5,320 research outputs found
Twistor theory on a finite graph
We show how the description of a shear-free ray congruence in Minkowski space
as an evolving family of semi-conformal mappings can naturally be formulated on
a finite graph. For this, we introduce the notion of holomorphic function on a
graph. On a regular coloured graph of degree three, we recover the space-time
picture. In the spirit of twistor theory, where a light ray is the more
fundamental object from which space-time points should be derived, the line
graph, whose points are the edges of the original graph, should be considered
as the basic object. The Penrose twistor correspondence is discussed in this
context
DynPeak : An algorithm for pulse detection and frequency analysis in hormonal time series
The endocrine control of the reproductive function is often studied from the
analysis of luteinizing hormone (LH) pulsatile secretion by the pituitary
gland. Whereas measurements in the cavernous sinus cumulate anatomical and
technical difficulties, LH levels can be easily assessed from jugular blood.
However, plasma levels result from a convolution process due to clearance
effects when LH enters the general circulation. Simultaneous measurements
comparing LH levels in the cavernous sinus and jugular blood have revealed
clear differences in the pulse shape, the amplitude and the baseline. Besides,
experimental sampling occurs at a relatively low frequency (typically every 10
min) with respect to LH highest frequency release (one pulse per hour) and the
resulting LH measurements are noised by both experimental and assay errors. As
a result, the pattern of plasma LH may be not so clearly pulsatile. Yet,
reliable information on the InterPulse Intervals (IPI) is a prerequisite to
study precisely the steroid feedback exerted on the pituitary level. Hence,
there is a real need for robust IPI detection algorithms. In this article, we
present an algorithm for the monitoring of LH pulse frequency, basing ourselves
both on the available endocrinological knowledge on LH pulse (shape and
duration with respect to the frequency regime) and synthetic LH data generated
by a simple model. We make use of synthetic data to make clear some basic
notions underlying our algorithmic choices. We focus on explaining how the
process of sampling affects drastically the original pattern of secretion, and
especially the amplitude of the detectable pulses. We then describe the
algorithm in details and perform it on different sets of both synthetic and
experimental LH time series. We further comment on how to diagnose possible
outliers from the series of IPIs which is the main output of the algorithm.Comment: Nombre de pages : 35 ; Nombre de figures : 16 ; Nombre de tableaux :
Cyclonic entrainment of preconditioned shelf waters into a frontal eddy
The volume transport of nutrient-rich continental shelf water into a cyclonic frontal eddy (entrainment) was examined from satellite observations, a Slocum glider and numerical simulation outputs. Within the frontal eddy, parcels of water with temperature/salinity signatures of the continental shelf (18-19 degrees C and >35.5, respectively) were recorded. The distribution of patches of shelf water observed within the eddy was consistent with the spiral pattern shown within the numerical simulations. A numerical dye tracer experiment showed that the surface waters (= 95%) shelf waters. Particle tracking experiments showed that water was drawn into the eddy from over 4 degrees of latitude (30-34.5 degrees S). Consistent with the glider observations, the modeled particles entrained into the eddy sunk relative to their initial position. Particles released south of 33 degrees S, where the waters are cooler and denser, sunk 34 m deeper than their release position. Distance to the shelf was a critical factor in determining the volume of shelf water entrained into the eddy. Entrainment reduced to 0.23 Sv when the eddy was furthest from the shelf, compared to 0.61 Sv when the eddy was within 10 km of the shelf. From a biological perspective, quantifying the entrainment of shelf water into frontal eddies is important, as it is thought to play a significant role in providing an offshore nursery habitat for coastally spawned larval fish
Trkalian fields: ray transforms and mini-twistors
We study X-ray and Divergent beam transforms of Trkalian fields and their
relation with Radon transform. We make use of four basic mathematical methods
of tomography due to Grangeat, Smith, Tuy and Gelfand-Goncharov for an integral
geometric view on them. We also make use of direct approaches which provide a
faster but restricted view of the geometry of these transforms. These reduce to
well known geometric integral transforms on a sphere of the Radon or the
spherical Curl transform in Moses eigenbasis, which are members of an analytic
family of integral operators. We also discuss their inversion. The X-ray (also
Divergent beam) transform of a Trkalian field is Trkalian. Also the Trkalian
subclass of X-ray transforms yields Trkalian fields in the physical space. The
Riesz potential of a Trkalian field is proportional to the field. Hence, the
spherical mean of the X-ray (also Divergent beam) transform of a Trkalian field
over all lines passing through a point yields the field at this point. The
pivotal point is the simplification of an intricate quantity: Hilbert transform
of the derivative of Radon transform for a Trkalian field in the Moses basis.
