Bulk Viscosity, Decaying Dark Matter, and the Cosmic Acceleration

We discuss a cosmology in which cold dark-matter particles decay into relativistic particles. We argue that such decays could lead naturally to a bulk viscosity in the cosmic fluid. For decay lifetimes comparable to the present hubble age, this bulk viscosity enters the cosmic energy equation as an effective negative pressure. We investigate whether this negative pressure is of sufficient magnitude to account fo the observed cosmic acceleration. We show that a single decaying species in a flat, dark-matter dominated cosmology without a cosmological constant cannot reproduce the observed magnitude-redshift relation from Type Ia supernovae. However, a delayed bulk viscosity, possibly due to a cascade of decaying particles may be able to account for a significant fraction of the apparent cosmic acceleration. Possible candidate nonrelativistic particles for this scenario include sterile neutrinos or gauge-mediated decaying supersymmetric particles.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

The X-Ray Concentration-Virial Mass Relation

We present the concentration (c)-virial mass (M) relation of 39 galaxy systems ranging in mass from individual early-type galaxies up to the most massive galaxy clusters, (0.06-20) x 10^{14} M_sun. We selected for analysis the most relaxed systems possessing the highest quality data currently available in the Chandra and XMM public data archives. A power-law model fitted to the X-ray c-M relation requires at high significance (6.6 sigma) that c decreases with increasing M, which is a general feature of CDM models. The median and scatter of the c-M relation produced by the flat, concordance LCDM model (Omega_m=0.3, sigma_8=0.9) agrees with the X-ray data provided the sample is comprised of the most relaxed, early forming systems, which is consistent with our selection criteria. Holding the rest of the cosmological parameters fixed to those in the concordance model the c-M relation requires 0.76< sigma_8 <1.07 (99% conf.), assuming a 10% upward bias in the concentrations for early forming systems. The tilted, low-sigma_8 model suggested by a new WMAP analysis is rejected at 99.99% confidence, but a model with the same tilt and normalization can be reconciled with the X-ray data by increasing the dark energy equation of state parameter to w ~ -0.8. When imposing the additional constraint of the tight relation between sigma_8 and Omega_m from studies of cluster abundances, the X-ray c-M relation excludes (>99% conf.) both open CDM models and flat CDM models with Omega_m ~1. This result provides novel evidence for a flat, low-Omega_m universe with dark energy using observations only in the local (z << 1) universe. Possible systematic errors in the X-ray mass measurements of a magnitude ~10% suggested by CDM simulations do not change our conclusions.Comment: Accepted for Publication in ApJ; 13 pages, 4 figures; minor clarifications and updates; correlation coefficients corrected in Table 1 (correct values were used in the analysis in previous versions); conclusions unchange

The Absence of Adiabatic Contraction of the Radial Dark Matter Profile in the Galaxy Cluster A2589

We present an X-ray analysis of the radial mass profile of the radio-quiet galaxy cluster A2589 between 0.015-0.25 r_vir using an XMM-Newton observation. Except for a ~16 kpc shift of the X-ray center of the R=45-60 kpc annulus, A2589 possesses a remarkably symmetrical X-ray image and is therefore an exceptional candidate for precision studies of its mass profile by applying hydrostatic equilibrium. The total gravitating matter profile is well described by the NFW model (fractional residuals <~10%) with c_vir=6.1 +/- 0.3 and M_vir = 3.3 +/- 0.3 x 10^{14} M_sun (r_vir = 1.74 +/- 0.05 Mpc) in excellent agreement with LCDM. When the mass of the hot ICM is subtracted from the gravitating matter profile, the NFW model fitted to the resulting dark matter (DM) profile produces essentially the same result. However, if a component accounting for the stellar mass (M_*) of the cD galaxy is included, then the NFW fit to the DM profile is substantially degraded in the central r ~50 kpc for reasonable M_*/L_V. Modifying the NFW DM halo by adiabatic contraction arising from the early condensation of stellar baryons in the cD galaxy further degrades the fit. The fit is improved substantially with a Sersic-like model recently suggested by high resolution N-body simulations but with an inverse Sersic index, alpha ~0.5, a factor of ~3 higher than predicted. We argue that neither random turbulent motions nor magnetic fields can provide sufficient non-thermal pressure support to reconcile the XMM mass profile with adiabatic contraction of a CDM halo assuming reasonable M_*/L_V. Our results support the scenario where, at least for galaxy clusters, processes during halo formation counteract adiabatic contraction so that the total gravitating mass in the core approximately follows the NFW profile.Comment: 15 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ. Minor changes to match published versio

