Conformational Effects of UV Light on DNA Origami.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Haorong; Li, Ruixin; Li, Shiming; Andréasson, Joakim; Choi, Jong Hyun

2017-02-01

The responses of DNA origami conformation to UV radiation of different wavelengths and doses are investigated. Short- and medium-wavelength UV light can cause photo-lesions in DNA origami. At moderate doses, the lesions do not cause any visible defects in the origami, nor do they significantly affect the hybridization capability. Instead, they help relieve the internal stress in the origami structure and restore it to the designed conformation. At high doses, staple dissociation increases which causes structural disintegration. Long-wavelength UV does not show any effect on origami conformation by itself. We show that this UV range can be used in conjunction with photoactive molecules for photo-reconfiguration, while avoiding any damage to the DNA structures.

Conformal Nets II: Conformal Blocks

Science.gov (United States)

Bartels, Arthur; Douglas, Christopher L.; Henriques, André

2017-08-01

Conformal nets provide a mathematical formalism for conformal field theory. Associated to a conformal net with finite index, we give a construction of the `bundle of conformal blocks', a representation of the mapping class groupoid of closed topological surfaces into the category of finite-dimensional projective Hilbert spaces. We also construct infinite-dimensional spaces of conformal blocks for topological surfaces with smooth boundary. We prove that the conformal blocks satisfy a factorization formula for gluing surfaces along circles, and an analogous formula for gluing surfaces along intervals. We use this interval factorization property to give a new proof of the modularity of the category of representations of a conformal net.

Popularity, likeability, and peer conformity : Four field experiments. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gommans, R.; Sandstrom, Marlene J.; Stevens, G.W.J.M.; ter Bogt, T.F.M.; Cillessen, Toon

2017-01-01

Adolescents tend to alter their attitudes and behaviors to match those of others; a peer influence process named peer conformity. This study investigated to what extent peer conformity depended on the status (popularity and likeability) of the influencer and the influencee. The study consisted of

Disease-associated mutations that alter the RNA structural ensemble.

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Matthew Halvorsen

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Genome-wide association studies (GWAS often identify disease-associated mutations in intergenic and non-coding regions of the genome. Given the high percentage of the human genome that is transcribed, we postulate that for some observed associations the disease phenotype is caused by a structural rearrangement in a regulatory region of the RNA transcript. To identify such mutations, we have performed a genome-wide analysis of all known disease-associated Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs from the Human Gene Mutation Database (HGMD that map to the untranslated regions (UTRs of a gene. Rather than using minimum free energy approaches (e.g. mFold, we use a partition function calculation that takes into consideration the ensemble of possible RNA conformations for a given sequence. We identified in the human genome disease-associated SNPs that significantly alter the global conformation of the UTR to which they map. For six disease-states (Hyperferritinemia Cataract Syndrome, beta-Thalassemia, Cartilage-Hair Hypoplasia, Retinoblastoma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD, and Hypertension, we identified multiple SNPs in UTRs that alter the mRNA structural ensemble of the associated genes. Using a Boltzmann sampling procedure for sub-optimal RNA structures, we are able to characterize and visualize the nature of the conformational changes induced by the disease-associated mutations in the structural ensemble. We observe in several cases (specifically the 5' UTRs of FTL and RB1 SNP-induced conformational changes analogous to those observed in bacterial regulatory Riboswitches when specific ligands bind. We propose that the UTR and SNP combinations we identify constitute a "RiboSNitch," that is a regulatory RNA in which a specific SNP has a structural consequence that results in a disease phenotype. Our SNPfold algorithm can help identify RiboSNitches by leveraging GWAS data and an analysis of the mRNA structural ensemble.

47 CFR 68.350 - Revocation of Supplier's Declaration of Conformity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Conformity. 68.350 Section 68.350 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON... Terminal Equipment Approval § 68.350 Revocation of Supplier's Declaration of Conformity. (a) The Commission may revoke any Supplier's Declaration of Conformity for cause in accordance with the provisions of...

Changes in properties of DNA caused by gamma and ultraviolet radiation. Dependence of conformational changes on the chemical nature of the damage

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vorlickova, M; Palacek, E [Ceskoslovenska Akademie Ved, Brno. Biofysikalni Ustav

1978-02-16

Changes in the pulse-polarographic behaviour and circular dichroism spectra of DNA were investigated after gamma and ultraviolet irradiations and after degradation by DNAase I. It was found that moderate doses of radiation cause local conformational changes in the double helix which are dependent on the chemical nature of the damage. Only the accumulation of structural changes after high doses of the radiations or after extensive enzymic treatment may cause formation of single-standed regions in DNA.

Conformal field theory in conformal space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Preitschopf, C.R.; Vasiliev, M.A.

1999-01-01

We present a new framework for a Lagrangian description of conformal field theories in various dimensions based on a local version of d + 2-dimensional conformal space. The results include a true gauge theory of conformal gravity in d = (1, 3) and any standard matter coupled to it. An important feature is the automatic derivation of the conformal gravity constraints, which are necessary for the analysis of the matter systems

Reversible conformational change in herpes simplex virus glycoprotein B with fusion-from-without activity is triggered by mildly acidic pH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Anthony V

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The pre-fusion form of the herpes simplex virus (HSV fusion protein gB undergoes pH-triggered conformational change in vitro and during viral entry (Dollery et al., J. Virol. 84:3759-3766, 2010. The antigenic structure of gB from the fusion-from-without (FFWO strain of HSV-1, ANG path, resembles wild type gB that has undergone pH-triggered changes. Together, changes in the antigenic and oligomeric conformation of gB correlate with fusion activity. We tested whether the pre-fusion form of FFWO gB undergoes altered conformational change in response to low pH. Results A pH of 5.5 - 6.0 altered the conformation of Domains I and V of FFWO gB, which together comprise the functional region containing the hydrophobic fusion loops. The ANG path gB oligomer was altered at a similar pH. All changes were reversible. In wild type HSV lacking the UL45 protein, which has been implicated in gB-mediated fusion, gB still underwent pH-triggered changes. ANG path entry was inactivated by pretreatment of virions with low pH. Conclusion The pre-fusion conformation of gB with enhanced fusion activity undergoes alteration in antigenic structure and oligomeric conformation in response to acidic pH. We propose that endosomal pH triggers conformational change in mutant gB with FFWO activity in a manner similar to wild type. Differences apart from this trigger may account for the increased fusion activity of FFWO gB.

Alteration in neonatal nutrition causes perturbations in hypothalamic neural circuits controlling reproductive function.

Science.gov (United States)

Caron, Emilie; Ciofi, Philippe; Prevot, Vincent; Bouret, Sebastien G

2012-08-15

It is increasingly accepted that alterations of the early life environment may have lasting impacts on physiological functions. In particular, epidemiological and animal studies have indicated that changes in growth and nutrition during childhood and adolescence can impair reproductive function. However, the precise biological mechanisms that underlie these programming effects of neonatal nutrition on reproduction are still poorly understood. Here, we used a mouse model of divergent litter size to investigate the effects of early postnatal overnutrition and undernutrition on the maturation of hypothalamic circuits involved in reproductive function. Neonatally undernourished females display attenuated postnatal growth associated with delayed puberty and defective development of axonal projections from the arcuate nucleus to the preoptic region. These alterations persist into adulthood and specifically affect the organization of neural projections containing kisspeptin, a key neuropeptide involved in pubertal activation and fertility. Neonatal overfeeding also perturbs the development of neural projections from the arcuate nucleus to the preoptic region, but it does not result in alterations in kisspeptin projections. These studies indicate that alterations in the early nutritional environment cause lasting and deleterious effects on the organization of neural circuits involved in the control of reproduction, and that these changes are associated with lifelong functional perturbations.

Expansion of the octarepeat domain alters the misfolding pathway but not the folding pathway of the prion protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Leliveld, S Rutger; Stitz, Lothar; Korth, Carsten

2008-06-10

A misfolded conformation of the prion protein (PrP), PrP (Sc), is the essential component of prions, the infectious agents that cause transmissible neurodegenerative diseases. Insertional mutations that lead to an increase in the number of octarepeats (ORs) in PrP are linked to familial human prion disease. In this study, we investigated how expansion of the OR domain causes PrP to favor a prion-like conformation. Therefore, we compared the conformational and aggregation modulating properties of wild-type versus expanded OR domains, either as a fusion construct with the protein G B1 domain (GB1-OR) or as an integral part of full-length mouse PrP (MoPrP). Using circular dichroism spectroscopy, we first demonstrated that ORs are not unfolded but exist as an ensemble of three distinct conformers: polyproline helix-like, beta-turn, and "Trp-related". Domain expansion had little effect on the conformation of GB1-OR fusion proteins. When part of MoPrP however, OR domain expansion changed PrP's folding landscape, not by hampering the production of native alpha-helical monomers but by greatly reducing the propensity to form amyloid and by altering the assembly of misfolded, beta-rich aggregates. These features may relate to subtle pH-dependent conformational differences between wild-type and mutant monomers. In conclusion, we propose that PrP insertional mutations are pathogenic because they enhance specific misfolding pathways of PrP rather than by undermining native folding. This idea was supported by a trial bioassay in transgenic mice overexpressing wild-type MoPrP, where intracerebral injection of recombinant MoPrP with an expanded OR domain but not wild-type MoPrP caused prion disease.

Transcriptional dysregulation causes altered modulation of inhibition by haloperidol.

Science.gov (United States)

Brady, Lillian J; Bartley, Aundrea F; Li, Qin; McMeekin, Laura J; Hablitz, John J; Cowell, Rita M; Dobrunz, Lynn E

2016-12-01

Many neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia and autism involve interneuron transcriptional dysregulation. The transcriptional coactivator PGC-1α regulates gene expression in GABAergic interneurons, which are important for regulating hippocampal network activity. Genetic deletion of PGC-1α causes a decrease in parvalbumin expression, similar to what is observed in schizophrenia postmortem tissue. Our lab has previously shown that PGC-1α -/- mice have enhanced GABAergic inhibition onto CA1 pyramidal cells, which increases the inhibition/excitation (I/E) ratio, alters hippocampal circuit function, and impairs hippocampal dependent behavior. The typical antipsychotic haloperidol, a dopamine receptor antagonist with selectivity for D2-like receptors, has previously been shown to increase excitation in the CA1 region of hippocampus. We therefore tested whether haloperidol could normalize the I/E balance in CA1 of PGC-1α -/- mice, potentially improving circuit function and behavior. Surprisingly, we discovered instead that interneuron transcriptional dysregulation caused by loss of PGC-1α alters the effects of haloperidol on hippocampal synaptic transmission and circuit function. Acute administration of haloperidol causes disinhibition in CA1 and decreases the I/E ratio onto CA1 pyramidal cells in slices from PGC-1α +/+ mice, but not PGC-1α -/- mice. The spread of activity in CA1, assessed by voltage sensitive dye imaging, is increased by haloperidol in slices from PGC-1α +/+ mice; however haloperidol decreases the spread of activity in slices from PGC-1α -/- mice. Haloperidol increased the power of hippocampal gamma oscillation in slices from PGC-1α +/+ mice but reduced the power of gamma oscillations in slices from PGC-1α -/- mice. Nest construction, an innate hippocampal-dependent behavior, is inhibited by haloperidol in PGC-1α +/+ mice, but not in PGC-1α -/- mice, which already have impaired nest building. The effects of

ENPP1 Mutation Causes Recessive Cole Disease by Altering Melanogenesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chourabi, Marwa; Liew, Mei Shan; Lim, Shawn; H'mida-Ben Brahim, Dorra; Boussofara, Lobna; Dai, Liang; Wong, Pui Mun; Foo, Jia Nee; Sriha, Badreddine; Robinson, Kim Samirah; Denil, Simon; Common, John Ea; Mamaï, Ons; Ben Khalifa, Youcef; Bollen, Mathieu; Liu, Jianjun; Denguezli, Mohamed; Bonnard, Carine; Saad, Ali; Reversade, Bruno

2018-02-01

Cole disease is a genodermatosis of pigmentation following a strict dominant mode of inheritance. In this study, we investigated eight patients affected with an overlapping genodermatosis after recessive inheritance. The patients presented with hypo- and hyperpigmented macules over the body, resembling dyschromatosis universalis hereditaria in addition to punctuate palmoplantar keratosis. By homozygosity mapping and whole-exome sequencing, a biallelic p.Cys120Arg mutation in ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1) was identified in all patients. We found that this mutation, like those causing dominant Cole disease, impairs homodimerization of the ENPP1 enzyme that is mediated by its two somatomedin-B-like domains. Histological analysis revealed structural and molecular changes in affected skin that were likely to originate from defective melanocytes because keratinocytes do not express ENPP1. Consistently, RNA-sequencing analysis of patient-derived primary melanocytes revealed alterations in melanocyte development and in pigmentation signaling pathways. We therefore conclude that germline ENPP1 cysteine-specific mutations, primarily affecting the melanocyte lineage, cause a clinical spectrum of dyschromatosis, in which the p.Cys120Arg allele represents a recessive and more severe form of Cole disease. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

1H NMR spectrum of the native human insulin monomer. Evidence for conformational differences between the monomer and aggregated forms.

Science.gov (United States)

Roy, M; Lee, R W; Brange, J; Dunn, M F

1990-04-05

The effects of high dilution on the 1H Fourier transform NMR spectrum of native human insulin at pH* 8.0 and 9.3 have been examined at 500 MHz resolution. The dependence of the spectrum on concentration and comparison with the spectrum of a biologically highly potent monomeric insulin mutant (SerB9----Asp) establish that at 36 microM (pH* 9.3) or 18 microM (pH* 8) and no added buffer or salts, human insulin is monomeric. Under these conditions of dilution, ionic strength, and pH*, human insulin and the SerB9----Asp mutant exhibit nearly identical 1H NMR spectra. At higher concentrations (i.e. greater than 36 microM to 0.91 mM), native human insulin dimerizes, and this aggregation causes a change in insulin conformation. Although there are many changes in the spectrum, the TyrB26 ring H3,5 proton signals located at 6.63 ppm and the methyl signal located at 0.105 ppm (characteristics of monomeric insulin) are particularly distinct signatures of the conformation change that accompanies dimerization. Magnetization transfer experiments show that the 0.105 ppm methyl signal shifts downfield to a new position at 0.45 ppm. We conclude that the 0.105 ppm methyl signal is due to a conformation in which a Leu methyl group is centered over and in van der Waals contact with the ring of an aromatic side chain. Dimerization causes a conformation change that alters this interaction, thereby causing the downfield shift. Nuclear Overhauser studies indicate that the methyl group involved is located within a cluster of aromatic side chains and that the closest ring-methyl group interaction is with the ring of PheB24.

Quantifying polypeptide conformational space: sensitivity to conformation and ensemble definition.

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, David C; Lim, Carmay

2006-08-24

Quantifying the density of conformations over phase space (the conformational distribution) is needed to model important macromolecular processes such as protein folding. In this work, we quantify the conformational distribution for a simple polypeptide (N-mer polyalanine) using the cumulative distribution function (CDF), which gives the probability that two randomly selected conformations are separated by less than a "conformational" distance and whose inverse gives conformation counts as a function of conformational radius. An important finding is that the conformation counts obtained by the CDF inverse depend critically on the assignment of a conformation's distance span and the ensemble (e.g., unfolded state model): varying ensemble and conformation definition (1 --> 2 A) varies the CDF-based conformation counts for Ala(50) from 10(11) to 10(69). In particular, relatively short molecular dynamics (MD) relaxation of Ala(50)'s random-walk ensemble reduces the number of conformers from 10(55) to 10(14) (using a 1 A root-mean-square-deviation radius conformation definition) pointing to potential disconnections in comparing the results from simplified models of unfolded proteins with those from all-atom MD simulations. Explicit waters are found to roughen the landscape considerably. Under some common conformation definitions, the results herein provide (i) an upper limit to the number of accessible conformations that compose unfolded states of proteins, (ii) the optimal clustering radius/conformation radius for counting conformations for a given energy and solvent model, (iii) a means of comparing various studies, and (iv) an assessment of the applicability of random search in protein folding.

Alterations in the brain adenosine metabolism cause behavioral and neurological impairment in ADA-deficient mice and patients

Science.gov (United States)

Sauer, Aisha V.; Hernandez, Raisa Jofra; Fumagalli, Francesca; Bianchi, Veronica; Poliani, Pietro L.; Dallatomasina, Chiara; Riboni, Elisa; Politi, Letterio S.; Tabucchi, Antonella; Carlucci, Filippo; Casiraghi, Miriam; Carriglio, Nicola; Cominelli, Manuela; Forcellini, Carlo Alberto; Barzaghi, Federica; Ferrua, Francesca; Minicucci, Fabio; Medaglini, Stefania; Leocani, Letizia; la Marca, Giancarlo; Notarangelo, Lucia D.; Azzari, Chiara; Comi, Giancarlo; Baldoli, Cristina; Canale, Sabrina; Sessa, Maria; D’Adamo, Patrizia; Aiuti, Alessandro

2017-01-01

Adenosine Deaminase (ADA) deficiency is an autosomal recessive variant of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) caused by systemic accumulation of ADA substrates. Neurological and behavioral abnormalities observed in ADA-SCID patients surviving after stem cell transplantation or gene therapy represent an unresolved enigma in the field. We found significant neurological and cognitive alterations in untreated ADA-SCID patients as well as in two groups of patients after short- and long-term enzyme replacement therapy with PEG-ADA. These included motor dysfunction, EEG alterations, sensorineural hypoacusia, white matter and ventricular alterations in MRI as well as a low mental development index or IQ. Ada-deficient mice were significantly less active and showed anxiety-like behavior. Molecular and metabolic analyses showed that this phenotype coincides with metabolic alterations and aberrant adenosine receptor signaling. PEG-ADA treatment corrected metabolic adenosine-based alterations, but not cellular and signaling defects, indicating an intrinsic nature of the neurological and behavioral phenotype in ADA deficiency. PMID:28074903

The RNA Exosome Channeling and Direct Access Conformations Have Distinct In Vivo Functions

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Jaeil Han

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The RNA exosome is a 3′–5′ ribonuclease complex that is composed of nine core subunits and an essential catalytic subunit, Rrp44. Two distinct conformations of Rrp44 were revealed in previous structural studies, suggesting that Rrp44 may change its conformation to exert its function. In the channeling conformation, (Rrp44ch, RNA accesses the active site after traversing the central channel of the RNA exosome, whereas in the other conformation, (Rrp44da, RNA gains direct access to the active site. Here, we show that the Rrp44da exosome is important for nuclear function of the RNA exosome. Defects caused by disrupting the direct access conformation are distinct from those caused by channel-occluding mutations, indicating specific functions for each conformation. Our genetic analyses provide in vivo evidence that the RNA exosome employs a direct-access route to recruit specific substrates, indicating that the RNA exosome uses alternative conformations to act on different RNA substrates.

Workers’ Conformism

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Nikolay Ivantchev

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Conformism was studied among 46 workers with different kinds of occupations by means of two modified scales measuring conformity by Santor, Messervey, and Kusumakar (2000 – scale for perceived peer pressure and scale for conformism in antisocial situations. The hypothesis of the study that workers’ conformism is expressed in a medium degree was confirmed partly. More than a half of the workers conform in a medium degree for taking risk, and for the use of alcohol and drugs, and for sexual relationships. More than a half of the respondents conform in a small degree for anti-social activities (like a theft. The workers were more inclined to conform for risk taking (10.9%, then – for the use of alcohol, drugs and for sexual relationships (8.7%, and in the lowest degree – for anti-social activities (6.5%. The workers who were inclined for the use of alcohol and drugs tended also to conform for anti-social activities.

The Detrimental Effects of Oxytocin-Induced Conformity on Dishonesty in Competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Aydogan, Gökhan; Jobst, Andrea; D'Ardenne, Kimberlee; Müller, Norbert; Kocher, Martin G

2017-06-01

Justifications may promote unethical behavior because they constitute a convenient loophole through which people can gain from immoral behavior and preserve a positive self-image at the same time. A justification that is widely used is rooted in conformity: Unethical choices become more permissible because one's peers are expected to make the same unethical choices. In the current study, we tested whether an exogenous alteration of conformity led to a lower inclination to adhere to a widely accepted norm (i.e., honesty) under the pressure of competition. We took advantage of the well-known effects of intranasally applied oxytocin on affiliation, in-group conformity, and in-group favoritism in humans. We found that conformity was enhanced by oxytocin, and this enhancement had a detrimental effect on honesty in a competitive environment but not in a noncompetitive environment. Our findings contribute to recent evidence showing that competition may lead to unethical behavior and erode moral values.

Difference between standard and quasi-conformal BFKL kernels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fadin, V.S.; Fiore, R.; Papa, A.

2012-01-01

As it was recently shown, the colour singlet BFKL kernel, taken in Möbius representation in the space of impact parameters, can be written in quasi-conformal shape, which is unbelievably simple compared with the conventional form of the BFKL kernel in momentum space. It was also proved that the total kernel is completely defined by its Möbius representation. In this paper we calculated the difference between standard and quasi-conformal BFKL kernels in momentum space and discovered that it is rather simple. Therefore we come to the conclusion that the simplicity of the quasi-conformal kernel is caused mainly by using the impact parameter space.

Conformation radiotherapy and conformal radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morita, Kozo

1999-01-01

In order to coincide the high dose region to the target volume, the 'Conformation Radiotherapy Technique' using the multileaf collimator and the device for 'hollow-out technique' was developed by Prof. S. Takahashi in 1960. This technique can be classified a type of 2D-dynamic conformal RT techniques. By the clinical application of this technique, the late complications of the lens, the intestine and the urinary bladder after radiotherapy for the maxillary cancer and the cervical cancer decreased. Since 1980's the exact position and shape of the tumor and the surrounding normal tissues can be easily obtained by the tremendous development of the CT/MRI imaging technique. As a result, various kinds of new conformal techniques such as the 3D-CRT, the dose intensity modulation, the tomotherapy have been developed since the beginning of 1990'. Several 'dose escalation study with 2D-/3D conformal RT' is now under way to improve the treatment results. (author)

Killing tensors and conformal Killing tensors from conformal Killing vectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rani, Raffaele; Edgar, S Brian; Barnes, Alan

2003-01-01

Koutras has proposed some methods to construct reducible proper conformal Killing tensors and Killing tensors (which are, in general, irreducible) when a pair of orthogonal conformal Killing vectors exist in a given space. We give the completely general result demonstrating that this severe restriction of orthogonality is unnecessary. In addition, we correct and extend some results concerning Killing tensors constructed from a single conformal Killing vector. A number of examples demonstrate that it is possible to construct a much larger class of reducible proper conformal Killing tensors and Killing tensors than permitted by the Koutras algorithms. In particular, by showing that all conformal Killing tensors are reducible in conformally flat spaces, we have a method of constructing all conformal Killing tensors, and hence all the Killing tensors (which will in general be irreducible) of conformally flat spaces using their conformal Killing vectors

Influence of Tableting on the Conformation and Thermal Stability of Trypsin as a Model Protein

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klukkert, Marten; Van De Weert, Marco; Fanø, Mathias

2015-01-01

was performed to determine the Tm as well as the folding reversibility after thermal denaturation of the reconstituted samples. It was found that compacted samples showed reduced activity accompanied by an altered secondary structure. Conformational changes that occur in the solid state were partially...... reversible upon tablet reconstitution. Aqueous-state IR spectroscopy combined with partial least squares was shown to be a powerful tool to follow irreversible structural changes and evaluate sample bioactivity. Besides its conformation, the thermal stability of trypsin was altered as a result of the applied...... compaction pressure, indicated by a reduced folding reversibility. In conclusion, this study reveals that tableting can have a negative impact on the biological quality of protein APIs....

Defining the conformational features of anchorless, poorly neuroinvasive prions.

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Cyrus Bett

Full Text Available Infectious prions cause diverse clinical signs and form an extraordinary range of structures, from amorphous aggregates to fibrils. How the conformation of a prion dictates the disease phenotype remains unclear. Mice expressing GPI-anchorless or GPI-anchored prion protein exposed to the same infectious prion develop fibrillar or nonfibrillar aggregates, respectively, and show a striking divergence in the disease pathogenesis. To better understand how a prion's physical properties govern the pathogenesis, infectious anchorless prions were passaged in mice expressing anchorless prion protein and the resulting prions were biochemically characterized. Serial passage of anchorless prions led to a significant decrease in the incubation period to terminal disease and altered the biochemical properties, consistent with a transmission barrier effect. After an intraperitoneal exposure, anchorless prions were only weakly neuroinvasive, as prion plaques rarely occurred in the brain yet were abundant in extracerebral sites such as heart and adipose tissue. Anchorless prions consistently showed very high stability in chaotropes or when heated in SDS, and were highly resistant to enzyme digestion. Consistent with the results in mice, anchorless prions from a human patient were also highly stable in chaotropes. These findings reveal that anchorless prions consist of fibrillar and highly stable conformers. The additional finding from our group and others that both anchorless and anchored prion fibrils are poorly neuroinvasive strengthens the hypothesis that a fibrillar prion structure impedes efficient CNS invasion.

L1198F Mutation Resensitizes Crizotinib to ALK by Altering the Conformation of Inhibitor and ATP Binding Sites

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Jian Li

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The efficacy of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC treatment with small molecule inhibitors is greatly challenged by acquired resistance. A recent study reported the newest generation inhibitor resistant mutation L1198F led to the resensitization to crizotinib, which is the first Food and Drug Administration (FDA approved drug for the treatment of ALK-positive NSCLC. It is of great importance to understand how this extremely rare event occurred for the purpose of overcoming the acquired resistance of such inhibitors. In this study, we exploited molecular dynamics (MD simulation to dissect the molecular mechanisms. Our MD results revealed that L1198F mutation of ALK resulted in the conformational change at the inhibitor site and altered the binding affinity of ALK to crizotinib and lorlatinib. L1198F mutation also affected the autoactivation of ALK as supported by the identification of His1124 and Tyr1278 as critical amino acids involved in ATP binding and phosphorylation. Our findings are valuable for designing more specific and potent inhibitors for the treatment of ALK-positive NSCLC and other types of cancer.

Ultrastructural alterations in adult Schistosoma mansoni caused by artemether

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Shuhua Xiao

2002-07-01

Full Text Available Progress has been made over the last decade with the development and clinical use of artemether as an agent against major human schistosome parasites. The tegument has been identified as a key target of artemether, implying detailed studies on ultrastructural damage induced by this compound. We performed a temporal examination, employing a transmission electron microscope to assess the pattern and extent of ultrastructural alterations in adult Schistosoma mansoni harboured in mice treated with a single dose of 400 mg/kg artemether. Eight hours post-treatment, damage to the tegument and subtegumental structures was seen. Tegumental alterations reached a peak 3 days after treatment and were characterized by swelling, fusion of distal cytoplasma, focal lysis of the tegumental matrix and vacuolisation. Tubercles and sensory organelles frequently degenerated or collapsed. Typical features of subtegumental alterations, including muscle fibres, syncytium and parenchyma tissues, were focal or extensive lysis, vacuolisation and degeneration of mitochondria. Severe alterations were also observed in gut epithelial cells and vitelline cells of female worms. Our findings of artemether-induced ultrastructural alterations in adult S. mansoni confirm previous results obtained with juvenile S. mansoni and S. japonicum of different ages.

Conformal changes of metrics and the initial-value problem of general relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mielke, E.W.

1977-01-01

Conformal techniques are reviewed with respect to applications to the initial-value problem of general relativity. Invariant transverse traceless decompositions of tensors, one of its main tools, are related to representations of the group of 'conformeomorphisms' acting on the space of all Riemannian metrics on M. Conformal vector fields, a kernel in the decomposition, are analyzed on compact manifolds with constant scalar curvature. The realization of arbitrary functions as scalar curvature of conformally equivalent metrics, a generalization of Yamabe's (Osaka Math. J.; 12:12 (1960)) conjecture, is applied to the Hamiltonian constraint and to the issue of positive energy of gravitational fields. Various approaches to the solution of the initial-value equations produced by altering the scaling behaviour of the second fundamental form are compared. (author)

Replacement between conformity and counter-conformity in consumption decisions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Ting-Jui; Chang, En-Chung; Dai, Qi; Wong, Veronica

2013-02-01

This study assessed, in a Chinese context, how self-esteem interacts with perceived similarity and uniqueness to yield cognitive dissonance, and whether the dissonance leads to self-reported conformity or counter-conformity behavior. Participants were 408 respondents from 4 major Chinese cities (M age = 33.0 yr., SD = 4.3; 48% men). Self-perceptions of uniqueness, similarity, cognitive dissonance, self-esteem and need to behave in conformity or counter-conformity were measured. A theoretical model was assessed in four situations, relating the ratings of self-esteem and perceived similarity/uniqueness to the way other people at a wedding were dressed, and the resultant cognitive dissonance and conformity/ counter-conformity behavior. Regardless of high or low self-esteem, all participants reported cognitive dissonance when they were told that they were dressed extremely similarly to or extremely differently from the other people attending the wedding. However, the conforming/counter-conforming strategies used by participants to resolve the cognitive dissonance differed. When encountering dissonance induced by the perceived extreme uniqueness of dress, participants with low self-esteem tended to say they would dress next time so as to conform with the way others were dressed, while those with high self-esteem indicated they would continue their counter-conformity in attire. When encountering dissonance induced by the perceived extreme similarity to others, both those with high and low self-esteem tended to say they would dress in an unorthodox manner to surprise other people in the future.

Conformational impact of structural modifications in 2-fluorocyclohexanone

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Francisco A. Martins

2017-08-01

Full Text Available 2-Haloketones are building blocks that combine physical, chemical and biological features of materials and bioactive compounds, while organic fluorine plays a fundamental role in the design of performance organic molecules. Since these features are dependent on the three-dimensional chemical structure of a molecule, simple structural modifications can affect its conformational stability and, consequently, the corresponding physicochemical/biological property of interest. In this work, structural changes in 2-fluorocyclohexanone were theoretically studied with the aim at finding intramolecular interactions that induce the conformational equilibrium towards the axial or equatorial conformer. The interactions evaluated were hydrogen bonding, hyperconjugation, electrostatic and steric effects. While the gauche effect, originated from hyperconjugative interactions, does not appear to cause some preferences for the axial conformation of organofluorine heterocycles, more classical effects indeed rule the conformational equilibrium of the compounds. Spectroscopic parameters (NMR chemical shifts and coupling constants, which can be useful to determine the stereochemistry and the interactions operating in the series of 2-fluorocyclohexanone derivatives, were also calculated.

Aromatase deficiency causes altered expression of molecules critical for calcium reabsorption in the kidneys of female mice *.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oz, O.K.; Hajibeigi, A.; Howard, K.; Cummins, C.L.; Abel, M. van; Bindels, R.J.M.; Word, R.A.; Kuro-o, M.; Pak, C.Y.; Zerwekh, J.E.

2007-01-01

Kidney stones increase after menopause, suggesting a role for estrogen deficiency. ArKO mice have hypercalciuria and lower levels of calcium transport proteins, whereas levels of the klotho protein are elevated. Thus, estrogen deficiency is sufficient to cause altered renal calcium handling.

Conformal house

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ryttov, Thomas Aaby; Sannino, Francesco

2010-01-01

fixed point. As a consistency check we recover the previously investigated bounds of the conformal windows when restricting to a single matter representation. The earlier conformal windows can be imagined to be part now of the new conformal house. We predict the nonperturbative anomalous dimensions...... at the infrared fixed points. We further investigate the effects of adding mass terms to the condensates on the conformal house chiral dynamics and construct the simplest instanton induced effective Lagrangian terms...

Information content of long-range NMR data for the characterization of conformational heterogeneity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrałojć, Witold [University of Florence, Center for Magnetic Resonance (CERM) (Italy); Berlin, Konstantin; Fushman, David, E-mail: fushman@umd.edu [University of Maryland, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Center for Biomolecular Structure and Organization (United States); Luchinat, Claudio, E-mail: luchinat@cerm.unifi.it; Parigi, Giacomo; Ravera, Enrico [University of Florence, Center for Magnetic Resonance (CERM) (Italy); Sgheri, Luca [CNR, Istituto per le Applicazioni del Calcolo, Sezione di Firenze (Italy)

2015-07-15

Long-range NMR data, namely residual dipolar couplings (RDCs) from external alignment and paramagnetic data, are becoming increasingly popular for the characterization of conformational heterogeneity of multidomain biomacromolecules and protein complexes. The question addressed here is how much information is contained in these averaged data. We have analyzed and compared the information content of conformationally averaged RDCs caused by steric alignment and of both RDCs and pseudocontact shifts caused by paramagnetic alignment, and found that, despite the substantial differences, they contain a similar amount of information. Furthermore, using several synthetic tests we find that both sets of data are equally good towards recovering the major state(s) in conformational distributions.

Conformational alterations in the CD4 binding cavity of HIV-1 gp120 influencing gp120-CD4 interactions and fusogenicity of HIV-1 envelopes derived from brain and other tissues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramsland Paul A

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background CD4-binding site (CD4bs alterations in gp120 contribute to HIV-1 envelope (Env mediated fusogenicity and the ability of gp120 to utilize low levels of cell-surface CD4. In a recent study, we constructed three-dimensional models of gp120 to illustrate CD4bs conformations associated with enhanced fusogenicity and enhanced CD4-usage of a modestly-sized panel of blood-derived HIV-1 Envs (n = 16. These conformations were characterized by a wider aperture of the CD4bs cavity, as constrained by the inner-most atoms at the gp120 V1V2 stem and the V5 loop. Here, we sought to provide further validation of the utility of these models for understanding mechanisms that influence Env function, by characterizing the structure-function relationships of a larger panel of Envs derived from brain and other tissues (n = 81. Findings Three-dimensional models of gp120 were generated by our recently validated homology modelling protocol. Analysis of predicted CD4bs structures showed correlations between the aperture width of the CD4bs cavity and ability of the Envs to mediate cell-cell fusion, scavenge low-levels of cell-surface CD4, bind directly to soluble CD4, and bind to the Env mAb IgG1b12 whose epitope overlaps the gp120 CD4bs. These structural alterations in the CD4bs cavity were associated with repositioning of the V5 loop. Conclusions Using a large, independent panel of Envs, we can confirm the utility of three-dimensional gp120 structural models for illustrating CD4bs alterations that can affect Env function. Furthermore, we now provide new evidence that these CD4bs alterations augment the ability of gp120 to interact with CD4 by increasing the exposure of the CD4bs.

Conformational changes of fibrinogen in dispersed carbon nanotubes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Park SJ

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Sung Jean Park,1 Dongwoo Khang21College of Pharmacy, Gachon University, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, South Korea; 2School of Nano and Advanced Materials Science Engineering and Center for PRC and RIGET, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, South KoreaAbstract: The conformational changes of plasma protein structures in response to carbon nanotubes are critical for determining the nanotoxicity and blood coagulation effects of carbon nanotubes. In this study, we identified that the functional intensity of carboxyl groups on carbon nanotubes, which correspond to the water dispersity or hydrophilicity of carbon nanotubes, can induce conformational changes in the fibrinogen domains. Also, elevation of carbon nanotube density can alter the secondary structures (ie, helices and beta sheets of fibrinogen. Furthermore, fibrinogen that had been in contact with the nanoparticle material demonstrated a different pattern of heat denaturation compared with free fibrinogen as a result of a variation in hydrophilicity and concentration of carbon nanotubes. Considering the importance of interactions between carbon nanotubes and plasma proteins in the drug delivery system, this study elucidated the correlation between nanoscale physiochemical material properties of carbon nanotubes and associated structural changes in fibrinogen.Keywords: carbon nanotubes, fibrinogen, nanotoxicity, conformational change, denaturation

Conformational changes in DNA caused by DNA-ase I, gamma and ultraviolet radiation as revealed by differential pulse polarography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vorlickova, M.

1979-01-01

The height, potential and half width of differential pulse-polarographic peaks of DNA were investigated in dependence on degradation by DNA-ase I and gamma and UV radiation. It was found that in all cases studied growth of peak II (reflecting conformational changes in the DNA double helix) was limited, and only after it reached a certain height further degradation induced the appearance of peak III of single-stranded DNA. This course is explained as reflecting the limited extent of conformational changes in the framework of the double helix, which probably follows from a limited number of sites that can undergo certain types of conformational changes. The character of the conformational changes is dependent on the chemical nature of the damage. (author)

Changed membrane integration and catalytic site conformation are two mechanisms behind the increased Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio by presenilin 1 familial Alzheimer-linked mutations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johanna Wanngren

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The enzyme complex γ-secretase generates amyloid β-peptide (Aβ, a 37–43-residue peptide associated with Alzheimer disease (AD. Mutations in presenilin 1 (PS1, the catalytical subunit of γ-secretase, result in familial AD (FAD. A unifying theme among FAD mutations is an alteration in the ratio Aβ species produced (the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio, but the molecular mechanisms responsible remain elusive. In this report we have studied the impact of several different PS1 FAD mutations on the integration of selected PS1 transmembrane domains and on PS1 active site conformation, and whether any effects translate to a particular amyloid precursor protein (APP processing phenotype. Most mutations studied caused an increase in the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio, but via different mechanisms. The mutations that caused a particular large increase in the Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio did also display an impaired APP intracellular domain (AICD formation and a lower total Aβ production. Interestingly, seven mutations close to the catalytic site caused a severely impaired integration of proximal transmembrane/hydrophobic sequences into the membrane. This structural defect did not correlate to a particular APP processing phenotype. Six selected FAD mutations, all of which exhibited different APP processing profiles and impact on PS1 transmembrane domain integration, were found to display an altered active site conformation. Combined, our data suggest that FAD mutations affect the PS1 structure and active site differently, resulting in several complex APP processing phenotypes, where the most aggressive mutations in terms of increased Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio are associated with a decrease in total γ-secretase activity.

Quantum Conformal Algebras and Closed Conformal Field Theory

CERN Document Server

Anselmi, D

1999-01-01

We investigate the quantum conformal algebras of N=2 and N=1 supersymmetric gauge theories. Phenomena occurring at strong coupling are analysed using the Nachtmann theorem and very general, model-independent, arguments. The results lead us to introduce a novel class of conformal field theories, identified by a closed quantum conformal algebra. We conjecture that they are the exact solution to the strongly coupled large-N_c limit of the open conformal field theories. We study the basic properties of closed conformal field theory and work out the operator product expansion of the conserved current multiplet T. The OPE structure is uniquely determined by two central charges, c and a. The multiplet T does not contain just the stress-tensor, but also R-currents and finite mass operators. For this reason, the ratio c/a is different from 1. On the other hand, an open algebra contains an infinite tower of non-conserved currents, organized in pairs and singlets with respect to renormalization mixing. T mixes with a se...

C-metric solution for conformal gravity with a conformally coupled scalar field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meng, Kun, E-mail: mengkun@tjpu.edu.cn [School of Science, Tianjin Polytechnic University, Tianjin 300387 (China); Zhao, Liu, E-mail: lzhao@nankai.edu.cn [School of Physics, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071 (China)

2017-02-15

The C-metric solution of conformal gravity with a conformally coupled scalar field is presented. The solution belongs to the class of Petrov type D spacetimes and is conformal to the standard AdS C-metric appeared in vacuum Einstein gravity. For all parameter ranges, we identify some of the physically interesting static regions and the corresponding coordinate ranges. The solution may contain a black hole event horizon, an acceleration horizon, either of which may be cut by the conformal infinity or be hidden behind the conformal infinity. Since the model is conformally invariant, we also discussed the possible effects of the conformal gauge choices on the structure of the spacetime.

Non-conformable, partial and conformable transposition

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

König, Thomas; Mäder, Lars Kai

2013-01-01

and the Commission regarding a directive’s outcome, play a much more strategic role than has to date acknowledged in the transposition literature. Whereas disagreement of a member state delays conformable transposition, it speeds up non-conformable transposition. Disagreement of the Commission only prolongs...... the transposition process. We therefore conclude that a stronger focus on an effective sanctioning mechanism is warranted for safeguarding compliance with directives....

Conformal Einstein spaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kozameh, C.N.; Newman, E.T.; Tod, K.P.

1985-01-01

Conformal transformations in four-dimensional. In particular, a new set of two necessary and sufficient conditions for a space to be conformal to an Einstein space is presented. The first condition defines the class of spaces conformal to C spaces, whereas the last one (the vanishing of the Bach tensor) gives the particular subclass of C spaces which are conformally related to Einstein spaces. (author)

Conformal Gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hooft, G.

2012-01-01

The dynamical degree of freedom for the gravitational force is the metric tensor, having 10 locally independent degrees of freedom (of which 4 can be used to fix the coordinate choice). In conformal gravity, we split this field into an overall scalar factor and a nine-component remainder. All unrenormalizable infinities are in this remainder, while the scalar component can be handled like any other scalar field such as the Higgs field. In this formalism, conformal symmetry is spontaneously broken. An imperative demand on any healthy quantum gravity theory is that black holes should be described as quantum systems with micro-states as dictated by the Hawking-Bekenstein theory. This requires conformal symmetry that may be broken spontaneously but not explicitly, and this means that all conformal anomalies must cancel out. Cancellation of conformal anomalies yields constraints on the matter sector as described by some universal field theory. Thus black hole physics may eventually be of help in the construction of unified field theories. (author)

Exploring environmental causes of altered ras effects: fragmentation plus integration?

Science.gov (United States)

Porta, Miquel; Ayude, Daniel; Alguacil, Juan; Jariod, Manuel

2003-02-01

Mutations in ras genes are the most common abnormality of oncogenes in human cancer and a major example of activation by point mutation. Experimental and epidemiological studies support the notion that Ki-ras activation and expression may be chemically related. We discuss the potential role of several environmental compounds in the induction or promotion of ras mutations in humans, with a focus on exocrine pancreatic cancer, the human tumor with the highest prevalence at diagnosis of Ki-ras mutations. Organochlorine compounds, organic solvents, and coffee compounds may play an indirect role in causing Ki-ras mutations, rather than as direct inducers of the mutations. Although for some organochlorine compounds the induction of point mutations in ras oncogenes cannot be excluded, it seems more likely that the effects of these compounds are mediated through nongenomic or indirectly genotoxic mechanisms of action. Organic solvents also may act via enzymatic induction of ras mutagens or by providing a proliferation advantage to ras-mutated cell clones. In exocrine pancreatic cancer, caffeine, other coffee compounds, or other factors with which coffee drinking is associated could modulate Ki-ras activation by interfering with DNA repair, cell-cycle checkpoints, and apoptosis. Asbestos, cigarette smoking, and some dietary factors also may be involved in the initiation or the promotion of Ki-ras mutations in lung and colon cancers. Further development of the mechanistic scenarios proposed here could contribute to a meaningful integration of biological, clinical, and environmental knowledge on the causes of altered ras effects. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Effects of macromolecular crowding on protein conformational changes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao Dong

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Many protein functions can be directly linked to conformational changes. Inside cells, the equilibria and transition rates between different conformations may be affected by macromolecular crowding. We have recently developed a new approach for modeling crowding effects, which enables an atomistic representation of "test" proteins. Here this approach is applied to study how crowding affects the equilibria and transition rates between open and closed conformations of seven proteins: yeast protein disulfide isomerase (yPDI, adenylate kinase (AdK, orotidine phosphate decarboxylase (ODCase, Trp repressor (TrpR, hemoglobin, DNA beta-glucosyltransferase, and Ap(4A hydrolase. For each protein, molecular dynamics simulations of the open and closed states are separately run. Representative open and closed conformations are then used to calculate the crowding-induced changes in chemical potential for the two states. The difference in chemical-potential change between the two states finally predicts the effects of crowding on the population ratio of the two states. Crowding is found to reduce the open population to various extents. In the presence of crowders with a 15 A radius and occupying 35% of volume, the open-to-closed population ratios of yPDI, AdK, ODCase and TrpR are reduced by 79%, 78%, 62% and 55%, respectively. The reductions for the remaining three proteins are 20-44%. As expected, the four proteins experiencing the stronger crowding effects are those with larger conformational changes between open and closed states (e.g., as measured by the change in radius of gyration. Larger proteins also tend to experience stronger crowding effects than smaller ones [e.g., comparing yPDI (480 residues and TrpR (98 residues]. The potentials of mean force along the open-closed reaction coordinate of apo and ligand-bound ODCase are altered by crowding, suggesting that transition rates are also affected. These quantitative results and qualitative trends will

Conformal symmetry in two-dimensional space: recursion representation of conformal block

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zamolodchikov, A.B.

1988-01-01

The four-point conformal block plays an important part in the analysis of the conformally invariant operator algebra in two-dimensional space. The behavior of the conformal block is calculated in the present paper in the limit in which the dimension Δ of the intermediate operator tends to infinity. This makes it possible to construct a recursion relation for this function that connects the conformal block at arbitrary Δ to the blocks corresponding to the dimensions of the zero vectors in the degenerate representations of the Virasoro algebra. The relation is convenient for calculating the expansion of the conformal block in powers of the uniformizing parameters q = i π tau

Prolonged endoplasmic reticulum stress alters placental morphology and causes low birth weight

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawakami, Takashige; Yoshimi, Masaki; Kadota, Yoshito; Inoue, Masahisa; Sato, Masao; Suzuki, Shinya

2014-01-01

The role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in pregnancy remains largely unknown. Pregnant mice were subcutaneously administered tunicamycin (Tun), an ER stressor, as a single dose [0, 50, and 100 μg Tun/kg/body weight (BW)] on gestation days (GDs) 8.5, 12.5, and 15.5. A high incidence (75%) of preterm delivery was observed only in the group treated with Tun 100 μg/kg BW at GD 15.5, indicating that pregnant mice during late gestation are more susceptible to ER stress on preterm delivery. We further examined whether prolonged in utero exposure to ER stress affects fetal development. Pregnant mice were subcutaneously administered a dose of 0, 20, 40, and 60 μg Tun/kg from GD 12.5 to 16.5. Tun treatment decreased the placental and fetal weights in a dose-dependent manner. Histological evaluation showed the formation of a cluster of spongiotrophoblast cells in the labyrinth zone of the placenta of Tun-treated mice. The glycogen content of the fetal liver and placenta from Tun-treated mice was lower than that from control mice. Tun treatment decreased mRNA expression of Slc2a1/glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), which is a major transporter for glucose, but increased placental mRNA levels of Slc2a3/GLUT3. Moreover, maternal exposure to Tun resulted in a decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1), VEGFR-2, and placental growth factor. These results suggest that excessive and exogenous ER stress may induce functional abnormalities in the placenta, at least in part, with altered GLUT and vascular-related gene expression, resulting in low infant birth weight. - Highlights: • Maternal exposure to excessive ER stress induced preterm birth and IUGR. • Prolonged excessive ER stress altered the formation of the placental labyrinth. • ER stress decreased GLUT1 mRNA expression in the placenta, but increased GLUT3. • ER stress-induced IUGR causes decreased glycogen and altered glucose transport

Prolonged endoplasmic reticulum stress alters placental morphology and causes low birth weight

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kawakami, Takashige, E-mail: tkawakami@ph.bunri-u.ac.jp; Yoshimi, Masaki; Kadota, Yoshito; Inoue, Masahisa; Sato, Masao; Suzuki, Shinya

2014-03-01

The role of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in pregnancy remains largely unknown. Pregnant mice were subcutaneously administered tunicamycin (Tun), an ER stressor, as a single dose [0, 50, and 100 μg Tun/kg/body weight (BW)] on gestation days (GDs) 8.5, 12.5, and 15.5. A high incidence (75%) of preterm delivery was observed only in the group treated with Tun 100 μg/kg BW at GD 15.5, indicating that pregnant mice during late gestation are more susceptible to ER stress on preterm delivery. We further examined whether prolonged in utero exposure to ER stress affects fetal development. Pregnant mice were subcutaneously administered a dose of 0, 20, 40, and 60 μg Tun/kg from GD 12.5 to 16.5. Tun treatment decreased the placental and fetal weights in a dose-dependent manner. Histological evaluation showed the formation of a cluster of spongiotrophoblast cells in the labyrinth zone of the placenta of Tun-treated mice. The glycogen content of the fetal liver and placenta from Tun-treated mice was lower than that from control mice. Tun treatment decreased mRNA expression of Slc2a1/glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), which is a major transporter for glucose, but increased placental mRNA levels of Slc2a3/GLUT3. Moreover, maternal exposure to Tun resulted in a decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1), VEGFR-2, and placental growth factor. These results suggest that excessive and exogenous ER stress may induce functional abnormalities in the placenta, at least in part, with altered GLUT and vascular-related gene expression, resulting in low infant birth weight. - Highlights: • Maternal exposure to excessive ER stress induced preterm birth and IUGR. • Prolonged excessive ER stress altered the formation of the placental labyrinth. • ER stress decreased GLUT1 mRNA expression in the placenta, but increased GLUT3. • ER stress-induced IUGR causes decreased glycogen and altered glucose transport.

BRF1 mutations alter RNA polymerase III–dependent transcription and cause neurodevelopmental anomalies

Science.gov (United States)

Hög, Friederike; Dentici, Maria Lisa; Tan, Perciliz L.; Sowada, Nadine; Medeira, Ana; Gueneau, Lucie; Thiele, Holger; Kousi, Maria; Lepri, Francesca; Wenzeck, Larissa; Blumenthal, Ian; Radicioni, Antonio; Schwarzenberg, Tito Livio; Mandriani, Barbara; Fischetto, Rita; Morris-Rosendahl, Deborah J.; Altmüller, Janine; Reymond, Alexandre; Nürnberg, Peter; Merla, Giuseppe; Dallapiccola, Bruno; Katsanis, Nicholas; Cramer, Patrick; Kubisch, Christian

2015-01-01

RNA polymerase III (Pol III) synthesizes tRNAs and other small noncoding RNAs to regulate protein synthesis. Dysregulation of Pol III transcription has been linked to cancer, and germline mutations in genes encoding Pol III subunits or tRNA processing factors cause neurogenetic disorders in humans, such as hypomyelinating leukodystrophies and pontocerebellar hypoplasia. Here we describe an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by cerebellar hypoplasia and intellectual disability, as well as facial dysmorphic features, short stature, microcephaly, and dental anomalies. Whole-exome sequencing revealed biallelic missense alterations of BRF1 in three families. In support of the pathogenic potential of the discovered alleles, suppression or CRISPR-mediated deletion of brf1 in zebrafish embryos recapitulated key neurodevelopmental phenotypes; in vivo complementation showed all four candidate mutations to be pathogenic in an apparent isoform-specific context. BRF1 associates with BDP1 and TBP to form the transcription factor IIIB (TFIIIB), which recruits Pol III to target genes. We show that disease-causing mutations reduce Brf1 occupancy at tRNA target genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and impair cell growth. Moreover, BRF1 mutations reduce Pol III–related transcription activity in vitro. Taken together, our data show that BRF1 mutations that reduce protein activity cause neurodevelopmental anomalies, suggesting that BRF1-mediated Pol III transcription is required for normal cerebellar and cognitive development. PMID:25561519

Conformal Infinity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frauendiener Jörg

2000-08-01

Full Text Available The notion of conformal infinity has a long history within the research in Einstein's theory of gravity. Today, ``conformal infinity'' is related with almost all other branches of research in general relativity, from quantisation procedures to abstract mathematical issues to numerical applications. This review article attempts to show how this concept gradually and inevitably evolved out of physical issues, namely the need to understand gravitational radiation and isolated systems within the theory of gravitation and how it lends itself very naturally to solve radiation problems in numerical relativity. The fundamental concept of null-infinity is introduced. Friedrich's regular conformal field equations are presented and various initial value problems for them are discussed. Finally, it is shown that the conformal field equations provide a very powerful method within numerical relativity to study global problems such as gravitational wave propagation and detection.

Conformal Infinity.

Science.gov (United States)

Frauendiener, Jörg

2004-01-01

The notion of conformal infinity has a long history within the research in Einstein's theory of gravity. Today, "conformal infinity" is related to almost all other branches of research in general relativity, from quantisation procedures to abstract mathematical issues to numerical applications. This review article attempts to show how this concept gradually and inevitably evolved from physical issues, namely the need to understand gravitational radiation and isolated systems within the theory of gravitation, and how it lends itself very naturally to the solution of radiation problems in numerical relativity. The fundamental concept of null-infinity is introduced. Friedrich's regular conformal field equations are presented and various initial value problems for them are discussed. Finally, it is shown that the conformal field equations provide a very powerful method within numerical relativity to study global problems such as gravitational wave propagation and detection.

