1,401 research outputs found
The Impact of Universal Extra Dimensions on FCNC Processes
We review the results of two papers on FCNC processes in the Appelquist,
Cheng and Dobrescu (ACD) model with one universal extra dimension.Comment: Invited talk at the Workshop on the CKM Unitarity Triangle, IPPP
Durham, April 2003 (eConf C0304052). 7 pages LaTeX, 5 eps figure
Tests for finding complex patterns of differential expression in cancers: towards individualized medicine
BACKGROUND: Microarray studies in cancer compare expression levels between two or more sample groups on thousands of genes. Data analysis follows a population-level approach (e.g., comparison of sample means) to identify differentially expressed genes. This leads to the discovery of 'population-level' markers, i.e., genes with the expression patterns A > B and B > A. We introduce the PPST test that identifies genes where a significantly large subset of cases exhibit expression values beyond upper and lower thresholds observed in the control samples. RESULTS: Interestingly, the test identifies A > B and B < A pattern genes that are missed by population-level approaches, such as the t-test, and many genes that exhibit both significant overexpression and significant underexpression in statistically significantly large subsets of cancer patients (ABA pattern genes). These patterns tend to show distributions that are unique to individual genes, and are aptly visualized in a 'gene expression pattern grid'. The low degree of among-gene correlations in these genes suggests unique underlying genomic pathologies and high degree of unique tumor-specific differential expression. We compare the PPST and the ABA test to the parametric and non-parametric t-test by analyzing two independently published data sets from studies of progression in astrocytoma. CONCLUSIONS: The PPST test resulted findings similar to the nonparametric t-test with higher self-consistency. These tests and the gene expression pattern grid may be useful for the identification of therapeutic targets and diagnostic or prognostic markers that are present only in subsets of cancer patients, and provide a more complete portrait of differential expression in cancer
Nearby quasar remnants and ultra-high energy cosmic rays
As recently suggested, nearby quasar remnants are plausible sites of
black-hole based compact dynamos that could be capable of accelerating
ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). In such a model, UHECRs would originate
at the nuclei of nearby dead quasars, those in which the putative underlying
supermassive black holes are suitably spun-up. Based on galactic optical
luminosity, morphological type, and redshift, we have compiled a small sample
of nearby objects selected to be highly luminous, bulge-dominated galaxies,
likely quasar remnants. The sky coordinates of these galaxies were then
correlated with the arrival directions of cosmic rays detected at energies EeV. An apparently significant correlation appears in our data. This
correlation appears at closer angular scales than those expected when taking
into account the deflection caused by typically assumed IGM or galactic
magnetic fields over a charged particle trajectory. Possible scenarios
producing this effect are discussed, as is the astrophysics of the quasar
remnant candidates. We suggest that quasar remnants be also taken into account
in the forthcoming detailed search for correlations using data from the Auger
Observatory.Comment: 2 figures, 4 tables, 11 pages. Final version to appear in Physical
Review
A population-based audit of surgical practice and outcomes of oncoplastic breast conservations in Scotland – an analysis of 589 patients
Introduction:
Current evidence for oncoplastic breast conservation (OBC) is based on single institutional series. Therefore, we carried out a population-based audit of OBC practice and outcomes in Scotland.
Methods:
A predefined database of patients treated with OBC was completed retrospectively in all breast units practicing OBC in Scotland.
Results:
589 patients were included from 11 units. Patients were diagnosed between September 2005 and March 2017. High volume units performed a mean of 19.3 OBCs per year vs. low volume units who did 11.1 (p = 0.012). 23 different surgical techniques were used. High volume units offered a wider range of techniques (8–14) than low volume units (3–6) (p = 0.004). OBC was carried out as a joint operation involving a breast and a plastic surgeon in 389 patients. Immediate contralateral symmetrisation rate was significantly higher when OBC was performed as a joint operation (70.7% vs. not joint operations: 29.8%; p < 0.001). The incomplete excision rate was 10.4% and was significantly higher after surgery for invasive lobular carcinoma (18.9%; p = 0.0292), but was significantly lower after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (3%; p = 0.031). 9.2% of patients developed major complications requiring hospital admission. Overall the complication rate was significantly lower after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.035). The 5 year local recurrence rate was 2.7%, which was higher after OBC for DCIS (8.3%) than invasive ductal cancer (1.6%; p = 0.026). 5-year disease-free survival was 91.7%, overall survival was 93.8%, and cancer-specific survival was 96.1%.
Conclusion:
This study demonstrated that measured outcomes of OBC in a population-based multi-centre setting can be comparable to the outcomes of large volume single centre series
Opacity effects and shock-in-jet modelling of low-level activity in Cygnus X-3
We present simultaneous dual-frequency radio observations of Cygnus X-3
during a phase of low-level activity. We constrain the minimum variability
timescale to be 20 minutes at 43 GHz and 30 minutes at 15 GHz, implying source
sizes of 2 to 4 AU. We detect polarized emission at a level of a few per cent
at 43 GHz which varies with the total intensity. The delay of approximately 10
minutes between the peaks of the flares at the two frequencies is seen to
decrease with time, and we find that synchrotron self-absorption and free-free
absorption by entrained thermal material play a larger role in determining the
opacity than absorption in the stellar wind of the companion. A shock-in-jet
model gives a good fit to the lightcurves at all frequencies, demonstrating
that this mechanism, which has previously been used to explain the brighter,
longer-lived giant outbursts in this source, is also applicable to these
low-level flaring events. Assembling the data from outbursts spanning over two
orders of magnitude in flux density shows evidence for a strong correlation
between the peak brightness of an event, and the timescale and frequency at
which this is attained. Brighter flares evolve on longer timescales and peak at
lower frequencies. Analysis of the fitted model parameters suggests that
brighter outbursts are due to shocks forming further downstream in the jet,
with an increased electron normalisation and magnetic field strength both
playing a role in setting the strength of the outburst.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS. 15 pages, 9 figure
New hadrons as ultra-high energy cosmic rays
Ultra-high energy cosmic ray (UHECR) protons produced by uniformly
distributed astrophysical sources contradict the energy spectrum measured by
both the AGASA and HiRes experiments, assuming the small scale clustering of
UHECR observed by AGASA is caused by point-like sources. In that case, the
small number of sources leads to a sharp exponential cutoff at the energy
E<10^{20} eV in the UHECR spectrum. New hadrons with mass 1.5-3 GeV can solve
this cutoff problem. For the first time we discuss the production of such
hadrons in proton collisions with infrared/optical photons in astrophysical
sources. This production mechanism, in contrast to proton-proton collisions,
requires the acceleration of protons only to energies E<10^{21} eV. The diffuse
gamma-ray and neutrino fluxes in this model obey all existing experimental
limits. We predict large UHE neutrino fluxes well above the sensitivity of the
next generation of high-energy neutrino experiments. As an example we study
hadrons containing a light bottom squark. These models can be tested by
accelerator experiments, UHECR observatories and neutrino telescopes.Comment: 17 pages, revtex style; v2: shortened, as to appear in PR
Motivations of non-Buddhists visiting Buddhist temples
The current study employs the leisure motivation scale to examine motivations of non- Buddhists visiting Buddhist temples. Specifically, this investigation builds on tourism literature to explore the motivations of non-Buddhists visiting Buddhist temples in
Los Angeles, California. Motivations to Buddhist temples are of particular interest
given the increasing popularity in the West of Eastern spiritual activities, such as yoga and meditation, as well as the exponential growth of Buddhist-themed tourism
campaigns. The findings provide insights for tourism officials responsible for promoting ways to attract tourists to Buddhist temples within their respective
destinations
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