Charge dynamics and "ferromagnetism" of A1-xLaxB6 (A=Ca and Sr)

Ferromagnetism has been reported recently in La-doped alkaline-earth hexaborides, A1-xLaxB6 (A=Ca, Sr, and Ba). We have performed the reflectivity, Hall resistivity, and magnetization measurements of A1-xLaxB6. The results indicate that A1-xLaxB6 can be regarded as a simple doped semimetal, with no signature of an excitonic state as suggested by several theories. It is also found that the surface of as-grown samples (10 micrometer in thickness) has a different electronic structure from a bulk one, and a fairly large number of paramagnetic moments are confined in this region. After eliminating these paramagnetic moments at the surface, we could not find any evidence of an intrinsic ferromagnetic moment in our samples, implying the possibility that the ferromagnetism of A1-xLaxB6 reported so far is neither intrinsic.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figure

Radiative decays of light vector mesons in a quark level linear sigma model

We calculate the P0 to gamma gamma, V0 to P0 gamma and V0to V'0 gamma gamma decays in the framework of a U(3)xU(3) linear sigma model which includes constituent quarks. For the first two decays this approach improves results based on the anomalous Wess-Zumino term, with contributions due to SU(3) symmetry breaking and vector mixing. The phi to (omega,rho) gamma gamma decays are dominated by resonant eta' exchange . Our calculation for the later decays improves and update similar calculations in the -closely related- framework of vector meson dominance. We obtain BR(phi to rho gamma gamma)=2.5x10^{-5} and BR(phi to omega gamma gamma)=2.8x10^{-6} within the scope of the high-luminosity phi factories.Comment: 8 pages, submitted to Phys. Rev.

The start of systems biology in Ukraine

The first laboratory of Systems Biology in Ukraine (IMBIG NASU) represents a track record of its scientific results. They include the pioneered development of a web-based tool for genome-wide surveys of eukaryotic promoters for the presence of transcription factors binding sites (COTRASIF); the deciphered mechanisms of the fine-tuned and balanced response of primary hepatocytes to interferon alpha levels recorded after partial hepatectomy; the elaboration of a novel method of gene regulatory network inference compatible with GRID environment and the development of a stoichiometric model of folate-related one carbon unit metabolism in human placenta and its application for the characteristics of the system’s behavior as a whole at different human pathologies.Представлено наукові здобутки першої в Україні (ІМБіГ НАН України) лабораторії системної біології. Вони включають створення веб-інструменту для всегеномного пошуку сайтів зв’язування транскрипційних факторів у промоторах евкаріотних генів; розкриття тонко збалансованого механізму відповіді первинних гепатоцитів на дію інтерферону альфа в дозі, зареєстрованій на першому етапі регенерації печінки після часткової гепатектомії; розробку нового методу інференції мережі генної регуляції для його використання в середовищі ГРІД і створення стехіометричної моделі фолатного циклу у плаценті людини для характеристики поведінки системи за різних патологічних станів.Представлены научные наработки первой в Украине (ИМБиГ НАН Украины) лаборатории системной биологии. Они включают создание веб-инструмента для всегеномного поиска сайтов связывания транскрипционных факторов в промоторах эукариотических генов; раскрытие тонко сбалансированного механизма ответа первичных гепатоцитов на действие интерферона альфа в дозе, регистрируемой в печени на раннем этапе после частичной гепатэктомии; разработку нового метода инференции сетей генной регуляции для его использования в среде ГРИД и создание модели фолатного цикла в плаценте человека для характеристики поведения системы при разных патологических состояниях

Calibration of the oxygen and clumped isotope thermometers for (proto-)dolomite based on synthetic and natural carbonates

