The degree complexity of smooth surfaces of codimension 2

Ahn, J.,Kwak, S.,Song, Y. Academic Press 2012 Journal of symbolic computation Vol.47 No.5

For a given term order, the degree complexity of a projective scheme is defined by the maximal degree of the reduced Grobner basis of its defining saturated ideal in generic coordinates (Bayer and Mumford, 1993). It is well known that the degree complexity with respect to the graded reverse lexicographic order is equal to the Castelnuovo-Mumford regularity (Bayer and Stillman, 1987). However, much less is known if one uses the graded lexicographic order (Ahn, 2008; Conca and Sidman, 2005). In this paper, we study the degree complexity of a smooth irreducible surface in P<SUP>4</SUP> with respect to the graded lexicographic order and its geometric meaning. As in the case of a smooth curve (Ahn, 2008), we expect that this complexity is closely related to the invariants of the double curve of a surface under a generic projection. As results, we prove that except in a few cases, the degree complexity of a smooth surface S of degree d with h<SUP>0</SUP>(I<SUB>S</SUB>(2))<>0 in P<SUP>4</SUP> is given by 2+(degY<SUB>1</SUB>(S)-12)-g(Y<SUB>1</SUB>(S)), where Y<SUB>1</SUB>(S) is a double curve of degree (d-12)-g(S@?H) under a generic projection of S. In particular, this complexity is actually obtained at the monomial x<SUB>0</SUB>x<SUB>1</SUB>x<SUB>3</SUB><SUP>(degY<SUB>1</SUB>(S)-12)-g(Y<SUB>1</SUB>(S))</SUP> where k[x<SUB>0</SUB>,x<SUB>1</SUB>,x<SUB>2</SUB>,x<SUB>3</SUB>,x<SUB>4</SUB>] is a polynomial ring defining P<SUP>4</SUP>. Exceptional cases are a rational normal scroll, a complete intersection surface of (2,2)-type, or a Castelnuovo surface of degree 5 in P<SUP>4</SUP> whose degree complexities are in fact equal to their degrees. This complexity can also be expressed in terms of degrees of defining equations of I<SUB>S</SUB> in the same manner as the result of A. Conca and J. Sidman (Conca and Sidman, 2005). We also provide some illuminating examples of our results via calculations done withMacaulay 2 (Grayson and Stillman, 1997).

Phase II study of preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) with irinotecan plus S-1 in locally advanced rectal cancer

Shin, S.J.,Kim, N.K.,Keum, K.C.,Kim, H.G.,Im, J.S.,Choi, H.J.,Baik, S.H.,Choen, J.H.,Jeung, H.C.,Rha, S.Y.,Roh, J.K.,Chung, H.C.,Ahn, J.B. Elsevier Science Publishers 2010 Radiotherapy and oncology Vol.95 No.3

Background and purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of preoperative radiation therapy combined with S-1 and irinotecan (SI) in LARC. Materials and methods: Patients were considered LARC if they had a T3/T4 lesion or node positive. Weekly doses of 40mg/m<SUP>2</SUP> irinotecan were intravenously administered once per week during weeks 1-5 of radiotherapy. S-1 (70mg/m<SUP>2</SUP>) was given from Monday to Friday in all weeks of radiotherapy. 3-D conformal radiotherapy was given at daily fractions of 1.8Gy for 5days for a total dose of 50.4 (45+5.4)Gy. Surgery was performed 4-6weeks following the completion of chemoradiation. Results: Between June 2006 and November 2007, 43 pts were enrolled. The stage was: cT3 24 patients, cT4 6 patients; 28 patients were cN+. Forty-one patients completed the chemoradiation and 42 patients underwent operation: a low anterior resection was performed in 36 patients, a total colectomy in 1 patient, and an abdominal perineal resection in 5 patients. T downstaging was observed in 50%; 23 N+ patients became N- (55%). The complete pathological response was observed in 9 patients (21%). The 3-year locoregional failure rate, distant failure rate, disease-free survival, and overall survival were 9.5%, 18.6%, 72.1%, and 94.3%, respectively. Only three patients experienced G3 diarrhea; one had G3 sepsis and two had septic shock. Hematological toxicity (G3-G4) was observed in five patients. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the efficacy of preoperative CRT with S-1 and irinotecan with 21% of complete response. However, prompt recognition and management of infection is needed to use it in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.

