1,762 research outputs found
Long-distance contribution to the forward-backward asymmetry in decays K+ --> pi+ l+ l-
The long-distance contribution via the two-photon intermediate state to the
forward-backward asymmetries in decays K+ --> pi+ l+ l- (l=e and mu) has been
studied within the standard model. In order to evaluate the dispersive part of
the K+ --> pi+ gamma* gamma* --> pi+ l+ l- amplitude, we employ a
phenomenological form factor to soften the ultraviolet behavior of the
transition. It is found that, this long-distance transition, although subject
to some theoretical uncertainties, can lead to significant contributions to the
forward-backward asymmetries, which could be tested in the future high-precise
experiments.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure
Kaon decays and the flavour problem
After a brief introduction to the so-called flavour problem, we discuss the
role of rare K decays in probing the mechanism of quark-flavour mixing.
Particular attention is devoted to the formulation of the Minimal Flavour
Violation hypothesis, as a general and natural solution to the flavour problem,
and to the fundamental role of K -> pi nu nu-bar decays in testing this
scenario.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, contribution to TH 2002 (Paris, July 2002
Production of Succinic Acid From Basfia succiniciproducens
Basfia succiniciproducens is a facultative anaerobic capnophilic bacterium, isolated
from rumen, that naturally produces high amounts of succinic acid by fixing CO2 and
using fumarate as final electron acceptor. This metabolic feature makes it one of the
ideal candidates for developing biotechnological industrial routes that could
eventually replace the polluting and environment unfriendly petrochemical ones
that are still main sources for the production of this value-added compound. In
fact, due to the large number of applications of succinic acid that range from the more
traditional ones as food additive or pharmaceutical intermediate to the most recent as
building block for biopolymers and bioplastic, increasing demand and market size growth
are expected in the next years. In line with a âgreen revolutionâ needed to preserve our
environment, the great challenge is the establishment of commercially viable production
processes that exploit renewable materials and in particular preferably non-food
lignocellulosic biomasses and waste products. In this review, we describe the currently
available literature concerning B. succiniciproducens since the strain was first isolated,
focusing on the different renewable materials and fermentation strategies used to improve
succinic acid production titers to date. Moreover, an insight into the metabolic engineering
approaches and the key physiological characteristics of B. succiniciproducens deduced
from the different studies are presented
Zooplankton diversity of a protected and vulnerable wetland system in southern South America (Llancanelo area, Argentina)
In arid regions, climatic conditions exert a great control on the aquatic systems present, but recent changes in climate have produced an enhanced salinization of the aquatic environments located there. Consequently, a major reduction in biodiversity would be expected in those wetlands that were originally fresh water. Salinity is a principal cause of reduced biodiversity particularly in zooplankton because few of those species can adapt to the salt pressure of saline environments. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain essential information on the diversity of aquatic invertebrates in Llancanelo basin by focussing the analysis on the zooplankton community and exploring seasonal and spatial differences in the zooplankton assemblages of this vulnerable wetland system within an arid region of Argentina. Seasonal samples were taken at nine sites in the basin (a shallow lake, 4 springs, streams, and the MalargĂŒe River). A total of 45 species were identified. The zooplankton abundance in the lake displayed a clear seasonal contrast and was higher than that recorded in the springs and lotic environments. Boeckella poopoensis, Fabrea salina, and Brachionus plicatilis predominated in the lake, indicating their halophilia. The presence of the crustaceans Alona sp., Macrocyclops albidus, and Paracyclops fimbriatus was restricted to the springs; whereas Notholca labis and Notholca squamula were found only in running water. The zooplankton species richness in the Llancanelo area is low because of both the salt content in the lake and the irregularity of freshwater entry in all locations during the annual cycle.Instituto de LimnologĂa "Dr. Raul A. Ringuelet
Iso-singlet Down Quark Mixing And CP Violation Experiments
We confront the new physics models with extra iso-singlet down quarks in the
new CP violation experimental era with and
measurements, events, and
limits. The closeness of the new experimental results to the standard
model theory requires us to include full SM amplitudes in the analysis. In
models allowing mixing to a new isosinglet down quark, as in E, flavor
changing neutral currents are induced that allow a mediated contribution
to mixing and which bring in new phases. In ,
, and plots we still find much
larger regions in the four down quark model than in the SM, reaching down to
, , , and down to zero, all at 1. We elucidate
the nature of the cancellation in an order four down quark mixing
matrix element which satisfies the experiments and reduces the number of
independent angles and phases. We also evaluate tests of unitarity for the
CKM submatrix.Comment: 14 pages, 16 figures, REVTeX
TORCH: A Cherenkov Based Time-of-Flight Detector
TORCH is a novel high-precision time-of-flight detector suitable for large area applications and
covering the momentum range up to 10 GeV/c. The concept uses Cherenkov photons produced
in a fused silica radiator which are propagated to focussing optics coupled to fast photodetectors.
