The insemination window provides a distorted view of sperm competition in birds

The aim of this study is to identify and rectify a misunderstanding about the optimal timing of inseminations in birds. In species laying clutches of more that one egg, a copulation during the hour following egg-laying can result in sperm reaching the site of fertilization in time to fertilize the next egg to be laid. Cheng et al. (1983) referred to this period as the insemination window and proposed that it was an 'espcially favourable period' for males to obtain extra-pair copulations. As stated in their paper, this is true only in terms of the next ovum to be fertilized, but subsequent authors assumed that the insemination window represents a general peak in female fertility and have made predictions about the optimal timing of extra-pair behaviours and paternity guards relative to it. Far from being a general peak in female fertilty, we show by a re-analysis of Cheng et al.s data and by using published information on the domestic fowl Gallus domesticus, turkey Gallopavo meleagris and Muscovy duck Cairina Moschata, that inseminations either just after egg laying or just before it are much less likely overall to result in fertilization than inseminations made at other times. The reduced efficacy of inseminations made close to the time of egg-laying occurs because the retention of sperm by females inseminated at this time is low. The fact that inseminations made around the time of the egg laying in the domestic fowl, turkey and Muscovy duck have a reduced probability of fertilization is consistent with the fact that very few wild birds,even those in which sperm competition is intense, alter their copulation or mate guarding behaviour during the insemination window

Ionizing radiation absorption of vascular surgeons during endovascular procedures

ObjectiveEndovascular procedures have become an integral part of a vascular surgeon’s practice. The exposure of surgeons to ionizing radiation and other safety issues have not been well studied. We investigated the radiation exposure of a team of vascular surgeons in an active endovascular unit and compared yearly dosages absorbed by various body parts among different surgeons. Patients’ radiation exposure was also assessed.MethodsThe radiation absorption of a team of vascular surgeons was prospectively monitored in a 12-month period. During each endovascular procedure, the effective body, eye, and hand radiation doses of all participating surgeons were measured by mini-thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) attached at the chest level under a lead apron, at the forehead at eye level, and at the hand. The type of procedure, fluoroscopy machine, fluoroscopy time, and personal and operating theatre radiation protection devices used in each procedure were also recorded. One TLD was attached to the patient’s body near the operative site to measure the patient’s dose. The yearly effective body, eye, and hand dose were compared with the safety limits of radiation for occupational exposure recommended by the International Commission on Radiation Protection (ICRP). The radiation absorption of various body parts per minute of fluoroscopy was compared among different surgeons.ResultsA total of 149 consecutive endovascular procedures were performed, including 30 endovascular aortic repairs (EVAR), 58 arteriograms with and without embolization (AGM), and 61 percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stent (PTA/S) procedures. The cumulative fluoroscopy time was 1132 minutes. The median yearly effective body, eye, and hand dose for the surgeons were 0.20 mSv (range, 0.13 to 0.27 mSv), 0.19 mSv (range, 0.10 to 0.33 mSv) and 0.99 mSv (0.29 to 1.84 mSv) respectively, which were well below the safety limits of the ICRP. The mean body, eye, and hand dose of the chief surgeon per procedure were highest for EVAR. A significant discrepancy was observed for the average hand dose per minute of fluoroscopy among different surgeons. The mean radiation absorption of patients who underwent EVAR, AGM, and PTA/S was 12.7 mSv, 13.6 mSv, and 3.4 mSv, respectively.ConclusionWith current radiation protection practice, the radiation absorbed by vascular surgeons with a high endovascular workload did not exceed the safety limits recommended by ICRP. Variations in practice, however, can result in significant discrepancy of radiation absorption between surgeons

