Using Final State Pseudorapidities to Improve s-channel Resonance Observables at the LHC

We study the use of final state particle pseudorapidity for measurements of s-channel resonances at the LHC. Distinguishing the spin of an s-channel resonance can, in principle, be accomplished using angular distributions in the centre-of-mass frame, possibly using a centre-edge asymmetry measurement, A_CE. In addition, forward-backward asymmetry measurements, A_FB, can be used to distinguish between models of extra neutral gauge bosons. In this note we show how these measurements can be improved by using simple methods based on the pseudorapidity of the final state particles and present the expected results for A_FB and A_CE for several representative models.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table; typos fixed, improved visibility of figures for greyscale printin

Unravelling an Extra Neutral Gauge Boson at the LHC using Third Generation Fermions

We study the potential to use measurements of extra neutral gauge bosons (Z') properties in pp collisions at the Large Hadron Collider to unravel the underlying physics. We focus on the usefulness of third generation final states (tau, b, t) in distinguishing between models with non-universal Z'-fermion couplings. We present an update of discovery limits of Z's including the 2010-2011 LHC run and include models with non-universal couplings. We show how ratios of sigma(pp -> Z' -> ttbar), sigma(pp -> Z' -> bbbar), and sigma(pp -> Z' -> tau^+tau^-) to sigma(pp -> Z' -> mu^+mu^-) can be used to distinguish between models and measure parameters of the models. Of specific interest are models with preferential couplings, such as models with generation dependent couplings. We also find that forward-backward asymmetry measurements with third generation fermions in the final state could provide important input to understanding the nature of the Z'. Understanding detector resolution and efficiencies will be crucial for extracting results

The cognitive demands of second order manual control: Applications of the event related brain potential

Three experiments are described in which tracking difficulty is varied in the presence of a covert tone discrimination task. Event related brain potentials (ERPs) elicited by the tones are employed as an index of the resource demands of tracking. The ERP measure reflected the control order variation, and this variable was thereby assumed to compete for perceptual/central processing resources. A fine-grained analysis of the results suggested that the primary demands of second order tracking involve the central processing operations of maintaining a more complex internal model of the dynamic system, rather than the perceptual demands of higher derivative perception. Experiment 3 varied tracking bandwidth in random input tracking, and the ERP was unaffected. Bandwidth was then inferred to compete for response-related processing resources that are independent of the ERP

Clathrate formation and dissociation in vapor/water/ice/hydrate systems in SBA-15, sol-gel and CPG porous media, as probed by NMR relaxation, novel protocol NMR cryoporometry, neutron scattering and ab initio quantum-mechanical molecular dynamics simulation

The Gibbs-Thomson effect modifies the pressure and temperature at which clathrates occur, hence altering the depth at which they occur in the seabed. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements as a function of temperature are being conducted for water/ice/ hydrate systems in a range of pore geometries, including templated SBA-15 silicas, controlled pore glasses and sol-gel silicas. Rotator-phase plastic ice is shown to be present in confined geometry, and bulk tetrahydrofuran hydrate is also shown to probably have a rotator phase. A novel NMR cryoporometry protocol, which probes both melting and freezing events while avoiding the usual problem of supercooling for the freezing event, has been developed. This enables a detailed probing of the system for a given pore size and geometry and the exploration of differences between hydrate formation and dissociation processes inside pores. These process differences have an important effect on the environment, as they impact on the ability of a marine hydrate system to re-form once warmed above a critical temperature. Ab initio quantum-mechanical molecular dynamics calculations are also being employed to probe the dynamics of liquids in pores at nanometric dimensions

Soluble Fermentable Dietary Fibre (Pectin) Decreases Caloric Intake, Adiposity and Lipidaemia in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obese Rats

Funding: This work was funded by the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Inhibition of gap junction and adherens junction assembly by connexin and A-CAM antibodies

We examined the roles of the extracellular domains of a gap junction protein and a cell adhesion molecule in gap junction and adherens junction formation by altering cell interactions with antibody Fab fragments. Using immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry we demonstrated that Novikoff cells contained the gap junction protein, connexin43 (Cx43), and the cell adhesion molecule, A-CAM (N-cadherin). Cells were dissociated in EDTA, allowed to recover, and reaggregated for 60 min in media containing Fab fragments prepared from a number of antibodies. We observed no cell-cell dye transfer 4 min after microinjection in 90% of the cell pairs treated with Fab fragments of antibodies for the first or second extracellular domain of Cx43, the second extracellular domain of connexin32 (Cx32) or A-CAM. Cell-cell dye transfer was detected within 30 s in cell pairs treated with control Fab fragments (pre-immune serum, antibodies to the rat major histocompatibility complex or the amino or carboxyl termii of Cx43). We observed no gap junctions by freeze-fracture EM and no adherens junctions by thin section EM between cells treated with the Fab fragments that blocked cell-cell dye transfer. Gap junctions were found on approximately 50% of the cells in control samples using freeze-fracture EM. We demonstrated with reaggregated Novikoff cells that: (a) functional interactions of the extracellular domains of the connexins were necessary for the formation of gap junction channels; (b) cell interactions mediated by A-CAM were required for gap junction assembly; and (c) Fab fragments of antibodies for A-CAM or connexin extracellular domains blocked adherens junction formation

Getting to know you: Accuracy and error in judgments of character

Character judgments play an important role in our everyday lives. However, decades of empirical research on trait attribution suggest that the cognitive processes that generate these judgments are prone to a number of biases and cognitive distortions. This gives rise to a skeptical worry about the epistemic foundations of everyday characterological beliefs that has deeply disturbing and alienating consequences. In this paper, I argue that this skeptical worry is misplaced: under the appropriate informational conditions, our everyday character-trait judgments are in fact quite trustworthy. I then propose a mindreading-based model of the socio-cognitive processes underlying trait attribution that explains both why these judgments are initially unreliable, and how they eventually become more accurate

A flexible low-cost, high-precision, single interface electrical impedance tomography system for breast cancer detection using FPGA

Typically, in multi-frequency Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) systems, a current is applied and the voltages developed across the subject are detected. However, due to the complexity of designing stable current sources, there has been mention in the literature of applying a voltage to the subject whilst measuring the consequent current flow. This paper presents a comparative study between the two techniques in a novel design suitable for the detection of breast cancers. The suggested instrument borrows the best features of both the injection of current and the application of voltage, circumventing their limitations. Furthermore, the system has a common patient-electrode interface for both methodologies, whilst the control of the system and the necessary signal processing is carried out in a field programmable gate array (FPGA). Through this novel system, wide-bandwidth, low-noise, as well as high-speed (frame rate) can be achieved