335 research outputs found
The Knotted Sky II: Does BICEP2 require a nontrivial primordial power spectrum?
An inflationary gravitational wave background consistent with BICEP2 is
difficult to reconcile with a simple power-law spectrum of primordial scalar
perturbations. Tensor modes contribute to the temperature anisotropies at
multipoles with , and this effect --- together with a prior on
the form of the scalar perturbations --- was the source of previous bounds on
the tensor-to-scalar ratio. We compute Bayesian evidence for combined fits to
BICEP2 and Planck for three nontrivial primordial spectra: a) a running
spectral index, b) a cutoff at fixed wavenumber, and c) a spectrum described by
a linear spline with a single internal knot. We find no evidence for a cutoff,
weak evidence for a running index, and significant evidence for a "broken"
spectrum. Taken at face-value, the BICEP2 results require two new inflationary
parameters in order to describe both the broken scale invariance in the
perturbation spectrum and the observed tensor-to-scalar ratio. Alternatively,
this tension may be resolved by additional data and more detailed analyses.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, 4 tables; v2: references added, discussion
updated, matches published versio
The Knotted Sky I: Planck constraints on the primordial power spectrum
Using the temperature data from Planck we search for departures from a
power-law primordial power spectrum, employing Bayesian model-selection and
posterior probabilities. We parametrize the spectrum with knots located at
arbitrary values of , with both linear and cubic splines. This
formulation recovers both slow modulations and sharp transitions in the
primordial spectrum. The power spectrum is well-fit by a featureless, power-law
at wavenumbers . A modulated primordial
spectrum yields a better fit relative to CDM at large scales, but
there is no strong evidence for a departure from a power-law spectrum.
Moreover, using simulated maps we show that a local feature at can mimic the suppression of large-scale power. With
multi-knot spectra we see only small changes in the posterior distributions for
the other free parameters in the standard CDM universe. Lastly, we
investigate whether the hemispherical power asymmetry is explained by
independent features in the primordial power spectrum in each ecliptic
hemisphere, but find no significant differences between them.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, 4 tables, 1 appendix; v2: references added,
discussion updated, matches published versio
The sensory acceptance of fibre-enriched cereal foods:a meta-analysis
Improved understanding of the sensory responses to fibre fortification may assist manufacturers and health promotion efforts. The effects of fibre fortification (or modified ingredients) on sensory acceptability of baked cereal foods (bread, cookies, muffins) were estimated by linear random-effects meta-analysis of twenty eligible studies (869 panellists, 34% male). As little as 2 g per 100 g fortification caused moderate–large reductions in overall acceptability, flavour acceptability, and appearance acceptability in most items, with cookies most negatively affected. Fortification of base nonfortified foods with low initial acceptability improved acceptability; however, at higher basic levels, fortification lowered acceptability. Fortification improved texture acceptability of muffins and bread with low base acceptability, but lowered texture acceptability when base acceptability was high. Flavour improvement of muffins with fortification decreased with increasing base food acceptability. Fibre fortification of baked cereal foods lowers acceptability, but food format and base food acceptability affect the magnitude and direction of responses. Refining fibre fortification approaches could improve consumer uptake
Testing for New Physics: Neutrinos and the Primordial Power Spectrum
We test the sensitivity of neutrino parameter constraints from combinations
of CMB and LSS data sets to the assumed form of the primordial power spectrum
(PPS) using Bayesian model selection. Significantly, none of the tested
combinations, including recent high-precision local measurements of
and cluster abundances, indicate a signal for massive neutrinos
or extra relativistic degrees of freedom. For PPS models with a large, but
fixed number of degrees of freedom, neutrino parameter constraints do not
change significantly if the location of any features in the PPS are allowed to
vary, although neutrino constraints are more sensitive to PPS features if they
are known a priori to exist at fixed intervals in . Although there is
no support for a non-standard neutrino sector from constraints on both neutrino
mass and relativistic energy density, we see surprisingly strong evidence for
features in the PPS when it is constrained with data from Planck 2015, SZ
cluster counts, and recent high-precision local measurements of .
