Milky Way and Andromeda past-encounters in different gravity models: the impact on the estimated Local Group mass

The Two-body problem of $M31$ and the Milky Way (MW) galaxies with a Cosmological Constant background is studied, with emphasis on the possibility that they experienced Past Encounters. By implementing the Timing Argument (TA), it is shown that if $M{31}$ and the MW have had more than one encounter then the deduced mass of the Local Group (LG) would be larger. Past encounters are possible only for non-zero transverse velocity, and their viability is subject to observations of the imprints of such near collisions. Using a recent $Gaia$ - based measurement of the transverse velocity we show that the presence of the Cosmological Constant requires the mass for the LG to be $35\%$ higher: $3.36^{+1.14}_{-0.70} \cdot 10^{12} M_{\odot}$ with no Cosmological Constant or $4.54^{+1.20}_{-0.75} \cdot 10^{12} M_{\odot}$ with a Cosmological Constant background. If the LG has had one past encounter, the LG mass is $9.99^{+2.22}_{-1.58}\cdot 10^{12} M_{\odot}$ with a Cosmological Constant background. Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) is studied as the accelerations of the Local Group are fully in the deep-MOND regime. MOND yields the order of magnitude for the expected baryonic mass only if at least one encounter occurred. While we only consider the LG as two point masses, our calculations provide a benchmark for future work with simulations to test Dynamical Friction and other effects. This model can be also used to test screening mechanisms and alternative theories of gravity.Comment: 16 pages. A revised versio

Magnetothermal Transport in Spin-Ladder Systems

We study a theoretical model for the magnetothermal conductivity of a spin-1/2 ladder with low exchange coupling ($J\ll\Theta_D$) subject to a strong magnetic field $B$. Our theory for the thermal transport accounts for the contribution of spinons coupled to lattice phonon modes in the one-dimensional lattice. We employ a mapping of the ladder Hamiltonian onto an XXZ spin-chain in a weaker effective field B_{eff}=B-B_{0}$, where$B_{0}=(B_{c1}+B_{c2})/2$corresponds to half-filling of the spinon band. This provides a low-energy theory for the spinon excitations and their coupling to the phonons. The coupling of acoustic longitudinal phonons to spinons gives rise to hybridization of spinons and phonons, and provides an enhanced$B$-dependant scattering of phonons on spinons. Using a memory matrix approach, we show that the interplay between several scattering mechanisms, namely: umklapp, disorder and phonon-spinon collisions, dominates the relaxation of heat current. This yields magnetothermal effects that are qualitatively consistent with the thermal conductivity measurements in the spin-1/2 ladder compound${\rm Br_4(C_5H_{12}N)_2}$ (BPCB).Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

Evidence for Induced Magnetization in Superconductor-Ferromagnet Hetero-structures: a Scanning Tunnelling Spectroscopy Study

We performed scanning tunneling spectroscopy of c-axis oriented YBCO films on top of which ferromagnetic SRO islands were grown epitaxially in-situ. When measured on the ferromagnetic islands, the density of states exhibits small gap-like features consistent with the expected short range penetration of the order parameter into the ferromagnet. However, anomalous split-gap structures are measured on the superconductor in the vicinity of ferromagnetic islands. This observation may provide evidence for the recently predicted induced magnetization in the superconductor side of a superconductor/ ferromagnet junction. The length scale of the effect inside the superconductor was found to be an order of magnitude larger than the superconducting coherence length. This is inconsistent with the theoretical prediction of a penetration depth of only a few superconducting coherence lengths. We discuss a possible origin for this discrepancy

Finding the Beat: From Socially Coordinated Vocalizations in Songbirds to Rhythmic Entrainment in Humans

