Alfven Wave Generation by means of High Orbital Injection of Barium Cloud in Magnetosphere

An analysis of the Alfven wave generation associated with the barium vapor release at altitudes ~ 5.2 Earth's radii (ER) in the magnetosphere is presented. Such injections were executed in G-8 and G-10 experiments of the Combined Radiation and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) mission. It is shown that the generation of Alfven waves is possible during the total time of plasma expansion. The maximum intensity of these waves corresponds to the time of complete retardation of the diamagnetic cavity created by the expansion of plasma cloud. The Alfven wave exhibits a form of an impulse with an effective frequency ~ 0.03-0.05 Hz. Due to the background conditions and wave frequency, the wave mainly oscillates along the geomagnetic field between the mirror reflection points situated at ~ 0.7 ER. The wave amplitude is sufficient to the generation of plasma instabilities and longitudinal electric field, and to an increase in the longitudinal energy of electrons to ~ 1 keV. These processes are the most probable for altitudes ~ 1 ER. The auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) at frequencies ~ 100 kHz is associated with these accelerated electrons. The acceleration of electrons and AKR can be observed almost continuously during the first minute and then from time to time with pauses about 35-40 s till 6-8 min after the release. The betatron acceleration of electrons at the recovery of the geomagnetic field is also discussed. This mechanism could be responsible for the acceleration of electrons resulting in the aurorae and ultra short radio wave storm at frequencies 50-300 MHz observed at the 8-10th min after the release.Comment: Presented at COSPAR 200

G-Brownian Motion as Rough Paths and Differential Equations Driven by G-Brownian Motion

The present paper is devoted to the study of sample paths of G-Brownian motion and stochastic differential equations (SDEs) driven by G-Brownian motion from the view of rough path theory. As the starting point, we show that quasi-surely, sample paths of G-Brownian motion can be enhanced to the second level in a canonical way so that they become geometric rough paths of roughness 2 < p < 3. This result enables us to introduce the notion of rough differential equations (RDEs) driven by G-Brownian motion in the pathwise sense under the general framework of rough paths. Next we establish the fundamental relation between SDEs and RDEs driven by G-Brownian motion. As an application, we introduce the notion of SDEs on a differentiable manifold driven by GBrownian motion and construct solutions from the RDE point of view by using pathwise localization technique. This is the starting point of introducing G-Brownian motion on a Riemannian manifold, based on the idea of Eells-Elworthy-Malliavin. The last part of this paper is devoted to such construction for a wide and interesting class of G-functions whose invariant group is the orthogonal group. We also develop the Euler-Maruyama approximation for SDEs driven by G-Brownian motion of independent interest

First genome-wide CNV mapping in FELIS CATUS using next generation sequencing data

Background: Copy Number Variations (CNVs) have becoming very significant variants, representing a major source of genomic variation. CNVs involvement in phenotypic expression and different diseases has been widely demonstrated in humans as well as in many domestic animals. However, genome wide investigation on these structural variations is still missing in Felis catus. The present work is the first CNV mapping from a large data set of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) data in the domestic cat, performed within the 99 Lives Consortium. Results: Reads have been mapped on the reference assembly_6.2 by Maverix Biomics. CNV detection with cn.MOPS and CNVnator detected 592 CNVs. These CNVs were used to obtain 154 CNV Regions (CNVRs) with BedTools, including 62 singletons. CNVRs covered 0.26% of the total cat genome with 129 losses, 19 gains and 6 complexes. Cluster Analysis and Principal Component Analysis of the detected CNVRs showed that breeds tend to cluster together as well as cats sharing the same geographical origins. The 46 genes identified within the CNVRs were annotated. Conclusion: This study has improved the genomic characterization of 14 cat breeds and has provided CNVs information that can be used for studies of traits in cats. It can be considered a sound starting point for genomic CNVs identification in this species

Global Search for New Physics with 2.0/fb at CDF

Data collected in Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron are searched for indications of new electroweak-scale physics. Rather than focusing on particular new physics scenarios, CDF data are analyzed for discrepancies with the standard model prediction. A model-independent approach (Vista) considers gross features of the data, and is sensitive to new large cross-section physics. Further sensitivity to new physics is provided by two additional algorithms: a Bump Hunter searches invariant mass distributions for "bumps" that could indicate resonant production of new particles; and the Sleuth procedure scans for data excesses at large summed transverse momentum. This combined global search for new physics in 2.0/fb of ppbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV reveals no indication of physics beyond the standard model.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures. Final version which appeared in Physical Review D Rapid Communication

Observation of Orbitally Excited B_s Mesons

We report the first observation of two narrow resonances consistent with states of orbitally excited (L=1) B_s mesons using 1 fb^{-1} of ppbar collisions at sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV collected with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. We use two-body decays into K^- and B^+ mesons reconstructed as B^+ \to J/\psi K^+, J/\psi \to \mu^+ \mu^- or B^+ \to \bar{D}^0 \pi^+, \bar{D}^0 \to K^+ \pi^-. We deduce the masses of the two states to be m(B_{s1}) = 5829.4 +- 0.7 MeV/c^2 and m(B_{s2}^*) = 5839.7 +- 0.7 MeV/c^2.Comment: Version accepted and published by Phys. Rev. Let