Search for light tetraquark states in ϒ(1S) and ϒ(2S) decays

Jia, S.,Shen, C. P.,Yuan, C. Z.,Adachi, I.,Ahn, J. K.,Aihara, H.,Al Said, S.,Asner, D. M.,Atmacan, H.,Aushev, T.,Ayad, R.,Babu, V.,Badhrees, I.,Bahinipati, S.,Bakich, A. M.,Bansal, V.,Behera, P.,Berge American Physical Society 2017 Physical review. D Vol.96 No.11

<P>We search for the J(PC) = 0(--) and 1(+-) light tetraquark states with masses up to 2.46 GeV/c(2) in gamma(1S) and gamma(2S) decays with data samples of (102 +/- 2) million and (158 +/- 4) million events, respectively, collected with the Belle detector. No significant signals are observed in any of the studied production modes, and 90% credibility level (C. L.) upper limits on their branching fractions in Upsilon(1S) and Upsilon(2S) decays are obtained. The inclusive branching fractions of the Upsilon(1S) and Upsilon(2S) decays into final states with f(1)(1285) are measured to be B(Upsilon(1S) -> f(1)(1285) + anything) = (46 +/- 28(stat) +/- 13(syst)) x 10(-4) and B(Upsilon(2S) -> f(1)(1285) + anything) = (22 +/- 15(stat) +/- 6.3(syst)) x 10(-4). The measured chi(b2) -> J/Psi + anything branching fraction is measured to be (1.50 +/- 0.34(stat) +/- 0.22(syst)) x 10(-3), and 90% C. L. upper limits for the chi(b0;b1) -> J/Psi + anything branching fractions are found to be 2.3 x 10(-3) and 1.1 x 10(-3), respectively. For B(chi(b1) -> omega + anything), the branching fraction is measured to be (4.9 +/- 1.3(stat) +/- 0.6(syst) x 10(-2). All results reported here are the first measurements for these modes.</P>

A phase II study of S-1 monotherapy administered for 2 weeks of a 3-week cycle in advanced gastric cancer patients with poor performance status

Jeung, H-C,Rha, S Y,Shin, S J,Ahn, J B,Noh, S H,Roh, J K,Chung, H C Nature Publishing Group 2007 The British journal of cancer Vol.97 No.4

<P>Systemic chemotherapy for gastric cancer is often associated with treatment-related toxicity, which is particularly severe in patients with a poor performance status. In this paper, we describe the first study to evaluate S-1 monotherapy as an option for advanced gastric cancer patients who are not candidates for combination chemotherapy due to poor clinical condition. Fifty-two patients with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale 2–3, whose general condition had made use of combination chemotherapy impossible, were enrolled. S-1 was administered to 30 patients as second- or third-line therapy. The initial dose of S-1 was 35 mg m<SUP>−2</SUP>, administered b.i.d for 14 days every 3 weeks. With a median follow-up period of 33 weeks, the median progression-free survival, and overall survival were 11 weeks (95% CI, 8–14) and 33 weeks (95% CI, 19–47), respectively. The overall 1-year survival rate was 29% by intent-to-treat analysis. The overall response rate was 12% (95% CI, 3–21), and the percentage of stable disease was 35%, resulting in the disease control rate of 47% (95% CI, 32–60). Significant drug-related toxicity included grade 3 diarrhoea (14%), anorexia (14%), fatigue (10%), neutropenia (10%), and leucopenia (6%). In conclusion, this study indicated the modest activity of S-1 in gastric cancer patients with poor performance status.</P>

D_s⁺ meson production at central rapidity in proton-proton collisions at s=7 TeV

ALICE Collaboration,Abelev, B.,Adam, J.,Adamova, D.,Adare, A.M.,Aggarwal, M.M.,Aglieri Rinella, G.,Agocs, A.G.,Agostinelli, A.,Aguilar Salazar, S.,Ahammed, Z.,Ahmad, N.,Ahmad Masoodi, A.,Ahn, S.A.,Ahn North-Holland Pub. Co 2012 Physics letters: B Vol.718 No.2

The p<SUB>T</SUB>-differential inclusive production cross section of the prompt charm-strange meson D<SUB>s</SUB><SUP>+</SUP> in the rapidity range |y|<0.5 was measured in proton-proton collisions at s=7 TeV at the LHC using the ALICE detector. The analysis was performed on a data sample of 2.98x10<SUP>8</SUP> events collected with a minimum-bias trigger. The corresponding integrated luminosity is L<SUB>int</SUB>=4.8 nb<SUP>-1</SUP>. Reconstructing the decay D<SUB>s</SUB><SUP>+</SUP>→φπ<SUP>+</SUP>, with φ→K<SUP>-</SUP>K<SUP>+</SUP>, and its charge conjugate, about 480 D<SUB>s</SUB><SUP>+/-</SUP> mesons were counted, after selection cuts, in the transverse momentum range 2<p<SUB>T</SUB><12 GeV/c. The results are compared with predictions from models based on perturbative QCD. The ratios of the cross sections of four D meson species (namely D<SUP>0</SUP>, D<SUP>+</SUP>, D<SUP>@?+</SUP> and D<SUB>s</SUB><SUP>+</SUP>) were determined both as a function of p<SUB>T</SUB> and integrated over p<SUB>T</SUB> after extrapolating to full p<SUB>T</SUB> range, together with the strangeness suppression factor in charm fragmentation. The obtained values are found to be compatible within uncertainties with those measured by other experiments in e<SUP>+</SUP>e<SUP>-</SUP>, ep and pp interactions at various centre-of-mass energies.

The microRNA miR-124 inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation by targeting S100 calcium-binding protein A4 (S100A4)

Choe, N.,Kwon, D. H.,Shin, S.,Kim, Y. S.,Kim, Y. K.,Kim, J.,Ahn, Y.,Eom, G. H.,Kook, H. Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. 2017 FEBS letters Vol.591 No.7

<P>S100 calcium-binding protein A4 (S100A4) induces proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). We aimed to find the microRNA regulating S100A4 expression. S100A4 transcripts are abruptly increased in the acute phase of carotid arterial injury 1 day later (at day 1) but gradually decreases at days 7 and 14. Bioinformatics analysis reveals that miR-124 targets S100A4. VSMC survival is attenuated by miR-124 mimic but increased by miR-124 inhibitor. miR-124 decreases immediately after carotid arterial injury but dramatically increases at days 7 and 14. miR-124 inhibitor-induced cell proliferation is blocked by S100A4 siRNA, whereas miR-124-induced cell death is recovered by S100A4. Our findings suggest that miR-124 is a novel regulator of VSMC proliferation and may play a role in the development of neointimal proliferation.</P>

J/ψ production as a function of charged particle multiplicity in pp collisions at s =7 TeV

ALICE Collaboration,Abelev, B.,Adam, J.,Adamova, D.,Adare, A.M.,Aggarwal, M.M.,Aglieri Rinella, G.,Agocs, A.G.,Agostinelli, A.,Aguilar Salazar, S.,Ahammed, Z.,Ahmad Masoodi, A.,Ahmad, N.,Ahn, S.U.,Aki North-Holland Pub. Co 2012 Physics letters: B Vol.712 No.3