Conversely combining Planck with matter power spectrum and BAO measurements
yields a much weaker constraint. Given that this result is sensitive to the
choice of data this tension between SZ cluster counts, Planck and
measurements is likely an indication of unmodeled systematic
bias that mimics PPS features, rather than new physics in the PPS or neutrino
sector.Comment: 23 pages, 9 figures, 8 tables; matches version published in JCA
Mitochondrial dynamics during spermatogenesis
Mitochondrial fusion and fission (mitochondrial dynamics) are homeostatic processes that safeguard normal cellular function. This relationship is especially strong in tissues with constitutively high energy demands, such as brain, heart and skeletal muscle. Less is known about the role of mitochondrial dynamics in developmental systems that involve changes in metabolic function. One such system is spermatogenesis. The first mitochondrial dynamics gene, Fuzzy onions (Fzo), was discovered in 1997 to mediate mitochondrial fusion during Drosophila spermatogenesis. In mammals, however, the role of mitochondrial fusion during spermatogenesis remained unknown for nearly two decades after discovery of Fzo. Mammalian spermatogenesis is one of the most complex and lengthy differentiation processes in biology, transforming spermatogonial stem cells into highly specialized sperm cells over a 5-week period. This elaborate differentiation process requires several developmentally regulated mitochondrial and metabolic transitions, making it an attractive model system for studying mitochondrial dynamics in vivo. We review the emerging role of mitochondrial biology, and especially its dynamics, during the development of the male germ line
Mitochondrial dynamics during spermatogenesis
Mitochondrial fusion and fission (mitochondrial dynamics) are homeostatic processes that safeguard normal cellular function. This relationship is especially strong in tissues with constitutively high energy demands, such as brain, heart and skeletal muscle. Less is known about the role of mitochondrial dynamics in developmental systems that involve changes in metabolic function. One such system is spermatogenesis. The first mitochondrial dynamics gene, Fuzzy onions (Fzo), was discovered in 1997 to mediate mitochondrial fusion during Drosophila spermatogenesis. In mammals, however, the role of mitochondrial fusion during spermatogenesis remained unknown for nearly two decades after discovery of Fzo. Mammalian spermatogenesis is one of the most complex and lengthy differentiation processes in biology, transforming spermatogonial stem cells into highly specialized sperm cells over a 5-week period. This elaborate differentiation process requires several developmentally regulated mitochondrial and metabolic transitions, making it an attractive model system for studying mitochondrial dynamics in vivo. We review the emerging role of mitochondrial biology, and especially its dynamics, during the development of the male germ line
Modification of aftertaste with a menthol mouthwash reduces food wanting, liking, and ad <i>libitum </i>intake of potato crisps
This research investigated the effect of modifying the aftertaste of potato crisps on (1) temporal sensory perception and (2) appetite using three mouthwash conditions (no mouthwash, a water mouthwash, and a menthol mouthwash). For the sensory study, 17 screened female subjects were trained on the Temporal Dominance of Sensations (TDS) methodology. Subjects undertook TDS to monitor all sensory attributes during the mastication of a 2 g crisp until swallowing (at 20s), then conducted the mouthwash, and then continued the TDS task to monitor aftertaste until 90s. For the appetite study, 36 subjects (18 male, 18 female) completed 100 mm Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) for desire, liking, hunger, and thirst, followed by an ad libitum eating task. For the VAS scales testing, subjects chewed and swallowed a 2 g crisp, and then immediately conducted the mouthwash before completing the VAS scales. For the ad libitum task, subjects were given 12 min to consume as many crisps as they desired on a plate (up to 50 g). Every three minutes they were required to conduct a mouthwash. TDS results showed that in comparison with no mouthwash, the water mouthwash significantly reduced aftertaste attributes such as savoury, salty, and fatty mouthcoating, and the menthol mouthwash significantly increased aftertaste attributes of cooling, minty, and tingly. The water mouthwash did not influence desire and liking of crisps, or hunger and thirst. The water mouthwash did not influence ad libitum intake of the crisps over a 12 min period. The menthol mouthwash significantly reduced desire and liking of the crisps, as well as hunger and thirst. Furthermore, the menthol mouthwash significantly reduced ad libitum crisp intake by 29% over the 12 min period
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