The Sorting Index and Permutation Codes

In the combinatorial study of the coefficients of a bivariate polynomial that generalizes both the length and the reflection length generating functions for finite Coxeter groups, Petersen introduced a new Mahonian statistic $sor$, called the sorting index. Petersen proved that the pairs of statistics $(sor,cyc)$ and $(inv,rl\textrm{-}min)$ have the same joint distribution over the symmetric group, and asked for a combinatorial proof of this fact. In answer to the question of Petersen, we observe a connection between the sorting index and the B-code of a permutation defined by Foata and Han, and we show that the bijection of Foata and Han serves the purpose of mapping $(inv,rl\textrm{-}min)$ to $(sor,cyc)$. We also give a type $B$ analogue of the Foata-Han bijection, and we derive the quidistribution of $(inv_B,{\rm Lmap_B},{\rm Rmil_B})$ and $(sor_B,{\rm Lmap_B},{\rm Cyc_B})$ over signed permutations. So we get a combinatorial interpretation of Petersen's equidistribution of $(inv_B,nmin_B)$ and $(sor_B,l_B')$. Moreover, we show that the six pairs of set-valued statistics $\rm (Cyc_B,Rmil_B)$, $\rm(Cyc_B,Lmap_B)$, $\rm(Rmil_B,Lmap_B)$, $\rm(Lmap_B,Rmil_B)$, $\rm(Lmap_B,Cyc_B)$ and $\rm(Rmil_B,Cyc_B)$ are equidistributed over signed permutations. For Coxeter groups of type $D$, Petersen showed that the two statistics $inv_D$ and $sor_D$ are equidistributed. We introduce two statistics $nmin_D$ and $\tilde{l}_D'$ for elements of $D_n$ and we prove that the two pairs of statistics $(inv_D,nmin_D)$ and $(sor_D,\tilde{l}_D')$ are equidistributed.Comment: 25 page

Oscillatory Exchange Coupling and Positive Magnetoresistance in Epitaxial Oxide Heterostructures

Oscillations in the exchange coupling between ferromagnetic $La_{2/3}Ba_{1/3}MnO_3$ layers with paramagnetic $LaNiO_3$ spacer layer thickness has been observed in epitaxial heterostructures of the two oxides. This behavior is explained within the RKKY model employing an {\it ab initio} calculated band structure of $LaNiO_3$, taking into account strong electron scattering in the spacer. Antiferromagnetically coupled superlattices exhibit a positive current-in-plane magnetoresistance.Comment: 4 pages (RevTeX), 5 figures (EPS

Value-Driven Analysis of New Paradigms in Space Architectures: An Ilities-Based Approach

Current commercial, civil, and military space architecture designs perform exquisitely and reliably. However, today’s architecture paradigms are also characterized by expensive launches, large and expensive high-performance spacecraft, long development cycles, and wide variations in ground architectures. While current assets provide high-quality services, and future assets are slated to improve performance within the same design frameworks, proposed future architectures may not be capitalizing on technology improvements, system innovations, or policy alternatives explored during the last two decades. This paper identifies five “trends” along which space architectures may develop, aimed at granting systems several “ilities,” such as resiliency, robustness, flexibility, scalability, and affordability. The trends examined include: commercialization of space, significant reductions in launch costs and the development of hybrid or reusable launch systems, development of on-orbit infrastructure and servicing, aggregation or disaggregation of orbital assets, and the automation and standardization of ground architectures. Further refinement of these key technological and system trends could result in major paradigm shifts in the development and fielding of space operations as well as lead to space architecture designs in the future that are radically different from those today. Within the framework of systems engineering ilities and risk management, this paper reviews current literature surrounding these new change trends and justifies their potential to cause significant paradigm shifts. By examining the work and research conducted so far through an ilities-based approach, systems engineers can more fully appreciate the value being offered by these trends

Associations between an Obesity Related Genetic Variant (FTO rs9939609) and Prostate Cancer Risk

