Search

We argue that the existence of the electroweak monopole predicts the existence of the electroweak string in the standard model made of monopole–antimonopole pair separated infinitely apart, which carry the quantized magnetic flux 4 π n / e . We show how to construct such quantized magnetic flux string solution. Our result strongly indicates that genuine fundamental electromagnetic string could exist in nature which could actually be detected. We discuss the physical implications of our result in cosmology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rubber band ligation (RBL) is a widely accepted intervention for the treatment of haemorrhoids. However, post procedure pain is a common complaint. The aim of this study was to determine whether the addition of local anaesthetic (LA) to the haemorrhoid pedicle base, post RBL, aids in reducing early post-procedure pain. Additionally, to compare perceived perianal numbness, oral analgesia usage and total consumption, and adverse events. Methods: This study was a prospective, single-blinded randomised controlled trial. Patients were recruited from colorectal clinics in two Australian hospitals between 2018–2019. Patients randomised to the intervention (LA) group received 2mls bupivacaine 0.5% with adrenaline 1:200,000 to each haemorrhoid base. Patients in the control group were not administered LA. Pain scores were recorded over 48 h using visual analogue scales. Analgesia consumption was documented and other secondary objectives were recorded dichotomously (yes/no). Results: At 1 h post-procedure, patient reported pain scores were significantly lower in the LA group compared to the control group (p = 0.04). There were no significant differences in pain scores between the groups at 4, 24 or 48 h. Additionally, there were no significant differences between groups with respect to oral analgesia usage, perianal numbness or adverse events. Conclusions: LA to the haemorrhoid pedicle post RBL may significantly reduce early post procedure pain without any increased risk of adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A search for highly electrically charged objects (HECOs) and magnetic monopoles is presented using 2.2 fb - 1 of p - p collision data taken at a centre of mass energy (E CM ) of 8 TeV by the MoEDAL detector during LHC's Run-1. The data were collected using MoEDAL's prototype Nuclear Track Detectord array and the Trapping Detector array. The results are interpreted in terms of Drell–Yan pair production of stable HECO and monopole pairs with three spin hypotheses (0, 1/2 and 1). The search provides constraints on the direct production of magnetic monopoles carrying one to four Dirac magnetic charges and with mass limits ranging from 590 GeV/c 2 to 1 TeV/c 2 . Additionally, mass limits are placed on HECOs with charge in the range 10e to 180e, where e is the charge of an electron, for masses between 30 GeV/c 2 and 1 TeV/c 2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrically charged particles can be created by the decay of strong enough electric fields, a phenomenon known as the Schwinger mechanism1. By electromagnetic duality, a sufficiently strong magnetic field would similarly produce magnetic monopoles, if they exist2. Magnetic monopoles are hypothetical fundamental particles that are predicted by several theories beyond the standard model3–7 but have never been experimentally detected. Searching for the existence of magnetic monopoles via the Schwinger mechanism has not yet been attempted, but it is advantageous, owing to the possibility of calculating its rate through semi-classical techniques without perturbation theory, as well as that the production of the magnetic monopoles should be enhanced by their finite size8,9 and strong coupling to photons2,10. Here we present a search for magnetic monopole production by the Schwinger mechanism in Pb–Pb heavy ion collisions at the Large Hadron Collider, producing the strongest known magnetic fields in the current Universe11. It was conducted by the MoEDAL experiment, whose trapping detectors were exposed to 0.235 per nanobarn, or approximately 1.8 × 109, of Pb–Pb collisions with 5.02-teraelectronvolt center-of-mass energy per collision in November 2018. A superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer scanned the trapping detectors of MoEDAL for the presence of magnetic charge, which would induce a persistent current in the SQUID. Magnetic monopoles with integer Dirac charges of 1, 2 and 3 and masses up to 75 gigaelectronvolts per speed of light squared were excluded by the analysis at the 95% confidence level. This provides a lower mass limit for finite-size magnetic monopoles from a collider search and greatly extends previous mass bounds.At the Large Hadron Collider, the MoEDAL experiment shows no evidence for magnetic monopoles generated via the Schwinger