Hairy planar black holes in higher dimensions

We construct exact hairy planar black holes in D-dimensional AdS gravity. These solutions are regular except at the singularity and have stress-energy that satisfies the null energy condition. We present a detailed analysis of their thermodynamical properties and show that the first law is satisfied. We also discuss these solutions in the context of AdS/CFT duality and construct the associated c-function.Comment: 18 pages, no figures; v2: title changed, typos fixe

Probing the Type I Seesaw Mechanism with Displaced Vertices at the LHC

The observation of Higgs decays into heavy neutrinos would be strong evidence for new physics associated to neutrino masses. In this work we propose a search for such decays within the Type I seesaw model in the few-GeV mass range via displaced vertices. Using 300 fb−1 of integrated luminosity, at 13 TeV, we explore the region of parameter space where such decays are measurable. We show that, after imposing pseudorapidity cuts, there still exists a region where the number of events is larger than O(10). We also find that conventional triggers can greatly limit the sensitivity of our signal, so we display several relevant kinematical distributions which might aid in the optimization of a dedicated trigger selection

Behaviour patterns preceding a railway suicide: Explorative study of German Federal Police officers' experiences

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Constant high-level numbers of railway suicides indicate that prevention strategies against railway suicides are urgently needed. The main question of the present study was whether pre-crash railway suicide behaviour can be identified, using German Federal Police officers experience with suicidal events in railway related environments.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To collect information on pre-crash railway suicide behaviour, a questionnaire was used and made available on the German Federal Police intranet. A total of 202 subjects (mean age: 41 years, sex: 84.9% male) were included in the analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to predict the prevention of suicide (first model) or demand for counselling (second model) as outcomes. Sex, age, years of service, number of experienced suicides, suicides personally observed, information on suicides obtained from witnesses and finally either counselling/debriefing (first model) or whether officers had prevented a suicide (second model) were used as predictors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A considerable proportion of police officers reported behavioural patterns preceding a suicide. Half of them observed the dropping or leaving behind of personal belongings or the avoidance of eye contact, more than a third erratic gesture, mimic or movement. Erratic communication patterns and general confusion were each reported by about one quarter. One fifth indicated the influence of alcohol. Less frequently observed behaviour was aimlessly wandering (14.3%) and out of the ordinary clothing (4%). About one third of all railway suicide victims committed suicide in stations. Of those, 70% had chosen an eminent spot. The multivariate logistic regression model using prevented suicides as the outcome identified the number of suicides experienced, counselling/debriefing and having personally observed a suicide as variables with significant impact. The model using counselling/debriefing as the outcome identified age and having prevented a suicide as variables with a significant association.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results provide evidence that railway suicides are preceded by identifiable behavioural patterns. This emphasizes the importance of educational efforts, taking into account the knowledge and skills of experienced police officers.</p

Thermodynamics of deformed AdS5_5 model with a positive/negative quadratic correction in graviton-dilaton system

By solving the Einstein equations of the graviton coupling with a real scalar dilaton field, we establish a general framework to self-consistently solve the geometric background with black-hole for any given phenomenological holographic models. In this framwork, we solve the black-hole background, the corresponding dilaon field and the dilaton potential for the deformed AdS$_5$ model with a positive/negative quadratic correction. We systematically investigate the thermodynamical properties of the deformed AdS$_5$ model with a positive and negative quadratic correction, respectively, and compare with lattice QCD on the results of the equation of state, the heavy quark potential, the Polyakov loop and the spatial Wilson loop. We find that the bulk thermodynamical properties are not sensitive to the sign of the quadratic correction, and the results of both deformed holographic QCD models agree well with lattice QCD result for pure SU(3) gauge theory. However, the results from loop operators favor a positive quadratic correction, which agree well with lattice QCD result. Especially, the result from the Polyakov loop excludes the model with a negative quadratic correction in the warp factor of ${\rm AdS}_5$.Comment: 26 figures,36 pages,V.3: an appendix,more equations and references added,figures corrected,published versio

Tennis play intensity distribution and relation with aerobic fitness in competitive players

15 p.Los objetivos de este estudio fueron (1) describir la intensidad relativa del juego de tenis simulado en función del tiempo acumulado en tres zonas de intensidad metabólica y (2) determinar las relaciones entre esta distribución de intensidad de juego y la aptitud aeróbica de un grupo de jugadores competitivos. 20 jugadores masculinos de nivel avanzado a élite (ITN) realizaron una prueba de tenis de resistencia específica en el campo incremental hasta el agotamiento para determinar el consumo máximo de oxígeno (VO2max) y los umbrales de ventilación primero y segundo (VT1, VT2). Los parámetros de ventilación y de intercambio de gases se monitorizaron utilizando un analizador de gas portátil telemétrico (K4 b2, Cosmed, Roma, Italia). Dos semanas después, los participantes jugaron un juego de tenis simulado contra un oponente de nivel similar. Las zonas de intensidad (1: baja, 2: moderada y 3: alta) fueron delimitadas por los valores individuales de VO2 correspondientes a VT1 y VT2, y se expresaron como porcentaje del VO2 máximo y la frecuencia cardíaca. Cuando se expresó en relación con el VO 2 máx. El porcentaje de tiempo de juego en la zona 1 (77 ± 25%) fue significativamente mayor (p <0,001) que en la zona 2 (20 ± 21%) y la zona 3 (3 ± 5%). Se encontraron correlaciones positivas de moderadas a altas entre VT1, VT2 y VO2max, y el porcentaje del tiempo de juego transcurrido en la zona 1 (r = 0,68-0,75), así como las correlaciones inversas de bajas a altas entre las variables metabólicas y el porcentaje de tiempo empleado en las zonas 2 y 3 (r = -0.49–0.75). Los jugadores con mejor aptitud aeróbica juegan a intensidades relativamente más bajas. Concluimos que los jugadores pasaron más del 75% del tiempo en su zona de baja intensidad, con menos del 25% del tiempo dedicado a intensidades moderadas a altas. La aptitud aeróbica parece determinar la intensidad metabólica que los jugadores pueden mantener durante todo el juegoS