Final State Rescattering and Color-suppressed \bar B^0-> D^{(*)0} h^0 Decays

The color-suppressed \bar B^0-> D^{(*)0}\pi^0, D^{(*)0}\eta, D^0\omega decay modes have just been observed for the first time. The rates are all larger than expected, hinting at the presence of final state interactions. Considering \bar B^0-> D^{(*)0}\pi^0 mode alone, an elastic D^{(*)}\pi -> D^{(*)}\pi rescattering phase difference \delta \equiv \delta_{1/2} - \delta_{3/2} \sim 30^\circ would suffice, but the \bar B^0-> D^{(*)0}\eta, D^0\omega modes compel one to extend the elastic formalism to SU(3) symmetry. We find that a universal a_2/a_1=0.25 and two strong phase differences 20^\circ \sim \theta < \delta < \delta^\prime \sim 50^\circ can describe both DP and D^*P modes rather well; the large phase of order 50^\circ is needed to account for the strength of {\it both} the D^{(*)0}\pi^0 and D^{(*)0}\eta modes. For DV modes, the nonet symmetry reduces the number of physical phases to just one, giving better predictive power. Two solutions are found. We predict the rates of the \bar B^0-> D^{+}_s K^-, D^{*+}_s K^-, D^0\rho^0, D^+_s K^{*-} and D^0\phi modes, as well as \bar B^0-> D^{0}\bar K^0, D^{*0}\bar K^0, D^{0}\bar K^{*0} modes. The formalism may have implications for rates and CP asymmetries of charmless modes.Comment: REVTeX4, 18 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Targeting Low-arsenic Groundwater with Mobile-phone Technology in Araihazar, Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Arsenic Mitigation and Water Supply Program (BAMWSP) has compiled field-kit measurements of the arsenic content of groundwater for nearly five million wells. By comparing the spatial distribution of arsenic inferred from these field-kit measurements with geo-referenced laboratory data in a portion of Araihazar upazila, it is shown here that the BAMWSP data could be used for targeting safe aquifers for the installation of community wells in many villages of Bangladesh. Recent experiences with mobile-phone technology to access and update the BAMWSP data in the field are also described. It is shown that the technology, without guaranteeing success, could optimize interventions by guiding the choice of the drilling method that is likely to reach a safe aquifer and identifying those villages where exploratory drilling is needed

Constructing proxy records from age models (COPRA)

Reliable age models are fundamental for any palaeoclimate reconstruction. Available interpolation procedures between age control points are often inadequately reported, and very few translate age uncertainties to proxy uncertainties. Most available modeling algorithms do not allow incorporation of layer counted intervals to improve the confidence limits of the age model in question. We present a framework that allows detection and interactive handling of age reversals and hiatuses, depth-age modeling, and proxy-record reconstruction. Monte Carlo simulation and a translation procedure are used to assign a precise time scale to climate proxies and to translate dating uncertainties to uncertainties in the proxy values. The presented framework allows integration of incremental relative dating information to improve the final age model. The free software package COPRA1.0 facilitates easy interactive usage

Final-State Phases in B→Dπ,D∗πB \to D \pi, D^* \pi, and DρD \rho Decays

The final-state phases in $\bar{B} \to D \pi, D^* \pi$, and $D \rho$ decays appear to follow a pattern similar to those in $D \to \bar{K} \pi$, $\bar{K}^* \pi$, and $\bar{K} \rho$ decays. Each set of processes is characterized by three charge states but only two independent amplitudes, so the amplitudes form triangles in the complex plane. For the first two sets the triangles appear to have non-zero area, while for the $D \rho$ or $\bar{K} \rho$ decays the areas of the triangles are consistent with zero. Following an earlier discussion of this behavior for $D$ decays, a similar analysis is performed for B decays, and the relative phases and magnitudes of contributing amplitudes are determined. The significance of recent results on \ob \to D^{(*)0} \bar{K}^{(*)0} is noted. Open theoretical and experimental questions are indicated.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX, 3 figures, to be submitted to Phys. Rev. D. References added; comments on new experimental results and analysi

High-sensitivity Troponin T in relation to coronary plaque characteristics in patients with stable coronary artery disease; results of the ATHEROREMO-IVUS study

