Self-Assembly of a Bis-Urea Macrocycle into a Columnar Nanotube

A bis-urea macrocycle 1 was synthesized and shown to form extended nanotubular columns byX-ray crystallography

Synthesis of Stimuli-Responsive Programmable Polymers Through Ring-Opening–Metathesis Cross-Metathesis (ROM-CM)

Stimuli-responsive polymers can change their physical and/or chemical properties in response to external stimuli. These polymers have found great success in a number of important areas including molecular gels and biomedical engineering, as well as success in applications such as targeted drug delivery and biosensors. We have been working toward the development of programmable polymers that remember the response after a stimulus is withdrawn. To this end, we set out to synthesize specific functional monomers. While different types of reactions could potentially result in the desired target monomer, we studied the ring-opening metathesis–cross-metathesis reaction (ROM-CM). Previous work of ours synthesized monomer 1a, a cis-norbornene-2,3-dicarboxylic imide precursor to functional monomer 2a. We report herein the attempts to prepare the target monomers 2a and 3 via alternative ROM-CM routes that varied in starting materials, solvent systems, reaction temperatures, and catalyst amounts. We discovered that methanol based solvent systems resulted in a higher production of oligomers and other side products. In addition, one promising route using the new maleic acid starting material in place of ethyl acrylate was found to effectively undergo the ROM-CM reaction with monomer 1b. This reaction appeared to produce the desired product 2b which is currently being converted to the diester monomer 3 for further characterization. Future efforts will involve further examination of the ROM-CM reaction of maleic acid and other olefins with the norbornene-dicarboxylic imide precursor, dilute conditions in norbornene reactions, and alternative synthetic routes

μ→eγ\mu \to e \gamma and μ→3e\mu \to 3e processes with polarized muons and supersymmetric grand unified theories

$\mu^{+} \to e^{+} \gamma$ and $\mu^{+} \to e^{+}e^{+}e^{-}$ processes are analyzed in detail with polarized muons in supersymmetric grand unified theories. We first present Dalitz plot distribution for $\mu^{+} \to e^{+}e^{+}e^{-}$ decay based on effective Lagrangian with general lepton-flavor-violating couplings and define various P- and T-odd asymmetries. We calculate branching ratios and asymmetries in supersymmetric SU(5) and SO(10) models taking into account complex soft supersymmetry breaking terms. Imposing constraints from experimental bounds on the electron, neutron and atomic electric dipole moments, we find that the T-odd asymmetry for $\mu^{+} \to e^{+}e^{+}e^{-}$ can be 15% in the SU(5) case. P-odd asymmetry with respect to muon polarization for $\mu^{+} \to e^{+} \gamma$ varies from -20% to -100% for the SO(10) model while it is $+100$ in the SU(5) case. We also show that the P-odd asymmetries in $\mu^{+} \to e^{+}e^{+}e^{-}$ and the ratio of $\mu^{+} \to e^{+}e^{+}e^{-}$ and $\mu^{+} \to e^{+} \gamma$ branching fractions are useful to distinguish different models.Comment: 52 pages, 15 figure

Neutralino Dark Matter in Mirage Mediation

We study the phenomenology of neutralino dark matter (DM) in mirage mediation scenario of supersymmetry breaking which results from the moduli stabilization in some string/brane models. Depending upon the model parameters, especially the anomaly to modulus mediation ratio determined by the moduli stabilization mechanism, the nature of the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) changes from Bino-like neutralino to Higgsino-like one via Bino-Higgsino mixing region. For the Bino-like LSP, the standard thermal production mechanism can give a right amount of relic DM density through the stop/stau-neutralino coannihilation or the pseudo-scalar Higgs resonance process. We also examine the prospect of direct and indirect DM detection in various parameter regions of mirage mediation. Neutralino DM in galactic halo might be detected by near future direct detection experiments in the case of Bino-Higgsino mixed LSP. The gamma ray flux from Galactic Center might be detectable also if the DM density profile takes a cuspy shape.Comment: One reference adde

