460 research outputs found
Ultraviolet dependence of Kaluza-Klein effects on electroweak observables
In extensions of the standard model (SM) with d extra dimensions at the TeV
scale the virtual exchange of Kaluza-Klein (KK) excitations of the gauge bosons
gives contributions that change the SM relations between electroweak
observables. These corrections are finite only for d=1; for d\ge 2 the infinite
tower of KK modes gives a divergent contribution that has to be regularized
introducing a cutoff (the string scale). However, the ultraviolet dependence of
the KK effects is completely different if the running of the couplings with the
scale is taken into account. We find that for larger d the number of
excitations at each KK level increases, but their larger number is compensated
by the smaller value of the gauge coupling at that scale. As a result, for any
number of extra dimensions the exchange of the complete KK tower always gives a
finite contribution. We show that (i) for d=1 the running of the gauge coupling
decreases an 14% the effect of the KK modes on electroweak observables; (ii) in
all cases more than 90% of the total effect comes from the excitations in the
seven lowest KK levels and is then independent of ultraviolet physics.Comment: 8 pages, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Contextual novelty changes reward representations in the striatum
Reward representation in ventral striatum is boosted by perceptual novelty, although the mechanism of this effect remains elusive. Animal studies indicate a functional loop (Lisman and Grace, 2005) that includes hippocampus, ventral striatum, and midbrain as being important in regulating salience attribution within the context of novel stimuli. According to this model, reward responses in ventral striatum or midbrain should be enhanced in the context of novelty even if reward and novelty constitute unrelated, independent events. Using fMRI, we show that trials with reward-predictive cues and subsequent outcomes elicit higher responses in the striatum if preceded by an unrelated novel picture, indicating that reward representation is enhanced in the context of novelty. Notably, this effect was observed solely when reward occurrence, and hence reward-related salience, was low. These findings support a view that contextual novelty enhances neural responses underlying reward representation in the striatum and concur with the effects of novelty processing as predicted by the model of Lisman and Grace (2005)
Contextual novelty modulates the neural dynamics of reward anticipation
We investigated how rapidly the reward-predicting properties of visual cues are signaled in the human brain and the extent these reward prediction signals are contextually modifiable. In a magnetoencephalography study, we presented participants with fractal visual cues that predicted monetary rewards with different probabilities. These cues were presented in the temporal context of a preceding novel or familiar image of a natural scene. Starting at similar to 100 ms after cue onset, reward probability was signaled in the event-related fields (ERFs) over temporo-occipital sensors and in the power of theta (5-8 Hz) and beta (20-30 Hz) band oscillations over frontal sensors. While theta decreased with reward probability beta power showed the opposite effect. Thus, in humans anticipatory reward responses are generated rapidly, within 100 ms after the onset of reward-predicting cues, which is similar to the timing established in non-human primates. Contextual novelty enhanced the reward anticipation responses in both ERFs and in beta oscillations starting at similar to 100 ms after cue onset. This very early context effect is compatible with a physiological model that invokes the mediation of a hippocampal-VTA loop according to which novelty modulates neural response properties within the reward circuitry. We conclude that the neural processing of cues that predict future rewards is temporally highly efficient and contextually modifiable
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Automated Prediction of Preferences Using Facial Expressions
We introduce a computer vision problem from social cognition, namely, the automated detection of attitudes from a person's spontaneous facial expressions. To illustrate the challenges, we introduce two simple algorithms designed to predict observers’ preferences between images (e.g., of celebrities) based on covert videos of the observers’ faces. The two algorithms are almost as accurate as human judges performing the same task but nonetheless far from perfect. Our approach is to locate facial landmarks, then predict preference on the basis of their temporal dynamics. The database contains 768 videos involving four different kinds of preferences. We make it publically available
FCNC in left-right symmetric theories and constraints on the right-handed scale
We revise the limits on the FCNC higgses in manifestly left-right symmetric
theories. It is shown that the combination of the Kobayashi-Maskawa
CP-violation with the tree level higgs exchange gives very large
contribution to the CP-violating parameter. It leads to the new
strong constraint on the FCNC higgs mass, M>50- 100 TeV, enhanced by factor of
the order . Being addressed to the supersymmetric left-right
models, FCNC problem requires both right-handed scale and supersymmetric mass
parameters be heavier than 50 TeV for . The most relaxed case
corresponds to where right-handed scale can be of the
order of few TeV.Comment: 11 pages, latex, 3 figure
The genetic architecture of the association between eating behaviors and obesity : combining genetic twin modeling and polygenic risk scores
Background Obesity susceptibility genes are highly expressed in the brain suggesting that they might exert their influence on body weight through eating-related behaviors. Objectives To examine whether the genetic susceptibility to obesity is mediated by eating behavior patterns. Methods Participants were 3977 twins (33% monozygotic, 56% females), aged 31–37 y, from wave 5 of the FinnTwin16 study. They self-reported their height and weight, eating behaviors (15 items), diet quality, and self-measured their waist circumference (WC). For 1055 twins with genome-wide data, we constructed a polygenic risk score for BMI (PRSBMI) using almost 1 million single nucleotide polymorphisms. We used principal component analyses to identify eating behavior patterns, twin modeling to decompose correlations into genetic and environmental components, and structural equation modeling to test mediation models between the PRSBMI, eating behavior patterns, and obesity measures. Results We identified 4 moderately heritable (h2 = 36–48%) eating behavior patterns labeled “snacking,” “infrequent and unhealthy eating,” “avoidant eating,” and “emotional and external eating.” The highest phenotypic correlation with obesity measures was found for the snacking behavior pattern (r = 0.35 for BMI and r = 0.32 for WC; P 70%). The snacking behavior pattern partially mediated the association between the PRSBMI and obesity measures (βindirect = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.09; P = 0.002 for BMI; and βindirect = 0.05; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.08; P = 0.003 for WC). Conclusions Eating behavior patterns share a common genetic liability with obesity measures and are moderately heritable. Genetic susceptibility to obesity can be partly mediated by an eating pattern characterized by frequent snacking. Obesity prevention efforts might therefore benefit from focusing on eating behavior change, particularly in genetically susceptible individuals.Peer reviewe
Minimal Supersymmetric Scenarios for Spontaneous CP Violation
We study the possibility of spontaneous CP violation (SCPV) at the tree level
in models with an extended Higgs sector. We show that the minimum equations for
the complex phases of the vacuum expectation values (VEVs) have always a
geometrical interpretation in terms of triangles. To illustrate our method we
analyze the minimal supersymmetric (SUSY) model with R-parity violating
couplings and sneutrino VEVs, where there is no SCPV. Then we study SUSY models
with extra Higgs doublets and/or gauge singlets, and find that the simplest
scenario with SCPV must include at least two singlet fields.Comment: LaTeX, 19 pages, 4 figure
Possibility of spontaneous CP violation in the nonminimal supersymmetric standard model with two neutral Higgs singlets
A supersymmetric standard model with two Higgs doublets and two Higgs
singlets is investigated if it can accommodate the possibility of spontaneous
CP violation. Assuming the degeneracy of the scalar quark masses of the third
generation, we find that spontaneous CP violation in the Higgs sector is viable
in our model. In the case of spontaneous CP violation, the masses of the
lightest two neutral Higgs bosons are estimated to be 80 and 125 GeV for some
parameter values in our model, which, are consistent with LEP2 data.Comment: 18 pages, 3figure
3D printed monoliths: From powder to an efficient catalyst for antibiotic degradation
To improve the effectiveness and durability of wastewater treatment technologies, researchers are showing a
growing interest in 3D printing technology. This technology has attracted significant interest owing to its ability
to fabricate challenging complex geometries using different material compositions. This manuscript is focused on
the development of 3D monoliths from noncommercial filaments, i.e., a powder blend of iron oxide and polylactic acid (PLA) at 15 wt% of the former. Different monolith designs have been prepared to improve the fluid
dynamics of the process, so a simple cylinder (15-Fe3O4@PLA) and a cylinder with double the length and an
internal mesh (15-Fe3O4@PLA-DM) were used. These monoliths were characterized by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Mossbauer ¨ spectroscopy, then used for water-based
ofloxacin degradation in a continuous down-up flow configuration. Additionally, computational fluid dynamics
simulations were performed to estimate the degradation rate constants and analyze the distribution of fluid
velocity and pollutant concentration along the 15-Fe3O4@PLA-reactor. The oxidant dose was also optimized to
develop the highest degradation rate. The degradation of the target pollutant for those monoliths was 55 and 82
% under optimized conditions. In addition, the 15-Fe3O4@PLA-DM monolith was operated for long term experiments, keeping the degradation performance at a good 67 % for up to 120 h. Finally a fixed-bed reactor was
mounted with printed pellets of the mixture (15:85), Fe3O4:PLA, after being ground in a range of 125–200 μm.
Under this setup configuration, we observed the total degradation of ofloxacin. 3D printing technology is cheap, reproducible and time saving in the development of supported catalysts in comparison with conventional
deposition techniques. Moreover, the leaching of active sites on streams was largely diminished. In fact under
continuous operation the leached Fe concentration is below 0.1 ppm, corroborating the good adhesion of the
catalyst in the PLA supportThis research has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science
and Innovation thorough the project PID2021-123431OB-I0
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