We also define the X-ray transform of the Riesz potential (of order 2) and
Biot-Savart integrals. Then, we discuss a mini-twistor respresentation,
presenting a mini-twistor solution for the Trkalian fields equation. This is
based on a time-harmonic reduction of wave equation to Helmholtz equation. A
Trkalian field is given in terms of a null vector in C3 with an arbitrary
function and an exponential factor resulting from this reduction.Comment: 37 pages, http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.482610
Enhanced gas-liquid mass transfer of an oscillatory constricted-tubular reactor
The mass transfer performance has been tested for gas-liquid flow in a new tubular reactor system, the oscillating mesotube (OMT), which features the oscillatory movement of fluid across a series of smooth constrictions located periodically along the vertical 4.4 mm internal diameter tube. The effect of the fluid oscillations (frequency,f, and center-to-peak amplitude, x(0), in the range of 0-20 s(-1) and 0-3 mm, respectively) on the overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient (k(L)a) has been tested by measuring the oxygen saturation levels with a fiber-optical microprobe (oxygen micro-optrode), and a mathematical model has been produced to describe the oxygen mass transport in the OMT. The oxygen mass transfer rates were about I order of magnitude higher (k(L)a values up to 0.16 s(-1)) than those values reported for gas-liquid contacting in a 50 mm internal diameter oscillatory flow reactor (OFR), for the same peak fluid oscillatory velocity, i.e., 2 pi fx(0). This represents remarkable oxygen transfer efficiencies, especially when considering the very low mean superficial gas velocity involved in this work (0.37 mm s(-1)). The narrower constrictions helped to increase the gas fraction (holdup) by reducing the rise velocity of the bubbles. However, the extent of radial mixing and the detachment of vortex rings from the surface of the periodic constrictions are actually the main causes of bubbles retention and effective gas-liquid contacting and are, thus, responsible for the enhancement of k(L)a in the OMT.N.R. thanks the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for financial support of his work (SFRH/BD/6954/2001)
Coupling coefficients of SO(n) and integrals over triplets of Jacobi and Gegenbauer polynomials
The expressions of the coupling coefficients (3j-symbols) for the most
degenerate (symmetric) representations of the orthogonal groups SO(n) in a
canonical basis (with SO(n) restricted to SO(n-1)) and different semicanonical
or tree bases [with SO(n) restricted to SO(n'})\times SO(n''), n'+n''=n] are
considered, respectively, in context of the integrals involving triplets of the
Gegenbauer and the Jacobi polynomials. Since the directly derived
triple-hypergeometric series do not reveal the apparent triangle conditions of
the 3j-symbols, they are rearranged, using their relation with the
semistretched isofactors of the second kind for the complementary chain
Sp(4)\supset SU(2)\times SU(2) and analogy with the stretched 9j coefficients
of SU(2), into formulae with more rich limits for summation intervals and
obvious triangle conditions. The isofactors of class-one representations of the
orthogonal groups or class-two representations of the unitary groups (and, of
course, the related integrals involving triplets of the Gegenbauer and the
Jacobi polynomials) turn into the double sums in the cases of the canonical
SO(n)\supset SO(n-1) or U(n)\supset U(n-1) and semicanonical SO(n)\supset
SO(n-2)\times SO(2) chains, as well as into the_4F_3(1) series under more
specific conditions. Some ambiguities of the phase choice of the complementary
group approach are adjusted, as well as the problems with alternating sign
parameter of SO(2) representations in the SO(3)\supset SO(2) and SO(n)\supset
SO(n-2)\times SO(2) chains.Comment: 26 pages, corrections of (3.6c) and (3.12); elementary proof of
(3.2e) is adde
An Absolute Flux Density Measurement of the Supernova Remnant Casseopia A at 32 GHz
We report 32 GHz absolute flux density measurements of the supernova remnant
Cas A, with an accuracy of 2.5%. The measurements were made with the 1.5-meter
telescope at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. The antenna gain had been
measured by NIST in May 1990 to be .
