Reactor Searches for Neutrino Magnetic Moment as a Probe of Extra Dimensions

We present calculations of the magnetic moment contribution to neutrino electron scattering in large extra dimension brane-bulk models (LED) with three bulk neutrinos. We discuss the cases with two and three large extra dimensions of sizes $R$. The calculations are done using reactor flux from Uranium, $^{235}U$ as the neutrino source. We find that if the electron neutrino mass is chosen to be in the range of one eV, the differential cross section for $\bar{\nu}-e$ scattering for low electron recoil energy can be of the same order as the presently explored values in reactor experiments. Furthermore the spectral shape for the LED models is different from the four dimensional case. Future higher precision reactor experiments can therefore be used to provide new constraints on a class of large extra dimension theories.Comment: 8 pages; 3 figure

The Use of Engineering Sketching and Journaling to Foster Deep Understanding of Construction: an Exploratory Study

In today’s teaching environment where students’ main focus is on getting a high mark for a class, deep understanding has taken a backseat. Being able to answer as many exam preparation questions as possible and fulfilling all the criteria on an assignment will guarantee success. “I deserve a higher mark because I worked hard in this class,” are the arguments one hears after the final marks are published. How about understanding the new material presented in the class? Engineering sketching and journaling have been hailed by experienced engineers as tools to enhance thinking and communication. The authors of the paper report about their utilization as teaching tools to foster deep understanding in a course on construction equipment and methods. While topics like equipments economics, power transmission and safety benefit from graphing in two-axis coordinate systems, understanding the best path of a backhoe bucket during a trenching operation is impossible to describe in words. Of course, understanding has several components: a) WHY do we use a backhoe excavator and not a trencher, b) WHAT are the possible three link motion paths and their related force vectors, c) HOW can the operator control the path of the bucket, and d) WHAT-IF there are utilities buried in the ground

Water discharge and sediment flux changes in the Lower Mekong River

International audienceThe Lower Mekong River has witnessed extremely low water levels over the past few years. There is speculation that the changes are a consequence of the construction and operation of the Chinese cascade dams in the upper part of the Mekong main stream, the Lancang River. Dam construction on upper streams can produce a series of induced effects downstream, particularly in terms of water, sediment, channel and ecological changes. The infilling of the Manwan reservoir in 1992 caused water levels to fall to record lows in various parts of the Mekong River, and sediment concentration values decreased similarly. Analyses of discharge and sediment flux at various gauging stations on the Lower Mekong River have indicated a disruption in water discharge, water fluctuations and sediment transport downstream of the Manwan Dam, after its reservoir was infilled in 1992. Dry season flows showed a declining trend, and water level fluctuations in the dry season increased considerably in the post-dam (1993?2000) period. Monthly suspended sediment concentration (SSC) has also decreased significantly in several gauging stations in the post-dam period. The estimation of sediment flux is challenging since the measurements of SSC were sporadic. Our estimation based on the available data indicated that the areas along the upper-middle and lowermost reaches of the Mekong River have experienced a decline in sediment flux, possibly due to sedimentation in the Manwan Dam. However, the decrease is only statistically significant at Chiang Saen. Areas located in the mid-length of the river show less sensitivity to the operation of the Manwan Dam, as sediment fluxes have remained stable or even increased in the post-dam period

Minimal SUSY SO(10), b-τ\tau unification and large neutrino mixings

We show that the assumption of type II seesaw mechanism for small neutrino masses coupled with $b-\tau$ mass unification in a minimal SUSY SO(10) model leads not only to a natural understanding of large atmospheric mixing angle ($\theta_{23}$) among neutrinos, as recently pointed out, but also to large solar angle ($\theta_{12}$) and a small $\theta_{13}\equiv U_{e3}$ as required to fit observations. This is therefore a minimal, completely realistic grand unified model for all low energy observations that naturally explains the diverse mixing patterns between the quark and leptons without any additional inputs such as extra global symmetries. The proposed long baseline neutrino experiments will provide a crucial test of this model since it predicts $U_{e3}\simeq 0.16$ for the allowed range of parameters.Comment: 15 pages, latex, 3 figures, UMD-PP-03-03

