Neutrino Mass Constraints on µ Decay and pi0-->nu[overline nu]

In this Letter, we show that upper limits on the neutrino mass translate into upper limits on the class of neutrino-matter interactions that can generate loop corrections to the neutrino mass matrix. We apply our results to µ and pi decays and derive model-independent limits on six of the ten parameters used to parametrize contributions to µ decay that do not belong to the standard model. These upper limits provide improved constraints on the five Michel parameters, rho,xi[prime],xi[prime][prime],alpha,alpha[prime], that exceed Particle Data Group constraints by at least one order of magnitude. For pi0-->nu[overline nu] we find, for the branching ratio, B(pi0-->nu[overline nu])<10^-10

New Contribution to Scattering of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles on Nuclei

A weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) is perhaps the most promising candidate for the dark matter in the Galactic halo. The WIMP detection rate in laboratory searches is fixed by the cross section for elastic WIMP-nucleus scattering. Here we calculate the contribution to this cross section from two-nucleon currents from pion exchange in the nucleus and show that it may, in some cases, be comparable to the one-nucleon current that has been considered in prior work and perhaps help resolve the discrepancies between the various direct dark-matter search experiments. We provide simple expressions that allow these new contributions to be included in current calculations

Neutrino mass constraints on beta decay

Using the general connection between the upper limit on the neutrino mass and the upper limits on certain types of non-Standard Model interaction that can generate loop corrections to the neutrino mass, we derive constraints on some non-Standard Model $d\to ue^-\bar{\nu}$ interactions. When cast into limits on $n\to pe^-\bar{\nu}$ coupling constants, our results yield constraints on scalar and tensor weak interactions improved by more than an order of magnitude over the current experimental limits. When combined with the existing limits, our results yield |C_S/C_V|\alt 5\times 10^{-3}, |C'_S/C_V|\alt 5\times 10^{-3}, |C_T/C_A| \alt 1.2\times 10^{-2} and |C'_T/C_A| \alt 1.2\times 10^{-2}.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; revised to reflect referee comments; accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter

La conception d'un jeu neuropédagogique concernant l'apprentissage des accords grammaticaux dans la phrase.

Au cours de sa carrière, chaque enseignant va inévitablement voir certains élèves éprouver des difficultés en français, constater qu'ils ne transfèrent pas leurs connaissances des règles grammaticales en situation d'application textuelle, réfléchir sur la validité des tâches papier et crayons versus la motivation, se questionner sur l'enseignement moderne de la langue française et les outils pédagogiques disponibles pour remplir ce mandat et tous ces questionnements professionnels; nous les avons vécus en tant qu'enseignantes. Il s'agit d'ailleurs du point de départ ayant conduit à cette recherche de développement d'objet qui a pour objectif principal de favoriser l'apprentissage de l'orthographe grammaticale. À cet effet, un jeu neuropédagogique portant sur les accords grammaticaux dans la phrase a été développé. Ainsi, ce jeu offre aux élèves la possibilité de parfaire leurs connaissances voire d'accroître leurs apprentissages des accords dans la phrase. Pour ce faire, les diverses approches utilisées vont de pair avec le renouveau de la grammaire et elles respectent les dominances cérébrales, c'est-à-dire les profils des apprenants (neuropédagogie). Par le biais de ce jeu, notre objectif est de respecter les caractéristiques de la neuropédagogie tout en exploitant quelques approches qui mettent en oeuvre la nouvelle grammaire. Avec le développement d'un jeu neuropédagogique incluant les approches grammaticales conformes à la nouvelle grammaire, il est hypothétique de croire qu'il s'agit là d'un moyen stimulant pour favoriser le transfert des règles d'accords grammaticaux chez les élèves en situation d'écriture. De là, il nous paraît primordial qu'un enseignant varie ses approches pour mieux respecter le fait que chaque élève a sa façon d'apprendre. De ce fait, le jeu, la grammaire et la neuropédagogie sont, pour nous, les concepts fondamentaux de cette recherche. Mais quelles sont les caractéristiques d'un jeu neuropédagogique qui aiderait l'enseignement des accords grammaticaux dans la phrase au 3e cycle du primaire

Libpsht - algorithms for efficient spherical harmonic transforms

Libpsht (or "library for Performant Spherical Harmonic Transforms") is a collection of algorithms for efficient conversion between spatial-domain and spectral-domain representations of data defined on the sphere. The package supports transforms of scalars as well as spin-1 and spin-2 quantities, and can be used for a wide range of pixelisations (including HEALPix, GLESP and ECP). It will take advantage of hardware features like multiple processor cores and floating-point vector operations, if available. Even without this additional acceleration, the employed algorithms are among the most efficient (in terms of CPU time as well as memory consumption) currently being used in the astronomical community. The library is written in strictly standard-conforming C90, ensuring portability to many different hard- and software platforms, and allowing straightforward integration with codes written in various programming languages like C, C++, Fortran, Python etc. Libpsht is distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2 and can be downloaded from http://sourceforge.net/projects/libpsht.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, accepted by A&

Le Musée Communautaire Georges Liautaud au Village Artistique de Noailles

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Allosteric Modulators of GABAB Receptors: Mechanism of Action and Therapeutic Perspective

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) plays important roles in the central nervous system, acting as a neurotransmitter on both ionotropic ligand-gated Cl--channels, and metabotropic G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). These two types of receptors called GABAA (and C) and GABAB are the targets of major therapeutic drugs such as the anxiolytic benzodiazepines, and antispastic drug baclofen (lioresal®), respectively. Although the multiplicity of GABAA receptors offer a number of possibilities to discover new and more selective drugs, the molecular characterization of the GABAB receptor revealed a unique, though complex, heterodimeric GPCR. High throughput screening strategies carried out in pharmaceutical industries, helped identifying new compounds positively modulating the activity of the GABAB receptor. These molecules, almost devoid of apparent activity when applied alone, greatly enhance both the potency and efficacy of GABAB agonists. As such, in contrast to baclofen that constantly activates the receptor everywhere in the brain, these positive allosteric modulators induce a large increase in GABAB-mediated responses only WHERE and WHEN physiologically needed. Such compounds are then well adapted to help GABA to activate its GABAB receptors, like benzodiazepines favor GABAA receptor activation. In this review, the way of action of these molecules will be presented in light of our actual knowledge of the activation mechanism of the GABAB receptor. We will then show that, as expected, these molecules have more pronounced in vivo responses and less side effects than pure agonists, offering new potential therapeutic applications for this new class of GABAB ligands