3,131 research outputs found
Recent progress on isospin breaking corrections and their impact on the muon g-2 value
We describe some recent results on isospin breaking corrections which are of
relevance for predictions of the leading order hadronic contribution to the
muon anomalous magnetic moment (amuhadLO) when using tau lepton data. When
these corrections are applied to the new combined data on the pi^+pi^0 spectral
function, the prediction for amuhadLO based on tau lepton data gets closer to
the one obtained using e^+e^- data.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of the PhiPsi09 Workshop, Oct. 13-16,
2009, Beijing, China. Some typos corrected, and the FSR correction used in a
previous work is added to Table
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Cas9+ conditionally-immortalized macrophages as a tool for bacterial pathogenesis and beyond.
Macrophages play critical roles in immunity, development, tissue repair, and cancer, but studies of their function have been hampered by poorly-differentiated tumor cell lines and genetically-intractable primary cells. Here we report a facile system for genome editing in non-transformed macrophages by differentiating ER-Hoxb8 myeloid progenitors from Cas9-expressing transgenic mice. These conditionally immortalized macrophages (CIMs) retain characteristics of primary macrophages derived from the bone marrow yet allow for easy genetic manipulation and a virtually unlimited supply of cells. We demonstrate the utility of this system for dissection of host genetics during intracellular bacterial infection using two important human pathogens: Listeria monocytogenes and Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Structural instability of vortices in Bose-Einstein condensates
In this paper we study a gaseous Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) and show
that: (i) A minimum value of the interaction is needed for the existence of
stable persistent currents. (ii) Vorticity is not a fundamental invariant of
the system, as there exists a conservative mechanism which can destroy a vortex
and change its sign. (iii) This mechanism is suppressed by strong interactions.Comment: 4 pages with 3 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
The employee as 'Dish of the Day’:human resource management and the ethics of consumption
This article examines the ethical implications of the growing integration of consumption into the heart of the employment relationship. Human resource management (HRM) practices increasingly draw upon the values and practices of consumption, constructing employees as the ‘consumers’ of ‘cafeteria-style’ benefits and development opportunities. However, at the same time employees are expected to market themselves as items to be consumed on a corporate menu. In relation to this simultaneous position of consumer/consumed, the employee is expected to actively engage in the commodification of themselves, performing an appropriate organizational identity as a necessary part of being a successful employee. This article argues that the relationship between HRM and the simultaneously consuming/consumed employee affects the conditions of possibility for ethical relations within organizational life. It is argued that the underlying ‘ethos’ for the integration of consumption values into HRM practices encourages a self-reflecting, self-absorbed subject, drawing upon a narrow view of individualised autonomy and choice. Referring to Levinas’ perspective that the primary ethical relation is that of responsibility and openness to the Other, it is concluded that these HRM practices affect the possibility for ethical being
Impact of generic alendronate cost on the cost-effectiveness of osteoporosis screening and treatment
Introduction: Since alendronate became available in generic form in the Unites States in 2008, its price has been decreasing. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of alendronate cost on the cost-effectiveness of osteoporosis screening and treatment in postmenopausal women. Methods: Microsimulation cost-effectiveness model of osteoporosis screening and treatment for U.S. women age 65 and older. We assumed screening initiation at age 65 with central dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and alendronate treatment for individuals with osteoporosis; with a comparator of "no screening" and treatment only after fracture occurrence. We evaluated annual alendronate costs of 800; outcome measures included fractures; nursing home admission; medication adverse events; death; costs; quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs); and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) in 2010 U.S. dollars per QALY gained. A lifetime time horizon was used, and direct costs were included. Base-case and sensitivity analyses were performed. Results: Base-case analysis results showed that at annual alendronate costs of 400 through 714 per QALY gained through 50,000/QALY at all alendronate costs evaluated. Conclusions: Osteoporosis screening followed by alendronate treatment is effective and highly cost-effective for postmenopausal women across a range of alendronate costs, and may be cost-saving at annual alendronate costs of $200 or less. © 2012 Nayak et al
Multiwavelength Observations of the Gamma-Ray Blazar PKS 0528+134 in Quiescence
We present multiwavelength observations of the ultraluminous blazar-type
radio loud quasar PKS 0528+134 in quiescence during the period July to December
2009. Significant flux variability on a time scale of several hours was found
in the optical regime, accompanied by a weak trend of spectral softening with
increasing flux. We suggest that this might be the signature of a contribution
from the accretion disk at the blue end of the optical spectrum. The optical
flux is weakly polarized with rapid variations of the degree and direction of
polarization, while the polarization of the 43 GHz radio core remains steady.
