Combinations of single-top-quark production cross-section measurements and vertical bar f(LV)V(tb)vertical bar determinations at root s=7 and 8 TeV with the ATLAS and CMS experiments

This paper presents the combinations of single-top-quark production cross-section measurements by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations, using data from LHC proton-proton collisions at = 7 and 8 TeV corresponding to integrated luminosities of 1.17 to 5.1 fb(-1) at = 7 TeV and 12.2 to 20.3 fb(-1) at = 8 TeV. These combinations are performed per centre-of-mass energy and for each production mode: t-channel, tW, and s-channel. The combined t-channel cross-sections are 67.5 +/- 5.7 pb and 87.7 +/- 5.8 pb at = 7 and 8 TeV respectively. The combined tW cross-sections are 16.3 +/- 4.1 pb and 23.1 +/- 3.6 pb at = 7 and 8 TeV respectively. For the s-channel cross-section, the combination yields 4.9 +/- 1.4 pb at = 8 TeV. The square of the magnitude of the CKM matrix element V-tb multiplied by a form factor f(LV) is determined for each production mode and centre-of-mass energy, using the ratio of the measured cross-section to its theoretical prediction. It is assumed that the top-quark-related CKM matrix elements obey the relation |V-td|, |V-ts| << |V-tb|. All the |f(LV)V(tb)|(2) determinations, extracted from individual ratios at = 7 and 8 TeV, are combined, resulting in |f(LV)V(tb)| = 1.02 +/- 0.04 (meas.) +/- 0.02 (theo.). All combined measurements are consistent with their corresponding Standard Model predictions.Peer reviewe

Association of Variants in the SPTLC1 Gene With Juvenile Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Importance: Juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a rare form of ALS characterized by age of symptom onset less than 25 years and a variable presentation.Objective: To identify the genetic variants associated with juvenile ALS.Design, Setting, and Participants: In this multicenter family-based genetic study, trio whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify the disease-associated gene in a case series of unrelated patients diagnosed with juvenile ALS and severe growth retardation. The patients and their family members were enrolled at academic hospitals and a government research facility between March 1, 2016, and March 13, 2020, and were observed until October 1, 2020. Whole-exome sequencing was also performed in a series of patients with juvenile ALS. A total of 66 patients with juvenile ALS and 6258 adult patients with ALS participated in the study. Patients were selected for the study based on their diagnosis, and all eligible participants were enrolled in the study. None of the participants had a family history of neurological disorders, suggesting de novo variants as the underlying genetic mechanism.Main Outcomes and Measures: De novo variants present only in the index case and not in unaffected family members.Results: Trio whole-exome sequencing was performed in 3 patients diagnosed with juvenile ALS and their parents. An additional 63 patients with juvenile ALS and 6258 adult patients with ALS were subsequently screened for variants in the SPTLC1 gene. De novo variants in SPTLC1 (p.Ala20Ser in 2 patients and p.Ser331Tyr in 1 patient) were identified in 3 unrelated patients diagnosed with juvenile ALS and failure to thrive. A fourth variant (p.Leu39del) was identified in a patient with juvenile ALS where parental DNA was unavailable. Variants in this gene have been previously shown to be associated with autosomal-dominant hereditary sensory autonomic neuropathy, type 1A, by disrupting an essential enzyme complex in the sphingolipid synthesis pathway.Conclusions and Relevance: These data broaden the phenotype associated with SPTLC1 and suggest that patients presenting with juvenile ALS should be screened for variants in this gene.</p

A new long-spined dinosaur from Patagonia sheds light on sauropod defense system

Abstract Dicraeosaurids are a group of sauropod dinosaurs characterized by a distinctive vertebral column with paired, long, neural spines, present in an extreme fashion in the South American form Amargasaurus cazaui. This distinctive morphology has been interpreted as a support structure for a thermoregulatory sail, a padded crest for display, a dorsal hump acting as fat reservoir, and even as inner cores for dorsal horns. Other inferred functions (if any) of this structure were related to sexual display and/or defense strategies. Here we describe a new dicraeosaurid sauropod, Bajadasaurus pronuspinax gen. et sp. nov., from Patagonia which preserves the most complete skull of the group and has extremely elongate bifid cervical neural spines that point permanently forward, irrespective of the neck position. Although much shorter versions of this neural spine configuration were already recorded for other dicraeosaurid taxa, the long, anteriorly bent spines of this new dinosaur support the hypothesis that these elongate spines of dicraeosaurid sauropods served as passive defense structures

