6,683 research outputs found
Frequency-Dependent Seed Dispersal by Ants of Two Deciduous Forest Herbs
Two co—occurring deciduous forest myrmecochores, Asarum canadense and Jeffersonia diphylla, release their seeds at approximately the same time, and therefore potentially compete for ants as dispersers. Within a single woodlot, we placed seeds of both species inside a dense Jeffersonia population away from Asarum plants, inside a dense Asarum population away from Jeffersonia plants, and in a site where plants of neither species occurred. No preference was exhibited by ants where natural populations were absent. Preference at the other two sites was frequency dependent: ants preferred seeds of the introduced species. Species preferred by ants have higher seed and seedling survival because by being carried into ant nests they escape predation and avoid nutrient deficiency. Implications of frequency—dependent dispersal are discussed
Jahn-Teller effect in the luminescence spectra of ZnS:V<sup>+</sup> and ZnSe:V<sup>+</sup>
The infrared emission spectra of ZnS:V+ and ZnSe:V+ are reported examining temperature dependence. The unusually rich spectra are theoretically explained by assuming a vibronic coupling due to ε modes. A diagonalization of the Hamiltonian matrix is performed using wave functions constructed in the Born-Oppenheimer limit. The Jahn-Teller energy is the only adjustable parameter. When this parameter is about 80 cm−1 for ZnS:V+ and 65 cm−1 for ZnSe:V+ good agreement between theory and experiment is found and the main features of the spectra for both systems are explained. The frequencies of the coupling modes are taken close to the TA(L) modes
On the evolution of mean motion resonances through stochastic forcing: Fast and slow libration modes and the origin of HD128311
Aims. We clarify the response of extrasolar planetary systems in a 2:1 mean
motion commensurability with masses ranging from the super Jovian range to the
terrestrial range to stochastic forcing that could result from protoplanetary
disk turbulence. The behaviour of the different libration modes for a wide
range of system parameters and stochastic forcing magnitudes is investigated.
The growth of libration amplitudes is parameterized as a function of the
relevant physical parameters. The results are applied to provide an explanation
of the configuration of the HD128311 system.
Methods. We first develop an analytic model from first principles without
making the assumption that both eccentricities are small. We also perform
numerical N-body simulations with additional stochastic forcing terms to
represent the effects of putative disk turbulence.
Results. Systems are quickly destabilized by large magnitudes of stochastic
forcing but some stability is imparted should systems undergo a net orbital
migration. The slow mode, which mostly corresponds to motion of the angle
between the apsidal lines of the two planets, is converted to circulation more
readily than the fast mode which is associated with oscillations of the
semi-major axes. This mode is also vulnerable to the attainment of small
eccentricities which causes oscillations between periods of libration and
circulation.
Conclusions. Stochastic forcing due to disk turbulence may have played a role
in shaping the configurations of observed systems in mean motion resonance. It
naturally provides a mechanism for accounting for the HD128311 system.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, added discussion in h and k coordinates,
recommended for publicatio
Ergodicity criteria for non-expanding transformations of 2-adic spheres
In the paper, we obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for ergodicity
(with respect to the normalized Haar measure) of discrete dynamical systems
on 2-adic spheres of radius
, , centered at some point from the ultrametric space of
2-adic integers . The map is
assumed to be non-expanding and measure-preserving; that is, satisfies a
Lipschitz condition with a constant 1 with respect to the 2-adic metric, and
preserves a natural probability measure on , the Haar measure
on which is normalized so that
The Large Aperture GRB Observatory
The Large Aperture GRB Observatory (LAGO) is aiming at the detection of the
high energy (around 100 GeV) component of Gamma Ray Bursts, using the single
particle technique in arrays of Water Cherenkov Detectors (WCD) in high
mountain sites (Chacaltaya, Bolivia, 5300 m a.s.l., Pico Espejo, Venezuela,
4750 m a.s.l., Sierra Negra, Mexico, 4650 m a.s.l). WCD at high altitude offer
a unique possibility of detecting low gamma fluxes in the 10 GeV - 1 TeV range.
The status of the Observatory and data collected from 2007 to date will be
presented.Comment: 4 pages, proceeding of 31st ICRC 200
Water Cherenkov Detectors response to a Gamma Ray Burst in the Large Aperture GRB Observatory
In order to characterise the behaviour of Water Cherenkov Detectors (WCD)
under a sudden increase of 1 GeV - 1 TeV background photons from a Gamma Ray
Burst (GRB), simulations were conducted and compared to data acquired by the
WCD of the Large Aperture GRB Observatory (LAGO). The LAGO operates arrays of
WCD at high altitude to detect GRBs using the single particle technique. The
LAGO sensitivity to GRBs is derived from the reported simulations of the gamma
initiated particle showers in the atmosphere and the WCD response to
secondaries.Comment: 5 pages, proceeding of the 31st ICRC 200
Label-free segmentation of co-cultured cells on a nanotopographical gradient
The function and fate of cells is influenced by many different factors, one of which is surface topography of the support culture substrate. Systematic studies of nanotopography and cell response have typically been limited to single cell types and a small set of topographical variations. Here, we show a radical expansion of experimental throughput using automated detection, measurement, and classification of co-cultured cells on a nanopillar array where feature height changes continuously from planar to 250 nm over 9 mm. Individual cells are identified and characterized by more than 200 descriptors, which are used to construct a set of rules for label-free segmentation into individual cell types. Using this approach we can achieve label-free segmentation with 84% confidence across large image data sets and suggest optimized surface parameters for nanostructuring of implant devices such as vascular stents
Changes in maternal body composition and metabolism of dairy goats during pregnancy.
Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the mobilization of nutrients in goats of different gestation types and pregnancy stages. Forty-four Saanen and Oberhasli goats were studied. The goats of each breed and gestation type (single or twin) were slaughtered at different gestational ages (80, 110, and 140 days of pregnancy), forming a completely randomized design in a 2 × 3 × 2 factorial arrangement (two breeds, three gestational ages, and two types of pregnancy). The slaughter procedure involved separating the empty body, mammary glands, uterus with membranes and fetal fluid, and fetus(es). For the females slaughtered at 140 days of pregnancy, blood was collected to analyze metabolites and hormones every 15 days during gestation. The dry matter (DM) intake was lower in goats with twin pregnancies. The relative daily retention rate of the nutrients in the body was positive at 100 days of pregnancy but became negative at 140 days (-0.18±0.25 g DM kg-1 of maternal body d-1) and did not differ with breed or number of fetuses. Fetal growth in twin pregnancies was 66% higher than in single pregnancies. The highest levels of ß-hydroxybutyrate and non-esterified fatty acids were observed beginning at 100 days of gestation. Serum total protein and albumin levels decreased after 125 days of gestation. Serum urea levels were reduced after 80 days of gestation. Plasma 17ß-estradiol levels increased with the advance of pregnancy, and IGF-1 was highest between 60 and 80 days of gestation. The maternal metabolism throughout pregnancy does not vary with the type of pregnancy, and pregnant goats need greater nutritional intake during the final third of the gestational period regardless of the breed or type of pregnancy
On the Lagrangian Realization of Non-Critical -Strings
A large class of non-critical string theories with extended worldsheet gauge
symmetry are described by two coupled, gauged Wess-Zumino-Witten Models. We
give a detailed analysis of the gauge invariant action and in particular the
gauge fixing procedure and the resulting BRST symmetries. The results are
applied to the example of strings.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX (REVTEX macro's
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