1,354 research outputs found
Electromagnetic self-forces and generalized Killing fields
Building upon previous results in scalar field theory, a formalism is
developed that uses generalized Killing fields to understand the behavior of
extended charges interacting with their own electromagnetic fields. New notions
of effective linear and angular momenta are identified, and their evolution
equations are derived exactly in arbitrary (but fixed) curved spacetimes. A
slightly modified form of the Detweiler-Whiting axiom that a charge's motion
should only be influenced by the so-called "regular" component of its
self-field is shown to follow very easily. It is exact in some interesting
cases, and approximate in most others. Explicit equations describing the
center-of-mass motion, spin angular momentum, and changes in mass of a small
charge are also derived in a particular limit. The chosen approximations --
although standard -- incorporate dipole and spin forces that do not appear in
the traditional Abraham-Lorentz-Dirac or Dewitt-Brehme equations. They have,
however, been previously identified in the test body limit.Comment: 20 pages, minor typos correcte
On the multifractal statistics of the local order parameter at random critical points : application to wetting transitions with disorder
Disordered systems present multifractal properties at criticality. In
particular, as discovered by Ludwig (A.W.W. Ludwig, Nucl. Phys. B 330, 639
(1990)) on the case of diluted two-dimensional Potts model, the moments
of the local order parameter scale with a set
of non-trivial exponents . In this paper, we revisit
these ideas to incorporate more recent findings: (i) whenever a multifractal
measure normalized over space occurs in a random
system, it is crucial to distinguish between the typical values and the
disorder averaged values of the generalized moments , since
they may scale with different generalized dimensions and
(ii) as discovered by Wiseman and Domany (S. Wiseman and E. Domany, Phys Rev E
{\bf 52}, 3469 (1995)), the presence of an infinite correlation length induces
a lack of self-averaging at critical points for thermodynamic observables, in
particular for the order parameter. After this general discussion valid for any
random critical point, we apply these ideas to random polymer models that can
be studied numerically for large sizes and good statistics over the samples. We
study the bidimensional wetting or the Poland-Scheraga DNA model with loop
exponent (marginal disorder) and (relevant disorder). Finally,
we argue that the presence of finite Griffiths ordered clusters at criticality
determines the asymptotic value and the minimal value of the typical multifractal spectrum
.Comment: 17 pages, 20 figure
Insulin mediated upregulation of the renin angiotensin system in human subcutaneous adipocytes is reduced by Rosiglitazone
Background: Obesity associated hypertension is likely to be due to multiple mechanisms. Identification of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) within adipose tissue does, however, suggest a potential causal role for it in obesity-associated hypertension. Obese patients are often hyperinsulinaemic, but mechanisms underlying insulin upregulation of the RAS in adipose tissue are unclear. TNFα, an inducer of angiotensinogen in hepatocytes, is elevated in hyperinsulinaemic, obese individuals, and may provide a link in mediating insulin upregulation of the RAS in adipose tissue. Further, thiazolidinediones lower blood pressure in vivo and downregulation of the RAS in adipose tissue may contribute to this effect. We therefore examined the effect of rosiglitazone (RSG), on the insulin mediated upregulation of the RAS.
Methods and Results: Sera were obtained from the arterial circulation and from venous blood draining subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue. Isolated human abdominal subcutaneous adipocytes (n=12) were treated with insulin (1-1000nM) and insulin in combination with RSG (10nM), and RSG (10nM) alone to determine angiotensinogen expression, angiotensin II, bradykinin and TNFα secretion. Subcutaneous adipocytes were also treated with TNFα (10-100ng/mL) to examine the direct effect on angiotensinogen expression and angiotensin II secretion. The findings showed that the arterio-venous difference in angiotensin II levels was significant (↑23%; p<0.001). Insulin increased TNFα secretion in a concentration-dependent manner (p<0.01) whilst RSG (10nM) significantly reduced the insulin mediated rise in TNFα (p<0.001), as well as AGT and angiotensin II. TNFα also increased angiotensinogen and angiotensin II in isolated adipocytes.
Conclusions: Our in vivo data suggest that human subcutaneous adipose tissue is a significant source of angiotensin II. This study also demonstrates a potential TNFα mediated
mechanism through which insulin may stimulate the RAS and may contribute to explain obesity associated hypertension. RSG downregulates the RAS in subcutaneous adipose tissue and this effect may contribute to the long-term effect of RSG on blood pressure
Neutral theory of chemical reaction networks
To what extent do the characteristic features of a chemical reaction network
reflect its purpose and function? In general, one argues that correlations
between specific features and specific functions are key to understanding a
complex structure. However, specific features may sometimes be neutral and
uncorrelated with any system-specific purpose, function or causal chain. Such
neutral features are caused by chance and randomness. Here we compare two
classes of chemical networks: one that has been subjected to biological
evolution (the chemical reaction network of metabolism in living cells) and one
that has not (the atmospheric planetary chemical reaction networks). Their
degree distributions are shown to share the very same neutral
system-independent features. The shape of the broad distributions is to a large
extent controlled by a single parameter, the network size. From this
perspective, there is little difference between atmospheric and metabolic
networks; they are just different sizes of the same random assembling network.