Clinical outcome of muscle invasive carcinoma urinary bladder patients treated with bladder preservation protocol

Background: To evaluate the outcome in terms of bladder preservation in muscle invasive urinary bladder patients treated with radical radiotherapy.Methods: A total of sixty patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer who were treated between 2011 and 2013 with bladder preservation protocol were identified. Thirty-two patients were stage T2 disease, rest were T3 and T4. Initial TURBT was reported complete in 24 of the total 60 patients. All patients received 60 to 64Gy to the whole bladder.Results: The follow-up range was 3 to 72 months. One year follow-up proportion was 78%. The median progression free survival was 40months. Early stage (T2) and advanced stage (T3 and T4) had progression free survival of 87.8% and 48.5% respectively at one year follow-up with a p value of 0.001. Thirty-six patients who had an incomplete Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) initially had a statistically significant lower PFS compared to those patients who had a complete TURBT with a p value of 0.029. Twenty-nine patients were disease free with an intact bladder during the follow-up period providing a bladder preservation rate of 48%.Conclusions: A bladder-conserving protocol with radiotherapy provides encouraging results with nearly half of the patients able to retain a disease-free bladder. Proper patient selection with early stage disease and those with complete TURBT may further improve the bladder preservation rates

Vacuum Stability with Tachyonic Boundary Higgs Masses in No-Scale Supersymmetry or Gaugino Mediation

No-scale supersymmetry or gaugino mediation augmented with large negative Higgs soft masses at the input scale provides a simple solution to the supersymmetric flavor problem while giving rise to a neutralino LSP. However, to obtain a neutralino LSP it is often necessary to have tachyonic input Higgs soft masses that can give rise to charge-and-color-breaking (CCB) minima and unbounded-from-below (UFB) directions in the low energy theory. We investigate the vacuum structure in these theories to determine when such problematic features are present. When the standard electroweak vacuum is only metastable, we compute its lifetime under vacuum tunneling. We find that vacuum metastability leads to severe restrictions on the parameter space for larger $\tan\beta \sim 30$, while for smaller $\tan\beta\sim 10$, only minor restrictions are found. Along the way, we derive an exact bounce solution for tunneling through an inverted parabolic potential.Comment: 18 Pages, 5 Figure

Probing the Dark Matter and Gas Fraction in Relaxed Galaxy Groups with X-ray observations from Chandra and XMM

We present radial mass profiles within 0.3 r_vir for 16 relaxed galaxy groups-poor clusters (kT range 1-3 keV) selected for optimal mass constraints from the Chandra and XMM data archives. After accounting for the mass of hot gas, the resulting mass profiles are described well by a two-component model consisting of dark matter (DM), represented by an NFW model, and stars from the central galaxy. The stellar component is required only for 8 systems, for which reasonable stellar mass-to-light ratios (M/L_K) are obtained, assuming a Kroupa IMF. Modifying the NFW dark matter halo by adiabatic contraction does not improve the fit and yields systematically lower M/L_K. In contrast to previous results for massive clusters, we find that the NFW concentration parameter (c_vir) for groups decreases with increasing M_vir and is inconsistent with no variation at the 3 sigma level. The normalization and slope of the c_vir-M_vir relation are consistent with the standard LambdaCDM cosmological model with sigma_8 = 0.9. The small intrinsic scatter measured about the c_vir-M_vir relation implies the groups represent preferentially relaxed, early forming systems. The mean gas fraction (f =0.05 +/- 0.01) of the groups measured within an overdensity Delta=2500 is lower than for hot, massive clusters, but the fractional scatter (sigma_f/f=0.2) for groups is larger, implying a greater impact of feedback processes on groups, as expected.Comment: Accepted for Publication in ApJ; 30 pages, 9 figures. No changes from previous versio

