Stated and revealed inequality aversion in three subject pools

This paper reports data from three subject pools (n=717 subjects) using techniques based on those of Loewenstein, et al. (1989) and Blanco, et al. (2011) to obtain parameters, respectively, of stated and revealed inequality aversion. We provide a replication opportunity for those papers, with two innovations: (i) a design which allows stated and revealed preferences to be compared at the individual level; (ii) assessment of robustness of findings across subjects from a UK university, a Turkish university and Amazon Mechanical Turk. Our findings on stated aversion to inequality are qualitatively similar to those of Loewenstein, et al. in each of our subject pools, whereas there are notable differences between some of our findings on revealed preference and those of Blanco, et al. We find that revealed advantageous inequality aversion is often stronger than revealed dis-advantageous inequality aversion. In most subject pools, we find some (weak) correlation between corresponding parameters of stated and revealed inequality aversion

Search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search uses 20.3 fb−1 of √ s = 8 TeV data collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are required to have at least one jet with pT > 120 GeV and no leptons. Nine signal regions are considered with increasing missing transverse momentum requirements between Emiss T > 150 GeV and Emiss T > 700 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model expectations. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with either large extra spatial dimensions, pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates, or production of very light gravitinos in a gauge-mediated supersymmetric model. In addition, limits on the production of an invisibly decaying Higgs-like boson leading to similar topologies in the final state are presente

HCV genotypes are differently prone to the development of resistance to linear and macrocyclic protease inhibitors

Because of the extreme genetic variability of hepatitis C virus (HCV), we analyzed whether specific HCV-genotypes are differently prone to develop resistance to linear and macrocyclic protease-inhibitors (PIs)

Measurement of the t¯tZ and t¯tW cross sections in proton-proton collisions at √s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A measurement of the associated production of a top-quark pair (t¯t) with a vector boson (W, Z) in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV is presented, using 36.1  fb−1 of integrated luminosity collected by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events are selected in channels with two same- or opposite-sign leptons (electrons or muons), three leptons or four leptons, and each channel is further divided into multiple regions to maximize the sensitivity of the measurement. The t¯tZ and t¯tW production cross sections are simultaneously measured using a combined fit to all regions. The best-fit values of the production cross sections are σt¯tZ=0.95±0.08stat±0.10syst pb and σt¯tW=0.87±0.13stat±0.14syst pb in agreement with the Standard Model predictions. The measurement of the t¯tZ cross section is used to set constraints on effective field theory operators which modify the t¯tZ vertex

Performance of missing transverse momentum reconstruction with the ATLAS detector using proton–proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV

The performance of the missing transverse momentum (EmissT) reconstruction with the ATLAS detector is evaluated using data collected in proton–proton collisions at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV in 2015. To reconstruct EmissT, fully calibrated electrons, muons, photons, hadronically decaying τ -leptons, and jets reconstructed from calorimeter energy deposits and charged-particle tracks are used. These are combined with the soft hadronic activity measured by reconstructed charged-particle tracks not associated with the hard objects. Possible double counting of contributions from reconstructed charged-particle tracks from the inner detector, energy deposits in the calorimeter, and reconstructed muons from the muon spectrometer is avoided by applying a signal ambiguity resolution procedure which rejects already used signals when combining the various EmissT contributions. The individual terms as well as the overall reconstructed EmissT are evaluated with various performance metrics for scale (linearity), resolution, and sensitivity to the data-taking conditions. The method developed to determine the systematic uncertainties of the EmissT scale and resolution is discussed. Results are shown based on the full 2015 data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.2 fb−1

Differentiation of serrated and non-serrated blades from stab marks in bone

Although evidence of sharp-force trauma on the human body, particularly the skeleton, can be extremely useful in providing information regarding the manner and context of death, there is still a lack of necessary detail available to the investigator. Using ribs, radii, scapulae, vertebrae and carpal bones, this study demonstrated that distinctions could be made between the stab marks left by serrated blades and those of non-serrated blades. Low power and scanning electron microscopy were used to record distinctive 'T'-shaped stab marks from non-serrated blades and 'Y'-shaped stab marks from serrated blades. In addition, elemental evidence of the presence of the blade in the stab-mark kerf was recoverable even when no metal fragment was visible

The Notochord, Notochordal cell and CTGF/CCN-2: ongoing activity from development through maturation

The growth regulating factor CTGF/CCN-2 is an integral factor in growth and development, connective tissue maintenance, wound repair and cell cycle regulation. It has recently been reported that CTGF/CCN-2 is involved in very early development having been detected in early notochord formation in zebrafish using CTGF/CCN-2 promoter-driven green fluorescent protein (GFP) plasmids. In these studies fluorescence was detected early in the developing embryos, a finding of considerable significance in that CTGF/CCN-2 deficient mutant mice die early after birth due to severe cartilage and skeletal dysplasia and respiratory failure. Such findings confirm the importance of CTGF/CCN-2 in development and of the necessary and sufficient role of this molecule in formation of the skeleton, extracellular matrix and chondrogenesis. Of particular relevance to the relationship between the notochordal cell and CTGF/CCN-2 there is a remarkable sub-species of canine, the ‘non-chondrodystrophic’ canine that is protected from developing degenerative disc disease (DDD). These animals are unique in that they preserve the population of notochordal cells within their disc nucleus (NP) and these cells secrete CTGF/CCN-2. We have detected CTGF/CCN-2 within conditioned medium developed from the notochordal cells of these animals (NCCM) and used this conditioned medium to demonstrate robustly increased proteoglycan production. The addition of recombinant human CTGF/CCN-2 to totally serum-free media containing cultures of bovine NP cells replicated the robustly increased aggrecan gene expression found with NCCM alone strongly suggesting the importance of the effect of CTGF/CCN-2 in notochordal cell biology within the disc nucleus of non-chondrodystrophic canines. The chondrodystrophic canine, another sub-species on the other hand are almost totally devoid of notochordal cells and they develop DDD profoundly and early. These two sub-species of canine reflect a naturally occurring animal model that is an excellent example of differential notochordal cell survival and possible associated developmental differences in extracellular maintenance