Improved CMB anisotropy constraints on primordial magnetic fields from the post-recombination ionization history

We investigate the impact of a stochastic background of Primordial Magnetic Fields (PMF) generated before recombination on the ionization history of the Universe and on the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation (CMB). Pre-recombination PMFs are dissipated during recombination and reionization via decaying MHD turbulence and ambipolar diffusion. This modifies the local matter and electron temperatures and thus affects the ionization history and Thomson visibility function. We use this effect to constrain PMFs described by a spectrum of power-law type, extending our previous study (based on a scale-invariant spectrum) to arbitrary spectral index. We derive upper bounds on the integrated amplitude of PMFs due to the separate effect of ambipolar diffusion and MHD decaying turbulence and their combination. We show that ambipolar diffusion is relevant for $n_{\rm B}>0$ whereas for $n_{\rm B}<0$ MHD turbulence is more important. The bound marginalized over the spectral index on the integrated amplitude of PMFs with a sharp cut-off is $\sqrt{\langle B^2 \rangle}<0.83$ nG. We discuss the quantitative relevance of the assumptions on the damping mechanism and the comparison with previous bounds.Comment: 11 pages, 21 figures. Minor updates to match the published versio

Les composantes motrices de l’écriture manuscrite : enquête sur les pratiques pédagogiques en maternelle et en première année

La présente étude expose les résultats dun sondage par questionnaire mené dans 45 écoles du Québec dans le but de décrire les pratiques pédagogiques, le niveau de connaissance et la perception que les éducatrices de maternelle et les enseignantes de première année ont de leur rôle dans l'enseignement des aspects moteurs de l'acte graphique. De l'ensemble des données obtenues, il ressort que la majorité des professeures n'instruisent pas les élèves de manière systématique sur la plupart des composantes motrices de l'écriture et que la formation reçue et leurs connaissances sur ces sujets présentent plusieurs faiblesses.This paper reports the results of a questionnaire survey of 134 Montréal region kindergarden and grade 1 teachers describing their teaching practices, their level of knowledge, and their perception of their role in teaching motor aspects of handwriting. Analysis of the data indicates that the majority of teachers do not provide instruction in most of the motor components of handwriting in any systematic way As well, the author notes that both the training teachers received and their knowledge about these skills present many weaknesses.Este estudio expone los resultados de una encuesta por cuestionario conducida ante 134 maestros de la region de Montréal con el fin de describir las practicas pedagôgicas, el nivel de conocimientos y la percepciôn que las educadoras del jardin infantil y las maestras de primer ario tienen sobre su roi en la ensenanza de los aspectos motores del acto grafico. El analisis de los datos obtenidos hace resaltar que la mayoria de las profesoras no ensenan a los alumnos gran parte de los componentes motores de la escritura en forma sistemàtica y que la formacion recibida, ai como los conocimientos sobre estos objetos presentan varias debilidades.Die vorliegende Arbeit prâsentiert die Ergebnisse einer Umfrage, die mit Hilfe eines Fragebogens bei 134 Lehrern von Montréal und Umgebung durchgefaiihrt wurde mit dem Ziel, im Hinblick auf den motorischen Aspekt der Schreibtâtigkeit die Pâdagogik, die Kenntnisse und die Auffassung darzustellen, die die Erzieherinnen des Kindergartens und die Lehrerinnen des ersten Grundschuljahres von ihrer Aufgabe haben. Die Analyse der gesammelten Daten ergab, dafi die meisten Lehrerinnen die meisten motorischen Komponenten des Schreibens nicht in ihrem Unterricht berucksichtigen und dafi ihre Ausbildung ebenso wie ihre einschlagigen Kenntnisse gewisse Schwâchen aufweisen

Classification fonctionnelle de la motricité manuelle

En dépit de son importance dans le développement moteur et cognitif du nourrisson et du jeune enfant, la motricité manuelle n'a pas fait l'objet d'une taxinomie spécifique qui puisse rendre compte de sa richesse et de sa diversité. La présente étude se propose de répertorier les comportements moteurs manuels finalisés et de proposer une classification de ces comportements, susceptible d'aider les éducateurs et les enseignants intéressés au développement moteur de l'enfant à mieux appréhender le sens de leur intervention.Although the importance of manual motricity has been recognized as part of the motor development of the infant and young child, there has been no specific taxonomy that sufficiently describes the richness and diversity of this behavior. This study is an attempt to present a repertory of manual motor behavior and a classification of these behaviors. This work is expected to help educators and teachers interested in children's motor development to better plan the objectives of proposed interventions.A pesar de su importancia en el desarrollo motor y cognitivo del infante y del nino prescolar, la motricidad manual no ha sido objeto de una taxonomia especffica que pueda atestiguar de su riqueza y de su diversidad. Este estuaio prétende efectuar un repertorio de las conductas motoras manuales efectuadas y proponer una clasificacion de estas conductas susceptible de ayudar, a los educadores y profesores interezados en el desarrollo motor del nino, a comprender mejor el sentido de su intervencion.Trotz ihrer Bedeutung fur die motorische und kognitive Entwicklung des Säuglings und des Kleinkindes wurde bisher die manuelle Motorik nicht spezifisch klabifiziert, so dab man iiber ihren Reichtum und ihre Vielfalt berichten könnte. Die vorliegende Untersuchung will eine Aufstellung der gezielten manuellen Bewegungsablâufe vorlegen, und eine Klabifizierung dieser Abläufe vorschlagen, welche Erziehern und Lehrkräften, die an der motorischen Entwicklung des Kindes interebiert sind, zu einem beberen Verständnis ihrer Arbeit verhelfen könnten

