2,226 research outputs found
Cultural differences in intimacy: The influence of gender-role ideology and individualism-collectivism
Two studies examined emotional intimacy in European Canadian and Chinese Canadian dating relationships. Cultural differences in gender-role ideology and individualism–collectivism
were hypothesized to differentially contribute to selfdisclosure and responsiveness, and in turn, intimacy. Study 1 revealed that Chinese Canadians’ lower intimacy relative to European Canadians was mediated by their greater gender-role traditionalism but not by their individualism or collectivism. Study 2 further linked greater gender-role traditionalism to
lower self-disclosure, and in turn, lower intimacy. Results also revealed that Chinese Canadians’ lower intimacy mediated their lower relationship satisfaction and higher rate of relationship termination in Study 1, but that Chinese Canadians were not any more likely to terminate their relationships in Study 2
Accepting higher morbidity in exchange for sacrificing fewer animals in studies developing novel infection-control strategies.
Preventing bacterial infections from becoming the leading cause of death by the year 2050 requires the development of novel, infection-control strategies, building heavily on biomaterials science, including nanotechnology. Pre-clinical (animal) studies are indispensable for this development. Often, animal infection outcomes bear little relation to human clinical outcome. Here, we review conclusions from pathogen-inoculum dose-finding pilot studies for evaluation of novel infection-control strategies in murine models. Pathogen-inoculum doses are generally preferred that produce the largest differences in quantitative infection outcome parameters between a control and an experimental group, without death or termination of animals due to having reached an inhumane end-point during the study. However, animal death may represent a better end-point for evaluation than large differences in outcome parameters or number of days over which infection persists. The clinical relevance of lower pre-clinical outcomes, such as bioluminescence, colony forming units (CFUs) retrieved or more rapid clearance of infection is unknown, as most animals cure infection without intervention, depending on pathogen-species and pathogen-inoculum dose administered. In human clinical practice, patients suffering from infection present to hospital emergency wards, frequently in life-threatening conditions. Animal infection-models should therefore use prevention of death and recurrence of infection as primary efficacy targets to be addressed by novel strategies. To compensate for increased animal morbidity and mortality, animal experiments should solely be conducted for pre-clinical proof of principle and safety. With the advent of sophisticated in vitro models, we advocate limiting use of animal models when exploring pathogenesis or infection mechanisms
Two-Dimensional Spectroscopy of Photospheric Shear Flows in a Small delta Spot
In recent high-resolution observations of complex active regions,
long-lasting and well-defined regions of strong flows were identified in major
flares and associated with bright kernels of visible, near-infrared, and X-ray
radiation. These flows, which occurred in the proximity of the magnetic neutral
line, significantly contributed to the generation of magnetic shear. Signatures
of these shear flows are strongly curved penumbral filaments, which are almost
tangential to sunspot umbrae rather than exhibiting the typical radial
filamentary structure. Solar active region NOAA 10756 was a moderately complex,
beta-delta sunspot group, which provided an opportunity to extend previous
studies of such shear flows to quieter settings. We conclude that shear flows
are a common phenomenon in complex active regions and delta spots. However,
they are not necessarily a prerequisite condition for flaring. Indeed, in the
present observations, the photospheric shear flows along the magnetic neutral
line are not related to any change of the local magnetic shear. We present
high-resolution observations of NOAA 10756 obtained with the 65-cm vacuum
reflector at Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO). Time series of
