Racetrack inflation with matter fields and cosmic strings

We consider the coupling of racetrack inflation to matter fields as realized in the D3/D7 brane system. In particular, we investigate the possibility of cosmic string formation in this system. We find that strings can form before or at the onset of racetrack inflation is possible, but they are then inflated away. Furthermore, string formation at the end of inflation is prevented by the presence of the moduli sector. As a consequence, no strings survive racetrack inflation

Consistent cooperation in a cichlid fish is caused by maternal and developmental effects rather than heritable genetic variation.

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Royal Society via the DOI in this record.Studies on the evolution of cooperative behaviour are typically confined to understanding its adaptive value. It is equally essential, however, to understand its potential to evolve, requiring knowledge about the phenotypic consistency and genetic basis of cooperative behaviour. While previous observational studies reported considerably high heritabilities of helping behaviour in cooperatively breeding vertebrates, experimental studies disentangling the relevant genetic and non-genetic components of cooperative behaviour are lacking. In a half-sibling breeding experiment, we investigated the repeatability and heritability of three major helping behaviours performed by subordinates of the cooperatively breeding fishNeolamprologus pulcherTo experimentally manipulate the amount of help needed in a territory, we raised the fish in two environments differing in egg predation risk. All three helping behaviours were significantly repeatable, but had very low heritabilities. The high within-individual consistencies were predominantly due to maternal and permanent environment effects. The perceived egg predation risk had no effect on helping, but social interactions significantly influenced helping propensities. Our results reveal that developmentally plastic adjustments of provided help to social context shape cooperative phenotypes, whereas heritable genetic variation plays a minor role.Funding was provided by the ‘ProDoc’ program of the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF, projects PDFMP3_137196 and 31003A_156881 to B.T.), and the ‘120% support grant’ to C.K. of the University of Bern

MSSM Higgses as the source of reheating and all matter

We consider the possibility that the dark energy responsible for inflation is deposited into extra dimensions outside of our observable universe. Reheating and all matter can then be obtained from the MSSM flat direction condensate involving the Higgses $H_u$ and $H_d$, which acquires large amplitude by virtue of quantum fluctuations during inflation. The reheat temperature is $T_{RH} \lesssim 10^9$ GeV so that there is no gravitino problem. We find a spectral index $n_s\approx 1$ with a very weak dependence on the Higgs potential.Comment: 4 page

Systematic review and evidence synthesis of non-cervical human papillomavirus-related disease health systems costs and quality of life estimates

BACKGROUND: Many economic evaluations of human papillomavirus vaccination should ideally consider multiple disease outcomes, including anogenital warts, respiratory papillomatosis and non-cervical cancers (eg, anal, oropharyngeal, penile, vulvar and vaginal cancers). However, published economic evaluations largely relied on estimates from single studies or informal rapid literature reviews. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of articles up to June 2016 to identify costs and utility estimates admissible for an economic evaluation from a single-payer healthcare provider's perspective. Meta-analyses were performed for studies that used same utility elicitation tools for similar diseases. Costs were adjusted to 2016/2017 US$. RESULTS: Sixty-one papers (35 costs; 24 utilities; 2 costs and utilities) were selected from 10 742 initial records. Cost per case ranges were US$124-US$883 (anogenital warts), US$6912-US$52 579 (head and neck cancers), US$12 936-US$51 571 (anal cancer), US$17 524-34 258 (vaginal cancer), US$14 686-US$28 502 (vulvar cancer) and US$9975-US$27 629 (penile cancer). The total cost for 14 adult patients with recurrent respiratory papillomatosis was US$137 601 (one paper).Utility per warts episode ranged from 0.651 to 1 (12 papers, various utility elicitation methods), with pooled mean EQ-5D and EQ-VAS of 0.86 (95% CI 0.85 to 0.87) and 0.74 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.75), respectively. Fifteen papers reported utilities in head and neck cancers with range 0.29 (95% CI 0.0 to 0.76) to 0.94 (95% CI 0.3 to 1.0). Mean utility reported ranged from 0.5 (95% CI 0.4 to 0.61) to 0.65 (95% CI 0.45 to 0.75) (anal cancer), 0.59 (95% CI 0.54 to 0.64) (vaginal cancer), 0.65 (95% CI 0.60 to 0.70) (vulvar cancer) and 0.79 (95% CI 0.74 to 0.84) (penile cancer). CONCLUSIONS: Differences in values reported from each paper reflect variations in cancer site, disease stages, study population, treatment modality/setting and utility elicitation methods used. As patient management changes over time, corresponding effects on both costs and utility need to be considered to ensure health economic assumptions are up-to-date and closely reflect the case mix of patients

