bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Defective Fas‐mediated T‐cell apoptosis predicts acute onset CIDP
Authors: Comi Cristoforo , Osio Maurizio , Ferretti Massimo , Mesturini Riccardo , Cappellano Giuseppe , Chiocchetti Annalisa , Carecchio Miryam , Nascimbene Caterina , Varrasi Claudia , Cantello Roberto , Mariani Claudio , Monaco Francesco , Dianzani Umberto
Published: August 2009

Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) are immune‐mediated neuropathies. GBS is characterized by acute onset and subsequent remission of symptoms, whereas CIDP displays slow progression over at least 2 months. However, a small proportion of CIDP patients display acute onset CIDP (a‐CIDP) resembling that of GBS. The Fas receptor is involved in shutting off the immune response and its defective function predisposes to auto‐immune diseases. In CIDP patients, Fas function is lower than in GBS patients and healthy controls. This study is aimed at assessing whether evaluation of T‐cell Fas function helps in early discrimination between GBS and a‐CIDP. Fas function was evaluated in patients with acute onset polyneuropathy: 55 retrospective patients analyzed after development of GBS or a‐CIDP before year 2005; 50 prospective patients analyzed at onset after year 2005 and followed up for development of GBS or a‐CIDP. In both groups, a‐CIDP patients displayed defective Fas function, whereas GBS patients displayed normal function. These findings suggest that the evaluation of Fas function in acute onset polyneuropathy helps in early prediction of long‐term outcome.
pSTAT1, pSTAT3, and T‐bet as markers of disease activity in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy
Authors: Madia Francesca , Frisullo Giovanni , Nociti Viviana , Conte Amelia , Luigetti Marco , Grande Alessandra Del , Patanella Agata Katia , Iorio Raffaele , Tonali Pietro Attilio , Batocchi Anna Paola , Sabatelli Mario
Published: August 2009

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is considered an auto‐immune disorder. We evaluated expression of pSTAT1, T‐bet, and pSTAT3 in circulating T‐cells, B‐cells, and monocytes and spontaneous production of interleukin‐17 (IL17), interferon‐gamma (IFNγ), and interleukin‐10 (IL10) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 14 active CIDP patients compared with 6 patients with long‐lasting remission and 20 controls. Active disease patients showed higher pSTAT1, T‐bet, and pSTAT3 in CD4+ T‐cells than controls (p < 0.001, p = 0.0002, p = 0.0097, respectively) and remission patients (p < 0.001, p = 0.0036, p = 0.0008, respectively). pSTAT1, T‐bet, and pSTAT3 were also higher in monocytes from active CIDP patients than controls (p = 0.0011, p = 0.0041, p = 0.0413, respectively) and remission patients (p = 0.0073, p = 0.0274, p = 0.0251, respectively). Moreover in CD8+ T‐cells, pSTAT3 expression was higher in active CIDP patients than in remission patients (p = 0.0345) and in controls (p = 0.0023). IL17 and IFNγ production were significantly higher in active CIDP patients than in controls (p < 0.0395, p = 0.0010, respectively); IFNγ levels were higher also in remission CIDP patients (p = 0.0073). IL10 levels were higher in active phase patients than in controls (p = 0.0334). Our data suggest that pSTAT1, T‐bet, and pSTAT3 can be considered putative markers of disease activity and potential targets for specific therapies.
Substitution of residues at the double dimer interface affects the stability and oligomerization of goose δ‐crystallin
Authors: Huang Chih‐Wei , Tseng Chih‐Chao , Chen Ya‐Huei , Chen Yu‐Hou , Chou Wei‐Yuan , Lee Hwei‐Jen
Published: August 2009

δ‐Crystallin is the major structural protein in avian and reptilian eye lenses, and confers special refractive properties. The protein is a homotetramer arranged as a dimer of dimers. In the present study, the roles of the side chains of Glu267, Lys315, and Glu327, which provide hydrogen bonds at the double dimer interface, were investigated. Hydrophobic side chain substitution led to all mutant proteins having an unstable dimer interface. The E267L/E327L mutant had the greatest sensitivity to temperature, urea and guanidinium hydrochloride denaturation, and the most extensive exposure of hydrophobic patches, as judged by 1‐anilinonaphthalene‐8‐sulfonic acid fluorescence, CD, and tryptophan fluorescence. In contrast, the E267L/K315L/E327L mutant showed higher stability than the E267L/E327L mutant. Some level of the dissociated dimeric form was observed in the K315L mutant, but it was not observed for the K315A and E267L/K315L mutants. The E327L mutant was partially in the dissociated dimeric form, whereas the E267/E327L mutant was predominantly dissociated into dimers. In contrast, the triple mutant of E267L/K315L/E327L retained a tetrameric structure. In the presence of urea, a stable monomeric intermediate with higher stability than the wild type was identified for the K315A mutant. Disruption of interfacial interactions at Glu267 led to polymerization of partly unfolded intermediates in the presence of 3 m urea. However, these polymeric forms were not observed with combinations of the E267L mutation with other mutations. These results indicate that these hydrogen bonds, which are present at different contact surfaces in the dimer–dimer interface, perform distinct functions in double dimer assembly. The coordination of these interactions is critical for the stability and tetramer formation of δ‐crystallin.
Substrate specificity and excision kinetics of natural polymorphic variants and phosphomimetic mutants of human 8‐oxoguanine‐DNA glycosylase
Authors: Sidorenko Viktoriya S. , Grollman Arthur P. , Jaruga Pawel , Dizdaroglu Miral , Zharkov Dmitry O.
Published: August 2009

Human 8‐oxoguanine‐DNA glycosylase (OGG1) efficiently removes mutagenic 8‐oxo‐7,8‐dihydroguanine (8‐oxoGua) and 2,6‐diamino‐4‐hydroxy‐5‐formamidopyrimidine when paired with cytosine in oxidatively damaged DNA. Excision of 8‐oxoGua mispaired with adenine may lead to G→T transversions. Post‐translational modifications such as phosphorylation could affect the cellular distribution and enzymatic activity of OGG1. Mutations and polymorphisms of OGG1 may affect the enzymatic activity and have been associated with increased risk of several cancers. In this study, we used double‐stranded oligodeoxynucleotides containing 8‐oxoGua:Cyt or 8‐oxoGua:Ade pairs, as well as γ‐irradiated calf thymus DNA, to investigate the kinetics and substrate specificity of several known OGG1 polymorphic variants and phosphomimetic Ser→Glu mutants. Among the polymorphic variants, A288V and S326C displayed opposite‐base specificity similar to that of wild‐type OGG1, whereas OGG1‐D322N was 2.3‐fold more specific for the correct opposite base than the wild‐type enzyme. All phosphomimetic mutants displayed ∼ 1.5–3‐fold lower ability to remove 8‐oxoGua in both assays, whereas the substrate specificity of the phosphomimetic mutants was similar to that of the wild‐type enzyme. OGG1‐S326C efficiently excised 8‐oxoGua from oligodeoxynucleotides and 2,6‐diamino‐4‐hydroxy‐5‐formamidopyrimidine from γ‐irradiated DNA, but excised 8‐oxoG rather inefficiently from γ‐irradiated DNA. Otherwise, kcat values for 8‐oxoGua excision obtained from both types of experiments were similar for all OGG1 variants studied. It is known that the human AP endonuclease APEX1 can stimulate OGG1 activity by increasing its turnover rate. However, when wild‐type OGG1 was replaced by one of the phosphomimetic mutants, very little stimulation of 8‐oxoGua removal was observed in the presence of APEX1.
Diversity of influenza viruses in swine and the emergence of a novel human pandemic influenza A (H1N1)
Authors: Brockwell‐Staats Christy , Webster Robert G. , Webby Richard J.
Published: August 2009

Abstract  The novel H1N1 influenza virus that emerged in humans in Mexico in early 2009 and transmitted efficiently in the human population with global spread has been declared a pandemic strain. Here we review influenza infections in swine since 1918 and the introduction of different avian and human influenza virus genes into swine influenza viruses of North America and Eurasia. These introductions often result in viruses of increased fitness for pigs that occasionally transmit to humans. The novel virus affecting humans is derived from a North American swine influenza virus that has acquired two gene segments [Neuraminidase (NA) and Matrix (M)] from the European swine lineages. This reassortant appears to have increased fitness in humans. The potential for increased virulence in humans and of further reassortment between the novel H1N1 influenza virus and oseltamivir resistant seasonal H1N1 or with highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza stresses the need for urgent pandemic planning.
Funeral Sermons and Graveyard Poetry: The Ecstasy of Death and Bodily Resurrection
Authors: VAN LEEUWEN EVERT JAN
Published: August 2009

This article argues that Anglo‐American graveyard poetry is a form of religious poetry closely connected to the eighteenth‐century funeral sermon tradition. An analysis of graveyard poetry in the context of the funeral sermon reveals that the poems explore Christian themes of faith, doubt and the afterlife, in which death, the grave and its paraphernalia are not objects of fear and horror but objects of desire. Such an analysis also reveals that the authors of funeral sermons employed many similar poetic techniques when addressing their congregations, showing that sermons can be fruitfully approached as literary as well as religious texts.
Erasmus Darwin's Beautification of the Sublime: Materialism, Religion and the Reception of The Economy of Vegetation in the Early 1790s
Authors: LIST JULIA
Published: August 2009

This paper investigates the reception of Erasmus Darwin's The Economy of Vegetation, drawing on reviews, letters and poems by admirers to examine why the initial publication of this theologically ambiguous text was uncontroversial. Part of the explanation lies in the poem's perceived genre: the didactic nature poem, a traditionally religious form. A number of reviewers described the work in language that invokes a religious tradition of nature writing. However, this paper suggests that such a reading is difficult to sustain, given Darwin's portrayal of both human and natural processes in a way that continually undercuts the sublime aspects of creation.
William Godwin's Religious Sense
Authors: WESTON ROWLAND
Published: August 2009

The anarchist philosopher, novelist and historian William Godwin (1756‐1836) began life in a devout Dissenting or nonconformist family. As a young man he trained for the ministry, before losing his faith and turning atheist in 1792. Over the subsequent years of his long life Godwin continued to ponder the moral value of religious belief in general and of Christianity in particular. In his later religious writings Godwin insists that myth, superstition and religious belief are not intrinsically defective but are problematic only to the extent to which they undermine personal integrity and social solidarity.
Lives in Isolation: Stories and Struggles of Low‐income African American Women with Panic Disorder
Authors: Johnson Michael , Mills Terry L. , DeLeon Jessica M. , Hartzema Abraham G. , Haddad Judella
Published: August 2009