speckle-reconstructed white-light images and two-dimensional spectroscopic data
were combined to study the temporal evolution of the three-dimensional vector
flow field in the beta-delta sunspot group. An hour-long data set of consistent
high quality was obtained, which had a cadence of better than 30 seconds and
sub-arcsecond spatial resolution.Comment: 23 pages, 6 gray-scale figures, 4 color figures, 2 tables, submitted
to Solar Physic
Setdb1-mediated H3K9 methylation is enriched on the inactive X and plays a role in its epigenetic silencing
Background: The presence of histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methylation on the mouse inactive X chromosome has been controversial over the last 15 years, and the functional role of H3K9 methylation in X chromosome inactivation in any species has remained largely unexplored. Results: Here we report the first genomic analysis of H3K9 di- and tri-methylation on the inactive X: we find they are enriched at the intergenic, gene poor regions of the inactive X, interspersed between H3K27 tri-methylation domains found in the gene dense regions. Although H3K9 methylation is predominantly non-genic, we find that depletion of H3K9 methylation via depletion of H3K9 methyltransferase Set domain bifurcated 1 (Setdb1) during the establishment of X inactivation, results in failure of silencing for around 150 genes on the inactive X. By contrast, we find a very minor role for Setdb1-mediated H3K9 methylation once X inactivation is fully established. In addition to failed gene silencing, we observed a specific failure to silence X-linked long-terminal repeat class repetitive elements. Conclusions: Here we have shown that H3K9 methylation clearly marks the murine inactive X chromosome. The role of this mark is most apparent during the establishment phase of gene silencing, with a more muted effect on maintenance of the silent state. Based on our data, we hypothesise that Setdb1-mediated H3K9 methylation plays a role in epigenetic silencing of the inactive X via silencing of the repeats, which itself facilitates gene silencing through alterations to the conformation of the whole inactive X chromosome.Andrew Keniry, Linden J. Gearing, Natasha Jansz, Joy Liu, Aliaksei Z. Holik, Peter F. Hickey, Sarah A. Kinkel, Darcy L. Moore, Kelsey Breslin, Kelan Chen, Ruijie Liu, Catherine Phillips, Miha Pakusch, Christine Biben, Julie M. Sheridan, Benjamin T. Kile, Catherine Carmichael, Matthew E. Ritchie, Douglas J. Hilton and Marnie E. Blewit
Global Fluctuation Spectra in Big Crunch/Big Bang String Vacua
We study Big Crunch/Big Bang cosmologies that correspond to exact world-sheet
superconformal field theories of type II strings. The string theory spacetime
contains a Big Crunch and a Big Bang cosmology, as well as additional
``whisker'' asymptotic and intermediate regions. Within the context of free
string theory, we compute, unambiguously, the scalar fluctuation spectrum in
all regions of spacetime. Generically, the Big Crunch fluctuation spectrum is
altered while passing through the bounce singularity. The change in the
spectrum is characterized by a function , which is momentum and
time-dependent. We compute explicitly and demonstrate that it arises
from the whisker regions. The whiskers are also shown to lead to
``entanglement'' entropy in the Big Bang region. Finally, in the Milne orbifold
limit of our superconformal vacua, we show that and, hence, the
fluctuation spectrum is unaltered by the Big Crunch/Big Bang singularity. We
comment on, but do not attempt to resolve, subtleties related to gravitational
backreaction and light winding modes when interactions are taken into account.Comment: 68 pages, 1 figure; typos correcte
Massless BTZ black holes in minisuperspace
We study aspects of the propagation of strings on BTZ black holes. After
performing a careful analysis of the global spacetime structure of generic BTZ
black holes, and its relation to the geometry of the SL(2,R) group manifold, we
focus on the simplest case of the massless BTZ black hole. We study the SL(2,R)
Wess-Zumino-Witten model in the worldsheet minisuperspace limit, taking into
account special features associated to the Lorentzian signature of spacetime.
