University of Houston

About: University of Houston is a education organization based out in Houston, Texas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 23074 authors who have published 53903 publications receiving 1641968 citations.

Technical design report for the upgrade of the ALICE inner tracking system

Abstract: ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is studying the physics of strongly interacting matter, and in particular the properties of the Quark–Gluon Plasma (QGP), using proton–proton, proton–nucleus and nucleus–nucleus collisions at the CERN LHC (Large Hadron Collider). The ALICE Collaboration is preparing a major upgrade of the experimental apparatus, planned for installation in the second long LHC shutdown in the years 2018–2019. A key element of the ALICE upgrade is the construction of a new, ultra-light, high- resolution Inner Tracking System (ITS) based on monolithic CMOS pixel detectors. The primary focus of the ITS upgrade is on improving the performance for detection of heavy-flavour hadrons, and of thermal photons and low-mass di- electrons emitted by the QGP. With respect to the current detector, the new Inner Tracking System will significantly enhance the determination of the distance of closest approach to the primary vertex, the tracking efficiency at low transverse momenta, and the read-out rate capabilities. This will be obtained by seven concentric detector layers based on a 50 μm thick CMOS pixel sensor with a pixel pitch of about 30×30 μm2. This document, submitted to the LHCC (LHC experiments Committee) in September 2013, presents the design goals, a summary of the R&D activities, with focus on the technical implementation of the main detector components, and the projected detector and physics performance.

A new role for cryptochrome in a Drosophila circadian oscillator

Abstract: Cryptochromes are flavin/pterin-containing proteins that are involved in circadian clock function in Drosophila and mice. In mice, the cryptochromes Cry1 and Cry2 are integral components of the circadian oscillator within the brain and contribute to circadian photoreception in the retina. In Drosophila, cryptochrome (CRY) acts as a photoreceptor that mediates light input to circadian oscillators in both brain and peripheral tissue. A Drosophila cry mutant, cryb, leaves circadian oscillator function intact in central circadian pacemaker neurons but renders peripheral circadian oscillators largely arrhythmic. Although this arrhythmicity could be caused by a loss of light entrainment, it is also consistent with a role for CRY in the oscillator. A peripheral oscillator drives circadian olfactory responses in Drosophila antennae. Here we show that CRY contributes to oscillator function and physiological output rhythms in the antenna during and after entrainment to light-dark cycles and after photic input is eliminated by entraining flies to temperature cycles. These results demonstrate a photoreceptor-independent role for CRY in the periphery and imply fundamental differences between central and peripheral oscillator mechanisms in Drosophila.

Combined analysis of νμ disappearance and νμ → νe appearance in MINOS using accelerator and atmospheric neutrinos

Abstract: We report on a new analysis of neutrino oscillations in MINOS using the complete set of accelerator and atmospheric data. The analysis combines the ν_μ disappearance and ν_e appearance data using the three-flavor formalism. We measure |Δm^2_(32)|=[2.28–2.46]×10^(−3) eV^2 (68% C.L.) and sin^2θ_(23)=0.35–0.65 (90% C.L.) in the normal hierarchy, and |Δm^2_(32)|=[2.32–2.53]×10^(−3) eV^2 (68% C.L.) and sin2θ23=0.34–0.67 (90% C.L.) in the inverted hierarchy. The data also constrain δ_(CP), the θ_(23) octant degeneracy and the mass hierarchy; we disfavor 36% (11%) of this three-parameter space at 68% (90%) C.L.

The Hunt for Party Discipline in Congress

Abstract: TTT e analyze party discipline in the House of Representatives between 1947 and 1998. The effects of 1/V/ party pressures can be represented in a spatial model by allowing each party to have its own cutting line on roll call votes. Adding a second cutting line makes, at best, a marginal improvement over the standard single-line model. Analysis of legislators who switch parties shows, however, that party discipline is manifest in the location of the legislator's ideal point. In contrast to our approach, we find that the Snyder-Groseclose method of estimating the influence of party discipline is biased toward exaggerating party effects.