The ALICE Collaboration reports the measurement of the relative J/ψ yield as a function of charged particle pseudorapidity density dN<SUB>ch</SUB>/dη in pp collisions at s=7 TeV at the LHC. J/ψ particles are detected for p<SUB>t</SUB>>0, in the rapidity interval |y|<0.9 via decay into e<SUP>+</SUP>e<SUP>-</SUP>, and in the interval 2.5<y<4.0 via decay into μ<SUP>+</SUP>μ<SUP>-</SUP> pairs. An approximately linear increase of the J/ψ yields normalized to their event average (dN<SUB>J/ψ</SUB>/dy)/<dN<SUB>J/ψ</SUB>/dy> with (dN<SUB>ch</SUB>/dη)/<dN<SUB>ch</SUB>/dη> is observed in both rapidity ranges, where dN<SUB>ch</SUB>/dη is measured within |η|<1 and p<SUB>t</SUB>>0. In the highest multiplicity interval with <dN<SUB>ch</SUB>/dη(bin)≥24.1, corresponding to four times the minimum bias multiplicity density, an enhancement relative to the minimum bias J/ψ yield by a factor of about 5 at 2.5<y<4 (8 at |y|<0.9) is observed.

The antimicrobial effects of deglycyrrhizinated licorice root extract on Streptococcus mutans UA159 in both planktonic and biofilm cultures

Ahn, S.J.,Cho, E.J.,Kim, H.J.,Park, S.N.,Lim, Y.K.,Kook, J.K. Academic Press 2012 Anaerobe Vol.18 No.6

The objective of the study was to investigate the antimicrobial effects of deglycyrrhizinated licorice root extracts (DG-LRE) against Streptococcus mutans UA159 in both the planktonic and biofilm phases by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration, and by performing time-kill kinetic, growth, adhesion, and biofilm assays. The cell toxicity of DG-LRE on normal human gingival fibroblast (NHGF) cells was tested using a methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay. This study showed that DG-LRE had strong antimicrobial activity against S. mutans in the planktonic phase with little cytotoxic effect on NHGF cells. In addition, DG-LRE significantly inhibited biofilm formation by S. mutans UA159 at concentrations over 4 μg/ml for glucose or 16 μg/ml for sucrose, respectively, regardless of the presence of saliva-coating. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to provide evidence that DG-LRE demonstrates antimicrobial activity against S. mutans. These results suggest that DG-LRE can be used in developing oral hygiene products, such as gargling solution and dentifrice to prevent human dental caries.

Search for <tex> $ K_{L}\rightarrow \pi ^{0}\nu \overline{\nu }$</tex> and <tex> $ K_{L}\rightarrow \pi ^{0}X^{0}$</tex> Decays at the J-PARC KOTO Experiment

Ahn, J. K.,Beckford, B.,Beechert, J.,Bryant, K.,Campbell, M.,Chen, S. H.,Comfort, J.,Dona, K.,Hara, N.,Haraguchi, H.,Hsiung, Y. B.,Hutcheson, M.,Inagaki, T.,Kamiji, I.,Kawasaki, N.,Kim, E. J.,Kim, J. American Physical Society 2019 Physical review letters Vol.122 No.2

Determination of optimal concentration of deglycyrrhizinated licorice root extract for preventing dental caries using a bacterial model system

Ahn, S.J.,Song, Y.D.,Mah, S.J.,Cho, E.J.,Kook, J.K. Association for Dental Sciences of the Republic of 2014 Journal of dental sciences Vol.9 No.3

Background/purpose: In prior studies, we induced the antimicrobial activity of deglycyrrhizinated licorice root extract (DG-LRE) by inhibiting the growth and biofilm formation of Streptococcus mutans UA159. Here, we used clinical strains of mutans streptococci (MS) collected from Koreans to determine the optimal concentration of DG-LRE for oral hygiene products to prevent dental caries. Materials and methods: Antimicrobial effects of DG-LRE against 14 clinical strains of MS were evaluated through the minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal concentration, time-kill assay, and biofilm-forming assay. Results: Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values of DG-LRE against the clinical strains of MS ranged from 4 μg/mL to 8 μg/mL and from 8 μg/mL to 16 μg/mL, respectively. Time-kill assay demonstrated that the antimicrobial effects of DG-LRE primarily resulted from bactericidal activity. DG-LRE significantly decreased the biofilm formation of S. mutans ranging from 57.6% to 92.8% at 16 μg/mL. Conclusion: These findings reveal that a DG-LRE concentration of 16 μg/mL may be used to prevent dental caries in Koreans.