Analytic treatment of geodesics in five-dimensional Myers-Perry space--times

We present the complete set of analytical solutions of the geodesic equation in the five-dimensional Myers-Perry space-time with equal rotation parameter in terms of the Weierstra{\ss}' elliptic and Weierstra{\ss}' zeta and sigma functions. We study the underlying polynomials in the polar and radial equations which depend on the parameters of the metric and conserved quantities of a test particle and characterize the motion by their zeros. We exemplify the efficiency of the analytical method on the orbits of test particles.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, to be published in PRD. Version with improved reference

Andreev Reflections in Micrometer-Scale Normal-Insulator-Superconductor Tunnel Junctions

Understanding the subgap behavior of Normal-Insulator-Superconductor (NIS) tunnel junctions is important in order to be able to accurately model the thermal properties of the junctions. Hekking and Nazarov developed a theory in which NIS subgap current in thin-film structures can be modeled by multiple Andreev reflections. In their theory, the current due to Andreev reflections depends on the junction area and the junction resistance area product. We have measured the current due to Andreev reflections in NIS tunnel junctions for various junction sizes and junction resistance area products and found that the multiple reflection theory is in agreement with our data

Star Formation and Tidal Encounters with the Low Surface Brightness Galaxy UGC 12695 and Companions

We present VLA H I observations of the low surface brightness galaxy UGC 12695 and its two companions, UGC 12687 and a newly discovered dwarf galaxy 2333+1234. UGC 12695 shows solid body rotation but has a very lopsided morphology of the H I disk, with the majority of the H I lying in the southern arm of the galaxy. The H I column density distribution of this very blue, LSB galaxy coincides in detail with its light distribution. Comparing the H I column density of UGC 12695 with the empirical (but not well understood) value of Sigma_c = 10E21 atoms/cm^2 found in, i.e., Skillman's 1986 paper shows the star formation to be a local affair, occurring only in those regions where the column density is above this star formation threshold. The low surface brightness nature of this galaxy could thus be attributed to an insufficient gas surface density, inhibiting star formation on a more global scale. Significantly, though, the Toomre criterion places a much lower critical density on the galaxy (+/-10E20 atoms/cm^2), which is shown by the galaxy's low SFR to not be applicable. Within a projected distance of 300kpc/30kms of UGC 12695 lie two companion galaxies - UGC 12687, a high surface brightness barred spiral galaxy, and 2333+1234, a dwarf galaxy discovered during this investigation. The close proximity of the three galaxies, combined with UGC 12695's extremely blue color and regions of localized starburst and UGC 12687's UV excess bring to mind mutually induced star formation through tidal activity.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures (2 color), To be published in A.J., May 2000

Point vortices and classical orthogonal polynomials

Stationary equilibria of point vortices with arbitrary choice of circulations in a background flow are studied. Differential equations satisfied by generating polynomials of vortex configurations are derived. It is shown that these equations can be reduced to a single one. It is found that polynomials that are Wronskians of classical orthogonal polynomials solve the latter equation. As a consequence vortex equilibria at a certain choice of background flows can be described with the help of Wronskians of classical orthogonal polynomials.Comment: 20 pages, 12 figure

Consumption of 100% Fruit Juice is Associated with Better Nutrient Intake and Diet Quality but not with Weight Status in Children: NHANES 2007-2010

Objective: This study examined the impact of various levels of 100% fruit juice (FJ) consumption on intake of nutrients, diet quality, and weight in children using the more recent national data.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study examining the data from children 2-18 years of age (n=6,090). Intake of nutrients and diet quality were assessed using the 24-hr dietary recall and Healthy Eating Index-2010, respectively. Various consumption levels of 100% FJ were determined. Covariate adjusted linear regression means, and standard errors were determined (p<0.01).Results: Average per capita consumption of 100% FJ consumed was 3.6 fl oz (50 kilocalories; 2.9% energy intake); 30% of children 2-6 years exceeded the recommendation for 100% FJ. Among 100% FJ consumers, the mean amount of 100% FJ consumed was 10.6 fl oz (147 kilocalories; 8.4% energy intake). Intakes of vitamin C, magnesium, and potassium and overall diet quality were higher with more 100% FJ consumed; no difference was found in total fiber intake. No trends were seen in weight with increased amounts of 100% FJ consumed.Conclusions: Consumption of 100% FJ should be recommended as a component of a healthy diet

Relationship between Snacking Patterns, Diet Quality and Risk of Overweight and Abdominal Obesity in Children

