1,680 research outputs found
Experimental study of Taylor's hypothesis in a turbulent soap film
An experimental study of Taylor's hypothesis in a quasi-two-dimensional
turbulent soap film is presented. A two probe laser Doppler velocimeter enables
a non-intrusive simultaneous measurement of the velocity at spatially separated
points. The breakdown of Taylor's hypothesis is quantified using the cross
correlation between two points displaced in both space and time; correlation is
better than 90% for scales less than the integral scale. A quantitative study
of the decorrelation beyond the integral scale is presented, including an
analysis of the failure of Taylor's hypothesis using techniques from
predictability studies of turbulent flows. Our results are compared with
similar studies of 3D turbulence.Comment: 27 pages, + 19 figure
Step by step capping and strain state of GaN/AlN quantum dots studied by grazing incidence diffraction anomalous fine structure
The investigation of small size embedded nanostructures, by a combination of
complementary anomalous diffraction techniques, is reported. GaN Quantum Dots
(QDs), grown by molecular beam epitaxy in a modified Stranski-Krastanow mode,
are studied in terms of strain and local environment, as a function of the AlN
cap layer thickness, by means of grazing incidence anomalous diffraction. That
is, the X-ray photons energy is tuned across the Ga absorption K-edge which
makes diffraction chemically selective. Measurement of \textit{hkl}-scans,
close to the AlN (30-30) Bragg reflection, at several energies across the Ga
K-edge, allows the extraction of the Ga partial structure factor, from which
the in-plane strain of GaN QDs is deduced. From the fixed-Q energy-dependent
diffracted intensity spectra, measured for diffraction-selected iso-strain
regions corresponding to the average in-plane strain state of the QDs,
quantitative information regarding composition and the out-of-plane strain has
been obtained. We recover the in-plane and out-of-plane strains in the dots.
The comparison to the biaxial elastic strain in a pseudomorphic layer indicates
a tendency to an over-strained regime.Comment: submitted to PR
Role of Quantum Confinement in Luminescence Efficiency of Group IV Nanostructures
Experimental results obtained previously for the photoluminescence efficiency
(PL) of Ge quantum dots (QDs) are theoretically studied. A
- plot of PL versus QD diameter () resulted in an
identical slope for each Ge QD sample only when . We
identified that above 6.2 nm: due to a changing
effective mass (EM), while below 4.6 nm: due to
electron/ hole confinement. We propose that as the QD size is initially
reduced, the EM is reduced, which increases the Bohr radius and interface
scattering until eventually pure quantum confinement effects dominate at small
Green Currents for Meromorphic Maps of Compact K\"ahler Manifolds
We consider the dynamics of meromorphic maps of compact K\"ahler manifolds.
In this work, our goal is to locate the non-nef locus of invariant classes and
provide necessary and sufficient conditions for existence of Green currents in
codimension one.Comment: Statement of Theorem 1.5 is slightly improved. Proposition 5.2 and
Theorem 5.3 are adde
Ten-year follow-up of a total knee prosthesis combining multi-radius, ultra-congruency, posterior-stabilization and mobile-bearing insert shows long-lasting clinically relevant improvements in pain, stiffness, function and stability.
There is a paucity of data available on total knee prostheses combining dual-radius, ultra-congruency, posterior-stabilization and mobile-bearing insert. This prospective cohort study aimed to assess the clinical evolution of the FIRST <sup>®</sup> prosthesis (Symbios Orthopédie, Yverdon, CH), the earliest prosthesis with this particular design. It was hypothesized that the primary outcomes, evaluating pain, stiffness, function and stability, would improve following arthroplasty and remain improved during the follow-up period of 10 years.
All patients programmed for a total knee arthroplasty using a FIRST <sup>®</sup> prosthesis at our university hospital between 2006 and 2008 were invited to participate. Study knees were evaluated pre-operatively as well as one, five and ten years post-operatively. Patients filled out questionnaires at each evaluation point and had a radiographic assessment at the five-year and ten-year follow-ups. Primary outcomes were the total, pain, stiffness and function measures of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis questionnaire (WOMAC) and the knee and function measures of the Knee Society Score (KSS). Friedman and Wilcoxon's rank-sum tests were used to compare measures across time points.
Hundred and twenty four prostheses were included (baseline demographics: 69.9 ± 8.3 years old, 28.1 ± 4.3 kg/m <sup>2</sup> , 54% male) and 68 could be followed during ten years. Five prostheses underwent a revision. All other prostheses lost at follow-up were lost for reasons unrelated to the prosthesis. All primary measures reported statistically and clinically significant improvements between baseline and the three follow-up evaluations. Statistically significant improvements at the three follow-up evaluations were also observed for most secondary measures. There was no implant loosening. At ten-year follow-up, radiolucent lines were observed in 2.9% femoral implants and 1.5% tibial implants.
