Andreev Bound States in the Kondo Quantum Dots Coupled to Superconducting Leads

We have studied the Kondo quantum dot coupled to two superconducting leads and investigated the subgap Andreev states using the NRG method. Contrary to the recent NCA results [Clerk and Ambegaokar, Phys. Rev. B 61, 9109 (2000); Sellier et al., Phys. Rev. B 72, 174502 (2005)], we observe Andreev states both below and above the Fermi level.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Human CD57(+ )germinal center-T cells are the major helpers for GC-B cells and induce class switch recombination

BACKGROUND: The function of CD57(+ )CD4(+ )T cells, constituting a major subset of germinal center T (GC-Th) cells in human lymphoid tissues, has been unclear. There have been contradictory reports regarding the B cell helping function of CD57(+ )GC-Th cells in production of immunoglobulin (Ig). Furthermore, the cytokine and co-stimulation requirement for their helper activity remains largely unknown. To clarify and gain more insight into their function in helping B cells, we systematically investigated the capacity of human tonsil CD57(+ )GC-Th cells in inducing B cell Ig synthesis. RESULTS: We demonstrated that CD57(+ )GC-Th cells are highly efficient in helping B cell production of all four subsets of Ig (IgM, IgG, IgA and IgE) compared to other T-helper cells located in germinal centers or interfollicular areas. CD57(+ )GC-Th cells were particularly more efficient than other T cells in helping GC-B cells but not naïve B cells. CD57(+ )GC-Th cells induced the expression of activation-induced cytosine deaminase (AID) and class switch recombination in developing B cells. IgG1-3 and IgA1 were the major Ig isotypes induced by CD57(+ )GC-Th cells. CD40L, but not IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-γ, was critical in CD57(+ )GC-Th cell-driven B cell production of Ig. However, IL-10, when added exogenously, significantly enhanced the helper activity of CD57(+ )GC-Th cells, while TGF-β1 completely and IFN-γ partially suppressed the CD57(+ )GC-Th cell-driven Ig production. CONCLUSIONS: CD57(+)CD4(+ )T cells in the germinal centers of human lymphoid tissues are the major T helper cell subset for GC-B cells in Ig synthesis. Their helper activity is consistent with their capacity to induce AID and class switch recombination, and can be regulated by CD40L, IL-4, IL-10 and TGF-β

Molecular Tracers of Filamentary CO Emission Regions Surrounding the Central Galaxies of Clusters

Optical emission is detected from filaments around the central galaxies of clusters of galaxies. These filaments have lengths of tens of kiloparsecs. The emission is possibly due to heating caused by the dissipation of mechanical energy and by cosmic ray induced ionisation. CO millimeter and submillimeter line emissions as well as H$_{2}$ infrared emission originating in such filaments surrounding NGC~1275, the central galaxy of the Perseus cluster, have been detected. Our aim is to identify those molecular species, other than CO, that may emit detectable millimeter and submillimeter line features arising in these filaments, and to determine which of those species will produce emissions that might serve as diagnostics of the dissipation and cosmic ray induced ionisation. The time-dependent UCL photon-dominated region modelling code was used in the construction of steady-state models of molecular filamentary emission regions at appropriate pressures, for a range of dissipation and cosmic ray induced ionisation rates and incident radiation fields.HCO$^+$ and C$_2$H emissions will potentially provide information about the cosmic ray induced ionisation rates in the filaments. HCN and, in particular, CN are species with millimeter and submillimeter lines that remain abundant in the warmest regions containing molecules. Detections of the galaxy cluster filaments in HCO$^{+}$, C$_{2}$H, and CN emissions and further detections of them in HCN emissions would provide significant constraints on the dissipation and cosmic ray induced ionisation rates.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, 3 tables, accepted in A&

Scheme for directly observing the non-commutativity of the position and the momentum operators with interference