Neural Basis of Two Kinds of Social Influence: Obedience and Conformity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying eXie

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Event-related potentials (ERPs were used in this study to explore the neural mechanism of obedience and conformity on the model of online book purchasing. Participants were asked to decide as quickly as possible whether to buy a book based on limited information including its title, keywords and number of positive and negative reviews. Obedience was induced by forcing participants to buy books which received mostly negative reviews. In contrast, conformity was aroused by majority influence (caused by positive and negative comments. P3 and N2, two kinds of ERP components related to social cognitive process, were measured and recorded with electroencephalogram (EEG test. The results show that compared with conformity decisions, obedience decisions induced greater cognitive conflicts. In ERP measurements, greater amplitudes of N2 component were observed in the context of obedience. However, consistency level did not make a difference on P3 peak latency for both conformity and obedience. This shows that classification process is implicit in both conformity and obedience decision-making. In addition, for both conformity and obedience decisions, augmented P3 was observed when the reviews consistency (either negative or positive was higher.

Neural Basis of Two Kinds of Social Influence: Obedience and Conformity.

Science.gov (United States)

Xie, Ying; Chen, Mingliang; Lai, Hongxia; Zhang, Wuke; Zhao, Zhen; Anwar, Ch Mahmood

2016-01-01

Event-related potentials (ERPs) were used in this study to explore the neural mechanism of obedience and conformity on the model of online book purchasing. Participants were asked to decide as quickly as possible whether to buy a book based on limited information including its title, keywords and number of positive and negative reviews. Obedience was induced by forcing participants to buy books which received mostly negative reviews. In contrast, conformity was aroused by majority influence (caused by positive and negative comments). P3 and N2, two kinds of ERP components related to social cognitive process, were measured and recorded with electroencephalogram (EEG) test. The results show that compared with conformity decisions, obedience decisions induced greater cognitive conflicts. In ERP measurements, greater amplitudes of N2 component were observed in the context of obedience. However, consistency level did not make a difference on P3 peak latency for both conformity and obedience. This shows that classification process is implicit in both conformity and obedience decision-making. In addition, for both conformity and obedience decisions, augmented P3 was observed when the reviews consistency (either negative or positive) was higher.

Conformal Infinity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frauendiener Jörg

2004-01-01

Full Text Available The notion of conformal infinity has a long history within the research in Einstein's theory of gravity. Today, 'conformal infinity' is related to almost all other branches of research in general relativity, from quantisation procedures to abstract mathematical issues to numerical applications. This review article attempts to show how this concept gradually and inevitably evolved from physical issues, namely the need to understand gravitational radiation and isolated systems within the theory of gravitation, and how it lends itself very naturally to the solution of radiation problems in numerical relativity. The fundamental concept of null-infinity is introduced. Friedrich's regular conformal field equations are presented and various initial value problems for them are discussed. Finally, it is shown that the conformal field equations provide a very powerful method within numerical relativity to study global problems such as gravitational wave propagation and detection.

Interactions Controlling the Slow Dynamic Conformational Motions of Ubiquitin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soichiro Kitazawa

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Rational mutation of proteins based on their structural and dynamic characteristics is a useful strategy for amplifying specific fluctuations in proteins. Here, we show the effects of mutation on the conformational fluctuations and thermodynamic stability of ubiquitin. In particular, we focus on the salt bridge between K11 and E34 and the hydrogen bond between I36 and Q41, which are predicted to control the fluctuation between the basic folded state, N1, and the alternatively folded state, N2, of the protein, using high-pressure NMR spectroscopy. The E34A mutation, which disrupts the salt bridge, did not alter picosecond–to–nanosecond, microsecond–to–millisecond dynamic motions, and stability of the protein, while the Q41N mutation, which destabilizes the hydrogen bond, specifically amplified the N1–N2 conformational fluctuation and decreased stability. Based on the observed thermodynamic stabilities of the various conformational states, we showed that in the Q41N mutant, the N1 state is more significantly destabilized than the N2 state, resulting in an increase in the relative population of N2. Identifying the interactions controlling specific motions of a protein will facilitate molecular design to achieve functional dynamics beyond native state dynamics.

Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1 RNA Crystal Structures Reveal Heterogeneous 1 × 1 Nucleotide UU Internal Loop Conformations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, Amit; Park, HaJeung; Fang, Pengfei; Parkesh, Raman; Guo, Min; Nettles, Kendall W.; Disney, Matthew D. (Scripps)

2012-03-27

RNA internal loops often display a variety of conformations in solution. Herein, we visualize conformational heterogeneity in the context of the 5'CUG/3'GUC repeat motif present in the RNA that causes myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Specifically, two crystal structures of a model DM1 triplet repeating construct, 5'r[{und UU}GGGC(C{und U}G){sub 3}GUCC]{sub 2}, refined to 2.20 and 1.52 {angstrom} resolution are disclosed. Here, differences in the orientation of the 5' dangling UU end between the two structures induce changes in the backbone groove width, which reveals that noncanonical 1 x 1 nucleotide UU internal loops can display an ensemble of pairing conformations. In the 2.20 {angstrom} structure, CUGa, the 5' UU forms a one hydrogen-bonded pair with a 5' UU of a neighboring helix in the unit cell to form a pseudoinfinite helix. The central 1 x 1 nucleotide UU internal loop has no hydrogen bonds, while the terminal 1 x 1 nucleotide UU internal loops each form a one-hydrogen bond pair. In the 1.52 {angstrom} structure, CUGb, the 5' UU dangling end is tucked into the major groove of the duplex. While the canonically paired bases show no change in base pairing, in CUGb the terminal 1 x 1 nucleotide UU internal loops now form two hydrogen-bonded pairs. Thus, the shift in the major groove induced by the 5' UU dangling end alters noncanonical base patterns. Collectively, these structures indicate that 1 x 1 nucleotide UU internal loops in DM1 may sample multiple conformations in vivo. This observation has implications for the recognition of this RNA, and other repeating transcripts, by protein and small molecule ligands.

Prenatal exposure to urban air nanoparticles in mice causes altered neuronal differentiation and depression-like responses.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David A Davis

Full Text Available Emerging evidence suggests that excessive exposure to traffic-derived air pollution during pregnancy may increase the vulnerability to neurodevelopmental alterations that underlie a broad array of neuropsychiatric disorders. We present a mouse model for prenatal exposure to urban freeway nanoparticulate matter (nPM. In prior studies, we developed a model for adult rodent exposure to re-aerosolized urban nPM which caused inflammatory brain responses with altered neuronal glutamatergic functions. nPMs are collected continuously for one month from a local freeway and stored as an aqueous suspension, prior to re-aerosolization for exposure of mice under controlled dose and duration. This paradigm was used for a pilot study of prenatal nPM impact on neonatal neurons and adult behaviors. Adult C57BL/6J female mice were exposed to re-aerosolized nPM (350 µg/m(3 or control filtered ambient air for 10 weeks (3×5 hour exposures per week, encompassing gestation and oocyte maturation prior to mating. Prenatal nPM did not alter litter size, pup weight, or postnatal growth. Neonatal cerebral cortex neurons at 24 hours in vitro showed impaired differentiation, with 50% reduction of stage 3 neurons with long neurites and correspondingly more undifferentiated neurons at Stages 0 and 1. Neuron number after 24 hours of culture was not altered by prenatal nPM exposure. Addition of exogenous nPM (2 µg/ml to the cultures impaired pyramidal neuron Stage 3 differentiation by 60%. Adult males showed increased depression-like responses in the tail-suspension test, but not anxiety-related behaviors. These pilot data suggest that prenatal exposure to nPM can alter neuronal differentiation with gender-specific behavioral sequelae that may be relevant to human prenatal exposure to urban vehicular aerosols.

Logarithmic conformal field theory through nilpotent conformal dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moghimi-Araghi, S.; Rouhani, S.; Saadat, M.

2001-01-01

We study logarithmic conformal field theories (LCFTs) through the introduction of nilpotent conformal weights. Using this device, we derive the properties of LCFTs such as the transformation laws, singular vectors and the structure of correlation functions. We discuss the emergence of an extra energy momentum tensor, which is the logarithmic partner of the energy momentum tensor

Defining the Conformational Features of Anchorless, Poorly Neuroinvasive Prions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bett, C.; Kurt, T.D.; Lucero, M.; Trejo, M.; Rozemuller, A.J.M.; Kong, Q.Z.; Nilsson, K.P.R.; Masliah, E.; Oldstone, M.B.; Sigurdson, C.J.

2013-01-01

Infectious prions cause diverse clinical signs and form an extraordinary range of structures, from amorphous aggregates to fibrils. How the conformation of a prion dictates the disease phenotype remains unclear. Mice expressing GPI-anchorless or GPI-anchored prion protein exposed to the same

Conformal Gauge Mediation and Light Gravitino of Mass m3/2 < O(10) eV

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ibe, M.; SLAC; Nakayama, Y.; Yanagida, T.T.

2008-01-01

We discuss a class of gauge mediated supersymmetry breaking models with conformal invariance above the messenger mass scale (conformal gauge mediation). The spectrum of the supersymmetric particles including the gravitino is uniquely determined by the messenger mass. When the conformal fixed point is strongly interacting, it predicts a light gravitino of mass m 3/2 < O(10) eV, which is attractive since such a light gravitino causes no problem in cosmology

Viscous conformal gauge theories

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toniato, Arianna; Sannino, Francesco; Rischke, Dirk H.

2017-01-01

We present the conformal behavior of the shear viscosity-to-entropy density ratio and the fermion-number diffusion coefficient within the perturbative regime of the conformal window for gauge-fermion theories.......We present the conformal behavior of the shear viscosity-to-entropy density ratio and the fermion-number diffusion coefficient within the perturbative regime of the conformal window for gauge-fermion theories....

Albinism-causing mutations in recombinant human tyrosinase alter intrinsic enzymatic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolinska, Monika B; Kovaleva, Elena; Backlund, Peter; Wingfield, Paul T; Brooks, Brian P; Sergeev, Yuri V

2014-01-01

Tyrosinase (TYR) catalyzes the rate-limiting, first step in melanin production and its gene (TYR) is mutated in many cases of oculocutaneous albinism (OCA1), an autosomal recessive cause of childhood blindness. Patients with reduced TYR activity are classified as OCA1B; some OCA1B mutations are temperature-sensitive. Therapeutic research for OCA1 has been hampered, in part, by the absence of purified, active, recombinant wild-type and mutant human enzymes. The intra-melanosomal domain of human tyrosinase (residues 19-469) and two OCA1B related temperature-sensitive mutants, R422Q and R422W were expressed in insect cells and produced in T. ni larvae. The short trans-membrane fragment was deleted to avoid potential protein insolubility, while preserving all other functional features of the enzymes. Purified tyrosinase was obtained with a yield of >1 mg per 10 g of larval biomass. The protein was a monomeric glycoenzyme with maximum enzyme activity at 37°C and neutral pH. The two purified mutants when compared to the wild-type protein were less active and temperature sensitive. These differences are associated with conformational perturbations in secondary structure. The intramelanosomal domains of recombinant wild-type and mutant human tyrosinases are soluble monomeric glycoproteins with activities which mirror their in vivo function. This advance allows for the structure - function analyses of different mutant TYR proteins and correlation with their corresponding human phenotypes; it also provides an important tool to discover drugs that may improve tyrosinase activity and treat OCA1.

Albinism-causing mutations in recombinant human tyrosinase alter intrinsic enzymatic activity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika B Dolinska

Full Text Available Tyrosinase (TYR catalyzes the rate-limiting, first step in melanin production and its gene (TYR is mutated in many cases of oculocutaneous albinism (OCA1, an autosomal recessive cause of childhood blindness. Patients with reduced TYR activity are classified as OCA1B; some OCA1B mutations are temperature-sensitive. Therapeutic research for OCA1 has been hampered, in part, by the absence of purified, active, recombinant wild-type and mutant human enzymes.The intra-melanosomal domain of human tyrosinase (residues 19-469 and two OCA1B related temperature-sensitive mutants, R422Q and R422W were expressed in insect cells and produced in T. ni larvae. The short trans-membrane fragment was deleted to avoid potential protein insolubility, while preserving all other functional features of the enzymes. Purified tyrosinase was obtained with a yield of >1 mg per 10 g of larval biomass. The protein was a monomeric glycoenzyme with maximum enzyme activity at 37°C and neutral pH. The two purified mutants when compared to the wild-type protein were less active and temperature sensitive. These differences are associated with conformational perturbations in secondary structure.The intramelanosomal domains of recombinant wild-type and mutant human tyrosinases are soluble monomeric glycoproteins with activities which mirror their in vivo function. This advance allows for the structure - function analyses of different mutant TYR proteins and correlation with their corresponding human phenotypes; it also provides an important tool to discover drugs that may improve tyrosinase activity and treat OCA1.

Conformal invariance in supergravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergshoeff, E.A.

1983-01-01

In this thesis the author explains the role of conformal invariance in supergravity. He presents the complete structure of extended conformal supergravity for N <= 4. The outline of this work is as follows. In chapter 2 he briefly summarizes the essential properties of supersymmetry and supergravity and indicates the use of conformal invariance in supergravity. The idea that the introduction of additional symmetry transformations can make clear the structure of a field theory is not reserved to supergravity only. By means of some simple examples it is shown in chapter 3 how one can always introduce additional gauge transformations in a theory of massive vector fields. Moreover it is shown how the gauge invariant formulation sometimes explains the quantum mechanical properties of the theory. In chapter 4 the author defines the conformal transformations and summarizes their main properties. He explains how these conformal transformations can be used to analyse the structure of gravity. The supersymmetric extension of these results is discussed in chapter 5. Here he describes as an example how N=1 supergravity can be reformulated in a conformally-invariant way. He also shows that beyond N=1 the gauge fields of the superconformal symmetries do not constitute an off-shell field representation of extended conformal supergravity. Therefore, in chapter 6, a systematic method to construct the off-shell formulation of all extended conformal supergravity theories with N <= 4 is developed. As an example he uses this method to construct N=1 conformal supergravity. Finally, in chapter 7 N=4 conformal supergravity is discussed. (Auth.)

Relation between Protein Intrinsic Normal Mode Weights and Pre-Existing Conformer Populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozgur, Beytullah; Ozdemir, E Sila; Gursoy, Attila; Keskin, Ozlem

2017-04-20

Intrinsic fluctuations of a protein enable it to sample a large repertoire of conformers including the open and closed forms. These distinct forms of the protein called conformational substates pre-exist together in equilibrium as an ensemble independent from its ligands. The role of ligand might be simply to alter the equilibrium toward the most appropriate form for binding. Normal mode analysis is proved to be useful in identifying the directions of conformational changes between substates. In this study, we demonstrate that the ratios of normalized weights of a few normal modes driving the protein between its substates can give insights about the ratios of kinetic conversion rates of the substates, although a direct relation between the eigenvalues and kinetic conversion rates or populations of each substate could not be observed. The correlation between the normalized mode weight ratios and the kinetic rate ratios is around 83% on a set of 11 non-enzyme proteins and around 59% on a set of 17 enzymes. The results are suggestive that mode motions carry intrinsic relations with thermodynamics and kinetics of the proteins.

A Behavioral Model of Conumption Patterns : The Effects of Cognitive Dissonance and Conformity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nir, A.

2004-01-01

Cognitive dissonance causes people to rationalize actions that differ from their own preferences.Conformity, on the other hand, causes people to change their behavior as a result of pressure from others.This paper investigates the consequences of preference dynamic that occur when individuals

Use of 1–4 interaction scaling factors to control the conformational equilibrium between α-helix and β-strand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pang, Yuan-Ping

2015-01-01

Highlights: • 1–4 interaction scaling factors are used to adjust conformational energy. • This article reports the effects of these factors on protein conformations. • Reducing these factors changes a helix to a strand in molecular dynamics simulation. • Increasing these factors causes the reverse conformational change. • These factors control the conformational equilibrium between helix and strand. - Abstract: 1–4 interaction scaling factors are used in AMBER forcefields to reduce the exaggeration of short-range repulsion caused by the 6–12 Lennard-Jones potential and a nonpolarizable charge model and to obtain better agreements of small-molecule conformational energies with experimental data. However, the effects of these scaling factors on protein secondary structure conformations have not been investigated until now. This article reports the finding that the 1–4 interactions among the protein backbone atoms separated by three consecutive covalent bonds are more repulsive in the α-helix conformation than in two β-strand conformations. Therefore, the 1–4 interaction scaling factors of protein backbone torsions ϕ and ψ control the conformational equilibrium between α-helix and β-strand. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm that reducing the ϕ and ψ scaling factors readily converts the α-helix conformation of AcO-(AAQAA) 3 -NH 2 to a β-strand conformation, and the reverse occurs when these scaling factors are increased. These results suggest that the ϕ and ψ scaling factors can be used to generate the α-helix or β-strand conformation in situ and to control the propensities of a forcefield for adopting secondary structure elements

Conformal expansions and renormalons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rathsman, J.

2000-02-07

The coefficients in perturbative expansions in gauge theories are factorially increasing, predominantly due to renormalons. This type of factorial increase is not expected in conformal theories. In QCD conformal relations between observables can be defined in the presence of a perturbative infrared fixed-point. Using the Banks-Zaks expansion the authors study the effect of the large-order behavior of the perturbative series on the conformal coefficients. The authors find that in general these coefficients become factorially increasing. However, when the factorial behavior genuinely originates in a renormalon integral, as implied by a postulated skeleton expansion, it does not affect the conformal coefficients. As a consequence, the conformal coefficients will indeed be free of renormalon divergence, in accordance with previous observations concerning the smallness of these coefficients for specific observables. The authors further show that the correspondence of the BLM method with the skeleton expansion implies a unique scale-setting procedure. The BLM coefficients can be interpreted as the conformal coefficients in the series relating the fixed-point value of the observable with that of the skeleton effective charge. Through the skeleton expansion the relevance of renormalon-free conformal coefficients extends to real-world QCD.

TOWARDS UNDERSTANDING OF HELIX B BASED CONFORMATIONAL DISEASES IN SERPIN

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamad Aman Jairajpuri

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Serine protease inhibitors (serpins are a unique family of protease inhibitors that are prone to polymer formation due to their metastable nature and a complex inhibition mechanism that involves large scale conformational change. Helix B is in the shutter region near the strand 2A and strand 3A of �-sheet A, where reactive centre loop inserts during the serpin inhibition mechanism. Helix B region in serpins is a mutation hotspot for naturally occurring variants that result in pathological conditions due to polymerization. Helix B residues are completely buried in the native state and loop inserted latent state but not in the inhibitory loop inserted cleaved conformation. Native to cleaved transition during inhibition forms a large cavity in the shutter region, which invariably is the largest cavity in most serpins in native state. In a recent paper we had for the first time hypothesized that exposure of helix B at the N-terminal end is important for smooth insertion of the reactive center loop during serpin inhibition mechanism. It is therefore possible that natural variant that induces conformational deformation of helix B probably alter the cavity size which increases the rate of loop-sheet interaction between the monomers resulting in increased polymerization.

Interaction of a common painkiller piroxicam and copper-piroxicam with chromatin causes structural alterations accompanied by modulation at the epigenomic/genomic level.

Science.gov (United States)

Goswami, Sathi; Sanyal, Sulagna; Chakraborty, Payal; Das, Chandrima; Sarkar, Munna

2017-08-01

NSAIDs are the most common class of painkillers and anti-inflammatory agents. They also show other functions like chemoprevention and chemosuppression for which they act at the protein but not at the genome level since they are mostly anions at physiological pH, which prohibit their approach to the poly-anionic DNA. Complexing the drugs with bioactive metal obliterate their negative charge and allow them to bind to the DNA, thereby, opening the possibility of genome level interaction. To test this hypothesis, we present the interaction of a traditional NSAID, Piroxicam and its copper complex with core histone and chromatin. Spectroscopy, DLS, and SEM studies were applied to see the effect of the interaction on the structure of histone/chromatin. This was coupled with MTT assay, immunoblot analysis, confocal microscopy, micro array analysis and qRT-PCR. The interaction of Piroxicam and its copper complex with histone/chromatin results in structural alterations. Such structural alterations can have different biological manifestations, but to test our hypothesis, we have focused only on the accompanied modulations at the epigenomic/genomic level. The complex, showed alteration of key epigenetic signatures implicated in transcription in the global context, although Piroxicam caused no significant changes. We have correlated such alterations caused by the complex with the changes in global gene expression and validated the candidate gene expression alterations. Our results provide the proof of concept that DNA binding ability of the copper complexes of a traditional NSAID, opens up the possibility of modulations at the epigenomic/genomic level. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conformational changes in hemoglobin triggered by changing the iron charge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Croci, S.; Achterhold, K.; Ortalli, I.; Parak, F. G.

2008-01-01

In this work the hemoglobin conformational changes induced by changing the iron charge have been studied and compared with Myoglobin. Moessbauer spectroscopy was used to follow the change of the iron conformation. In order to compare the conformational relaxation of hemoglobin and myoglobin, and to study a possible influence of the quaternary structure, an intermediate metastable state of hemoglobin has been created by low temperature X-ray irradiation of methemoglobin. The irradiation reduces the Fe(III) of the heme groups to Fe(II) Low Spin, where the water is still bound on the sixth coordination. Heating cycles performed at temperatures from 140 K to 200 K allow the molecules to overcome an activation energy barrier and to relax into a stable conformation such as deoxy-hemoglobin or carboxy-hemoglobin, if CO is present. Slightly different structures (conformational substates) reveal themselves as a distribution of energy barriers (ΔG). The distribution of the activation energy, for the decay of the Fe(II) Low Spin intermediate, has been fitted with a Gaussian. For comparison, published myoglobin data were re-analysed in the same way. The average energy value at characteristic temperature is very similar in case of myoglobin and hemoglobin. The larger Gaussian energy distribution for myoglobin with respect to hemoglobin shows that more conformational substates are available. This may be caused by a larger area exposed to water. In hemoglobin, part of the surface of the chains is not water accessible due to the quaternary structure.

Conformational analysis by intersection: CONAN.

Science.gov (United States)

Smellie, Andrew; Stanton, Robert; Henne, Randy; Teig, Steve

2003-01-15

As high throughput techniques in chemical synthesis and screening improve, more demands are placed on computer assisted design and virtual screening. Many of these computational methods require one or more three-dimensional conformations for molecules, creating a demand for a conformational analysis tool that can rapidly and robustly cover the low-energy conformational spaces of small molecules. A new algorithm of intersection is presented here, which quickly generates (on average heuristics are applied after intersection to generate a small representative collection of conformations that span the conformational space. In a study of approximately 97,000 randomly selected molecules from the MDDR, results are presented that explore these conformations and their ability to cover low-energy conformational space. Copyright 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 24: 10-20, 2003

Conjugates of 1'-Aminoferrocene-1-carboxylic Acid and Proline: Synthesis, Conformational Analysis and Biological Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Kovačević

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Our previous studies showed that alteration of dipeptides Y-Fca-Ala-OMe (III into Y-Ala-Fca-OMe (IV (Y = Ac, Boc; Fca = 1'-aminoferrocene-1-carboxylic acid significantly influenced their conformational space. The novel bioconjugates Y-Fca-Pro-OMe (1, Y = Ac; 2, Y = Boc and Y-Pro-Fca-OMe (3, Y = Boc; 4, Y = Ac have been prepared in order to investigate the influence of proline, a well-known turn-inducer, on the conformational properties of small organometallic peptides with an exchanged constituent amino acid sequences. For this purpose, peptides 1–4 were subjected to detailed spectroscopic analysis (IR, NMR, CD spectroscopy in solution. The conformation of peptide 3 in the solid state was determined. Furthermore, the ability of the prepared conjugates to inhibit the growth of estrogen receptor-responsive MCF-7 mammary carcinoma cells and HeLa cervical carcinoma cells was tested.

The conformal method and the conformal thin-sandwich method are the same

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maxwell, David

2014-01-01

The conformal method developed in the 1970s and the more recent Lagrangian and Hamiltonian conformal thin-sandwich methods are techniques for finding solutions of the Einstein constraint equations. We show that they are manifestations of a single conformal method: there is a straightforward way to convert back and forth between the parameters for these methods so that the corresponding solutions of the Einstein constraint equations agree. The unifying idea is the need to clearly distinguish tangent and cotangent vectors to the space of conformal classes on a manifold, and we introduce a vocabulary for working with these objects without reference to a particular representative background metric. As a consequence of these conceptual advantages, we demonstrate how to strengthen previous near-CMC (constant mean curvature) existence and non-existence theorems for the original conformal method to include metrics with scalar curvatures that change sign. (paper)

Synthesis of 19-substituted geldanamycins with altered conformations and their binding to heat shock protein Hsp90

Science.gov (United States)

Kitson, Russell R. A.; Chang, Chuan-Hsin; Xiong, Rui; Williams, Huw E. L.; Davis, Adrienne L.; Lewis, William; Dehn, Donna L.; Siegel, David; Roe, S. Mark; Prodromou, Chrisostomos; Ross, David; Moody, Christopher J.

2013-01-01

The benzoquinone ansamycin geldanamycin and its derivatives are inhibitors of heat shock protein Hsp90, an emerging target for novel therapeutic agents both in cancer and in neurodegeneration. However, toxicity of these compounds to normal cells has been ascribed to reaction with thiol nucleophiles at the quinone 19-position. We reasoned that blocking this position would ameliorate toxicity, and that it might also enforce a favourable conformational switch of the trans-amide group into the cis-form required for protein binding. We report here an efficient synthesis of such 19-substituted compounds and realization of our hypotheses. Protein crystallography established that the new compounds bind to Hsp90 with, as expected, a cis-amide conformation. Studies on Hsp90 inhibition in cells demonstrated the molecular signature of Hsp90 inhibitors: decreases in client proteins with compensatory increases in other heat shock proteins in both human breast cancer and dopaminergic neural cells, demonstrating their potential for use in the therapy of cancer or neurodegenerative diseases. PMID:23511419

Use of 1–4 interaction scaling factors to control the conformational equilibrium between α-helix and β-strand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pang, Yuan-Ping, E-mail: pang@mayo.edu

2015-02-06

Highlights: • 1–4 interaction scaling factors are used to adjust conformational energy. • This article reports the effects of these factors on protein conformations. • Reducing these factors changes a helix to a strand in molecular dynamics simulation. • Increasing these factors causes the reverse conformational change. • These factors control the conformational equilibrium between helix and strand. - Abstract: 1–4 interaction scaling factors are used in AMBER forcefields to reduce the exaggeration of short-range repulsion caused by the 6–12 Lennard-Jones potential and a nonpolarizable charge model and to obtain better agreements of small-molecule conformational energies with experimental data. However, the effects of these scaling factors on protein secondary structure conformations have not been investigated until now. This article reports the finding that the 1–4 interactions among the protein backbone atoms separated by three consecutive covalent bonds are more repulsive in the α-helix conformation than in two β-strand conformations. Therefore, the 1–4 interaction scaling factors of protein backbone torsions ϕ and ψ control the conformational equilibrium between α-helix and β-strand. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm that reducing the ϕ and ψ scaling factors readily converts the α-helix conformation of AcO-(AAQAA){sub 3}-NH{sub 2} to a β-strand conformation, and the reverse occurs when these scaling factors are increased. These results suggest that the ϕ and ψ scaling factors can be used to generate the α-helix or β-strand conformation in situ and to control the propensities of a forcefield for adopting secondary structure elements.

Recurrent LDL-receptor mutation causes familial ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1995-05-05

May 5, 1995 ... 3. eaudet . New. Recurrent LDL-receptor mutation causes familial hypercholesterolaemia in ... amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS)" and single- strand conformation .... Location. Afrikaner. Mixed race. ApaLl.

Metabolomic analysis of alterations in lipid oxidation, carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism in dairy goats caused by exposure to Aflotoxin B1.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Jianbo; Huang, Shuai; Fan, Caiyun; Zheng, Nan; Zhang, Yangdong; Li, Songli; Wang, Jiaqi

2017-11-01

The purposes of this study were to investigate the systemic and characteristic metabolites in the serum of dairy goats induced by aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) exposure and to further understand the endogenous metabolic alterations induced by it. A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabonomic approach was used to analyse the metabolic alterations in dairy goats that were induced by low doses of AFB1 (50 µg/kg DM). We found that AFB1 exposure caused significant elevations of glucose, citrate, acetate, acetoacetate, betaine, and glycine yet caused reductions of lactate, ketone bodies (acetate, β-hydroxybutyrate), amino acids (citrulline, leucine/isoleucine, valine, creatine) and cell membrane structures (choline, lipoprotein, N-acetyl glycoproteins) in the serum. These data indicated that AFB1 caused endogenous metabolic changes in various metabolic pathways, including cell membrane-associated metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, glycolysis, lipids, and amino acid metabolism. These findings provide both a comprehensive insight into the metabolic aspects of AFB1-induced adverse effects on dairy goats and a method for monitoring dairy animals exposed to low doses of AFB1.

Conformational transition of κ-casein in micellar environment: Insight from the tryptophan fluorescence

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Smruti; Meher, Geetanjali; Chakraborty, Hirak

2017-11-01

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are under intense analysis due to their structural flexibility and importance in biological functions. Minuscule modulation in the microenvironment induces significant conformational changes in IDPs, and these non-native conformations of the IDPs often induce aggregation and cause cell death. Changes in the membrane composition often change the microenvironment, which promote conformational change and aggregation of IDPs. κ-Casein, an important milk protein, belongs to the class of IDPs containing net negative charges. In this present work, we have studied the interaction of κ-casein with cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), a positively charged surfactant, utilizing various steady state fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Our results clearly indicate that κ-casein undergoes at least two conformational transitions in presence of various concentrations of CTAB. The intrinsically disordered κ-casein assumes a partially folded conformation at lower concentration of CTAB, which adopts an unstructured conformation at higher concentration of CTAB. The partially folded conformation of κ-casein at a lower CTAB concentration might be induced by the favorable electrostatic interaction between the positively charged surfactant headgroup and net negative charges of the protein, whereas surfactant nature of CTAB is being pronounced at higher concentration of CTAB.

Superspace conformal field theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quella, Thomas [Koeln Univ. (Germany). Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik; Schomerus, Volker [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany)

2013-07-15

Conformal sigma models and WZW models on coset superspaces provide important examples of logarithmic conformal field theories. They possess many applications to problems in string and condensed matter theory. We review recent results and developments, including the general construction of WZW models on type I supergroups, the classification of conformal sigma models and their embedding into string theory.

Superspace conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quella, Thomas

2013-07-01

Conformal sigma models and WZW models on coset superspaces provide important examples of logarithmic conformal field theories. They possess many applications to problems in string and condensed matter theory. We review recent results and developments, including the general construction of WZW models on type I supergroups, the classification of conformal sigma models and their embedding into string theory.

Conformal Infinity

OpenAIRE

Frauendiener, J?rg

2000-01-01

The notion of conformal infinity has a long history within the research in Einstein's theory of gravity. Today, 'conformal infinity' is related to almost all other branches of research in general relativity, from quantisation procedures to abstract mathematical issues to numerical applications. This review article attempts to show how this concept gradually and inevitably evolved from physical issues, namely the need to understand gravitational radiation and isolated systems within the theory...

UBIAD1 mutation alters a mitochondrial prenyltransferase to cause Schnyder corneal dystrophy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael L Nickerson

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Mutations in a novel gene, UBIAD1, were recently found to cause the autosomal dominant eye disease Schnyder corneal dystrophy (SCD. SCD is characterized by an abnormal deposition of cholesterol and phospholipids in the cornea resulting in progressive corneal opacification and visual loss. We characterized lesions in the UBIAD1 gene in new SCD families and examined protein homology, localization, and structure.We characterized five novel mutations in the UBIAD1 gene in ten SCD families, including a first SCD family of Native American ethnicity. Examination of protein homology revealed that SCD altered amino acids which were highly conserved across species. Cell lines were established from patients including keratocytes obtained after corneal transplant surgery and lymphoblastoid cell lines from Epstein-Barr virus immortalized peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These were used to determine the subcellular localization of mutant and wild type protein, and to examine cholesterol metabolite ratios. Immunohistochemistry using antibodies specific for UBIAD1 protein in keratocytes revealed that both wild type and N102S protein were localized sub-cellularly to mitochondria. Analysis of cholesterol metabolites in patient cell line extracts showed no significant alteration in the presence of mutant protein indicating a potentially novel function of the UBIAD1 protein in cholesterol biochemistry. Molecular modeling was used to develop a model of human UBIAD1 protein in a membrane and revealed potentially critical roles for amino acids mutated in SCD. Potential primary and secondary substrate binding sites were identified and docking simulations indicated likely substrates including prenyl and phenolic molecules.Accumulating evidence from the SCD familial mutation spectrum, protein homology across species, and molecular modeling suggest that protein function is likely down-regulated by SCD mutations. Mitochondrial UBIAD1 protein appears to have a highly

A global conformance quality model. A new strategic tool for minimizing defects caused by variation, error, and complexity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hinckley, C. Martin [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)

1994-01-01

The performance of Japanese products in the marketplace points to the dominant role of quality in product competition. Our focus is motivated by the tremendous pressure to improve conformance quality by reducing defects to previously unimaginable limits in the range of 1 to 10 parts per million. Toward this end, we have developed a new model of conformance quality that addresses each of the three principle defect sources: (1) Variation, (2) Human Error, and (3) Complexity. Although the role of variation in conformance quality is well documented, errors occur so infrequently that their significance is not well known. We have shown that statistical methods are not useful in characterizing and controlling errors, the most common source of defects. Excessive complexity is also a root source of defects, since it increases errors and variation defects. A missing link in the defining a global model has been the lack of a sound correlation between complexity and defects. We have used Design for Assembly (DFA) methods to quantify assembly complexity and have shown that assembly times can be described in terms of the Pareto distribution in a clear exception to the Central Limit Theorem. Within individual companies we have found defects to be highly correlated with DFA measures of complexity in broad studies covering tens of millions of assembly operations. Applying the global concepts, we predicted that Motorola`s Six Sigma method would only reduce defects by roughly a factor of two rather than orders of magnitude, a prediction confirmed by Motorola`s data. We have also shown that the potential defects rates of product concepts can be compared in the earliest stages of development. The global Conformance Quality Model has demonstrated that the best strategy for improvement depends upon the quality control strengths and weaknesses.

Kinetics of conformational changes of fibronectin adsorbed onto model surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Baujard-Lamotte, L; Noinville, S; Goubard, F; Marque, P; Pauthe, E

2008-05-01

Fibronectin (FN), a large glycoprotein found in body fluids and in the extracellular matrix, plays a key role in numerous cellular behaviours. We investigate FN adsorption onto hydrophilic bare silica and hydrophobic polystyrene (PS) surfaces using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflection (FTIR-ATR) in aqueous medium. Adsorption kinetics using different bulk concentrations of FN were followed for 2h and the surface density of adsorbed FN and its time-dependent conformational changes were determined. When adsorption occurs onto the hydrophilic surface, FN molecules keep their native conformation independent of the adsorption conditions, but the amount of adsorbed FN increases with time and the bulk concentration. Although the protein surface density is the same on the hydrophobic PS surface, this has a strong impact on the average conformation of the adsorbed FN layer. Indeed, interfacial hydration changes induced by adsorption onto the hydrophobic surface lead to a decrease in unhydrated beta-sheet content and cause an increase in hydrated beta-strand and hydrated random domain content of adsorbed FN. This conformational change is mainly dependent on the bulk concentration. Indeed, at low bulk concentrations, the secondary structures of adsorbed FN molecules undergo strong unfolding, allowing an extended and hydrated conformation of the protein. At high bulk concentrations, the molecular packing reduces the unfolding of the stereoregular structures of the FN molecules, preventing stronger spreading of the protein.

Conformal superalgebras via tractor calculus

Science.gov (United States)

Lischewski, Andree

2015-01-01

We use the manifestly conformally invariant description of a Lorentzian conformal structure in terms of a parabolic Cartan geometry in order to introduce a superalgebra structure on the space of twistor spinors and normal conformal vector fields formulated in purely algebraic terms on parallel sections in tractor bundles. Via a fixed metric in the conformal class, one reproduces a conformal superalgebra structure that has been considered in the literature before. The tractor approach, however, makes clear that the failure of this object to be a Lie superalgebra in certain cases is due to purely algebraic identities on the spinor module and to special properties of the conformal holonomy representation. Moreover, it naturally generalizes to higher signatures. This yields new formulas for constructing new twistor spinors and higher order normal conformal Killing forms out of existing ones, generalizing the well-known spinorial Lie derivative. Moreover, we derive restrictions on the possible dimension of the space of twistor spinors in any metric signature.

Identification of intracellular residues in the dopamine transporter critical for regulation of transporter conformation and cocaine binding

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Loland, Claus Juul; Grånäs, Charlotta; Javitch, Jonathan A

2004-01-01

Recently we showed evidence that mutation of Tyr-335 to Ala (Y335A) in the human dopamine transporter (hDAT) alters the conformational equilibrium of the transport cycle. Here, by substituting, one at a time, 16 different bulky or charged intracellular residues, we identify three residues, Lys-26...

Conformal sequestering simplified

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmaltz, Martin; Sundrum, Raman

2006-01-01

Sequestering is important for obtaining flavor-universal soft masses in models where supersymmetry breaking is mediated at high scales. We construct a simple and robust class of hidden sector models which sequester themselves from the visible sector due to strong and conformally invariant hidden dynamics. Masses for hidden matter eventually break the conformal symmetry and lead to supersymmetry breaking by the mechanism recently discovered by Intriligator, Seiberg and Shih. We give a unified treatment of subtleties due to global symmetries of the CFT. There is enough review for the paper to constitute a self-contained account of conformal sequestering

Altered gravity causes the changes in the proteins NoA100 in plant cell nucleoli

Science.gov (United States)

Sobol, Margarita A.; Gonzalez-Camacho, Fernando; Kordyum, Elizabeth L.; Medina, Francisco Javier

2005-08-01

A nucleolar protein homologous to the mammalian nucleolin and to the onion nucleolin-like protein NopA100 was detected in nuclear soluble protein fraction from Lepidium sativum root meristematic cells, using the specific silver staining method and the cross-reaction with the anti-NopA100 antibody. In 2D Western blots of soluble nuclear fraction, NopA100 was revealed as a smear extending through a certain range of pI. In extracts obtained from seedlings grown under clinorotation, the extension of the pI range was shorter than in the stationary control indicating a lower phosphorylation of the protein. This suggests that altered gravity causes a decrease in the rate of nucleolar activity.

Altered nucleosomes of active nucleolar chromatin contain accessible histone H3 in its hyperacetylated forms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, E.M.; Sterner, R.; Allfrey, V.G.

1987-01-01

Chromatin of the organism Physarum polycephalum contains a class of conformationally altered nucleosomes previously localized to the transcribing regions of ribosomal genes in nucleoli. When nuclei are treated with 2-iodo[2-tritium]acetate, the histone H3 sulfhydryl group of the altered nucleosomes is derivatized while that of folded nucleosomes is not, and the labeled histones can then be identified by autoradiography of gels that separate H3 isoforms. The H3 derivatized is predominantly of tri- and tetraacetylated forms. In contrast, total free histone reacted with iodoacetate shows no preferential labeling of isoforms. Selective reaction of acetylated H3 is prevalent in both nucleolar and non-nucleolar chromatin. The results link specific patterns of H3 acetylation to changes in nucleosome conformation that occur during transcription

Conformance and Deviance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gjerdrum Pedersen, Esben Rahbek; Neergaard, Peter; Thusgaard Pedersen, Janni

2013-01-01

This paper analyses how large Danish companies are responding to new governmental regulation which requires them to report on corporate social responsibility (CSR). The paper is based on an analysis of 142 company annual reports required by the new Danish regulation regarding CSR reporting, plus 10...... interviews with first-time reporting companies and six interviews with companies that failed to comply with the new law. It is concluded that coercive pressures from government have an impact on CSR reporting practices. Further, the analysis finds traces of mimetic isomorphism which inspires a homogenisation...... in CSR reporting practices. Finally, it is argued that non-conformance with the new regulatory requirements is not solely about conscious resistance but may also be caused by, for example, lack of awareness, resource limitations, misinterpretations, and practical difficulties....

Conformity index: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feuvret, Loic; Noel, Georges; Mazeron, Jean-Jacques; Bey, Pierre

2006-01-01

We present a critical analysis of the conformity indices described in the literature and an evaluation of their field of application. Three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy, with or without intensity modulation, is based on medical imaging techniques, three-dimensional dosimetry software, compression accessories, and verification procedures. It consists of delineating target volumes and critical healthy tissues to select the best combination of beams. This approach allows better adaptation of the isodose to the tumor volume, while limiting irradiation of healthy tissues. Tools must be developed to evaluate the quality of proposed treatment plans. Dosimetry software provides the dose distribution in each CT section and dose-volume histograms without really indicating the degree of conformity. The conformity index is a complementary tool that attributes a score to a treatment plan or that can compare several treatment plans for the same patient. The future of conformal index in everyday practice therefore remains unclear

Dissecting the dynamic conformations of the metamorphic protein lymphotactin.

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, Sophie R; Porrini, Massimiliano; Konijnenberg, Albert; Clarke, David J; Tyler, Robert C; Langridge-Smith, Patrick R R; MacPhee, Cait E; Volkman, Brian F; Barran, Perdita E

2014-10-30

A mass spectrometer provides an ideal laboratory to probe the structure and stability of isolated protein ions. Interrogation of each discrete mass/charge-separated species enables the determination of the intrinsic stability of a protein fold, gaining snapshots of unfolding pathways. In solution, the metamorphic protein lymphotactin (Ltn) exists in equilibrium between two distinct conformations, a monomeric (Ltn10) and a dimeric (Ltn40) fold. Here, we use electron capture dissociation (ECD) and drift tube ion mobility-mass spectrometry (DT IM-MS) to analyze both forms and use molecular dynamics (MD) to consider how the solution fold alters in a solvent-free environment. DT IM-MS reveals significant conformational flexibility for the monomer, while the dimer appears more conformationally restricted. These findings are supported by MD calculations, which reveal how salt bridges stabilize the conformers in vacuo. Following ECD experiments, a distinctive fragmentation pattern is obtained for both the monomer and dimer. Monomer fragmentation becomes more pronounced with increasing charge state especially in the disordered regions and C-terminal α-helix in the solution fold. Lower levels of fragmentation are seen in the β-sheet regions and in regions that contain salt bridges, identified by MD simulations. The lowest charge state of the dimer for which we obtain ECD data ([D+9H](9+)) exhibits extensive fragmentation with no relationship to the solution fold and has a smaller collision cross section (CCS) than charge states 10-13+, suggesting a "collapsed" encounter complex. Other charge states of the dimer, as for the monomer, are resistant to fragmentation in regions of β-sheets in the solution fold. This study provides evidence for preservation and loss of global fold and secondary structural elements, providing a tantalizing glimpse into the power of the emerging field of native top-down mass spectrometry.

Visualization of SV2A conformations in situ by the use of Protein Tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lynch, Berkley A.; Matagne, Alain; Braennstroem, Annika; Euler, Anne von; Jansson, Magnus; Hauzenberger, Elenor; Soederhaell, J. Arvid

2008-01-01

The synaptic vesicle protein 2A (SV2A), the brain-binding site of the anti-epileptic drug levetiracetam (LEV), has been characterized by Protein Tomography TM . We identified two major conformations of SV2A in mouse brain tissue: first, a compact, funnel-structure with a pore-like opening towards the cytoplasm; second, a more open, V-shaped structure with a cleft-like opening towards the intravesicular space. The large differences between these conformations suggest a high degree of flexibility and support a valve-like mechanism consistent with the postulated transporter role of SV2A. These two conformations are represented both in samples treated with LEV, and in saline-treated samples, which indicates that LEV binding does not cause a large-scale conformational change of SV2A, or lock a specific conformational state of the protein. This study provides the first direct structural data on SV2A, and supports a transporter function suggested by sequence homology to MFS class of transporter proteins

Fermion-scalar conformal blocks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iliesiu, Luca [Joseph Henry Laboratories, Princeton University,Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Kos, Filip [Department of Physics, Yale University,217 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06520 (United States); Poland, David [Department of Physics, Yale University,217 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06520 (United States); School of Natural Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study,1 Einstein Dr, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (United States); Pufu, Silviu S. [Joseph Henry Laboratories, Princeton University,Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States); Simmons-Duffin, David [School of Natural Sciences, Institute for Advanced Study,1 Einstein Dr, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (United States); Yacoby, Ran [Joseph Henry Laboratories, Princeton University,Washington Road, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

2016-04-13

We compute the conformal blocks associated with scalar-scalar-fermion-fermion 4-point functions in 3D CFTs. Together with the known scalar conformal blocks, our result completes the task of determining the so-called ‘seed blocks’ in three dimensions. Conformal blocks associated with 4-point functions of operators with arbitrary spins can now be determined from these seed blocks by using known differential operators.

Fabrication challenges associated with conformal optics

Science.gov (United States)

Schaefer, John; Eichholtz, Richard A.; Sulzbach, Frank C.

2001-09-01

A conformal optic is typically an optical window that conforms smoothly to the external shape of a system platform to improve aerodynamics. Conformal optics can be on-axis, such as an ogive missile dome, or off-axis, such as in a free form airplane wing. A common example of conformal optics is the automotive head light window that conforms to the body of the car aerodynamics and aesthetics. The unusual shape of conformal optics creates tremendous challenges for design, manufacturing, and testing. This paper will discuss fabrication methods that have been successfully demonstrated to produce conformal missile domes and associated wavefront corrector elements. It will identify challenges foreseen with more complex free-form configurations. Work presented in this paper was directed by the Precision Conformal Optics Consortium (PCOT). PCOT is comprised of both industrial and academic members who teamed to develop and demonstrate conformal optical systems suitable for insertion into future military programs. The consortium was funded under DARPA agreement number MDA972-96-9-08000.

Reactions driving conformational movements (molecular motors) in gels: conformational and structural chemical kinetics.

Science.gov (United States)

Otero, Toribio F

2017-01-18

In this perspective the empirical kinetics of conducting polymers exchanging anions and solvent during electrochemical reactions to get dense reactive gels is reviewed. The reaction drives conformational movements of the chains (molecular motors), exchange of ions and solvent with the electrolyte and structural (relaxation, swelling, shrinking and compaction) gel changes. Reaction-driven structural changes are identified and quantified from electrochemical responses. The empirical reaction activation energy (E a ), the reaction coefficient (k) and the reaction orders (α and β) change as a function of the conformational energy variation during the reaction. This conformational energy becomes an empirical magnitude. E a , k, α and β include and provide quantitative conformational and structural information. The chemical kinetics becomes structural chemical kinetics (SCK) for reactions driving conformational movements of the reactants. The electrochemically stimulated conformational relaxation model describes empirical results and some results from the literature for biochemical reactions. In parallel the development of an emerging technological world of soft, wet, multifunctional and biomimetic tools and anthropomorphic robots driven by reactions of the constitutive material, as in biological organs, can be now envisaged being theoretically supported by the kinetic model.

Axiomatic conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaberdiel, M.R.; Goddard, P.

2000-01-01

A new rigourous approach to conformal field theory is presented. The basic objects are families of complex-valued amplitudes, which define a meromorphic conformal field theory (or chiral algebra) and which lead naturally to the definition of topological vector spaces, between which vertex operators act as continuous operators. In fact, in order to develop the theory, Moebius invariance rather than full conformal invariance is required but it is shown that every Moebius theory can be extended to a conformal theory by the construction of a Virasoro field. In this approach, a representation of a conformal field theory is naturally defined in terms of a family of amplitudes with appropriate analytic properties. It is shown that these amplitudes can also be derived from a suitable collection of states in the meromorphic theory. Zhu's algebra then appears naturally as the algebra of conditions which states defining highest weight representations must satisfy. The relationship of the representations of Zhu's algebra to the classification of highest weight representations is explained. (orig.)

The Mindset of Kalmyks: origins and causes of alterations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lyubov B. Chetyrova

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The article examines the issue of origins and specific features of the mindset of Kalmyks. The categories of honor and dignity, very important for Kalmyks, are proved to be of military origin. The article traces how a change in Kalmyk practices led to corresponding alterations in menthal structures. Our analysis in the theoretical aspect is based on the theory of habitus developed by P. Bourdieu and phenomenology of the Other (Alien as explicated by E. Husserl, E. Lévinas, B. Waldenfels and A. Schütz. The author highlights several key moments in the history of Kalmyks that helped shape and alter the mindset of Kalmyks, such as annexation to Russian Empire, the heyday of Kalmyk Khanate, the relocation of the majority of Kalmyks to Dzungaria, the rise of administrative and economic structures in post-khanate period, large-scale departure for seasonal works in mid-19th century, two revolutions, the Soviet modernization project, WWII and the deportation to Siberia, the subsequent restoration of autonomy, and finally, the post-Soviet period. The article analyzes the mindset of Kalmyks is analyzed within the framework of Empire studies, which allows to focus on the evolution and alterations in mindset of Kalmyks as an imperial ethnos. Ethnogenesis of Oyrats occurred within the military and political domain of Mongol Empire, Kalmyks as ethnos arose in the ethnopolitical landscape of Russian Empire, and Kalmyks as nation appeared within the “empire of nations” – USSR. The author shows that the construction of a new nation and identity of Kalmyks in the post-Soviet period also affected their mindset. The article is based on the studies of the documents preserved at the National Archive of the Republic of Kalmykia, pre-revolutionary literature and periodicals of the early Soviet period.

Conformal description of spinning particles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todorov, I.T.

1986-01-01

This book is an introduction to the application of the conformal group to quantum field theory of particles with spin. After an introduction to the twistor representations of the conformal group of a conformally flat space-time and twistor flag manifolds with Su(2,2) orbits the classical phase space of conformal spinning particles is described. Thereafter the twistor description of classical zero mass fields is considered together with the quantization. (HSI)

Conformal boundaries of warped products

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kokkendorff, Simon Lyngby

2006-01-01

In this note we prove a result on how to determine the conformal boundary of a type of warped product of two length spaces in terms of the individual conformal boundaries. In the situation, that we treat, the warping and conformal distortion functions are functions of distance to a base point....... The result is applied to produce examples of CAT(0)-spaces, where the conformal and ideal boundaries differ in interesting ways....

Investigations of the conformation of DNA, native or alterated by irradiation, with ultraviolet radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zierenberg, B.

1971-01-01

An extension of the range of scattering angles in the direction of smaller angles (up to delta = 12 0 ) made it possible to successfully use the light scattering methods for the determination of DNA molecular weights >= 3 x 10 6 . In order to determine the conformation of native DNA in solution, different molecular weights were prepared by ultrasonic degradation. According to their hyperchromicity, these preparations are practically native. When native DNA in solution is irradiated with UV light of the wavelength lambda = 313 nm, two different photoreactions may occur: a) double and single strand breaks leading to degradation of the DNA molecule, and b) dimerisation of neighbouring thymine bases. The two reactions are independent of each other. In the presence of acetophenone as photosensitizer, the reaction type a) is greater by a factor 4 (in terms of single-strand breaks), while the reaction type b) is greater by a factor 16. The number of thymidine dimers per single strand break amounts to 100 for photosensitized reactions and to 25 for non-photosensitized reactions. The number of single strand breaks in terms of the quantum flux of 1 μ Einstein absorbed by the DNA is greater by a factor 3 during irradiation with UV light lambda = 254 nm as compared to the wavelength lambda = 313 nm. At this wavelength, DNA degradation starts at absorption energies as low as >= 2 x 10 7 erg/cm 3 . Light scattering and measurements with DNA containing thymidine dimers indicated neither a change in the total conformation nor a noticeable change in the microstructure. The hyperchromicity of the DNA was also unchanged. From these experimental results, it is concluded that the double helix of DNA is essentially stable to thymidine dimerisation. (orig./MG) [de

Conformally connected universes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cantor, M.; Piran, T.

1983-01-01

A well-known difficulty associated with the conformal method for the solution of the general relativistic Hamiltonian constraint is the appearance of an aphysical ''bag of gold'' singularity at the nodal surface of the conformal factor. This happens whenever the background Ricci scalar is too large. Using a simple model, it is demonstrated that some of these singular solutions do have a physical meaning, and that these can be considered as initial data for Universe containing black holes, which are connected, in a conformally nonsingular way with each other. The relation between the ADM mass and the horizon area in this solution supports the cosmic censorship conjecture. (author)

Allergen-Induced Dermatitis Causes Alterations in Cutaneous Retinoid-Mediated Signaling in Mice

Science.gov (United States)

Gericke, Janine; Ittensohn, Jan; Mihály, Johanna; Dubrac, Sandrine; Rühl, Ralph

2013-01-01

Nuclear receptor-mediated signaling via RARs and PPARδ is involved in the regulation of skin homeostasis. Moreover, activation of both RAR and PPARδ was shown to alter skin inflammation. Endogenous all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) can activate both receptors depending on specific transport proteins: Fabp5 initiates PPARδ signaling whereas Crabp2 promotes RAR signaling. Repetitive topical applications of ovalbumin (OVA) in combination with intraperitoneal injections of OVA or only intraperitoneal OVA applications were used to induce allergic dermatitis. In our mouse model, expression of IL-4, and Hbegf increased whereas expression of involucrin, Abca12 and Spink5 decreased in inflamed skin, demonstrating altered immune response and epidermal barrier homeostasis. Comprehensive gene expression analysis showed alterations of the cutaneous retinoid metabolism and retinoid-mediated signaling in allergic skin immune response. Notably, ATRA synthesis was increased as indicated by the elevated expression of retinaldehyde dehydrogenases and increased levels of ATRA. Consequently, the expression pattern of genes downstream to RAR was altered. Furthermore, the increased ratio of Fabp5 vs. Crabp2 may indicate an up-regulation of the PPARδ pathway in allergen-induced dermatitis in addition to the altered RAR signaling. Thus, our findings suggest that ATRA levels, RAR-mediated signaling and signaling involved in PPARδ pathways are mainly increased in allergen-induced dermatitis and may contribute to the development and/or maintenance of allergic skin diseases. PMID:23977003

How and How Much Molecular Conformation Affects Electronic Circular Dichroism: The Case of 1,1-Diarylcarbinols.

