673 research outputs found
Scalar and vector Keldysh models in the time domain
The exactly solvable Keldysh model of disordered electron system in a random
scattering field with extremely long correlation length is converted to the
time-dependent model with extremely long relaxation. The dynamical problem is
solved for the ensemble of two-level systems (TLS) with fluctuating well depths
having the discrete Z_2 symmetry. It is shown also that the symmetric TLS with
fluctuating barrier transparency may be described in terms of the planar
Keldysh model with dime-dependent random planar rotations in xy plane having
continuous SO(2) symmetry. The case of simultaneous fluctuations of the well
depth and barrier transparency is subject to non-abelian algebra. Application
of this model to description of dynamic fluctuations in quantum dots and
optical lattices is discussed.Comment: 6 pages, 5 eps figures. Extended version of the paper to be published
in JETP Lett 89 (2009
Spin and Charge Correlations in Quantum Dots: An Exact Solution
The inclusion of charging and spin-exchange interactions within the Universal
Hamiltonian description of quantum dots is challenging as it leads to a
non-Abelian action. Here we present an {\it exact} analytical solution of the
probem, in particular, in the vicinity of the Stoner instabilty point. We
calculate several observables, including the tunneling density of states (TDOS)
and the spin susceptibility. Near the instability point the TDOS exhibits a
non-monotonous behavior as function of the tunneling energy, even at
temperatures higher than the exchange energy. Our approach is generalizable to
a broad set of observables, including the a.c. susceptibility and the
absorption spectrum for anisotropic spin interaction. Our results could be
tested in nearly ferromagnetic materials.Comment: JETPL class, 6 pages, 2 figure
Orthogonality Catastrophe in Parametric Random Matrices
We study the orthogonality catastrophe due to a parametric change of the
single-particle (mean field) Hamiltonian of an ergodic system. The Hamiltonian
is modeled by a suitable random matrix ensemble. We show that the overlap
between the original and the parametrically modified many-body ground states,
, taken as Slater determinants, decreases like , where is
the number of electrons in the systems, is a numerical constant of the
order of one, and is the deformation measured in units of the typical
distance between anticrossings. We show that the statistical fluctuations of
are largely due to properties of the levels near the Fermi energy.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure
Ground-State Magnetization for Interacting Fermions in a Disordered Potential : Kinetic Energy, Exchange Interaction and Off-Diagonal Fluctuations
We study a model of interacting fermions in a disordered potential, which is
assumed to generate uniformly fluctuating interaction matrix elements. We show
that the ground state magnetization is systematically decreased by off-diagonal
fluctuations of the interaction matrix elements. This effect is neglected in
the Stoner picture of itinerant ferromagnetism in which the ground-state
magnetization is simply determined by the balance between ferromagnetic
exchange and kinetic energy, and increasing the interaction strength always
favors ferromagnetism. The physical origin of the demagnetizing effect of
interaction fluctuations is the larger number of final states available for
interaction-induced scattering in the lower spin sectors of the Hilbert space.
We analyze the energetic role played by these fluctuations in the limits of
small and large interaction . In the small limit we do second-order
perturbation theory and identify explicitly transitions which are allowed for
minimal spin and forbidden for higher spin. These transitions then on average
lower the energy of the minimal spin ground state with respect to higher spin.
For large interactions we amplify on our earlier work [Ph. Jacquod and A.D.
Stone, Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 3938 (2000)] which showed that minimal spin is
favored due to a larger broadening of the many-body density of states in the
low-spin sectors. Numerical results are presented in both limits.Comment: 35 pages, 24 figures - final, shortened version, to appear in
Physical Review
Guillain-Barré syndrome: a century of progress
In 1916, Guillain, Barré and Strohl reported on two cases of acute flaccid paralysis with high cerebrospinal fluid protein levels and normal cell counts — novel findings that identified the disease we now know as Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS). 100 years on, we have made great progress with the clinical and pathological characterization of GBS. Early clinicopathological and animal studies indicated that GBS was an immune-mediated demyelinating disorder, and that severe GBS could result in secondary axonal injury; the current treatments of plasma exchange and intravenous immunoglobulin, which were developed in the 1980s, are based on this premise. Subsequent work has, however, shown that primary axonal injury can be the underlying disease. The association of Campylobacter jejuni strains has led to confirmation that anti-ganglioside antibodies are pathogenic and that axonal GBS involves an antibody and complement-mediated disruption of nodes of Ranvier, neuromuscular junctions and other neuronal and glial membranes. Now, ongoing clinical trials of the complement inhibitor eculizumab are the first targeted immunotherapy in GBS
