1,713 research outputs found
Seasonal variation in the interactions between piscivorous fish, planktivorous fish and zooplankton in a shallow eutrophic lake
Quasi-Spherical Light Cones of the Kerr Geometry
Quasi-spherical light cones are lightlike hypersurfaces of the Kerr geometry
that are asymptotic to Minkowski light cones at infinity. We develop the
equations of these surfaces and examine their properties. In particular, we
show that they are free of caustics for all positive values of the Kerr radial
coordinate r. Useful applications include the propagation of high-frequency
waves, the definition of Kruskal-like coordinates for a spinning black hole and
the characteristic initial-value problem.Comment: LaTeX, 14 pages, 2 figure
Photoresponsive molecular tools for emerging applications of light in medicine
Light-based therapeutic and imaging modalities, which emerge in clinical applications, rely on molecular tools, such as photocleavable protecting groups and photoswitches that respond to photonic stimulus and translate it into a biological effect. However, optimisation of their key parameters (activation wavelength, band separation, fatigue resistance and half-life) is necessary to enable application in the medical field. In this perspective, we describe the applications scenarios that can be envisioned in clinical practice and then we use those scenarios to explain the necessary properties that the photoresponsive tools used to control biological function should possess, highlighted by examples from medical imaging, drug delivery and photopharmacology. We then present how the (photo)chemical parameters are currently being optimized and an outlook is given on pharmacological aspects (toxicity, solubility, and stability) of light-responsive molecules. With these interdisciplinary insights, we aim to inspire the future directions for the development of photocontrolled tools that will empower clinical applications of light
Getting Its Kicks: A VLBA Parallax for the Hyperfast Pulsar B1508+55
The highest velocity neutron stars establish stringent constraints on natal
kicks, asymmetries in supernova core collapse, and the evolution of close
binary systems. Here we present the first results of a long-term pulsar
astrometry program using the VLBA. We measure a proper motion and parallax for
the pulsar B1508+55, leading to model-independent estimates of its distance
(2.37+0.23-0.20 kpc) and transverse velocity (1083+103-90 km/s), the highest
velocity directly measured for a neutron star. We trace the pulsar back from
its present Galactic latitude of 52.3 degrees to a birth site in the Galactic
plane near the Cyg OB associations, and find that it will inevitably escape the
Galaxy. Binary disruption alone is insufficient to impart the required birth
velocity, and a natal kick is indicated. A composite scenario including a large
kick along with binary disruption can plausibly account for the high velocity.Comment: 5 pages, including 2 figures; accepted by ApJL; associated NRAO press
release at http://www.nrao.edu/pr/2005/fastpulsar
Double Neutron Star Systems and Natal Neutron Star Kicks
We study the four double neutron star systems found in the Galactic disk in
terms of the orbital characteristics of their immediate progenitors and the
natal kicks imparted to neutron stars. Analysis of the effect of the second
supernova explosion on the orbital dynamics, combined with recent results from
simulations of rapid accretion onto neutron stars lead us to conclude that the
observed systems could not have been formed had the explosion been symmetric.
Their formation becomes possible if kicks are imparted to the radio-pulsar
companions at birth. We identify the constraints imposed on the immediate
progenitors of the observed double neutron stars and calculate the ranges
within which their binary characteristics (orbital separations and masses of
the exploding stars) are restricted. We also study the dependence of these
limits on the magnitude of the kick velocity and the time elapsed since the
second explosion. For each of the double neutron stars, we derive a minimum
kick magnitude required for their formation, and for the two systems in close
orbits we find it to exceed 200km/s. Lower limits are also set to the
center-of-mass velocities of double neutron stars, and we find them to be
consistent with the current proper motion observations.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figs (9 parts), 4 tables, AASTeX, Accepted in Ap
Оценка эффективности управления деятельностью предприятия
Целью исследования является оценка эффективности управления деятельностью предприятия как интегрального показателя, то есть управления совокупностью деятельностей, таких как производственная, инвестиционная, инновационная, маркетинговая и финансовая
Increasing the information provided by probabilistic sensitivity analysis:The relative density plot
Background Results of probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSA) are frequently visualized as a scatterplot, which is limited through overdrawing and a lack of insight in relative density. To overcome these limitations, we have developed the Relative Density plot (PSA-ReD). Methods The PSA-ReD combines a density plot and a contour plot to visualize and quantify PSA results. Relative density, depicted using a color gradient, is transformed to a cumulative probability. Contours are then plotted over regions with a specific cumulative probability. We use two real-world case studies to demonstrate the value of the PSA-ReD plot. Results The PSA-ReD method demonstrates proof-of-concept and feasibility. In the real-world case-studies, PSA-ReD provided additional visual information that could not be understood from the traditional scatterplot. High density areas were identified by color-coding and the contour plot allowed for quantification of PSA iterations within areas of the cost-effectiveness plane, diminishing overdrawing and putting infrequent iterations in perspective. Critically, the PSA-ReD plot informs modellers about non-linearities within their model. Conclusions The PSA-ReD plot is easy to implement, presents more of the information enclosed in PSA data, and prevents inappropriate interpretation of PSA results. It gives modelers additional insight in model functioning and the distribution of uncertainty around the cost-effectiveness estimate
Density Dependent Hadron Field Theory
A fully covariant approach to a density dependent hadron field theory is
presented. The relation between in--medium NN interactions and
field--theoretical meson--nucleon vertices is discussed. The medium dependence
of nuclear interactions is described by a functional dependence of the
meson--nucleon vertices on the baryon field operators. As a consequence, the
Euler--Lagrange equations lead to baryon rearrangement self--energies which are
not obtained when only a parametric dependence of the vertices on the density
is assumed. It is shown that the approach is energy--momentum conserving and
thermodynamically consistent. Solutions of the field equations are studied in
the mean--field approximation. Descriptions of the medium dependence in terms
of the baryon scalar and vector density are investigated. Applications to
infinite nuclear matter and finite nuclei are discussed. Density dependent
coupling constants obtained from Dirac--Brueckner calculations with the Bonn
NN-potentials are used. Results from Hartree calculations for energy spectra,
binding energies and charge density distributions of , and
are presented. Comparisons to data strongly support the importance
of rearrangement in a relativistic density dependent field theory. Most
striking is the simultanuous improvement of charge radii, charge densities and
binding energies. The results indicate the appearance of a new "Coester line"
in the nuclear matter equation of state.Comment: 48 LateX pages, 12 Figures, figures and full paper are available as
postscript files by anonymous ftp at ftp://theorie.physik.uni-giessen.de/dd
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