A Remark on the Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking Mechanism in the Standard Model

In this paper we consider the Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking Mechanism (SSBM) in the Standard Model of particles in the unitary gauge. We show that the computation usually presented of this mechanism can be conveniently performed in a slightly different manner. As an outcome, the computation we present can change the interpretation of the SSBM in the Standard Model, in that it decouples the SU(2)-gauge symmetry in the final Lagrangian instead of breaking it.Comment: 16 page

Noncommutative Yang-Mills-Higgs actions from derivation-based differential calculus

Derivations of a noncommutative algebra can be used to construct differential calculi, the so-called derivation-based differential calculi. We apply this framework to a version of the Moyal algebra ${\cal{M}}$. We show that the differential calculus, generated by the maximal subalgebra of the derivation algebra of ${\cal{M}}$ that can be related to infinitesimal symplectomorphisms, gives rise to a natural construction of Yang-Mills-Higgs models on ${\cal{M}}$ and a natural interpretation of the covariant coordinates as Higgs fields. We also compare in detail the main mathematical properties characterizing the present situation to those specific of two other noncommutative geometries, namely the finite dimensional matrix algebra $M_n({\mathbb{C}})$ and the algebra of matrix valued functions $C^\infty(M)\otimes M_n({\mathbb{C}})$. The UV/IR mixing problem of the resulting Yang-Mills-Higgs models is also discussed.Comment: 23 pages, 2 figures. Improved and enlarged version. Some references have been added and updated. Two subsections and a discussion on the appearence of Higgs fiels in noncommutative gauge theories have been adde

Délimiter le Haut-Doubs : entre représentations mentales et limites physiques

Le Haut-Doubs constitue depuis longtemps une entité à part en Franche- Comté. Voisin de la Suisse et partie prenante du massif jurassien, son nom évoque d'abord une terre d'altitude. Mais bien au-delà du relief, le Haut-Doubs se définit par un certain espace vécu, par une relation particulière entre ce territoire et ses habitants

Expectation to Improve Cardiovascular Risk Factors Control in Participants to a Health Promotion Program

Background: We assessed expectations to improve cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVD-RF) in participants to a health promotion program. Participants and Methods: Blood pressure (BP), blood glucose (BG), blood total cholesterol (TC), body mass index (BMI), and self-reported smoking were assessed in 1,598 volunteers from the general public (men: 40%; mean age: 56.7 ± 12.7years) participating in a mobile health promotion program in the Vaud canton, Switzerland. Participants were asked about their expectation to have their CVD-RF improved at a next visit scheduled 2-3years later. Results: Expectation for improved control was found in 90% of participants with elevated BP, 91% with elevated BG, 45% with elevated TC, 44% who were overweight, and 35% who were smoking. Expectation for TC improvement was reported more often by men, persons with high level of TC, and persons who had consulted a doctor in the past 12months. Expectations to lose weight and to quit smoking were found more often in younger persons than the older ones. Conclusion: Volunteers from the general population participating in a health promotion program expected improved control more often for hypertension and dysglycemia than for dyslipidemia, overweight and smokin

Cancer risk in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID).

Inflammation and cancer have a profound yet ambiguous relationship. Inflammation - especially chronic inflammation - has protumorigenic effects, but inflammatory cells also mediate an immune response against the tumor and immunosuppression is known to increase the risk for certain tumors.This article reviews current literature on the role of inflammation in cancer and the cancer risk in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). We discuss the effect on cancer risk of different drug classes used in the treatment of IMIDs treatment, including biologicals such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors.Overall cancer incidence and mortality risk are similar to the general population in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and slightly increased for rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, with risk profiles differing for different tumor types. Increased risk for non-melanoma skin cancer is associated with thiopurine treatment in IBD, with the combination of anti-TNF and methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis and with PUVA, cyclosporine and anti-TNF treatment in psoriasis. Data on the safety of using biologic or immunosuppressant therapy in IMID patients with a history of cancer are scarce.This review provides clinicians with a solid background to help them in making decisions about treatment of immune-mediated diseases in patients with a tumor history.This article is related to another review article in Molecular Cancer: http://www.molecular-cancer.com/content/12/1/86.Peer reviewe

Visibility diagrams and experimental stripe structure in the quantum Hall effect

We analyze various properties of the visibility diagrams that can be used in the context of modular symmetries and confront them to some recent experimental developments in the Quantum Hall Effect. We show that a suitable physical interpretation of the visibility diagrams which permits one to describe successfully the observed architecture of the Quantum Hall states gives rise naturally to a stripe structure reproducing some of the experimental features that have been observed in the study of the quantum fluctuations of the Hall conductance. Furthermore, we exhibit new properties of the visibility diagrams stemming from the structure of subgroups of the full modular group.Comment: 8 pages in plain TeX, 7 figures in a single postscript fil

