Direct Top-Quark Width Measurement at CDF

We present a measurement of the top-quark width using $t\bar{t}$ events produced in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at Fermilab's Tevatron collider and collected by the CDF II detector. In the mode where the top quark decays to a $W$ boson and a bottom quark, we select events in which one $W$ decays leptonically and the other hadronically~(lepton + jets channel) . From a data sample corresponding to 4.3~fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity, we identify 756 candidate events. The top-quark mass and the mass of $W$ boson that decays hadronically are reconstructed for each event and compared with templates of different top-quark widths~($\Gamma_t$) and deviations from nominal jet energy scale~($\Delta_{JES}$) to perform a simultaneous fit for both parameters, where $\Delta_{JES}$ is used for the {\it in situ} calibration of the jet energy scale. By applying a Feldman-Cousins approach, we establish an upper limit at 95$\%$ confidence level~(CL) of $\Gamma_t $

Self Assembled Monolayers of Alkanethiolson Silver Surfaces

This short review compiles the studies on self assembled alkanethiol monolayers formed on silver surfaces with respect to their structure and stability. Alkanethiol-based assemblies on silver surfaces are poor cousins of thiol monolayers on gold. The formation of well-ordered monolayers on silver surfaces is relatively more difficult than the corresponding systems on gold since the inherent oxide film on silver interferes with the formation and stability of the assembly. There are contradictory reports on the nature and physicochemical characteristics of alkanethiol monolayers on silver surfaces. This review attempts to highlight various studies in the literature including our efforts in this area.

Tuberculosis in seals caused by a novel member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex: Mycobacterium pinnipedii sp. nov.

A comparison of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates from seals (pinnipeds) in Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, Great Britain and New Zealand was undertaken to determine their relationships to each other and their taxonomic position within the complex. Isolates from 30 cases of tuberculosis in six species of pinniped and seven related isolates were compared to representative and standard strains of the M. tuberculosis complex. The seal isolates could be distinguished from other members of the M. tuberculosis complex, including the recently defined ‘Mycobacterium canettii’ and ‘Mycobacterium caprae’, on the basis of host preference and phenotypic and genetic tests. Pinnipeds appear to be the natural host for this ‘seal bacillus’, although the organism is also pathogenic in guinea pigs, rabbits, humans, Brazilian tapir (Tapirus terrestris) and, possibly, cattle. Infection caused by the seal bacillus is predominantly associated with granulomatous lesions in the peripheral lymph nodes, lungs, pleura, spleen and peritoneum. Cases of disseminated disease have been found. As with other members of the M. tuberculosis complex, aerosols are the most likely route of transmission. The name Mycobacterium pinnipedii sp. nov. is proposed for this novel member of the M. tuberculosis ...

Nidovirales: evolving the largest RNA virus genome.

This review focuses on the monophyletic group of animal RNA viruses united in the order Nidovirales. The order includes the distantly related coronaviruses, toroviruses, and roniviruses, which possess the largest known RNA genomes (from 26 to 32 kb) and will therefore be called ‘large’ nidoviruses in this review. They are compared with their arterivirus cousins, which also belong to the Nidovirales despite having a much smaller genome (13–16 kb). Common and unique features that have been identified for either large or all nidoviruses are outlined. These include the nidovirus genetic plan and genome diversity, the composition of the replicase machinery and virus particles, virus-specific accessory genes, the mechanisms of RNA and protein synthesis, and the origin and evolution of nidoviruses with small and large genomes. Nidoviruses employ single-stranded, polycistronic RNA genomes of positive polarity that direct the synthesis of the subunits of the replicative complex, including the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and helicase. Replicase gene expression is under the principal control of a ribosomal frameshifting signal and a chymotrypsin-like protease, which is assisted by one or more papain-like proteases. A nested set of subgenomic RNAs is synthesized to express the 3'-proximal ORFs that encode most conserved structural proteins and, in some large nidoviruses, also diverse accessory proteins that may promote virus adaptation to specific hosts. The replicase machinery includes a set of RNA-processing enzymes some of which are unique for either all or large nidoviruses. The acquisition of these enzymes may have improved the low fidelity of RNA replication to allow genome expansion and give rise to the ancestors of small and, subsequently, large nidoviruses.

“The new Cagliostro”: Onofroff, Rubén Darío and his story "La esfinge"

The article retraces the career of the famous hypnotist Onofroff and particularly his visit to Buenos Aires, where his activity, in 1895, provoked many discussions and some public embarrassment. In this context Darío, using a pseudonym, published his crónica “La esfinge”. We reproduce “La esfinge”, transcribing the original text of La Nación, with annotations identifying the literary and theosophical sources Darío used when he wrote it.

Prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescribing and prescribing omissions in Irish adults: findings from the Irish LongituDinal Study on Ageing (TILDA)

Purpose: We sought to estimate the prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescriptions (PIP) and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs) using a subset of the STOPP/START criteria in a population based sample of Irish adults aged ≥65 years using data from The Irish LongituDinal Study on Ageing (TILDA).

