Primes in short intervals

Contrary to what would be predicted on the basis of Cram\'er's model concerning the distribution of prime numbers, we develop evidence that the distribution of $\psi(x+H)- \psi(x)$, for $0\le x\le N$, is approximately normal with mean $\sim H$ and variance $\sim H\log N/H$, when $N^\delta \le H \le N^{1-\delta}$.Comment: 29 page

The fundamentals: understanding the climate change crisis

This is the first of a series of nine commentaries, each of which is designed to stand alone but when read as a whole provide a broad overview of the status of the intersection between digestive health and climate change. The nine commentaries encapsulate a 9-webinar open-access climate course hosted by the World Gastroenterology Organisation March–June 2023

Christmas at the University Elementary School

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Health risks, present and future, from global climate change

There is now no serious scientific debate: human actions are changing the world’s climate, and are set to do so at an increasing rate in coming decades. Urgent action is now required to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide (the dominant long acting greenhouse gas), if global temperature rises are not to exceed 2°C—the International Energy Authority warns that “the door to 2°C is closing.” Indeed, emissions must be hugely curtailed within just two decades, and then zero net emissions achieved by later this century, assisted by increased biosequestration of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. However, emissions continue to rise, having increased by 49% since 1990 and by an accelerated annual rate of 5.9% in 2010

Motivation for Two Detectors at a Particle Physics Collider

It is generally accepted that it is preferable to build two general purpose detectors at any given collider facility. We reinforce this point by discussing a number of aspects and particular instances in which this has been important. The examples are taken mainly, but not exclusively, from experience at the Tevatron collider.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figure

High-altitude physiology and pathophysiology: implications and relevance for intensive care medicine

Cellular hypoxia is a fundamental mechanism of injury in the critically ill. The study of human responses to hypoxia occurring as a consequence of hypobaria defines the fields of high-altitude medicine and physiology. A new paradigm suggests that the physiological and pathophysiological responses to extreme environmental challenges (for example, hypobaric hypoxia, hyper-baria, microgravity, cold, heat) may be similar to responses seen in critical illness. The present review explores the idea that human responses to the hypoxia of high altitude may be used as a means of exploring elements of the pathophysiology of critical illness

Genetic determinants of survival

The human genome comprises some 20,000 genes, or 3 billion base pairs. Variation in this genetic sequence is common and some of these variants affect gene function or the protein transcribed from it. Human characteristics are determined by the interaction of the genome with environmental challenges, and differences between us thus result from variation in those challenges and in the genome itself. This is true of human susceptibility to disease, and survival from it. Genetic variation influences human behaviours which may predispose to health or disease; the risk of contracting an infectious disease, or of suffering diseases such as cancer or myocardial infarction; the development of complications; the response to any treatment administered; and thus the outcome of the disease state. Genetic studies can help shed light on the mechanisms which underpin disease processes, whilst perhaps suggesting ways in which treatment might be ‘personalised’, and novel therapeutic targets for drug development. More sophisticated approaches to such endeavours are required, given the failure to identify the bulk of gene variants of influence using conventional strategies