Lack of Matrilin-2 Favors Liver Tumor Development via Erk1/2 and GSK-3 beta Pathways In Vivo

Matrilin-2 (Matn2) is a multidomain adaptor protein which plays a role in the assembly of extracellular matrix (ECM). It is produced by oval cells during stem cell-driven liver regeneration. In our study, the impact of Matn2 on hepatocarcinogenesis was investigated in Matn2(-/-) mice comparing them with wild-type (WT) mice in a diethylnitrosamine (DEN) model. The liver tissue was analyzed macroscopically, histologically and immunohistochemically, at protein level by Proteome Profiler Arrays and Western blot analysis. Matn2(-/-) mice exhibited higher susceptibility to hepatocarcinogenesis compared to wild-type mice. In the liver of Matn2(-/-) mice, spontaneous microscopic tumor foci were detected without DEN treatment. After 15 mu g/g body weight DEN treatment, the liver of Matn2(-/-) mice contained macroscopic tumors of both larger number and size than the WT liver. In contrast with the WT liver, spontaneous phosphorylation of EGFR, Erk1/2 GSK-3 alpha/beta and retinoblastoma protein (p-Rb), decrease in p21/CIP1 level, and increase in beta-Catenin protein expression were detected in Matn2(-/-) livers. Focal Ki-67 positivity of these samples provided additional support to our presumption that the lack of Matn2 drives the liver into a pro-proliferatory state, making it prone to tumor development. This enhanced proliferative capacity was further increased in the tumor nodules of DEN-treated Matn2(-/-) livers. Our study suggests that Matn2 functions as a tumor suppressor in hepatocarcinogenesis, and in this process activation of EGFR together with that of Erk1/2, as well as inactivation of GSK-3 beta, play strategic roles

Treatment options in end-stage heart failure: where to go from here?

Chronic heart failure is a major healthcare problem associated with high morbidity and mortality. Despite significant progress in treatment strategies, the prognosis of heart failure patients remains poor. The golden standard treatment for heart failure is heart transplantation after failure of medical therapy, surgery and/or cardiac resynchronisation therapy. In order to improve patients’ outcome and quality of life, new emerging treatment modalities are currently being investigated, including mechanical cardiac support devices, of which the left ventricular assist device is the most promising treatment option. Structured care for heart failure patients according to the most recent international heart failure guidelines may further contribute to optimal decision-making. This article will review the conventional and novel treatment modalities of heart failure

Targeted Delivery of Chemotherapy Agents Using a Liver Cancer-Specific Aptamer

Using antibody/aptamer-drug conjugates can be a promising method for decreasing toxicity, while increasing the efficiency of chemotherapy.In this study, the antitumor agent Doxorubicin (Dox) was incorporated into the modified DNA aptamer TLS11a-GC, which specifically targets LH86, a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. Cell viability tests demonstrated that the TLS11a-GC-Dox conjugates exhibited both potency and target specificity. Importantly, intercalating Dox into the modified aptamer inhibited nonspecific uptake of membrane-permeable Dox to the non-target cell line. Since the conjugates are selective for cells that express higher amounts of target proteins, both criteria noted above are met, making TLS11a-GC-Dox conjugates potential candidates for targeted delivery to liver cancer cells.Considering the large number of available aptamers that have specific targets for a wide variety of cancer cells, this novel aptamer-drug intercalation method will have promising implications for chemotherapeutics in general

Measurements of fiducial and differential cross sections for Higgs boson production in the diphoton decay channel at s√=8 TeV with ATLAS

Measurements of fiducial and differential cross sections are presented for Higgs boson production in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s√=8 TeV. The analysis is performed in the H → γγ decay channel using 20.3 fb−1 of data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The signal is extracted using a fit to the diphoton invariant mass spectrum assuming that the width of the resonance is much smaller than the experimental resolution. The signal yields are corrected for the effects of detector inefficiency and resolution. The pp → H → γγ fiducial cross section is measured to be 43.2 ±9.4(stat.) − 2.9 + 3.2 (syst.) ±1.2(lumi)fb for a Higgs boson of mass 125.4GeV decaying to two isolated photons that have transverse momentum greater than 35% and 25% of the diphoton invariant mass and each with absolute pseudorapidity less than 2.37. Four additional fiducial cross sections and two cross-section limits are presented in phase space regions that test the theoretical modelling of different Higgs boson production mechanisms, or are sensitive to physics beyond the Standard Model. Differential cross sections are also presented, as a function of variables related to the diphoton kinematics and the jet activity produced in the Higgs boson events. The observed spectra are statistically limited but broadly in line with the theoretical expectations

Evidence for the Higgs-boson Yukawa coupling to tau leptons with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for H → τ τ decays are presented, based on the full set of proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC during 2011 and 2012. The data correspond to integrated luminosities of 4.5 fb−1 and 20.3 fb−1 at centre-of-mass energies of √s = 7 TeV and √s = 8 TeV respectively. All combinations of leptonic (τ → `νν¯ with ` = e, µ) and hadronic (τ → hadrons ν) tau decays are considered. An excess of events over the expected background from other Standard Model processes is found with an observed (expected) significance of 4.5 (3.4) standard deviations. This excess provides evidence for the direct coupling of the recently discovered Higgs boson to fermions. The measured signal strength, normalised to the Standard Model expectation, of µ = 1.43 +0.43 −0.37 is consistent with the predicted Yukawa coupling strength in the Standard Model