistance to pathogenic viral infections

Collapse of an Instanton

We construct a two parameter family of collapsing solutions to the 4+1 Yang-Mills equations and derive the dynamical law of the collapse. Our arguments indicate that this family of solutions is stable. The latter fact is also supported by numerical simulations.Comment: 17 pages, 1 figur

Biomarkers of Tuberculosis Severity and Treatment Effect: A Directed Screen of 70 Host Markers in a Randomized Clinical Trial.

More efficacious treatment regimens are needed for tuberculosis, however, drug development is impeded by a lack of reliable biomarkers of disease severity and of treatment effect. We conducted a directed screen of host biomarkers in participants enrolled in a tuberculosis clinical trial to address this need. Serum samples from 319 protocol-correct, culture-confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis patients treated under direct observation as part of an international, phase 2 trial were screened for 70 markers of infection, inflammation, and metabolism. Biomarker assays were specifically developed for this study and quantified using a novel, multiplexed electrochemiluminescence assay. We evaluated the association of biomarkers with baseline characteristics, as well as with detailed microbiologic data, using Bonferroni-adjusted, linear regression models. Across numerous analyses, seven proteins, SAA1, PCT, IL-1β, IL-6, CRP, PTX-3 and MMP-8, showed recurring strong associations with markers of baseline disease severity, smear grade and cavitation; were strongly modulated by tuberculosis treatment; and had responses that were greater for patients who culture-converted at 8weeks. With treatment, all proteins decreased, except for osteocalcin, MCP-1 and MCP-4, which significantly increased. Several previously reported putative tuberculosis-associated biomarkers (HOMX1, neopterin, and cathelicidin) were not significantly associated with treatment response. In conclusion, across a geographically diverse and large population of tuberculosis patients enrolled in a clinical trial, several previously reported putative biomarkers were not significantly associated with treatment response, however, seven proteins had recurring strong associations with baseline radiographic and microbiologic measures of disease severity, as well as with early treatment response, deserving additional study

THE ACCUSED IS ENTERING THE COURTROOM: THE LIVE-TWEETING OF A MURDER TRIAL.

© 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis GroupThe use of social media is now widely accepted within journalism as an outlet for news information. Live tweeting of unfolding events is standard practice. In March 2014, Oscar Pistorius went on trial in the Gauteng High Court for murder. Hundreds of journalists present began live-tweeting coverage, an unprecedented combination of international interest, permission to use technology and access which resulted in massive streams of consciousness reports of events as they unfolded. Based on a corpus of Twitter feeds of twenty-four journalists covering the trial, this study analyses the content and strategies of these feeds in order to present an understanding of how microblogging is used as a live reporting tool. This study shows the development of standardised language and strategies in reporting on Twitter, concluding that journalists adopt a narrow range of approaches, with no significant variation in terms of gender, location, or medium. This is in contrast to earlier studies in the field (Awad, 2006, Hedman, 2015; Kothari, 2010; Lariscy, Avery, Sweetser, & Howes, 2009 Lasorsa, 2012; Lasorsa, Lewis, & Holton, 2011; Sigal, 1999, Vis, 2013).Peer reviewe

Chirality in Bare and Passivated Gold Nanoclusters

Chiral structures have been found as the lowest-energy isomers of bare (Au$_{28}$ and Au$_{55}) and thiol-passivated (Au$_{28}(SCH$_{3})$_{16}$and Au$_{38}(SCH_{3})_{24}) gold nanoclusters. The degree of chirality existing in the chiral clusters was calculated using the Hausdorff chirality measure. We found that the index of chirality is higher in the passivated clusters and decreases with the cluster size. These results are consistent with the observed chiroptical activity recently reported for glutahione-passivated gold nanoclusters, and provide theoretical support for the existence of chirality in these novel compounds.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure. Submitted to PR

A Novel Sensitive Immunoassay Targeting the 5-Methylthio-d-Xylofuranose-Lipoarabinomannan Epitope Meets the WHO's Performance Target for Tuberculosis Diagnosis.

The only currently commercialized point-of-care assay for tuberculosis (TB) that measures lipoarabinomannan (LAM) in urine (Alere LF-LAM) has insufficient sensitivity. We evaluated the potential of 100 novel monoclonal antibody pairs targeting a variety of LAM epitopes on a sensitive electrochemiluminescence platform to improve the diagnostic accuracy. In the screening, many antibody pairs showed high reactivity to purified LAM but performed poorly at detecting urinary LAM in clinical samples, suggesting differences in antigen structure and immunoreactivity of the different LAM sources. The 12 best antibody pairs from the screening were tested in a retrospective case-control study with urine samples from 75 adults with presumptive TB. The best antibody pair reached femtomolar analytical sensitivity for LAM detection and an overall clinical sensitivity of 93% (confidence interval [CI], 80% to 97%) and specificity of 97% (CI, 85% to 100%). Importantly, in HIV-negative subjects positive for TB by sputum smear microscopy, the test achieved a sensitivity of 80% (CI, 55% to 93%). This compares to an overall sensitivity of 33% (CI, 20% to 48%) of the Alere LF-LAM and a sensitivity of 13% (CI, 4% to 38%) in HIV-negative subjects in the same sample set. The capture antibody targets a unique 5-methylthio-d-xylofuranose (MTX)-dependent epitope in LAM that is specific to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex and shows no cross-reactivity with fast-growing mycobacteria or other bacteria. The present study provides evidence that improved assay methods and reagents lead to increased diagnostic accuracy. The results of this work have informed the development of a sensitive and specific novel LAM point-of-care assay with the aim to meet the WHO's performance target for TB diagnosis