Humans and oscine songbirds share the rare capacity for vocal learning. Songbirds have the ability to acquire songs and calls of various rhythms through imitation. In several species, birds can even coordinate the timing of their vocalizations with other individuals in duets that are synchronized with millisecond-accuracy. It is not known, however, if songbirds can perceive rhythms holistically nor if they are capable of spontaneous entrainment to complex rhythms, in a manner similar to humans. Here we review emerging evidence from studies of rhythm generation and vocal coordination across songbirds and humans. In particular, recently developed experimental methods have revealed neural mechanisms underlying the temporal structure of song and have allowed us to test birds\u27 abilities to predict the timing of rhythmic social signals. Surprisingly, zebra finches can readily learn to anticipate the calls of a “vocal robot” partner and alter the timing of their answers to avoid jamming, even in reference to complex rhythmic patterns. This capacity resembles, to some extent, human predictive motor response to an external beat. In songbirds, this is driven, at least in part, by the forebrain song system, which controls song timing and is essential for vocal learning. Building upon previous evidence for spontaneous entrainment in human and non-human vocal learners, we propose a comparative framework for future studies aimed at identifying shared mechanism of rhythm production and perception across songbirds and humans

A kinematic classification of the cosmic web

A new approach for the classification of the cosmic web is presented. In extension of the previous work of Hahn et al. (2007) and Forero-Romero et al. (2009) the new algorithm is based on the analysis of the velocity shear tensor rather than the gravitational tidal tensor. The procedure consists of the construction of the the shear tensor at each (grid) point in space and the evaluation of its three eigenvectors. A given point is classified to be either a void, sheet, filament or a knot according to the number of eigenvalues above a certain threshold, 0, 1, 2, or 3 respectively. The threshold is treated as a free parameter that defines the web. The algorithm has been applied to a dark matter only, high resolution simulation of a box of side-length 64$h^{-1}$Mpc and N = $1024^3$ particles with the framework of the WMAP5/LCDM model. The resulting velocity based cosmic web resolves structures down to <0.1$h^{-1}$Mpc scales, as opposed to the ~1$h^{-1}$Mpc scale of the tidal based web. The under-dense regions are made of extended voids bisected by planar sheets, whose density is also below the mean. The over-dense regions are vastly dominated by the linear filaments and knots. The resolution achieved by the velocity based cosmic web provides a platform for studying the formation of halos and galaxies within the framework of the cosmic web.Comment: 8 pages, 4 Figures, MNRAS Accepted 2012 June 19. Received 2012 May 10; in original form 2011 August 2

Halo detection via large-scale Bayesian inference

We present a proof-of-concept of a novel and fully Bayesian methodology designed to detect halos of different masses in cosmological observations subject to noise and systematic uncertainties. Our methodology combines the previously published Bayesian large-scale structure inference algorithm, HADES, and a Bayesian chain rule (the Blackwell-Rao Estimator), which we use to connect the inferred density field to the properties of dark matter halos. To demonstrate the capability of our approach we construct a realistic galaxy mock catalogue emulating the wide-area 6-degree Field Galaxy Survey, which has a median redshift of approximately 0.05. Application of HADES to the catalogue provides us with accurately inferred three-dimensional density fields and corresponding quantification of uncertainties inherent to any cosmological observation. We then use a cosmological simulation to relate the amplitude of the density field to the probability of detecting a halo with mass above a specified threshold. With this information we can sum over the HADES density field realisations to construct maps of detection probabilities and demonstrate the validity of this approach within our mock scenario. We find that the probability of successful of detection of halos in the mock catalogue increases as a function of the signal-to-noise of the local galaxy observations. Our proposed methodology can easily be extended to account for more complex scientific questions and is a promising novel tool to analyse the cosmic large-scale structure in observations.Comment: 17 pages, 13 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRAS following moderate correction

