35 research outputs found
Void Scaling and Void Profiles in CDM Models
An analysis of voids using cosmological N-body simulations of cold dark
matter models is presented. It employs a robust statistics of voids, that was
recently applied to discriminate between data from the Las Campanas Redshift
Survey and different cosmological models. Here we extend the analysis to 3D and
show that typical void sizes D in the simulated galaxy samples obey a linear
scaling relation with the mean galaxy separation lambda: D=D_0+nu*lambda. It
has the same slope nu as in 2D, but with lower absolute void sizes. The scaling
relation is able to discriminate between different cosmologies. For the best
standard LCDM model, the slope of the scaling relation for voids in the dark
matter halos is too steep as compared to the LCRS, with too small void sizes
for well sampled data sets. The scaling relation of voids for dark matter halos
with increasing mass thresholds is even steeper than that for samples of
galaxy-mass halos where we sparse sample the data. This shows the stronger
clustering of more massive halos. Further, we find a correlation of the void
size to its central and environmental average density. While there is little
sign of an evolution in samples of small DM halos with v_{circ} ~ 90 km/s,
voids in halos with circular velocity over 200 km/s are larger at redshift z =
3 due to the smaller halo number density. The flow of dark matter from the
underdense to overdense regions in an early established network of large scale
structure is also imprinted in the evolution of the density profiles with a
relative density decrease in void centers by 0.18 per redshift unit between z=3
and z=0.Comment: 12 pages, 9 eps figures, submitted to MNRA
Voids in the LCRS versus CDM Models
We have analyzed the distribution of void sizes in the two-dimensional slices
of the Las Campanas Redshift Survey (LCRS). Fourteen volume-limited subsamples
were extracted from the six slices to cover a large part of the survey and to
test the robustness of the results against cosmic variance. Thirteen samples
were randomly culled to produce homogeneously selected samples. We then studied
the relationship between the cumulative area covered by voids and the void size
as a property of the void hierarchy. We find that the distribution of void
sizes scales with the mean galaxy separation, . In particular, we find
that the size of voids covering half of the area is given by D_{med} \approx
\lambda + (12\pm3) \h^{-2}Mpc. Next, by employing an environmental density
threshold criterion to identify mock galaxies, we were able to extend this
analysis to mock samples from dynamical -body simulations of Cold Dark
Matter (CDM) models. To reproduce the observed void statistics, overdensity
thresholds of are necessary. We have compared
standard (SCDM), open (OCDM), vacuum energy dominated (CDM), and
broken scale invariant CDM models (BCDM): we find that both the void coverage
distribution and the two-point correlation function provide important and
complementary information on the large-scale matter distribution. The
dependence of the void statistics on the threshold criterion for the mock
galaxy indentification shows that the galaxy biasing is more crucial for the
void size distribution than are differences between the cosmological models.Comment: 10 pages, 8 eps figures, submitted to MNRA
Acute and subchronic dermal toxicity of nanosilver in guinea pig
Silver has been used as an antimicrobial agent for a long time in different forms, but silver nanoparticles (nanosilver) have recently been recognized as potent antimicrobial agents. Although nanosilver is finding diverse medical applications such as silver-based dressings and silver-coated medical devices, its dermal and systemic toxicity via dermal use has not yet been identified. In this study, we analyzed the potential toxicity of colloidal nanosilver in acute and subchronic guinea pigs. Before toxicity assessments, the size of colloidal nanosilver was recorded in sizes <100 nm by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. For toxicological assessments, male guinea pigs weighing 350 to 400 g were exposed to two different concentrations of nanosilver (1000 and 10,000 μg/mL) in an acute study and three concentrations of nanosilver (100, 1000, and 10,000 μg/mL) in a subchronic study. Toxic responses were assessed by clinical and histopathologic parameters. In all experimental animals the sites of exposure were scored for any type of dermal toxicity and compared with negative control and positive control groups. In autopsy studies during the acute test, no significant changes in organ weight or major macroscopic changes were detected, but dose-dependent histopathologic abnormalities were seen in skin, liver, and spleen of all test groups. In addition, experimental animals subjected to subchronic tests showed greater tissue abnormalities than the subjects of acute tests. It seems that colloidal nanosilver has the potential to provide target organ toxicities in a dose- and time-dependent manner
Power-law Parameterized Quintessence Model
We introduce a power-law parameterized quintessence model for the dark energy
which accelerate universe at the low redshifts while behaves as an ordinary
matter for the early universe. We construct a unique scalar potential for this
parameterized quintessence model. As the observational test, the Supernova Type
Ia (SNIa) Gold sample data, size of baryonic acoustic peak from Sloan Digital
Sky Survey (SDSS), the position of the acoustic peak from the CMB observations
and structure formation from the 2dFGRS survey are used to constrain the
parameters of the quintessence model. The best fit parameters indicates that
the equation of state of this model at the present time is less than one
which violates the energy condition in General Relativity. Finally
we compare the age of old objects with age of universe in this model.Comment: 11 pages, 17 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
A Dynamical Classification of the Cosmic Web
A dynamical classification of the cosmic web is proposed. The large scale
environment is classified into four web types: voids, sheets, filaments and
knots. The classification is based on the evaluation of the deformation tensor,
i.e. the Hessian of the gravitational potential, on a grid. The classification
is based on counting the number of eigenvalues above a certain threshold,
lambda_th at each grid point, where the case of zero, one, two or three such
eigenvalues corresponds to void, sheet, filament or a knot grid point. The
collection of neighboring grid points, friends-of-friends, of the same web
attribute constitutes voids, sheets, filaments and knots as web objects.
