QZ Serpentis: A Dwarf Nova with a 2-Hour Orbital Period and an Anomalously Hot, Bright Secondary Star

We present spectroscopy and time-series photometry of the dwarf nova QZ Ser. The spectrum shows a rich absorption line spectrum of type K4 +- 2. K-type secondary stars are generally seen in dwarf novae with orbital periods P-orb around 6 h, but in QZ Ser the absorption radial velocities show an obvious modulation (semi-amplitude 207(5) km/s) at P-orb = 119.752(2) min, much shorter than typical for such a relatively warm and prominent secondary spectrum. The H-alpha emission-line velocity is modulated at the same period and roughly opposite phase. Time-series photometry shows flickering superposed on a modulation with two humps per orbit, consistent with ellipsoidal variation of the secondary's light. QZ Ser is a second example of a relatively short-period dwarf nova with a surprisingly warm secondary. Model calculations suggest that the secondary is strongly enhanced in helium, and had already undergone significant nuclear evolution when mass transfer began. Several sodium absorption features in the secondary spectrum are unusually strong, which may indicate that the present-day surface was the site of CNO-cycle hydrogen burning in the past.Comment: 11 pages, 3 postscript figures, 1 jpeg greyscale figure. Accepted for publication in PAS

Laser-heated rocket studies

CW laser heated rocket propulsion was investigated in both the flowing core and stationary core configurations. The laser radiation considered was 10.6 micrometers, and the working gas was unseeded hydrogen. The areas investigated included initiation of a hydrogen plasma capable of absorbing laser radiation, the radiation emission properties of hot, ionized hydrogen, the flow of hot hydrogen while absorbing and radiating, the heat losses from the gas and the rocket performance. The stationary core configuration was investigated qualitatively and semi-quantitatively. It was found that the flowing core rockets can have specific impulses between 1,500 and 3,300 sec. They are small devices, whose heating zone is only a millimeter to a few centimeters long, and millimeters to centimeters in radius, for laser power levels varying from 10 to 5,000 kW, and pressure levels of 3 to 10 atm. Heat protection of the walls is a vital necessity, though the fraction of laser power lost to the walls can be as low as 10% for larger powers, making the rockets thermally efficient

High levels of brain-type creatine kinase activity in human platelets and leukocytes: a genetic anomaly with autosomal dominant inheritance

The ectopic expression in peripheral blood cells of the brain-type creatine kinase (CKB) is an autosomal dominant inherited anomaly named CKBE (MIM ID 123270). Here, we characterized the CK activity in serum, platelets (PLT) and leukocytes (WBC) of 22 probands (from 8 unrelated families) and 10 controls. CK activity was measured by standard UV-photometry. Expression of the CKB gene was analyzed by real-time PCR and Western blotting. DNA sequencing including bisulfite treatment was used for molecular analysis of the CKB gene. Serum CK levels were comparable between probands and controls. CKBE probands revealed significantly higher CK activity in PLT (3.7 +/- 2.7 versus 179.2 +/- 83.0 U/10(12) PLT; p<0.001) and WBC (0.4 +/- 0.3 versus 2.6 +/- 2.1 U/10(9) WBC; p=0.004). Inhibitory anti-CKM antibodies did not affect CK activity indicating that the CK activity is generated exclusively by the CK-BB isoenzyme. CKB mRNA and protein levels were significantly higher in PLT and WBC from probands compared to controls. Re-sequencing of the entire CKB gene and methylation analysis of a CpG island revealed no alteration in CKBE probands. The genetic basis of CKBE remains unclear, however, we propose that a de-methylated CKB gene is inherited that leads to high CKB expression levels in myeloic precursor cells in the bone marrow

Physics Analysis Expert PAX: First Applications

PAX (Physics Analysis Expert) is a novel, C++ based toolkit designed to assist teams in particle physics data analysis issues. The core of PAX are event interpretation containers, holding relevant information about and possible interpretations of a physics event. Providing this new level of abstraction beyond the results of the detector reconstruction programs, PAX facilitates the buildup and use of modern analysis factories. Class structure and user command syntax of PAX are set up to support expert teams as well as newcomers in preparing for the challenges expected to arise in the data analysis at future hadron colliders.Comment: Talk from the 2003 Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics (CHEP03), La Jolla, Ca, USA, March 2003, 7 pages, LaTeX, 10 eps figures. PSN THLT00

