Gamma-rays from ultracompact minihalos: potential constraints on the primordial curvature perturbation

Ultracompact minihalos (UCMHs) are dense dark matter structures which can form from large density perturbations shortly after matter-radiation equality. If dark matter is in the form of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs), then UCMHs may be detected via their gamma-ray emission. We investigate how the {\em{Fermi}} satellite could constrain the abundance of UCMHs and place limits on the power spectrum of the primordial curvature perturbation. Detection by {\em Fermi} would put a lower limit on the UCMH halo fraction. The smallest detectable halo fraction, $f_{\rm UCMH} \gtrsim 10^{-7}$, is for $M_{\rm UCMH} \sim 10^{3} M_{\odot}$. If gamma-ray emission from UCMHs is not detected, an upper limit can be placed on the halo fraction. The bound is tightest, $f_{\rm UCMH} \lesssim 10^{-5}$, for $M_{\rm UCMH} \sim 10^{5} M_{\odot}$. The resulting upper limit on the power spectrum of the primordial curvature perturbation in the event of non-detection is in the range $\mathcal{P_R} \lesssim 10^{-6.5}- 10^{-6}$ on scales $k \sim 10^{1}-10^{6} \, {\rm Mpc}^{-1}$. This is substantially tighter than the existing constraints from primordial black hole formation on these scales, however it assumes that dark matter is in the form of WIMPs and UCMHs are not disrupted during the formation of the Milky Way halo.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, version to appear in Phys. Rev. D, minor change

Cosmic Strings in Low Mass Higgs Cosmology

A class of grand unified theories with symmetry breaking scale of order $10^{16} GeV$ have a Higgs particle with mass in the $TeV$ scale. The cosmology of such theories is very different from usual. We study the cosmic strings obtained in such theories. These strings are much fatter than usual and their mass per unit length is reduced, resulting in a significant reduction in their cosmological effects. We also study the temperature evolution of such models.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure

Eine severische Kaiserinschrift aus Avenches (AE 2001, 1518)

A fragment of an inscribed stone slab from the Roman colony of Avenches (CH) is —in accordance with the surviving letters— ascribed to the two emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla. The reconstruction further suggests a consular date with the two Augusti, dating the inscription to the year 202 AD. Both the beginning and ending of the inscription remain elusive. The possible involvement of the Helvetii stays hypothetical.Das Fragment einer Inschriftenplatte aus der römischen Kolonie Avenches (CH) wird gemäss den erhaltenen Buchstaben den beiden Kaisern Septimius Severus und Caracalla zugewiesen. Ausserdem schlägt die Rekonstruktion neu eine Konsuldatierung der beiden Augusti vor, welche die Inschrift in das Jahr 202 n. Chr. datiert. Sowohl der Beginn als auch der Schluss der Inschrift bleiben weiterhin unbekannt. Eine Beteiligung der Helvetii muss hypothetisch bleiben.A fragment of an inscribed stone slab from the Roman colony of Avenches (CH) is —in accordance with the surviving letters— ascribed to the two emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla. The reconstruction further suggests a consular date with the two Augusti, dating the inscription to the year 202 AD. Both the beginning and ending of the inscription remain elusive. The possible involvement of the Helvetii stays hypothetical

Geschmacksakzeptanz hochkonzentrierter Fluoridpräparate bei Vorschulkindern: Effekte auf nonverbales Verhalten

Die hohe Prävalenz der frühkindlichen Karies (Early Childhood Caries - ECC) ist ein globales Problem. Vor diesem Hintergrund ist eine effektive Kariesprävention bei Kindergartenkindern, die im Rahmen der Gruppenprophylaxe auch eine regelmäßige Applikation von hochkonzentrierten Fluoridpräparaten einschließt, bedeutsam. Wesentlich für den Erfolg der Prophylaxemaßnahmen ist neben der Akzeptanz des Geschmacks von Kinderzahnpaste auch die Geschmacksakzeptanz von hochkonzentrierten Fluoridpräparaten, die zur Intensivprophylaxe eingesetzt werden. Während der kariesprotektive Effekt von Fluoridlacken intensiv untersucht wurde, liegen bislang im Schrifttum keine Untersuchungen zur Geschmacksakzeptanz unterschiedlich schmeckender und in der Gruppenprophylaxe gebräuchlicher Fluoridpräparate bei 2- bis 5-jährigen Kindern vor. Aufgrund der begrenzten verbalen und kognitiven Fähigkeiten von Kindergartenkindern stellt jedoch die Erfassung der Geschmacksakzeptanz eine methodische Herausforderung dar. Ergänzend zu Befragungsmethoden, die sprachlichen Einschränkungen unterliegen, sollten auch bei Kindergartenkindern objektive Messmethoden Einsatz finden. Ziel der vorliegenden videobasierten Studie war es daher, in einem kindgerechten Studiendesign die Geschmacksakzeptanz hochkonzentrierter Fluoridpräparate bei 2- bis 5-jährigen Kindern zu prüfen. Die Geschmacksakzeptanz und die Akzeptanz einer erneuten Fluoridapplikation wurden anhand des nonverbalen Verhaltens und mit symbolischen Interviews bei Verwendung von Smileys altersgemäß erfasst. Im Ergebnis der Untersuchung sollen schließlich Empfehlungen zur Verbesserung der Akzeptanz der Fluoridapplikation bei Kindergartenkindern abgeleitet werden. Die Studie wurde von der Ethikkommission des Universitätsklinikums Jena geprüft und genehmigt (Nr. 3064-02/11)

