Reduced expression of <Emphasis Type="Italic">TAC1</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">PENK</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">SOCS2</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hcrtr-2</Emphasis> mutated narcoleptic dog brain

Background  

Narcolepsy causes dramatic behavioral alterations in both humans and dogs, with excessive sleepiness and cataplexy triggered by emotional stimuli. Deficiencies in the hypocretin system are well established as the origin of the condition; both from studies in humans who lack the hypocretin ligand (HCRT) and in dogs with a mutation in hypocretin receptor 2 (HCRTR2). However, little is known about molecular alterations downstream of the hypocretin signals.     

The determination of <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis></Subscript> from <Emphasis Type="Italic">τ</Emphasis> decays revisited

We revisit the determination of α _S (m _τ ²) using a fit to inclusive τ hadronic spectral moments in light of (1) the recent calculation of the fourth-order perturbative coefficient K ₄ in the expansion of the Adler function, (2) new precision measurements from BABAR of e⁺e⁻ annihilation cross sections, which decrease the uncertainty in the separation of vector and axial-vector spectral functions, and (3) improved results from BABAR and Belle on τ branching fractions involving kaons. We estimate that the fourth-order perturbative prediction reduces the theoretical uncertainty, introduced by the truncation of the series, by 20% with respect to earlier determinations. We discuss to some detail the perturbative prediction of two different methods: fixed-order perturbation theory (FOPT) and contour-improved perturbative theory (CIPT). The corresponding theoretical uncertainties are studied at the τ and Z mass scales. The CIPT method is found to be more stable with respect to the missing higher order contributions and to renormalization scale variations. It is also shown that FOPT suffers from convergence problems along the complex integration contour. Nonperturbative contributions extracted from the most inclusive fit are small, in agreement with earlier determinations. Systematic effects from quark-hadron duality violation are estimated with simple models and found to be within the quoted systematic errors. The fit based on CIPT gives α _S (m _τ ²)=0.344±0.005±0.007, where the first error is experimental and the second theoretical. After evolution to M _Z we obtain α _S (M _Z ²)=0.1212±0.0005±0.0008±0.0005, where the errors are respectively experimental, theoretical and due to the evolution. The result is in agreement with the corresponding N³LO value derived from essentially the Z width in the global electroweak fit. The α _S (M _Z ²) determination from τ decays is the most precise one to date.     

Pick your carats: nanoparticles of gold–silver–copper alloy produced <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vivo</Emphasis>

Engineered gold nanoparticle catalysts containing a mixture of metals enable enhanced specificity and reactivity. We report the synthesis by plants of mixed metal nanoparticles suggesting the possibility of using plants to produce catalysts of specific composition, perhaps even those difficult to synthesise by traditional methods. The nanoparticles contain Au, Ag and Cu as an alloy. The structure and composition are confirmed by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX).     

Decay properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>∼<Emphasis Type="Italic">Z</Emphasis> nuclei

By using heavy-ion induced fusion-evaporation reactions at the on-line mass separator of GSI, the decay properties of neutron-deficient isotopes between ⁵⁶Ni and ¹⁰⁰Sn were investigated. The experimental results will be presented and discussed in comparison with model predictions.     

δ/γ transformation in non-equilibrium solidified peritectic Fe-Ni alloy

Through phase transformation kinetic analysis and experimental observation, the δ/γ transformation occurring in the non-equilibrium peritectic Fe-4.33at.%Ni alloys was systematically investigated. According to JMA solid-state transformation kinetic theory, the Time-Temperature-Transformation (TTT) curves of the δ/γ transformation in peritectic Fe-Ni alloy were calculated. On this basis, the physical correlation between the δ/γ transformation and the initial undercooling of melt (△T) was elucidated. The results indicate that the change of △T can alter not only the overall δ/γ transformation pathways but also the transformation fraction with respect to each transformation mechanism.     

Little Higgs model effects in <Emphasis Type="Italic">γγ</Emphasis> → <Emphasis Type="Italic">γγ</Emphasis>

Though the predictions of the standard model (SM) are in excellent agreement with experiments, there are still several theoretical problems associated with the Higgs sector of the SM, where it is widely believed that some new physics will take over at the TeV scale. One beyond the SM theory which resolves these problems is the Little Higgs (LH) model. In this work we have investigated the effects of the LH model on γγ → γγ scattering [1].      

<Emphasis Type="Italic">D</Emphasis>-Branes in the Euclidean <Emphasis Type="Italic">AdS</Emphasis><Subscript>3</Subscript> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis>-Duality

We show that D-branes in the Euclidean AdS ₃ can be naturally associated to the maximally isotropic subgroups of the Lu–Weinstein double of SU(2). This picture makes very transparent the residual loop group symmetry of the D-brane configurations and gives also immediately the D-branes shapes and the σ-model boundary conditions in the de Sitter T-dual of the SL(2,C)/SU(2) WZW model.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis> = 4 supersymmetric Eguchi-Hanson sigma model in <Emphasis Type="Italic">d</Emphasis> = 1

We show that it is possible to construct a supersymmetric mechanics with four supercharges possessing not conformally flat target space. A general idea of constructing such models is presented. A particular case with Eguchi-Hanson target space is investigated in detail: we present the standard and quotient approaches to get the Eguchi-Hanson model, demonstrate their equivalence, give a full set of nonlinear constraints, study their properties and give an explicit expression for the target space metric. Presented at the International Colloquium “Integrable Systems and Quantum Symmetries”, Prague, 16–18 June 2005.     

