1,420 research outputs found
Non-destructive assay of nuclear waste containers using muon scattering tomography in the Horizon2020 CHANCE project
Methods for the non-destructive assay of nuclear waste drums are of great importance to the nuclear waste management community, especially where loss in continuity of knowledge about the content of drums happened or chemical processes altering the contents of the drums may occur. Muon scattering tomography has been shown to be a promising technique for the non-destructive assay of nuclear waste drums in a safe way. By measuring tracks of muons entering and leaving the probed sample and extracting scattering angles from the tracks, it is possible to draw conclusions about the contents of the sample and its spatial arrangement. Within the CHANCE project, a newly built large-scale mobile detector system for scanning and imaging the contents of nuclear waste drums using atmospheric muons is currently undergoing commissioning
Solar Wind and its Evolution
By using our previous results of magnetohydrodynamical simulations for the
solar wind from open flux tubes, I discuss how the solar wind in the past is
different from the current solar wind. The simulations are performed in fixed
one-dimensional super-radially open magnetic flux tubes by inputing various
types of fluctuations from the photosphere, which automatically determines
solar wind properties in a forward manner. The three important parameters which
determine physical properties of the solar wind are surface fluctuation,
magnetic field strengths, and the configuration of magnetic flux tubes.
Adjusting these parameters to the sun at earlier times in a qualitative sense,
I infer that the quasi-steady-state component of the solar wind in the past was
denser and slightly slower if the effect of the magneto-centrifugal force is
not significant. I also discuss effects of magneto-centrifugal force and roles
of coronal mass ejections.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, Earth, Planets, & Space in press (based on 5th
Alfven Conference) correction of discussion on a related pape
A study protocol to investigate the relationship between dietary fibre intake and fermentation, colon cell turnover, global protein acetylation and early carcinogenesis: the FACT study
Background: A number of studies, notably EPIC, have shown a descrease in colorectal cancer risk associated with increased fibre consumption. Whilst the underlying mechanisms are likely to be multifactorial, production of the short-chain fatty-acid butyrate fro butyratye is frequently cited as a major potential contributor to the effect. Butyrate inhibits histone deacetylases, which work on a wide range of proteins over and above histones. We therefore hypothesized that alterations in the acetylated proteome may be associated with a cancer risk phenotype in the colorectal mucosa, and that such alterations are candidate biomarkers for effectiveness of fibre interventions in cancer prevention.
Methods an design: There are two principal arms to this study: (i) a cross-sectional study (FACT OBS) of 90 subjects recruited from gastroenterology clinics and; (ii) an intervention trial in 40 subjects with an 8 week high fibre intervention. In both studies the principal goal is to investigate a link between fibre intake, SCFA production and global protein acetylation. The primary measure is level of faecal butyrate, which it is hoped will be elevated by moving subjects to a high fibre diet. Fibre intakes will be estimated in the cross-sectional group using the EPIC Food Frequency Questionnaire. Subsidiary measures of the effect of butyrate on colon mucosal function and precancerous phenotype will include measures of apoptosis, apoptotic regulators cell cycle and cell division.
Discussion: This study will provide a new level of mechanistic data on alterations in the functional proteome in response to the colon microenvironment which may underwrite the observed cancer preventive effect of fibre. The study may yield novel candidate biomarkers of fibre fermentation and colon mucosal function
An algorithm to compute the polar decomposition of a 3 Ă— 3 matrix
We propose an algorithm for computing the polar decomposition of a 3 Ă— 3 real matrix that is based on the connection between orthogonal matrices and quaternions. An important application is to 3D transformations in the level 3 Cascading Style Sheets specification used in web browsers. Our algorithm is numerically reliable and requires fewer arithmetic operations than the alternative of computing the polar decomposition via the singular value decomposition
Topological Photonics
Topology is revolutionizing photonics, bringing with it new theoretical
discoveries and a wealth of potential applications. This field was inspired by
the discovery of topological insulators, in which interfacial electrons
transport without dissipation even in the presence of impurities. Similarly,
new optical mirrors of different wave-vector space topologies have been
constructed to support new states of light propagating at their interfaces.