mechanism at integer Dirac charges below 3, and suggests a lower mass limit of 75 GeV/c2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that the electroweak monopole can be regularized with a non-vacuum electromagnetic permittivity. This allows us to set a new BPS bound for the monopole mass, which implies that the mass may not be smaller than 2.98 TeV, more probably 3.75 TeV. We demonstrate that the same method can also regularize the Dirac monopole, which enhances the possibility to construct the Dirac monopole of mass of a few hundred meV in condensed matters. We discuss the physical implications of our result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electroweak monopole in the standard model, the existence, characteristic features, cosmological production and physical implications are discussed. The discovery of the Higgs particle has been thought to be the 'final' test of the standard model. If the standard model is correct, however, it must have the electroweak monopole as the electroweak generalization of the Dirac monopole. This means that the detection of thismonopole should become the final and topological test of the standard model. If detected, it becomes the first magnetically charged and stable topological elementary particle in the history of physics. Moreover, it has deep implications in physics. In cosmology, it could generate the primordial magnetic black holes which could explain the dark matter, become the seed of the large-scale structures of the universe, and be the source of the intergalactic magnetic field. Just as importantly, it could generate the hitherto unknown magnetic current which could have huge practical applications. Furthermore, the existence of the monopole requires us to reformulate the perturbative expansion in quantum field theory. This makes the detection of the electroweak monopole a most urgent issue. We discuss useful tips for the MoEDAL detector at LHC and similar experiments on how to detect the monopole successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After Dirac introduced the monopole, topological objects have played increasingly important roles in physics. In this review we discuss the role of the knot, the most sophisticated topological object in physics, and related topological objects in various areas in physics. In particular, we discuss how the knots appear in Maxwell’s theory, Skyrme theory, and multicomponent condensed matter physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present three independent methods to estimate the mass of the electroweak monopole. Our result strongly implies the existence of a genuine electroweak monopole of mass around 4-10 TeV, which could be detected by MoEDAL at present Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We emphasize that the discovery of the electroweak monopole should be the final test of the Standard Model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of lobeglitazone and pioglitazone as add-ons to metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients who were inadequately controlled by metformin were randomized and treated once daily with either lobeglitazone (0.5 mg, n = 128) or pioglitazone (15 mg, n = 125) for 24 weeks, with a 28-week extension trial of lobeglitazone treatment in patients who consented. The primary endpoint was the change in glycated haemoglobin ( HbA1c) concentration from baseline to week 24. At week 24, the mean change from baseline in HbA1c was −0.74% for the lobeglitazone group and −0.74% for the pioglitazone group, with a mean difference of 0.01% [95% confidence interval ( CI) of difference, −0.16 to 0.18]. The effects of lobeglitazone on lipid variables and the adverse events associated with lobeglitazone were similar to those observed with pioglitazone. Lobeglitazone was not inferior to pioglitazone as an add-on to metformin in terms of their efficacy and safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superradiance phenomena of massive bosons and fermions in the Kerr space-time are studied in the Bargmann-Wigner formulation. In case of bi-spinor, the four independent components spinors correspond to the four bosonic freedom: one scalar and three vectors uniquely. The consistent description of the Bargmann-Wigner equations between fermions and bosons shows that the superradiance of the type with positive energy (0 < ω) and negative momentum near horizon (pH < 0) is shown not to occur. On the other hand, the superradiance of the type with negative energy (ω < 0) and positive momentum near horizon (0 < pH) is still possible for both scalar bosons and spinor fermions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To compare the HbA1c-lowering efficacy of glucagon-like peptide-1 ( GLP-1) analogues between Asians and non-Asians with type 2 diabetes. Methods We searched randomized controlled trials from MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, CENTRAL and . Studies described in English were included if the treatment duration was 12 weeks or more, information about ethnicity and baseline HbA1c values were available and a GLP-1 analogue was compared with a placebo. For the ethnic comparison, we divided the studies into Asian-dominant studies (≥50% Asian participants) and non-Asian-dominant studies (<50% Asian participants). Results Among the 837 searched studies, 15 trials were included for the meta-analysis. The weighted mean difference of HbA1c with GLP-1 analogues was −1.16% [95% confidence interval ( CI) −1.48, −0.85] in the Asian-dominant studies and −0.83% (95% CI −0.97, −0.70) in the non-Asian-dominant studies. The between-group difference was −0.32% (95% CI −0.64, −0.01; p = 0.04). The relative risk ( RR) with 95% CIs for achieving the target HbA1c ≤7.0% tended to be greater in the Asian-dominant studies [ RR 5.7 (3.8, 8.7)] than in the non-Asian-dominant studies [ RR 2.8 (2.4, 3.3)]. Body weight changes were similar between the two groups. Hypoglycaemia tended to be more common in Asian-dominant studies ( RR 2.8 [2.3, 3.5]) than in non-Asian-dominant studies ( RR 1.5 [1.2, 1.8]), but severe hypoglycaemia was very rare in both groups. Conclusion GLP-1 analogues lower HbA1c more in Asian-dominant studies than in non-Asian-dominant studies. Further studies are warranted to explore the potential mechanisms of the ethnic difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate the monopole condensation in SU(3) QCD. We first discuss the gauge independent and Weyl symmetric Abelian (Cho-Duan-Ge) decomposition of the SU(3) QCD, and present a new gauge invariant integral expression of the one-loop effective action which has no infrared divergence. Integrating it gauge invariantly imposing the color reflection invariance ("the C-projection") we show that the effective potential generates the stable monopole condensation which generates the mass gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viewing Einstein's theory as the gauge theory of the Lorentz group, we construct themost general vacuum connections which have vanishing curvature tensor and show that the vacuum space-time can be classified by the knot topology π3(S³) ≃ π3(S2) of π3(SO(3, 1)). With this we obtain the gaugeindependent vacuum decomposition of Einstein's theory to the vacuum and gauge covariant physical parts. We discuss the physical implications of our result in quantum gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conjecture the Abelian dominance in Einstein's theory, that is, the Abelian part of the theory plays the central role in the dynamics. Treating Einstein's theory as a gauge theory of the Lorentz group, we show that Einstein's theory can be decomposed into the restricted part made up of the restricted connection which has the full Lorentz gauge invariance and the valence part made up of the valence connection which plays the role of gravitational source of the restricted gravity. In this decomposition, the role of the metric gµν is replaced by a fourindex metric tensor gµν which transforms covariantly under the Lorentz group, and themetric-compatibility condition ▽αgµν = 0 of the connection is replaced by the gauge and generally covariant condition Dµgµν = 0.We show that there are two different Abelian decompositions, the light-like (or null) decomposition and the non-light-like (or non-null) decomposition, because the Lorentz group has two maximal Abelian subgroups. The decomposition shows the existence of the restricted gravity which has the full general invariance but is much simpler than Einstein's theory. Moreover, it tells us that the restricted gravity can be written as an Abelian gauge theory, which implies that the graviton can be described by a massless spin-1 field. This establishes the Abelian dominance in Einstein's theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We clarify the on-going confusion on the long-standing gauge invariance problem of the nucleon spin decomposition to the spin and angular momentum of quarks and gluons. We provide two gauge-invariant decompositions of nucleon spin which have different physical meanings, using the gauge independent Abelian decomposition. The first one is based on the assumption that all (binding and valence) gluons contribute to the nucleon spin, but the second one is based on the assumption that only the binding gluons (and the quarks) contribute to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a novel diagnostic algorithm based on wavelet packet transform. Although existing fault diagnostic techniques may detect the occurrence of failure or excessive malfunction in a system, they rarely reveal such detailed information as fault position, not to mention their reduced effectiveness in a system whose fault feature is not so