Science.gov (United States)

Padula, Daniele; Pescitelli, Gennaro

2018-01-09

Chiroptical spectra such as electronic circular dichroism (ECD) are said to be much more sensitive to conformation than their non-chiroptical counterparts, however, it is difficult to demonstrate such a common notion in a clear-cut way. We run DFT and TDDFT calculations on two closely related 1,1-diarylmethanols which show mirror-image ECD spectra for the same absolute configuration. We demonstrate that the main reason for the different chiroptical response of the two compounds lies in different conformational ensembles, caused by a single hydrogen-to-methyl substitution. We conclude that two compounds, having the same configuration but different conformation, may exhibit mirror-image ECD signals, stressing the importance and impact of conformational factors on ECD spectra.

Neural signatures of social conformity: A coordinate-based activation likelihood estimation meta-analysis of functional brain imaging studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Haiyan; Luo, Yi; Feng, Chunliang

2016-12-01

People often align their behaviors with group opinions, known as social conformity. Many neuroscience studies have explored the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying social conformity. Here we employed a coordinate-based meta-analysis on neuroimaging studies of social conformity with the purpose to reveal the convergence of the underlying neural architecture. We identified a convergence of reported activation foci in regions associated with normative decision-making, including ventral striatum (VS), dorsal posterior medial frontal cortex (dorsal pMFC), and anterior insula (AI). Specifically, consistent deactivation of VS and activation of dorsal pMFC and AI are identified when people's responses deviate from group opinions. In addition, the deviation-related responses in dorsal pMFC predict people's conforming behavioral adjustments. These are consistent with current models that disagreement with others might evoke "error" signals, cognitive imbalance, and/or aversive feelings, which are plausibly detected in these brain regions as control signals to facilitate subsequent conforming behaviors. Finally, group opinions result in altered neural correlates of valuation, manifested as stronger responses of VS to stimuli endorsed than disliked by others. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On Associative Conformal Algebras of Linear Growth

OpenAIRE

Retakh, Alexander

2000-01-01

Lie conformal algebras appear in the theory of vertex algebras. Their relation is similar to that of Lie algebras and their universal enveloping algebras. Associative conformal algebras play a role in conformal representation theory. We introduce the notions of conformal identity and unital associative conformal algebras and classify finitely generated simple unital associative conformal algebras of linear growth. These are precisely the complete algebras of conformal endomorphisms of finite ...

Relation between anchorings of liquid crystals and conformation changes in aligning agents by the Langmuir-Blodgett film technique investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu, Y.; Lu, Z.; Wei, Y.

1995-01-01

The anchoring direction of liquid crystals on a solid substrate surface depends upon many parameters characterizing the liquid-crystal--substrate interface, a variation of which may change this anchoring direction leading to the so-called anchoring transition. Here, based on the Langmuir-Blodgett film technique, we present two model systems to study the relation between anchoring directions and the conformation changes in aligning agents. A double-armed crown ether liquid crystal and a side chain polymer liquid crystal at an air-water interface both show phase transitions, accompanied by conformation changes. However, when the monolayers in different phases were transferred onto solid substrates to orient liquid crystals, we found that for the crown ether material the conformation change can alter the anchoring of liquid crystals between homeotropic and homogeneous alignments, while for the polymer liquid crystal, despite the conformation changes, the liquid crystals can only be aligned homeotropically. The involved mechanisms were briefly discussed in terms of the Landau-type phenomenological theory

Perspectives on electrostatics and conformational motions in enzyme catalysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanoian, Philip; Liu, C Tony; Hammes-Schiffer, Sharon; Benkovic, Stephen

2015-02-17

CONSPECTUS: Enzymes are essential for all living organisms, and their effectiveness as chemical catalysts has driven more than a half century of research seeking to understand the enormous rate enhancements they provide. Nevertheless, a complete understanding of the factors that govern the rate enhancements and selectivities of enzymes remains elusive, due to the extraordinary complexity and cooperativity that are the hallmarks of these biomolecules. We have used a combination of site-directed mutagenesis, pre-steady-state kinetics, X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), vibrational and fluorescence spectroscopies, resonance energy transfer, and computer simulations to study the implications of conformational motions and electrostatic interactions on enzyme catalysis in the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). We have demonstrated that modest equilibrium conformational changes are functionally related to the hydride transfer reaction. Results obtained for mutant DHFRs illustrated that reductions in hydride transfer rates are correlated with altered conformational motions, and analysis of the evolutionary history of DHFR indicated that mutations appear to have occurred to preserve both the hydride transfer rate and the associated conformational changes. More recent results suggested that differences in local electrostatic environments contribute to finely tuning the substrate pKa in the initial protonation step. Using a combination of primary and solvent kinetic isotope effects, we demonstrated that the reaction mechanism is consistent across a broad pH range, and computer simulations suggested that deprotonation of the active site Tyr100 may play a crucial role in substrate protonation at high pH. Site-specific incorporation of vibrational thiocyanate probes into the ecDHFR active site provided an experimental tool for interrogating these microenvironments and for investigating changes in electrostatics along the DHFR catalytic cycle

Conformal algebra of Riemann surfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vafa, C.

1988-01-01

It has become clear over the last few years that 2-dimensional conformal field theories are a crucial ingredient of string theory. Conformal field theories correspond to vacuum solutions of strings; or more precisely we know how to compute string spectrum and scattering amplitudes by starting from a formal theory (with a proper value of central charge of the Virasoro algebra). Certain non-linear sigma models do give rise to conformal theories. A lot of progress has been made in the understanding of conformal theories. The author discusses a different view of conformal theories which was motivated by the development of operator formalism on Riemann surfaces. The author discusses an interesting recent work from this point of view

Ras conformational switching: simulating nucleotide-dependent conformational transitions with accelerated molecular dynamics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barry J Grant

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Ras mediates signaling pathways controlling cell proliferation and development by cycling between GTP- and GDP-bound active and inactive conformational states. Understanding the complete reaction path of this conformational change and its intermediary structures is critical to understanding Ras signaling. We characterize nucleotide-dependent conformational transition using multiple-barrier-crossing accelerated molecular dynamics (aMD simulations. These transitions, achieved for the first time for wild-type Ras, are impossible to observe with classical molecular dynamics (cMD simulations due to the large energetic barrier between end states. Mapping the reaction path onto a conformer plot describing the distribution of the crystallographic structures enabled identification of highly populated intermediate structures. These structures have unique switch orientations (residues 25-40 and 57-75 intermediate between GTP and GDP states, or distinct loop3 (46-49, loop7 (105-110, and alpha5 C-terminus (159-166 conformations distal from the nucleotide-binding site. In addition, these barrier-crossing trajectories predict novel nucleotide-dependent correlated motions, including correlations of alpha2 (residues 66-74 with alpha3-loop7 (93-110, loop2 (26-37 with loop10 (145-151, and loop3 (46-49 with alpha5 (152-167. The interconversion between newly identified Ras conformations revealed by this study advances our mechanistic understanding of Ras function. In addition, the pattern of correlated motions provides new evidence for a dynamic linkage between the nucleotide-binding site and the membrane interacting C-terminus critical for the signaling function of Ras. Furthermore, normal mode analysis indicates that the dominant collective motion that occurs during nucleotide-dependent conformational exchange, and captured in aMD (but absent in cMD simulations, is a low-frequency motion intrinsic to the structure.

Conformality lost

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaplan, David B.; Lee, Jong-Wan; Son, Dam T.; Stephanov, Mikhail A.

2009-01-01

We consider zero-temperature transitions from conformal to nonconformal phases in quantum theories. We argue that there are three generic mechanisms for the loss of conformality in any number of dimensions: (i) fixed point goes to zero coupling, (ii) fixed point runs off to infinite coupling, or (iii) an IR fixed point annihilates with a UV fixed point and they both disappear into the complex plane. We give both relativistic and nonrelativistic examples of the last case in various dimensions and show that the critical behavior of the mass gap behaves similarly to the correlation length in the finite temperature Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) phase transition in two dimensions, ξ∼exp(c/|T-T c | 1/2 ). We speculate that the chiral phase transition in QCD at large number of fermion flavors belongs to this universality class, and attempt to identify the UV fixed point that annihilates with the Banks-Zaks fixed point at the lower end of the conformal window.

40 CFR 93.154 - Conformity analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Conformity analysis. 93.154 Section 93...) DETERMINING CONFORMITY OF FEDERAL ACTIONS TO STATE OR FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION PLANS Determining Conformity of General Federal Actions to State or Federal Implementation Plans § 93.154 Conformity analysis. Any Federal...

Active site loop conformation regulates promiscuous activity in a lactonase from Geobacillus kaustophilus HTA426.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Zhang

Full Text Available Enzyme promiscuity is a prerequisite for fast divergent evolution of biocatalysts. A phosphotriesterase-like lactonase (PLL from Geobacillus kaustophilus HTA426 (GkaP exhibits main lactonase and promiscuous phosphotriesterase activities. To understand its catalytic and evolutionary mechanisms, we investigated a "hot spot" in the active site by saturation mutagenesis as well as X-ray crystallographic analyses. We found that position 99 in the active site was involved in substrate discrimination. One mutant, Y99L, exhibited 11-fold improvement over wild-type in reactivity (kcat/Km toward the phosphotriesterase substrate ethyl-paraoxon, but showed 15-fold decrease toward the lactonase substrate δ-decanolactone, resulting in a 157-fold inversion of the substrate specificity. Structural analysis of Y99L revealed that the mutation causes a ∼6.6 Å outward shift of adjacent loop 7, which may cause increased flexibility of the active site and facilitate accommodation and/or catalysis of organophosphate substrate. This study provides for the PLL family an example of how the evolutionary route from promiscuity to specificity can derive from very few mutations, which promotes alteration in the conformational adjustment of the active site loops, in turn draws the capacity of substrate binding and activity.

Recursion Relations for Conformal Blocks

CERN Document Server

Penedones, João; Yamazaki, Masahito

2016-09-12

In the context of conformal field theories in general space-time dimension, we find all the possible singularities of the conformal blocks as functions of the scaling dimension $\\Delta$ of the exchanged operator. In particular, we argue, using representation theory of parabolic Verma modules, that in odd spacetime dimension the singularities are only simple poles. We discuss how to use this information to write recursion relations that determine the conformal blocks. We first recover the recursion relation introduced in 1307.6856 for conformal blocks of external scalar operators. We then generalize this recursion relation for the conformal blocks associated to the four point function of three scalar and one vector operator. Finally we specialize to the case in which the vector operator is a conserved current.

The logarithmic conformal field theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahimi Tabar, M.R.; Aghamohammadi, A.; Khorrami, M.

1997-01-01

We study the correlation functions of logarithmic conformal field theories. First, assuming conformal invariance, we explicitly calculate two- and three-point functions. This calculation is done for the general case of more than one logarithmic field in a block, and more than one set of logarithmic fields. Then we show that one can regard the logarithmic field as a formal derivative of the ordinary field with respect to its conformal weight. This enables one to calculate any n-point function containing the logarithmic field in terms of ordinary n-point functions. Finally, we calculate the operator product expansion (OPE) coefficients of a logarithmic conformal field theory, and show that these can be obtained from the corresponding coefficients of ordinary conformal theory by a simple derivation. (orig.)

Recent advancements in conformal gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O’Brien, James G.; Chaykov, Spasen S.; Moss, Robert J.; Dentico, Jeremy; Stulge, Modestas; Stefanski, Brian

2017-01-01

In recent years, due to the lack of direct observed evidence of cold dark matter, coupled with the shrinking parameter space to search for new dark matter particles, there has been increased interest in Alternative Gravitational theories. This paper, addresses three recent advances in conformal gravity, a fourth order renormalizable metric theory of gravitation originally formulated by Weyl, and later advanced by Mannheim and Kazanas. The first section of the paper applies conformal gravity to the rotation curves of the LITTLE THINGS survey, extending the total number of rotation curves successfully fit by conformal gravity to well over 200 individual data sets without the need for additional dark matter. Further, in this rotation curve study, we show how MOND and conformal gravity compare for each galaxy in the sample. Second, we look at the original Zwicky problem of applying the virial theorem to the Coma cluster in order to get an estimate for the cluster mass. However, instead of using the standard Newtonian potential, here we use the weak field approximation of conformal gravity. We show that in the conformal case we can get a much smaller mass estimate and thus there is no apparent need to include dark matter. We then show that this calculation is in agreement with the observational data from other well studied clusters. Last, we explore the calculation of the deflection of starlight through conformal gravity, as a first step towards applying conformal gravity to gravitaitonal lensing. (paper)

Molecular dynamics simulations of conformation changes of HIV-1 regulatory protein on graphene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Daohui; Li, Libo; He, Daohang; Zhou, Jian, E-mail: jianzhou@scut.edu.cn

2016-07-30

Graphical abstract: Preferential adsorption of Vpr13-33 on graphene accompanied by early conformational change from α-helix to β-sheet structures was observed by molecular simulations. This work presents the molecular mechanism of graphene-induced peptide conformational alteration and sheds light on developing graphene-based materials to inhibit HIV. - Highlights: • Graphene induced early structural transition of Vpr13-33 is studied by MD simulations. • Both π-π stacking and hydrophobic interactions orchestrate the peptide adsorption. • Vpr has an increased propensity of β-sheet content on graphene surface. • To develop graphene-based materials to inhibit HIV is possible. - Abstract: The fragment of viral protein R (Vpr), Vpr13-33, plays an important role in regulating nuclear importing of HIV genes through channel formation in which it adopts a leucine-zipper-like alpha-helical conformation. A recent experimental study reported that helical Vpr13-33 would transform to β-sheet or random coil structures and aggregate on the surface of graphene or graphene oxide through hydrophobic interactions. Due to experimental limitations, however, there is still a considerable lack of understanding on the adsorption dynamics at the early stage of the conformational transition at water-graphene interface and the underlying driving force at molecular level. In this study, atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were used to explore the conformation transition phenomena. Vpr13-33 kept α-helical structure in solution, but changed to β-sheet structure when strongly adsorbed onto graphene. Preferential adsorption of Vpr13-33 on graphene is dominated by hydrophobic interactions. The cluster analysis identified the most significant populated conformation and the early stage of structure conversion from α-helical to β-sheet was found, but the full β-sheet propagation was not observed. Free energy landscape analysis further complemented the transformation analysis of

Molecular dynamics simulations of conformation changes of HIV-1 regulatory protein on graphene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Daohui; Li, Libo; He, Daohang; Zhou, Jian

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: Preferential adsorption of Vpr13-33 on graphene accompanied by early conformational change from α-helix to β-sheet structures was observed by molecular simulations. This work presents the molecular mechanism of graphene-induced peptide conformational alteration and sheds light on developing graphene-based materials to inhibit HIV. - Highlights: • Graphene induced early structural transition of Vpr13-33 is studied by MD simulations. • Both π-π stacking and hydrophobic interactions orchestrate the peptide adsorption. • Vpr has an increased propensity of β-sheet content on graphene surface. • To develop graphene-based materials to inhibit HIV is possible. - Abstract: The fragment of viral protein R (Vpr), Vpr13-33, plays an important role in regulating nuclear importing of HIV genes through channel formation in which it adopts a leucine-zipper-like alpha-helical conformation. A recent experimental study reported that helical Vpr13-33 would transform to β-sheet or random coil structures and aggregate on the surface of graphene or graphene oxide through hydrophobic interactions. Due to experimental limitations, however, there is still a considerable lack of understanding on the adsorption dynamics at the early stage of the conformational transition at water-graphene interface and the underlying driving force at molecular level. In this study, atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were used to explore the conformation transition phenomena. Vpr13-33 kept α-helical structure in solution, but changed to β-sheet structure when strongly adsorbed onto graphene. Preferential adsorption of Vpr13-33 on graphene is dominated by hydrophobic interactions. The cluster analysis identified the most significant populated conformation and the early stage of structure conversion from α-helical to β-sheet was found, but the full β-sheet propagation was not observed. Free energy landscape analysis further complemented the transformation analysis of

Benchmarking Commercial Conformer Ensemble Generators.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedrich, Nils-Ole; de Bruyn Kops, Christina; Flachsenberg, Florian; Sommer, Kai; Rarey, Matthias; Kirchmair, Johannes

2017-11-27

We assess and compare the performance of eight commercial conformer ensemble generators (ConfGen, ConfGenX, cxcalc, iCon, MOE LowModeMD, MOE Stochastic, MOE Conformation Import, and OMEGA) and one leading free algorithm, the distance geometry algorithm implemented in RDKit. The comparative study is based on a new version of the Platinum Diverse Dataset, a high-quality benchmarking dataset of 2859 protein-bound ligand conformations extracted from the PDB. Differences in the performance of commercial algorithms are much smaller than those observed for free algorithms in our previous study (J. Chem. Inf. 2017, 57, 529-539). For commercial algorithms, the median minimum root-mean-square deviations measured between protein-bound ligand conformations and ensembles of a maximum of 250 conformers are between 0.46 and 0.61 Å. Commercial conformer ensemble generators are characterized by their high robustness, with at least 99% of all input molecules successfully processed and few or even no substantial geometrical errors detectable in their output conformations. The RDKit distance geometry algorithm (with minimization enabled) appears to be a good free alternative since its performance is comparable to that of the midranked commercial algorithms. Based on a statistical analysis, we elaborate on which algorithms to use and how to parametrize them for best performance in different application scenarios.

How and How Much Molecular Conformation Affects Electronic Circular Dichroism: The Case of 1,1-Diarylcarbinols

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniele Padula

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Chiroptical spectra such as electronic circular dichroism (ECD are said to be much more sensitive to conformation than their non-chiroptical counterparts, however, it is difficult to demonstrate such a common notion in a clear-cut way. We run DFT and TDDFT calculations on two closely related 1,1-diarylmethanols which show mirror-image ECD spectra for the same absolute configuration. We demonstrate that the main reason for the different chiroptical response of the two compounds lies in different conformational ensembles, caused by a single hydrogen-to-methyl substitution. We conclude that two compounds, having the same configuration but different conformation, may exhibit mirror-image ECD signals, stressing the importance and impact of conformational factors on ECD spectra.

The Pattern, Causes And Management of Student Non-Conforming ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... leaving school before time, using abusive language, absenteeism, stealing, quarrelling, disrupting classes, cheating in examinations and tests, leaving school without permission, aggressiveness, fighting and bullying. These behaviours are caused by the students intelligent, society, peer group, age of students, the home, ...

Pleural and pulmonary alterations caused by rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bankier, A.A.; Fleischmann, D.; Kiener, H.P.; Wiesmayr, M.N.; Herold, C.J.

1996-01-01

Pulmonary complications caused by rheumatoid arthritis are a clinically relevant aspect of this chronic arthropathy. This article reviews pulmonary abnormalities induced by rheumatoid arthritis and their clinical and radiological findings. In addition, the role of different imaging modalities in the diagnostic work-up of pulmonary complications caused by rheumatoid arthritis is discussed. (orig./MG) [de

Conformal and Nearly Conformal Theories at Large N

Science.gov (United States)

Tarnoplskiy, Grigory M.

In this thesis we present new results in conformal and nearly conformal field theories in various dimensions. In chapter two, we study different properties of the conformal Quantum Electrodynamics (QED) in continuous dimension d. At first we study conformal QED using large Nf methods, where Nf is the number of massless fermions. We compute its sphere free energy as a function of d, ignoring the terms of order 1/Nf and higher. For finite Nf we use the epsilon-expansion. Next we use a large Nf diagrammatic approach to calculate the leading corrections to CT, the coefficient of the two-point function of the stress-energy tensor, and CJ, the coefficient of the two-point function of the global symmetry current. We present explicit formulae as a function of d and check them versus the expectations in 2 and 4 - epsilon dimensions. In chapter three, we discuss vacuum stability in 1 + 1 dimensional conformal field theories with external background fields. We show that the vacuum decay rate is given by a non-local two-form. This two-form is a boundary term that must be added to the effective in/out Lagrangian. The two-form is expressed in terms of a Riemann-Hilbert decomposition for background gauge fields, and is given by its novel "functional'' version in the gravitational case. In chapter four, we explore Tensor models. Such models possess the large N limit dominated by the melon diagrams. The quantum mechanics of a real anti-commuting rank-3 tensor has a large N limit similar to the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model. We also discuss the quantum mechanics of a complex 3-index anti-commuting tensor and argue that it is equivalent in the large N limit to a version of SYK model with complex fermions. Finally, we discuss models of a commuting tensor in dimension d. We study the spectrum of the large N quantum field theory of bosonic rank-3 tensors using the Schwinger-Dyson equations. We compare some of these results with the 4 - epsilon expansion, finding perfect agreement. We

Covalent dye attachment influences the dynamics and conformational properties of flexible peptides.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manuel P Luitz

Full Text Available Fluorescence spectroscopy techniques like Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS have become important tools for the in vitro and in vivo investigation of conformational dynamics in biomolecules. These methods rely on the distance-dependent quenching of the fluorescence signal of a donor fluorophore either by a fluorescent acceptor fluorophore (FRET or a non-fluorescent quencher, as used in FCS with photoinduced electron transfer (PET. The attachment of fluorophores to the molecule of interest can potentially alter the molecular properties and may affect the relevant conformational states and dynamics especially of flexible biomolecules like intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP. Using the intrinsically disordered S-peptide as a model system, we investigate the impact of terminal fluorescence labeling on the molecular properties. We perform extensive molecular dynamics simulations on the labeled and unlabeled peptide and compare the results with in vitro PET-FCS measurements. Experimental and simulated timescales of end-to-end fluctuations were found in excellent agreement. Comparison between simulations with and without labels reveal that the π-stacking interaction between the fluorophore labels traps the conformation of S-peptide in a single dominant state, while the unlabeled peptide undergoes continuous conformational rearrangements. Furthermore, we find that the open to closed transition rate of S-peptide is decreased by at least one order of magnitude by the fluorophore attachment. Our approach combining experimental and in silico methods provides a benchmark for the simulations and reveals the significant effect that fluorescence labeling can have on the conformational dynamics of small biomolecules, at least for inherently flexible short peptides. The presented protocol is not only useful for comparing PET-FCS experiments with simulation results but provides a strategy to minimize the

A transferable coarse-grained model for diphenylalanine: How to represent an environment driven conformational transition

Science.gov (United States)

Dalgicdir, Cahit; Sensoy, Ozge; Peter, Christine; Sayar, Mehmet

2013-12-01

One of the major challenges in the development of coarse grained (CG) simulation models that aim at biomolecular structure formation processes is the correct representation of an environment-driven conformational change, for example, a folding/unfolding event upon interaction with an interface or upon aggregation. In the present study, we investigate this transferability challenge for a CG model using the example of diphenylalanine. This dipeptide displays a transition from a trans-like to a cis-like conformation upon aggregation as well as upon transfer from bulk water to the cyclohexane/water interface. Here, we show that one can construct a single CG model that can reproduce both the bulk and interface conformational behavior and the segregation between hydrophobic/hydrophilic medium. While the general strategy to obtain nonbonded interactions in the present CG model is to reproduce solvation free energies of small molecules representing the CG beads in the respective solvents, the success of the model strongly depends on nontrivial decisions one has to make to capture the delicate balance between the bonded and nonbonded interactions. In particular, we found that the peptide's conformational behavior is qualitatively affected by the cyclohexane/water interaction potential, an interaction that does not directly involve the peptide at all but merely influences the properties of the hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface. Furthermore, we show that a small modification to improve the structural/conformational properties of the CG model could dramatically alter the thermodynamic properties.

A transferable coarse-grained model for diphenylalanine: How to represent an environment driven conformational transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dalgicdir, Cahit; Sensoy, Ozge; Sayar, Mehmet; Peter, Christine

2013-01-01

One of the major challenges in the development of coarse grained (CG) simulation models that aim at biomolecular structure formation processes is the correct representation of an environment-driven conformational change, for example, a folding/unfolding event upon interaction with an interface or upon aggregation. In the present study, we investigate this transferability challenge for a CG model using the example of diphenylalanine. This dipeptide displays a transition from a trans-like to a cis-like conformation upon aggregation as well as upon transfer from bulk water to the cyclohexane/water interface. Here, we show that one can construct a single CG model that can reproduce both the bulk and interface conformational behavior and the segregation between hydrophobic/hydrophilic medium. While the general strategy to obtain nonbonded interactions in the present CG model is to reproduce solvation free energies of small molecules representing the CG beads in the respective solvents, the success of the model strongly depends on nontrivial decisions one has to make to capture the delicate balance between the bonded and nonbonded interactions. In particular, we found that the peptide's conformational behavior is qualitatively affected by the cyclohexane/water interaction potential, an interaction that does not directly involve the peptide at all but merely influences the properties of the hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface. Furthermore, we show that a small modification to improve the structural/conformational properties of the CG model could dramatically alter the thermodynamic properties

A transferable coarse-grained model for diphenylalanine: How to represent an environment driven conformational transition

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dalgicdir, Cahit; Sensoy, Ozge; Sayar, Mehmet, E-mail: msayar@ku.edu.tr [College of Engineering, Koç University, 34450 Istanbul (Turkey); Peter, Christine [Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Department of Chemistry, University of Konstanz, 78547 Konstanz (Germany)

2013-12-21

One of the major challenges in the development of coarse grained (CG) simulation models that aim at biomolecular structure formation processes is the correct representation of an environment-driven conformational change, for example, a folding/unfolding event upon interaction with an interface or upon aggregation. In the present study, we investigate this transferability challenge for a CG model using the example of diphenylalanine. This dipeptide displays a transition from a trans-like to a cis-like conformation upon aggregation as well as upon transfer from bulk water to the cyclohexane/water interface. Here, we show that one can construct a single CG model that can reproduce both the bulk and interface conformational behavior and the segregation between hydrophobic/hydrophilic medium. While the general strategy to obtain nonbonded interactions in the present CG model is to reproduce solvation free energies of small molecules representing the CG beads in the respective solvents, the success of the model strongly depends on nontrivial decisions one has to make to capture the delicate balance between the bonded and nonbonded interactions. In particular, we found that the peptide's conformational behavior is qualitatively affected by the cyclohexane/water interaction potential, an interaction that does not directly involve the peptide at all but merely influences the properties of the hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface. Furthermore, we show that a small modification to improve the structural/conformational properties of the CG model could dramatically alter the thermodynamic properties.

CADDIS Volume 2. Sources, Stressors and Responses: Flow Alteration

Science.gov (United States)

Introduction to the flow alteration module, when to list flow alteration as a candidate cause, ways to measure flow alteration, simple and detailed conceptual model diagrams for flow alteration, flow alteration module references and literature reviews.

Conformal radiotherapy: principles and classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenwald, J.C.; Gaboriaud, G.; Pontvert, D.

1999-01-01

'Conformal radiotherapy' is the name fixed by usage and given to a new form of radiotherapy resulting from the technological improvements observed during the last ten years. While this terminology is now widely used, no precise definition can be found in the literature. Conformal radiotherapy refers to an approach in which the dose distribution is more closely 'conformed' or adapted to the actual shape of the target volume. However, the achievement of a consensus on a more specific definition is hampered by various difficulties, namely in characterizing the degree of 'conformality'. We have therefore suggested a classification scheme be established on the basis of the tools and the procedures actually used for all steps of the process, i.e., from prescription to treatment completion. Our classification consists of four levels: schematically, at level 0, there is no conformation (rectangular fields); at level 1, a simple conformation takes place, on the basis of conventional 2D imaging; at level 2, a 3D reconstruction of the structures is used for a more accurate conformation; and level 3 includes research and advanced dynamic techniques. We have used our personal experience, contacts with colleagues and data from the literature to analyze all the steps of the planning process, and to define the tools and procedures relevant to a given level. The corresponding tables have been discussed and approved at the European level within the Dynarad concerted action. It is proposed that the term 'conformal radiotherapy' be restricted to procedures where all steps are at least at level 2. (author)

Conformational lock and dissociative thermal inactivation of lentil seedling amine oxidase.

Science.gov (United States)

Moosavi-Nejad, S Zahra; Moosavi-Movahedi, Ali-Akbar; Rezaei-Tavirani, Mostafa; Floris, Giovanni; Medda, Rosaria

2003-03-31

The kinetics of thermal inactivation of copper-containing amine oxidase from lentil seedlings were studied in a 100 mM potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7, using putrescine as the substrate. The temperature range was between 47-60 degrees C. The thermal inactivation curves were not linear at 52 and 57 degrees C; three linear phases were shown. The first phase gave some information about the number of dimeric forms of the enzyme that were induced by the higher temperatures using the "conformational lock" pertaining theory to oligomeric enzyme. The "conformational lock" caused two additional dimeric forms of the enzyme when the temperature increased to 57 degrees C. The second and third phases were interpreted according to a dissociative thermal inactivation model. These phases showed that lentil amine oxidase was reversibly-dissociated before the irreversible thermal inactivation. Although lentil amine oxidase is not a thermostable enzyme, its dimeric structure can form "conformational lock," conferring a structural tolerance to the enzyme against heat stress.

S-Adenosylmethionine conformations in solution and in protein complexes: Conformational influences of the sulfonium group

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Markham, George D.; Norrby, Per-Ola; Bock, Charles W.

2002-01-01

S-Adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) and other sulfonium ions play central roles in the metabolism of all organisms. The conformational preferences of AdoMet and two other biologically important sulfonium ions, S-methylmethionine and dimethylsulfonioproprionic acid, have been investigated by NMR...... and computational studies. Molecular mechanics parameters for the sulfonium center have been developed for the AMBER force field to permit analysis of NMR results and to enable comparison of the relative energies of the different conformations of AdoMet that have been found in crystal structures of complexes...... with proteins. S-Methylmethionine and S-dimethylsulfonioproprionate adopt a variety of conformations in aqueous solution; a conformation with an electrostatic interaction between the sulfonium sulfur and the carboxylate group is not noticeably favored, in contrast to the preferred conformation found by in vacuo...

Conformal Killing vectors in Robertson-Walker spacetimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maartens, R.; Maharaj, S.d.

1986-01-01

It is well known that Robertson-Walker spacetimes admit a conformal Killingl vector normal to the spacelike homogeneous hypersurfaces. Because these spacetimes are conformally flat, there are a further eight conformal Killing vectors, which are neither normal nor tangent to the homogeneous hypersurfaces. The authors find these further conformal Killing vectors and the Lie algebra of the full G 15 of conformal motions. Conditions on the metric scale factor are determined which reduce some of the conformal Killing vectors to homothetic Killing vectors or Killing vectors, allowing one to regain in a unified way the known special geometries. The non-normal conformal Killing vectors provide a counter-example to show that conformal motions do not, in general, map a fluid flow conformally. These non-normal vectors are also used to find the general solution of the null geodesic equation and photon Liouville equation. (author)

Conformational Ensembles of α-Synuclein Derived Peptide with Different Osmolytes from Temperature Replica Exchange Sampling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Salma Jamal

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP are a class of proteins that do not have a stable three-dimensional structure and can adopt a range of conformations playing various vital functional role. Alpha-synuclein is one such IDP which can aggregate into toxic protofibrils and has been associated largely with Parkinson's disease (PD along with other neurodegenerative diseases. Osmolytes are small organic compounds that can alter the environment around the proteins by acting as denaturants or protectants for the proteins. In the present study, we have conducted a series of replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations to explore the role of osmolytes, urea which is a denaturant and TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide, a protecting osmolyte, in aggregation and conformations of the synuclein peptide. We observed that both the osmolytes have significantly distinct impacts on the peptide and led to transitions of the conformations of the peptide from one state to other. Our findings highlighted that urea attenuated peptide aggregation and resulted in the formation of extended peptide structures whereas TMAO led to compact and folded forms of the peptide.

Conformal transformations in superspace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dao Vong Duc

1977-01-01

The spinor extension of the conformal algebra is investigated. The transformation law of superfields under the conformal coordinate inversion R defined in the superspace is derived. Using R-technique, the superconformally covariant two-point and three-point correlation functions are found

Towards conformal loop quantum gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Charles H-T

2006-01-01

A discussion is given of recent developments in canonical gravity that assimilates the conformal analysis of gravitational degrees of freedom. The work is motivated by the problem of time in quantum gravity and is carried out at the metric and the triad levels. At the metric level, it is shown that by extending the Arnowitt-Deser-Misner (ADM) phase space of general relativity (GR), a conformal form of geometrodynamics can be constructed. In addition to the Hamiltonian and Diffeomorphism constraints, an extra first class constraint is introduced to generate conformal transformations. This phase space consists of York's mean extrinsic curvature time, conformal three-metric and their momenta. At the triad level, the phase space of GR is further enlarged by incorporating spin-gauge as well as conformal symmetries. This leads to a canonical formulation of GR using a new set of real spin connection variables. The resulting gravitational constraints are first class, consisting of the Hamiltonian constraint and the canonical generators for spin-gauge and conformorphism transformations. The formulation has a remarkable feature of being parameter-free. Indeed, it is shown that a conformal parameter of the Barbero-Immirzi type can be absorbed by the conformal symmetry of the extended phase space. This gives rise to an alternative approach to loop quantum gravity that addresses both the conceptual problem of time and the technical problem of functional calculus in quantum gravity

Metabonomic Analysis Reveals Efficient Ameliorating Effects of Acupoint Stimulations on the Menopause-caused Alterations in Mammalian Metabolism

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Limin; Wang, Yulan; Xu, Yunxiang; Lei, Hehua; Zhao, Ying; Li, Huihui; Lin, Xiaosheng; Chen, Guizhen; Tang, Huiru

2014-01-01

Acupoint stimulations are effective in ameliorating symptoms of menopause which is an unavoidable ageing consequence for women. To understand the mechanistic aspects of such treatments, we systematically analyzed the effects of acupoint laser-irradiation and catgut-embedding on the ovariectomy-induced rat metabolic changes using NMR and GC-FID/MS methods. Results showed that ovariectomization (OVX) caused comprehensive metabolic changes in lipid peroxidation, glycolysis, TCA cycle, choline and amino acid metabolisms. Both acupoint laser-irradiation and catgut-embedding ameliorated the OVX-caused metabonomic changes more effectively than hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with nilestriol. Such effects of acupoint stimulations were highlighted in alleviating lipid peroxidation, restoring glucose homeostasis and partial reversion of the OVX-altered amino acid metabolism. These findings provided new insights into the menopause effects on mammalian biochemistry and beneficial effects of acupoint stimulations in comparison with HRT, demonstrating metabonomics as a powerful approach for potential applications in disease prognosis and developments of effective therapies.

Binding of Cimetidine to Balb/C Mouse Liver Catalase; Kinetics and Conformational Studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahangirvand, Mahboubeh; Minai-Tehrani, Dariush; Yazdi, Fatemeh; Minai-Tehrani, Arash; Razmi, Nematollah

2016-01-01

Catalase is responsible for converting hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into water and oxygen in cells. This enzyme has high affinity for hydrogen peroxide and can protect the cells from oxidative stress damage. Catalase is a tetramer protein and each monomer contains a heme group. Cimetidine is a histamine H2 receptor blocker which inhibits acid release from stomach and is used for gasterointestinal diseases. In this research, effect of cimetidine on the activity of liver catalase was studied and the kinetic parameters of this enzyme and its conformational changes were investigated. Cell free extract of mouse liver was used for the catalase assay. The activity of the catalase was detected in the absence and presence of cimetidine by monitoring hydrogen peroxide reduction absorbance at 240 nm. The purified enzyme was used for conformational studies by Fluorescence spectrophotometry. The data showed that cimetidine could inhibit the enzyme in a non-competitive manner. Ki and IC50 values of the drug were determined to be about 0.75 and 0.85 uM, respectively. The Arrhenius plot showed that activation energy was 6.68 and 4.77 kJ/mol in the presence and absence of the drug, respectively. Fluorescence spectrophotometry revealed that the binding of cimetidine to the purified enzyme induced hyperchromicity and red shift which determined the conformational change on the enzyme. Cimetidine could non-competitively inhibit the liver catalase with high affinity. Binding of cimetidine to the enzyme induced conformational alteration in the enzyme.

Mass generation within conformal invariant theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flato, M.; Guenin, M.

1981-01-01

The massless Yang-Mills theory is strongly conformally invariant and renormalizable; however, when masses are introduced the theory becomes nonrenormalizable and weakly conformally invariant. Conditions which recover strong conformal invariance are discussed in the letter. (author)

Conformal group actions and Segal's cosmology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werth, J.-E.

1984-01-01

A mathematical description of Segal's cosmological model in the framework of conformal group actions is presented. The relation between conformal and causal group actions on time-orientable Lorentzian manifolds is analysed and several examples are discussed. A criterion for the conformality of a map between Lorentzian manifolds is given. The results are applied to Segal's 'conformal compactification' of Minkowski space. Furthermore, the 'unitary formulation' of Segal's cosmology is regarded. (Author) [pt

Conformal field theories and critical phenomena

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, Bowei

1993-01-01

In this article we present a brief review of the conformal symmetry and the two dimensional conformal quantum field theories. As concrete applications of the conformal theories to the critical phenomena in statistical systems, we calculate the value of central charge and the anomalous scale dimensions of the Z 2 symmetric quantum chain with boundary condition. The results are compatible with the prediction of the conformal field theories

New conformations of linear polyubiquitin chains from crystallographic and solution-scattering studies expand the conformational space of polyubiquitin.

Science.gov (United States)

Thach, Trung Thanh; Shin, Donghyuk; Han, Seungsu; Lee, Sangho

2016-04-01

The conformational flexibility of linkage-specific polyubiquitin chains enables ubiquitylated proteins and their receptors to be involved in a variety of cellular processes. Linear or Met1-linked polyubiquitin chains, associated with nondegradational cellular signalling pathways, have been known to adopt multiple conformations from compact to extended conformations. However, the extent of such conformational flexibility remains open. Here, the crystal structure of linear Ub2 was determined in a more compact conformation than that of the previously known structure (PDB entry 3axc). The two structures differ significantly from each other, as shown by an r.m.s.d. between C(α) atoms of 3.1 Å. The compactness of the linear Ub2 structure in comparison with PDB entry 3axc is supported by smaller values of the radius of gyration (Rg; 18 versus 18.9 Å) and the maximum interatomic distance (Dmax; 55.5 versus 57.8 Å). Extra intramolecular hydrogen bonds formed among polar residues between the distal and proximal ubiquitin moieties seem to contribute to stabilization of the compact conformation of linear Ub2. An ensemble of three semi-extended and extended conformations of linear Ub2 was also observed by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis in solution. In addition, the conformational heterogeneity in linear polyubiquitin chains is clearly manifested by SAXS analyses of linear Ub3 and Ub4: at least three distinct solution conformations are observed in each chain, with the linear Ub3 conformations being compact. The results expand the extent of conformational space of linear polyubiquitin chains and suggest that changes in the conformational ensemble may be pivotal in mediating multiple signalling pathways.

A theoretical and spectroscopic study of conformational structures of piroxicam

Science.gov (United States)

Souza, Kely Ferreira de; Martins, José A.; Pessine, Francisco B. T.; Custodio, Rogério

2010-02-01

Piroxicam (PRX) has been widely studied in an attempt to elucidate the causes and mechanisms of its side effects, mainly the photo-toxicity. In this paper fluorescence spectra in non-protic solvents and different polarities were carried out along with theoretical calculations. Preliminary potential surfaces of the keto and enol forms were obtained at AM1 level of theory providing the most stable conformers, which had their structure re-optimized through the B3LYP/CEP-31G(d,p) method. From the optimized structures, the electronic spectra were calculated using the TD-DFT method in vacuum and including the solvent effect through the PCM method and a single water molecule near PRX. A new potential surface was constructed to the enol tautomer at DFT level and the most stable conformers were submitted to the QST2 calculations. The experimental data showed that in apolar media, the solution fluorescence is raised. Based on conformational analysis for the two tautomers, keto and enol, the results indicated that the PRX-enol is the main tautomer related to the drug fluorescence, which is reinforced by the spectra results, as well as the interconvertion barrier obtained from the QST2 calculations. The results suggest that the PRX one of the enol conformers presents great possibility of involvement in the photo-toxicity mechanisms.

Ward identities for conformal models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lazzarini, S.; Stora, R.

1988-01-01

Ward identities which express the symmetry of conformal models are treated. Diffeomorphism invariance or locally holomorphic coordinate transformations are used. Diffeomorphism invariance is then understood in terms of Riemannian geometry. Two different sets of Ward identities expressing diffeomorphism invariance in a conformally invariant way are found for the free bosonic string. Using a geometrical argument, the correct invariance for a large class of conformal models is given

Conformity and statistical tolerancing

Science.gov (United States)

Leblond, Laurent; Pillet, Maurice

2018-02-01

Statistical tolerancing was first proposed by Shewhart (Economic Control of Quality of Manufactured Product, (1931) reprinted 1980 by ASQC), in spite of this long history, its use remains moderate. One of the probable reasons for this low utilization is undoubtedly the difficulty for designers to anticipate the risks of this approach. The arithmetic tolerance (worst case) allows a simple interpretation: conformity is defined by the presence of the characteristic in an interval. Statistical tolerancing is more complex in its definition. An interval is not sufficient to define the conformance. To justify the statistical tolerancing formula used by designers, a tolerance interval should be interpreted as the interval where most of the parts produced should probably be located. This tolerance is justified by considering a conformity criterion of the parts guaranteeing low offsets on the latter characteristics. Unlike traditional arithmetic tolerancing, statistical tolerancing requires a sustained exchange of information between design and manufacture to be used safely. This paper proposes a formal definition of the conformity, which we apply successively to the quadratic and arithmetic tolerancing. We introduce a concept of concavity, which helps us to demonstrate the link between tolerancing approach and conformity. We use this concept to demonstrate the various acceptable propositions of statistical tolerancing (in the space decentring, dispersion).

Dissecting the large-scale galactic conformity

Science.gov (United States)

Seo, Seongu

2018-01-01

Galactic conformity is an observed phenomenon that galaxies located in the same region have similar properties such as star formation rate, color, gas fraction, and so on. The conformity was first observed among galaxies within in the same halos (“one-halo conformity”). The one-halo conformity can be readily explained by mutual interactions among galaxies within a halo. Recent observations however further witnessed a puzzling connection among galaxies with no direct interaction. In particular, galaxies located within a sphere of ~5 Mpc radius tend to show similarities, even though the galaxies do not share common halos with each other ("two-halo conformity" or “large-scale conformity”). Using a cosmological hydrodynamic simulation, Illustris, we investigate the physical origin of the two-halo conformity and put forward two scenarios. First, back-splash galaxies are likely responsible for the large-scale conformity. They have evolved into red galaxies due to ram-pressure stripping in a given galaxy cluster and happen to reside now within a ~5 Mpc sphere. Second, galaxies in strong tidal field induced by large-scale structure also seem to give rise to the large-scale conformity. The strong tides suppress star formation in the galaxies. We discuss the importance of the large-scale conformity in the context of galaxy evolution.

Entanglement evolution across a conformal interface

Science.gov (United States)

Wen, Xueda; Wang, Yuxuan; Ryu, Shinsei

2018-05-01

For two-dimensional conformal field theories (CFTs) in the ground state, it is known that a conformal interface along the entanglement cut can suppress the entanglement entropy from to , where L is the length of the subsystem A, and is the effective central charge which depends on the transmission property of the conformal interface. In this work, by making use of conformal mappings, we show that a conformal interface has the same effect on entanglement evolution in non-equilibrium cases, including global, local and certain inhomogeneous quantum quenches. I.e. a conformal interface suppresses the time evolution of entanglement entropy by effectively replacing the central charge c with , where is exactly the same as that in the ground state case. We confirm this conclusion by a numerical study on a critical fermion chain. Furthermore, based on the quasi-particle picture, we conjecture that this conclusion holds for an arbitrary quantum quench in CFTs, as long as the initial state can be described by a regularized conformal boundary state.

The Effect of Gene Alterations and Tyrosine Kinase Inhibition on Survival and Cause of Death in Patients With Adenocarcinoma of the Lung and Brain Metastases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sperduto, Paul W., E-mail: psperduto@mropa.com [Minneapolis Radiation Oncology and University of Minnesota Gamma Knife Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States); Yang, T. Jonathan; Beal, Kathryn [Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York (United States); Pan, Hubert; Brown, Paul D. [MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas (United States); Bangdiwala, Ananta; Shanley, Ryan [University of Minnesota, Masonic Cancer Center, Biostatistics, Minneapolis, Minnesota (United States); Yeh, Norman; Gaspar, Laurie E. [University of Colorado–Denver, Denver, Colorado (United States); Braunstein, Steve; Sneed, Penny [University of California–San Francisco, San Francisco, California (United States); Boyle, John; Kirkpatrick, John P. [Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (United States); Mak, Kimberley S.; Shih, Helen A. [Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); Engelman, Alex [University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland (United States); Roberge, David [CHUM, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec (Canada); Arvold, Nils D.; Alexander, Brian; Awad, Mark M. [Dana Farber/Brigham and Women' s Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts (United States); and others

2016-10-01

Purpose: Lung cancer remains the most common cause of both cancer mortality and brain metastases (BM). The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of gene alterations and tyrosine kinase inhibition (TKI) on median survival (MS) and cause of death (CoD) in patients with BM from lung adenocarcinoma (L-adeno). Methods: A multi-institutional retrospective database of patients with L-adeno and newly diagnosed BM between 2006 and 2014 was created. Demographics, gene alterations, treatment, MS, and CoD were analyzed. The treatment patterns and outcomes were compared with those in prior trials. Results: Of 1521 L-adeno patients, 816 (54%) had known alteration status. The gene alteration rates were 29%, 10%, and 26% for EGFR, ALK, and KRAS, respectively. The time from primary diagnosis to BM for EGFR−/+ was 10/15 months (P=.02) and for ALK−/+ was 10/20 months (P<.01), respectively. The MS for the group overall (n=1521) was 15 months. The MS from first treatment for BM for EGFR and ALK−, EGFR+, ALK+ were 14, 23 (P<.01), and 45 (P<.0001) months, respectively. The MS after BM for EGFR+ patients who did/did not receive TKI before BM was 17/30 months (P<.01), respectively, but the risk of death was not statistically different between TKI-naïve patients who did/did not receive TKI after the diagnosis of BM (EGFR/ALK hazard ratios: 1.06 [P=.84]/1.60 [P=.45], respectively). The CoD was nonneurologic in 82% of patients with known CoD. Conclusion: EGFR and ALK gene alterations are associated with delayed onset of BM and longer MS relative to patients without these alterations. The CoD was overwhelmingly nonneurologic in patients with known CoD.

Analysis of non-conformity in continuous quality improvement in a Hospital Radiopharmacy Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez, T; Contreras, J F

To perform an analysis of non-conformities (NC) registered between 2012 and 2015, as a part of the review process of the Quality Management System of our Radiopharmacy Unit. Non-conformities registered in the Radiopharmacy Unit in the period 2012-2015 are analyzed and sorted by their impact on the process (critical, major, and minor), cause/origin of the non-conformity, and nature of radiopharmaceutical (PET vs. SPECT). A decrease in the NC of 20% per year is observed, especially in PET radiopharmaceuticals. Non-conformities in SPECT make up about 62-84% of the total of the NC, mainly related to the high number of doses prepared and not administered, which is about 1.5-3% in the ratio of non-administered/administered per year. Analysis of the NC can be considered as a useful indicator in assessment of quality assurance, and in our particular case, the decrease in the registration of NC indicates effectiveness in the corrective and preventive actions implemented. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

Cholesterol-induced conformational changes in the sterol-sensing domain of the Scap protein suggest feedback mechanism to control cholesterol synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gao, Yansong; Zhou, Yulian; Goldstein, Joseph L; Brown, Michael S; Radhakrishnan, Arun

2017-05-26

Scap is a polytopic protein of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membranes that transports sterol regulatory element-binding proteins to the Golgi complex for proteolytic activation. Cholesterol accumulation in ER membranes prevents Scap transport and decreases cholesterol synthesis. Previously, we provided evidence that cholesterol inhibition is initiated when cholesterol binds to loop 1 of Scap, which projects into the ER lumen. Within cells, this binding causes loop 1 to dissociate from loop 7, another luminal Scap loop. However, we have been unable to demonstrate this dissociation when we added cholesterol to isolated complexes of loops 1 and 7. We therefore speculated that the dissociation requires a conformational change in the intervening polytopic sequence separating loops 1 and 7. Here we demonstrate such a change using a protease protection assay in sealed membrane vesicles. In the absence of cholesterol, trypsin or proteinase K cleaved cytosolic loop 4, generating a protected fragment that we visualized with a monoclonal antibody against loop 1. When cholesterol was added to these membranes, cleavage in loop 4 was abolished. Because loop 4 is part of the so-called sterol-sensing domain separating loops 1 and 7, these results support the hypothesis that cholesterol binding to loop 1 alters the conformation of the sterol-sensing domain. They also suggest that this conformational change helps transmit the cholesterol signal from loop 1 to loop 7, thereby allowing separation of the loops and facilitating the feedback inhibition of cholesterol synthesis. These insights suggest a new structural model for cholesterol-mediated regulation of Scap activity. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Long, partial-short, and special conformal fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Metsaev, R.R. [Department of Theoretical Physics, P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute,Leninsky prospect 53, Moscow 119991 (Russian Federation)

2016-05-17

In the framework of metric-like approach, totally symmetric arbitrary spin bosonic conformal fields propagating in flat space-time are studied. Depending on the values of conformal dimension, spin, and dimension of space-time, we classify all conformal field as long, partial-short, short, and special conformal fields. An ordinary-derivative (second-derivative) Lagrangian formulation for such conformal fields is obtained. The ordinary-derivative Lagrangian formulation is realized by using double-traceless gauge fields, Stueckelberg fields, and auxiliary fields. Gauge-fixed Lagrangian invariant under global BRST transformations is obtained. The gauge-fixed BRST Lagrangian is used for the computation of partition functions for all conformal fields. Using the result for the partition functions, numbers of propagating D.o.F for the conformal fields are also found.

The conformational stability and flexibility of insulin with an additional intramolecular cross-link

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brems, D.N.; Brown, P.L.; Nakagawa, S.H.; Tager, H.S.

1991-01-01

The conformational stability and flexibility of insulin containing a cross-link between the alpha-amino group of the A-chain to the epsilon-amino group of Lys29 of the B-chain was examined. The cross-link varied in length from 2 to 12 carbon atoms. The conformational stability was determined by guanidine hydrochloride-induced equilibrium denaturation and flexibility was assessed by H2O/D2O amide exchange. The cross-link has substantial effects on both conformational stability and flexibility which depend on its length. In general, the addition of a cross-link enhances conformational stability and decreases flexibility. The optimal length for enhanced stability and decreased flexibility was the 6-carbon link. For the 6-carbon link the Gibbs free energy of unfolding was 8.0 kcal/mol compared to 4.5 kcal/mol for insulin, and the amide exchange rate decreased by at least 3-fold. A very short cross-link (i.e. the 2-carbon link) caused conformational strain that was detectable by a lack of stabilization in the Gibbs free energy of unfolding and enhancement in the amide exchange rate compared to insulin. The effect of the cross-link length on insulin hydrodynamic properties is discussed relative to previously obtained receptor binding results

MOLECULAR MODELING INDICATES THAT HOMOCYSTEINE INDUCES CONFORMATIONAL CHANGES IN THE STRUCTURE OF PUTATIVE TARGET PROTEINS

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Yumnam Silla

2015-09-01

Full Text Available An elevated level of homocysteine, a reactive thiol containing amino acid is associated with a multitude of complex diseases. A majority (>80% of homocysteine in circulation is bound to protein cysteine residues. Although, till date only 21 proteins have been experimentally shown to bind with homocysteine, using an insilico approach we had earlier identified several potential target proteins that could bind with homocysteine. Shomocysteinylation of proteins could potentially alter the structure and/or function of the protein. Earlier studies have shown that binding of homocysteine to protein alters its function. However, the effect of homocysteine on the target protein structure has not yet been documented. In the present work, we assess conformational or structural changes if any due to protein homocysteinylation using two proteins, granzyme B (GRAB and junctional adhesion molecule 1 (JAM1, which could potentially bind to homocysteine. We, for the first time, constructed computational models of homocysteine bound to target proteins and monitored their structural changes using explicit solvent molecular dynamic (MD simulation. Analysis of homocysteine bound trajectories revealed higher flexibility of the active site residues and local structural perturbations compared to the unbound native structure’s simulation, which could affect the stability of the protein. In addition, secondary structure analysis of homocysteine bound trajectories also revealed disappearance of â-helix within the G-helix and linker region that connects between the domain regions (as defined in the crystal structure. Our study thus captures the conformational transitions induced by homocysteine and we suggest these structural alterations might have implications for hyperhomocysteinemia induced pathologies.

