Identification and Characterization of Ixodes scapularis Antigens That Elicit Tick Immunity Using Yeast Surface Display

Repeated exposure of rabbits and other animals to ticks results in acquired resistance or immunity to subsequent tick bites and is partially elicited by antibodies directed against tick antigens. In this study we demonstrate the utility of a yeast surface display approach to identify tick salivary antigens that react with tick-immune serum. We constructed an Ixodes scapularis nymphal salivary gland yeast surface display library and screened the library with nymph-immune rabbit sera and identified five salivary antigens. Four of these proteins, designated P8, P19, P23 and P32, had a predicted signal sequence. We generated recombinant (r) P8, P19 and P23 in a Drosophila expression system for functional and immunization studies. rP8 showed anti-complement activity and rP23 demonstrated anti-coagulant activity. Ixodes scapularis feeding was significantly impaired when nymphs were fed on rabbits immunized with a cocktail of rP8, rP19 and rP23, a hall mark of tick-immunity. These studies also suggest that these antigens may serve as potential vaccine candidates to thwart tick feeding.

Leishmania-Specific Surface Antigens Show Sub-Genus Sequence Variation and Immune Recognition

Background: A family of hydrophilic acylated surface (HASP) proteins, containing extensive and variant amino acid repeats, is expressed at the plasma membrane in infective extracellular (metacyclic) and intracellular (amastigote) stages of Old World Leishmania species. While HASPs are antigenic in the host and can induce protective immune responses, the biological functions of these Leishmania-specific proteins remain unresolved. Previous genome analysis has suggested that parasites of the sub-genus Leishmania (Viannia) have lost HASP genes from their genomes. Methods/Principal Findings: We have used molecular and cellular methods to analyse HASP expression in New World Leishmania mexicana complex species and show that, unlike in L. major, these proteins are expressed predominantly following differentiation into amastigotes within macrophages. Further genome analysis has revealed that the L. (Viannia) species, L. (V.) braziliensis, does express HASP-like proteins of low amino acid similarity but with similar biochemical characteristics, from genes present on a region of chromosome 23 that is syntenic with the HASP/SHERP locus in Old World Leishmania species and the L. (L.) mexicana complex. A related gene is also present in Leptomonas seymouri and this may represent the ancestral copy of these Leishmania-genus specific sequences. The L. braziliensis HASP-like proteins (named the orthologous (o) HASPs) are predominantly expressed on the plasma membrane in amastigotes and are recognised by immune sera taken from 4 out of 6 leishmaniasis patients tested in an endemic region of Brazil. Analysis of the repetitive domains of the oHASPs has shown considerable genetic variation in parasite isolates taken from the same patients, suggesting that antigenic change may play a role in immune recognition of this protein family. Conclusions/Significance: These findings confirm that antigenic hydrophilic acylated proteins are expressed from genes in the same chromosomal region in species across the genus Leishmania. These proteins are surface-exposed on amastigotes (although L. (L.) major parasites also express HASPB on the metacyclic plasma membrane). The central repetitive domains of the HASPs are highly variant in their amino acid sequences, both within and between species, consistent with a role in immune recognition in the host.

AFFINE INTERVAL EXCHANGE TRANSFORMATIONS WITH FLIPS AND WANDERING INTERVALS

There exist uniquely ergodic affine interval exchange transformations of [0,1] with flips which have wandering intervals and are such that the support of the invariant measure is a Cantor set.

Relationship Between Surface Topography and Energy Density Distribution of Er,Cr:YSGG Beam on Irradiated Dentin: An Atomic Force Microscopy Study

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess by atomic force microscopy (AFM) the effect of Er,Cr:YSGG laser application on the surface microtopography of radicular dentin. Background: Lasers have been used for various purposes in dentistry, where they are clinically effective when used in an appropriate manner. The Er, Cr: YSGG laser can be used for caries prevention when settings are below the ablation threshold. Materials and Methods: Four specimens of bovine dentin were irradiated using an Er, Cr:YSGG laser (lambda = 2.78 mu m), at a repetition rate of 20 Hz, with a 750-mu m-diameter sapphire tip and energy density of 2.8 J/cm(2) (12.5 mJ/pulse). After irradiation, surface topography was analyzed by AFM using a Si probe in tapping mode. Quantitative and qualitative information concerning the arithmetic average roughness (Ra) and power spectral density analyses were obtained from central, intermediate, and peripheral areas of laser pulses and compared with data from nonirradiated samples. Results: Dentin Ra for different areas were as follows: central, 261.26 (+/- 21.65) nm; intermediate, 83.48 (+/- 6.34) nm; peripheral, 45.8 (+/- 13.47) nm; and nonirradiated, 35.18 (+/- 2.9) nm. The central region of laser pulses presented higher ablation of intertubular dentin, with about 340-760 nm height, while intermediate, peripheral, and nonirradiated regions presented no difference in height of peritubular and interperitubular dentin. Conclusion: According to these results, we can assume that even when used at a low-energy density parameter, Er, Cr: YSGG laser can significantly alter the microtopography of radicular dentin, which is an important characteristic to be considered when laser is used for clinical applications.