Immunological properties of the transmembrane envelope protein of the feline foamy virus and its use for serological screening

The transmembrane envelope (TM) proteins of retroviruses are used as antigen in diagnostic immunoassays and they represent a conserved target for neutralizing antibodies. To analyze the situation in infections with the feline foamy virus (FFV), its recombinant TM protein was produced and used for ELISA and Western blot analyses. Screening sera from 404 German cats showed that 39% reacted against the TM protein, the same infection rate was determined using the Gag protein. Epitope mapping showed antibodies against the membrane proximal external region (MPER) of the TM protein in the sera from infected cats, but attempts to induce neutralizing antibodies by immunization with the recombinant TM protein failed. This is the first report demonstrating that the TM protein of the FFV is highly immunogenic and valuable for serological screening. Similar to HIV-1, but in contrast to different gammaretroviruses, immunization with the TM protein of FFV did not induce neutralizing antibodies

Conditions for Successful Extended Inflation

We investigate, in a model-independent way, the conditions required to obtain a satisfactory model of extended inflation in which inflation is brought to an end by a first-order phase transition. The constraints are that the correct present strength of the gravitational coupling is obtained, that the present theory of gravity is satisfactorily close to general relativity, that the perturbation spectra from inflation are compatible with large scale structure observations and that the bubble spectrum produced at the phase transition doesn't conflict with the observed level of microwave background anisotropies. We demonstrate that these constraints can be summarized in terms of the behaviour in the conformally related Einstein frame, and can be compactly illustrated graphically. We confirm the failure of existing models including the original extended inflation model, and construct models, albeit rather contrived ones, which satisfy all existing constraints.Comment: 8 pages RevTeX file with one figure incorporated (uses RevTeX and epsf). Also available by e-mailing ARL, or by WWW at http://star-www.maps.susx.ac.uk/papers/infcos_papers.html; Revised to include extra references, results unchanged, to appear Phys Rev

Habitual physical activity in patients born with oesophageal atresia: a multicenter cross-sectional study and comparison to a healthy reference cohort matched for gender and age

Oesophageal atresia (EA) is associated with life-long gastrointestinal and respiratory morbidity and other associated malformations. The aim of this study is to compare physical activity (PA) levels of children and adolescents with and without EA. A validated questionnaire (MoMo-PAQ) was used to evaluate PA in EA patients EA (4–17 years), who were randomly matched for gender and age (1:5) with a representative sample of the Motorik-Modul Longitudinal Study (n = 6233). Sports activity per week (sports index) and minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week (MVPA minutes) were calculated. Correlations between PA and medical factors were analysed. In total, 104 patients and 520 controls were included. Children with EA were significantly less active at higher intensities (mean MPVA minutes 462; 95% confidence interval (CI): 370–554) compared to controls (626; 95% CI: 576–676), although there was no statistically significant difference in the sports index (187; 95% CI: 156–220 versus 220; 95% CI: 203–237). A lower mean weight-for-age and height-for-age, additional urogenital (r =  − 0.20, p = 0.04) or anorectal malformation (r =  − 0.24, p = 0.01) were associated with fewer MVPA minutes. For other medical factors (prematurity, type of repair, congenital heart disease, skeletal malformation or symptom load), no statistically significant association with PA was found. Conclusion: EA patients participated in PA at a similar level but lower intensities compared to the reference cohort. PA in EA patients was largely independent of medical factors

Printing the Pathway Forward in Bone Metastatic Cancer Research: Applications of 3D Engineered Models and Bioprinted Scaffolds to Recapitulate the Bone-Tumor Niche.

Breast cancer commonly metastasizes to bone, resulting in osteolytic lesions and poor patient quality of life. The bone extracellular matrix (ECM) plays a critical role in cancer cell metastasis by means of the physical and biochemical cues it provides to support cellular crosstalk. Current two-dimensional in-vitro models lack the spatial and biochemical complexities of the native ECM and do not fully recapitulate crosstalk that occurs between the tumor and endogenous stromal cells. Engineered models such as bone-on-a-chip, extramedullary bone, and bioreactors are presently used to model cellular crosstalk and bone-tumor cell interactions, but fall short of providing a bone-biomimetic microenvironment. Three-dimensional bioprinting allows for the deposition of biocompatible materials and living cells in complex architectures, as well as provides a means to better replicate biological tissue niches in-vitro. In cancer research specifically, 3D constructs have been instrumental in seminal work modeling cancer cell dissemination to bone and bone-tumor cell crosstalk in the skeleton. Furthermore, the use of biocompatible materials, such as hydroxyapatite, allows for printing of bone-like microenvironments with the ability to be implanted and studied in in-vivo animal models. Moreover, the use of bioprinted models could drive the development of novel cancer therapies and drug delivery vehicles