Background and aims: To assess the relationship between the extent and phenotype of coronary atherosclerosis, as assessed by in-vivo grayscale and radiofrequency intravascular ultrasound (IVUS), and circulating Troponin levels in patients with established stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: In this single-center, cross-sectional analysis, high-sensitivity Troponin T (hsTnT) was measured and IVUS was performed in a predefined non-stenotic segment of a non-culprit coronary artery in 231 patients with stable CAD undergoing elective angiography. Results: HsTnT was detectable (>3 pg/mL) in 212 patients (92%) and a concentration above 14 pg/mL was observed in 19.5%. Normalised segmental plaque volumes were positively associated with hsTnT levels (25.0 mm3 increase in segmental plaque volume per SD increase in ln-transformed hsTnT, 95% CI: 6.0-44.0, p = 0.010). Higher hsTnT levels were measured in patients with a virtual histology derived thin-cap fibroatheroma (VH-TCFA, adj. odds ratio for presence of VH-TCFA = 1.52 per SD increase in ln-transformed hsTnT, 95% CI: 1.10-2.11, p = 0.011). Patients with a VH-TCFA had a 2-fold increased prevalence of hsTnT concentration ≥14 pg/mL (adj. OR 2.35, 95% CI: 1

CDMS, Supersymmetry and Extra Dimensions

The CDMS experiment aims to directly detect massive, cold dark matter particles originating from the Milky Way halo. Charge and lattice excitations are detected after a particle scatters in a Ge or Si crystal kept at ~30 mK, allowing to separate nuclear recoils from the dominating electromagnetic background. The operation of 12 detectors in the Soudan mine for 75 live days in 2004 delivered no evidence for a signal, yielding stringent limits on dark matter candidates from supersymmetry and universal extra dimensions. Thirty Ge and Si detectors are presently installed in the Soudan cryostat, and operating at base temperature. The run scheduled to start in 2006 is expected to yield a one order of magnitude increase in dark matter sensitivity.Comment: To be published in the proceedings of the 7th UCLA symposium on sources and detection of dark matter and dark energy in the universe, Marina del Rey, Feb 22-24, 200

Inheritance of OCT4 predetermines fate choice in human embryonic stem cells

It is well known that clonal cells can make different fate decisions, but it is unclear whether these decisions are determined during, or before, a cell's own lifetime. Here, we engineered an endogenous fluorescent reporter for the pluripotency factor OCT4 to study the timing of differentiation decisions in human embryonic stem cells. By tracking single-cell OCT4 levels over multiple cell cycle generations, we found that the decision to differentiate is largely determined before the differentiation stimulus is presented and can be predicted by a cell's preexisting OCT4 signaling patterns. We further quantified how maternal OCT4 levels were transmitted to, and distributed between, daughter cells. As mother cells underwent division, newly established OCT4 levels in daughter cells rapidly became more predictive of final OCT4 expression status. These results imply that the choice between developmental cell fates can be largely predetermined at the time of cell birth through inheritance of a pluripotency factor

Smoking in relation to coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden, volume and composition on intravascular ultrasound

Background This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between cigarette smoking and coronary atherosclerotic burden, volume and composition as determined in-vivo by grayscale and virtual histology (VH) intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Methods and Results Between 2008 and 2011, (VH-)IVUS of a non-culprit coronary artery was performed in 581 patients undergoing coronary angiography. To account for differences in baseline characteristics, current smokers were matched to never smokers by age, gender and indication for catheterization, resulting in 280 patients available for further analysis. Coronary atherosclerotic plaque volume, burden, composition (fibrous, fibro-fatty, dense calcium and necrotic core) and high-risk lesions (VH-IVUS derived thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA), plaque burden 70%, minimal luminal area 4.0 mm2) were assessed. Cigarette smoking showed a tendency towards higher coronary plaque burden (mean±SD, 38.6±12.5% in current versus 36.4±11.0%in never smokers, p = 0.080; and odds ratio (OR) of current smoking for plaque burden above versus below the median 1.69 (1.04-2.75), p = 0.033). This effect was driven by an association in patients presenting with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) (current smokers, plaque burden 38.3±12.8% versus never smokers, plaque burden 35.0±11.2%, p = 0.049; OR 1.88 (1.02-3.44), p = 0.042). Fibrous tissue tended to be lower in current smokers (mean±SD, 57.7±10.5% versus 60.4±12.6%, p = 0.050) and fibro-fatty tissue was higher in current smokers (median[IQR], 9.6[6.0-13.7]% versus 8.6[5.8-12.2]%, p = 0.039). However, differences in percentage necrotic core