Blocking IRES-mediated translation pathway as a new method to treat Alzheimer’s disease

AbstractScientists theorized that β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and tau tangles are involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and amyloid precursor protein (APP) produces Aβ to trigger the disease process. However, the normal synaptic function of APP itself is not fully understood. Several findings cast APP as a potential key player in learning and memory under normal condition. Nevertheless, the regular operation of APP will be disrupted by abnormal accumulation of Aβ under cellular pathological conditions. Herein, there is a hypothesis that AD could be treated by attenuating APP synthesis during cellular pathophysiological stress. In virtue of a previous study, it was speculated that cells could not decrease APP synthesis via self-protection maybe because APP is synthesized via internal ribosome entry segment (IRES)-mediated translation. Consequently, the blockage of this translation might be a new inoffensive and high-level specificity treatment

Parametric Resonance in Oscillations of Atmospheric Neutrinos?

We consider a solution of the atmospheric neutrino problem based on oscillations of muon neutrinos to sterile neutrinos: $\nu_{\mu}$ $\leftrightarrow$ $\nu_s$. The zenith angle ($\Theta$) dependences of the neutrino and upward-going muon fluxes in presence of these oscillations are studied. The dependences have characteristic form with two dips: at $\cos \Theta = -0.6 \div -0.2$ and $\cos \Theta = -1.0 \div -0.8$. The latter dip is due to parametric resonance in oscillations of neutrinos which cross the core of the earth. A comparison of predictions with data from the MACRO, Baksan and Super-Kamiokande experiments is given.Comment: 14 pages + 9 eps figures in 6 pages, Latex fil

Quantum secure communication scheme with W state

Recently, Cao et al. proposed a new quantum secure direct communication scheme using W state. In their scheme, the error rate introduced by an eavesdropper who takes intercept-resend attack, is only 8.3%. Actually, their scheme is just a quantum key distribution scheme because the communication parties first create a shared key and then encrypt the secret message using one-time pad. We then present a quantum secure communication scheme using three-qubit W state. In our scheme, the error rate is raised to 25% and it is not necessary for the present scheme to use alternative measurement or Bell basis measurement. We also show our scheme is unconditionally secure.Comment: Comments are welcom

Solving Solar Neutrino Puzzle via LMA MSW Conversion

We analyze the existing solar neutrino experiment data and show the allowed regions. The result from SNO's salt phase itself restricts quite a lot the allowed region's area. Reactor neutrinos play an important role in determining oscillation parameters. KamLAND gives decisive conclusion on the solution to the solar neutrino puzzle, in particular, the spectral distortion in the 766.3 Ty KamLAND data gives another new improvement in the constraint of solar MSW-LMA solutions. We confirm that at 99.73% C.L. the high-LMA solution is excluded.Comment: 6 eps figure

Expression of wheat gibberellins 2-oxidase gene induced dwarf or semi-dwarf phenotype in rice

Gibberellins (GAs) are a class of plant hormones that play important roles in diverse aspects during plant growth and development. A series of GA synthesis and metabolism genes have been reported or proved to have essential functions in different plant species, while a small number of GA 2-oxidase genes have been cloned or reported in wheat. Previous studies have provided some important findings on the process of GA biosynthesis and the enzymes involved in its related pathways. These may facilitate understanding of the complicated process underlying GA synthesis and metabolism in wheat. In this study, GA 2-oxidase genes TaGA2ox1-1, TaGA2ox1-2, TaGA2ox1-3, TaGA2ox1-4, TaGA2ox1-5, and TaGA2ox1-6 were identified and further overexpressed in rice plants to investigate their functions in GA biosynthesis and signaling pathway. Results showed overexpression of GA 2-oxidase genes in rice disrupted the GA metabolic pathways and induced catalytic responses and regulated other GA biosynthesis and signaling pathway genes, which further leading to GA signaling disorders and diversity in phenotypic changes in rice plants

Effect of Preliminary Torsional Strain on Low-Cycle Fatigue of Q345B Structural Steel