Modular Groups, Visibility Diagram and Quantum Hall Effect

We consider the action of the modular group $\Gamma (2)$ on the set of positive rational fractions. From this, we derive a model for a classification of fractional (as well as integer) Hall states which can be visualized on two ``visibility" diagrams, the first one being associated with even denominator fractions whereas the second one is linked to odd denominator fractions. We use this model to predict, among some interesting physical quantities, the relative ratios of the width of the different transversal resistivity plateaus. A numerical simulation of the tranversal resistivity plot based on this last prediction fits well with the present experimental data.Comment: 17 pages, plain TeX, 4 eps figures included (macro epsf.tex), 1 figure available from reques

Approche spatiale des inégalités d'exposition environnementale et socioéconomiques Quelle influence sur les inégalités de cancer ? Projet Cancer inégalités régionales, cantonales et environnement (CIRCE)

National audienceINTRODUCTION. La progression de l'incidence du cancer en France et dans les pays développés suscite une interrogation sur l'origine de cette croissance et notamment sur l'importance de la composante environnementale de cette croissance. Les études de corrélations écologiques utilisant les Systèmes d'information géographique (SIG) peuvent apporter un éclairage nouveau sur la relation entre cancer et facteurs environnementaux et socio-économiques. Les objectifs sont de 1) Proposer une méthodologie utilisant des indicateurs permettant de mettre en évidence les inégalités spatiales d'exposition environnementale, de niveau socio-économique et de mortalité par cancer et 2) Comprendre les relations entre cancer et facteurs environnementaux et socioéconomiques en croisant ces données par une étude de corrélation écologique à l'échelle cantonale. MATERIEL/METHODES. A partir des bases de données descriptives de l'environnement, des indicateurs de l'exposition environnementale sont proposés : un indicateur de pollution de l'air à partir du registre européen d'émission des polluants (European pollutant emission register, EPER) pour une cinquantaine de polluants, un indicateur général de contamination des sols à partir de BASIAS, un indicateur de pollution agricole ou urbaine à partir de Corine Land Cover. A partir du recensement INSEE descriptif de la population, l'indice de défaveur sociale de Townsend peut être construit. A partir des données du Centre d'épidémiologie sur les causes médicales de décès (CépiDc) de l'Inserm, le risque relatif de mortalité par cancer a pu être défini. RESULTATS. La région Nord-Pas-de-Calais a été choisie pour illustrer les résultats. Chacun des indicateurs est cartographié à l'échelle des cantons mettant en évidence des disparités géographiques plus ou moins importantes. La carte de l'indice de Townsend fait ressortir la région Lilloise ainsi que le bassin minier comme les zones les plus défavorisées socialement. La cartographie des indices généraux d'exposition environnementale semble faire ressortir ces mêmes zones. Les indicateurs d'exposition à partir d'EPER mettent en évidence de fortes disparités spatiales de l'exposition, et des différences importantes suivant le polluant considéré. Concernant le cancer, les résultats sont variables selon la localisation cancéreuse analysée ; dans le Nord-Pas-de-Calais, les situations récurrentes de surmortalité sont localisées autour des grands pôles. Certains cantons semblent cumuler les inégalités sociales, environnementales et sanitaires. Le croisement de ces données spatialisées par canton permettra de définir les liens éventuels entre cancer, environnement et niveau socio-économique. DISCUSSION ET CONCLUSION. Bien que cette approche comporte quelques limites comme la non prise en compte de la mobilité à court et long terme des populations ou encore les temps de latence relativement long pour le cancer, l'utilisation des SIG dans le cadre d'études de corrélations écologiques apporte une vision nouvelle des disparités spatiales et permettent de mieux comprendre la complexité du lien environnement, social et sant

Automatic morphological sieving: comparison between different methods, application to DNA ploidy measurements

The aim of the present study is to propose alternative automatic methods to time consuming interactive sorting of elements for DNA ploidy measurements. One archival brain tumour and two archival breast carcinoma were studied, corresponding to 7120 elements (3764 nuclei, 3356 debris and aggregates). Three automatic classification methods were tested to eliminate debris and aggregates from DNA ploidy measurements (mathematical morphology (MM), multiparametric analysis (MA) and neural network (NN)). Performances were evaluated by reference to interactive sorting. The results obtained for the three methods concerning the percentage of debris and aggregates automatically removed reach 63, 75 and 85% for MM, MA and NN methods, respectively, with false positive rates of 6, 21 and 25%. In-* Corresponding author. formation about DNA ploidy abnormalities were globally preserved after automatic elimination of debris and aggregates by MM and MA methods as opposed to NN method, showing that automatic classification methods can offer alternatives to tedious interactive elimination of debris and aggregates, for DNA ploidy measurements of archival tumours