The selection, appraisal and retention of digital scientific data: dighlights of an ERPANET/CODATA workshop

CODATA and ERPANET collaborated to convene an international archiving workshop on the selection, appraisal, and retention of digital scientific data, which was held on 15-17 December 2003 at the Biblioteca Nacional in Lisbon, Portugal. The workshop brought together more than 65 researchers, data and information managers, archivists, and librarians from 13 countries to discuss the issues involved in making critical decisions regarding the long-term preservation of the scientific record. One of the major aims for this workshop was to provide an international forum to exchange information about data archiving policies and practices across different scientific, institutional, and national contexts. Highlights from the workshop discussions are presented

Production of massive stable particles in inflaton decay

We point out that inflaton decays can be a copious source of stable or long--lived particles $\chi$ with mass exceeding the reheat temperature $T_R$. Once higher order processes are included, this statement is true for any $\chi$ particle with renormalizable (gauge or Yukawa) interactions. This contribution to the $\chi$ density often exceeds the contribution from thermal $\chi$ production, leading to significantly stronger constraints on model parameters than those resulting from thermal $\chi$ production alone. For example, we all but exclude models containing stable charged particles with mass less than half the mass of the inflaton.Comment: 4 revtex pages, 1 figure (uses axodraw). Slightly modified for better clarification, few changes in references. Final verssion published in Phys. Rev. Let

Incorporating habitat distribution in wildlife disease models: conservation implications for the threat of squirrelpox on the Isle of Arran

Emerging infectious diseases are a substantial threat to native populations. The spread of disease through naive native populations will depend on both demographic and disease parameters, as well as on habitat suitability and connectivity. Using the potential spread of squirrelpox virus (SQPV) on the Isle of Arran as a case study, we develop mathematical models to examine the impact of an emerging disease on a population in a complex landscape of different habitat types. Furthermore, by considering a range of disease parameters, we infer more generally how complex landscapes interact with disease characteristics to determine the spread and persistence of disease. Specific findings indicate that a SQPV outbreak on Arran is likely to be short lived and localized to the point of introduction allowing recovery of red squirrels to pre-infection densities; this has important consequences for the conservation of red squirrels. More generally, we find that the extent of disease spread is dependent on the rare passage of infection through poor quality corridors connecting good quality habitats. Acute, highly transmissible infectious diseases are predicted to spread rapidly causing high mortality. Nonetheless, the disease typically fades out following local epidemics and is not supported in the long term. A chronic infectious disease is predicted to spread more slowly but can remain endemic in the population. This allows the disease to spread more extensively in the long term as it increases the chance of spread between poorly connected populations. Our results highlight how a detailed understanding of landscape connectivity is crucial when considering conservation strategies to protect native species from disease threats

Palliative care needs in patients hospitalized with heart failure (PCHF) study: rationale and design

Abstract Aims The primary aim of this study is to provide data to inform the design of a randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) of a palliative care (PC) intervention in heart failure (HF). We will identify an appropriate study population with a high prevalence of PC needs defined using quantifiable measures. We will also identify which components a specific and targeted PC intervention in HF should include and attempt to define the most relevant trial outcomes. Methods An unselected, prospective, near-consecutive, cohort of patients admitted to hospital with acute decompensated HF will be enrolled over a 2-year period. All potential participants will be screened using B-type natriuretic peptide and echocardiography, and all those enrolled will be extensively characterized in terms of their HF status, comorbidity, and PC needs. Quantitative assessment of PC needs will include evaluation of general and disease-specific quality of life, mood, symptom burden, caregiver burden, and end of life care. Inpatient assessments will be performed and after discharge outpatient assessments will be carried out every 4 months for up to 2.5 years. Participants will be followed up for a minimum of 1 year for hospital admissions, and place and cause of death. Methods for identifying patients with HF with PC needs will be evaluated, and estimates of healthcare utilisation performed. Conclusion By assessing the prevalence of these needs, describing how these needs change over time, and evaluating how best PC needs can be identified, we will provide the foundation for designing an RCT of a PC intervention in HF

<i>Mesozoic Holcoptera </i>(Coleoptera: Coptoclavidae) from England and the United States

The impact of mass extinctions on insect evolution is debated, so investigating taxa that span a crisis is important for understanding such large-scale environmental perturbations. The beetle genus Holcoptera has been found in deposits from the Late Triassic: Norian to the Early Jurassic: Sinemurian of England and the United States, and possibly Italy. Historical collections of Rev. P.B. Brodie and J.F. Jackson were re-examined and the ages of British localities reviewed, US collections were re-interpreted, and new material from the Dorset Coast was considered. Holcoptera schlotheimi and Holcoptera confluens are synonymised based on morphological similarities; Holcoptera giebeli remains distinct and a new complete specimen confirms the placement of this genus in the family Coptoclavidae. Three new species are described: Holcoptera pigmentatus sp. nov. from the Penarth Group of Warwickshire, Holcoptera alisonae sp. nov. (based on the rejected neotype of H. schlotheimi) from the Lower Lias of Dorset and Holcoptera solitensis sp. nov. from the Newark Supergroup of Virginia. H. schlotheimi and H. giebeli are known from the Late Triassic Penarth Group and Early Jurassic Lias Group and so survived the end-Triassic extinction, whereas H. alisonae and H. pigmentatus are only known from the Lias Group. H. solentensis is the oldest described species in this genus and is not known from any other locality