Surface plasmon resonance of gold nanoparticles formed by cathodic arc plasma ion implantation into polymer

Shallow subsurface layers of gold nanoclusters were formed in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) polymer by very low energy (49 eV) gold ion implantation. The ion implantation process was modeled by computer simulation and accurately predicted the layer depth and width. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to image the buried layer and individual nanoclusters; the layer width was similar to 6-8 nm and the cluster diameter was similar to 5-6 nm. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption effects were observed by UV-visible spectroscopy. The TEM and SPR results were related to prior measurements of electrical conductivity of Au-doped PMMA, and excellent consistency was found with a model of electrical conductivity in which either at low implantation dose the individual nanoclusters are separated and do not physically touch each other, or at higher implantation dose the nanoclusters touch each other to form a random resistor network (percolation model). (C) 2009 American Vacuum Society. [DOI: 10.1116/1.3231449]

Growth and capping of InAs/GaAs quantum dots investigated by x-ray Bragg-surface diffraction

An x-ray diffraction method, based on the excitation of a surface diffracted wave, is described to investigate the capping process of InAs/GaAs (001) quantum dots (QDs). It is sensitive to the tiny misorientation of (111) planes at the surface of the buffer layer on samples with exposed QDs. After capping, the misorientation occurs in the cap-layer lattice faceting the QDs and its magnitude can be as large as 10 degrees depending on the QDs growth rates, probably due to changes in the size and shape of the QDs. A slow strain release process taking place at room temperature has also been observed by monitoring the misorientation angle of the (111) planes.

Suppression of away-side jet fragments with respect to the reaction plane in Au plus Au collisions at root s(NN)=200 GeV

Pair correlations between large transverse momentum neutral pion triggers (p(T) = 4-7 GeV/c) and charged hadron partners (p(T) = 3-7 GeV/c) in central (0%-20%) and midcentral (20%-60%) Au + Au collisions at root s(NN) = 200 GeV are presented as a function of trigger orientation with respect to the reaction plane. The particles are at larger momentum than where jet shape modifications have been observed, and the correlations are sensitive to the energy loss of partons traveling through hot densematter. An out-of-plane trigger particle produces only 26 +/- 20% of the away-side pairs that are observed opposite of an in-plane trigger particle for midcentral (20%-60%) collisions. In contrast, near-side jet fragments are consistent with no suppression or dependence on trigger orientation with respect to the reaction plane. These observations are qualitatively consistent with a picture of little near-side parton energy loss either due to surface bias or fluctuations and increased away-side parton energy loss due to a long path through the medium. The away-side suppression as a function of reaction-plane angle is shown to be sensitive to both the energy loss mechanism and the space-time evolution of heavy-ion collisions.

Experimental studies of di-jet survival and surface emission bias in Au plus Au collisions via angular correlations with respect to back-to-back leading hadrons

We report first results from an analysis based on a new multi-hadron correlation technique, exploring jet-medium interactions and di-jet surface emission bias at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Pairs of back-to-back high-transverse-momentum hadrons are used for triggers to study associated hadron distributions. In contrast with two-and three-particle correlations with a single trigger with similar kinematic selections, the associated hadron distribution of both trigger sides reveals no modification in either relative pseudorapidity Delta eta or relative azimuthal angle Delta phi from d + Au to central Au + Au collisions. We determine associated hadron yields and spectra as well as production rates for such correlated back-to-back triggers to gain additional insights on medium properties.

Nonmonotonic thickness dependence of spin wave energy in ultrathin Fe films: Experiment and theory

High wave-vector spin waves in ultrathin Fe/W(110) films up to 20 monolayers (MLs) thick have been studied using spin-polarized electron energy-loss spectroscopy. An unusual nonmonotonous dependence of the spin wave energies on the film thickness is observed, featuring a pronounced maximum at 2 ML coverage. First-principles theoretical study reveals the origin of this behavior to be in the localization of the spin waves at the surface of the film, as well as in the properties of the interlayer exchange coupling influenced by the hybridization of the electron states of the film and substrate and by the strain.

