Kaon mixing and the charm mass

We study contributions to the Delta S=2 weak Chiral Lagrangian producing K0-K0bar mixing which are not enhanced by the charm mass. For the real part, these contributions turn out to be related to the box diagram with up quarks but, unlike in perturbation theory, they do not vanish in the limit m_u->0. They increase the leading contribution to the K_L-K_S mass difference by ~10%. This means that short distances amount to (90+-15)% of this mass difference. For the imaginary part, we find a correction to the lambda_c^2 m_c^2 term of -5% from the integration of charm, which is a small contribution to epsilon_K. The calculation is done in the large-Nc limit and we show explicitly how to match short and long distances.Comment: 20 pages, 5 figures. Typos fixe

Component efficient solutions in line-graph games with applications

Recently, applications of cooperative game theory to economic allocation problems have gained popularity. We investigate a class of cooperative games that generalizes some economic applications with a similar structure. These are the so-called line-graph games being cooperative TU-games in which the players are linearly ordered. Examples of situations that can be modeled like this are sequencing situations and water distribution problems. We define four properties with respect to deleting edges that each selects a unique component efficient solution on the class of line-graph games. We interpret these solutions and properties in terms of dividend distributions, and apply them to economic situations. © 2006 Springer-Verlag

Collider aspects of flavour physics at high Q

This review presents flavour related issues in the production and decays of heavy states at LHC, both from the experimental side and from the theoretical side. We review top quark physics and discuss flavour aspects of several extensions of the Standard Model, such as supersymmetry, little Higgs model or models with extra dimensions. This includes discovery aspects as well as measurement of several properties of these heavy states. We also present public available computational tools related to this topic.Comment: Report of Working Group 1 of the CERN Workshop ``Flavour in the era of the LHC'', Geneva, Switzerland, November 2005 -- March 200

Constrained core solutions for totally positive games with ordered players

In many applications of cooperative game theory to economic allocation problems, such as river-, polluted river- and sequencing games, the game is totally positive (i.e., all dividends are nonnegative), and there is some ordering on the set of the players. A totally positive game has a nonempty core. In this paper we introduce constrained core solutions for totally positive games with ordered players which assign to every such a game a subset of the core. These solutions are based on the distribution of dividends taking into account the hierarchical ordering of the players. The Harsanyi constrained core of a totally positive game with ordered players is a subset of the core of the game and contains the Shapley value. For special orderings it coincides with the core or the Shapley value. The selectope constrained core is defined for acyclic orderings and yields a subset of the Harsanyi constrained core. We provide a characterization for both solutions. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

How do short-term changes at synapses fine-tune information processing?

Synaptic transmission is highly dependent on recent activity and can lead to depression or facilitation of synaptic strength. This phenomenon is called "short-term synaptic plasticity" and is shown at all synapses. While much work has been done to understand the mechanisms of shortterm changes in the state of synapses, short-term plasticity is often thought of as a mechanistic consequence of the design of a synapse. This review will attempt to go beyond this view and discuss how, on one hand, complex neuronal activity affects the short-term state of synapses, but also how these dynamic changes in synaptic strength affect information processing in return

On the Harsanyi payoff vectors and Harsanyi imputations

TU-games, Convex games, Core, Harsanyi set, Imputations, External stability, C71,

A head-to-head comparison of conjugation methods for VHHs : Random maleimide-thiol coupling versus controlled click chemistry

Targeted delivery of therapeutics is an attractive strategy for vascular diseases. Recently, variable domains of heavy-chain-only antibodies (VHHs) have gained momentum as targeting ligands to achieve this. Targeting ligands need adequate conjugation to the preferred delivery platform. When choosing a conjugation method, two features are critical: a fixed and specified stoichiometry and an orientation of the conjugated targeting ligand that preserves its functional binding capacity. We here describe a comparison of popular maleimide-thiol conjugation with state-of-the-art “click chemistry” for conjugating VHHs. First, we demonstrate the modification of VHHs with azide via Sortase A mediated transpeptidation. Subsequently, optimal clicking conditions were found at a temperature of 50 °C, using a 3:1 M ratio of DBCO-PEG:VHH-azide and an incubation time of 18 h. Second, we show that stoichiometry was controllable with click chemistry and produced defined conjugates, whereas maleimide-thiol conjugation resulted in diverse reaction products. In addition, we show that all VHHs – independent of the conjugation method or conjugated residue – still specifically bind their cognate antigen. Yet, VHH's functional binding capacities after click chemistry were at least equal or better than maleimide thiol conjugates. Together these data underline that click chemistry is superior to maleimide-thiol conjugation for conjugating targeting ligands

A head-to-head comparison of conjugation methods for VHHs : Random maleimide-thiol coupling versus controlled click chemistry

Targeted delivery of therapeutics is an attractive strategy for vascular diseases. Recently, variable domains of heavy-chain-only antibodies (VHHs) have gained momentum as targeting ligands to achieve this. Targeting ligands need adequate conjugation to the preferred delivery platform. When choosing a conjugation method, two features are critical: a fixed and specified stoichiometry and an orientation of the conjugated targeting ligand that preserves its functional binding capacity. We here describe a comparison of popular maleimide-thiol conjugation with state-of-the-art “click chemistry” for conjugating VHHs. First, we demonstrate the modification of VHHs with azide via Sortase A mediated transpeptidation. Subsequently, optimal clicking conditions were found at a temperature of 50 °C, using a 3:1 M ratio of DBCO-PEG:VHH-azide and an incubation time of 18 h. Second, we show that stoichiometry was controllable with click chemistry and produced defined conjugates, whereas maleimide-thiol conjugation resulted in diverse reaction products. In addition, we show that all VHHs – independent of the conjugation method or conjugated residue – still specifically bind their cognate antigen. Yet, VHH's functional binding capacities after click chemistry were at least equal or better than maleimide thiol conjugates. Together these data underline that click chemistry is superior to maleimide-thiol conjugation for conjugating targeting ligands