High-Statistics Measurement of the Cosmic-Ray Electron Spectrum with H.E.S.S.

Owing to their rapid cooling rate and hence loss-limited propagation distance, cosmic-ray electrons and positrons (CRe) at very high energies probe local cosmic-ray accelerators and provide constraints on exotic production mechanisms such as annihilation of dark matter particles. We present a high-statistics measurement of the spectrum of CRe candidate events from 0.3 to 40 TeV with the High Energy Stereoscopic System, covering 2 orders of magnitude in energy and reaching a proton rejection power of better than 10^{4}.

An inducible model for medial calcification based on matrix Gla protein deficiency.

Calcific deposits in the arterial media have been associated with a number of metabolic and genetic disorders including diabetes, chronic kidney disease and generalized arterial calcification of infancy. The loss of matrix Gla protein (MGP) leads to medial elastic lamina calcification (elastocalcinosis) in both humans and animal models. While MGP-deficient (Mgp) mice have been used as a reliable model to study medial elastocalcinosis, these mice are difficult to maintain because of their fragility.

Initiation of Medial Calcification: Revisiting Calcium Ion Binding to Elastin.

Pathological calcification of elastin, a key connective tissue protein in the medial layers of blood vessels, starts with the binding of calcium ions. This Mini-Review focuses on understanding how calcium ions interact with elastin to initiate calcification at a molecular level, and emphasizes water's critical role in mediating this interaction. In the past decade, great strides have been made in understanding and modeling ion-specific hydration and its effects on biomolecule interactions.

Structural connectivity and bioactivity in sol-gel silicate glass design.

Bioactive glasses (BGs) bond with bone by forming hydroxy carbonate apatite (HCA) upon reaction in physiological fluid, a phenomenon known as bioactivity. BGs structural network connectivity determines their bioactivity. Sol-gel BGs are synthesized through the hydrolysis and condensation of metal alkoxide precursors in the presence of a catalyst, in aqueous environments.

Unraveling the role of carboxylate groups and elastin particle size in medial calcification.

While it is known that calcium phosphate (CaP) minerals deposit in elastin-rich medial layers of arteries during medial calcification, their nucleation and growth sites are still debated. Neutral carbonyl groups and carboxylate groups are possible candidates. Also, while it is known that elastin degradation leads to calcification, it is unclear whether this is due to formation of new carboxylate groups or elastin fragmentation.