Dolomite is a very common carbonate mineral in ancient sediments, but is rarely found in modern environments. Because of the difficulties in precipitating dolomite in the laboratory at low temperatures, the controls on its formation are still debated after more than two centuries of research. Two important parameters to constrain the environment of dolomitization are the temperature of formation and the oxygen isotope composition of the fluid from which it precipitated. Carbonate clumped isotopes (expressed with the parameter Δ47) are increasingly becoming the method of choice to obtain this information. However, whereas many clumped isotope studies treated dolomites the same way as calcite, some recent studies observed a different phosphoric acid fractionation for Δ47 during acid digestion of dolomite compared to calcite. This causes additional uncertainties in the Δ47 temperature estimates for dolomites analyzed in different laboratories using different acid digestion temperatures. To tackle this problem we present here a (proto-)dolomite-specific Δ47-temperature calibration from 25 to 1100 °C for an acid reaction temperature of 70 °C and anchored to widely available calcite standards. For the temperature range 25 to 220 °C we obtain a linear Δ47-T relationship based on 289 individual measurements with R2 of 0.864: [Formula presented] Tin Kelvin When including two isotopically scrambled dolomites at 1100 °C, the best fit is obtained with a third order polynomial temperature relationship (R2 = 0.924): [Formula presented]. Applying a calcite Δ47-T relationship produced under identical laboratory conditions results in 3 to 16 °C colder calculated formation temperatures for dolomites (with formation temperature from 0 to 100 °C) than using the (proto-)dolomite specific calibration presented here. For the synthetic samples formed between 70 and 220 °C we also determined the temperature dependence of the oxygen isotope fractionation relative to the water. Based on the similarity between our results and two other recent studies (Vasconcelos et al., 2005 and Horita, 2014) we propose that a combination of the three datasets represents the most robust calibration for (proto-)dolomite formed in a wide temperature range from 25 to 350 °C. 103αCaMg−carbonates−Water=2.9923±0.0557×[Formula presented]−2.3592±0.4116 Because of the uncertainties in the phosphoric acid oxygen and clumped isotope fractionation for (proto-)dolomite, we promote the use of three samples that are available in large amounts as possible inter-laboratory reference material for oxygen and clumped isotope measurements. A sample of the middle Triassic San Salvatore dolomite from southern Switzerland, the NIST SRM 88b dolomite standard already reported in other Δ47 studies and a lacustrine Pliocene dolomite from La Roda (Spain). This study demonstrates the necessity to apply (proto-)dolomite specific Δ47-T relationships for accurate temperature estimates of dolomite formation, ideally done at identical acid digestion temperatures to avoid additional uncertainties introduced by acid digestion temperature corrections. In addition, the simultaneous analyses of dolomite reference material will enable a much better comparison of published dolomite clumped and oxygen isotope data amongst different laboratories

Transcatheter heart valve selection and permanent pacemaker implantation in patients with pre-existent right bundle branch block

Background-Right bundle branch block is an established predictor for new conduction disturbances and need for a permanent pacemaker (PPM) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. The aim of the study was to evaluate the absolute rates of transcatheter aortic valve replacement related PPM implantations in patients with pre-existent right bundle branch block and categorize for different transcatheter heart valves. Methods and Results-We pooled data on 306 transcatheter aortic valve replacement patients from 4 high-volume centers in Europe and selected those with right bundle branch block at baseline without a previously implanted PPM. Logistic regression was used to evaluate whether PPM rate differed among transcatheter heart valves after adjustment for confounders. Mean age was 83±7 years and 63% were male. Median Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 6.3 (interquartile range, 4.1-10.2). The following transcatheter valve designs were used: Medtronic CoreValve (n=130; Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN); Edwards Sapien XT (ES-XT; n=124) and Edwards Sapien 3 (ES-3; n=32; Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA); and Boston Scientific Lotus (n=20; Boston Scientific Corporation, Marlborough, MA). Overall permanent pacemaker implantation rate post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement was 41%, and per valve design: 75% with Lotus, 46% with CoreValve, 32% with ES-XT, and 34% with ES-3. The indication for PPM implantation was total atrioventricular block in 98% of the cases. Lotus was associated with a higher PPM rate than all other valves. PPM rate did not differ between ES-XT and ES-3. Ventricular paced rhythm at 30-day and 1-year follow-up was present in 81% at 89%, respectively. Conclusions-Right bundle branch block at baseline is associated with a high incidence of PPM implantation for all transcatheter heart valves. PPM rate was highest for Lotus and lowest for ES-XT and ES-3. Pacemaker dependency remained high during followup

Open Issues on the Synthesis of Evolved Stellar Populations at Ultraviolet Wavelengths

In this paper we briefly review three topics that have motivated our (and others') investigations in recent years within the context of evolutionary population synthesis techniques. These are: The origin of the FUV up-turn in elliptical galaxies, the age-metallicity degeneracy, and the study of the mid-UV rest-frame spectra of distant red galaxies. We summarize some of our results and present a very preliminary application of a UV grid of theoretical spectra in the analysis of integrated properties of aged stellar populations. At the end, we concisely suggest how these topics can be tackled once the World Space Observatory enters into operation in the midst of this decade.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Astrophysics & Space Science, UV Universe special issu

Proteome profiling outperforms transcriptome profiling for coexpression based gene function prediction

