Discriminating neutrino mass models using Type II seesaw formula

In this paper we propose a kind of natural selection which can discriminate the three possible neutrino mass models, namely the degenerate, inverted hierarchical and normal hierarchical models, using the framework of Type II seesaw formula. We arrive at a conclusion that the inverted hierarchical model appears to be most favourable whereas the normal hierarchical model follows next to it. The degenerate model is found to be most unfavourable. We use the hypothesis that those neutrino mass models in which Type I seesaw term dominates over the Type II left-handed Higgs triplet term are favoured to survive in nature.Comment: No change in the results, a few references added, some changes in Type[IIB] calculation

Study on indicators of diabetic nephropathy

Background: Microalbuminuria, serum creatinine, albumin/ creatinine ratio & eGFR are currently in use for early changes in DN. Serum SA levels correlate positively with albuminuria which is indicator for DN, hence serum levels are raised even before clinical nephropathy is diagnosed. An elevation in the serum SA concentration has been observed in DN in the study conducted by Jarkko Romppanen. Thus research was undertaken to study indicators of DN like SA, HbA1c, lipid profile, Serum Creatinine & Urine albumin/ Creatinine ratio. Objectives: To estimate levels of Serum SA, HbA1c, Lipid profile, Serum Creatinine & Urine albumin/Creatinine ratio in type 2 DM & DN patients. Methods: Serum SA by resorcinol-HCl-Copper reagent method, Glycated Hb by Ion exchange resin method, Lipid profile by enzymatic method, Serum Creatinine by Jaffe’s method, Urine albumin/ creatinine ratio (UAC)- Urine albumin & creatinine by Immuno-turbidometry. Results: Serum SA concentration significantly increased in DN when compared to DM and positively co-related with other factors like glycemic control (HbA1c), lipid profile, Serum creatinine & UAC. Hence, serum SA levels could be used as early indicator of DN. Conclusion: SA levels in DN were increased & statistically significant when compared to DM without nephropathy. The mean HbA1c, TC, triglyceride, LDL, serum creatinine, & urine A/C ratio were significantly increased & were correlated positively with SA

Measuring |V<SUB>ub</SUB>| via nonleptonic decays of B mesons

We discuss the possibility of measuring Vub via nonleptonic decays of B mesons to exclusive two-meson final states by choosing modes that are theoretically "clean." These clean final states are chosen by requiring that no qq̅ of the same flavor should occur in them. The above requirement automatically leads to decays that proceed only via the spectator graphs in the decays of b, c, and s flavored mesons. These modes may offer a good handle on Vub, at a level comparable to that given by the exclusive semileptonic modes

Enhanced electrochemical properties of NiS@CeO2 spherical nanoflakes

Herein we report synthesis of bare cerium oxide nanoparticles from cerium hydroxide and NiS@CeO2 nanocomposite (NC) from nickel cinnamaldehyde thiosemicarbazone complex (single source molecular precursor) and CeO2 nanoparticles by solvothermal method using ethylene glycol as a capping agent. These materials were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray techniques. The crystallite size of the composite nanoparticles calculated using XRD is 17.99 nm. TEM shows spherical shape morphology of NiS@CeO2 nanocomposite with average particle size less than 10 nm. Electrochemical properties of bare CeO2 and NiS@CeO2 NC electrodes were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge/discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The electrochemical measurements show that the capacitance value of NiS@CeO2 NC electrode is significantly higher (707.84 F g−1) compared to bare CeO2 electrode (80.91 F g−1) at current density 1 A g−1. This can be attributed to synergistic effect in nanocomposite. The cycle stability of NiS@CeO2 NC electrode was found to be 98.41 % even after 6000 charge–discharge cycles at 2 A g−1 current density

Alzheimer Disease Pathology-Associated Polymorphism in a Complex Variable Number of Tandem Repeat Region Within the <i>MUC6</i> Gene, Near the <i>AP2A2</i> Gene

Abstract We found evidence of late-onset Alzheimer disease (LOAD)-associated genetic polymorphism within an exon of Mucin 6 (MUC6) and immediately downstream from another gene: Adaptor Related Protein Complex 2 Subunit Alpha 2 (AP2A2). PCR analyses on genomic DNA samples confirmed that the size of the MUC6 variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) region was highly polymorphic. In a cohort of autopsied subjects with quantitative digital pathology data (n = 119), the size of the polymorphic region was associated with the severity of pTau pathology in neocortex. In a separate replication cohort of autopsied subjects (n = 173), more pTau pathology was again observed in subjects with longer VNTR regions (p = 0.031). Unlike MUC6, AP2A2 is highly expressed in human brain. AP2A2 expression was lower in a subset analysis of brain samples from persons with longer versus shorter VNTR regions (p = 0.014 normalizing with AP2B1 expression). Double-label immunofluorescence studies showed that AP2A2 protein often colocalized with neurofibrillary tangles in LOAD but was not colocalized with pTau proteinopathy in progressive supranuclear palsy, or with TDP-43 proteinopathy. In summary, polymorphism in a repeat-rich region near AP2A2 was associated with neocortical pTau proteinopathy (because of the unique repeats, prior genome-wide association studies were probably unable to detect this association), and AP2A2 was often colocalized with neurofibrillary tangles in LOAD.</jats:p