340 research outputs found
Technical assistance and technology transfer in the Latin American mining and metallurgical sector
Includes bibliographyProporciona informacion para la cooperacion entre los paises de America Latina y Europa en el sector minero metalurgico sobre produccion y reservas de productos minerales en America Latina, proyectos de asistencia tecnica y transferencia de tecnologias
Elevated serum 25-hydroxy (OH) vitamin D levels are associated with risk of TB progression in Gambian adults
SummaryBackgroundVitamin D is essential in the host defence against tuberculosis (TB) as an immune modulator. The aim of this study was to determine the level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25 (OH) D) from adult TB index cases before and after treatment and their exposed household contacts (HHC) in The Gambia.MethodsSerum from adult index TB cases and their TB-exposed household contacts (HHC) was analysed for 25(OH) D and Vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) concentrations. Tuberculin skin test (TST) status was used as a measure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infectivity in the HHC. In addition, HHC who later progressed to active TB (incident cases) were assessed alongside non-progressors to determine the influence of 25 (OH) D levels on TB risk.ResultsEighty-three TB cases, 46 TST+ and 52 TSTâ HHC were analysed. Generally levels of 25(OH) D were considered insufficient in all subjects. However, median levels of 25(OH) D and VDBP were significantly higher in TB cases compared to both TST+ and TSTâ HHC at recruitment and were significantly reduced after TB therapy (p < 0.0001 for all). In addition, levels of serum 25(OH) D at recruitment were significantly higher in TB progressors compared to non-progressors (median (IQR): 25.0(20.8â29.2) in progressors and 20.3 (16.3â24.6) ng/ml in non-progressors; p = 0.007).ConclusionIn The Gambia, an equatorial country, 25(OH) D levels are higher in serum of TB progressors and those with active disease compared to latently infected and uninfected subjects. These results contrast to findings in non-equatorial countries
TeV-Scale Horizontal Symmetry and the Slepton Mass Problem of Anomaly Mediation
We propose a new scenario for solving the tachyonic slepton mass problem of
anomaly mediated supersymmetry breaking models with a non-Abelian horizontal
gauge symmetry broken at the TeV scale. A specific model based on SU(3)_{H}
horizontal symmetry is presented wherein the sleptons receive positive
mass-squared from the asymptotically free SU(3)_{H} gauge sector. Approximate
global symmetries present in the model strongly suppress flavor changing
processes induced by the horizontal vector gauge bosons. The model predicts
m_{h} < 120 GeV for the lightest Higgs boson mass, tan{beta} nearly equal to 4,
and M_V = 1-4 TeV for the SU(3)_{H} gauge boson masses. The lightest SUSY
particle is found to be the neutral Wino, which is a candidate for cold dark
matter.Comment: 25 pages in LaTeX, 2 eps figure
Zero temperature solutions of the Edwards-Anderson model in random Husimi Lattices
We solve the Edwards-Anderson model (EA) in different Husimi lattices. We
show that, at T=0, the structure of the solution space depends on the parity of
the loop sizes. Husimi lattices with odd loop sizes have always a trivial
paramagnetic solution stable under 1RSB perturbations while, in Husimi lattices
with even loop sizes, this solution is absent. The range of stability under
1RSB perturbations of this and other RS solutions is computed analytically
(when possible) or numerically. We compute the free-energy, the complexity and
the ground state energy of different Husimi lattices at the level of the 1RSB
approximation. We also show, when the fraction of ferromagnetic couplings
increases, the existence, first, of a discontinuous transition from a
paramagnetic to a spin glass phase and latter of a continuous transition from a
spin glass to a ferromagnetic phase.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures (v3: Corrected analysis of transitions. Appendix
proof fixed
4pi Models of CMEs and ICMEs
Coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which dynamically connect the solar surface to
the far reaches of interplanetary space, represent a major anifestation of
solar activity. They are not only of principal interest but also play a pivotal
role in the context of space weather predictions. The steady improvement of
both numerical methods and computational resources during recent years has
allowed for the creation of increasingly realistic models of interplanetary
CMEs (ICMEs), which can now be compared to high-quality observational data from
various space-bound missions. This review discusses existing models of CMEs,
characterizing them by scientific aim and scope, CME initiation method, and
physical effects included, thereby stressing the importance of fully 3-D
('4pi') spatial coverage.Comment: 14 pages plus references. Comments welcome. Accepted for publication
in Solar Physics (SUN-360 topical issue
A measurement of the tau mass and the first CPT test with tau leptons
We measure the mass of the tau lepton to be 1775.1+-1.6(stat)+-1.0(syst.) MeV
using tau pairs from Z0 decays. To test CPT invariance we compare the masses of
the positively and negatively charged tau leptons. The relative mass difference
is found to be smaller than 3.0 10^-3 at the 90% confidence level.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, Submitted to Phys. Letts.
First Measurement of Z/gamma* Production in Compton Scattering of Quasi-real Photons
We report the first observation of Z/gamma* production in Compton scattering
of quasi-real photons. This is a subprocess of the reaction e+e- to
e+e-Z/gamma*, where one of the final state electrons is undetected.
Approximately 55 pb-1 of data collected in the year 1997 at an e+e-
centre-of-mass energy of 183 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP have been
analysed. The Z/gamma* from Compton scattering has been detected in the
hadronic decay channel. Within well defined kinematic bounds, we measure the
product of cross-section and Z/gamma* branching ratio to hadrons to be
(0.9+-0.3+-0.1) pb for events with a hadronic mass larger than 60 GeV,
dominated by (e)eZ production. In the hadronic mass region between 5 GeV and 60
GeV, dominated by (e)egamma* production, this product is found to be
(4.1+-1.6+-0.6) pb. Our results agree with the predictions of two Monte Carlo
event generators, grc4f and PYTHIA.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX, 5 eps figures included, submitted to Physics Letters
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