Central Higgs Production at LHC from Single-Pomeron-Exchange

Contrary to common perceptions about systems produced in Single-Pomeron-Exchange (SPE) pp interactions, the hard diffractive process discovered at the CERN SPS-Collider leads to dominant central production of Higgs bosons at the LHC. The rate for SPE production of Higgs bosons is calculated to be 7-9 % of the total inclusive Higgs rate. In addition, an SPE measurement program of dijet events is outlined for the early days of LHC running which should answer many fundamental questions about the Pomeron structure and its effective flux factor in the proton.Comment: 14 pages, 7 Encapsulated Postscript figures, LaTex, submitted to European Phisical Journal

Magnetic induction mapping of magnetite chains in magnetotactic bacteria at room temperature and close to the Verwey transition using electron holography

Off-axis electron holography in the transmission electron microscope is used to record magnetic induction maps of closely spaced magnetite crystals in magnetotactic bacteria at room temperature and after cooling the sample using liquid nitrogen. The magnetic microstructure is related to the morphology and crystallography of the particles, and to interparticle interactions. At room temperature, the magnetic signal is dominated by interactions and shape anisotropy, with highly parallel and straight field lines following the axis of each chain of crystals closely. In contrast, at low temperature the magnetic induction undulates along the length of the chain. This behaviour may result from a competition between interparticle interactions and an easy axis of magnetisation that is no longer parallel to the chain axis. The quantitative nature of electron holography also allows the change in magnetisation in the crystals with temperature to be measured

Differential Renormalization of Massive Quantum Field Theories

We extend the method of differential renormalization to massive quantum field theories treating in particular \ph4-theory and QED. As in the massless case, the method proves to be simple and powerful, and we are able to find, in particular, compact explicit coordinate space expressions for the finite parts of two notably complicated diagrams, namely, the 2-loop 2-point function in \ph4 and the 1-loop vertex in QED.Comment: 8 pages(LaTex, no figures

An Economic Evaluation of Research into the Improved Management of the Annual Grass Weed Vulpia in Temperate Pastures in South-Eastern Australia

NSW Agriculture has a history of research investment in managing weed problems in the temperate pasture areas. One focus of that research has been on the development of improved management practices for the major annual grass weed vulpia. Recent surveys have found that weeds comprised up to 80% of pasture biomass in some temperate areas and that typical vulpia contents are between 30 and 40% of pasture biomass. Temperate pasture degradation is recognised as being a major contributor to the wider environmental problems of soil erosion, salinity and acidity. This evaluation related to a project (1996-2002) that focussed on the vulpia problem in the New South Wales temperate pasture areas. The benefits of that research were measured as the difference in the economic returns from the project (the with-research scenario) and those that would have resulted if the project had not been initiated (the without-research scenario). The results indicated high levels of economic benefits from the vulpia project. The annual net project benefit had a mean value of $58 million. The benefit-cost analysis generated a mean NPV of$196.9 million and a mean BCR of 22.2. These results demonstrate that research by NSW Agriculture into the improved management of vulpia has the potential to generate substantial long-term economic benefits. Other socio-economic aspects of the results showed that wool producers outside the New South Wales temperate areas lost economic surplus (from a mean -$21.7 million to -$47.8 million) because they were unable to adopt the cost-reducing technology and faced a reduced wool price. All wool consumers gained from vulpia research because of expanded wool production and lower wool prices. Improved vulpia management is also considered to produce important environmental benefits by encouraging a greater use of deep-rooted perennial grasses and the beneficial effects of these on mitigating soil problems and reducing water table discharges.benefit cost analysis, research evaluation, annual grass weeds, vulpia, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Q160,

Optimal management of urinary tract infections in older people

Urinary tract infections (UTI) occur frequently in older people. Unfortunately, UTI is commonly overdiagnosed and overtreated on the basis of nonspecific clinical signs and symptoms. The diagnosis of a UTI in the older patient requires the presence of new urinary symptoms, with or without systemic symptoms. Urinalysis is commonly used to diagnose infection in this population, however, the evidence for its use is limited. There is overwhelming evidence that asymptomatic bacteriuria should not be treated. Catheter associated urinary tract infection accounts for a significant amount of hospital-associated infection. Indwelling urinary catheters should be avoided where possible and alternatives sought. The use of narrow spectrum antimicrobial agents for urinary tract infection is advocated. Local guidelines are now widely used to reflect local resistance patterns and available agents. Guidelines need to be updated to reflect changes in antimicrobial prescribing and a move from broad to narrow spectrum antimicrobials

Pollution in the open oceans: 2009-2013

This review of pollution in the open oceans updates a report on this topic prepared by GESAMP five years previously (Reports and Studies No. 79, GESAMP, 2009). The latter report, the first from GESAMP focusing specifically on the oceans beyond the 200 m depth contour, was prepared for purposes of the Assessment of Assessments, the preparatory phase of a regular process for assessing the state of the marine environment, led jointly by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO-IOC)

CD4+ T cell hyporesponsiveness after repeated exposure to Schistosoma mansoni larvae is dependent upon interleukin-10

The effect that multiple percutaneous exposures to Schistosoma larvae has on the development of early CD4+ lymphocyte reactivity is unclear, yet it is important in the context of humans living in areas where schistosomiasis is endemic. In a murine model of multiple infections, we show that exposure of mice to repeated doses (4×) of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae, compared to a single dose (1×), results in CD4+ T cell hyporesponsiveness within the skin-draining lymph nodes (sdLN), manifested as reduced CD4+ cell proliferation and cytokine production. FoxP3+ CD4+ regulatory T cells were present in similar numbers in the sdLN of 4× and 1× mice and thus are unlikely to have a role in effecting hyporesponsiveness. Moreover, anergy of the CD4+ cell population from 4× mice was slight, as proliferation was only partly circumvented through the in vitro addition of exogenous interleukin-2 (IL-2), and the in vivo blockade of the regulatory molecule PD1 had a minimal effect on restoring responsiveness. In contrast, IL-10 was observed to be critical in mediating hyporesponsiveness, as CD4+ cells from the sdLN of 4× mice deficient for IL-10 were readily able to proliferate, unlike those from 4× wild-type cohorts. CD4+ cells from the sdLN of 4× mice exhibited higher levels of apoptosis and cell death, but in the absence of IL-10, there was significantly less cell death. Combined, our data show that IL-10 is a key factor in the development of CD4+ T cell hyporesponsiveness after repeated parasite exposure involving CD4+ cell apoptosis