379 research outputs found
Exactly solvable potentials of Calogero type for q-deformed Coxeter groups
We establish that by parameterizing the configuration space of a
one-dimensional quantum system by polynomial invariants of q-deformed Coxeter
groups it is possible to construct exactly solvable models of Calogero type. We
adopt the previously introduced notion of solvability which consists of
relating the Hamiltonian to finite dimensional representation spaces of a Lie
algebra. We present explicitly the -case for which we construct the
potentials by means of suitable gauge transformations.Comment: 22 pages Late
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Hydrolysis of plutonium: Corrosion kinetics in DMSO solutions containing simulated high explosive and water
A sequence of experiments is described that address the compatibility of plutonium metal with dimethyl sulfoxide solvent and with solutions containing simulated HMX explosive and simulated explosive plus water. In the absence of water, reaction is slow and forms a thin adherent product layer on clean metal surfaces. Corrosion of oxide-coated plutonium is observed after 15 to 20 days in a solution containing 0.18 mass % (0.11 M) water. After corrosion initiates, the rate accelerates rapidly and attains a value of 0.13 mg Pu/cm{sup 2} h with a surface that is approximately one percent active. Dependence of the Pu + H{sub 2}O reaction on water concentration is evaluated using the data from literature sources. Hazards associated with the use of wet dimethyl sulfoxide as a solvent for removing explosives during weapon dismantlement are identified and a simple method for their mitigation is outlined
Star Formation History in two fields of the Small Magellanic Cloud Bar
The Bar is the most productive region of the Small Magellanic Cloud in terms
of star formation but also the least studied one. In this paper we investigate
the star formation history of two fields located in the SW and in the NE
portion of the Bar using two independent and well tested procedures applied to
the color-magnitude diagrams of their stellar populations resolved by means of
deep HST photometry. We find that the Bar experienced a negligible star
formation activity in the first few Gyr, followed by a dramatic enhancement
from 6 to 4 Gyr ago and a nearly constant activity since then. The two examined
fields differ both in the rate of star formation and in the ratio of recent
over past activity, but share the very low level of initial activity and its
sudden increase around 5 Gyr ago. The striking similarity between the timing of
the enhancement and the timing of the major episode in the Large Magellanic
Cloud is suggestive of a close encounter triggering star formation.Comment: 30 pages, 22 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Quantum Calogero-Moser Models: Integrability for all Root Systems
The issues related to the integrability of quantum Calogero-Moser models
based on any root systems are addressed. For the models with degenerate
potentials, i.e. the rational with/without the harmonic confining force, the
hyperbolic and the trigonometric, we demonstrate the following for all the root
systems: (i) Construction of a complete set of quantum conserved quantities in
terms of a total sum of the Lax matrix (L), i.e. (\sum_{\mu,\nu\in{\cal
R}}(L^n)_{\mu\nu}), in which ({\cal R}) is a representation space of the
Coxeter group. (ii) Proof of Liouville integrability. (iii) Triangularity of
the quantum Hamiltonian and the entire discrete spectrum. Generalised Jack
polynomials are defined for all root systems as unique eigenfunctions of the
Hamiltonian. (iv) Equivalence of the Lax operator and the Dunkl operator. (v)
Algebraic construction of all excited states in terms of creation operators.
These are mainly generalisations of the results known for the models based on
the (A) series, i.e. (su(N)) type, root systems.Comment: 45 pages, LaTeX2e, no figure
The Cyborg Astrobiologist: Testing a Novelty-Detection Algorithm on Two Mobile Exploration Systems at Rivas Vaciamadrid in Spain and at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah
(ABRIDGED) In previous work, two platforms have been developed for testing
computer-vision algorithms for robotic planetary exploration (McGuire et al.