Histone H3.3 Variant Dynamics in the Germline of Caenorhabditis elegans

Germline chromatin undergoes dramatic remodeling events involving histone variants during the life cycle of an organism. A universal histone variant, H3.3, is incorporated at sites of active transcription throughout the cell cycle. The presence of H3.3 in chromatin indicates histone turnover, which is the energy-dependent removal of preexisting histones and replacement with new histones. H3.3 is also incorporated during decondensation of the Drosophila sperm pronucleus, indicating a direct role in chromatin remodeling upon fertilization. Here we present a system to monitor histone turnover and chromatin remodeling during Caenorhabditis elegans development by following the developmental dynamics of H3.3. We generated worm strains expressing green fluorescent protein– or yellow fluorescent protein–fused histone H3.3 proteins, HIS-71 and HIS-72. We found that H3.3 is retained in mature sperm chromatin, raising the possibility that it transmits epigenetic information via the male germline. Upon fertilization, maternal H3.3 enters both male and female pronuclei and is incorporated into paternal chromatin, apparently before the onset of embryonic transcription, suggesting that H3.3 can be incorporated independent of transcription. In early embryos, H3.3 becomes specifically depleted from primordial germ cells. Strikingly, the X chromosome becomes deficient in H3.3 during gametogenesis, indicating a low level of histone turnover. These results raise the possibility that the asymmetry in histone turnover between the X chromosome and autosomes is established during gametogenesis. H3.3 patterns are similar to patterns of H3K4 methylation in the primordial germ cells and on the X chromosome during gametogenesis, suggesting that histone turnover and modification are coupled processes. Our demonstration of dynamic H3.3 incorporation in nondividing cells provides a mechanistic basis for chromatin changes during germ cell development

What is the real impact of acute kidney injury?

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common clinical problem. Studies have documented the incidence of AKI in a variety of populations but to date we do not believe the real incidence of AKI has been accurately documented in a district general hospital setting. The aim here was to describe the detected incidence of AKI in a typical general hospital setting in an unselected population, and describe associated short and long-term outcomes. Methods: A retrospective observational database study from secondary care in East Kent (adult catchment population of 582,300). All adult patients (18 years or over) admitted between 1st February 2009 and 31st July 2009, were included. Patients receiving chronic renal replacement therapy (RRT), maternity and day case admissions were excluded. AKI was defined by the acute kidney injury network (AKIN) criteria. A time dependent risk analysis with logistic regression and Cox regression was used for the analysis of in-hospital mortality and survival. Results: The incidence of AKI in the 6 month period was 15,325 pmp/yr (adults) (69% AKIN1, 18% AKIN2 and 13% AKIN3). In-hospital mortality, length of stay and ITU utilisation all increased with severity of AKI. Patients with AKI had an increase in care on discharge and an increase in hospital readmission within 30 days. Conclusions: This data comes closer to the real incidence and outcomes of AKI managed in-hospital than any study published in the literature to date. Fifteen percent of all admissions sustained an episode of AKI with increased subsequent short and long term morbidity and mortality, even in those with AKIN1. This confers an increased burden and cost to the healthcare economy, which can now be quantified. These results will furnish a baseline for quality improvement projects aimed at early identification, improved management, and where possible prevention, of AKI

Synthesis of Ultrafine Β′-Alumina Powders via Flame Spray Pyrolysis of Polymeric Precursors

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66387/1/j.1151-2916.1998.tb02506.x.pd

A Circular Economy Framework based on Organic Wastes Upcycling for Biodiesel Production from Hermetia illucens

The present waste management practices have adverse environmental impacts at the same time costly. Approximately, 80 % of the Malaysian municipal wastes including organic wastes are usual disposed into landfills. Hence, transformation organic wastes not only providing economic and environmental benefits but has given waste a value. This study focused on synthesis of biodiesel from H. illucens pre-pupae fed with fruit waste and food waste. The objective was to evaluate interactions between the variables including catalyst loading, reaction time versus fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) yield (wt %), temperature and methanol to sample mass ratio. The response surface methodology (RSM) was used to investigate the bioconversion optimization process. Optimal biodiesel yield based on fruit waste achieved was 96.15 % at 51ºC; 8.3:1 methanol: mass ratio; 253 min and 15.1 % catalyst. Furthermore, the optimal yield obtained from the second set of optimization using lipids of pre-pupae derived from food waste was achieved at 94.63 %.  The optimum conditions for reaction temperature was 71°C, with methanol to mass ratio of 6.8:1, at reaction time of 254 min and catalyst loading of 7.0 v/v%. The properties of FAME produced were in accordance with EN 14214 and ASTM 6751 biodiesel standards