475 research outputs found
Gravitating superconducting strings with timelike or spacelike currents
We construct gravitating superconducting string solutions of the U(1)_{local}
x U(1)_{global} model solving the coupled system of Einstein and matter field
equations numerically. We study the properties of these solutions in dependence
on the ratio between the symmetry breaking scale and the Planck mass. Using the
macroscopic stability conditions formulated by Carter, we observe that the
coupling to gravity allows for a new stable region that is not present in the
flat space-time limit. We match the asymptotic metric to the Kasner metric and
show that the relations between the Kasner coefficients and the energy per unit
length and tension suggested previously are well fulfilled for symmetry
breaking scale much smaller than the Planck mass. We also study the solutions
to the geodesic equation in this space-time. While geodesics in the exterior
space-time of standard cosmic strings are just straight lines, test particles
experience a force in a general Kasner space-time and as such bound orbits are
possible.Comment: 16 pages including 14 figure
Sulphur-isotope compositions of pig tissues from a controlled feeding study
Sulphur-isotope determinations are becoming increasingly useful for palaeodietary reconstruction, but knowledge of isotopic discrimination between diet and various tissues remains inadequate. In this study, we explore the sensitivity of δ34Stissue values to changes in δ34Sdiet values, sulphur isotopic discrimination between diet and consumer, and the potential impact of terrestrial vs. marine protein consumption on these discrimination offsets. We present new δ34S values of bone collagen, muscle, liver, hair, milk and faeces from ten mature sows, ten piglets and fifteen adolescent pigs from a controlled feeding study. The δ34Stissue values were found to co-vary with the δ34Sdiet values, the δ34Stissue – δ34Sdiet isotopic offsets (Δ34Stissue-diet) are small but consistent, and dietary protein source does not systematically alter the Δ34Stissue-diet isotopic discrimination. The outcomes of this study are of particular relevance to questions that are difficult to resolve using carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes alone, and will also be useful in regions where terrestrial, freshwater, and marine resources could have all potentially contributed to human diet
Structure development and control of injection-molded hydroxylapatite-reinforced starch/EVOH composites
This article reports on the development of novel composites of starch-based polymers reinforced with hydroxylapatite (HA). Two different grades of blends of starch and ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers were reinforced with up to 30% (wt) of sintered and nonsintered HA. The initial compounding stage was carried out either in a rotating drum or by twin-screw extrusion (TSE). Compounds were injection molded using both conventional molding and a shear-controlled orientation in injection molding (Scorim) technique. It was possible to obtain composites with very good mechanical properties, approaching those of cortical bone. The best results were achieved for 30% sintered HA composites processed by TSE and Scorim, due to the in situ formation of HA fibers, and the development of molecular orientation and more compact microstructures in the moldings. This was confirmed by SEM analysis of the fracture surfaces, x-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. The biodegradability of the composites was also assessed and was found to be faster than that of the matrixPRAXIS XXI Programm
Age effects and the influence of varying proportions of terrestrial and marine dietary protein on the stable nitrogen-isotope compositions of pig bone collagen and soft tissues from a controlled feeding experiment
In this study, femoral collagen, rib collagen, femoral muscle, loin muscle and liver samples from sows, piglets and pigs raised in a controlled feeding study are analysed for their nitrogen-isotope compositions. The objectives of this research are to investigate the relationship between tissue and dietary δ15N values across age categories under controlled feeding and housing conditions, and to assess tissue 15N-enrichment relative to diet when pigs of different ages are consuming terrestrial, marine, or mixed terrestrial-marine dietary protein. There is a strong linear relationship between all tissue δ15N values and the amount of marine protein consumed, but the δ15N values do not become consistently elevated for all individuals consuming the same diet until at least 25% of the dietary protein source is marine-derived. Adolescent pigs also had consistently lower δ15N values than either piglets or sows consuming the same diet for collagen and muscle, which is most likely caused by the differences in growth rate among the age categories. Further, for some tissues and animals, a linear relationship between the amount of marine protein consumed and the Δ15NTissue – Whole Diet offset was also observed. We suggest that this variability results from both age-associated growth rates and differential incorporation of amino acids from terrestrial and marine dietary protein into rapidly growing tissue
A potential library for primary MFL pedagogy: the case of Young Pathfinders
As readers of this journal will know very well, 2010 will see all KS2 (ages 7-11) pupils in England entitled to learn a modern foreign language in normal curriculum time. This development of the commitment to primary language learning should provide an excellent opportunity and experience for pupils, whilst at the same time requiring some radical changes for many teachers, schools and much of the wider language learning community.
