A Spin-Orbit Alignment for the Hot Jupiter HATS-3b

We have measured the alignment between the orbit of HATS-3b (a recently discovered, slightly inflated Hot Jupiter) and the spin-axis of its host star. Data were obtained using the CYCLOPS2 optical-fiber bundle and its simultaneous calibration system feeding the UCLES spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. The sky-projected spin-orbit angle of $\lambda = 3\pm25^{\circ}$ was determined from spectroscopic measurements of Rossiter-McLaughlin effect. This is the first exoplanet discovered through the HATSouth transit survey to have its spin-orbit angle measured. Our results indicate that the orbital plane of HATS-3b is consistent with being aligned to the spin axis of its host star. The low obliquity of the HATS-3 system, which has a relatively hot mid F-type host star, agrees with the general trend observed for Hot Jupiter host stars with effective temperatures $>6250$K to have randomly distributed spin-orbit angles.Comment: 13 pages. Accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

A Nearly Polar Orbit for the Extrasolar Hot Jupiter WASP-79b

We report the measurement of a spin-orbit misalignment for WASP-79b, a recently discovered, bloated transiting hot Jupiter from the WASP survey. Data were obtained using the CYCLOPS2 optical-fiber bundle and its simultaneous calibration system feeding the UCLES spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. We have used the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect to determine the sky-projected spin-orbit angle to be lambda = -106+19-13 degrees. This result indicates a significant misalignment between the spin axis of the host star and the orbital plane of the planet -- the planet being in a nearly polar orbit. WASP-79 is consistent with other stars that have Teff > 6250K and host hot Jupiters in spin-orbit misalignment.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, in press ApJL (accepted 2 August 2013

Wage effects of works councils and opening clauses: the German case

"German employment relations are characterized by a distinct dual system. First, working conditions and wages are determined by industry-level collective bargaining agreements. Second, on the establishment-level, the works council is responsible for employer - employee negotiations. However, since the mid-1980s, an increasing number of areas of regulation have been transferred from the industry- to the establishment-level using so-called opening clauses. The analysis in this article relies on rich German establishment data and reveals new insights into the institutional machinery of wage bargaining. While the existence of such clauses is related to higher wages, their application results in wage cuts of roughly the same size. The results also suggest that works councils, on average, are able to prevent the negative wage effects of opening clauses." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en)

Coarse-graining diblock copolymer solutions: a macromolecular version of the Widom-Rowlinson model

We propose a systematic coarse-grained representation of block copolymers, whereby each block is reduced to a single ``soft blob'' and effective intra- as well as intermolecular interactions act between centres of mass of the blocks. The coarse-graining approach is applied to simple athermal lattice models of symmetric AB diblock copolymers, in particular to a Widom-Rowlinson-like model where blocks of the same species behave as ideal polymers (i.e. freely interpenetrate), while blocks of opposite species are mutually avoiding walks. This incompatibility drives microphase separation for copolymer solutions in the semi-dilute regime. An appropriate, consistent inversion procedure is used to extract effective inter- and intramolecular potentials from Monte Carlo results for the pair distribution functions of the block centres of mass in the infinite dilution limit.Comment: To be published in mol.phys(2005

Risk Prediction Scores for Postoperative Mortality After Esophagectomy: Validation of Different Models

Background: Different prediction models for operative mortality after esophagectomy have been developed. The aim of this study is to independently validate prediction models from Philadelphia, Rotterdam, Munich, and the ASA. Methods: The scores were validated using logistic regression models in two cohorts of patients undergoing esophagectomy for cancer from Switzerland (n = 170) and Australia (n = 176). Results: All scores except ASA were significantly higher in the Australian cohort. There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality or in-hospital death between groups. The Philadelphia and Rotterdam scores had a significant predictive value for 30-day mortality (p = 0.001) and in-hospital death (p = 0.003) in the pooled cohort, but only the Philadelphia score had a significant prediction value for 30-day mortality in both cohorts. Neither score showed any predictive value for in-hospital death in Australians but were highly significant in the Swiss cohort. ASA showed only a significant predictive value for 30-day mortality in the Swiss. For in-hospital death, ASA was a significant predictor in the pooled and Swiss cohorts. The Munich score did not have any significant predictive value whatsoever. Conclusion: None of the scores can be applied generally. A better overall predictive score or specific prediction scores for each country should be develope

