Constraints on the pMSSM from searches for squarks and gluinos by ATLAS

We study the impact of the jets and missing transverse momentum SUSY analyses of the ATLAS experiment on the phenomenological MSSM (pMSSM). We investigate sets of SUSY models with a flat and logarithmic prior in the SUSY mass scale and a mass range up to 1 and 3 TeV, respectively. These models were found previously in the study 'Supersymmetry without Prejudice'. Removing models with long-lived SUSY particles, we show that 99% of 20000 randomly generated pMSSM model points with a flat prior and 87% for a logarithmic prior are excluded by the ATLAS results. For models with squarks and gluinos below 600 GeV all models of the pMSSM grid are excluded. We identify SUSY spectra where the current ATLAS search strategy is less sensitive and propose extensions to the inclusive jets search channel

Atypical disengagement from faces and its modulation by the control of eye fixation in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

By using the gap overlap task, we investigated disengagement from faces and objects in children (9–17 years old) with and without autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and its neurophysiological correlates. In typically developing (TD) children, faces elicited larger gap effect, an index of attentional engagement, and larger saccade-related event-related potentials (ERPs), compared to objects. In children with ASD, by contrast, neither gap effect nor ERPs differ between faces and objects. Follow-up experiments demonstrated that instructed fixation on the eyes induces larger gap effect for faces in children with ASD, whereas instructed fixation on the mouth can disrupt larger gap effect in TD children. These results suggest a critical role of eye fixation on attentional engagement to faces in both groups

Neutralino versus axion/axino cold dark matter in the 19 parameter SUGRA model

We calculate the relic abundance of thermally produced neutralino cold dark matter in the general 19 parameter supergravity (SUGRA-19) model. A scan over GUT scale parameters reveals that models with a bino-like neutralino typically give rise to a dark matter density \Omega_{\tz_1}h^2\sim 1-1000, i.e. between 1 and 4 orders of magnitude higher than the measured value. Models with higgsino or wino cold dark matter can yield the correct relic density, but mainly for neutralino masses around 700-1300 GeV. Models with mixed bino-wino or bino-higgsino CDM, or models with dominant co-annihilation or A-resonance annihilation can yield the correct abundance, but such cases are extremely hard to generate using a general scan over GUT scale parameters; this is indicative of high fine-tuning of the relic abundance in these cases. Requiring that m_{\tz_1}\alt 500 GeV (as a rough naturalness requirement) gives rise to a minimal probably dip in parameter space at the measured CDM abundance. For comparison, we also scan over mSUGRA space with four free parameters. Finally, we investigate the Peccei-Quinn augmented MSSM with mixed axion/axino cold dark matter. In this case, the relic abundance agrees more naturally with the measured value. In light of our cumulative results, we conclude that future axion searches should probe much more broadly in axion mass, and deeper into the axion coupling.Comment: 23 pages including 17 .eps figure

Academic Performance and Behavioral Patterns

Identifying the factors that influence academic performance is an essential part of educational research. Previous studies have documented the importance of personality traits, class attendance, and social network structure. Because most of these analyses were based on a single behavioral aspect and/or small sample sizes, there is currently no quantification of the interplay of these factors. Here, we study the academic performance among a cohort of 538 undergraduate students forming a single, densely connected social network. Our work is based on data collected using smartphones, which the students used as their primary phones for two years. The availability of multi-channel data from a single population allows us to directly compare the explanatory power of individual and social characteristics. We find that the most informative indicators of performance are based on social ties and that network indicators result in better model performance than individual characteristics (including both personality and class attendance). We confirm earlier findings that class attendance is the most important predictor among individual characteristics. Finally, our results suggest the presence of strong homophily and/or peer effects among university students

Functionalization of Carbon Nanomaterial Surface by Doxorubicin and Antibodies to Tumor Markers

