1,880 research outputs found
Impact of Gene-Gender Effects of Adrenergic Polymorphisms on Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activity in Depressed Patients
Objective: There is overwhelming evidence that activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) system plays a major role in depression and cardiovascular disease in genetically susceptible individuals. We hypothesized that due to the multiple interactions between the sympathetic and the HPA systems via adrenoceptors, polymorphisms in these genes could have an impact on HPA axis activity in major depression. Methods: Using the dexamethasone/corticotrophin-releasing hormone (DEX/CRH) test, we investigated the association of alpha 2-adrenoceptor (ADRA2A -1291C -> G) and the beta 2-adrenoceptor gene (ADRB2 Arg16Gly) in 189 patients with major depression during the acute state of the disease and after remission. Results: Male ADRA2A -1291G allele homozygotes showed significant pretreatment HPA axis hyperactivity, with increased adrenocorticotropin (ACTH; F = 4.9, d.f. = 2, p = 0.009) and cortisol responses (F = 6.4, d.f. = 2, p = 0.003). In contrast, female ADRB2 Arg/Arg homozygotes had increased pretreatment ACTH (F = 7.17, d.f. = 2, p = 0.001) and cortisol (F = 8.95, d.f. = 2, p = 0.000) levels. Interestingly, in the respective genotypes, the stress hormones remained elevated in the second DEX/CRH test, despite a reduction in depressive symptoms. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that, depending on gender and polymorphisms, there is continuous HPA axis overdrive in a proportion of patients irrespective of the status of depression. Considering the importance of stress hormones for cardiovascular disorders, our data might suggest that these patients are at high risk of comorbidity between depression and cardiovascular disorders. Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Base
Detection of a period decrease in NN Ser with ULTRACAM: evidence for strong magnetic braking or an unseen companion?
We present results of high time resolution photometry of the eclipsing
pre-cataclysmic variable NN Ser. We observed 13 primary eclipses of NN Ser
using the high-speed CCD camera ULTRACAM and derived times of mid-eclipse, from
fitting of light curve models, with uncertainties as low as 0.06 s. The
observed rates of period change appear difficult to reconcile with any models
of orbital period change. If the observed period change reflects an angular
momentum loss, the average loss rate is consistent with the loss rates (via
magnetic stellar wind braking) used in standard models of close binary
evolution, which were derived from observations of much more massive cool
stars. Observations of low-mass stars such as NN Ser's secondary predict rates
of ~100 times lower than we observe. We show that magnetic activity-driven
changes in the quadrupole moment of the secondary star (Applegate, 1992) fail
to explain the period change by an order of magnitude on energetic grounds, but
that a light travel time effect caused by the presence of a third body in a
long (~ decades) orbit around the binary could account for the observed changes
in the timings of NN Ser's mid-eclipses. We conclude that we have either
observed a genuine angular momentum loss for NN Ser, in which case our
observations pose serious difficulties for the theory of close binary
evolution, or we have detected a previously unseen low-mass companion to the
binary.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA
Augmented Go & See: An approach for improved bottleneck identification in production lines
Bottlenecks in production lines are often shifting and thus hard to identify. They lead to decreased output, longer throughput times and higher work in progress. Go & See is a well-established Lean practice where managers go to the shop floor to see the problems first hand. Mixed reality is a promising technology to improve transparency in complex production environments. Until recently, mixed reality applications have been very demanding in terms of computing power requiring high performance hardware. This paper presents an approach for real-time KPI visualization using mixed reality for bottleneck identification in production lines relying on the bring-your-own device principle. The developed application uses image recognition to identify work stations and visualizes cycle times and work in progress in augmented reality. With this additional information, it is possible to discern different root causes for bottlenecks, for example systematically higher or varying cycle times due to breakdowns. This solution can be classified according to the acatech industry 4.0 maturity model as a level 3 - transparency - application. It could be shown that the identification of bottlenecks and underlying reasons has been improved compared to standard Go & See
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Metal-metal multiply bonded complexes of technetium. Final report
The primary objective of this project was to explore and develop the area of technetium metal-metal multiple bond chemistry. At the outset of the project, examples of metal-metal multiply bonded complexes of technetium were primarily limited to those supported by halide and carboxylate ligands. As a result, we intended to significantly expand the number of complexes containing Tc-Tc multiple bonds using ligands other than carboxylates or halides. In order to achieve this goal, the results obtained from years of dirhenium research was used as a guide for the development of new technetium compounds. Our emphasis, however, was on pursuing unanticipated results and exploiting the inherent differences between technetium and rhenium in order to develop chemistry beyond that which exists for rhenium. We have focused our attention on the preparation of dinuclear complexes with ligand sets that are known to support dinuclear metal-metal bonded cores in a variety of different metal oxidation states. Investigation of the consequences of electron addition and removal from metal-metal bonding manifold on the structural and physical properties of such dinuclear species will provide vital information regarding the electronic structure of Tc-Tc multiply bonded compounds
The planets around NN Serpentis : still there
We present 25 new eclipse times of the white dwarf binary NN Ser taken with the high-speed camera ULTRACAM on the William Herschel Telescope and New Technology Telescope, the RISE camera on the Liverpool Telescope and HAWK-I on the Very Large Telescope to test the two-planet model proposed to explain variations in its eclipse times measured over the last 25 yr. The planetary model survives the test with flying colours, correctly predicting a progressive lag in eclipse times of 36 s that has set in since 2010 compared to the previous 8 yr of precise times. Allowing both orbits to be eccentric, we find orbital periods of 7.9 ± 0.5 and 15.3 ± 0.3 yr, and masses of 2.3 ± 0.5 and 7.3 ± 0.3 MJ. We also find dynamically long-lived orbits consistent with the data, associated with 2:1 and 5:2 period ratios. The data scatter by 0.07 s relative to the best-fitting model, by some margin the most precise of any of the proposed eclipsing compact object planet hosts. Despite the high precision, degeneracy in the orbit fits prevents a significant measurement of a period change of the binary and of N-body effects. Finally, we point out a major flaw with a previous dynamical stability analysis of NN Ser, and by extension, with a number of analyses of similar systems
Precise mass and radius values for the white dwarf and low mass M dwarf in the pre-cataclysmic binary NN Serpentis
We derive precise system parameters for the pre-cataclysmic binary, NN Ser.
