588 research outputs found
Distant galaxy clusters in the COSMOS field found by HIROCS
We present the first high-redshift galaxy cluster candidate sample from the
HIROCS survey found in the COSMOS field. It results from a combination of
public COSMOS with proprietary H-band data on a 0.66 square degree part of the
COSMOS field and comprises 12 candidates in the redshift range 1.23 < z < 1.55.
We find an increasing fraction of blue cluster members with increasing
redshift. Many of the blue and even some of the reddest member galaxies exhibit
disturbed morphologies as well as signs of interaction.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures, in print format, accepted for publication by A&A
Letter
Immune Sensitization to the 60 kD Heat Shock Protein and Pregnancy Outcome
Heat shock proteins are highly conserved proteins present in organisms ranging from bacteria to man. They are both dominant microbial immunogens and among the first proteins produced during mammalian embryo development. Since bacterial and human heat shock proteins share a high degree of amino acid sequence homology, it has been suggested that sensitization to bacterial heat shock proteins during an infection may result in autoimmunity to human heat shock proteins. Infertile couples seeking in vitro fertilization (IVF) may have been previously sensitized to bacterial heat shock proteins as a consequence of an asymptomatic upper genital tract infection. Due to daily clinical monitoring and precisely timed fertilization these patients are an ideal study group to investigate the effect of prior sensitization to heat shock proteins on preimplantation embryo development and implantation failure. Immune sensitization at the level of the cervix to the 60 kD heat shock protein (hsp60) has been associated with implantation failure in some IVF patients. Similarly, the highest prevalence of circulating hsp60 antibodies among IVF patients was found in the sera of women whose embryos failed to develop in vitro. To more directly assess whether humoral immunity to hsp60 influenced in vitro embryo development, a mouse embryo culture model was established. Monoclonal antibody to mammalian hsp60 markedly impaired mouse embryo development in vitro. These data suggest that immune sensitization to human hsp60, possibly developed as a consequence of infection, may adversely affect pregnancy outcome in some patients
Two-phonon 1- state in 112Sn observed in resonant photon scattering
Results of a photon scattering experiment on 112Sn using bremsstrahlung with
an endpoint energy of E_0 = 3.8 MeV are reported. A J = 1 state at E_x =
3434(1) keV has been excited. Its decay width into the ground state amounts to
Gamma_0 = 151(17) meV, making it a candidate for a [2+ x 3-]1- two-phonon
state. The results for 112Sn are compared with quasiparticle-phonon model
calculations as well as the systematics of the lowest-lying 1- states
established in other even-mass tin isotopes. Contrary to findings in the
heavier stable even-mass Sn isotopes, no 2+ states between 2 and 3.5 MeV
excitation energy have been detected in the present experiment.Comment: 10 pages, including 2 figures, Phys. Rev. C, in pres
Chlamydia trachomatis Infection, Immunity, and Pregnancy Outcome
Chlamydia trachomatis can ascend from the cervix to the fallopian tubes and survive for long periods of time without causing symptoms. The immune response to infection clears the extracellular organisms but leads to development of a persistent intracellular infection. Repeated cycles of productive infection and persistence eventually induce tubal occlusion and infertility. Persistently infected cells continue to synthesize the chlamydial 60 kD heat shock protein (hsp60). Immunity to conserved regions of hsp60 may result in autoimmunity to human hsp60. Expression of hsp60 by the embryo and decidua during early pregnancy may reactivate hsp60-sensitized lymphocytes, disturb pregnancy-induced immune regulatory mechanisms, and lead to immune rejection of the embryo. Due to this mechanism women with tubal infertility who are sensitized to the human hsp60 may have a decreased probability of successful outcome after undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer
Constraining dark energy with Sunyaev-Zel'dovich cluster surveys
We discuss the prospects of constraining the properties of a dark energy
component, with particular reference to a time varying equation of state, using
future cluster surveys selected by their Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. We compute
the number of clusters expected for a given set of cosmological parameters and
propogate the errors expected from a variety of surveys. In the short term they
will constrain dark energy in conjunction with future observations of type Ia
supernovae, but may in time do so in their own right.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, version accepted for publication in PR
Search for the electric dipole excitations to the multiplet in Sn
The odd-mass Sn nucleus was investigated in nuclear resonance
fluorescence experiments up to an endpoint energy of the incident photon
spectrum of 4.1 MeV at the bremsstrahlung facility of the Stuttgart University.
