6,906 research outputs found
ROSAT monitoring of persistent giant and rapid variability in the narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy IRAS 13224-3809
We report evidence for persistent giant and rapid X-ray variability in the
radio-quiet, ultrasoft, strong Fe II, narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxy IRAS
13224-3809. Within a 30 day ROSAT High Resolution Imager (HRI) monitoring
observation at least five giant amplitude count rate variations are visible,
with the maximum observed amplitude of variability being about a factor of 60.
We detect a rise by a factor of about 57 in just two days. IRAS 13224-3809
appears to be the most X-ray variable Seyfert known, and its variability is
probably nonlinear. We carefully check the identification of the highly
variable X-ray source with the distant galaxy, and it appears to be secure. We
examine possible explanations for the giant variability. Unusually strong
relativistic effects and partial covering by occulting structures on an
accretion disc can provide plausible explanations of the X-ray data, and we
explore these two scenarios. Relativistic boosting effects may be relevant to
understanding the strong X-ray variability of some steep spectrum Seyferts more
generally.Comment: 14 pages, submitted to MNRA
Non-destructive imaging of an individual protein
The mode of action of proteins is to a large extent given by their ability to
adopt different conformations. This is why imaging single biomolecules at
atomic resolution is one of the ultimate goals of biophysics and structural
biology. The existing protein database has emerged from X-ray crystallography,
NMR or cryo-TEM investigations. However, these tools all require averaging over
a large number of proteins and thus over different conformations. This of
course results in the loss of structural information. Likewise it has been
shown that even the emergent X-FEL technique will not get away without
averaging over a large quantity of molecules. Here we report the first
recordings of a protein at sub-nanometer resolution obtained from one
individual ferritin by means of low-energy electron holography. One single
protein could be imaged for an extended period of time without any sign of
radiation damage. Since ferritin exhibits an iron core, the holographic
reconstructions could also be cross-validated against TEM images of the very
same molecule by imaging the iron cluster inside the molecule while the protein
shell is decomposed
Density-functional study of Cu atoms, monolayers, and coadsorbates on polar ZnO surfaces
The structure and electronic properties of single Cu atoms, copper monolayers
and thin copper films on the polar oxygen and zinc terminated surfaces of ZnO
are studied using periodic density-functional calculations. We find that the
binding energy of Cu atoms sensitively depends on how charge neutrality of the
polar surfaces is achieved. Bonding is very strong if the surfaces are
stabilized by an electronic mechanism which leads to partially filled surface
bands. As soon as the surface bands are filled (either by partial Cu coverage,
by coadsorbates, or by the formation of defects), the binding energy decreases
significantly. In this case, values very similar to those found for nonpolar
surfaces and for copper on finite ZnO clusters are obtained. Possible
implications of these observations concerning the growth mode of copper on
polar ZnO surfaces and their importance in catalysis are discussed.Comment: 6 pages with 2 postscript figures embedded. Uses REVTEX and epsf
macro
Inpatient and outpatient loop electrosurgery excision procedure for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia: a retrospective analysis
Purpose: To determine whether the outpatient loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) conization (out-LEEP) is as effective and safe as inpatient LEEP conization (in-LEEP) with regard to the complete removal of cervical dysplasia, recurrence-free survival and post-operative morbidity. Methods: 233 patients were included in this retrospective cohort study from January 2002 to December 2007. 181 had outpatient treatment and 52 inpatient treatment. We used Mann-Whitney U test, two-sided Fisher's exact test, Chi-square test, log rank test and Kaplan-Meier curve. Results: Incomplete excision was found in 16/52 (30.8%) cases in the inpatient group and 46/181 (25.4%) in the outpatient group (P=0.48). Six patients had post-operative complications: two cases of secondary haemorrhage in each group (in-LEEP 3.8%, out-LEEP 1.1%, P=0.22) and two cases of cervical stenosis amongst inpatients (3.8%, P=0.049). Alteration of specimen by thermal artifact were reported in 4/52 (7.7%) of in-LEEP cones and 10/181 (5.5%) of out-LEEP cones (P=0.52). Measurements of cones in both groups were comparable with a mean depth of 9.35mm (±5.5mm) and 8.4mm (±3.4mm), respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest that efficacy and safety of ambulatory LEEP conization is comparable as in inpatient procedur
Reconstructing initial data using observers: error analysis of the semi-discrete and fully discrete approximations