ESL Student Perceptions of VLE Effectiveness at a University in South Korea

The purpose of this study is to determine students’ perception of the advantages, effects on language skills, suggestions for improvement, and limitations regarding the use of a VLE (Blackboard) and their differences according to gender, year, number of Blackboard courses taken, and computer literacy. The respondents of this study were 686 randomly selected university students enrolled in English classes at the University of Suwon in South Korea. An adapted survey questionnaire consisting of 33 items was administered to the students. The Mean was used to determine the students’ perceptions in the four areas followed by t-test and ANOVA to determine the differences in the students’ perceptions. The results showed that the students had a somewhat disagree rating in the areas of Advantages, Language, and Limitations and somewhat agree rating in the area of Suggestions. Significant differences were found in the students’ perceptions in the four areas when grouped according to gender and computer literacy; a significant difference was found in the area of Limitations when grouped according to year; and no significant differences were found according to number of Blackboard courses taken

Hydatellaceae identified as a new branch near the base of the angiosperm phylogenetic tree

Although the relationship of angiosperms to other seed plants remains controversial, great progress has been made in identifying the earliest extant splits in flowering-plant phylogeny, with the discovery that the New Caledonian shrub Amborella trichopoda, the water lilies (Nymphaeales), and the woody Austrobaileyales constitute a basal grade of lines that diverged before the main radiation in the clade. By focusing attention on these ancient lines, this finding has re-written our understanding of angiosperm structural and reproductive biology, physiology, ecology and taxonomy. The discovery of a new basal lineage would lead to further re-evaluation of the initial angiosperm radiation, but would also be unexpected, as nearly all of the ∼460 flowering-plant families have been surveyed in molecular studies. Here we show that Hydatellaceae, a small family of dwarf aquatics that were formerly interpreted as monocots, are instead a highly modified and previously unrecognized ancient lineage of angiosperms. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of multiple plastid genes and associated noncoding regions from the two genera of Hydatellaceae identify this overlooked family as the sister group of Nymphaeales. This surprising result is further corroborated by evidence from the nuclear gene phytochrome C (PHYC), and by numerous morphological characters. This indicates that water lilies are part of a larger lineage that evolved more extreme and diverse modifications for life in an aquatic habitat than previously recognized. ©2007 Nature Publishing Group

Energy Spectra of Reactor Neutrinos at KamLAND

The upcoming reactor neutrino experiment, KamLAND, has the ability to explore the Large Mixing Angle (LMA) solution to the solar neutrino problem. Here, we investigate the precision to which KamLAND should be able to measure these parameters, utilizing the distortion of the energy spectrum of reactor neutrinos. Incomplete knowledge of the fuel composition of the reactors will lead to some error on this measurement. We estimate the size of this effect.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures. References added. Minor changes in wordin

A systematic review of strategies to recruit and retain primary care doctors

Background There is a workforce crisis in primary care. Previous research has looked at the reasons underlying recruitment and retention problems, but little research has looked at what works to improve recruitment and retention. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate interventions and strategies used to recruit and retain primary care doctors internationally. Methods A systematic review was undertaken. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL and grey literature were searched from inception to January 2015.Articles assessing interventions aimed at recruiting or retaining doctors in high income countries, applicable to primary care doctors were included. No restrictions on language or year of publication. The first author screened all titles and abstracts and a second author screened 20%. Data extraction was carried out by one author and checked by a second. Meta-analysis was not possible due to heterogeneity. Results 51 studies assessing 42 interventions were retrieved. Interventions were categorised into thirteen groups: financial incentives (n=11), recruiting rural students (n=6), international recruitment (n=4), rural or primary care focused undergraduate placements (n=3), rural or underserved postgraduate training (n=3), well-being or peer support initiatives (n=3), marketing (n=2), mixed interventions (n=5), support for professional development or research (n=5), retainer schemes (n=4), re-entry schemes (n=1), specialised recruiters or case managers (n=2) and delayed partnerships (n=2). Studies were of low methodological quality with no RCTs and only 15 studies with a comparison group. Weak evidence supported the use of postgraduate placements in underserved areas, undergraduate rural placements and recruiting students to medical school from rural areas. There was mixed evidence about financial incentives. A marketing campaign was associated with lower recruitment. Conclusions This is the first systematic review of interventions to improve recruitment and retention of primary care doctors. Although the evidence base for recruiting and care doctors is weak and more high quality research is needed, this review found evidence to support undergraduate and postgraduate placements in underserved areas, and selective recruitment of medical students. Other initiatives covered may have potential to improve recruitment and retention of primary care practitioners, but their effectiveness has not been established