Testing Technicolor Models via Top Quark Pair Production in High Energy Photon Collisions

Pseudo-Goldstone boson contributions to $t\bar{t}$ production rates in technicolor models with and without topcolor at the $\sqrt{s}=0.5 and 1.5$ TeV photon colliders and hadron colliders are reviewed. For reasonable ranges of the parameters, the contributions are large enough to be experimentally observable. Models with topcolor, without topcolor and the MSSM with $\tan\beta\geq 1$ can be experimentally distinguished.Comment: Talk given by H.Y. Zhou at the III International Conference on Hyperons,Charm and Beauty Hadrons,Genova,Italy,June 30-July 3 199

Multiwavelength Bulge-Disk Decomposition for the Galaxy M81 (NGC 3031). I. Morphology

A panchromatic investigation of morphology for the early-type spiral galaxy M81 is presented in this paper. We perform bulge-disk decomposition in M81 images at totally 20 wavebands from FUV to NIR obtained with GALEX, Swift, SDSS, WIYN, 2MASS, WISE, and Spitzer. Morphological parameters such as Sersic index, effective radius, position angle, and axis ratio for the bulge and the disk are thus derived at all the wavebands, which enables quantifying the morphological K-correction for M81 and makes it possible to reproduce images for the bulge and the disk in the galaxy at any waveband. The morphology as a function of wavelength appears as a variable-slope trend of the Sersic index and the effective radius, in which the variations are steep at UV--optical and shallow at optical--NIR bands; the position angle and the axis ratio keep invariable at least at optical--NIR bands. It is worth noting that, the Sersic index for the bulge reaches to about 4--5 at optical and NIR bands, but drops to about 1 at UV bands. This difference brings forward a caveat that, a classical bulge is likely misidentified for a pseudo-bulge or no bulge at high redshifts where galaxies are observed through rest-frame UV channels with optical telescopes. The next work of this series is planned to study spatially resolved SEDs for the bulge and the disk, respectively, and thereby explore stellar population properties and star formation/quenching history for the the galaxy composed of the subsystems.Comment: 48 Pages, 38 Figures, 5 Tables; Accepted for Publication in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Serie

Cavernous Transformation of the Portal Vein Might Increase the Risk of Liver Abscess

Cavernous transformation of the portal vein (CTPV) is not quite common in adults, and cases with CTPV and acute liver abscess are lacking. We report a patient with CTPV inducing extrahepatic and intrahepatic obstruction, finally leading to acute liver abscess due to bile duct infection. We aim to find out the possible relationship between CTPV and acute liver abscess. A 45-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital for recurrent upper abdominal pain and distension for one year, aggravated with fever for three years. A diagnosis of CTPV and liver abscess was made by 16-slice computed tomography. Effective antibiotics and drainage were used for this patients, and she was eventually cured. When treating patients with CTPV, extrahepatic and intrahepatic obstruction, one should be aware of the presence of acute liver abscess, and empirical antibiotics might be valuable

Construction of a BAC library and mapping BAC clones to the linkage map of Barramundi, Lates calcarifer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Barramundi (<it>Lates calcarifer</it>) is an important farmed marine food fish species. Its first generation linkage map has been applied to map QTL for growth traits. To identify genes located in QTL responsible for specific traits, genomic large insert libraries are of crucial importance. We reported herein a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library and the mapping of BAC clones to the linkage map.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This BAC library consisted of 49,152 clones with an average insert size of 98 kb, representing 6.9-fold haploid genome coverage. Screening the library with 24 microsatellites and 15 ESTs/genes demonstrated that the library had good genome coverage. In addition, 62 novel microsatellites each isolated from 62 BAC clones were mapped onto the first generation linkage map. A total of 86 BAC clones were anchored on the linkage map with at least one BAC clone on each linkage group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have constructed the first BAC library for <it>L. calcarifer </it>and mapped 86 BAC clones to the first generation linkage map. This BAC library and the improved linkage map with 302 DNA markers not only supply an indispensable tool to the integration of physical and linkage maps, the fine mapping of QTL and map based cloning genes located in QTL of commercial importance, but also contribute to comparative genomic studies and eventually whole genome sequencing.</p

Monitoring of the central blood pressure waveform via a conformal ultrasonic device.

Continuous monitoring of the central-blood-pressure waveform from deeply embedded vessels, such as the carotid artery and jugular vein, has clinical value for the prediction of all-cause cardiovascular mortality. However, existing non-invasive approaches, including photoplethysmography and tonometry, only enable access to the superficial peripheral vasculature. Although current ultrasonic technologies allow non-invasive deep-tissue observation, unstable coupling with the tissue surface resulting from the bulkiness and rigidity of conventional ultrasound probes introduces usability constraints. Here, we describe the design and operation of an ultrasonic device that is conformal to the skin and capable of capturing blood-pressure waveforms at deeply embedded arterial and venous sites. The wearable device is ultrathin (240 μm) and stretchable (with strains up to 60%), and enables the non-invasive, continuous and accurate monitoring of cardiovascular events from multiple body locations, which should facilitate its use in a variety of clinical environments

Bioinformatic and functional characterization of cyclic-di-GMP metabolic proteins in Vibrio alginolyticus unveils key diguanylate cyclases controlling multiple biofilm-associated phenotypes

