Two Higgs doublets to explain the excesses pp→γγ(750 GeV)pp\rightarrow \gamma\gamma(750\ {\rm GeV}) and h→τ±μ∓h \to \tau^\pm \mu^\mp

The two Higgs doublet model emerges as a minimal scenario in which to address, at the same time, the $\gamma\gamma$ excess at 750 GeV and the lepton flavour violating decay into $\tau^\pm \mu^\mp$ of the 125 GeV Higgs boson. The price to pay is additional matter to enhance the $\gamma\gamma$ rate, and a peculiar pattern for the lepton Yukawa couplings. We add TeV scale vector-like fermions and find parameter space consistent with both excesses, as well as with Higgs and electroweak precision observables.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure; v2: discussion of tau-->mu gamma added, leading to an additional constraint. v3: references added, figure 1 recovered and figure 2 adde

Scotland, Catalonia and the “right” to self-determination: a comment suggested by Kathryn Crameri’s “Do Catalans Have the Right to Decide?

No abstract available

Utility of Lymph Node Aspiration in the Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis in Sudan.

We evaluated lymph node aspiration (LNA) as a simple diagnostic procedure for visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Lymph node aspiration was compared with the direct agglutination test (DAT) using a diagnostic titer > or = 1:6,400 in 7,880 suspected VL patients in eastern Sudan. Compared with DAT, LNA had a sensitivity of 65.1% (95% confidence interval = 63.5-66.6%). Parasite density in LNA correlated strongly with DAT titers (P < 0.0001), and low parasite density accounted for 78.1% of positive LNA results with DAT titers < 1:6,400 (n = 782). Risk factors predictive of a positive LNA result were an age of 1-29 years, male sex, a hemoglobin level < 10.0 g/dL, a DAT titer > or = 1:800, and a location with a higher prevalence of VL. Lymph node and splenic aspirations were similarly accurate as tests of cure after treatment of 50 VL patients in southern Sudan. Pre-treatment LNA results were negative in 20 cases of severe post kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis

Voltage-dependent Block of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Cl- Channel by Two Closely Related Arylaminobenzoates

The gene defective in cystic fibrosis encodes a Cl- channel, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). CFTR is blocked by diphenylamine-2-carboxylate (DPC) when applied extracellularly at millimolar concentrations. We studied the block of CFTR expressed in Xenopus oocytes by DPC or by a closely related molecule, flufenamic acid (FFA). Block of whole-cell CFTR currents by bath-applied DPC or by FFA, both at 200 µM, requires several minutes to reach full effect. Blockade is voltage dependent, suggesting open-channel block: currents at positive potentials are not affected but currents at negative potentials are reduced. The binding site for both drugs senses ~40% of the electric field across the membrane, measured from the inside. In single-channel recordings from excised patches without blockers, the conductance was 8.0 ± 0.4 pS in symmetric 150 mM Cl^-. A subconductance state, measuring ~60% of the main conductance, was often observed. Bursts to the full open state lasting up to tens of seconds were uninterrupted at depolarizing membrane voltages. At hyperpolarizing voltages, bursts were interrupted by brief closures. Either DPC or FFA (50 µM) applied to the cytoplasmic or extracellular face of the channel led to an increase in flicker at V_m =-100 mV and not at V_m = +100 mV, in agreement with whole-cell experiments. DPC induced a higher frequency of flickers from the cytoplasmic side than the extracellular side. FFA produced longer closures than DPC; the FFA closed time was roughly equal (~ 1.2 ms) at -100 mV with application from either side. In cell-attached patch recordings with DPC or FFA applied to the bath, there was flickery block at V_m = -100 mV, confirming that the drugs permeate through the membrane to reach the binding site. The data are consistent with the presence of a single binding site for both drugs, reached from either end of the channel. Open-channel block by DPC or FFA may offer tools for use with site-directed mutagenesis to describe the permeation pathway

Ultrasonic locating devices for central venous cannulation: meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES: To assess the evidence for the clinical effectiveness of ultrasound guided central venous cannulation. DATA SOURCES: 15 electronic bibliographic databases, covering biomedical, science, social science, health economics, and grey literature. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. POPULATIONS: Patients scheduled for central venous access. INTERVENTION REVIEWED: Guidance using real time two dimensional ultrasonography or Doppler needles and probes compared with the anatomical landmark method of cannulation. DATA EXTRACTION: Risk of failed catheter placement (primary outcome), risk of complications from placement, risk of failure on first attempt at placement, number of attempts to successful catheterisation, and time (seconds) to successful catheterisation. DATA SYNTHESIS: 18 trials (1646 participants) were identified. Compared with the landmark method, real time two dimensional ultrasound guidance for cannulating the internal jugular vein in adults was associated with a significantly lower failure rate both overall (relative risk 0.14, 95% confidence interval 0.06 to 0.33) and on the first attempt (0.59, 0.39 to 0.88). Limited evidence favoured two dimensional ultrasound guidance for subclavian vein and femoral vein procedures in adults (0.14, 0.04 to 0.57 and 0.29, 0.07 to 1.21, respectively). Three studies in infants confirmed a higher success rate with two dimensional ultrasonography for internal jugular procedures (0.15, 0.03 to 0.64). Doppler guided cannulation of the internal jugular vein in adults was more successful than the landmark method (0.39, 0.17 to 0.92), but the landmark method was more successful for subclavian vein procedures (1.48, 1.03 to 2.14). No significant difference was found between these techniques for cannulation of the internal jugular vein in infants. An indirect comparison of relative risks suggested that two dimensional ultrasonography would be more successful than Doppler guidance for subclavian vein procedures in adults (0.09, 0.02 to 0.38). CONCLUSIONS: Evidence supports the use of two dimensional ultrasonography for central venous cannulation

Collisional decay of a strongly driven Bose-Einstein condensate

We study the collisional decay of a strongly driven Bose-Einstein condensate oscillating between two momentum modes. The resulting products of the decay are found to strongly deviate from the usual s-wave halo. Using a stochastically seeded classical field method we simulate the collisional manifold. These results are also explained by a model of colliding Bloch states.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Electromagnetically Induced Transparency and Light Storage in an Atomic Mott Insulator

We experimentally demonstrate electromagnetically induced transparency and light storage with ultracold 87Rb atoms in a Mott insulating state in a three dimensional optical lattice. We have observed light storage times of about 240 ms, to our knowledge the longest ever achieved in ultracold atomic samples. Using the differential light shift caused by a spatially inhomogeneous far detuned light field we imprint a "phase gradient" across the atomic sample, resulting in controlled angular redirection of the retrieved light pulse.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Damping of bulk excitations over an elongated BEC - the role of radial modes

We report the measurement of Beliaev damping of bulk excitations in cigar shaped Bose Einstein condensates of atomic vapor. By using post selection, excitation line shapes of the total population are compared with those of the undamped excitations. We find that the damping depends on the initial excitation energy of the decaying quasi particle, as well as on the excitation momentum. We model the condensate as an infinite cylinder and calculate the damping rates of the different radial modes. The derived damping rates are in good agreement with the experimentally measured ones. The damping rates strongly depend on the destructive interference between pathways for damping, due to the quantum many-body nature of both excitation and damping products.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure