378 research outputs found
Supersymmetric structure of electroweak Sudakov corrections
Electroweak radiative corrections can be evaluated in the Sudakov
approximation, a systematic high energy expansion known to be relevant for the
analysis of future collider experiments in the TeV energy range. In the Minimal
Supersymmetric Standard Model and at next-to-leading order, Sudakov electroweak
corrections satisfy remarkable relations at the one loop level. Explicit
computations in component fields are available for various different
processes relevant for Linear Collider or LHC physics. The Sudakov corrections
turn out to be equal or closely related in several classes of processes
differing by the replacement of certain final or initial states with their
superpartners. This fact suggests that supersymmetry is partially restored at
high-energy. We analyze the supersymmetric structure of such relations by
computing the Sudakov corrections in the framework of superfield perturbation
theory. As a simple application, we derive in full details an extended complete
set of supersymmetric relations among different processes related by
supersymmetry to the fundamental fermion pair production process .Comment: 22 pages, 7 eps figure
Can Quantum de Sitter Space Have Finite Entropy?
If one tries to view de Sitter as a true (as opposed to a meta-stable)
vacuum, there is a tension between the finiteness of its entropy and the
infinite-dimensionality of its Hilbert space. We invetsigate the viability of
one proposal to reconcile this tension using -deformation. After defining a
differential geometry on the quantum de Sitter space, we try to constrain the
value of the deformation parameter by imposing the condition that in the
undeformed limit, we want the real form of the (inherently complex) quantum
group to reduce to the usual SO(4,1) of de Sitter. We find that this forces
to be a real number. Since it is known that quantum groups have
finite-dimensional representations only for root of unity, this suggests
that standard -deformations cannot give rise to finite dimensional Hilbert
spaces, ruling out finite entropy for q-deformed de Sitter.Comment: 10 pages, v2: references added, v3: minor corrections, abstract and
title made more in-line with the result, v4: published versio
One-loop spectroscopy of semiclassically quantized strings: bosonic sector
We make a further step in the analytically exact quantization of spinning string states in semiclassical approximation, by evaluating the exact one-loop partition function for a class of two-spin string solutions for which quadratic fluctuations form a non-trivial system of coupled modes. This is the case of a folded string in the SU(2) sector, in the limit described by a quantum Landau–Lifshitz model. The same applies to the full bosonic sector of fluctuations over the folded spinning string in AdS5 with an angular momentum J in S5. Fluctuations are governed by a special class of fourth-order differential operators, with coefficients being meromorphic functions on the torus, which we are able to solve exactly
Evidence for non-exponential elastic proton-proton differential cross-section at low |t| and sqrt(s) = 8 TeV by TOTEM
The TOTEM experiment has made a precise measurement of the elastic
proton-proton differential cross-section at the centre-of-mass energy sqrt(s) =
8 TeV based on a high-statistics data sample obtained with the beta* = 90
optics. Both the statistical and systematic uncertainties remain below 1%,
except for the t-independent contribution from the overall normalisation. This
unprecedented precision allows to exclude a purely exponential differential
cross-section in the range of four-momentum transfer squared 0.027 < |t| < 0.2
GeV^2 with a significance greater than 7 sigma. Two extended parametrisations,
with quadratic and cubic polynomials in the exponent, are shown to be well
compatible with the data. Using them for the differential cross-section
extrapolation to t = 0, and further applying the optical theorem, yields total
cross-section estimates of (101.5 +- 2.1) mb and (101.9 +- 2.1) mb,
respectively, in agreement with previous TOTEM measurements.Comment: Final version published in Nuclear Physics
Mapping Dynamic Histone Acetylation Patterns to Gene Expression in Nanog-depleted Murine Embryonic Stem Cells
Embryonic stem cells (ESC) have the potential to self-renew indefinitely and
to differentiate into any of the three germ layers. The molecular mechanisms
for self-renewal, maintenance of pluripotency and lineage specification are
poorly understood, but recent results point to a key role for epigenetic
mechanisms. In this study, we focus on quantifying the impact of histone 3
acetylation (H3K9,14ac) on gene expression in murine embryonic stem cells. We
analyze genome-wide histone acetylation patterns and gene expression profiles
measured over the first five days of cell differentiation triggered by
silencing Nanog, a key transcription factor in ESC regulation. We explore the
temporal and spatial dynamics of histone acetylation data and its correlation
with gene expression using supervised and unsupervised statistical models. On a
genome-wide scale, changes in acetylation are significantly correlated to
changes in mRNA expression and, surprisingly, this coherence increases over
time. We quantify the predictive power of histone acetylation for gene
expression changes in a balanced cross-validation procedure. In an in-depth
study we focus on genes central to the regulatory network of Mouse ESC,
including those identified in a recent genome-wide RNAi screen and in the
PluriNet, a computationally derived stem cell signature. We find that compared
to the rest of the genome, ESC-specific genes show significantly more
acetylation signal and a much stronger decrease in acetylation over time, which
is often not reflected in an concordant expression change. These results shed
light on the complexity of the relationship between histone acetylation and
gene expression and are a step forward to dissect the multilayer regulatory
mechanisms that determine stem cell fate.Comment: accepted at PLoS Computational Biolog
The ATLAS trigger muon "vertical slice"
The muon trigger system is a fundamental component of the ATLAS detector at the LHC collider. In this paper we describe the ATLAS multi-level trigger selecting events with muons: the Muon Trigger Slic