Predictors of 1-year compliance with adaptive servoventilation in patients with heart failure and sleep disordered breathing: preliminary data from the ADVENT-HF trial

Despite its effectiveness in suppressing sleep disordered breathing (SDB), positive airway pressure therapy (PAP) is not always well tolerated by patients and long-term adherence can be problematic. Recently, two multicentre, randomised clinical trials (RCTs) tested the effects of PAP for patients with cardiovascular disease and co-existing SDB on morbidity and mortality with negative outcomes [1, 2]. Relatively poor adherence to PAP therapy (mean 3.7 and 3.3 h·day-1, respectively) in these two trials might have contributed to their poor results. Indeed, higher PAP use per day is associated with better clinical outcomes than lower use [3]

Adolescent Learning of Academic Vocabulary in Iceland

The fields of vocabulary instruction, literacy professional development, and global language issues framed this research. Situated in Iceland, the intervention consisted of professional development for 10th‐grade teachers focused on academic words in various subject materials, increasing the learners’ proficiency in using explicit strategies to detect word meanings, and offering learners multimodal ways of working with the vocabulary. There were no significant differences between the participants in the experimental schools (n = 157) and in the control schools (n = 88). There were gains from pretest to posttest in vocabulary and in comprehension, and there were some promising trends that distinguished the experimental group from the control group on the reading comprehension test. The nature, intensity, and length of the professional development offered to the high school teachers and the relatively short time of measurement of student outcomes are suggested explanations of the results.Fulbright Foundation/U.S. State DepartmentPre-prin

White matter changes in psychosis risk relate to development and are not impacted by the transition to psychosis

Subtle alterations in white matter microstructure are observed in youth at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis. However, the timing of these changes and their relationships to the emergence of psychosis remain unclear. Here, we track the evolution of white matter abnormalities in a large, longitudinal cohort of CHR individuals comprising the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS-3). Multi-shell diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data were collected across multiple timepoints (1–5 over 1 year) in 286 subjects (aged 12–32 years): 25 CHR individuals who transitioned to psychosis (CHR-P; 61 scans), 205 CHR subjects with unknown transition outcome after the 1-year follow-up period (CHR-U; 596 scans), and 56 healthy controls (195 scans). Linear mixed effects models were fitted to infer the impact of age and illness-onset on variation in the fractional anisotropy of cellular tissue (FAT) and the volume fraction of extracellular free water (FW). Baseline measures of white matter microstructure did not differentiate between HC, CHR-U and CHR-P individuals. However, age trajectories differed between the three groups in line with a developmental effect: CHR-P and CHR-U groups displayed higher FAT in adolescence, and 4% lower FAT by 30 years of age compared to controls. Furthermore, older CHR-P subjects (20+ years) displayed 4% higher FW in the forceps major (p &lt; 0.05). Prospective analysis in CHR-P did not reveal a significant impact of illness onset on regional FAT or FW, suggesting that transition to psychosis is not marked by dramatic change in white matter microstructure. Instead, clinical high risk for psychosis—regardless of transition outcome—is characterized by subtle age-related white matter changes that occur in tandem with development

Early-onset progressive retinal atrophy associated with an IQCB1 variant in African black-footed cats (Felis nigripes)

African black-footed cats (Felis nigripes) are endangered wild felids. One male and full-sibling female African black-footed cat developed vision deficits and mydriasis as early as 3 months of age. The diagnosis of early-onset progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) was supported by reduced direct and consensual pupillary light reflexes, phenotypic presence of retinal degeneration, and a non-recordable electroretinogram with negligible amplitudes in both eyes. Whole genome sequencing, conducted on two unaffected parents and one affected offspring was compared to a variant database from 51 domestic cats and a Pallas cat, revealed 50 candidate variants that segregated concordantly with the PRA phenotype. Testing in additional affected cats confirmed that cats homozygous for a 2 base pair (bp) deletion within IQ calmodulin-binding motif-containing protein-1 (IQCB1), the gene that encodes for nephrocystin-5 (NPHP5), had vision loss. The variant segregated concordantly in other related individuals within the pedigree supporting the identification of a recessively inherited early-onset feline PRA. Analysis of the black-footed cat studbook suggests additional captive cats are at risk. Genetic testing for IQCB1 and avoidance of matings between carriers should be added to the species survival plan for captive management

Energetic particle influence on the Earth's atmosphere

This manuscript gives an up-to-date and comprehensive overview of the effects of energetic particle precipitation (EPP) onto the whole atmosphere, from the lower thermosphere/mesosphere through the stratosphere and troposphere, to the surface. The paper summarizes the different sources and energies of particles, principally galactic cosmic rays (GCRs), solar energetic particles (SEPs) and energetic electron precipitation (EEP). All the proposed mechanisms by which EPP can affect the atmosphere are discussed, including chemical changes in the upper atmosphere and lower thermosphere, chemistry-dynamics feedbacks, the global electric circuit and cloud formation. The role of energetic particles in Earth’s atmosphere is a multi-disciplinary problem that requires expertise from a range of scientific backgrounds. To assist with this synergy, summary tables are provided, which are intended to evaluate the level of current knowledge of the effects of energetic particles on processes in the entire atmosphere