Although non-commutativity of a certain set of quantum operators (e.g., creation/annihilation operators and Pauli spin operators) has been shown experimentally in recent years, the commu- tation relation for the position and the momentum operators has not been directly demonstrated to date. In this paper, we propose and analyze an experimental scheme for directly observing the non-commutativity of the position and the momentum operators using single-photon quantum in- terference. While the scheme is studied for the single-photon state as the input quantum state, the analysis applies equally to matter-wave interference, allowing a direct test of the position-momentum commutation relation with a massive particle.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

High-throughput SNP discovery and assay development in common bean

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Next generation sequencing has significantly increased the speed at which single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) can be discovered and subsequently used as molecular markers for research. Unfortunately, for species such as common bean (<it>Phaseolus vulgaris </it>L.) which do not have a whole genome sequence available, the use of next generation sequencing for SNP discovery is much more difficult and costly. To this end we developed a method which couples sequences obtained from the Roche 454-FLX system (454) with the Illumina Genome Analyzer (GA) for high-throughput SNP discovery.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using a multi-tier reduced representation library we discovered a total of 3,487 SNPs of which 2,795 contained sufficient flanking genomic sequence for SNP assay development. Using Sanger sequencing to determine the validation rate of these SNPs, we found that 86% are likely to be true SNPs. Furthermore, we designed a GoldenGate assay which contained 1,050 of the 3,487 predicted SNPs. A total of 827 of the 1,050 SNPs produced a working GoldenGate assay (79%).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Through combining two next generation sequencing techniques we have developed a method that allows high-throughput SNP discovery in any diploid organism without the need of a whole genome sequence or the creation of normalized cDNA libraries. The need to only perform one 454 run and one GA sequencer run allows high-throughput SNP discovery with sufficient sequence for assay development to be performed in organisms, such as common bean, which have limited genomic resources.</p

The effect of backpack load on intersegmental motions of the foot and plantar pressure in individuals with mild flatfoot

Abstract Background The feet play an essential role in shock absorption, and foot posture is closely related to gait. The compensatory mechanism under heavy-load conditions in individuals with mild flatfoot is poorly understood. In the authors country, individuals with mild flatfoot are drafted as active-duty soldiers and participate in military rucking wearing heavy backpacks. This study investigated the effect of backpack load on gait and foot plantar pressure and possible differences in participants with mild flatfoot. The average weight of the backpack during military rucking (approximately 20 kg), was simulated in this study. Methods This study prospectively enrolled 30 healthy young males, divided into a control group (CON, n = 15) and a mild low-arched group (MLA, n = 15), based on the presence of flatfoot. Segmental foot kinematics were evaluated using a three-dimensional multi-segment foot model, and gait data of the temporal and spatial parameters were obtained. The dynamic plantar pressure was simultaneously measured using a pedobarography platform with gait trials. The protocol was repeated with all participants wearing 20 kg backpacks. Comparisons between the baseline and loaded states, as well as comparison between groups, were conducted. Results Although the cadence, gait speed, and stride length decreased in the loaded condition, step time and proportion of the stance phase increased in both groups. Although the MLA group showed more supinated and abducted positions of the forefoot and more pronated positions of the hindfoot than the CON group, the change in intersegmental foot and ankle motion in each group after backpack loading was minimal. However, the former showed a larger step width and a greater increase in contact area in the midfoot region, while the latter demonstrated a greater increase in peak pressure. Conclusions Individuals with mild flatfoot demonstrated significantly different gait curve patterns (waveforms) compared to the controls. In the loaded condition, the CON and MLA groups may have adopted different strategies to maintain balance during gait. We suggest that although individuals with asymptomatic mild flatfoot are drafted as active-duty soldiers, they should be thoroughly investigated under loaded conditions, and orthoses may be helpful

Edge-Functionalization of Pyrene as a Miniature Graphene via Friedel–Crafts Acylation Reaction in Poly(Phosphoric Acid)