Recent research has indicated general trends suggesting an increase in primary languages already, in anticipation of this development and even beforehand. One of the most recent studies indicates that 43% of primary children currently learn a foreign language at KS2, either in class or as an extra-curricular activity, although the extent of this learning varies considerably (Driscoll, Jones and Macrory, 2004). It has also been suggested (Muijs et al, 2005) that there are certain aspects of the process that will be particularly demanding if the challenge of providing this entitlement are to be met
Wavelet domain Bayesian denoising of string signal in the cosmic microwave background
An algorithm is proposed for denoising the signal induced by cosmic strings
in the cosmic microwave background (CMB). A Bayesian approach is taken, based
on modeling the string signal in the wavelet domain with generalized Gaussian
distributions. Good performance of the algorithm is demonstrated by simulated
experiments at arcminute resolution under noise conditions including primary
and secondary CMB anisotropies, as well as instrumental noise.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures. Version 2 matches version accepted for
publication in MNRAS. Changes include substantial clarifications on our
approach and a significant reduction of manuscript lengt
Geodesic motion in the space-time of a cosmic string
We study the geodesic equation in the space-time of an Abelian-Higgs string
and discuss the motion of massless and massive test particles. The geodesics
can be classified according to the particles energy, angular momentum and
linear momentum along the string axis. We observe that bound orbits of massive
particles are only possible if the Higgs boson mass is smaller than the gauge
boson mass, while massless particles always move on escape orbits. Moreover,
neither massive nor massless particles can ever reach the string axis for
non-vanishing angular momentum. We also discuss the dependence of light
deflection by a cosmic string as well as the perihelion shift of bound orbits
of massive particles on the ratio between Higgs and gauge boson mass and the
ratio between symmetry breaking scale and Planck mass, respectively.Comment: 20 pages including 14 figures; v2: references added, discussion on
null geodesics extended, numerical results adde
Constraints on Brane Inflation and Cosmic Strings
By considering simple, but representative, models of brane inflation from a
single brane-antibrane pair in the slow roll regime, we provide constraints on
the parameters of the theory imposed by measurements of the CMB anisotropies by
WMAP including a cosmic string component. We find that inclusion of the string
component is critical in constraining parameters. In the most general model
studied, which includes an inflaton mass term, as well as the brane-antibrane
attraction, values n_s < 1.02 are compatible with the data at 95 % confidence
level. We are also able to constrain the volume of internal manifold (modulo
factors dependent on the warp factor) and the value of the inflaton field to be
less than 0.66M_P at horizon exit. We also investigate models with a mass term.
These observational considerations suggest that such models have r < 2*10^-5,
which can only be circumvented in the fast roll regime, or by increasing the
number of antibranes. Such a value of r would not be detectable in CMB
polarization experiment likely in the near future, but the B-mode signal from
the cosmic strings could be detectable. We present forecasts of what a similar
analysis using PLANCK data would yield and find that it should be possible to
rule out G\mu > 6.5*10^-8 using just the TT, TE and EE power spectra.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, revtex4, typos corrected, references adde
Quantitative Chemically-Specific Coherent Diffractive Imaging of Buried Interfaces using a Tabletop EUV Nanoscope
Characterizing buried layers and interfaces is critical for a host of
applications in nanoscience and nano-manufacturing. Here we demonstrate
non-invasive, non-destructive imaging of buried interfaces using a tabletop,
extreme ultraviolet (EUV), coherent diffractive imaging (CDI) nanoscope. Copper
nanostructures inlaid in SiO2 are coated with 100 nm of aluminum, which is
opaque to visible light and thick enough that neither optical microscopy nor
atomic force microscopy can image the buried interfaces. Short wavelength (29
nm) high harmonic light can penetrate the aluminum layer, yielding
high-contrast images of the buried structures. Moreover, differences in the
absolute reflectivity of the interfaces before and after coating reveal the
formation of interstitial diffusion and oxidation layers at the Al-Cu and
Al-SiO2 boundaries. Finally, we show that EUV CDI provides a unique capability
for quantitative, chemically-specific imaging of buried structures, and the
material evolution that occurs at these buried interfaces, compared with all
other approaches.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure
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