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We propose a novel scenario to explain the matter-antimatter asymmetry by twofold leptogenesis, wherein heavy Majorana neutrinos exhibit temperature-dependent masses and engage in CP-violating decays. This scenario envisages two distinct phases of leptogenesis: one occurring above the electroweak scale and the other below it. The sphaleron process converts the first lepton asymmetry to baryon asymmetry, but not the second one due to its decoupling. This mechanism potentially explains the significant discrepancy between baryon and lepton asymmetries, as suggested by recent observations of Helium-4. Furthermore, our model implies that the present masses of Majorana neutrinos are lighter than the electroweak scale, offering a tangible avenue for experimental verification in various terrestrial settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seronegative autoimmune encephalitis is autoimmune encephalitis without any identifiable pathogenic antibody. Although it is a major subtype of autoimmune encephalitis, many unmet clinical needs exist in terms of clinical characteristics, treatments and prognosis. In this institutional cohort study, patients diagnosed with seronegative autoimmune encephalitis with available 2-year outcomes were analysed for the disease course, 2-year outcome prediction system, effect of immunotherapy, necessity of further immunotherapy at 6 or 12 months and pattern of brain atrophy. Seronegative autoimmune encephalitis was subcategorized into antibody-negative probable autoimmune encephalitis, autoimmune limbic encephalitis and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Poor 2-year outcome was defined by modified Rankin scale scores 3-6, and the 2-year serial data of Clinical Assessment Scales in Autoimmune Encephalitis score was used for longitudinal data analyses. A total of 147 patients were included. The frequency of achieving a good 2-year outcome (modified Rankin scale 0-2) was 56.5%. The antibody-negative probable autoimmune encephalitis subtype exhibited the poorest outcomes, although the baseline severity was similar among the subtypes. The RAPID score, consisting of five early usable clinical factors, refractory status epilepticus, age of onset ≥60 years, probable autoimmune encephalitis (antibody-negative probable autoimmune encephalitis subtype), infratentorial involvement and delay of immunotherapy ≥1 month, was associated with poorer 2-year outcomes. Any immunotherapy was associated with clinical improvement in the patients with low risk for poor 2-year outcomes (RAPID scores 0-1), and the combination immunotherapy of steroid, immunoglobulin, rituximab and tocilizumab was associated with better outcomes in the patients with high risk for poor 2-year outcomes (RAPID scores 2-5). In patients with persistent disease at 6 months, continuing immunotherapy was associated with more improvement, while the effect of continuing immunotherapy for more than 12 months was unclear. In the longitudinal analysis of MRI, the development of cerebellar atrophy indicated poor outcomes, while the absence of diffuse cerebral atrophy or medial temporal atrophy indicated the possibility of a good outcome. This study provides information about the clinical characteristics and courses, the effect of immunotherapy and its duration, and prognostic factors in seronegative autoimmune encephalitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light‐driven shape memory alloy (SMA)‐based microscale actuators show great promise for artificial muscle and biomedical applications, as they are actuated remotely and have a fast response speed. However, ultraviolet (UV) light is required for device actuation; thus, the operating environment has been limited. Here, an infrared (IR) light‐driven SMA actuator is proposed, in which the plasmonic effect is used to enhance IR light absorptance. A sub‐micrometer pattern is used to create an optical meta‐surface capable of tuning the light absorptance. Conical nanohole arrays are fabricated with a focused ion beam. The absorptance tuning effect is evaluated in terms of the optical characteristics and performance of the actuator. The nanopatterned surface increases the narrow‐band IR light absorption by up to 55%. Optics simulations are conducted to verify the experimental results. A pattern design method is proposed, based on the light wavelength of the stimulating source. Combining heterogeneous surfaces, both UV and IR light achieve decoupled microscale actuation. These actuators show a response similar to that of the iris muscle, which is responsible for the eye's pupillary reflex. It is expected that these actuators will broaden SMA applications in clinical devices and soft robotics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the extended electrodynamics in the presence of the axion and dark photon. We derive the extended versions of Maxwell's equations and dark Maxwell's equations (for both massive and massless