Observation of the rare decay B+ -> K+π0π0 and measurement of the quasi-two-body contributions B+ -> K*(892)+π0, B+ -> f0(980)K+, and B+ -> χc0K+

We report an analysis of charmless hadronic decays of charged B mesons to the final state K(+) pi(0)pi(0), using a data sample of (470.9 +/- 2.8) x 10(6) B (B) over bar events collected with the BABAR detector at the Y(4S) resonance. We observe an excess of signal events, with a significance above 10 standard deviations including systematic uncertainties, and measure the branching fraction and CP asymmetry to be B(B(+) -> K(+) pi(0)pi(0)) = (16.2 +/- 1.2 +/- 1.5) x 10(-6) and A(CP)(B(+) -> K(+) pi(0)pi(0)) = -0.06 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.04, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. Additionally, we study the contributions of the B(+) -> K*(892)(+) pi(0), B(+) -> f(0)(980)K(+), and B(+) -> chi(c0)K(+) quasi-two-body decays. We report the world's best measurements of the branching fraction and CP asymmetry of the B(+) -> K(+) pi(0)pi(0) and B(+) -> K(+)(892)(+) pi(0) channels

ELVIS - ELectromagnetic Vector Information Sensor

The ELVIS instrument was recently proposed by the authors for the Indian Chandrayaan-1 mission to the Moon and is presently under consideration by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The scientific objective of ELVIS is to explore the electromagnetic environment of the moon. ELVIS samples the full three-dimensional (3D) electric field vector, E(x,t), up to 18 MHz, with selective Nyqvist frequency bandwidths down to 5 kHz, and one component of the magnetic field vector, B(x,t), from a few Hz up to 100 kHz.As a transient detector, ELVIS is capable of detecting pulses with a minimum pulse width of 5 ns. The instrument comprises three orthogonal electric dipole antennas, one magnetic search coil antenna and a four-channel digital sampling system, utilising flexible digital down conversion and filtering together with state-of-the-art onboard digital signal processing.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures. Submitted to the DGLR Int. Symposium "To Moon and Beyond", Bremen, Germany, 2005. Companion paper to arXiv:astro-ph/050921

Numerical and experimental investigations for the evaluation of the wear coefficient of reverse total shoulder prostheses

In thepresentstudy,numericalandexperimentalwearinvestigationsonreversetotal shoulder arthroplasties(RTSAs)werecombinedinordertoestimatespecific wear coefficients, currentlynotavailableintheliterature.Awearmodelpreviouslydeveloped by theauthorsformetal-on-plastichipimplantswasadaptedtoRTSAsandappliedina double direction: firstly, toevaluatespecific wearcoefficients forRTSAsfromexperimental results andsecondly,topredictweardistribution.Inbothcases,theArchardwearlaw(AR) and thewearlawofUHMWPE(PE)wereconsidered,assumingfourdifferent k functions. The resultsindicatedthatboththewearlawspredicthigherwearcoefficients forRTSA with respecttohipimplants,particularlytheARlaw,with k values higherthantwofoldthe hip ones.Suchdifferencescansignificantly affectpredictivewearmodelresultsforRTSA, when non-specific wearcoefficients areused.Moreover,thewearmapssimulatedwiththe two lawsaremarkedlydifferent,althoughprovidingthesamewearvolume.Ahigherwear depth (þ51%) isobtainedwiththeARlaw,locatedatthedomeofthecup,whilewiththePE law themostwornregionisclosetotheedge.Takingadvantageofthelineartrendof experimental volumelosses,thewearcoefficientsobtainedwiththeARlawshouldbe valid despitehavingneglectedthegeometryupdateinthemodel

Dare to be Disruptive! The Social Stigma toward Creativity in Higher Education and a Proposed Antidote

Despite the fact that creativity has been named one of the top-10 skills necessary for success in the twenty-first century, the current educational system in the developed world stifles creativity through its focus on convergent thinking and standardized testing. We propose that a stigma toward creativity exists among educators, which prevents successful implementation of creative teaching and fostering creativity within the classroom. The proposed root cause of the stigma toward creativity in education – that creativity is perceived as disruptive – is examined through the lens of the Adaptor-Innovator theory of creativity and the implicit and explicit theories of creativity, as well as the psychological factors inherent to the social construction of stigma. Seminal and current research in the fields of creativity studies and communication studies offer insight into this phenomenon. The chapter concludes by proposing an antidote to address and fight this stigma as seen through the lens of Fishbein and Ajzen’s Theory of Reasoned Action

Targeting atypical protein kinase C iota reduces viability in glioblastoma stem-like cells via a notch signaling mechanism