A simple dynamical consideration suggests that lambda_th should be
approximately unity, upon an appropriate scaling of the deformation tensor. The
algorithm has been applied and tested against a suite of (dark matter only)
cosmological N-body simulations. In particular, the dependence of the volume
and mass filling fractions on lambda_th and on the resolution has been
calculated for the four web types. Also, the percolation properties of voids
and filaments have been studied.
Our main findings are: (a) Already at lambda_th = 0.1 the resulting web
classification reproduces the visual impression of the cosmic web. (b) Between
0.2 < lambda_th < 0.4, a system of percolated voids coexists with a net of
interconected filaments. This suggests a reasonable choice for lambda_th as the
parameter that defines the cosmic web. (c) The dynamical nature of the
suggested classification provides a robust framework for incorporating
environmental information into galaxy formation models, and in particular the
semi-analytical ones.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, submitted to MNRA
Formation of voids in the Universe within the Lemaitre-Tolman model
We develop models of void formation starting from a small initial fluctuation
at recombination and growing to a realistic present day density profile in
agreement with observations of voids. The model construction is an extension of
previously developed algorithms for finding a Lemaitre-Tolman metric that
evolves between two profiles of either density or velocity specified at two
times. Of the 4 profiles of concern -- those of density and velocity at
recombination and at the present day -- two can be specified and the other two
follow from the derived model. We find that, in order to reproduce the
present-day void density profiles, the initial velocity profile is more
important than the initial density profile. Extrapolation of current CMB
observations to the scales relevant to proto-voids is very uncertain. Even so,
we find that it is very difficult to make both the initial density and velocity
fluctuation amplitudes small enough, and still obtain a realistic void by
today.Comment: MN2e LaTeX style file, 17 pages, 16 figures, 22 figure files;
replecement has minor changes in reference
Nanotechnology in Wound Healing; Semisolid Dosage Forms Containing Curcumin-Ampicillin Solid Lipid Nanoparticles, in-Vitro, Ex-Vivo and in-Vivo Characteristics
Purpose: Wound healing is a natural biologic process, but the duration of it may take too long. Trying to shorten this process is one of the challenges for scientists. Many technologies were applied to achieve this goal as well as nanotechnology. In this study semi solid formulations containing curcumin and ampicillin solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were prepared to evaluate as burn wound healing agent. Methods: Curcumin as an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial agent and ampicillin as an antibiotic were applied. In-vitro and in-vivo evaluations were carried out. Particle size, loading efficiency, release profile, morphology and anti-bacterial efficacy of desired nanoparticles were evaluated at first. Then the remaining of the antibacterial effect in semi solid preparations was studied. Animal studies for both toxicology using rabbits and skin burn model using rats were designed. Pathology studies after applying of formulations was done too. Results: Desired nanoparticles were spherical in shape and particle size in range of 112-121 nm, with low zeta potential. For increasing stability of particles they were freeze dried using cryoprotectant. Lyophilized particles show no significant size enlargement. Results showed that both ointment and gel preparations have reasonable anti-bacterial effects, both of them cause increasing in the rate of wound healing in comparison with placebos and control groups and none of the formulations showed acute toxicity. Conclusion: It seems that using nanotechnology could shorten wound healing process to reduce treatment costs and increase compliance of patients
The Multiscale Morphology Filter: Identifying and Extracting Spatial Patterns in the Galaxy Distribution
We present here a new method, MMF, for automatically segmenting cosmic
structure into its basic components: clusters, filaments, and walls.
Importantly, the segmentation is scale independent, so all structures are
identified without prejudice as to their size or shape. The method is ideally
suited for extracting catalogues of clusters, walls, and filaments from samples
of galaxies in redshift surveys or from particles in cosmological N-body
simulations: it makes no prior assumptions about the scale or shape of the
structures.}Comment: Replacement with higher resolution figures. 28 pages, 17 figures. For
Full Resolution Version see:
http://www.astro.rug.nl/~weygaert/tim1publication/miguelmmf.pd