877 research outputs found
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Estimates of infrasonic array gain patterns
Infrasonic array gain patterns are discussed and estimated for the infrasonic frequency range and array geometries under consideration by the Conference on Disarmament in the International Monitoring System (IMS). The larger array spacing being considered for the IMS infrasonic arrays is found to be appropriate in maintaining directivity of the steered beam at lower frequencies. A modestly filled array is found to offer great improvement in narrow band side- lobe suppression at higher frequencies, allowing the benefit of greater directivity of the steered beam at these higher frequencies. Narrow band side-lobe suppression is considered of importance in mitigating frequent, naturally occurring `micro-barom` signals in the southern hemisphere
Implementation of Time-Delay Interferometry for LISA
We discuss the baseline optical configuration for the Laser Interferometer
Space Antenna (LISA) mission, in which the lasers are not free-running, but
rather one of them is used as the main frequency reference generator (the {\it
master}) and the remaining five as {\it slaves}, these being phase-locked to
the master (the {\it master-slave configuration}). Under the condition that the
frequency fluctuations due to the optical transponders can be made negligible
with respect to the secondary LISA noise sources (mainly proof-mass and shot
noises), we show that the entire space of interferometric combinations LISA can
generate when operated with six independent lasers (the {\it one-way method})
can also be constructed with the {\it master-slave} system design. The
corresponding hardware trade-off analysis for these two optical designs is
presented, which indicates that the two sets of systems needed for implementing
the {\it one-way method}, and the {\it master-slave configuration}, are
essentially identical. Either operational mode could therefore be implemented
without major implications on the hardware configuration. We then.......Comment: 39 pages, 6 figures, 2 table
Effects of finite arm-length of LISA on analysis of gravitational waves from MBH binaries
Response of an interferometer becomes complicated for gravitational wave
shorter than the arm-length of the detector, as nature of wave appears
strongly. We have studied how parameter estimation for merging massive black
hole binaries are affected by this complicated effect in the case of LISA. It
is shown that three dimensional positions of some binaries might be determined
much better than the past estimations that use the long wave approximation. For
equal mass binaries this improvement is most prominent at \sim 10^5\sol.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Phys.Rev.
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Modeling study of infrasonic detection of 1 kT atmospheric blast
A modified version of the ``Pierce code``, which provides a theoretical prediction of acoustic-gravity pressure waveforms generated by explosions in the atmosphere, has been used to simulate detectable signal amplitudes from a 1 kT atmospheric detonation at high latitudes upton distances of about 1,000 kilometers from the source. Realistic prevailing winds and temperature profiles have been included in these simulations and propagation results for with wind and counter wind conditions are presented. En route, the code has been successfully ported from a CRAY/UNICOS platform to a more general UNIX/workstation environment in FORTRAN90. The effects of seasonal variations of winds and temperature at high latitudes will be presented at the symposium
Cryo-EM structures of human fucosidase FucA1 reveal insight into substrate recognition and catalysis
Enzymatic hydrolysis of α-L-fucose from fucosylated glycoconjugates is consequential in bacterial infections and the neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder fucosidosis. Understanding human α-L-fucosidase catalysis, in an effort toward drug design, has been hindered by the absence of three-dimensional structural data for any animal fucosidase. Here, we have used cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) to determine the structure of human lysosomal α-L-fucosidase (FucA1) in both an unliganded state and in complex with the inhibitor deoxyfuconojirimycin. These structures, determined at 2.49 Ă
resolution, reveal the homotetrameric structure of FucA1, the architecture of the catalytic center, and the location of both natural population variations and disease-causing mutations. Furthermore, this work has conclusively identified the hitherto contentious identity of the catalytic acid/base as aspartate-276, representing a shift from both the canonical glutamate acid/base residue and a previously proposed glutamate residue. These findings have furthered our understanding of how FucA1 functions in both health and disease.Bio-organic Synthesi
Homogenization of weakly coupled systems of Hamilton--Jacobi equations with fast switching rates
We consider homogenization for weakly coupled systems of Hamilton--Jacobi
equations with fast switching rates. The fast switching rate terms force the
solutions converge to the same limit, which is a solution of the effective
equation. We discover the appearance of the initial layers, which appear
naturally when we consider the systems with different initial data and analyze
them rigorously. In particular, we obtain matched asymptotic solutions of the
systems and rate of convergence. We also investigate properties of the
effective Hamiltonian of weakly coupled systems and show some examples which do
not appear in the context of single equations.Comment: final version, to appear in Arch. Ration. Mech. Ana
Lichenometric dating (lichenometry) and the biology of the lichen genus rhizocarpon:challenges and future directions
