659 research outputs found
Multivalued SK-contractions with respect to b-generalized pseudodistances
A new class of multivalued non-self-mappings, called SK-contractions with respect to
b-generalized pseudodistances, is introduced and used to investigate the existence of
best proximity points by using an appropriate geometric property. Some new fixed
point results in b-metric spaces are also obtained. Examples are given to support the
usability of our main result
PC61 (anti-CD25) treatment inhibits influenza A virus-expanded regulatory T cells and severe lung pathology during a subsequent heterologous lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus infection
Prior immunity to influenza A virus (IAV) in mice changes the outcome to a subsequent lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) infection and can result in severe lung pathology, similar to that observed in patients that died of the 1918 H1N1 pandemic. This pathology is induced by IAV-specific memory CD8(+) T cells cross-reactive with LCMV. Here, we discovered that IAV-immune mice have enhanced CD4(+) Foxp3(+) T-regulatory (Treg) cells in their lungs, leading us to question whether a modulation in the normal balance of Treg and effector T-cell responses also contributes to enhancing lung pathology upon LCMV infection of IAV-immune mice. Treg cell and interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels remained elevated in the lungs and mediastinal lymph nodes (mLNs) throughout the acute LCMV response of IAV-immune mice. PC61 treatment, used to decrease Treg cell levels, did not change LCMV titers but resulted in a surprising decrease in lung pathology upon LCMV infection in IAV-immune but not in naive mice. Associated with this decrease in pathology was a retention of Treg in the mLN and an unexpected partial clonal exhaustion of LCMV-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses only in IAV-immune mice. PC61 treatment did not affect cross-reactive memory CD8(+) T-cell proliferation. These results suggest that in the absence of IAV-expanded Treg cells and in the presence of cross-reactive memory, the LCMV-specific response was overstimulated and became partially exhausted, resulting in a decreased effector response. These studies suggest that Treg cells generated during past infections can influence the characteristics of effector T-cell responses and immunopathology during subsequent heterologous infections. Thus, in humans with complex infection histories, PC61 treatment may lead to unexpected results
In-situ multicore fibre-based pH mapping through obstacles in integrated microfluidic devices
Microfluidic systems with integrated sensors are ideal platforms to study and
emulate processes such as complex multiphase flow and reactive transport in
porous media, numerical modeling of bulk systems in medicine, and in
engineering. Existing commercial optical fibre sensing systems used in
integrated microfluidic devices are based on single-core fibres, limiting the
spatial resolution in parameter measurements in such application scenarios.
Here, we propose a multicore fibre-based pH system for in-situ pH mapping with
tens of micrometer spatial resolution in microfluidic devices. The
demonstration uses custom laser-manufactured glass microfluidic devices (called
further micromodels) consisting of two round ports. The micromodels comprise
two lintels for the injection of various pH buffers and an outlet. The two-port
system facilitates the injection of various pH solutions using independent
pressure pumps. The multicore fibre imaging system provides spatial information
about the pH environment from the intensity distribution of fluorescence
emission from the sensor attached to the fibre end facet, making use of the
cores in the fibre as independent measurement channels. As a proof-of-concept,
we performed pH measurements in micromodels through obstacles (glass and rock
beads), showing that the particle features can be clearly distinguishable from
the intensity distribution from the fibre sensor.Comment: 12 pages of main draft with 10 figures, 2 pages of supplementary
information with 3 figures. Total 14 page
Non equilibrium anisotropic excitons in atomically thin ReS
We present a systematic investigation of the electronic properties of bulk
and few layer ReS van der Waals crystals using low temperature optical
spectroscopy. Weak photoluminescence emission is observed from two
non-degenerate band edge excitonic transitions separated by 20 meV. The
comparable emission intensity of both excitonic transitions is incompatible
with a fully thermalized (Boltzmann) distribution of excitons, indicating the
hot nature of the emission. While DFT calculations predict bilayer ReS to
have a direct fundamental band gap, our optical data suggests that the
fundamental gap is indirect in all cases
CASTOR: Centauro and Strange Object Research in nucleus-nucleus collisions at LHC
We describe the CASTOR detector designed to probe the very forward,
baryon-rich rapidity region in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the LHC. We
present a phenomenological model describing the formation of a QGP fireball in
a high baryochemical potential environment, and its subsequent decay into
baryons and strangelets. The model explains Centauros and the long-penetrating
component and makes predictions for the LHC.
Simulations of Centauro-type events were done. To study the response of the
apparatus to new effects different exotic species (DCC, Centauros, strangelets
etc.) were passed through the deep calorimeter. The energy deposition pattern
in the calorimeter appears to be a new clear signature of the QGP.Comment: Talk given by E. Gladysz-Dziadus for the CASTOR group, Intern.
Workshop on Nuclear Theory, 10-15 June, 2002, Bulgaria, Rila Mountains, 15
pages, 14 figure
The effects of nonextensive statistics on fluctuations investigated in event-by-event analysis of data
We investigate the effect of nonextensive statistics as applied to the
chemical fluctuations in high-energy nuclear collisions discussed recently
using the event-by-event analysis of data. It turns out that very minuite
nonextensitivity changes drastically the expected experimental output for the
fluctuation measure. This results is in agreement with similar studies of
nonextensity performed recently for the transverse momentum fluctuations in the
same reactions.Comment: Revised version, to be published in J. Phys. G (2000
The Evolution of Cool Algols
We apply a model of dynamo-driven mass loss, magnetic braking and tidal
friction to the evolution of stars with cool convective envelopes; in
particular we apply it to binary stars where the combination of magnetic
braking and tidal friction can cause angular-momentum loss from the {\it
orbit}. For the present we consider the simplification that only one component
of a binary is subject to these non-conservative effects, but we emphasise the
need in some circumstances to permit such effects in {\it both} components.
The model is applied to examples of (i) the Sun, (ii) BY Dra binaries, (iii)
Am binaries, (iv) RS CVn binaries, (v) Algols, (vi) post-Algols. A number of
problems regarding some of these systems appear to find a natural explanation
in our model. There are indications from other systems that some coefficients
in our model may vary by a factor of 2 or so from system to system; this may be
a result of the chaotic nature of dynamo activity
Serotonin 5-HT4 receptor boosts functional maturation of dendritic spines via RhoA-dependent control of F-actin
Activity-dependent remodeling of excitatory connections underpins memory formation in the brain. Serotonin receptors are known to contribute to such remodeling, yet the underlying molecular machinery remains poorly understood. Here, we employ high-resolution time-lapse FRET imaging in neuroblastoma cells and neuronal dendrites to establish that activation of serotonin receptor 5-HT4 (5-HT4R) rapidly triggers spatially-restricted RhoA activity and G13-mediated phosphorylation of cofilin, thus locally boosting the filamentous actin fraction. In neuroblastoma cells, this leads to cell rounding and neurite retraction. In hippocampal neurons in situ, 5-HT4R-mediated RhoA activation triggers maturation of dendritic spines. This is paralleled by RhoA-dependent, transient alterations in cell excitability, as reflected by increased spontaneous synaptic activity, apparent shunting of evoked synaptic responses, and enhanced long-term potentiation of excitatory transmission. The 5-HT4R/G13/RhoA signaling thus emerges as a previously unrecognized molecular pathway underpinning use-dependent functional remodeling of excitatory synaptic connections
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