J/\Psi N and Psi' N total cross sections from photoproduction data: failure of vector dominance

Values for the cross sections $\sigma^{\Psi N}_{tot}$ and $\sigma^{\Psi' N}_{tot}$ are of crucial importance, once one wants to understand nuclear suppression of $J/\Psi$($\Psi'$) in a search for the quark gluon plasma. Quoted values are usually extracted from $\gamma N \to J/\Psi(\Psi') N$ data via the vector dominance model (VDM) and are very small compared with expectations from QCD. The validity of QCD is questioned. When the VDM is extended to a multi-channel case, the $\gamma N$ data lead to a value $2.8\pm 0.12 mb <\sigma_{tot}^{\Psi N}(\sqrt{s}= 10 GeV) < 4.1\pm 0.15 mb$, which is a factor 3 larger than the VDM prediction. Errors are due to experimental input, and the corridor shows the theoretical uncertainty. We also derive from the data $\sigma_{tot}^{\Psi' N}/\sigma_{tot}^{J/\Psi N}\approx 4$, where we could not estimate the theoretical uncertainty.Comment: 13 pages, 2 Postscript figure

Tracking defect-induced ferromagnetism in GaN:Gd

We report on the magnetic properties of GaN:Gd layers grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). A poor reproducibility with respect to the magnetic properties is found in these samples. Our results show strong indications that defects with a concentration of the order of 10^19 cm^-3 might play an important role for the magnetic properties. Positron annihilation spectroscopy does not support the suggested connection between the ferromagnetism and the Ga vacancy in GaN:Gd. Oxygen co-doping of GaN:Gd promotes ferromagnetism at room temperature and points to a role of oxygen for mediating ferromagnetic interactions in Gd doped GaN

Contextual cropping and scaling of TV productions

This is the author's accepted manuscript. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11042-011-0804-3. Copyright @ Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011.In this paper, an application is presented which automatically adapts SDTV (Standard Definition Television) sports productions to smaller displays through intelligent cropping and scaling. It crops regions of interest of sports productions based on a smart combination of production metadata and systematic video analysis methods. This approach allows a context-based composition of cropped images. It provides a differentiation between the original SD version of the production and the processed one adapted to the requirements for mobile TV. The system has been comprehensively evaluated by comparing the outcome of the proposed method with manually and statically cropped versions, as well as with non-cropped versions. Envisaged is the integration of the tool in post-production and live workflows

Scientific mindfulness: a foundation for future themes in international business

We conceptualize new ways to qualify what themes should dominate the future IB research agenda by examining three questions: Whom should we ask? What should we ask and which selection criteria should we apply? What are the contextual forces? We propose scientific mindfulness as the way forward for generating themes in IB research

Arsenic exposure and outcomes of antimonial treatment in visceral leishmaniasis patients in bihar, India:a retrospective cohort study

Funding: This work was supported by a Clinical PhD Fellowship to MRP (090665) and a Principal Research Fellowship to AHF (079838) from the Wellcome Trust (http://www.wellcome.ac.uk). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

An Elementary Quantum Network of Single Atoms in Optical Cavities

Quantum networks are distributed quantum many-body systems with tailored topology and controlled information exchange. They are the backbone of distributed quantum computing architectures and quantum communication. Here we present a prototype of such a quantum network based on single atoms embedded in optical cavities. We show that atom-cavity systems form universal nodes capable of sending, receiving, storing and releasing photonic quantum information. Quantum connectivity between nodes is achieved in the conceptually most fundamental way: by the coherent exchange of a single photon. We demonstrate the faithful transfer of an atomic quantum state and the creation of entanglement between two identical nodes in independent laboratories. The created nonlocal state is manipulated by local qubit rotation. This efficient cavity-based approach to quantum networking is particularly promising as it offers a clear perspective for scalability, thus paving the way towards large-scale quantum networks and their applications.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Identification, release and olfactory detection of bile salts in the intestinal fluid of the Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis)

Olfactory sensitivity to bile salts is wide-spread in teleosts; however, which bile salts are released in suYcient quantities to be detected is unclear. The current study identiWed bile salts in the intestinal and bile Xuids of Solea senegalensis by mass spectrometry–liquid chromatography and assessed their olfactory potency by the electro-olfactogram