Neutrino masses in R-parity violating supersymmetric models

We study neutrino masses and mixing in R-parity violating supersymmetric models with generic soft supersymmetry breaking terms. Neutrinos acquire masses from various sources: Tree level neutrino--neutralino mixing and loop effects proportional to bilinear and/or trilinear R-parity violating parameters. Each of these contributions is controlled by different parameters and have different suppression or enhancement factors which we identified. Within an Abelian horizontal symmetry framework these factors are related and specific predictions can be made. We found that the main contributions to the neutrino masses are from the tree level and the bilinear loops and that the observed neutrino data can be accommodated once mild fine-tuning is allowed.Comment: 18 pages; minor typos corrected. To be published in Physical Review

Novel Iron-Chelator DIBI Inhibits Staphylococcus aureus Growth, Suppresses Experimental MRSA Infection in Mice and Enhances the Activities of Diverse Antibiotics in vitro

DIBI, a purpose-designed hydroxypyridinone-containing iron-chelating antimicrobial polymer was studied for its anti-staphylococcal activities in vitro in comparison to deferiprone, the chemically related, small molecule hydroxypyridinone chelator. The sensitivities of 18 clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from human, canine and bovine infections were determined. DIBI was strongly inhibitory to all isolates, displaying approximately 100-fold more inhibitory activity than deferiprone when compared on their molar iron-binding capacities. Sensitivity to DIBI was similar for both antibiotic-resistant and -sensitive isolates, including hospital- and community-acquired (United States 300) MRSA. DIBI inhibition was primarily bacteriostatic in nature at low concentration and was reversible by addition of Fe. DIBI also exhibited in vivo anti-infective activity in two distinct MRSA ATCC43300 infection and colonization models in mice. In a superficial skin wound infection model, topical application of DIBI provided a dose-dependent suppression of infection along with reduced wound inflammation. Intranasal DIBI reduced staphylococcal burden by &gt;2 log in a MRSA nares carriage model. DIBI was also examined for its influence on antibiotic activities with a reference isolate ATCC6538, typically utilized to assess new antimicrobials. Sub-bacteriostatic concentrations of DIBI resulted in Fe-restricted growth and this physiological condition displayed increased sensitivity to GEN, CIP, and VAN. DIBI did not impair antibiotic activity but rather it enhanced overall killing. Importantly, recovery growth of survivors that typically followed an initial sub-MIC antibiotic killing phase was substantially suppressed by DIBI for each of the antibiotics examined. DIBI has promise for restricting staphylococcal infection on its own, regardless of the isolate’s animal source or antibiotic resistance profile. DIBI also has potential for use in combination with various classes of currently available antibiotics to improve their responses

Testing SUSY at the LHC: Electroweak and Dark matter fine tuning at two-loop order

In the framework of the Constrained Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (CMSSM) we evaluate the electroweak fine tuning measure that provides a quantitative test of supersymmetry as a solution to the hierarchy problem. Taking account of current experimental constraints we compute the fine tuning at two-loop order and determine the limits on the CMSSM parameter space and the measurements at the LHC most relevant in covering it. Without imposing the LEPII bound on the Higgs mass, it is shown that the fine tuning computed at two-loop has a minimum $\Delta=8.8$ corresponding to a Higgs mass $m_h=114\pm 2$ GeV. Adding the constraint that the SUSY dark matter relic density should be within present bounds we find $\Delta=15$ corresponding to $m_h=114.7\pm 2$ GeV and this rises to $\Delta=17.8$ ($m_h=115.9\pm 2$ GeV) for SUSY dark matter abundance within 3$\sigma$ of the WMAP constraint. We extend the analysis to include the contribution of dark matter fine tuning. In this case the overall fine tuning and Higgs mass are only marginally larger for the case SUSY dark matter is subdominant and rises to $\Delta=28.7$ ($m_h=116.98\pm 2$ GeV) for the case of SUSY dark matter saturates the WMAP bound. For a Higgs mass above these values, fine tuning rises exponentially fast. The CMSSM spectrum that corresponds to minimal fine tuning is computed and provides a benchmark for future searches. It is characterised by heavy squarks and sleptons and light neutralinos, charginos and gluinos.Comment: 36 pages, 24 figure

Bounds on R-Parity Violating Parameters from Fermion EDM's

We study one-loop contributions to the fermion electric dipole moments in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model with explicit R-parity violating interactions. We obtain new individual bounds on R-parity violating Yukawa couplings and put more stringent limits on certain parameters than those obtained previously.Comment: 16 pages, LaTe

Quantum interference dependence on molecular configurations for cross-conjugated systems in single-molecule junctions

We report a combined experimental and computational study of seven cross-conjugated enediyne derivatives functionalised with a pendant group (diphenyl, 9-fluorenyl, 9-thioxanthene or cyclohexyl) at the central alkene site, and with thiomethyl (SMe) or thioacetate, as protected thiol, (SAc) groups as anchors. Measurements of the conductance (G) and Seebeck coefficient (S) of gold|single-molecule|gold junctions were obtained using a modified scanning tunnelling microscope-break junction (STM-BJ) technique. It is shown that most of the molecules give multiple conductance plateaus ascribed to different molecular configurations inside the junction. The higher conductance plateaus are consistent with the aryl pendant units interacting with one of the gold electrodes, thereby circumventing transmission of electrons through the enediyne system; the lower conductance plateaus are consistent with anchoring of both of the terminal SMe or S units to the electrodes. Most of the compounds show a positive value of S in the range 3.7–12.7 μV K−1 indicating electronic transport through the HOMO, while one of them presents a negative value of S (−6.2 μV K−1) indicating a predominance of the LUMO in the electronic transport. Theoretical calculations using density functional theory show a destructive quantum interference (DQI) feature in the gap between the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals (the HOMO–LUMO gap) for the lower conductance plateaus, supporting the trends observed in the experimental data