A bizarre Cretaceous theropod dinosaur from Patagonia and the evolution of Gondwanan dromaeosaurids

Fossils of a predatory dinosaur provide novel information about the evolution of unenlagiines, a poorly known group of dromaeosaurid theropods from Gondwana. The new dinosaur is the largest dromaeosaurid yet discovered in the Southern Hemisphere and depicts bizarre cranial and postcranial features. Its long and low snout bears numerous, small-sized conical teeth, a condition resembling spinosaurid theropods. Its short forearms depart from the characteristically long-armed condition of all dromaeosaurids and their close avian relatives. The new discovery amplifies the range of morphological disparity among unenlagiines, demonstrating that by the end of the Cretaceous this clade included large, short-armed forms alongside crow-sized, long-armed, possibly flying representatives. The new dinosaur is the youngest record of dromaeosaurids from Gondwana and represents a previously unrecognized lineage of large predators in Late Cretaceous dinosaur faunas mainly dominated by abelisaurid theropods

Ichnology in deltaic mouth bar systems of the Lajas Formation (Middle Jurassic) in Sierra de la Vaca Muerta, Neuquén Basin, Argentina.

Ichnologic and sedimentologic studies of the Lajas Formation (Middle Jurassic) in Sierra de la Vaca Muerta allowed the recognitionof two different types of deltaic mouth bars, each of them showing trace fossil suites with different characteristics. Type I deltaic mouth barsconsist of fine to coarse sandstones and fine conglomerates completely reworked by fair-weather and storm wave action, revealing a predominance of basinal hydraulic processes (e.g., waves) during bar construction and progradation. Trace fossil assemblages are composed ofOphiomorpha and Haentzschelinia in the foreset beds, and Polykladichnus, Skolithos, and Arenicolites in the topset beds. Type II deltaic mouth barscomprise sandstones that are fine to coarse and massive or present high angle cross-stratification and current ripples migrating in the opposite direction to the inclination of the foresets. These bars are interpreted to have been deposited during intervals of extraordinary fluvial discharge when wave action was restricted to the topset part of the bars. Whereas equilibrium trace fossils occur in the bottomset beds, escapetrace fossils and Ophiomorpha are recorded in the distal foreset beds. In the topset beds, Skolithos and Polykladichnus specimens are very abundant. In general, the two types of mouth bars show low diversity, low abundance of trace fossils and a simple tiering structure. Such traitsreflect environmental stresses mainly produced by fluctuating hydraulic energy, salinity, sediment input and high mobility of the substrate.Key words. Trace fossil. Fluvio-dominated delta. Wave action. Skolithos ichnofacies.Estudios sedimentológicos e icnológicos de la Formación Lajas (Jurásico medio) en la Sierra de la Vaca Muerta, permitieron reconocer dos tipos de barras de desembocadura deltaicas (Tipo I y Tipo II), con suites de trazas fósiles características. Las barras de Tipo I están compuestas por areniscas finas a gruesas y conglomerados finos, completamente retrabajados por oleaje de buen tiempo y tormenta, sugiriendo que los procesos cuencales (e.g. oleaje) fueron dominantes durante la construcción y progradación de las mismas. Las trazas fósiles están principalmente compuestas por Ophiomorpha y Haentzschelinia en las capas de foreset, y Polykladichnus, Skolithos y Arenicolites en las capas de topset. Las barras de Tipo II comprenden depósitos de areniscas finas a gruesas masivas o con estratificación entrecruzada de alto ángulo, y óndulas de corriente migrando en dirección opuesta a la migración de las caras de avalancha. Estas barras fueron depositadas durante intervalos de descargas fluviales extraordinarias, estando el retrabajo de oleaje restringido a las capas del topset. Estructuras de equilibrio ocurren en las capas del bottomset, trazas de escape y Ophiomorpha en las capas del foreset distal y abundantes especímenes de Skolithos y Polykladichnus en las capas del topset. Como característica general, los dos tipos de barras muestran baja diversidad y abundancia de trazas fósiles y un patrón de escalonamiento simple. Esto refleja un importante estrés ambiental principalmente generado por las fluctuaciones hidráulicas en la energía, salinidad y el aporte de sedimentos, así como por la alta movilidad del sustrato en el sistema.Fil: Canale, Nerina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; ArgentinaFil: Ponce, Juan Jose. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; ArgentinaFil: Carmona, Noelia Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigación en Paleobiología y Geología; ArgentinaFil: Drittanti, Daniel I.. Universidad Nacional del Sur; Argentin