2004b,2005; Bartolo et al. 2007). The wearable-computer platform has been
tested at geological and astrobiological field sites in Spain (Rivas
Vaciamadrid and Riba de Santiuste), and the phone-camera has been tested at a
geological field site in Malta. In this work, we (i) apply a Hopfield
neural-network algorithm for novelty detection based upon color, (ii) integrate
a field-capable digital microscope on the wearable computer platform, (iii)
test this novelty detection with the digital microscope at Rivas Vaciamadrid,
(iv) develop a Bluetooth communication mode for the phone-camera platform, in
order to allow access to a mobile processing computer at the field sites, and
(v) test the novelty detection on the Bluetooth-enabled phone-camera connected
to a netbook computer at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah. This systems
engineering and field testing have together allowed us to develop a real-time
computer-vision system that is capable, for example, of identifying lichens as
novel within a series of images acquired in semi-arid desert environments. We
acquired sequences of images of geologic outcrops in Utah and Spain consisting
of various rock types and colors to test this algorithm. The algorithm robustly
recognized previously-observed units by their color, while requiring only a
single image or a few images to learn colors as familiar, demonstrating its
fast learning capability.Comment: 28 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in the International
Journal of Astrobiolog
Non-immunological toxicological mechanisms of metamizole-associated neutropenia in HL60 cells
Metamizole is an analgesic and antipyretic , but can cause neutropenia and agranulocytosis . We investigated the toxicity of the metabolites N-methyl-4-aminoantipyrine (MAA), 4-aminoantipyrine (AA), N-formyl-4-aminoantipyrine (FAA) and N-acetyl-4-aminoantipyrine (AAA) on neutrophil granulocytes and on HL60 cells (granulocyte precursor cell line). MAA, FAA, AA, and AAA (up to 100âŻÂ”M) alone were not toxic for HL60 cells or granulocytes. In the presence of the myeloperoxidase substrate H2O2, MAA reduced cytotoxicity for HL60 cells at low concentrations (<50âŻÂ”M), but increased cytotoxicity at 100âŻÂ”M H2O2. Neutrophil granulocytes were resistant to H2O2 and MAA. Fe2+ and Fe3+ were not toxic to HL60 cells, irrespective of the presence of H2O2 and MAA. Similarly, MAA did not increase the toxicity of lactoferrin , hemoglobin or methemoglobin for HL60 cells. Hemin (hemoglobin degradation product containing a porphyrin ring and Fe3+) was toxic on HL60 cells and cytotoxicity was increased by MAA. EDTA , N-acetylcystein and glutathione prevented the toxicity of hemin and hemin/MAA. The absorption spectrum of hemin changed concentration-dependently after addition of MAA, suggesting an interaction between Fe3+and MAA. NMR revealed the formation of a stable MAA reaction product with a reaction pathway involving the formation of an electrophilic intermediate. In conclusion, MAA, the principle metabolite of metamizole, increased cytotoxicity of hemin by a reaction involving the formation of an electrophilic metabolite. Accordingly, cytotoxicity of MAA/hemin could be prevented by the iron chelator EDTA and by the electron donors NAC and glutathione. Situations with increased production of hemin may represent a risk factor for metamizole-associated granulocytopenia
Growth of infants born to HIV-positive mothers fed a whey-adapted acidified starter formula with prebiotics and nucleotides
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to evaluate whether infants born to known HIV-positive mothers, but who were not themselves infected with HIV and who were fed a chemically acidified starter formula with prebiotics with or without nucleotides during their first six months, displayed growth rates equal to uninfected infants fed a chemically acidified starter formula without prebiotics or nucleotides.Design: The design was a multi-centre, double-blinded randomised controlled trial.Setting: The study was carried out in four academic hospitals, three in Johannesburg and one in Cape Town, South Africa.Subjects and intervention: The subjects were newborn infants born to consenting HIV-positive women who had previously decided not to breast feed. The infants were randomised to receive one of three milk formulas. The intervention comprised chemically acidified formula without prebiotics or nucleotides, with prebiotics only, or with prebiotics and nucleotides.Outcome measures: The outcome measures were the growth parameters through the first six months of life.Results: Of the 150 randomised infants, 50 did not complete the study and 16 (12.8% of those tested) were infected with