Reconstruction of metabolic networks from high-throughput metabolite profiling data: in silico analysis of red blood cell metabolism

We investigate the ability of algorithms developed for reverse engineering of transcriptional regulatory networks to reconstruct metabolic networks from high-throughput metabolite profiling data. For this, we generate synthetic metabolic profiles for benchmarking purposes based on a well-established model for red blood cell metabolism. A variety of data sets is generated, accounting for different properties of real metabolic networks, such as experimental noise, metabolite correlations, and temporal dynamics. These data sets are made available online. We apply ARACNE, a mainstream transcriptional networks reverse engineering algorithm, to these data sets and observe performance comparable to that obtained in the transcriptional domain, for which the algorithm was originally designed.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures. Presented at the DIMACS Workshop on Dialogue on Reverse Engineering Assessment and Methods (DREAM), Sep 200

The convergence, divergence and changing geography of regulation in the UK's private rented sector

The role of the private rented sector (PRS) has grown in many parts of Europe in recent years, both as an increasing component of housing systems and as the effects of the global financial crisis become apparent. In the UK, the role of the sector has deepened and is increasingly relied upon to house growing and diverse proportions of the population for longer periods of time. This has renewed interest in the regulation of the sector in order to improve its suitability and desirability for tenants. There has been increasing convergence in regulatory approaches between some jurisdictions of the UK, such as Scotland and Wales, and divergence between others, such as England where regulation remains a residual policy concern. Using examples of tenure security, landlord regulation and affordability, this policy review seeks to highlight the emerging differences in the way the PRS is regulated within the UK. It argues that the likely consequence of these differences is that there may be increased variation in the effects and experience of renting in the PRS, in relation to eviction protections and landlord management standards. The paper shows how jurisdictions in Scotland, and to a lesser extent Wales and Northern Ireland, are moving towards models of regulation that more closely mirror those used in Western European countries, with England becoming an outlier in the way in which it regulates private renting

Use of a saliva-based diagnostic test to identify tapeworm infection in horses in the UK

Background: Anthelmintic resistance combined with limited chemotherapeutic options has prompted a change in approaches to control of equine helminth infections. Targeted selective treatment strategies use diagnostics to reduce anthelmintic use by treating individuals with worm burdens or egg shedding levels above a set threshold. While faecal egg count analysis has limitations for informing tapeworm treatment, a commercially available saliva-based diagnostic test accurately diagnoses horses with tapeworm infection. Objectives: Evaluation of a saliva-based diagnostic test to identify horses naturally infected with tapeworm and assess the impact of using the test to inform anthelmintic administration. Study design: Retrospective longitudinal study. Methods: Saliva was collected from horses (n = 237) at a UK welfare charity from autumn 2015 to autumn 2016. Horses diagnosed as positive for tapeworm infection using the EquiSal® Tapeworm test were anthelmintic treated according to weight. The number of horses that received anthelmintic treatment based on the test result was compared with an all-group treatment approach and the reduction in anthelmintic usage calculated. Incoming horses were also tested (n = 143) and the information was used to inform quarantine treatments. Results: In autumn 2015, 85% of 237 horses tested received no anthelmintic and the majority (71%) of these remained below the treatment threshold throughout the study. Of the 69 horses that received treatment, seven required treatment following three subsequent tests, while >50% of horses administered with anthelmintic fell below the treatment threshold at the following test. No increase in tapeworm prevalence within the 237 horses was observed during the study despite a substantial reduction in the application of antitapeworm treatments. A total of 41% of incoming horses required anticestode treatment. Main limitations: Other management practices were not included in the analysis. Conclusions: Compared with an all-group treatment strategy, the diagnostic-led approach used here considerably reduced application of anticestode anthelmintics. This could reduce selection pressure for anthelmintic resistance