3,603 research outputs found
CP and Lepton-Number Violation in GUT Neutrino Models with Abelian Flavour Symmetries
We study the possible magnitudes of CP and lepton-number-violating quantities
in specific GUT models of massive neutrinos with different Abelian flavour
groups, taking into account experimental constraints and requiring successful
leptogenesis. We discuss SU(5) and flipped SU(5) models that are consistent
with the present data on neutrino mixing and upper limits on the violations of
charged-lepton flavours and explore their predictions for the CP-violating
oscillation and Majorana phases. In particular, we discuss string-derived
flipped SU(5) models with selection rules that modify the GUT structure and
provide additional constraints on the operators, which are able to account for
the magnitudes of some of the coefficients that are often set as arbitrary
parameters in generic Abelian models.Comment: 30 pages, 6 figure
Gas chromatographic determination of gallopamil and norgallopamil in human plasma
A highly sensitive gas chromatographic assay is described for the simultaneous determination of gallopamil, a calcium channel blocking agent, and its major metabolite, norgallopamil. A multi-step extraction procedure is employed followed by on-column capillary gas chromatographic analysis using nitrogen-selective detection. Acetylation of norgallopamil is performed to enable accurate quantification of the metabolite. Linearity was achieved over the range 1-50 ng/ml for both analytes. Assay specificity, precision and accuracy were investigated.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/28122/1/0000572.pd
Mammalian biogeography and the Ebola virus in Africa
ABSTRACT 1. Ebola virus is responsible for the fatal Ebola virus disease (EVD). 2. Identifying the distribution area of the Ebola virus is crucial for understanding risk factors conditioning the emergence of new EVD cases. Existing distribution models have underrepresented the potential contribution that reservoir species and vulnerable species make in sustaining the presence of the virus. 3. In this paper, we map favourable areas for Ebola virus in Africa according to environmental and zoogeographic descriptors, independent of human-to-human transmissions. We combine two different biogeographic approaches: analysis of mammalian distribution types (chorotypes), and distribution modelling of the Ebola virus. 4. We first obtain a model defining the distribution of environmentally favourabl
The Development of Linguistic Competences for Employability: A Training Project for Teachers
AbstractEmployability is a new concept that has just appeared in the Spanish educational system. Its rising importance is due to European Union educational policies which aim to provide young people with training that enables them to take part successfully in the present and future working world.This paper argues for the need to develop employability from the very start of formal education, and within this, we highlight the importance of developing linguistic competence among pre-school and primary pupils as a key element for favouring employability.To be able to do so, the teaching staff must be trained using quality education to enable them to work effectively on this competence. In this paper we present how a training program, with a specific European dimension, has been designed by a state school from the Valencian Community, to serve as a model for other schools concerned about the development of a linguistic competence that helps to improve both teachers’ and pupils’ employability
The Carnegie Supernova Project: First Near-Infrared Hubble Diagram to z~0.7
The Carnegie Supernova Project (CSP) is designed to measure the luminosity
distance for Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) as a function of redshift, and to set
observational constraints on the dark energy contribution to the total energy
content of the Universe. The CSP differs from other projects to date in its
goal of providing an I-band {rest-frame} Hubble diagram. Here we present the
first results from near-infrared (NIR) observations obtained using the Magellan
Baade telescope for SNe Ia with 0.1 < z < 0.7. We combine these results with
those from the low-redshift CSP at z <0.1 (Folatelli et al. 2009). We present
light curves and an I-band Hubble diagram for this first sample of 35 SNe Ia
and we compare these data to 21 new SNe Ia at low redshift. These data support
the conclusion that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating. When
combined with independent results from baryon acoustic oscillations (Eisenstein
et al. 2005), these data yield Omega_m = 0.27 +/- 0.0 (statistical), and
Omega_DE = 0.76 +/- 0.13 (statistical) +/- 0.09 (systematic), for the matter