ERCC1 is a prognostic biomarker in locally advanced head and neck cancer: results from a randomised, phase II trial
Background:Cisplatin-radiotherapy is a preferred standard for locally advanced, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the cisplatin-attributable survival benefit is small and toxicity substantial. A biomarker of cisplatin resistance could guide treatment selection and spare morbidity. The ERCC1-XPF nuclease is critical to DNA repair pathways resolving cisplatin-induced lesions.Methods:In a phase II trial, patients with untreated Stage III-IVb HNSCC were randomised to cisplatin-radiotherapy with/without erlotinib. Archived primary tumours were available from 90 of 204 patients for this planned substudy. Semi-quantitative ERCC1 protein expression (H-score) was determined using the FL297, 4F9, and 8F1 antibodies. The primary analysis evaluated the relationship between continuous ERCC1 protein expression and progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary analyses included two pre-specified ERCC1 cutpoints and performance in HPV-associated disease.Results:Higher ERCC1 expression was associated with inferior PFS, as measured by the specific antibodies FL297 (HR=2.5, 95% CI=1.1–5.9, P=0.03) and 4F9 (HR=3.0, 95% CI=1.2–7.8, P=0.02). Patients with increased vs decreased/normal ERCC1 expression experienced inferior PFS (HR=4.8 for FL297, P=0.003; HR=5.5 for 4F9, P=0.007). This threshold remained prognostic in HPV-associated disease.Conclusion:ERCC1-XPF protein expression by the specific FL297 and 4F9 antibodies is prognostic in patients undergoing definitive cisplatin-radiotherapy for HNSCC, irrespective of HPV status
A systems approach to model natural variation in reactive properties of bacterial ribosomes
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Natural variation in protein output from translation in bacteria and archaea may be an organism-specific property of the ribosome. This paper adopts a systems approach to model the protein output as a measure of specific ribosome reactive properties in a ribosome-mediated translation apparatus. We use the steady-state assumption to define a transition state complex for the ribosome, coupled with mRNA, tRNA, amino acids and reaction factors, as a subsystem that allows a focus on the completed translational output as a measure of specific properties of the ribosome.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In analogy to the steady-state reaction of an enzyme complex, we propose a steady-state translation complex for mRNA from any gene, and derive a maximum specific translation activity, <it>T</it><sub><it>a</it>(max)</sub>, as a property of the ribosomal reaction complex. <it>T</it><sub><it>a</it>(max) </sub>has units of <it>a</it>-protein output per time per <it>a</it>-specific mRNA. A related property of the ribosome, <inline-formula><m:math name="1752-0509-2-62-i1" xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><m:semantics><m:mrow><m:msub><m:mover accent="true"><m:mi>T</m:mi><m:mo>˜</m:mo></m:mover><m:mrow><m:mi>a</m:mi><m:mo stretchy="false">(</m:mo><m:mi>max</m:mi><m:mo></m:mo><m:mo stretchy="false">)</m:mo></m:mrow></m:msub></m:mrow><m:annotation encoding="MathType-MTEF"> MathType@MTEF@5@5@+=feaagaart1ev2aaatCvAUfKttLearuWrP9MDH5MBPbIqV92AaeXatLxBI9gBaebbnrfifHhDYfgasaacPC6xNi=xH8viVGI8Gi=hEeeu0xXdbba9frFj0xb9qqpG0dXdb9aspeI8k8fiI+fsY=rqGqVepae9pg0db9vqaiVgFr0xfr=xfr=xc9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaaeqabiWaaaGcbaGafmivaqLbaGaadaWgaaWcbaGaemyyaeMaeiikaGIagiyBa0MaeiyyaeMaeiiEaGNaeiykaKcabeaaaaa@3464@</m:annotation></m:semantics></m:math></inline-formula>, has units of <it>a</it>-protein per time per total RNA with the relationship <inline-formula><m:math name="1752-0509-2-62-i1" xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><m:semantics><m:mrow><m:msub><m:mover accent="true"><m:mi>T</m:mi><m:mo>˜</m:mo></m:mover><m:mrow><m:mi>a</m:mi><m:mo stretchy="false">(</m:mo><m:mi>max</m:mi><m:mo></m:mo><m:mo stretchy="false">)</m:mo></m:mrow></m:msub></m:mrow><m:annotation encoding="MathType-MTEF"> MathType@MTEF@5@5@+=feaagaart1ev2aaatCvAUfKttLearuWrP9MDH5MBPbIqV92AaeXatLxBI9gBaebbnrfifHhDYfgasaacPC6xNi=xH8viVGI8Gi=hEeeu0xXdbba9frFj0xb9qqpG0dXdb9aspeI8k8fiI+fsY=rqGqVepae9pg0db9vqaiVgFr0xfr=xfr=xc9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaaeqabiWaaaGcbaGafmivaqLbaGaadaWgaaWcbaGaemyyaeMaeiikaGIagiyBa0MaeiyyaeMaeiiEaGNaeiykaKcabeaaaaa@3464@</m:annotation></m:semantics></m:math></inline-formula> = <it>ρ</it><sub><it>a </it></sub><it>T</it><sub><it>a</it>(max)</sub>, where <it>ρ</it><sub><it>a </it></sub>represents the fraction of total RNA committed to translation output of <it>P</it><sub><it>a </it></sub>from gene <it>a </it>message. <it>T</it><sub><it>a</it>(max) </sub>as a ribosome property is analogous to <it>k</it><sub>cat </sub>for a purified enzyme, and <inline-formula><m:math name="1752-0509-2-62-i1" xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"><m:semantics><m:mrow><m:msub><m:mover accent="true"><m:mi>T</m:mi><m:mo>˜</m:mo></m:mover><m:mrow><m:mi>a</m:mi><m:mo stretchy="false">(</m:mo><m:mi>max</m:mi><m:mo></m:mo><m:mo stretchy="false">)</m:mo></m:mrow></m:msub></m:mrow><m:annotation encoding="MathType-MTEF"> MathType@MTEF@5@5@+=feaagaart1ev2aaatCvAUfKttLearuWrP9MDH5MBPbIqV92AaeXatLxBI9gBaebbnrfifHhDYfgasaacPC6xNi=xH8viVGI8Gi=hEeeu0xXdbba9frFj0xb9qqpG0dXdb9aspeI8k8fiI+fsY=rqGqVepae9pg0db9vqaiVgFr0xfr=xfr=xc9adbaqaaeGaciGaaiaabeqaaeqabiWaaaGcbaGafmivaqLbaGaadaWgaaWcbaGaemyyaeMaeiikaGIagiyBa0MaeiyyaeMaeiiEaGNaeiykaKcabeaaaaa@3464@</m:annotation></m:semantics></m:math></inline-formula> is analogous to enzyme specific activity in a crude extract.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Analogy to an enzyme reaction complex led us to a ribosome reaction model for measuring specific translation activity of a bacterial ribosome. We propose to use this model to design experimental tests of our hypothesis that specific translation activity is a ribosomal property that is subject to natural variation and natural selection much like <it>V</it><sub>max </sub>and <it>K</it><sub>m </sub>for any specific enzyme.</p
In and around: identifying predictors of theft within and near to major mass underground transit systems
This article identifies factors that encourage or reduce pick-pocketing at underground rail stations through a case study analysis of the London Underground. Negative binomial Poisson regression models found predictor variables of pick-pocketing selected from the internal characteristics of stations and features of their nearby surroundings. Factors that increased risk were those associated with greater congestion inside stations including lifts, waiting rooms and fewer platforms; and increased levels of accessibility near stations, more paths and roads. Features that reduced risk were those likely to encourage detection and guardianship; stations with more personal validators, staffing levels and shop rentals; and the presence of more domestic buildings nearby. Station type was also influential; those that were ‘attractors’ of crime and those frequently used by tourists were at greater risk. The findings suggest a transmission of theft risk between the internal settings of underground stations and their nearby surroundings
Osteocalcin signaling in myofibers is necessary and sufficient for optimum adaptation to exercise
Circulating levels of undercarboxylated and bioactive osteocalcin double during aerobic exercise at the time levels of insulin decrease. In contrast, circulating levels of osteocalcin plummet early during adulthood in mice, monkeys, and humans of both genders. Exploring these observations revealed that osteocalcin signaling in myofibers is necessary for adaptation to exercise by favoring uptake and catabolism of glucose and fatty acids, the main nutrients of myofibers. Osteocalcin signaling in myofibers also accounts for most of the exercise-induced release of interleukin-6, a myokine that promotes adaptation to exercise in part by driving the generation of bioactive osteocalcin. We further show that exogenous osteocalcin is sufficient to enhance the exercise capacity of young mice and to restore to 15-month-old mice the exercise capacity of 3-month-old mice. This study uncovers a bone-to-muscle feedforward endocrine axis that favors adaptation to exercise and can reverse the age-induced decline in exercise capacity
What traits are carried on mobile genetic elements, and why?
Although similar to any other organism, prokaryotes can transfer genes vertically from mother cell to daughter cell, they can also exchange certain genes horizontally. Genes can move within and between genomes at fast rates because of mobile genetic elements (MGEs). Although mobile elements are fundamentally self-interested entities, and thus replicate for their own gain, they frequently carry genes beneficial for their hosts and/or the neighbours of their hosts. Many genes that are carried by mobile elements code for traits that are expressed outside of the cell. Such traits are involved in bacterial sociality, such as the production of public goods, which benefit a cell's neighbours, or the production of bacteriocins, which harm a cell's neighbours. In this study we review the patterns that are emerging in the types of genes carried by mobile elements, and discuss the evolutionary and ecological conditions under which mobile elements evolve to carry their peculiar mix of parasitic, beneficial and cooperative genes
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