Diffusion-limited reactions on a two-dimensional lattice with binary disorder

Reaction-diffusion systems where transition rates exhibit quenched disorder are common in physical and chemical systems. We study pair reactions on a periodic two-dimensional lattice, including continuous deposition and spontaneous desorption of particles. Hopping and desorption are taken to be thermally activated processes. The activation energies are drawn from a binary distribution of well depths, corresponding to `shallow' and `deep' sites. This is the simplest non-trivial distribution, which we use to examine and explain fundamental features of the system. We simulate the system using kinetic Monte Carlo methods and provide a thorough understanding of our findings. We show that the combination of shallow and deep sites broadens the temperature window in which the reaction is efficient, compared to either homogeneous system. We also examine the role of spatial correlations, including systems where one type of site is arranged in a cluster or a sublattice. Finally, we show that a simple rate equation model reproduces simulation results with very good accuracy.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Harnessing Soluble NK Cell Killer Receptors for the Generation of Novel Cancer Immune Therapy

The natural cytotoxic receptors (NCRs) are a unique set of activating proteins expressed mainly on the surface of natural killer (NK) cells. The NCRs, which include three members; NKp46, NKp44 and NKp30, are critically involved in NK cytotoxicity against different targets, including a wide range of tumor cells derived from various origins. Even though the tumor ligands of the NCRs have not been identified yet, the selective manner by which these receptors target tumor cells may provide an excellent basis for the development of novel anti-tumor therapies. To test the potential use of the NCRs as anti-tumor agents, we generated soluble NCR-Ig fusion proteins in which the constant region of human IgG1 was fused to the extracellular portion of the receptor. We demonstrate, using two different human prostate cancer cell lines, that treatment with NKp30-Ig, dramatically inhibits tumor growth in vivo. Activated macrophages were shown to mediate an ADCC response against the NKp30-Ig coated prostate cell lines. Finally, the Ig fusion proteins were also demonstrated to discriminate between benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer. This may provide a novel diagnostic modality in the difficult task of differentiating between these highly common pathological conditions

Evaluation of the Multiplane Method for Efficient Simulations of Reaction Networks

Reaction networks in the bulk and on surfaces are widespread in physical, chemical and biological systems. In macroscopic systems, which include large populations of reactive species, stochastic fluctuations are negligible and the reaction rates can be evaluated using rate equations. However, many physical systems are partitioned into microscopic domains, where the number of molecules in each domain is small and fluctuations are strong. Under these conditions, the simulation of reaction networks requires stochastic methods such as direct integration of the master equation. However, direct integration of the master equation is infeasible for complex networks, because the number of equations proliferates as the number of reactive species increases. Recently, the multiplane method, which provides a dramatic reduction in the number of equations, was introduced [A. Lipshtat and O. Biham, Phys. Rev. Lett. 93, 170601 (2004)]. The reduction is achieved by breaking the network into a set of maximal fully connected sub-networks (maximal cliques). Lower-dimensional master equations are constructed for the marginal probability distributions associated with the cliques, with suitable couplings between them. In this paper we test the multiplane method and examine its applicability. We show that the method is accurate in the limit of small domains, where fluctuations are strong. It thus provides an efficient framework for the stochastic simulation of complex reaction networks with strong fluctuations, for which rate equations fail and direct integration of the master equation is infeasible. The method also applies in the case of large domains, where it converges to the rate equation results

Diffusion-limited reactions on disordered surfaces with continuous distributions of binding energies

We study the steady state of a stochastic particle system on a two-dimensional lattice, with particle influx, diffusion and desorption, and the formation of a dimer when particles meet. Surface processes are thermally activated, with (quenched) binding energies drawn from a \emph{continuous} distribution. We show that sites in this model provide either coverage or mobility, depending on their energy. We use this to analytically map the system to an effective \emph{binary} model in a temperature-dependent way. The behavior of the effective model is well-understood and accurately describes key quantities of the system: Compared with discrete distributions, the temperature window of efficient reaction is broadened, and the efficiency decays more slowly at its ends. The mapping also explains in what parameter regimes the system exhibits realization dependence.Comment: 23 pages, 8 figures. Submitted to: Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experimen