and dark energy densities, respectively. If we parameterize the data in terms
of an equation of state, w, assume a flat geometry, and combine with baryon
acoustic oscillations, we find that w = -1.05 +/- 0.13 (statistical) +/- 0.09
(systematic). The largest source of systematic uncertainty on w arises from
uncertainties in the photometric calibration, signaling the importance of
securing more accurate photometric calibrations for future supernova cosmology
programs. Finally, we conclude that either the dust affecting the luminosities
of SNe Ia has a different extinction law (R_V = 1.8) than that in the Milky Way
(where R_V = 3.1), or that there is an additional intrinsic color term with
luminosity for SNe Ia independent of the decline rate.Comment: 44 pages, 23 figures, 9 tables; Accepted for publication in the
Astrophysical Journa
Radio-frequency capacitive gate-based sensing
Developing fast, accurate, and scalable techniques for quantum-state readout is an active area in semiconductor-based quantum computing. Here, we present results on dispersive sensing of silicon corner state quantum dots coupled to lumped-element electrical resonators via the gate. The gate capacitance of the quantum device is placed in parallel with a superconducting spiral inductor resulting in resonators with loaded Q factors in the 400-800 range. We utilize resonators operating at 330 and 616 MHz, and achieve charge sensitivities of 7.7 and 1.3μe/Hz, respectively. We perform a parametric study of the resonator to reveal its optimal operation points and perform a circuit analysis to determine the best resonator design. The results place gate-based sensing on a par with the best reported radio-frequency single-electron transistor sensitivities while providing a fast and compact method for quantum-state readout
The Seventh Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
This paper describes the Seventh Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
(SDSS), marking the completion of the original goals of the SDSS and the end of
the phase known as SDSS-II. It includes 11663 deg^2 of imaging data, with most
of the roughly 2000 deg^2 increment over the previous data release lying in
regions of low Galactic latitude. The catalog contains five-band photometry for
357 million distinct objects. The survey also includes repeat photometry over
250 deg^2 along the Celestial Equator in the Southern Galactic Cap. A
coaddition of these data goes roughly two magnitudes fainter than the main
survey. The spectroscopy is now complete over a contiguous area of 7500 deg^2
in the Northern Galactic Cap, closing the gap that was present in previous data
releases. There are over 1.6 million spectra in total, including 930,000
galaxies, 120,000 quasars, and 460,000 stars. The data release includes
improved stellar photometry at low Galactic latitude. The astrometry has all
been recalibrated with the second version of the USNO CCD Astrograph Catalog
(UCAC-2), reducing the rms statistical errors at the bright end to 45
milli-arcseconds per coordinate. A systematic error in bright galaxy photometr
is less severe than previously reported for the majority of galaxies. Finally,
we describe a series of improvements to the spectroscopic reductions, including
better flat-fielding and improved wavelength calibration at the blue end,
better processing of objects with extremely strong narrow emission lines, and
an improved determination of stellar metallicities. (Abridged)Comment: 20 pages, 10 embedded figures. Accepted to ApJS after minor
correction
Pan-Cancer Analysis of lncRNA Regulation Supports Their Targeting of Cancer Genes in Each Tumor Context
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are commonly dys-regulated in tumors, but only a handful are known toplay pathophysiological roles in cancer. We inferredlncRNAs that dysregulate cancer pathways, onco-genes, and tumor suppressors (cancer genes) bymodeling their effects on the activity of transcriptionfactors, RNA-binding proteins, and microRNAs in5,185 TCGA tumors and 1,019 ENCODE assays.Our predictions included hundreds of candidateonco- and tumor-suppressor lncRNAs (cancerlncRNAs) whose somatic alterations account for thedysregulation of dozens of cancer genes and path-ways in each of 14 tumor contexts. To demonstrateproof of concept, we showed that perturbations tar-geting OIP5-AS1 (an inferred tumor suppressor) andTUG1 and WT1-AS (inferred onco-lncRNAs) dysre-gulated cancer genes and altered proliferation ofbreast and gynecologic cancer cells. Our analysis in-dicates that, although most lncRNAs are dysregu-lated in a tumor-specific manner, some, includingOIP5-AS1, TUG1, NEAT1, MEG3, and TSIX, synergis-tically dysregulate cancer pathways in multiple tumorcontexts
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