More than 50 mainly hitherto unknown levels were found. From the measurement of
the scattering cross sections model independent absolute electric dipole
excitation strengths were extracted. The measured angular distributions
suggested the spins of 11 excited levels. Quasi-particle phonon model
calculations including a complete configuration space were performed for the
first time for a heavy odd-mass spherical nucleus. These calculations give a
clear insight in the fragmentation and distribution of the , , and
excitation strength in the low energy region. It is proven that the
component of the two-phonon quintuplet built on
top of the ground state is strongly fragmented. The theoretical
calculations are consistent with the experimental data.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure
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Low resistance n-contact for UVC LEDs by a two-step plasma etching process
The impact of plasma etching on the formation of low-resistance n-contacts on the AlGaN:Si current spreading layer during the chip fabrication of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV LEDs) emitting at 265 nm is investigated. A two-step plasma etching process with a first rapid etching using BCl3/Cl2 gas mixture and a second slow etching step using pure Cl2 gas has been developed. The etching sequence provides smooth mesa side-walls and an n-AlGaN surface with reduced surface damage. Ohmic n-contacts with a contact resistivity of 3.5 10-4 Ωcm2 are obtained on Si-doped Al0.65Ga0.35N layers and the operating voltages of the UVC LEDs were reduced by 2 V for a current of 20 mA. © 2020 The Author(s). Published by IOP Publishing Ltd
Analytic marginalization over CMB calibration and beam uncertainty
With the increased accuracy and angular scale coverage of the recent CMB
experiments it has become important to include calibration and beam
uncertainties when estimating cosmological parameters. This requires an
integration over possible values of the calibration and beam size, which can be
done numerically but increases computation times. We present a fast and simple
algorithm for marginalization over beam and calibration errors by analytical
integration. We also illustrate the effect of incorporating these uncertainties
by calculating the constraints on various cosmological and inflationary
parameters including the spectral index n_s and the physical baryon density
Omega_b h^2, using the latest CMB data. We find that parameter constraints are
significantly changed when calibration/beam uncertainties are taken into
account. Typically the best fit parameters are shifted and the errors bars are
increased by up to fifty per cent for e.g. n_s and Omega_b h^2, although as
expected there is no change for Omega_K, because it is constrained by the
positions of the peaks.Comment: Shortened to match version accepted by MNRA
CD20 and CD19 targeted vectors induce minimal activation of resting B lymphocytes
B lymphocytes are an important cell population of the immune system. However, until recently it was not possible to transduce resting B lymphocytes with retro- or lentiviral vectors, making them unsusceptible for genetic manipulations by these vectors. Lately, we demonstrated that lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with modified measles virus (MV) glycoproteins hemagglutinin, responsible for receptor recognition, and fusion protein were able to overcome this transduction block. They use either the natural MV receptors, CD46 and signaling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM), for cell entry (MV-LV) or the vector particles were further modified to selectively enter via the CD20 molecule, which is exclusively expressed on B lymphocytes (CD20-LV). It has been shown previously that transduction by MV-LV does not induce B lymphocyte activation. However, if this is also true for CD20-LV is still unknown. Here, we generated a vector specific for another B lymphocyte marker, CD19, and compared its ability to transduce resting B lymphocytes with CD20-LV. The vector (CD19ds-LV) was able to stably transduce unstimulated B lymphocytes, albeit with a reduced efficiency of about 10% compared to CD20-LV, which transduced about 30% of the cells. Since CD20 as well as CD19 are closely linked to the B lymphocyte activation pathway, we investigated if engagement of CD20 or CD19 molecules by the vector particles induces activating stimuli in resting B lymphocytes. Although, activation of B lymphocytes often involves calcium influx, we did not detect elevated calcium levels. However, the activation marker CD71 was substantially up-regulated upon CD20-LV transduction and most importantly, B lymphocytes transduced with CD20-LV or CD19ds-LV entered the G1b phase of cell cycle, whereas untransduced or MV-LV transduced B lymphocytes remained in G0. Hence, CD20 and CD19 targeting vectors induce activating stimuli in resting B lymphocytes, which most likely renders them susceptible for lentiviral vector transduction
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