Shiite Aid Organizations in Tajikistan

In the global periphery and (post-)conflict areas, faith-based aid organizations play an important role as providers of social services. The activities of the Aga Khan Development Network and the Imam Khomeini Relief Foundation in the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan reflect different backgrounds and approaches used by Muslim aid organizations. They also outline how these organizations obtained a foothold and gained legitimacy in environments that do not share their confessional background

Influence of the Earth on the background and the sensitivity of the GRM and ECLAIRs instruments aboard the Chinese-French mission SVOM

SVOM (Space-based multi-band astronomical Variable Object Monitor) is a future Chinese-French satellite mission which is dedicated to Gamma-Ray Burst (GRB) studies. Its anti-solar pointing strategy makes the Earth cross the field of view of its payload every orbit. In this paper, we present the variations of the gamma-ray background of the two high energy instruments aboard SVOM, the Gamma-Ray Monitor (GRM) and ECLAIRs, as a function of the Earth position. We conclude with an estimate of the Earth influence on their sensitivity and their GRB detection capability.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures, accepted for publication in Experimental Astronom

Fourth order indirect integration method for black hole perturbations: even modes

On the basis of a recently proposed strategy of finite element integration in time domain for partial differential equations with a singular source term, we present a fourth order algorithm for non-rotating black hole perturbations in the Regge-Wheeler gauge. Herein, we address even perturbations induced by a particle plunging in. The forward time value at the upper node of the $(r^*,t)$ grid cell is obtained by an algebraic sum of i) the preceding node values of the same cell, ii) analytic expressions, related to the jump conditions on the wave function and its derivatives, iii) the values of the wave function at adjacent cells. In this approach, the numerical integration does not deal with the source and potential terms directly, for cells crossed by the particle world line. This scheme has also been applied to circular and eccentric orbits and it will be object of a forthcoming publication.Comment: This series of papers deals with EMRI for LISA. With the respect to the v1 version, the algorithm has been improved; convergence tests and references have been added; v2 is composed by 23 pages, and 6 figures. Paper accepted by Class. Quantum Gravity for the special issue on Theory Meets Data Analysis at Comparable and Extreme Mass Ratios (Capra and NRDA) at Perimeier Institute in June 201

Calculation of αˉQ.E.D.\bar{\alpha}_{\rm Q.E.D.} on the Z

We perform a new, detailed calculation of the hadronic contributions to the running electromagnetic coupling, $\bar{\alpha}$, defined on the Z particle (91 GeV). We find for the hadronic contribution, including radiative corrections, 10^5\times \deltav_{\rm had.}\alpha(M_Z^2)= 2740\pm12, or, excluding the top quark contribution, 10^5\times \deltav_{\rm had.}\alpha^{(5)}(M_Z^2)= 2747\pm12. Adding the pure QED corrections we get a value for the running electromagnetic coupling of $$\bar{\alpha}_{\rm Q.E.D.}(M_Z^2)= {{1}\over{128.965\pm0.017}}.$$Comment: Version to appear in Phys. Rev. D. Plain TeX fil

Two-proton small-angle correlations in central heavy-ion collisions: a beam-energy and system-size dependent study

Small-angle correlations of pairs of protons emitted in central collisions of Ca + Ca, Ru + Ru and Au + Au at beam energies from 400 to 1500 MeV per nucleon are investigated with the FOPI detector system at SIS/GSI Darmstadt. Dependences on system size and beam energy are presented which extend the experimental data basis of pp correlations in the SIS energy range substantially. The size of the proton-emitting source is estimated by comparing the experimental data with the output of a final-state interaction model which utilizes either static Gaussian sources or the one-body phase-space distribution of protons provided by the BUU transport approach. The trends in the experimental data, i.e. system-size and beam energy dependences, are well reproduced by this hybrid model. However, the pp correlation function is found rather insensitive to the stiffness of the equation of state entering the transport model calculations.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, accepted at Eur. Phys. Journ.

