Lorentz breaking Effective Field Theory and observational tests

Analogue models of gravity have provided an experimentally realizable test field for our ideas on quantum field theory in curved spacetimes but they have also inspired the investigation of possible departures from exact Lorentz invariance at microscopic scales. In this role they have joined, and sometime anticipated, several quantum gravity models characterized by Lorentz breaking phenomenology. A crucial difference between these speculations and other ones associated to quantum gravity scenarios, is the possibility to carry out observational and experimental tests which have nowadays led to a broad range of constraints on departures from Lorentz invariance. We shall review here the effective field theory approach to Lorentz breaking in the matter sector, present the constraints provided by the available observations and finally discuss the implications of the persisting uncertainty on the composition of the ultra high energy cosmic rays for the constraints on the higher order, analogue gravity inspired, Lorentz violations.Comment: 47 pages, 4 figures. Lecture Notes for the IX SIGRAV School on "Analogue Gravity", Como (Italy), May 2011. V.3. Typo corrected, references adde

Considerations for determining research priorities: learning cycles and impact pathways

Agricultural researchers identify and apply new science, novel approaches and innovations that could generate research breakthroughs and improve impacts to support the development of the agricultural sector. During the past few decades, there has been an expansion of the research agenda along the entire research-fordevelopment continuum, with farm- and policy-level implications. The goals and objectives of research have broadened from primarily food production to include sustainable resource management, equity, gender, health, and environmental concern

Oncogenic Signaling Pathways in The Cancer Genome Atlas

Genetic alterations in signaling pathways that control cell-cycle progression, apoptosis, and cell growth are common hallmarks of cancer, but the extent, mechanisms, and co-occurrence of alterations in these pathways differ between individual tumors and tumor types. Using mutations, copy-number changes, mRNA expression, gene fusions and DNA methylation in 9,125 tumors profiled by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), we analyzed the mechanisms and patterns of somatic alterations in ten canonical pathways: cell cycle, Hippo, Myc, Notch, Nrf2, PI-3-Kinase/Akt, RTK-RAS, TGFb signaling, p53 and beta-catenin/Wnt. We charted the detailed landscape of pathway alterations in 33 cancer types, stratified into 64 subtypes, and identified patterns of co-occurrence and mutual exclusivity. Eighty-nine percent of tumors had at least one driver alteration in these one alteration potentially targetable by currently available drugs. Thirty percent of tumors had multiple targetable alterations, indicating opportunities for combination therapy

Evaluation of alternative water allocation rules in public irrigation systems in Indonesia

In Rydzewski, J. R.; Ward, C. F. (Eds.) Irrigation theory and practice. Proceedings of the International Conference, University of Southampton, 12-15 September. London: Pentech Pres

Assessing the Contribution of Impact Assessment to Donor Decisions for International Agricultural Research

Ex post Impact assessments (epIAs) have long been produced by research centres of the Consultative Group oil International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) with a principal stated goal of informing the funding decisions of donor agencies, but there has been little formal analysis of the extent to which epIAs actually do so. To address this Issue, the present analysis investigates how epIA results contribute to donor decisions via three techniques: comparison of epIA results with Subsequent fundi patterns: an email Survey of CGIAR donors; and interviews of donor representatives. Comparison of aggregate estimates from large economic epIAs with funding patterns revealed little correlation between assessed impact and subsequent relative funding levels. Email Survey responses indicate high demand for metrics directly related to poverty and which are 'far down the impact pathway'. EpIAs arc also reported as important in allocation decisions. Interviews of donor officials revealed that factors Such as political priorities., perceived scientific quality and desires for continuity often Influence funding decisions more than consideration of past impacts. In this context, the influence of epIAs is often indirect and "Conceptual'