HIV, leaving 84 infants available for analysis. All three formulas were tolerated well, with no differences in growth parameters seen with the addition of prebiotics and nucleotides. The growth rates of the study infants up to the age of six months were very good, showing an increase in Z-scores from negative values at the time of enrolment in the first week after birth to around zero for length and > 0.5 for weight.Conclusions: The three chemically acidified formulas were tolerated well and resulted in good growth over the first six months of life. No benefits were seen with the addition of prebiotics or nucleotides. The growth rates were similar to those found in previous studies of ours on biologically acidified formulas. The chemical acidification of infant formulas appears to be a realistic alternative to biological acidification should an acidified formula be required.Keywords: milk formula; acidification; probiotics; nucleotides; infant growt
STEP: the VST survey of the SMC and the Magellanic Bridge - I : Overview and first results
STEP (the SMC in Time: Evolution of a Prototype interacting late-type dwarf galaxy) is a Guaranteed Time Observation survey being performed at the VST (the ESO VLT Survey Telescope). STEP will image an area of 74 sq. deg. covering the main body of the Small Magellanic Cloud (32 sq. deg.), the Bridge that connects it to the Large Magellanic Cloud (30 sq. deg.) and a small part of the Magellanic Stream (2 sq. deg.). Our g, r, i, Hα photometry is able to resolve individual stars down to magnitudes well below the main-sequence turn-off of the oldest populations. In this first paper, we describe the observing strategy, the photometric techniques and the upcoming data products of the survey. We also present preliminary results for the first two fields for which data acquisition is completed, including some detailed analysis of the two stellar clusters IC 1624 and NGC 419.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio
The Physical Conditions in Starbursts Derived from Bayesian Fitting of Mid-IR SEDS: 30 Doradus as a Template
To understand and interpret the observed Spectral Energy Distributions (SEDs)
of starbursts, theoretical or semi-empirical SED models are necessary. Yet,
while they are well-founded in theory, independent verification and calibration
of these models, including the exploration of possible degeneracies between
their parameters, are rarely made. As a consequence, a robust fitting method
that leads to unique and reproducible results has been lacking. Here we
introduce a novel approach based on Bayesian analysis to fit the Spitzer-IRS
spectra of starbursts using the SED models proposed by Groves et al. (2008). We
demonstrate its capabilities and verify the agreement between the derived best
fit parameters and actual physical conditions by modelling the nearby,
well-studied, giant HII region 30 Dor in the LMC. The derived physical
parameters, such as cluster mass, cluster age, ISM pressure and covering
fraction of photodissociation regions, are representative of the 30 Dor region.
The inclusion of the emission lines in the modelling is crucial to break
degeneracies. We investigate the limitations and uncertainties by modelling
sub-regions, which are dominated by single components, within 30 Dor. A
remarkable result for 30 Doradus in particular is a considerable contribution
to its mid-infrared spectrum from hot ({\simeq} 300K) dust. The demonstrated
success of our approach will allow us to derive the physical conditions in more
distant, spatially unresolved starbursts.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures. Accepted por publication in the Astrophysical
Journa
Continental response to active ridge subduction
[1] Apatite fission track ages from a âŒ2000 m elevation transect from the Patagonian fold and thrust belt (47.5°S) allow us to quantify the denudational and orographic response of the upper plate to active ridge subduction. Accelerated cooling started at 17 Ma, predating the onset of ridge collision (14â10 Ma), and was followed by reheating between 10 and 6 Ma. Thermal modeling favors reheating on the order of 60°C at âŒ28°C/Ma due to east-migration of a slab window after the ridge-trench collision. Final rapid cooling since 4 Ma of âŒ18°C/Ma (geothermal gradient of 14°C/km) correlates with the presence of an orographic barrier and >1 km rock uplift in this region between 17.1 and 6.3 Ma. Increased precipitation and erosion since 4 Ma caused asymmetric exhumation, with 3â4 km on the leeside. Repeated crustal unroofing in response to active ridge subduction can explain the positive gravity anomaly south of the Chile Triple Junction
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