Gravitational anomaly and fundamental forces

I present an argument, based on the topology of the universe, why there are three generations of fermions. The argument implies a preferred gauge group of SU(5), but with SO(10) representations of the fermions. The breaking pattern SU(5) to SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1) is preferred over the pattern SU(5) to SU(4)xU(1). On the basis of the argument one expects an asymmetry in the early universe microwave data, which might have been detected already.Comment: Contribution to the 2nd School and Workshop on Quantum Gravity and Quantum Geometry. Corfu, september 13-20 2009. 10 page

Plasmid stability in Pseudomonas fluorescens in the Rhizosphere

Microbial Biotechnolog

Description of the colonization of a gnotobiotic tomato rhizosphere by Pseudomonas fluorescens biocontrol strain WCS365, using scanning electron microscopy

Microbial Biotechnolog

Role of the O-antigen of lipopolysaccharide, and possible roles of growth rage and of NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (nuo) in competitive tomato root-tip colonization by Pseudomonas fluorescens WCS365

Microbial Biotechnolog

Mass Bounds on a Very Light Neutralino

Within the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) we systematically investigate the bounds on the mass of the lightest neutralino. We allow for non-universal gaugino masses and thus even consider massless neutralinos, while assuming in general that R-parity is conserved. Our main focus are laboratory constraints. We consider collider data, precision observables, and also rare meson decays to very light neutralinos. We then discuss the astrophysical and cosmological implications. We find that a massless neutralino is allowed by all existing experimental data and astrophysical and cosmological observations.Comment: 36 pages, 13 figures, minor modification in astro-physical bounds. EPJC versio

Non-AIDS defining cancers in the D:A:D Study-time trends and predictors of survival : a cohort study

BACKGROUND:Non-AIDS defining cancers (NADC) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in HIV-positive individuals. Using data from a large international cohort of HIV-positive individuals, we described the incidence of NADC from 2004-2010, and described subsequent mortality and predictors of these.METHODS:Individuals were followed from 1st January 2004/enrolment in study, until the earliest of a new NADC, 1st February 2010, death or six months after the patient's last visit. Incidence rates were estimated for each year of follow-up, overall and stratified by gender, age and mode of HIV acquisition. Cumulative risk of mortality following NADC diagnosis was summarised using Kaplan-Meier methods, with follow-up for these analyses from the date of NADC diagnosis until the patient's death, 1st February 2010 or 6 months after the patient's last visit. Factors associated with mortality following NADC diagnosis were identified using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression.RESULTS:Over 176,775 person-years (PY), 880 (2.1%) patients developed a new NADC (incidence: 4.98/1000PY [95% confidence interval 4.65, 5.31]). Over a third of these patients (327, 37.2%) had died by 1st February 2010. Time trends for lung cancer, anal cancer and Hodgkin's lymphoma were broadly consistent. Kaplan-Meier cumulative mortality estimates at 1, 3 and 5 years after NADC diagnosis were 28.2% [95% CI 25.1-31.2], 42.0% [38.2-45.8] and 47.3% [42.4-52.2], respectively. Significant predictors of poorer survival after diagnosis of NADC were lung cancer (compared to other cancer types), male gender, non-white ethnicity, and smoking status. Later year of diagnosis and higher CD4 count at NADC diagnosis were associated with improved survival. The incidence of NADC remained stable over the period 2004-2010 in this large observational cohort.CONCLUSIONS:The prognosis after diagnosis of NADC, in particular lung cancer and disseminated cancer, is poor but has improved somewhat over time. Modifiable risk factors, such as smoking and low CD4 counts, were associated with mortality following a diagnosis of NADC

CSR orientations as a guiding principle for innovativeness : a supply chain perspective

A central debate in literature today concerns the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and firm competitiveness. We advance this debate by proposing a sense-and-response mechanism in which CSR acts as a strategic orientation for developing within firm capabilities, in particular innovativeness, to actually respond to societal needs. Departing from the resource-based view (RBV) we suggest that firms obtain competitiveness through both developing internal capabilities and leveraging capabilities from their suppliers. We examine CSR orientation and innovativeness along triads in a supply chain: a focal firm, a major supplier and a major customer. The results drawn from a survey of 88 of such matched triads suggest the following. Firstly, we find a positive relationship between CSR orientation and innovativeness, both within the focal firm and within the supplier. Secondly, customers value CSR orientation through CSR reputation. Moreover, customer satisfaction is a direct effect of a focal firm innovativeness, which in turn is driven by supplier innovativeness. Thirdly, the findings demonstrate a negative relationship between supplier CSR orientation and focal firm innovativeness. Consequently, in strategic supply management, enhancing a CSR-innovativeness mechanism at suppliers seems to be crucial in order to benefit from these valuable supplier capabilities