High-energy nuclear collisions create a quark-gluon plasma, whose initial condition and subsequent expansion vary from event to event, impacting the distribution of the eventwise average transverse momentum [P([p_{T}])]. Disentangling the contributions from fluctuations in the nuclear overlap size (geometrical component) and other sources at a fixed size (intrinsic component) remains a challenge. This problem is addressed by measuring the mean, variance, and skewness of P([p_{T}]) in ^{208}Pb+^{208}Pb and ^{129}Xe+^{129}Xe collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFG-quadruplexes (G4 s) are secondary, tetraplexed DNA structures abundant in non-coding regions of the genome, implicated in gene transcription processes and currently firmly recognised as important potential therapeutic targets. Given their affinity for human proteins, G4 structures are investigated as potential decoys and aptamers. However, G4 s tend to adopt different conformations depending on the exact environmental conditions, and often only one displays the specifically desired biological activity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Arenaviridae family of segmented RNA viruses contains nearly 70 species with several associated with fatal haemorrhagic fevers, including Lassa, Lujo and Junin viruses. Lymphocytic choriomeningitis arenavirus (LCMV) is associated with fatal neurologic disease in humans and additionally represents a tractable model for studying arenavirus biology. Within cultured cells, a high proportion of LCMV spread is between directly neighbouring cells, suggesting infectivity may pass through intercellular connections, bypassing the canonical extracellular route involving egress from the plasma membrane.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCrystal structure and morphology dictate the mechanical, thermal, and degradation properties of poly l-lactide (PLLA), the structural polymer of the first clinically approved bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS). New experimental methods are developed to reveal the underlying mechanisms governing structure formation during the crimping step of the BVS manufacturing process. Our research specifically examines the "U-bends" - the region where the curvature is highest and stress is maximised during crimping, which can potentially lead to failure of the device with dramatic consequences on patient life.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA search for the exclusive hadronic decays W^{±}→π^{±}γ, W^{±}→K^{±}γ, and W^{±}→ρ^{±}γ is performed using up to 140 fb^{-1} of proton-proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at a center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s]=13 TeV. If observed, these rare processes would provide a unique test bench for the quantum chromodynamics factorization formalism used to calculate cross sections at colliders. Additionally, at future colliders, these decays could offer a new way to measure the W boson mass through fully reconstructed decay products.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSelf-labeling protein tags are an efficient means to visualize, manipulate, and isolate engineered fusion proteins with suitable chemical probes. The SNAP-tag, which covalently conjugates to benzyl-guanine and -chloropyrimidine derivatives is used extensively in fluorescence microscopy, given the availability of suitable SNAP-ligand-based probes. Here, we extend the applicability of the SNAP-tag to targeted protein degradation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: With bipolar disorder (BD) having a lifetime prevalence of 4.4% and a significant portion of patients being chronically burdened by symptoms, there has been an increased focus on uncovering new targets for intervention in BD. One area that has shown early promise is the mitochondrial hypothesis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe clinical years of medical school are a time when students navigate a new learning environment. Due to inexperience, discordance may exist between veteran attendings and students who do not have their bearings in this new setting. We propose a solution to strengthen the clinician-student relationship by promoting a culture of goal-oriented clinical education via a two-pronged approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn high-energy particle collisions, the reconstruction of secondary vertices from heavy-flavour hadron decays is crucial for identifying and studying jets initiated by - or -quarks. Traditional methods, while effective, require extensive manual optimisation and struggle to perform consistently across wide regions of phase space. Meanwhile, recent advancements in machine learning have improved performance but are unable to fully reconstruct multiple vertices.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Postural instability and gait disturbances (PIGD) represent a significant cause of disability in Parkinson's disease (PD). Cholinergic system dysfunction has been implicated in falls in PD. The occurrence of falls typically results in fear of falling (FoF) that in turn may lead to poorer balance self-efficacy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose Of Review: Disparities within the healthcare system serve as barriers to care that lead to poor outcomes for patients. These healthcare disparities are present in all facets of medicine and extend to musculoskeletal oncology care. There are various tenets to health disparities with some factors being modifiable and non-modifiable.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer patients often experience changes in mental health, prompting an exploration into whether nerves infiltrating tumors contribute to these alterations by impacting brain functions. Using a mouse model for head and neck cancer and neuronal tracing, we show that tumor-infiltrating nerves connect to distinct brain areas. The activation of this neuronal circuitry altered behaviors (decreased nest-building, increased latency to eat a cookie, and reduced wheel running).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis Letter presents results from a combination of searches for Higgs boson pair production using 126-140 fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data at sqrt[s]=13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector. At 95% confidence level (CL), the upper limit on the production rate is 2.9 times the standard model (SM) prediction, with an expected limit of 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis Letter presents the first study of the energy dependence of diboson polarization fractions in WZ→ℓνℓ^{'}ℓ^{'}(ℓ,ℓ^{'}=e,μ) production. The dataset used corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 140 fb^{-1} of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV recorded by the ATLAS detector. Two fiducial regions with an enhanced presence of events featuring two longitudinally polarized bosons are defined.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Most insects are poikilotherms and ectotherms, so their body temperature is predicated by environmental temperature. With climate change, insect body temperature is rising, which affects how insects develop, survive, and respond to infection. Aging also affects insect physiology by deteriorating body condition and weakening immune proficiency via senescence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe genome of segmented negative-sense single-stranded RNA viruses, such as influenza virus and bunyaviruses, is coated by viral nucleoproteins (NPs), forming a ribonucleoprotein (RNP). In this issue of Structure, Dick et al. expand our knowledge on the RNPs of these viruses by solving the structures of Thogoto virus NP and RNP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFStatistical combinations of searches for charginos and neutralinos using various decay channels are performed using 139 fb^{-1} of pp collision data at sqrt[s]=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Searches targeting pure-wino chargino pair production, pure-wino chargino-neutralino production, or Higgsino production decaying via standard model W, Z, or h bosons are combined to extend the mass reach to the produced supersymmetric particles by 30-100 GeV. The depth of the sensitivity of the original searches is also improved by the combinations, lowering the 95% C.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Cognitive decline in Parkinson disease (PD) is a disabling and highly variable non-motor feature. While cholinergic systems degeneration is linked to cognitive impairments in PD, most prior research reported cross-sectional associations. We aimed to fill this gap by investigating whether baseline regional cerebral vesicular acetylcholine transporter ligand [ F]-fluoroethoxybenzovesamicol ([ F]-FEOBV) binding predicts longitudinal cognitive changes in mild to moderate, non-demented PD subjects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAbrin and ricin are toxic proteins produced by plants. Both proteins are composed of two subunits, an A-chain and a B-chain. The A-chain is responsible for the enzymatic activity, which causes toxicity.
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