| 1. |
- Schael, S, et al.
(författare)
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Precision electroweak measurements on the Z resonance
- 2006
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Ingår i: Physics Reports. - : Elsevier BV. - 0370-1573 .- 1873-6270. ; 427:5-6, s. 257-454
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report on the final electroweak measurements performed with data taken at the Z resonance by the experiments operating at the electron-positron colliders SLC and LEP. The data consist of 17 million Z decays accumulated by the ALEPH, DELPHI, L3 and OPAL experiments at LEP, and 600 thousand Z decays by the SLID experiment using a polarised beam at SLC. The measurements include cross-sections, forward-backward asymmetries and polarised asymmetries. The mass and width of the Z boson, m(Z) and Gamma(Z), and its couplings to fermions, for example the p parameter and the effective electroweak mixing angle for leptons, are precisely measured: m(Z) = 91.1875 +/- 0.0021 GeV, Gamma(Z) = 2.4952 +/- 0.0023 GeV, rho(l) = 1.0050 +/- 0.0010, sin(2)theta(eff)(lept) = 0.23153 +/- 0.00016. The number of light neutrino species is determined to be 2.9840 +/- 0.0082, in agreement with the three observed generations of fundamental fermions. The results are compared to the predictions of the Standard Model (SM). At the Z-pole, electroweak radiative corrections beyond the running of the QED and QCD coupling constants are observed with a significance of five standard deviations, and in agreement with the Standard Model. Of the many Z-pole measurements, the forward-backward asymmetry in b-quark production shows the largest difference with respect to its SM expectation, at the level of 2.8 standard deviations. Through radiative corrections evaluated in the framework of the Standard Model, the Z-pole data are also used to predict the mass of the top quark, m(t) = 173(+10)(+13) GeV, and the mass of the W boson, m(W) = 80.363 +/- 0.032 GeV. These indirect constraints are compared to the direct measurements, providing a stringent test of the SM. Using in addition the direct measurements of m(t) and m(W), the mass of the as yet unobserved SM Higgs boson is predicted with a relative uncertainty of about 50% and found to be less than 285 GeV at 95% confidence level. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 2. |
- Emerging Risk Factors, Collaboration, et al.
(författare)
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The Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration: analysis of individual data on lipid, inflammatory and other markers in over 1.1 million participants in 104 prospective studies of cardiovascular diseases
- 2007
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Ingår i: Eur J Epidemiol. - 0393-2990. ; 22:12, s. 839-69
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Many long-term prospective studies have reported on associations of cardiovascular diseases with circulating lipid markers and/or inflammatory markers. Studies have not, however, generally been designed to provide reliable estimates under different circumstances and to correct for within-person variability. The Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration has established a central database on over 1.1 million participants from 104 prospective population-based studies, in which subsets have information on lipid and inflammatory markers, other characteristics, as well as major cardiovascular morbidity and cause-specific mortality. Information on repeat measurements on relevant characteristics has been collected in approximately 340,000 participants to enable estimation of and correction for within-person variability. Re-analysis of individual data will yield up to approximately 69,000 incident fatal or nonfatal first ever major cardiovascular outcomes recorded during about 11.7 million person years at risk. The primary analyses will involve age-specific regression models in people without known baseline cardiovascular disease in relation to fatal or nonfatal first ever coronary heart disease outcomes. This initiative will characterize more precisely and in greater detail than has previously been possible the shape and strength of the age- and sex-specific associations of several lipid and inflammatory markers with incident coronary heart disease outcomes (and, secondarily, with other incident cardiovascular outcomes) under a wide range of circumstances. It will, therefore, help to determine to what extent such associations are independent from possible confounding factors and to what extent such markers (separately and in combination) provide incremental predictive value.
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| 3. |
- Allison, J, et al.
(författare)
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Geant4 developments and applications
- 2006
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Ingår i: IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON NUCLEAR SCIENCE. - 0018-9499. ; 53:1, s. 270-278
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)
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| 4. |
- Lu, R, et al.
