6,764 research outputs found
Sneutrino as Lightest Supersymmetric Particle in B3 mSUGRA Models and Signals at the LHC
We consider B3 mSUGRA models where we have one lepton number violating LQD
operator at the GUT scale. This can alter the supersymmetric mass spectrum
leading to a sneutrino as the lightest supersymmetric particle in a large
region of parameter space. We take into account the restrictions from neutrino
masses, the muon anomalous magnetic moment, b -> s gamma and other precision
measurements. We furthermore investigate existing restrictions from direct
searches at LEP, the Tevatron and the CERN p\bar p collider. We then give
examples for characteristic signatures at the LHC.Comment: 22 pages, 11 figure
Performance House -- A Cold Climate Challenge Home
Working with builder partners on a test homes allows for vetting of whole-house building strategies to eliminate any potential unintended consequences prior to implementing these solution packages on a production scale. To support this research, CARB partnered with Preferred Builders Inc. on a high-performance test home in Old Greenwich, CT. The philosophy and science behind the 2,700 ft2 'Performance House' was based on the premise that homes should be safe, healthy, comfortable, durable, efficient, and adapt with the homeowners. The technologies and strategies used in the 'Performance House' were not cutting-edge, but simply 'best practices practiced'. The focus was on simplicity in construction, maintenance, and operation. When seeking a 30% source energy savings targets over a comparable 2009 IECC code-built home in the cold climate zone, nearly all components of a home must be optimized. Careful planning and design are critical. To help builders and architects seeking to match the performance of this home, a step-by-step guide through the building shell components of DOE's Challenge Home are provided in a pictorial story book. The end result was a DOE Challenge Home that achieved a HERS Index Score of 20 (43 without PV, the minimum target was 55 for compliance). This home was also awarded the 2012 HOBI for Best Green Energy Efficient Home from the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Connecticut
Supersymmetric NLO QCD Corrections to Resonant Slepton Production and Signals at the Tevatron and the LHC
We compute the total cross section and the transverse momentum distribution
for single charged slepton and sneutrino production at hadronic colliders
including NLO supersymmetric and non-supersymmetric QCD corrections. The
supersymmetric QCD corrections can be substantial. We also resum the gluon
transverse momentum distribution and compare our results with two Monte Carlo
generators. We compute branching ratios of the supersymmetric decays of the
slepton and determine event rates for the like-sign dimuon final state at the
Tevatron and at the LHC.Comment: 14 pages, LaTeX, 8 figures, uses REVTex
Light Stop Searches at the LHC in Events with two b-Jets and Missing Energy
We propose a new method to discover light top squarks (stops) in the
co-annihilation region at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The bino-like
neutralino is the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) and the lighter stop
is the next-to-LSP. Such scenarios can be consistent with electroweak
baryogenesis and also with dark matter constraints. We consider the production
of two stops in association with two b-quarks, including pure QCD as well as
mixed electroweak-QCD contributions. The stops decay into a charm quark and the
LSP. For a higgsino-like light chargino the electroweak contributions can
exceed the pure QCD prediction. We show the size of the electroweak
contributions as a function of the stop mass and present the LHC discovery
reach in the stop-neutralino mass plane.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figure
T. brucei cathepsin-L increases arrhythmogenic sarcoplasmic reticulum-mediated calcium release in rat cardiomyocytes
Aims: African trypanosomiasis, caused by Trypanosoma brucei species, leads to both neurological and cardiac dysfunction and can be fatal if untreated. While the neurological-related pathogenesis is well studied, the cardiac pathogenesis remains unknown. The current study exposed isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes and adult rat hearts to T. brucei to test whether trypanosomes can alter cardiac function independent of a systemic inflammatory/immune response.
Methods and results: Using confocal imaging, T. brucei and T. brucei culture media (supernatant) caused an increased frequency of arrhythmogenic spontaneous diastolic sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)-mediated Ca2+ release (Ca2+ waves) in isolated adult rat ventricular cardiomyocytes. Studies utilising inhibitors, recombinant protein and RNAi all demonstrated that this altered SR function was due to T. brucei cathepsin-L (TbCatL). Separate experiments revealed that TbCatL induced a 10–15% increase of SERCA activity but reduced SR Ca2+ content, suggesting a concomitant increased SR-mediated Ca2+ leak. This conclusion was supported by data demonstrating that TbCatL increased Ca2+ wave frequency. These effects were abolished by autocamtide-2-related inhibitory peptide, highlighting a role for CaMKII in the TbCatL action on SR function. Isolated Langendorff perfused whole heart experiments confirmed that supernatant caused an increased number of arrhythmic events.
Conclusion: These data demonstrate for the first time that African trypanosomes alter cardiac function independent of a systemic immune response, via a mechanism involving extracellular cathepsin-L-mediated changes in SR function
Fort Devens. Cold Climate, Energy-Efficient, Market-Rate Townhomes
In 2009, Mass Development issued an RFQ and subsequent RFP for teams to develop moderately priced high-efficiency homes on two sites within the Devens Regional Enterprise Zone. MassDevelopment, a Massachusetts agency that owns the Devens site (formerly Fort Devens Army Base, in Harvard, Massachusetts), set a goal of producing a replicable example of current and innovative sustainable building practices with a near-zero energy potential. Metric Development, as primary developer and construction manager, formed one of the successful teams that included CARB and Cambridge Seven Architects (C7A)
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