Research evidence points to the existence of racial‐ethnic disparities in both access to and quality of mental health services for African Americans with panic disorder. Current panic disorder evaluation and treatment paradigms are not responsive to the needs of many African Americans. The primary individual, social, and health‐care system factors that limit African Americans’ access to care and response to treatment are not well understood. Low‐income African American women with panic disorder participated in a series of focus‐group sessions designed to elicit (1) their perspectives regarding access and treatment barriers and (2) their recommendations for designing a culturally consistent panic treatment program. Fear of confiding to others about panic symptoms, fear of social stigma, and lack of information about panic disorder were major individual barriers. Within their social networks, stigmatizing attitudes toward mental illness and the mentally ill, discouragement about the use of psychiatric medication, and perceptions that symptoms were the result of personal or spiritual weakness had all interfered with the participants’ treatment seeking efforts and contributed to a common experience of severe social isolation. None of the focus‐group members had developed fully effective therapeutic relationships with either medical or mental health providers. They described an unmet need for more interactive and culturally authentic relationships with treatment providers. Although the focus‐group sessions were not intended to be therapeutic, the women reported that participation in the meetings had been an emotionally powerful and beneficial experience. They expressed a strong preference for the utilization of female‐only, panic disorder peer‐support groups as an initial step in the treatment/recovery process. Peer‐support groups for low‐income African American women with panic disorder could address many of the identified access and treatment barriers.
Fear of Cultural Extinction and Psychopathology Among Mandaean Refugees: An Exploratory Path Analysis
Authors: Nickerson Angela , Bryant Richard A. , Brooks Robert , Steel Zachary , Silove Derrick
Published: August 2009

The Mandaeans are a small religious community originating from Iraq and Iran who are facing the possibility of cultural extinction within the next few generations. This study aimed to examine the relationships between life experiences, psychopathology and fear of cultural extinction in Mandaean refugees. A survey was conducted of 315 adult Iraqi Mandaean refugees living in Australia. Past traumatic experiences and current resettlement difficulties were assessed. Mental health outcomes were also examined, including measures of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Fear of cultural extinction was measured by items developed in consultation with the Mandaean community. A path analysis was employed to investigate the relationship between trauma, living difficulties, PTSD, depression, and fear of cultural extinction. Results indicated that trauma and living difficulties impacted indirectly on fear of cultural extinction, while PTSD (and not depression) directly predicted levels of anxiety about the Mandaean culture ceasing to exist.

The current findings indicate that past trauma and symptoms of posttraumatic stress contribute to fear of cultural extinction. Exposure to human rights violations enacted on the basis of religion has significant mental health consequences that extend beyond PTSD. The relationship between perception of threat, PTSD, and fear of cultural extinction is considered in the context of cognitive models of traumatic stress. Government immigration policy must prioritize the reunification of small, endangered groups to sustain cultural traditions. Treatment interventions implemented with cultural groups facing extinction should take into consideration anxiety about loss of culture.
Anxiety Disorder Presentations in Asian Populations: A Review
Authors: Hinton Devon E. , Park Lawrence , Hsia Curtis , Hofmann Stefan , Pollack Mark H.
Published: August 2009

This article reviews typical anxiety presentations in Asia, and among Asian refugees. In Asia, there are multiple functional somatic syndromes that are common anxiety presentations. These distress syndromes often produce catastrophic cognitions about anxiety‐type somatic and psychological symptoms. These functional somatic syndromes should be understood, and specifically assessed and addressed, in order to optimize the evaluation and treatment of anxiety disorders among Asian individuals.
Gender and Anxiety in Nepal: The Role of Social Support, Stressful Life Events, and Structural Violence
Authors: Kohrt Brandon A. , Worthman Carol M.
Published: August 2009

Introduction: Throughout the world, anxiety disorders are 1.5–2 times more prevalent among women than men but the reasons for this gender disparity remain elusive. Despite frequent attribution to cultural roles of men and women, data regarding gendered risk factors in non‐Western settings are scant.

Aims: This study evaluated the role of gender as a moderator (effect modifier) of stressful life events (SLEs) and social support on the risk of anxiety in Nepal. A cross‐sectional random sampling design was employed to recruit 316 persons in a rural community. The participants completed the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Stressful Life Events Rating Scale (SLERS), and a measure of social support.

Results: The prevalence of anxiety differed by gender: 36.9% of women versus 20.4% of men endorsed anxiety symptoms above the validated cutoff for intervention (odds ratio [OR]= 2.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]= 1.4–3.8). The number of SLEs and levels of social support did not differ by gender, nor did gender moderate the relationship between SLEs and anxiety. Gender did moderate the relationship of social support with anxiety. Men who reported low social support had 3.5 times greater odds (95% CI = 1.4–10.7) of endorsing anxiety relative to men reporting high social support. Women exhibited no association of anxiety with social support.

