Quantum corrections to the effective neutrino mass operator in 5D MSSM

We discuss in detail a five-dimensional Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model compactified on $S^1/Z_2$ extended by the effective Majorana neutrino mass operator. We study the evolution of neutrino masses and mixings. Masses and angles, in particular the atmospheric mixing angle $\theta_{23}$, can be significantly lowered at high energies with respect to their value at low energy.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figure

Scour development around a jacket structure in combined waves and current conditions compared to monopile foundations

This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the scour development of a hydraulic-transparent offshore foundation exposed to combined waves and current. Irregular waves propagating perpendicular to a current were simulated in a wave-current basin. The physical model tests were conducted in a length scale of 1:30 while measurements of the scour development over time were achieved by echo sounding devices placed at several locations at the upstream and downstream side of the jacket structure. Insights were gained on the scour development and time scale of the scouring process around a complex jacket structure for different wave-current conditions. The results were presented with respect to the Keulegan-Carpenter KC number and the relative wave-current velocity. Wave conditions were adjusted so that KC numbers between 6.7 and 23.4 could be tested in a systematic wave-current test program with tests reaching from wave dominated conditions up to current dominated conditions. Measured scour depths were critically assessed by an extrapolation to expected equilibrium scour depths. With respect to the current flow direction, the experiments showed generally larger scour depths at the upstream side and lower scour depths on the downstream side for each pile of the jacket structure. The development of global scour around the structure intensified with increasing relative wave-current velocity. As a result, a practical formulation is proposed for the reliable prediction of local scour depths around a jacket foundation in combined wave-current conditions. Finally, dimensionless time scales and observed as well as predicted scour depths are compared to values for the scour development around monopiles

Impact of the Neutrino Magnetic Moment on the Neutrino Fluxes and the Electron Fraction in core-collapse Supernovae

We explore the effect of the neutrino magnetic moment on neutrino scattering with matter in a core-collapse Supernova. We study the impact both on the neutrino fluxes and on the electron fraction. We find that sizeable modifications require very large magnetic moments both for Dirac and Majorana neutrinos.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

High pressure study of BaFe2As2 - role of hydrostaticity and uniaxial stress

We investigate the evolution of the electrical resistivity of BaFe2As2 single crystals with pressure. The samples used were from the same batch grown from self flux and showed properties that were highly reproducible. Samples were pressurised using three different pressure media: pentane-isopentane (in a piston cylinder cell), Daphne oil (in an alumina anvil cell) and steatite (in a Bridgman cell). Each pressure medium has its own intrinsic level of hydrostaticity, which dramatically affects the phase diagram. An increasing uniaxial pressure component in this system quickly reduces spin density wave order and favours the appearance of superconductivity, similar to what is seen in SrFe2As2.Comment: 11 page

Event-related desynchronization in motor imagery with EEG neurofeedback in the context of declarative interference and sleep

Motor imagery (MI) in combination with neurofeedback (NF) is a promising supplement to facilitate the acquisition of motor abilities and the recovery of impaired motor abilities following brain injuries. However, the ability to control MI NF is subject to a wide range of inter-individual variability. A substantial number of users experience difficulties in achieving good results, which compromises their chances to benefit from MI NF in a learning or rehabilitation context. It has been suggested that context factors, that is, factors outside the actual motor task, can explain individual differences in motor skill acquisition. Retrospective declarative interference and sleep have already been identified as critical factors for motor execution (ME) and MI based practice. Here, we investigate whether these findings generalize to practicing MI NF. Three groups underwent three blocks of practicing MI with NF, each on two subsequent days. In two of the groups, MI NF blocks were followed by either immediate or delayed declarative memory tasks. The control group performed only MI NF and no specific interference tasks. Two of the MI NF blocks were run on the first day of the experiment, the third in the morning of the second day. Significant within-block NF gains in mu and beta frequency event-related desynchronization (ERD) where evident for all groups. However, data did not provide evidence for an impact of immediate or delayed declarative interference on MI NF ERD. Also, MI NF ERD remained unchanged after a night of sleep. We did not observe the expected pattern of results for MI NF ERD with regard to declarative interference and a night of sleep. This is discussed in the context of variable experimental task designs, inter-individual differences, and performance measures