Photographs and half-tone drawings of the anterior caudal vertebrae of <i>Leinkupal laticauda</i>, gen. n. sp. n. (MMCH-Pv 63).

<p>Caudal 1-2? in (A) lateral and (B) posterior views. Caudal 7? in (C) lateral and (D) anterior views (reversed). Abbreviations: pf, pneumatic fossa; podl, postzygodiapophyseal lamina; poz, postzygapophysis; prdl, prezygodiapophyseal lamina; prsl, prespinal lamina; prz, prezygapophysis; sprl, spinoprezygapophyseal lamina; spol, spinopostzygapophyseal lamina; tp, transverse process. Scale bar equals 10 cm.</p

Photographs and half-tone drawings of the cervical and dorsal vertebrae of <i>Leinkupal laticauda</i>, gen. n. sp. n. (MMCH-Pv 63).

<p>Cervical 6? in (A) lateral and (B) posterior views. Cervical 8? in (C) lateral and (D) ventral views. Cervical 11? in (E) lateral and (F) dorsal views (reversed). Dorsal 2? in (G) lateral and (H) anterior views (reversed). Abbreviations: cprf, centroprezygapophyseal fossa; dia, diapophysis; hns, hemi neural spine; mt, median tubercle; nc, neural canal; pcdl, posterior centrodiapophyseal lamina; pf, pneumatic fossa; pocdf, postzygapophyseal centrodiapophyseal fossa; podl, postzygodiapophyseal lamina; poz, postzygapophysis; pp, parapophyses; prdl, prezygodiapophyseal lamina; prz, prezygapophysis; pvf, posteroventral flanges; sdf, spinodiapophyseal fossa. Scale bar equals 10 cm.</p

Phylogenetic position of <i>Leinkupal laticauda</i>, gen. n. sp. n.

<p>(A) Strict consensus tree recovered after the inclusion of <i>Leinkupal laticauda</i> in a published data matrix focused on Diplodocoidea relationships <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0097128#pone.0097128-Mannion3" target="_blank">[21]</a>. (B) Most parsimonious tree recovered after the inclusion of <i>Leinkupal laticauda</i> in another published data matrix focused on Diplodocidae relationships <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0097128#pone.0097128-Tschopp1" target="_blank">[22]</a>. Support values (Bremer/Bootstrap) of principal nodes are in brackets.</p

Appendicular osteology of <i>Skorpiovenator bustingorryi</i> (Theropoda, Abelisauridae) with comments on phylogenetic features of abelisaurids

Skorpiovenator bustingorryi is a derived abelisaurid theropod represented by a fairly complete skeleton from the Late Cretaceous sedimentary beds of north-western Patagonia. Although some features were described in the original paper, mainly related to the skull, the appendicular anatomy remains undescribed. The aim of the present contribution is to provide a detailed description and analysis of the available appendicular bones, including comparisons with other ceratosaurian theropods close to Skorpiovenator. In this way, new autapomorphies emerged to further distinguish Skorpiovenator from its relatives. Furthermore, a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis was performed and several characteristics of the hind limb, in particular some of the autopodium, resulted in the identification of new apomorphic traits for Ceratosauria and Abelisauridae. These features might prove to be useful for future phylogenetic analyses and may help to resolve the still confusing and debated internal relationships of abelisaurid theropods.</p