pronounced. The proposed algorithm takes advantage of time—frequency localized features of wavelet packets in order to classify the system condition and pinpoint the fault position. Fisher's linear discriminant is used to classify system conditions, all the wavelet packets are exhaustively searched in order to unravel the optimal base (or packet) that discriminates different system conditions based on the Fisher value. It is the time—frequency localized feature of the wavelet packet that further makes it possible to detect fault position and even faulty component in the bevel gear. The proposed algorithm is validated using a machine fault simulator that consists of a motor, a bevel gear, and a bearing, where the condition of the bevel gear may be varied to simulate normal, cracked, and broken conditions using vibration signal. It turns out that the proposed algorithm precisely locates fault position as well as identifies system conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new Lorentz gauge gravity model with R2-type Lagrangian is proposed. In the absence of classical torsion, the model admits a topological phase with an arbitrary metric. We analyze the equations of motion in constant curvature space–time background using the Lagrange formalism and demonstrate that the model possesses a minimal set of dynamic degrees of freedom for the torsion. Surprisingly, the number of torsion dynamic degrees of freedom equals the number of physical degrees of freedom for the metric tensor. An interesting feature of the model is that the spin-2 mode of torsion becomes dynamical essentially due to the nonlinear structure of the theory. We perform covariant one-loop quantization of the model for a special case of constant curvature space–time background. We treat the contortion as a quantum field variable whereas the metric tensor is kept as a classical object. We discuss a possible mechanism of an emergent Einstein gravity as a part of the effective theory induced due to quantum dynamics of torsion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an Abelian decomposition of Einstein's general relativity, viewing Einstein's theory as a gauge theory of Lorentz group and identifying the gravitational connection as the gauge potential of Lorentz group. The decomposition confirms the existence of the restricted gravity which is much simpler than Einstein's theory but which has the full local Lorentz invariance (and thus the full general invariance). Moreover, it tells that Einstein's theory can be viewed as the restricted gravity which has the Lorentz covariant valence connection as the gravitational source. With the Abelian decomposition we show how to construct all possible vacuum gravitational connections, which can be classified by the knot topology π3(S3) = π3(S2). We discuss the physical implications of our result in quantum gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the non-Abelian topological objects, in particular the non-Abrikosov vortex and the magnetic knot made of the twisted non-Abrikosov vortex, in two-gap superconductor. We show that there are two types of non-Abrikosov vortex in Ginzburg-Landau theory of two-gap superconductor, the D-type which has no concentration of the condensate at the core and the N-type which has a non-trivial profile of the condensate at the core, under a wide class of realistic interaction potential. We prove that these non-Abrikosov vortices can have either integral or fractional magnetic flux, depending on the interaction potential. We show that they are described by the non-Abelian topology π2( S 2) and π1( S 1), in addition to the well-known Abelian topology π1( S 1). Furthermore, we discuss the possibility to construct a stable magnetic knot in two-gap superconductor by twisting the non-Abrikosov vortex and connecting two periodic ends together, whose knot topology π3( S 2) is described by the Chern-Simon index of the electromagnetic potential. We argue that similar topological objects may exist in multi-gap or multi-layer superconductors and multi-component Bose-Einstein condensates and superfluids, and discuss how these topological objects can be constructed in MgB2, Sr2RuO4, 3He, and liquid metallic hydrogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by insulin resistance and hyperglycemia. Leptin inhibits the glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, and leptin receptors are present on β cells as well as on fat cells, thus enabling leptin to modulate both insulin secretion and action. Therefore, leptin ( LEP) and leptin receptor ( LEPR) genes could play a role in the regulation of glucose and insulin after an oral glucose load. For the association study of LEP and LEPR with T2DM and metabolic traits, 752 women from Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH data) and 532 women from the Korean Health and Genome Study (KHGS