Hexagonal SU(3) Unification and its Manifestation at the TeV Scale

We consider $SU(3)_{C}\times SU(2)_{AL}\times SU(2)_{BL}\times U(1)_{Y}$ as the low-energy subgroup of supersymmetric $SU(3)^{6}$ unification. This may imply small deviations from quark-lepton universality at the TeV scale, as allowed by neutron-decay data. New particles are predicted with specific properties. We discuss in particular the new heavy gauge bosons corresponding to $SU(2)_{AL} \times SU(2)_{BL} \to SU(2)_L$

Phenomenological Scaling of Rapidity Dependence for Anisotropic Flows in 25 MeV/nucleon Ca + Ca by Quantum Molecular Dynamics Model

Anisotropic flows ($v_1$, $v_2$, $v_3$ and $v_4$) of light fragments up till the mass number 4 as a function of rapidity have been studied for 25 MeV/nucleon $^{40}$Ca + $^{40}$Ca at large impact parameters by Quantum Molecular Dynamics model. A phenomenological scaling behavior of rapidity dependent flow parameters $v_n$ (n = 1, 2, 3 and 4) has been found as a function of mass number plus a constant term, which may arise from the interplay of collective and random motions. In addition, $v_4/{v_2}^2$ keeps almost independent of rapidity and remains a rough constant of 1/2 for all light fragments.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Isospin dependence of projectile-like fragment production at intermediate energies

The cross sections of fragments produced in 140 $A$ MeV $^{40,48}$Ca + $^9$Be and $^{58,64}$Ni + $^9$Be reactions are calculated by the statistical abration-ablation(SAA) model and compared to the experimental results measured at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) at Michigan State University. The fragment isotopic and isotonic cross section distributions of $^{40}$Ca and $^{48}$Ca, $^{58}$Ni and $^{64}$Ni, $^{40}$Ca and $^{58}$Ni, and $^{48}$Ca and $^{64}$Ni are compared and the isospin dependence of the projectile fragmentation is studied. It is found that the isospin dependence decreases and disappears in the central collisions. The shapes of the fragment isotopic and isotonic cross section distributions are found to be very similar for symmetric projectile nuclei. The shapes of the fragment isotopic and isotonic distributions of different asymmetric projectiles produced in peripheral reactions are found very similar. The similarity of the distributions are related to the similar proton and neutron density distributions inside the nucleus in framework of the SAA model.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures; to be published in Phys Rev

Fully integrated InGaAs/InP single-photon detector module with gigahertz sine wave gating

InGaAs/InP single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs) working in the regime of GHz clock rates are crucial components for the high-speed quantum key distribution (QKD). We have developed for the first time a compact, stable and user-friendly tabletop InGaAs/InP single-photon detector system operating at a 1.25 GHz gate rate that fully integrates functions for controlling and optimizing SPAD performance. We characterize the key parameters of the detector system and test the long-term stability of the system for continuous operation of 75 hours. The detector system can substantially enhance QKD performance and our present work paves the way for practical high-speed QKD applications.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in Review of Scientific Instrument

Distribution patterns of small-molecule ligands in the protein universe and implications for origin of life and drug discovery

Ligand-protein mapping was found to follow a power law and the preferential attachment principle, leading to the identification of the molecules, mostly nucleotide-containing compounds, that are likely to have evolved earliest

Microchamber Cultures of Bladder Cancer: A Platform for Characterizing Drug Responsiveness and Resistance in PDX and Primary Cancer Cells.

Precision cancer medicine seeks to target the underlying genetic alterations of cancer; however, it has been challenging to use genetic profiles of individual patients in identifying the most appropriate anti-cancer drugs. This spurred the development of patient avatars; for example, patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) established in mice and used for drug exposure studies. However, PDXs are associated with high cost, long development time and low efficiency of engraftment. Herein we explored the use of microfluidic devices or microchambers as simple and low-cost means of maintaining bladder cancer cells over extended periods of times in order to study patterns of drug responsiveness and resistance. When placed into 75 µm tall microfluidic chambers, cancer cells grew as ellipsoids reaching millimeter-scale dimeters over the course of 30 days in culture. We cultured three PDX and three clinical patient specimens with 100% success rate. The turn-around time for a typical efficacy study using microchambers was less than 10 days. Importantly, PDX-derived ellipsoids in microchambers retained patterns of drug responsiveness and resistance observed in PDX mice and also exhibited in vivo-like heterogeneity of tumor responses. Overall, this study establishes microfluidic cultures of difficult-to-maintain primary cancer cells as a useful tool for precision cancer medicine

The Plant Heat Stress Transcription Factors (HSFs): Structure, Regulation, and Function in Response to Abiotic Stresses

Abiotic stresses such as high temperature, salinity and drought adversely affect the survival, growth and reproduction of plants. Plants respond to such unfavorable changes through developmental, physiological and biochemical ways, and these responses require expression of stress-responsive genes, which are regulated by a network of transcription factors (TFs), including heat stress transcription factors (HSFs). HSFs play a crucial role in plants response to several abiotic stresses by regulating the expression of stress-responsive genes, such as heat shock proteins (Hsps). In this review, we describe the conserved structure of plant HSFs, the identification of HSF gene families from various plant species, their expression profiling under abiotic stress conditions, regulation at different levels and function in abiotic stresses. Despite plant HSFs share highly conserved structure, their remarkable diversification across plants reflects their numerous functions as well as their integration into the complex stress signaling and response networks, which can be employed in crop improvement strategies via biotechnological intervention