The hardness-duration correlation in the two classes of gamma-ray bursts

The well-known hardness-duration correlation of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is investigated with the data of the 4B catalog. We find that, while the hardness ratio and the duration are obviously correlated for the entire set of the 4B catalog, they are not at all correlated for the two subsets divided at the duration of 2 seconds. However, for other subsets with comparable sizes, the two quantities are significantly correlated. The following conclusions are then reached: (1) the existence of two classes of GRBs is confirmed; (2) the hardness ratio and the duration are not at all correlated for any of the two classes; (3) different classes of GRBs have different distributions of the hardness ratio and the duration and it is this difference that causes the correlation between the two quantities for the entire set of the bursts.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, accepted for publication in PAS

Pseudonocardia hispaniensis sp. nov., a novel actinomycete isolated from industrial wastewater activated sludge

A novel actinomycete, designated PA3T, was isolated from an oil refinery wastewater treatment plant, located in Palos de la frontera, Huelva, Spain, and characterized taxonomically by using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the isolate formed a distinct subclade in the Pseudonocardia tree together with Pseudonocardia asaccharolytica DSM 44247T. The chemotaxonomic properties of the isolate, for example, the presence of MK-8 (H4) as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C16:0 as the major fatty acid are consistent with its classification in the genus Pseudonocardia. DNA:DNA pairing experiments between the isolate and the type strain of P. asaccharolytica DSM 44247T showed that they belonged to separate genomic species. The two strains were readily distinguished using a combination of phenotypic properties. 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Hydrogen Peroxide Acts on Sensitive Mitochondrial Proteins to Induce Death of a Fungal Pathogen Revealed by Proteomic Analysis

How the host cells of plants and animals protect themselves against fungal invasion is a biologically interesting and economically important problem. Here we investigate the mechanistic process that leads to death of Penicillium expansum, a widespread phytopathogenic fungus, by identifying the cellular compounds affected by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) that is frequently produced as a response of the host cells. We show that plasma membrane damage was not the main reason for H2O2-induced death of the fungal pathogen. Proteomic analysis of the changes of total cellular proteins in P. expansum showed that a large proportion of the differentially expressed proteins appeared to be of mitochondrial origin, implying that mitochondria may be involved in this process. We then performed mitochondrial sub-proteomic analysis to seek the H2O2-sensitive proteins in P. expansum. A set of mitochondrial proteins were identified, including respiratory chain complexes I and III, F1F0 ATP synthase, and mitochondrial phosphate carrier protein. The functions of several proteins were further investigated to determine their effects on the H2O2-induced fungal death. Through fluorescent co-localization and the use of specific inhibitor, we provide evidence that complex III of the mitochondrial respiratory chain contributes to ROS generation in fungal mitochondria under H2O2 stress. The undesirable accumulation of ROS caused oxidative damage of mitochondrial proteins and led to the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential. Meanwhile, we demonstrate that ATP synthase is involved in the response of fungal pathogen to oxidative stress, because inhibition of ATP synthase by oligomycin decreases survival. Our data suggest that mitochondrial impairment due to functional alteration of oxidative stress-sensitive proteins is associated with fungal death caused by H2O2

Jet energy measurement with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at root s=7 TeV

The jet energy scale and its systematic uncertainty are determined for jets measured with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 38 pb-1. Jets are reconstructed with the anti-kt algorithm with distance parameters R=0. 4 or R=0. 6. Jet energy and angle corrections are determined from Monte Carlo simulations to calibrate jets with transverse momenta pT≥20 GeV and pseudorapidities {pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy systematic uncertainty is estimated using the single isolated hadron response measured in situ and in test-beams, exploiting the transverse momentum balance between central and forward jets in events with dijet topologies and studying systematic variations in Monte Carlo simulations. The jet energy uncertainty is less than 2. 5 % in the central calorimeter region ({pipe}η{pipe}<0. 8) for jets with 60≤pT<800 GeV, and is maximally 14 % for pT<30 GeV in the most forward region 3. 2≤{pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy is validated for jet transverse momenta up to 1 TeV to the level of a few percent using several in situ techniques by comparing a well-known reference such as the recoiling photon pT, the sum of the transverse momenta of tracks associated to the jet, or a system of low-pT jets recoiling against a high-pT jet. More sophisticated jet calibration schemes are presented based on calorimeter cell energy density weighting or hadronic properties of jets, aiming for an improved jet energy resolution and a reduced flavour dependence of the jet response. The systematic uncertainty of the jet energy determined from a combination of in situ techniques is consistent with the one derived from single hadron response measurements over a wide kinematic range. The nominal corrections and uncertainties are derived for isolated jets in an inclusive sample of high-pT jets. Special cases such as event topologies with close-by jets, or selections of samples with an enhanced content of jets originating from light quarks, heavy quarks or gluons are also discussed and the corresponding uncertainties are determined. © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration

Measurement of the inclusive and dijet cross-sections of b-jets in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The inclusive and dijet production cross-sections have been measured for jets containing b-hadrons (b-jets) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements use data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb^-1. The b-jets are identified using either a lifetime-based method, where secondary decay vertices of b-hadrons in jets are reconstructed using information from the tracking detectors, or a muon-based method where the presence of a muon is used to identify semileptonic decays of b-hadrons inside jets. The inclusive b-jet cross-section is measured as a function of transverse momentum in the range 20 < pT < 400 GeV and rapidity in the range |y| < 2.1. The bbbar-dijet cross-section is measured as a function of the dijet invariant mass in the range 110 < m_jj < 760 GeV, the azimuthal angle difference between the two jets and the angular variable chi in two dijet mass regions. The results are compared with next-to-leading-order QCD predictions. Good agreement is observed between the measured cross-sections and the predictions obtained using POWHEG + Pythia. MC@NLO + Herwig shows good agreement with the measured bbbar-dijet cross-section. However, it does not reproduce the measured inclusive cross-section well, particularly for central b-jets with large transverse momenta.Comment: 10 pages plus author list (21 pages total), 8 figures, 1 table, final version published in European Physical Journal

Search for direct pair production of the top squark in all-hadronic final states in proton-proton collisions at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The results of a search for direct pair production of the scalar partner to the top quark using an integrated luminosity of 20.1fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at √s = 8 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC are reported. The top squark is assumed to decay via t˜→tχ˜01 or t˜→ bχ˜±1 →bW(∗)χ˜01 , where χ˜01 (χ˜±1 ) denotes the lightest neutralino (chargino) in supersymmetric models. The search targets a fully-hadronic final state in events with four or more jets and large missing transverse momentum. No significant excess over the Standard Model background prediction is observed, and exclusion limits are reported in terms of the top squark and neutralino masses and as a function of the branching fraction of t˜ → tχ˜01 . For a branching fraction of 100%, top squark masses in the range 270–645 GeV are excluded for χ˜01 masses below 30 GeV. For a branching fraction of 50% to either t˜ → tχ˜01 or t˜ → bχ˜±1 , and assuming the χ˜±1 mass to be twice the χ˜01 mass, top squark masses in the range 250–550 GeV are excluded for χ˜01 masses below 60 GeV

Search for pair-produced long-lived neutral particles decaying to jets in the ATLAS hadronic calorimeter in ppcollisions at √s=8TeV

The ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN is used to search for the decay of a scalar boson to a pair of long-lived particles, neutral under the Standard Model gauge group, in 20.3fb−1of data collected in proton–proton collisions at √s=8TeV. This search is sensitive to long-lived particles that decay to Standard Model particles producing jets at the outer edge of the ATLAS electromagnetic calorimeter or inside the hadronic calorimeter. No significant excess of events is observed. Limits are reported on the product of the scalar boson production cross section times branching ratio into long-lived neutral particles as a function of the proper lifetime of the particles. Limits are reported for boson masses from 100 GeVto 900 GeV, and a long-lived neutral particle mass from 10 GeVto 150 GeV

Comparison of Effects of Ivabradine versus Carvedilol in Murine Model with the Coxsackievirus B3-Induced Viral Myocarditis

BACKGROUND: Elevated heart rate is associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity. The selective I(f) current inhibitor ivabradine reduces heart rate without affecting cardiac contractility, and has been shown to be cardioprotective in the failing heart. Ivabradine also exerts some of its beneficial effects by decreasing cardiac proinflammatory cytokines and inhibiting peroxidants and collagen accumulation in atherosclerosis or congestive heart failure. However, the effects of ivabradine in the setting of acute viral myocarditis and on the cytokines, oxidative stress and cardiomyocyte apoptosis have not been investigated. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The study was designed to compare the effects of ivabradine and carvedilol in acute viral myocarditis. In a coxsackievirus B3 murine myocarditis model (Balb/c), effects of ivabradine and carvedilol (a nonselective β-adrenoceptor antagonist) on myocardial histopathological changes, cardiac function, plasma noradrenaline, cytokine levels, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase contents were studied. Both ivabradine and carvedilol similarly and significantly reduced heart rate, attenuated myocardial lesions and improved the impairment of left ventricular function. In addition, ivabradine treatment as well as carvedilol treatment showed significant effects on altered myocardial cytokines with a decrease in the amount of plasma noradrenaline. The increased myocardial MCP-1, IL-6, and TNF-α. in the infected mice was significantly attenuated in the ivabradine treatment group. Only carvedilol had significant anti-oxidative and anti-apoptoic effects in coxsackievirus B3-infected mice. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results show that the protective effects of heart rate reduction with ivabradine and carvedilol observed in the acute phase of coxsackievirus B3 murine myocarditis may be due not only to the heart rate reduction itself but also to the downregulation of inflammatory cytokines

Size-dependent stability of ultra-small α-/β-phase tin nanocrystals synthesized by microplasma

Key features of tin, including electronic band structure and opto-electronic properties, are influenced by the crystal structure. Here the authors report a microplasma process for the synthesis of ultra-small tin nanocrystals in which the crystal structure is dependent on crystallite size