Isocurvature perturbations in extra radiation

Recent cosmological observations, including measurements of the CMB anisotropy and the primordial helium abundance, indicate the existence of an extra radiation component in the Universe beyond the standard three neutrino species. In this paper we explore the possibility that the extra radiation has isocurvatrue fluctuations. A general formalism to evaluate isocurvature perturbations in the extra radiation is provided in the mixed inflaton-curvaton system, where the extra radiation is produced by the decay of both scalar fields. We also derive constraints on the abundance of the extra radiation and the amount of its isocurvature perturbation. Current observational data favors the existence of an extra radiation component, but does not indicate its having isocurvature perturbation. These constraints are applied to some particle physics motivated models. If future observations detect isocurvature perturbations in the extra radiation, it will give us a hint to the origin of the extra radiation.Comment: 41 pages, 8 figures; version accepted for publication in JCA

Measurement of the Atmospheric Muon Spectrum from 20 to 3000 GeV

The absolute muon flux between 20 GeV and 3000 GeV is measured with the L3 magnetic muon spectrometer for zenith angles ranging from 0 degree to 58 degree. Due to the large exposure of about 150 m2 sr d, and the excellent momentum resolution of the L3 muon chambers, a precision of 2.3 % at 150 GeV in the vertical direction is achieved. The ratio of positive to negative muons is studied between 20 GeV and 500 GeV, and the average vertical muon charge ratio is found to be 1.285 +- 0.003 (stat.) +- 0.019 (syst.).Comment: Total 32 pages, 9Figure

Long-range Angular Correlations On The Near And Away Side In P-pb Collisions At √snn=5.02 Tev

7191/Mar294

Search for jet extinction in the inclusive jet-pT spectrum from proton-proton collisions at s=8 TeV

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published articles title, journal citation, and DOI.The first search at the LHC for the extinction of QCD jet production is presented, using data collected with the CMS detector corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 10.7  fb−1 of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV. The extinction model studied in this analysis is motivated by the search for signatures of strong gravity at the TeV scale (terascale gravity) and assumes the existence of string couplings in the strong-coupling limit. In this limit, the string model predicts the suppression of all high-transverse-momentum standard model processes, including jet production, beyond a certain energy scale. To test this prediction, the measured transverse-momentum spectrum is compared to the theoretical prediction of the standard model. No significant deficit of events is found at high transverse momentum. A 95% confidence level lower limit of 3.3 TeV is set on the extinction mass scale

Searches for electroweak neutralino and chargino production in channels with Higgs, Z, and W bosons in pp collisions at 8 TeV

Searches for supersymmetry (SUSY) are presented based on the electroweak pair production of neutralinos and charginos, leading to decay channels with Higgs, Z, and W bosons and undetected lightest SUSY particles (LSPs). The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of about 19.5 fb(-1) of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV collected in 2012 with the CMS detector at the LHC. The main emphasis is neutralino pair production in which each neutralino decays either to a Higgs boson (h) and an LSP or to a Z boson and an LSP, leading to hh, hZ, and ZZ states with missing transverse energy (E-T(miss)). A second aspect is chargino-neutralino pair production, leading to hW states with E-T(miss). The decays of a Higgs boson to a bottom-quark pair, to a photon pair, and to final states with leptons are considered in conjunction with hadronic and leptonic decay modes of the Z and W bosons. No evidence is found for supersymmetric particles, and 95% confidence level upper limits are evaluated for the respective pair production cross sections and for neutralino and chargino mass values

Utilization Of Sea Scallop (\u3ci\u3ePlacopecten magellanicus\u3c/i\u3e Gmelin) Microsatellite Markers For Phylogenetic Applications In Bay Scallops (\u3ci\u3eArgopecten irradians\u3c/i\u3e Lamarck)

In previous research, microsatellite markers have been used to geographically and phylogenetically characterize and identify populations of sea scallops (Placopecten magellanicus Gmelin). Given that sea scallops are a closely related species to bay scallops (Argopecten irradians Lamarck), we have investigated whether the flanking DNA sequences of sea scallop microsatellite loci have been conserved in the bay scallop. We found that in all seven sets of published sea scallop PCR primers (Pma130, -132, -135, -180, -200, -212, and -275) that were tested with bay scallop DNA, there was sequence conservation and amplification of microsatellite regions. Our initial phylogenetic analyses, combined with the lack of any null alleles in bay scallops for the tested loci, confirm the close genetic distance between bay and sea scallops. These “new” bay scallop primers can be employed in future studies examining both natural and cultured populations of bay scallop and further inquiries into the phylogeny between bay and sea scallops