Maxwell equations in conformal invariant electrodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fradkin, E.S.; AN SSSR, Novosibirsk. Inst. Avtomatiki i Ehlektrometrii); Kozhevnikov, A.A.; Palchik, M.Ya.; Pomeransky, A.A.

1983-01-01

We consider a conformal invariant formulation of quantum electrodynamics. Conformal invariance is achieved with a specific mathematical construction based on the indecomposable representations of the conformal group associated with the electromagnetic potential and current. As a corolary of this construction modified expressions for the 3-point Green functions are obtained which both contain transverse parts. They make it possible to formulate a conformal invariant skeleton perturbation theory. It is also shown that the Euclidean Maxwell equations in conformal electrodynamics are manifestations of its kinematical structure: in the case of the 3-point Green functions these equations follow (up to constants) from the conformal invariance while in the case of higher Green functions they are equivalent to the equality of the kernels of the partial wave expansions. This is the manifestation of the mathematical fast of a (partial) equivalence of the representations associated with the potential, current and the field tensor. (orig.)

Conformal symmetries of FRW accelerating cosmologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kehagias, A.; Riotto, A.

2014-01-01

We show that any accelerating Friedmann–Robertson–Walker (FRW) cosmology with equation of state w<−1/3 (and therefore not only a de Sitter stage with w=−1) exhibits three-dimensional conformal symmetry on future constant-time hypersurfaces if the bulk theory is invariant under bulk conformal Killing vectors. We also offer an alternative derivation of this result in terms of conformal Killing vectors and show that long wavelength comoving curvature perturbations of the perturbed FRW metric are just conformal Killing motions of the FRW background. We then extend the boundary conformal symmetry to the bulk for accelerating cosmologies. Our findings indicate that one can easily generate perturbations of scalar fields which are not only scale invariant, but also fully conformally invariant on super-Hubble scales. Measuring a scale-invariant power spectrum for the cosmological perturbation does not automatically imply that the universe went through a de Sitter stage

Calcium binding promotes prion protein fragment 90-231 conformational change toward a membrane destabilizing and cytotoxic structure.

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Sacha Sorrentino

Full Text Available The pathological form of prion protein (PrP(Sc, as other amyloidogenic proteins, causes a marked increase of membrane permeability. PrP(Sc extracted from infected Syrian hamster brains induces a considerable change in membrane ionic conductance, although the contribution of this interaction to the molecular mechanism of neurodegeneration process is still controversial. We previously showed that the human PrP fragment 90-231 (hPrP₉₀₋₂₃₁ increases ionic conductance across artificial lipid bilayer, in a calcium-dependent manner, producing an alteration similar to that observed for PrP(Sc. In the present study we demonstrate that hPrP₉₀₋₂₃₁, pre-incubated with 10 mM Ca⁺⁺ and then re-suspended in physiological external solution increases not only membrane conductance but neurotoxicity as well. Furthermore we show the existence of a direct link between these two effects as demonstrated by a highly statistically significant correlation in several experimental conditions. A similar correlation between increased membrane conductance and cell degeneration has been observed assaying hPrP₉₀₋₂₃₁ bearing pathogenic mutations (D202N and E200K. We also report that Ca⁺⁺ binding to hPrP₉₀₋₂₃₁ induces a conformational change based on an alteration of secondary structure characterized by loss of alpha-helix content causing hydrophobic amino acid exposure and proteinase K resistance. These features, either acquired after controlled thermal denaturation or induced by D202N and E200K mutations were previously identified as responsible for hPrP₉₀₋₂₃₁ cytotoxicity. Finally, by in silico structural analysis, we propose that Ca⁺⁺ binding to hPrP₉₀₋₂₃₁ modifies amino acid orientation, in the same way induced by E200K mutation, thus suggesting a pathway for the structural alterations responsible of PrP neurotoxicity.

Conformers, infrared spectrum, UV-induced photochemistry, and near-IR-induced generation of two rare conformers of matrix-isolated phenylglycine

Science.gov (United States)

Borba, Ana; Gómez-Zavaglia, Andrea; Fausto, Rui

2014-10-01

The conformational space of α-phenylglycine (PG) have been investigated theoretically at both the DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) and MP2/6-311++G(d,p) levels of approximation. Seventeen different minima were found on the investigated potential energy surfaces, which are characterized by different dominant intramolecular interactions: type I conformers are stabilized by hydrogen bonds of the type N-H...O=C, type II by a strong O-H...N hydrogen bond, type III by weak N-H...O-H hydrogen bonds, and type IV by a C=O...H-C contact. The calculations indicate also that entropic effects are relevant in determining the equilibrium populations of the conformers of PG in the gas phase, in particular in the case of conformers of type II, where the strong intramolecular O-H...N hydrogen bond considerably diminishes entropy by reducing the conformational mobility of the molecule. In consonance with the relative energies of the conformers and barriers for conformational interconversion, only 3 conformers of PG were observed for the compound isolated in cryogenic Ar, Xe, and N2 matrices: the conformational ground state (ICa), and forms ICc and IITa. All other significantly populated conformers existing in the gas phase prior to deposition convert either to conformer ICa or to conformer ICc during matrix deposition. The experimental observation of ICc had never been achieved hitherto. Narrowband near-IR irradiation of the first overtone of νOH vibrational mode of ICa and ICc in nitrogen matrices (at 6910 and 6930 cm-1, respectively) led to selective generation of two additional conformers of high-energy, ITc and ITa, respectively, which were also observed experimentally for the first time. In addition, these experiments also provided the key information for the detailed vibrational characterization of the 3 conformers initially present in the matrices. On the other hand, UV irradiation (λ = 255 nm) of PG isolated in a xenon matrix revealed that PG undergoes facile photofragmentation

Conformers, infrared spectrum, UV-induced photochemistry, and near-IR-induced generation of two rare conformers of matrix-isolated phenylglycine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borba, Ana; Fausto, Rui; Gómez-Zavaglia, Andrea

2014-01-01

The conformational space of α-phenylglycine (PG) have been investigated theoretically at both the DFT/B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) and MP2/6-311++G(d,p) levels of approximation. Seventeen different minima were found on the investigated potential energy surfaces, which are characterized by different dominant intramolecular interactions: type I conformers are stabilized by hydrogen bonds of the type N–H···O=C, type II by a strong O–H···N hydrogen bond, type III by weak N–H···O–H hydrogen bonds, and type IV by a C=O···H–C contact. The calculations indicate also that entropic effects are relevant in determining the equilibrium populations of the conformers of PG in the gas phase, in particular in the case of conformers of type II, where the strong intramolecular O–H···N hydrogen bond considerably diminishes entropy by reducing the conformational mobility of the molecule. In consonance with the relative energies of the conformers and barriers for conformational interconversion, only 3 conformers of PG were observed for the compound isolated in cryogenic Ar, Xe, and N 2 matrices: the conformational ground state (ICa), and forms ICc and IITa. All other significantly populated conformers existing in the gas phase prior to deposition convert either to conformer ICa or to conformer ICc during matrix deposition. The experimental observation of ICc had never been achieved hitherto. Narrowband near-IR irradiation of the first overtone of νOH vibrational mode of ICa and ICc in nitrogen matrices (at 6910 and 6930 cm −1 , respectively) led to selective generation of two additional conformers of high-energy, ITc and ITa, respectively, which were also observed experimentally for the first time. In addition, these experiments also provided the key information for the detailed vibrational characterization of the 3 conformers initially present in the matrices. On the other hand, UV irradiation (λ = 255 nm) of PG isolated in a xenon matrix revealed that PG

40 CFR 52.2133 - General conformity.

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2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 4 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false General conformity. 52.2133 Section 52...) APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS (CONTINUED) South Carolina § 52.2133 General conformity. The General Conformity regulations adopted into the South Carolina State Implementation Plan which...

40 CFR 91.106 - Certificate of conformity.

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2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certificate of conformity. 91.106... Provisions § 91.106 Certificate of conformity. (a) Every manufacturer of a new marine SI engine produced... obtain a certificate of conformity covering each engine family. The certificate of conformity must be...

Conformational reduction of DOPA in the gas phase studied by laser desorption supersonic jet laser spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ishiuchi, Shun-ichi; Mitsuda, Haruhiko; Asakawa, Toshiro; Miyazaki, Mitsuhiko; Fujii, Masaaki

2011-05-07

The conformational reduction in catecholamine neurotransmitters was studied by resonance enhanced multi photon ionization (REMPI), ultraviolet-ultraviolet (UV-UV) hole burning and infrared (IR) dip spectroscopy with applying a laser desorption supersonic jet technique to DOPA, which is one of the catecholamine neurotransmitters and has one more phenolic OH group than tyrosine. It is concluded that DOPA has a single observable conformer in the gas phase at low temperature. Quantum chemical calculations at several levels with or without the dispersion correction were also carried out to study stable conformations. From the comparison between the computational IR spectra and the experimental ones, the most stable structure was determined. It is strongly suggested that the conformational reduction is caused by electrostatic interactions, such as a dipole-dipole interaction, between the chain and OH groups. This journal is © the Owner Societies 2011

40 CFR 52.938 - General conformity.

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2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false General conformity. 52.938 Section 52...) APPROVAL AND PROMULGATION OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS Kentucky § 52.938 General conformity. The General Conformity regulations were submitted on November 10, 1995, and adopted into the Kentucky State...

40 CFR 51.854 - Conformity analysis.

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2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Conformity analysis. 51.854 Section 51... FOR PREPARATION, ADOPTION, AND SUBMITTAL OF IMPLEMENTATION PLANS Determining Conformity of General Federal Actions to State or Federal Implementation Plans § 51.854 Conformity analysis. Link to an...

Lie algebra of conformal Killing–Yano forms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ertem, Ümit

2016-01-01

We provide a generalization of the Lie algebra of conformal Killing vector fields to conformal Killing–Yano forms. A new Lie bracket for conformal Killing–Yano forms that corresponds to slightly modified Schouten–Nijenhuis bracket of differential forms is proposed. We show that conformal Killing–Yano forms satisfy a graded Lie algebra in constant curvature manifolds. It is also proven that normal conformal Killing–Yano forms in Einstein manifolds also satisfy a graded Lie algebra. The constructed graded Lie algebras reduce to the graded Lie algebra of Killing–Yano forms and the Lie algebras of conformal Killing and Killing vector fields in special cases. (paper)

Universal hydrodynamics of non-conformal branes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanitscheider, Ingmar; Skenderis, Kostas

2009-01-01

We examine the hydrodynamic limit of non-conformal branes using the recently developed precise holographic dictionary. We first streamline the discussion of holography for backgrounds that asymptote locally to non-conformal brane solutions by showing that all such solutions can be obtained from higher dimensional asymptotically locally AdS solutions by suitable dimensional reduction and continuation in the dimension. As a consequence, many holographic results for such backgrounds follow from the corresponding results of the Asymptotically AdS case. In particular, the hydrodynamics of non-conformal branes is fully determined in terms of conformal hydrodynamics. Using previous results on the latter we predict the form of the non-conformal hydrodynamic stress tensor to second order in derivatives. Furthermore we show that the ratio between bulk and shear viscosity is fixed by the generalized conformal structure to be ζ/η = 2(1/(d-1)-c s 2 ), where c s is the speed of sound in the fluid.

Operator algebras and conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabbiani, F.; Froehlich, J.

1993-01-01

We define and study two-dimensional, chiral conformal field theory by the methods of algebraic field theory. We start by characterizing the vacuum sectors of such theories and show that, under very general hypotheses, their algebras of local observables are isomorphic to the unique hyperfinite type III 1 factor. The conformal net determined by the algebras of local observables is proven to satisfy Haag duality. The representation of the Moebius group (and presumably of the entire Virasoro algebra) on the vacuum sector of a conformal field theory is uniquely determined by the Tomita-Takesaki modular operators associated with its vacuum state and its conformal net. We then develop the theory of Mebius covariant representations of a conformal net, using methods of Doplicher, Haag and Roberts. We apply our results to the representation theory of loop groups. Our analysis is motivated by the desire to find a 'background-independent' formulation of conformal field theories. (orig.)

47 CFR 2.906 - Declaration of Conformity.

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2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Declaration of Conformity. 2.906 Section 2.906... Conformity. (a) A Declaration of Conformity is a procedure where the responsible party, as defined in § 2.909... of Conformity attaches to all items subsequently marketed by the responsible party which are...

Prediction of conformationally dependent atomic multipole moments in carbohydrates.

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Cardamone, Salvatore; Popelier, Paul L A

2015-12-15

The conformational flexibility of carbohydrates is challenging within the field of computational chemistry. This flexibility causes the electron density to change, which leads to fluctuating atomic multipole moments. Quantum Chemical Topology (QCT) allows for the partitioning of an "atom in a molecule," thus localizing electron density to finite atomic domains, which permits the unambiguous evaluation of atomic multipole moments. By selecting an ensemble of physically realistic conformers of a chemical system, one evaluates the various multipole moments at defined points in configuration space. The subsequent implementation of the machine learning method kriging delivers the evaluation of an analytical function, which smoothly interpolates between these points. This allows for the prediction of atomic multipole moments at new points in conformational space, not trained for but within prediction range. In this work, we demonstrate that the carbohydrates erythrose and threose are amenable to the above methodology. We investigate how kriging models respond when the training ensemble incorporating multiple energy minima and their environment in conformational space. Additionally, we evaluate the gains in predictive capacity of our models as the size of the training ensemble increases. We believe this approach to be entirely novel within the field of carbohydrates. For a modest training set size of 600, more than 90% of the external test configurations have an error in the total (predicted) electrostatic energy (relative to ab initio) of maximum 1 kJ mol(-1) for open chains and just over 90% an error of maximum 4 kJ mol(-1) for rings. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enhancing Architecture-Implementation Conformance with Change Management and Support for Behavioral Mapping

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Zheng, Yongjie

2012-01-01

Software architecture plays an increasingly important role in complex software development. Its further application, however, is challenged by the fact that software architecture, over time, is often found not conformant to its implementation. This is usually caused by frequent development changes made to both artifacts. Against this background,…

Naturality in conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, G.; Seiberg, N.

1989-01-01

We discuss constraints on the operator product coefficients in diagonal and nondiagonal rational conformal field theories. Nondiagonal modular invariants always arise from automorphisms of the fusion rule algebra or from extensions of the chiral algebra. Moreover, when the chiral algebra has been maximally extended a strong form of the naturality principle of field theory can be proven for rational conformal field theory: operator product coefficients vanish if and only if the corresponding fusion rules vanish; that is, if and only if the vanishing can be understood in terms of a symmetry. We illustrate these ideas with several examples. We also generalize our ideas about rational conformal field theories to a larger class of theories: 'quasi-rational conformal field theories' and we explore some of their properties. (orig.)

21 CFR 26.70 - Conformity assessment bodies.

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2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Conformity assessment bodies. 26.70 Section 26.70...Frameworkâ Provisions § 26.70 Conformity assessment bodies. Each party recognizes that the conformity... conformity in relation to its requirements as specified in subpart B of this part. The parties shall specify...

Conformational analysis of lignin models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, Helio F. dos

2001-01-01

The conformational equilibrium for two 5,5' biphenyl lignin models have been analyzed using a quantum mechanical semiempirical method. The gas phase and solution structures are discussed based on the NMR and X-ray experimental data. The results obtained showed that the observed conformations are solvent-dependent, being the geometries and the thermodynamic properties correlated with the experimental information. This study shows how a systematic theoretical conformational analysis can help to understand chemical processes at a molecular level. (author)

On the linear conformal gravitation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pal'chik, M.Ya.; Fradkin, E.S.

1984-01-01

Conformal gravitation is analyzed under the assumption that its solution possesses the property of conformal symmetry. This assumption has sense in the case of small distances and only for definite types of matter fields, namely: at special choice of matter fields and their interactions, providing a lack of conformal anomalies; or at definite magnitudes of binding constants, coinciding with the zeroes of the Gell-Mann-Low function. The field equations, of the group-theoretical natura are obtained

Conformal Symmetry Patterns in Baryon Spectra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirchbach, Mariana; Compean, Cliffor B

2011-01-01

Attention is drawn to the fact that the spectra of the baryons of the lightest flavors, the nucleon and the Δ, carry quantum numbers characteristic for an unitary representation of the conformal group. We show that the above phenomenon is well explained for baryons whose internal structure is dominated by a quark-diquark configuration that resides in a conformally compactified Minkowski space time, R 1 x S 3 , and is described by means of the conformal scale equation there. The R 1 x S 3 space-time represents the boundary of the conformally compactified AdS 5 , on which one expects to encounter a conformal theory in accord with the gauge-gravity duality. Within this context, our model is congruent with AdS 5 /CFT 4 .

Conformational cooling and conformation selective aggregation in dimethyl sulfite isolated in solid rare gases

OpenAIRE

Borba, Ana; Gómez-Zavaglia, Andrea; Fausto, Rui

2006-01-01

Dimethyl sulfite has three conformers of low energy, GG, GT and GG0, which have significant populations in the gas phase at room temperature. According to theoretical predictions, the GT and GG0 conformers are higher in energy than the GG conformer by 0.83 and 1.18 kJ molK1, respectively, while the barriers associated with the GG0/GT and GT/GG isomerizations are 1.90 and 9.64 kJ molK1, respectively. Experimental data obtained for the compound isolated in solid argon, krypton and xenon demonst...

Methamphetamine causes differential alterations in gene expression and patterns of histone acetylation/hypoacetylation in the rat nucleus accumbens.

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Tracey A Martin

Full Text Available Methamphetamine (METH addiction is associated with several neuropsychiatric symptoms. Little is known about the effects of METH on gene expression and epigenetic modifications in the rat nucleus accumbens (NAC. Our study investigated the effects of a non-toxic METH injection (20 mg/kg on gene expression, histone acetylation, and the expression of the histone acetyltransferase (HAT, ATF2, and of the histone deacetylases (HDACs, HDAC1 and HDAC2, in that structure. Microarray analyses done at 1, 8, 16 and 24 hrs after the METH injection identified METH-induced changes in the expression of genes previously implicated in the acute and longterm effects of psychostimulants, including immediate early genes and corticotropin-releasing factor (Crf. In contrast, the METH injection caused time-dependent decreases in the expression of other genes including Npas4 and cholecystokinin (Cck. Pathway analyses showed that genes with altered expression participated in behavioral performance, cell-to-cell signaling, and regulation of gene expression. PCR analyses confirmed the changes in the expression of c-fos, fosB, Crf, Cck, and Npas4 transcripts. To determine if the METH injection caused post-translational changes in histone markers, we used western blot analyses and identified METH-mediated decreases in histone H3 acetylated at lysine 9 (H3K9ac and lysine 18 (H3K18ac in nuclear sub-fractions. In contrast, the METH injection caused time-dependent increases in acetylated H4K5 and H4K8. The changes in histone acetylation were accompanied by decreased expression of HDAC1 but increased expression of HDAC2 protein levels. The histone acetyltransferase, ATF2, showed significant METH-induced increased in protein expression. These results suggest that METH-induced alterations in global gene expression seen in rat NAC might be related, in part, to METH-induced changes in histone acetylation secondary to changes in HAT and HDAC expression. The causal role that HATs and

Conformational Clusters of Phosphorylated Tyrosine.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdelrasoul, Maha; Ponniah, Komala; Mao, Alice; Warden, Meghan S; Elhefnawy, Wessam; Li, Yaohang; Pascal, Steven M

2017-12-06

Tyrosine phosphorylation plays an important role in many cellular and intercellular processes including signal transduction, subcellular localization, and regulation of enzymatic activity. In 1999, Blom et al., using the limited number of protein data bank (PDB) structures available at that time, reported that the side chain structures of phosphorylated tyrosine (pY) are partitioned into two conserved conformational clusters ( Blom, N.; Gammeltoft, S.; Brunak, S. J. Mol. Biol. 1999 , 294 , 1351 - 1362 ). We have used the spectral clustering algorithm to cluster the increasingly growing number of protein structures with pY sites, and have found that the pY residues cluster into three distinct side chain conformations. Two of these pY conformational clusters associate strongly with a narrow range of tyrosine backbone conformation. The novel cluster also highly correlates with the identity of the n + 1 residue, and is strongly associated with a sequential pYpY conformation which places two adjacent pY side chains in a specific relative orientation. Further analysis shows that the three pY clusters are associated with distinct distributions of cognate protein kinases.

Thickenings and conformal gravity

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Lebrun, Claude

1991-07-01

A twistor correspondence is given for complex conformal space-times with vanishing Bach and Eastwood-Dighton tensors; when the Weyl curvature is algebraically general, these equations are precisely the conformal version of Einstein's vacuum equations with cosmological constant. This gives a fully curved version of the linearized correspondence of Baston and Mason [B-M].

Thickenings and conformal gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LeBrun, C.

1991-01-01

A twistor correspondence is given for complex conformal space-times with vanishing Bach and Eastwood-Dighton tensors; when the Weyl curvature is algebraically general, these equations are precisely the conformal version of Einstein's vacuum equations with cosmological constant. This gives a fully curved version of the linearized correspondence of Baston and Mason [B-M]. (orig.)

Cation Coordination Alters the Conformation of a Thrombin-Binding G-Quadruplex DNA Aptamer That Affects Inhibition of Thrombin.

Science.gov (United States)

Zavyalova, Elena; Tagiltsev, Grigory; Reshetnikov, Roman; Arutyunyan, Alexander; Kopylov, Alexey

2016-10-01

Thrombin-binding aptamers are promising anticoagulants. HD1 is a monomolecular antiparallel G-quadruplex with two G-quartets linked by three loops. Aptamer-thrombin interactions are mediated with two TT-loops that bind thrombin exosite I. Several cations were shown to be coordinated inside the G-quadruplex, including K + , Na + , NH 4 + , Ba 2+ , and Sr 2+ ; on the contrary, Mn 2+ was coordinated in the grooves, outside the G-quadruplex. K + or Na + coordination provides aptamer functional activity. The effect of other cations on aptamer functional activity has not yet been described, because of a lack of relevant tests. Interactions between aptamer HD1 and a series of cations were studied. A previously developed enzymatic method was applied to evaluate aptamer inhibitory activity. The structure-function correlation was studied using the characterization of G-quadruplex conformation by circular dichroism spectroscopy. K + coordination provided the well-known high inhibitory activity of the aptamer, whereas Na + coordination supported low activity. Although NH 4 + coordination yielded a typical antiparallel G-quadruplex, no inhibitory activity was shown; a similar effect was observed for Ba 2+ and Sr 2+ coordination. Mn 2+ coordination destabilized the G-quadruplex that drastically diminished aptamer inhibitory activity. Therefore, G-quadruplex existence per se is insufficient for aptamer inhibitory activity. To elicit the nature of these effects, we thoroughly analyzed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and X-ray data on the structure of the HD1 G-quadruplex with various cations. The most reasonable explanation is that cation coordination changes the conformation of TT-loops, affecting thrombin binding and inhibition. HD1 counterparts, aptamers 31-TBA and NU172, behaved similarly with some distinctions. In 31-TBA, an additional duplex module stabilized antiparallel G-quadruplex conformation at high concentrations of divalent cations; whereas in NU172, a different

Conformal symmetry inheritance in null fluid spacetimes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tupper, B O J; Keane, A J; Hall, G S; Coley, A A; Carot, J

2003-01-01

We define inheriting conformal Killing vectors for null fluid spacetimes and find the maximum dimension of the associated inheriting Lie algebra. We show that for non-conformally flat null fluid spacetimes, the maximum dimension of the inheriting algebra is seven and for conformally flat null fluid spacetimes the maximum dimension is eight. In addition, it is shown that there are two distinct classes of non-conformally flat generalized plane wave spacetimes which possess the maximum dimension, and one class in the conformally flat case

Envelope conformational changes induced by human immunodeficiency virus type 1 attachment inhibitors prevent CD4 binding and downstream entry events.

Science.gov (United States)

Ho, Hsu-Tso; Fan, Li; Nowicka-Sans, Beata; McAuliffe, Brian; Li, Chang-Ben; Yamanaka, Gregory; Zhou, Nannan; Fang, Hua; Dicker, Ira; Dalterio, Richard; Gong, Yi-Fei; Wang, Tao; Yin, Zhiwei; Ueda, Yasutsugu; Matiskella, John; Kadow, John; Clapham, Paul; Robinson, James; Colonno, Richard; Lin, Pin-Fang

2006-04-01

BMS-488043 is a small-molecule human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) CD4 attachment inhibitor with demonstrated clinical efficacy. The compound inhibits soluble CD4 (sCD4) binding to the 11 distinct HIV envelope gp120 proteins surveyed. Binding of BMS-488043 and that of sCD4 to gp120 are mutually exclusive, since increased concentrations of one can completely block the binding of the other without affecting the maximal gp120 binding capacity. Similarly, BMS-488043 inhibited virion envelope trimers from binding to sCD4-immunoglobulin G (IgG), with decreasing inhibition as the sCD4-IgG concentration increased, and BMS-488043 blocked the sCD4-induced exposure of the gp41 groove in virions. In both virion binding assays, BMS-488043 was active only when added prior to sCD4. Collectively, these results indicate that obstruction of gp120-sCD4 interactions is the primary inhibition mechanism of this compound and that compound interaction with envelope must precede CD4 binding. By three independent approaches, BMS-488043 was further shown to induce conformational changes within gp120 in both the CD4 and CCR5 binding regions. These changes likely prevent gp120-CD4 interactions and downstream entry events. However, BMS-488043 could only partially inhibit CD4 binding to an HIV variant containing a specific envelope truncation and altered gp120 conformation, despite effectively inhibiting the pseudotyped virus infection. Taken together, BMS-488043 inhibits viral entry primarily through altering the envelope conformation and preventing CD4 binding, and other downstream entry events could also be inhibited as a result of these induced conformational changes.

Conformal maps between pseudo-Finsler spaces

Science.gov (United States)

Voicu, Nicoleta

The paper aims to initiate a systematic study of conformal mappings between Finsler spacetimes and, more generally, between pseudo-Finsler spaces. This is done by extending several results in pseudo-Riemannian geometry which are necessary for field-theoretical applications and by proposing a technique that reduces some problems involving pseudo-Finslerian conformal vector fields to their pseudo-Riemannian counterparts. Also, we point out, by constructing classes of examples, that conformal groups of flat (locally Minkowskian) pseudo-Finsler spaces can be much richer than both flat Finslerian and pseudo-Euclidean conformal groups.

Transportation Conformity

Science.gov (United States)

This section provides information on: current laws, regulations and guidance, policy and technical guidance, project-level conformity, general information, contacts and training, adequacy review of SIP submissions

Extended conformal algebras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goddard, Peter

1990-01-01

The algebra of the group of conformal transformations in two dimensions consists of two commuting copies of the Virasoro algebra. In many mathematical and physical contexts, the representations of ν which are relevant satisfy two conditions: they are unitary and they have the ''positive energy'' property that L o is bounded below. In an irreducible unitary representation the central element c takes a fixed real value. In physical contexts, the value of c is a characteristic of a theory. If c < 1, it turns out that the conformal algebra is sufficient to ''solve'' the theory, in the sense of relating the calculation of the infinite set of physically interesting quantities to a finite subset which can be handled in principle. For c ≥ 1, this is no longer the case for the algebra alone and one needs some sort of extended conformal algebra, such as the superconformal algebra. It is these algebras that this paper aims at addressing. (author)

Families and degenerations of conformal field theories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roggenkamp, D.

2004-09-01

In this work, moduli spaces of conformal field theories are investigated. In the first part, moduli spaces corresponding to current-current deformation of conformal field theories are constructed explicitly. For WZW models, they are described in detail, and sigma model realizations of the deformed WZW models are presented. The second part is devoted to the study of boundaries of moduli spaces of conformal field theories. For this purpose a notion of convergence of families of conformal field theories is introduced, which admits certain degenerated conformal field theories to occur as limits. To such a degeneration of conformal field theories, a degeneration of metric spaces together with additional geometric structures can be associated, which give rise to a geometric interpretation. Boundaries of moduli spaces of toroidal conformal field theories, orbifolds thereof and WZW models are analyzed. Furthermore, also the limit of the discrete family of Virasoro minimal models is investigated. (orig.)

Thickenings and conformal gravity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LeBrun, C. (State Univ. of New York, Stony Brook, NY (USA). Dept. of Mathematics)

1991-07-01

A twistor correspondence is given for complex conformal space-times with vanishing Bach and Eastwood-Dighton tensors; when the Weyl curvature is algebraically general, these equations are precisely the conformal version of Einstein's vacuum equations with cosmological constant. This gives a fully curved version of the linearized correspondence of Baston and Mason (B-M). (orig.).

Conformational stability of calreticulin

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, C.S.; Trandum, C.; Larsen, N.

2005-01-01

The conformational stability of calreticulin was investigated. Apparent unfolding temperatures (T-m) increased from 31 degrees C at pH 5 to 51 degrees C at pH 9, but electrophoretic analysis revealed that calreticulin oligomerized instead of unfolding. Structural analyses showed that the single C......-terminal a-helix was of major importance to the conformational stability of calreticulin....

Rate of hydrolysis in ATP synthase is fine-tuned by  -subunit motif controlling active site conformation

KAUST Repository

Beke-Somfai, T.; Lincoln, P.; Norden, B.

2013-01-01

Computer-designed artificial enzymes will require precise understanding of how conformation of active sites may control barrier heights of key transition states, including dependence on structure and dynamics at larger molecular scale. F(o)F(1) ATP synthase is interesting as a model system: a delicate molecular machine synthesizing or hydrolyzing ATP using a rotary motor. Isolated F(1) performs hydrolysis with a rate very sensitive to ATP concentration. Experimental and theoretical results show that, at low ATP concentrations, ATP is slowly hydrolyzed in the so-called tight binding site, whereas at higher concentrations, the binding of additional ATP molecules induces rotation of the central γ-subunit, thereby forcing the site to transform through subtle conformational changes into a loose binding site in which hydrolysis occurs faster. How the 1-Å-scale rearrangements are controlled is not yet fully understood. By a combination of theoretical approaches, we address how large macromolecular rearrangements may manipulate the active site and how the reaction rate changes with active site conformation. Simulations reveal that, in response to γ-subunit position, the active site conformation is fine-tuned mainly by small α-subunit changes. Quantum mechanics-based results confirm that the sub-Ångström gradual changes between tight and loose binding site structures dramatically alter the hydrolysis rate.

Rate of hydrolysis in ATP synthase is fine-tuned by  -subunit motif controlling active site conformation

KAUST Repository

Beke-Somfai, T.

2013-01-23

Computer-designed artificial enzymes will require precise understanding of how conformation of active sites may control barrier heights of key transition states, including dependence on structure and dynamics at larger molecular scale. F(o)F(1) ATP synthase is interesting as a model system: a delicate molecular machine synthesizing or hydrolyzing ATP using a rotary motor. Isolated F(1) performs hydrolysis with a rate very sensitive to ATP concentration. Experimental and theoretical results show that, at low ATP concentrations, ATP is slowly hydrolyzed in the so-called tight binding site, whereas at higher concentrations, the binding of additional ATP molecules induces rotation of the central γ-subunit, thereby forcing the site to transform through subtle conformational changes into a loose binding site in which hydrolysis occurs faster. How the 1-Å-scale rearrangements are controlled is not yet fully understood. By a combination of theoretical approaches, we address how large macromolecular rearrangements may manipulate the active site and how the reaction rate changes with active site conformation. Simulations reveal that, in response to γ-subunit position, the active site conformation is fine-tuned mainly by small α-subunit changes. Quantum mechanics-based results confirm that the sub-Ångström gradual changes between tight and loose binding site structures dramatically alter the hydrolysis rate.

Conformity in Christ | Waaijman | Acta Theologica

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This essay investigates the notion of conformity in Christ as it is part of a comprehensive, multilayered process of transformation. In the first part it focuses on the process of transformation in creation, re-creation, conformity, love and glory. In the second part it discusses transformation in Christ by looking at conformation and ...

Evidence for distinct sodium-, dopamine-, and cocaine-dependent conformational changes in transmembrane segments 7 and 8 of the dopamine transporter

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norregaard, Lene; Loland, Claus Juul; Gether, Ulrik

2003-01-01

. Inhibitors such as cocaine did not alter the effect of MTSET in M371C. The protection of M371C inactivation by dopamine required Na+. Because dopamine binding is believed to be Na+-independent, this suggests that dopamine induces a transport-associated conformational change that decreases the reactivity of M......371C with MTSET. In contrast to M371C, cocaine decreased the reaction rate of A399C with MTSET, whereas dopamine had no effect. The protection by cocaine can either reflect that Ala-399 lines the cocaine binding crevice or that cocaine induces a conformational change that decreases the reactivity of A...

Gauge fixing problem in the conformal QED

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ichinose, Shoichi

1986-01-01

The gauge fixing problem in the conformal (spinor and scalar) QED is examined. For the analysis, we generalize Dirac's manifestly conformal-covariant formalism. It is shown that the (vector and matter) fields must obey a certain mixed (conformal and gauge) type of transformation law in order to fix the local gauge symmetry preserving the conformal invariance in the Lagrangian. (orig.)

Transportation Conformity Training and Presentations

Science.gov (United States)

EPA's OTAQ has provided multiple conformity training sessions in the past to assist state and local governments in implementing conformity requirements. As training information is prepared for other venues, it will be posted on this page.

Two dimensional infinite conformal symmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohanta, N.N.; Tripathy, K.C.

1993-01-01

The invariant discontinuous (discrete) conformal transformation groups, namely the Kleinian and Fuchsian groups Gamma (with an arbitrary signature) of H (the Poincare upper half-plane l) and the unit disc Delta are explicitly constructed from the fundamental domain D. The Riemann surface with signatures of Gamma and conformally invariant automorphic forms (functions) with Peterson scalar product are discussed. The functor, where the category of complex Hilbert spaces spanned by the space of cusp forms constitutes the two dimensional conformal field theory. (Author) 7 refs

Virtual and solution conformations of oligosaccharides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cumming, D.A.; Carver, J.P.

1987-01-01

The possibility that observed nuclear Overhauser enhancements and bulk longitudinal relaxation times, parameters measured by 1 H NMR and often employed in determining the preferred solution conformation of biologically important molecules, are the result of averaging over many conformational states is quantitatively evaluated. Of particular interest was to ascertain whether certain 1 H NMR determined conformations are virtual in nature; i.e., the fraction of the population of molecules actually found at any time within the subset of conformational space defined as the solution conformation is vanishingly small. A statistical mechanics approach was utilized to calculate an ensemble average relaxation matrix from which (NOE)'s and (T 1 )'s are calculated. Model glycosidic linkages in four oligosaccharides were studied. The nature of the resultant population distributions is such that 50% of the molecular population is found within 1% of available microstates, while 99% of the molecular population occupies about 10% of the ensemble microstates, a number roughly equal to that sterically allowed. From this analysis the authors conclude that in many cases quantitative interpretation of NMR relaxation data, which attempts to define a single set of allowable torsion angle values consistent with the observed data, will lead to solution conformations that are either virtual or reflect torsion angle values possessed by a minority of the molecular population. Observed values of NMR relaxation data are the result of the complex interdependence of the population distribution and NOE (or T 1 ) surfaces in conformational space. In conformational analyses, NMR data can therefore be used to test different population distributions calculated from empirical potential energy functions

Uniform stable conformal convolutional perfectly matched layer for enlarged cell technique conformal finite-difference time-domain method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yue; Wang Jian-Guo; Chen Zai-Gao

2015-01-01

Based on conformal construction of physical model in a three-dimensional Cartesian grid, an integral-based conformal convolutional perfectly matched layer (CPML) is given for solving the truncation problem of the open port when the enlarged cell technique conformal finite-difference time-domain (ECT-CFDTD) method is used to simulate the wave propagation inside a perfect electric conductor (PEC) waveguide. The algorithm has the same numerical stability as the ECT-CFDTD method. For the long-time propagation problems of an evanescent wave in a waveguide, several numerical simulations are performed to analyze the reflection error by sweeping the constitutive parameters of the integral-based conformal CPML. Our numerical results show that the integral-based conformal CPML can be used to efficiently truncate the open port of the waveguide. (paper)

Assessment of Hydrologic Alterations Caused by the Three Gorges Dam in the Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liuzhi Jiang

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Hydrologic regime plays a major role in structuring biotic diversity within river ecosystems by controlling key habitat conditions within the river channel and floodplain. Daily flow records from seven hydrological stations and the range of variability approach were utilized to investigate the variability and spatial pattern of the hydrologic alterations induced by the construction of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. Results show that the impoundment of the TGD disturbed the hydrologic regime downstream and directly affected the streamflow variations. The rate of changes and the annual extreme conditions were more affected by the TGD, particularly the low-flow relevant parameters. The alterations in the hydrologic regime were mainly caused by the TGD storing water during early autumn and releasing water during winter and spring. The effects on spatial patterns decreased as the distance from the dam increased, which was mainly attributed to the inflows from large tributaries along the Yangtze River as well as the interaction with the two largest natural lakes (i.e., Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake. These hydrologic alterations not only break the natural balance of eco-flow regimes but also result in undesirable ecological effects, particularly in terms of habitat availability for the fish community.

Noncommutative geometry and twisted conformal symmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matlock, Peter

2005-01-01

The twist-deformed conformal algebra is constructed as a Hopf algebra with twisted coproduct. This allows for the definition of conformal symmetry in a noncommutative background geometry. The twisted coproduct is reviewed for the Poincare algebra and the construction is then extended to the full conformal algebra. The case of Moyal-type noncommutativity of the coordinates is considered. It is demonstrated that conformal invariance need not be viewed as incompatible with noncommutative geometry; the noncommutativity of the coordinates appears as a consequence of the twisting, as has been shown in the literature in the case of the twisted Poincare algebra

Superintegrability of d-dimensional conformal blocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isachenkov, Mikhail

2016-02-01

We observe that conformal blocks of scalar 4-point functions in a d-dimensional conformal field theory can mapped to eigenfunctions of a 2-particle hyperbolic Calogero-Sutherland Hamiltonian. The latter describes two coupled Poeschl-Teller particles. Their interaction, whose strength depends smoothly on the dimension d, is known to be superintegrable. Our observation enables us to exploit the rich mathematical literature on Calogero-Sutherland models in deriving various results for conformal field theory. These include an explicit construction of conformal blocks in terms of Heckman-Opdam hypergeometric functions and a remarkable duality that relates the blocks of theories in different dimensions.

Superintegrability of d-dimensional conformal blocks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Isachenkov, Mikhail [Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot (Israel). Dept. of Particle Physics and Astronomy; Schomerus, Volker [DESY Theory Group, Hamburg (Germany)

2016-02-15

We observe that conformal blocks of scalar 4-point functions in a d-dimensional conformal field theory can mapped to eigenfunctions of a 2-particle hyperbolic Calogero-Sutherland Hamiltonian. The latter describes two coupled Poeschl-Teller particles. Their interaction, whose strength depends smoothly on the dimension d, is known to be superintegrable. Our observation enables us to exploit the rich mathematical literature on Calogero-Sutherland models in deriving various results for conformal field theory. These include an explicit construction of conformal blocks in terms of Heckman-Opdam hypergeometric functions and a remarkable duality that relates the blocks of theories in different dimensions.

Induced quantum conformal gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Novozhilov, Y.V.; Vassilevich, D.V.

1988-11-01

Quantum gravity is considered as induced by matter degrees of freedom and related to the symmetry breakdown in the low energy region of a non-Abelian gauge theory of fundamental fields. An effective action for quantum conformal gravity is derived where both the gravitational constant and conformal kinetic term are positive. Relation with induced classical gravity is established. (author). 15 refs

Conformal invariance in harmonic superspace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galperin, A.; Ivanov, E.; Ogievetsky, V.; Sokatchev, E.

1987-01-01

In the present paper we show how the N = 2 superconformal group is realised in harmonic superspace and examine conformal invariance of N = 2 off-shell theories. We believe that the example of N = O self-dual Yang-Mills equations can serve as an instructive introduction to the subject of harmonic superspace and this is examined. The rigid N = 2 conformal supersymmetry and its local version, i.e. N = 2 conformal supergravity is also discussed. The paper is a contribution to the book commemorating the sixtieth birthday of E.S. Fradkin. (author)

Harmony of spinning conformal blocks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schomerus, Volker [Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Hamburg (Germany). Theory Group; Sobko, Evgeny [Stockholm Univ. (Sweden); Nordita, Stockholm (Sweden); Isachenkov, Mikhail [Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovoth (Israel). Dept. of Particle Physics and Astrophysics

2016-12-07

Conformal blocks for correlation functions of tensor operators play an increasingly important role for the conformal bootstrap programme. We develop a universal approach to such spinning blocks through the harmonic analysis of certain bundles over a coset of the conformal group. The resulting Casimir equations are given by a matrix version of the Calogero-Sutherland Hamiltonian that describes the scattering of interacting spinning particles in a 1-dimensional external potential. The approach is illustrated in several examples including fermionic seed blocks in 3D CFT where they take a very simple form.

Harmony of spinning conformal blocks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schomerus, Volker [DESY Hamburg, Theory Group,Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg (Germany); Sobko, Evgeny [Nordita and Stockholm University,Roslagstullsbacken 23, SE-106 91 Stockholm (Sweden); Isachenkov, Mikhail [Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science,Rehovot 7610001 (Israel)

2017-03-15

Conformal blocks for correlation functions of tensor operators play an increasingly important role for the conformal bootstrap programme. We develop a universal approach to such spinning blocks through the harmonic analysis of certain bundles over a coset of the conformal group. The resulting Casimir equations are given by a matrix version of the Calogero-Sutherland Hamiltonian that describes the scattering of interacting spinning particles in a 1-dimensional external potential. The approach is illustrated in several examples including fermionic seed blocks in 3D CFT where they take a very simple form.

Conformational cooling and conformation selective aggregation in dimethyl sulfite isolated in solid rare gases

Science.gov (United States)

Borba, Ana; Gómez-Zavaglia, Andrea; Fausto, Rui

2006-08-01

Dimethyl sulfite has three conformers of low energy, GG, GT and GG', which have significant populations in the gas phase at room temperature. According to theoretical predictions, the GT and GG' conformers are higher in energy than the GG conformer by 0.83 and 1.18 kJ mol -1, respectively, while the barriers associated with the GG'→GT and GT→GG isomerizations are 1.90 and 9.64 kJ mol -1, respectively. Experimental data obtained for the compound isolated in solid argon, krypton and xenon demonstrated that the GG'→GT energy barrier is low enough to allow an extensive conversion of the GG' form into the GT conformer during deposition of the matrices, the extent of the conversion increasing along the series Arconformers could be trapped in both argon and krypton matrices, but, at a given temperature, the amount of GG' form trapped in krypton is considerably smaller than in argon, while the amount of GT form increases in relation to the most stable GG form. In addition, when xenon is used, no bands due to GG' are observed in the as-deposited spectra ( Tsubstrate≥10 K, the minimum substrate temperature accessible to our experimental set up), indicating that when the best relaxant gas is used the GG'→GT conversion during deposition of the matrix is complete even at 10 K. Annealing of the argon and krypton matrices shows that the increase of the temperature of the matrix first promotes the GG'→GT isomerization, and only at higher temperatures the GT→GG conversion starts to occur, in consonance with the relative energy barriers associated with these two processes. The results also indicate that dimethyl sulfite exhibits conformation selective aggregation, with the most stable form, which has the highest dipole moment, aggregating more easily than the remaining experimentally relevant conformers (GT and GG').

Conformal hyperbolicity of Lorentzian warped products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markowitz, M.J.

1982-01-01

A space-time M is said to be conformally hyperbolic if the intrinsic conformal Lorentz pseudodistance dsub(M) is a true distance. In this paper criteria are derived which insure the conformal hyperbolicity of certain space-times which are generalizations of the Robertson-Walker spaces. Then dsub(M) is determined explicitly for Einstein-de Sitter space, and important cosmological model. (author)

Conformal hyperbolicity of Lorentzian warped products

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Markowitz, M.J. (Chicago Univ., IL (USA). Dept. of Mathematics)

1982-12-01

A space-time M is said to be conformally hyperbolic if the intrinsic conformal Lorentz pseudodistance dsub(M) is a true distance. In this paper criteria are derived which insure the conformal hyperbolicity of certain space-times which are generalizations of the Robertson-Walker spaces. Then dsub(M) is determined explicitly for Einstein-de Sitter space, and important cosmological model.

Non-linear realizations of conformal symmetry and effective field theory for the pseudo-conformal universe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinterbichler, Kurt; Joyce, Austin; Khoury, Justin

2012-01-01

The pseudo-conformal scenario is an alternative to inflation in which the early universe is described by an approximate conformal field theory on flat, Minkowski space. Some fields acquire a time-dependent expectation value, which breaks the flat space so(4,2) conformal algebra to its so(4,1) de Sitter subalgebra. As a result, weight-0 fields acquire a scale invariant spectrum of perturbations. The scenario is very general, and its essential features are determined by the symmetry breaking pattern, irrespective of the details of the underlying microphysics. In this paper, we apply the well-known coset technique to derive the most general effective lagrangian describing the Goldstone field and matter fields, consistent with the assumed symmetries. The resulting action captures the low energy dynamics of any pseudo-conformal realization, including the U(1)-invariant quartic model and the Galilean Genesis scenario. We also derive this lagrangian using an alternative method of curvature invariants, consisting of writing down geometric scalars in terms of the conformal mode. Using this general effective action, we compute the two-point function for the Goldstone and a fiducial weight-0 field, as well as some sample three-point functions involving these fields

General Conformity

Science.gov (United States)

The General Conformity requirements ensure that the actions taken by federal agencies in nonattainment and maintenance areas do not interfere with a state’s plans to meet national standards for air quality.

Conformational Ensemble of the Poliovirus 3CD Precursor Observed by MD Simulations and Confirmed by SAXS: A Strategy to Expand the Viral Proteome?

Science.gov (United States)

Moustafa, Ibrahim M; Gohara, David W; Uchida, Akira; Yennawar, Neela; Cameron, Craig E

2015-11-23

The genomes of RNA viruses are relatively small. To overcome the small-size limitation, RNA viruses assign distinct functions to the processed viral proteins and their precursors. This is exemplified by poliovirus 3CD protein. 3C protein is a protease and RNA-binding protein. 3D protein is an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). 3CD exhibits unique protease and RNA-binding activities relative to 3C and is devoid of RdRp activity. The origin of these differences is unclear, since crystal structure of 3CD revealed "beads-on-a-string" structure with no significant structural differences compared to the fully processed proteins. We performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on 3CD to investigate its conformational dynamics. A compact conformation of 3CD was observed that was substantially different from that shown crystallographically. This new conformation explained the unique properties of 3CD relative to the individual proteins. Interestingly, simulations of mutant 3CD showed altered interface. Additionally, accelerated MD simulations uncovered a conformational ensemble of 3CD. When we elucidated the 3CD conformations in solution using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments a range of conformations from extended to compact was revealed, validating the MD simulations. The existence of conformational ensemble of 3CD could be viewed as a way to expand the poliovirus proteome, an observation that may extend to other viruses.

Conformal Dimensions via Large Charge Expansion.

Science.gov (United States)

Banerjee, Debasish; Chandrasekharan, Shailesh; Orlando, Domenico

2018-02-09

We construct an efficient Monte Carlo algorithm that overcomes the severe signal-to-noise ratio problems and helps us to accurately compute the conformal dimensions of large-Q fields at the Wilson-Fisher fixed point in the O(2) universality class. Using it, we verify a recent proposal that conformal dimensions of strongly coupled conformal field theories with a global U(1) charge can be obtained via a series expansion in the inverse charge 1/Q. We find that the conformal dimensions of the lowest operator with a fixed charge Q are almost entirely determined by the first few terms in the series.

Exposure of mice to cigarette smoke and/or light causes DNA alterations in heart and aorta

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izzotti, Alberto; D'Agostini, Francesco; Balansky, Roumen; Degan, Paolo; Pennisi, Tanya M.; Steele, Vernon E.; De Flora, Silvio

2008-01-01

Cigarette smoke (CS) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and other chronic degenerative diseases. UV-containing light is the most ubiquitous DNA-damaging agent existing in nature, but its possible role in cardiovascular diseases had never been suspected before, although it is known that mortality for cardiovascular diseases is increased during periods with high temperature and solar irradiation. We evaluated whether exposure of Swiss CD-1 mice to environmental CS (ECS) and UV-C-covered halogen quartz lamps, either individually or in combination, can cause DNA damage in heart and aorta cells. Nucleotide alterations were evaluated by 32 P postlabeling methods and by HPLC-electrochemical detection. The whole-body exposure of mice to ECS considerably increased the levels of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodGuo) and of bulky DNA adducts in both heart and aorta. Surprisingly, even exposure to a light that simulated solar irradiation induced oxidatively generated damage in both tissues. The genotoxic effects of UV light in internal organs is tentatively amenable to formation of unidentified long-lived mutagenic products in the skin of irradiated mice. Nucleotide alterations were even more pronounced when the mice were exposed to smoke and/or light during the first 5 weeks of life rather than during adulthood for an equivalent period of time. Although the pathogenetic meaning is uncertain, DNA damage in heart and aorta may tentatively be related to cardiomyopathies and to the atherogenesis process, respectively

Conformity to the opinions of other people lasts for no more than 3 days.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yi; Kendrick, Keith M; Yu, Rongjun

2014-07-01

When people are faced with opinions different from their own, they often revise their own opinions to match those held by other people. This is known as the social-conformity effect. Although the immediate impact of social influence on people's decision making is well established, it is unclear whether this reflects a transient capitulation to public opinion or a more enduring change in privately held views. In an experiment using a facial-attractiveness rating task, we asked participants to rate each face; after providing their rating, they were informed of the rating given by a peer group. They then rerated the same faces after 1, 3, or 7 days or 3 months. Results show that individuals' initial judgments are altered by the differing opinions of other people for no more than 3 days. Our findings suggest that because the social-conformity effect lasts several days, it reflects a short-term change in privately held views rather than a transient public compliance. © The Author(s) 2014.

Some Progress in Conformal Geometry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sun-Yung A. Chang

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This is a survey paper of our current research on the theory of partial differential equations in conformal geometry. Our intention is to describe some of our current works in a rather brief and expository fashion. We are not giving a comprehensive survey on the subject and references cited here are not intended to be complete. We introduce a bubble tree structure to study the degeneration of a class of Yamabe metrics on Bach flat manifolds satisfying some global conformal bounds on compact manifolds of dimension 4. As applications, we establish a gap theorem, a finiteness theorem for diffeomorphism type for this class, and diameter bound of the $sigma_2$-metrics in a class of conformal 4-manifolds. For conformally compact Einstein metrics we introduce an eigenfunction compactification. As a consequence we obtain some topological constraints in terms of renormalized volumes.

Algebraic conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuchs, J.; Nationaal Inst. voor Kernfysica en Hoge-Energiefysica

1991-11-01

Many conformal field theory features are special versions of structures which are present in arbitrary 2-dimensional quantum field theories. So it makes sense to describe 2-dimensional conformal field theories in context of algebraic theory of superselection sectors. While most of the results of the algebraic theory are rather abstract, conformal field theories offer the possibility to work out many formulae explicitly. In particular, one can construct the full algebra A-bar of global observables and the endomorphisms of A-bar which represent the superselection sectors. Some explicit results are presented for the level 1 so(N) WZW theories; the algebra A-bar is found to be the enveloping algebra of a Lie algebra L-bar which is an extension of the chiral symmetry algebra of the WZW theory. (author). 21 refs., 6 figs

47 CFR 68.320 - Supplier's Declaration of Conformity.

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2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Supplier's Declaration of Conformity. 68.320... Approval § 68.320 Supplier's Declaration of Conformity. (a) Supplier's Declaration of Conformity is a... Supplier's Declaration of Conformity attaches to all items subsequently marketed by the responsible party...