Our observations of Cas A in May 1998 yield . We also report absolute flux density measurements of 3C48, 3C147, 3C286,
Jupiter, Saturn and Mars.Comment: 30 pages, 4 figures; accepted for publication by AJ. Revised
systematic error budget, corrected typos, and added reference
Static solitons with non-zero Hopf number
We investigate a generalized non-linear O(3) -model in three space
dimensions where the fields are maps . Such maps are
classified by a homotopy invariant called the Hopf number which takes integer
values. The model exhibits soliton solutions of closed vortex type which have a
lower topological bound on their energies. We explicitly compute the fields for
topological charge 1 and 2 and discuss their shapes and binding energies. The
effect of an additional potential term is considered and an approximation is
given for the spectrum of slowly rotating solitons.Comment: 13 pages, RevTeX, 7 Postscript figures, minor changes have been made,
a reference has been corrected and a figure replace
Pola Penyakit Transmigran Jawa dan Transmigran Lokal di Daerah Hiperendemis Malaria Armopasp2, Kecamatan Bonggo, Kabupaten Jayapura, Papua, Tahun 1996-1999
POLA PENYAKIT TRANSMIGRAN JAWA DAN TRANSMIGRAN LOKAL DI DAERAH HIPERENDEMIS MALARIA ARMOPASP2, KECAMATAN BONGGO, KABUPATEN JAYAPURA, PAPUA , TAHUN 1996-199
Fractional flow reserve vs. angiography in guiding management to optimize outcomes in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: the British Heart Foundation FAMOUS-NSTEMI randomized trial
Aim: We assessed the management and outcomes of non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients randomly assigned to fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided management or angiography-guided standard care.
Methods and results: We conducted a prospective, multicentre, parallel group, 1 : 1 randomized, controlled trial in 350 NSTEMI patients with ≥ coronary stenosis ≥30% of the lumen diameter assessed visually (threshold for FFR measurement) (NCT01764334). Enrolment took place in six UK hospitals from October 2011 to May 2013. Fractional flow reserve was disclosed to the operator in the FFR-guided group (n = 176). Fractional flow reserve was measured but not disclosed in the angiography-guided group (n = 174). Fractional flow reserve ≤0.80 was an indication for revascularization by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). The median (IQR) time from the index episode of myocardial ischaemia to angiography was 3 (2, 5) days. For the primary outcome, the proportion of patients treated initially by medical therapy was higher in the FFR-guided group than in the angiography-guided group [40 (22.7%) vs. 23 (13.2%), difference 95% (95% CI: 1.4%, 17.7%), P = 0.022]. Fractional flow reserve disclosure resulted in a change in treatment between medical therapy, PCI or CABG in 38 (21.6%) patients. At 12 months, revascularization remained lower in the FFR-guided group [79.0 vs. 86.8%, difference 7.8% (−0.2%, 15.8%), P = 0.054]. There were no statistically significant differences in health outcomes and quality of life between the groups.
Conclusion: In NSTEMI patients, angiography-guided management was associated with higher rates of coronary revascularization compared with FFR-guided management. A larger trial is necessary to assess health outcomes and cost-effectiveness
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