Cosmology of fermionic dark matter

We explore a model for a fermionic dark matter particle family which decouples from the rest of the partices when at least all standard model particles are in equilibrium. We calculate the allowed ranges for mass and chemical potential to be compatible with big bang nucleosynthesis (BBN) calculations and WMAP-data for a flat universe with dark energy. Futhermore we estimate the free streaming length for fermions and antifermions to allow comparison to large scale structure data (LLS). We find that for dark matter decoupling when all standard model particles are present even the least restrictive combined BBN calculation and WMAP results allow us to constrain the initial dark matter chemical potential to a highest value of 6.3 times the dark matter temperature. In this case the resulting mass range is at most 1.8 eV < m < 53 eV, where the upper bound scales linearly with the effective degrees of freedom at decoupling. From LSS we find that similar to ordinary warm dark matter models the particle mass has to be larger than approximately 500 eV (meaning the effective degrees of freedom at decoupling have to be > 1000) to be compatible with observations of the Ly alpha forest at high redshift, but still the dark matter chemical potential over temperature ratio can exceed unity.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures; Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. D., minor changes after referee report: references added, several minor extensions (mostly to the introduction). Also conclusion extended with an additional summary plot to clarify the result

Self-Sexual de jovens adultos brasileiros

Sexual subjectivity (translated as sexual-self once studied in Brazil) is a self-perceptive multi-layered construct, which includes sexual efficacy, sexual body-esteem, entitlement to sexual pleasure from self and partner, and sexual self-reflection. This study investigated the sexual subjectivity of young Brazilian adults, evaluated the correlation between sexual subjectivity and quality of life, and also the impact of religiosity on sexual subjectivity. Participants were 1380 from ages 18 to 30 who completed a free online survey, including the Inventário de Self-Sexual (ISS). The design was quantitative, descriptive, and transversal. All of the ISS subscales had a positive correlation with the satisfaction with life and self-esteem scales. Some sexual subjectivity subscales showed a negative correlation with religiosity, while sexual body-esteem presented a positive one. The women in the sample scored significantly higher on the entitlement to sexual pleasure from self and partner subscales. Bisexual women stood out with higher scores than the heterosexual men and women, despite having lower self-esteem. Future research with more variables and a broader sample will help further the understanding of this barely explored construct.Self-sexual es un constructo autopercibido multifacético, que incluye eficacia sexual, autoestima sexual-corporal, sensación de derecho a recibir placer de sí y de su pareja, y autorreflexión sexual. El presente estudio investigó el Self-sexual de adultos jóvenes brasileros, evaluando la correlación entre este y las escalas de satisfacción con la vida y de autoestima general, así como el impacto de la religiosidad en el Self-sexual. Los 1380 participantes, de 18 a 30 años, completaron una encuesta en línea que incluyó el Inventario de Self-Sexual (ISS). El delineamiento fue cuantitativo, descriptivo y transversal. Todas las subescalas del ISS obtuvieron correlación positiva con las escalas de satisfacción con la vida y de autoestima general. Algunas subescalas presentaron correlación negativa con religiosidad, a pesar de que la subescala de autoestima sexual obtuvo una correlación positiva. Las mujeres de la muestra obtuvieron puntajes significativamente mayores en las subescalas de sensación de derecho a recibir placer de sí y de otro. Las mujeres bisexuales se destacaron con mayores resultados que hombres y mujeres heterosexuales, a pesar de presentar menores niveles de autoestima. Investigaciones futuras con variables y muestras más diversas colaboraron para la secuencia de comprensión de ese constructo.Self-sexual é um constructo auto percebido multifacetado, que inclui eficácia sexual, autoestima sexual-corporal, sensação de direito a receber prazer de si e do(a) parceiro(a), e autorreflexão-sexual. O presente estudo investigou o self-sexual de jovens adultos brasileiros, avaliando a correlação entre self-sexual e as escalas de satisfação com a vida e de autoestima geral, assim como o impacto da religiosidade no self-sexual. 1380 participantes, de 18 a 30 anos, completaram uma pesquisa online que incluiu o Inventário de Self-sexual. O delineamento foi quantitativo, descritivo e transversal. Todas subescalas do iss obtiveram correlação positiva com as escalas de satisfação com a vida e de autoestima geral. Algumas subescalas apresentaram correlação negativa com religiosidade, embora a subescala de auto-estima sexual tenha obtido correlação positiva. As mulheres obtiveram escores significativamente maiores nas subescalas de sensação de direito a receber prazer de si e do(a) outro(a). As mulheres bissexuais se destacaram com maiores resultados em comparação a homens e mulheres heterossexuais, apesar de apresentarem menores níveis de autoestima. Pesquisas futuras com variáveis e amostras mais diversas podem contribuir para a continuidade da compreensão desse constructo

