210 research outputs found
Statistical analysis of excitation functions for elastic and inelastic scattering of -particles on Mg and Si nuclei
The excitation functions for inelastic -scattering leading to the low lying excited states in Mg and Si were measured at = 170°, 175° and 179° in the LAB energy range 22.75–28.40 MeV. Statistical analysis of these excitation functions and those previously measured for elastic scattering was performed. The direct interaction contribution to the reaction studied was obtained from probability distributions of cross sections and from correlation coefficients. Cross correlation coefficients between different reaction channels were calculated
Two-proton correlations from 158 AGeV Pb+Pb central collisions
The two-proton correlation function at midrapidity from Pb+Pb central
collisions at 158 AGeV has been measured by the NA49 experiment. The results
are compared to model predictions from static thermal Gaussian proton source
distributions and transport models RQMD and VENUS. An effective proton source
size is determined by minimizing CHI-square/ndf between the correlation
functions of the data and those calculated for the Gaussian sources, yielding
3.85 +-0.15(stat.) +0.60-0.25(syst.) fm. Both the RQMD and the VENUS model are
consistent with the data within the error in the correlation peak region.Comment: RevTeX style, 6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. More discussion are added
about the structure on the tail of the correlation function. The systematic
error is revised. To appear in Phys. Lett.
Baryon Stopping and Charged Particle Distributions in Central Pb+Pb Collisions at 158 GeV per Nucleon
Net proton and negative hadron spectra for central \PbPb collisions at 158
GeV per nucleon at the CERN SPS were measured and compared to spectra from
lighter systems. Net baryon distributions were derived from those of net
protons, utilizing model calculations of isospin contributions as well as data
and model calculations of strange baryon distributions. Stopping (rapidity
shift with respect to the beam) and mean transverse momentum \meanpt of net
baryons increase with system size. The rapidity density of negative hadrons
scales with the number of participant nucleons for nuclear collisions, whereas
their \meanpt is independent of system size. The \meanpt dependence upon
particle mass and system size is consistent with larger transverse flow
velocity at midrapidity for \PbPb compared to \SS central collisions.Comment: This version accepted for publication in PRL. 4 pages, 3 figures.
Typos corrected, some paragraphs expanded in response to referee comments, to
better explain details of analysi
Event-by-event fluctuations of average transverse momentum in central Pb+Pb collisions at 158 GeV per nucleon
We present first data on event-by-event fluctuations in the average
transverse momentum of charged particles produced in Pb+Pb collisions at the
CERN SPS. This measurement provides previously unavailable information allowing
sensitive tests of microscopic and thermodynamic collision models and to search
for fluctuations expected to occur in the vicinity of the predicted QCD phase
transition. We find that the observed variance of the event-by-event average
transverse momentum is consistent with independent particle production modified
by the known two-particle correlations due to quantum statistics and final
state interactions and folded with the resolution of the NA49 apparatus. For
two specific models of non-statistical fluctuations in transverse momentum
limits are derived in terms of fluctuation amplitude. We show that a
significant part of the parameter space for a model of isospin fluctuations
predicted as a consequence of chiral symmetry restoration in a non-equilibrium
scenario is excluded by our measurement.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Lett.
Experimental Study of the Shortest Reset Word of Random Automata
In this paper we describe an approach to finding the shortest reset word of a
finite synchronizing automaton by using a SAT solver. We use this approach to
perform an experimental study of the length of the shortest reset word of a
finite synchronizing automaton. The largest automata we considered had 100
states. The results of the experiments allow us to formulate a hypothesis that
the length of the shortest reset word of a random finite automaton with
states and 2 input letters with high probability is sublinear with respect to
and can be estimated as $1.95 n^{0.55}.