From light curve fitting we find an orbital inclination of i = 89.6 +/- 0.2
deg. From the HeII absorption line we find K_{WD}= 62.3 +/- 1.9 km/s. The
irradiation-induced emission lines from the surface of the secondary star give
a range of observed radial velocities. The corrected values give a radial
velocity of K_{sec}= 301 +/- 3 km/s, with an error dominated by the systematic
effects of the model. This leads to a binary separation of a = 0.934 +/- 0.009
R_{sun}, radii of R_{WD} = 0.0211 +/- 0.0002 R_{sun} and R_{sec} = 0.149 +/-
0.002 R_{sun} and masses of M_{WD} = 0.535 +/- 0.012 M_{sun} and M_{sec} =
0.111 +/- 0.004 M_{sun}. The masses and radii of both components of NN Ser were
measured independently of any mass-radius relation. For the white dwarf, the
measured mass, radius and temperature show excellent agreement with a `thick'
hydrogen layer of fractional mass M_{H}/{M}_{WD} = 10^{-4}. The measured radius
of the secondary star is 10% larger than predicted by models, however,
correcting for irradiation accounts for most of this inconsistency, hence the
secondary star in NN Ser is one of the first precisely measured very low mass
objects to show good agreement with models. ULTRACAM r', i' and z' photometry
taken during the primary eclipse determines the colours of the secondary star
as (r'-i')_{sec}= 1.4 +/- 0.1 and (i'-z')_{sec} = 0.8 +/- 0.1 which corresponds
to a spectral type of M4 +/- 0.5. This is consistent with the derived mass,
demonstrating that there is no detectable heating of the unirradiated face,
despite intercepting radiative energy from the white dwarf which exceeds its
own luminosity by over a factor of 20.Comment: 20 pages, 17 figures, 8 tables, minor changes, accepted for
publication in MNRA
Astroclimatic Characterization of Vallecitos: A candidate site for the Cherenkov Telescope Array at San Pedro Martir
We conducted an 18 month long study of the weather conditions of the
Vallecitos, a proposed site in Mexico to harbor the northern array of the
Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). It is located in Sierra de San Pedro Martir
(SPM) a few kilometers away from Observatorio Astron\'omico Nacional. The study
is based on data collected by the ATMOSCOPE, a multi-sensor instrument
measuring the weather and sky conditions, which was commissioned and built by
the CTA Consortium. Additionally, we compare the weather conditions of the
optical observatory at SPM to the Vallecitos regarding temperature, humidity,
and wind distributions. It appears that the excellent conditions at the optical
observatory benefit from the presence of microclimate established in the
Vallecitos.Comment: 16 pages, 16 figures, Publication of the Astronomical Society of the
Pacific, accepte
Low-lying GT(+) strength in Co-64 studied via the Ni-64(d,He-2)Co-64 reaction
The Ni-64(d,He-2)Co-64 reaction was studied at the AGOR cyclotron of KVI, Groningen, with the Big-Bite Spectrometer and the EuroSuperNova detector using a 171-MeV deuteron beam. An energy resolution of about 110 keV was achieved. In addition to the J(pi) = 1(+) ground state, several other 1(+) states could be identified in Co-64 and the strengths of the corresponding Gamow-Teller transitions were determined. The obtained strength distribution was compared with theoretical predictions and former (n,p) experimental results and displayed a good agreement. Due to the good energy resolution, detailed spectroscopic information was obtained, which supplements the data base needed for network calculations for supernova scenarios
Interparticle interactions:Energy potentials, energy transfer, and nanoscale mechanical motion in response to optical radiation
In the interactions between particles of material with slightly different electronic levels, unusually large shifts in the pair potential can result from photoexcitation, and on subsequent electronic excitation transfer. To elicit these phenomena, it is necessary to understand the fundamental differences between a variety of optical properties deriving from dispersion interactions, and processes such as resonance energy transfer that occur under laser irradiance. This helps dispel some confusion in the recent literature. By developing and interpreting the theory at a deeper level, one can anticipate that in suitable systems, light absorption and energy transfer will be accompanied by significant displacements in interparticle separation, leading to nanoscale mechanical motion
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