A SYSTEM DYNAMICS MODEL OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT: THE TOPMARD CORE MODEL

The goal of the TOPMARD project is to develop a model of agriculture and rural development to better understand the agronomic, ecological, economic and social dimensions of rural regions. The resulting model, (Policy Model of Multifunctional Agriculture and Rural Development) was built collaboratively and hierarchically by the research teams from the 11 countries. The model features eight subsectors (Land, Agriculture, Tourism, Region, Human Resources, Non-commodities, Capital, and Quality of Life). Imbedded in the model are a complete dynamic input-output model, and an agecohort education demographic model. The model has both supply-side and demand-side drivers. Land use is the key supply-side driver. Land use, coupled with production system choices, determine agricultural and non-commodity outputs. The Quality of Life sector incorporates the coefficients from a regression analysis of migration behaviour to develop a supply-side population response to local quality of life which is added to the demand-side response to job growth.Multifunctionality, system dynamics, policy, model, rural development, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Irreducible background of gravitational waves from a cosmic defect network : Update and comparison of numerical techniques

Cosmological phase transitions in the early Universe may produce relics in the form of a network of cosmic defects. Independently of the order of a phase transition, topology of the defects, and their global or gauge nature, the defects are expected to emit gravitational waves (GWs) as the network energy-momentum tensor adapts itself to maintaining scaling. We show that the evolution of any defect network (and for that matter any scaling source) emits a GW background with spectrum Omega(GW) proportional to f(3) for f > f(eq), where f(0) and f(eq) denote respectively the frequencies corresponding to the present and matter-radiation equality horizons. This background represents an irreducible emission of GWs from any scaling network of cosmic defects, with its amplitude characterized only by the symmetry-breaking scale and the nature of the defects. Using classical lattice simulations we calculate the GW signal emitted by defects created after the breaking of a global symmetry O(N) -> O(N - 1). We obtain the GW spectrum for N between 2 and 20 with two different techniques: integrating over unequal-time correlators of the energy-momentum tensor, updating our previous work on smaller lattices, and for the first time, comparing the result with the real-time evolution of the tensor perturbations sourced by the same defects. Our results validate the equivalence of the two techniques. Using cosmic microwave background upper bounds on the defects' energy scale, we discuss the difficulty of detecting this GW background in the case of global defects.Peer reviewe

Gravitational Wave Emission from a Cosmic String Loop, I: Global Case

We study the simultaneous decay of global string loops into scalar particles (massless and massive modes) and gravitational waves (GWs). Using field theory simulations in flat space-time of %isolated loops with initial length $\sim 80-1700$ times their core width, we determine the power emitted by a loop into scalar particles, $P_{\varphi}$, and GWs, $P_{\rm GW}$, and characterize the loop-decay timescale as a function of its initial length, energy and angular momentum. We quantify infrared and ultraviolet lattice dependencies of our results. For all type of loops and initial conditions considered, GW emission is always suppressed compared to particles as $P_{\rm GW}/P_{\varphi} \approx \mathcal{O}(10)(v/m_\text{p})^2\ll 1$, where $v$ is the vacuum expectation value associated with string formation. Our results suggest that the GW background from a global string network, such as in dark matter axion scenarios, will be highly suppressed.Comment: 12 pages including Supplemental Material; 9 figures, 3 table

The strong backreaction regime in axion inflation

We study the nonlinear dynamics of axion inflation, capturing for the first time the inhomogeneity and full dynamical range during strong backreaction, till the end of inflation. Accounting for inhomogeneous effects leads to a number of new relevant results, compared to spatially homogeneous studies: (i) the number of extra efoldings beyond slow-roll inflation increases very rapidly with the coupling, (ii) oscillations of the inflaton velocity are attenuated, (iii) the tachyonic gauge field helicity spectrum is smoothed out (i.e., the spectral oscillatory features disappear), broadened, and shifted to smaller scales, and (iv) the nontachyonic helicity is excited, reducing the chiral asymmetry, now scale dependent. Our results are expected to impact strongly on the phenomenology and observability of axion inflation, including gravitational wave generation and primordial black hole production.D. G. F. is supported by a Ramón y Cajal contract with Ref. No. RYC-2017- 23493 and by EUR2022-134028. This work was supported by Generalitat Valenciana Grant No. PROMETEO/2021/ 083, and by Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación Grant No. PID2020–113644 GB-I00. J. L., A. U., and J. U. acknowledge support from Eusko Jaurlaritza (IT1628-22) and by the PID2021-123703NB-C21 grant funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by ERDF, “A way of making Europe.” In particular, A. U. gratefully acknowledges the support from the University of the Basque Country Grant No. PIF20/151

Potential of Terpenoids and Flavonoids from Asteraceae as Anti-Inflammatory, Antitumor, and Antiparasitic Agents

Asteraceae (formerly known as Compositae) is one of the largest families of higher plants, with more than 1700 genera and approximately 24000 species, which grow in varied environments [1]. The economic importance of the Asteraceae family has been described and, for centuries, several species of this family have been used for medicinal and food purposes.Fil: Sülsen, Valeria Patricia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Química y Metabolismo del Fármaco; ArgentinaFil: Lizarraga, Emilio Fernando. Fundación Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Mamadalieva, Nilufar Z.. Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan; UzbekistánFil: Lago, João Henrique G.. Universidad Federal Do Abc; Brasi

Navigating through the minefield of read-across frameworks: A commentary perspective

Read-across is a popular data gap filling technique used within analogue and category approaches for both regulatory and product stewardship purposes. In recent years there have been many efforts focused on the challenges involved in read-across development, its scientific justification and documentation for both chemical hazard and risk assessment purposes. Here, we summarise a selection of the read-across frameworks published in technical guidance documents or in the literature, and review their respective similarities and differences. There was a great deal of consensus between the different frameworks in terms of the general steps outlined and the similarity contexts considered although the terminology, decision context (chemical hazard and/or risk assessment purposes) and scope varied. A harmonised hybrid framework is proposed to help reconcile the common guiding principles and steps of the read-across process which should be helpful in expanding the scope and decision context of the existing frameworks. This harmonised framework is also intended to illustrate where generalised and systematic read-across approaches taking into consideration new approach methodology (NAM) information can be applied

Forward-backward asymmetry in top quark-antiquark production

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.84.112005

Direct measurement of the mass difference between top and antitop quarks

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.84.052005

Measurement of the WZ and ZZ production cross sections using leptonic final states in 8.6 fb(−1) of pp-bar collisions

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.85.112005

Measurement of the W boson helicity in top quark decays using 5.4 fb^(−1) of pp-bar collision data

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://journals.aps.org/prd/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevD.83.032009