239 research outputs found
Discussion on a possible neutrino detector located in India
We have identified some important and worthwhile physics opportunitites with
a possible neutrino detector located in India. Particular emphasis is placed on
the geographical advantage with a stress on the complimentary aspects with
respect to other neutrino detectors already in operation.Comment: 9 pages; arXiv copy of published proceedings contributio
A Large Scale Double Beta and Dark Matter Experiment: GENIUS
The recent results from the HEIDELBERG-MOSCOW experiment have demonstrated
the large potential of double beta decay to search for new physics beyond the
Standard Model. To increase by a major step the present sensitivity for double
beta decay and dark matter search much bigger source strengths and much lower
backgrounds are needed than used in experiments under operation at present or
under construction. We present here a study of a project proposed recently,
which would operate one ton of 'naked' enriched GErmanium-detectors in liquid
NItrogen as shielding in an Underground Setup (GENIUS). It improves the
sensitivity to neutrino masses to 0.01 eV. A ten ton version would probe
neutrino masses even down to 10^-3 eV. The first version would allow to test
the atmospheric neutrino problem, the second at least part of the solar
neutrino problem. Both versions would allow in addition significant
contributions to testing several classes of GUT models. These are especially
tests of R-parity breaking supersymmetry models, leptoquark masses and
mechanism and right-handed W-boson masses comparable to LHC. The second issue
of the experiment is the search for dark matter in the universe. The entire
MSSM parameter space for prediction of neutralinos as dark matter particles
could be covered already in a first step of the full experiment - with the same
purity requirements but using only 100 kg of 76Ge or even of natural Ge -
making the experiment competitive to LHC in the search for supersymmetry.
The layout of the proposed experiment is discussed and the shielding and
purity requirements are studied using GEANT Monte Carlo simulations. As a
demonstration of the feasibility of the experiment first results of operating a
'naked' Ge detector in liquid nitrogen are presented.Comment: 22 pages, 12 figures, see also
http://pluto.mpi-hd.mpg.de/~betalit/genius.htm
Planetary Dynamics and Habitable Planet Formation In Binary Star Systems
Whether binaries can harbor potentially habitable planets depends on several
factors including the physical properties and the orbital characteristics of
the binary system. While the former determines the location of the habitable
zone (HZ), the latter affects the dynamics of the material from which
terrestrial planets are formed (i.e., planetesimals and planetary embryos), and
drives the final architecture of the planets assembly. In order for a habitable
planet to form in a binary star system, these two factors have to work in
harmony. That is, the orbital dynamics of the two stars and their interactions
with the planet-forming material have to allow terrestrial planet formation in
the habitable zone, and ensure that the orbit of a potentially habitable planet
will be stable for long times. We have organized this chapter with the same
order in mind. We begin by presenting a general discussion on the motion of
planets in binary stars and their stability. We then discuss the stability of
terrestrial planets, and the formation of potentially habitable planets in a
binary-planetary system.Comment: 56 pages, 29 figures, chapter to appear in the book: Planets in
Binary Star Systems (Ed. N. Haghighipour, Springer publishing company
Soft Image Segmentation: On the Clustering of Irregular, Weighted, Multivariate Marked Networks
The contribution exposes and illustrates a general, flexible formalism, together with an associated iterative procedure, aimed at determining soft memberships of marked nodes in a weighted network. Gathering together spatial entities which are both spatially close and similar regarding their features is an issue relevant in image segmentation, spatial clustering, and data analysis in general. Unoriented weighted networks are specified by an ``exchange matrix", determining the probability to select a pair of neighbors. We present a family of membership-dependent free energies, whose local minimization specifies soft clusterings. The free energy additively combines a mutual information, as well as various energy terms, concave or convex in the memberships: within-group inertia, generalized cuts (extending weighted Ncut and modularity), and membership discontinuities (generalizing Dirichlet forms). The framework is closely related to discrete Markov models, random walks, label propagation and spatial autocorrelation (Moran's I), and can express the Mumford-Shah approach. Four small datasets illustrate the theory