The positive results observed in all domains of assessment and the small revision rate demonstrated an effective functioning of the FIRST <sup>®</sup> prosthesis during the ten-year follow-up period. The results, globally similar to those previously published for other prosthesis designs, encourage the development of assistive methods to select the most appropriate designs on an individual basis.
IV, prospective cohort study
A birational mapping with a strange attractor: Post critical set and covariant curves
We consider some two-dimensional birational transformations. One of them is a
birational deformation of the H\'enon map. For some of these birational
mappings, the post critical set (i.e. the iterates of the critical set) is
infinite and we show that this gives straightforwardly the algebraic covariant
curves of the transformation when they exist. These covariant curves are used
to build the preserved meromorphic two-form. One may have also an infinite post
critical set yielding a covariant curve which is not algebraic (transcendent).
For two of the birational mappings considered, the post critical set is not
infinite and we claim that there is no algebraic covariant curve and no
preserved meromorphic two-form. For these two mappings with non infinite post
critical sets, attracting sets occur and we show that they pass the usual tests
(Lyapunov exponents and the fractal dimension) for being strange attractors.
The strange attractor of one of these two mappings is unbounded.Comment: 26 pages, 11 figure
INTEGRAL and XMM-Newton Spectral Studies of NGC 4388
We present first INTEGRAL and XMM-Newton observations of a Seyfert galaxy,
the type 2 AGN NGC 4388. Several INTEGRAL observations performed in 2003 allow
us to study the spectrum in the 20 - 300 keV range. In addition two XMM-Newton
observations give detailed insight into the 0.2 - 10 keV emission. The
measurements presented here and comparison with previous observations by
BeppoSAX, SIGMA and CGRO/OSSE show that the overall spectrum from soft X-rays
up to the gamma-rays can be described by a highly absorbed (N_H = 2.7e23
1/cm^2) and variable non-thermal component in addition to constant non-absorbed
thermal emission (T = 0.8 keV) of low abundance (7% solar), plus a constant Fe
K-alpha and K-beta line. The hard X-ray component is well described by a simple
power law with a mean photon index of 1.7. During the INTEGRAL observations the
20 - 100 keV flux increased by a factor of 1.4. The analysis of XMM-Newton data
implies that the emission below 3 keV is decoupled from the AGN and probably
due to extended emission as seen in Chandra observations. The constant iron
line emission is apparently also decoupled from the direct emission of the
central engine and likely to be generated in the obscuring material, e.g. in
the molecular torus.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Ap
Impact of Preoperative Psychiatric Profile in Bariatric Surgery on Long-term Weight Outcome.
Conflicting results have been reported regarding the predictive value of preoperative psychological assessment and weight outcome after bariatric surgery. This might be attributed to different factors affecting early weight loss and long-term weight loss. Herein, we investigated whether preoperative psychiatric profile was associated with preoperative BMI and with both early (1 year) and long-term (5 years) weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB).
Prospective observational cohort study of patients undergoing RYGB between 2013 and 2019. Symptoms related to anxiety, depression, eating disorder, and alcohol use disorders were assessed by employing validated, specific psychometric tests (STAI-S/T, BDI-II, BITE, AUDIT-C) prior to surgery. Pre-operative BMI, early weight loss (1 year), and long-term weight evolution (up to 5 years) were registered.
Two hundred thirty six patients (81% women) were included in the present study. Linear longitudinal mixed model showed a significant effect of preoperative high anxiety (STAI-S) on long-term weight outcome, after controlling for gender, age and type 2 diabetes. Patient with high preoperative anxiety score regained weight faster than those experiencing low anxiety (each year percent excess BMI loss (%EBMIL) - 4.02%, ± 1.72, p = 0.021). No other pre-operative psychiatric symptoms have been shown to have an impact on long-term weight loss. In addition, no significant association was found between any of the pre-operative psychiatric variables and pre-operative BMI, or early weight loss (%EBMIL) at 1-year post-RYGB.
Herein we identified high anxiety score (STAI-S) as a predictor for long-term weight regain. Thus, long-term psychiatric surveillance of these patients and the development of tailored management tools could serve as a means to prevent weight regain
Scientific Performance of the ISDC Quick Look Analysis
The INTEGRAL Science Data Centre (ISDC) routinely monitors the Near Real Time
data (NRT) from the INTEGRAL satellite. A first scientific analysis is made in
order to check for the detection of new, transient or highly variable sources
in the data. Of primary importance for this work is the Interactive Quick Look
Analysis (IQLA), which produces JEM-X and ISGRI images and monitors them for
interesting astrophysical eventsComment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Proceedings of 5th INTEGRAL Workshop: The
INTEGRAL Universe, Munich, 16-20 February 2004. Accepted for publication in
European Space Agency Special Publication 552. See paper for institute
affiliation
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