Flavor-changing top quark rare decays in the Bestest Little Higgs Model

This paper investigates the effects of parameters in the Bestest Little Higgs Model (BLHM) on rare flavor-changing decays of the top quark. As a result, flavor-changing phenomena are introduced in the BLHM for the first time. In this study, we incorporate new flavor mixing terms between the light quarks of the Standard Model (SM) and the fermions and bosons of the BLHM. We compute the one-loop contributions from the heavy quark $(B)$ and the heavy bosons $(W^{\prime\pm}, \phi^{\pm}, \eta^{\pm},H^{\pm})$. Our findings demonstrate that the branching ratios of decays $t\to qV$ and $t\to qh^0$, where $q=u,c$ and $V=Z, \gamma, g$, exhibit improvements compared to their counterparts in the SM, except for the gluon case. Moreover, we observe that the processes with higher sensitivity are $Br(t\to cZ)\sim 10^{-5}$, $Br(t\to c\gamma)\sim 10^{-6}$ and $Br(t \to ch^0) \sim 10^{-8}$ within the appropriate parameter space.Comment: 13 pages and 10 figure

New Physics effects in the flavor-changing neutral couplings of the Top quark

We survey the flavor-changing neutral couplings (FCNC) of the top quark predicted by some extensions of the Standard Model: THDM, SUSY, L-R symmetric, TC2, 331, and models with extra quarks. Since the expected sensitivity of the LHC and ILC for the tcV (V=\gamma,g,Z) and tcH couplings is of order of a few percent, we emphasize the importance of any new physics effect that gives a prediction for these FCNC couplings within this limit. We also review the constraints imposed on these couplings from low-energy precision measurements.Comment: 19 pages, 7 figures. Accepted as a review paper in Int. J. of Mod. Phys.

Analysis of ecosystem services provision in the Colombian Amazon using participatory research and mapping techniques

Over the last two decades indigenous peoples in the lower Caquetá River basin in Colombia have experienced detrimental changes in the provision of important ecosystem services in ways that have significant implications for the maintenance of their traditional livelihoods. To assess these changes we conducted eight participatory mapping activities and convened 22 focus group discussions. We focused the analysis on two types of change: (1) changes in the location of ecosystem services provisioning areas and (2) changes in the stock of ecosystem services. The focal ecosystem services include services such as provision of food, raw materials and medicinal resources. Results from the study show that in the past two decades the demand for food and raw materials has intensified and, as a result, locations of provisioning areas and the stocks of ecosystem services have changed. We found anecdotal evidence that these changes correlate well with socio-economic factors such as greater need for income generation, change in livelihood practices and consumption patterns. We discuss the use of participatory mapping techniques in the context of marginalized and data-poor regions. We also show how this kind of information can strengthen existing ecosystem-based management strategies used by indigenous peoples in the Colombian Amazon

Investigation of ULF magnetic anomaly during Izu earthquake swarm and Miyakejima volcano eruption at summer 2000, Japan

International audienceResults of the ULF electromagnetic emission during the Izu, 2000 earthquake (EQ) swarm and Miyake volcano eruptions during the summer period of 2000 are presented and analyzed. The analysis of the obtained data has been performed in 3 main directions: traditional statistical analysis, i.e. analysis of time dynamics of spectral density, polarization ratios and their derivatives, Principal Component Analysis, and Fractal Analysis. The statistical characteristics were studied at different frequency sub-bands in a frequency range 10-3-0.3 Hz. These methods of data processing are described and the obtained results are illustrated and discussed. Some peculiarities of the obtained results such as the rise of the second principal component and the rise of the fractal index can be interpreted as possible short-time precursors

Bounds on the anomalous HZγHZ\gamma vertex arising from the process e+e−→τ+τ−γe^+e^-\to \tau^+ \tau^- \gamma

