593 research outputs found
Noto Station Status Report
The Noto VLBI station was fully operational in 2012, and the upgrade projects could be restarted, involving mainly the receiver area. Another important improvement was the activation of the 1 Gbps network
Computational and cellular studies reveal structural destabilization and degradation of MLH1 variants in Lynch syndrome
Measurement of the atmospheric muon flux with the NEMO Phase-1 detector
The NEMO Collaboration installed and operated an underwater detector
including prototypes of the critical elements of a possible underwater km3
neutrino telescope: a four-floor tower (called Mini-Tower) and a Junction Box.
The detector was developed to test some of the main systems of the km3
detector, including the data transmission, the power distribution, the timing
calibration and the acoustic positioning systems as well as to verify the
capabilities of a single tridimensional detection structure to reconstruct muon
tracks. We present results of the analysis of the data collected with the NEMO
Mini-Tower. The position of photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) is determined through
the acoustic position system. Signals detected with PMTs are used to
reconstruct the tracks of atmospheric muons. The angular distribution of
atmospheric muons was measured and results compared with Monte Carlo
simulations.Comment: Astrop. Phys., accepte
Swift Heavy Ion Induced Modification Studies of C60 Thin Films
Modification induced by 110 MeV Ni ion irradiated thin film samples of C60 on
Si and quartz substrates were studied at various fluences. The pristine and
irradiated samples were investigated using Raman spectroscopy, electrical
conductivity and optical absorption spectroscopy. The Raman data and band gap
measurements indicate that swift ions at low fluences result in formations that
involve multiple molecular units like dimer or polymer. High fluence
irradiation resulted in sub-molecular formations and amorphous semiconducting
carbon, indicating overall damage of the fullerene molecules. These
sub-molecular units have been identified with nanocrystalline diamond and
nanocrystalline graphite like formations.Comment: 7 pages, 29 references and 9 figures submitted to J. Appl. Phy
Measurement of the atmospheric muon depth intensity relation with the NEMO Phase-2 tower
The results of the analysis of the data collected with the NEMO Phase-2
tower, deployed at 3500 m depth about 80 km off-shore Capo Passero (Italy), are
presented. Cherenkov photons detected with the photomultipliers tubes were used
to reconstruct the tracks of atmospheric muons. Their zenith-angle distribution
was measured and the results compared with Monte Carlo simulations. An
evaluation of the systematic effects due to uncertainties on environmental and
detector parameters is also included. The associated depth intensity relation
was evaluated and compared with previous measurements and theoretical
predictions. With the present analysis, the muon depth intensity relation has
been measured up to 13 km of water equivalent.Comment: submitted to Astroparticle Physic
The epistatic interaction between the dopamine D3 receptor and dysbindin-1 modulates higher-order cognitive functions in mice and humans
The dopamine D2 and D3 receptors are implicated in schizophrenia and its pharmacological treatments. These receptors undergo intracellular trafficking processes that are modulated by dysbindin-1 (Dys). Indeed, Dys variants alter cognitive responses to antipsychotic drugs through D2-mediated mechanisms. However, the mechanism by which Dys might selectively interfere with the D3 receptor subtype is unknown. Here, we revealed an interaction between functional genetic variants altering Dys and D3. Specifically, both in patients with schizophrenia and in genetically modified mice, concomitant reduction in D3 and Dys functionality was associated with improved executive and working memory abilities. This D3/Dys interaction produced a D2/D3 imbalance favoring increased D2 signaling in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) but not in the striatum. No epistatic effects on the clinical positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) scores were evident, while only marginal effects on sensorimotor gating, locomotor functions, and social behavior were observed in mice. This genetic interaction between D3 and Dys suggests the D2/D3 imbalance in the PFC as a target for patient stratification and procognitive treatments in schizophrenia
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