Optical spectropolarimetry suggests a trend of increasing degree of
polarization with increasing wavelength, providing additional evidence for an
accretion disc contribution towards the blue end of the optical spectrum. We
constructed four SEDs indicating that even in the quiescent state, the
bolometric luminosity of PKS 0528+134 is dominated by its gamma-ray emission. A
leptonic single-zone jet model produced acceptable fits to the SEDs with
contributions to the high-energy emission from synchrotron self-Compton
radiation and Comptonization of direct accretion disk emission. Fit parameters
close to equipartition were obtained. The moderate variability on long time
scales implies the existence of on-going particle acceleration, while the
observed optical polarization variability seems to point towards a turbulent
acceleration process. Turbulent particle acceleration at stationary features
along the jet therefore appears to be a viable possibility for the quiescent
state of PKS 0528+134.Comment: Accepted for Publication in The Astrophysical Journal. -
Acknowledgement adde
Estimating the p-mode frequencies of the solar twin 18 Sco
Solar twins have been a focus of attention for more than a decade, because
their structure is extremely close to that of the Sun. Today, thanks to
high-precision spectrometers, it is possible to use asteroseismology to probe
their interiors. Our goal is to use time series obtained from the HARPS
spectrometer to extract the oscillation frequencies of 18 Sco, the brightest
solar twin. We used the tools of spectral analysis to estimate these
quantities. We estimate 52 frequencies using an MCMC algorithm. After
examination of their probability densities and comparison with results from
direct MAP optimization, we obtain a minimal set of 21 reliable modes. The
identification of each pulsation mode is straightforwardly accomplished by
comparing to the well-established solar pulsation modes. We also derived some
basic seismic indicators using these values. These results offer a good basis
to start a detailed seismic analysis of 18 Sco using stellar models.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, to be published in A&
Holocene deglaciation and glacier readvances on the Fildes Peninsula and King George Island (Isla 25 de Mayo), South Shetland Islands, NW Antarctic Peninsula
To provide insights into glacier-climate dynamics of the South Shetland Islands (SSI), NW Antarctic Peninsula, we present a new deglaciation and readvance model for the Bellingshausen Ice Cap (BIC) on Fildes Peninsula and for King George Island/Isla 25 de Mayo (KGI) ~62°S. Deglaciation on KGI began after c. 15 ka cal BP and had progressed to within present-day limits on the Fildes Peninsula, its largest ice-free peninsula, by c. 6.6–5.3 ka cal BP. Probability density phase analysis of chronological data constraining Holocene glacier advances on KGI revealed up to eight 95% probability ‘gaps’ during which readvances could have occurred. These are grouped into four stages – Stage 1: a readvance and marine transgression, well-constrained by field data, between c. 7.4–6.6 ka cal BP; Stage 2: four probability ‘gaps’, less well-constrained by field data, between c. 5.3–2.2 ka cal BP; Stage 3: a well-constrained but restricted ‘readvance’ between c. 1.7–1.5 ka; Stage 4: two further minor ‘readvances’, one less well-constrained by field data between c. 1.3–0.7 ka cal BP (68% probability), and a ‘final’ well-constrained ‘readvance’ after 1950 CE) is associated with recent warming/more positive SAM-like conditions
Mortality Rates in a Diverse Cohort of Mechanically Ventilated Patients With Novel Coronavirus in the Urban Midwest
Objectives: Differences in mortality rates previously reported in critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 have increased the need for additional data on mortality and risk factors for death. We conducted this study to describe length of stay, mortality, and risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality in mechanically ventilated patients with coronavirus disease 2019.
Design: Observational study.
Setting: Two urban, academic referral hospitals in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Patients or Subjects: Participants were critically ill patients 18 years old and older, admitted with coronavirus disease 2019 between March 1, 2020, and April 27, 2020.
Interventions: None.
Measurements and Main Results: Outcomes included in-hospital mortality, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of stay. A total of 242 patients were included with mean age of 59.6 years (sd, 15.5 yr), 41.7% female and 45% African American. Mortality in the overall cohort was 19.8% and 20.5% in the mechanically ventilated subset. Patients who died were older compared with those that survived (deceased: mean age, 72.8 yr [sd, 10.6 yr] vs patients discharged alive: 54.3 yr [sd, 14.8 yr]; p < 0.001 vs still hospitalized: 59.5 yr [sd, 14.4 yr]; p < 0.001) and had more comorbidities compared with those that survived (deceased: 2 [0.5–3] vs survived: 1 [interquartile range, 0–1]; p = 0.001 vs still hospitalized: 1 [interquartile range, 0–2]; p = 0.015). Older age and end-stage renal disease were associated with increased hazard of in-hospital mortality: age 65–74 years (hazard ratio, 3.1 yr; 95% CI, 1.2–7.9 yr), age 75+ (hazard ratio, 4.1 yr; 95% CI, 1.6–10.5 yr), and end-stage renal disease (hazard ratio, 5.9 yr; 95% CI, 1.3–26.9 yr). The overall median duration of mechanical ventilation was 9.3 days (interquartile range, 5.7–13.7 d), and median ICU length of stay in those that died was 8.7 days (interquartile range, 4.0–14.9 d), compared with 9.2 days (interquartile range, 4.0–14.0 d) in those discharged alive, and 12.7 days (interquartile range, 7.2–20.3 d) in those still remaining hospitalized.
Conclusions: We found mortality rates in mechanically ventilated patients with coronavirus disease 2019 to be lower than some previously reported with longer lengths of stay.Drs. Perkins, Gao, and Khan are supported through National Institutes of Health (NIH)-National Institute on Aging (NIA) R01 AG 055391, R01 AG 052493, and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute R01 HL131730. Dr. Twigg is supported through NIH-NIA U01 AG060900. The remaining authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest
FAK acts as a suppressor of RTK-MAP kinase signalling in Drosophila melanogaster epithelia and human cancer cells
Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs) and Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) regulate multiple signalling pathways, including mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. FAK interacts with several RTKs but little is known about how FAK regulates their downstream signalling. Here we investigated how FAK regulates signalling resulting from the overexpression of the RTKs RET and EGFR. FAK suppressed RTKs signalling in Drosophila melanogaster epithelia by impairing MAPK pathway. This regulation was also observed in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells, suggesting it is a conserved phenomenon in humans. Mechanistically, FAK reduced receptor recycling into the plasma membrane, which resulted in lower MAPK activation. Conversely, increasing the membrane pool of the receptor increased MAPK pathway signalling. FAK is widely considered as a therapeutic target in cancer biology; however, it also has tumour suppressor properties in some contexts. Therefore, the FAK-mediated negative regulation of RTK/MAPK signalling described here may have potential implications in the designing of therapy strategies for RTK-driven tumours
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