Mapping Solar Magnetic Fields from the Photosphere to the Base of the Corona

Routine ultraviolet imaging of the Sun's upper atmosphere shows the spectacular manifestation of solar activity; yet we remain blind to its main driver, the magnetic field. Here we report unprecedented spectropolarimetric observations of an active region plage and its surrounding enhanced network, showing circular polarization in ultraviolet (Mg II $h$ & $k$ and Mn I) and visible (Fe I) lines. We infer the longitudinal magnetic field from the photosphere to the very upper chromosphere. At the top of the plage chromosphere the field strengths reach more than 300 gauss, strongly correlated with the Mg II $k$ line core intensity and the electron pressure. This unique mapping shows how the magnetic field couples the different atmospheric layers and reveals the magnetic origin of the heating in the plage chromosphere.Comment: 50 pages, 11 figures, 1 table, published in Science Advance

CP violation in the μ→3e\mu \to 3e process and supersymmetric grand unified theory

A triple vector correlation in the $\mu^{+} \to e^{+} e^{+} e^{-}$ decay with polarized muons is investigated as a probe to CP violating coupling constants in supersymmetric models. A sizable triple correlation can be induced due to a complex phase in the supersymmetric soft-breaking terms in the SU(5) grand unified theory. Correlation with the electric dipole moments of electron and neutron are investigated and it is shown that these quantities give independent information on possible CP violating sources.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures. Fig.2(a), fig.2(b) and fig.3 are changed due to an error of our numerical calculation but main conclusion unchanged. Also added some discussions and figures of the neutron EDM. Version to appear in Physical Review D, Rapid Communication

Efficacy of bacterial ribosomal RNA-targeted reverse transcription-quantitative PCR for detecting neonatal sepsis: a case control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Neonatal sepsis is difficult to diagnose and pathogens cannot be detected from blood cultures in many cases. Development of a rapid and accurate method for detecting pathogens is thus essential. The main purpose of this study was to identify etiological agents in clinically diagnosed neonatal sepsis using bacterial ribosomal RNA-targeted reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (BrRNA-RT-qPCR) and to conduct comparisons with the results of conventional blood culture. Since BrRNA-RT-qPCR targets bacterial ribosomal RNA, detection rates using this approach may exceed those using conventional PCR.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects comprised 36 patients with 39 episodes of suspected neonatal sepsis who underwent BrRNA-RT-qPCR and conventional blood culture to diagnose sepsis. Blood samples were collected aseptically for BrRNA-RT-qPCR and blood culture at the time of initial sepsis evaluation by arterial puncture. BrRNA-RT-qPCR and blood culture were undertaken using identical blood samples, and BrRNA-RT-qPCR was performed using 12 primer sets.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Positive rate was significantly higher for BrRNA-RT-qPCR (15/39, 38.5%) than for blood culture (6/39, 15.4%; p = 0.0039). BrRNA-RT-qPCR was able to identify all pathogens detected by blood culture. Furthermore, this method detected pathogens from neonates with clinical sepsis in whom pathogens was not detected by culture methods.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This RT-PCR technique is useful for sensitive detection of pathogens causing neonatal sepsis, even in cases with negative results by blood culture.</p

Status of 48Ca double beta decay search and its future prospect in CANDLES

CANDLES(CAlcium fluoride for the study of Neutrinos and Dark matters by Low Energy Spectrometer) is the experiment to search for the neutrino-less double beta decay(0vββ) of 48Ca with CaF2 scintillator. 48Ca has the highest Qββ-value (4.3 MeV) among all isotope candidates for 0vββ. It enables us to measure signals with very low background condition. After rejection analysis with 131 days × 86 kg data for background events from radioactive contaminations in the CaF2 scintillators, no events are observed in the Qββ-value region. As a result, the 0vββ half-life of 48Ca is greater than 6.2 × 1022 yr (90% confidence level). For further high sensitive measurement of 48Ca 0vββ search, we have been developing the 48Ca enrichment and CaF2 scintillating bolometer techniques. In this paper, the latest result for CANDLES and the status of scintillating bolometer development are described