The Evolution of Compact Binary Star Systems
We review the formation and evolution of compact binary stars consisting of
white dwarfs (WDs), neutron stars (NSs), and black holes (BHs). Binary NSs and
BHs are thought to be the primary astrophysical sources of gravitational waves
(GWs) within the frequency band of ground-based detectors, while compact
binaries of WDs are important sources of GWs at lower frequencies to be covered
by space interferometers (LISA). Major uncertainties in the current
understanding of properties of NSs and BHs most relevant to the GW studies are
discussed, including the treatment of the natal kicks which compact stellar
remnants acquire during the core collapse of massive stars and the common
envelope phase of binary evolution. We discuss the coalescence rates of binary
NSs and BHs and prospects for their detections, the formation and evolution of
binary WDs and their observational manifestations. Special attention is given
to AM CVn-stars -- compact binaries in which the Roche lobe is filled by
another WD or a low-mass partially degenerate helium-star, as these stars are
thought to be the best LISA verification binary GW sources.Comment: 105 pages, 18 figure
Metabolic labeling of RNA uncovers principles of RNA production and degradation dynamics in mammalian cells
available in PMC 2011 November 01.Cellular RNA levels are determined by the interplay of RNA production, processing and degradation. However, because most studies of RNA regulation do not distinguish the separate contributions of these processes, little is known about how they are temporally integrated. Here we combine metabolic labeling of RNA at high temporal resolution with advanced RNA quantification and computational modeling to estimate RNA transcription and degradation rates during the response of mouse dendritic cells to lipopolysaccharide. We find that changes in transcription rates determine the majority of temporal changes in RNA levels, but that changes in degradation rates are important for shaping sharp 'peaked' responses. We used sequencing of the newly transcribed RNA population to estimate temporally constant RNA processing and degradation rates genome wide. Degradation rates vary significantly between genes and contribute to the observed differences in the dynamic response. Certain transcripts, including those encoding cytokines and transcription factors, mature faster. Our study provides a quantitative approach to study the integrative process of RNA regulation.Human Frontier Science Program (Strasbourg, France)Howard Hughes Medical InstituteBurroughs Wellcome Fund (Career Award at the Scientific Interface
Systematic Analysis of Cis-Elements in Unstable mRNAs Demonstrates that CUGBP1 Is a Key Regulator of mRNA Decay in Muscle Cells
BACKGROUND: Dramatic changes in gene expression occur in response to extracellular stimuli and during differentiation. Although transcriptional effects are important, alterations in mRNA decay also play a major role in achieving rapid and massive changes in mRNA abundance. Moreover, just as transcription factor activity varies between different cell types, the factors influencing mRNA decay are also cell-type specific. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have established the rates of decay for over 7000 transcripts expressed in mouse C2C12 myoblasts. We found that GU-rich (GRE) and AU-rich (ARE) elements are over-represented in the 3'UTRs of short-lived mRNAs and that these mRNAs tend to encode factors involved in cell cycle and transcription regulation. Stabilizing elements were also identified. By comparing mRNA decay rates in C2C12 cells with those previously measured for pluripotent and differentiating embryonic stem (ES) cells, we identified several groups of transcripts that exhibit cell-type specific decay rates. Further, whereas in C2C12 cells the impact of GREs on mRNA decay appears to be greater than that of AREs, AREs are more significant in ES cells, supporting the idea that cis elements make a cell-specific contribution to mRNA stability. GREs are recognized by CUGBP1, an RNA-binding protein and instability factor whose function is affected in several neuromuscular diseases. We therefore utilized RNA immunoprecipitation followed by microarray (RIP-Chip) to identify CUGBP1-associated transcripts. These mRNAs also showed dramatic enrichment of GREs in their 3'UTRs and encode proteins linked with cell cycle, and intracellular transport. Interestingly several CUGBP1 substrate mRNAs, including those encoding the myogenic transcription factors Myod1 and Myog, are also bound by the stabilizing factor HuR in C2C12 cells. Finally, we show that several CUGBP1-associated mRNAs containing 3'UTR GREs, including Myod1, are stabilized in cells depleted of CUGBP1, consistent with the role of CUGBP1 as a destabilizing factor. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results systematically establish cis-acting determinants of mRNA decay rates in C2C12 myoblast cells and demonstrate that CUGBP1 associates with GREs to regulate decay of a wide range of mRNAs including several that are critical for muscle development