We analyse the two- and three-point functions in the pointparticle limit. To
lay bare the underlying group structure of the correlation functions, we derive
new results on Clebsch-Gordan coefficients for SL(2,R) in a parabolic basis. We
comment on the application of our results to string theory in singular
time-dependent orbifolds, and to a Lorentzian version of the AdS/CFT
correspondence.Comment: 28 pages, v2: reference adde
The Minimal Supersymmetric Fat Higgs Model
We present a calculable supersymmetric theory of a composite ``fat'' Higgs
boson. Electroweak symmetry is broken dynamically through a new gauge
interaction that becomes strong at an intermediate scale. The Higgs mass can
easily be 200-450 GeV along with the superpartner masses, solving the
supersymmetric little hierarchy problem. We explicitly verify that the model is
consistent with precision electroweak data without fine-tuning. Gauge coupling
unification can be maintained despite the inherently strong dynamics involved
in electroweak symmetry breaking. Supersymmetrizing the Standard Model
therefore does not imply a light Higgs mass, contrary to the lore in the
literature. The Higgs sector of the minimal Fat Higgs model has a mass spectrum
that is distinctly different from the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, REVTe
Analysis of the Y(4140) and related molecular states with QCD sum rules
In this article, we assume that there exist scalar , , and
molecular states, and study their masses using
the QCD sum rules. The numerical results indicate that the masses are about
above the corresponding ,
, and thresholds, the Y(4140) is unlikely a scalar molecular state. The scalar ,
, and molecular states maybe not exist, while the scalar , , and
molecular states maybe exist.Comment: 19 pages, 36 figures, slight revisio
Deletion of Sirt3 does not affect atherosclerosis but accelerates weight gain and impairs rapid metabolic adaptation in LDL receptor knockout mice: implications for cardiovascular risk factor development.
Sirt3 is a mitochondrial NAD(+)-dependent deacetylase that governs mitochondrial metabolism and reactive oxygen species homeostasis. Sirt3 deficiency has been reported to accelerate the development of the metabolic syndrome. However, the role of Sirt3 in atherosclerosis remains enigmatic. We aimed to investigate whether Sirt3 deficiency affects atherosclerosis, plaque vulnerability, and metabolic homeostasis. Low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout (LDLR(-/-)) and LDLR/Sirt3 double-knockout (Sirt3(-/-)LDLR(-/-)) mice were fed a high-cholesterol diet (1.25 % w/w) for 12 weeks. Atherosclerosis was assessed en face in thoraco-abdominal aortae and in cross sections of aortic roots. Sirt3 deletion led to hepatic mitochondrial protein hyperacetylation. Unexpectedly, though plasma malondialdehyde levels were elevated in Sirt3-deficient mice, Sirt3 deletion affected neither plaque burden nor features of plaque vulnerability (i.e., fibrous cap thickness and necrotic core diameter). Likewise, plaque macrophage and T cell infiltration as well as endothelial activation remained unaltered. Electron microscopy of aortic walls revealed no difference in mitochondrial microarchitecture between both groups. Interestingly, loss of Sirt3 was associated with accelerated weight gain and an impaired capacity to cope with rapid changes in nutrient supply as assessed by indirect calorimetry. Serum lipid levels and glucose tolerance were unaffected by Sirt3 deletion in LDLR(-/-) mice. Sirt3 deficiency does not affect atherosclerosis in LDLR(-/-) mice. However, Sirt3 controls systemic levels of oxidative stress, limits expedited weight gain, and allows rapid metabolic adaptation. Thus, Sirt3 may contribute to postponing cardiovascular risk factor development
Superluminal optical pulse propagation in nonlinear coherent media
The propagation of light-pulse with negative group-velocity in a nonlinear
medium is studied theoretically. We show that the necessary conditions for
these effects to be observable are realized in a three-level -system
interacting with a linearly polarized laser beam in the presence of a static
magnetic field. In low power regime, when all other nonlinear processes are
negligible, the light-induced Zeeman coherence cancels the resonant absorption
of the medium almost completely, but preserves the dispersion anomalous and
very high. As a result, a superluminal light pulse propagation can be observed
in the sense that the peak of the transmitted pulse exits the medium before the
peak of the incident pulse enters. There is no violation of causality and
energy conservation. Moreover, the superluminal effects are prominently
manifested in the reshaping of pulse, which is caused by the
intensity-dependent pulse velocity. Unlike the shock wave formation in a
nonlinear medium with normal dispersion, here, the self-steepening of the pulse
trailing edge takes place due to the fact that the more intense parts of the
pulse travel slower. The predicted effect can be easily observed in the well
known schemes employed for studying of nonlinear magneto-optical rotation. The
upper bound of sample length is found from the criterion that the pulse
self-steepening and group-advance time are observable without pulse distortion
caused by the group-velocity dispersion.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figure
- …