The feasibility of edge-functionalization of graphite was tested via the model reaction between pyrene and 4-(2,4,6-trimethylphenyloxy)benzamide (TMPBA) in poly(phosphoric acid) (PPA)/phosphorous pentoxide (P2O5) medium. The functionalization was confirmed by various characterization techniques. On the basis of the model study, the reaction condition could be extended to the edge-functionalization of graphite with TMPBA. Preliminary results showed that the resultant TMPBA-grafted graphite (graphite-g-TMPBA) was found to be readily dispersible in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and can be used as a precursor for edge-functionalized graphene (EFG)

Chikungunya seroprevalence, force of infection, and prevalence of chronic disability after infection in endemic and epidemic settings: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and modelling study.

BACKGROUND: Chikungunya is an arboviral disease transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes with a growing global burden linked to climate change and globalisation. We aimed to estimate chikungunya seroprevalence, force of infection (FOI), and prevalence of related chronic disability and hospital admissions in endemic and epidemic settings. METHODS: In this systematic review, meta-analysis, and modelling study, we searched PubMed, Ovid, and Web of Science for articles published from database inception until Sept 26, 2022, for prospective and retrospective cross-sectional studies that addressed serological chikungunya virus infection in any geographical region, age group, and population subgroup and for longitudinal prospective and retrospective cohort studies with data on chronic chikungunya or hospital admissions in people with chikungunya. We did a systematic review of studies on chikungunya seroprevalence and fitted catalytic models to each survey to estimate location-specific FOI (ie, the rate at which susceptible individuals acquire chikungunya infection). We performed a meta-analysis to estimate the proportion of symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed chikungunya who had chronic chikungunya or were admitted to hospital following infection. We used a random-effects model to assess the relationship between chronic sequelae and follow-up length using linear regression. The systematic review protocol is registered online on PROSPERO, CRD42022363102. FINDINGS: We identified 60 studies with data on seroprevalence and chronic chikungunya symptoms done across 76 locations in 38 countries, and classified 17 (22%) of 76 locations as endemic settings and 59 (78%) as epidemic settings. The global long-term median annual FOI was 0·007 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 0·003-0·010) and varied from 0·0001 (0·00004-0·0002) to 0·113 (0·07-0·20). The highest estimated median seroprevalence at age 10 years was in south Asia (8·0% [95% UI 6·5-9·6]), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (7·8% [4·9-14·6]), whereas median seroprevalence was lowest in the Middle East (1·0% [0·5-1·9]). We estimated that 51% (95% CI 45-58) of people with laboratory-confirmed symptomatic chikungunya had chronic disability after infection and 4% (3-5) were admitted to hospital following infection. INTERPRETATION: We inferred subnational heterogeneity in long-term average annual FOI and transmission dynamics and identified both endemic and epidemic settings across different countries. Brazil, Ethiopia, Malaysia, and India included both endemic and epidemic settings. Long-term average annual FOI was higher in epidemic settings than endemic settings. However, long-term cumulative incidence of chikungunya can be similar between large outbreaks in epidemic settings with a high FOI and endemic settings with a relatively low FOI. FUNDING: International Vaccine Institute

Journal Staff

We present the first measurements of the differential cross section d sigma/dp(T)(gamma) for the production of an isolated photon in association with at least two b-quark jets. The measurements consider photons with rapidities vertical bar y(gamma)vertical bar &lt; 1.0 and transverse momenta 30 &lt; p(T)(gamma) &lt; 200 GeV. The b-quark jets are required to have p(T)(jet) &gt; 15 GeVand vertical bar y(jet)vertical bar &lt; 1.5. The ratio of differential production cross sections for gamma + 2 b-jets to gamma + b-jet as a function of p(T)(gamma) is also presented. The results are based on the proton-antiproton collision data at root s = 1.96 TeV collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The measured cross sections and their ratios are compared to the next- to- leading order perturbative QCD calculations as well as predictions based on the k(T)- factorization approach and those from the sherpa and pythia Monte Carlo event generators