720 research outputs found
Fidelity and level correlations in the transition from regularity to chaos
Mean fidelity amplitude and parametric energy--energy correlations are
calculated exactly for a regular system, which is subject to a chaotic random
perturbation. It turns out that in this particular case under the average both
quantities are identical. The result is compared with the susceptibility of
chaotic systems against random perturbations. Regular systems are more
susceptible against random perturbations than chaotic ones.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur
Individuals with presumably hereditary uveal melanoma do not harbour germline mutations in the coding regions of either the P16INK4A, P14ARF or cdk4 genes
In familial cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM), disruption of the retinoblastoma (pRB) pathway frequently occurs through inactivating mutations in the p16 (p16INK4A/CDKN2A/MTS1) gene or activating mutations in the G1-specific cyclin dependent kinase 4 gene (CDK4). Uveal malignant melanoma (UMM) also occurs in a familial setting, or sometimes in association with familial or sporadic CMM. Molecular studies of sporadic UMM have revealed somatic deletions covering the INK4A-ARF locus (encoding P16INK4Aand P14ARF) in a large proportion of tumours. We hypothesized that germline mutations in the p16INK4A, p14ARFor CDK4 genes might contribute to some cases of familial UMM, or to some cases of UMM associated with another melanoma. Out of 155 patients treated at the Institut Curie for UMM between 1994 and 1997, and interviewed about their personal and familial history of melanoma, we identified seven patients with a relative affected with UMM (n = 6) or CMM (n = 1), and two patients who have had, in addition to UMM, a personal history of second melanoma, UMM (n = 1), or CMM (n = 1). We screened by polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism the entire coding sequence of the INK4A-ARF locus (exon 1α from p16INK4A, exon 1β from p14ARF, and exons 2 and 3, common to both genes), as well as the exons 2, 5 and 8 of the CDK4 gene, coding for the functional domains involved in p16 and/or cyclin D1 binding. A previously reported polymorphism in exon 3 of the INK4A-ARF locus was found in one patient affected with bilateral UMM, but no germline mutations were detected, either in the p16INK4A, p14ARFor CDK4 genes. Our data support the involvement of other genes in predisposition to uveal melanoma. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig
Measurement of the decay form factors in the OKA experiment
A precise measurement of the vector and axial-vector form factors difference
in the decay is presented.
About 95K events of are selected in
the OKA experiment. The result is .
Both errors are smaller than in the previous measurements.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figure
Resonance trapping and saturation of decay widths
Resonance trapping appears in open many-particle quantum systems at high
level density when the coupling to the continuum of decay channels reaches a
critical strength. Here a reorganization of the system takes place and a
separation of different time scales appears. We investigate it under the
influence of additional weakly coupled channels as well as by taking into
account the real part of the coupling term between system and continuum. We
observe a saturation of the mean width of the trapped states. Also the decay
rates saturate as a function of the coupling strength. The mechanism of the
saturation is studied in detail. In any case, the critical region of
reorganization is enlarged. When the transmission coefficients for the
different channels are different, the width distribution is broadened as
compared to a chi_K^2 distribution where K is the number of channels. Resonance
trapping takes place before the broad state overlaps regions beyond the
extension of the spectrum of the closed system.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev.
In vivo optical monitoring of transcutaneous delivery of calcium carbonate microcontainers
We have developed a method for delivery of biocompatible CaCO3 microcontainers (4.0 ± 0.8 µm) containing Fe3O4 nanoparticles (14 ± 5 nm) into skin in vivo using fractional laser microablation (FLMA) provided by a pulsed Er:YAG laser system. Six laboratory rats have been used for the microcontainer delivery and weekly monitoring implemented using an optical coherence tomography and a standard histological analysis. The use of FLMA allowed for delivery of the microcontainers to the depth about 300 μm and creation of a depot in dermis. On the seventh day we have observed the dissolving of the microcontainers and the release of nanoparticles into dermis
Spectral properties of quantized barrier billiards
The properties of energy levels in a family of classically pseudointegrable
systems, the barrier billiards, are investigated. An extensive numerical study
of nearest-neighbor spacing distributions, next-to-nearest spacing
distributions, number variances, spectral form factors, and the level dynamics
is carried out. For a special member of the billiard family, the form factor is
calculated analytically for small arguments in the diagonal approximation. All
results together are consistent with the so-called semi-Poisson statistics.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure
Biodegradable Nanocarriers Resembling Extracellular Vesicles Deliver Genetic Material with the Highest Efficiency to Various Cell Types
Efficient delivery of genetic material to primary cells remains challenging. Here, efficient transfer of genetic material is presented using synthetic biodegradable nanocarriers, resembling extracellular vesicles in their biomechanical properties. This is based on two main technological achievements: generation of soft biodegradable polyelectrolyte capsules in nanosize and efficient application of the nanocapsules for co‐transfer of different RNAs to tumor cell lines and primary cells, including hematopoietic progenitor cells and primary T cells. Near to 100% efficiency is reached using only 2.5 × 10−4 pmol of siRNA, and 1 × 10−3 nmol of mRNA per cell, which is several magnitude orders below the amounts reported for any of methods published so far. The data show that biodegradable nanocapsules represent a universal and highly efficient biomimetic platform for the transfer of genetic material with the utmost potential to revolutionize gene transfer technology in vitro and in vivo
Approaches to improving breast screening uptake: evidence and experience from Tower Hamlets
This paper reports on an innovative whole-systems approach to improving uptake of breast screening in Tower Hamlets, a deprived borough in the East End of London with a large minority ethnic population. The approach, developed by the public health team at NHS Tower Hamlets, draws on analysis of needs and existing literature about effective interventions to promote breast screening. Social marketing research led to a campaign targeted at Bangladeshi women, together with a range of initiatives to promote breast screening through primary care services and community outreach through local well-known organisations. The breast screening service itself was upgraded and a new service specification is being introduced from April 2009
Searches for the light invisible axion-like particle in decay
A high statistics data sample of the decays is recorded by the OKA
collaboration. A missing mass analysis is performed to search for a light
invisible pseudoscalar axion-like particle (ALP) in the decay . No signal is observed, the upper limits for the branching
ratio of the decay are calculated. The confidence level upper limit is
changing from to for the ALP mass from 0 to
200 MeV/, except for the region of mass, where the upper limit
is .Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
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