On Potentials Integrated by the Nikiforov-Uvarov Method

We discuss basic potentials of the nonrelativistic and relativistic quantum mechanics that can be integrated in the Nikiforov and Uvarov paradigm with the aid of a computer algebra system. This consideration may help the readers to study analytical methods of quantum physics.Comment: 50 pages, 18 tables; 3 figures; complementary Mathematica notebook is available from the author

Freely falling 2-surfaces and the quasi-local energy

We derive an expression for effective gravitational mass for any closed spacelike 2-surface. This effective gravitational energy is defined directly through the geometrical quantity of the freely falling 2-surface and thus is well adapted to intuitive expectation that the gravitational mass should be determined by the motion of test body moving freely in gravitational field. We find that this effective gravitational mass has reasonable positive value for a small sphere in the non-vacuum space-times and can be negative for vacuum case. Further, this effective gravitational energy is compared with the quasi-local energy based on the $(2+2)$ formalism of the General Relativity. Although some gauge freedoms exist, analytic expressions of the quasi-local energy for vacuum cases are same as the effective gravitational mass. Especially, we see that the contribution from the cosmological constant is the same in general cases.Comment: 11 pages, no figures, REVTeX. Estimation of the effective mass of small spheres in non-vaccum spacetime and Schwarzschild spacetime are added. The negativity of the latter is discusse

Characterization of BNL and HPK AC-LGAD sensors with a 120 GeV proton beam

We present measurements of AC-LGADs performed at the Fermilab's test beam facility using 120 GeV protons. We studied the performance of various strip and pad AC-LGAD sensors that were produced by BNL and HPK. The measurements are performed with our upgraded test beam setup that utilizes a high precision telescope tracker, and a simultaneous readout of up to 7 channels per sensor, which allows detailed studies of signal sharing characteristics. These measurements allow us to assess the differences in designs between different manufacturers, and optimize them based on experimental performance. We then study several reconstruction algorithms to optimize position and time resolutions that utilize the signal sharing properties of each sensor. We present a world's first demonstration of silicon sensors in a test beam that simultaneously achieve better than 6-10 micron position and 30 ps time resolution. This represents a substantial improvement to the spatial resolution than would be obtained with binary readout of sensors with similar pitch

Development of multiple regions tracking system to reduce inter and intra-fractional error for proton therapy

PTCOG49 - 49th Annual Meeting of the Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group Scientific Meeting, 2010This is to certificate of the Outstanding Poster Award of the 49th Annual Meeting of the Particle Therapy Co-Operative Group, Scientific Meeting, 2010. (Category: Physics, 5/21/2010

Polyamine metabolism is involved in adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 cells

Polyamines spermidine and spermine are known to be required for mammalian cell proliferation and for embryonic development. Alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) a limiting enzyme of polyamine biosynthesis, depleted the cellular polyamines and prevented triglyceride accumulation and differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells. In this study, to explore the function of polyamines in adipogenesis, we examined the effect of polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors on adipocyte differentiation and lipid accumulation of 3T3-L1 cells. The spermidine synthase inhibitor trans-4-methylcyclohexylamine (MCHA) increased spermine/spermidine ratios, whereas the spermine synthase inhibitor N-(3-aminopropyl)-cyclohexylamine (APCHA) decreased the ratios in the cells. MCHA was found to decrease lipid accumulation and GPDH activity during differentiation, while APCHA increased lipid accumulation and GPDH activity indicating the enhancement of differentiation. The polyamine-acetylating enzyme, spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) activity was increased within a few hours after stimulus for differentiation, and was found to be elevated by APCHA. In mature adipocytes APCHA decreased lipid accumulation while MCHA had the opposite effect. An acetylpolyamine oxidase and spermine oxidase inhibitor MDL72527 or an antioxidant N-acetylcysteine prevented the promoting effect of APCHA on adipogenesis. These results suggest that not only spermine/spermidine ratios but also polyamine catabolic enzyme activity may contribute to adipogenesis