data) were selected. Using the SNUH data, we identified that LEP−632G>A and +4998A>C polymorphisms were marginally associated with T2DM, LEP+ 4950G>A was significantly associated with several metabolic traits, and LEPR+5193G>A, +7187A>C, +27265G>A, +35861T>C, and +52289A>G showed strongly significant association with body mass index (BMI). We observed reproducibility of these results using the KHGS data; LEP+4950G>A and +4998A>C were significantly associated with systolic blood pressure and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level, respectively. In conclusion, we observed that several polymorphisms in LEPR that had previous reports of association with BMI were significantly replicated in our samples and newly found that some variations of LEP were associated with T2DM and metabolic traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To evaluate the response to induction therapy with intravenous (IV) cyclophosphamide (CYC) in Korean patients with class IV-G (diffuse global proliferative glomerulonephritis) and class IV-S (diffuse segmental proliferative glomerulonephritis) lupus nephritis (LN) according to the classification system of the International Society of Nephrology/Renal Pathology Society (ISN/RPS). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Microsatellite markers are an essential tool for genetic linkage analysis because of their high polymorphism content. Four hundred commercially available markers covering the entire genome were genotyped from 578 sib individuals from 249 Korean families. Allelic frequencies and heterozygosities were determined for each marker loci and compared between Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Caucasian populations. In the three Asian populations, 10–13% of the markers had less than 0.6 heterozygosity, whereas in the Caucasian population, only 0.5% of the markers had less than 0.6 heterozygosity. Mean identical by descent (IBD) values were calculated for 578 sib individuals.Analysis of IBD values greater than 0.5 suggested that markers with low heterozygosity can also provide positive linkages, at least for the IBD sharing method of model-free linkage analysis. The data presented in this study will be a useful reference for genome-wide screens of Koreans and comparative studies with other ethnic populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the proposal that the Skyrme theory is a theory of monopole we provide a new interpretation of Skyrme theory, that the theory can also be viewed as an effective theory of strong interaction which is dual to QCD, where the monopoles (not the quarks) are confined through the Meissner effect. This dual picture leads us to predict the existence of a topological glueball in QCD, a chromoelectric knot which is dual to the chromomagnetic knot in Skyrme theory, whose mass and decay width are estimated to be around 60 GeV and 8 GeV. As importantly, the existence of the magnetic vortex and knot in Skyrme theory strongly indicates that the theory could also be interpreted to describe a very interesting low energy condensed matter physics in a completely different environment. These new interpretations of Skyrme theory puts the theory in a totally new perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss the quantization of the restricted gauge theory of SU(2) QCD regarding it as a second-class constraint system, and construct the BRST symmetry of the constrained system in the framework of the improved Dirac quantization scheme. Our analysis tells that one could efficiently quantize the restricted QCD under the BRST symmetry as if it is a first-class constraint system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgenic (TG) rats bearing a probasin promoter/simian virus 40 T antigen (SV40 Tag) construct were treated with antiandrogens to examine their ability to suppress prostate carcinogenesis. Finasteride and flutamide were administered to 10-week-old TG rats five times a week for 2, 5 and 7 weeks. Antiandrogen-treated prostates exhibited atrophic glandular structures with almost no expression of SV40 Tag and only weak signals for androgen receptors. Furthermore, quantitative data for ventral prostate adenocarcinomas showed significant decrease with antiandrogen treatment. Both finasteride and flutamide had the ability to suppress SV40 Tag-driven carcinogenesis through their different antiandrogenic mechanisms, suggesting that this TG model is suitable for exploring the potential of agents to inhibit prostate cancer development.Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases (2007) 10, 378–383; doi:10.1038/sj.pcan.4500971; published online 24 April 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Information on the clinical outcome of patients with diabetes with silent myocardial ischaemia is limited. We compared the clinical and angiographic characteristics, and the clinical outcomes of diabetic patients with asymptomatic or symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods Three hundred and ten consecutive diabetic patients with CAD were divided into two groups according to the presence of angina and followed for a mean of 5 years. Fifty-six asymptomatic patients with a positive stress test and CAD on coronary angiography were compared with 254 symptomatic patients, 167 with unstable angina and 87 with chronic stable angina. Results Although the severity of coronary atherosclerosis was similar in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients, revascularization therapy was performed less frequently in the asymptomatic than the symptomatic patients (26.8 vs. 62.0%; P < 0.001). Asymptomatic patients experienced a similar number of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs; death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and revascularization; 32 vs. 28%; P = 0.57), but had higher cardiac mortality than symptomatic patients (26 vs. 9%; P < 0.001). However, patients who underwent revascularization therapy at the time of CAD diagnosis in these two groups showed similar MACE and cardiac mortality (20.0 vs. 22.5%, 6.7 vs. 5.3%, respectively; all P > 0.05). Conclusions This study suggests that diabetic patients with asymptomatic CAD have a higher cardiac mortality risk than those with symptomatic CAD, and that lack of revascularization therapy may be responsible for the poorer survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Kir6.2 is found in the pancreatic B-cell, cardiac and skeletal muscle and non-vascular smooth muscle. KCNJ11, encoding Kir6.2, has been shown to be associated with both Type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease in several populations. In this study, we investigated whether polymorphisms in KCNJ11 are associated with Type 2 diabetes and other metabolic phenotypes in the Korean population. Methods We sequenced KCNJ11 to identify common polymorphisms using 24 Korean DNA samples. Of the 14 polymorphisms found in KCNJ11, six common ones [genomic sequence (g.)−1709A>T, g.−1525T>C, g.67G>A (E23K), g.570C>T (A190A), g.1009A>G (I337V), and g.1388C>T] were genotyped in 761 Type 2 diabetic patients and in 630 non-diabetic subjects. Results All the polymorphic loci in KCNJ11 are in strong linkage disequilibrium in the Korean population and act as one haplotype block. g.67G>A and g.1009A>G were associated with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes [age, sex, and body mass index (BMI)-adjusted odds ratios (OR) = 1.376 (1.085–1.745), P = 0.008 and 1.411 (1.111–1.791), P = 0.005, respectively], as was one haplotype (A-T-A-C-G-C in the order of polymorphisms as shown above) containing g.67A and g.1009G [OR = 1.359 (1.080–1.709), P = 0.009]. The haplotype (A-T-A-C-G-C) was also strongly associated with hypertension [OR = 1.655 (1.288–2.126), P < 0.001]. Conclusions Polymorphisms in KCNJ11 are associated with Type 2 diabetes and also with hypertension in the Korean population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoter CpG island hypermethylation is an important carcinogenic event in prostate adenocarcinoma. Regardless of tissue type, human cancers have in common both focal CpG island hypermethylation and global genomic hypomethylation. The present study evaluated CpG island loci hypermethylation and LINE-1 and Alu repeat hypomethylation in prostate adenocarcinoma, analysed the relationship between them, and correlated these findings with clinicopathological features. We examined 179 cases of prostate adenocarcinoma and 30 cases of benign prostate hypertrophy for the methylation status of 22 CpG island loci and the methylation levels of LINE-1 and Alu repeats using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and combined bisulphite restriction analysis, respectively. The following 16 CpG island loci were found to display cancer-related hypermethylation: RASSF1A, GSTP1, RARB, TNFRSF10C, APC, BCL2, MDR1, ASC, TIG1, RBP1, COX2, THBS1, TNFRSF10D, CD44, p16, and RUNX3. Except for the last four CpG island loci, hypermethylation of each of the remaining 12 CpG island loci displayed a close association with one or more of the prognostic parameters (ie preoperative serum prostate specific antigen level, Gleason score sum, and clinical stage). Prostate adenocarcinoma with hypermethylation of each of ASC, COX2, RARB, TNFRSF10C, MDR1, TIG1, RBP1, NEUROG1, RASSF1A, and GSTP1 showed a significantly lower methylation level of Alu or LINE-1 than prostate adenocarcinoma without hypermethylation. In addition, hypomethylation of Alu or LINE-1 was closely associated with one or more of the above prognostic parameters. These data suggest that in tumour progression a close relationship exists between CpG island hypermethylation and the hypomethylation of repetitive elements, and that CpG island hypermethylation and DNA hypomethylation contribute to cancer progression. