202 research outputs found
High Energy Neutrinos and Photons from Curvature Pions in Magnetars
We discuss the relevance of the curvature radiation of pions in strongly
magnetized pulsars or magnetars, and their implications for the production of
TeV energy neutrinos detectable by cubic kilometer scale detectors, as well as
high energy photons.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures, to appear in JCA
Decay of accelerated protons and the existence of the Fulling-Davies-Unruh effect
We investigate the weak decay of uniformly {\em accelerated protons} in the
context of {\em standard} Quantum Field Theory. Because the mean {\em proper}
lifetime of a particle is a scalar, the same value for this observable must be
obtained in the inertial and coaccelerated frames. We are only able to achieve
this equality by considering the Fulling-Davies-Unruh effect. This reflects the
fact that the Fulling-Davies-Unruh effect is mandatory for the consistency of
Quantum Field Theory. There is no question about its existence provided one
accepts the validity of standard Quantum Field Theory in flat spacetime.Comment: 4 pages (revtex), 1 figure, to appear in Phys. Rev. Let
OCSBF-1, a maize ocs enhancer binding factor: isolation and expression during development.
Circulating cell-free DNA as a predictive marker for distant metastasis of hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma
In a previous study, we showed that levels of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) were significantly higher in sera of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) than in sera of non-HCC patients with HCV. To confirm this finding, we analysed serum cfDNA levels in a cohort of 96 patients with HCV-related HCC and in 100 HCV carriers without known HCC. Again we found that serum cfDNA levels were significantly higher in HCC patients than in HCV carriers (115.9±98.3 vs 34.4±40.4ângâmlâ1 (mean±s.d.), P<0.0001). Of 87 eligible patients who underwent curative hepatectomy, those with a high cfDNA level had a significantly shorter overall survival (OS) time than those in whom the cfDNA level was not high. Cox proportional hazards model showed the cfDNA level to be an independent prognostic factor for OS and cancer recurrence in distant organs. Our results suggest that the serum cfDNA level reflects the metastatic potential of HCV-related HCC and that it can be a useful predictive biomarker for distant metastasis after curative surgery
Methyl-binding domain protein-based DNA isolation from human blood serum combines DNA analyses and serum-autoantibody testing
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Circulating cell free DNA in serum as well as serum-autoantibodies and the serum proteome have great potential to contribute to early cancer diagnostics via non invasive blood tests. However, most DNA preparation protocols destroy the protein fraction and therefore do not allow subsequent protein analyses. In this study a novel approach based on methyl binding domain protein (MBD) is described to overcome the technical difficulties of combining DNA and protein analysis out of one single serum sample.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Serum or plasma samples from 98 control individuals and 54 breast cancer patients were evaluated upon silica membrane- or MBD affinity-based DNA isolation via qPCR targeting potential DNA methylation markers as well as by protein-microarrays for tumor-autoantibody testing.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In control individuals, an average DNA level of 22.8 ± 25.7 ng/ml was detected applying the silica membrane based protocol and 8.5 ± 7.5 ng/ml using the MBD-approach, both values strongly dependent on the serum sample preparation methods used. In contrast to malignant and benign tumor serum samples, cell free DNA concentrations were significantly elevated in sera of metastasizing breast cancer patients. Technical evaluation revealed that serum upon MBD-based DNA isolation is suitable for protein-array analyses when data are consistent to untreated serum samples.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>MBD affinity purification allows DNA isolations under native conditions retaining the protein function, thus for example enabling combined analyses of DNA methylation and autoantigene-profiles from the same serum sample and thereby improving minimal invasive diagnostics.</p
Dendrimer-Encapsulated Metal Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications to Catalysis
Long-term incidence and prognostic factors of the progression of new coronary lesions in Japanese coronary artery disease patients after percutaneous coronary intervention
Impact of aging on the clinical outcomes of Japanese patients with coronary artery disease after percutaneous coronary intervention
Endoscopic inside stent placement is suitable as a bridging treatment for preoperative biliary tract cancer
Effects of statin treatment in patients with coronary artery disease and chronic kidney disease
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