Test Bed for Quantitative NDE

The ARPA/AFML Interdisciplinary Program for Quantitative Flaw Definition has demonstrated a number of new techniques for quantitatively sizing flaws, as are reported elsewhere in these proceedings. This paper describes the progress that has been made during the past year on a test bed program to assemble and demonstrate these techniques in a single integrated measurement system that will extend them from the idealized geometries that have been considered thus far to geometries that are a better approximation to those that are found in real parts. The basic system consists of a Data General Eclipse S/200 Minicomputer, a multiaxis microprocessor controller, a Biomation A/D converter, an immersion tank, and a contour following system with six degrees of freedom. The operation of the mechanical system with regard to its accuracy and repeatability will be described. In addition, a review of the conceptual design of the test bed system and experimental results for a number of different flaw geometries will be included. The Test Bed includes a piezoelectric array transducer and associated electronics. The array system will be used both for the imaging of flaws and the gathering of scattering data to use in other flaw characterization algorithms. The success of this portion of the program depends to a large extent on the availability of a suitable array transducer. Some difficulty has been met in obtaining such a transducer and the system design has been slightly modified as a result. The modified system will be described along with a review of the electronic system and an update on its current status. The extended data gathering capability of the system has been demonstrated with several diffusion bonded samples containing spherical and spheroidal voids. The noise associated with these signals is chiefly due. to the grain scattering and varies in amplitude over a wide range. The effects of this noise on the accuracy of the Inverse Born Approximation has been analyzed and the results will be summarized

Test Bed for Quantitative NDE

The ARPA/AFML Interdisciplinary Program for Quantitative Flaw Definition has demonstrated a number of new techniques for quantitatively sizing flaws, as are reported elsewhere in these proceedings. This paper describes a test bed program to assemble and demonstrate these techniques in a single integrated measurement system that will extend them from the idealized geometries that have been considered thus far to geometries that are a better approximation to those that are found in real parts. Included are discussions of the conceptual design of the system, the detailed design and construction of specific modules, and preliminary experimental results. The basic system consists of a Data General Eclipse S/200 minicomputer, a multi-axis microprocessor controller, a Biomation A/D converter, an immersion tank, and a contour following system with six degrees of freedom. A detailed description of the operation of the various components of the system will be given. Included are discussions of the conceptual design of the system, detailed design and construction of specific modules, and preliminary experimental results

Improved Dynamic Postural Task Performance without Improvements in Postural Responses: The Blessing and the Curse of Dopamine Replacement

Introduction. Dopamine-replacement medications may improve mobility while not improving responses to postural challenges and could therefore increase fall risk. The purpose of this study was to measure reactive postural responses and gait-related mobility of patients with PD during ON and OFF medication conditions. Methods. Reactive postural responses to the Pull Test and performance of the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) were recorded from 15 persons with PD during ON and OFF medication conditions. Results. Persons with PD demonstrated no significant difference in the reactive postural responses between medication conditions but demonstrated significantly better performance on the FGA when ON medications compared to OFF. Discussion/Conclusion. Dopamine-replacement medications alone may improve gait-related mobility without improvements in reactive postural responses and therefore could result in iatrogenic increases in fall risk. Rehabilitation providers should be aware of the side effects and limitations of medication treatment and implement interventions to improve postural responses

Spin-orbit alignment for three transiting hot Jupiters: WASP-103b, WASP-87b, and WASP-66b

We have measured the sky-projected spin-orbit alignments for three transiting hot Jupiters, WASP-103b, WASP-87b, and WASP-66b, using spectroscopic measurements of the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect, with the CYCLOPS2 optical fiber bundle system feeding the UCLES spectrograph on the Anglo-Australian Telescope. The resulting sky-projected spin-orbit angles of lambda = 3 degrees +/- 33 degrees, lambda- = -8 degrees +/- 11 degrees, and lambda- = -4 degrees +/- 22 degrees for WASP-103b, WASP-87b, and WASP-66b, respectively, suggest that these three planets are likely on nearly aligned orbits with respect to their host star's spin axis. WASP-103 is a particularly interesting system as its orbital distance is only 20% larger than its host star's Roche radius and the planet likely experiences strong tidal effects. WASP-87 and WASP-66 are hot (T-eff = 6450 +/- 120 K and T-eff = 6600 +/- 150 K, respectively) mid-F stars, making them similar to the majority of stars hosting planets on high-obliquity orbits. Moderate spin-orbit misalignments for WASP-103b and WASP-66b are consistent with our data, but polar and retrograde orbits are not favored for these systems

A nearly polar orbit for the extrasolar hot Jupiter WASP-79b

We report the measurement of a spin-orbit misalignment for WASP-79b, a recently discovered, bloated hot Jupiter from the Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP) survey. Data were obtained using the CYCLOPS2 optical-fiber bundle and its simultaneous calibrat