Conclusion: Women are at a greater risk of anxiety in Nepal. Social support moderates the risk of anxiety among men but not among women. Ethnography and mixed‐methods research are needed to identify other forms of support that may be protective for women and such factors should be promoted in gender‐focused mental health interventions.
The Assessment of the Phenomenology of Sleep Paralysis: The Unusual Sleep Experiences Questionnaire (USEQ)
Authors: Paradis Cheryl , Friedman Steven , Hinton Devon E. , McNally Richard J. , Solomon Linda Z. , Lyons Kelly A.
Published: August 2009

Previous research has found a relationship between sleep paralysis (SP) and anxiety states and higher rates have been reported among certain ethnic groups. To advance the cross‐cultural study of SP, we developed a brief assessment instrument (which can be self‐administered), the Unusual Sleep Experiences Questionnaire (USEQ). In this article, we report on a pilot study with the USEQ in a sample of 208 college students. The instrument was easily understood by the participants, with one quarter reporting at least one lifetime episode of SP. As in previous studies, SP was associated with anxiety (in particular, panic attacks).
Mechanisms of Efficacy of CBT for Cambodian Refugees with PTSD: Improvement in Emotion Regulation and Orthostatic Blood Pressure Response
Authors: Hinton Devon E. , Hofmann Stefan G. , Pollack Mark H. , Otto Michael W.
Published: August 2009

Based on the results of a randomized controlled trial, we examined a model of the mechanisms of efficacy of culturally adapted cognitive‐behavior therapy (CBT) for Cambodian refugees with pharmacology‐resistant posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and comordid orthostatic panic attacks (PAs). Twelve patients were in the initial treatment condition, 12 in the delayed treatment condition. The patients randomized to CBT had much greater improvement than patients in the waitlist condition on all psychometric measures and on one physiological measure—the systolic blood pressure response to orthostasis (d = 1.31)—as evaluated by repeated‐measures MANOVA and planned contrasts. After receiving CBT, the Delayed Treatment Group improved on all measures, including the systolic blood pressure response to orthostasis. The CBT treatment's reduction of PTSD severity was significantly mediated by improvement in orthostatic panic and emotion regulation ability. The current study supports our model of the generation of PTSD in the Cambodian population, and suggests a key role of decreased vagal tone in the generation of orthostatic panic and PTSD in this population. It also suggests that vagal tone is involved in emotion regulation, and that both vagal tone and emotion regulation improve across treatment.
Momordica mossambica sp. nov. (Cucurbitaceae) from miombo woodland in northern Mozambique
Authors: Schaefer Hanno
Published: August 2009

Momordica mossambica, a new species of the Cucurbitaceae from miombo woodland in northern Mozambique is described. In spite of being known only from the type collected in 1964, a morphological and molecular survey of all known species of Momordica indicates that M. mossambica is a distinct species. The closest relatives are M. calantha and M. cabrae from Tanzania and central Africa, respectively, from which it is distinguished easily by its 7‐lobed, maple‐like leaves.
Zoonotic risk of hepatitis E virus (HEV): A study of HEV infection in animals and humans in suburbs of Beijing
Authors: Chang Yibin , Wang Ling , Geng Jiabao , Zhu Yonghong , Fu Hongwei , Ren Furong , Li Lingjun , Wang Xiaojuan , Zhuang Hui
Published: August 2009

Aim:  To investigate hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection among different animals and workers in pig farms and slaughterhouses, and analyze the genotype of HEV isolated in this study.

Methods:  Serum samples were collected from adult swine, cows, sheep, younger swine (< 3 months), and workers in pig farms and slaughterhouses (professional group). Fecal samples were collected from younger swine in the south suburbs of Beijing. Anti‐HEV antibody was evaluated by direct sandwich enzyme immunoassay. HEV RNA was extracted from fecal samples and amplified by nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐nPCR). The PCR products were sequenced, and the sequence homology and phylogenetics of the HEV strains isolated from swine were analyzed.

Results:  The anti‐HEV positivity rates in adult swine, cows, sheep, younger swine, professional group and general population were 98.23% (222/226), 29.35% (54/184), 9.80% (20/207), 60.73% (99/164), 42.51% (105/247) and 20.29% (522/2572), respectively. The HEV RNA positivity rate of fecal samples was 22.89% (19/83) and 16/19 samples were positive for HEV RNA amplified with both primers, HEV open reading frame (ORF)1 and HEV ORF2. Sequence analysis of these 16 samples showed that there were two groups, designated BJ‐1 and BJ‐2. The nucleotide homology of BJ‐1 and BJ‐2 was 99%. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that both of these groups belonged to genotype 4d.

Conclusion:  Workers in pig farms and slaughterhouses were more likely to contract HEV infection than the general population because of close contact with swine with a high prevalence of anti‐HEV.
Complete Methods Set for Scalable Ion Trap Quantum Information Processing
Authors: Home Jonathan P. , Hanneke David , Jost John D. , Amini Jason M. , Leibfried Dietrich , Wineland David J.
Published: August 2009

Hi Fi Quantum Computing

In quantum information processing, one goal is to control the entangled states of objects such that they can interact during logical operations but otherwise have minimal interactions with their environment. In one scheme for quantum computing, ions are trapped within and physically moved by electric fields. One drawback is that the entangled states can be sensitive to stray magnetic fields.

Home
et al.

(p.
1227
, published online 6 August 2009) show that coupling of the ions (in this case,
9
Be
+
) with a second ion (
24
Mg
+
) can create states that are relatively insensitive to magnetic fields and also allows for recooling of the ions during operation. This approach can minimize the loss of fidelity that occurs during ion transport.
Risks of Climate Engineering
Authors: Hegerl Gabriele C. , Solomon Susan
Published: August 2009

Observations indicate that attempts to limit climate warming by reducing incoming shortwave radiation risk major precipitation changes.
CRYSTALLINE GRAVITY
Authors: 't HOOFT GERARD
Published: August 2009

