Reconstruction of Quark Mass Matrices with Weak Basis Texture Zeroes from Experimental Input

All quark mass matrices with texture zeroes obtained through weak basis transformations are confronted with the experimental data. The reconstruction of the quark mass matrices M_u and M_d at the electroweak scale is performed in a weak basis where the matrices are Hermitian and have a maximum of three vanishing elements. The same procedure is also accomplished for the Yukawa coupling matrices at the grand unification scale in the context of the Standard Model and its minimal supersymmetric extension as well as of the two Higgs doublet model. The analysis of all viable power structures on the quark Yukawa coupling matrices that could naturally appear from a Froggatt-Nielsen mechanism is also presented.Comment: RevTeX4, 3 tables, 21 pages; misprints corrected and one reference adde

The Rules of Human T Cell Fate in vivo.

The processes governing lymphocyte fate (division, differentiation, and death), are typically assumed to be independent of cell age. This assumption has been challenged by a series of elegant studies which clearly show that, for murine cells in vitro, lymphocyte fate is age-dependent and that younger cells (i.e., cells which have recently divided) are less likely to divide or die. Here we investigate whether the same rules determine human T cell fate in vivo. We combined data from in vivo stable isotope labeling in healthy humans with stochastic, agent-based mathematical modeling. We show firstly that the choice of model paradigm has a large impact on parameter estimates obtained using stable isotope labeling i.e., different models fitted to the same data can yield very different estimates of T cell lifespan. Secondly, we found no evidence in humans in vivo to support the model in which younger T cells are less likely to divide or die. This age-dependent model never provided the best description of isotope labeling; this was true for naïve and memory, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, this age-dependent model also failed to predict an independent data set in which the link between division and death was explored using Annexin V and deuterated glucose. In contrast, the age-independent model provided the best description of both naïve and memory T cell dynamics and was also able to predict the independent dataset

Coleman meets Schwinger

It is well known that spherical D-branes are nucleated in the presence of an external RR electric field. Using the description of D-branes as solitons of the tachyon field on non-BPS D-branes, we show that the brane nucleation process can be seen as the decay of the tachyon false vacuum. This process can describe the decay of flux-branes in string theory or the decay of quintessence potentials arising in flux compactifications.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Suite of simple metrics reveals common movement syndromes across vertebrate taxa

ecause empirical studies of animal movement are most-often site- and species-specific, we lack understanding of the level of consistency in movement patterns across diverse taxa, as well as a framework for quantitatively classifying movement patterns. We aim to address this gap by determining the extent to which statistical signatures of animal movement patterns recur across ecological systems. We assessed a suite of movement metrics derived from GPS trajectories of thirteen marine and terrestrial vertebrate species spanning three taxonomic classes, orders of magnitude in body size, and modes of movement (swimming, flying, walking). Using these metrics, we performed a principal components analysis and cluster analysis to determine if individuals organized into statistically distinct clusters. Finally, to identify and interpret commonalities within clusters, we compared them to computer-simulated idealized movement syndromes representing suites of correlated movement traits observed across taxa (migration, nomadism, territoriality, and central place foraging)

Há alguma diferença entre as próteses de disco cervicais?

Objetivo: A artroplastia cervical na patologia degenerativa surgiu como alternativa à artrodese anterior com o objetivo de eliminar a “doença do nível adjacente”. As próteses de disco apresentam diferentes materiais, design, técnica e mobilidade. Os autores avaliaram dor, disfunção e complicações para comparar a eficácia de diferentes próteses de disco.Material e Métodos: Foram analisadas retrospectivamente as próteses de disco cervical realizadas entre 2004 e 2010, com o total de 26 próteses em 22 doentes. Os resultados de 5 próteses Baguera® foram comparados com 14 próteses Prestige®, 4 PCM® e 3 Bryan®. Foi utilizada a escala visual analógica da dor (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI) e inquirido o grau de satisfação. Imagiologicamente foi determinada estabilidade, mobilidade e alterações degenerativas.Resultados: O follow-up das 5 próteses Baguera® foi 20.2±13.7 meses e nas restantes 21 próteses foi 55.2±15.8 meses (p=0.02). A avaliação da dor não foi diferente. O grupo Baguera® apresenta superioridade na mobilidade (p=0.045), NDI pós-operatório (p=0.009) e melhoria do NDI global (p=0.01). Comparando doentes com disfunção nula/ligeira e severa/completa, a prótese Baguera® tem vantagem sobre as restantes 3 (p=0.04). Ocorreram complicações em 4 (9.5%) doentes do grupo misto, com 2 reintervenções e 2 doentes com ossificação heterotrópica e perda total de mobilidade da prótese.Conclusão: A prótese de disco Baguera® apresenta superioridade em mobilidade e função, e apesar de diferente follow-up não apresenta complicações enquanto as restantes 3 próteses apresentam complicações e perda de mobilidade. Estudos a longo prazo vão determinar se as vantagens teóricas continuam a traduzir benefícios clínicos

