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- Schael, S, et al.
(author)
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Precision electroweak measurements on the Z resonance
- 2006
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In: Physics Reports. - : Elsevier BV. - 0370-1573 .- 1873-6270. ; 427:5-6, s. 257-454
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Research review (peer-reviewed)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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- Raiteri, C. M., et al.
(author)
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WEBT and XMM-Newton observations of 3C 454.3 during the post-outburst phase - Detection of the little and big blue bumps
- 2007
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In: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - : EDP Sciences. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 473:3, s. 819-827
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Context. The quasar-type blazar 3C 454.3 was observed to undergo an unprecedented optical outburst in spring 2005, affecting the source brightness from the near-IR to the X-ray frequencies. This was first followed by a millimetric and then by a radio outburst, which peaked in February 2006. Aims. In this paper we report on follow-up observations to study the multiwavelength emission in the post-outburst phase. Methods. Radio, near-infrared, and optical monitoring was performed by the Whole Earth Blazar Telescope (WEBT) collaboration in the 2006-2007 observing season. XMM-Newton observations on July 2-3 and December 18-19, 2006 added information on the X-ray and UV states of the source. Results. The source was in a faint state. The radio flux at the higher frequencies showed a fast decreasing trend, which represents the tail of the big radio outburst. It was followed by a quiescent state, common at all radio frequencies. In contrast, moderate activity characterized the near-IR and optical light curves, with a progressive increase of the variability amplitude with increasing wavelength. We ascribe this redder-when-brighter behaviour to the presence of a ""little blue bump"" due to line emission from the broad line region, which is clearly visible in the source spectral energy distribution (SED) during faint states. Moreover, the data from the XMM- Newton Optical Monitor reveal a rise of the SED in the ultraviolet, suggesting the existence of a "" big blue bump"" due to thermal emission from the accretion disc. The X-ray spectra are well fitted with a power- law model with photoelectric absorption, possibly larger than the Galactic one. However, the comparison with previous X-ray observations would imply that the amount of absorbing matter is variable. Alternatively, the intrinsic X-ray spectrum presents a curvature, which may depend on the X-ray brightness. In this case, two scenarios are possible. i) There is no extra absorption, and the X-ray spectrum hardens at low energies, the hardening being more evident in bright states; ii) there is a constant amount of extra absorption, likely in the quasar environment, and the X-ray spectrum softens at low energies, at least in faint X-ray states. This softening might be the result of a flux contribution by the high-frequency tail of the big blue bump.
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- Estrada, Karol, et al.
(author)
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A genome-wide association study of northwestern Europeans involves the C-type natriuretic peptide signaling pathway in the etiology of human height variation.
- 2009
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In: Human molecular genetics. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1460-2083 .- 0964-6906. ; 18:18, s. 3516-24
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Northwestern Europeans are among the tallest of human populations. The increase in body height in these people appears to have reached a plateau, suggesting the ubiquitous presence of an optimal environment in which genetic factors may have exerted a particularly strong influence on human growth. Therefore, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of body height using 2.2 million markers in 10 074 individuals from three Dutch and one German population-based cohorts. Upon genotyping, the 12 most significantly height-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from this GWAS in 6912 additional individuals of Dutch and Swedish origin, a genetic variant (rs6717918) on chromosome 2q37.1 was found to be associated with height at a genome-wide significance level (P(combined) = 3.4 x 10(-9)). Notably, a second SNP (rs6718438) located approximately 450 bp away and in strong LD (r(2) = 0.77) with rs6717918 was previously found to be suggestive of a height association in 29 820 individuals of mainly northwestern European ancestry, and the over-expression of a nearby natriuretic peptide precursor type C (NPPC) gene, has been associated with overgrowth and skeletal anomalies. We also found a SNP (rs10472828) located on 5p14 near the natriuretic peptide receptor 3 (NPR3) gene, encoding a receptor of the NPPC ligand, to be associated with body height (P(combined) = 2.1 x 10(-7)). Taken together, these results suggest that variation in the C-type natriuretic peptide signaling pathway, involving the NPPC and NPR3 genes, plays an important role in determining human body height.
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5. |
- Shi, F., et al.
