504 research outputs found
Eternity and the cosmological constant
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the stability of interacting matter
in the presence of a cosmological constant. Using an approach based on the heat
equation, no imaginary part is found for the effective potential in the
presence of a fixed background, which is the n-dimensional sphere or else an
analytical continuation thereof, which is explored in some detail.Comment: 45 pages, 6 figure
Total Donor Chimerism in the Day 21 Bone Marrow Predicts Sustained Donor Neutrophil Engraftment Following Double Unit Cord Blood Transplantation (CBT)
Unrestricted Termination and Non-Termination Arguments for Bit-Vector Programs
Proving program termination is typically done by finding a well-founded
ranking function for the program states. Existing termination provers typically
find ranking functions using either linear algebra or templates. As such they
are often restricted to finding linear ranking functions over mathematical
integers. This class of functions is insufficient for proving termination of
many terminating programs, and furthermore a termination argument for a program
operating on mathematical integers does not always lead to a termination
argument for the same program operating on fixed-width machine integers. We
propose a termination analysis able to generate nonlinear, lexicographic
ranking functions and nonlinear recurrence sets that are correct for
fixed-width machine arithmetic and floating-point arithmetic Our technique is
based on a reduction from program \emph{termination} to second-order
\emph{satisfaction}. We provide formulations for termination and
non-termination in a fragment of second-order logic with restricted
quantification which is decidable over finite domains. The resulted technique
is a sound and complete analysis for the termination of finite-state programs
with fixed-width integers and IEEE floating-point arithmetic
The novel transcriptional regulator SczA mediates protection against Zn2+ stress by activation of the Zn2+-resistance gene czcD in Streptococcus pneumoniae
Maintenance of the intracellular homeostasis of metal ions is important for the virulence of many bacterial pathogens. Here, we demonstrate that the czcD gene of the human pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae is involved in resistance against Zn2+, and that its transcription is induced by the transition-metal ions Zn2+, Co2+ and Ni2+. Upstream of czcD a gene was identified, encoding a novel TetR family regulator, SczA, that is responsible for the metal ion-dependent activation of czcD expression. Transcriptome analyses revealed that in a sczA mutant expression of czcD, a gene encoding a MerR-family transcriptional regulator and a gene encoding a zinc-containing alcohol dehydrogenase (adhB) were downregulated. Activation of the czcD promoter by SczA is shown to proceed by Zn2+-dependent binding of SczA to a conserved DNA motif. In the absence of Zn2+, SczA binds to a second site in the czcD promoter, thereby fully blocking czcD expression. This is the first example of a metalloregulatory protein belonging to the TetR family that has been described. The presence in S. pneumoniae of the Zn2+-resistance system characterized in this study might reflect the need for adjustment to a fluctuating Zn2+ pool encountered by this pathogen during infection of the human body
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Transpacific Transport of Ozone Pollution and the Effect of Recent Asian Emission Increases on Air Quality in North America: An Integrated Analysis Using Satellite, Aircraft, Ozonesonde, and Surface Observations
We use an ensemble of aircraft, satellite, sonde, and surface observations for AprilâMay 2006 (NASA/INTEX-B aircraft campaign) to better understand the mechanisms for transpacific ozone pollution and its implications for North American air quality. The observations are interpreted with a global 3-D chemical transport model (GEOS-Chem). OMI NO2 satellite observations constrain Asian anthropogenic NOx emissions and indicate a factor of 2 increase from 2000 to 2006 in China. Satellite observations of CO from AIRS and TES indicate two major events of Asian transpacific pollution during INTEX-B. Correlation between TES CO and ozone observations shows evidence for transpacific ozone pollution. The semi-permanent Pacific High and Aleutian Low cause splitting of transpacific pollution plumes over the Northeast Pacific. The northern branch circulates around the Aleutian Low and has little impact on North America. The southern branch circulates around the Pacific High and some of that air impacts western North America. Both aircraft measurements and model results show sustained ozone production driven by peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN) decomposition in the southern branch, roughly doubling the transpacific influence from ozone produced in the Asian boundary layer. Model simulation of ozone observations at Mt. Bachelor Observatory in Oregon (2.7 km altitude) indicates a mean Asian ozone pollution contribution of 9Âą3 ppbv to the mean observed concentration of 54 ppbv, reflecting mostly an enhancement in background ozone rather than episodic Asian plumes. Asian pollution enhanced surface ozone concentrations by 5â7 ppbv over western North America in spring 2006. The 2000â2006 rise in Asian anthropogenic emissions increased this influence by 1â2 ppbv.Earth and Planetary SciencesEngineering and Applied Science
