The Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment in the Reduced Minimal 3-3-1 Model

We study the muon anomalous magnetic moment $(g-2)_{\mu}$ in the context of the reduced minimal 3-3-1 model recently proposed in the literature. In particular, its spectrum contains a doubly charged scalar ($H^{\pm \pm}$) and gauge boson ($U^{\pm \pm}$), new singly charged vectors ($V^{\pm}$) and a $Z^{\prime}$ boson, each of which might give a sizeable contribution to the $(g-2)_{\mu}$. We compute the 1-loop contributions from all these new particles to the $(g-2)_{\mu}$. We conclude that the doubly charged vector boson provides the dominant contribution, and by comparing our results with the experimental constraints we derive an expected value for the scale of $SU(3)_L\otimes U(1)_N$ symmetry breaking $v_{\chi} \sim 2$ TeV. We also note that, if the discrepancy in the anomalous moment is resolved in the future without this model then the constraints will tighten to requiring $v_\chi > 2.7$ TeV with current precision, and will entirely rule out the model if the expected precision is achieved by the future experiment at Fermilab.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure

Five-Year Study of Geocarpon minimum at Warren Prairie Natural Area Bradley County, Arkansas

Geocarpon minimum, listed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as threatened, was monitored at Warren Prairie Natural Area, Bradley County, Arkansas, 1986-90. Selected environmental variables were compared with Geocarpon productivity plot by plot. Principal components (PC) analysis generated two eigenvectors that jointly accounted for 30% of the variation among plots. PC-l describes an exposure gradient; high-productivity plots had less litter and grass cover, more cryptogamic lip, and more iron nodules lying on the surface than most other plots. PC-II was more useful for separating highly productive plots from all other plots; the highly productive plots lay in close proximity to slicks and remote from low spots where shallow water stands after a rain. Geocarpon productivity at Warren Prairie Natural Area peaked in 1987 and has declined steeply and steadily in the following years. Recommendations for further study are offere

Constraints on Dark Matter from Colliders

We show that colliders can impose strong constraints on models of dark matter, in particular when the dark matter is light. We analyze models where the dark matter is a fermion or scalar interacting with quarks and/or gluons through an effective theory containing higher dimensional operators which represent heavier states that have been integrated out of the effective field theory. We determine bounds from existing Tevatron searches for monojets as well as expected LHC reaches for a discovery. We find that colliders can provide information which is complementary or in some cases even superior to experiments searching for direct detection of dark matter through its scattering with nuclei. In particular, both the Tevatron and the LHC can outperform spin dependent searches by an order of magnitude or better over much of parameter space, and if the dark matter couples mainly to gluons, the LHC can place bounds superior to any spin independent search.Comment: 23 pages, 16 figure

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Recurrent Nonspecific Abdominal Pain in Children: An Analysis of Generalization, Maintenance, and Side Effects

From 10% to 15% of school-aged children experience recurring abdominal pain. This study evaluated the efficacy of a cognitive-behavioral program for the treatment of nonspecific recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) using a controlled group design. The multicomponent treatment program consisted of differential reinforcement of well behavior, cognitive coping skills training, and various generalization enhancement procedures. Multiple measures of pain intensity and pain behavior were conducted, including children's self-monitoring, parent observation, teacher observation, and observation by independent observers. Results showed that both the experimental and the control groups reduced their levels of pain. However, the treated group improved more quickly, the effects generalized to the school setting, and a larger proportion of subjects were completely pain-free by 3- months follow-up (87.5% vs. 37.5%). There was no evidence for any negative side effects of treatment

Flexibility and intrinsic disorder are conserved features of hepatitis C virus E2 glycoprotein

The glycoproteins of hepatitis C virus, E1E2, are unlike any other viral fusion machinery yet described, and are the current focus of immunogen design in HCV vaccine development; thus, making E1E2 both scientifically and medically important. We used pre-existing, but fragmentary, structures to model a complete ectodomain of the major glycoprotein E2 from three strains of HCV. We then performed molecular dynamic simulations to explore the conformational landscape of E2, revealing a number of important features. Despite high sequence divergence, and subtle differences in the models, E2 from different strains behave similarly, possessing a stable core flanked by highly flexible regions, some of which perform essential functions such as receptor binding. Comparison with sequence data suggest that this consistent behaviour is conferred by a network of conserved residues that act as hinge and anchor points throughout E2. The variable regions (HVR-1, HVR-2 and VR-3) exhibit particularly high flexibility, and bioinformatic analysis suggests that HVR-1 is a putative intrinsically disordered protein region. Dynamic cross-correlation analyses demonstrate intramolecular communication and suggest that specific regions, such as HVR-1, can exert influence throughout E2. To support our computational approach we performed small-angle X-ray scattering with purified E2 ectodomain; this data was consistent with our MD experiments, suggesting a compact globular core with peripheral flexible regions. This work captures the dynamic behaviour of E2 and has direct relevance to the interaction of HCV with cell-surface receptors and neutralising antibodies