(författare)
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Genetic associations of LYN with systemic lupus erythematosus
- 2009
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Ingår i: Genes and Immunity. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1466-4879 .- 1476-5470. ; 10:5, s. 397-403
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We targeted LYN, a src-tyosine kinase involved in B-cell activation, in case-control association studies using populations of European-American, African-American and Korean subjects. Our combined European-derived population, consisting of 2463 independent cases and 3131 unrelated controls, shows significant association with rs6983130 in a female-only analysis with 2254 cases and 2228 controls (P=1.1 x 10(-4), odds ratio (OR)=0.81 (95% confidence interval: 0.73-0.90)). This single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) is located in the 5' untranslated region within the first intron near the transcription initiation site of LYN. In addition, SNPs upstream of the first exon also show weak and sporadic association in subsets of the total European-American population. Multivariate logistic regression analysis implicates rs6983130 as a protective factor for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) susceptibility when anti-dsDNA, anti-chromatin, anti-52 kDa Ro or anti-Sm autoantibody status were used as covariates. Subset analysis of the European-American female cases by American College of Rheumatology classification criteria shows a reduction in the risk of hematological disorder with rs6983130 compared with cases without hematological disorders (P=1.5 x 10(-3), OR=0.75 (95% CI: 0.62-0.89)). None of the 90 SNPs tested show significant association with SLE in the African American or Korean populations. These results support an association of LYN with European-derived individuals with SLE, especially within autoantibody or clinical subsets.
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| 5. |
- Valiente-Dobon, J. J., et al.
(författare)
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Lifetime Measurements of the Neutron-Rich N=30 Isotones Ca-50 and Sc-51: Orbital Dependence of Effective Charges in the fp Shell
- 2009
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Ingår i: Physical Review Letters. - 1079-7114. ; 102:24
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The lifetimes of the first excited states of the N=30 isotones Ca-50 and Sc-51 have been determined using the Recoil Distance Doppler Shift method in combination with the CLARA-PRISMA spectrometers. This is the first time such a method is applied to measure lifetimes of neutron-rich nuclei populated via a multinucleon transfer reaction. This extends the lifetime knowledge beyond the f(7/2) shell closure and allows us to derive the effective proton and neutron charges in the fp shell near the doubly magic nucleus Ca-48, using large-scale, shell-model calculations. These results indicate an orbital dependence of the core polarization along the fp shell.
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| 6. |
- Bunce, R. G. H., et al.
(författare)
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A standardized procedure for surveillance and monitoring European habitats and provision of spatial data
- 2008
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Ingår i: Landscape Ecology. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0921-2973 .- 1572-9761. ; 23, s. 11-25
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Both science and policy require a practical, transmissible, and reproducible procedure for surveillance and monitoring of European habitats, which can produce statistics integrated at the landscape level. Over the last 30 years, landscape ecology has developed rapidly, and many studies now require spatial data on habitats. Without rigorous rules, changes from baseline records cannot be separated reliably from background noise. A procedure is described that satisfies these requirements and can provide consistent data for Europe, to support a range of policy initiatives and scientific projects. The methodology is based on classical plant life forms, used in biogeography since the nineteenth century, and on their statistical correlation with the primary environmental gradient. Further categories can therefore be identified for other continents to assist large scale comparisons and modelling. The model has been validated statistically and the recording procedure tested in the field throughout Europe. A total of 130 General Habitat Categories (GHCs) is defined. These are enhanced by recording environmental, site and management qualifiers to enable flexible database interrogation. The same categories are applied to areal, linear and point features to assist recording and subsequent interpretation at the landscape level. The distribution and change of landscape ecological parameters, such as connectivity and fragmentation, can then be derived and their significance interpreted.