Effects of carbon nanofiller characteristics on PTT chain conformation and dynamics: A computational study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Asadinezhad, Ahmad, E-mail: asadinezhad@cc.iut.ac.ir; Kelich, Payam

2017-01-15

Highlights: • Poly (trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) conformation adopts a folded shape near nanofiller surface. • Graphene and carbon nanotube with different size and chemistry were simulated. • Graphene functionalization induces stronger confinement on PTT chain conformation. • PTT chain motion alters in dynamics mode as it becomes adsorbed onto nanofillers. • PTT reveals further changes near graphene than carbon nanotube surface. - Abstract: The effects of nanofiller chemistry and geometry on static and dynamic properties of an aromatic polyester, poly (trimethylene terephthalate), were addressed thanks to long-run classical molecular dynamics simulation. Two carbon nanofillers, graphene and carbon nanotube, were employed, where graphene was used in pristine and functionalized forms and carbon nanotube was used in two different diameters. The nanofiller geometry and chemistry were found to exert significant effects on conformation and dynamic behavior of PTT chain at the interface within the time scale the simulation was performed. It was found that PTT chain underwent interaction of van der Waals type with nanofiller via two subsequent phases, adsorption and orientation. The former stage, with definite characteristic time, involved translation of polymer chain toward interface while the latter was controlled by vibrational motions of chain atoms. The consequence of interaction was an increase in conformational order of polymer chain by transition to folded shape being favorable for any subsequent structural ordering (crystallization). The interaction of polymer with nanofiller gave rise to a reduction in overall mobility of polymer chain characterized by crossover from normal diffusive motion to subdiffusive mode.

Effects of carbon nanofiller characteristics on PTT chain conformation and dynamics: A computational study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asadinezhad, Ahmad; Kelich, Payam

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Poly (trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) conformation adopts a folded shape near nanofiller surface. • Graphene and carbon nanotube with different size and chemistry were simulated. • Graphene functionalization induces stronger confinement on PTT chain conformation. • PTT chain motion alters in dynamics mode as it becomes adsorbed onto nanofillers. • PTT reveals further changes near graphene than carbon nanotube surface. - Abstract: The effects of nanofiller chemistry and geometry on static and dynamic properties of an aromatic polyester, poly (trimethylene terephthalate), were addressed thanks to long-run classical molecular dynamics simulation. Two carbon nanofillers, graphene and carbon nanotube, were employed, where graphene was used in pristine and functionalized forms and carbon nanotube was used in two different diameters. The nanofiller geometry and chemistry were found to exert significant effects on conformation and dynamic behavior of PTT chain at the interface within the time scale the simulation was performed. It was found that PTT chain underwent interaction of van der Waals type with nanofiller via two subsequent phases, adsorption and orientation. The former stage, with definite characteristic time, involved translation of polymer chain toward interface while the latter was controlled by vibrational motions of chain atoms. The consequence of interaction was an increase in conformational order of polymer chain by transition to folded shape being favorable for any subsequent structural ordering (crystallization). The interaction of polymer with nanofiller gave rise to a reduction in overall mobility of polymer chain characterized by crossover from normal diffusive motion to subdiffusive mode.

Conformational effects in photoelectron circular dichroism

Science.gov (United States)

Turchini, S.

2017-12-01

Photoelectron circular dichroism (PECD) is a novel type of spectroscopy, which presents surprising sensitivity to conformational effects in chiral systems. While classical photoelectron spectroscopy mainly responds to conformational effects in terms of energy level shifts, PECD provides a rich and detailed response to tiny changes in electronic and structural properties by means of the intensity dispersion of the circular dichroism as a function of photoelectron kinetic energy. In this work, the basics of PECD will be outlined, emphasizing the role of interference from the l,l+/- 1 outgoing partial wave of the photoelectron in the PECD transition matrix element, which is responsible for the extreme sensitivity to conformational effects. Examples using molecular systems and interfaces will shed light on the powerful application of PECD to classical conformational effects such as group substitution, isomerism, conformer population and clustering. Moreover, the PECD results will be reported in challenging new fields where conformations play a key role, such as vibrational effects, transient chirality and time- resolved experiments. To date, PECD has mostly been based on synchrotron radiation facilities, but it also has a future as a table-top lab experiment by means of multiphoton ionization. An important application of PECD as an analytical tool will be reported. The aim of this review is to illustrate that in PECD, the presence of conformational effects is essential for understanding a wide range of effects from a new perspective, making it different from classical spectroscopy.

Understanding modern magnets through conformal mapping

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halbach, K.

1989-10-01

I want to show with the help of a number of examples that conformal mapping is a unique and enormously powerful tool for thinking about, and solving, problems. Usually one has to write down only a few equations, and sometimes none at all exclamation point When I started getting involved in work for which conformal mapping seemed to be a powerful tool, I did not think that I would ever be able to use that technique successfully because it seemed to require a nearly encyclopedic memory, an impression that was strengthened when I saw K. Kober's Dictionary of Conformal Representations. This attitude changed when I started to realize that beyond the basics of the theory of a function of a complex variable, I needed to know only about a handful of conformal maps and procedures. Consequently, my second goal for this talk is to show that in most cases conformal mapping functions can be obtained by formulating the underlying physics appropriately. This means particularly that encyclopedic knowledge of conformal maps is not necessary for successful use of conformal mapping techniques. To demonstrate these facts I have chosen examples from an area of physics/engineering in which I am active, namely accelerator physics. In order to do that successfully I start with a brief introduction into high energy charged particle storage ring technology, even though not all examples used in this paper to elucidate my points come directly from this particular field of accelerator technology

Glycation and secondary conformational changes of human serum albumin: study of the FTIR spectroscopic curve-fitting technique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu-Ting Huang

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was attempted to investigate both the glycation kinetics and protein secondary conformational changes of human serum albumin (HSA after the reaction with ribose. The browning and fluorescence determinations as well as Fourier transform infrared (FTIR microspectroscopy with a curve-fitting technique were applied. Various concentrations of ribose were incubated over a 12-week period at 37 ± 0.5 oC under dark conditions. The results clearly shows that the glycation occurred in HSA-ribose reaction mixtures was markedly increased with the amount of ribose used and incubation time, leading to marked alterations of protein conformation of HSA after FTIR determination. In addition, the browning intensity of reaction solutions were colored from light to deep brown, as determined by optical observation. The increase in fluorescence intensity from HSA–ribose mixtures seemed to occur more quickly than browning, suggesting that the fluorescence products were produced earlier on in the process than compounds causing browning. Moreover, the predominant α-helical composition of HSA decreased with an increase in ribose concentration and incubation time, whereas total β-structure and random coil composition increased, as determined by curve-fitted FTIR microspectroscopy analysis. We also found that the peak intensity ratios at 1044 cm−1/1542 cm−1 markedly decreased prior to 4 weeks of incubation, then almost plateaued, implying that the consumption of ribose in the glycation reaction might have been accelerated over the first 4 weeks of incubation, and gradually decreased. This study first evidences that two unique IR peaks at 1710 cm−1 [carbonyl groups of irreversible products produced by the reaction and deposition of advanced glycation end products (AGEs] and 1621 cm−1 (aggregated HSA molecules were clearly observed from the curve-fitted FTIR spectra of HSA-ribose mixtures over the course of incubation time. This study

pH-induced conformational change of the rotavirus VP4 spike: implications for cell entry and antibody neutralization.

Science.gov (United States)

Pesavento, Joseph B; Crawford, Sue E; Roberts, Ed; Estes, Mary K; Prasad, B V Venkataram

2005-07-01

The rotavirus spike protein, VP4, is a major determinant of infectivity and neutralization. Previously, we have shown that trypsin-enhanced infectivity of rotavirus involves a transformation of the VP4 spike from a flexible to a rigid bilobed structure. Here we show that at elevated pH the spike undergoes a drastic, irreversible conformational change and becomes stunted, with a pronounced trilobed appearance. These particles with altered spikes, at a normal pH of 7.5, despite the loss of infectivity and the ability to hemagglutinate, surprisingly exhibit sialic acid (SA)-independent cell binding in contrast to the SA-dependent cell binding exhibited by native virions. Remarkably, a neutralizing monoclonal antibody that remains bound to spikes throughout the pH changes (pH 7 to 11 and back to pH 7) completely prevents this conformational change, preserving the SA-dependent cell binding and hemagglutinating functions of the virion. A hypothesis that emerges from the present study is that high-pH treatment triggers a conformational change that mimics a post-SA-attachment step to expose an epitope recognized by a downstream receptor in the rotavirus cell entry process. This process involves sequential interactions with multiple receptors, and the mechanism by which the antibody neutralizes is by preventing this conformational change.

Hyperglycemia- and hyperinsulinemia-induced insulin resistance causes alterations in cellular bioenergetics and activation of inflammatory signaling in lymphatic muscle.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yang; Fluckey, James D; Chakraborty, Sanjukta; Muthuchamy, Mariappan

2017-07-01

Insulin resistance is a well-known risk factor for obesity, metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) and associated cardiovascular diseases, but its mechanisms are undefined in the lymphatics. Mesenteric lymphatic vessels from MetSyn or LPS-injected rats exhibited impaired intrinsic contractile activity and associated inflammatory changes. Hence, we hypothesized that insulin resistance in lymphatic muscle cells (LMCs) affects cell bioenergetics and signaling pathways that consequently alter contractility. LMCs were treated with different concentrations of insulin or glucose or both at various time points to determine insulin resistance. Onset of insulin resistance significantly impaired glucose uptake, mitochondrial function, oxygen consumption rates, glycolysis, lactic acid, and ATP production in LMCs. Hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia also impaired the PI3K/Akt while enhancing the ERK/p38MAPK/JNK pathways in LMCs. Increased NF-κB nuclear translocation and macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 and VCAM-1 levels in insulin-resistant LMCs indicated activation of inflammatory mechanisms. In addition, increased phosphorylation of myosin light chain-20, a key regulator of lymphatic muscle contraction, was observed in insulin-resistant LMCs. Therefore, our data elucidate the mechanisms of insulin resistance in LMCs and provide the first evidence that hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia promote insulin resistance and impair lymphatic contractile status by reducing glucose uptake, altering cellular metabolic pathways, and activating inflammatory signaling cascades.-Lee, Y., Fluckey, J. D., Chakraborty, S., Muthuchamy, M. Hyperglycemia- and hyperinsulinemia-induced insulin resistance causes alterations in cellular bioenergetics and activation of inflammatory signaling in lymphatic muscle. © FASEB.

Higher-derivative generalization of conformal mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Baranovsky, Oleg

2017-08-01

Higher-derivative analogs of multidimensional conformal particle and many-body conformal mechanics are constructed. Their Newton-Hooke counterparts are derived by applying appropriate coordinate transformations.

Gluon amplitudes as 2 d conformal correlators

Science.gov (United States)

Pasterski, Sabrina; Shao, Shu-Heng; Strominger, Andrew

2017-10-01

Recently, spin-one wave functions in four dimensions that are conformal primaries of the Lorentz group S L (2 ,C ) were constructed. We compute low-point, tree-level gluon scattering amplitudes in the space of these conformal primary wave functions. The answers have the same conformal covariance as correlators of spin-one primaries in a 2 d CFT. The Britto-Cachazo-Feng-Witten (BCFW) recursion relation between three- and four-point gluon amplitudes is recast into this conformal basis.

An alternative conformation of the gp41 heptad repeat 1 region coiled coil exists in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein precursor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mische, Claudia C.; Yuan Wen; Strack, Bettina; Craig, Stewart; Farzan, Michael; Sodroski, Joseph

2005-01-01

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) transmembrane envelope glycoprotein, gp41, which mediates virus-cell fusion, exists in at least three different conformations within the trimeric envelope glycoprotein complex. The structures of the prefusogenic and intermediate states are unknown; structures representing the postfusion state have been solved. In the postfusion conformation, three helical heptad repeat 2 (HR2) regions pack in an antiparallel fashion into the hydrophobic grooves on the surface of a triple-helical coiled coil formed by the heptad repeat 1 (HR1) regions. We studied the prefusogenic conformation of gp41 by mutagenic alteration of membrane-anchored and soluble forms of the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins. Our results indicate that, in the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein precursor, the gp41 HR1 region is in a conformation distinct from that of a trimeric coiled coil. Thus, the central gp41 coiled coil is formed during the transition of the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins from the precursor state to the receptor-bound intermediate

Multichannel conformal blocks for scattering amplitudes

Science.gov (United States)

Belitsky, A. V.

2018-05-01

By performing resummation of small fermion-antifermion pairs within the pentagon form factor program to scattering amplitudes in planar N = 4 superYang-Mills theory, we construct multichannel conformal blocks within the flux-tube picture for N-sided NMHV polygons. This procedure is equivalent to summation of descendants of conformal primaries in the OPE framework. The resulting conformal partial waves are determined by multivariable hypergeometric series of Lauricella-Saran type.

Conformation Generation: The State of the Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkins, Paul C D

2017-08-28

The generation of conformations for small molecules is a problem of continuing interest in cheminformatics and computational drug discovery. This review will present an overview of methods used to sample conformational space, focusing on those methods designed for organic molecules commonly of interest in drug discovery. Different approaches to both the sampling of conformational space and the scoring of conformational stability will be compared and contrasted, with an emphasis on those methods suitable for conformer sampling of large numbers of drug-like molecules. Particular attention will be devoted to the appropriate utilization of information from experimental solid-state structures in validating and evaluating the performance of these tools. The review will conclude with some areas worthy of further investigation.

The pseudo-conformal universe: scale invariance from spontaneous breaking of conformal symmetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hinterbichler, Kurt; Khoury, Justin

2012-01-01

We present a novel theory of the very early universe which addresses the traditional horizon and flatness problems of big bang cosmology and predicts a scale invariant spectrum of perturbations. Unlike inflation, this scenario requires no exponential accelerated expansion of space-time. Instead, the early universe is described by a conformal field theory minimally coupled to gravity. The conformal fields develop a time-dependent expectation value which breaks the flat space so(4,2) conformal symmetry down to so(4,1), the symmetries of de Sitter, giving perturbations a scale invariant spectrum. The solution is an attractor, at least in the case of a single time-dependent field. Meanwhile, the metric background remains approximately flat but slowly contracts, which makes the universe increasingly flat, homogeneous and isotropic, akin to the smoothing mechanism of ekpyrotic cosmology. Our scenario is very general, requiring only a conformal field theory capable of developing the appropriate time-dependent expectation values, and encompasses existing incarnations of this idea, specifically the U(1) model of Rubakov and the Galileon Genesis scenario. Its essential features depend only on the symmetry breaking pattern and not on the details of the underlying lagrangian. It makes generic observational predictions that make it potentially distinguishable from standard inflation, in particular significant non-gaussianities and the absence of primordial gravitational waves

Arbitrary spin conformal fields in (A)dS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metsaev, R.R.

2014-01-01

Totally symmetric arbitrary spin conformal fields in (A)dS space of even dimension greater than or equal to four are studied. Ordinary-derivative and gauge invariant Lagrangian formulation for such fields is obtained. Gauge symmetries are realized by using auxiliary fields and Stueckelberg fields. We demonstrate that Lagrangian of conformal field is decomposed into a sum of gauge invariant Lagrangians for massless, partial-massless, and massive fields. We obtain a mass spectrum of the partial-massless and massive fields and confirm the conjecture about the mass spectrum made in the earlier literature. In contrast to conformal fields in flat space, the kinetic terms of conformal fields in (A)dS space turn out to be diagonal with respect to fields entering the Lagrangian. Explicit form of conformal transformation which maps conformal field in flat space to conformal field in (A)dS space is obtained. Covariant Lorentz-like and de-Donder like gauge conditions leading to simple gauge-fixed Lagrangian of conformal fields are proposed. Using such gauge-fixed Lagrangian, which is invariant under global BRST transformations, we explain how the partition function of conformal field is obtained in the framework of our approach

Intramolecular BSSE and dispersion affect the structure of a dipeptide conformer

Science.gov (United States)

Hameed, Rabia; Khan, Afsar; van Mourik, Tanja

2018-05-01

B3LYP and MP2 calculations with the commonly-used 6-31+G(d) basis set predict qualitatively different structures for the Tyr-Gly conformer book1, which is the most stable conformer identified in a previous study. The structures differ mainly in the ψtyr Ramachandran angle (138° in the B3LYP structure and 120° in the MP2 structure). The causes for the discrepant structures are attributed to missing dispersion in the B3LYP calculations and large intramolecular BSSE in the MP2 calculations. The correct ψtyr value is estimated to be 130°. The MP2/6-31+G(d) profile identified an additional conformer, not present on the B3LYP surface, with a ψtyr value of 96° and a more folded structure. This minimum is, however, likely an artefact of large intramolecular BSSE values. We recommend the use of basis sets of at least quadruple-zeta quality in density functional theory (DFT), DFTaugmented with an empirical dispersion term (DFT-D) and second-order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2 ) calculations in cases where intramolecular BSSE is expected to be large.

Inversion theory and conformal mapping

CERN Document Server

Blair, David E

2000-01-01

It is rarely taught in an undergraduate or even graduate curriculum that the only conformal maps in Euclidean space of dimension greater than two are those generated by similarities and inversions in spheres. This is in stark contrast to the wealth of conformal maps in the plane. The principal aim of this text is to give a treatment of this paucity of conformal maps in higher dimensions. The exposition includes both an analytic proof in general dimension and a differential-geometric proof in dimension three. For completeness, enough complex analysis is developed to prove the abundance of conformal maps in the plane. In addition, the book develops inversion theory as a subject, along with the auxiliary theme of circle-preserving maps. A particular feature is the inclusion of a paper by Carath�odory with the remarkable result that any circle-preserving transformation is necessarily a M�bius transformation, not even the continuity of the transformation is assumed. The text is at the level of advanced undergr...

Inverse bootstrapping conformal field theories

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wenliang

2018-01-01

We propose a novel approach to study conformal field theories (CFTs) in general dimensions. In the conformal bootstrap program, one usually searches for consistent CFT data that satisfy crossing symmetry. In the new method, we reverse the logic and interpret manifestly crossing-symmetric functions as generating functions of conformal data. Physical CFTs can be obtained by scanning the space of crossing-symmetric functions. By truncating the fusion rules, we are able to concentrate on the low-lying operators and derive some approximate relations for their conformal data. It turns out that the free scalar theory, the 2d minimal model CFTs, the ϕ 4 Wilson-Fisher CFT, the Lee-Yang CFTs and the Ising CFTs are consistent with the universal relations from the minimal fusion rule ϕ 1 × ϕ 1 = I + ϕ 2 + T , where ϕ 1 , ϕ 2 are scalar operators, I is the identity operator and T is the stress tensor.

On functional representations of the conformal algebra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rosten, Oliver J.

2017-07-15

Starting with conformally covariant correlation functions, a sequence of functional representations of the conformal algebra is constructed. A key step is the introduction of representations which involve an auxiliary functional. It is observed that these functionals are not arbitrary but rather must satisfy a pair of consistency equations corresponding to dilatation and special conformal invariance. In a particular representation, the former corresponds to the canonical form of the exact renormalization group equation specialized to a fixed point whereas the latter is new. This provides a concrete understanding of how conformal invariance is realized as a property of the Wilsonian effective action and the relationship to action-free formulations of conformal field theory. Subsequently, it is argued that the conformal Ward Identities serve to define a particular representation of the energy-momentum tensor. Consistency of this construction implies Polchinski's conditions for improving the energy-momentum tensor of a conformal field theory such that it is traceless. In the Wilsonian approach, the exactly marginal, redundant field which generates lines of physically equivalent fixed points is identified as the trace of the energy-momentum tensor. (orig.)

40 CFR 89.105 - Certificate of conformity.

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2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certificate of conformity. 89.105... and Certification Provisions § 89.105 Certificate of conformity. Every manufacturer of a new nonroad compression-ignition engine must obtain a certificate of conformity covering the engine family, as described...

A note on fashion cycles, novelty and conformity

OpenAIRE

Federica Alberti

2013-01-01

We develop a model in which novelty and conformity motivate fashion behavior. Fashion cycles occur if conformity is not too high. The duration of fashion cycles depends on individual-specific conformity, novelty, and the number of available styles. The use of individual-specific novelty and conformity allows us to also identify fashion leaders.

Nonperturbative results for two-index conformal windows

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bergner, Georg [Albert Einstein Center for Fundamental Physics,Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Bern,Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Bern (Switzerland); Ryttov, Thomas A.; Sannino, Francesco [CP-Origins and the Danish IAS, University of Southern Denmark,5230 Odense M (Denmark)

2015-12-10

Via large and small N{sub c} relations we derive nonperturbative results about the conformal window of two-index theories. Using Schwinger-Dyson methods as well as four-loops results we estimate subleading corrections and show that naive large number of colors extrapolations are unreliable when N{sub c} is less than about six. Nevertheless useful nonperturbative inequalities for the size of the conformal windows, for any number of colors, can be derived. By further observing that the adjoint conformal window is independent of the number of colors we argue, among other things, that: the large N{sub c} two-index conformal window is twice the conformal window of the adjoint representation (which can be determined at small N{sub c}) expressed in terms of Dirac fermions; lattice results for adjoint matter can be used to provide independent information on the conformal dynamics of two-index theories such as SU(N{sub c}) with two and four symmetric Dirac flavors.

Nonperturbative results for two-index conformal windows

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergner, Georg; Ryttov, Thomas A.; Sannino, Francesco

2015-01-01

Via large and small N c relations we derive nonperturbative results about the conformal window of two-index theories. Using Schwinger-Dyson methods as well as four-loops results we estimate subleading corrections and show that naive large number of colors extrapolations are unreliable when N c is less than about six. Nevertheless useful nonperturbative inequalities for the size of the conformal windows, for any number of colors, can be derived. By further observing that the adjoint conformal window is independent of the number of colors we argue, among other things, that: the large N c two-index conformal window is twice the conformal window of the adjoint representation (which can be determined at small N c ) expressed in terms of Dirac fermions; lattice results for adjoint matter can be used to provide independent information on the conformal dynamics of two-index theories such as SU(N c ) with two and four symmetric Dirac flavors.

Measuring the mechanical properties of molecular conformers

Science.gov (United States)

Jarvis, S. P.; Taylor, S.; Baran, J. D.; Champness, N. R.; Larsson, J. A.; Moriarty, P.

2015-09-01

Scanning probe-actuated single molecule manipulation has proven to be an exceptionally powerful tool for the systematic atomic-scale interrogation of molecular adsorbates. To date, however, the extent to which molecular conformation affects the force required to push or pull a single molecule has not been explored. Here we probe the mechanochemical response of two tetra(4-bromophenyl)porphyrin conformers using non-contact atomic force microscopy where we find a large difference between the lateral forces required for manipulation. Remarkably, despite sharing very similar adsorption characteristics, variations in the potential energy surface are capable of prohibiting probe-induced positioning of one conformer, while simultaneously permitting manipulation of the alternative conformational form. Our results are interpreted in the context of dispersion-corrected density functional theory calculations which reveal significant differences in the diffusion barriers for each conformer. These results demonstrate that conformational variation significantly modifies the mechanical response of even simple porpyhrins, potentially affecting many other flexible molecules.

Counselor Identity: Conformity or Distinction?

Science.gov (United States)

McLaughlin, Jerry E.; Boettcher, Kathryn

2009-01-01

The authors explore 3 debates in other disciplines similar to counseling's identity debate in order to learn about common themes and outcomes. Conformity, distinction, and cohesion emerged as common themes. They conclude that counselors should retain their distinctive, humanistic approach rather than conforming to the dominant, medical approach.

Peer influence: neural mechanisms underlying in-group conformity.

Science.gov (United States)

Stallen, Mirre; Smidts, Ale; Sanfey, Alan G

2013-01-01

People often conform to the behavior of others with whom they identify. However, it is unclear what fundamental mechanisms underlie this type of conformity. Here, we investigate the processes mediating in-group conformity by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants completed a perceptual decision-making task while undergoing fMRI, during which they were exposed to the judgments of both in-group and out-group members. Our data suggest that conformity to the in-group is mediated by both positive affect as well as the cognitive capacity of perspective taking. Examining the processes that drive in-group conformity by utilizing a basic decision-making paradigm combined with neuroimaging methods provides important insights into the potential mechanisms of conformity. These results may provide an integral step in developing more effective campaigns using group conformity as a tool for behavioral change.

47 CFR 2.1072 - Limitation on Declaration of Conformity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Limitation on Declaration of Conformity. 2.1072... Conformity § 2.1072 Limitation on Declaration of Conformity. (a) The Declaration of Conformity signifies that...'s rules. (b) A Declaration of Conformity by the responsible party is effective until a termination...

Conformity index for brain cancer patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petkovska, Sonja; Tolevska, Cveta; Kraleva, Slavica; Petreska, Elena

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to present the level of conformity achieved by using 3D conformal radiotherapy for brain cancer patients. Conformity index is a helpful quantitative tool for assessing (evaluating) the quality of a treatment plan. Treatment plans made for ninety patients with brain tumor are worked on this paper. The patients are in supine position and immobilized with thermoplastic masks for the head. Computed tomography data sets with 5 mm scan thickness are used to create a 3D image. All structures of interest are contoured. In order to obtain an optimal dose distribution, treatment fields are fit around target volume with set-up margins of 7mm in each direction. The conformity index values are between 1.21 and 2.04. Value of 1.8 is exceeded in eighteen cases; nine of them are bigger than 1.9 and only three of them are above 2. The target volume for each of these extreme CI values is ideal covered (between 95% and 105% of the prescribed dose). The most acceptable conformity index value in this paper belongs to the plan with the lowest minimal dose (84.7%). It can be concluded that conformity index is necessary but not sufficient factor for assessing radiation treatment plan conformity. To be able to estimate the acceptability of some treatment plan in daily practice, additional information as minimal, maximal and mean dose into target volume, as well as health tissues coverage must be taken into account.(Author)

Renormalization, conformal ward identities and the origin of a conformal anomaly pole

Science.gov (United States)

Corianò, Claudio; Maglio, Matteo Maria

2018-06-01

We investigate the emergence of a conformal anomaly pole in conformal field theories in the case of the TJJ correlator. We show how it comes to be generated in dimensional renormalization, using a basis of 13 form factors (the F-basis), where only one of them requires renormalization (F13), extending previous studies. We then combine recent results on the structure of the non-perturbative solutions of the conformal Ward identities (CWI's) for the TJJ in momentum space, expressed in terms of a minimal set of 4 form factors (A-basis), with the properties of the F-basis, and show how the singular behaviour of the corresponding form factors in both basis can be related. The result proves the centrality of such massless effective interactions induced by the anomaly, which have recently found realization in solid state, in the theory of topological insulators and of Weyl semimetals. This pattern is confirmed in massless abelian and nonabelian theories (QED and QCD) investigated at one-loop.

Conformable variational iteration method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omer Acan

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, we introduce the conformable variational iteration method based on new defined fractional derivative called conformable fractional derivative. This new method is applied two fractional order ordinary differential equations. To see how the solutions of this method, linear homogeneous and non-linear non-homogeneous fractional ordinary differential equations are selected. Obtained results are compared the exact solutions and their graphics are plotted to demonstrate efficiency and accuracy of the method.

40 CFR 90.106 - Certificate of conformity.

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2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 20 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certificate of conformity. 90.106... Standards and Certification Provisions § 90.106 Certificate of conformity. (a)(1) Except as provided in § 90... certificate of conformity covering such engines; however, engines manufactured during an annual production...

SCit: web tools for protein side chain conformation analysis

OpenAIRE

Gautier, R.; Camproux, A.-C.; Tufféry, P.

2004-01-01

SCit is a web server providing services for protein side chain conformation analysis and side chain positioning. Specific services use the dependence of the side chain conformations on the local backbone conformation, which is described using a structural alphabet that describes the conformation of fragments of four-residue length in a limited library of structural prototypes. Based on this concept, SCit uses sets of rotameric conformations dependent on the local backbone conformation of each...

SCit: web tools for protein side chain conformation analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gautier, R; Camproux, A-C; Tufféry, P

2004-07-01

SCit is a web server providing services for protein side chain conformation analysis and side chain positioning. Specific services use the dependence of the side chain conformations on the local backbone conformation, which is described using a structural alphabet that describes the conformation of fragments of four-residue length in a limited library of structural prototypes. Based on this concept, SCit uses sets of rotameric conformations dependent on the local backbone conformation of each protein for side chain positioning and the identification of side chains with unlikely conformations. The SCit web server is accessible at http://bioserv.rpbs.jussieu.fr/SCit.

Conformal Killing horizons and their thermodynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Alex B.; Shoom, Andrey A.

2018-05-01

Certain dynamical black hole solutions can be mapped to static spacetimes by conformal metric transformations. This mapping provides a physical link between the conformal Killing horizon of the dynamical black hole and the Killing horizon of the static spacetime. Using the Vaidya spacetime as an example, we show how this conformal relation can be used to derive thermodynamic properties of such dynamical black holes. Although these horizons are defined quasi-locally and can be located by local experiments, they are distinct from other popular notions of quasi-local horizons such as apparent horizons. Thus in the dynamical Vaidya spacetime describing constant accretion of null dust, the conformal Killing horizon, which is null by construction, is the natural horizon to describe the black hole.

Molecular dynamics studies of the conformation of sorbitol

Science.gov (United States)

Lerbret, A.; Mason, P.E.; Venable, R.M.; Cesàro, A.; Saboungi, M.-L.; Pastor, R.W.; Brady, J.W.

2009-01-01

Molecular dynamics simulations of a 3 m aqueous solution of D-sorbitol (also called D-glucitol) have been performed at 300 K, as well as at two elevated temperatures to promote conformational transitions. In principle, sorbitol is more flexible than glucose since it does not contain a constraining ring. However, a conformational analysis revealed that the sorbitol chain remains extended in solution, in contrast to the bent conformation found experimentally in the crystalline form. While there are 243 staggered conformations of the backbone possible for this open-chain polyol, only a very limited number were found to be stable in the simulations. Although many conformers were briefly sampled, only eight were significantly populated in the simulation. The carbon backbones of all but two of these eight conformers were completely extended, unlike the bent crystal conformation. These extended conformers were stabilized by a quite persistent intramolecular hydrogen bond between the hydroxyl groups of carbon C-2 and C-4. The conformational populations were found to be in good agreement with the limited available NMR data except for the C-2–C-3 torsion (spanned by the O-2–O-4 hydrogen bond), where the NMR data supports a more bent structure. PMID:19744646

Lattice models and conformal field theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saleur, H.

1988-01-01

Theoretical studies concerning the connection between critical physical systems and the conformal theories are reviewed. The conformal theory associated to a critical (integrable) lattice model is derived. The obtention of the central charge, critical exponents and torus partition function, using renormalization group arguments, is shown. The quantum group structure, in the integrable lattice models, and the theory of Visaro algebra representations are discussed. The relations between off-critical integrable models and conformal theories, in finite geometries, are studied

Electron paramagnetic resonance study of conformational effects in alkyl-substituted 2-cyclohexanonyl radicals in an adamantane matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walter, H.F.

1975-01-01

Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra have been obtained for radicals produced by x-irradiation of cyclohexanone and various alkyl-substituted cyclohexanones trapped in an adamantane matrix. Temperature variation of these spectra permits determination of the enthalpy and entropy of activation for interconversion between the two half-chair conformations. In those cases where the two conformations have intrinsically different energies, the enthalpy and entropy differences between conformations are determined. For 2-cyclohexanonyl radical, the enthalpy of activation is 3.90 +- 0.07 kcal/mole and the entropy of activation is -2.3 +- 0.3 e.u. Methyl substitution on C 3 or C 5 gives a radical with activation parameters similar to the parent radical, indicating moderate realignment of atoms during the conformational change. Methyl substitution on C 4 gives a radical with lower activation parameters, which are interpreted to indicate conformational change mainly be a folding along the diagonal through the radical site. Larger groups attached to C 3 influence enthalpy and entropy differences between conformations much less than when they are attached to C 5 . Very large groups attached to C 5 apparently flatten the ring; it is not known whether or not this is a matrix effect. Deuteration seems to cause a slight reduction in the activation parameters for 2-cyclohexanonyl radical

14 CFR 21.130 - Statement of conformity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Statement of conformity. 21.130 Section 21... conformity. Each holder or licensee of a type certificate only, for a product manufactured in the United... Administrator a statement of conformity (FAA Form 317). This statement must be signed by an authorized person...

14 CFR 21.53 - Statement of conformity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Statement of conformity. 21.53 Section 21... CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES FOR PRODUCTS AND PARTS Type Certificates § 21.53 Statement of conformity. Link to an... conformity (FAA Form 317) to the Administrator for each aircraft engine and propeller presented to the...

Delineating the conformal window

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frandsen, Mads Toudal; Pickup, Thomas; Teper, Michael

2011-01-01

We identify and characterise the conformal window in gauge theories relevant for beyond the standard model building, e.g. Technicolour, using the criteria of metric confinement and causal analytic couplings, which are known to be consistent with the phase diagram of supersymmetric QCD from Seiberg...... duality. Using these criteria we find perturbation theory to be consistent throughout the predicted conformal window for several of these gauge theories and we discuss recent lattice results in the light of our findings....

Rapid roll inflation with conformal coupling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kofman, Lev; Mukohyama, Shinji

2008-01-01

Usual inflation is realized with a slow rolling scalar field minimally coupled to gravity. In contrast, we consider dynamics of a scalar with a flat effective potential, conformally coupled to gravity. Surprisingly, it contains an attractor inflationary solution with the rapidly rolling inflaton field. We discuss models with the conformal inflaton with a flat potential (including hybrid inflation). There is no generation of cosmological fluctuations from the conformally coupled inflaton. We consider realizations of modulated (inhomogeneous reheating) or curvaton cosmological fluctuations in these models. We also implement these unusual features for the popular string-theoretic warped inflationary scenario, based on the interacting D3-D3 branes. The original warped brane inflation suffers a large inflaton mass due to conformal coupling to 4-dimensional gravity. Instead of considering this as a problem and trying to cure it with extra engineering, we show that warped inflation with the conformally coupled, rapidly rolling inflaton is yet possible with N=37 efoldings, which requires low-energy scales 1-100 TeV of inflation. Coincidentally, the same warping numerology can be responsible for the hierarchy. It is shown that the scalars associated with angular isometries of the warped geometry of compact manifold (e.g. S 3 of Klebanov-Strassler (KS) geometry) have solutions identical to conformally coupled modes and also cannot be responsible for cosmological fluctuations. We discuss other possibilities

Rapid roll inflation with conformal coupling

Science.gov (United States)

Kofman, Lev; Mukohyama, Shinji

2008-02-01

Usual inflation is realized with a slow rolling scalar field minimally coupled to gravity. In contrast, we consider dynamics of a scalar with a flat effective potential, conformally coupled to gravity. Surprisingly, it contains an attractor inflationary solution with the rapidly rolling inflaton field. We discuss models with the conformal inflaton with a flat potential (including hybrid inflation). There is no generation of cosmological fluctuations from the conformally coupled inflaton. We consider realizations of modulated (inhomogeneous reheating) or curvaton cosmological fluctuations in these models. We also implement these unusual features for the popular string-theoretic warped inflationary scenario, based on the interacting D3-D¯3 branes. The original warped brane inflation suffers a large inflaton mass due to conformal coupling to 4-dimensional gravity. Instead of considering this as a problem and trying to cure it with extra engineering, we show that warped inflation with the conformally coupled, rapidly rolling inflaton is yet possible with N=37 efoldings, which requires low-energy scales 1 100 TeV of inflation. Coincidentally, the same warping numerology can be responsible for the hierarchy. It is shown that the scalars associated with angular isometries of the warped geometry of compact manifold (e.g. S3 of Klebanov-Strassler (KS) geometry) have solutions identical to conformally coupled modes and also cannot be responsible for cosmological fluctuations. We discuss other possibilities.

CADDIS Volume 2. Sources, Stressors and Responses: Flow Alteration - Detailed Conceptual Diagram

Science.gov (United States)

Introduction to the flow alteration module, when to list flow alteration as a candidate cause, ways to measure flow alteration, simple and detailed conceptual model diagrams for flow alteration, flow alteration module references and literature reviews.

CADDIS Volume 2. Sources, Stressors and Responses: Flow Alteration - Simple Conceptual Diagram

Science.gov (United States)

Introduction to the flow alteration module, when to list flow alteration as a candidate cause, ways to measure flow alteration, simple and detailed conceptual model diagrams for flow alteration, flow alteration module references and literature reviews.

Conformal collineations and anisotropic fluids in general relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duggal, K.L.; Sharma, R.

1986-01-01

Recently, Herrera et al. [L. Herrera, J. Jimenez, L. Leal, J. Ponce de Leon, M. Esculpi, and V. Galino, J. Math. Phys. 25, 3274 (1984)] studied the consequences of the existence of a one-parameter group of conformal motions for anisotropic matter. They concluded that for special conformal motions, the stiff equation of state (p = μ) is singled out in a unique way, provided the generating conformal vector field is orthogonal to the four-velocity. In this paper, the same problem is studied by using conformal collineations (which include conformal motions as subgroups). It is shown that, for a special conformal collineation, the stiff equation of state is not singled out. Non-Einstein Ricci-recurrent spaces are considered as physical models for the fluid matter

Rational design of a conformation-switchable Ca2+- and Tb3+-binding protein without the use of multiple coupled metal-binding sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shunyi; Yang, Wei; Maniccia, Anna W; Barrow, Doyle; Tjong, Harianto; Zhou, Huan-Xiang; Yang, Jenny J

2008-10-01

Ca2+, as a messenger of signal transduction, regulates numerous target molecules via Ca2+-induced conformational changes. Investigation into the determinants for Ca2+-induced conformational change is often impeded by cooperativity between multiple metal-binding sites or protein oligomerization in naturally occurring proteins. To dissect the relative contributions of key determinants for Ca2+-dependent conformational changes, we report the design of a single-site Ca2+-binding protein (CD2.trigger) created by altering charged residues at an electrostatically sensitive location on the surface of the host protein rat Cluster of Differentiation 2 (CD2).CD2.trigger binds to Tb3+ and Ca2+ with dissociation constants of 0.3 +/- 0.1 and 90 +/- 25 microM, respectively. This protein is largely unfolded in the absence of metal ions at physiological pH, but Tb3+ or Ca2+ binding results in folding of the native-like conformation. Neutralization of the charged coordination residues, either by mutation or protonation, similarly induces folding of the protein. The control of a major conformational change by a single Ca2+ ion, achieved on a protein designed without reliance on sequence similarity to known Ca2+-dependent proteins and coupled metal-binding sites, represents an important step in the design of trigger proteins.

High-order chromatin architecture shapes the landscape of chromosomal alterations in cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Fudenberg, Geoffrey; Getz, Gad; Meyerson, Matthew; Mirny, Leonid

2012-02-01

The rapid growth of cancer genome structural information provides an opportunity for a better understanding of the mutational mechanisms of genomic alterations in cancer and the forces of selection that act upon them. Here we test the evidence for two major forces, spatial chromosome structure and purifying (or negative) selection, that shape the landscape of somatic copy-number alterations (SCNAs) in cancer (Beroukhim et al, 2010). Using a maximum likelihood framework we compare SCNA maps and three-dimensional genome architecture as determined by genome-wide chromosome conformation capture (HiC) and described by the proposed fractal-globule (FG) model (Lieberman-Aiden and Van Berkum et al, 2009). This analysis provides evidence that the distribution of chromosomal alterations in cancer is spatially related to three-dimensional genomic architecture and additionally suggests that purifying selection as well as positive selection shapes the landscape of SCNAs during somatic evolution of cancer cells.

Bioactive focus in conformational ensembles: a pluralistic approach

Science.gov (United States)

Habgood, Matthew

2017-12-01

Computational generation of conformational ensembles is key to contemporary drug design. Selecting the members of the ensemble that will approximate the conformation most likely to bind to a desired target (the bioactive conformation) is difficult, given that the potential energy usually used to generate and rank the ensemble is a notoriously poor discriminator between bioactive and non-bioactive conformations. In this study an approach to generating a focused ensemble is proposed in which each conformation is assigned multiple rankings based not just on potential energy but also on solvation energy, hydrophobic or hydrophilic interaction energy, radius of gyration, and on a statistical potential derived from Cambridge Structural Database data. The best ranked structures derived from each system are then assembled into a new ensemble that is shown to be better focused on bioactive conformations. This pluralistic approach is tested on ensembles generated by the Molecular Operating Environment's Low Mode Molecular Dynamics module, and by the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre's conformation generator software.

CONFORMITY IN CHRIST 1. THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This essay investigates the notion of conformity in Christ as it is part of a compre- hensive, multilayered process of transformation. In the first part it focuses on the process of transformation in creation, re-creation, conformity, love and glory. In the second part it discusses transformation in Christ by looking at conformation and ...

Conformal invariance in harmonic superspace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galperin, A.; Ivanov, E.; Ogievetsky, V.; Sokatchev, E.

1985-01-01

N=2 conformal supersymmetry is realized in harmonic superspace, its peculiarities are analyzed. The coordinate group and analytical prepotentials for N=2 conformal supergravity are found. A new version of the N=2 Einstein supergravity with infinite number of auxiliary fields is suggested. A hypermultiplet without central charges and constraints is used as a compensator

New open conformation of SMYD3 implicates conformational selection and allostery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas Spellmon

2016-12-01

Full Text Available SMYD3 plays a key role in cancer cell viability, adhesion, migration and invasion. SMYD3 promotes formation of inducible regulatory T cells and is involved in reducing autoimmunity. However, the nearly “closed” substrate-binding site and poor in vitro H3K4 methyltransferase activity have obscured further understanding of this oncogenically related protein. Here we reveal that SMYD3 can adopt an “open” conformation using molecular dynamics simulation and small-angle X-ray scattering. This ligand-binding-capable open state is related to the crystal structure-like closed state by a striking clamshell-like inter-lobe dynamics. The two states are characterized by many distinct structural and dynamical differences and the conformational transition pathway is mediated by a reversible twisting motion of the C-terminal domain (CTD. The spontaneous transition from the closed to open states suggests two possible, mutually non-exclusive models for SMYD3 functional regulation and the conformational selection mechanism and allostery may regulate the catalytic or ligand binding competence of SMYD3. This study provides an immediate clue to the puzzling role of SMYD3 in epigenetic gene regulation.

Inhibited Carnitine Synthesis Causes Systemic Alteration of Nutrient Metabolism in Zebrafish.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jia-Min; Li, Ling-Yu; Qin, Xuan; Degrace, Pascal; Demizieux, Laurent; Limbu, Samwel M; Wang, Xin; Zhang, Mei-Ling; Li, Dong-Liang; Du, Zhen-Yu

2018-01-01

Impaired mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation has been correlated with many metabolic syndromes, and the metabolic characteristics of the mammalian models of mitochondrial dysfunction have also been intensively studied. However, the effects of the impaired mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation on systemic metabolism in teleost have never been investigated. In the present study, we established a low-carnitine zebrafish model by feeding fish with mildronate as a specific carnitine synthesis inhibitor [0.05% body weight (BW)/d] for 7 weeks, and the systemically changed nutrient metabolism, including carnitine and triglyceride (TG) concentrations, fatty acid (FA) β-oxidation capability, and other molecular and biochemical assays of lipid, glucose, and protein metabolism, were measured. The results indicated that mildronate markedly decreased hepatic carnitine concentrations while it had no effect in muscle. Liver TG concentrations increased by more than 50% in mildronate-treated fish. Mildronate decreased the efficiency of liver mitochondrial β-oxidation, increased the hepatic mRNA expression of genes related to FA β-oxidation and lipolysis, and decreased the expression of lipogenesis genes. Mildronate decreased whole body glycogen content, increased glucose metabolism rate, and upregulated the expression of glucose uptake and glycolysis genes. Mildronate also increased whole body protein content and hepatic mRNA expression of mechanistic target of rapamycin ( mtor ), and decreased the expression of a protein catabolism-related gene. Liver, rather than muscle, was the primary organ targeted by mildronate. In short, mildronate-induced hepatic inhibited carnitine synthesis in zebrafish caused decreased mitochondrial FA β-oxidation efficiency, greater lipid accumulation, and altered glucose and protein metabolism. This reveals the key roles of mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation in nutrient metabolism in fish, and this low-carnitine zebrafish model could also be

Inhibited Carnitine Synthesis Causes Systemic Alteration of Nutrient Metabolism in Zebrafish

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jia-Min Li

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Impaired mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation has been correlated with many metabolic syndromes, and the metabolic characteristics of the mammalian models of mitochondrial dysfunction have also been intensively studied. However, the effects of the impaired mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation on systemic metabolism in teleost have never been investigated. In the present study, we established a low-carnitine zebrafish model by feeding fish with mildronate as a specific carnitine synthesis inhibitor [0.05% body weight (BW/d] for 7 weeks, and the systemically changed nutrient metabolism, including carnitine and triglyceride (TG concentrations, fatty acid (FA β-oxidation capability, and other molecular and biochemical assays of lipid, glucose, and protein metabolism, were measured. The results indicated that mildronate markedly decreased hepatic carnitine concentrations while it had no effect in muscle. Liver TG concentrations increased by more than 50% in mildronate-treated fish. Mildronate decreased the efficiency of liver mitochondrial β-oxidation, increased the hepatic mRNA expression of genes related to FA β-oxidation and lipolysis, and decreased the expression of lipogenesis genes. Mildronate decreased whole body glycogen content, increased glucose metabolism rate, and upregulated the expression of glucose uptake and glycolysis genes. Mildronate also increased whole body protein content and hepatic mRNA expression of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mtor, and decreased the expression of a protein catabolism-related gene. Liver, rather than muscle, was the primary organ targeted by mildronate. In short, mildronate-induced hepatic inhibited carnitine synthesis in zebrafish caused decreased mitochondrial FA β-oxidation efficiency, greater lipid accumulation, and altered glucose and protein metabolism. This reveals the key roles of mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation in nutrient metabolism in fish, and this low-carnitine zebrafish model

Reciprocity Outperforms Conformity to Promote Cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Romano, Angelo; Balliet, Daniel

2017-10-01

Evolutionary psychologists have proposed two processes that could give rise to the pervasiveness of human cooperation observed among individuals who are not genetically related: reciprocity and conformity. We tested whether reciprocity outperformed conformity in promoting cooperation, especially when these psychological processes would promote a different cooperative or noncooperative response. To do so, across three studies, we observed participants' cooperation with a partner after learning (a) that their partner had behaved cooperatively (or not) on several previous trials and (b) that their group members had behaved cooperatively (or not) on several previous trials with that same partner. Although we found that people both reciprocate and conform, reciprocity has a stronger influence on cooperation. Moreover, we found that conformity can be partly explained by a concern about one's reputation-a finding that supports a reciprocity framework.

Searching for dark matter-dark energy interactions: Going beyond the conformal case

Science.gov (United States)

van de Bruck, Carsten; Mifsud, Jurgen

2018-01-01

We consider several cosmological models which allow for nongravitational direct couplings between dark matter and dark energy. The distinguishing cosmological features of these couplings can be probed by current cosmological observations, thus enabling us to place constraints on these specific interactions which are composed of the conformal and disformal coupling functions. We perform a global analysis in order to independently constrain the conformal, disformal, and mixed interactions between dark matter and dark energy by combining current data from: Planck observations of the cosmic microwave background radiation anisotropies, a combination of measurements of baryon acoustic oscillations, a supernova type Ia sample, a compilation of Hubble parameter measurements estimated from the cosmic chronometers approach, direct measurements of the expansion rate of the Universe today, and a compilation of growth of structure measurements. We find that in these coupled dark-energy models, the influence of the local value of the Hubble constant does not significantly alter the inferred constraints when we consider joint analyses that include all cosmological probes. Moreover, the parameter constraints are remarkably improved with the inclusion of the growth of structure data set measurements. We find no compelling evidence for an interaction within the dark sector of the Universe.

Irreversibility and higher-spin conformal field theory

Science.gov (United States)

Anselmi, Damiano

2000-08-01

I discuss the properties of the central charges c and a for higher-derivative and higher-spin theories (spin 2 included). Ordinary gravity does not admit a straightforward identification of c and a in the trace anomaly, because it is not conformal. On the other hand, higher-derivative theories can be conformal, but have negative c and a. A third possibility is to consider higher-spin conformal field theories. They are not unitary, but have a variety of interesting properties. Bosonic conformal tensors have a positive-definite action, equal to the square of a field strength, and a higher-derivative gauge invariance. There exists a conserved spin-2 current (not the canonical stress tensor) defining positive central charges c and a. I calculate the values of c and a and study the operator-product structure. Higher-spin conformal spinors have no gauge invariance, admit a standard definition of c and a and can be coupled to Abelian and non-Abelian gauge fields in a renormalizable way. At the quantum level, they contribute to the one-loop beta function with the same sign as ordinary matter, admit a conformal window and non-trivial interacting fixed points. There are composite operators of high spin and low dimension, which violate the Ferrara-Gatto-Grillo theorem. Finally, other theories, such as conformal antisymmetric tensors, exhibit more severe internal problems. This research is motivated by the idea that fundamental quantum field theories should be renormalization-group (RG) interpolations between ultraviolet and infrared conformal fixed points, and quantum irreversibility should be a general principle of nature.

Essential role of conformational selection in ligand binding.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogt, Austin D; Pozzi, Nicola; Chen, Zhiwei; Di Cera, Enrico

2014-02-01

Two competing and mutually exclusive mechanisms of ligand recognition - conformational selection and induced fit - have dominated our interpretation of ligand binding in biological macromolecules for almost six decades. Conformational selection posits the pre-existence of multiple conformations of the macromolecule from which the ligand selects the optimal one. Induced fit, on the other hand, postulates the existence of conformational rearrangements of the original conformation into an optimal one that are induced by binding of the ligand. In the former case, conformational transitions precede the binding event; in the latter, conformational changes follow the binding step. Kineticists have used a facile criterion to distinguish between the two mechanisms based on the dependence of the rate of relaxation to equilibrium, kobs, on the ligand concentration, [L]. A value of kobs decreasing hyperbolically with [L] has been seen as diagnostic of conformational selection, while a value of kobs increasing hyperbolically with [L] has been considered diagnostic of induced fit. However, this simple conclusion is only valid under the rather unrealistic assumption of conformational transitions being much slower than binding and dissociation events. In general, induced fit only produces values of kobs that increase with [L] but conformational selection is more versatile and is associated with values of kobs that increase with, decrease with or are independent of [L]. The richer repertoire of kinetic properties of conformational selection applies to kinetic mechanisms with single or multiple saturable relaxations and explains the behavior of nearly all experimental systems reported in the literature thus far. Conformational selection is always sufficient and often necessary to account for the relaxation kinetics of ligand binding to a biological macromolecule and is therefore an essential component of any binding mechanism. On the other hand, induced fit is never necessary and

Rotational Spectroscopy Unveils Eleven Conformers of Adrenaline

Science.gov (United States)

Cabezas, C.; Cortijo, V.; Mata, S.; Lopez, J. C.; Alonso, J. L.

2013-06-01

Recent improvements in our LA-MB-FTMW instrumentation have allowed the characterization of eleven and eight conformers for the neurotransmitters adrenaline and noradrenaline respectively. The observation of this rich conformational behavior is in accordance with the recent observation of seven conformers for dopamine and in sharp contrast with the conformational reduction proposed for catecholamines. C. Cabezas, I. Peña, J. C. López, J. L. Alonso J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2013, 4, 486. H. Mitsuda, M. Miyazaki, I. B. Nielsen, P. Carcabal,C. Dedonder, C. Jouvet, S. Ishiuchi, M. Fujii J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2010, 1, 1130.

Dilogarithm identities in conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nahm, W.; Recknagel, A.; Terhoeven, M.

1992-11-01

Dilogarithm identities for the central charges and conformal dimensions exist for at least large classes of rational conformally invariant quantum field theories in two dimensions. In many cases, proofs are not yet known but the numerical and structural evidence is convincing. In particular, close relations exist to fusion rules and partition identities. We describe some examples and ideas, and present conjectures useful for the classification of conformal theories. The mathematical structures seem to be dual to Thurston's program for the classification of 3-manifolds. (orig.)

Conformational dynamics data bank: a database for conformational dynamics of proteins and supramolecular protein assemblies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Do-Nyun; Altschuler, Josiah; Strong, Campbell; McGill, Gaël; Bathe, Mark

2011-01-01

The conformational dynamics data bank (CDDB, http://www.cdyn.org) is a database that aims to provide comprehensive results on the conformational dynamics of high molecular weight proteins and protein assemblies. Analysis is performed using a recently introduced coarse-grained computational approach that is applied to the majority of structures present in the electron microscopy data bank (EMDB). Results include equilibrium thermal fluctuations and elastic strain energy distributions that identify rigid versus flexible protein domains generally, as well as those associated with specific functional transitions, and correlations in molecular motions that identify molecular regions that are highly coupled dynamically, with implications for allosteric mechanisms. A practical web-based search interface enables users to easily collect conformational dynamics data in various formats. The data bank is maintained and updated automatically to include conformational dynamics results for new structural entries as they become available in the EMDB. The CDDB complements static structural information to facilitate the investigation and interpretation of the biological function of proteins and protein assemblies essential to cell function.

Conformations of stereoisomeric base adducts to 4-hydroxyequilenin.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Shuang; Shapiro, Robert; Geacintov, Nicholas E; Broyde, Suse

2003-06-01

Exposure to estrogen through estrogen replacement therapy increases the risk of women developing cancer in hormone sensitive tissues. Premarin (Wyeth), which has been the most frequent choice for estrogen replacement therapy in the United States, contains the equine estrogens equilin and equilenin as major components. 4-Hydroxyequilenin (4-OHEN) is a phase I metabolite of both of these substances. This catechol estrogen autoxidizes to potent cytotoxic quinoids that can react with dG, dA, and dC to form unusual stereoisomeric cyclic adducts (Bolton, J. L., et al. (1998) Chem. Res. Toxicol. 11, 1113-1127). Like other bulky DNA adducts, these lesions may exhibit different susceptibilities to DNA repair and mutagenic potential, if not repaired in a structure-dependent manner. To ultimately gain insights into structure-function relationships, we computed conformations of stereoisomeric guanine, adenine, and cytosine base adducts using density functional theory. We find near mirror image conformations in stereoisomer adduct pairs for each modified base, suggesting opposite orientations with respect to the 5' --> 3' direction of the modified strand when the stereoisomer pairs are incorporated into duplex DNA. Such opposite orientations could cause stereoisomer pairs of lesions to respond differently to DNA replication and repair enzymes.

Conformational Analysis of Contrast Media for X-Ray Diagnostic Radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solieman, A.H.M.

2010-01-01

The conformational analysis of iodinated non-ionic contrast agent, Iobitridol, was carried out using theoretical calculations to explore its conformational space, and to study different aspects connected with application of different search techniques. Monte Carlo (MC), random search (RS) and molecular dynamics (MD) based conformational search techniques were used to extract a reasonable-size sample that adequately represents and has an average behavior of the entire conformational ensemble.While MC is good for quick search for lowest energy conformer, RS is better in obtaining conformational sample that cover the whole conformational space and MD is the best for investigation of isomeric preferences inside the conformational ensemble at thermal equilibrium. Conformational analysis of the produced gas phase samples reveals that RS and MD methods could sufficiently present the 18 distinct isomeric classes that constitute the total conformational space of the Iobitridol. S samples of conformational space of Iobitridol are extensively studied, as it hypothetically cover the total conformational space. They are used to test the suitability of different methods (charge distribution methods, energy calculation methods) for Iobitridol molecular computations and internal structure forces (steric hindrance, resonance interaction), as well as dependences among the internal coordinates (dihedral angles correlations and coincidences). The atomic partial charge distribution is found to greatly affect the energy calculation for the molecular mechanics based conformational energy distributions. Further energy minimization of conformational sample by the quantum molecular orbital methods is crucial to obtain charge independent as well as energy balanced conformational sample.

Static validation of licence conformance policies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Rene Rydhof; Nielson, Flemming; Nielson, Hanne Riis

2008-01-01

Policy conformance is a security property gaining importance due to commercial interest like Digital Rights Management. It is well known that static analysis can be used to validate a number of more classical security policies, such as discretionary and mandatory access control policies, as well...... as communication protocols using symmetric and asymmetric cryptography. In this work we show how to develop a Flow Logic for validating the conformance of client software with respect to a licence conformance policy. Our approach is sufficiently flexible that it extends to fully open systems that can admit new...

The decomposition of global conformal invariants

CERN Document Server

Alexakis, Spyros

2012-01-01

This book addresses a basic question in differential geometry that was first considered by physicists Stanley Deser and Adam Schwimmer in 1993 in their study of conformal anomalies. The question concerns conformally invariant functionals on the space of Riemannian metrics over a given manifold. These functionals act on a metric by first constructing a Riemannian scalar out of it, and then integrating this scalar over the manifold. Suppose this integral remains invariant under conformal re-scalings of the underlying metric. What information can one then deduce about the Riemannian scalar? Dese

77 FR 14979 - Transportation Conformity Rule Restructuring Amendments

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-14

... Transportation Conformity Rule Restructuring Amendments AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: EPA is amending the transportation conformity rule to finalize provisions that were proposed on August 13, 2010. These amendments restructure several sections of the transportation conformity...

Solid state conformational classification of eight-membered rings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pérez, J.; García, L.; Kessler, M.

2005-01-01

A statistical classification of the solid state conformation in the title complexes using data retrieved from the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) has been made. Phosphate and phosphinate complexes show a chair conformation preferably. In phosphonate complexes, the most frequent conformations...

Sequence dependent DNA conformations: Raman spectroscopic studies and a model of action of restriction enzymes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishimura, Y.

1985-01-01

Raman spectra have been examined to clarify the polymorphic forms of DNA, A, B, and Z forms. From an analysis the authors found that the guanine ring breathing vibration is sensitive to its local conformation. Examination of nine crystals of guanosine residues in which the local conformations are well established revealed that a guanosine residue with a C3'endo-anti gives a strong line at 666+-2 cm/sup -1/, O4'endo-anti at 682 cm/sup -1/, C1'exo-anti at 673 cm/sup -1/, C2'endo-anti at 677 cm/sup -1/ and syn-forms around 625 cm/sup -1/. Using this characteristic line, they were able to obtain the local conformations of guanosine moieties in poly(dG-dC). Such a sequence derived variation is suggested to be recognized by sequence specific proteins such as restriction enzymes. The authors found a correlation between sequence dependent DNA conformation and a mode of action of restriction enzymes. The cutting mode of restriction enzymes is classified into three groups. The classification of whether the products have blunt ends, two-base-long cohesive ends, or four-base-long cohesive ends depends primarily on the substrate, not on the enzyme. It is suggested that sequence dependent DNA conformation causes such a classification by the use of the Calladine-Dickerson analysis. In the recognition of restriction enzymes, the methyl group in a certain sequence is considered to play an important role by changing the local conformation of DNA

Conformational analysis of 9β,19-cyclopropyl sterols: Detection of the pseudoplanar conformer by nuclear Overhauser effects and its functional implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nes, W.D.; Benson, M.; Lundin, R.E.; Le, P.H.

1988-01-01

Nuclear Overhauser difference spectroscopy and variable temperature studies of the 9β,19-cyclopropyl sterols 24,25-dehydropollinastanol (4,4-desmethyl-5α-cycloart-24-en-3β-ol) and cyclolaudenol [(24S)-24-methyl-5α-cycloart-25(27)-en-3β-ol] have shown the solution conformation of the B/C rings to be twist-chair/twist-boat rather than boat/chair as suggested in the literature. This is very similar to the known crystal structure conformation of 9β,19-cyclopropyl sterols. The effect of these conformations on the molecular shape is highly significant; the first conformation orients into a pseudoplanar or flat shape analogous to lanosterol, whereas the latter conformation exhibits a bent shape. The results are interpreted to imply that, for conformational reasons, cyclopropyl sterols can be expected to maintain the pseudoplanar shape in membrane bilayers

Dark matter as a ghost free conformal extension of Einstein theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barvinsky, A.O.

2014-01-01

We discuss ghost free models of the recently suggested mimetic dark matter theory. This theory is shown to be a conformal extension of Einstein general relativity. Dark matter originates from gauging out its local Weyl invariance as an extra degree of freedom which describes a potential flow of the pressureless perfect fluid. For a positive energy density of this fluid the theory is free of ghost instabilities, which gives strong preference to stable configurations with a positive scalar curvature and trace of the matter stress tensor. Instabilities caused by caustics of the geodesic flow, inherent in this model, serve as a motivation for an alternative conformal extension of Einstein theory, based on the generalized Proca vector field. A potential part of this field modifies the inflationary stage in cosmology, whereas its rotational part at the post inflationary epoch might simulate rotating flows of dark matter

Application of Conformational Space Search in Drug Action | Adikwu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The role of conformational space in drug action is presented. Two examples of molecules in different therapeutic groups are presented. Conformational space search will lead to isolating the exact conformation with the desired medicinal properties. Many conformations of a plant isolate may exist which are active, weakly ...

Defects in conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Billò, Marco; Gonçalves, Vasco; Lauria, Edoardo; Meineri, Marco

2016-01-01

We discuss consequences of the breaking of conformal symmetry by a flat or spherical extended operator. We adapt the embedding formalism to the study of correlation functions of symmetric traceless tensors in the presence of the defect. Two-point functions of a bulk and a defect primary are fixed by conformal invariance up to a set of OPE coefficients, and we identify the allowed tensor structures. A correlator of two bulk primaries depends on two cross-ratios, and we study its conformal block decomposition in the case of external scalars. The Casimir equation in the defect channel reduces to a hypergeometric equation, while the bulk channel blocks are recursively determined in the light-cone limit. In the special case of a defect of codimension two, we map the Casimir equation in the bulk channel to the one of a four-point function without defect. Finally, we analyze the contact terms of the stress-tensor with the extended operator, and we deduce constraints on the CFT data. In two dimensions, we relate the displacement operator, which appears among the contact terms, to the reflection coefficient of a conformal interface, and we find unitarity bounds for the latter.

Defects in conformal field theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Billò, Marco [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Torino, and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare - sezione di Torino,Via P. Giuria 1 I-10125 Torino (Italy); Gonçalves, Vasco [Centro de Física do Porto,Departamento de Física e Astronomia Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal); ICTP South American Institute for Fundamental Research Instituto de Física Teórica,UNESP - University Estadual Paulista,Rua Dr. Bento T. Ferraz 271, 01140-070, São Paulo, SP (Brazil); Lauria, Edoardo [Institute for Theoretical Physics, KU Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven (Belgium); Meineri, Marco [Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics,Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 2Y5 (Canada); Scuola Normale Superiore, and Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare - sezione di Pisa,Piazza dei Cavalieri 7 I-56126 Pisa (Italy)

2016-04-15

We discuss consequences of the breaking of conformal symmetry by a flat or spherical extended operator. We adapt the embedding formalism to the study of correlation functions of symmetric traceless tensors in the presence of the defect. Two-point functions of a bulk and a defect primary are fixed by conformal invariance up to a set of OPE coefficients, and we identify the allowed tensor structures. A correlator of two bulk primaries depends on two cross-ratios, and we study its conformal block decomposition in the case of external scalars. The Casimir equation in the defect channel reduces to a hypergeometric equation, while the bulk channel blocks are recursively determined in the light-cone limit. In the special case of a defect of codimension two, we map the Casimir equation in the bulk channel to the one of a four-point function without defect. Finally, we analyze the contact terms of the stress-tensor with the extended operator, and we deduce constraints on the CFT data. In two dimensions, we relate the displacement operator, which appears among the contact terms, to the reflection coefficient of a conformal interface, and we find unitarity bounds for the latter.

MORPHOLOGICAL ALTERATIONS OF STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS CAUSED BY ARYL ALIPHATIC AMINOALCOHOL DERIVATIVE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dronova M.

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Increasing of antimicrobial resistance has created a critical need of the novel antimicrobial agents. One of the promising chemical classes for its development are aryl aliphatic aminoalcohols. New compounds of this class were synthesized at the Institute of organic chemistry (Kiev, Ukraine, by Y. Korotkiy. After the screening studies compound KVM-194 was selected as the potent antistaphylococcal agent. The aim of the study was to examine ultrastructural changes in the bacterial cells under the influence of the compound KVM-194. Materials and methods. Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 was used in all experiments. The minimum inhibitory concentration was determined by serial macrodilution method in Mueller-Hinton broth. Bacteria were exposed to the 0,5 MIC and 5 MICs of the KVM- 194 for 1 h and 24 h. Ultrastructure of intact and treated Staphylococcus aureus cells was examined by transmission electron microscopy after contrasting by osmium tetraoxide and lead citrate. Results and Discussion. The compound KVM-194 possesses a distinct antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, the minimum inhibitory concentration is 1.25 μg/ml. We found that exposure to KVM-194 at a subinhibitory concentration resulted in alterations of the cell morphology even after 1 h of treatment. The roughness of the cell surface and emerging of the intracellular particles of different electron density were observed. Increase of the incubation time to 24 h led to detachment of membrane from cytoplasm, multimembrane structures within cells emergence and formation of nonpolar septum. 1 h exposition to suprainhibitory concentration of KVM-194 resulted in nucleoid fragmentation, septum abnormalities and necrosis of some cells. We found that increasing of the incubation period to 24 h led to exacerbation of alterations: cell wall rupture, leakage of cytoplasm and a large number of lysed cells were registered. Conclusion. Observed alterations, suggest the possible

Relation Between Hertz Stress-Life Exponent, Ball-Race Conformity, and Ball Bearing Life

Science.gov (United States)

Zaretsky, Erwin V.; Poplawski, Joseph V.; Root, Lawrence E.

2008-01-01

ANSI/ABMA and ISO standards based on Lundberg-Palmgren bearing life theory are normalized for ball bearings having inner- and outerrace conformities of 52 percent (0.52) and made from pre-1940 bearing steel. The Lundberg-Palmgren theory incorporates an inverse 9th power relation between Hertz stress and fatigue life for ball bearings. The effect of race conformity on ball set life independent of race life is not incorporated into the Lundberg-Palmgren theory. In addition, post-1960 vacuum-processed bearing steel exhibits a 12th power relation between Hertz stress and life. The work reported extends the previous work of Zaretsky, Poplawski, and Root to calculate changes in bearing life--that includes the life of the ball set--caused by race conformity, Hertz stress-life exponent, ball bearing type and bearing series. The bearing fatigue life in actual application will usually be equal to or greater than that calculated using the ANSI/ABMA and ISO standards that incorporate the Lundberg-Palmgren theory. The relative fatigue life of an individual race is more sensitive to changes in race conformity for Hertz stress-life exponent n of 12 than where n = 9. However, when the effects are combined to predict actual bearing life for a specified set of conditions and bearing geometry, the predicted life of the bearing will be greater for a value of n = 12 than n = 9.

UV conformal window for asymptotic safety

Science.gov (United States)

Bond, Andrew D.; Litim, Daniel F.; Vazquez, Gustavo Medina; Steudtner, Tom

2018-02-01

Interacting fixed points in four-dimensional gauge theories coupled to matter are investigated using perturbation theory up to three loop order. It is shown how fixed points, scaling exponents, and anomalous dimensions are obtained as a systematic power series in a small parameter. The underlying ordering principle is explained and contrasted with conventional perturbation theory and Weyl consistency conditions. We then determine the conformal window with asymptotic safety from the complete next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbation theory. Limits for the conformal window arise due to fixed point mergers, the onset of strong coupling, or vacuum instability. A consistent picture is uncovered by comparing various levels of approximation. The theory remains perturbative in the entire conformal window, with vacuum stability dictating the tightest constraints. We also speculate about a secondary conformal window at strong coupling and estimate its lower limit. Implications for model building and cosmology are indicated.

Irregular conformal block, spectral curve and flow equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Sang Kwan; Rim, Chaiho; Zhang, Hong

2016-01-01

Irregular conformal block is motivated by the Argyres-Douglas type of N=2 super conformal gauge theory. We investigate the classical/NS limit of irregular conformal block using the spectral curve on a Riemann surface with irregular punctures, which is equivalent to the loop equation of irregular matrix model. The spectral curve is reduced to the second order (Virasoro symmetry, SU(2) for the gauge theory) and third order (W_3 symmetry, SU(3)) differential equations of a polynomial with finite degree. The conformal and W symmetry generate the flow equations in the spectral curve and determine the irregular conformal block, hence the partition function of the Argyres-Douglas theory ala AGT conjecture.

Scalar perturbations and conformal transformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabris, J.C.; Tossa, J.

1995-11-01

The non-minimal coupling of gravity to a scalar field can be transformed into a minimal coupling through a conformal transformation. We show how to connect the results of a perturbation calculation, performed around a Friedman-Robertson-Walker background solution, before and after the conformal transformation. We work in the synchronous gauge, but we discuss the implications of employing other frames. (author). 16 refs

Conformational Complexity in the LH2 Antenna of the Purple Sulfur Bacterium Allochromatium vinosum Revealed by Hole-Burning Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kell, Adam; Jassas, Mahboobe; Acharya, Khem; Hacking, Kirsty; Cogdell, Richard J; Jankowiak, Ryszard

2017-06-15

This work discusses the protein conformational complexity of the B800-850 LH2 complexes from the purple sulfur bacterium Allochromatium vinosum, focusing on the spectral characteristics of the B850 chromophores. Low-temperature B850 absorption and the split B800 band shift blue and red, respectively, at elevated temperatures, revealing isosbestic points. The latter indicates the presence of two (unresolved) conformations of B850 bacteriochlorophylls (BChls), referred to as conformations 1 and 2, and two conformations of B800 BChls, denoted as B800 R and B800 B . The energy differences between average site energies of conformations 1 and 2, and B800 R and B800 B are similar (∼200 cm -1 ), suggesting weak and strong hydrogen bonds linking two major subpopulations of BChls and the protein scaffolding. Although conformations 1 and 2 of the B850 chromophores, and B800 R and B800 B , exist in the ground state, selective excitation leads to 1 → 2 and B800 R → B800 B phototransformations. Different static inhomogeneous broadening is revealed for the lowest energy exciton states of B850 (fwhm ∼195 cm -1 ) and B800 R (fwhm ∼140 cm -1 ). To describe the 5 K absorption spectrum and the above-mentioned conformations, we employ an exciton model with dichotomous protein conformation disorder. We show that both experimental data and the modeling study support a two-site model with strongly and weakly hydrogen-bonded B850 and B800 BChls, which under illumination undergo conformational changes, most likely caused by proton dynamics.

49 CFR 577.9 - Conformity to statutory requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Conformity to statutory requirements. 577.9 Section 577.9 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) NATIONAL HIGHWAY... NOTIFICATION § 577.9 Conformity to statutory requirements. A notification that does not conform to the...

20 CFR 604.6 - Conformity and substantial compliance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Conformity and substantial compliance. 604.6... FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION § 604.6 Conformity and substantial compliance. (a) In... for the administration of its UC program. (b) Resolving Issues of Conformity and Substantial...

Vertex operator algebras and conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Y.Z.

1992-01-01

This paper discusses conformal field theory, an important physical theory, describing both two-dimensional critical phenomena in condensed matter physics and classical motions of strings in string theory. The study of conformal field theory will deepen the understanding of these theories and will help to understand string theory conceptually. Besides its importance in physics, the beautiful and rich mathematical structure of conformal field theory has interested many mathematicians. New relations between different branches of mathematics, such as representations of infinite-dimensional Lie algebras and Lie groups, Riemann surfaces and algebraic curves, the Monster sporadic group, modular functions and modular forms, elliptic genera and elliptic cohomology, Calabi-Yau manifolds, tensor categories, and knot theory, are revealed in the study of conformal field theory. It is therefore believed that the study of the mathematics involved in conformal field theory will ultimately lead to new mathematical structures which would be important to both mathematics and physics

The butane condensed matter conformational problem

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weber, A.C.J.; de Lange, C.A.; Meerts, W.L.; Burnell, E.E.

2010-01-01

From the dipolar couplings of orientationally ordered n-butane obtained by NMR spectroscopy we have calculated conformer probabilities using the modified Chord (Cd) and Size-and-Shape (CI) models to estimate the conformational dependence of the order matrix. All calculation methods make use of

Conformal invariance and two-dimensional physics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuber, J.B.

1993-01-01

Actually, physicists and mathematicians are very interested in conformal invariance: geometric transformations which keep angles. This symmetry is very important for two-dimensional systems as phase transitions, string theory or node mathematics. In this article, the author presents the conformal invariance and explains its usefulness

Exposure to sorbitol during lactation causes metabolic alterations and genotoxic effects in rat offspring.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso, Felipe S; Araujo-Lima, Carlos F; Aiub, Claudia A F; Felzenszwalb, Israel

2016-10-17

Sorbitol is a polyol used by the food industry as a sweetener. Women are consuming diet and light products containing sorbitol during pregnancy and in the postnatal period to prevent themselves from excessive weight gain and maintain a slim body. Although there is no evidence for the genotoxicity of sorbitol in the perinatal period, this study focused on evaluating the effects of the maternal intake of sorbitol on the biochemical and toxicological parameters of lactating Wistar rat offspring after 14days of mother-to-offspring exposure. A dose-dependent reduction of offspring length was observed. An increase in sorbitol levels determined in the milk was also observed. However, we detected an inverse relationship between the exposition dose in milk fructose and triacylglycerols concentrations. There was an increase in the plasmatic levels of ALT, AST and LDLc and a decrease in proteins, cholesterol and glucose levels in the offspring. Sorbitol exposure caused hepatocyte genotoxicity, including micronuclei induction. Maternal sorbitol intake induced myelotoxicity and myelosuppression in their offspring. The Comet assay of the blood cells detected a dose-dependent genotoxic response within the sorbitol-exposed offspring. According to our results, sorbitol is able to induce important metabolic alterations and genotoxic responses in the exposed offspring. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geometrical formulation of the conformal Ward identity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kachkachi, M.

2002-08-01

In this paper we use deep ideas in complex geometry that proved to be very powerful in unveiling the Polyakov measure on the moduli space of Riemann surfaces and lead to obtain the partition function of perturbative string theory for 2, 3, 4 loops. Indeed, a geometrical interpretation of the conformal Ward identity in two dimensional conformal field theory is proposed: the conformal anomaly is interpreted as a deformation of the complex structure of the basic Riemann surface. This point of view is in line with the modern trend of geometric quantizations that are based on deformations of classical structures. Then, we solve the conformal Ward identity by using this geometrical formalism. (author)

Riemann monodromy problem and conformal field theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blok, B.

1989-01-01

A systematic analysis of the use of the Riemann monodromy problem for determining correlators (conformal blocks) on the sphere is presented. The monodromy data is constructed in terms of the braid matrices and gives a constraint on the noninteger part of the conformal dimensions of the primary fields. To determine the conformal blocks we need to know the order of singularities. We establish a criterion which tells us when the knowledge of the conformal dimensions of primary fields suffice to determine the blocks. When zero modes of the extended algebra are present the analysis is more difficult. In this case we give a conjecture that works for the SU(2) WZW case. (orig.)

Conformational effects of a common codon 751 polymorphism on the C-terminal domain of the xeroderma pigmentosum D protein

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monaco Regina

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: The xeroderma pigmentosum D (XPD protein is a DNA helicase involved in the repair of DNA damage, including nucleotide excision repair (NER and transcription-coupled repair (TCR. The C-terminal domain of XPD has been implicated in interactions with other components of the TFIIH complex, and it is also the site of a common genetic polymorphism in XPD at amino acid residue 751 (Lys->Gln. Some evidence suggests that this polymorphism may alter DNA repair capacity and increase cancer risk. The aim of this study was to investigate whether these effects could be attributable to conformational changes in XPD induced by the polymorphism. Materials and Methods: Molecular dynamics techniques were used to predict the structure of the wild-type and polymorphic forms of the C-terminal domain of XPD and differences in structure produced by the polymorphic substitution were determined. Results: The results indicate that, although the general configuration of both proteins is similar, the substitution produces a significant conformational change immediately N-terminal to the site of the polymorphism. Conclusion: These results provide support for the hypothesis that this polymorphism in XPD could affect DNA repair capability, and hence cancer risk, by altering the structure of the C-terminal domain.

Conformal field theories and tensor categories. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, Chengming [Nankai Univ., Tianjin (China). Chern Institute of Mathematics; Fuchs, Juergen [Karlstad Univ. (Sweden). Theoretical Physics; Huang, Yi-Zhi [Rutgers Univ., Piscataway, NJ (United States). Dept. of Mathematics; Kong, Liang [Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China). Inst. for Advanced Study; Runkel, Ingo; Schweigert, Christoph (eds.) [Hamburg Univ. (Germany). Dept. of Mathematics

2014-08-01

First book devoted completely to the mathematics of conformal field theories, tensor categories and their applications. Contributors include both mathematicians and physicists. Some long expository articles are especially suitable for beginners. The present volume is a collection of seven papers that are either based on the talks presented at the workshop ''Conformal field theories and tensor categories'' held June 13 to June 17, 2011 at the Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research, Peking University, or are extensions of the material presented in the talks at the workshop. These papers present new developments beyond rational conformal field theories and modular tensor categories and new applications in mathematics and physics. The topics covered include tensor categories from representation categories of Hopf algebras, applications of conformal field theories and tensor categories to topological phases and gapped systems, logarithmic conformal field theories and the corresponding non-semisimple tensor categories, and new developments in the representation theory of vertex operator algebras. Some of the papers contain detailed introductory material that is helpful for graduate students and researchers looking for an introduction to these research directions. The papers also discuss exciting recent developments in the area of conformal field theories, tensor categories and their applications and will be extremely useful for researchers working in these areas.

Conformal field theories and tensor categories. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai, Chengming; Fuchs, Juergen; Huang, Yi-Zhi; Kong, Liang; Runkel, Ingo; Schweigert, Christoph

2014-01-01

First book devoted completely to the mathematics of conformal field theories, tensor categories and their applications. Contributors include both mathematicians and physicists. Some long expository articles are especially suitable for beginners. The present volume is a collection of seven papers that are either based on the talks presented at the workshop ''Conformal field theories and tensor categories'' held June 13 to June 17, 2011 at the Beijing International Center for Mathematical Research, Peking University, or are extensions of the material presented in the talks at the workshop. These papers present new developments beyond rational conformal field theories and modular tensor categories and new applications in mathematics and physics. The topics covered include tensor categories from representation categories of Hopf algebras, applications of conformal field theories and tensor categories to topological phases and gapped systems, logarithmic conformal field theories and the corresponding non-semisimple tensor categories, and new developments in the representation theory of vertex operator algebras. Some of the papers contain detailed introductory material that is helpful for graduate students and researchers looking for an introduction to these research directions. The papers also discuss exciting recent developments in the area of conformal field theories, tensor categories and their applications and will be extremely useful for researchers working in these areas.

A Novel Method Using Abstract Convex Underestimation in Ab-Initio Protein Structure Prediction for Guiding Search in Conformational Feature Space.

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Xiao-Hu; Zhang, Gui-Jun; Zhou, Xiao-Gen; Yu, Xu-Feng

2016-01-01

To address the searching problem of protein conformational space in ab-initio protein structure prediction, a novel method using abstract convex underestimation (ACUE) based on the framework of evolutionary algorithm was proposed. Computing such conformations, essential to associate structural and functional information with gene sequences, is challenging due to the high-dimensionality and rugged energy surface of the protein conformational space. As a consequence, the dimension of protein conformational space should be reduced to a proper level. In this paper, the high-dimensionality original conformational space was converted into feature space whose dimension is considerably reduced by feature extraction technique. And, the underestimate space could be constructed according to abstract convex theory. Thus, the entropy effect caused by searching in the high-dimensionality conformational space could be avoided through such conversion. The tight lower bound estimate information was obtained to guide the searching direction, and the invalid searching area in which the global optimal solution is not located could be eliminated in advance. Moreover, instead of expensively calculating the energy of conformations in the original conformational space, the estimate value is employed to judge if the conformation is worth exploring to reduce the evaluation time, thereby making computational cost lower and the searching process more efficient. Additionally, fragment assembly and the Monte Carlo method are combined to generate a series of metastable conformations by sampling in the conformational space. The proposed method provides a novel technique to solve the searching problem of protein conformational space. Twenty small-to-medium structurally diverse proteins were tested, and the proposed ACUE method was compared with It Fix, HEA, Rosetta and the developed method LEDE without underestimate information. Test results show that the ACUE method can more rapidly and more

Conformal anomaly actions for dilaton interactions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rose Luigi Delle

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We discuss, in conformally invariant field theories such as QCD with massless fermions, a possible link between the perturbative signature of the conformal anomaly, in the form of anomaly poles of the 1-particle irreducible effective action, and its descrip- tion in terms of Wess-Zumino actions with a dilaton. The two descriptions are expected to capture the UV and IR behaviour of the conformal anomaly, in terms of fundamental and effective degrees of freedom respectively, with the dilaton effective state appearing in a nonlinear realization. As in the chiral case, conformal anomalies seem to be related to the appearance of these effective interactions in the 1PI action in all the gauge-invariant sectors of the Standard Model. We show that, as a consequence of the underlying anomalous symmetry, the infinite hierarchy of recurrence relations involving self-interactions of the dilaton is entirely determined only by the first four of them. This relation can be generalized to any even space-time dimension.

Invariants for minimal conformal supergravity in six dimensions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Butter, Daniel [Nikhef Theory Group,Science Park 105, 1098 XG Amsterdam (Netherlands); Kuzenko, Sergei M. [School of Physics M013, The University of Western Australia,35 Stirling Highway, Crawley W.A. 6009 (Australia); Novak, Joseph; Theisen, Stefan [Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik, Albert-Einstein-Institut,Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Golm (Germany)

2016-12-15

We develop a new off-shell formulation for six-dimensional conformal supergravity obtained by gauging the 6D N=(1,0) superconformal algebra in superspace. This formulation is employed to construct two invariants for 6D N=(1,0) conformal supergravity, which contain C{sup 3} and C◻C terms at the component level. Using a conformal supercurrent analysis, we prove that these exhaust all such invariants in minimal conformal supergravity. Finally, we show how to construct the supersymmetric F◻F invariant in curved superspace.

A Mediated Moderation Model of Conformative Peer Bullying

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Yoonju; Chung, Ock-Boon

2012-01-01

We investigated the relationship between conformative peer bullying and issues of peer conformity among adolescents. This relationship is examined through the establishment of a mediated moderation model for conformative peer bullying using structural equation modeling in a sample of 391 second-year middle school students in Seoul, South Korea. We…

{kappa}-deformed realization of D=4 conformal algebra

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klimek, M. [Technical Univ. of Czestochowa, Inst. of Mathematics and Computer Science, Czestochowa (Poland); Lukierski, J. [Universite de Geneve, Department de Physique Theorique, Geneve (Switzerland)

1995-07-01

We describe the generators of {kappa}-conformal transformations, leaving invariant the {kappa}-deformed d`Alembert equation. In such a way one obtains the conformal extension of-shell spin spin zero realization of {kappa}-deformed Poincare algebra. Finally the algebraic structure of {kappa}-deformed conformal algebra is discussed. (author). 23 refs.

Selective stimulation of conformational conversions in free molecules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismailzade, G.I.; Movsumov, I.Z.; Menzeleev, M.R.; Kazymova, S.B.

2014-01-01

Application of double-resonance (RF-MW, IR-MW, MW-MW) methods to enhance studies of unstable isomeric structures was discussed. The use of infrared pump radiation to excite conformational energy levels in order to stimulate selectively conformational conversions and to correct spectral line intensities of separate conformations was substantiated. (authors)

On the effect of hydrostatic pressure on the conformational stability of globular proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Graziano, Giuseppe

2015-12-01

The model developed for cold denaturation (Graziano, PCCP 2010, 12, 14245-14252) is extended to rationalize the dependence of protein conformational stability upon hydrostatic pressure, at room temperature. A pressure- volume work is associated with the process of cavity creation for the need to enlarge the liquid volume against hydrostatic pressure. This contribution destabilizes the native state that has a molecular volume slightly larger than the denatured state due to voids existing in the protein core. Therefore, there is a hydrostatic pressure value at which the pressure-volume contribution plus the conformational entropy loss of the polypeptide chain are able to overwhelm the stabilizing gain in translational entropy of water molecules, due to the decrease in water accessible surface area upon folding, causing denaturation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Elementary introduction to conformal invariance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grandati, Y.

1992-01-01

These notes constitute an elementary introduction to the concept of conformal invariance and its applications to the study of bidimensional critical phenomena. The aim is to give an access as pedestrian as possible to this vast subject. After a brief account of the general properties of conformal transformation in D dimensions, we study more specifically the case D = 2. The center of the discussion is then the consequences of the action of this symmetry group on bidimensional field theories, and in particular the links between the representations of the Virasoro algebra and the structure of the correlation functions of conformal field theories. Finally after showing how the Ising model reduces to a Majorana fermionic field theory, we see how the general formalism previously discussed can be applied to the Ising case at the critical point. (orig.)

Conformational changes in glycine tri- and hexapeptide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yakubovich, Alexander V.; Solov'yov, Ilia; Solov'yov, Andrey V.

2006-01-01

conformations and calculated the energy barriers for transitions between them. Using a thermodynamic approach, we have estimated the times of the characteristic transitions between these conformations. The results of our calculations have been compared with those obtained by other theoretical methods...... also investigated the influence of the secondary structure of polypeptide chains on the formation of the potential energy landscape. This analysis has been performed for the sheet and the helix conformations of chains of six amino acids....

Conformal invariance in the quantum field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurak, V.

1975-09-01

Basic features concerning the present knowledge of conformal symmetry are illustrated in a simple model. Composite field dimensions of this model are computed and related to the conformal group. (author) [pt

Non-local Effects of Conformal Anomaly

Science.gov (United States)

Meissner, Krzysztof A.; Nicolai, Hermann

2018-03-01

It is shown that the nonlocal anomalous effective actions corresponding to the quantum breaking of the conformal symmetry can lead to observable modifications of Einstein's equations. The fact that Einstein's general relativity is in perfect agreement with all observations including cosmological or recently observed gravitational waves imposes strong restrictions on the field content of possible extensions of Einstein's theory: all viable theories should have vanishing conformal anomalies. It is shown that a complete cancellation of conformal anomalies in D=4 for both the C^2 invariant and the Euler (Gauss-Bonnet) invariant can only be achieved for N-extended supergravity multiplets with N ≥ 5.

Seed conformal blocks in 4D CFT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Echeverri, Alejandro Castedo; Elkhidir, Emtinan; Karateev, Denis [SISSA and INFN,Via Bonomea 265, I-34136 Trieste (Italy); Serone, Marco [SISSA and INFN,Via Bonomea 265, I-34136 Trieste (Italy); ICTP,Strada Costiera 11, I-34151 Trieste (Italy)

2016-02-29

We compute in closed analytical form the minimal set of “seed' conformal blocks associated to the exchange of generic mixed symmetry spinor/tensor operators in an arbitrary representation (ℓ,ℓ̄) of the Lorentz group in four dimensional conformal field theories. These blocks arise from 4-point functions involving two scalars, one (0,|ℓ−ℓ̄|) and one (|ℓ−ℓ̄|,0) spinors or tensors. We directly solve the set of Casimir equations, that can elegantly be written in a compact form for any (ℓ,ℓ̄), by using an educated ansatz and reducing the problem to an algebraic linear system. Various details on the form of the ansatz have been deduced by using the so called shadow formalism. The complexity of the conformal blocks depends on the value of p=|ℓ−ℓ̄| and grows with p, in analogy to what happens to scalar conformal blocks in d even space-time dimensions as d increases. These results open the way to bootstrap 4-point functions involving arbitrary spinor/tensor operators in four dimensional conformal field theories.

Conformal invariance in the long-range Ising model

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Miguel F. Paulos

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We consider the question of conformal invariance of the long-range Ising model at the critical point. The continuum description is given in terms of a nonlocal field theory, and the absence of a stress tensor invalidates all of the standard arguments for the enhancement of scale invariance to conformal invariance. We however show that several correlation functions, computed to second order in the epsilon expansion, are nontrivially consistent with conformal invariance. We proceed to give a proof of conformal invariance to all orders in the epsilon expansion, based on the description of the long-range Ising model as a defect theory in an auxiliary higher-dimensional space. A detailed review of conformal invariance in the d-dimensional short-range Ising model is also included and may be of independent interest.

Conformal Invariance in the Long-Range Ising Model

CERN Document Server

Paulos, Miguel F; van Rees, Balt C; Zan, Bernardo

2016-01-01

We consider the question of conformal invariance of the long-range Ising model at the critical point. The continuum description is given in terms of a nonlocal field theory, and the absence of a stress tensor invalidates all of the standard arguments for the enhancement of scale invariance to conformal invariance. We however show that several correlation functions, computed to second order in the epsilon expansion, are nontrivially consistent with conformal invariance. We proceed to give a proof of conformal invariance to all orders in the epsilon expansion, based on the description of the long-range Ising model as a defect theory in an auxiliary higher-dimensional space. A detailed review of conformal invariance in the d-dimensional short-range Ising model is also included and may be of independent interest.

Conformal invariance in the long-range Ising model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paulos, Miguel F. [CERN, Theory Group, Geneva (Switzerland); Rychkov, Slava, E-mail: slava.rychkov@lpt.ens.fr [CERN, Theory Group, Geneva (Switzerland); Laboratoire de Physique Théorique de l' École Normale Supérieure (LPTENS), Paris (France); Faculté de Physique, Université Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC), Paris (France); Rees, Balt C. van [CERN, Theory Group, Geneva (Switzerland); Zan, Bernardo [Institute of Physics, Universiteit van Amsterdam, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2016-01-15

We consider the question of conformal invariance of the long-range Ising model at the critical point. The continuum description is given in terms of a nonlocal field theory, and the absence of a stress tensor invalidates all of the standard arguments for the enhancement of scale invariance to conformal invariance. We however show that several correlation functions, computed to second order in the epsilon expansion, are nontrivially consistent with conformal invariance. We proceed to give a proof of conformal invariance to all orders in the epsilon expansion, based on the description of the long-range Ising model as a defect theory in an auxiliary higher-dimensional space. A detailed review of conformal invariance in the d-dimensional short-range Ising model is also included and may be of independent interest.

Conformal Cosmology and Supernova Data

OpenAIRE

Behnke, Danilo; Blaschke, David; Pervushin, Victor; Proskurin, Denis

2000-01-01

We define the cosmological parameters $H_{c,0}$, $\\Omega_{m,c}$ and $\\Omega_{\\Lambda, c}$ within the Conformal Cosmology as obtained by the homogeneous approximation to the conformal-invariant generalization of Einstein's General Relativity theory. We present the definitions of the age of the universe and of the luminosity distance in the context of this approach. A possible explanation of the recent data from distant supernovae Ia without a cosmological constant is presented.

Conformal Symmetry as a Template for QCD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brodsky, S

2004-08-04

Conformal symmetry is broken in physical QCD; nevertheless, one can use conformal symmetry as a template, systematically correcting for its nonzero {beta} function as well as higher-twist effects. For example, commensurate scale relations which relate QCD observables to each other, such as the generalized Crewther relation, have no renormalization scale or scheme ambiguity and retain a convergent perturbative structure which reflects the underlying conformal symmetry of the classical theory. The ''conformal correspondence principle'' also dictates the form of the expansion basis for hadronic distribution amplitudes. The AdS/CFT correspondence connecting superstring theory to superconformal gauge theory has important implications for hadron phenomenology in the conformal limit, including an all-orders demonstration of counting rules for hard exclusive processes as well as determining essential aspects of hadronic light-front wavefunctions. Theoretical and phenomenological evidence is now accumulating that QCD couplings based on physical observables such as {tau} decay become constant at small virtuality; i.e., effective charges develop an infrared fixed point in contradiction to the usual assumption of singular growth in the infrared. The near-constant behavior of effective couplings also suggests that QCD can be approximated as a conformal theory even at relatively small momentum transfer. The importance of using an analytic effective charge such as the pinch scheme for unifying the electroweak and strong couplings and forces is also emphasized.

Conformal Symmetry as a Template for QCD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brodsky, S

2004-01-01

Conformal symmetry is broken in physical QCD; nevertheless, one can use conformal symmetry as a template, systematically correcting for its nonzero β function as well as higher-twist effects. For example, commensurate scale relations which relate QCD observables to each other, such as the generalized Crewther relation, have no renormalization scale or scheme ambiguity and retain a convergent perturbative structure which reflects the underlying conformal symmetry of the classical theory. The ''conformal correspondence principle'' also dictates the form of the expansion basis for hadronic distribution amplitudes. The AdS/CFT correspondence connecting superstring theory to superconformal gauge theory has important implications for hadron phenomenology in the conformal limit, including an all-orders demonstration of counting rules for hard exclusive processes as well as determining essential aspects of hadronic light-front wavefunctions. Theoretical and phenomenological evidence is now accumulating that QCD couplings based on physical observables such as τ decay become constant at small virtuality; i.e., effective charges develop an infrared fixed point in contradiction to the usual assumption of singular growth in the infrared. The near-constant behavior of effective couplings also suggests that QCD can be approximated as a conformal theory even at relatively small momentum transfer. The importance of using an analytic effective charge such as the pinch scheme for unifying the electroweak and strong couplings and forces is also emphasized

Conformational Analysis of Misfolded Protein Aggregation by FRET and Live-Cell Imaging Techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Akira Kitamura

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Cellular homeostasis is maintained by several types of protein machinery, including molecular chaperones and proteolysis systems. Dysregulation of the proteome disrupts homeostasis in cells, tissues, and the organism as a whole, and has been hypothesized to cause neurodegenerative disorders, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS and Huntington’s disease (HD. A hallmark of neurodegenerative disorders is formation of ubiquitin-positive inclusion bodies in neurons, suggesting that the aggregation process of misfolded proteins changes during disease progression. Hence, high-throughput determination of soluble oligomers during the aggregation process, as well as the conformation of sequestered proteins in inclusion bodies, is essential for elucidation of physiological regulation mechanism and drug discovery in this field. To elucidate the interaction, accumulation, and conformation of aggregation-prone proteins, in situ spectroscopic imaging techniques, such as Förster/fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS, and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC have been employed. Here, we summarize recent reports in which these techniques were applied to the analysis of aggregation-prone proteins (in particular their dimerization, interactions, and conformational changes, and describe several fluorescent indicators used for real-time observation of physiological states related to proteostasis.

Conformable liquid metal printed epidermal electronics for smart physiological monitoring and simulation treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xuelin; Zhang, Yuxin; Guo, Rui; Wang, Hongzhang; Yuan, Bo; Liu, Jing

2018-03-01

Conformable epidermal printed electronics enabled from gallium-based liquid metals (LMs), highly conductive and low-melting-point alloys, are proposed as the core to achieving immediate contact between skin surface and electrodes, which can avoid the skin deformation often caused by conventional rigid electrodes. When measuring signals, LMs can eliminate resonance problems with shorter time to reach steady state than Pt and gelled Pt electrodes. By comparing the contact resistance under different working conditions, it is demonstrated that both ex vivo and in vivo LM electrode-skin models have the virtues of direct and immediate contact with skin surface without the deformation encountered with conventional rigid electrodes. In addition, electrocardio electrodes composed of conformable LM printed epidermal electronics are adopted as smart devices to monitor electrocardiogram signals of rabbits. Furthermore, simulation treatment for smart defibrillation offers a feasible way to demonstrate the effect of liquid metal electrodes (LMEs) on the human body with less energy loss. The remarkable features of soft epidermal LMEs such as high conformability, good conductivity, better signal stability, and fine biocompatibility represent a critical step towards accurate medical monitoring and future smart treatments.

Conformational locking by design: relating strain energy with luminescence and stability in rigid metal-organic frameworks.

Science.gov (United States)

Shustova, Natalia B; Cozzolino, Anthony F; Dincă, Mircea

2012-12-05

Minimization of the torsional barrier for phenyl ring flipping in a metal-organic framework (MOF) based on the new ethynyl-extended octacarboxylate ligand H(8)TDPEPE leads to a fluorescent material with a near-dark state. Immobilization of the ligand in the rigid structure also unexpectedly causes significant strain. We used DFT calculations to estimate the ligand strain energies in our and all other topologically related materials and correlated these with empirical structural descriptors to derive general rules for trapping molecules in high-energy conformations within MOFs. These studies portend possible applications of MOFs for studying fundamental concepts related to conformational locking and its effects on molecular reactivity and chromophore photophysics.

Bifenthrin causes trophic cascades and alters insect emergence in mesocosms: implication for small streams

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Holly; Schmidt, Travis S.; Dabney, Brittanie L.; Hladik, Michelle; Mahler, Barbara J.; Van Metre, Peter C.

2016-01-01

Direct and indirect ecological effects of the widely used insecticide bifenthrin on stream ecosystems are largely unknown. To investigate such effects, a manipulative experiment was conducted in stream mesocosms that were colonized by aquatic insect communities and exposed to bifenthrin-contaminated sediment; implications for natural streams were interpreted through comparison of mesocosm results to a survey of 100 Midwestern streams, USA. In the mesocosm experiment, direct effects of bifenthrin exposure included reduced larval macroinvertebrate abundance, richness, and biomass at concentrations (EC50s ranged 197.6 – 233.5 ng bifenthrin/ g organic carbon) previously thought safe for aquatic life. Indirect effects included a trophic cascade in which periphyton abundance increased after macroinvertebrate scrapers decreased. Adult emergence dynamics and corresponding terrestrial subsidies were altered at all bifenthrin concentrations tested. Extrapolating these results to the Midwestern stream assessment suggests pervasive ecological effects, with altered emergence dynamics likely in 40% of streams and a trophic cascade in 7% of streams. This study provides new evidence that a common pyrethroid might alter aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem function at the regional scale.

Z/NZ conformal field theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Degiovanni, P.

1990-01-01

We compute the modular properties of the possible genus-one characters of some Rational Conformal Field Theories starting from their fusion rules. We show that the possible choices of S matrices are indexed by some automorphisms of the fusion algebra. We also classify the modular invariant partition functions of these theories. This gives the complete list of modular invariant partition functions of Rational Conformal Field Theories with respect to the A N (1) level one algebra. (orig.)

Using Chemicals to Optimize Conformance Control in Fractured Reservoirs; TOPICAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seright, Randall S.; Liang, Jenn-Tai; Schrader, Richard; Hagstrom II, John; Wang, Ying; Kumar, Ananad; Wavrik, Kathryn

2001-01-01

This report describes work performed during the third and final year of the project, Using Chemicals to Optimize Conformance Control in Fractured Reservoirs. This research project had three objectives. The first objective was to develop a capability to predict and optimize the ability of gels to reduce permeability to water more than that to oil or gas. The second objective was to develop procedures for optimizing blocking agent placement in wells where hydraulic fractures cause channeling problems. The third objective was to develop procedures to optimize blocking agent placement in naturally fractured reservoirs

CLCNKB mutations causing mild Bartter syndrome profoundly alter the pH and Ca2+ dependence of ClC-Kb channels.

Science.gov (United States)

Andrini, Olga; Keck, Mathilde; L'Hoste, Sébastien; Briones, Rodolfo; Mansour-Hendili, Lamisse; Grand, Teddy; Sepúlveda, Francisco V; Blanchard, Anne; Lourdel, Stéphane; Vargas-Poussou, Rosa; Teulon, Jacques

2014-09-01

ClC-Kb, a member of the ClC family of Cl(-) channels/transporters, plays a major role in the absorption of NaCl in the distal nephron. CLCNKB mutations cause Bartter syndrome type 3, a hereditary renal salt-wasting tubulopathy. Here, we investigate the functional consequences of a Val to Met substitution at position 170 (V170M, α helix F), which was detected in eight patients displaying a mild phenotype. Conductance and surface expression were reduced by ~40-50 %. The regulation of channel activity by external H(+) and Ca(2+) is a characteristic property of ClC-Kb. Inhibition by external H(+) was dramatically altered, with pKH shifting from 7.6 to 6.0. Stimulation by external Ca(2+) on the other hand was no longer detectable at pH 7.4, but was still present at acidic pH values. Functionally, these regulatory modifications partly counterbalance the reduced surface expression by rendering V170M hyperactive. Pathogenic Met170 seems to interact with another methionine on α helix H (Met227) since diverse mutations at this site partly removed pH sensitivity alterations of V170M ClC-Kb. Exploring other disease-associated mutations, we found that a Pro to Leu substitution at position 124 (α helix D, Simon et al., Nat Genet 1997, 17:171-178) had functional consequences similar to those of V170M. In conclusion, we report here for the first time that ClC-Kb disease-causing mutations located around the selectivity filter can result in both reduced surface expression and hyperactivity in heterologous expression systems. This interplay must be considered when analyzing the mild phenotype of patients with type 3 Bartter syndrome.

Investigation of light-induced conformation changes in spiropyran-modified succinylated poly(L-lysine).

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, T M; Stone, M O; Natarajan, L V; Crane, R L

1995-08-01

To determine the maximum range of coupling between side-chain photochromism and polypeptide conformation change, we modified the carboxylate side chains of succinylated poly(L-lysine) with a spiropyran to form polypeptide I. The extent of modification was determined to be 35.5%. The spacer group length between the polypeptide alpha-carbon and the dye was 12 atoms, providing minimum polypeptide-dye interaction. Conformation changes were monitored by circular dichroism as a function of light adaptation and solvent composition (hexafluoroisopropanol [HFIP] vs trifluoroethanol [TFE]). Under all solvent compositions, the dark-adapted dye was in the merocyanine form. Light adaptation by visible light converted the dye to the spiropyran form. When dissolved in TFE, I adopted a helical conformation insensitive to light adaptation. With increasing percentage HFIP, a solvent-induced helix-to-coil transition was observed around 80% (vol/vol) HFIP. At 100% HFIP, both light- and dark-adapted forms of I were in the coil state. Near the midpoint of the solvent-induced helix-to-coil transition, light adaptation caused conformation changes. Applying helix-to-coil transition theory, we measured a statistically significant difference in coil segment-HFIP binding constant for light- vs dark-adapted solutions (6.38 +/- 0.03 M-1 vs 6.56 +/- 0.03 M-1), but not for the nucleation parameter sigma (1.2 +/- 0.4 10(-3) vs 1.3 +/- 0.3 x 10(-3). The small binding constant difference translated to a light-induced binding energy difference of 17 cal/mol/monomer. Near the midpoint of the helix-to-coil transition, collective interactions between monomer units made possible the translation of a small energy difference (less than RT) into large macromolecular conformation changes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Structural alphabets derived from attractors in conformational space

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kleinjung Jens

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The hierarchical and partially redundant nature of protein structures justifies the definition of frequently occurring conformations of short fragments as 'states'. Collections of selected representatives for these states define Structural Alphabets, describing the most typical local conformations within protein structures. These alphabets form a bridge between the string-oriented methods of sequence analysis and the coordinate-oriented methods of protein structure analysis. Results A Structural Alphabet has been derived by clustering all four-residue fragments of a high-resolution subset of the protein data bank and extracting the high-density states as representative conformational states. Each fragment is uniquely defined by a set of three independent angles corresponding to its degrees of freedom, capturing in simple and intuitive terms the properties of the conformational space. The fragments of the Structural Alphabet are equivalent to the conformational attractors and therefore yield a most informative encoding of proteins. Proteins can be reconstructed within the experimental uncertainty in structure determination and ensembles of structures can be encoded with accuracy and robustness. Conclusions The density-based Structural Alphabet provides a novel tool to describe local conformations and it is specifically suitable for application in studies of protein dynamics.

Conformational analysis of oligosaccharides and polysaccharides using molecular dynamics simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Martin

2015-01-01

Complex carbohydrates usually have a large number of rotatable bonds and consequently a large number of theoretically possible conformations can be generated (combinatorial explosion). The application of systematic search methods for conformational analysis of carbohydrates is therefore limited to disaccharides and trisaccharides in a routine analysis. An alternative approach is to use Monte-Carlo methods or (high-temperature) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to explore the conformational space of complex carbohydrates. This chapter describes how to use MD simulation data to perform a conformational analysis (conformational maps, hydrogen bonds) of oligosaccharides and how to build realistic 3D structures of large polysaccharides using Conformational Analysis Tools (CAT).

Towards an Approximate Conformance Relation for Hybrid I/O Automata

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morteza Mohaqeqi

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Several notions of conformance have been proposed for checking the behavior of cyber-physical systems against their hybrid systems models. In this paper, we explore the initial idea of a notion of approximate conformance that allows for comparison of both observable discrete actions and (sampled continuous trajectories. As such, this notion will consolidate two earlier notions, namely the notion of Hybrid Input-Output Conformance (HIOCO by M. van Osch and the notion of Hybrid Conformance by H. Abbas and G.E. Fainekos. We prove that our proposed notion of conformance satisfies a semi-transitivity property, which makes it suitable for a step-wise proof of conformance or refinement.

Multiresolution Computation of Conformal Structures of Surfaces

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xianfeng Gu

2003-10-01

Full Text Available An efficient multiresolution method to compute global conformal structures of nonzero genus triangle meshes is introduced. The homology, cohomology groups of meshes are computed explicitly, then a basis of harmonic one forms and a basis of holomorphic one forms are constructed. A progressive mesh is generated to represent the original surface at different resolutions. The conformal structure is computed for the coarse level first, then used as the estimation for that of the finer level, by using conjugate gradient method it can be refined to the conformal structure of the finer level.

