Probing the ground state in gauge theories

We consider two very different models of the flux tube linking two heavy quarks: a string linking the matter fields and a Coulombic description of two separately gauge invariant charges. We compare how close they are to the unknown true ground state in compact U(1) and the SU(2) Higgs model. Simulations in compact U(1) show that the string description is better in the confined phase but the Coulombic description is best in the deconfined phase; the last result is shown to agree with analytical calculations. Surprisingly in the non-abelian theory the Coulombic description is better in both the Higgs and confined phases. This indicates a significant difference in the width of the flux tubes in the two theories.Comment: 13 pages, 10 .eps figures. V2: conclusions extende

Synthetic DNA immunotherapy in biochemically relapsed prostate cancer

Background: INO-5150 (PSA and PSMA) +/- INO-9012 (IL-12), a synthetic DNA immunotherapy, was assessed for safety, immunogenicity and efficacy in biochemically recurrent prostate cancer patients (pts). Methods: Phase I, open-label, multi-center study in the US included pts with rising PSA after surgery and/or RT, PSA doubling time (PSADT) \u3e3 months (mos), testosterone \u3e150 ng/dL and no concurrent ADT. Safety, immunogenicity and efficacy (PSA kinetics, PFS) were evaluated in 4 treatment arms of 15 pts each. Arms A: 2mg INO-5150, B: 8.5 mg INO-5150, C: 2mg INO-5150 + 1mg INO-9012 and D: 8.5mg INO-5150 + 1mg INO-9012. Pts received 4 IM doses of vaccine followed by electroporation on day 0, wks 3, 12 and 24 and were followed for 72 wks. Results: 50/61 (82%) pts completed all visits and treatments were well tolerated with no safety concerns. Median PFS for overall population [N = 61, baseline (D0) PSADT range (mos) 1.5-217.1, median 9.8] and for a subset of pts with D0 PSADT ≤12mos (N = 36) has not yet been reached (FU 3-19 mos). 86% of pts with D0 PSADT ≤12 mos were progression free through 19mos FU. 27 out of 36 (75%) pts with D0 PSADT≤ 12 mos had disease stabilization at wks 27 evidenced by significant improvement in log2PSA change over time (slope) and PSADT from D0 (Slope=0.19 declined to 0.1, PSADT=5.3 improved to 10.1 mos, p = \u3c0.0001). This effect was maintained at wk 72 (Slope=0.09, PSADT=10.6, p = \u3c0.0001). Immunogenicity was observed in 77% (47/61) of pts by multiple immunologic assessments. Patient immunogenicity to INO-5150 as determined by CD38 and Perforin + CD8 T cell immune reactivity correlated with attenuated % PSA rise compared to pts without reactivity (p = 0.05, n = 50). Conclusions: INO-5150 +/- INO-9012 was safe, well tolerated and immunogenic. Clinical efficacy was observed in the patients with D0 PSADT≤ 12 mos as evidenced by a significant dampening of log2PSA change over time and increased PSADT up to 72 weeks FU. Additional genomic analyses are ongoing to further elucidate the correlation of immunologic efficacy and clinical benefit. (NCT02514213)

Magneto-Coulomb Oscillation in Ferromagnetic Single Electron Transistors

The mechanism of the magneto-Coulomb oscillation in ferromagnetic single electron transistors (SET's) is theoretically considered. Variations in the chemical potentials of the conduction electrons in the ferromagnetic island electrode and the ferromagnetic lead electrodes in magnetic fields cause changes in the free energy of the island electrode of the SET. Experimental results of the magneto-Coulomb oscillation in a Ni/Co/Ni ferromagnetic SET are presented and discussed. Possible applications of this phenomenon are also discussed.Comment: 24 pages Latex, 5 figures in GIF files, style files included. Revised version: some errors are corrected and further discussions are added. To be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. Vol.67 (1998) No.

Hamiltonian BRST-anti-BRST Theory

The hamiltonian BRST-anti-BRST theory is developed in the general case of arbitrary reducible first class systems. This is done by extending the methods of homological perturbation theory, originally based on the use of a single resolution, to the case of a biresolution. The BRST and the anti-BRST generators are shown to exist. The respective links with the ordinary BRST formulation and with the $sp(2)$-covariant formalism are also established.Comment: 34 pages, Latex fil

Superfield Approach to (Non-)local Symmetries for One-Form Abelian Gauge Theory

We exploit the geometrical superfield formalism to derive the local, covariant and continuous Becchi-Rouet-Stora-Tyutin (BRST) symmetry transformations and the non-local, non-covariant and continuous dual-BRST symmetry transformations for the free Abelian one-form gauge theory in four $(3 + 1)$-dimensions (4D) of spacetime. Our discussion is carried out in the framework of BRST invariant Lagrangian density for the above 4D theory in the Feynman gauge. The geometrical origin and interpretation for the (dual-)BRST charges (and the transformations they generate) are provided in the language of translations of some superfields along the Grassmannian directions of the six ($4 + 2)$-dimensional supermanifold parametrized by the four spacetime and two Grassmannian variables.Comment: LaTeX file, 23 page

Structure of the first representative of Pfam family PF04016 (DUF364) reveals enolase and Rossmann-like folds that combine to form a unique active site with a possible role in heavy-metal chelation.