In other words, the shape of the degree distribution is a neutral
characteristic feature and has no functional or evolutionary implications in
itself; it is not a matter of life and death.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figure
Human epicardial adipose tissue expresses a pathogenic profile of adipocytokines in patients with cardiovascular disease
Introduction: Inflammation contributes to cardiovascular disease and is exacerbated with
increased adiposity, particularly omental adiposity; however, the role of epicardial fat is poorly
understood.
Methods: For these studies the expression of inflammatory markers was assessed in epicardial fat
biopsies from coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients using quantitative RT-PCR. Further,
the effects of chronic medications, including statins, as well as peri-operative glucose, insulin and
potassium infusion, on gene expression were also assessed. Circulating resistin, CRP, adiponectin
and leptin levels were determined to assess inflammation.
Results: The expression of adiponectin, resistin and other adipocytokine mRNAs were
comparable to that in omental fat. Epicardial CD45 expression was significantly higher than control
depots (p < 0.01) indicating significant infiltration of macrophages. Statin treated patients showed
significantly lower epicardial expression of IL-6 mRNA, in comparison with the control abdominal
depots (p < 0.001). The serum profile of CABG patients showed significantly higher levels of both
CRP (control: 1.28 ± 1.57 μg/mL vs CABG: 9.11 ± 15.7 μg/mL; p < 0.001) and resistin (control:
10.53 ± 0.81 ng/mL vs CABG: 16.8 ± 1.69 ng/mL; p < 0.01) and significantly lower levels of
adiponectin (control: 29.1 ± 14.8 μg/mL vs CABG: 11.9 ± 6.0 μg/mL; p < 0.05) when compared to
BMI matched controls.
Conclusion: Epicardial and omental fat exhibit a broadly comparable pathogenic mRNA profile,
this may arise in part from macrophage infiltration into the epicardial fat. This study highlights that
chronic inflammation occurs locally as well as systemically potentially contributing further to the
pathogenesis of coronary artery disease
Transverse flow under oscillating stimulation in helical square ducts with cochlea-like geometrical curvature and torsion
The cochlea is our fluid-filled organ of hearing with a unique spiral shape.
The physiological role of this shape remains unclear. Previous research has
paid only little attention to the occurrence of transverse flow in the cochlea,
in particular in relation to the cochlea's shape. To better understand its
influence on fluid dynamics, this study aims to characterize transverse flow
due to harmonically oscillating axial flow in square ducts with curvature and
torsion, similar to the shape of human cochleae. Four geometries were
investigated to study curvature and torsion effects on axial and transverse
fluid flow components. Twelve frequencies from 0.125 Hz to 256 Hz were studied,
covering infrasound and low-frequency hearing, with mean inlet velocity
amplitudes representing levels expected for normal conversations or louder
situations. Our simulations show that torsion contributes significantly to
transverse flow in unsteady conditions, and that its contribution increases
with increasing oscillation frequencies. Curvature has a small effect on
transverse flow, which decreases rapidly for increasing frequencies.
Strikingly, the combined effect of curvature and torsion on transverse flow is
greater than expected from a simple superposition of the two effects,
especially when the relative contribution of curvature alone becomes
negligible. These findings could be relevant to understand physiological
processes in the cochlea, including metabolite transport and wall shear
stresses. Further studies are needed to investigate possible implications on
cochlear mechanics.Comment: 26 pages, 7 figure
Spatial Scaling in Model Plant Communities
We present an analytically tractable variant of the voter model that provides
a quantitatively accurate description of beta-diversity (two-point correlation
function) in two tropical forests. The model exhibits novel scaling behavior
that leads to links between ecological measures such as relative species
abundance and the species area relationship.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure
The Ursinus Weekly, April 21, 1952
Juniors schedule prom, show for this weekend • Operetta Sari judged to be great success • Chem group plans April 28 program • Lit. readings held • Juniors, sophomores plan activities for May 2, 3 • Loyalty forms needed for civil service jobs • Meeker awarded fellowship • Spirit group meets to plan for next year • Speaker tells of life in Africa and Pakistan • Annual campus elections to take place tomorrow • Member of Board of Directors dies • Intersorority Council plans freshmen party • French Club to give movie • Herber awarded fellowship • Group Four to give play on April 22 • Frat president elected • Editorials: Get out and vote; A question; Presidential race changing • Letters to the editor • Request made to form Eisenhower Club • Lampeter hurls eight hit victory over Temple, 6-3 • Mermaids choose future captains • Track team drops first dual meet to Haverford • Netmen lose in first outing • Engagements • Diocese president electedhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1541/thumbnail.jp
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