Phases of New Physics in the CMB

Fluctuations in the cosmic neutrino background are known to produce a phase shift in the acoustic peaks of the cosmic microwave background. It is through the sensitivity to this effect that the recent CMB data has provided a robust detection of free-streaming neutrinos. In this paper, we revisit the phase shift of the CMB anisotropy spectrum as a probe of new physics. The phase shift is particularly interesting because its physical origin is strongly constrained by the analytic properties of the Green's function of the gravitational potential. For adiabatic fluctuations, a phase shift requires modes that propagate faster than the speed of fluctuations in the photon-baryon plasma. This possibility is realized by free-streaming relativistic particles, such as neutrinos or other forms of dark radiation. Alternatively, a phase shift can arise from isocurvature fluctuations. We present simple models to illustrate each of these effects. We then provide observational constraints from the Planck temperature and polarization data on additional forms of radiation. We also forecast the capabilities of future CMB Stage IV experiments. Whenever possible, we give analytic interpretations of our results.Comment: 39 pages, 10 figures, 5 tables; v2: minor corrections, references added; v3: corrected Planck parameter constraints, conclusions unchange

Heroes, Past and Future

A creative work set in a small town in which everyone has a supernatural ability called a Gift. This work shows the characters, all on different walks of life, as they show that the metaphorical fish cannot outgrow the fish bowl. Those who have lived in this town all their lives seem to have weaker Gifts than those who have lived even one hour away. Heroes, Past and Future explores how one cannot hope to meet their true potential as a person except by allowing themselves to move even slightly away from the familiar

Spill-Overs from Good Jobs

Does attracting or losing jobs in high paying sectors have important spill-over effects on wages in other sectors? The answer to this question is central to a proper assessment of many trade and industrial policies. In this paper, we explore this question by examining how predictable changes in industrial composition in favor of high paying sectors affect wage determination at the industry-city level. In particular, we use US Census data over the years 1970 to 2000 to quantify the relationship between changes in industry-specific city-level wages and changes in industrial composition. Our finding is that the spill-over (i.e., general equilibrium) effects associated with changes in the fraction of jobs in high paying sectors are very substantial and persistent. Our point estimates indicate that the total effect on average wages of a change in industrial composition that favors high paying sectors is about 3.5 times greater than that obtained from a commonly used composition-adjustment approach which neglects general equilibrium effects. We interpret our results as being most likely driven by a variant of the mechanism recently emphasized in the heterogenous firm literature whereby changes in competitive pressure cause a reallocation of employment toward the most efficient firms.

Earning and Learning: Undergraduate Student Employment and The Importance of Relevant Work

Current trends in undergraduate education show that more students than ever are working part-time jobs during college, and their academics are likely suffering as a result, as a greater number of hours worked correlates with a decrease in grade point average. This is especially problematic as it creates a socioeconomic inequity in academic standing, with students with less financial security or support from parents having to sacrifice their performance and their time in order to supplement their income or even to afford tuition. Relevant, meaningful job placement mitigates some of this effect if students can identify connections between their part-time employment and their career and academic goals, and colleges have started to enact strategies to encourage these connections through targeted, relevant work placements and coursework that intentionally draws from on-the-job experiences. So far, very little research exists into the employer’s role in establishing these connections or other efforts they can make to promote the student employee’s academic and career growth, even though the employer is often part of the university. This study explores the question: How can employers be more involved with their part-time undergraduate student employees’ academic and career goals, to help them make the most of their work-study experience? This question was addressed in the context of the author’s position at MiTech, Miami University’s walk-up laptop and technology support store, which employs around a dozen students under the author’s supervision. The research led to the development of a guidebook to facilitate the student employees’ training, treating their first semester of employment as a learning experience, a curriculum tailored to their career plans and academic studies. The goal of this effort is to maximize the benefit of the hours spent at work and mitigate the effects of the hours lost from potential study time. This effort shows that employers can play an important role in their student employees’ academic and career success and can serve as an example for other employers who hire student employees

FOSINOPRIL, A POTENTIAL SUBSTRATE FOR MRP2, COMPETES WITH SEVERAL HIGH USE PHARMACEUTICALS FOR ELIMINATION

The multidrug-resistance associated protein 2 (MRP2) is a membrane-bound transporter responsible for the efflux of a variety of drugs and endogenous compounds. MDCK cells transfected with the human MRP2 gene were used to assess whether several highly used pharmaceuticals were potential substrates by examining their differential toxicity, accumulation, and efflux. Fosinopril, an ACE inhibitor, was 2.4-fold less toxic to the MRP2 transfected cells compared to mock transfected cells, suggesting that fosinopril is a potential MRP2 substrate. In addition, fosinopril was effluxed more rapidly, as the MRP2 cells only retained 13 % of the dosed fosinopril after 20 minutes compared with 60 % retained in the control cells. To determine whether fosinopril might contribute to a drug-drug interaction, fosinopril efflux was examined in combination with several other known or suspected MRP2 substrates. When fosinopril was coincubated with desloratadine, its retention was increased by 2-fold, with loratadine, its retention was increased by 4.7-fold, and with methotrexate, its retention was increased by 2-fold. The increases in retention with multiple drugs likely indicate that a drug-drug interaction is occurring. To further clarify whether fosinopril was a substrate for Mrp2, we dosed wild-type and Mrp2 knockout mice with the known Mrp2 substrate methotrexate and fosinopril. In mice lacking Mrp2, fosinopril and methotrexate levels were increased in the serum and the kidneys, which suggest that the lack of Mrp2 favors fosinopril excretion through the urine rather than the feces. Assessing the transport of highly prescribed pharmaceuticals by MRP transporters is important to determine the potential for drug-drug interactions, and will aid clinicians in minimizing drug toxicity