Lichenometric dating (lichenometry) involves the use of lichen measurements to estimate the age of exposure of various substrata. Because of low radial growth rates and considerable longevity, species of the crustose lichen genus Rhizocarpon have been the most useful in lichenometry. The primary assumption of lichenometry is that colonization, growth and mortality of Rhizocarpon are similar on surfaces of known and unknown age so that the largest thalli present on the respective faces are of comparable age. This review describes the current state of knowledge regarding the biology of Rhizocarpon and considers two main questions: (1) to what extent does existing knowledge support this assumption; and (2) what further biological observations would be useful both to test its validity and to improve the accuracy of lichenometric dates? A review of the Rhizocarpon literature identified gaps in knowledge regarding early development, the growth rate/size curve, mortality, regeneration, competitive effects, colonization, and succession on rock surfaces. The data suggest that these processes may not be comparable on different rock surfaces, especially in regions where growth rates and thallus turnover are high. In addition, several variables could differ between rock surfaces and influence maximum thallus size, including rate and timing of colonization, radial growth rates, environmental differences, thallus fusion, allelopathy, thallus mortality, colonization and competition. Comparative measurements of these variables on surfaces of known and unknown age may help to determine whether the basic assumptions of lichenometry are valid. Ultimately, it may be possible to take these differences into account when interpreting estimated dates
Optimal filtering of the LISA data
The LISA time-delay-interferometry responses to a gravitational-wave signal
are rewritten in a form that accounts for the motion of the LISA constellation
around the Sun; the responses are given in closed analytic forms valid for any
frequency in the band accessible to LISA. We then present a complete procedure,
based on the principle of maximum likelihood, to search for stellar-mass binary
systems in the LISA data. We define the required optimal filters, the
amplitude-maximized detection statistic (analogous to the F statistic used in
pulsar searches with ground-based interferometers), and discuss the false-alarm
and detection probabilities. We test the procedure in numerical simulations of
gravitational-wave detection.Comment: RevTeX4, 28 pages, 9 EPS figures. Minus signs fixed in Eq. (46) and
Table II. Corrected discussion of F-statistic distribution in Sec. IV
Global Warming: Forecasts by Scientists versus Scientific Forecasts
In 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Changeâs Working Group One, a panel of experts established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, issued its Fourth Assessment Report. The Report included predictions of dramatic increases in average world temperatures over the next 92 years and serious harm resulting from the predicted temperature increases. Using forecasting principles as our guide we asked: Are these forecasts a good basis for developing public policy? Our answer is ânoâ. To provide forecasts of climate change that are useful for policy-making, one would need to forecast (1) global temperature, (2) the effects of any temperature changes, and (3) the effects of feasible alternative policies. Proper forecasts of all three are necessary for rational policy making. The IPCC WG1 Report was regarded as providing the most credible long-term forecasts of global average temperatures by 31 of the 51 scientists and others involved in forecasting climate change who responded to our survey. We found no references in the 1056-page Report to the primary sources of information on forecasting methods despite the fact these are conveniently available in books, articles, and websites. We audited the forecasting processes described in Chapter 8 of the IPCCâs WG1 Report to assess the extent to which they complied with forecasting principles. We found enough information to make judgments on 89 out of a total of 140 forecasting principles. The forecasting procedures that were described violated 72 principles. Many of the violations were, by themselves, critical. The forecasts in the Report were not the outcome of scientific procedures. In effect, they were the opinions of scientists transformed by mathematics and obscured by complex writing. Research on forecasting has shown that expertsâ predictions are not useful in situations involving uncertainly and complexity. We have been unable to identify any scientific forecasts of global warming. Claims that the Earth will get warmer have no more credence than saying that it will get colder
Targeting FLT3 in primary MLL-gene-rearranged infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in infants is characterized by
rearrangements of the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene, drug resistance,
and a poor treatment outcome. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies are
needed to improve prognosis. Recently, we showed that FLT3 is highly
expressed in MLL rearranged ALL (MLL). Here we demonstrate FLT3 expression
in infants with MLL (n = 41) to be significantly higher compared to both
infant (n = 8; P < .001) and noninfant patients with ALL (n = 23; P =
.001) carrying germline MLL genes. Furthermore, leukemic cells from
infants with MLL were significantly more sensitive to the Fms-like
tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) inhibitor PKC412 (N-benzoyl staurosporine) than
noninfant ALL cells, and at least as sensitive as internal tandem
duplication-positive (ITD+) AML cells. Surprisingly, activation loop
mutations only occurred in about 3% (1 of 36) of the cases and no
FLT3/ITDs were observed. However, measuring FLT3 phosphorylation in
infants with MLL expressing varying levels of wild-type FLT3 revealed that
high-level FLT3 expression is associated with ligand-independent FLT3
activation. This suggests that infant MLL cells displaying activated FLT3
as a result of overexpression can be targeted by FLT3 inhibitors such as
PKC412. However, at concentrations of PKC412 minimall
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