Social features of online networks: the strength of intermediary ties in online social media
An increasing fraction of today social interactions occur using online social
media as communication channels. Recent worldwide events, such as social
movements in Spain or revolts in the Middle East, highlight their capacity to
boost people coordination. Online networks display in general a rich internal
structure where users can choose among different types and intensity of
interactions. Despite of this, there are still open questions regarding the
social value of online interactions. For example, the existence of users with
millions of online friends sheds doubts on the relevance of these relations. In
this work, we focus on Twitter, one of the most popular online social networks,
and find that the network formed by the basic type of connections is organized
in groups. The activity of the users conforms to the landscape determined by
such groups. Furthermore, Twitter's distinction between different types of
interactions allows us to establish a parallelism between online and offline
social networks: personal interactions are more likely to occur on internal
links to the groups (the weakness of strong ties), events transmitting new
information go preferentially through links connecting different groups (the
strength of weak ties) or even more through links connecting to users belonging
to several groups that act as brokers (the strength of intermediary ties).Comment: 14 pages, 18 figure
Neonatal Fc Receptor: From Immunity to Therapeutics
The neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn), also known as the Brambell receptor and encoded by Fcgrt, is a MHC class I like molecule that functions to protect IgG and albumin from catabolism, mediates transport of IgG across epithelial cells, and is involved in antigen presentation by professional antigen presenting cells. Its function is evident in early life in the transport of IgG from mother to fetus and neonate for passive immunity and later in the development of adaptive immunity and other functions throughout life. The unique ability of this receptor to prolong the half-life of IgG and albumin has guided engineering of novel therapeutics. Here, we aim to summarize the basic understanding of FcRn biology, its functions in various organs, and the therapeutic design of antibody- and albumin-based therapeutics in light of their interactions with FcRn
Attenuation of Skeletal Muscle and Renal Injury to the Lower Limb following Ischemia-Reperfusion Using mPTP Inhibitor NIM-811.
INTRODUCTION: Operation on the infrarenal aorta and large arteries of the lower extremities may cause rhabdomyolysis of the skeletal muscle, which in turn may induce remote kidney injury. NIM-811 (N-metyl-4-isoleucine-cyclosporine) is a mitochondria specific drug, which can prevent ischemic-reperfusion (IR) injury, by inhibiting mitochondrial permeability transition pores (mPTP). OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to reduce damages in the skeletal muscle and the kidney after IR of the lower limb with NIM-811. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wistar rats underwent 180 minutes of bilateral lower limb ischemia and 240 minutes of reperfusion. Four animal groups were formed called Sham (receiving vehicle and sham surgery), NIM-Sham (receiving NIM-811 and sham surgery), IR (receiving vehicle and surgery), and NIM-IR (receiving NIM-811 and surgery). Serum, urine and histological samples were taken at the end of reperfusion. NADH-tetrazolium staining, muscle Wet/Dry (W/D) ratio calculations, laser Doppler-flowmetry (LDF) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) monitoring were performed. Renal peroxynitrite concentration, serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels were measured. RESULTS: Less significant histopathological changes were observable in the NIM-IR group as compared with the IR group. Serum K+ and necroenzyme levels were significantly lower in the NIM-IR group than in the IR group (LDH: p<0.001; CK: p<0.001; K+: p = 0.017). Muscle mitochondrial viability proved to be significantly higher (p = 0.001) and renal function parameters were significantly better (creatinine: p = 0.016; FENa: p<0.001) in the NIM-IR group in comparison to the IR group. Serum TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels were significantly lower (TNF-alpha: p = 0.003, IL-6: p = 0.040) as well as W/D ratio and peroxynitrite concentration were significantly lower (p = 0.014; p<0.001) in the NIM-IR group than in the IR group. CONCLUSION: NIM-811 could have the potential of reducing rhabdomyolysis and impairment of the kidney after lower limb IR injury
- …