The Maltase Involved in Starch Metabolism in Barley Endosperm Is Encoded by a Single Gene

During germination and early seedling growth of barley (Hordeum vulgare), maltase is responsible for the conversion of maltose produced by starch degradation in the endosperm to glucose for seedling growth. Despite the potential relevance of this enzyme for malting and the production of alcoholic beverages, neither the nature nor the role of maltase is fully understood. Although only one gene encoding maltase has been identified with certainty, there is evidence for the existence of other genes and for multiple forms of the enzyme. It has been proposed that maltase may be involved directly in starch granule degradation as well as in maltose hydrolysis. The aim of our work was to discover the nature of maltase in barley endosperm. We used ion exchange chromatography to fractionate maltase activity from endosperm of young seedlings, and we partially purified activity for protein identification. We compared maltase activity in wild-type barley and transgenic lines with reduced expression of the previously-characterised maltase gene Agl97, and we used genomic and transcriptomic information to search for further maltase genes. We show that all of the maltase activity in the barley endosperm can be accounted for by a single gene, Agl97. Multiple forms of the enzyme most likely arise from proteolysis and other post-translational modifications

Auto-aggressive metallic mercury injection around the knee joint: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Accidental or intentional subcutaneous and/or intramuscular injection of metallic mercury is an uncommon form of poisoning. Although it does not carry the same risk as mercury vapour inhalation, it may cause destructive early and late reactions.</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>Herein we present the case of a 29-year-old male patient who developed an obsessive-compulsive disorder causing auto-aggressive behaviour with injection of elemental mercury and several other foreign bodies into the soft tissues around the left knee about 15 years before initial presentation. For clinical examination X-rays and a CT-scan of the affected area were performed. Furthermore, blood was taken to determine the mercury concentration in the blood, which showed a concentration 17-fold higher than recommended. As a consequence, the mercury depots and several foreign bodies were resected marginally.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Blood levels of mercury will decrease rapidly following surgery, especially in combination with chelating therapy. In case of subcutaneous and intramuscular injection of metallic mercury we recommend marginal or wide excision of all contaminated tissue to prevent migration of mercury and chronic inflammation. Nevertheless, prolonged clinical and biochemical monitoring should be performed for several years to screen for chronic intoxication.</p

Ranking protected areas in the Azores using standardised sampling of soil epigean arthropods

Copyright © Springer 2005.Nineteen areas in seven of the nine Azorean islands were evaluated for species diversity and rarity based on soil epigean arthropods. Fifteen out of the 19 study areas are managed as Natural Forest Reserves and the remaining four were included due to their importance as indigenous forest cover. Four of the 19 areas are not included in the European Conservation network, NATURA 2000. Two sampling replicates were run per study area, and a total of 191 species were collected; 43 of those species (23%) are endemic to the archipelago and 12 have yet to be described. To produce an unbiased multiple-criteria index (importance value for conservation, IV-C) incorporating diversity and rarity based indices, an iterative partial multiple regression analysis was performed. In addition, an irreplaceability index and the complementarity method (using both optimisation and heuristic methods) were used for priority-reserves analyses. It was concluded that at least one well-managed reserve per island is absolutely necessary to have a good fraction of the endemic arthropods preserved. We found that for presence/absence data the suboptimal complementarity algorithm provides solutions as good as the optimal algorithm. For abundance data, optimal solutions indicate that most reserves are needed if we want that at least 50% of endemic arthropod populations are represented in a minimum set of reserves. Consistently, two of the four areas not included in the NATURA 2000 framework were considered of high priority, indicating that vascular plants and bird species used to determine NATURA 2000 sites are not good surrogates of arthropod diversity in the Azores. The most irreplaceable reserves are those located in older islands, which indicates that geological history plays an important role in explaining faunal diversity of arthropods in the Azores. Based both on the uniqueness of species composition and high species richness, conservation efforts should be focused on the unmanaged Pico Alto region in the archipelago’s oldest island, Santa Maria