11,415 research outputs found
Relic density and CMB constraints on dark matter annihilation with Sommerfeld enhancement
We calculate how the relic density of dark matter particles is altered when
their annihilation is enhanced by the Sommerfeld mechanism due to a Yukawa
interaction between the annihilating particles. Maintaining a dark matter
abundance consistent with current observational bounds requires the
normalization of the s-wave annihilation cross section to be decreased compared
to a model without enhancement. The level of suppression depends on the
specific parameters of the particle model, with the kinetic decoupling
temperature having the most effect. We find that the cross section can be
reduced by as much as an order of magnitude for extreme cases. We also compute
the mu-type distortion of the CMB energy spectrum caused by energy injection
from such Sommerfeld-enhanced annihilation. Our results indicate that in the
vicinity of resonances, associated with bound states, distortions can be large
enough to be excluded by the upper limit |mu|<9.0x10^(-5) found by the
COBE/FIRAS experiment.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Physical Review D.
Corrections to eqs. 9,10,14 and 16. Figures updated accordingly. No major
changes to previous results. Website with online tools for Sommerfeld-related
calculations can be found at
http://www.mpa-garching.mpg.de/~vogelsma/sommerfeld
Modelling patterns in continuous streams of data
The untapped source of information, extracted from the increasing number of sensors, can be explored to improve and optimize several systems. Yet, hand in hand with this growth goes the increasing difficulty to manage and organize all this new information. The lack of a standard context representation scheme is one of the main struggles in this research area, conventional methods for extracting knowledge from data rely on a standard representation or a priori relation. Which may not be feasible for IoT and M2M scenarios, with this in mind we propose a stream characterization model which aims to provide the foundations for a novel stream similarity metric. Complementing previous work on context organization, we aim to provide an automatic stream organizational model without enforcing specific representations. In this paper we extend our work on stream characterization and devise a novel similarity metho
Ion-lithium collision dynamics studied with an in-ring MOTReMi
We present a novel experimental tool allowing for kinematically complete
studies of break-up processes of laser-cooled atoms. This apparatus, the
'MOTReMi', is a combination of a magneto-optical trap (MOT) and a Reaction
Microscope (ReMi). Operated in an ion-storage ring, the new setup enables to
study the dynamics in swift ion-atom collisions on an unprecedented level of
precision and detail. In first experiments on collisions with 1.5 MeV/amu
O-Li the pure ionization of the valence electron as well as
ionization-excitation of the lithium target has been investigated
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Differential medial temporal lobe morphometric predictors of item- and relational-encoded memories in healthy individuals and in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.
INTRODUCTION:Episodic memory processes are supported by different subregions of the medial temporal lobe (MTL). In contrast to a unitary model of memory recognition supported solely by the hippocampus, a current model suggests that item encoding engages perirhinal cortex, whereas relational encoding engages parahippocampal cortex and the hippocampus. However, this model has not been examined in the context of aging, neurodegeneration, and MTL morphometrics. METHODS:Forty-four healthy subjects (HSs) and 18 cognitively impaired subjects (nine mild cognitive impairment [MCI] and nine Alzheimer's disease [AD] patients) were assessed with the relational and item-specific encoding task (RISE) and underwent 3T magnetic resonance imaging. The RISE assessed the differential contribution of relational and item-specific memory. FreeSurfer was used to obtain measures of cortical thickness of MTL regions and hippocampus volume. RESULTS:Memory accuracies for both item and relational memory were significantly better in the HS group than in the MCI/AD group. In MCI/AD group, relational memory was disproportionately impaired. In HSs, hierarchical regressions demonstrated that memory was predicted by perirhinal thickness after item encoding, and by hippocampus volume after relational encoding (both at trend level) and significantly by parahippocampal thickness at associative recognition. The same brain morphometry profiles predicted memory accuracy in MCI/AD, although more robustly perirhinal thickness for item encoding (R2 = 0.31) and hippocampal volume and parahippocampal thickness for relational encoding (R2 = 0.31). DISCUSSION:Our results supported a model of episodic memory in which item-specific encoding was associated with greater perirhinal cortical thickness, while relational encoding was associated with parahippocampal thickness and hippocampus volume. We identified these relationships not only in HSs but also in individuals with MCI and AD. In the subjects with cognitive impairment, reductions in hippocampal volume and impairments in relational memory were especially prominent
Virtual, Distributed Courses to Teach Global Software Engineering
In addition to knowledge of distributed project management techniques, software engineering courses need to teach students the intercultural communication skills necessary to cooperate effectively with team members from different cultural backgrounds. Because many students do not have the time or financial resources to spend a semester in a foreign country, participation in virtual, distributed courses at their home universities can provide opportunities to gain international experiences for a larger group of students. Experiences, results and lessons learned from several iterations of distributed, virtual courses conducted between universities in Mongolia, Mexico, Japan and Germany are presented. Instead of classic, instructor-based lectures, a project-based learning approach was implemented to simulate a real-world, global software engineering project
Control of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, a neglected disease: results of a control programme in Satipo Province, Peru.
Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL) is an important health problem in many rural areas of Latin America, but there are few data on the results of programmatic approaches to control the disease. We report the results of a control programme in San Martin de Pangoa District, which reports one of the highest prevalences of MCL in Peru. For 2 years (2001--2002), the technicians at the health post were trained in patient case management, received medical support and were supplied with antimonials. An evaluation after 2 years showed the following main achievements: better diagnosis of patients, who were confirmed by microscopy in 34% (82/240) of the cases in 2001 and 60% of the cases (153/254) in 2002; improved follow-up during treatment: 237 of 263 (90%) patients who initiated an antimonial therapy ended the full treatment course; improved follow-up after treatment: 143 of 237 (60%) patients who ended their full treatment were correctly monitored during the required period of 6 (cutaneous cases) or 12 (mucosal cases) months after the end of treatment. These achievements were largely due to the human and logistical resources made available, the constant availability of medications and the close collaboration between the Ministry of Health, a national research institute and an international non-governmental organization. At the end of this period, the health authorities decided to register a generic brand of sodium stibogluconate, which is now in use. This should allow the treatment of a significant number of additional patients, while saving money to invest in other facets of the case management
Influence of the external pressure on the quantum correlations of molecular magnets
The study of quantum correlations in solid state systems is a large avenue
for research and their detection and manipulation are an actual challenge to
overcome. In this context, we show by using first-principles calculations on
the prototype material KNaCuSiO that the degree of quantum
correlations in this spin cluster system can be managed by external hydrostatic
pressure. Our results open the doors for research in detection and manipulation
of quantum correlations in magnetic systems with promising applications in
quantum information science
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