Cold-Induced Changes in the Protein Ubiquitin

Conformational changes are essential for protein-protein and protein-ligand recognition. Here we probed changes in the structure of the protein ubiquitin at low temperatures in supercooled water using NMR spectroscopy. We demonstrate that ubiquitin is well folded down to 263 K, although slight rearrangements in the hydrophobic core occur. However, amide proton chemical shifts show non-linear temperature dependence in supercooled solution and backbone hydrogen bonds become weaker in the region that is most prone to cold-denaturation. Our data suggest that the weakening of the hydrogen bonds in the β-sheet of ubiquitin might be one of the first events that occur during cold-denaturation of ubiquitin. Interestingly, the same region is strongly involved in ubiquitin-protein complexes suggesting that this part of ubiquitin more easily adjusts to conformational changes required for complex formation

Precision Determination of the Pion Form Factor and Calculation of the Muon g−2g-2

We perform a new calculation of the hadronic contributions, $a({\rm Hadronic})$ to the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, $a_\mu$. For the low energy contributions of order $\alpha^2$ we carry over an analysis of the pion form factor $F_\pi(t)$ using recent data both on $e^+e^-\to\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\tau^+\to \bar{\nu}_\tau \pi^+\pi^0$. In this analysis we take into account that the phase of the form factor is equal to that of $\pi\pi$ scattering. This allows us to profit fully from analyticity properties so we can use also experimental information on $F_\pi(t)$ at spacelike $t$. At higher energy we use QCD to supplement experimental data, including the recent measurements of $e^+e^-\to {\rm hadrons}$ both around 1 GeV and near the $\bar{c}c$ threshold. This yields a precise determination of the $O(\alpha^2)$ and $O(\alpha^2)+O(\alpha^3)$ hadronic part of the photon vacuum polarization pieces, $$10^{11}\times a^{(2)}({\rm h.v.p.})=6 909\pm64;\quad 10^{11}\times a^{(2+3)}({\rm h.v.p.})=7 002\pm66$$ As byproducts we also get the masses and widths of the $\rho^0, \rho^+$, and very accurate values for the charge radius and second coefficient of the pion. Adding the remaining order $\alpha^3$ hadronic contributions we find $$10^{11}\times a^{\rm theory}(\hbox{Hadronic})= 6 993\pm69\quad(e^+e^- + \tau + {\rm spacel.})$$ The figures given are obtained including $\tau$ decay data. This is to be compared with the recent experimental value, $$10^{11}\times a^{\rm exp.}(\hbox{Hadronic})=7 174\pm150.$$Comment: Plain TeX file. Published version. Correct value for light-by-light include

Excitation function of elliptic flow in Au+Au collisions and the nuclear matter equation of state

We present measurements of the excitation function of elliptic flow at midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at beam energies from 0.09 to 1.49 GeV per nucleon. For the integral flow, we discuss the interplay between collective expansion and spectator shadowing for three centrality classes. A complete excitation function of transverse momentum dependence of elliptic flow is presented for the first time in this energy range, revealing a rapid change with incident energy below 0.4 AGeV, followed by an almost perfect scaling at the higher energies. The equation of state of compressed nuclear matter is addressed through comparisons to microscopic transport model calculations.Comment: 10 pages, 4 eps figures, submitted for publication. Data files will be available at http://www.gsi.de/~fopiwww/pub

Changing-look NLS1 galaxies, their detection with SVOM, and the case of NGC 1566

We discuss applications of the study of the new and barely explored class of changing-look (CL) narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1) galaxies and comment on their detection with the space mission SVOM (Space Variable Objects Monitor). We highlight the case of NGC 1566, which is outstanding in many respects, for instance as one of the nearest known CL AGN undergoing exceptional outbursts. Its NLS1 nature is discussed, and we take it as a nearby prototype for systems that could be discovered and studied in the near future, including with SVOM. Finally, we briefly examine the broader implications and applications of CL events in NLS1 galaxies and show that such systems, once discovered in larger numbers, will greatly advance our understanding of the physics of the environment of rapidly growing supermassive black holes. This White Paper is part of a sequence of publications which explore aspects of our understanding of (CL) NLS1 galaxy physics with future missions.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in the Universe Special Issue "A Multimessenger View of Supermassive Black Holes and the Quasar Main Sequence