Matter interacting classically with gravity in 3+1 dimensions usually gives rise to a continuum of degrees of freedom, so that, in any attempt to quantize the theory, ultraviolet divergences are nearly inevitable. Here, we investigate a theory that only displays a finite number of degrees of freedom in compact sections of space-time. In finite domains, one has only exact, analytic solutions. This is achieved by limiting ourselves to straight pieces of string, surrounded by locally flat sections of space-time. Next, we suggest replacing in the string holonomy group, the Lorentz group by a discrete subgroup, which turns space-time into a 4-dimensional crystal with defects.
STRONGLY INTERACTING MATTER AT RHIC
Authors: THOMAS J. H.
Published: August 2009

Experiments at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) have yielded an abundance of data which suggest that a new state of matter has been produced in ultra-relativistic heavy ion collisions. This new state of matter is a strongly interacting Quark Gluon Plasma that behaves like a nearly perfect fluid with very low viscosity. I will review the experimental observations that point to the existence of the sQGP, and in particular I will emphasize the particle spectra and the flow data.
THE GAMMA–GAMMA INTERACTION: A CRITICAL TEST OF THE STANDARD MODEL
Authors: YOCK PHILIP
Published: August 2009

Data from the Large Electron Positron collider (LEP) at CERN on hadron production in gamma-gamma interactions exceed the predictions of the standard model by an order of magnitude at the highest observed transverse momenta in three channels. The amplitude for the process is asymptotically proportional to the sum of the squares of the charges of quarks. The data are suggestive of models where quarks have unit charges, or larger, and where partons have substructure. A previously proposed model of electro-strong interactions includes both these features. Definitive measurements could be made with either of the linear electron-positron colliders that have been proposed, viz. the International Linear Collider (ILC) or the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC). However, an electron-electron collider employing the recently developed "plasma wakefield" acceleration technique could provide the most affordable option. An independent check of the multi-muon events that were recently reported at Fermilab could also be made with this type of collider.
TEV NEUTRINO PHYSICS AT THE LARGE HADRON COLLIDER
Authors: XING ZHI-ZHONG
Published: August 2009

I argue that TeV neutrino physics might become an exciting frontier of particle physics in the era of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The origin of non-zero but tiny masses of three known neutrinos is probably related to the existence of some heavy degrees of freedom, such as heavy Majorana neutrinos or heavy Higgs bosons, via a TeV-scale seesaw mechanism. I take a few examples to illustrate how to get a balance between theoretical naturalness and experimental testability of TeV seesaws. Besides possible collider signatures at the LHC, new and non-unitary CP-violating effects are also expected to show up in neutrino oscillations for type-I, type-(I+II) and type-III seesaws at the TeV scale.
AN E6 INVARIANT ACTION LEADING TO AN SU(5) GRAND UNIFICATION ON A DOMAIN WALL
Authors: WALI KAMESHWAR C.
Published: August 2009

The paper presents a summary of some recent work on a SU(5) grand unification scheme for effective 3 + 1 dimensional fields dynamically localized on a domain-wall brane. This is achieved through the confluence of the clash-of-symmetries mechanism for symmetry breaking through domain-wall formation and the Dvali-Shifman gauge boson localization idea. It is shown that it requires an E6 invariant action, yielding a domain-wall solution that has E6 broken to differently embedded SO(10) ⊗ U(1) subgroups in the two bulk regions on the opposites of the wall.
FLAVOR MIXING, QUARK MASSES, NEUTRINO MASSES AND NEUTRINO OSCILLATIONS
Authors: FRITZSCH H.
Published: August 2009

We study a model for the mass matrices of the quarks and leptons. Two of the three flavor mixing angles of the quarks can be calculated in terms of the quark mass ratios. They agree very well with the experiments. We are able to relate the mass eigen values of the charged leptons and of the neutrinos to the mixing angles and can predict the masses of the neutrinos. We find a normal hierarchy -the masses are 0.004 eV, 0.01 eV and 0.05 eV. The atmospheric mixing angle is given by the mass ratios of the charged leptons and the neutrinos. We find 38 degrees, consistent with the experiments. The mixing element, connecting the first neutrino with the electron, is found to be 0.05.
GAUGE THEORY AND MORE — ANOTHER SOLUTION FOR THE DARK MATTER
Authors: HWANG W-Y. PAUCHY
Published: August 2009

These days we learn that, in our Universe, the dark matter occupies about 25% of the content, compared to only 5% of the "visible" ordinary matter. We propose that the description of the dark matter would be an extension of the Standard Model - a gauge theory. We all know that in the Standard Model we have three generations but still don't know why - the so-called "family problem". On other hand, in view of the masses and oscillations, the neutrinos now present some basic difficulty in the Standard Model. In this note, I propose that on top of the SUc(3)×, SU(2) × U(1) standard model there is an SUf(3) extension - a simple SUc(3) × SU(2) × U(1) × SUf(3) extended standard model. The family gauge bosons (familons) are massive through the so-called "colored" Higgs mechanism while the remaining Higgs particles are also massive. The three neutrinos, the electron-like, muon-like, and tao-like neutrinos, form the basic family triplets. Hopefully all the couplings to the "visible" matter are through the neutrinos, explaining why the dark matter is more than the visible matter in our Universe.
SCALAR AND PSEUDOSCALAR GLUEBALLS
Authors: CHENG HAI-YANG
Published: August 2009