Snacking is very common among Americans; the impact of variety of snacking patterns on nutrient intake and weight status is unclear. This study examined the associations of snacking patterns on nutrient intake and weight in U.S. children 2-18 years (n=14,220) participating in the 2001-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Cluster analysis generated 12 distinct snacking patterns, explaining 57% of variance in total calories consumed. Only 8% of the children did not consume snacks on the day of the 24-hour recall. Cakes, cookies and pastries was the most common snacking pattern (16%) followed by miscellaneous snacks (e.g. whole milk, orange juice and meat/fish/poultry; 13%), and crackers and salty snacks (10%). Most snacking patterns resulted in higher total energy intake than the no snack pattern. After controlling for energy intake, most snacking patterns resulted in higher intakes of fiber; vitamins A, C, B12, and K; riboflavin; folate; potassium; calcium; zinc; and magnesium than the no snack pattern. However, most of the snacking patterns resulted in higher total intake of saturated fatty acids, solid fats, added sugars, and sodium (nutrients to limit). Several of the snacking patterns (i.e. cakes/cookies/pastries, crackers/salty snacks, sweets, and other grains) were associated with a reduced risk of overweight and abdominal obesity. Overall, several snacking patterns compared with non-snackers had better diet quality and were less likely to be overweight or obese and less likely to have abdominal obesity. Education is needed to improve snacking patterns in terms of nutrients to limit in the diet

XWeB: the XML Warehouse Benchmark

With the emergence of XML as a standard for representing business data, new decision support applications are being developed. These XML data warehouses aim at supporting On-Line Analytical Processing (OLAP) operations that manipulate irregular XML data. To ensure feasibility of these new tools, important performance issues must be addressed. Performance is customarily assessed with the help of benchmarks. However, decision support benchmarks do not currently support XML features. In this paper, we introduce the XML Warehouse Benchmark (XWeB), which aims at filling this gap. XWeB derives from the relational decision support benchmark TPC-H. It is mainly composed of a test data warehouse that is based on a unified reference model for XML warehouses and that features XML-specific structures, and its associate XQuery decision support workload. XWeB's usage is illustrated by experiments on several XML database management systems

Beverage Consumption in the Diets of Children is Not Consistently Associated with Weight: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007-2014

Objectives: The objective of this study was to examine whether there was significant risk associated with types of beverages consumed on the weight status in children.Design: Nationally representative cross-sectional sample.Setting: Demographic information was obtained from the NHANES interviews. Dietary intake data were obtained from Day 1, in-person 24-hour dietary recall interviews administered using an automated multiple-pass method. Height and weight were obtained according to NHANES Anthropometry Procedures Manual.Subjects: Children 2-18 years of age.Results: The likelihood of being overweight or obese was not significant for any of the beverages studied between consumers and non-consumers. For the total sample, for every 29.6 mL of water consumed the risk of being obese was 1%. For ages 6-11 years water consumption increased the risk of being obese and in ages 2-5 years, consumption of sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) increased the risk of being obese. The risk of being obese was significant p <0.05 for Hispanic males for every 29.6 mL of water consumed and for 100% fruit juice and SSB for other males; increased risk was ?3%. The risk of being obese increased for White females for every 29.6 mL of flavored milk consumed and water consumption for both Black females and Hispanic females; the significant p<0.05 increased risk of obesity was ?7%.Conclusions: Beverage consumption was not consistently associated with weight status in the diets of a nationally representative sample of children. In some cases the increased risk was very small

Resemblance of Dinner Meal Consumption among Mother and Preschool-Aged Child Dyads from Families with Limited Incomes

Parents’ eating habits are associated with food and nutrient intake of their children; yet, the associations have not always been very strong. The objective of this study was to expand the current literature to include an examination of resemblance in intakes of foods, within the context of a meal, among mother and preschool-aged child dyads from families of limited incomes. Mother-child dyads (n=112; 41% Hispanic and 59% African-American) participated in the study. During the two home observations of each mother-child dyad, a digital photography method plus actual weighing of plate waste was used to assess the amount of food served and consumed by the mothers and children. There were significant correlations between the mother-child dyad intakes of food/beverages consumed at the dinner meal; ranging from 0.298 (total beverages, p<0.01) to 0.687 (100% fruit juice or milk, p<0.01). There was a significant linear association between the amount of total food/beverages served and the amount consumed for both the mothers (R2=0.72, p<0.0001) and the children (R2=0.55, p<0.0001). Mothers-children who were served larger amounts of total food/beverages consumed more. There was a positive association (p<0.05) between the amount of total energy consumed in the mother-child dyads. Portion sizes may be an important strategy that can be used by parents to promote intake of fruits and vegetables and to decrease intake of energy-dense foods. It is important that food and nutrition professionals provide the guidance needed that encourages intake of major food groups in mothers so they can model healthier food consumption behaviors for their children