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider one-loop effective action of SU(3) QCD with a most general constant chromomagnetic (chromoelectric) background which has two independent Abelian field components. The effective potential with a pure magnetic background has a local minimum only when two Abelian components $H_{\mu\nu}^3$ and $H_{\mu\nu}^8$ of color magnetic field are orthogonal to each other. The nontrivial structure of the effective action has important implication in estimating quark–gluon production rate and pT-distribution in quark–gluon plasma. In general the production rate depends on three independent Casimir invariants, in particular, it depends on the relative orientation between chromoelectric fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ co-activator 1β (PPARGC1B) may play an important role in obesity and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In an effort to identify genetic polymorphisms in potential candidate genes for T2DM, genetic associations of PPARGC1B were examined in a Korean T2DM study. Methods We have sequenced the PPARGC1B, and examined its association with T2DM and diabetic phenotypes in a Korean T2DM study (775 T2DM patients and 316 control subjects) using the TaqMan method. Logistic and multiple regression models were employed to analyse the genetic contributions of polymorphisms. Nineteen polymorphisms were identified in PPARGC1B. Results By logistic regression analysis controlling for age and sex as covariates, one non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP; +102605C>A; Arg292Ser) in exon 5 showed marginal significant associations with the risk of T2DM. The allele frequency of the minor allele [‘ A ( = Ser)’ allele of +102605C>A] was lower among T2DM patients (frequency = 0.101) than among control subjects (frequency = 0.135) [ P = 0.03, OR = 0.71 (95% CI: 0.51–0.94)]. Furthermore, serum triglyceride level was also associated with this non-synonymous SNP ( +102605C>A; Arg292Ser) in exon 5 among controls ( P = 0.03 in the dominant analysing model). Serum triglyceride levels [1.46 ± 0.70 (log-transformed value; 0.12 ± 0.18)] were lower in individuals who carry one or two copies of minor alleles than among others [1.60 ± 0.85 (log-transformed value; 0.16 ± 0.21)]. Conclusion The present study provides, for the first time, information about genetic polymorphisms in PPARGC1B and putative associations of one non-synonymous SNP with the risk of T2DM and serum triglyceride (TG) levels in the Korean population, although this result was not significant after correction for multiple testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we characterized the effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH D3) and manipulated dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD). on the performance, urine pH, serum constituents, carcass traits, tissue residual vitamin D and its metabolites, beef tenderness, and mRNA and protein concentrations of Ca-dependent proteinases in LM using 24 cull native Korean cows. The cows were divided into 3 groups of 8: control, 25-OH D3 supplemented (25-OH D3), and manipulated DCAD plus 25-OH D3 supplemented (DCAD+25-OH D3). Cows receiving 25-OH D3 or DCAD+25-OH D3 were dosed with 125 mg of 25-OH D3 6 d before slaughter. The manipulated DCAD (-10 mEq/ 100 g of DM) diet was fed from 20 to 6 d (14 d) before slaughter. The DCAD+25-OH D3 treatment decreased urine pH and increased serum Ca concentrations. Although the vitamin D concentrations in LM, liver, and kidney were not affected by 25-OH D3 or DCAD+25-OH D3, muscle tissue 25-OH D3 concentrations were increased by both regimens. Serum 25-OH D3 concentrations were increased by 25-OH D3 supplementation, and the increase was even greater for DCAD+25-OH D3. The same pattern was observed for serum 1,25-(OH)2 D3. However, the LM concentration of 1,25-(OH)2 was less for DCAID+25-OH D3 than for control. Although Ca concentrations of LM increased numerically in response to 25-OH D3 supplementation, no statistical differences in Warner-Bratzler shear force or sensory traits of LM were detected. The LM of cows receiving 25-OH D3 with or without manipulated DCAD had greater concentrations of μ-calpain and m-calpain mRNA, whereas the reverse was observed for calpastatin mRNA. Expression of μ-calpain protein was increased relative to control by DCAD+25-OH D3. The amount of 25-OH D3 and manipulated DCAD administered to cull native Korean cows was insufficient to improve tenderness of beef by increasing muscle Ca concentration. However, DCAD+25-OH D3 induced greater expressions of μ-calpain protein as well as mRNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Growing evidence supports the hypothesis that chronic low-grade inflammation related