Charged-particle pseudorapidity density at mid-rapidity in p–Pb collisions at √sNN = 8.16 TeV

The pseudorapidity density of charged particles, dN(ch)/d eta, in p-Pb collisions has been measured at a centre of-mass energy per nucleon-nucleon pair of root S-NN = 8.16 TeV at mid-pseudorapidity for non-single-diffractive events. The results cover 3.6 units of pseudorapidity, vertical bar eta vertical bar /2 is 4.73 +/- 0.20, where is the average number of participating nucleons, is 9.5% higher than the corresponding value for p-Pb collisions at root S-NN = 5.02 TeV. Measurements are compared with models based on different mechanisms for particle production. All models agree within uncertainties with data in the Pb-going side, while HIJING overestimates, showing a symmetric behaviour, and EPOS underestimates the p-going side of the dN(ch)/d eta distribution. Saturation-based models reproduce the distributions well for eta > -1.3. The dN(ch)/d eta is also measured for different centrality estimators, based both on the charged particle multiplicity and on the energy deposited in the Zero Degree Calorimeters. A study of the implications of the large multiplicity fluctuations due to the small number of participants for systems like p-Pb in the centrality calculation for multiplicity-based estimators is discussed, demonstrating the advantages of determining the centrality with energy deposited near beam rapidity

Jet fragmentation transverse momentum measurements from di-hadron correlations in √s=7 TeV pp and √sNN=5.02 TeV p–Pb collisions

The transverse structure of jets was studied via jet fragmentation transverse momentum (j(T)) distributions, obtained using two-particle correlations in proton-proton and proton-lead collisions, measured with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. The highest transverse momentum particle in each event is used as the trigger particle and the region 3 < p(Tt) < 15GeV/c is explored in this study. The measured distributions show a clear narrow Gaussian component and a wide non-Gaussian one. Based on Pythia simulations, the narrow component can be related to non-perturbative hadronization and the wide component to quantum chromodynamical splitting. The width of the narrow component shows a weak dependence on the transverse momentum of the trigger particle, in agreement with the expectation of universality of the hadronization process. On the other hand, the width of the wide component shows a rising trend suggesting increased branching for higher transverse momentum. The results obtained in pp collisions at root s TeV and in p-Pb collisions at root sNN=5.02 TeV are compatible within uncertainties and hence no significant cold nuclear matter effects are observed. The results are compared to previous measurements from CCOR and PHENIX as well as to Pythia 8 and Herwig 7 simulations

Thermal leptogenesis in a model with mass varying neutrinos

In this paper we consider the possibility of neutrino mass varying during the evolution of the Universe and study its implications on leptogenesis. Specifically, we take the minimal seesaw model of neutrino masses and introduce a coupling between the right-handed neutrinos and the dark energy scalar field, the Quintessence. In our model, the right-handed neutrino masses change as the Quintessence scalar evolves. We then examine in detail the parameter space of this model allowed by the observed baryon number asymmetry. Our results show that it is possible to lower the reheating temperature in this scenario in comparison with the case that the neutrino masses are unchanged, which helps solve the gravitino problem. Furthermore, a degenerate neutrino mass patten with $m_i$ larger than the upper limit given in the minimal leptogenesis scenario is permitted.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures, version to appear in PR

A multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial of cardiac resynchronization therapy guided by invasive dP/dt

Background: No periprocedural metric has demonstrated improved cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) outcomes in a multicenter setting. Objective: We sought to determine if left ventricular (LV) lead placement targeted to the coronary sinus (CS) branch generating the best acute hemodynamic response (AHR) results in improved outcomes at 6 months. Methods: In this multicenter randomized controlled trial, patients were randomized to guided CRT or conventional CRT. Patients in the guided arm had LV dP/dtmax measured during biventricular (BIV) pacing. Target CS branches were identified and the final LV lead position was the branch with the best AHR and acceptable threshold values. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with a reduction in LV end-systolic volume (LVESV) of ≥15% at 6 months. Results: A total of 281 patients were recruited across 12 centers. Mean age was 70.8 ± 10.9 years and 54% had ischemic etiology. Seventy-three percent of patients in the guided arm demonstrated a reduction in LVESV of ≥15% at 6 months vs 60% in the conventional arm (P = .02). Patients with AHR ≥ 10% were more likely to demonstrate a reduction of ESV ≥ 15% (84% of patients with an AHR ≥10% vs 28% with an AHR <10%; P < 0.001). Procedure duration and fluoroscopy times were longer in the pressure wire-guided arm (104 ± 39 minutes vs 142 ± 39 minutes; P < .001 and 20 ±16 minutes vs 28 ± 15 minutes; P = .002). Conclusions: AHR determined by invasively measuring LV dP/dtmax during BIV pacing predicts reverse remodeling 6 months after CRT. Patients in whom LV dP/dtmax was used to guide LV lead placement demonstrated better rates of reverse remodeling