We employ two simple and robust results to constrain the mixing matrix of the isosinglet scalar mesons f0(1710), f0(1500), f0(1370): one is the approximate SU (3) symmetry empirically observed in the scalar sector above 1 GeV and confirmed by lattice QCD, and the other is the scalar glueball mass at 1710 MeV in the quenched approximation. In the SU (3) symmetry limit, f0(1500) becomes a pure SU (3) octet and is degenerate with a0(1450), while f0(1370) is mainly an SU (3) singlet with a slight mixing with the scalar glueball which is the primary component of f0(1710). These features remain essentially unchanged even when SU (3) breaking is taken into account. The observed enhancement of ωf0(1710) production over ɸf0(1710) in hadronic J/ψ decays and the copious f0(1710) production in radiative J/ψ decays lend further support to the prominent glueball nature of f0(1710). We deduce the mass of the pseudoscalar glueball G from an η-η′-G mixing formalism based on the anomalous Ward identity for transition matrix elements. With the inputs from the recent KLOE experiment, we find a solution for the pseudoscalar glueball mass around (1.4±0.1) GeV, which is fairly insensitive to a range of inputs with or without Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka-rule violating effects. This affirms that η(1405), having a large production rate in the radiative J/ψ decay and not seen in γγ reactions, is indeed a leading candidate for the pseudoscalar glueball. It is much lower than the results from quenched lattice QCD (> 2.0 GeV) due to the dynamic fermion effect. It is thus urgent to have a full QCD lattice calculation of pseudoscalar glueball masses.
INFORMATION ON CP-VIOLATING PHASES AS A BONUS IN THE SEARCHES FOR THE LEPTON FLAVOR VIOLATING PROCESSES
Authors: FARZAN Y.
Published: August 2009

Although in the framework of the Standard Model (SM) of particles, Lepton Flavor Violating (LFV) processes such as µ → eγ, µ → eee and µN → eN are strictly forbidden, in various beyond SM scenarios such as Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM), new sources of LFV appear that can lead to sizeable rates for these processes. There are on-going experiments that search for the LFV processes. If the rates of these processes are close to the present bound, these experiments will collect abundant amount of data which makes precision measurement of LFV parameters a close possibility. We show that by studying the polarization of the final particles, information on the CP-violating phases of the underlying theory can be also derived. We discuss the possibility to reduce the degeneracy of parameters by combining information from various experiments.
CAN THE EXISTENCE OF DARK ENERGY BE DIRECTLY DETECTED?
Authors: PERL MARTIN L.
Published: August 2009

Over the last decade, astronomical observations show that the acceleration of the expansion of the universe is greater than expected from our understanding of conventional general relativity, the mass density of the visible universe, the size of the visible universe and other astronomical measurements. The additional expansion has been attributed to a variety of phenomenon that have been given the general name of dark energy. Dark energy in the universe seems to comprise a majority of the energy in the visible universe amounting to about three times the total mass energy. But locally the dark energy density is very small. However it is not zero. In this paper I describe the work of others and myself on the question of whether dark energy density can be directly detected. This is a work-in-progress and I have no answer at present.
REPULSIVE CASIMIR FORCE FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS WITH MIXED BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
Authors: LIM S. C. , TEO L. P.
Published: August 2009

In this paper, we study the zero and finite temperature Casimir force acting on a perfectly conducting rectangular piston inside a closed rectangular cavity with infinitely permeable walls. Explicit formulas for the Casimir force are derived. We show that at any temperature, the Casimir force always tends to move the piston away from the walls and towards its equilibrium position. In the high temperature regime, we show that the leading term of the Casimir force is linear in temperature and therefore the Casimir force has a classical limit.
NEUTRINO OSCILLATION IN DENSE MEDIUMS
Authors: LAW Z. Y. , CHAN A. H. , OH C. H.
Published: August 2009

It is found that a term normally discarded in the standard treatment of the MSW effect might be relevant in the case of non-adiabatic varying matter density, leading to a second order field equation, instead of the usual first order "Schrodinger equation". This leads to dispersion relation that gives rise to the possibility of neutrino trapping in a dense medium as well as the coupling of neutrino oscillation to neutral current interaction. This is found to be in agreement with previous results1.

The corresponding conserved probability current is derived for this second order equation, and applied to the case of 2-flavor neutrino oscillation in a dense medium. The results in this work might be applicable to the oscillation of neutrinos in dense astrophysical medium.
COSMIC POLARIZATION ROTATION, COSMOLOGICAL MODELS, AND THE DETECTABILITY OF PRIMORDIAL GRAVITATIONAL WAVES
Authors: NI WEI-TOU
Published: August 2009

CMB (Cosmic Microwave Background) polarization observations test many aspects of cosmological models. Effective pseudoscalar-photon interaction(s) would induce a rotation of linear polarization of electromagnetic wave propagating with cosmological distance in various cosmological models. CMB polarization observations are superb tests of these models and have the potential to discover new fundamental physics. Pseudoscalar-photon interaction is proportional to the gradient of the pseudoscalar field. From phenomenological point of view, this gradient could be neutrino number asymmetry, other density current, or a constant vector. In these situations, Lorentz invariance or CPT may effectively be violated. In this paper, we review these results and anticipate what more precise observations can tell us about fundamental physics, inflation, etc. Better accuracy in CMB polarization observation is expected from PLANCK mission to be launched this year. Dedicated CMB polarization observers like B-Pol mission, CMBpol mission and LiteBIRD mission would probe this fundamental issue more deeply in the future. With these sensitivities, cosmic polarization rotations from effective pseudoscalar-photon interaction, Faraday polarization rotations from primordial and large-scale magnetic field, and tensor modes effects would have chances to be detected and distinguished. The subtracted tensor-mode effects are likely due to primordial gravitational waves. We discuss the direct detectability of these primordial gravitational waves using space GW detectors.
GAUGE FIELD THEORY OF HORIZONTAL SYMMETRY
Authors: SOGAMI IKUO S.
Published: August 2009