The crystal structure of Dhaf4260 from Desulfitobacterium hafniense DCB-2 was determined by single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (SAD) to a resolution of 2.01 Å using the semi-automated high-throughput pipeline of the Joint Center for Structural Genomics (JCSG) as part of the NIGMS Protein Structure Initiative (PSI). This protein structure is the first representative of the PF04016 (DUF364) Pfam family and reveals a novel combination of two well known domains (an enolase N-terminal-like fold followed by a Rossmann-like domain). Structural and bioinformatic analyses reveal partial similarities to Rossmann-like methyltransferases, with residues from the enolase-like fold combining to form a unique active site that is likely to be involved in the condensation or hydrolysis of molecules implicated in the synthesis of flavins, pterins or other siderophores. The genome context of Dhaf4260 and homologs additionally supports a role in heavy-metal chelation

Structure of a putative NTP pyrophosphohydrolase: YP_001813558.1 from Exiguobacterium sibiricum 255-15.

The crystal structure of a putative NTPase, YP_001813558.1 from Exiguobacterium sibiricum 255-15 (PF09934, DUF2166) was determined to 1.78 Å resolution. YP_001813558.1 and its homologs (dimeric dUTPases, MazG proteins and HisE-encoded phosphoribosyl ATP pyrophosphohydrolases) form a superfamily of all-α-helical NTP pyrophosphatases. In dimeric dUTPase-like proteins, a central four-helix bundle forms the active site. However, in YP_001813558.1, an unexpected intertwined swapping of two of the helices that compose the conserved helix bundle results in a `linked dimer' that has not previously been observed for this family. Interestingly, despite this novel mode of dimerization, the metal-binding site for divalent cations, such as magnesium, that are essential for NTPase activity is still conserved. Furthermore, the active-site residues that are involved in sugar binding of the NTPs are also conserved when compared with other α-helical NTPases, but those that recognize the nucleotide bases are not conserved, suggesting a different substrate specificity

Empowerment or Engagement? Digital Health Technologies for Mental Healthcare

We argue that while digital health technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence, smartphones, and virtual reality) present significant opportunities for improving the delivery of healthcare, key concepts that are used to evaluate and understand their impact can obscure significant ethical issues related to patient engagement and experience. Specifically, we focus on the concept of empowerment and ask whether it is adequate for addressing some significant ethical concerns that relate to digital health technologies for mental healthcare. We frame these concerns using five key ethical principles for AI ethics (i.e. autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, and explicability), which have their roots in the bioethical literature, in order to critically evaluate the role that digital health technologies will have in the future of digital healthcare

New topological field theories in two dimensions

It is shown that two$(1 + 1)$-dimensional (2D) free Abelian- and self-interacting non-Abelian gauge theories (without any interaction with matter fields) belong to a new class of topological field theories. These new theories capture together some of the key features of Witten- and Schwarz type of topological field theories because they are endowed with symmetries that are reminiscent of the Schwarz type theories but their Lagrangian density has the appearance of the Witten type theories. The topological invariants for these theories are computed on a 2D compact manifold and their recursion relations are obtained. These new theories are shown to provide a class of tractable field theoretical models for the Hodge theory in two dimensions of flat (Minkowski) spacetime where there are no propagating degrees of freedom associated with the 2D gauge boson.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX, no figures, version to appear in J. Phys. A: Math Ge

The structure of BVU2987 from Bacteroides vulgatus reveals a superfamily of bacterial periplasmic proteins with possible inhibitory function.

Proteins that contain the DUF2874 domain constitute a new Pfam family PF11396. Members of this family have predominantly been identified in microbes found in the human gut and oral cavity. The crystal structure of one member of this family, BVU2987 from Bacteroides vulgatus, has been determined, revealing a β-lactamase inhibitor protein-like structure with a tandem repeat of domains. Sequence analysis and structural comparisons reveal that BVU2987 and other DUF2874 proteins are related to β-lactamase inhibitor protein, PepSY and SmpA_OmlA proteins and hence are likely to function as inhibitory proteins