Disappearing cosmological constant in <Emphasis Type="Italic">f</Emphasis>(<Emphasis Type="Italic">R</Emphasis>) gravity

For higher-derivative f(R) gravity, where R is the Ricci scalar, a class of models is proposed, which produce viable cosmology different from the ACDM at recent times and satisfy cosmological, Solar System, and laboratory tests. These models have both flat and de Sitter spacetimes as particular solutions in the absence of matter. Thus, a cosmological constant is zero in a flat spacetime, but appears effectively in a curved one for sufficiently large R. A “smoking gun” for these models would be a small discrepancy in the values of the slope of the primordial perturbation power spectrum determined from galaxy surveys and CMB fluctuations. On the other hand, a new problem for dark energy models based on f(R) gravity is pointed out, which is connected with the possible overproduction of new massive scalar particles (scalarons) arising in this theory in the very early Universe. The text was submitted by the author in English.     

GaSe<Subscript>1−<Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">x</Emphasis></Subscript> solid solutions

The most probable parameters of the pure, doped, and mixed GaSe_1−xS_x (x ≤ 0.4) crystals (solid solutions) are presented together with the results of investigations of their crystal structure and defects, optical and mechanical properties, and damage thresholds. __________ Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 6, pp. 35–40, June, 2007.     

Mean Field Magnetic Phase Diagrams for the Two Dimensional <Emphasis Type="Italic">t</Emphasis> — <Emphasis Type="Italic">t</Emphasis>′ — <Emphasis Type="Italic">U</Emphasis> Hubbard Model

We study the ground state phase diagram of the two dimensional t — t′ — U Hubbard model concentrating on the competition between antiferro-, ferro-, and paramagnetism. It is known that unrestricted Hartree–Fock- and quantum Monte Carlo calculations for this model predict inhomogeneous states in large regions of the parameter space. Standard mean field theory, i.e., Hartree–Fock theory restricted to homogeneous states, fails to produce such inhomogeneous phases. We show that a generalization of the mean field method to the grand canonical ensemble circumvents this problem and predicts inhomogeneous states, represented by mixtures of homogeneous states, in large regions of the parameter space. We present phase diagrams which differ considerably from previous mean field results but are consistent with, and extend, results obtained with more sophisticated methods. PACS: 71.10.Fd, 05.70.Fh, 75.50.Ee     

The <Emphasis Type="Italic">Φ</Emphasis>→K<Superscript>0</Superscript>¯<Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis> decay

The scalar contributions to the radiative decay φ→K ⁰ˉ⁰ γ are studied within the framework of the Linear Sigma Model (LσM). Theoretical predictions for the associated subprocesses φ→f ₀ γ and φ→a ₀ γ as well as the ratio φ→f ₀ γ/a ₀ γ are also given.     

Topological Solitons in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">CP</Emphasis><Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis></Superscript> Model

We investigate the solitons in the CP ^N model in terms of the decomposition of gauge potential. Based on the φ-mapping topological current theory, the charge and position of solitons is determined by the properties of the typical component. Furthermore, the motion and the bifurcation of multi-soliton is discussed. And the knotted solitons in high dimension is explored also.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Λ</Emphasis>N scattering length from the reaction <Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis>d→K<Superscript>+</Superscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">Λ</Emphasis>n

The prospects of utilizing the strangeness production reaction γd→K ⁺ Λn for the determination of the Λn low-energy scattering parameters are investigated. The spin observables that need to be measured in order to isolate the Λn singlet (¹ S ₀) and triplet (³ S ₁) states are identified. Possible kinematical regions where the extraction of the Λn scattering lengths might be feasible are discussed.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis>(3): An exactly separable <Emphasis Type="Italic">γ</Emphasis>-rigid version of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">X</Emphasis>(5) critical point symmetry

A γ-rigid version (with γ = 0) of the X(5) critical point symmetry is constructed. The model, to be called X(3) since it is proved to contain three degrees of freedom, utilizes an infinite well potential, is based on exact separation of variables, and leads to parameter-free (up to overall scale factors) predictions for spectra and B(E2) transition rates which are in good agreement with existing experimental data for ¹⁷²Os and ¹⁸⁶Pt. An unexpected similarity of the β ₁ bands of the X(5) nuclei ¹⁵⁰Nd, ¹⁵²Sm, ¹⁵⁴Gd, and ¹⁵⁶Dy to the X(3) predictions is observed. The text was submitted by the authors in English.