Magnons in a Ferromagnetic Monolayer

We report the first observation of high wave vector magnon excitations in a ferromagnetic monolayer. Using spin-polarized electron energy loss spectroscopy, we observed the magnon dispersion in one atomic layer (ML) of Fe on W(110) at 120 K. The magnon energies are small in comparison to the bulk and surface Fe(110) excitations. We find an exchange parameter and magnetic anisotropy similar to that from static measurements. Our results are in sharp contrast to theoretical calculations, indicating that the present understanding of magnetism of the ML Fe requires considerable revision.

Surface characterization of absorbing polymer films deposited on transparent glasses

PANI films were deposited on glass substrates by in-situ polymerization and characterized by UV-VIS spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. A method is developed to accurately analyze ellipsometric data obtained for transparent glass substrates before and after modification with absorbing polymer films. Surface modification was made with an overlayer such as polyaniline ( PANI), which exhibits different optical properties by varying its oxidation state. First, the issue of using transparent substrates for ellipsometry studies was examined and then, spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to characterize absorbing overlayers on transparent glasses. The same methodologies of data analysis can be also applied to other absorbing films on transparent substrates, and deposited by different techniques.

Lower Bounds on the Exchange-Correlation Energy in Reduced Dimensions

Bounds on the exchange-correlation energy of many-electron systems are derived and tested. By using universal scaling properties of the electron-electron interaction, we obtain the exponent of the bounds in three, two, one, and quasione dimensions. From the properties of the electron gas in the dilute regime, the tightest estimate to date is given for the numerical prefactor of the bound, which is crucial in practical applications. Numerical tests on various low-dimensional systems are in line with the bounds obtained and give evidence of an interesting dimensional crossover between two and one dimensions.

Limit on the diffuse flux of ultrahigh energy tau neutrinos with the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

Data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory are used to establish an upper limit on the diffuse flux of tau neutrinos in the cosmic radiation. Earth-skimming nu(tau) may interact in the Earth's crust and produce a tau lepton by means of charged-current interactions. The tau lepton may emerge from the Earth and decay in the atmosphere to produce a nearly horizontal shower with a typical signature, a persistent electromagnetic component even at very large atmospheric depths. The search procedure to select events induced by tau decays against the background of normal showers induced by cosmic rays is described. The method used to compute the exposure for a detector continuously growing with time is detailed. Systematic uncertainties in the exposure from the detector, the analysis, and the involved physics are discussed. No tau neutrino candidates have been found. For neutrinos in the energy range 2x10(17) eV < E(nu)< 2x10(19) eV, assuming a diffuse spectrum of the form E(nu)(-2), data collected between 1 January 2004 and 30 April 2008 yield a 90% confidence-level upper limit of E(nu)(2)dN(nu tau)/dE(nu)< 9x10(-8) GeV cm(-2) s(-1) sr(-1).

Physical signatures of discontinuities of the time-dependent exchange-correlation potential

The exact exchange-correlation (XC) potential in time-dependent density-functional theory (TDDFT) is known to develop steps and discontinuities upon change of the particle number in spatially confined regions or isolated subsystems. We demonstrate that the self-interaction corrected adiabatic local-density approximation for the XC potential has this property, using the example of electron loss of a model quantum well system. We then study the influence of the XC potential discontinuity in a real-time simulation of a dissociation process of an asymmetric double quantum well system, and show that it dramatically affects the population of the resulting isolated single quantum wells. This indicates the importance of a proper account of the discontinuities in TDDFT descriptions of ionization, dissociation or charge transfer processes.

Contribution of the second Landau level to the exchange energy of the three-dimensional electron gas in a high magnetic field

We derive a closed analytical expression for the exchange energy of the three-dimensional interacting electron gas in strong magnetic fields, which goes beyond the quantum limit (L=0) by explicitly including the effect of the second, L=1, Landau level and arbitrary spin polarization. The inclusion of the L=1 level brings the fields to which the formula applies closer to the laboratory range, as compared to previous expressions, valid only for L=0 and complete spin polarization. We identify and explain two distinct regimes separated by a critical density n(c). Below n(c), the per particle exchange energy is lowered by the contribution of L=1, whereas above n(c) it is increased. As special cases of our general equation we recover various known more limited results for higher fields, and we identify and correct a few inconsistencies in some of these earlier expressions.