5 S,15 S-Dihydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic Acid (5,15-diHpETE) as a Lipoxin Intermediate: Reactivity and Kinetics with Human Leukocyte 5-Lipoxygenase, Platelet 12-Lipoxygenase, and Reticulocyte 15-Lipoxygenase-1.

The reaction of 5 S,15 S-dihydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5,15-diHpETE) with human 5-lipoxygenase (LOX), human platelet 12-LOX, and human reticulocyte 15-LOX-1 was investigated to determine the reactivity and relative rates of producing lipoxins (LXs). 5-LOX does not react with 5,15-diHpETE, although it can produce LXA4 when 15-HpETE is the substrate. In contrast, both 12-LOX and 15-LOX-1 react with 5,15-diHpETE, forming specifically LXB4. For 12-LOX and 5,15-diHpETE, the kinetic parameters are kcat = 0.17 s-1 and kcat/ KM = 0.011 μM-1 s-1 [106- and 1600-fold lower than those for 12-LOX oxygenation of arachidonic acid (AA), respectively]. On the other hand, for 15-LOX-1 the equivalent parameters are kcat = 4.6 s-1 and kcat/ KM = 0.21 μM-1 s-1 (3-fold higher and similar to those for 12-HpETE formation by 15-LOX-1 from AA, respectively). This contrasts with the complete lack of reaction of 15-LOX-2 with 5,15-diHpETE [Green, A. R., et al. (2016) Biochemistry 55, 2832-2840]. Our data indicate that 12-LOX is markedly inferior to 15-LOX-1 in catalyzing the production of LXB4 from 5,15-diHpETE. Platelet aggregation was inhibited by the addition of 5,15-diHpETE, with an IC50 of 1.3 μM; however, LXB4 did not significantly inhibit collagen-mediated platelet activation up to 10 μM. In summary, LXB4 is the primary product of 12-LOX and 15-LOX-1 catalysis, if 5,15-diHpETE is the substrate, with 15-LOX-1 being 20-fold more efficient than 12-LOX. LXA4 is the primary product with 5-LOX but only if 15-HpETE is the substrate. Approximately equal proportions of LXA4 and LXB4 are produced by 12-LOX but only if LTA4 is the substrate, as described previously [Sheppard, K. A., et al. (1992) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1133, 223-234]

Ecological responses to the discharge of polluted coal mine wastewater

The discharge of coal mine generated wastewater has degraded the Georges River downstream of the discharge point. This study measured the water quality, sediment quality and macroinvertebrate community of the upper Georges River to determine the impact of the influx of wastewater from an underground coal mine. The investigation revealed that the wastewater discharge from the West Cliff Colliery into the Georges River was highly polluted. The pollution of the river is characterised by increases in electrical conductivity, pH levels and a suite of metals including antimony, aluminium, arsenic, barium, boron, cobalt, lithium, molybdenum, nickel, strontium, titanium, uranium and zinc. The elevated concentrations of metals downstream of the wastewater discharge point has caused a suite of metals including; aluminium, barium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, lithium, manganese, nickel, strontium, titanium, uranium and zinc to accumulate within the sediment. The altered water chemistry downstream of the wastewater discharge point is expected to be the salient factor in the significant loss of biodiversity within the macroinvertebrate community. The aquatic macroinvertebrate community downstream of the wastewater discharge is characterised by a loss of pollution sensitive taxa and an increase in pollution tolerant taxa. A laboratory experiment has identified that a suite of metals including; aluminium, boron, barium, cobalt, copper, iron, lithium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, strontium and uranium present in the coal mine wastewater discharge are able to bioaccumulate within plants that are exposed to the wastewater. This research has demonstrated that the current implementation of environmental protection legislation has failed to protect one of Sydney’s major waterways from the effects of coal mining. Consequently, it is essential that we better manage our aquatic ecosystems to avoid further instances of degradation and to preserve ecosystem functions and services

Space-time singularities and the axion in the Poincare coset models ISO(2,1)/H

By promoting an invariant subgroup $H$ of $ISO(2,1)$ to a gauge symmetry of a WZWN action, we obtain the description of a bosonic string moving either in a curved 4-dimensional space--time with an axion field and curvature singularities or in 3-dimensional Minkowski space--time.Comment: LaTeX, 6 pages plus 2 figures in a separate postscript file, a LaTeX error fixe