Sofia University

About: Sofia University is a education organization based out in Sofia, Bulgaria. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Large Hadron Collider & Laser. The organization has 8533 authors who have published 15730 publications receiving 306320 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Sofia & BFUS.

Hyperhomocysteinemia correlates with insulin resistance and low-grade systemic inflammation in obese prepubertal children.

Abstract: Obesity is an independent risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease frequently associated with hypertension, dyslipemia, diabetes, and insulin resistance. Higher homocysteine (Hcy) levels are observed in the hyperinsulinemic obese adults and suggest that Hcy could play a role in the higher risk of cardiovascular disease in obesity. We analyzed total Hcy levels in obese prepubertal children and their possible association with both metabolic syndrome and various inflammatory biomarkers and leptin. We studied 43 obese children (aged 6-9 years) and an equal number of nonobese children, paired by age and sex. The obese subjects presented significantly elevated values for insulin (P = .003), C-reactive protein (P = .033), and leptin (P < .001). No significant differences were found in Hcy levels between the obese and nonobese children. However, Hcy concentration was significantly higher in the hyperinsulinemic obese children than in the normoinsulinemic group (P = .002). Using multivariant regression analysis, in the obese group, corrected for age and sex, the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (P partial = .001) and leptin (P partial = .02) are independent predictive factors for Hcy. In the control group, corrected for age and sex, the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (P partial = .005) and leptin (P partial = .031) also are independent predictive factor for Hcy. Increased plasma Hcy, particularly in hyperinsulinemic obese children, may be causally involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and/or cardiovascular disease, both of which are common in obesity.

The complexity of pathogen defense in plants

Abstract: Summary. Plants defend themselves against pathogen attack by activating a multicomponent defense response. In host defense, pathogen invasion is recognized by proteins encoded by plant disease resistance (R) genes that bind specific pathogen-derived avirulence (Avr) proteins. In nonhost resistance, specific pathogen or plant cell wall derived exogenous or endogenous elicitors are recognized. A complex signalling network, involving cytosolic Ca 2+ and H + ions, reactive oxygen intermediates, jasmonate, salicylic acid, ethylene, triggers the induction of the defense mechanisms. Defense genes encode pathogenesis-related proteins, such as glucanases, chitinases; enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of phytoalexins; the enzymes of oxidative stress protection, tissue repair, lignification, and others.

Search for vector-like T quarks decaying to top quarks and Higgs bosons in the all-hadronic channel using jet substructure

Abstract: A search is performed for a vector-like heavy T quark that is produced in pairs and that decays to a top quark and a Higgs boson. The data analysed correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb^(−1) collected with the CMS detector in proton-proton collisions at s√ =8TeV. For T quarks with large mass values the top quarks and Higgs bosons can have significant Lorentz boosts, so that their individual decay products often overlap and merge. Methods are applied to resolve the substructure of such merged jets. Upper limits on the production cross section of a T quark with mass between 500 and 1000 GeV/c^2 are derived. If the T quark decays exclusively to tH, the observed (expected) lower limit on the mass of the T quark is 745 (773) GeV/c^2 at 95% confidence level. For the first time an algorithm is used for tagging boosted Higgs bosons that is based on a combination of jet substructure information and b tagging.