Freeze-in of WIMP dark matter

The nature of dark matter (DM) remains one of the most important unanswered questions in particle physics. Here, we propose a novel scenario for DM in which weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) can freeze-in due to a first-order phase transition (FOPT) in the early Universe. The FOPT dilutes the pre-existing DM density to zero and leads to a sudden change in DM mass, preventing WIMPs from re-equilibrating due to their large mass-to-temperature ratio. Following the FOPT, WIMPs are produced via a freeze-in process, even though their interactions are NOT feeble. We demonstrate this concept using a simplified model and then apply it to a realistic model with a delayed electroweak phase transition. Our work presents a promising new direction for the freeze-in mechanism, and also extends the category of WIMP DM.Comment: 5 pages + 3 figures + appendix + reference

The Role of Malic Enzyme on Promoting Total Lipid and Fatty Acid Production in Phaeodactylum tricornutum

To verify the function of malic enzyme (ME1), the ME1 gene was endogenously overexpressed in Phaeodactylum tricornutum. Overexpression of ME1 increased neutral and total lipid content and significantly increased saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in transformants, which varied between 23.19 and 25.32% in SFAs and between 49.02 and 54.04% in PUFAs, respectively. Additionally, increased ME1 activity was accompanied by elevated NADPH content in all three transformants, indicating that increased ME1 activity produced additional NADPH comparing with that of WT. These results indicated that ME1 activity is NADP-dependent and plays an important role in the NADPH levels required for lipid synthesis and fatty acid desaturation in P. tricornutum. Furthermore, our findings suggested that overexpression of endogenous ME1 represents a valid method for boosting neutral-lipid yield in diatom

Sex-specific association of rs16996148 SNP in the NCAN/CILP2/PBX4 and serum lipid levels in the Mulao and Han populations

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The association of rs16996148 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in <it>NCAN/CILP2/PBX4 </it>and serum lipid levels is inconsistent. Furthermore, little is known about the association of rs16996148 SNP and serum lipid levels in the Chinese population. We therefore aimed to detect the association of rs16996148 SNP and several environmental factors with serum lipid levels in the Guangxi Mulao and Han populations.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>A total of 712 subjects of Mulao nationality and 736 participants of Han nationality were randomly selected from our stratified randomized cluster samples. Genotyping of the rs16996148 SNP was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism combined with gel electrophoresis, and then confirmed by direct sequencing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The levels of apolipoprotein (Apo) B were higher in Mulao than in Han (<it>P </it>< 0.001). The frequencies of G and T alleles were 87.2% and 12.8% in Mulao, and 89.9% and 10.1% in Han (<it>P <</it>0.05); respectively. The frequencies of GG, GT and TT genotypes were 76.0%, 22.5% and 1.5% in Mulao, and 81.2%, 17.4% and 1.4% in Han (<it>P <</it>0.05); respectively. There were no significant differences in the genotypic and allelic frequencies between males and females in both ethnic groups. The levels of HDL-C, ApoAI, and the ratio of ApoAI to ApoB in Mulao were different between the GG and GT/TT genotypes in males but not in females (<it>P </it>< 0.01 for all), the subjects with GT/TT genotypes had higher serum levels of HDL-C, ApoAI, and the ratio of ApoAI to ApoB than the subjects with GG genotype. The levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, ApoAI, and ApoB in Han were different between the GG and GT/TT genotypes in males but not in females (<it>P </it>< 0.05-0.001), the T allele carriers had higher serum levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, ApoAI, and ApoB than the T allele noncarriers. The levels of HDL-C, ApoAI, and the ratio of ApoAI to ApoB in Mulao were correlated with the genotypes in males (<it>P </it>< 0.05-0.01) but not in females. The levels of TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, ApoAI and ApoB in Han were associated with the genotypes in males (<it>P </it>< 0.05-0.001) but not in females. Serum lipid parameters were also correlated with several enviromental factors in both ethnic groups (<it>P </it>< 0.05-0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The genotypic and allelic frequencies of rs16996148 SNP and the associations of the SNP and serum lipid levels are different in the Mulao and Han populations. Sex (male)-specific association of rs16996148 SNP in the <it>NCAN/CILP2/PBX4 </it>and serum lipid levels is also observed in the both ethnic groups.</p

Sex-specific association of ACAT-1 rs1044925 SNP and serum lipid levels in the hypercholesterolemic subjects

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) is a key enzyme in cellular cholesterol homeostasis and in atherosclerosis. The cellular cholesterol efflux correlated with serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations has shown to be impaired in hyperlipidemic mice. The present study was carried out to clarify the association of ACAT-1 rs1044925 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and serum lipid levels in the hyperlipidemic subjects.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 821 unrelated subjects (hyperlipidemia, 476; normolipidemia, 345) aged 15-80 were included in the study. Genotyping of the ACAT-1 rs1044925 SNP was performed by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism combined with gel electrophoresis, and then confirmed by direct sequencing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There was no significant difference in the genotypic and allelic frequencies of ACAT-1 rs1044925 SNP between the normolipidemic and hyperlipidemic subjects. The levels of total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C and apolipoprotein (Apo) AI in hyperlipidemic subjects were different between the AA and AC/CC genotypes in male but not in female (<it>P </it>< 0.05-0.01), the C allele carriers had higher serum TC, HDL-C and ApoAI levels than the C allele noncarriers. The association of genotypes and serum HDL-C and ApoAI levels in hyperlipidemia was found mainly in the male subjects with hypercholesterolemia but not in those with hypertriglyceridemia. There were no significant differences in serum lipid levels between the AA and AC/CC genotypes in the normolipidemic subjects.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study shows that the C allele carriers of ACAT-1 rs1044925 SNP in male hyperlipidemic subjects had higher serum TC, HDL-C and ApoAI levels than the C allele noncarriers. There is a sex (male)-specific association of ACAT-1 rs1044925 SNP and serum HDL-C and ApoAI levels in the hypercholesterolemic subjects.</p

