532 research outputs found
Hadrons in Nuclei -- from High (200 GeV) to Low (1 GeV) energies
The study of the interaction of hadrons, produced by elementary probes in a
nucleus, with the surrounding nuclear medium can give insight into two
important questions. First, at high energies, the production process, the
time-scales connected with it and the prehadronic interactions can be studied
by using the nuclear radius as a length-scale. We do this here by analyzing
data from the EMC and HERMES experiements on nuclear attenuation. Second, at
low energies the spectral function, and thus the selfenergy of the produced
hadron, can be studied. Specifically, we analyze the CBELSA/TAPS data on
production in nuclei and discuss the importance of understanding
in-medium effects both on the primary production cross section and the final
state branching ratio. In both of these studies an excellent control of the
final state interactions is essential.Comment: Lecture given by U. Mosel at International School of Nuclear Physics:
29th Course: Quarks in Hadrons and Nuclei, Erice, Sicily, Italy, 16-24 Sep
200
It is Hobbes, not Rousseau:an experiment on voting and redistribution
We perform an experiment which provides a laboratory replica of some
important features of the welfare state. In the experiment, all individuals in a group
decide whether to make a costly effort, which produces a random (independent) outcome
for each one of them. The group members then vote on whether to redistribute
the resulting and commonly known total sum of earnings equally amongst themselves.
This game has two equilibria, if played once. In one of them, all players make
effort and there is little redistribution. In the other one, there is no effort and nothingWe thank Iris Bohnet, Tim Cason, David Cooper, John Duffy, Maia Guell, John Van Huyck and Robin Mason for helpful conversations and encouragement. The comments of the Editor and two referees helped improve the paper. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support from Spain’s Ministry of Science and Innovation under grants CONSOLIDER INGENIO 2010 CSD2006-0016 (all authors), ECO2009-10531 (Cabrales), ECO2008-01768 (Nagel) and the Comunidad de Madrid under grant Excelecon (Cabrales), the Generalitat de Catalunya and the CREA program (Nagel), and project SEJ2007-64340 of Spain’s Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (Rodríguez Mora).Publicad
Impurity scattering and transport of fractional Quantum Hall edge state
We study the effects of impurity scattering on the low energy edge state
dynamic s for a broad class of quantum Hall fluids at filling factor , for integer and even integer . When is positive all
of the edge modes are expected to move in the same direction, whereas for
negative one mode moves in a direction opposite to the other modes.
Using a chiral-Luttinger model to describe the edge channels, we show that for
an ideal edge when is negative, a non-quantized and non-universal Hall
conductance is predicted. The non-quantized conductance is associated with an
absence of equilibration between the edge channels. To explain the robust
experimental Hall quantization, it is thus necessary to incorporate impurity
scattering into the model, to allow for edge equilibration. A perturbative
analysis reveals that edge impurity scattering is relevant and will modify the
low energy edge dynamics. We describe a non-perturbative solution for the
random channel edge, which reveals the existence of a new
disorder-dominated phase, characterized by a stable zero temperature
renormalization group fixed point. The phase consists of a single propagating
charge mode, which gives a quantized Hall conductance, and neutral modes.
The neutral modes all propagate at the same speed, and manifest an exact SU(n)
symmetry. At finite temperatures the SU(n) symmetry is broken and the neutral
modes decay with a finite rate which varies as at low temperatures.
Various experimental predictions and implications which follow from the exact
solution are described in detail, focusing on tunneling experiments through
point contacts.Comment: 19 pages (two column), 5 post script figures appended, 3.0 REVTE
Interpolating the Stage of Exponential Expansion in the Early Universe: a possible alternative with no reheating
In the standard picture, the inflationary universe is in a supercooled state
which ends with a short time, large scale reheating period, after which the
universe goes into a radiation dominated stage. An alternative is proposed here
in which the radiation energy density smoothly decreases all during an
inflation-like stage and with no discontinuity enters the subsequent radiation
dominated stage. The scale factor is calculated from standard Friedmann
cosmology in the presence of both radiation and vacuum energy density. A large
class of solutions confirm the above identified regime of non-reheating
inflation-like behavior for observationally consistent expansion factors and
not too large a drop in the radiation energy density. One dynamical realization
of such inflation without reheating is from warm inflation type scenarios.
However the solutions found here are properties of the Einstein equations with
generality beyond slow-roll inflation scenarios. The solutions also can be
continuously interpolated from the non-reheating type behavior to the standard
supercooled limit of exponential expansion, thus giving all intermediate
inflation-like behavior between these two extremes. The temperature of the
universe and the expansion factor are calculated for various cases.