dark photons) as well as the wave equations. We discuss the implications of this extended electrodynamics including the enhanced effects in the particle conversions under the external magnetic or dark magnetic field. We also discuss the recently reported anomaly in the redshifted 21 cm spectrum using the extended electrodynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the supersymmetric model with the long-lived charged Higgsino, we discuss how Higgsino kink signals can show up in the latest LHC Disappearing Track (DT) and stable chargino searches. We derive constraints on the Higgsino kink signal, and characterize it in comparison to the Wino DT and the slepton kink track. We also discuss how to infer Higgsino model kinematics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently there has been a huge interest in the diphoton excess around 750 GeV reported by both ATLAS and CMS collaborations, although the newest analysis with more statistics does not seem to support the excess. Nevertheless, the diphoton channel at the LHC experiments are a powerful tool to probe a new physics. One of the most natural explanations of a diphoton excess, if it occurs, could be a new scalar boson with exotic colored particles. In this setup, it would be legitimate to ask what is the role of this new scalar in nature. A heavy neutral gauge boson is one of the traditional targets of the discovery at the collider experiments with numerous motivations. While the Landau-Yang theorem dictates the diphoton excess cannot be this spin-1 gauge boson, there is a strong correlation of a new heavy gauge boson and a new scalar boson which provides a mass to the gauge boson being at the same mass scale. In this paper, we point out a simple fact that a new scalar with a property similar to the recently highlighted 750 GeV would suggest an existence of a TeV scale gauge boson that might be within the reach of the LHC Run 2 experiments. We take a scenario of the well-motivated and popular gauged symmetry and require the gauge coupling unification to predict the mass and other properties of the and illustrate the discovery of the would occur during the LHC experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest for the search of new light gauge bosons. The small mass of a new boson can turn various kinds of low-energy experiments to a new discovery machine, depending on their couplings to the Standard Model particles. It is important to understand the properties of each type of gauge boson and their current constraints for a given mass. While the dark photon (which couples to the electric charges) and the gauge boson have been well studied in an extensive mass range, the gauge boson has not been fully investigated yet. We consider the gauge boson of the in a wide mass range and investigate the constraints on its coupling from various experiments, discussing the similarities and differences from the dark photon and the gauge boson. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An immunochromatographic assay (ICA) based on competitive antigen-coated format and colloidal gold label was developed for the detection of the organophosphorus insecticideO-ethylO-4-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate (EPN). The ICA test strip consisted of a membrane with a detection zone, a sample pad and an absorbent pad. The membrane was separately coated with EPN hapten-OVA conjugate (test line) and anti-mouse IgG (control line). As the competition is between the migrating analyte and the immobilised analyte hapten for the binding sites of the migrating antibody–colloidal gold (Ab–CG) conjugate, this study suggests that the relative migration speed between the two migrating substances is a critically important factor for the sensitive detection by competitive ICA. Based on this criterion, a nitrocellulose (NC) membrane was chosen as the most suitable for EPN ICA. The detection limit of the ICA for EPN standard and EPN spiked into agricultural samples were 10−2and 5×10−2µg mL−1, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Supersymmetry is one of the best motivated new physics scenarios. To build a realistic supersymmetric standard model, however, a companion symmetry is necessary to address various issues. While R-parity is a popular candidate that can address the proton and dark matter issues simultaneously, it is not the only option for such a property. We review how a TeV scale U(1)′ gauge symmetry can replace the R-parity. Discrete symmetries of the U(1)′ can make the model still viable and attractive with distinguishable phenomenology. For instance, with a residual discrete symmetry of the U(1)′, Z6 = B3 × U2, the proton can be protected by the baryon triality (B3) and a hidden sector dark matter candidate can be protected by the U-parity (U2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which determined carbamate pesticides, through a flow injection-type cholinesterase biosensor. Methodology; Results and discussion; Conclusion.

