Universality regained: Kibble-Zurek dynamics, off-equilibrium scaling and the search for the QCD critical point

We generalize and apply the key elements of the Kibble-Zurek framework of nonequilibrium phase transitions to study the non-equilibrium critical cumulants near the QCD critical point. We demonstrate the off-equilibrium critical cumulants are expressible as universal scaling functions. We discuss how to use off-equilibrium scaling to provide powerful model-independent guidance in searches for the QCD critical point.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, contribution to the proceedings of Quark Matter - XXVI international conference on ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions (Chicago, USA, February 5 to February 11, 2017), a minor typo correcte

Evaluation of the role of sigma B in Mycobacterium smegmatis

The alternate sigma factor, sigB, is known to play a crucial role in maintaining the stationary phase in mycobacteria. In this communication, we have studied the proteomics of Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 and its two derivatives, one of which has a disrupted sigB gene and the other, PMVSigB, which contains a multicopy plasmid containing sigB. We have identified by two-dimensional gel analyses, several proteins that are over-expressed in PMVSigB compared to mc2155. These proteins are either stress proteins or participate actively in different metabolic pathways of the organisms. On the other hand, when sigB deleted mycobacteria were grown until the stationary phase and its two-dimensional protein profile was compared to that of mc2155, few DNA binding proteins were found to be up-regulated. We have shown recently that upon over-expressing sigB, the cell surface glycopeptidolipids of M. smegmatis are hyperglycosylated, a situation similar to what was observed for nutritionally starved bacteria. Gene expression profile through quantitative PCR presented here identified a Rhamnosyltransferase responsible for this hyperglycosylation

Investigation of (g−2)μ(g-2)_{\mu} anomaly in the μ\mu-specific 2HDM with Vector like leptons and the phenomenological implications

The anomalous magnetic moment of muons has been a long-standing problem in SM. The current deviation of experimental value of the $(g-2)_{\mu}$ from the standard model prediction is exactly $4.2\sigma$. Two Higgs Doublet Models can accommodate this discrepancy but such type of model naturally generate flavor changing neutral current(FCNC). To prevent this it was postulated that 2HDM without FCNC required that all fermions of a given charge couple to the same Higgs boson but the rule breaks in Muon Specific Two Higgs Doublet Model where all fermions except muon couple to one Higgs doublet and muon with the other Higgs doublet. The Muon Specific Two Higgs Doublet model explain muon anomaly with a fine tuning problem of very large $\tan\beta$ value with other parameters. We have found a simple solution of this fine tuning problem by extending this model with a vector like lepton generation which could explain the muon anomaly at low $\tan\beta$ value with a heavy pseudo scalar Higgs boson under the shadow of current experimental and theoretical constraints. Moreover, with the help of the cut based analysis and multivariate analysis methods, we have also attempted to shed some light on the potential experimental signature of vector lepton decay to the heavy Higgs boson in the LHC experiment. We have showed that a multivariate analysis can increase the vector like leptons signal significance by up to an order of magnitude than that of a cut based analysis.Comment: 24 pages and multiple figures, comments are welcom

Deletion of the rpoZ gene, encoding the ω subunit of RNA polymerase, results in pleiotropic surface-related phenotypes in Mycobacterium smegmatis

The ω subunit, the smallest subunit of bacterial RNA polymerase, is known to be involved in maintaining the conformation of the β' subunit and aiding its recruitment to the rest of the core enzyme assembly in Escherichia coli. It has recently been shown in Mycobacterium smegmatis, by creating a deletion mutation of the rpoZ gene encoding ω , that the physiological role of ω the subunit also includes providing physical protection to β'. Interestingly, the mutant had altered colony morphology. This paper demonstrates that the mutant mycobacterium has pleiotropic phenotypes including reduced sliding motility and defective biofilm formation. Analysis of the spatial arrangement of biofilms by electron microscopy suggests that the altered phenotype of the mutant arises from a deficiency in generation of extracellular matrix. Complementation of the mutant strain with a copy of the wild-type rpoZ gene integrated in the bacterial chromosome restored both sliding motility and biofilm formation to the wild-type state, unequivocally proving the role of ω in the characteristics observed for the mutant bacterium. Analysis of the cell wall composition demonstrated that the mutant bacterium had an identical glycopeptidolipid profile to the wild-type, but failed to synthesize the short-chain mycolic acids characteristic of biofilm growth in M. smegmatis