Supplementary Material for: Pedicled Extranasal Flaps in Skull Base Reconstruction

<p>Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks most commonly arise during or after skull base surgery, although they occasionally present spontaneously. Recent advances in the repair of CSF leaks have enabled endoscopic endonasal surgery to become the preferred option for management of skull base pathology. Small defects (<1 cm) can be repaired by multilayered free grafts. For large defects (>3 cm), pedicled vascular flaps are the repair method of choice, resulting in much lower rates of postoperative CSF leaks. The pedicled nasoseptal flap (NSF) constitutes the primary reconstructive option for the vast majority of skull base defects. It has a large area of potential coverage and high rates of success. However, preoperative planning is required to avoid sacrificing the NSF during resection. In cases where the NSF is unavailable, often due to tumor involvement of the septum or previous resection removing or compromising the flap, other flaps may be considered. These flaps include intranasal options – inferior turbinate or middle turbinate flaps – as well as regional pedicled flaps: pericranial flap, temporoparietal fascial flap, or palatal flap. More recently, novel alternatives such as the pedicled facial buccinator flap and the pedicled occipital galeopericranial flap have been added to the arsenal of options for skull base reconstruction. Characteristics of and appropriate uses for each flap are described.</p

Supplementary Material for: Venous Thromboembolism and the Risk of Death and Graft Loss in Kidney Transplant Recipients

<p><b><i>Background:</i></b> The implications of venous thromboembolism (VTE) for morbidity and mortality in kidney transplant recipients are not well described. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We conducted a retrospective study using linked healthcare databases in Ontario, Canada to determine the risk and complications of VTE in kidney transplant recipients from 2003 to 2013. We compared the incidence rate of VTE in recipients (<i>n</i> = 4,343) and a matched (1:4) sample of the general population (<i>n</i> = 17,372). For recipients with evidence of a VTE posttransplant, we compared adverse clinical outcomes (death, graft loss) to matched (1:2) recipients without evidence of a VTE posttransplant. <b><i>Results:</i></b> During a median follow-up of 5.2 years, 388 (8.9%) recipients developed a VTE compared to 254 (1.5%) in the matched general population (16.3 vs. 2.4 events per 1,000 person-years; hazard ratio [HR] 7.1, 95% CI 6.0-8.4; <i>p</i> < 0.0001). Recipients who experienced a posttransplant VTE had a higher risk of death (28.5 vs. 11.2%; HR 4.1, 95% CI 2.9-5.8; <i>p</i> < 0.0001) and death-censored graft loss (13.1 vs. 7.5%; HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.4-3.6; <i>p</i> = 0.0006) compared to matched recipients who did not experience a posttransplant VTE. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Kidney transplant recipients have a sevenfold higher risk of VTE compared to the general population with VTE conferring an increased risk of death and graft loss.</p

Supplementary Material for: Risk of Major Hemorrhage after Kidney Transplantation

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Major hemorrhagic events are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We examined the three-year cumulative incidence of hospitalization with major nontraumatic hemorrhage after kidney transplantation. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We performed a retrospective cohort study using healthcare administrative data of all adult-incident kidney-only transplantation recipients in Ontario, Canada from 1994 to 2009. We calculated the three-year cumulative incidence, event rate, and incident rate ratio of hospitalization with major hemorrhage, its subtypes and those undergoing a hemorrhage-related procedure. Results were stratified by patient age and donor type and compared to a random and propensity-score matched sample from the general population. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Among 4,958 kidney transplant recipients, the three-year cumulative incidence of hospitalization with nontraumatic major hemorrhage was 3.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.0-4.1%, 12.7 events per 1,000 patient-years) compared to 0.4% (95% CI 0.4-0.5%) in the general population (RR = 8.2, 95% CI 6.9-9.7). The crude risk of hemorrhage was 3-9-fold higher in all subtypes (upper/lower gastrointestinal, intra-cranial) and 15-fold higher for gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures compared to the random sample from the general population. After propensity score matching, the relative risk for major hemorrhage and its subtypes attenuated but remained elevated. The cumulative incidence of hemorrhage was higher for older individuals and those with a deceased donor kidney. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Kidney transplantation recipients have a higher risk of hospitalization with hemorrhage compared to the general population, with about 1 in 30 recipients experiencing a major hemorrhage in the three years following transplant