The biofilm lifestyle is critical for bacterial survival and proliferation in the fluctuating marine environment. Cyclic diguanylate (c-di-GMP) is a key second messenger during bacterial adaptation to various environmental signals, which has been identified as a master regulator of biofilm formation. However, little is known about whether and how c-di-GMP signaling regulates biofilm formation in Vibrio alginolyticus, a globally dominant marine pathogen. Here, a large set of 63 proteins were predicted to participate in c-di-GMP metabolism (biosynthesis or degradation) in a pathogenic V. alginolyticus strain HN08155. Guided by protein homology, conserved domains and gene context information, a representative subset of 22 c-di-GMP metabolic proteins were selected to determine which ones affect biofilm-associated phenotypes. By comparing phenotypic differences between the wild-type and mutants or overexpression strains, we found that 22 c-di-GMP metabolic proteins can separately regulate different phenotypic outputs in V. alginolyticus. The results indicated that overexpression of four c-di-GMP metabolic proteins, including VA0356, VA1591 (CdgM), VA4033 (DgcB) and VA0088, strongly enhanced rugose colony morphotypes and strengthened Congo Red (CR) binding capacity, both of which are indicators of biofilm matrix overproduction. Furthermore, rugose enhanced colonies were accompanied by increased transcript levels of extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) biosynthesis genes and decreased expression of flagellar synthesis genes compared to smooth colonies (WTpBAD control), as demonstrated by overexpression strains WTp4033 and ∆VA4033p4033. Overall, the high abundance of c-di-GMP metabolic proteins in V. alginolyticus suggests that c-di-GMP signaling and regulatory system could play a key role in its response and adaptation to the ever-changing marine environment. This work provides a robust foundation for the study of the molecular mechanisms of c-di-GMP in the biofilm formation of V. alginolyticus

MicroRNA-128 Protects Dopamine Neurons from Apoptosis and Upregulates the Expression of Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 4 in Parkinson’s Disease by Binding to AXIN1

Background/Aims: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a frequently occurring condition that resulted from the loss of midbrain neurons, which synthesize the neurotransmitter dopamine. In this study, we established mouse models of PD to investigate the expression of microRNA-128 (miR-128) and mechanism through which it affects apoptosis of dopamine (DA) neurons and the expression of excitatory amino acid transporter 4 (EAAT4) via binding to axis inhibition protein 1 (AXIN1). Methods: Gene expression microarray analysis was performed to screen differentially expressed miRNAs that are associated with PD. The targeting relationship between miR-128 and AXIN1 was verified via a bioinformatics prediction and dual-luciferase reporter gene assay. After separation, DA neurons were subjected to a series of inhibitors, activators and shRNAs to validate the mechanisms of miR-128 in controlling of AXIN1 in PD. Positive protein expression of AXIN1 and EAAT4 in DA neurons was determined using immunocytochemistry. miR-128 expression and the mRNA and protein levels of AXIN1 and EAAT4 were evaluated via RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis, respectively. DA neuron apoptosis was evaluated using TUNEL staining. Results: We identified AXIN1 as an upregulated gene in PD based on the microarray data of GSE7621. AXIN1 was targeted and negatively mediated by miR-128. In the DA neurons, upregulated miR-128 expression or sh-AXIN1 increased the positive expression rate of EAAT4 together with mRNA and protein levels, but decreased the mRNA and protein levels of AXIN1, apoptosis rate along with the positive expression rate of AXIN1; however, the opposite trend was found in response to transfection with miR-128 inhibitors. Conclusion: Evidence from experimental models revealed that miR-128 might reduce apoptosis of DA neurons while increasing the expression of EAAT4 which might be related to the downregulation of AXIN1. Thus, miR-128 may serve as a potential target for the treatment of PD

Accuracy of serological tests for COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectiveTo determine the diagnostic accuracy of serological tests for coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).MethodsPubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library were searched from January 1 2020 to September 2 2022. We included studies that measured the sensitivity, specificity or both qualities of a COVID-19 serological test and a reference standard of a viral culture or reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR). The risk of bias was assessed by using quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies 2 (QUADAS-2). The primary outcomes included overall sensitivity and specificity, as stratified by the methods of serological testing [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), lateral flow immunoassays (LFIAs) or chemiluminescent immunoassays (CLIAs)] and immunoglobulin classes (IgG, IgM, or both). Secondary outcomes were stratum-specific sensitivity and specificity within the subgroups, as defined by study or participant characteristics, which included the time from the onset of symptoms, testing via commercial kits or an in-house assay, antigen target, clinical setting, serological kit as the index test and the type of specimen for the RT–PCR reference test.ResultsEight thousand seven hundred and eighty-five references were identified and 169 studies included. Overall, we judged the risk of bias to be high in 47.9 % (81/169) of the studies, and a low risk of applicability concerns was found in 100% (169/169) of the studies. For each method of testing, the pooled sensitivity of the ELISAs ranged from 81 to 82%, with sensitivities ranging from 69 to 70% for the LFIAs and 77% to 79% for the CLIAs. Among the evaluated tests, IgG (80–81%)-based tests exhibited better sensitivities than IgM-based tests (66–68%). IgG/IgM-based CLIA had the highest sensitivity [87% (86–88%)]. All of the tests displayed high specificity (97–98%). Heterogeneity was observed in all of the analyses. The detection of nucleocapsid protein (77–80%) as the antigen target was found to offer higher sensitivity results than surface protein detection (66–68%). Sensitivity was higher in the in-house assays (78–79%) than in the commercial kits (47–48%).ConclusionAmong the evaluated tests, ELISA and CLIA tests performed better in terms of sensitivity than did the LFIA. IgG-based tests had higher sensitivity than IgM-based tests, and combined IgG/IgM test-based CLIA tests had the best overall diagnostic test accuracy. The type of sample, serological kit and timing of use of the specific tests were associated with the diagnostic accuracy. Due to the limitations of the serological tests, other techniques should be quickly approved to provide guidance for the correct diagnosis of COVID-19