We obtain limits on the anomalous coupling $HZ\gamma$ through data published by the L3 Collaboration on the process $e^+e^-\to \tau^+\tau^- \gamma$. Our analysis leads to bounds on this coupling of order $10^{-2}$, for an intermediate mass Higgs boson $115 < M_H < 145$ $GeV$, two orders of magnitude above the Standard Model prediction.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure

Efectividad del clorhidrato de zilpaterol en la finalización de corderos: Patente vs. Genérico

The objective of this study was to compare the effect of the patent vs. generic sources of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) on the productive performance, carcass characteristics, primary cut yields, and meat quality of lambs finished in feedlot. Thirty (30) Dorper×Pelibuey male lambs were distributed into 10 blocks, each with three lambs of similar initial live weight which were randomly assigned to the following treatments: 1) without ZH (control), 2) with patent ZH (PZH), and 3) with generic ZH (GZH). Treatment means were compared through two orthogonal contrasts: control vs. ZH (PZH+GZH) and PZH vs. GZH. ZH did not affect (P≥0.15) the productive performance, carcass weight, backfat thickness, or fat percentages (kidney-pelvic-heart, mesenteric or omental), but increased (P≤0.05) Longissimus dorsi muscle area and yields of carcass, shoulder, leg, and plain loin. As for the meat quality, ZH did not affect (P≥0.24) pH and shear force, but reduced (P<0.05) redness, yellowness, and chroma color values at 24 h post mortem, as well as the redness value (P<0.01) at 14 days of aging. With exception of carcass yield which tended (P=0.07) to increase with PZH, all measured variables were similar (P³0.14) between PZH and GZH. It has been concluded that both types of ZH at a dose of 0.10 mg per kg of live weight promote muscular hypertrophy in finishing lambs; however, this dosage is not sufficient to result in a better productive performance or carcass weight.El objetivo del estudio fue comparar el efecto de la fuente del clorhidrato de zilpaterol (CZ;  patente vs genérico) sobre el comportamiento productivo, características de la canal, rendimientos de cortes primarios y calidad de la carne de corderos finalizados en corral. Se distribuyeron 30 corderos Dorper ×Pelibuey en 10 bloques donde cada bloque tenía tres corderos de similar peso vivo inicial, los cuales se asignaron aleatoriamente a los siguientes tratamientos: 1) sin CZ (testigo), 2) con CZ de patente (CZP), y 3) con CZ genérico (CZG). Las medias de tratamientos se compararon a través de dos contrastes ortogonales: testigo vs. CZ (CZP+CZG) y CZP vs. CZG. El CZ no afectó (P≥0.15) el comportamiento productivo, peso de la canal, espesor de grasa dorsal, ni los porcentajes de grasa (riñón-corazón-pelvis, mesentérica u omental), pero aumentó (P≤0.05) el área del músculo Longissimus dorsi y los rendimientos de canal, paleta, pierna y lomo plano. En calidad de la carne, el CZ no afectó (P≥0.24) el pH y esfuerzo al corte, pero redujo (P<0.05) los valores de color rojizo, amarillento y chroma a las 24 h post mortem, y también los valores de rojizo (P<0.01) a los 14 días de maduración. Con excepción del rendimiento en canal que tendió (P=0.07) a ser mayor con CZP, todas las variables medidas fueron similares (P³0.14) entre CZP y CZG. Se concluye que ambos tipos de CZ a una dosis de 0.10 mg/kg de peso vivo promueven hipertrofia muscular en corderos de finalización, pero no es suficiente para reflejarse en mejor comportamiento productivo y peso de la canal

Simulating spin systems on IANUS, an FPGA-based computer

We describe the hardwired implementation of algorithms for Monte Carlo simulations of a large class of spin models. We have implemented these algorithms as VHDL codes and we have mapped them onto a dedicated processor based on a large FPGA device. The measured performance on one such processor is comparable to O(100) carefully programmed high-end PCs: it turns out to be even better for some selected spin models. We describe here codes that we are currently executing on the IANUS massively parallel FPGA-based system.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures; submitted to Computer Physics Communication