73 research outputs found
Exponentially hard problems are sometimes polynomial, a large deviation analysis of search algorithms for the random Satisfiability problem, and its application to stop-and-restart resolutions
A large deviation analysis of the solving complexity of random
3-Satisfiability instances slightly below threshold is presented. While finding
a solution for such instances demands an exponential effort with high
probability, we show that an exponentially small fraction of resolutions
require a computation scaling linearly in the size of the instance only. This
exponentially small probability of easy resolutions is analytically calculated,
and the corresponding exponent shown to be smaller (in absolute value) than the
growth exponent of the typical resolution time. Our study therefore gives some
theoretical basis to heuristic stop-and-restart solving procedures, and
suggests a natural cut-off (the size of the instance) for the restart.Comment: Revtex file, 4 figure
Divergent effect of cobalt and beryllium salts on the fate of peripheral blood monocytes and T lymphocytes.
Occupational exposure to metals such as cobalt and beryllium represents a risk factor for respiratory health and can cause immune-mediated diseases. However, the way they act may be different. We show here that the two metals have a divergent effect on peripheral T lymphocytes and monocytes: BeSO(4) induces cell death in monocytes but not in T lymphocytes, which instead respond by producing Interferon gamma (IFN-Îł); conversely, CoCl(2) induces apoptosis in T lymphocytes but not in monocytes. Interestingly, both metals induce p53 overexpression but with a dramatic different outcome. This is because the effect of p53 in CoCl(2)-treated monocytes is counteracted by the antiapoptotic activity of cytoplasmic p21(Cip1/WAF1), the activation of nuclear factor ÎșB, and the inflammasome danger signaling pathway leading to the production of proinflammatory cytokines. However, CoCl(2)-treated monocytes do not fully differentiate into macrophage or dendritic cells, as inferred by the lack of expression of CD16 and CD83, respectively. Furthermore, the expression of HLA-class II molecules, as well as the capability of capturing and presenting the antigens, decreased with time. In conclusion, cobalt keeps monocytes in a partially activated, proinflammatory state that can contribute to some of the pathologies associated with the exposure to this metal
Mesoscopic models for DNA stretching under force: new results and comparison to experiments
Single molecule experiments on B-DNA stretching have revealed one or two
structural transitions, when increasing the external force. They are
characterized by a sudden increase of DNA contour length and a decrease of the
bending rigidity. It has been proposed that the first transition, at forces of
60--80 pN, is a transition from B to S-DNA, viewed as a stretched duplex DNA,
while the second one, at stronger forces, is a strand peeling resulting in
single stranded DNAs (ssDNA), similar to thermal denaturation. But due to
experimental conditions these two transitions can overlap, for instance for
poly(dA-dT). We derive analytical formula using a coupled discrete worm like
chain-Ising model. Our model takes into account bending rigidity, discreteness
of the chain, linear and non-linear (for ssDNA) bond stretching. In the limit
of zero force, this model simplifies into a coupled model already developed by
us for studying thermal DNA melting, establishing a connexion with previous
fitting parameter values for denaturation profiles. We find that: (i) ssDNA is
fitted, using an analytical formula, over a nanoNewton range with only three
free parameters, the contour length, the bending modulus and the monomer size;
(ii) a surprisingly good fit on this force range is possible only by choosing a
monomer size of 0.2 nm, almost 4 times smaller than the ssDNA nucleobase
length; (iii) mesoscopic models are not able to fit B to ssDNA (or S to ss)
transitions; (iv) an analytical formula for fitting B to S transitions is
derived in the strong force approximation and for long DNAs, which is in
excellent agreement with exact transfer matrix calculations; (v) this formula
fits perfectly well poly(dG-dC) and -DNA force-extension curves with
consistent parameter values; (vi) a coherent picture, where S to ssDNA
transitions are much more sensitive to base-pair sequence than the B to S one,
emerges.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure
Leading order analysis of neutrino induced dimuon events in the CHORUS experiment
We present a leading order QCD analysis of a sample of neutrino induced
charged-current events with two muons in the final state originating in the
lead-scintillating fibre calorimeter of the CHORUS detector. The results are
based on a sample of 8910 neutrino and 430 antineutrino induced opposite-sign
dimuon events collected during the exposure of the detector to the CERN Wide
Band Neutrino Beam between 1995 and 1998. % with GeV
and GeV collected %between 1995 and 1998. The analysis yields a
value of the charm quark mass of \mc = (1.26\pm 0.16 \pm 0.09) \GeVcc and a
value of the ratio of the strange to non-strange sea in the nucleon of , improving the results obtained in similar analyses
by previous experiments.Comment: Submitted to Nuclear Physics
Charged-Particle Multiplicities in Charged-Current Neutrino-- and Anti-Neutrino--Nucleus Interactions
The CHORUS experiment, designed to search for
oscillations, consists of a nuclear emulsion target and electronic detectors.
In this paper, results on the production of charged particles in a small sample
of charged-current neutrino-- and anti-neutrino--nucleus interactions at high
energy are presented. For each event, the emission angle and the ionization
features of the charged particles produced in the interaction are recorded,
while the standard kinematic variables are reconstructed using the electronic
detectors. The average multiplicities for charged tracks, the pseudo-rapidity
distributions, the dispersion in the multiplicity of charged particles and the
KNO scaling are studied in different kinematical regions. A study of
quasi-elastic topologies performed for the first time in nuclear emulsions is
also reported. The results are presented in a form suitable for use in the
validation of Monte Carlo generators of neutrino--nucleus interactions.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figure
Associated Charm Production in Neutrino-Nucleus Interactions
In this paper a search for associated charm production both in neutral and
charged current -nucleus interactions is presented. The improvement of
automatic scanning systems in the {CHORUS} experiment allows an efficient
search to be performed in emulsion for short-lived particles. Hence a search
for rare processes, like the associated charm production, becomes possible
through the observation of the double charm-decay topology with a very low
background. About 130,000 interactions located in the emulsion target
have been analysed. Three events with two charm decays have been observed in
the neutral-current sample with an estimated background of 0.180.05. The
relative rate of the associated charm cross-section in deep inelastic
interactions, has been
measured. One event with two charm decays has been observed in charged-current
interactions with an estimated background of 0.180.06 and the
upper limit on associated charm production in charged-current interactions at
90% C.L. has been found to be .Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure
Measurement of charm production in neutrino charged-current interactions
The nuclear emulsion target of the CHORUS detector was exposed to the
wide-band neutrino beam of the CERN SPS of 27 GeV average neutrino energy from
1994 to 1997. In total about 100000 charged-current neutrino interactions with
at least one identified muon were located in the emulsion target and fully
reconstructed, using newly developed automated scanning systems. Charmed
particles were searched for by a program recognizing particle decays. The
observation of the decay in nuclear emulsion makes it possible to select a
sample with very low background and minimal kinematical bias. 2013
charged-current interactions with a charmed hadron candidate in the final state
were selected and confirmed through visual inspection. The charm production
rate induced by neutrinos relative to the charged-current cross-section is
measured to be sigma(nu_mu N -> mu- C X)/sigma(CC) = (5.75 +-0.32 stat +-0.30
syst)%. The charm production cross-section as a function of the neutrino energy
is also obtained. The results are in good agreement with previous measurements.
The charm-quark hadronization produces the following charmed hadrons with
relative fractions (in %): f_Dzero = 43.7+-4.5, f_Lambda_c^plus = 19.2+-4.2,
f_Dplus = 25.3+-4.2, and f_D_splus = 11.8+-4.7.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure
Distinct germline genetic susceptibility profiles identified for common non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes
Lymphoma risk is elevated for relatives with common non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) subtypes, suggesting shared genetic susceptibility across subtypes. To evaluate the extent of mutual heritability among NHL subtypes and discover novel loci shared among subtypes, we analyzed data from eight genome-wide association studies within the InterLymph Consortium, including 10,629 cases and 9505 controls. We utilized Association analysis based on SubSETs (ASSET) to discover loci for subsets of NHL subtypes and evaluated shared heritability across the genome using Genome-wide Complex Trait Analysis (GCTA) and polygenic risk scores. We discovered 17 genome-wide significant loci (P < 5 Ă 10â8) for subsets of NHL subtypes, including a novel locus at 10q23.33 (HHEX) (P = 3.27 Ă 10â9). Most subset associations were driven primarily by only one subtype. Genome-wide genetic correlations between pairs of subtypes varied broadly from 0.20 to 0.86, suggesting substantial heterogeneity in the extent of shared heritability among subtypes. Polygenic risk score analyses of established loci for different lymphoid malignancies identified strong associations with some NHL subtypes (P < 5 Ă 10â8), but weak or null associations with others. Although our analyses suggest partially shared heritability and biological pathways, they reveal substantial heterogeneity among NHL subtypes with each having its own distinct germline genetic architecture
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