The actual task of oncology is effective treatment of cancer while causing a minimum harm to the patient. The appearance of polymer nanomaterials and technologies launched new applications and approaches of delivery and release of anticancer drugs. The goal of work was to test ultra dispersed diamonds (UDDs) and onion-like carbon (OLCs) as new vehicles for delivery of antitumor drug (doxorubicin (DOX)) and specific antibodies to tumor receptors. Stable compounds of UDDs and OLCs with DOX were obtained. As results of work, an effectiveness of functionalization was 2.94 % w/w for OLC-DOX and 2.98 % w/w for UDD-DOX. Also, there was demonstrated that UDD-DOX and OLC-DOX constructs had dose-dependent cytotoxic effect on tumor cells in the presence of trypsin. The survival of adenocarcinoma cells reduced from 52 to 28 % in case of incubation with the UDD-DOX in concentrations from 8.4–2.5 to 670–20 μg/ml and from 72 to 30 % after incubation with OLC-DOX. Simultaneously, antibodies to epidermal growth factor maintained 75 % of the functional activity and specificity after matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation deposition. Thus, the conclusion has been made about the prospects of selected new methods and approaches for creating an antitumor agent with capabilities targeted delivery of drugs

Measurement of the running of the QED coupling in small-angle Bhabha scattering at LEP

Using the OPAL detector at LEP, the running of the effective QED coupling alpha(t) is measured for space-like momentum transfer from the angular distribution of small-angle Bhabha scattering. In an almost ideal QED framework, with very favourable experimental conditions, we obtain: Delta alpha(-6.07GeV^2) - Delta alpha(-1.81GeV^2) = (440 pm 58 pm 43 pm 30) X 10^-5, where the first error is statistical, the second is the experimental systematic and the third is the theoretical uncertainty. This agrees with current evaluations of alpha(t).The null hypothesis that alpha remains constant within the above interval of -t is excluded with a significance above 5sigma. Similarly, our results are inconsistent at the level of 3sigma with the hypothesis that only leptonic loops contribute to the running. This is currently the most significant direct measurment where the running alpha(t) is probed differentially within the measured t range.Comment: 43 pages, 12 figures, Submitted to Euro. Phys. J.

Age estimation using canine pulp volumes in adults:A CBCT image analysis

Secondary dentine deposition is responsible for the decrease in the volume of the pulp cavity with age. Therefore, the volume of the pulp cavity can be considered as a predictor for estimating age. The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship strength between canine pulp volumes and chronological age from homogenous (approximately equal numbers of individuals in each age range) age distribution and to assess the effect of sex as predictor in age estimation. This study was performed on 719 subjects of Pakistani origin. Cone beam computed tomography images of 521 left maxillary and 681 left mandibular canines were collected from 368 females and 349 males aged from 15 to 65 years. Planmeca Romexis® software was used to trace the outline of the pulp cavity and to calculate pulp volumes. Regression analysis was performed to assess the correlation between pulp volumes considering with and without sex as a predictor with chronological age. The obtained results showed that mandibular canine pulp volume and sex have the highest predictive power (R 2 = 0.33). The relationship between mandibular canine pulp volume and sex with chronological age demonstrates an odd S-shaped non-linear relationship. A statistically significant difference in volumes of pulp was found (p = 0.000) between males and females. The conclusion was that predictions using the pulp volume of the mandibular canine and sex produced the best estimates of chronological age. </p

Clinical utility of chromogranin A and octreotide in large cell neuro endocrine carcinoma of the uterine corpus

Primary neuroendocrine tumors of the female genital tract have been described in the cervix, ovaries and uterus. Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNC) of the uterine corpus is the least common and appears to behave the most aggressively. We report a rare case of a large cell neuroendocrine tumor of the endometrium. These tumors are not well characterized, unlike neuroendocrine tumors of the uterine cervix. Consequently, the optimal management remains still unclear. The treatment of our case consisted of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and octreotide. Despite the aggressive treatment, the patient died of disease progression 12 months after the initial diagnosis. We discuss the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment options for LCNC of the genital tract, and potential future therapeutics

Sudden deterioration due to intra-tumoral hemorrhage of ependymoma of the fourth ventricle in a child during a flight: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>To the best of our knowledge, the association between air travel and intra-tumoral hemorrhage in pediatric populations has never been described previously.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report the case of a two-and-a-half-year-old Caucasian, Iranian boy with a hemorrhaging brain tumor. He had a posterior fossa midline mass and severe hydrocephalus. He had been shunted for hydrocephalus four weeks earlier and was subsequently referred to our center for further treatment. The hemorrhage occurred in an infra-tentorial ependymoma, precipitated by an approximately 700-mile air journey at a maximum altitude of 25,000 feet.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A pre-existing intra-cranial mass lesion diminishes the ability of the brain to accommodate the mild environmental disturbances caused by hypercarbia, increased venous pressure and reduced cerebral blood flow during long air journeys. This is supported by a literature review, based on our current knowledge of physiological changes during air travel.</p