Long-term Variability of H2_2CO Masers in Star-forming Regions

We present results of a multi-epoch monitoring program on variability of 6$\,$cm formaldehyde (H$_2$CO) masers in the massive star forming region NGC$\,$7538$\,$IRS$\,$1 from 2008 to 2015 conducted with the GBT, WSRT, and VLA. We found that the similar variability behaviors of the two formaldehyde maser velocity components in NGC$\,$7538$\,$IRS$\,$1 (which was pointed out by Araya and collaborators in 2007) have continued. The possibility that the variability is caused by changes in the maser amplification path in regions with similar morphology and kinematics is discussed. We also observed 12.2$\,$GHz methanol and 22.2$\,$GHz water masers toward NGC$\,$7538$\,$IRS$\,$1. The brightest maser components of CH$_3$OH and H$_2$O species show a decrease in flux density as a function of time. The brightest H$_2$CO maser component also shows a decrease in flux density and has a similar LSR velocity to the brightest H$_2$O and 12.2$\,$GHz CH$_3$OH masers. The line parameters of radio recombination lines and the 20.17 and 20.97$\,$GHz CH$_3$OH transitions in NGC$\,$7538$\,$IRS$\,$1 are also reported. In addition, we observed five other 6$\,$cm formaldehyde maser regions. We found no evidence of significant variability of the 6$\,$cm masers in these regions with respect to previous observations, the only possible exception being the maser in G29.96$-$0.02. All six sources were also observed in the H$_2^{13}$CO isotopologue transition of the 6$\,$cm H$_2$CO line; H$_2^{13}$CO absorption was detected in five of the sources. Estimated column density ratios [H$_2^{12}$CO]/[H$_2^{13}$CO] are reported.Comment: 29 pages, 9 figure

New Techniques for Relating Dynamically Close Galaxy Pairs to Merger and Accretion Rates : Application to the SSRS2 Redshift Survey

We introduce two new pair statistics, which relate close galaxy pairs to the merger and accretion rates. We demonstrate the importance of correcting these (and other) pair statistics for selection effects related to sample depth and completeness. In particular, we highlight the severe bias that can result from the use of a flux-limited survey. The first statistic, denoted N_c, gives the number of companions per galaxy, within a specified range in absolute magnitude. N_c is directly related to the galaxy merger rate. The second statistic, called L_c, gives the total luminosity in companions, per galaxy. This quantity can be used to investigate the mass accretion rate. Both N_c and L_c are related to the galaxy correlation function and luminosity function in a straightforward manner. We outline techniques which account for various selection effects, and demonstrate the success of this approach using Monte Carlo simulations. If one assumes that clustering is independent of luminosity (which is appropriate for reasonable ranges in luminosity), then these statistics may be applied to flux-limited surveys. These techniques are applied to a sample of 5426 galaxies in the SSRS2 redshift survey. Using close dynamical pairs, we find N_c(-21<M_B<-18) = 0.0226+/-0.0052 and L_c(-21<M_B<-18) = 0.0216+/-0.0055 10^{10} h^2 L_sun at z=0.015. These are the first secure estimates of low-z close pair statistics. If N_c remains fixed with redshift, simple assumptions imply that ~ 6.6% of present day galaxies with -21<M_B<-18 have undergone mergers since z=1. When applied to redshift surveys of more distant galaxies, these techniques will yield the first robust estimates of evolution in the galaxy merger and accretion rates. [Abridged]Comment: 26 pages (including 10 postscript figures) plus 3 gif figures. Accepted for publication in ApJ. Paper (including full resolution images) also available at http://www.astro.utoronto.ca/~patton/ssrs2, along with associated pair classification experiment (clickable version of Figure 5