Implications for baryongenesis are discussed. This non-reheating,
inflation-like regime also appears to have some natural features for a universe
that is between nearly flat and open.Comment: 26 pages, Latex, 2 figures, In press Physical Review
Strategic Choices for Redistribution and the Veil of Ignorance: Theory and Experimental Evidence
We provide experimental evidence on the emergence of redistributive societies. Individuals first vote on redistribution by feet and then learn their productivity and invest. We vary the individuals' information about their productivities at the time when they choose a distribution rule and find that there is more redistribution behind a veil of ignorance than under full information. However, the scope of redistribution is less sensitive towards the degree of uncertainty than predicted. For all degrees of uncertainty, we find a coexistence of libertarianism and redistribution as well as incomplete sorting, so that heterogeneous redistribution communities turn out to be sustainable
Annexin II represents metastatic potential in clear-cell renal cell carcinoma
BACKGROUND: Annexin II (ANX2) is a multi-functional protein involved in cell proliferation and membrane physiology and is related to cancer progression. The purpose of this study was to assess ANX2 expression in clear-cell (cc) renal cell carcinoma (RCC)
The effectiveness of a multidisciplinary intervention strategy for the treatment of symptomatic joint hypermobility in childhood:A randomised, single Centre parallel group trial (The Bendy Study)
Introduction: Joint hypermobility is common in childhood and can be associated with musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. Current management is delivered by a multidisciplinary team, but evidence of effectiveness is limited. This clinical trial aimed to determine whether a structured multidisciplinary, multisite intervention resulted in improved clinical outcomes compared with standard care. Method: A prospective randomised, single centre parallel group trial comparing an 8-week individualised multidisciplinary intervention programme (bespoke physiotherapy and occupational therapy in the clinical, home and school environment) with current standard management (advice, information and therapy referral if deemed necessary). The primary endpoint of the study was between group difference in child reported pain from baseline to 12 months as assessed using the Wong Baker faces pain scale. Secondary endpoints were parent reported pain (100 mm visual analogue scale), parent reported function (child health assessment questionnaire), child reported quality of life (child health utility 9-dimensional assessment), coordination (movement assessment battery for children version 2) and grip strength (handheld dynamometer). Results: 119 children aged 5 to 16 years, with symptomatic hypermobility were randomised to receive an individualised multidisciplinary intervention (I) (n = 59) or standard management (S) (n = 60). Of these, 105 completed follow up at 12 months. No additional significant benefit could be shown from the intervention compared to standard management. However, there was a statistically significant improvement in child and parent reported pain, coordination and grip strength in both groups. The response was independent of the degree of hypermobility. Conclusion: This is the first randomised controlled trial to compare a structured multidisciplinary, multisite intervention with standard care in symptomatic childhood hypermobility. For the majority, the provision of education and positive interventions aimed at promoting healthy exercise and self-management was associated with significant benefit without the need for more complex interventions. Trial registration: The trial was registered prospectively with the national database at the Clinical Research Network (UKCRN Portfolio 9366). The trial was registered retrospectively with ISRCTN (ISRCTN86573140)
Highlights from the Pierre Auger Observatory
The Pierre Auger Observatory is the world's largest cosmic ray observatory.
Our current exposure reaches nearly 40,000 km str and provides us with an
unprecedented quality data set. The performance and stability of the detectors
and their enhancements are described. Data analyses have led to a number of
major breakthroughs. Among these we discuss the energy spectrum and the
searches for large-scale anisotropies. We present analyses of our X
data and show how it can be interpreted in terms of mass composition. We also
describe some new analyses that extract mass sensitive parameters from the 100%
duty cycle SD data. A coherent interpretation of all these recent results opens
new directions. The consequences regarding the cosmic ray composition and the
properties of UHECR sources are briefly discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 12 figures, talk given at the 33rd International Cosmic Ray
Conference, Rio de Janeiro 201
PKCα and PKCδ Regulate ADAM17-Mediated Ectodomain Shedding of Heparin Binding-EGF through Separate Pathways
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signalling is initiated by the release of EGFR-ligands from membrane-anchored precursors, a process termed ectodomain shedding. This proteolytic event, mainly executed by A Disintegrin And Metalloproteases (ADAMs), is regulated by a number of signal transduction pathways, most notably those involving protein kinase C (PKC). However, the molecular mechanisms of PKC-dependent ectodomain shedding of EGFR-ligands, including the involvement of specific PKC isoforms and possible functional redundancy, are poorly understood. To address this issue, we employed a cell-based system of PMA-induced PKC activation coupled with shedding of heparin binding (HB)-EGF. In agreement with previous studies, we demonstrated that PMA triggers a rapid ADAM17-mediated release of HB-EGF. However, PMA-treatment also results in a protease-independent loss of cell surface HB-EGF. We identified PKCα as the key participant in the activation of ADAM17 and suggest that it acts in parallel with a pathway linking PKCδ and ERK activity. While PKCα specifically regulated PMA-induced shedding, PKCδ and ERK influenced both constitutive and inducible shedding by apparently affecting the level of HB-EGF on the cell surface. Together, these findings indicate the existence of multiple modes of regulation controlling EGFR-ligand availability and subsequent EGFR signal transduction
Blood pressure, body mass index and risk of cardiovascular disease in Chinese men and women
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is still uncertain whether increased blood pressure (BP) has a stronger effect on the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in lean persons than in obese persons. We tested it using a data set collected from a large cohort of Chinese adults.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Systolic and diastolic BP, body mass index (BMI) and other variables were measured in 169,871 Chinese men and women ≥ 40 years of age in 1991 using standard protocols. Follow-up evaluation was conducted in 1999-2000, with a response rate of 93.4%. Data were analyzed with Cox proportional hazards models.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After adjusted for age, sex, cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, high school education, physical inactivity, geographic region, and urbanization, we found that the effects of systolic or diastolic BP on risk of CVD generally increased with the increasing BMI levels (underweight, normal, overweight, and obese). For example, hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI) per 1- standard deviation (SD) increase in systolic BP within corresponding BMI levels were 1.27(1.21-1.33), 1.45(1.41-1.48), 1.52 (1.45-1.59) and 1.63 (1.51-1.76), respectively. Statistically significant interactions (P < 0.0001) were observed between systolic BP, diastolic BP and BMI in relation to CVD. In baseline hypertensive participants we found both obese men and women had higher risk of CVD than normal-weight persons. The multivariate-adjusted HRs(95%CI) were 1.23(1.03-1.47) and 1.20(1.02-1.40), respectively.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our study suggests that the magnitude of the association between BP and CVD generally increase with increasing BMI. Hypertension should not be regarded as a less serious risk factor in obese than in lean or normal-weight persons in Chinese adults.</p
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