In a previous study, Protein Kinase C iota (PRKCI) emerged as an important candidate gene for glioblastoma (GBM) stem-like cell (GSC) survival. Here, we show that PKCι is overexpressed and activated in patient derived GSCs compared with normal neural stem cells and normal brain lysate, and that silencing of PRKCI in GSCs causes apoptosis, along with loss of clonogenicity and reduced proliferation. Notably, PRKCI silencing reduces tumor growth in vivo in a xenograft mouse model. PKCι has been intensively studied as a therapeutic target in non-small cell lung cancer, resulting in the identification of an inhibitor, aurothiomalate (ATM), which disrupts the PKCι/ERK signaling axis. However, we show that, although sensitive to pharmacological inhibition via a pseudosubstrate peptide inhibitor, GSCs are much less sensitive to ATM, suggesting that PKCι acts along a different signaling axis in GSCs. Gene expression profiling of PRKCI-silenced GSCs revealed a novel role of the Notch signaling pathway in PKCι mediated GSC survival. A proximity ligation assay showed that Notch1 and PKCι are in close proximity in GSCs. Targeting PKCι in the context of Notch signaling could be an effective way of attacking the GSC population in GBM

Selecting soluble/foldable protein domains through single-gene or genomic ORF filtering: structure of the head domain of Burkholderia pseudomallei antigen BPSL2063

The 1.8\u2005\uc5 resolution crystal structure of a conserved domain of the potential Burkholderia pseudomallei antigen and trimeric autotransporter BPSL2063 is presented as a structural vaccinology target for melioidosis vaccine development. Since BPSL2063 (1090 amino acids) hosts only one conserved domain, and the expression/purification of the full-length protein proved to be problematic, a domain-filtering library was generated using \u3b2-lactamase as a reporter gene to select further BPSL2063 domains. As a result, two domains (D1 and D2) were identified and produced in soluble form in Escherichia coli. Furthermore, as a general tool, a genomic open reading frame-filtering library from the B. pseudomallei genome was also constructed to facilitate the selection of domain boundaries from the entire ORFeome. Such an approach allowed the selection of three potential protein antigens that were also produced in soluble form. The results imply the further development of ORF-filtering methods as a tool in protein-based research to improve the selection and production of soluble proteins or domains for downstream applications such as X-ray crystallography

LHC Machine Protection

For nominal beam parameters at 7 TeV/c each of the two LHC proton beams has a stored energy of 362 MJ threatening to damage accelerator equipment in case of uncontrolled beam loss. The energy stored in the magnet system at 7 TeV/c will exceed 10 GJ. In order to avoid damage of accelerator equipment, complex machine protection systems are required. Magnet protection and powering interlock systems must be operational already before commissioning the magnet powering system. Beam operation, throughout the operational cycle from injection to colliding beams, requires fully operational protection systems, including beam interlock systems, beam dumping system, beam instrumentation (mainly beam loss monitors) as well as collimators and beam absorbers. Details of LHC machine protection have been presented on several occasions and the systems involved in protection are well documented [1]. This paper gives an overview of LHC machine protection, discusses the progress with the implementation and presents first results from the commissioning of some systems

Child’s Play or Sexual Abuse? Reviewing the Efficacy of the Justice Framework in Dealing with Child on Child Sexual Abuse in the United Kingdom

This literature review appraises how the justice system of the United Kingdom deals with child on child sexual abuse allegations. It is crucial to consider the impact of minor sexual abuse within the community. Sensationalized reporting of sex crimes demonizes offenders and unintentionally hides some perpetrators by not representing children can cause harm. Cases where children demonstrate sexual agency are confusing and uncomfortable to appropriate blame. A freedom of information request to the Metropolitan Police uncovered 5,500 minor sex abuse allegations in England and Wales between 2011 and 2014, includ- ing, 4,000 physical assaults and 600 rape allegations. Officials caution these figures only represent a small proportion of known sexual abuse cases but the full extent of the problem is yet to be seen. Children are being exposed to explicit imagery far beyond their developmental age causing a blurring of the lines between normal sexual curiosity, harmful behavior, sexual deviance, and abuse. Evidence suggests societal failings and technological advances have created vulnerabilities from which new and dangerous sexual norms have evolved. Therefore, this paper reviews the justice, welfare, and restorative justice frame- works to explore the efficacy of the justice system in dealing with child on child sexual abuse in the UK

Laura ++ : a Dalitz plot fitter

The Dalitz plot analysis technique has become an increasingly important method in heavy flavour physics. The Laura fitter has been developed as a flexible tool that can be used for Dalitz plot analyses in different experimental environments. Explicitly designed for three-body decays of heavy-flavoured mesons to spinless final state particles, it is optimised in order to describe all possible resonant or nonresonant contributions, and to accommodate possible violation effects