942 research outputs found
Enhanced Nonperturbative Effects in Z Decays to Hadrons
We use soft collinear effective field theory (SCET) to study nonperturbative
strong interaction effects in Z decays to hadronic final states that are
enhanced in corners of phase space. These occur, for example, in the jet energy
distribution for two jet events near E_J=M_Z/2, the thrust distribution near
unity and the jet invariant mass distribution near zero. The extent to which
such nonperturbative effects for different observables are related is
discussed.Comment: 17 pages. Paper reorganized, and more discussion and results include
Scalable Production of Equine Platelet Lysate for Multipotent Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Culture
Translation of multipotent mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC)-based therapies is advancing
in human and veterinary medicine. One critical issue is the in vitro culture of MSC before
clinical use. Using fetal bovine serum (FBS) as supplement to the basal medium is still the
gold standard for cultivation of many cell types including equine MSC. Alternatives are
being explored, with substantial success using platelet lysate-supplemented media for
human MSC. However, progress lags behind in the veterinary field. The aim of this study
was to establish a scalable protocol for equine platelet lysate (ePL) production and to test
the ePL in equine MSC culture. Whole blood was harvested into blood collection bags
from 20 healthy horses. After checking sample materials for pathogen contamination,
samples from 19 animals were included. Platelet concentrates were prepared using a
buffy coat method. Platelets, platelet-derived growth factor BB, and transforming growth
factor b1 concentrations were increased in the concentrates compared with whole blood
or serum (p < 0.05), while white blood cells were reduced (p < 0.05). The concentrates
were lysed using freeze/thaw cycles, which eliminated the cells while growth factor
concentrations were maintained. Donor age negatively correlated with platelet and
growth factor concentrations after processing (p < 0.05). Finally, all lysates were pooled
and the ePL was evaluated as culture medium supplement in comparison with FBS,
using adipose-derived MSC from four unrelated donor horses. MSC proliferated well
in 10% FBS as well as in 10% ePL. However, using 5 or 2.5% ePL entailed highly
inconsistent proliferation or loss of proliferation, with significant differences in generation
times and confluencies (p < 0.05). MSC expressed the surface antigens CD90, CD44,
and CD29, but CD73 and CD105 detection was low in all culture media. Adipogenic
and osteogenic differentiation led to similar results in MSC from different culture media.
The buffy coat method is useful to produce equine platelet concentrate with increased
platelet and reduced white blood cell content in large scales. The ePL obtained supports
MSC expansion similar as FBS when used at the same concentration (10%). Further
investigations into equine MSC functionality in culture with ePL should follow
A compositional monitoring framework for hard real-time systems
Runtime Monitoring of hard real-time embedded systems is a promising technique for ensuring that a running system respects timing constraints, possibly combined with faults originated by the software and/or hardware. This is particularly important when we have real-time embedded systems made of several components that must combine different levels of criticality, and different levels of correctness requirements. This paper introduces a compositional monitoring framework coupled with guarantees that include time isolation and the response time of a monitor for a predicted violation. The kind of monitors that we propose are automatically generated by synthesizing logic formulas of a timed temporal logic, and their correctness is ensured by construction.This work was partially supported by National Funds through FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) and by ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) through COMPETE (Operational Programme ’Thematic Factors of Competitiveness’), within projects Ref. FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-022701 (CISTER), FCOMP-01-0124- FEDER-015006 (VIPCORE) and FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-020486 (AVIACC)
Wavefunction topology of two-dimensional time-reversal symmetric superconductors
We discuss the topology of the wavefunctions of two-dimensional time-reversal
symmetric superconductors. We consider (a) the planar state, (b) a system with
broken up-down reflection symmetry, and (c) a system with general spin-orbit
interaction. We show explicitly how the relative sign of the order parameter on
the two Fermi surfaces affects this topology, and clarify the meaning of the
classification for these topological states.Comment: only the Introduction has been modified from v
Spontaneous Spin Polarized Currents in Superconductor-Ferromagnetic Metal Heterostructures
We study a simple microscopic model for thin, ferromagnetic, metallic layers
on semi-infinite bulk superconductor. We find that for certain values of the
exchange spliting, on the ferromagnetic side, the ground states of such
structures feature spontaneously induced spin polarized currents. Using a
mean-field theory, which is selfconsistent with respect to the pairing
amplitude , spin polarization and the spontaneous current
, we show that not only there are Andreev bound states in the
ferromagnet but when their energies are near zero they support
spontaneous currents parallel to the ferromagnetic-superconducting interface.
Moreover, we demonstrate that the spin-polarization of these currents depends
sensitively on the band filling.Comment: 4 pages, 5 Postscript figures (included
Nuclear shadowing at low Q^2
We re-examine the role of vector meson dominance in nuclear shadowing at low
Q^2. We find that models which incorporate both vector meson and partonic
mechanisms are consistent with both the magnitude and the Q^2 slope of the
shadowing data.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures; to appear in Phys. Rev.
CDMS, Supersymmetry and Extra Dimensions
The CDMS experiment aims to directly detect massive, cold dark matter
particles originating from the Milky Way halo. Charge and lattice excitations
are detected after a particle scatters in a Ge or Si crystal kept at ~30 mK,
allowing to separate nuclear recoils from the dominating electromagnetic
background. The operation of 12 detectors in the Soudan mine for 75 live days
in 2004 delivered no evidence for a signal, yielding stringent limits on dark
matter candidates from supersymmetry and universal extra dimensions. Thirty Ge
and Si detectors are presently installed in the Soudan cryostat, and operating
at base temperature. The run scheduled to start in 2006 is expected to yield a
one order of magnitude increase in dark matter sensitivity.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the 7th UCLA symposium on
sources and detection of dark matter and dark energy in the universe, Marina
del Rey, Feb 22-24, 200
Circumstellar interaction in supernovae in dense environments - an observational perspective
In a supernova explosion, the ejecta interacting with the surrounding
circumstellar medium (CSM) give rise to variety of radiation. Since CSM is
created from the mass lost from the progenitor star, it carries footprints of
the late time evolution of the star. This is one of the unique ways to get a
handle on the nature of the progenitor star system. Here, I will focus mainly
on the supernovae (SNe) exploding in dense environments, a.k.a. Type IIn SNe.
Radio and X-ray emission from this class of SNe have revealed important
modifications in their radiation properties, due to the presence of high
density CSM. Forward shock dominance of the X-ray emission, internal free-free
absorption of the radio emission, episodic or non-steady mass loss rate,
asymmetry in the explosion seem to be common properties of this class of SNe.Comment: Fixed minor typos. 31 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in
Space Science Reviews. Chapter in International Space Science Institute
(ISSI) Book on "Supernovae" to be published in Space Science Reviews by
Springe
Shadowing in Inelastic Scattering of Muons on Carbon, Calcium and Lead at Low XBj
Nuclear shadowing is observed in the per-nucleon cross-sections of positive
muons on carbon, calcium and lead as compared to deuterium. The data were taken
by Fermilab experiment E665 using inelastically scattered muons of mean
incident momentum 470 GeV/c. Cross-section ratios are presented in the
kinematic region 0.0001 < XBj <0.56 and 0.1 < Q**2 < 80 GeVc. The data are
consistent with no significant nu or Q**2 dependence at fixed XBj. As XBj
decreases, the size of the shadowing effect, as well as its A dependence, are
found to approach the corresponding measurements in photoproduction.Comment: 22 pages, incl. 6 figures, to be published in Z. Phys.
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