The radial velocities of the RS CVn star UX Ari. A triple system with a binary on the same line of sight

UX Ari belongs to the class of very active RS CVn stars and has recently been the target of surface (Doppler) imaging. Although this technique needs a quite accurate determination of the orbit (in order to have the correct period for phasing and the correct Doppler shift correction of the line profiles) we found only one, quite old orbit solution, which has subsequently been used by everyone. We used published radial velocities (RVs), supplemented by a large number (124) of our own recent, high-accuracy RVs of both the primary (K0 IV) and the secondary (G5 V) to improve the orbit of UX Ari. In addition to the improved set of parameters, we found that the gamma velocity of the system is systematically changing over time. It seems that UX Ari is a triple system. Actually, a third star is weakly present in the spectrum. While its RV is also changing, it is not a member of the system, but happens to be on the same line of sight. Finally, conclusions about the physical parameters of the objects from the orbits are presented.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures; uses the new A&A style file (included); table 2 is included in the LaTeX-file, but commented out; it is not printed and will be available from CDS; accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysic

Real-time Coupling of Multi-Domain Representational and Analytical Building Object Models via Homology-based Mapping

Ideally, multiple computational building evaluation routines (particularly simulation tools) should be coupled in real-time to the representational design model to provide timely performance feed-back to the system user. In this paper we demonstrate how this can be achieved effectively and conveniently via homology-based mapping. We consider two models as homologous if they entail isomorphic topological information. If the general design representation (i.e., a shared object model) is generated in a manner so as to include both the topological building information and pointers to the semantic information base, it can be used to directly derive the domain representations (>enriched< object models with detailed configurational information and filtered semantic data) needed for evaluation purposes. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate a computational design environment that dynamically links an object-oriented space-based design model, with structurally homologous object models of various simulation routines

Information technology for construction management and building performance evaluation support - a North-American perspective

We provide a critical overview of the current status of computational support for construction the management and building performance evaluation in North-America. This overview is based on the research conducted in relation to the design and construction of the Intelligent Workplace (IW), Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. With regard to the commercial software products in the field of construction management the following limitations can be identified: Although project planning, cost estimating and construction simulation are supported, tasks like bidding as well as site and material management have not received the same level of attention. Few project management software packages are integrated in a total design support software system. Little analysis or evaluation options are provided to support managerial decision making. Various research groups address the construction planning and scheduling, construction contracting, site layout generation as well as the integration of these three topics. Currently problems such as efficient material management and calculation of environmental and energy responsive site management are insufficiently addressed within the ongoing research projects. In the domain of building performance simulation and decision support one can notice that, the development and application of computational tools is industry driven. As a result the concerns addressed by the tools are mainly issues pertaining to the selection and sizing of systems and components rather than an integrated performance evaluation. Consequently, these programs are rarely used by building designers, especially in the early design stages, where the predictive capabilities of simulation tools could be of significant value. Although many research institutions address the necessity for the integration of performance simulation within the overall design support environments most of the practically available performance simulation tools still remain mono-dimensional and isolated

How many Hipparcos Variability-Induced Movers are genuine binaries?

Hipparcos observations of some variable stars, and especially of long-period (e.g. Mira) variables, reveal a motion of the photocenter correlated with the brightness variation ({variability-induced mover -- VIM), suggesting the presence of a binary companion. A re-analysis of the Hipparcos photometric and astrometric data does not confirm the VIM solution for 62 among the 288 VIM objects (21%) in the Hipparcos catalogue. Most of these 288 VIMs are long-period (e.g. Mira) variables (LPV). The effect of a revised chromaticity correction, which accounts for the color variations along the light cycle, was then investigated. It is based on `instantaneous' $V-I$ color indices derived from Hipparcos and Tycho-2 epoch photometry. Among the 188 LPVs flagged as VIM in the Hipparcos catalogue, 89 (47%) are not confirmed as VIM after this improved chromaticity correction is applied. This dramatic decrease in the number of VIM solutions is not surprising, since the chromaticity correction applied by the Hipparcos reduction consortia was based on a fixed $V-I$ color. Astrophysical considerations lead us to adopt a more stringent criterion for accepting a VIM solution (first-kind risk of 0.27% instead of 10% as in the Hipparcos catalogue). With this more severe criterion, only 27 LPV stars remain VIM, thus rejecting 161 of the 188 (86%) of the LPVs defined as VIMs in the Hipparcos catalogue.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted in A&

Advanced glycoxidation and lipoxidation end products (AGEs and ALEs): an overview of their mechanisms of formation

Advanced lipoxidation end products (ALEs) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have a pathogenetic role in the development and progression of different oxidative-based diseases including diabetes, atherosclerosis, and neurological disorders. AGEs and ALEs represent a quite complex class of compounds that are formed by different mechanisms, by heterogeneous precursors and that can be formed either exogenously or endogenously. There is a wide interest in AGEs and ALEs involving different aspects of research which are essentially focused on set-up and application of analytical strategies (1) to identify, characterize, and quantify AGEs and ALEs in different pathophysiological conditions ; (2) to elucidate the molecular basis of their biological effects ; and (3) to discover compounds able to inhibit AGEs/ALEs damaging effects not only as biological tools aimed at validating AGEs/ALEs as drug target, but also as promising drugs. All the above-mentioned research stages require a clear picture of the chemical formation of AGEs/ALEs but this is not simple, due to the complex and heterogeneous pathways, involving different precursors and mechanisms. In view of this intricate scenario, the aim of the present review is to group the main AGEs and ALEs and to describe, for each of them, the precursors and mechanisms of formation

Serendipitous discovery of the unidentified extended TeV gamma-ray source HESS J1303-631

The serendipitous discovery of an unidentified extended TeVgamma-ray source close to the galactic plane named HESS J1303-631 at a significance of 21 standard deviations is reported. The observations were performed between February and June 2004 with the H.E.S.S. stereoscopic system of Cherenkov telescopes in Namibia. HESS J1303-631 was discovered roughly 0.6 deg north of the binary system PSR B1259-63/SS 2883, the target object of the initial observation campaign which was also detected at TeV energies in the same field of view. HESS J1303-631 is extended with a width of an assumed intrinsic Gaussian emission profile of sigma = (0.16 +- 0.02) deg and the integral flux above 380 GeV is compatible with constant emission over the entire observational period of (17 +- 3)% of the Crab Nebula flux. The measured energy spectrum can be described by a power-law dN/dE ~ E^-Gamma with a photon index of Gamma = 2.44 +- 0.05_stat +- 0.2_syst. Up to now, no counterpart at other wavelengths is identified. Various possible TeV production scenarios are discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, accepted in Astronomy and Astrophysic