Antibodies against Immature Virions Are Not a Discriminating Factor for Dengue Disease Severity
Humoral immunity plays an important role in controlling dengue virus (DENV) infection. Antibodies (Abs) developed during primary infection protect against subsequent infection with the same dengue serotype, but can enhance disease following secondary infection with a heterologous serotype. A DENV virion has two surface proteins, envelope protein E and (pre)-membrane protein (pr)M, and inefficient cleavage of the prM protein during maturation of progeny virions leads to the secretion of immature and partially immature particles. Interestingly, we and others found that historically regarded non-infectious prM-containing DENV particles can become highly infectious in the presence of E- and prM-Abs. Accordingly, we hypothesized that these virions contribute to the exacerbation of disease during secondary infection. Here, we tested this hypothesis and investigated the ability of acute sera of 30 DENV2-infected patients with different grades of disease severity, to bind, neutralize and/or enhance immature DENV2. We found that a significant fraction of serum Abs bind to the prM protein and to immature virions, but we observed no significant difference between the disease severity groups. Furthermore, functional analysis of the Abs did not underscore any specific correlation between the neutralizing/enhancing activity towards immature DENV2 and the development of more severe disease. Based on our analysis of acute sera, we conclude that Abs binding to immature virions are not a discriminating factor in dengue pathogenesis
A human PrM antibody that recognizes a novel cryptic epitope on dengue E glycoprotein
10.1371/journal.pone.0033451PLoS ONE74
Advanced Paternal Age Is Associated with Impaired Neurocognitive Outcomes during Infancy and Childhood
Using a sample of children from the US Collaborative Perinatal Project, John McGrath and colleagues show that the offspring of older fathers exhibit subtle impairments on tests of neurocognitive ability during infancy and childhood
Replication in Cells of Hematopoietic Origin Is Necessary for Dengue Virus Dissemination
Dengue virus (DENV) is a mosquito-borne pathogen for which no vaccine or specific therapeutic is available. Although it is well established that dendritic cells and macrophages are primary sites of DENV replication, it remains unclear whether non-hematopoietic cellular compartments serve as virus reservoirs. Here, we exploited hematopoietic-specific microRNA-142 (miR-142) to control virus tropism by inserting tandem target sites into the virus to restrict replication exclusively in this cell population. In vivo use of this virus restricted infection of CD11b+, CD11c+, and CD45+ cells, resulting in a loss of virus spread, regardless of the route of administration. Furthermore, sequencing of the targeted virus population that persisted at low levels, demonstrated total excision of the inserted miR-142 target sites. The complete conversion of the virus population under these selective conditions suggests that these immune cells are the predominant sources of virus amplification. Taken together, this work highlights the importance of hematopoietic cells for DENV replication and showcases an invaluable tool for the study of virus pathogenesis
Human macrophages differentiated in the presence of vitamin D3 restrict dengue virus infection and innate responses by downregulating mannose receptor expression
ABSTARCT: Severe dengue disease is associated with high viral loads and overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines, suggesting impairment in the control of dengue virus (DENV) and the mechanisms that regulate cytokine production. Vitamin D3 has been described as an important modulator of immune responses to several pathogens. Interestingly, increasing evidence has associated vitamin D with decreased DENV infection and early disease recovery, yet the molecular mechanisms whereby vitamin D reduces DENV infection are not well understood. METHODS AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Macrophages represent important cell targets for DENV replication and consequently, they are key drivers of dengue disease. In this study we evaluated the effect of vitamin D3 on the differentiation of monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) and their susceptibility and cytokine response to DENV. Our data demonstrate that MDM differentiated in the presence of vitamin D3 (D3-MDM) restrict DENV infection and moderate the classical inflammatory cytokine response. Mechanistically, vitamin D3-driven differentiation led to reduced surface expression of C-type lectins including the mannose receptor (MR, CD206) that is known to act as primary receptor for DENV attachment on macrophages and to trigger of immune signaling. Consequently, DENV bound less efficiently to vitamin D3-differentiated macrophages, leading to lower infection. Interestingly, IL-4 enhanced infection was reduced in D3-MDM by restriction of MR expression. Moreover, we detected moderate secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-10 in D3-MDM, likely due to less MR engagement during DENV infection. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:
Our findings reveal a molecular mechanism by which vitamin D counteracts DENV infection and progression of severe disease, and indicates its potential relevance as a preventive or therapeutic candidate
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