B→SB\to S Transition Form Factors in the PQCD approach

Under two different scenarios for the light scalar mesons, we investigate the transition form factors of $B(B_s)$ mesons decay into a scalar meson in the perturbative QCD approach. In the large recoiling region, the form factors are dominated by the short-distance dynamics and can be calculated using perturbation theory. We adopt the dipole parametrization to recast the $q^2$ dependence of the form factors. Since the decay constants defined by the scalar current are large, our predictions on the $B\to S$ form factors are much larger than the $B\to P$ transitions, especially in the second scenario. Contributions from various light-cone distribution amplitudes (LCDAs) are elaborated and we find that the twist-3 LCDAs provide more than a half contributions to the form factors. The two terms of the twist-2 LCDAs give destructive contributions in the first scenario while they give constructive contributions in the second scenario. With the form factors, we also predict the decay width and branching ratios of the semileptonic $B\to Sl\bar\nu$ and $B\to Sl^+l^-$ decays. The branching ratios of $B\to Sl\bar\nu$ channels are found to have the order of $10^{-4}$ while those of $B\to Sl^+l^-$ have the order of $10^{-7}$. These predictions can be tested by the future experiments.Comment: 20 pages, 31 figure

FFAS server: novel features and applications.

The Fold and Function Assignment System (FFAS) server [Jaroszewski et al. (2005) FFAS03: a server for profile-profile sequence alignments. Nucleic Acids Research, 33, W284-W288] implements the algorithm for protein profile-profile alignment introduced originally in [Rychlewski et al. (2000) Comparison of sequence profiles. Strategies for structural predictions using sequence information. Protein Science: a Publication of the Protein Society, 9, 232-241]. Here, we present updates, changes and novel functionality added to the server since 2005 and discuss its new applications. The sequence database used to calculate sequence profiles was enriched by adding sets of publicly available metagenomic sequences. The profile of a user's protein can now be compared with ∼20 additional profile databases, including several complete proteomes, human proteins involved in genetic diseases and a database of microbial virulence factors. A newly developed interface uses a system of tabs, allowing the user to navigate multiple results pages, and also includes novel functionality, such as a dotplot graph viewer, modeling tools, an improved 3D alignment viewer and links to the database of structural similarities. The FFAS server was also optimized for speed: running times were reduced by an order of magnitude. The FFAS server, http://ffas.godziklab.org, has no log-in requirement, albeit there is an option to register and store results in individual, password-protected directories. Source code and Linux executables for the FFAS program are available for download from the FFAS server

Recent progress in the asymmetric Mannich reaction

The asymmetric Mannich reaction is one of the most useful carbon-carbon bond forming reactions for the synthesis of chiral molecules containing nitrogen. The resulting β-amino carbonyl compounds are valuable synthons in the preparation of many natural products with useful biological properties. In recent years, asymmetric Mannich processes have increasingly been reported and used in a rapidly growing number of applications. This review provides an overview of the recent history of the applications of various catalytic systems in asymmetric Mannich reaction, including metal-based asymmetric organocatalysis, asymmetric organocatalysis, other chiral catalysis and no chiral catalysis systems

Life fingerprints of nuclear reactions in the body of animals

Nuclear reactions are a very important natural phenomenon in the universe. On the earth, cosmic rays constantly cause nuclear reactions. High energy beams created by medical devices also induce nuclear reactions in the human body. The biological role of these nuclear reactions is unknown. Here we show that the in vivo biological systems are exquisite and sophisticated by nature in influence on nuclear reactions and in resistance to radical damage in the body of live animals. In this study, photonuclear reactions in the body of live or dead animals were induced with 50-MeV irradiation. Tissue nuclear reactions were detected by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of the induced beta+ activity. We found the unique tissue "fingerprints" of beta+ (the tremendous difference in beta+ activities and tissue distribution patterns among the individuals) are imprinted in all live animals. Within any individual, the tissue "fingerprints" of 15O and 11C are also very different. When the animal dies, the tissue "fingerprints" are lost. The biochemical, rather than physical, mechanisms could play a critical role in the phenomenon of tissue "fingerprints". Radiolytic radical attack caused millions-fold increases in 15O and 11C activities via different biochemical mechanisms, i.e. radical-mediated hydroxylation and peroxidation respectively, and more importantly the bio-molecular functions (such as the chemical reactivity and the solvent accessibility to radicals). In practice biologically for example, radical attack can therefore be imaged in vivo in live animals and humans using PET for life science research, disease prevention, and personalized radiation therapy based on an individual's bio-molecular response to ionizing radiation

A Coaxially Integrated Photonic Orbital Angular Momentum Beam Multiplexer

We demonstrate an integrated photonic orbital angular momentum beam multiplexer consisting of four nested arc waveguide gratings. Well-defined OAM mode emissions over wide bandwidth of 1-nm enables simultaneous wavelength division multiplexing and OAM multiplexing

Purification and characterization of Aspergillus niger α-L-rhamnosidase for the biotransformation of naringin to prunin

This study was conducted to increase the bioactivity of litchi pericarp polysaccharides (LPPs) biotransformed by Aspergillus awamori. Comparedtothenon-A. awamori-fermented LPP, the growth effects of A. awamori-fermented LPP on Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus were four and two times higher after 3 days of fermentation, respectively. Increased 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity and DNA protection activity of litchi pericarp polysaccharides were also achieved after A. awamori fermentation. Moreover, the relative content of glucose and arabinose in LPP after fermentation decreased from 58.82% to 22.60% and from 18.82% to 10.09%, respectively, with a concomitant increase in the relative contents of galactose, rhamnose, xylose, and mannose. Furthermore, lower molecular weight polysaccharides were obtained after A. awamori fermentation. It can be concluded that A. awamori was effective in biotransforming LPP into a bioactive mixture with lower molecular weight polysaccharides and higher antioxidant activity and relative galactose content