Identification of tuberculosis-associated proteins in whole blood supernatant

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Biological parameters are useful tools for understanding and monitoring complicated disease processes. In this study, we attempted to identify proteins associated with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) using a proteomic approach.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To assess TB-associated changes in the composition of human proteins, whole blood supernatants were collected from patients with active TB and healthy control subjects. Two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) was performed to analyze proteins with high molecular weights (approximately >20 kDa). Baseline protein levels were initially compared between patients with active TB and control subjects. Possible changes of protein patterns in active TB were also compared <it>ex vivo </it>between whole blood samples incubated with <it>Mycobacterium tuberculosis </it>(<it>Mtb</it>)-specific antigens (stimulated condition) and under unstimulated conditions. Immunoblot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were performed to confirm differences in identified proteins.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Under the baseline condition, we found that the levels of retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4), fetuin-A (also called α-HS-glycoprotein), and vitamin D-binding protein differed between patients with active TB and control subjects on 2D gels. Immunoblotting results confirmed differential expression of RBP4 and fetuin-A. ELISA results further confirmed significantly lower levels of these two proteins in samples from patients with active TB than in control subjects (<it>P </it>< 0.0001). <it>Mtb</it>-specific antigen stimulation <it>ex vivo </it>altered clusterin expression in whole blood samples collected from patients with active TB.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We identified TB-associated proteins in whole blood supernatants. The dynamics of protein expression during disease progression may improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of TB.</p

Predictors of anti-convulsant treatment failure in children presenting with malaria and prolonged seizures in Kampala, Uganda

BACKGROUND: In endemic areas, falciparum malaria remains the leading cause of seizures in children presenting to emergency departments. In addition, seizures in malaria have been shown to increase morbidity and mortality in these patients. The management of seizures in malaria is sometimes complicated by the refractory nature of these seizures to readily available anti-convulsants. The objective of this study was to determine predictors of anti-convulsant treatment failure and seizure recurrence after initial control among children with malaria. METHODS: In a previous study, the efficacy and safety of buccal midazolam was compared to that of rectal diazepam in the treatment of prolonged seizures in children aged three months to 12 years in Kampala, Uganda. For this study, predictive models were used to determine risk factors for anti-convulsant treatment failure and seizure recurrence among the 221 of these children with malaria. RESULTS: Using predictive models, focal seizures (OR 3.21; 95% CI 1.42-7.25, p = 0.005), cerebral malaria (OR 2.43; 95% CI 1.20-4.91, p = 0.01) and a blood sugar >or=200 mg/dl at presentation (OR 2.84; 95% CI 1.11-7.20, p = 0.02) were independent predictors of treatment failure (seizure persistence beyond 10 minutes or recurrence within one hour of treatment). Predictors of seizure recurrence included: 1) cerebral malaria (HR 3.32; 95% CI 1.94-5.66, p < 0.001), 2) presenting with multiple seizures (HR 2.45; 95% CI 1.42-4.23, p = 0.001), 3) focal seizures (HR 2.86; 95% CI 1.49-5.49, p = 0.002), 4) recent use of diazepam (HR 2.43; 95% CI 1.19-4.95, p = 0.01) and 5) initial control of the seizure with diazepam (HR 1.96; 95% CI 1.16-3.33, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Specific predictors, including cerebral malaria, can identify patients with malaria at risk of anti-convulsant treatment failure and seizure recurrence

Vasorelaxant activity of indole alkaloids from Tabernaemontana dichotoma.

The aim of this study was to search for bioactive natural products from medicinal plants targeting vasorelaxant activity and we found the methanol extract from bark of Tabernaemontana dichotoma showed vasorelaxant activity on rat aorta. We isolated eight indole alkaloids including 10-methoxyalstonerine (1), a new macroline type indole alkaloid, from bark of T. dichotoma. These were respectively identified as 10-methoxyaffinisine (2), lochnerine (3), cathafoline (4), (−)-alstonerine (5), 19,20-dehydro-10-methoxytalcarpine (6), alstonisine (7), and alstonal (8) based on spectroscopic analysis. Among them, sarpagine type (2 and 3), akuammiline type (4), and macroline oxindole type (7 and 8) showed potent vasorelaxant activity. Mechanism of action on vasorelaxant activity of 10-methoxyaffinisine (2), cathafoline (4), and alstonisine (7) was clarified. Effects of 10-methoxyaffinisine (2), cathafoline (4), and alstonisine (7) were partially mediated the NO release from endothelial cells. Furthermore, 10-methoxyaffinisine (2) and alstonisine (7) attribute to the inhibitory effect of VDC and ROC, and cathafoline (4) have inhibitory effect on Ca2+ influx via ROC. In addition, 10-methoxyaffinisine (2) as a major compound from bark of T. dichotoma showed hypotensive effect on normotensive rats in vivo