71 research outputs found
Maximally restrictive leptonic texture zeros in two-Higgs-doublet models
The implementation of maximally restrictive texture zeros in the leptonic
sector is investigated in the context of two-Higgs-doublet models with Majorana
neutrinos. After analyzing all maximally restrictive pairs of leptonic mass
matrices with zero entries, we conclude that there are only four texture
combinations that are compatible with observations at 3 sigma confidence level
and can be implemented through Abelian symmetries in a two-Higgs-doublet model.
The compatibility of these textures with current constraints on
lepton-flavor-violating processes is also studied. The ultraviolet completion
of these models is discussed in the framework of the seesaw mechanism for
neutrino masses.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables; comments and references added, final
version to appear in J. Phys.
Abelian realization of phenomenological two-zero neutrino textures
In an attempt at explaining the observed neutrino mass-squared differences
and leptonic mixing, lepton mass matrices with zero textures have been widely
studied. In the weak basis where the charged lepton mass matrix is diagonal,
various neutrino mass matrices with two zeros have been shown to be consistent
with the current experimental data. Using the canonical and Smith normal form
methods, we construct the minimal Abelian symmetry realizations of these
phenomenological two-zero neutrino textures. The implementation of these
symmetries in the context of the seesaw mechanism for Majorana neutrino masses
is also discussed.Comment: 11 pages; references added, version to appear in Nuclear Physics
Neutrino masses and mixing in A4 models with three Higgs doublets
We study neutrino masses and mixing in the context of flavor models with A4
symmetry, three scalar doublets in the triplet representation, and three lepton
families. We show that there is no representation assignment that yields a
dimension-five mass operator consistent with experiment. We then consider a
type-I seesaw with three heavy right-handed neutrinos, explaining in detail why
it fails, and showing with a numerical example that agreement with the present
neutrino oscillation data can be recovered with the inclusion of
dimension-three heavy neutrino mass terms that break softly the A4 symmetry.Comment: 10 pages, RevTex, 3 figures. v2: much expanded section on softly
broken A4; refs adde
Spontaneous leptonic CP violation and nonzero
We consider a simple extension of the Standard Model by adding two Higgs
triplets and a complex scalar singlet to its particle content. In this
framework, the CP symmetry is spontaneously broken at high energies by the
complex vacuum expectation value of the scalar singlet. Such a breaking leads
to leptonic CP violation at low energies. The model also exhibits an flavour symmetry which, after being spontaneously broken at a high-energy
scale, yields a tribimaximal pattern in the lepton sector. We consider small
perturbations around the tribimaximal vacuum alignment condition in order to
generate nonzero values of , as required by the latest neutrino
oscillation data. It is shown that the value of recently measured
by the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment can be accommodated in our
framework together with large Dirac-type CP violation. We also address the
viability of leptogenesis in our model through the out-of-equilibrium decays of
the Higgs triplets. In particular, the CP asymmetries in the triplet decays
into two leptons are computed and it is shown that the effective leptogenesis
and low-energy CP-violating phases are directly linked.Comment: 17 pages; 6 figures; references added and typos corrected. Final
version to appear in PR
Delayed Rectifier and A-Type Potassium Channels Associated with Kv 2.1 and Kv 4.3 Expression in Embryonic Rat Neural Progenitor Cells
BACKGROUND: Because of the importance of voltage-activated K(+) channels during embryonic development and in cell proliferation, we present here the first description of these channels in E15 rat embryonic neural progenitor cells derived from the subventricular zone (SVZ). Activation, inactivation, and single-channel conductance properties of recorded progenitor cells were compared with those obtained by others when these Kv gene products were expressed in oocytes. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Neural progenitor cells derived from the subventricular zone of E15 embryonic rats were cultured under conditions that did not promote differentiation. Immunocytochemical and Western blot assays for nestin expression indicated that almost all of the cells available for recording expressed this intermediate filament protein, which is generally accepted as a marker for uncommitted embryonic neural progenitor cells. However, a very small numbers of the cells expressed GFAP, a marker for astrocytes, O4, a marker for immature oligodendrocytes, and betaIII-tubulin, a marker for neurons. Using immunocytochemistry and Western blots, we detected consistently the expression of Kv2.1, and 4.3. In whole-cell mode, we recorded two outward currents, a delayed rectifier and an A-type current. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conclude that Kv2.1, and 4.3 are expressed in E15 SVZ neural progenitor cells, and we propose that they may be associated with the delayed-rectifier and the A-type currents, respectively, that we recorded. These results demonstrate the early expression of delayed rectifier and A-type K(+) currents and channels in embryonic neural progenitor cells prior to the differentiation of these cells