Effect of preliminary torsional strain on low-cycle fatigue of Q345B steel was studied. The specimens were first 0, 180, and 360° twisted, then the low-cycle fatigue of Q345B steel was evaluated in the strain range of 0.3–0.8% by the method of axisymmetrical strain. The cycling response, cyclic stress–strain relationship, strain–life relationship, fatigue life prediction model, and seismic stability at different torsion angles were obtained and analyzed. The strain–life curve is shown to slope down as a power function. The fatigue life comes down with preliminary torsional strain at a constant level. The cycling response varied from cyclic hardening to cyclic softening in preliminary torsion, and the cyclic hardening rate increased linearly with the strain amplitude. The parameters of the Coffin–Manson relation are corroborated with experimental data. After heat treatment, the seismic stability of the material is improved, with torsional strain greatly reducing this characteristic. Electron microscope examination of fatigue fracture revealed a fatigue crack initiating on the surface of the specimen. The propagating crack deviated from its direction, and plasticity of the material dropped as a result of preliminary torsional strain.Изучено влияние деформации предварительного кручения на малоцикловую усталость стали Q345B. Вначале образцы скручивали на 0, 180 и 360°, затем методом осесимметричной деформации определяли малоцикловую усталость стали Q345B в диапазоне деформаций 0.3 0.8%. Получены и проанализированы характеристика циклических изменений, зависимость циклического изменения напряжения от деформации, зависимость деформация долговечность, модель прогнозирования усталостной долговечности и сейсмостойкость при различных углах кручения. Показано, что кривая деформация долговечность идет вниз и описывается степенной функцией. Усталостная долговечность снижается с увеличением деформации предварительного кручения при постоянном уровне последней. Характеристика циклических изменений варьировала от циклического упрочнения до циклического разупрочнения при кручении, скорость циклического упрочнения возрастала линейно с повышением амплитуды деформации. Параметры зависимости Коффина Мэнсона подтверждаются экспериментальными данными. После термообработки сейсмостойкость материала улучшается, при этом деформация предварительного кручения существенно снижает ее. Электронно-микроскопическое исследование усталостного разрушения выявило зарождение усталостной трещины на поверхности образца. Растущая трещина отклонялась от своего направления, пластичность материала снижалась в результате деформации предварительного кручения.Вивчено вплив деформації попереднього кручення на малоціклову втому стали Q345B. Спочатку зразки скручували на 0, 180 і 360 °, потім методом вісесиметричної деформації визначали малоціклову втому стали Q345B в діапазоні деформацій 0.3-0.8%. Отримано і проаналізовано характеристику циклічних змін, залежність циклічної зміни напржень від деформації, залежність деформація-довговічність, модель прогнозування втомної довговічності і сейсмостійкості при різних кутах кручення. Показано, що крива деформація - довговічність йде вниз і описується ступеневою функцією. Втомна довговічність знижується зі збільшенням деформації попереднього кручення при постійному рівні останньої. Характеристика циклічних змін варіювала від циклічного зміцнення до циклічного знеміцнення при крученні, швидкість циклічного зміцнення зростала лінійно з підвищенням амплітуди деформації. Параметри залежності Коффина-Менсона підтверджуються експериментальними даними. Після термообробки сейсмостійкість матеріалу поліпшується, при цьому деформація попереднього кручення істотно знижує її. Електронно-мікроскопічне дослідження втомного руйнування виявило зародження втомної тріщини на поверхні зразка. Зростаюча тріщина відхилялася від свого напрямку, пластичність матеріалу знижувалася в результаті деформації попереднього кручення

The sign of the day-night asymmetry for solar neutrinos

A qualitative understanding of the day-night asymmetry for solar neutrinos is provided. The greater night flux in nu_e is seen to be a consequence of the fact that the matter effect in the sun and that in the earth have the same sign. It is shown in the adiabatic approximation for the sun that for all values of the mixing angle theta_V between 0 and pi/2, the night flux of neutrinos is greater than the day flux. Only for small values of theta_V where the adiabatic approximation badly fails does the sign of the day-night asymmetry reverse.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, typos corrected and references adde

R2D2 - a symmetric measurement of reactor neutrinos free of systematical errors

We discuss a symmetric setup for a reactor neutrino oscillation experiment consisting of two reactors separated by about 1 km, and two symmetrically placed detectors, one close to each reactor. We show that such a configuration allows a determination of $\sin^22\theta_{13}$ which is essentially free of systematical errors, if it is possible to separate the contributions of the two reactors in each detector sufficiently. This can be achieved either by considering data when in an alternating way only one reactor is running or by directional sensitivity obtained from the neutron displacement in the detector.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, clarifications added, some numbers in relation with the neutron displacement corrected, version to appear in JHE

Multiple sources of infection and potential endemic characteristics of the large outbreak of dengue in Guangdong in 2014

A large outbreak of dengue, with the most documented cases, occurred in Guangdong China in 2014. Epidemiological studies and phylogenetic analysis of the isolated dengue virus (DENV) showed this outbreak was attributed to multiple sources and caused by at least two genotypes of DENV-1 (Genotypes I and III) and two genotypes of DENV-2 (Cosmopolitan and Asian I Genotypes). A retrospective review and phylogenetic analysis of DENV isolated in Guangdong showed that DENV-1 Genotype I strains were reported continuously during 2004-2014, Genotype III strains were reported during 2009-2014 ; DENV-2 Cosmopolitan and Asian I Genotype strains were reported continuously during 2012-2014. At least 45,171 cases were reported in this outbreak, with 65.9% of the patients in the 21-55-year-old group. A trend toward a decrease in the daily newly emerged cases lagged by approximately 20 days compared with the mosquito density curve. Several epidemiological characteristics of this outbreak and the stably sustained serotypes and genotypes of DENV isolated in Guangdong suggest that Guangdong has been facing a threat of transforming from a dengue epidemic area to an endemic area. The high temperature, drenching rain, rapid urbanization, and pandemic of dengue in Southeast Asia may have contributed to this large outbreak of dengue

Small Neutrino Masses From Structural cancellation In Left-Right Symmetric Model

The Type I, II and hybrid (I+II) seesaw mechanism, which explain why neutrinos are especially light, are consequences of the left-right symmetric model (LRSM). They can be classified by the ranges of parameters of LRSM. We show that a nearly cancellation in general Type-(I+II) seesaw is more natural than other types of seesaw in the LRSM if we consider their stability against radiative correction. In this scenario the small neutrino masses are due to the structure cancellation, and the masses of the right handed neutrino can be of order of O(10)TeV. The realistic model for non-zero neutrino masses, charged lepton masses and lepton tribimaximal mixing can be implemented by embedding $A_4$ flavor symmetry in the model with perturbations to the textures.Comment: RevTeX 10 pages, no figure