Hyperglycosylation of glycopeptidolipid of mycobacterium smegmatis under nutrient starvation: structural studies

The presence of a polar species of glycopeptidolipid (GPL) in carbon-starved Mycobacterium smegmatis has been reported previously. In this study, the complete structure of this GPL is established with the help of MALDI-TOF (matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight) and ESI (electrospray ionization) -MS, 13C-SEFT (spin echo Fourier transform) -NMR spectroscopy, and HPLC analysis. In the molecule, two units of a 3,4-di-O-methyl derivative of rhamnose are attached to L-alaninol via a 1 → 2 linkage. Various methyl derivatives of rhamnose and 6-deoxytalose were synthesized as standards to establish this structure. The accumulation of this polar GPL in M. smegmatis is sigB dependent, as a SigB-overproducing strain of M. smegmatis shows the presence of this spot in the exponential phase, and a sigB-knockout strain of M. smegmatis does not show the presence of any polar GPLs

Raising the Age of Purchase and Use of Tobacco Product in Bangladesh: Benefits and Challenges in Protecting Youth from the Tobacco Epidemic

Background: Tobacco use among young and adolescents is the biggest threat to public health globally. In Bangladesh, every one in 14 youth (13-15 years) uses tobacco in some form. While this problem is growing in the country, we estimate the underage initiation of tobacco use and present evidence that policy measures like increasing the age of purchase and use from the current 18 years to 21 years in the country backed with current tobacco control efforts and adopting vendor licensing will significantly reduce future tobacco burden. Method: We analysed the two rounds of nationally representative Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) data: GATS-1 (2009-10) and GATS-2 (2016-17) and segregated the data for two categories of tobacco consumption (smokers and smokeless tobacco users) based on the age of initiation (21 years). Consumption patterns were also analyaed by using the GATS-2 data. Projections from sub-national level analysis for youth initiating tobacco use before 21 years and change in the prevalence of overall underage tobacco users were calculated based on weighted value. Result: According to GATS-2, around 89% of current tobacco users initiated tobacco use into daily use before the age of 18 years in Bangladesh. Whereas, striking differences were observed (statistically significant) for the average age of initiation of smoking among smokers aged 20-34 increased from 17.4 in 2009 to 19.3 years; and 20.1 to 22 years for SLT. Moreover, more than 24% of them initiated into regular smoking before the age of 15 years. Conclusion: There is an increasing trends of tobacco initiation among the underage youth of Bangladesh. By increasing the age of access, sale, purchase, and use of tobacco from current 18 years to 21 years will significantly reduce youth initiation and taper down the overall adult tobacco use prevalence over the long run in Bangladesh.publishedVersio

Fluorescent probes based on side-chain chlorinated benzo[a]phenoxazinium chlorides: studies of interaction with DNA

The interaction of DNA with six water soluble benzo[a]phenoxazinium chlorides mono- or di-substituted with 3-chloropropyl groups at the O and N of 2- and 9-positions, along with methyl, hydroxyl and amine terminal groups at 5-positions, was investigated by photophysical techniques. The results indicated that almost all compounds intercalated in DNA base pairs at phosphate to dye ratio higher than 5. At lower values of this ratio, electrostatic binding mode with DNA was observed. Groove binding was detected mainly for the benzo[a]phenoxazinium dye with NH2.HBr terminal. The set of six benzo[a]phenoxazinium chlorides proved successful to label the migrating DNA in agarose gel electrophoresis assays. These finding proves the ability of these benzo[a]phenoxazinium dyes to strongly interact with DNA.Thanks are due to Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER (European Fund for Regional Development)/COMPETE-QREN-EU for financial support to Research Centres CQ/UM [PEst-C/QUI/UI0686/2013 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-037302)] and CFUM [PEst-C/FIS/UI0607/2013 (F-COMP-01-0124-FEDER-022711)]. The Postdoctoral grant to B. R. Raju (SFRH/BPD/62881/2009) is also acknowledged to FCT, POPHQREN, FSE