Flavour changing strong interaction effects on top quark physics at the LHC

We perform a model independent analysis of the flavour changing strong interaction vertices relevant to the LHC. In particular, the contribution of dimension six operators to single top production in various production processes is discussed, together with possible hints for identifying signals and setting bounds on physics beyond the standard model.Comment: Authors corrections (references added

Arsenic in rice agrosystems (water, soil and rice plants) in Guayas and Los Rios provinces, Ecuador

Geogenic arsenic (As) can accumulate and reach high concentrations in rice grains, thus representing a potential threat to human health. Ecuador is one of the main consumers of rice in South America. However, there is no information available about the concentrations of As in rice agrosystems, although some water bodies are known to contain high levels of the element. We carried out extensive sampling of water, soil, rice plants and commercial rice (obtained from local markets). Water samples were analysed to determine physico-chemical properties and concentrations of dissolved arsenic. Soil samples were analysed to determine total organic C, texture, total Fe and amorphous Fe oxyhydroxides (Fe-ox), total arsenic (tAs) and the bioavailable fraction (As-Me). The different plant parts were analysed separately to determine total (tAs), inorganic (iAs) and organic arsenic (oAs). Low concentrations of arsenic were found in samples of water (generally 80%) in all parts of the rice plants. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

A multi-flow model for microquasars

We present a new picture for the central regions of Black Hole X-ray Binaries. In our view, these central regions have a multi-flow configuration which consists in (1) an outer standard accretion disc down to a transition radius r_J, (2) an inner magnetized accretion disc below r_J driving (3) a non relativistic self-collimated electron-proton jet surrounding, when adequate conditions for pair creation are met, (4) a ultra relativistic electron-positron beam. This accretion-ejection paradigm provides a simple explanation to the canonical spectral states, from radio to X/gamma-rays, by varying the transition radius r_J and disc accretion rate independently. Large values of r_J and low accretion rate correspond to Quiescent and Hard states. These states are characterized by the presence of a steady electron-proton MHD jet emitted by the disc below r_J. The hard X-ray component is expect to form at the jet basis. When r_J becomes smaller than the marginally stable orbit r_i, the whole disc resembles a standard accretion disc with no jet, characteristic of the Soft state. Intermediate states correspond to situations where r_J ~ r_i. At large accretion rate, an unsteady pair cascade process is triggered within the jet axis, giving birth to flares and ejection of relativistic pair blobs. This would correspond to the luminous intermediate state, with its associated superluminal motions.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures. Proceedings of ``High Energies in the Highlands'', Fort-William, 27 June-1 July 200

Synthesis and properties of Co-doped titanate nanotubes and their optical sensitization with methylene blue

Here we report on a novel chemical route to synthesize homogenous cobalt doped titanate nanotubes (CoTNT), using an amorphous Co-doped precursor. The influence of the synthesis temperature, autoclave dwell time and metal doping on the structural and microstructural as well as on the optical properties of the synthesized titanate nanotubes is studied and discussed. The optical band gaps of the CoTNT samples are red shifted in comparison with the values determined for the undoped samples, such red shifts bringing the absorption edge of the CoTNT samples into the visible region. CoTNT materials also demonstrate particular high adsorption ability for methylene blue, the amount of the adsorbed dye being higher than the one predictable for a monolayer formation. This suggests the possibility of intercalation of the dye molecule between the TiO6 layers of the TNT structure. It is also shown that the methylene blue sensitized Co-doped nanostructures are highly stable under UV radiation and present a strong and broad absorption in the visible region.Comment: 31 pages, 3 tables, 7 figure

Compactification, Vacuum Energy and Quintessence

We study the possibility that the vacuum energy density of scalar and internal-space gauge fields arising from the process of dimensional reduction of higher dimensional gravity theories plays the role of quintessence. We show that, for the multidimensional Einstein-Yang-Mills system compactified on a $R \times S^3 \times S^d$ topology, there are classically stable solutions such that the observed accelerated expansion of the Universe at present can be accounted for without upsetting structure formation scenarios or violating observational bounds on the vacuum energy density.Comment: 15 pages, Latex, Third Award in 1999 Essay Competition of the Gravity Research Foundatio