These novel waveguides allow light to flow around large imperfections without
back-reflection. The present review explains the underlying principles and
highlights the major findings in photonic crystals, coupled resonators,
metamaterials and quasicrystals.Comment: progress and review of an emerging field, 12 pages, 6 figures and 1
tabl
Agent based modelling helps in understanding the rules by which fibroblasts support keratinocyte colony formation
Background: Autologous keratincoytes are routinely expanded using irradiated mouse fibroblasts and bovine serum for clinical use. With growing concerns about the safety of these xenobiotic materials, it is desirable to culture keratinocytes in media without animal derived products. An improved understanding of epithelial/mesenchymal interactions could assist in this.
Methodology/Principal Findings: A keratincyte/fibroblast o-culture model was developed by extending an agent-based keratinocyte colony formation model to include the response of keratinocytes to both fibroblasts and serum. The model was validated by comparison of the in virtuo and in vitro multicellular behaviour of keratinocytes and fibroblasts in single and co-culture in Greens medium. To test the robustness of the model, several properties of the fibroblasts were changed to investigate their influence on the multicellular morphogenesis of keratinocyes and fibroblasts. The model was then used to generate hypotheses to explore the interactions of both proliferative and growth arrested fibroblasts with keratinocytes. The key predictions arising from the model which were confirmed by in vitro experiments were that 1) the ratio of fibroblasts to keratinocytes would critically influence keratinocyte colony expansion, 2) this ratio needed to be optimum at the beginning of the co-culture, 3) proliferative fibroblasts would be more effective than irradiated cells in expanding keratinocytes and 4) in the presence of an adequate number of fibroblasts, keratinocyte expansion would be independent of serum.
Conclusions: A closely associated computational and biological approach is a powerful tool for understanding complex biological systems such as the interactions between keratinocytes and fibroblasts. The key outcome of this study is the finding that the early addition of a critical ratio of proliferative fibroblasts can give rapid keratinocyte expansion without the use of irradiated mouse fibroblasts and bovine serum
The Search for Host Genetic Factors of HIV/AIDS Pathogenesis in the Post-Genome Era: Progress to Date and New Avenues for Discovery
Though pursuit of host genetic factors that influence the pathogenesis of HIV began over two decades ago, progress has been slow. Initial genome-level searches for variations associated with HIV-related traits have yielded interesting candidates, but less in the way of novel pathways to be exploited for therapeutic targets. More recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) that include different phenotypes, novel designs, and that have examined different population characteristics suggest novel targets and affirm the utility of additional searches. Recent findings from these GWAS are reviewed, new directions for research are identified, and the promise of systems biology to yield novel insights is discussed
Two-Particle-Self-Consistent Approach for the Hubbard Model
Even at weak to intermediate coupling, the Hubbard model poses a formidable
challenge. In two dimensions in particular, standard methods such as the Random
Phase Approximation are no longer valid since they predict a finite temperature
antiferromagnetic phase transition prohibited by the Mermin-Wagner theorem. The
Two-Particle-Self-Consistent (TPSC) approach satisfies that theorem as well as
particle conservation, the Pauli principle, the local moment and local charge
sum rules. The self-energy formula does not assume a Migdal theorem. There is
consistency between one- and two-particle quantities. Internal accuracy checks
allow one to test the limits of validity of TPSC. Here I present a pedagogical
review of TPSC along with a short summary of existing results and two case
studies: a) the opening of a pseudogap in two dimensions when the correlation
length is larger than the thermal de Broglie wavelength, and b) the conditions
for the appearance of d-wave superconductivity in the two-dimensional Hubbard
model.Comment: Chapter in "Theoretical methods for Strongly Correlated Systems",
Edited by A. Avella and F. Mancini, Springer Verlag, (2011) 55 pages.
Misprint in Eq.(23) corrected (thanks D. Bergeron
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