The signature of dark energy perturbations in galaxy cluster surveys

Models of dynamical dark energy unavoidably possess fluctuations in the energy density and pressure of that new component. In this paper we estimate the impact of dark energy fluctuations on the number of galaxy clusters in the Universe using a generalization of the spherical collapse model and the Press-Schechter formalism. The observations we consider are several hypothetical Sunyaev-Zel`dovich and weak lensing (shear maps) cluster surveys, with limiting masses similar to ongoing (SPT, DES) as well as future (LSST, Euclid) surveys. Our statistical analysis is performed in a 7-dimensional cosmological parameter space using the Fisher matrix method. We find that, in some scenarios, the impact of these fluctuations is large enough that their effect could already be detected by existing instruments such as the South Pole Telescope, when priors from other standard cosmological probes are included. We also show how dark energy fluctuations can be a nuisance for constraining cosmological parameters with cluster counts, and point to a degeneracy between the parameter that describes dark energy pressure on small scales (the effective sound speed) and the parameters describing its equation of state.

CLUSTER MODEL FOR REACTIONS INDUCED BY WEAKLY BOUND AND/OR EXOTIC HALO NUCLEI WITH MEDIUM-MASS TARGETS

An experimental overview of reactions induced by the stable, but weakly-bound nuclei (6)Li, (7)Li and (9)Be, and by the exotic, halo nuclei (6)He, (8)B, (11)Be and (17)F On medium-mass targets, such as (58)Ni, (59)Co or (64)Zn, is presented. Existing data on elastic scattering, total reaction cross sections, fusion, breakup and transfer channels are discussed in the framework of a CDCC approach taking into account the breakup degree of freedom.

Performance of balanced two-stage empirical predictors of realized cluster latent values from finite populations: A simulation study

Predictors of random effects are usually based on the popular mixed effects (ME) model developed under the assumption that the sample is obtained from a conceptual infinite population; such predictors are employed even when the actual population is finite. Two alternatives that incorporate the finite nature of the population are obtained from the superpopulation model proposed by Scott and Smith (1969. Estimation in multi-stage surveys. J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 64, 830-840) or from the finite population mixed model recently proposed by Stanek and Singer (2004. Predicting random effects from finite population clustered samples with response error. J. Amer. Statist. Assoc. 99, 1119-1130). Predictors derived under the latter model with the additional assumptions that all variance components are known and that within-cluster variances are equal have smaller mean squared error (MSE) than the competitors based on either the ME or Scott and Smith`s models. As population variances are rarely known, we propose method of moment estimators to obtain empirical predictors and conduct a simulation study to evaluate their performance. The results suggest that the finite population mixed model empirical predictor is more stable than its competitors since, in terms of MSE, it is either the best or the second best and when second best, its performance lies within acceptable limits. When both cluster and unit intra-class correlation coefficients are very high (e.g., 0.95 or more), the performance of the empirical predictors derived under the three models is similar. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Trypanosoma cruzi maxicircle heterogeneity in Chagas disease patients from Brazil

The majority of individuals in the chronic phase of Chagas disease are asymptomatic (indeterminate form, IF). Each year, similar to 3% of them develop lesions in the heart or gastrointestinal tract. Cardiomyopathy (CCHD) is the most severe manifestation of Chagas disease. The factors that determine the outcome of the infection are unknown, but certainly depend on complex interactions amongst the genetic make-up of the parasite, the host immunogenetic background and environment. In a previous study we verified that the maxicircle gene NADH dehydrogenase (mitochondrial complex 1) subunit 7 (ND7) from IF isolates had a 455 bp deletion compared with the wild type (WT) ND7 gene from CCHD strains. We proposed that ND7 could constitute a valuable target for PCR assays in the differential diagnosis of the infective strain. In the present study we evaluated this hypothesis by examination of ND7 structure in parasites from 75 patients with defined pathologies, from Southeast Brazil. We also analysed the structure of additional mitochondrial genes (ND4/CR4, COIII and COII) since the maxicircle is used for clustering Trypanosoma cruzi strains into three clades/haplogroups. We conclude that maxicircle genes do not discriminate parasite populations which induce IF or CCHD forms. Interestingly, the great majority of the analysed isolates belong to T cruzi 11 (discrete typing unit, (DTU) IIb) genotype. This scenario is at variance with the prevalence of hybrid (DTU IId) human isolates in Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. The distribution of WT and deleted ND7 and ND4 genes in T cruzi strains suggests that mutations in the two genes occurred in different ancestrals in the T cruzi 11 cluster, allowing the identification of at least three mitochondrial sub-lineages within this group. The observation that T. cruzi strains accumulate mutations in several genes coding for complex I subunits favours the hypothesis that complex I may have a limited activity in this parasite. (C) 2009 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supramolecular Approach to Gold Nanoparticle/Triruthenium Cluster Hybrid Materials and Interfaces

A systematic and comprehensive study of the interaction of citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles with triruthenium cluster complexes of general formula [Ru(3)(CH(3)COO)(6)(L)](+) [L = 4-cyanopyridine (4-CNpy), 4,4`-bipyridine (4,4`-bpy) or 4,4`-bis(pyridyl)ethylene (bpe)] has been carried out. The cluster-nanoparticle interaction in solution and the construction of thin films of the hybrid materials were investigated in detail by electronic and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, Raman scattering spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles readily interacted with [Ru(3)O(CH(3)COO)(6)(L)(3)](+) complexes to generate functionalized nanoparticles that tend to aggregate according to rates and extents that depend on the bond strength defined by the characteristics of the cluster L ligands following the sequence bpe > 4,4`-bpy >> 4-CNpy. The formation of compact thin films of hybrid AuNP/[Ru(3)O(CH(3)COO)(6)(L)(3)](+) derivatives with L = bpe and 4,4`-bpy indicated that the stability/lability of AuNP-cluster bonds as well as their solubility are important parameters that influence the film contruction process. Fluorine-doped tin oxide electrodes modified with thin films of these nanomaterials exhibited similar electrocatalytic activity but much higher sensitivity than a conventional gold electrode in the oxidation of nitrite ion to nitrate depending on the bridging cluster complex, demonstrating the high potential for the development of amperometric sensors.