Radio Sources in Galaxy Clusters at 28.5 GHz

We present serendipitous detections of radio sources at 28.5 GHz (1 cm), which resulted from our program to image thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect in 56 galaxy clusters. We find 64 radio sources with fluxes down to 0.4 mJy, and within 250 arcseconds from the pointing centers. The spectral indices (S ~ \nu^-\alpha) of 54 sources with published low frequency flux densities range from -0.6 to 2 with a mean of 0.77, and a median of 0.84. Extending low frequency surveys of radio sources towards galaxy clusters CL 0016+16, Abell 665, and Abell 2218 to 28.5 GHz, and selecting sources with 1.4 GHz flux density greater than 7 mJy to form an unbiased sample, we find a mean spectral index of 0.71 and a median of 0.71. We find 4 to 7 times more sources predicted from a low frequency survey in areas without galaxy clusters. This excess cannot be accounted for by gravitational lensing of a background radio population by cluster potentials, indicating most of the detected sources are associated with galaxy clusters. For the cluster Abell 2218, the presence of unsubtracted radio sources with 28.5 GHz flux densities less than 0.5 mJy, can only contribute to temperature fluctuations at a level of 10 to 25 \muK. The corresponding error due to radio point source contamination in the Hubble constant derived through a combined analysis of 28.5 GHz SZ images and X-ray emission observations ranges from 1% to 6%.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, to appear in April 1998 issue of A

Virologic, Immunologic and Clinical Responses in Foreign-Born versus US-Born HIV-1 Infected Adults Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy: An Observational Cohort Study

Introduction: Mortality rates within the first year of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) initiation are several-fold higher in resource-limited countries than in resource-replete settings. However studies in western countries examining virologic, immunologic and clinical responses after cART initiation in indigenous versus non-indigenous populations have shown mixed results. This study aimed to determine whether there is a difference in these outcomes in a United States setting between foreign-born and US-born patients. Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study of HIV-1 infected adults in one urban clinic in the United States compared virologic suppression, immune recovery and rates of AIDS defining events (ADEs) within the first year of cART using linear mixed effect models, log rank tests and Cox proportional hazard models. Data were analyzed for 94 foreign-born and 1242 US-born patients. Results: Foreign-born patients were younger (31.7 years versus 38.5 years), more often female (38.3% versus 27.1%), less often injection drug users (3.2% versus 9.5%) or men who have sex with men (19.0% versus 54.5%), and had higher loss to follow-up rates (14.9% versus 6.2%). No significant differences were detected between the groups in suppression of plasma HIV-1 RNA, CD4+ cell recovery or development of ADEs. Conclusions: During the first year on cART, virologic suppression, immune recovery and development of ADEs were comparable between foreign-born and US-born patients in care in a US clinic. Differential rates of loss to follow-up warrant further investigation in the foreign-born population

Exceptional sperm cooperation in the wood mouse

Spermatozoa from a single male will compete for fertilization of ova with spermatozoa from another male when present in the female reproductive tract at the same time. Close genetic relatedness predisposes individuals towards altruism, and as haploid germ cells of an ejaculate will have genotypic similarity of 50%, it is predicted that spermatozoa may display cooperation and altruism to gain an advantage when inter-male sperm competition is intense. We report here the probable altruistic behaviour of spermatozoa in an eutherian mammal. Spermatozoa of the common wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus, displayed a unique morphological transformation resulting in cooperation in distinctive aggregations or 'trains' of hundreds or thousands of cells, which significantly increased sperm progressive motility. Eventual dispersal of sperm trains was associated with most of the spermatozoa undergoing a premature acrosome reaction. Cells undergoing an acrosome reaction in aggregations remote from the egg are altruistic in that they help sperm transport to the egg but compromise their own fertilizing ability