Synapsis-defective mutants reveal a correlation between chromosome conformation and the mode of double-strand break repair during Caenorhabditis elegans meiosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Smolikov, Sarit; Eizinger, Andreas; Hurlburt, Allison; Rogers, Eric; Villeneuve, Anne M; Colaiácovo, Mónica P

2007-08-01

SYP-3 is a new structural component of the synaptonemal complex (SC) required for the regulation of chromosome synapsis. Both chromosome morphogenesis and nuclear organization are altered throughout the germlines of syp-3 mutants. Here, our analysis of syp-3 mutants provides insights into the relationship between chromosome conformation and the repair of meiotic double-strand breaks (DSBs). Although crossover recombination is severely reduced in syp-3 mutants, the production of viable offspring accompanied by the disappearance of RAD-51 foci suggests that DSBs are being repaired in these synapsis-defective mutants. Our studies indicate that once interhomolog recombination is impaired, both intersister recombination and nonhomologous end-joining pathways may contribute to repair during germline meiosis. Moreover, our studies suggest that the conformation of chromosomes may influence the mode of DSB repair employed during meiosis.

Determinants of conformal wave operators in four dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blau, S.K.; Visser, M.; Wipf, A.

1988-01-01

We consider conformally coupled wave operators in four dimensions. Such operators are associated with conformally coupled massless scalars, massless spin 1/2 particles, and abelian gauge bosons. We explicitly calculate the change in the determinant of these wave operators as a function of conformal deformations of the background metric. This variation is given in terms of a geometrical object, the second Seeley-de Witt coefficient. (orig.)

Conformal dimension theory and application

CERN Document Server

Mackay, John M

2010-01-01

Conformal dimension measures the extent to which the Hausdorff dimension of a metric space can be lowered by quasisymmetric deformations. Introduced by Pansu in 1989, this concept has proved extremely fruitful in a diverse range of areas, including geometric function theory, conformal dynamics, and geometric group theory. This survey leads the reader from the definitions and basic theory through to active research applications in geometric function theory, Gromov hyperbolic geometry, and the dynamics of rational maps, amongst other areas. It reviews the theory of dimension in metric spaces and of deformations of metric spaces. It summarizes the basic tools for estimating conformal dimension and illustrates their application to concrete problems of independent interest. Numerous examples and proofs are provided. Working from basic definitions through to current research areas, this book can be used as a guide for graduate students interested in this field, or as a helpful survey for experts. Background needed ...

Conformal geometry and quasiregular mappings

CERN Document Server

Vuorinen, Matti

1988-01-01

This book is an introduction to the theory of spatial quasiregular mappings intended for the uninitiated reader. At the same time the book also addresses specialists in classical analysis and, in particular, geometric function theory. The text leads the reader to the frontier of current research and covers some most recent developments in the subject, previously scatterd through the literature. A major role in this monograph is played by certain conformal invariants which are solutions of extremal problems related to extremal lengths of curve families. These invariants are then applied to prove sharp distortion theorems for quasiregular mappings. One of these extremal problems of conformal geometry generalizes a classical two-dimensional problem of O. Teichmüller. The novel feature of the exposition is the way in which conformal invariants are applied and the sharp results obtained should be of considerable interest even in the two-dimensional particular case. This book combines the features of a textbook an...

Renyi entropy and conformal defects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bianchi, Lorenzo [Humboldt-Univ. Berlin (Germany). Inst. fuer Physik; Hamburg Univ. (Germany). II. Inst. fuer Theoretische Physik; Meineri, Marco [Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa (Italy); Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo, ON (Canada); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Pisa (Italy); Myers, Robert C. [Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Waterloo, ON (Canada); Smolkin, Michael [California Univ., Berkely, CA (United States). Center for Theoretical Physics and Department of Physics

2016-04-18

We propose a field theoretic framework for calculating the dependence of Renyi entropies on the shape of the entangling surface in a conformal field theory. Our approach rests on regarding the corresponding twist operator as a conformal defect and in particular, we define the displacement operator which implements small local deformations of the entangling surface. We identify a simple constraint between the coefficient defining the two-point function of the displacement operator and the conformal weight of the twist operator, which consolidates a number of distinct conjectures on the shape dependence of the Renyi entropy. As an example, using this approach, we examine a conjecture regarding the universal coefficient associated with a conical singularity in the entangling surface for CFTs in any number of spacetime dimensions. We also provide a general formula for the second order variation of the Renyi entropy arising from small deformations of a spherical entangling surface, extending Mezei's results for the entanglement entropy.

Renyi entropy and conformal defects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianchi, Lorenzo; Myers, Robert C.; Smolkin, Michael

2016-01-01

We propose a field theoretic framework for calculating the dependence of Renyi entropies on the shape of the entangling surface in a conformal field theory. Our approach rests on regarding the corresponding twist operator as a conformal defect and in particular, we define the displacement operator which implements small local deformations of the entangling surface. We identify a simple constraint between the coefficient defining the two-point function of the displacement operator and the conformal weight of the twist operator, which consolidates a number of distinct conjectures on the shape dependence of the Renyi entropy. As an example, using this approach, we examine a conjecture regarding the universal coefficient associated with a conical singularity in the entangling surface for CFTs in any number of spacetime dimensions. We also provide a general formula for the second order variation of the Renyi entropy arising from small deformations of a spherical entangling surface, extending Mezei's results for the entanglement entropy.

Evidence for weak or linear conformity but not for hyper-conformity in an everyday social learning context.

Science.gov (United States)

Claidière, Nicolas; Bowler, Mark; Whiten, Andrew

2012-01-01

Conformity is thought to be an important force in cultural evolution because it has the potential to stabilize cooperation in large groups, potentiate group selection and thus explain uniquely human behaviors. However, the effects of such conformity on cultural and biological evolution will depend much on the way individuals are influenced by the frequency of alternative behavioral options witnessed. Theoretical modeling has suggested that only what we refer to as 'hyper-conformity', an exaggerated tendency to perform the most frequent behavior witnessed in other individuals, is able to increase within-group homogeneity and between-group diversity, for instance. Empirically however, few experiments have addressed how the frequency of behavior witnessed affects behavior. Accordingly we performed an experiment to test for the presence of conformity in a natural situation with humans. Visitors to a Zoo exhibit were invited to write or draw answers to questions on A5 cards and potentially win a small prize. We manipulated the proportion of existing writings versus drawings visible to visitors and measured the proportion of written cards submitted. We found a strong and significant effect of the proportion of text displayed on the proportion of text in the answers, thus demonstrating social learning. We show that this effect is approximately linear, with potentially a small, weak-conformist component but no hyper-conformist one. The present experiment therefore provides evidence for linear conformity in humans in a very natural context.

Fusion rules in conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fuchs, J.

1993-06-01

Several aspects of fusion rings and fusion rule algebras, and of their manifestations in two-dimensional (conformal) field theory, are described: diagonalization and the connection with modular invariance; the presentation in terms of quotients of polynomial rings; fusion graphs; various strategies that allow for a partial classification; and the role of the fusion rules in the conformal bootstrap programme. (orig.)

Investigating ion channel conformational changes using voltage clamp fluorometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Talwar, Sahil; Lynch, Joseph W

2015-11-01

Ion channels are membrane proteins whose functions are governed by conformational changes. The widespread distribution of ion channels, coupled with their involvement in most physiological and pathological processes and their importance as therapeutic targets, renders the elucidation of these conformational mechanisms highly compelling from a drug discovery perspective. Thanks to recent advances in structural biology techniques, we now have high-resolution static molecular structures for members of the major ion channel families. However, major questions remain to be resolved about the conformational states that ion channels adopt during activation, drug modulation and desensitization. Patch-clamp electrophysiology has long been used to define ion channel conformational states based on functional criteria. It achieves this by monitoring conformational changes at the channel gate and cannot detect conformational changes occurring in regions distant from the gate. Voltage clamp fluorometry involves labelling cysteines introduced into domains of interest with environmentally sensitive fluorophores and inferring structural rearrangements from voltage or ligand-induced fluorescence changes. Ion channel currents are monitored simultaneously to verify the conformational status. By defining real time conformational changes in domains distant from the gate, this technique provides unexpected new insights into ion channel structure and function. This review aims to summarise the methodology and highlight recent innovative applications of this powerful technique. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Fluorescent Tools in Neuropharmacology'. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Double-trace deformations of conformal correlations

Science.gov (United States)

Giombi, Simone; Kirilin, Vladimir; Perlmutter, Eric

2018-02-01

Large N conformal field theories often admit unitary renormalization group flows triggered by double-trace deformations. We compute the change in scalar four-point functions under double-trace flow, to leading order in 1/ N. This has a simple dual in AdS, where the flow is implemented by a change of boundary conditions, and provides a physical interpretation of single-valued conformal partial waves. We extract the change in the conformal dimensions and three-point coefficients of infinite families of double-trace composite operators. Some of these quantities are found to be sign-definite under double-trace flow. As an application, we derive anomalous dimensions of spinning double-trace operators comprised of non-singlet constituents in the O( N) vector model.

The conformally invariant Laplace-Beltrami operator and factor ordering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, Michael P.; Turbiner, Alexander V.

2004-01-01

In quantum mechanics the kinetic energy term for a single particle is usually written in the form of the Laplace-Beltrami operator. This operator is a factor ordering of the classical kinetic energy. We investigate other relatively simple factor orderings and show that the only other solution for a conformally flat metric is the conformally invariant Laplace-Beltrami operator. For non-conformally-flat metrics this type of factor ordering fails, by just one term, to give the conformally invariant Laplace-Beltrami operator

ALS-causing profilin-1-mutant forms a non-native helical structure in membrane environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, Liangzhong; Kang, Jian; Song, Jianxing

2017-11-01

Despite having physiological functions completely different from superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), profilin 1 (PFN1) also carries mutations causing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with a striking similarity to that triggered by SOD1 mutants. Very recently, the C71G-PFN1 has been demonstrated to cause ALS by a gain of toxicity and the acceleration of motor neuron degeneration preceded the accumulation of its aggregates. Here by atomic-resolution NMR determination of conformations and dynamics of WT-PFN1 and C71G-PFN1 in aqueous buffers and in membrane mimetics DMPC/DHPC bicelle and DPC micelle, we deciphered that: 1) the thermodynamic destabilization by C71G transforms PFN1 into coexistence with the unfolded state, which is lacking of any stable tertiary/secondary structures as well as restricted ps-ns backbone motions, thus fundamentally indistinguishable from ALS-causing SOD1 mutants. 2) Most strikingly, while WT-PFN1 only weakly interacts with DMPC/DHPC bicelle without altering the native structure, C71G-PFN1 acquires abnormal capacity in strongly interacting with DMPC/DHPC bicelle and DPC micelle, energetically driven by transforming the highly disordered unfolded state into a non-native helical structure, similar to what has been previously observed on ALS-causing SOD1 mutants. Our results imply that one potential mechanism for C71G-PFN1 to initiate ALS might be the abnormal interaction with membranes as recently established for SOD1 mutants. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solid-to-hybrid transitioning armature railgun with non-conforming-to-prejudice bore profile

Science.gov (United States)

Solberg, Jerome Michael

2012-12-04

An improved railgun, railgun barrel, railgun projectile, and railgun system for accelerating a solid-to-hybrid transitioning armature projectile using a barrel having a bore that does not conform to a cross-sectional profile of the projectile, to contact and guide the projectile only by the rails in a low pressure bore volume so as to minimize damage, failure, and/or underperformance caused by plasma armatures, insulator ablation, and/or restrikes.

Reassessing the role of book-tax conformity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Goncharov, I.; Werner, J.R.

2009-01-01

Book-tax conformity refers to the legal link between financial and tax accounts, and is an institutional feature of many continental European countries and countries like Japan that follow continental European traditions. Many studies argue that book-tax conformity impedes earnings informativeness.

SUSY Unparticle and Conformal Sequestering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakayama, Yu; Nakayama, Yu

2007-07-17

We investigate unparticle physics with supersymmetry (SUSY). The SUSY breaking effects due to the gravity mediation induce soft masses for the SUSY unparticles and hence break the conformal invariance. The unparticle physics observable in near future experiments is only consistent if the SUSY breakingeffects from the hidden sector to the standard model sector are dominated by the gauge mediation, or if the SUSY breaking effects to the unparticle sector are sufficiently sequestered. We argue that the natural realization of the latter possibility is the conformal sequestering scenario.

Open conformal systems and perturbations of transfer operators

CERN Document Server

Pollicott, Mark

2017-01-01

The focus of this book is on open conformal dynamical systems corresponding to the escape of a point through an open Euclidean ball. The ultimate goal is to understand the asymptotic behavior of the escape rate as the radius of the ball tends to zero. In the case of hyperbolic conformal systems this has been addressed by various authors. The conformal maps considered in this book are far more general, and the analysis correspondingly more involved. The asymptotic existence of escape rates is proved and they are calculated in the context of (finite or infinite) countable alphabets, uniformly contracting conformal graph-directed Markov systems, and in particular, conformal countable alphabet iterated function systems. These results have direct applications to interval maps, meromorphic maps and rational functions. Towards this goal the authors develop, on a purely symbolic level, a theory of singular perturbations of Perron--Frobenius (transfer) operators associated with countable alphabet subshifts of finite t...

Confab - Systematic generation of diverse low-energy conformers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O'Boyle Noel M

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many computational chemistry analyses require the generation of conformers, either on-the-fly, or in advance. We present Confab, an open source command-line application for the systematic generation of low-energy conformers according to a diversity criterion. Results Confab generates conformations using the 'torsion driving approach' which involves iterating systematically through a set of allowed torsion angles for each rotatable bond. Energy is assessed using the MMFF94 forcefield. Diversity is measured using the heavy-atom root-mean-square deviation (RMSD relative to conformers already stored. We investigated the recovery of crystal structures for a dataset of 1000 ligands from the Protein Data Bank with fewer than 1 million conformations. Confab can recover 97% of the molecules to within 1.5 Å at a diversity level of 1.5 Å and an energy cutoff of 50 kcal/mol. Conclusions Confab is available from http://confab.googlecode.com.

THz time domain spectroscopy of biomolecular conformational modes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markelz, Andrea; Whitmire, Scott; Hillebrecht, Jay; Birge, Robert

2002-01-01

We discuss the use of terahertz time domain spectroscopy for studies of conformational flexibility and conformational change in biomolecules. Protein structural dynamics are vital to biological function with protein flexibility affecting enzymatic reaction rates and sensory transduction cycling times. Conformational mode dynamics occur on the picosecond timescale and with the collective vibrational modes associated with these large scale structural motions in the 1-100 cm -1 range. We have performed THz time domain spectroscopy (TTDS) of several biomolecular systems to explore the sensitivity of TTDS to distinguish different molecular species, different mutations within a single species and different conformations of a given biomolecule. We compare the measured absorbances to normal mode calculations and find that the TTDS absorbance reflects the density of normal modes determined by molecular mechanics calculations, and is sensitive to both conformation and mutation. These early studies demonstrate some of the advantages and limitations of using TTDS for the study of biomolecules

From conformal Haag-Kastler nets to Wightman functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joerss, M.

1996-08-01

Starting from a chiral conformal Haag-Kastler net on 2 dimensional Minkowski space we present a canonical construction that leads to a complete set of conformally covariant N-point-functions fulfilling the Wightman axioms. Our method consists of an explicit use of the representation theory of the universal covering group of SL(2,R) combined with a generalization of the conformal cluster theorem to N-point-functions. (orig.)

Theoretical investigation of the conformational space of baicalin.

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez Medina, Juan J; Ferrer, Evelina G; Williams, Patricia A M; Okulik, Nora B

2017-09-01

Flavonoids are a large group of polyphenolic compounds ubiquitously present in plants. They are important components of human diet. They are recognized as potential drug candidates to be used in the treatment and prevention of a lot of pathological disorders, due to their protective effects. Baicalin (7-glucuronic acid 5, 6-dihydroxyflavone) is one of the main single active constituents isolated from the dried roots of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi. The great interest on this flavonoid is due to its various pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and so on, and its high accumulation in the roots of S. baicalensis. The aim of our work was to analyze the geometric and electronic properties of baicalin conformers (BCL), thus performing a complete search on the conformational space of this flavonoid in gas phase and in aqueous solution. The results indicate that the conformational space of baicalin is formed by eight conformers in gas phase and five conformers in aqueous solution optimized at B3LYP/6-311++G** theory level. BCLa2 TT and BCLa1 TT conformers have low stability in gas phase and very high stability in aqueous solution. This variation is related to a modification in the τ 1 angle that represents the relative position of the glucuronide unit respect to the central rings of the flavan nucleus (A and C). This modification was successfully explained by examining the changes in the hydrogen bond (HB) interactions that occur in the region around the hydroxyl group located in position 6 of ring A. Besides, the molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) and frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analyses indicate that BCLa2 TT and BCLa1 TT conformers are the most favorable conformers for interacting with positively charged species (such as metal ions) in aqueous media (such as biological fluids). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hidden conformal symmetry of extremal black holes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Bin; Long Jiang; Zhang Jiaju

2010-01-01

We study the hidden conformal symmetry of extremal black holes. We introduce a new set of conformal coordinates to write the SL(2,R) generators. We find that the Laplacian of the scalar field in many extremal black holes, including Kerr(-Newman), Reissner-Nordstrom, warped AdS 3 , and null warped black holes, could be written in terms of the SL(2,R) quadratic Casimir. This suggests that there exist dual conformal field theory (CFT) descriptions of these black holes. From the conformal coordinates, the temperatures of the dual CFTs could be read directly. For the extremal black hole, the Hawking temperature is vanishing. Correspondingly, only the left (right) temperature of the dual CFT is nonvanishing, and the excitations of the other sector are suppressed. In the probe limit, we compute the scattering amplitudes of the scalar off the extremal black holes and find perfect agreement with the CFT prediction.

Surface Design Based on Discrete Conformal Transformations

Science.gov (United States)

Duque, Carlos; Santangelo, Christian; Vouga, Etienne

Conformal transformations are angle-preserving maps from one domain to another. Although angles are preserved, the lengths between arbitrary points are not generally conserved. As a consequence there is always a given amount of distortion associated to any conformal map. Different uses of such transformations can be found in various fields, but have been used by us to program non-uniformly swellable gel sheets to buckle into prescribed three dimensional shapes. In this work we apply circle packings as a kind of discrete conformal map in order to find conformal maps from the sphere to the plane that can be used as nearly uniform swelling patterns to program non-Euclidean sheets to buckle into spheres. We explore the possibility of tuning the area distortion to fit the experimental range of minimum and maximum swelling by modifying the boundary of the planar domain through the introduction of different cutting schemes.

Social conformity despite individual preferences for distinctiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Smaldino, Paul E; Epstein, Joshua M

2015-03-01

We demonstrate that individual behaviours directed at the attainment of distinctiveness can in fact produce complete social conformity. We thus offer an unexpected generative mechanism for this central social phenomenon. Specifically, we establish that agents who have fixed needs to be distinct and adapt their positions to achieve distinctiveness goals, can nevertheless self-organize to a limiting state of absolute conformity. This seemingly paradoxical result is deduced formally from a small number of natural assumptions and is then explored at length computationally. Interesting departures from this conformity equilibrium are also possible, including divergence in positions. The effect of extremist minorities on these dynamics is discussed. A simple extension is then introduced, which allows the model to generate and maintain social diversity, including multimodal distinctiveness distributions. The paper contributes formal definitions, analytical deductions and counterintuitive findings to the literature on individual distinctiveness and social conformity.

Conformal intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) delivered by robotic linac-conformality versus efficiency of dose delivery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Webb, Steve

2000-01-01

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) may be delivered with a high-energy-photon linac mounted on a robotic gantry and executing a complex trajectory. In a previous paper an inverse-planning technique was developed for such an application. Here the work is extended to demonstrate the dependence of conformality on the size of the elemental pencil beam, on the complexity of the trajectory and on the sampling of azimuth and elevation of the collimated source. The improved conformality of complex trajectories is demonstrated and benchmarked relative to simpler trajectories, more representative of existing non-robotic IMRT techniques. Specifically, by choosing a very fine pencil beam, exquisitely conformal dose distributions have been obtained. Important sampling considerations have been determined. Expressions have been derived for the dosimetry and monitor-unit efficiency of robotic IMRT. Equivalent trajectories were computed for executing the complex robotic trajectories instead by using a conventional linac. The work benchmarks an ideal in IMRT against which more practical and more common techniques may be measured. (author)

Conformity of LINAC-Based Stereotactic Radiosurgery Using Dynamic Conformal Arcs and Micro-Multileaf Collimator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazard, Lisa J.; Wang, Brian; Skidmore, Thomas B.; Chern, Shyh-Shi; Salter, Bill J.; Jensen, Randy L.; Shrieve, Dennis C.

2009-01-01

Purpose: To assess the conformity of dynamic conformal arc linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery and to describe a standardized method of isodose surface (IDS) selection. Methods and Materials: In 174 targets, the conformity index (CI) at the prescription IDS used for treatment was calculated as CI = (PIV/PVTV)/(PVTV/TV), where TV is the target volume, PIV (prescription isodose volume) is the total volume encompassed by the prescription IDS, and PVTV is the TV encompassed by the IDS. In addition, a 'standardized' prescription IDS (sIDS) was chosen according to the following criteria: 95% of the TV was encompassed by the PIV and 99% of TV was covered by 95% of the prescription dose. The CIs at the sIDS were also calculated. Results: The median CI at the prescription IDS and sIDS was 1.63 and 1.47, respectively (p < 0.001). In 132 of 174 cases, the volume of normal tissue in the PIV was reduced by the prescription to the sIDS compared with the prescription IDS, in 20 cases it remained unchanged, and in 22 cases it was increased. Conclusion: The CIs obtained with linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery are comparable to those previously reported for gamma knife stereotactic radiosurgery. Using a uniform method to select the sIDS, adequate target coverage was usually achievable with prescription to an IDS greater than that chosen by the treating physician (prescription IDS), providing sparing of normal tissue. Thus, the sIDS might aid physicians in identifying a prescription IDS that balances coverage and conformity

Conformal consistency relations for single-field inflation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Creminelli, Paolo; Noreña, Jorge; Simonović, Marko

2012-01-01

We generalize the single-field consistency relations to capture not only the leading term in the squeezed limit — going as 1/q 3 , where q is the small wavevector — but also the subleading one, going as 1/q 2 . This term, for an (n+1)-point function, is fixed in terms of the variation of the n-point function under a special conformal transformation; this parallels the fact that the 1/q 3 term is related with the scale dependence of the n-point function. For the squeezed limit of the 3-point function, this conformal consistency relation implies that there are no terms going as 1/q 2 . We verify that the squeezed limit of the 4-point function is related to the conformal variation of the 3-point function both in the case of canonical slow-roll inflation and in models with reduced speed of sound. In the second case the conformal consistency conditions capture, at the level of observables, the relation among operators induced by the non-linear realization of Lorentz invariance in the Lagrangian. These results mean that, in any single-field model, primordial correlation functions of ζ are endowed with an SO(4,1) symmetry, with dilations and special conformal transformations non-linearly realized by ζ. We also verify the conformal consistency relations for any n-point function in models with a modulation of the inflaton potential, where the scale dependence is not negligible. Finally, we generalize (some of) the consistency relations involving tensors and soft internal momenta

Exploring perturbative conformal field theory in Mellin space

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nizami, Amin A. [International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, TIFR,Hesaraghatta, Hubli, Bengaluru-560089 (India); Rudra, Arnab [Center for Quantum Mathematics and Physics (QMAP), Department of Physics,University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616 (United States); Sarkar, Sourav [Institut für Mathematik und Institut für Physik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, IRIS-Adlershof,Zum Großen Windkanal 6, 12489 Berlin (Germany); Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik, Albert-Einstein-Institut,Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam (Germany); Verma, Mritunjay [International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, TIFR,Hesaraghatta, Hubli, Bengaluru-560089 (India); Harish-Chandra Research Institute,Chhatnag Road, Jhunsi, Allahabad-211019 (India)

2017-01-24

We explore the Mellin representation of correlation functions in conformal field theories in the weak coupling regime. We provide a complete proof for a set of Feynman rules to write the Mellin amplitude for a general tree level Feynman diagram involving only scalar operators. We find a factorised form involving beta functions associated to the propagators, similar to tree level Feynman rules in momentum space for ordinary QFTs. We also briefly consider the case where a generic scalar perturbation of the free CFT breaks conformal invariance. Mellin space still has some utility and one can consider non-conformal Mellin representations. In this context, we find that the beta function corresponding to conformal propagator uplifts to a hypergeometric function.

Conformational Study of Taurine in the Gas Phase

Science.gov (United States)

Cortijo, Vanessa; Sanz, M. Eugenia; López, Juan C.; Alonso, José L.

2009-08-01

The conformational preferences of the amino sulfonic acid taurine (NH2-CH2-CH2-SO3H) have been investigated in the gas phase by laser ablation molecular beam Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy (LA-MB-FTMW) in the 6-14 GHz frequency range. One conformer has been observed, and its rotational, centrifugal distortion, and hyperfine quadrupole coupling constants have been determined from the analysis of its rotational spectrum. Comparison of the experimental constants with those calculated theoretically identifies the detected conformer unambiguously. The observed conformer of taurine is stabilized by an intramolecular hydrogen bond O-H···N between the hydrogen of the sulfonic acid group and the nitrogen atom of the amino group.

Polarization and Segregation through Conformity Pressure and Voluntary Migration: Simulation Analysis of Co-Evolutionary Dynamics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dai Zusai

2017-11-01

Full Text Available While conformity pressures people to assimilate in a community, an individual occasionally migrates among communities when the individual feels discomfort. These two factors cause segregation and cultural diversity within communities in the society. By embedding a migration dynamic into Kuran and Sandholm’s model (2008 of preference evolution, we build an agent-based model to see how the variance of preferences in the entire society quantitatively changes over time. We find from the Monte-Carlo simulations that, while preferences assimilate within a community, self-selected migrations enlarge the diversity of preferences over communities in the society. We further study how the arrival rate of migration opportunities and the degree of conformity pressures affect the variance of preferences.

Protease-sensitive conformers in broad spectrum of distinct PrPSc structures in sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease are indicator of progression rate.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chae Kim

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The origin, range, and structure of prions causing the most common human prion disease, sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD, are largely unknown. To investigate the molecular mechanism responsible for the broad phenotypic variability of sCJD, we analyzed the conformational characteristics of protease-sensitive and protease-resistant fractions of the pathogenic prion protein (PrP(Sc using novel conformational methods derived from a conformation-dependent immunoassay (CDI. In 46 brains of patients homozygous for polymorphisms in the PRNP gene and exhibiting either Type 1 or Type 2 western blot pattern of the PrP(Sc, we identified an extensive array of PrP(Sc structures that differ in protease sensitivity, display of critical domains, and conformational stability. Surprisingly, in sCJD cases homozygous for methionine or valine at codon 129 of the PRNP gene, the concentration and stability of protease-sensitive conformers of PrP(Sc correlated with progression rate of the disease. These data indicate that sCJD brains exhibit a wide spectrum of PrP(Sc structural states, and accordingly argue for a broad spectrum of prion strains coding for different phenotypes. The link between disease duration, levels, and stability of protease-sensitive conformers of PrP(Sc suggests that these conformers play an important role in the pathogenesis of sCJD.

40 CFR 86.407-78 - Certificate of conformity required.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 18 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Certificate of conformity required. 86... Regulations for 1978 and Later New Motorcycles, General Provisions § 86.407-78 Certificate of conformity... conformity issued pursuant to this subpart, except as specified in paragraph (b) of this section, or...

Synthesis of conformationally restricted beta-turn mimics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

IJsselstijn, M.

2006-01-01

This thesis aims at developing methods for introducing conformational restriction in Beta-turns, the turn elements present in Beta-sheets. A conformationally restricted peptide might either be formed via incorporation of a bridging diamino acids in a growing peptide chain, or via covalent bond

Conformal anomaly of super Wilson loop

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Belitsky, A.V., E-mail: andrei.belitsky@asu.edu [Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1504 (United States)

2012-09-11

Classically supersymmetric Wilson loop on a null polygonal contour possesses all symmetries required to match it onto non-MHV amplitudes in maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. However, to define it quantum mechanically, one is forced to regularize it since perturbative loop diagrams are not well defined due to presence of ultraviolet divergences stemming from integration in the vicinity of the cusps. A regularization that is adopted by practitioners by allowing one to use spinor helicity formalism, on the one hand, and systematically go to higher orders of perturbation theory is based on a version of dimensional regularization, known as Four-Dimensional Helicity scheme. Recently it was demonstrated that its use for the super Wilson loop at one loop breaks both conformal symmetry and Poincare supersymmetry. Presently, we exhibit the origin for these effects and demonstrate how one can undo this breaking. The phenomenon is alike the one emerging in renormalization group mixing of conformal operators in conformal theories when one uses dimensional regularization. The rotation matrix to the diagonal basis is found by means of computing the anomaly in the Ward identity for the conformal boost. Presently, we apply this ideology to the super Wilson loop. We compute the one-loop conformal anomaly for the super Wilson loop and find that the anomaly depends on its Grassmann coordinates. By subtracting this anomalous contribution from the super Wilson loop we restore its interpretation as a dual description for reduced non-MHV amplitudes which are expressed in terms of superconformal invariants.

Willmore energy estimates in conformal Berger spheres

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barros, Manuel; Ferrandez, Angel

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The Willmore energy is computed in a wide class of surfaces. → Isoperimetric inequalities for the Willmore energy of Hopf tori are obtained. → The best possible lower bound is achieved on isoareal Hopf tori. - Abstract: We obtain isoperimetric inequalities for the Willmore energy of Hopf tori in a wide class of conformal structures on the three sphere. This class includes, on the one hand, the family of conformal Berger spheres and, on the other hand, a one parameter family of Lorentzian conformal structures. This allows us to give the best possible lower bound of Willmore energies concerning isoareal Hopf tori.

Conformal Gravity: Dark Matter and Dark Energy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert K. Nesbet

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This short review examines recent progress in understanding dark matter, dark energy, and galactic halos using theory that departs minimally from standard particle physics and cosmology. Strict conformal symmetry (local Weyl scaling covariance, postulated for all elementary massless fields, retains standard fermion and gauge boson theory but modifies Einstein–Hilbert general relativity and the Higgs scalar field model, with no new physical fields. Subgalactic phenomenology is retained. Without invoking dark matter, conformal gravity and a conformal Higgs model fit empirical data on galactic rotational velocities, galactic halos, and Hubble expansion including dark energy.

Conformation sensitive charge transport in conjugated polymers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattias Andersson, L.; Hedström, Svante; Persson, Petter

2013-01-01

Temperature dependent charge carrier mobility measurements using field effect transistors and density functional theory calculations are combined to show how the conformation dependent frontier orbital delocalization influences the hole- and electron mobilities in a donor-acceptor based polymer. A conformationally sensitive lowest unoccupied molecular orbital results in an electron mobility that decreases with increasing temperature above room temperature, while a conformationally stable highest occupied molecular orbital is consistent with a conventional hole mobility behavior and also proposed to be one of the reasons for why the material works well as a hole transporter in amorphous bulk heterojunction solar cells

Potential clinical efficacy of intensity-modulated conformal therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meeks, Sanford L.; Buatti, John M.; Bova, Francis J.; Friedman, William A.; Mendenhall, William M.; Zlotecki, Robert A.

1998-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the potential benefit of using intensity-modulated conformal therapy for a variety of lesions currently treated with stereotactic radiosurgery or conventional radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Intensity-modulated conformal treatment plans were generated for small intracranial lesions, as well as head and neck, lung, breast, and prostate cases, using the Peacock Plan[reg] treatment-planning system (Nomos Corporation). For small intracranial lesions, intensity-modulated conformal treatment plans were compared with stereotactic radiosurgery treatment plans generated for patient treatment at the University of Florida Shands Cancer Center. For other sites (head and neck, lung, breast, and prostate), plans generated using the Peacock Plan[reg] were compared with conventional treatment plans, as well as beam's-eye-view conformal treatment plans. Plan comparisons were accomplished through conventional qualitative review of two-dimensional (2D) dose distributions in conjunction with quantitative techniques, such as dose-volume histograms, dosimetric statistics, normal tissue complication probabilities, tumor control probabilities, and objective numerical scoring. Results: For small intracranial lesions, there is little difference between intensity-modulated conformal treatment planning and radiosurgery treatment planning in the conformation of high isodose lines with the target volume. However, stereotactic treatment planning provides a steeper dose gradient outside the target volume and, hence, a lower normal tissue toxicity index. For extracranial sites, objective numerical scores for beam's-eye-view and intensity-modulated conformal planning techniques are superior to scores for conventional treatment plans. The beam's-eye-view planning technique prevents geographic target misses and better excludes healthy tissues from the treatment portal. Compared with scores for the beam's-eye-view planning technique, scores for

Exciplex and excimer molecular probes: detection of conformational flip in a myo-inositol chair.

Science.gov (United States)

Kadirvel, Manikandan; Arsic, Biljana; Freeman, Sally; Bichenkova, Elena V

2008-06-07

2-O-tert-Butyldimethylsilyl-4,6-bis-O-pyrenoyl-myo-inositol-1,3,5-orthoformate (6) and 2-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-4-O-[4-(dimethylamino)benzoyl]-6-O-pyrenoyl-myo-inositol-1,3,5-orthoacetate (10) adopt conformationally restricted unstable chairs with five axial substituents. In the symmetrical diester 6, the two pi-stacked pyrenoyl groups are electron acceptor-donor partners, giving a strong intramolecular excimer emission. In the mixed ester 10, the pyrenoyl group is the electron acceptor and the 4-(dimethylamino)benzoyl ester is the electron donor, giving a strong intramolecular exciplex emission. The conformation of the mixed ester 10 was assessed using 1H NMR spectroscopy (1H-NOESY) and computational studies. which showed the minimum inter-centroid distance between the two aromatic systems to be approximately 3.9 A. Upon addition of acid, the orthoformate/orthoacetate trigger in 6 and 10 was cleaved, which caused a switch of the conformation of the myo-inositol ring to the more stable penta-equatorial chair, leading to separation of the aromatic ester groups and loss of excimer and exciplex fluorescence, respectively. This study provides proof of principle for the development of novel fluorescent molecular probes.

Flat connection, conformal field theory and quantum group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Mitsuhiro.

1989-07-01

General framework of linear first order differential equation for four-point conformal block is studied by using flat connection. Integrability and SL 2 invariance restrict possible form of flat connection. Under a special ansatz classical Yang-Baxter equation appears as an integrability condition and the WZW model turns to be unique conformal field theory in that case. Monodromy property of conformal block can be easily determined by the flat connection. 11 refs

Standing in the Hallway Improves Students' Understanding of Conformity

Science.gov (United States)

Lawson, Timothy J.; Haubner, Richard R.; Bodle, James H.

2013-01-01

To help beginning psychology students understand how they are influenced by social pressures to conform, we developed a demonstration designed to elicit their conformity to a small group of students standing in the hallway before class. Results showed the demonstration increased students' recognition of their own tendency to conform, knowledge of…

Molecular dynamics of conformation-specific dopamine transporter-inhibitor complexes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jean, Bernandie; Surratt, Christopher K; Madura, Jeffry D

2017-09-01

The recreational psychostimulant cocaine inhibits dopamine reuptake from the synapse, resulting in excessive stimulation of postsynaptic dopamine receptors in brain areas associated with reward and addiction. Cocaine binds to and stabilizes the outward- (extracellular-) facing conformation of the dopamine transporter (DAT) protein, while the low abuse potential DAT inhibitor benztropine prefers the inward- (cytoplasmic-) facing conformation. A correlation has been previously postulated between psychostimulant abuse potential and preference for the outward-facing DAT conformation. The 3β-aryltropane cocaine analogs LX10 and LX11, however, differ only in stereochemistry and share a preference for the outward-facing DAT, yet are reported to vary widely in abuse potential in an animal model. In search of the molecular basis for DAT conformation preference, complexes of cocaine, benztropine, LX10 or LX11 bound to each DAT conformation were subjected to 100ns of all-atom molecular dynamics simulation. Results were consistent with previous findings from cysteine accessibility assays used to assess an inhibitor's DAT conformation preference. The respective 2β- and 2α-substituted phenyltropanes of LX10 and LX11 interacted with hydrophobic regions of the DAT S1 binding site that were inaccessible to cocaine. Solvent accessibility measurements also revealed subtle differences in inhibitor positioning within a given DAT conformation. This work serves to advance our understanding of the conformational selectivity of DAT inhibitors and suggests that MD may be useful in antipsychostimulant therapeutic design. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Irreversible brain damage caused by methamphetamine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sebastian Moeller

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Methamphetamine is an addictive scene substance usage of which is increasing rapidly. While methamphetamine often causes neuropsychiatric symptoms like anxiety, psychosis and hallucinations, reports of structural ongoing cerebral alterations are rare. We here report a case of this kind of damage caused through methamphetamine use.

The intercomparison of the dose distributions between conformation techniques with pions and photons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karasawa, K.; Nakagawa, K.; Akanuma, A.

1990-01-01

To compare conformation radiation treatment with pions vs photons, dose volume histograms (DVH) to the critical organs, including the spinal cord, kidney, and intestine, were examined in a patient with retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma. For photon conformation treatment, the following techniques were used: 360 degree rotation conformation technique (photon conformation), 4 fixed field technique (photon 4-field), and 2-axis conformation technique (photon 2-axial conformation). According to the DVH reduction method, complication probability was estimated. The concave portion of the target was conformed by pion conformation treatment, but not by photon conformation treatment. Pion conformation for the intestine showed the best DVH, whereas photon 4-field technique showed the worst DVH. For the kidney, pion conformation showed better DVH as compared with any other photon conformation treatment technique. In the spinal cord, photon 2-axial conformation was far superior, followed by pion conformation and then photon conformation and 4-field technique. A 2-axial technique showed a bigger inhomogeneity inside the target volume which is critical in curative treatment. TD 50 was 72 Gy for pion conformation, 53 Gy for photon conformation, 51 Gy for photon 4-field, and 68 Gy for photon 2-axial conformation. Complication probabilities for these conformation techniques at 60 Gy were 3%, 85%, 97%, and 9%. In view of tumor control probabilities, pion seems to have the biggest therapeutic ratio among these techniques. (N.K.)

Synapsis-Defective Mutants Reveal a Correlation Between Chromosome Conformation and the Mode of Double-Strand Break Repair During Caenorhabditis elegans Meiosis

OpenAIRE

Smolikov, Sarit; Eizinger, Andreas; Hurlburt, Allison; Rogers, Eric; Villeneuve, Anne M.; Colaiácovo, Mónica P.

2007-01-01

SYP-3 is a new structural component of the synaptonemal complex (SC) required for the regulation of chromosome synapsis. Both chromosome morphogenesis and nuclear organization are altered throughout the germlines of syp-3 mutants. Here, our analysis of syp-3 mutants provides insights into the relationship between chromosome conformation and the repair of meiotic double-strand breaks (DSBs). Although crossover recombination is severely reduced in syp-3 mutants, the production of viable offspri...

An introduction to conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gaberdiel, Matthias R.; Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge

2000-01-01

A comprehensive introduction to two-dimensional conformal field theory is given. The structure of the meromorphic subtheory is described in detail, and a number of examples are presented explicitly. Standard constructions such as the coset and the orbifold construction are explained. The concept of a representation of the meromorphic theory is introduced, and the role of Zhu's algebra in classifying highest weight representations is elucidated. The fusion product of two representations and the corresponding fusion rules are defined, and Verlinde's formula is explained. Finally, higher correlation functions are considered, and the polynomial relations of Moore and Seiberg and the quantum group structure of chiral conformal field theory are discussed. The treatment is relatively general and also allows for a description of less well known classes of theories such as logarithmic conformal field theories. (author)

20 CFR 640.4 - Standard for conformity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Standard for conformity. 640.4 Section 640.4 Employees' Benefits EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR STANDARD FOR BENEFIT PAYMENT PROMPTNESS-UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION § 640.4 Standard for conformity. A State law will satisfy the...

Large-scale conformational changes of Trypanosoma cruzi proline racemase predicted by accelerated molecular dynamics simulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

César Augusto F de Oliveira

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Chagas' disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi, is a life-threatening illness affecting 11-18 million people. Currently available treatments are limited, with unacceptable efficacy and safety profiles. Recent studies have revealed an essential T. cruzi proline racemase enzyme (TcPR as an attractive candidate for improved chemotherapeutic intervention. Conformational changes associated with substrate binding to TcPR are believed to expose critical residues that elicit a host mitogenic B-cell response, a process contributing to parasite persistence and immune system evasion. Characterization of the conformational states of TcPR requires access to long-time-scale motions that are currently inaccessible by standard molecular dynamics simulations. Here we describe advanced accelerated molecular dynamics that extend the effective simulation time and capture large-scale motions of functional relevance. Conservation and fragment mapping analyses identified potential conformational epitopes located in the vicinity of newly identified transient binding pockets. The newly identified open TcPR conformations revealed by this study along with knowledge of the closed to open interconversion mechanism advances our understanding of TcPR function. The results and the strategy adopted in this work constitute an important step toward the rationalization of the molecular basis behind the mitogenic B-cell response of TcPR and provide new insights for future structure-based drug discovery.

Na+ Influx Induced by New Antimalarials Causes Rapid Alterations in the Cholesterol Content and Morphology of Plasmodium falciparum.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudipta Das

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Among the several new antimalarials discovered over the past decade are at least three clinical candidate drugs, each with a distinct chemical structure, that disrupt Na+ homeostasis resulting in a rapid increase in intracellular Na+ concentration ([Na+]i within the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum. At present, events triggered by Na+ influx that result in parasite demise are not well-understood. Here we report effects of two such drugs, a pyrazoleamide and a spiroindolone, on intraerythrocytic P. falciparum. Within minutes following the exposure to these drugs, the trophozoite stage parasite, which normally contains little cholesterol, was made permeant by cholesterol-dependent detergents, suggesting it acquired a substantial amount of the lipid. Consistently, the merozoite surface protein 1 and 2 (MSP1 and MSP2, glycosylphosphotidylinositol (GPI-anchored proteins normally uniformly distributed in the parasite plasma membrane, coalesced into clusters. These alterations were not observed following drug treatment of P. falciparum parasites adapted to grow in a low [Na+] growth medium. Both cholesterol acquisition and MSP1 coalescence were reversible upon the removal of the drugs, implicating an active process of cholesterol exclusion from trophozoites that we hypothesize is inhibited by high [Na+]i. Electron microscopy of drug-treated trophozoites revealed substantial morphological changes normally seen at the later schizont stage including the appearance of partial inner membrane complexes, dense organelles that resemble "rhoptries" and apparent nuclear division. Together these results suggest that [Na+]i disruptor drugs by altering levels of cholesterol in the parasite, dysregulate trophozoite to schizont development and cause parasite demise.

Irreversibility and higher-spin conformal field theory

CERN Document Server

Anselmi, D

2000-01-01

I discuss the idea that quantum irreversibility is a general principle of nature and a related "conformal hypothesis", stating that all fundamental quantum field theories should be renormalization-group (RG) interpolations between ultraviolet and infrared conformal fixed points. In particular, the Newton constant should be viewed as a low-energy effect of the RG scale. This approach leads naturally to consider higher-spin conformal field theories, which are here classified, as candidate high-energy theories. Bosonic conformal tensors have a positive-definite action, equal to the square of a field strength, and a higher-derivative gauge invariance. The central charges c and a are well defined and positive. I calculate their values and study the operator-product structure. Fermionic theories have no gauge invariance and can be coupled to Abelian and non-Abelian gauge fields in a renormalizable way. At the quantum level, they contribute to the one-loop beta function with the same sign as ordinary matter, admit a...

pH-Driven Ordering Transitions in Liquid Crystal Induced by Conformational Changes of Cardiolipin.

Science.gov (United States)

Sidiq, Sumyra; Verma, Indu; Pal, Santanu Kumar

2015-04-28

We report an investigation of interfacial phenomena occurring at aqueous-liquid crystal (LC) interfaces that triggers an orientational ordering transition of the LC in the presence of cardiolipin (CL) by varying pH, salt concentration and valence. In particular, the effects of three different conformational isomeric forms of the CL are observed to cause the response of the LC ordering to vary significantly from one to another at those interfaces. An ordering transition of the LC was observed when the CL is mostly in undissociated (at pH 2) and/or in bicyclic (at pH 4) conformation in which LC shows changes in the optical appearance from bright to dark. By contrast, no change in the optical appearance of the LC was observed when the pH of the system increases to 8 or higher in which the CL mostly exists in the open conformation. Fluorescence microscopy measurements further suggest that pH-dependent conformational forms of the CL have different ability to self-assemble (thus different packing efficiency) at aqueous-LC interfaces leading to dissimilar orientational behavior of the LC. Specifically, we found that change in headgroup-headgroup repulsion of the central phosphatidyl groups of the CL plays a key role in tuning the lipid packing efficiency and thus responses to interfacial phenomena. Orientational ordering transition of the LC was also observed as a function of increasing the ionic strength (buffer capacity) and strongly influenced in the presence of mono and divalent cations. Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) and polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) measurements provide further insight in modulation of the lipid packing efficiency and alkyl chain conformation of the CL at different pH and ionic conditions. Overall, the results presented in this paper establish that LCs offer a promising approach to differentiate different conformations (label free detection) of the CL through ordering transition of the LC at aqueous

Comments on conformal masses, asymptotic backgrounds and conservation laws

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deruelle, Nathalie; Katz, Joseph

2006-01-01

The 'conformal mass prescriptions' were used recently to calculate the mass of spacetimes in higher dimensional and higher curvature theories of gravity. These definitions are closely related to Komar integrals for spacetimes that are conformally flat at great distances from the sources. We derive these relations without using the conformal infinity formalism

Triose phosphate isomerase deficiency is caused by altered dimerization--not catalytic inactivity--of the mutant enzymes.

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Markus Ralser

Full Text Available Triosephosphate isomerase (TPI deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by various mutations in the gene encoding the key glycolytic enzyme TPI. A drastic decrease in TPI activity and an increased level of its substrate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, have been measured in unpurified cell extracts of affected individuals. These observations allowed concluding that the different mutations in the TPI alleles result in catalytically inactive enzymes. However, despite a high occurrence of TPI null alleles within several human populations, the frequency of this disorder is exceptionally rare. In order to address this apparent discrepancy, we generated a yeast model allowing us to perform comparative in vivo analyses of the enzymatic and functional properties of the different enzyme variants. We discovered that the majority of these variants exhibit no reduced catalytic activity per se. Instead, we observed, the dimerization behavior of TPI is influenced by the particular mutations investigated, and by the use of a potential alternative translation initiation site in the TPI gene. Additionally, we demonstrated that the overexpression of the most frequent TPI variant, Glu104Asp, which displays altered dimerization features, results in diminished endogenous TPI levels in mammalian cells. Thus, our results reveal that enzyme deregulation attributable to aberrant dimerization of TPI, rather than direct catalytic inactivation of the enzyme, underlies the pathogenesis of TPI deficiency. Finally, we discovered that yeast cells expressing a TPI variant exhibiting reduced catalytic activity are more resistant against oxidative stress caused by the thiol-oxidizing reagent diamide. This observed advantage might serve to explain the high allelic frequency of TPI null alleles detected among human populations.

Tetrahymena telomerase protein p65 induces conformational changes throughout telomerase RNA (TER) and rescues telomerase reverse transcriptase and TER assembly mutants.

Science.gov (United States)

Berman, Andrea J; Gooding, Anne R; Cech, Thomas R

2010-10-01

The biogenesis of the Tetrahymena telomerase ribonucleoprotein particle (RNP) is enhanced by p65, a La family protein. Single-molecule and biochemical studies have uncovered a hierarchical assembly of the RNP, wherein the binding of p65 to stems I and IV of telomerase RNA (TER) causes a conformational change that facilitates the subsequent binding of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) to TER. We used purified p65 and variants of TERT and TER to investigate the conformational rearrangements that occur during RNP assembly. Nuclease protection assays and mutational analysis revealed that p65 interacts with and stimulates conformational changes in regions of TER beyond stem IV. Several TER mutants exhibited telomerase activity only in the presence of p65, revealing the importance of p65 in promoting the correct RNP assembly pathway. In addition, p65 rescued TERT assembly mutants but not TERT activity mutants. Taken together, these results suggest that p65 stimulates telomerase assembly and activity in two ways. First, by sequestering stems I and IV, p65 limits the ensemble of structural conformations of TER, thereby presenting TERT with the active conformation of TER. Second, p65 acts as a molecular buttress within the assembled RNP, mutually stabilizing TER and TERT in catalytically active conformations.

Conformal correlation functions in the Brownian loop soup

Science.gov (United States)

Camia, Federico; Gandolfi, Alberto; Kleban, Matthew

2016-01-01

We define and study a set of operators that compute statistical properties of the Brownian loop soup, a conformally invariant gas of random Brownian loops (Brownian paths constrained to begin and end at the same point) in two dimensions. We prove that the correlation functions of these operators have many of the properties of conformal primaries in a conformal field theory, and compute their conformal dimension. The dimensions are real and positive, but have the novel feature that they vary continuously as a periodic function of a real parameter. We comment on the relation of the Brownian loop soup to the free field, and use this relation to establish that the central charge of the loop soup is twice its intensity.

Conformal correlation functions in the Brownian loop soup

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Camia, Federico, E-mail: federico.camia@nyu.edu [New York University Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); VU University, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Gandolfi, Alberto, E-mail: albertogandolfi@nyu.edu [New York University Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Università di Firenze (Italy); Kleban, Matthew, E-mail: kleban@nyu.edu [New York University Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates); Center for Cosmology and Particle Physics, Department of Physics, New York University (United States)

2016-01-15

We define and study a set of operators that compute statistical properties of the Brownian loop soup, a conformally invariant gas of random Brownian loops (Brownian paths constrained to begin and end at the same point) in two dimensions. We prove that the correlation functions of these operators have many of the properties of conformal primaries in a conformal field theory, and compute their conformal dimension. The dimensions are real and positive, but have the novel feature that they vary continuously as a periodic function of a real parameter. We comment on the relation of the Brownian loop soup to the free field, and use this relation to establish that the central charge of the loop soup is twice its intensity.

Conformal correlation functions in the Brownian loop soup

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Federico Camia

2016-01-01

Full Text Available We define and study a set of operators that compute statistical properties of the Brownian loop soup, a conformally invariant gas of random Brownian loops (Brownian paths constrained to begin and end at the same point in two dimensions. We prove that the correlation functions of these operators have many of the properties of conformal primaries in a conformal field theory, and compute their conformal dimension. The dimensions are real and positive, but have the novel feature that they vary continuously as a periodic function of a real parameter. We comment on the relation of the Brownian loop soup to the free field, and use this relation to establish that the central charge of the loop soup is twice its intensity.

Increased conformity offers diminishing returns for reducing total knee replacement wear.

Science.gov (United States)

Fregly, Benjamin J; Marquez-Barrientos, Carlos; Banks, Scott A; DesJardins, John D

2010-02-01

Wear remains a significant problem limiting the lifespan of total knee replacements (TKRs). Though increased conformity between TKR components has the potential to decrease wear, the optimal amount and planes of conformity have not been investigated. Furthermore, differing conformities in the medial and lateral compartments may provide designers the opportunity to address both wear and kinematic design goals simultaneously. This study used a computational model of a Stanmore knee simulator machine and a previously validated wear model to investigate this issue for simulated gait. TKR geometries with different amounts and planes of conformity on the medial and lateral sides were created and tested in two phases. The first phase utilized a wide range of sagittal and coronal conformity combinations to blanket a physically realistic design space. The second phase performed a focused investigation of the conformity conditions from the first phase to which predicted wear volume was sensitive. For the first phase, sagittal but not coronal conformity was found to have a significant effect on predicted wear volume. For the second phase, increased sagittal conformity was found to decrease predicted wear volume in a nonlinear fashion, with reductions gradually diminishing as conformity increased. These results suggest that TKR geometric design efforts aimed at minimizing wear should focus on sagittal rather than coronal conformity and that at least moderate sagittal conformity is desirable in both compartments.

18 CFR 153.21 - Conformity with requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Conformity with requirements. 153.21 Section 153.21 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY... Requirements § 153.21 Conformity with requirements. (a) General Rule. Applications under subparts B and C of...

Conformal (WEYL) invariance and Higgs mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Shucheng.

1991-10-01

A massive Yang-Mills field theory with conformal invariance and gauge invariance is proposed. It involves gravitational and various gauge interactions, in which all the mass terms appear as a uniform form of interaction m(x) KΦ(x). When the conformal symmetry is broken spontaneously and gravitation is ignored, the Higgs field emerges naturally, where the imaginary mass μ can be described as a background curvature. (author). 7 refs

Alterations in the adenosine metabolism and CD39/CD73 adenosinergic machinery cause loss of Treg cell function and autoimmunity in ADA-deficient SCID.