Reducing the Population Burden of Coronary Heart Disease by Modifying Adiposity: Estimates From the ARIC Study
Background: Excess adiposity, which affects 69% of US adults, increases coronary heart disease (CHD) risk in an association that manifests below conventional obesity cut points. The population-level impact on CHD risk that is attainable through modest adiposity reductions in populations is not well characterized. We estimated the effect of hypothetical reductions in both body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) on CHD incidence. Methods and Results: The study population included 13 610 ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) participants. Our hypothetical reduction in BMI or WC was applied relative to the temporal trend, with no hypothetical reduction among those with BMI >24 or WC >88 cm, respectively. This threshold for hypothetical reduction is near the clinical guidelines for excess adiposity. CHD risk differences compared the hypothetical reduction with no reduction. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to estimate the effect of applying the hypothetical BMI reduction at the established overweight cut point of 25. Cumulative 12-year CHD incidence with no intervention was 6.3% (95% CI, 5.9â6.8%). Risk differences following the hypothetical BMI and WC reductions were â0.6% (95% CI, â1.0% to â0.1%) and â1.0% (95% CI, â1.4% to â0.5%), respectively. These results were robust for the sensitivity analyses. Consequently, we estimated that this hypothetical reduction of 5% in BMI and WC, respectively, could have prevented 9% and 16%, respectively, of the CHD events occurring in this study population over 12 years, after adjustment for established CHD risk factors. Conclusions: Meaningful CHD risk reductions could derive from modest reductions in adiposity attainable through lifestyle modification
Study of Lambda/c+ Cabibbo Favored Decays Containing a Lambda Baryon in the Final State
Using data from the FOCUS experiment (FNAL-E831), we study the decay of
baryons into final states containing a hyperon. The
branching fractions of into , and relative to that into are
measured to be , and
, respectively. We also report new measurements of
, and . Further, an analysis of the subresonant structure for the
decay mode is presented.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables, Submitted to Physics Letter
Study of the decay asymmetry parameter and CP violation parameter in the Lambdac+ --> Lambda pi+ decay
Using data from the FOCUS (E831) experiment at Fermilab, we present a new
measurement of the weak decay-asymmetry parameter alpha(Lambdac) in Lambdac -->
Lambda pi decay. Comparing particle with antiparticle decays, we obtain the
first measurement of the CP violation parameter : A =
[alpha(Lambdac)+alpha(antiLambda_c)]/[alpha(Lambdac)-alpha(antiLambda_c)]. We
obtain alpha(Lambdac)=-0.78+-0.16+-0.13 and A = -0.07+-0.19+-0.12 where errors
are statistical and systematic.Comment: 18 pages, to be submitted to Phys. Lett. B For a list of the FOCUS
collaboration, see http://www-focus.fnal.gov/authors.htm
Scope to predict soil properties at within-field scale from small samples using proximally sensed Îł-ray spectrometer and EM induction data
Search for a W' boson decaying to a bottom quark and a top quark in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV
Results are presented from a search for a W' boson using a dataset
corresponding to 5.0 inverse femtobarns of integrated luminosity collected
during 2011 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV.
The W' boson is modeled as a heavy W boson, but different scenarios for the
couplings to fermions are considered, involving both left-handed and
right-handed chiral projections of the fermions, as well as an arbitrary
mixture of the two. The search is performed in the decay channel W' to t b,
leading to a final state signature with a single lepton (e, mu), missing
transverse energy, and jets, at least one of which is tagged as a b-jet. A W'
boson that couples to fermions with the same coupling constant as the W, but to
the right-handed rather than left-handed chiral projections, is excluded for
masses below 1.85 TeV at the 95% confidence level. For the first time using LHC
data, constraints on the W' gauge coupling for a set of left- and right-handed
coupling combinations have been placed. These results represent a significant
improvement over previously published limits.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters B. Replaced with version publishe
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