Evidence for topological defects in a photoinduced phase transition
Upon excitation with an intense ultrafast laser pulse, a symmetry-broken
ground state can undergo a non-equilibrium phase transition through pathways
dissimilar from those in thermal equilibrium. Determining the mechanism
underlying these photo-induced phase transitions (PIPTs) has been a
long-standing issue in the study of condensed matter systems. To this end, we
investigate the light-induced melting of a unidirectional charge density wave
(CDW) material, LaTe. Using a suite of time-resolved probes, we
independently track the amplitude and phase dynamics of the CDW. We find that a
quick (1ps) recovery of the CDW amplitude is followed by a slower
reestablishment of phase coherence. This longer timescale is dictated by the
presence of topological defects: long-range order (LRO) is inhibited and is
only restored when the defects annihilate. Our results provide a framework for
understanding other PIPTs by identifying the generation of defects as a
governing mechanism
Hypericum perforatum treatment: effect on behaviour and neurogenesis in a chronic stress model in mice
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Extracts of <it>Hypericum perforatum </it>(St. John's wort) have been traditionally recommended for a wide range of medical conditions, in particular mild-to-moderate depression. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of Hypericum perforatum treatment in a mouse model of anxiety/depressive-like behavior, induced by chronic corticosterone administration.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>CD1 mice were submitted to 7 weeks corticosterone administration and then behavioral tests as Open Field (OF), Novelty-Suppressed Feeding (NSF), Forced Swim Test (FST) were performed. Cell proliferation in hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) was investigated by both 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and doublecortin (DCX) immunohistochemistry techniques and stereological procedure was used to quantify labeled cells. Golgi-impregnation method was used to evaluate changes in dendritic spines in DG. Hypericum perforatum (30 mg/Kg) has been administered for 3 weeks and then neural development in the adult hippocampus and behavioral changes have been examined.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The anxiety/depressive-like state due to chronic corticosterone treatment was reversed by exogenous administration of Hypericum perforatum; the proliferation of progenitor cells in mice hippocampus was significantly reduced under chronic corticosterone treatment, whereas a long term treatment with Hypericum perforatum prevented the corticosterone-induced decrease in hippocampal cell proliferation. Corticosterone-treated mice exhibited a reduced spine density that was ameliorated by Hypericum perforatum administration.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results provide evidence of morphological adaptations occurring in mature hippocampal neurons that might underlie resilient responses to chronic stress and contribute to the therapeutic effects of chronic Hypericum perforatum treatment.</p
The 3-Base Periodicity and Codon Usage of Coding Sequences Are Correlated with Gene Expression at the Level of Transcription Elongation
Background: Gene transcription is regulated by DNA transcriptional regulatory elements, promoters and enhancers that are located outside the coding regions. Here, we examine the characteristic 3-base periodicity of the coding sequences and analyse its correlation with the genome-wide transcriptional profile of yeast. Principal Findings: The analysis of coding sequences by a new class of indices proposed here identified two different sources of 3-base periodicity: the codon frequency and the codon sequence. In exponentially growing yeast cells, the codon-frequency component of periodicity accounts for 71.9 % of the variability of the cellular mRNA by a strong association with the density of elongating mRNA polymerase II complexes. The mRNA abundance explains most of the correlation between the codon-frequency component of periodicity and protein levels. Furthermore, pyrimidine-ending codons of the four-fold degenerate small amino acids alanine, glycine and valine are associated with genes with double the transcription rate of those associated with purine-ending codons. Conclusions: We demonstrate that the 3-base periodicity of coding sequences is higher than expected by the codon usage frequency (CUF) and that its components, associated with codon bias and amino acid composition, are correlated with gene expression, principally at the level of transcription elongation. This indicates a role of codon sequences in maximising the transcription efficiency in exponentially growing yeast cells. Moreover, the results contrast with the common Darwinia
Disease Rescue and Increased Lifespan in a Model of Cardiomyopathy and Muscular Dystrophy by Combined AAV Treatments
The BIO14.6 hamster is an excellent animal model for inherited cardiomyopathy, because of its lethal and well-documented course, due to a spontaneous deletion of delta-sarcoglycan gene promoter and first exon. The muscle disease is progressive and average lifespan is 11 months, because heart slowly dilates towards heart failure.Based on the ability of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors to transduce heart together with skeletal muscle following systemic administration, we delivered human delta-sarcoglycan cDNA into male BIO14.6 hamsters by testing different ages of injection, routes of administration and AAV serotypes. Body-wide restoration of delta-SG expression was associated with functional reconstitution of the sarcoglycan complex and with significant lowering of centralized nuclei and fibrosis in skeletal muscle. Motor ability and cardiac functions were completely rescued. However, BIO14.6 hamsters having less than 70% of fibers recovering sarcoglycan developed cardiomyopathy, even if the total rescued protein was normal. When we used serotype 2/8 in combination with serotype 2/1, lifespan was extended up to 22 months with sustained heart function improvement.Our data support multiple systemic administrations of AAV as a general therapeutic strategy for clinical trials in cardiomyopathies and muscle disorders
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