Science.gov (United States)

Sauer, Aisha V; Brigida, Immacolata; Carriglio, Nicola; Hernandez, Raisa Jofra; Scaramuzza, Samantha; Clavenna, Daniela; Sanvito, Francesca; Poliani, Pietro L; Gagliani, Nicola; Carlucci, Filippo; Tabucchi, Antonella; Roncarolo, Maria Grazia; Traggiai, Elisabetta; Villa, Anna; Aiuti, Alessandro

2012-02-09

Adenosine acts as anti-inflammatory mediator on the immune system and has been described in regulatory T cell (Treg)-mediated suppression. In the absence of adenosine deaminase (ADA), adenosine and other purine metabolites accumulate, leading to severe immunodeficiency with recurrent infections (ADA-SCID). Particularly ADA-deficient patients with late-onset forms and after enzyme replacement therapy (PEG-ADA) are known to manifest immune dysregulation. Herein we provide evidence that alterations in the purine metabolism interfere with Treg function, thereby contributing to autoimmune manifestations in ADA deficiency. Tregs isolated from PEG-ADA-treated patients are reduced in number and show decreased suppressive activity, whereas they are corrected after gene therapy. Untreated murine ADA(-/-) Tregs show alterations in the plasma membrane CD39/CD73 ectonucleotidase machinery and limited suppressive activity via extracellular adenosine. PEG-ADA-treated mice developed multiple autoantibodies and hypothyroidism in contrast to mice treated with bone marrow transplantation or gene therapy. Tregs isolated from PEG-ADA-treated mice lacked suppressive activity, suggesting that this treatment interferes with Treg functionality. The alterations in the CD39/CD73 adenosinergic machinery and loss of function in ADA-deficient Tregs provide new insights into a predisposition to autoimmunity and the underlying mechanisms causing defective peripheral tolerance in ADA-SCID.

Conformal symmetry and non-relativistic second-order fluid dynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chao Jingyi; Schäfer, Thomas

2012-01-01

We study the constraints imposed by conformal symmetry on the equations of fluid dynamics at second order in the gradients of the hydrodynamic variables. At zeroth order, conformal symmetry implies a constraint on the equation of state, E 0 =2/3 P, where E 0 is the energy density and P is the pressure. At first order, conformal symmetry implies that the bulk viscosity must vanish. We show that at second order, conformal invariance requires that two-derivative terms in the stress tensor must be traceless, and that it determines the relaxation of dissipative stresses to the Navier–Stokes form. We verify these results by solving the Boltzmann equation at second order in the gradient expansion. We find that only a subset of the terms allowed by conformal symmetry appear. - Highlights: ► We derive conformal constraints for the stress tensor of a scale invariant fluid. ► We determine the relaxation time in kinetic theory. ► We compute the rate of entropy production in second-order fluid dynamics.

Homothetic and conformal symmetries of solutions to Einstein's equations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eardley, D.; Isenberg, J.; Marsden, J.; Moncrief, V.; Yale Univ., New Haven, CT

1986-01-01

We present several results about the nonexistence of solutions of Einstein's equations with homoethetic or conformal symmetry. We show that the only spatially compact, globally hyperbolic spacetimes admitting a hypersurface of constant mean extrinsic curvature, and also admitting an infinitesimal proper homothetic symmetry, are everywhere locally flat; this assumes that the matter fields either obey certain energy conditions, or are the Yang-Mills or massless Klein-Gordon fields. We find that the only vacuum solutions admitting an infinitesimal proper conformal symmetry are everywhere locally flat spacetimes and certain plane wave solutions. We show that if the dominant energy condition is assumed, then Minkowski spacetime is the only asymptotically flat solution which has an infinitesimal conformal symmetry that is asymptotic to a dilation. In other words, with the exceptions cited, homothetic or conformal Killing fields are in fact Killing in spatially compact or asymptotically flat spacetimes. In the conformal procedure for solving the initial value problem, we show that data with infinitesimal conformal symmetry evolves to a spacetime with full isometry. (orig.)

Selection of candidate wells and optimization of conformance treatment design in the Barrancas Field using a 3D conformance simulator

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Crosta, Dante; Elitseche, Luis [Repsol YPF (Argentina); Gutierrez, Mauricio; Ansah, Joe; Everett, Don [Halliburton Argentina S.A., Buenos Aires (Argentina)

2004-07-01

Minimizing the amount of unwanted water production is an important goal at the Barrancas field. This paper describes a selection process for candidate injection wells that is part of a pilot conformance project aimed at improving vertical injection profiles, reducing water cut in producing wells, and improving ultimate oil recovery from this field. The well selection process is based on a review of limited reservoir information available for this field to determine inter-well communications. The methodology focuses on the best use of available information, such as production and injection history, well intervention files, open hole logs and injectivity surveys. After the candidate wells were selected and potential water injection channels were identified, conformance treatment design and future performance of wells in the selected pilot area were evaluated using a new 3 -D conformance simulator, developed specifically for optimization of the design and placement of unwanted fluid shut-off treatments. Thus, when acceptable history match ing of the pilot area production was obtained, the 3 -D simulator was used to: evaluate the required volume of selected conformance treatment fluid; review expected pressures and rates during placement;. model temperature behavior; evaluate placement techniques, and forecast water cut reduction and incremental oil recovery from the producers in this simulated section of the pilot area. This paper outlines a methodology for selecting candidate wells for conformance treatments. The method involves application of several engineering tools, an integral component of which is a user-friendly conformance simulator. The use of the simulator has minimized data preparation time and allows the running of sensitivity cases quickly to explore different possible scenarios that best represent the reservoir. The proposed methodology provides an efficient means of identifying conformance problems and designing optimized solutions for these individual

Conformational kinetics of aliphatic tails

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrarini, Alberta; Moro, Giorgio; Nordio, Pier Luigi

The master equation describing the random walk between sites identified with the stable conformers of a chain molecule, represents the extension to the time domain of the Rotational Isomeric State model. The asymptotic analysis of the multidimensional diffusion equation in the continuous torsional variables subjected to the configurational potential, provides a rigorous justification for the discrete models, and it supplies, without resorting to phenomenological parameters, molecular definitions of the kinetic rates for the conformational transitions occurring at each segment of the chain. The coupling between the torsional variables is fully taken into account, giving rise to cooperative effects. A complete calculation of the specific correlation functions which describe the time evolution of the angular functions probed by N.M.R. and dielectric relaxation measurements, has been performed for alkyl chains attached to a massive core. The resulting behaviour has been compared with the decay of trans and gauche populations of specific bonds, expressed in terms of suitable correlation functions whose time integrals lead quite naturally to the definition of effective kinetic constants for the conformational transitions.

Conformal Radiotherapy: Physics, Treatment Planning and Verification. Proceedings book

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Wagter, C [ed.

1995-12-01

The goal of conformal radiotherapy is to establish radiation dose distributions that conform tightly to the target volume in view of limiting radiation to normal tissues. Conformal radiotherapy significantly improves both local control and palliation and thus contributes to increase survival and to improve the quality of life. The subjects covered by the symposium include : (1) conformal radiotherapy and multi-leaf collimation; (2) three dimensional imaging; (3) treatment simulation, planning and optimization; (4) quality assurance; and (5) dosimetry. The book of proceedings contains the abstracts of the invited lectures, papers and poster presentations as well as the full papers of these contributions.

Truncated conformal space approach to scaling Lee-Yang model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yurov, V.P.; Zamolodchikov, Al.B.

1989-01-01

A numerical approach to 2D relativstic field theories is suggested. Considering a field theory model as an ultraviolet conformal field theory perturbed by suitable relevant scalar operator one studies it in finite volume (on a circle). The perturbed Hamiltonian acts in the conformal field theory space of states and its matrix elements can be extracted from the conformal field theory. Truncation of the space at reasonable level results in a finite dimensional problem for numerical analyses. The nonunitary field theory with the ultraviolet region controlled by the minimal conformal theory μ(2/5) is studied in detail. 9 refs.; 17 figs

Conformal Radiotherapy: Physics, Treatment Planning and Verification. Proceedings book

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Wagter, C.

1995-12-01

The goal of conformal radiotherapy is to establish radiation dose distributions that conform tightly to the target volume in view of limiting radiation to normal tissues. Conformal radiotherapy significantly improves both local control and palliation and thus contributes to increase survival and to improve the quality of life. The subjects covered by the symposium include : (1) conformal radiotherapy and multi-leaf collimation; (2) three dimensional imaging; (3) treatment simulation, planning and optimization; (4) quality assurance; and (5) dosimetry. The book of proceedings contains the abstracts of the invited lectures, papers and poster presentations as well as the full papers of these contributions

Quaternion analyticity and conformally Kaehlerian structure in Euclidean gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guersey, F.; Chia-Hsiung Tze

1984-01-01

Starting from the fact that the d = 4 Euclidean flat spacetime is conformally related to the Kaehler manifold H 2 xS 2 , we show the Euclidean Schwarzschild metric to be conformally related to another Kaehler manifold M 2 xS 2 with M 2 being conformal to H 2 in two dimensions. Both metrics which are conformally Kaehlerian, are form-invariant under the infinite parameter Fueter group, the Euclidean counterpart of Milne's group of clock regraduation. The associated Einstein's equations translate into Fueter's quaternionic analyticity. The latter leads to an infinite number of local continuity equations. (orig.)

Note on Weyl versus conformal invariance in field theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wu, Feng [Nanchang University, Department of Physics, Nanchang (China)

2017-12-15

It was argued recently that conformal invariance in flat spacetime implies Weyl invariance in a general curved background for unitary theories and possible anomalies in the Weyl variation of scalar operators are identified. We argue that generically unitarity alone is not sufficient for a conformal field theory to be Weyl invariant. Furthermore, we show explicitly that when a unitary conformal field theory couples to gravity in a Weyl-invariant way, each primary scalar operator that is either relevant or marginal in the unitary conformal field theory corresponds to a Weyl-covariant operator in the curved background. (orig.)

Conformal symmetry and string theories

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumar, A.

1987-01-01

This thesis is devoted to the study of various aspects of the 2-dimensional conformal field theory and its applications to strings. We make a short review of the conformal field theory and its supersymmetric extension, called superconformal field theory. We present an elegant superspace formulation of these theories and solve the condition for the closure of the superconformal algebra. The we go on to classify the superconformal field theories according to these solutions. We prove that N ≥ 5 superconformal algebra, with N being the number of supersymmetries, does not have central charge. We find the primary representations of all the interesting superconformal algebra. We study the quantization of the superconformal theories and derive the constraints on the central charge of the algebra that has to be satisfied for a consistent quantum theory. This quantization process also determines the ground state energy of the system and the spectrum of the model. We study the global aspects of the conformal symmetry and its role in the construction of consistent heterotic string theories. We prove the uniqueness of heterotic superstring theories in 10 dimensions in the fermionic constructions. We show how the vertex operators are closely associated with the primary field representation of the conformal algebra. We utilize these vertex operator constructions to obtain tree amplitudes in the 10-dimensional heterotic string theory. We show by explicit calculation at the 3-point level that the scattering amplitudes derived from the heterotic superstring are same as the ones obtained from 10-dimensional supergravity theories

Mixed global anomalies and boundary conformal field theories

OpenAIRE

Numasawa, Tokiro; Yamaguchi, Satoshi

2017-01-01

We consider the relation of mixed global gauge gravitational anomalies and boundary conformal field theory in WZW models for simple Lie groups. The discrete symmetries of consideration are the centers of the simple Lie groups. These mixed anomalies prevent to gauge them i.e, take the orbifold by the center. The absence of anomalies impose conditions on the levels of WZW models. Next, we study the conformal boundary conditions for the original theories. We consider the existence of a conformal...

40 CFR 90.711 - Suspension and revocation of certificates of conformity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... certificates of conformity. 90.711 Section 90.711 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... conformity. (a) The certificate of conformity is suspended with respect to any engine failing pursuant to... suspend the certificate of conformity for an engine family which is determined to be in noncompliance...

40 CFR 92.512 - Suspension and revocation of certificates of conformity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... certificates of conformity. 92.512 Section 92.512 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... of certificates of conformity. (a)(1) The certificate of conformity is suspended with respect to any... conformity is suspended with respect to any locomotive or locomotive engine that fails an audit pursuant to...

Microscopic insights into the NMR relaxation based protein conformational entropy meter

Science.gov (United States)

Kasinath, Vignesh; Sharp, Kim A.; Wand, A. Joshua

2013-01-01

Conformational entropy is a potentially important thermodynamic parameter contributing to protein function. Quantitative measures of conformational entropy are necessary for an understanding of its role but have been difficult to obtain. An empirical method that utilizes changes in conformational dynamics as a proxy for changes in conformational entropy has recently been introduced. Here we probe the microscopic origins of the link between conformational dynamics and conformational entropy using molecular dynamics simulations. Simulation of seven pro! teins gave an excellent correlation with measures of side-chain motion derived from NMR relaxation. The simulations show that the motion of methyl-bearing side-chains are sufficiently coupled to that of other side chains to serve as excellent reporters of the overall side-chain conformational entropy. These results tend to validate the use of experimentally accessible measures of methyl motion - the NMR-derived generalized order parameters - as a proxy from which to derive changes in protein conformational entropy. PMID:24007504

Conformal and Lie superalgebras motivated from free fermionic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, Shukchuen

2003-01-01

In this paper, we construct six families of conformal superalgebras of infinite type, motivated from free quadratic fermonic fields with derivatives, and we prove their simplicity. The Lie superalgebras generated by these conformal superalgebras are proven to be simple except for a few special cases in the general linear superalgebras and the type-Q lie superalgebras, in which these Lie superalgebras have a one-dimensional centre and the quotient Lie superalgebras modulo the centre are simple. Certain natural central extensions of these families of conformal superalgebras are also given. Moreover, we prove that these conformal superalgebras are generated by their finite-dimensional subspaces of minimal weight in a certain sense. It is shown that a conformal superalgebra is simple if and only if its generated Lie superalgebra does not contain a proper nontrivial ideal with a one-variable structure

Spatial and null infinity via advanced and retarded conformal factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayward, Sean A.

2003-01-01

A new approach to space-time asymptotics is presented, refining Penrose's idea of conformal transformations with infinity represented by the conformal boundary of space-time. It is proposed that the Penrose conformal factor be a product of advanced and retarded conformal factors, which asymptotically relate physical and conformal null coordinates and vanish at future and past null infinity respectively. A refined definition of asymptotic flatness at both spatial and null infinity is given, including that the conformal boundary is locally a light cone, with spatial infinity as the vertex. It is shown how to choose the conformal factors so that this asymptotic light cone is locally a metric light cone. The theory is implemented in the spin-coefficient (or null-tetrad) formalism by a joint transformation of the spin-metric and spin-basis (or metric and tetrad). Asymptotic regularity conditions are proposed, based on the conformal boundary locally being a smoothly embedded metric light cone. These conditions ensure that the Bondi-Sachs energy-flux integrals of ingoing and outgoing gravitational radiation decay at spatial infinity such that the total radiated energy is finite, and that the Bondi-Sachs energy-momentum has a unique limit at spatial infinity, coinciding with the uniquely rendered ADM energy-momentum

Dynamical realizations of l-conformal Newton–Hooke group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Galajinsky, Anton; Masterov, Ivan

2013-01-01

The method of nonlinear realizations and the technique previously developed in [A. Galajinsky, I. Masterov, Nucl. Phys. B 866 (2013) 212, (arXiv:1208.1403)] are used to construct a dynamical system without higher derivative terms, which holds invariant under the l-conformal Newton–Hooke group. A configuration space of the model involves coordinates, which parametrize a particle moving in d spatial dimensions and a conformal mode, which gives rise to an effective external field. The dynamical system describes a generalized multi-dimensional oscillator, which undergoes accelerated/decelerated motion in an ellipse in accord with evolution of the conformal mode. Higher derivative formulations are discussed as well. It is demonstrated that the multi-dimensional Pais–Uhlenbeck oscillator enjoys the l=3/2 -conformal Newton–Hooke symmetry for a particular choice of its frequencies

Molecular mechanisms of conformational specificity: A study of Hox in vivo target DNA binding specificities and the structure of a Ure2p mutation that affects fibril formation rates

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, William Joseph, Jr.

The fate of an individual cell, or even an entire organism, is often determined by minute, yet very specific differences in the conformation of a single protein species. Very often, proteins take on alternate folds or even side chain conformations to deal with different situations present within the cell. These differences can be as large as a whole domain or as subtle as the alteration of a single amino acid side chain. Yet, even these seemingly minor side chain conformational differences can determine the development of a cell type during differentiation or even dictate whether a cell will live or die. Two examples of situations where minor conformational differences within a specific protein could lead to major differences in the life cycle of a cell are described herein. The first example describes the variations seen in DNA conformations which can lead to slightly different Hox protein binding conformations responsible for recognizing biologically relevant regulatory sites. These specific differences occur in the minor groove of the bound DNA and are limited to the conformation of only two side chains. The conformation of the bound DNA, however, is not solely determined by the sequence of the DNA, as multiple sequences can result in the same DNA conformation. The second example takes place in the context of a yeast prion protein which contains a mutation that decreases the frequency at which fibrils form. While the specific interactions leading to this physiological change were not directly detected, it can be ascertained from the crystal structure that the structural changes are subtle and most likely involve another binding partner. In both cases, these conformational changes are very slight but have a profound effect on the downstream processes.

On the Conformable Fractional Quantum Mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Mozaffari, F. S.; Hassanabadi, H.; Sobhani, H.; Chung, W. S.

2018-05-01

In this paper, a conformable fractional quantum mechanic has been introduced using three postulates. Then in such a formalism, Schr¨odinger equation, probability density, probability flux and continuity equation have been derived. As an application of considered formalism, a fractional-radial harmonic oscillator has been considered. After obtaining its wave function and energy spectrum, effects of the conformable fractional parameter on some quantities have been investigated and plotted for different excited states.

Closed forms for conformally flat Green's functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, M.R.; Grove, P.G.; Ottewill, A.C.

1981-01-01

A closed form is obtained for the massless scalar Green's function on Rindler space. This is related by conformal transformation to the Green's function for a massless, conformally coupled scalar field on the open Einstein universe. A closed form is also obtained for the corresponding Green's function on the Einstein static universe. (author)

Topics in conformal field theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiritsis, E.B.

1988-01-01

In this work two major topics in Conformal Field Theory are discussed. First a detailed investigation of N = 2 Superconformal theories is presented. The structure of the representations of the N = 2 superconformal algebras is investigated and the character formulae are calculated. The general structure of N = 2 superconformal theories is elucidated and the operator algebra of the minimal models is derived. The first minimal system is discussed in more detail. Second, applications of the conformal techniques are studied in the Ashkin-Teller model. The c = 1 as well as the c = 1/2 critical lines are discussed in detail

Identification of Serine Conformers by Matrix-Isolation IR Spectroscopy Aided by Near-Infrared Laser-Induced Conformational Change, 2D Correlation Analysis, and Quantum Mechanical Anharmonic Computations.

Science.gov (United States)

Najbauer, Eszter E; Bazsó, Gábor; Apóstolo, Rui; Fausto, Rui; Biczysko, Malgorzata; Barone, Vincenzo; Tarczay, György

2015-08-20

The conformers of α-serine were investigated by matrix-isolation IR spectroscopy combined with NIR laser irradiation. This method, aided by 2D correlation analysis, enabled unambiguously grouping the spectral lines to individual conformers. On the basis of comparison of at least nine experimentally observed vibrational transitions of each conformer with empirically scaled (SQM) and anharmonic (GVPT2) computed IR spectra, six conformers were identified. In addition, the presence of at least one more conformer in Ar matrix was proved, and a short-lived conformer with a half-life of (3.7 ± 0.5) × 10(3) s in N2 matrix was generated by NIR irradiation. The analysis of the NIR laser-induced conversions revealed that the excitation of the stretching overtone of both the side chain and the carboxylic OH groups can effectively promote conformational changes, but remarkably different paths were observed for the two kinds of excitations.

Conformal special relativity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maia, M.D.

2006-01-01

It is shown that the information loss/recovery theorem based on the ADS/CFT correspondence is not consistent with the stability of the Schwarzschild or Reissner-Nordstrom black holes. Nonetheless, the conformal invariance of Yang-Mills theory points to new relativity principle compatible with quantum unitarity near those black holes

On conformal invariance in gauge theories. Quantum electrodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaikov, R.P.

1983-01-01

In the present paper another nontrivial model of the conformal quantum electrodynamics is proposed. The main hypothesis is that the electromagnetic potential together with an additional zero scale, dimensional scalar field is transformed by a nonbasic and, consequently, nondecomposable representation of the conformal group. There are found nontrivial conformal covariant two-point functions and an invariant action from which equations of motion are derived. There is considered the covariant procedure of quantization and it is shown that the norm of one-particle physical states is positive definite

Conformational Footprint in Hydrolysis-Induced Nanofibrillation and Crystallization of Poly(lactic acid).

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Huan; Yang, Xi; Xie, Lan; Hakkarainen, Minna

2016-03-14

The origin of hydrolysis-induced nanofibrillation and crystallization, at the molecular level, was revealed by mapping the conformational ordering during long-term hydrolytic degradation of initially amorphous poly(lactic acid) (PLA), a representative model for degradable aliphatic polyesters generally displaying strong interplay between crystallization and hydrolytic erosion. The conformational regularization of chain segments was essentially the main driving force for the morphological evolution of PLA during hydrolytic degradation. For hydrolysis at 37 °C, no significant structural variations were observed due to the immobilization of "frozen" PLA chains. In contrast, conformational ordering in PLA was immediately triggered during hydrolysis at 60 °C and was responsible for the transition from random coils to disordered trans and, further, to quasi-crystalline nanospheres. On the surfaces, the head-by-head absorption and joining of neighboring nanospheres led to nanofibrillar assemblies following a "gluttonous snake"-like manner. The length and density of nanofibers formed were in close relation to the hydrolytic evolution, both of which showed a direct rise in the initial 60 days and then a gradual decline. In the interior, presumably the high surface energy of the nanospheres allowed for the preferential anchoring and packing of conformationally ordered chains into lamellae. In accordance with the well-established hypothesis, the amorphous regions were attacked prior to the erosion of crystalline entities, causing a rapid increase of crystallinity during the initial 30 days, followed by a gradual fall until 90 days. In addition to adequate illustration of hydrolysis-induced variations of crystallinity, our proposed model elucidates the formation of spherulitic nuclei featuring an extremely wide distribution of diameters ranging from several nanometers to over 5 μm, as well as the inferior resistance to hydrolysis observed for the primary nuclei. Our work

Oral declines and mastication deficiencies cause alteration of food bolus properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Peyron, M-A; Santé-Lhoutellier, V; François, O; Hennequin, M

2018-02-21

In the elderly, masticatory function often presents failure in certain oral tasks due to impairment such as decline in muscular force, jaw or tongue motility, neuro-muscular coordination, tooth damage, malocclusion and saliva production. Great disparity is observed in the various and potentially cumulative oral declines that occur with ageing. Such difficulties may have an impact on food consumption and nutritional status. To obtain better understanding of the consequences of several oral deficiencies, a series of swallowable boluses were prepared in vitro with the AM 2 masticator apparatus with normal and deficient programming. Physiological normal mastication (NM) was simulated using in vivo data from healthy subjects. Chewing deficiencies were reproduced by alteration of NM programming to perform different levels and combinations of force loss, lack of saliva and decrease in the motility of oral elements. Poultry meatballs were used as test-food. Particle size distribution in the food bolus was measured by sieving and rheological features (hardness, cohesiveness and elasticity) were assessed with a TPA test. Compared to the NM outcome, significant and gradual deterioration of the food bolus was observed and associated with alteration in force, saliva and motility. Combinations of several failures led to greater or cumulative deficiencies in swallowable bolus properties. For the elderly presenting a high prevalence of various oral injuries, tailoring textured food cannot be ignored as a solution for remedying deficiencies and favoring the formation of a safe-swallowable bolus, which is an essential vector of nutrients. Knowing the impacts of oral injuries on the food bolus is obviously a requisite for developing diet strategies, including nutritional items for specific populations.

Conformal field theories near a boundary in general dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McAvity, D.M.

1995-01-01

The implications of restricted conformal invariance under conformal transformations preserving a plane boundary are discussed for general dimensions d. Calculations of the universal function of a conformal invariant ξ which appears in the two-point function of scalar operators in conformally invariant theories with a plane boundary are undertaken to first order in the ε=4-d expansion for the operator φ 2 in φ 4 theory. The form for the associated functions of ξ for the two-point functions for the basic field φ α and the auxiliary field λ in the N→∞ limit of the O(N) non-linear sigma model for any d in the range 2 α φ β and λλ. Using this method the form of the two-point function for the energy-momentum tensor in the conformal O(N) model with a plane boundary is also found. General results for the sum of the contributions of all derivative operators appearing in the operator product expansion, and also in a corresponding boundary operator expansion, to the two-point functions are also derived making essential use of conformal invariance. (orig.)

Hidden symmetries of integrable conformal mechanical systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakobyan, Tigran; Krivonos, Sergey; Lechtenfeld, Olaf; Nersessian, Armen

2010-01-01

We split the generic conformal mechanical system into a 'radial' and an 'angular' part, where the latter is defined as the Hamiltonian system on the orbit of the conformal group, with the Casimir function in the role of the Hamiltonian. We reduce the analysis of the constants of motion of the full system to the study of certain differential equations on this orbit. For integrable mechanical systems, the conformal invariance renders them superintegrable, yielding an additional series of conserved quantities originally found by Wojciechowski in the rational Calogero model. Finally, we show that, starting from any N=4 supersymmetric 'angular' Hamiltonian system one may construct a new system with full N=4 superconformal D(1,2;α) symmetry.

Isomonodromic tau-functions from Liouville conformal blocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iorgov, N.; Lisovyy, O.

2014-01-01

The goal of this note is to show that the Riemann-Hilbert problem to find multivalued analytic functions with SL(2,C)-valued monodromy on Riemann surfaces of genus zero with n punctures can be solved by taking suitable linear combinations of the conformal blocks of Liouville theory at c=1. This implies a similar representation for the isomonodromic tau-function. In the case n=4 we thereby get a proof of the relation between tau-functions and conformal blocks discovered in O. Gamayun, N. Iorgov, and O. Lisovyy (2012). We briefly discuss a possible application of our results to the study of relations between certain N=2 supersymmetric gauge theories and conformal field theory.

From global to heavy-light: 5-point conformal blocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alkalaev, Konstantin; Belavin, Vladimir

2016-01-01

We consider Virasoro conformal blocks in the large central charge limit. There are different regimes depending on the behavior of the conformal dimensions. The most simple regime is reduced to the global sl(2,ℂ) conformal blocks while the most complicated one is known as the classical conformal blocks. Recently, Fitzpatrick, Kaplan, and Walters showed that the two regimes are related through the intermediate stage of the so-called heavy-light semiclassical limit. We study this idea in the particular case of the 5-point conformal block. To find the 5-point global block we use the projector technique and the Casimir operator approach. Furthermore, we discuss the relation between the global and the heavy-light limits and construct the heavy-light block from the global block. In this way we reproduce our previous results for the 5-point perturbative classical block obtained by means of the monodromy method.

Conformational flexibility of aspartame.

Science.gov (United States)

Toniolo, Claudio; Temussi, Pierandrea

2016-05-01

L-Aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester, better known as aspartame, is not only one of the most used artificial sweeteners, but also a very interesting molecule with respect to the correlation between molecular structure and taste. The extreme conformational flexibility of this dipeptide posed a huge difficulty when researchers tried to use it as a lead compound to design new sweeteners. In particular, it was difficult to take advantage of its molecular model as a mold to infer the shape of the, then unknown, active site of the sweet taste receptor. Here, we follow the story of the 3D structural aspects of aspartame from early conformational studies to recent docking into homology models of the receptor. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 106: 376-384, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Identification of Serine Conformers by Matrix-Isolation IR Spectroscopy Aided by Near-Infrared Laser Induced Conformational Change, 2D Correlation Analysis, and Quantum Mechanical Anharmonic Computations

Science.gov (United States)

Najbauer, Eszter E.; Bazsó, Gábor; Apóstolo, Rui; Fausto, Rui; Biczysko, Malgorzata; Barone, Vincenzo; Tarczay, György

2018-01-01

The conformers of α-serine were investigated by matrix-isolation IR spectroscopy combined with NIR laser irradiation. This method, aided by 2D correlation analysis, enabled unambiguously grouping the spectral lines to individual conformers. On the basis of comparison of at least nine experimentally observed vibrational transitions of each conformer with empirically scaled (SQM) and anharmonic (GVPT2) computed IR spectra, 6 conformers were identified. In addition, the presence of at least one more conformer in Ar matrix was proved, and a short-lived conformer with a half-live of (3.7±0.5)·103 s in N2 matrix was generated by NIR irradiation. The analysis of the NIR laser induced conversions revealed that the excitation of the stretching overtone of both the side-chain and the carboxylic OH groups can effectively promote conformational changes, but remarkably different paths were observed for the two kinds of excitations. PMID:26201050

Crystal structures and conformers of CyMe4-BTBP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lyczko Krzysztof

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The crystal structure of new conformation of the CyMe4-BTBP ligand (ttc has been presented. The ttt conformer of this compound in a form of THF solvate has been also crystallized. The geometries of six possible conformations (ttt, ttc, tct, tcc, ctc and ccc of the CyMe4-BTBP ligand have been modeled in the gas phase and in solutions (MeOH and H2O by DFT calculations using B3LYP/6-31G(d,p method. According to the calculations, in the three different media the conformers with trans orientation of the N atoms in the bipyridyl moiety are the most stable.

An Efficient Null Model for Conformational Fluctuations in Proteins

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Harder, Tim Philipp; Borg, Mikael; Bottaro, Sandro

2012-01-01

Protein dynamics play a crucial role in function, catalytic activity, and pathogenesis. Consequently, there is great interest in computational methods that probe the conformational fluctuations of a protein. However, molecular dynamics simulations are computationally costly and therefore are often...... limited to comparatively short timescales. TYPHON is a probabilistic method to explore the conformational space of proteins under the guidance of a sophisticated probabilistic model of local structure and a given set of restraints that represent nonlocal interactions, such as hydrogen bonds or disulfide...... on conformational fluctuations that is in correspondence with experimental measurements. TYPHON provides a flexible, yet computationally efficient, method to explore possible conformational fluctuations in proteins....

Hypotrochoids in conformal restriction systems and Virasoro descendants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doyon, Benjamin

2013-01-01

A conformal restriction system is a commutative, associative, unital algebra equipped with a representation of the groupoid of univalent conformal maps on connected open sets of the Riemann sphere, along with a family of linear functionals on subalgebras, satisfying a set of properties including conformal invariance and a type of restriction. This embodies some expected properties of expectation values in conformal loop ensembles CLE κ (at least for 8/3 iθ and w. We find that it has an expansion in positive powers of u and u-bar , and that the coefficients of pure u ( u-bar ) powers are holomorphic in w ( w-bar ). We identify these coefficients (the ‘hypotrochoid fields’) with certain Virasoro descendants of the identity field in conformal field theory, thereby showing that they form part of a vertex operator algebraic structure. This largely generalizes works by the author (in CLE), and the author with his collaborators Riva and Cardy (in SLE 8/3 and other restriction measures), where the case of the ellipse, at the order u 2 , led to the stress–energy tensor of CFT. The derivation uses in an essential way the Virasoro vertex operator algebra structure of conformal derivatives established recently by the author. The results suggest in particular the exact evaluation of CLE expectations of products of hypotrochoid fields as well as nontrivial relations amongst them through the vertex operator algebra, and further shed light onto the relationship between CLE and CFT. (paper)

Massive Conformal Gravity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faria, F. F.

2014-01-01

We construct a massive theory of gravity that is invariant under conformal transformations. The massive action of the theory depends on the metric tensor and a scalar field, which are considered the only field variables. We find the vacuum field equations of the theory and analyze its weak-field approximation and Newtonian limit.

The conforming brain and deontological resolve.

Science.gov (United States)

Pincus, Melanie; LaViers, Lisa; Prietula, Michael J; Berns, Gregory

2014-01-01

Our personal values are subject to forces of social influence. Deontological resolve captures how strongly one relies on absolute rules of right and wrong in the representation of one's personal values and may predict willingness to modify one's values in the presence of social influence. Using fMRI, we found that a neurobiological metric for deontological resolve based on relative activity in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) during the passive processing of sacred values predicted individual differences in conformity. Individuals with stronger deontological resolve, as measured by greater VLPFC activity, displayed lower levels of conformity. We also tested whether responsiveness to social reward, as measured by ventral striatal activity during social feedback, predicted variability in conformist behavior across individuals but found no significant relationship. From these results we conclude that unwillingness to conform to others' values is associated with a strong neurobiological representation of social rules.

The conforming brain and deontological resolve.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Melanie Pincus

Full Text Available Our personal values are subject to forces of social influence. Deontological resolve captures how strongly one relies on absolute rules of right and wrong in the representation of one's personal values and may predict willingness to modify one's values in the presence of social influence. Using fMRI, we found that a neurobiological metric for deontological resolve based on relative activity in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC during the passive processing of sacred values predicted individual differences in conformity. Individuals with stronger deontological resolve, as measured by greater VLPFC activity, displayed lower levels of conformity. We also tested whether responsiveness to social reward, as measured by ventral striatal activity during social feedback, predicted variability in conformist behavior across individuals but found no significant relationship. From these results we conclude that unwillingness to conform to others' values is associated with a strong neurobiological representation of social rules.

Conformity to Peer Pressure in Preschool Children

Science.gov (United States)

Haun, Daniel B. M.; Tomasello, Michael

2011-01-01

Both adults and adolescents often conform their behavior and opinions to peer groups, even when they themselves know better. The current study investigated this phenomenon in 24 groups of 4 children between 4;2 and 4;9 years of age. Children often made their judgments conform to those of 3 peers, who had made obviously erroneous but unanimous…

Conformal deformation of Riemann space and torsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pyzh, V.M.

1981-01-01

Method for investigating conformal deformations of Riemann spaces using torsion tensor, which permits to reduce the second ' order equations for Killing vectors to the system of the first order equations, is presented. The method is illustrated using conformal deformations of dimer sphere as an example. A possibility of its use when studying more complex deformations is discussed [ru

A viewpoint on nearly conformally symmetric manifold

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahman, M.S.

1990-06-01

Some observations, with definition, on Nearly Conformally Symmetric (NCS) manifold are made. A number of theorems concerning conformal change of metric and parallel tensors on NCS manifolds are presented. It is illustrated that a manifold M = R n-1 x R + 1 , endowed with a special metric, is NCS but not of harmonic curvature. (author). 8 refs

Study of polymer molecules and conformations with a nanopore

Science.gov (United States)

Golovchenko, Jene A.; Li, Jiali; Stein, Derek; Gershow, Marc H.

2010-12-07

The invention features methods for evaluating the conformation of a polymer, for example, for determining the conformational distribution of a plurality of polymers and to detect binding or denaturation events. The methods employ a nanopore which the polymer, e.g., a nucleic acid, traverses. As the polymer traverses the nanopore, measurements of transport properties of the nanopore yield data on the conformation of the polymer.

Conformal higher spin scattering amplitudes from twistor space

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adamo, Tim [Blackett Laboratory, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ (United Kingdom); Hähnel, Philipp; McLoughlin, Tristan [School of Mathematics, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2 (Ireland)

2017-04-04

We use the formulation of conformal higher spin (CHS) theories in twistor space to study their tree-level scattering amplitudes, finding expressions for all three-point (MHV)-bar amplitudes and all MHV amplitudes involving positive helicity conformal gravity particles and two negative helicity higher spins. This provides the on-shell analogue for the covariant coupling of CHS fields to a conformal gravity background. We discuss the restriction of the theory to a ghost-free unitary subsector, analogous to restricting conformal gravity to general relativity with a cosmological constant. We study the flat-space limit and show that the restricted amplitudes vanish, supporting the conjecture that in the unitary sector the S-matrix of CHS theories is trivial. However, by appropriately rescaling the amplitudes we find non-vanishing results which we compare with chiral flat-space higher spin theories.

ANCA: Anharmonic Conformational Analysis of Biomolecular Simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Parvatikar, Akash; Vacaliuc, Gabriel S; Ramanathan, Arvind; Chennubhotla, S Chakra

2018-05-08

Anharmonicity in time-dependent conformational fluctuations is noted to be a key feature of functional dynamics of biomolecules. Although anharmonic events are rare, long-timescale (μs-ms and beyond) simulations facilitate probing of such events. We have previously developed quasi-anharmonic analysis to resolve higher-order spatial correlations and characterize anharmonicity in biomolecular simulations. In this article, we have extended this toolbox to resolve higher-order temporal correlations and built a scalable Python package called anharmonic conformational analysis (ANCA). ANCA has modules to: 1) measure anharmonicity in the form of higher-order statistics and its variation as a function of time, 2) output a storyboard representation of the simulations to identify key anharmonic conformational events, and 3) identify putative anharmonic conformational substates and visualization of transitions between these substates. Copyright © 2018 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conformal higher spin scattering amplitudes from twistor space

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adamo, Tim; Hähnel, Philipp; McLoughlin, Tristan

2017-01-01

We use the formulation of conformal higher spin (CHS) theories in twistor space to study their tree-level scattering amplitudes, finding expressions for all three-point (MHV)-bar amplitudes and all MHV amplitudes involving positive helicity conformal gravity particles and two negative helicity higher spins. This provides the on-shell analogue for the covariant coupling of CHS fields to a conformal gravity background. We discuss the restriction of the theory to a ghost-free unitary subsector, analogous to restricting conformal gravity to general relativity with a cosmological constant. We study the flat-space limit and show that the restricted amplitudes vanish, supporting the conjecture that in the unitary sector the S-matrix of CHS theories is trivial. However, by appropriately rescaling the amplitudes we find non-vanishing results which we compare with chiral flat-space higher spin theories.

40 CFR 89.126 - Denial, revocation of certificate of conformity.

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2010-07-01

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Rigid supersymmetry from conformal supergravity in five dimensions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pini, Alessandro; Rodriguez-Gomez, Diego; Schmude, Johannes

2015-01-01

We study the rigid limit of 5d conformal supergravity with minimal supersymmetry on Riemannian manifolds. The necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a solution is the existence of a conformal Killing vector. Whenever a certain SU(2) curvature becomes abelian the backgrounds define a transversally holomorphic foliation. Subsequently we turn to the question under which circumstances these backgrounds admit a kinetic Yang-Mills term in the action of a vector multiplet. Here we find that the conformal Killing vector has to be Killing. We supplement the discussion with various appendices.

Diagonal Limit for Conformal Blocks in d Dimensions

CERN Document Server

Hogervorst, Matthijs; Rychkov, Slava

2013-01-01

Conformal blocks in any number of dimensions depend on two variables z, zbar. Here we study their restrictions to the special "diagonal" kinematics z = zbar, previously found useful as a starting point for the conformal bootstrap analysis. We show that conformal blocks on the diagonal satisfy ordinary differential equations, third-order for spin zero and fourth-order for the general case. These ODEs determine the blocks uniquely and lead to an efficient numerical evaluation algorithm. For equal external operator dimensions, we find closed-form solutions in terms of finite sums of 3F2 functions.

Explicit mentalizing mechanisms and their adaptive role in memory conformity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wheeler, Rebecca; Allan, Kevin; Tsivilis, Dimitris; Martin, Douglas; Gabbert, Fiona

2013-01-01

Memory conformity occurs when an individual endorses what other individuals remember about past events. Research on memory conformity is currently dominated by a 'forensic' perspective, which views the phenomenon as inherently undesirable. This is because conformity not only distorts the accuracy of an individual's memory, but also produces false corroboration between individuals, effects that act to undermine criminal justice systems. There is growing awareness, however, that memory conformity may be interpreted more generally as an adaptive social behavior regulated by explicit mentalizing mechanisms. Here, we provide novel evidence in support of this emerging alternative theoretical perspective. We carried out a memory conformity experiment which revealed that explicit belief-simulation (i.e. using one's own beliefs to model what other people believe) systematically biases conformity towards like-minded individuals, even when there is no objective evidence that they have a more accurate memory than dissimilar individuals. We suggest that this bias is functional, i.e. adaptive, to the extent that it fosters trust, and hence cooperation, between in-group versus out-group individuals. We conclude that memory conformity is, in more fundamental terms, a highly desirable product of explicit mentalizing mechanisms that promote adaptive forms of social learning and cooperation.

Conformational elasticity can facilitate TALE-DNA recognition.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Hongxing; Sun, Jiya; Baldwin, Enoch P; Segal, David J; Duan, Yong

2014-01-01

Sequence-programmable transcription activator-like effector (TALE) proteins have emerged as a highly efficient tool for genome engineering. Recent crystal structures depict a transition between an open unbound solenoid and more compact DNA-bound solenoid formed by the 34 amino acid repeats. How TALEs switch conformation between these two forms without substantial energetic compensation, and how the repeat-variable di-residues (RVDs) discriminate between the cognate base and other bases still remain unclear. Computational analysis on these two aspects of TALE-DNA interaction mechanism has been conducted in order to achieve a better understanding of the energetics. High elasticity was observed in the molecular dynamics simulations of DNA-free TALE structure that started from the bound conformation where it sampled a wide range of conformations including the experimentally determined apo and bound conformations. This elastic feature was also observed in the simulations starting from the apo form which suggests low free energy barrier between the two conformations and small compensation required upon binding. To analyze binding specificity, we performed free energy calculations of various combinations of RVDs and bases using Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (PBSA) and other approaches. The PBSA calculations indicated that the native RVD-base structures had lower binding free energy than mismatched structures for most of the RVDs examined. Our theoretical analyses provided new insight on the dynamics and energetics of TALE-DNA binding mechanism. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

["Secret causes": causality and determinism in the classical age].

Science.gov (United States)

Cléro, Jean-Pierre

2014-01-01

The notion of the "secret cause", which appears in many classical texts is tied to a particular practice of science and a conception of its methods where the "law" finds itself at the center of the nexus. If certain phenomena appear to escape the law, one is obliged to amend the law through the introduction of a series of "small equations." If the calculation of probabilities is deployed, this is to precisely reveal causes which are, at their origin, secret, but which will gradually become less so and eventually conform to laws.

40 CFR 52.2237 - NOX RACT and NOX conformity exemption.

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2010-07-01

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Electrophysiological precursors of social conformity

Science.gov (United States)

Rieskamp, Jörg; Tugin, Sergey; Ossadtchi, Alexey; Krutitskaya, Janina; Klucharev, Vasily

2013-01-01

Humans often change their beliefs or behavior due to the behavior or opinions of others. This study explored, with the use of human event-related potentials (ERPs), whether social conformity is based on a general performance-monitoring mechanism. We tested the hypothesis that conflicts with a normative group opinion evoke a feedback-related negativity (FRN) often associated with performance monitoring and subsequent adjustment of behavior. The experimental results show that individual judgments of facial attractiveness were adjusted in line with a normative group opinion. A mismatch between individual and group opinions triggered a frontocentral negative deflection with the maximum at 200 ms, similar to FRN. Overall, a conflict with a normative group opinion triggered a cascade of neuronal responses: from an earlier FRN response reflecting a conflict with the normative opinion to a later ERP component (peaking at 380 ms) reflecting a conforming behavioral adjustment. These results add to the growing literature on neuronal mechanisms of social influence by disentangling the conflict-monitoring signal in response to the perceived violation of social norms and the neural signal of a conforming behavioral adjustment. PMID:22683703

Astrophysical Tests of Kinematical Conformal Cosmology in Fourth-Order Conformal Weyl Gravity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gabriele U. Varieschi

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this work we analyze kinematical conformal cosmology (KCC, an alternative cosmological model based on conformal Weyl gravity (CG, and test it against current type Ia supernova (SNIa luminosity data and other astrophysical observations. Expanding upon previous work on the subject, we revise the analysis of SNIa data, confirming that KCC can explain the evidence for an accelerating expansion of the Universe without using dark energy or other exotic components. We obtain an independent evaluation of the Hubble constant, H0 = 67:53 kms-1 Mpc-1, very close to the current best estimates. The main KCC and CG parameters are re-evaluated and their revised values are found to be close to previous estimates. We also show that available data for the Hubble parameter as a function of redshift can be fitted using KCC and that this model does not suffer from any apparent age problem. Overall,

Lid opening and conformational stability of T1 Lipase is mediated by increasing chain length polar solvents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jonathan Maiangwa

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The dynamics and conformational landscape of proteins in organic solvents are events of potential interest in nonaqueous process catalysis. Conformational changes, folding transitions, and stability often correspond to structural rearrangements that alter contacts between solvent molecules and amino acid residues. However, in nonaqueous enzymology, organic solvents limit stability and further application of proteins. In the present study, molecular dynamics (MD of a thermostable Geobacillus zalihae T1 lipase was performed in different chain length polar organic solvents (methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol, and pentanol and water mixture systems to a concentration of 50%. On the basis of the MD results, the structural deviations of the backbone atoms elucidated the dynamic effects of water/organic solvent mixtures on the equilibrium state of the protein simulations in decreasing solvent polarity. The results show that the solvent mixture gives rise to deviations in enzyme structure from the native one simulated in water. The drop in the flexibility in H2O, MtOH, EtOH and PrOH simulation mixtures shows that greater motions of residues were influenced in BtOH and PtOH simulation mixtures. Comparing the root mean square fluctuations value with the accessible solvent area (SASA for every residue showed an almost correspondingly high SASA value of residues to high flexibility and low SASA value to low flexibility. The study further revealed that the organic solvents influenced the formation of more hydrogen bonds in MtOH, EtOH and PrOH and thus, it is assumed that increased intraprotein hydrogen bonding is ultimately correlated to the stability of the protein. However, the solvent accessibility analysis showed that in all solvent systems, hydrophobic residues were exposed and polar residues tended to be buried away from the solvent. Distance variation of the tetrahedral intermediate packing of the active pocket was not conserved in organic solvent

Geometric decomposition of the conformation tensor in viscoelastic turbulence

Science.gov (United States)

Hameduddin, Ismail; Meneveau, Charles; Zaki, Tamer A.; Gayme, Dennice F.

2018-05-01

This work introduces a mathematical approach to analysing the polymer dynamics in turbulent viscoelastic flows that uses a new geometric decomposition of the conformation tensor, along with associated scalar measures of the polymer fluctuations. The approach circumvents an inherent difficulty in traditional Reynolds decompositions of the conformation tensor: the fluctuating tensor fields are not positive-definite and so do not retain the physical meaning of the tensor. The geometric decomposition of the conformation tensor yields both mean and fluctuating tensor fields that are positive-definite. The fluctuating tensor in the present decomposition has a clear physical interpretation as a polymer deformation relative to the mean configuration. Scalar measures of this fluctuating conformation tensor are developed based on the non-Euclidean geometry of the set of positive-definite tensors. Drag-reduced viscoelastic turbulent channel flow is then used an example case study. The conformation tensor field, obtained using direct numerical simulations, is analysed using the proposed framework.

From spinning conformal blocks to matrix Calogero-Sutherland models

Science.gov (United States)

Schomerus, Volker; Sobko, Evgeny

2018-04-01

In this paper we develop further the relation between conformal four-point blocks involving external spinning fields and Calogero-Sutherland quantum mechanics with matrix-valued potentials. To this end, the analysis of [1] is extended to arbitrary dimensions and to the case of boundary two-point functions. In particular, we construct the potential for any set of external tensor fields. Some of the resulting Schrödinger equations are mapped explicitly to the known Casimir equations for 4-dimensional seed conformal blocks. Our approach furnishes solutions of Casimir equations for external fields of arbitrary spin and dimension in terms of functions on the conformal group. This allows us to reinterpret standard operations on conformal blocks in terms of group-theoretic objects. In particular, we shall discuss the relation between the construction of spinning blocks in any dimension through differential operators acting on seed blocks and the action of left/right invariant vector fields on the conformal group.

Very special conformal field theories and their holographic duals

Science.gov (United States)

Nakayama, Yu

2018-03-01

Cohen and Glashow introduced the notion of very special relativity as viable space-time symmetry of elementary particle physics. As a natural generalization of their idea, we study the subgroup of the conformal group, dubbed very special conformal symmetry, which is an extension of the very special relativity. We classify all of them and construct field theory examples as well as holographic realization of the very special conformal field theories.

Molecular insight into conformational transmission of human P-glycoprotein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Shan-Yan; Liu, Fu-Feng; Dong, Xiao-Yan; Sun, Yan

2013-01-01

P-glycoprotein (P-gp), a kind of ATP-binding cassette transporter, can export candidates through a channel at the two transmembrane domains (TMDs) across the cell membranes using the energy released from ATP hydrolysis at the two nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs). Considerable evidence has indicated that human P-gp undergoes large-scale conformational changes to export a wide variety of anti-cancer drugs out of the cancer cells. However, molecular mechanism of the conformational transmission of human P-gp from the NBDs to the TMDs is still unclear. Herein, targeted molecular dynamics simulations were performed to explore the atomic detail of the conformational transmission of human P-gp. It is confirmed that the conformational transition from the inward- to outward-facing is initiated by the movement of the NBDs. It is found that the two NBDs move both on the two directions (x and y). The movement on the x direction leads to the closure of the NBDs, while the movement on the y direction adjusts the conformations of the NBDs to form the correct ATP binding pockets. Six key segments (KSs) protruding from the TMDs to interact with the NBDs are identified. The relative movement of the KSs along the y axis driven by the NBDs can be transmitted through α-helices to the rest of the TMDs, rendering the TMDs to open towards periplasm in the outward-facing conformation. Twenty eight key residue pairs are identified to participate in the interaction network that contributes to the conformational transmission from the NBDs to the TMDs of human P-gp. In addition, 9 key residues in each NBD are also identified. The studies have thus provided clear insight into the conformational transmission from the NBDs to the TMDs in human P-gp

New insights on mu/delta selectivity of opioid peptides: conformational analysis of deltorphin analogues.

Science.gov (United States)

Tancredi, T; Temussi, P A; Picone, D; Amodeo, P; Tomatis, R; Salvadori, S; Marastoni, M; Santagada, V; Balboni, G

1991-05-01

The message domain of dermorphin (Tyr-D-Ala-Phe), a natural mu-opioid heptapeptide, has long been considered the main cause of the high mu selectivity of this peptide and of its analogues. The recent discovery, in the skin of Phyllomedusa sauvagei (i.e., the same natural source of dermorphin) and of Phyllomedusa bicolor of deltorphins, challenges this belief. Deltorphins, in fact, are three heptapeptides characterized by a message domain typical of mu-selective peptides, but endowed of an extremely high delta selectivity, the highest of all natural opioid peptides. A conformational analysis of dermorphin and deltorphins, based on nmr studies in DMSO and cryoprotective mixtures and internal energy calculations, showed that the enormous differences in receptor selectivity can be interpreted on the basis of receptor models for mu and delta opioids that recognize the same beta-turn in the N-terminal part, but discriminate for the conformation and polarity of the C-terminal part. Here we present the synthesis, biological activity, and conformational analysis in solution of three deltorphin analogues with very similar constitution, but with different net charge, different location of negative residues, or even without negative residues, which confirm these hypotheses and show that His4 can play a specific structural role.

Iodinated contrast media alter immune responses in pro-inflammatory states.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O'Donnell, David H

2010-07-01

Hypertonic saline causes a transient elevation of blood osmolality and has been shown to alter cellular inflammatory responses in pro-inflammatory states. Intravascular administration of iodine contrast media also causes a transient elevation of blood osmolarity.

Theories of inflation and conformal transformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalara, S.; Kaloper, N.; Olive, K.A.

1990-01-01

We show that several different theories of inflation including R 2 , Brans-Dicke, and induced-gravity inflation are all related to generalized or power-law inflation by means of conformal transformations. These theories all involve non-standard gravity, and the use of conformal transformations allows one to obtain standard inflationary predictions such as the expansion time-scale, reheating and density perturbations in each case very simply. We also discuss the possibilities of this method to be applied to string theory. (orig.)

A Framework for Online Conformance Checking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burattin, Andrea; Carmona, Josep

2017-01-01

is quantified after the completion of the process instance. In this paper we propose a framework for online conformance checking: not only do we quantify (non-)conformant behavior as the execution is running, we also restrict the computation to constant time complexity per event analyzed, thus enabling...... the online analysis of a stream of events. The framework is instantiated with ideas coming from the theory of regions, and state similarity. An implementation is available in ProM and promising results have been obtained....

40 CFR 91.123 - Denial, revocation of certificate of conformity.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... conformity. 91.123 Section 91.123 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR... Certification Provisions § 91.123 Denial, revocation of certificate of conformity. (a) If, after review of the... conformity if the Administrator finds any one of the following infractions to be substantial: (1) The engine...