A peptide mimic of the chemotaxis inhibitory protein of Staphylococcus aureus: towards the development of novel anti-inflammatory compounds

Complement factor C5a is one of the most powerful pro-inflammatory agents involved in recruitment of leukocytes, activation of phagocytes and other inflammatory responses. C5a triggers inflammatory responses by binding to its G-protein-coupled C5a-receptor (C5aR). Excessive or erroneous activation of the C5aR has been implicated in numerous inflammatory diseases. The C5aR is therefore a key target in the development of specific anti-inflammatory compounds. A very potent natural inhibitor of the C5aR is the 121-residue chemotaxis inhibitory protein of Staphylococcus aureus (CHIPS). Although CHIPS effectively blocks C5aR activation by binding tightly to its extra-cellular N terminus, it is not suitable as a potential anti-inflammatory drug due to its immunogenic properties. As a first step in the development of an improved CHIPS mimic, we designed and synthesized a substantially shorter 50-residue adapted peptide, designated CHOPS. This peptide included all residues important for receptor binding as based on the recent structure of CHIPS in complex with the C5aR N terminus. Using isothermal titration calorimetry we demonstrate that CHOPS has micromolar affinity for a model peptide comprising residues 7–28 of the C5aR N terminus including two O-sulfated tyrosine residues at positions 11 and 14. CD and NMR spectroscopy showed that CHOPS is unstructured free in solution. Upon addition of the doubly sulfated model peptide, however, the NMR and CD spectra reveal the formation of structural elements in CHOPS reminiscent of native CHIPS

Electron-hole symmetry in a semiconducting carbon nanotube quantum dot

Optical and electronic phenomena in solids arise from the behaviour of electrons and holes (unoccupied states in a filled electron sea). Electron-hole symmetry can often be invoked as a simplifying description, which states that electrons with energy above the Fermi sea behave the same as holes below the Fermi energy. In semiconductors, however, electron-hole symmetry is generally absent since the energy band structure of the conduction band differs from the valence band. Here we report on measurements of the discrete, quantized-energy spectrum of electrons and holes in a semiconducting carbon nanotube. Through a gate, an individual nanotube is filled controllably with a precise number of either electrons or holes, starting from one. The discrete excitation spectrum for a nanotube with N holes is strikingly similar to the corresponding spectrum for N electrons. This observation of near perfect electron-hole symmetry demonstrates for the first time that a semiconducting nanotube can be free of charged impurities, even in the limit of few-electrons or holes. We furthermore find an anomalously small Zeeman spin splitting and an excitation spectrum indicating strong electron-electron interactions.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

Interference effects in electronic transport through metallic single-wall carbon nanotubes

In a recent paper Liang {\it et al.} [Nature {\bf 411}, 665 (2001)] showed experimentally, that metallic nanotubes, strongly coupled to external electrodes, may act as coherent molecular waveguides for electronic transport. The experimental results were supported by theoretical analysis based on the scattering matrix approach. In this paper we analyze theoretically this problem using a real-space approach, which makes it possible to control quality of interface contacts. Electronic structure of the nanotube is taken into account within the tight-binding model. External electrodes and the central part (sample) are assumed to be made of carbon nanotubes, while the contacts between electrodes and the sample are modeled by appropriate on-site (diagonal) and hopping (off-diagonal) parameters. Conductance is calculated by the Green function technique combined with the Landauer formalism. In the plots displaying conductance {\it vs.} bias and gate voltages, we have found typical diamond structure patterns, similar to those observed experimentally. In certain cases, however, we have found new features in the patterns, like a double-diamond sub-structure.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures. To apear in Phys. Rev.

Curvaton Potential Terms, Scale-Dependent Perturbation Spectra and Chaotic Initial Conditions

The curvaton scenario predicts an almost scale-invariant spectrum of perturbations in most inflation models. We consider the possibility that renormalisable phi^4 or Planck scale-suppressed non-renormalisable curvaton potential terms may result in an observable deviation from scale-invariance. We show that if the curvaton initially has a large amplitude and if the total number of e-foldings of inflation is less than about 300 then a running blue perturbation spectrum with an observable deviation from scale-invariance is likely. D-term inflation is considered as an example with a potentially low total number of e-foldings of inflation. A secondary role for the curvaton, in which it drives a period of chaotic inflation leading to D-term or other flat potential inflation from an initially chaotic state, is suggested.Comment: 12 pages LaTeX, minor corrections, to be published in JCA