Isocurvature fluctuations in the effective Newton's constant

We present a new isocurvature mode present in scalar-tensor theories of gravity that corresponds to a regular growing solution in which the energy of the relativistic degrees of freedom and the scalar field that regulates the gravitational strength compensate during the radiation dominated epoch on scales much larger than the Hubble radius. We study this isocurvature mode and its impact on anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background for the simplest scalar-tensor theory, i.e. the extended Jordan-Brans-Dicke gravity, in which the scalar field also drives the acceleration of the Universe. We use Planck data to constrain the amplitude of this isocurvature mode in the case of fixed correlation with the adiabatic mode and we show how this mode could be generated in a simple two field inflation model.Comment: Version updated to match published version. No changes in the result

Ground Beetles From a Remnant Oak-Maple-Beech Forest and Its Surroundings in Northeastern Ohio (Coleoptera: Carabidae)

We report 66 ground beetle species in 14 tribes from a natural preserve in northeastern Ohio (Stark County). Six species are new state records. Data from pitfall trap transects across adjoining habitats suggest narrow habitat preferences in some species and broad tolerances in others. Trends toward flightlessness in forest species and macroptery in the fauna of disturbed agricultural sites are apparent

Circulating tumour cells: insights into tumour heterogeneity

Tumour heterogeneity is a major barrier to cure breast cancer. It can exist between patients with different intrinsic subtypes of breast cancer or within an individual patient with breast cancer. In the latter case, heterogeneity has been observed between different metastatic sites, between metastatic sites and the original primary tumour, and even within a single tumour at either a metastatic or a primary site. Tumour heterogeneity is a function of two separate, although linked, processes. First, genetic instability is a hallmark of malignancy, and results in ‘fixed’ genetic changes that are almost certainly carried forward through progression of the cancer over time, with increasingly complex additional genetic changes in new metastases as they arise. The second type of heterogeneity is due to differential but ‘plastic’ expression of various genes important in the biology and response to various therapies. Together, these processes result in highly variable cancers with differential response, and resistance, to both targeted (e.g. endocrine or anti‐human epithelial growth receptor type 2 ( HER 2) agents) and nontargeted therapies (e.g. chemotherapy). Ideally, tumour heterogeneity would be monitored over time, especially in relation to therapeutic strategies. However, biopsies of metastases require invasive and costly procedures, and biopsies of multiple metastases, or serially over time, are impractical. Circulating tumour cells ( CTC s) represent a potential surrogate for tissue‐based cancer and therefore might provide the opportunity to monitor serial changes in tumour biology. Recent advances have enabled accurate and reliable quantification and molecular characterization of CTC s with regard to a number of important biomarkers including oestrogen receptor alpha and HER 2. Preliminary data have demonstrated that expression of these markers between CTC s in individual patients with metastatic breast cancer reflects the heterogeneity of the underlying tumours. Future studies are designed to determine the clinical utility of these novel technologies in either research or routine clinical settings.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/99056/1/joim12047.pd

advances in mechanical clinching employment of a rotating tool

Abstract In the recent years, high efforts have been spent concerning the development of fast mechanical joining processes. This is due to the growing employment of materials that are difficult to weld and hybrid structures involving different materials. Mechanical clinching enables to solving the major concerns in this field. However, the formability of the materials represent a limitation to the successful employment of the process. The present research illustrates a new concept of clinching, namely friction clinching that differs from the conventional process by the employment of a rotating tool, which heats up the sheet (by friction) during the process leading to an increase in the material formability. Preliminary tests were performed to verify the feasibility of the process and determine a sound processing window. The process was applied to join thin aluminium sheets and Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) laminate. Morphological analysis and mechanical characterization of the joints was performed in order to evaluate the suitability of such the rotating tool to increase the material formability and thus the aluminium sheet integrity. According to the achieved results, the employment of the rotating tool enables to avoid crack formation in the metal sheet, improves the material flow and reduces the joining forces

SiPM and front-end electronics development for Cherenkov light detection

The Italian Institute of Nuclear Physics (INFN) is involved in the development of a demonstrator for a SiPM-based camera for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) experiment, with a pixel size of 6$\times$6 mm$^2$. The camera houses about two thousands electronics channels and is both light and compact. In this framework, a R&D program for the development of SiPMs suitable for Cherenkov light detection (so called NUV SiPMs) is ongoing. Different photosensors have been produced at Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK), with different micro-cell dimensions and fill factors, in different geometrical arrangements. At the same time, INFN is developing front-end electronics based on the waveform sampling technique optimized for the new NUV SiPM. Measurements on 1$\times$1 mm$^2$, 3$\times$3 mm$^2$, and 6$\times$6 mm$^2$ NUV SiPMs coupled to the front-end electronics are presentedComment: In Proceedings of the 34th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC2015), The Hague, The Netherlands. All CTA contributions at arXiv:1508.0589