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| 7. |
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Business and Development in Africa
- 2009
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Samlingsverk (redaktörskap) (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A SPECIAL EDITION ON BUSINESS AND DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA: Changes in the global economic landscape, the comparatively unrestrained flow of resources across the boundaries of nation states, as well as, the growing expansion of the overseas activities of many companies through out the world has stimulated an increased interest in examining business strategies. Africa, along with China, is in the forefront of current global business discussions. Once discounted, to “third world” status, discoveries of large quantities of oil have made Africa a player in the global economy. While these discoveries add to the comparative advantages of African countries, the intense competition brought on by globalization and trade liberalization, trade liberalization and the integration of of world markets challenge us to critically examine the ways in which African countries can contribute to trade and socio-economic growth globally, and the impact of such locally. Comprising a part of the world economy that has approximately 900 million people and 52 nations, Africa represents, potentially some of the most important growth opportunities in today’s economy. A diverse group of economies and societies, developing nations, in general and African countries, in particular are an important testing ground for our existing theories, models and concepts of business and management. In addition, they offer the opportunity for the development of new theoretical contributions in the field of management and business studies. The goal of this special edition is to provide a forum on the latest thinking about business and development in Africa. This includes the growing paradox between development and the appropriation of resources; and between globalization and local development. The volume has been developed around several issues with papers in each area. A seminal work looks at early African contributions, particularly those of Ibn Khaldun, to theories of economic development which are based on competitive rather than monopoly capitalism and proposes policy implications. The role of intra-region trade is examined in a paper considering the effects of consumer ethnocentrism on trade between Mozambique and South Africa. Several papers in the edition address business and development in Sub-Saharan Africa, West Africa, South Africa and the COMESA region. Development is examined with respect to: Foreign Direct Investment flows and their effects on GDP, making use of growth accounting frameworks, the impact of trade liberalization and globalization on competition, the challenges facing entrepreneurs, and trends in the exchange rate in West African Economic and Monetary Union. The example of Botswana which has made great strides in transparency, GDP growth and literacy allowing it to become a model of good governance is presented. Other papers examine the importance of agricultural production for household security and income stability and some of the technical barriers which limit trade between African and European countries. The commercial production of medicinal plants and its potential for the semi-arid regions of Kenya is discussed. Another set of papers uses behavioral measures to understand business success: the knowledge transfer process and the motivation to perform are considered with respect to turnover and manager’s intention to stay, social performance measures are proposed. In addition to financial performance measures, and the social capabilities of African firms is suggested to be an important factor for narrowing the economic gap between African economies and other parts of the world. The edition includes perspectives on diverse issues. Together, they enrich our understanding of business in Africa and broaden the discussion of development and Africa´s place in the world economy. Thanks to the editors and their respective universities: Dr. Aihie Osarenkhoe of the University of Gävle, Dr. Gabriel Awuah of Halmstad University, and Dr. Sid Howard Credle of Hampton University. Sincerely, Professor C.B. Claiborne, Ph.D, Editor in Chief for International Journal of Business Research, Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas, USA.
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Haas, Brian J., et al.
(författare)
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Genome sequence and analysis of the Irish potato famine pathogen Phytophthora infestans
- 2009
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Ingår i: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 461:7262, s. 393-398
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Phytophthora infestans is the most destructive pathogen of potato and a model organism for the oomycetes, a distinct lineage of fungus-like eukaryotes that are related to organisms such as brown algae and diatoms. As the agent of the Irish potato famine in the mid-nineteenth century, P. infestans has had a tremendous effect on human history, resulting in famine and population displacement(1). To this day, it affects world agriculture by causing the most destructive disease of potato, the fourth largest food crop and a critical alternative to the major cereal crops for feeding the world's population(1). Current annual worldwide potato crop losses due to late blight are conservatively estimated at $6.7 billion(2). Management of this devastating pathogen is challenged by its remarkable speed of adaptation to control strategies such as genetically resistant cultivars(3,4). Here we report the sequence of the P. infestans genome, which at similar to 240 megabases (Mb) is by far the largest and most complex genome sequenced so far in the chromalveolates. Its expansion results from a proliferation of repetitive DNA accounting for similar to 74% of the genome. Comparison with two other Phytophthora genomes showed rapid turnover and extensive expansion of specific families of secreted disease effector proteins, including many genes that are induced during infection or are predicted to have activities that alter host physiology. These fast-evolving effector genes are localized to highly dynamic and expanded regions of the P. infestans genome. This probably plays a crucial part in the rapid adaptability of the pathogen to host plants and underpins its evolutionary potential.
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