(author)
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Synthesis and characterization of two novel high valent dinuclear complexes with a triphenolate ligand bearing functional groups
- 2005
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In: Chinese Chemical Letters. - 1001-8417 .- 1878-5964. ; 16:1, s. 89-92
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Two novel high valent complexes [M-2(III, III)L(mu-OAc)(2)](PF6)-P-. (M=Mn, Fe; 9) were prepared, where L was the tri-anion of 2,6-bis{[(2-hydroxy-3-(morpholin-4-yl methyl)-5-tertbutyl benzyl)(pyridyl-2-methyl)amino]methyl}-4-methyl phenol which contained additional phenolic, tert-butyl and morpholin-4-yl methyl groups compared to its parent [Mn-2(II, II)(bpmp) (mu-OAc)(2)](CIO4)-C-. (10). These improvements decreased the difference between the new model and (Mn)(4) cluster (OEC in nature).
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- Yang, J. H., et al.
(author)
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Effects of AlN layer and impurities on optical properties of GaN
- 2005
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In: Chemical Research in Chinese Universities. - 1005-9040. ; 21:1, s. 78-82
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The effects of the incorporated oxygen and the different buffer layers on the optical properties and surface morphology of GaN were studied. The results show that the decrease of the concentration of the incorporated oxygen has no effect on the surface morphology, but improves the optical properties. While the introduction of the AlN buffer layer makes not only the surface morphology but also the optical properties improve. Both the oxygen contamination from the nitrogen source and the resulted morphology are directly related to the line width of the low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra.
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- Donoghue, Philip C. J., et al.
(author)
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Synchrotron X-ray tomographic microscopy of fossil embryos
- 2006
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In: Nature. - 0028-0836. ; 442:7103, s. 601-718
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Fossilized embryos from the late Neoproterozoic and earliest Phanerozoic have caused much excitement because they preserve the earliest stages of embryology of animals that represent the initial diversification of metazoans1, 2, 3, 4. However, the potential of this material has not been fully realized because of reliance on traditional, non-destructive methods that allow analysis of exposed surfaces only1, 2,3, 4, and destructive methods that preserve only a single two-dimensional view of the interior of the specimen5, 6. Here, we have applied synchrotron-radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM)7, obtaining complete three-dimensional recordings at submicrometre resolution. The embryos are preserved by early diagenetic impregnation and encrustation with calcium phosphate, and differences in X-ray attenuation provide information about the distribution of these two diagenetic phases. Three-dimensional visualization of blastomere arrangement and diagenetic cement in cleavage embryos resolves outstanding questions about their nature, including the identity of the columnar blastomeres. The anterior and posterior anatomy of embryos of the bilaterian worm-like Markuelia confirms its position as a scalidophoran, providing new insights into body-plan assembly among constituent phyla. The structure of the developing germ band in another bilaterian, Pseudooides, indicates a unique mode of germ-band development. SRXTM provides a method of non-invasive analysis that rivals the resolution achieved even by destructive methods, probing the very limits of fossilization and providing insight into embryology during the emergence of metazoan phyla.
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- Gumbel, Jörg, et al.
(author)
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Retrieval of global mesospheric sodium densities from the Odin satellite
- 2007
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In: Geophysical Research Letters. - 0094-8276 .- 1944-8007. ; 34:L04813
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Satellite observations of the Na D dayglow at 589 nm provide a global database for the climatology of the mesospheric sodium layer. More than five years of Na D limb observations are available from the Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imager System onboard the Odin satellite. We describe a robust retrieval method that provides individual sodium density profiles with a typical accuracy of 20% and altitude resolution of 2 km. Retrieved column abundances and density profiles are validated against sodium resonance lidar measurements at mid- latitudes. Examples of the seasonal and latitudinal variation of the sodium layer illustrate Odin's potential for climatological studies of mesospheric metals.
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10. |
- Yang, J. H., et al.
(author)
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Photoluminescence property of InAs quantum dots with InxGa1-x as layer inserted
- 2005
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In: Kao Teng Hsueh Hsiao Hua Heush Hsueh Pao/ Chemical Journal of Chinese Universities. - 0251-0790. ; 26:10, s. 1926-1929
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- InAs quantum dots (QDs) have been grown on the GaAs(001) substrates by the method of molecular beam epitaxy. The emission of InAs QDs can be turned to about 1300 nm by the introduction of a 10 ML In0.4Ga0.6 As layer. The photoluminescence of the samples were studied before and after being treated by hydrogen plasma. The results show that the enhancement of the PL intensity after H-plasma treatment depends on the excitation power, from about a factor of 12 at the low excitation limit to about a factor of 2 at the highest excitation power used in this study, which are probably due to competition between carrier capture by nonradi-ative centers and InAs QDs. PL intensity variation with the chauge of time and temperature were also investigated, and the results of them clearly illustrate that there indeed exist interface defects, both on the interface between the InAs dots and surrounding layers and in the GaAs layers, which can be suppressed heavily by H-treatments so that the PL intensity can be enhanced greatly.
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