24 research outputs found
On the feasibility of a nuclear exciton laser
Nuclear excitons known from M\"ossbauer spectroscopy describe coherent
excitations of a large number of nuclei -- analogous to Dicke states (or Dicke
super-radiance) in quantum optics. In this paper, we study the possibility of
constructing a laser based on these coherent excitations. In contrast to the
free electron laser (in its usual design), such a device would be based on
stimulated emission and thus might offer certain advantages, e.g., regarding
energy-momentum accuracy. Unfortunately, inserting realistic parameters, the
window of operability is probably not open (yet) to present-day technology --
but our design should be feasible in the UV regime, for example.Comment: 7 pages RevTeX, 4 figure
Unique Features of a Global Human Ectoparasite Identified Through Sequencing of the Bed Bug Genome
The bed bug, Cimex lectularius, has re-established itself as a ubiquitous human ectoparasite throughout much of the world during the past two decades. This global resurgence is likely linked to increased international travel and commerce in addition to widespread insecticide resistance. Analyses of the C. lectularius sequenced genome (650 Mb) and 14,220 predicted protein-coding genes provide a comprehensive representation of genes that are linked to traumatic insemination, a reduced chemosensory repertoire of genes related to obligate hematophagy, host-symbiont interactions, and several mechanisms of insecticide resistance. In addition, we document the presence of multiple putative lateral gene transfer events. Genome sequencing and annotation establish a solid foundation for future research on mechanisms of insecticide resistance, human-bed bug and symbiont-bed bug associations, and unique features of bed bug biology that contribute to the unprecedented success of C. lectularius as a human ectoparasite
Unique features of a global human ectoparasite identified through sequencing of the bed bug genome
The bed bug, Cimex lectularius, has re-established itself as a ubiquitous
human ectoparasite throughout much of the world during the past two decades.
This global resurgence is likely linked to increased international travel and
commerce in addition to widespread insecticide resistance. Analyses of the C.
lectularius sequenced genome (650 Mb) and 14,220 predicted protein-coding
genes provide a comprehensive representation of genes that are linked to
traumatic insemination, a reduced chemosensory repertoire of genes related to
obligate hematophagy, host–symbiont interactions, and several mechanisms of
insecticide resistance. In addition, we document the presence of multiple
putative lateral gene transfer events. Genome sequencing and annotation
establish a solid foundation for future research on mechanisms of insecticide
resistance, human–bed bug and symbiont–bed bug associations, and unique
features of bed bug biology that contribute to the unprecedented success of C.
lectularius as a human ectoparasite
Effectiveness of an intensive care telehealth programme to improve process quality (ERIC): a multicentre stepped wedge cluster randomised controlled trial
Identification of regulatory variants associated with genetic susceptibility to meningococcal disease.
Non-coding genetic variants play an important role in driving susceptibility to complex diseases but their characterization remains challenging. Here, we employed a novel approach to interrogate the genetic risk of such polymorphisms in a more systematic way by targeting specific regulatory regions relevant for the phenotype studied. We applied this method to meningococcal disease susceptibility, using the DNA binding pattern of RELA - a NF-kB subunit, master regulator of the response to infection - under bacterial stimuli in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. We designed a custom panel to cover these RELA binding sites and used it for targeted sequencing in cases and controls. Variant calling and association analysis were performed followed by validation of candidate polymorphisms by genotyping in three independent cohorts. We identified two new polymorphisms, rs4823231 and rs11913168, showing signs of association with meningococcal disease susceptibility. In addition, using our genomic data as well as publicly available resources, we found evidences for these SNPs to have potential regulatory effects on ATXN10 and LIF genes respectively. The variants and related candidate genes are relevant for infectious diseases and may have important contribution for meningococcal disease pathology. Finally, we described a novel genetic association approach that could be applied to other phenotypes