Dynamic optical coherence tomography. a non-invasive imaging tool for the distinction of nevi and melanomas

Along with the rising melanoma incidence in recent decades and bad prognoses resulting from late diagnoses, distinguishing between benign and malignant melanocytic lesions has become essential. Unclear cases may require the aid of non-invasive imaging to reduce unnecessary biopsies. This multicentric, case-control study evaluated the potential of dynamic optical coherence tomography (D-OCT) to identify distinguishing microvascular features in nevi. A total of 167 nevi, including dysplastic ones, on 130 participants of all ages and sexes were examined by D-OCT and dermoscopy with a histological reference. Three blinded analyzers evaluated the lesions. Then, we compared the features to those in 159 melanomas of a prior D-OCT study and determined if a differential diagnosis was possible. We identified specific microvascular features in nevi and a differential diagnosis of melanomas and nevi was achieved with excellent predictive values. We conclude that D-OCT overcomes OCT´s inability to distinguish melanocytic lesions based on its focus on microvascularization. To determine if an addition to the gold standard of a clinical-dermoscopic examination improves the diagnosis of unclear lesions, further studies, including a larger sample of dysplastic nevi and artificial intelligence, should be conducted

High-Definition Optical Coherence Tomography for the in vivo Detection of Demodex Mites

Background: Demodex mites are involved in different skin diseases and are commonly detected by skin scrape tests or superficial biopsies. A new high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) with high lateral and axial resolution in a horizontal (en-face) and vertical (slice) imaging mode might offer the possibility of noninvasive and fast in vivo examination of demodex mites. Methods: Twenty patients with demodex-related skin diseases and 20 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were examined by HD-OCT. Mites per follicle and follicles per field of view were counted and compared to skin scrape tests. Results: HD-OCT images depicted mites in the en-face mode as bright round dots in groups of 3-5 mites per hair follicle. In the patients with demodex-related disease, a mean number of 3.4 mites per follicle were detected with a mean number of 2.9 infested follicles per area of view compared to a mean of 0.6 mites in 0.4 infested follicles in the controls. The skin scrape tests were negative in 21% of the patients. Conclusion: The innovative HD-OCT enables fast and noninvasive in vivo recognition of demodex mites and might become a useful tool in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of demodex-related skin diseases. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base

In vivo microvascular imaging of cutaneous actinic keratosis, Bowen's disease and squamous cell carcinoma using dynamic optical coherence tomography

Background: A clear distinction between actinic keratosis (AK), Bowen's disease (BD) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cannot reliably be made by clinical and dermoscopic evaluation alone. Dynamic optical coherence tomography (D-OCT) is a novel angiographic variant of OCT that allows for non-invasive, in vivo evaluation of the cutaneous microvascular morphology. Objective: To investigate the microvascular structures of AK, BD and invasive SCC using D-OCT in order to gain insights into the microvascular morphology of lesions in the spectrum of keratinocyte skin cancers. Methods: Forty-seven patients with a total of 54 lesions (18 AK, 12 BD and 24 SCC) were included in the study. D-OCT still images of AK, BD and SCC at three predefined skin depths were prepared and randomized, creating a study set of 162 D-OCT images. Three observers performed blinded evaluations of the randomized study set assessing multiple parameters including the different types of vascular morphology. Non-blinded quantitative measurements of vascular diameter were also performed. Results: The blinded observer analysis suggests that D-OCT evaluation of the vascular morphology may aid in distinguishing AK, BD and SCC lesions. We identified two vascular shapes that presented significantly differently across the lesion types, namely âblobsâ and âcurvesâ. A strong presence of blobs at 300 μm skin depth was characteristically seen in a third of BD cases, while not or only slightly present in AK and SCC lesions. Vascular curves were predominantly present in AK lesions. Conclusion: We identified various vascular D-OCT features that may aid in non-invasively differentiating subtypes within the keratinocyte skin cancer spectrum