Effects of cosmic strings with delayed scaling on CMB anisotropy

The network of cosmic strings generated in a phase transition during inflation enters the scaling regime later than that of usual strings. If it occurs after the recombination, temperature anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at high multipole moments are significantly reduced. In this paper, we study such effects qualitatively and show that the constraint on the cosmic string tension from the CMB temperature anisotropies and B-mode polarizations can be relaxed. It is shown to be difficult to explain the recent BICEP2 and POLARBEAR results in terms of signals induced by cosmic strings alone even if we take into account the delayed scaling. However, the inflationary tensor-to-scalar ratio required to explain the observed B-mode signals can be slightly reduced to be consistent with the Planck constraint.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures; v2: comments and references added, matches version published in PR

Antenna System Composed of T-Shaped Elements Coupled to an Open Radial Waveguide

An antenna system composed of an activated open radial waveguide (RadWG) and parasitic T-shaped elements is proposed as a high-gain antenna, where the radiation beam is steerable around the system axis. The T-shaped elements are proximity-coupled to the RadWG. It is found that the upper round plate for the RadWG contributes to forming a desirable beam and increasing the gain. The beam steering with a gain of greater than targeted 9 dBi in 16 azimuthal directions is obtained by changing the location of open-state T-shaped elements whose height is 0.18 wavelength. Effects on the radiation characteristics of the system parameters, including the RadWG height, upper round plate diameter, ground plane diameter, and number of open-state T-shaped elements, are also analyzed and discussed

IRAK1-dependent Regnase-1-14-3-3 complex formation controls Regnase-1-mediated mRNA decay

炎症が制御される新たなメカニズムの解明 --タンパク質「14-3-3」を介した新たなRegnase-1の抑制機序--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-10-19.Regnase-1 is an endoribonuclease crucial for controlling inflammation by degrading mRNAs encoding cytokines and inflammatory mediators in mammals. However, it is unclear how Regnase-1-mediated mRNA decay is controlled in interleukin (IL)-1β- or Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligand-stimulated cells. Here, by analyzing the Regnase-1 interactome, we found that IL-1β or TLR stimulus dynamically induced the formation of Regnase-1-β-transducin repeat-containing protein (βTRCP) complex. Importantly, we also uncovered a novel interaction between Regnase-1 and 14-3-3 in both mouse and human cells. In IL-1R/TLR-stimulated cells, the Regnase-1-14-3-3 interaction is mediated by IRAK1 through a previously uncharacterized C-terminal structural domain. Phosphorylation of Regnase-1 at S494 and S513 is critical for Regnase-1-14-3-3 interaction, while a different set of phosphorylation sites of Regnase-1 is known to be required for the recognition by βTRCP and proteasome-mediated degradation. We found that Regnase-1-14-3-3 and Regnase-1-βTRCP interactions are not sequential events. Rather, 14-3-3 protects Regnase-1 from βTRCP-mediated degradation. On the other hand, 14-3-3 abolishes Regnase-1-mediated mRNA decay by inhibiting Regnase-1-mRNA association. In addition, nuclear-cytoplasmic shuttling of Regnase-1 is abrogated by 14-3-3 interaction. Taken together, the results suggest that a novel inflammation-induced interaction of 14-3-3 with Regnase-1 stabilizes inflammatory mRNAs by sequestering Regnase-1 in the cytoplasm to prevent mRNA recognition

Symptomatic periesophageal vagal nerve injury by different energy sources during atrial fibrillation ablation

BackgroundSymptomatic gastric hypomotility (SGH) is a rare but major complication of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation, but data on this are scarce.ObjectiveWe compared the clinical course of SGH occurring with different energy sources.MethodsThis multicenter study retrospectively collected the characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients with SGH after AF ablation.ResultsThe data of 93 patients (67.0 ± 11.2 years, 68 men, 52 paroxysmal AF) with SGH after AF ablation were collected from 23 cardiovascular centers. Left atrial (LA) ablation sets included pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) alone, a PVI plus a roof-line, and an LA posterior wall isolation in 42 (45.2%), 11 (11.8%), and 40 (43.0%) patients, respectively. LA ablation was performed by radiofrequency ablation, cryoballoon ablation, or both in 38 (40.8%), 38 (40.8%), and 17 (18.3%) patients, respectively. SGH diagnoses were confirmed at 2 (1–4) days post-procedure, and 28 (30.1%) patients required re-hospitalizations. Fasting was required in 81 (92.0%) patients for 4 (2.5–5) days; the total hospitalization duration was 11 [7–19.8] days. After conservative treatment, symptoms disappeared in 22.3% of patients at 1 month, 48.9% at 2 months, 57.6% at 3 months, 84.6% at 6 months, and 89.7% at 12 months, however, one patient required surgery after radiofrequency ablation. Symptoms persisted for >1-year post-procedure in 7 patients. The outcomes were similar regardless of the energy source and LA lesion set.ConclusionsThe clinical course of SGH was similar regardless of the energy source. The diagnosis was often delayed, and most recovered within 6 months, yet could persist for over 1 year in 10%