Association of the KLF14 rs4731702 SNP and Serum Lipid Levels in the Guangxi Mulao and Han Populations

The objective of the present study was to detect the association of the rs4731702 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and serum lipid levels in the Guangxi Mulao and Han populations. A total of 727 subjects of Mulao and 740 subjects of Han Chinese were included. Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and apolipoprotein (Apo) B levels were higher in Mulao than in Han ( &lt; 0.05). The T allele carriers had higher serum LDL-C and ApoAI levels in Mulao, whereas they had lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and ratio of ApoAI to ApoB in Han ( &lt; 0.05) than the T allele noncarriers. Subgroup analyses showed that the T allele carriers had higher HDL-C, LDL-C, and ApoAI levels in Mulao males and lower ApoAI levels and ratio of ApoAI to ApoB in Han males than the T allele noncarriers. The subjects with TT genotype in Han females also had higher total cholesterol, LDL-C, ApoAI, and ApoB levels than the subjects with CT or CC genotype. Serum lipid parameters were also correlated with several environmental factors in both ethnic groups. The differences in the association of KLF14 rs4731702 SNP and serum lipid levels between the two ethnic groups might partly result from different gene-environmental interactions

Treatment of Common Cold Patients with the Shi-Cha Capsule: A Multicenter, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Dose-Escalation Trial

This study was designed to determine the therapeutic efficacy and safety of the Shi-cha capsule, a Chinese herbal formula, in the treatment of patients with wind-cold type common cold. In our multi-center, prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation trial, patients with wind-cold type common cold received 0.6 g of Shi-cha capsule plus 0.6 g placebo (group A), 1.2 g of Shi-cha capsule (group B), or 1.2 g placebo (group C), three times daily for 3 days and followed up to 10 days. The primary end point was all symptom duration. The secondary end points were main symptom duration, minor symptom duration, the changes in cumulative symptom score, main symptom score, and minor symptom score 4 days after the treatment, as well as adverse events. A total of 377 patients were recruited and 360 met the inclusive criteria; 120 patients constituted each treatment group. Compared with patients in group C, patients in groups A and B had significant improvement in the all symptom duration, main symptom duration, minor symptom duration, as well as change from baseline of cumulative symptom score, main symptom score, and minor symptom score at day 4. The symptom durations and scores showed slight superiority of group B over group A, although these differences were not statistically significant. There were no differences in adverse events. The Shi-cha capsule is efficacious and safe for the treatment of patients with wind-cold type common cold. Larger trials are required to fully assess the benefits and safety of this treatment for common cold

Chromogranin A (CgA) as Poor Prognostic Factor in Patients with Small Cell Carcinoma of the Cervix: Results of a Retrospective Study of 293 Patients

BACKGROUND: Small cell carcinoma of the cervix (SCCC) is a very rare tumor. Due to its rarity and the long time period, there is a paucity of information pertaining to prognostic factors associated with survival. The objective of this study was to determine whether clinicopathologic finings or immunohistochemical presence of molecular markers predictive of clinical outcome in patients with SCCC. METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS: We retrospectively reviewed a total of 293 patients with SCCC (47 patients from Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University in china, 71 patients from case report of china journal, 175 patients from case report in PubMed database). Of those 293 patients with SCCC, the median survival time is 23 months. The 3-year overall survival rates (OS) and 3-year disease-free survival rates (DFS) for all patients were 34.5% and 31.1%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that FIGO stage (IIb-IV VS I-IIa, Hazard Ratio (HR) = 3.08, 95% confidence interval (CI) of ratio = [2.05, 4.63], P<0.001), tumor mass size (≥ 4 cm VS <4 cm, HR = 2.37, 95% CI = [1.28, 4.36], P = 0.006) and chromogranin A (CgA) (Positive VS Negative, HR = 1.81, 95% CI = [1.12, 2.91], P = 0.015) were predictive of poor prognosis. CgA stained positive was found to be highly predictive of death in early-stage (FIGO I-IIa) patient specifically. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SCCC have poor prognosis. FIGO stage, tumor mass size and CgA stained positive may act as a surrogate for factors prognostic of survival. CgA may serve as a useful marker in prognostic evaluation for early-stage patients with SCCC

Near-real-time monitoring of global CO₂ emissions reveals the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting human activities, and in turn energy use and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Here we present daily estimates of country-level CO2 emissions for different sectors based on near-real-time activity data. The key result is an abrupt 8.8% decrease in global CO₂ emissions (−1551 Mt CO₂) in the first half of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The magnitude of this decrease is larger than during previous economic downturns or World War II. The timing of emissions decreases corresponds to lockdown measures in each country. By July 1st, the pandemic’s effects on global emissions diminished as lockdown restrictions relaxed and some economic activities restarted, especially in China and several European countries, but substantial differences persist between countries, with continuing emission declines in the U.S. where coronavirus cases are still increasing substantially

Near-real-time monitoring of global CO2 emissions reveals the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is impacting human activities, and in turn energy use and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Here we present daily estimates of country-level CO2 emissions for different sectors based on near-real-time activity data. The key result is an abrupt 8.8% decrease in global CO2 emissions (−1551 Mt CO2) in the first half of 2020 compared to the same period in 2019. The magnitude of this decrease is larger than during previous economic downturns or World War II. The timing of emissions decreases corresponds to lockdown measures in each country. By July 1st, the pandemic’s effects on global emissions diminished as lockdown restrictions relaxed and some economic activities restarted, especially in China and several European countries, but substantial differences persist between countries, with continuing emission declines in the U.S. where coronavirus cases are still increasing substantially