New Terms for the Compact Form of Electroweak Chiral Lagrangian

The compact form of the electroweak chiral Lagrangian is a reformulation of its original form and is expressed in terms of chiral rotated electroweak gauge fields, which is crucial for relating the information of underlying theories to the coefficients of the low-energy effective Lagrangian. However the compact form obtained in previous works is not complete. In this letter we add several new chiral invariant terms to it and discuss the contributions of these terms to the original electroweak chiral Lagrangian.Comment: 3 pages, references adde

Nitrous oxide emission in low-oxygen simultaneous nitrification and denitrification process: Sources and mechanisms

This study attempts to elucidate the emission sources and mechanisms of nitrous oxide (N2O) during simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND) process under oxygen-limiting condition. The results indicated that N2O emitted during low-oxygen SND process was 0.8±0.1mgN/gMLSS, accounting for 7.7% of the nitrogen input. This was much higher than the reported results from conventional nitrification and denitrification processes. Batch experiments revealed that nitrifier denitrification was attributed as the dominant source of N2O production. This could be well explained by the change of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) community caused by the low-oxygen condition. It was observed that during the low-oxygen SND process, AOB species capable of denitrification, i.e., Nitrosomonas europaea and Nitrosomonas-like, were enriched whilst the composition of denitrifiers was only slightly affected. N2O emission by heterotrophic denitrification was considered to be limited by the presence of oxygen and unavailability of carbon source. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd

Fabrication of hyperbranched polyamine functionalized graphene for high-efficiency removal of Pb(II) and methylene blue

© 2015 Elsevier B.V. Multifunctional hyperbranched polyamine modified graphene oxide (HPA-GO) was successfully prepared and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), zeta potential and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analyses. HPA-GO exhibited excellent adsorption performance for the removal of a heavy metal (Pb(II)) and a dye (methylene blue (MB)). The equilibrium adsorption capacity was 819.7 mg g-1 for Pb(II) and 740.7 mg g-1 for MB under the optimal conditions. The pseudo-second order equation and the Langmuir model exhibited good correlation with the adsorption kinetic and isotherm data, respectively, for these two pollutants. The thermodynamic results (ΔG0, ΔS>0) implied that the adsorption process of Pb(II) and MB was feasible, endothermic and spontaneous in nature. A possible adsorption mechanism has been proposed where chelation and electrostatic attraction dominated the adsorption of Pb(II) and π-π stacking interactions and electrostatic attraction dominated the adsorption of MB. In addition, the excellent reproducibility endowed HPA-GO with the potential for application in water treatment

Evidence-based effects of high-intensity interval training on exercise capacity and health: A review with historical perspective

Engaging in regular exercise results in a range of physiological adaptations offering benefits for exercise capacity and health, independent of age, gender or the presence of chronic diseases. Accumulating evidence shows that lack of time is a major impediment to exercise, causing physical inactivity worldwide. This issue has resulted in momentum for interval training models known to elicit higher enjoyment and induce adaptations similar to or greater than moderate-intensity continuous training, despite a lower total exercise volume. Although there is no universal definition, high-intensity interval exercise is characterized by repeated short bursts of intense activity, performed with a “near maximal” or “all-out” effort corresponding to ≥90% of maximal oxygen uptake or >75% of maximal power, with periods of rest or low-intensity exercise. Research has indicated that high-intensity interval training induces numerous physiological adaptations that improve exercise capacity (maximal oxygen uptake, aerobic endurance, anaerobic capacity etc.) and metabolic health in both clinical and healthy (athletes, active and inactive individuals without any apparent disease or disorder) populations. In this paper, a brief history of high-intensity interval training is presented, based on the novel findings of some selected studies on exercise capacity and health, starting from the early 1920s to date. Further, an overview of the mechanisms underlying the physiological adaptations in response to high-intensity interval training is provided

Fracture simulation of welded RHS X-joints using GTN damage model

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MPM based simulation for various solid deformation

Solid materials are responsible for many interesting phenomena. There are various types of them such as deformable objects and granular materials. In this paper, we present an MPM based framework to simulate the wide range of solid materials. In this framework, solid mechanics is based on the elastoplastic model, where we use von Mises criterion for deformable objects, and the Drucker-Prager model with non-associated plastic flow rules for granular materials. As a result, we can simulate different kinds of deformation of deformable objects and sloping failure for granular materials

Bacterial sex in dental plaque

Genes are transferred between bacteria in dental plaque by transduction, conjugation, and transformation. Membrane vesicles can also provide a mechanism for horizontal gene transfer. DNA transfer is considered bacterial sex, but the transfer is not parallel to processes that we associate with sex in higher organisms. Several examples of bacterial gene transfer in the oral cavity are given in this review. How frequently this occurs in dental plaque is not clear, but evidence suggests that it affects a number of the major genera present. It has been estimated that new sequences in genomes established through horizontal gene transfer can constitute up to 30% of bacterial genomes. Gene transfer can be both inter- and intrageneric, and it can also affect transient organisms. The transferred DNA can be integrated or recombined in the recipient's chromosome or remain as an extrachromosomal inheritable element. This can make dental plaque a reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes. The ability to transfer DNA is important for bacteria, making them better adapted to the harsh environment of the human mouth, and promoting their survival, virulence, and pathogenicity

Histone Deacetylases Regulate Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone I Gene Expression via Modulating Otx2-Driven Transcriptional Activity

BACKGROUND: Precise coordination of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis orchestrates the normal reproductive function. As a central regulator, the appropriate synthesis and secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone I (GnRH-I) from the hypothalamus is essential for the coordination. Recently, emerging evidence indicates that histone deacetylases (HDACs) play an important role in maintaining normal reproductive function. In this study, we identify the potential effects of HDACs on Gnrh1 gene transcription. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Inhibition of HDACs activities by trichostatin A (TSA) and valproic acid (VPA) promptly and dramatically repressed transcription of Gnrh1 gene in the mouse immortalized mature GnRH neuronal cells GT1-7. The suppression was connected with a specific region of Gnrh1 gene promoter, which contains two consensus Otx2 binding sites. Otx2 has been known to activate the basal and also enhancer-driven transcription of Gnrh1 gene. The transcriptional activity of Otx2 is negatively modulated by Grg4, a member of the Groucho-related-gene (Grg) family. In the present study, the expression of Otx2 was downregulated by TSA and VPA in GT1-7 cells, accompanied with the opposite changes of Grg4 expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that the DNA-binding activity of Otx2 to Gnrh1 gene was suppressed by TSA and VPA. Overexpression of Otx2 partly abolished the TSA- and VPA-induced downregulation of Gnrh1 gene expression. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our data indicate that HDAC inhibitors downregulate Gnrh1 gene expression via repressing Otx2-driven transcriptional activity. This study should provide an insight for our understanding on the effects of HDACs in the reproductive system and suggests that HDACs could be potential novel targets for the therapy of GnRH-related diseases