The artificial muscle couples photo-sensing and actuation based on the plasmonic metasurface of SMA. Keywords: actuators; artificial muscles; metasurfaces; plasmonic effects; shape memory alloys EN actuators artificial muscles metasurfaces plasmonic effects shape memory alloys 1 1 1 03/11/22 20220301 NES 220301 Inspired by the iris muscle, Sung-Hoon Ahn and co-workers propose a wave-selective shape memory alloy (SMA) artificial muscle, see article number 2102024. Surface Nanopatterned Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)-Based Photosensitive Artificial Muscle (Advanced Optical Materials 5/2022). [Extracted from the article]

Malondialdehyde (MDA) production and cytosolic aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) response were examined in rat liver tissues after feeding different levels of dietary vitamin E and/or selenium and polyunsaturated fat for 12-38 wk. MDA production was significantly increased by vitamin E deficiency or by high levels of polyunsaturated fat intake, but not by selenium deficiency. The activity of cytosolic ALDH increased upon increased production of MDA after 12-16 wk of feeding the lipid peroxidation-inducing diets. However, ALDH activity was suppressed after 38 wk of feeding the vitamin E-deficient diet. The results indicate that the hepatic cytosolic ALDH may be involved in the metabolism of MDA during a relatively short-term increase in in vivo lipid peroxidation, but that ALDH activity becomes suppressed after more severe in vivo lipid peroxidation has been produced. Hepatic and plasma α-tocopherol levels and lipid peroxidation products were measured for the various dietary groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments were carried out to measure the urinary excretion of free and conjugated malonaldehyde (MDA) and other thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in vitamin E deficient and vitamin E supplemented rats. From both dietary groups, six TBA positive fractions were isolated, in addition to that containing free MDA, by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a TSK-GEL G-1000PW column. Three of the fractions isolated were found to be significantly increased in vitamin E deficiency. After acid hydrolysis, only one of the above compounds produced free MDA which indicated the presence of derivatized MDA. Only this fraction exhibited fluorescence at excitation 370 nm and emission 450 nm. The five other fractions formed 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazones (2,4-DNPH), indicating the presence of carbonyl groups, but the derivatized MDA fraction did not. No significant differences were found in free MDA levels between the vitamin E deficient and the vitamin E supplemented groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantity of free malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver tissues of rats fed vitamin E-deficient or-supplemented diets for 43 wk was measured by a newly developed high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method. Bound MDA was quantified by the same HPLC method after alkaline hydrolysis of tissue homogenates. Tissues from vitamin E-deficient animals showed levels of free MDA about 15 times higher but levels of bound MDA less than 2 times higher than the vitamin E-supplemented animals. Free MDA is the major form in vitamin E-deficient tissues, but bound MDA is predominant in vitamin E-supplemented tissues. Conventional thiobarbituric acid (TBA) test results revealed that the content of TBA-reactive substances expressed in MDA equivalents was much higher than the actual free MDA levels in all groups. Results indicate that free MDA level measured by HPLC is a more sensitive index than the TBA value for lipid peroxidation. Some other TBA-reactive substances seem to exist in liver tissue regardless of the dietary treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extra Abelian gauge symmetry is motivated in many new physics models in both supersymmetric and nonsupersymmetric cases. Such a new gauge symmetry may interact with both the observable sector and the hidden sector. We systematically investigate the most general residual discrete symmetries in both sectors from a common Abelian gauge symmetry. Those discrete symmetries can ensure the stability of the proton and the dark matter candidate. A hidden sector dark matter candidate (lightest U-parity particle or LUP) interacts with the standard model fields through the gauge boson Z′ which may selectively couple to quarks or leptons only. We make a comment on the implications of the discrete symmetry and the leptonically coupling dark matter candidate, which has been highlighted recently due to the possibility of the simultaneous explanation of the DAMA and the PAMELA results. We also show how to construct the most general U(1) charges for a given discrete symmetry, and discuss the relation between the U(1) gauge symmetry and R-parity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a correction to the article "Improved ferromagnetism of (Zn0.93Mn0.07)O through rapid thermal annealing," by Sejoon Lee, Yoon Shon, Seung-Woong Lee, Sun Jae Hwang, Hye Sung Lee, Tae Won Kang and Deuk Young Kimb published in an earlier issue of the journal.