A Simplest A4 Model for Tri-Bimaximal Neutrino Mixing
We present a see-saw model for Tri-Bimaximal mixing which is based on a
very economical flavour symmetry and field content and still possesses all the
good features of models. In particular the charged lepton mass
hierarchies are determined by the flavour symmetry itself
without invoking a Froggatt-Nielsen U(1) symmetry. Tri-Bimaximal mixing is
exact in leading order while all the mixing angles receive corrections of the
same order in next-to-the-leading approximation. As a consequence the predicted
value of is within the sensitivity of the experiments which will
take data in the near future. The light neutrino spectrum, typical of
see-saw models, with its phenomenological implications, also including
leptoproduction, is studied in detail.Comment: 20 pages, 2 figure
Incorporation of DPP6a and DPP6K Variants in Ternary Kv4 Channel Complex Reconstitutes Properties of A-type K Current in Rat Cerebellar Granule Cells
Dipeptidyl peptidase-like protein 6 (DPP6) proteins co-assemble with Kv4 channel α-subunits and Kv channel-interacting proteins (KChIPs) to form channel protein complexes underlying neuronal somatodendritic A-type potassium current (ISA). DPP6 proteins are expressed as N-terminal variants (DPP6a, DPP6K, DPP6S, DPP6L) that result from alternative mRNA initiation and exhibit overlapping expression patterns. Here, we study the role DPP6 variants play in shaping the functional properties of ISA found in cerebellar granule (CG) cells using quantitative RT-PCR and voltage-clamp recordings of whole-cell currents from reconstituted channel complexes and native ISA channels. Differential expression of DPP6 variants was detected in rat CG cells, with DPP6K (41±3%)>DPP6a (33±3%)>>DPP6S (18±2%)>DPP6L (8±3%). To better understand how DPP6 variants shape native neuronal ISA, we focused on studying interactions between the two dominant variants, DPP6K and DPP6a. Although previous studies did not identify unique functional effects of DPP6K, we find that the unique N-terminus of DPP6K modulates the effects of KChIP proteins, slowing recovery and producing a negative shift in the steady-state inactivation curve. By contrast, DPP6a uses its distinct N-terminus to directly confer rapid N-type inactivation independently of KChIP3a. When DPP6a and DPP6K are co-expressed in ratios similar to those found in CG cells, their distinct effects compete in modulating channel function. The more rapid inactivation from DPP6a dominates during strong depolarization; however, DPP6K produces a negative shift in the steady-state inactivation curve and introduces a slow phase of recovery from inactivation. A direct comparison to the native CG cell ISA shows that these mixed effects are present in the native channels. Our results support the hypothesis that the precise expression and co-assembly of different auxiliary subunit variants are important factors in shaping the ISA functional properties in specific neuronal populations
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 19/22 mutations alter heterocomplex Kv4.3 channel function and gating in a dominant manner
An Immunoassay for Dibutyl Phthalate Based on Direct Hapten Linkage to the Polystyrene Surface of Microtiter Plates
BACKGROUND: Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) is predominantly used as a plasticizer inplastics to make them flexible. Extensive use of phthalates in both industrial processes and other consumer products has resulted in the ubiquitous presence of phthalates in the environment. In order to better determine the level of pollution in the environment and evaluate the potential adverse effects of exposure to DBP, immunoassay for DBP was developed. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A monoclonal antibody specific to DBP was produced from a stable hybridoma cell line generated by lymphocyte hybridoma technique. An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (icELISA) employing direct coating of hapten on polystyrene microtiter plates was established for the detection of DBP. Polystyrene surface was first oxidized by permanganate in dilute sulfuric acid to generate carboxyl groups. Then dibutyl 4-aminophthalate, which is an analogue of DBP, was covalently linked to the carboxyl groups of polystyrene surface with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC). Compared with conjugate coated format (IC(50)=106 ng/mL), the direct hapten coated format (IC(50)=14.6 ng/mL) improved assay sensitivity after careful optimization of assay conditions. The average recovery of DBP from spiked water sample was 104.4% and the average coefficient of variation was 9.95%. Good agreement of the results obtained by the hapten coated icELISA and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry further confirmed the reliability and accuracy of the icELISA for the detection of DBP in certain plastic and cosmetic samples. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The stable and efficient hybridoma cell line obtained is an unlimited source of sensitive and specific antibody to DBP. The hapten coated format is proposed as generally applicable because the carboxyl groups on modified microtiter plate surface enables stable immobilization of aminated or hydroxylated hapten with EDC. The developed hapten coated icELISA can be used as a convenient quantitative tool for the sensitive and accurate monitoring DBP in water, plastic and cosmetic samples
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