Synthetic Nitrogen Fertiliser in South Asia: Production, Import, Export, and Use for Crops, South Asia Nitrogen Hub (SANH) Policy Brief

This policy brief is produced by the UKRI GCRF South Asian Nitrogen Hub (SANH). It provides an overview of the patterns and trends in synthetic nitrogen (N) fertiliser use in crop production, import, export and emission in the South Asian Region (SAR) and its member countries; Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In summary, reactive nitrogen (Nr) in fertilisers is essential for meeting global food and animal feed demands, but Nr pollution has become a major environmental issue across all scales. For SAR, inefficient use of synthetic N fertiliser is a key factor contributing to water pollution, air pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss and soil degradation. Further insights are provided on major fertiliser products, as well as in crop production, import and export. These data are essential for informing and promoting sustainable nitrogen management. Evidence based policy is more important than ever. The SANH is supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through its Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF) to gather evidence on nitrogen issues to support countries in the South Asian Region (SAR) comprising eight countries (Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Maldives) to identify solutions and reduce nitrogen waste. SANH is pioneering a UK-SAR research partnership to catalyse transformational change in SAR to tackle the nitrogen challenge, benefi ting the economy, people’s health and the environment. SANH brings together 32 leading research organisations with governments and other partners. This policy brief provides key insights into national fertiliser trends for all eight SAR countries

Synthetic Nitrogen Fertiliser in South Asia: Production, Import, Export, and Use for Crops, South Asia Nitrogen Hub (SANH) Policy Brief

This policy brief is produced by the UKRI GCRF South Asian Nitrogen Hub (SANH). It provides an overview of the patterns and trends in synthetic nitrogen (N) fertiliser use in crop production, import, export and emission in the South Asian Region (SAR) and its member countries; Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Maldives, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. In summary, reactive nitrogen (Nr) in fertilisers is essential for meeting global food and animal feed demands, but Nr pollution has become a major environmental issue across all scales. For SAR, inefficient use of synthetic N fertiliser is a key factor contributing to water pollution, air pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss and soil degradation. Further insights are provided on major fertiliser products, as well as in crop production, import and export. These data are essential for informing and promoting sustainable nitrogen management. Evidence based policy is more important than ever. The SANH is supported by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) through its Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF) to gather evidence on nitrogen issues to support countries in the South Asian Region (SAR) comprising eight countries (Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Maldives) to identify solutions and reduce nitrogen waste. SANH is pioneering a UK-SAR research partnership to catalyse transformational change in SAR to tackle the nitrogen challenge, benefi ting the economy, people’s health and the environment. SANH brings together 32 leading research organisations with governments and other partners. This policy brief provides key insights into national fertiliser trends for all eight SAR countries

In Vivo Transcription Dynamics of the Galactose Operon: A Study on the Promoter Transition from P1 to P2 at Onset of Stationary Phase

Quantitative analyses of the 5′ end of gal transcripts indicate that transcription from the galactose operon P1 promoter is higher during cell division. When cells are no longer dividing, however, transcription is initiated more often from the P2 promoter. Escherichia coli cells divide six times before the onset of the stationary phase when grown in LB containing 0.5% galactose at 37°C. Transcription from the two promoters increases, although at different rates, during early exponential phase (until the third cell division, OD600 0.4), and then reaches a plateau. The steady-state transcription from P1 continues in late exponential phase (the next three cell divisions, OD600 3.0), after which transcription from this promoter decreases. However, steady-state transcription from P2 continues 1 h longer into the stationary phase, before decreasing. This longer steady-state P2 transcription constitutes the promoter transition from P1 to P2 at the onset of the stationary phase. The intracellular cAMP concentration dictates P1 transcription dynamics; therefore, promoter transition may result from a lack of cAMP-CRP complex binding to the gal operon. The decay rate of gal-specific transcripts is constant through the six consecutive cell divisions that comprise the exponential growth phase, increases at the onset of the stationary phase, and is too low to be measured during the stationary phase. These data suggest that a regulatory mechanism coordinates the synthesis and decay of gal mRNAs to maintain the observed gal transcription. Our analysis indicates that the increase in P1 transcription is the result of cAMP-CRP binding to increasing numbers of galactose operons in the cell population

Measurement of the production of charm jets tagged with D0^{0} mesons in pp collisions at s\sqrt{s}= 7 TeV

The production of charm jets in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=7$ TeV was measured with the ALICE detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The measurement is based on a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of $6.23$ ${\rm nb}^{-1}$, collected using a minimum-bias trigger. Charm jets are identified by the presence of a D$^0$ meson among their constituents. The D$^0$ mesons are reconstructed from their hadronic decay D$^0\rightarrow$K$^{-}\pi^{+}$. The D$^0$-meson tagged jets are reconstructed using tracks of charged particles (track-based jets) with the anti-$k_{\mathrm{T}}$ algorithm in the jet transverse momentum range $5<p_{\rm{T,jet}}^{\mathrm{ch}}<30$ ${\rm GeV/}c$ and pseudorapidity $|\eta_{\rm jet}|<0.5$. The fraction of charged jets containing a D$^0$-meson increases with $p_{\rm{T,jet}}^{\rm{ch}}$ from $0.042 \pm 0.004\, \mathrm{(stat)} \pm 0.006\, \mathrm{(syst)}$ to $0.080 \pm 0.009\, \rm{(stat)} \pm 0.008\, \rm{(syst)}$. The distribution of D$^0$-meson tagged jets as a function of the jet momentum fraction carried by the D$^0$ meson in the direction of the jet axis ($z_{||}^{\mathrm{ch}}$) is reported for two ranges of jet transverse momenta, $5<p_{\rm{T,jet}}^{\rm{ch}}<15$ ${\rm GeV/}c$ and $15<p_{\rm{T,jet}}^{\rm{ch}}<30$ ${\rm GeV/}c$ in the intervals $0.2<z_{||}^{\rm{ch}}<1.0$ and $0.4<z_{||}^{\rm{ch}}<1.0$, respectively. The data are compared with results from Monte Carlo event generators (PYTHIA 6, PYTHIA 8 and Herwig 7) and with a Next-to-Leading-Order perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics calculation, obtained with the POWHEG method and interfaced with PYTHIA 6 for the generation of the parton shower, fragmentation, hadronisation and underlying event.Comment: 29 pages, 8 captioned figures, 3 tables, authors from page 24, published version, figures at http://alice-publications.web.cern.ch/node/525

Prevalence of transcription promoters within archaeal operons and coding sequences

Despite the knowledge of complex prokaryotic-transcription mechanisms, generalized rules, such as the simplified organization of genes into operons with well-defined promoters and terminators, have had a significant role in systems analysis of regulatory logic in both bacteria and archaea. Here, we have investigated the prevalence of alternate regulatory mechanisms through genome-wide characterization of transcript structures of ∼64% of all genes, including putative non-coding RNAs in Halobacterium salinarum NRC-1. Our integrative analysis of transcriptome dynamics and protein–DNA interaction data sets showed widespread environment-dependent modulation of operon architectures, transcription initiation and termination inside coding sequences, and extensive overlap in 3′ ends of transcripts for many convergently transcribed genes. A significant fraction of these alternate transcriptional events correlate to binding locations of 11 transcription factors and regulators (TFs) inside operons and annotated genes—events usually considered spurious or non-functional. Using experimental validation, we illustrate the prevalence of overlapping genomic signals in archaeal transcription, casting doubt on the general perception of rigid boundaries between coding sequences and regulatory elements