A new iterative algorithm for solving initial data inverse problems from partial observations has been recently proposed in Ramdani et al. (Automatica 46(10), 1616-1625, 2010 ). Based on the concept of observers (also called Luenberger observers), this algorithm covers a large class of abstract evolution PDE's. In this paper, we are concerned with the convergence analysis of this algorithm. More precisely, we provide a complete numerical analysis for semi-discrete (in space) and fully discrete approximations derived using finite elements in space and an implicit Euler method in time. The analysis is carried out for abstract Schrödinger and wave conservative systems with bounded observation (locally distributed)
Controlling Light Through Optical Disordered Media : Transmission Matrix Approach
We experimentally measure the monochromatic transmission matrix (TM) of an
optical multiple scattering medium using a spatial light modulator together
with a phase-shifting interferometry measurement method. The TM contains all
information needed to shape the scattered output field at will or to detect an
image through the medium. We confront theory and experiment for these
applications and we study the effect of noise on the reconstruction method. We
also extracted from the TM informations about the statistical properties of the
medium and the light transport whitin it. In particular, we are able to isolate
the contributions of the Memory Effect (ME) and measure its attenuation length
The dynamics of a hole in a CuO_4 plaquette: electron energy-loss spectroscopy of Li_2CuO_2
We have measured the energy and momentum dependent loss function of Li_2CuO_2
single crystals by means of electron energy-loss spectroscopy in transmission.
Using the same values for the model parameters, the low-energy features of the
spectrum as well as published Cu 2p_(3/2) x-ray photoemission data of Li_2CuO_2
are well described by a cluster model that consists of a single CuO_4 plaquette
only. This demonstrates that charge excitations in Li_2CuO_2 are strongly
localized.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
The unusual electronic structure of the "pseudo-ladder" compound CaCu2O3
Experimental and theoretical studies of the unoccupied electronic structure
of CaCu2O3 single crystals have been performed using polarization-dependent
x-ray absorption spectroscopy and band structure calculations. The measured
hole distribution shows an unusual large number of holes in orbitals parallel
to the interlayer direction which is in agreement with the theoretical
analysis. CaCu2O3 deviates significantly from the standard pd-sigma cuprate
picture. The corresponding strong interlayer exchange is responsible for the
missing spin gap generic for other two-leg ladder cuprates.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures include
Priority setting in early childhood development: an analytical framework for economic evaluation of interventions
BACKGROUND: Early childhood development (ECD) sets the foundation for healthy and successful lives with important ramifications for education, labour market outcomes and other domains of well-being. Even though a large number of interventions that promote ECD have been implemented and evaluated globally, there is currently no standardised framework that allows a comparison of the relative cost-effectiveness of these interventions. METHODS: We first reviewed the existing literature to document the main approaches that have been used to assess the relative effectiveness of interventions that promote ECD, including early parenting and at-home psychosocial stimulation interventions. We then present an economic evaluation framework that builds on these reviewed approaches and focuses on the immediate impact of interventions on motor, cognitive, language and socioemotional skills. Last, we apply our framework to compute the relative cost-effectiveness of interventions for which recent effectiveness and costing data were published. For this last part, we relied on a recently published review to obtain effect sizes documented in a consistent manner across interventions. FINDINGS: Our framework enables direct value-for-money comparison of interventions across settings. Cost-effectiveness estimates, expressed in $ per units of improvement in ECD outcomes, vary greatly across interventions. Given that estimated costs vary by orders of magnitude across interventions while impacts are relatively similar, cost-effectiveness rankings are dominated by implementation costs and the interventions with higher value for money are generally those with a lower implementation cost (eg, psychosocial interventions involving limited staff). CONCLUSIONS: With increasing attention and investment into ECD programmes, consistent assessments of the relative cost-effectiveness of available interventions are urgently needed. This paper presents a unified analytical framework to address this need and highlights the rather remarkable range in both costs and cost-effectiveness across currently available intervention strategies
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