to innate immunity may play an important role in the pathophysiology of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The monocyte differentiation antigen CD14 gene ( CD14) acts as the receptor for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and augments monocyte/macrophage inflammatory responses. Methods We have sequenced the gene, including all exons, exon/intron boundaries, and the −1.5 kb of the 5′ flanking region. Two common loci (minor allele frequency > 0.05) were genotyped in 775 T2DM patients and 316 control subjects recruited in the Korean T2DM Study. Results Eight polymorphisms, including four non-synonymous forms, were identified in CD14. No polymorphisms were found in association with T2DM. However, one common promoter SNP ( −260T>C) was significantly associated with both the serum triglyceride level (TG) and body mass index (BMI) in non-diabetic control subjects. Individuals who carried the minor allele (C) had higher TG levels (1.65 ± 0.81 vs. 1.46 ± 0.80 mmol/l; P = 0.0007) and BMI (23.96 ± 3.00 vs. 23.28 ± 3.22 kg/m2; P = 0.04) as compared with subjects carrying T/T genotypes. Conclusion Our data suggest that lipid metabolism and obesity, important pathophysiological elements of T2DM and the metabolic syndrome, are regulated by complex mechanisms that include the CD14 gene polymorphism-mediated genetic propensity to non-specific inflammatory responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/hypothesis: Dysfunction in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation plays a central role in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1) is a transcription factor that acts on nuclear genes encoding respiratory subunits and components of the mitochondrial transcription and replication machinery. Thus, we investigated its genetic association with type 2 diabetes. Methods: The NRF1 gene was sequenced to identify polymorphisms in 24 Korean DNA samples and then common variants were genotyped in 766 patients with type 2 diabetes and 303 non-diabetic subjects. Results: Twelve single nucleotide polymorphisms and one insertion/ deletion polymorphism were identified. Six common variants among them were genotyped in a larger study. Although three individual polymorphisms appeared to be associated with type 2 diabetes (g.-46350insdel A, g.+ 141G>T and g.+54529A>G), the effects were only marginal. However, a haplotype (H2) was associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes and another haplotype (H4) was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes (p values for the Haplo.Score test were 0.009 and 0.004, respectively). Conclusions/interpretation: We demonstrated that two common haplotypes of NRF1 gene are associated with type 2 diabetes in the Korean population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims/hypothesis: Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK) is the key enzyme involved in the regulation of gluconeogenesis. The aim of this study was to identify genetic polymorphisms in potential candidate genes for type 2 diabetes by sequencing all exons in the PCK genes (PCK1 and PCK2), and examining the association with type 2 diabetes and diabetic phenotypes in a Korean population (775 type 2 diabetic patients and 316 normal control subjects). Materials and methods: Twenty-two polymorphisms in PCK1 and PCK2 were identified in a Korean population (n=24) by direct DNA sequencing. The TaqMan genotyping method was applied for genotyping] the remainder of the study population. Associations of PCK polymorphisms with the risk of type 2 diabetes and diabetic phenotypes were analysed using logistic and multiple regressions, adjusting for age, sex and BMI. Results: Although no significant associations between the genetic polymorphisms in PCK genes and the risk of type 2 diabetes were detected, in further haplotype analysis, one of the common haplotypes, PCK1 ht3, revealed susceptibility to type 2 diabetes (p=0.006). One 3′ untranslated region (UTR) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) also showed an association with HDL levels among nondiabetic control subjects: individuals homozygous for the major allele (T/T) had the lowest HDL level (1.11± 0.32 mmol/l), heterozygotes (T/C) had an intermediate level (1.27±0.37 mmol/l), and those homozygous for the minor allele (C/C) had the highest level (1.39±0.28 mmol/l) (p=0.000003). This 3′ UTR SNP was also associated with triglyceride levels, with a lower triglyceride level observed among individuals who were homozygous for the minor allele (C/C) than among those who were not. Conclusions/ interpretation: The strong genetic association of HDL and triglyceride levels with variation/haplotype information identified in this study would be useful for further genetic epidemiological studies of this important gene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]