Nuclear FABP7 immunoreactivity is preferentially expressed in infiltrative glioma and is associated with poor prognosis in EGFR-overexpressing glioblastoma

BACKGROUND: We previously identified brain type fatty acid-binding protein (FABP7) as a prognostic marker for patients with glioblastoma (GBM). Increased expression of FABP7 is associated with reduced survival. To investigate possible molecular mechanisms underlying this association, we compared the expression and subcellular localization of FABP7 in non-tumor brain tissues with different types of glioma, and examined the expression of FABP7 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in GBM tumors. METHODS: Expression of FABP7 in non-tumor brain and glioma specimens was examined using immunohistochemistry, and its correlation to the clinical behavior of the tumors was analyzed. We also analyzed the association between FABP7 and EGFR expression in different sets of GBM specimens using published DNA microarray datasets and semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry. In vitro migration was examined using SF763 glioma cell line. RESULTS: FABP7 was present in a unique population of glia in normal human brain, and its expression was increased in a subset of reactive astrocytes. FABP7 immunoreactivity in grade I pilocytic astrocytoma was predominantly cytoplasmic, whereas nuclear FABP7 was detected in other types of infiltrative glioma. Nuclear, not cytoplasmic, FABP7 immunoreactivity was associated with EGFR overexpression in GBM (N = 61, p = 0.008). Expression of the FABP7 gene in GBM also correlated with the abundance of EGFR mRNA in our previous microarray analyses (N = 34, p = 0.016) and an independent public microarray dataset (N = 28, p = 0.03). Compared to those negative for both markers, nuclear FABP7-positive/EGFR-positive and nuclear FABP7-positive/EGFR-negative GBM tumors demonstrated shortest survival, whereas those only positive for EGFR had intermediate survival. EGFR activation increased nuclear FABP7 immunoreactivity in a glioma cell line in vitro, and inhibition of FABP7 expression suppressed EGF-induced glioma-cell migration. Our data suggested that in EGFR-positive GBM the presence of nuclear FABP7 immunoreactivity increases the risk of poor prognosis CONCLUSION: In this study, we identified a possible mechanism as the basis of the association between nuclear FABP7 and poor prognosis of GBM. FABP7 expression can be found in all grades of astrocytoma, but neoplastic cells with nuclear FABP7 were only seen in infiltrative types of tumors. Nuclear FABP7 may be induced by EGFR activation to promote migration of GBM tumor cells. Positive nuclear FABP7 and EGFR overexpression correlated with short survival in EGFR-positive GBM patients. Therefore, nuclear FABP7 immunoreactivity could be used to monitor the progression of EGFR-overexpressed GBM

Precision Analysis of the 136Xe Two-Neutrino ββ Spectrum in KamLAND-Zen and Its Impact on the Quenching of Nuclear Matrix Elements

We present a precision analysis of the 136Xe two-neutrino ββ electron spectrum above 0.8MeV, based on high-statistics data obtained with the KamLAND-Zen experiment. An improved formalism for the two-neutrino ββ rate allows us to measure the ratio of the leading and subleading 2νββ nuclear matrix elements (NMEs), ξ2ν31 = −0.26 +0.31−0.25. Theoretical predictions from the nuclear shell model and the majority of the quasiparticle random-phase approximation (QRPA) calculations are consistent with the experimental limit. However, part of the ξ2ν31 range allowed by the QRPA is excluded by the present measurement at the 90% confidence level. Our analysis reveals that predicted ξ2ν31 values are sensitive to the quenching of NMEs and the competing contributions from low- and high-energy states in the intermediate nucleus. Because these aspects are also at play in neutrinoless ββ decay, ξ2ν31 provides new insights toward reliable neutrinoless ββ NMEs