Coexpression of mRNAs under multiple conditions is commonly used to infer cofunctionality of their gene products despite well-known limitations of this "guilt-by-association" (GBA) approach. Recent advancements in mass spectrometry-based proteomic technologies have enabled global expression profiling at the protein level; however, whether proteome profiling data can outperform transcriptome profiling data for coexpression based gene function prediction has not been systematically investigated. Here, we address this question by constructing and analyzing mRNA and protein coexpression networks for three cancer types with matched mRNA and protein profiling data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC). Our analyses revealed a marked difference in wiring between the mRNA and protein coexpression networks. Whereas protein coexpression was driven primarily by functional similarity between coexpressed genes, mRNA coexpression was driven by both cofunction and chromosomal colocalization of the genes. Functionally coherent mRNA modules were more likely to have their edges preserved in corresponding protein networks than functionally incoherent mRNA modules. Proteomic data strengthened the link between gene expression and function for at least 75% of Gene Ontology (GO) biological processes and 90% of KEGG pathways. A web application Gene2Net (http://cptac.gene2net.org) developed based on the three protein coexpression networks revealed novel gene-function relationships, such as linking ERBB2 (HER2) to lipid biosynthetic process in breast cancer, identifying PLG as a new gene involved in complement activation, and identifying AEBP1 as a new epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) marker. Our results demonstrate that proteome profiling outperforms transcriptome profiling for coexpression based gene function prediction. Proteomics should be integrated if not preferred in gene function and human disease studies

Systematics of collective correlation energies from self-consistent mean-field calculations

The collective ground-state correlations stemming from low-lying quadrupole excitations are computed microscopically. To that end, the self-consistent mean-field model is employed on the basis of the Skyrme-Hartre-Fock (SHF) functional augmented by BCS pairing. The microscopic-macroscopic mapping is achieved by quadrupole-constrained mean-field calculations which are processed further in the generator-coordinate method (GCM) at the level of the Gaussian overlap approximation (GOA). We study the correlation effects on energy, charge radii, and surface thickness for a great variety of semi-magic nuclei. A key issue is to work out the influence of variations of the SHF functional. We find that collective ground-state correlations (GSC) are robust under change of nuclear bulk properties (e.g., effective mass, symmetry energy) or of spin-orbit coupling. Some dependence on the pairing strength is observed. This, however, does not change the general conclusion that collective GSC obey a general pattern and that their magnitudes are rather independent of the actual SHF parameters.Comment: 13 pages, 13 figure

Solving Fuzzy Job-Shop Scheduling Problems with a Multiobjective Optimizer

International audienceIn real-world manufacturing environments, it is common to face a job-shop scheduling problem (JSP) with uncertainty. Among different sources of uncertainty, processing times uncertainty is the most common. In this paper, we investigate the use of a multiobjective genetic algorithm to address JSPs with uncertain durations. Uncertain durations in a JSP are expressed by means of triangular fuzzy numbers (TFNs). Instead of using expected values as in other work, we consider all vertices of the TFN representing the overall completion time. As a consequence, the proposed approach tries to obtain a schedule that optimizes the three component scheduling problems (corresponding to the lowest, most probable, and largest durations) all at the same time. In order to verify the quality of solutions found by the proposed approach, an experimental study was carried out across different benchmark instances. In all experiments, comparisons with previous approaches that are based on a single-objective genetic algorithm were also performed

The nuclear energy density functional formalism

The present document focuses on the theoretical foundations of the nuclear energy density functional (EDF) method. As such, it does not aim at reviewing the status of the field, at covering all possible ramifications of the approach or at presenting recent achievements and applications. The objective is to provide a modern account of the nuclear EDF formalism that is at variance with traditional presentations that rely, at one point or another, on a {\it Hamiltonian-based} picture. The latter is not general enough to encompass what the nuclear EDF method represents as of today. Specifically, the traditional Hamiltonian-based picture does not allow one to grasp the difficulties associated with the fact that currently available parametrizations of the energy kernel $E[g',g]$ at play in the method do not derive from a genuine Hamilton operator, would the latter be effective. The method is formulated from the outset through the most general multi-reference, i.e. beyond mean-field, implementation such that the single-reference, i.e. "mean-field", derives as a particular case. As such, a key point of the presentation provided here is to demonstrate that the multi-reference EDF method can indeed be formulated in a {\it mathematically} meaningful fashion even if $E[g',g]$ does {\it not} derive from a genuine Hamilton operator. In particular, the restoration of symmetries can be entirely formulated without making {\it any} reference to a projected state, i.e. within a genuine EDF framework. However, and as is illustrated in the present document, a mathematically meaningful formulation does not guarantee that the formalism is sound from a {\it physical} standpoint. The price at which the latter can be enforced as well in the future is eventually alluded to.Comment: 64 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Euroschool Lecture Notes in Physics Vol.IV, Christoph Scheidenberger and Marek Pfutzner editor