Strangeness in Astrophysics and Cosmology

Some recent developments concerning the role of strange quark matter for astrophysical systems and the QCD phase transition in the early universe are addressed. Causality constraints of the soft nuclear equation of state as extracted from subthreshold kaon production in heavy-ion collisions are used to derive an upper mass limit for compact stars. The interplay between the viscosity of strange quark matter and the gravitational wave emission from rotation-powered pulsars are outlined. The flux of strange quark matter nuggets in cosmic rays is put in perspective with a detailed numerical investigation of the merger of two strange stars. Finally, we discuss a novel scenario for the QCD phase transition in the early universe, which allows for a small inflationary period due to a pronounced first order phase transition at large baryochemical potential.Comment: 8 pages, invited talk given at the International Conference on Strangeness in Quark Matter (SQM2009), Buzios, Brasil, September 28 - October 2, 200

The dominant Anopheles vectors of human malaria in the Americas: occurrence data, distribution maps and bionomic précis

Background: An increasing knowledge of the global risk of malaria shows that the nations of the Americas have the lowest levels of Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax endemicity worldwide, sustained, in part, by substantive integrated vector control. To help maintain and better target these efforts, knowledge of the contemporary distribution of each of the dominant vector species (DVS) of human malaria is needed, alongside a comprehensive understanding of the ecology and behaviour of each species. Results: A database of contemporary occurrence data for 41 of the DVS of human malaria was compiled from intensive searches of the formal and informal literature. The results for the nine DVS of the Americas are described in detail here. Nearly 6000 occurrence records were gathered from 25 countries in the region and were complemented by a synthesis of published expert opinion range maps, refined further by a technical advisory group of medical entomologists. A suite of environmental and climate variables of suspected relevance to anopheline ecology were also compiled from open access sources. These three sets of data were then combined to produce predictive species range maps using the Boosted Regression Tree method. The predicted geographic extent for each of the following species (or species complex*) are provided: Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) albimanus Wiedemann, 1820, An. (Nys.) albitarsis*, An. (Nys.) aquasalis Curry, 1932, An. (Nys.) darlingi Root, 1926, An. (Anopheles) freeborni Aitken, 1939, An. (Nys.) marajoara Galvão & Damasceno, 1942, An. (Nys.) nuneztovari*, An. (Ano.) pseudopunctipennis* and An. (Ano.) quadrimaculatus Say, 1824. A bionomics review summarising ecology and behaviour relevant to the control of each of these species was also compiled. Conclusions: The distribution maps and bionomics review should both be considered as a starting point in an ongoing process of (i) describing the distributions of these DVS (since the opportunistic sample of occurrence data assembled can be substantially improved) and (ii) documenting their contemporary bionomics (since intervention and control pressures can act to modify behavioural traits). This is the first in a series of three articles describing the distribution of the 41 global DVS worldwide. The remaining two publications will describe those vectors found in (i) Africa, Europe and the Middle East and (ii) in Asia. All geographic distribution maps are being made available in the public domain according to the open access principles of the Malaria Atlas Project. © 2010 Sinka et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Investigating the impact of poverty on colonization and infection with drug-resistant organisms in humans: a systematic review