Observational studies suggest that obese men have a lower risk of incident prostate cancer, but an increased risk of advanced and fatal cancers. These observations could be due to confounding, detection bias, or a biological effect of obesity. Genetic studies are less susceptible to confounding than observational epidemiology and can suggest how associations between phenotypes (such as obesity) and diseases arise. To determine whether the associations between obesity and prostate cancer are causal, we conducted a genetic association study of the relationship between a single nucleotide polymorphism known to be associated with obesity (FTO rs9939609) and prostate cancer. Data are from a population-based sample of 1550 screen-detected prostate cancers, 1815 age- and general practice matched controls with unrestricted prostate specific antigen (PSA) values and 1175 low-PSA controls (PSA <0.5 ng/ml). The rs9939609 A allele, which was associated with higher BMI in the sample, was inversely associated with overall (odds ratio (OR) versus all controls  = 0.93; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85–1.02 p = 0.12 per allele) and low-grade (OR = 0.90; 0.81–0.99 p = 0.03 per allele) prostate cancer risk, but positively associated with high-grade cancer among cases (OR high- versus low-grade cancer  = 1.16; 0.99–1.37 p = 0.07 per allele). Although evidence for these effects was weak, they are consistent with observational data based on BMI phenotypes and suggest that the observed association between obesity and prostate cancer is not due to confounding. Further research should confirm these findings, extend them to other BMI-related genetic variants and determine whether they are due to detection bias or obesity-related hormonal changes

The hERG channel is dependent upon the Hsp90α isoform for maturation and trafficking

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of cancer. Several Hsp90 inhibitors have entered clinical trials. However, some toxicological detriments have arisen, such as cardiotoxicity resulting from hERG inhibition following the administration of Hsp90 inhibitors. We sought to investigate this toxicity as hERG has been previously reported as a client protein that depends upon Hsp90 for its maturation and functional trafficking. In this study we show that hERG depends upon a single Hsp90 isoform. hERG preferentially co-immunoprecipitated with Hsp90α and genetic knockdown of Hsp90α, but not Hsp90β, resulted in a trafficking-defective hERG channel. This study demonstrates the importance of delineating the isoform dependence of Hsp90 client proteins and provides rationale for the design of isoform-selective Hsp90 inhibitors that avoid detrimental effect

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

Expected Performance of the ATLAS Experiment - Detector, Trigger and Physics

A detailed study is presented of the expected performance of the ATLAS detector. The reconstruction of tracks, leptons, photons, missing energy and jets is investigated, together with the performance of b-tagging and the trigger. The physics potential for a variety of interesting physics processes, within the Standard Model and beyond, is examined. The study comprises a series of notes based on simulations of the detector and physics processes, with particular emphasis given to the data expected from the first years of operation of the LHC at CERN

Measurements of Higgs boson production and couplings in diboson final states with the ATLAS detector at the LHC

Measurements are presented of production properties and couplings of the recently discovered Higgs boson using the decays into boson pairs, H →γ γ, H → Z Z∗ →4l and H →W W∗ →lνlν. The results are based on the complete pp collision data sample recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider at centre-of-mass energies of √s = 7 TeV and √s = 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 25 fb−1. Evidence for Higgs boson production through vector-boson fusion is reported. Results of combined fits probing Higgs boson couplings to fermions and bosons, as well as anomalous contributions to loop-induced production and decay modes, are presented. All measurements are consistent with expectations for the Standard Model Higgs boson

Standalone vertex finding in the ATLAS muon spectrometer

A dedicated reconstruction algorithm to find decay vertices in the ATLAS muon spectrometer is presented. The algorithm searches the region just upstream of or inside the muon spectrometer volume for multi-particle vertices that originate from the decay of particles with long decay paths. The performance of the algorithm is evaluated using both a sample of simulated Higgs boson events, in which the Higgs boson decays to long-lived neutral particles that in turn decay to bbar b final states, and pp collision data at √s = 7 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC during 2011

Measurement of the top quark-pair production cross section with ATLAS in pp collisions at \sqrt{s}=7\TeV

A measurement of the production cross-section for top quark pairs(\ttbar) in $pp$ collisions at \sqrt{s}=7 \TeV is presented using data recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events are selected in two different topologies: single lepton (electron $e$ or muon $\mu$) with large missing transverse energy and at least four jets, and dilepton ($ee$, $\mu\mu$ or $e\mu$) with large missing transverse energy and at least two jets. In a data sample of 2.9 pb-1, 37 candidate events are observed in the single-lepton topology and 9 events in the dilepton topology. The corresponding expected backgrounds from non-\ttbar Standard Model processes are estimated using data-driven methods and determined to be $12.2 \pm 3.9$ events and $2.5 \pm 0.6$ events, respectively. The kinematic properties of the selected events are consistent with SM \ttbar production. The inclusive top quark pair production cross-section is measured to be \sigmattbar=145 \pm 31 ^{+42}_{-27} pb where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The measurement agrees with perturbative QCD calculations.Comment: 30 pages plus author list (50 pages total), 9 figures, 11 tables, CERN-PH number and final journal adde