The standard model of particle physics is generalized with a horizontal symmetry so that all its results are successfully reproduced without inducing any unphysical modes of existence. Two stage breakdowns of symmetries result in mass matrices of Majorana and Dirac types for fundamental fermions and predict rich physical modes of boson fields, some of which might be observed by the LHC experiment.
REVEALING EXTRADIMENSIONS
Authors: THUAN VO VAN
Published: August 2009

In the framework of a proposed space-time symmetric model of elementary particles, a simplified semi-classical geometrical dynamics leads to the quantum mechanical equations, which may shed light on the physical reality of an individual micro-particle. As a result, the precise P -odd effects would be made explicit in those equations.
INFORMATION-THEORETIC CORRECTIONS TO BLACK HOLE AREA QUANTISATION
Authors: PARWANI RAJESH R.
Published: August 2009

Nonlinear corrections are proposed to the discrete equispaced area spectrum of quantum black holes obtained previously in some quantisation schemes. It is speculated that such a modified spectrum might be related to the fine structure found using the loop quantum gravity approach.
NEW SUPERCONFORMAL CHERN-SIMONS THEORIES AND M2-BRANES
Authors: LEE SANGMIN
Published: August 2009

We give a brief summary of the recently constructed superconformal Chern-Simons-matter theories and and how they describe the dynamics of M 2-branes at orbifolds.
NONCOMMUTATIVE D-BRANE WORLD, BLACK HOLES AND EXTRA DIMENSIONS
Authors: KAR SUPRIYA
Published: August 2009

Inspired by the space-time noncommutativity on a D5-brane world, in a type IIB string theory, we explore the possibility of an emergent 4D ordinary space-time in the formalism. In particular, a curved D3-brane dynamics is worked out to obtain an axially symmetric and a spherically symmetric AdS and dS black holes. Extremal geometries are analyzed, using the noncommutative scaling. The emerging two dimensional semi-classical black holes are investigated to yield evidence for extra dimensions in the curved brane-world. Interestingly, a tunneling between dS to AdS vacua in the formalism is briefly discussed by incorporating the Hagedorn transitions in string theory.
ARE BLACK HOLES ELEMENTARY PARTICLES?
Authors: HA YUAN K.
Published: August 2009

Quantum black holes are the smallest and heaviest conceivable elementary particles. They have a microscopic size but a macroscopic mass. Several fundamental types have been constructed with some remarkable properties. Quantum black holes in the neighborhood of the Galaxy could resolve the paradox of ultra-high energy cosmic rays detected in Earth's atmosphere. They may also play a role as dark matter in cosmology.
DUALITY, CONFINEMENT AND SUPERSYMMETRY IN RESTRICTED QUANTUM CHROMODYNAMICS (RCD)
Authors: RANA J. M. S.
Published: August 2009

Electromagnetic duality has been utilized to study the isocolor charge-dyon interactions in Restricted Quantum Chromodynamics (RCD),in terms of current-current correlation (in magnetic gauge)using dielectric and permeability parameters of the associated vacuum. In the state of dyonic superconductivity, it has been shown that the dual propagators behave as 1/k4 (for small k2), which in analogy with superconductivity (dual superconductivity) leads to the confinement of colored fluxes associated with dyonic quarks vide generalized Meissner effect. Based on semi-quantitative analysis of vortex solutions of RCD and by calculating the masses for the massive collective modes of the condensed vacuum, the expressions for the London penetration depth, coherence length and the associated flux energy functions for the type I and type II superconducting media have been obtained. It has further been demonstrated that in the type I medium, vortices tend to coalesce and hence are attractive, while the energy function supports repulsive forces between vortices in the type II superconducting medium. The RCD has been supersymmetrized in N =1 limit and the supersymmetric dyonic solutions have been obtained. In the dyonic background gauge one-loop quantum corrections to the dyonic mass have been calculated and it has been shown that the one-loop quantum corrections lead no change in classical mass of the dyon.
MAGNETOFLUID UNIFICATION IN YANG–MILLS LAGRANGIAN
Authors: SULAIMAN A. , FAJARUDIN A. , DJUN T. P. , HANDOKO L. T.
Published: August 2009

The magnetofluid unification is constructed using lagrangian approach by imposing a non-Abelian gauge symmetry to the matter inside the fluid. The model provides a general description for relativistic fluid interacting with either Abelian or non-Abelian gauge field. The differences with the hybrid magnetofluid model are discussed, and some physical consequences of this formalism are briefly worked out.
CHARMFUL BARYONIC $B\, \to \,{\rm{B\bar B}}'M_{c}$ DECAYS
Authors: HSIAO YU-KUO
Published: August 2009

We study the charmful three-body baryonic B decays with D(*) or J/Ψ in the final state. We explain the measured rates of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]. In particular, the branching fraction of [Formula: see text] predicted to be of order 2.3 × 10-6 is in accordance with the Belle measurement, [Formula: see text].
DETERMINISM BENEATH COMPOSITE QUANTUM SYSTEMS
Authors: BLASONE MASSIMO , VITIELLO GIUSEPPE , JIZBA PETR , SCARDIGLI FABIO
Published: August 2009