Background Poverty increases the risk of contracting infectious diseases and therefore exposure to antibiotics. Yet there is lacking evidence on the relationship between income and non-income dimensions of poverty and antimicrobial resistance. Investigating such relationship would strengthen antimicrobial stewardship interventions. Methods A systematic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Ovid, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, CINAHL, PsychINFO, EBSCO, HMIC, and Web of Science databases were searched in October 2016. Prospective and retrospective studies reporting on income or non-income dimensions of poverty and their influence on colonisation or infection with antimicrobial-resistant organisms were retrieved. Study quality was assessed with the Integrated quality criteria for review of multiple study designs (ICROMS) tool. Results Nineteen articles were reviewed. Crowding and homelessness were associated with antimicrobial resistance in community and hospital patients. In high-income countries, low income was associated with Streptococcus pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii resistance and a seven-fold higher infection rate. In low-income countries the findings on this relation were contradictory. Lack of education was linked to resistant S. pneumoniae and Escherichia coli. Two papers explored the relation between water and sanitation and antimicrobial resistance in low-income settings. Conclusions Despite methodological limitations, the results suggest that addressing social determinants of poverty worldwide remains a crucial yet neglected step towards preventing antimicrobial resistance

R144 revealed as a double-lined spectroscopic binary

R144 is a WN6h star in the 30 Doradus region. It is suspected to be a binary because of its high luminosity and its strong X-ray flux, but no periodicity could be established so far. Here, we present new Xshooter multi-epoch spectroscopy of R144 obtained at the ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT). We detect variability in position and/or shape of all the spectral lines. We measure radial velocity variations with an amplitude larger than 250 km/s in NIV and NV lines. Furthermore, the NIII and NV line Doppler shifts are anti-correlated and the NIV lines show a double-peaked profile on six of our seven epochs. We thus conclude that R144 is a double-lined spectroscopic binary. Possible orbital periods range from 2 to 6 months, although a period up to one year is allowed if the orbit is highly eccentric. We estimate the spectral types of the components to be WN5-6h and WN6-7h, respectively. The high luminosity of the system (log Lbol/Lsun ~ 6.8) suggests a present-day total mass content in the range of about 200 to 300 Msun, depending on the evolutionary stage of the components. This makes R144 the most massive binary identified so far, with a total mass content at birth possibly as large as 400 Msun. We briefly discuss the presence of such a massive object 60 pc away from the R136 cluster core in the context of star formation and stellar dynamics.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS Letters, 5 pages, 3 figure

Geographical variation in \u3ci\u3ePlasmodium vivax\u3c/i\u3e relapse

Background: Plasmodium vivax has the widest geographic distribution of the human malaria parasites and nearly 2.5 billion people live at risk of infection. The control of P. vivax in individuals and populations is complicated by its ability to relapse weeks to months after initial infection. Strains of P. vivax from different geographical areas are thought to exhibit varied relapse timings. In tropical regions strains relapse quickly (three to six weeks), whereas those in temperate regions do so more slowly (six to twelve months), but no comprehensive assessment of evidence has been conducted. Here observed patterns of relapse periodicity are used to generate predictions of relapse incidence within geographic regions representative of varying parasite transmission. Methods: A global review of reports of P. vivax relapse in patients not treated with a radical cure was conducted. Records of time to first P. vivax relapse were positioned by geographic origin relative to expert opinion regions of relapse behaviour and epidemiological zones. Mixed-effects meta-analysis was conducted to determine which geographic classification best described the data, such that a description of the pattern of relapse periodicity within each region could be described. Model outputs of incidence and mean time to relapse were mapped to illustrate the global variation in relapse. Results: Differences in relapse periodicity were best described by a historical geographic classification system used to describe malaria transmission zones based on areas sharing zoological and ecological features. Maps of incidence and time to relapse showed high relapse frequency to be predominant in tropical regions and prolonged relapse in temperate areas. Conclusions: The results indicate that relapse periodicity varies systematically by geographic region and are categorized by nine global regions characterized by similar malaria transmission dynamics. This indicates that relapse may be an adaptation evolved to exploit seasonal changes in vector survival and therefore optimize transmission. Geographic patterns in P. vivax relapse are important to clinicians treating individual infections, epidemiologists trying to infer P. vivax burden, and public health officials trying to control and eliminate the disease in human populations