702 research outputs found
Polarization measurements analysis II. Best estimators of polarization fraction and angle
With the forthcoming release of high precision polarization measurements,
such as from the Planck satellite, it becomes critical to evaluate the
performance of estimators for the polarization fraction and angle. These two
physical quantities suffer from a well-known bias in the presence of
measurement noise, as has been described in part I of this series. In this
paper, part II of the series, we explore the extent to which various estimators
may correct the bias. Traditional frequentist estimators of the polarization
fraction are compared with two recent estimators: one inspired by a Bayesian
analysis and a second following an asymptotic method. We investigate the
sensitivity of these estimators to the asymmetry of the covariance matrix which
may vary over large datasets. We present for the first time a comparison among
polarization angle estimators, and evaluate the statistical bias on the angle
that appears when the covariance matrix exhibits effective ellipticity. We also
address the question of the accuracy of the polarization fraction and angle
uncertainty estimators. The methods linked to the credible intervals and to the
variance estimates are tested against the robust confidence interval method.
From this pool of estimators, we build recipes adapted to different use-cases:
build a mask, compute large maps, and deal with low S/N data. More generally,
we show that the traditional estimators suffer from discontinuous distributions
at low S/N, while the asymptotic and Bayesian methods do not. Attention is
given to the shape of the output distribution of the estimators, and is
compared with a Gaussian. In this regard, the new asymptotic method presents
the best performance, while the Bayesian output distribution is shown to be
strongly asymmetric with a sharp cut at low S/N.Finally, we present an
optimization of the estimator derived from the Bayesian analysis using adapted
priors
Dynamic cratering of graphite : experimental results and simulations
The cratering process in brittle materials under hypervelocity impact (HVI) is of major relevance for debris shielding in spacecraft or high-power laser applications. Amongst other materials, carbon is of particular interest since it is widely used as elementary component in composite materials. In this paper we study a porous polycrystalline graphite under HVI and laser impact, both leading to strong debris ejection and cratering. First, we report new experimental data for normal impacts at 4100 and 4200 m s-1 of a 500-μm-diameter steel sphere on a thick sample of graphite. In a second step, dynamic loadings have been performed with a high-power nanosecond laser facility. High-resolution X-ray tomographies and observations with a scanning electron microscope have been performed in order to visualize the crater shape and the subsurface cracks. These two post-mortem diagnostics also provide evidence that, in the case of HVI tests, the fragmented steel sphere was buried into the graphite target below the crater surface. The current study aims to propose an interpretation of the results, including projectile trapping. In spite of their efficiency to capture overall trends in crater size and shape, semi-empirical scaling laws do not usually predict these phenomena. Hence, to offer better insight into the processes leading to this observation, the need for a computational damage model is argued. After discussing energy partitioning in order to identify the dominant physical mechanisms occurring in our experiments, we propose a simple damage model for porous and brittle materials. Compaction and fracture phenomena are included in the model. A failure criterion relying on Weibull theory is used to relate material tensile strength to deformation rate and damage. These constitutive relations have been implemented in an Eulerian hydrocode in order to compute numerical simulations and confront them with experiments. In this paper, we propose a simple fitting procedure of the unknown Weibull parameters based on HVI results. Good agreement is found with experimental observations of crater shapes and dimensions, as well as debris velocity. The projectile inclusion below the crater is also reproduced by the model and a mechanism is proposed for the trapping process. At least two sets of Weibull parameters can be used to match the results. Finally, we show that laser experiment simulations may discriminate in favor of one set of parameters
Photon tagged correlations in heavy ion collisions
A detailed study of various two-particle correlation functions involving
photons and neutral pions is presented in proton-proton and lead-lead
collisions at the LHC energy. The aim is to use these correlation functions to
quantify the effect of the medium (in lead-lead collisions) on the jet decay
properties. The calculations are carried out at the leading order in QCD but
the next-to-leading order corrections are also discussed. The competition
between different production mechanisms makes the connection between the jet
energy loss spectrum and the gamma-pi correlations somewhat indirect while the
gamma-gamma correlations have a clearer relation to the jet fragmentation
properties.Comment: 32 pages, 19 figures. Minor changes, published versio
Long-Term Recovery After Endothelial Colony-Forming Cells or Human Umbilical Cord Blood Cells Administration in a Rat Model of Neonatal Hypoxic-Ischemic Encephalopathy.
Neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (NHIE) is a dramatic perinatal complication, associated with poor neurological prognosis despite neuroprotection by therapeutic hypothermia, in the absence of an available curative therapy. We evaluated and compared ready-to-use human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBC) and bankable but allogeneic endothelial progenitors (ECFC) as cell therapy candidate for NHIE. We compared benefits of HUCBC and ECFC transplantation 48 hours after injury in male rat NHIE model, based on the Rice-Vannucci approach. Based on behavioral tests, immune-histological assessment and metabolic imaging of brain perfusion using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), HUCBC, or ECFC administration provided equally early and sustained functional benefits, up to 8 weeks after injury. These results were associated with total normalization of injured hemisphere cerebral blood flow assessed by SPECT/CT imaging. In conclusion, even if ECFC represent an efficient candidate, HUCBC autologous criteria and easier availability make them the ideal candidate for hypoxic-ischemic cell therapy. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:1987-1996
QM/MM Study of L-Lactate Oxidation by Flavocytochrome b2
In this work, we have performed molecular dynamics simulations using a hybrid Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics (QM/MM) scheme to study the mechanism of L-lactate oxidation by flavocytochrome b2 (Fcb2). Our results obtained at the QM(AM1)/MM level have been improved by single-point corrections using density functional theory (DFT) methods. Free energy surfaces have been calculated in the framework of the hydride transfer hypothesis. This mechanism involves the transfer of the lactate hydroxyl proton to H373 while the substrate αH atom is transferred as a hydride to the flavin mononucleotide (FMN) prosthetic group anchored in the active site. Four different systems have been modeled: wild-type enzyme considering R289 in a distal or a proximal conformation observed in crystal structures and the D282N and Y254L variants (with R289 in a distal position). Simulation results highlight the influence of the environment on the catalytic mechanism by describing a step-wise process in the WT enzyme with R289 in a distal position and a concerted mechanism for the other systems. In the step-wise mechanism, the hydride transfer to flavin can occur only after a proton transfer from substrate to H373. Modifications of the electrostatic field around L-lactate or H373 disfavor the highly charged complex resulting from this proton transfer. Simulations of the Y254L variant also reveal some effect of steric changes
Two-dimensional simulations of internal gravity waves in a 5 Zero-Age-Main-Sequence model
Main-sequence intermediate-mass stars present a radiative envelope that
supports internal gravity waves (IGWs). Excited at the boundary with the
convective core, IGWs propagate towards the stellar surface and are suspected
to impact physical processes such as rotation and chemical mixing. Using the
fully compressible time-implicit code MUSIC, we study IGWs in two-dimensional
simulations of a zero-age-main-sequence 5 solar mass star model up to 91\% of
the stellar radius with different luminosity and radiative diffusivity
enhancements. Our results show that low frequency waves excited by core
convection are strongly impacted by radiative effects as they propagate. This
impact depends on the radial profile of radiative diffusivity which increases
by almost 5 orders of magnitude between the centre of the star and the top of
the simulation domain. In the upper layers of the simulation domain, we observe
an increase of the temperature. Our study suggests that this is due to heat
added in these layers by IGWs damped by radiative diffusion. We show that
non-linear effects linked to large amplitude IGWs may be relevant just above
the convective core. Both these effects are intensified by the artificial
enhancement of the luminosity and radiative diffusivity, with enhancement
factors up to times the realistic values. Our results also highlight
that direct comparison between numerical simulations with enhanced luminosity
and observations must be made with caution. Finally, our work suggests that
thermal effects linked to the damping of IGWs could have a non-negligible
impact on stellar structure.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA
Photon Physics in Heavy Ion Collisions at the LHC
Various pion and photon production mechanisms in high-energy nuclear
collisions at RHIC and LHC are discussed. Comparison with RHIC data is done
whenever possible. The prospect of using electromagnetic probes to characterize
quark-gluon plasma formation is assessed.Comment: Writeup of the working group "Photon Physics" for the CERN Yellow
Report on "Hard Probes in Heavy Ion Collisions at the LHC", 134 pages. One
figure added in chapter 5 (comparison with PHENIX data). Some figures and
correponding text corrected in chapter 6 (off-chemical equilibrium thermal
photon rates). Some figures modified in chapter 7 (off-chemical equilibrium
photon rates) and comparison with PHENIX data adde
Ultrafast Optically Induced Ferromagnetic State in an Elemental Antiferromagnet
We present evidence for an ultrafast optically induced ferromagnetic alignment of antiferromagnetic Mn in Co/Mn multilayers. We observe the transient ferromagnetic signal at the arrival of the pump pulse at the Mn L3 resonance using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism in reflectivity. The timescale of the effect is comparable to the duration of the excitation and occurs before the magnetization in Co is quenched. Theoretical calculations point to the imbalanced population of Mn unoccupied states caused by the Co interface for the emergence of this transient ferromagnetic state
Drastic reduction of populations of Simulium sirbanum (Diptera : Simuliidae) in central Sierra Leone after 5 years of larviciding operations by the Onchocerciasis Control Programme
Tumor-associated antigen human chorionic gonadotropin beta contains numerous antigenic determinants recognized by in vitro-induced CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes.
The beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG beta) is markedly overexpressed by neoplastic cells of differing histological origin including those present in colon, breast, prostate and bladder tumors. We have previously shown that some patients with hCG beta-producing urothelial tumors have circulating T cells that proliferate in response to hCG beta. To make a comprehensive study of hCG beta as a potential target for cancer immunotherapy, we investigated whether hCG beta peptides could induce CD4+ or CD8+ T-cell responses in vitro. By stimulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from three donors with mixtures of overlapping 16-mer synthetic peptides analogous to portions of either the hCG beta 20-71 or the hCG beta 102-129 region, we established six CD4+ T-cell lines that proliferated specifically in response to five distinct determinants located within these two hCG beta regions. Three antigenic determinants (hCG beta 52-67, 106-121 and 114-125) were presented by HLA-DR molecules, while the two other antigenic determinants (hCG beta 48-63 and 56-67) were presented by HLA-DQ molecules. Interestingly, one T-cell line specific for peptide hCG beta 106-121 recognized hCG beta peptides comprising, at position 117, either an alanine or an aspartic acid residue, with the latter residue being present within the protein expressed by some tumor cells. In addition, three other hCG beta-derived peptides that exhibited HLA-A*0201 binding ability were able to stimulate CD8+ cytotoxic T cells from two HLA-A*0201 donors. These three immunogenic peptides corresponded to regions hCG beta 40-48, hCG beta 44-52 and hCG beta 75-84. Our results indicate that the tumor-associated antigen hCG beta possesses numerous antigenic determinants liable to stimulate CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, and might thus be an effective target antigen for the immunotherapy of hCG beta-producing tumors
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