This paper aims at the development of 't Hooft's quantization proposal to describe composite quantum mechanical systems. In particular, we show how 't Hooft's method can be utilized to obtain from two classical Bateman oscillators a composite quantum system corresponding to a quantum isotonic oscillator. For a suitable range of parameters, the composite system can be also interpreted as a particle in an effective magnetic field interacting through a spin-orbital interaction term. In the limit of a large separation from the interaction region we can identify the irreducible subsystems with two independent quantum oscillators.
MU-TAU REFLECTION SYMMETRY AND RADIATIVELY GENERATED LEPTOGENESIS
Authors: AHN Y. H. , KANG SIN KYU , KIM C. S. , NGUYEN T. PHONG
Published: August 2009

We consider an exact µ-τ reflection symmetry in neutrino sector realized at the GUT scale in the context of the seesaw model with and without supersymmetry. It is shown that the renormalization group (RG) evolution from the GUT scale to the seesaw scale gives rise to breaking of the µ-τ symmetry which is essential to achieve a successful leptogenesis. We show that CP violation responsible for the generation of baryon asymmetry of our universe can be directly linked with CP violation measurable through neutrino oscillation as well as neutrino mixing angles θ12 and θ13.
PERSISTENCE PROBABILITY ANALYZED ON THE TAIWAN STOCK MARKET
Authors: CHEN I.-CHUN , CHEN HUNG-JUNG , TSENG HSEN-CHE
Published: August 2009

We report a numerical study of the Taiwan stock market, in which we used three data sources: the daily Taiwan stock exchange index (TAIEX) from January 1983 to May 2006, the daily OTC index from January 1995 to May 2006, and the one-min intraday data from February 2000 to December 2003. Our study is based on numerical estimates of persistence exponent θp, Hurst exponent H2, and fluctuation exponent h2. We also discuss the results concerning persistence probability P(t), qth-order price–price correlation function Gq(t), and qth-order normalized fluctuation function fq(t) among these indices.
CONFIGURATIONAL ENTROPY IN GENERALIZED LATTICE-GAS MODELS
Authors: RAMIREZ-PASTOR ANTONIO J. , ROMÁ FEDERICO J. , RICCARDO JOSÉ L.
Published: August 2009

In this review, we present our recent results concerning accurate calculations of configurational entropy in generalized lattice-gas models. The calculations are based on the use of the thermodynamic integration method. Different applications (or systems) have been considered. Namely, systems in presence of (i) anisotropy, (ii) energetic heterogeneity, (iii) geometric heterogeneity, and (iv) multisite-occupancy adsorption. Total energy is calculated by means of the Monte Carlo simulation. Then the entropy is obtained by using thermodynamic integration starting at a known reference state. In case (iv), the method relies upon the definition of an artificial Hamiltonian associated with the system of interest for which the entropy of a reference state can be exactly known. Thermodynamic integration is then applied to obtain the entropy in a given state of the system of interest. A rich variety of behaviors is found and analyzed in the context of the lattice-gas theory.
ACTIN FILAMENTS AS NONLINEAR RLC TRANSMISSION LINES
Authors: SATARIĆ M. V. , BEDNAR N. , SATARIĆ B. M. , STOJANOVIĆ G.
Published: August 2009

We elucidate the model introduced by Tuszynski et al.1 in order to obtain more biophysically tractable results regarding the role of actin filaments in ionic transport throughout living cells.
EFFECT OF APPLIED BIAS ON TRANSMISSION PROPERTIES OF DIMER FIBONACCI SUPERLATTICES
Authors: AZIZ Z. , BENTATA S. , DJELTI R. , ALANDALOUSSI E.
Published: August 2009

In this study, we have numerically examined the effect of applied bias on the transmission across dimer fibonacci height barrier superlattices (DFHBSLs) by using the exact Airy function formalism and the transfer matrix technique. Formation of miniband structure was observed, and its width showed a linear variation with the applied bias.
INVESTIGATING DYNAMIC VORTEX TRANSITIONS IN 2D SUPERCONDUCTORS
Authors: OBAIDAT I. M. , AL KHAWAJA U. , BENKRAOUDA M.
Published: August 2009

Extensive molecular dynamics simulations were performed on superconducting samples with periodic square arrays of pinning centers where several strengths, sizes, and densities of the pinning centers were considered. By calculating the average speed of the vortices as the driving force increases, we defined two critical currents that divide the states of the vortices into three different states with respect to the magnitude of the driving current. These vortex states are a pinned state, a disordered flow state where only some of the vortices flow in some vortex channels, and an ordered flow state where all the vortices flow in an ordered and collective manner. We have clarified the roles of the number of vortices, the size, the strength, and the number of pinning centers in these three states at several temperatures.
OPTICAL CONDUCTIVITY AND ORBITAL SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE TWO-ORBITAL HUBBARD MODEL: EXTENDED LINEARIZED DYNAMICAL MEAN-FIELD THEORY
Authors: SONG YUN
Published: August 2009

We study the optical conductivity and orbital susceptibility of the two-orbital Hubbard model within the extended linearized dynamical mean-field theory. In the orbital-selective Mott phase (OSMP), the optical conductivity of the wide band presents a non-zero Drude peak, while the optical conductivity of the narrow band drops to zero in the lower energy region. It is shown that the OSMP is constrained by the negative crystal-field splitting, while it can survive in the region with positive crystal-field splitting. We also find that the orbital susceptibility presents a reversion at Fermi surface in the OSMP regime, which implies that orbital ordering can coexist with OSMP in two-orbital systems.