For this purpose, custom MCP-PMTs are being produced in collaboration with industrial partners.
The development is divided into three phases. Phase 1 addresses the lifetime requirements for
TORCH, Phase 2 will customize the MCP-PMT granularity and Phase 3 will deliver prototypes
that meet the TORCH requirements. Phase 1 devices have been successfully delivered and initial
tests show stable gain performance for integrated anode current >5 C/cm2
and a single photon
time resolution of †30 ps. Initial simulations indicate the single photon timing resolution of the
TORCH detector will be âŒ70 ps
The s ---> d gamma decay in and beyond the Standard Model
The New Physics sensitivity of the s ---> d gamma transition and its
accessibility through hadronic processes are thoroughly investigated. Firstly,
the Standard Model predictions for the direct CP-violating observables in
radiative K decays are systematically improved. Besides, the magnetic
contribution to epsilon prime is estimated and found subleading, even in the
presence of New Physics, and a new strategy to resolve its electroweak versus
QCD penguin fraction is identified. Secondly, the signatures of a series of New
Physics scenarios, characterized as model-independently as possible in terms of
their underlying dynamics, are investigated by combining the information from
all the FCNC transitions in the s ---> d sector.Comment: 54 pages, 14 eps figure
Distribution of ostracods in west-central Argentina related to host-water chemistry and climate: implications for paleolimnology
Ecological and biogeographical studies of Neotropical non-marine ostracods are rare, although such information is needed to develop reliable paleoecological and paleoclimatic reconstructions for the region. An extensive, yet little explored South American area of paleoclimatic interest, is the arid-semiarid ecotone (Arid Diagonal) that separates arid Patagonia from subtropical/tropical northern South America, and lies at the intersection of the Pacific and Atlantic atmospheric circulation systems. This study focused on the Laguna Llancanelo basin, Argentina, a Ramsar site located within the Arid Diagonal, and was designed to build a modern dataset using ostracods (diversity, spatial distribution, seasonality, habitat preferences) and water chemistry. Cluster and multivariate analysis of the data indicated that salinity is the most significant variable segregating two ostracod groups. Limnocythere aff. staplini is the only species that develops abundant populations in the saline ephemeral Laguna Llancanelo during almost all seasons, and is accompanied by scarce Cypridopsis vidua in summer. The latter species is abundant in freshwater lotic sites, where Ilyocypris ramirezi, Herpetocypris helenae, and Cyprididae indet. are also found in large numbers. Darwinula stevensoni, Penthesilenula incae, Heterocypris incongruens, Chlamydotheca arcuata, Chlamydotheca sp., Herpetocypris helenae, and Potamocypris smaragdina prefer freshwater lentic conditions (springs), with C. arcuata and Chlamydotheca sp. found only in the Carapacho warm spring, which has a year-round constant temperature of ~20 °C. Seasonal sampling was necessary because some taxa display a highly seasonal distribution. Species that were recorded have either subtropical or Patagonian affinities, although a few taxa are endemic or common to both regions. These data can serve as modern analogues for reconstructing the late Quaternary history of the area, and to investigate the extent and position of the arid/semiarid ecotone (Arid Diagonal) during past glacial/interglacial cycles.Instituto de LimnologĂa "Dr. RaĂșl A. Ringuelet
- âŠ