Adaptive dual-comb spectroscopy in the green region

Dual-comb spectroscopy is extended to the visible spectral range with a set-up based on two frequency-doubled femtosecond ytterbium-doped fiber lasers. The dense rovibronic spectrum of iodine around 19240 cm-1 is recorded within 12 ms at Doppler-limited resolution with a simple scheme that only uses free-running femtosecond lasers

Canid Eschatologies in Irish and Norse Myth

While medieval Irish literature does not preserve any pre-Christian sources on eschatology, other Indo-European cultures do, notably that of the Norse cosmology and its end in Ragnarök. In the stories of Ragnarök, various canids (including the Fenris Wolf) are heavily involved. There may be traces of some eschatological canid-connected imagery in certain Celtic sources, but nothing seems definite. However, the Fenris wolf’s role in Norse cosmology is delayed by his binding by the other gods. The story of Fenris’ binding has similarities to the death-tale of Cú Chulainn. The author suggests that not only might there be something eschatological in the similarities discernible in this comparison, but it also may be possible to understand the Irish hero’s death as his being taken into reserve, so to speak, for a final eschatological battle at some later date by either Lug or The Morrígan, in a similar fashion to how Odin and Freyja take great warriors to their halls in advance of Ragnarök

Sneutrino as Lightest Supersymmetric Particle in B3 mSUGRA Models and Signals at the LHC

We consider B3 mSUGRA models where we have one lepton number violating LQD operator at the GUT scale. This can alter the supersymmetric mass spectrum leading to a sneutrino as the lightest supersymmetric particle in a large region of parameter space. We take into account the restrictions from neutrino masses, the muon anomalous magnetic moment, b -> s gamma and other precision measurements. We furthermore investigate existing restrictions from direct searches at LEP, the Tevatron and the CERN p\bar p collider. We then give examples for characteristic signatures at the LHC.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figure

Sneutrino LSPs in R-parity violating minimal supergravity models

We consider the minimal supergravity model (mSUGRA) with one additional R-parity violating operator at the GUT scale. The superparticles mass spectra at the weak scale are generally altered due to the presence of the R-parity violating coupling in the renormalization group equations. We show that a lepton number violating coupling at the GUT scale can lead to a sneutrino as the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) in a large region of parameter space consistent with the muon anomalous magnetic moment and other precision measurements. We also give characteristic collider signatures at the LHC.Comment: 3 pages, 3 figures, to appear in the proceedings of SUSY08, Seoul, Kore

Field studies evaluate methods to prevent sudden oak death in oaks and tanoak

We conducted field studies to evaluate management methods for the prevention of sudden oak death (SOD), caused by Phytophthora ramorum. Phosphite was applied as a trunk spray at the product label rate (22.36% a.i. aqueous solution + Pentra-Bark® surfactant at 2.3% v/v) to a 1.35 ha block of 233 large-diameter (mean 46 cm) tanoaks. Annual phosphite applications began in 2008; symptoms of P. ramorum were not seen in the stand until 2011. In 2013, SOD incidence in treated trees was 32% compared to 18% in adjacent untreated trees. Subsequent discontinuation of phosphite treatment did not affect disease progress; SOD continued to increase at similar rates in phosphite-treated and control trees, reaching 47% among phosphite-treated trunks compared to 32% in untreated trunks. Preventative phosphite application did not delay SOD onset, or reduce SOD incidence or SOD-related mortality. In contrast, in other studies we found that removal of California bay (Umbellularia californica) around coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia), California black oaks (Q. kelloggii), and Shreve oaks (Q. parvula var. shrevei) strongly decreased or prevented new disease development over study periods ranging from 5 to 7 years. In these studies, SOD incidence in oaks treated by removal of nearby California bay was 20 to 25% lower than in untreated controls

When Genetic Screening is Useful, but not Used

In families with genetic disorders due to a known genetic mutation, presymptomatic genetic testing can lead to early detection and treatment of inherited disorders that may manifest later in life. The health benefits for family members at increased risk, however, is limited by the predictive value of the genetic test, the availability of effective treatments, and individuals’ and families’ willingness to undergo genetic testing in the first place. This Issue Brief describes the case of a genetic condition for which genetic screening of family members is clearly useful, and just as clearly underused. It explores the barriers to the use of genetic screening and has implications for the future as genetic technologies become more complex and produce more uncertainty

Storage-ring measurement of the hyperfine induced 47Ti18+(2s 2p 3P0 -> 2s2 1S0) transition rate

The hyperfine induced 2s 2p 3P0 > 2s2 1S0 transition rate AHFI in berylliumlike 47Ti18+ was measured. Resonant electron-ion recombination in a heavy-ion storage ring was employed to monitor the time dependent population of the 3P0 state. The experimental value AHFI=0.56(3)/s is almost 60% larger than theoretically predicted.Comment: 4 pages. 3 figures, 1 table, accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter