Effects of Fruitone CPA on Thinning Peaches in Texas.

2 p

Inflationary potentials in DBI models

We study DBI inflation based upon a general model characterized by a power-law flow parameter $\epsilon(\phi)\propto\phi^{\alpha}$ and speed of sound $c_s(\phi)\propto\phi^{\beta}$, where $\alpha$ and $\beta$ are constants. We show that in the slow-roll limit this general model gives rise to distinct inflationary classes according to the relation between $\alpha$ and $\beta$ and to the time evolution of the inflaton field, each one corresponding to a specific potential; in particular, we find that the well-known canonical polynomial (large- and small-field), hybrid and exponential potentials also arise in this non-canonical model. We find that these non-canonical classes have the same physical features as their canonical analogs, except for the fact that the inflaton field evolves with varying speed of sound; also, we show that a broad class of canonical and D-brane inflation models are particular cases of this general non-canonical model. Next, we compare the predictions of large-field polynomial models with the current observational data, showing that models with low speed of sound have red-tilted scalar spectrum with low tensor-to-scalar ratio, in good agreement with the observed values. These models also show a correlation between large non-gaussianity with low tensor amplitudes, which is a distinct signature of DBI inflation with large-field polynomial potentials.Comment: Minor changes, reference added. Version submitted to JCA

Probing the primordial power spectra with inflationary priors

We investigate constraints on power spectra of the primordial curvature and tensor perturbations with priors based on single-field slow-roll inflation models. We stochastically draw the Hubble slow-roll parameters and generate the primordial power spectra using the inflationary flow equations. Using data from recent observations of CMB and several measurements of geometrical distances in the late Universe, Bayesian parameter estimation and model selection are performed for models that have separate priors on the slow-roll parameters. The same analysis is also performed adopting the standard parameterization of the primordial power spectra. We confirmed that the scale-invariant Harrison-Zel'dovich spectrum is disfavored with increased significance from previous studies. While current observations appear to be optimally modeled with some simple models of single-field slow-roll inflation, data is not enough constraining to distinguish these models.Comment: 23 pages, 3 figures, 7 tables, accepted for publication in JCA

Health Assessment and Seroepidemiologic Survey of Potential Pathogens in Wild Antillean Manatees (Trichechus manatus manatus)

The Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus), a subspecies of the West Indian manatee, inhabits fresh, brackish, and warm coastal waters distributed along the eastern border of Central America, the northern coast of South America, and throughout the Wider Caribbean Region. Threatened primarily by human encroachment, poaching, and habitat degradation, Antillean manatees are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. The impact of disease on population viability remains unknown in spite of concerns surrounding the species' ability to rebound from a population crash should an epizootic occur. To gain insight on the baseline health of this subspecies, a total of 191 blood samples were collected opportunistically from wild Antillean manatees in Belize between 1997 and 2009. Hematologic and biochemical reference intervals were established, and antibody prevalence to eight pathogens with zoonotic potential was determined. Age was found to be a significant factor of variation in mean blood values, whereas sex, capture site, and season contributed less to overall differences in parameter values. Negative antibody titers were reported for all pathogens surveyed except for Leptospira bratislava, L. canicola, and L. icterohemorrhagiae, Toxoplasma gondii, and morbillivirus. As part of comprehensive health assessment in manatees from Belize, this study will serve as a benchmark aiding in early disease detection and in the discernment of important epidemiologic patterns in the manatees of this region. Additionally, it will provide some of the initial tools to explore the broader application of manatees as sentinel species of nearshore ecosystem health

Changing attitudes about concurrency among young African Americans: Results of a radio campaign

We created and evaluated an 8-month campaign of provocative radio ads to change attitudes about concurrent (overlapping) sexual partnerships among young African Americans. We created a concurrency attitude scale and compared its score distributions in independent samples of African Americans, ages 18–34 years, interviewed by telephone before (n = 678) and after (n = 479) the campaign. Pre- and post-campaign samples reflected similar response rates (pre: 32.6%; post: 31.8%) and distributions of personal characteristics. Reported exposure to concurrency messages was greater after the campaign (pre: 6.3%, post: 30.9%), and mean scores indicated less acceptance of concurrency (pre: 3.40 [95% CI 3.23, 3.57]; post: 2.62 [2.46, 2.78]). Score differences were not a function of differences in composition of the samples (adjusted means: pre: 3.37 [3.21, 3.53]; post: 2.62 [2.47, 2.76]). Findings demonstrate that a carefully targeted, intensive mass media campaign can change attitudes about concurrency, which should facilitate behavior change

Macro-economic Impact Study for Bio-based Malaysia

This Macro-economic Impact Study (MES) provides quantitative insights into the macro-economic effects of introducing green, palmbased alternatives for electricity, fuels, chemicals and materials industries in Malaysia between now and 2030

Role of LAG-3 in Regulatory T Cells

AbstractRegulatory T cells (Tregs) limit autoimmunity but also attenuate the magnitude of antipathogen and antitumor immunity. Understanding the mechanism of Treg function and therapeutic manipulation of Tregs in vivo requires identification of Treg-selective receptors. A comparative analysis of gene expression arrays from antigen-specific CD4+ T cells differentiating to either an effector/memory or a regulatory phenotype revealed Treg-selective expression of LAG-3, a CD4-related molecule that binds MHC class II. Antibodies to LAG-3 inhibit suppression by induced Tregs both in vitro and in vivo. Natural CD4+CD25+ Tregs express LAG-3 upon activation, which is significantly enhanced in the presence of effector cells, whereas CD4+CD25+ Tregs from LAG-3−/− mice exhibit reduced regulatory activity. Lastly, ectopic expression of LAG-3 on CD4+ T cells significantly reduces their proliferative capacity and confers on them suppressor activity toward effector T cells. We propose that LAG-3 marks regulatory T cell populations and contributes to their suppressor activity

BCS and BEC p-wave pairing in Bose-Fermi gases

The pairing of fermionic atoms in a mixture of atomic fermion and boson gases at zero temperature is investigated. The attractive interaction between fermions, that can be induced by density fluctuations of the bosonic background, can give rise to a superfluid phase in the Fermi component of the mixture. The atoms of both species are assumed to be in only one internal state, so that the pairing of fermions is effective only in odd-l channels. No assumption about the value of the ratio between the Fermi velocity and the sound velocity in the Bose gas is made in the derivation of the energy gap equation. The gap equation is solved without any particular "ansatz" for the pairing field or the effective interaction. The p-wave superfluidity is studied in detail. By increasing the strength and/or decreasing the range of the effective interaction a transition of the fermion pairing regime, from the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer state to a system of tightly bound couples can be realized. These composite bosons behave as a weakly-interacting Bose-Einstein condensate.Comment: 14 pages, 6 eps-figures. To be published in European Physical Journal