Methods: A subset of 26 PIP indicators and 10 PPO indicators from the STOPP/START criteria were applied to the TILDA dataset. PIP/PPO prevalence according to individual STOPP/START criteria and the overall prevalence of PIP/PPO were estimated. The relationship between PIP and PPOs and polypharmacy, age, gender and multimorbidity was examined using logistic regression.

Results: The overall prevalence of PIP in the study population (n = 3,454) was 14.6 %. The most common examples of PIP identified were NSAID with moderate-severe hypertension (200 participants; 5.8 %) and aspirin with no history of coronary, cerebral, or peripheral vascular symptoms or occlusive event (112 participants; 3.2 %). The overall prevalence of PPOs was 30 % (n = 1,035). The most frequent PPO was antihypertensive therapy where systolic blood pressure consistently >160 mmHg (n = 341, 9.9 %), There was a significant association between PIP and PPO and polypharmacy when adjusting for age, sex and multimorbidity (adjusted OR 2.62, 95 % CI 2.05–3.33 for PIP and adjusted OR 1.46, 95 % CI 1.23–1.75 for prescribing omissions).

Conclusion: Our findings indicate prescribing omissions are twice as prevalent as PIP in the elderly using a subset of the STOPP/START criteria as an explicit process measure of potentially inappropriate prescribing and prescribing omissions. Polypharmacy was independently associated with both PPO and PIP. Application of such screening tools to prescribing decisions may reduce unnecessary medication, related adverse events, healthcare utilisation and cost.

The origins of C4 grasslands: integrating evolutionary and ecosystem science.

The evolution of grasses using C4 photosynthesis and their sudden rise to ecological dominance 3 to 8 million years ago is among the most dramatic examples of biome assembly in the geological record. A growing body of work suggests that the patterns and drivers of C4 grassland expansion were considerably more complex than originally assumed. Previous research has benefited substantially from dialog between geologists and ecologists, but current research must now integrate fully with phylogenetics. A synthesis of grass evolutionary biology with grassland ecosystem science will further our knowledge of the evolution of traits that promote dominance in grassland systems and will provide a new context in which to evaluate the relative importance of C4 photosynthesis in transforming ecosystems across large regions of Earth.

Recueil de lettres et de pièces originales.

Contient : 1 Lettre du roi « FRANÇOIS [Ier]... à mes cousins les cardinal de Lorraine et le grant maistre... Escript à Montpellier, le XXIXe jour de decembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 2 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le dernier jour d'octobre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 3 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le jour de Toussaincts, premier de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 4 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le IIIe jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 5 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le IIIe jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 6 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le IIIIme jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 7 Lettre « du roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, ce Vme jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 8 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOIS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le Vme jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 9 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Brianson, le VIme jour de novembre M.V.C.XXXVII » ; 10 Lettre de « J. BRETON DE VILANDRY,... à monseigneur... le grant maistre, mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le VIe jour de novembre 1537 » ; 11 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le septiesme jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 12 Lettre de « J. BRETON,... DE VILANDRY,... à monseigneur... le grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le VIIIe jour de novembre 1537 » ; 13 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOIS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le VIIIe jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 14 Lettre de « J. BRETON DE VILENDRY,... à monseigneur... le grant maistre, mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le IXe jour de novembre 1537 » ; 15 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le IXe jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 16 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Brianson, le Xme jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 17 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Brianson, le dixiesme jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 18 Lettre de « J. BRETON DE VILENDRY,... à monseigneur... le grant maistre, mareschal de France... Escript à Brianson, le Xme jour de novembre 1587 » ; 19 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Brianson, le IIme jour de novembre M.V.C.XXXVII » ; 20 Lettre du « roy... FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Briançon, le IIe jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 21 Lettre de « J. BRETON DE VILANDRY,... à monseigneur... le grant maistre, mareschal de France... Escript à Suzanne, ce lundy au soir XIIe jour de novembre 1537 » ; 22 Lettre du roi « FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de Montmorency, grant maistre et mareschal de France... Escript à Suzanne, le XIIe jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 23 Lettre de « J. BRETON DE VILLANDRY,... à monseigneur... de La Rochepot,... Escript à Carignan, le XXIe jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 24 Lettre du roi « FRANÇOYS [Ier]... à mon cousin le sire de La Rochepot,... Escript à Carmaignolle, le XXIIIIe jour de novembre mil V.C.XXXVII » ; 25 « Memoire au greffier Bochetel de ce qu'il aura à dire et faire entendre de la part du roy... Françoys [Ier]... à messeigneurs les cardinal de Lorraine et grant maistre, sur aucuns poinctz concernans le fait de la paix... Fait à Montpellier, le XXVe jour de decembre mil V.C.XXXVII »