Triple-Star Candidates Among the Kepler Binaries

We present the results of a search through the photometric database of eclipsing Kepler binaries (Prsa et al. 2011; Slawson et al. 2011) looking for evidence of hierarchical triple star systems. The presence of a third star orbiting the binary can be inferred from eclipse timing variations. We apply a simple algorithm in an automated determination of the eclipse times for all 2157 binaries. The "calculated" eclipse times, based on a constant period model, are subtracted from those observed. The resulting O-C (observed minus calculated times) curves are then visually inspected for periodicities in order to find triple-star candidates. After eliminating false positives due to the beat frequency between the ~1/2-hour Kepler cadence and the binary period, 39 candidate triple systems were identified. The periodic O-C curves for these candidates were then fit for contributions from both the classical Roemer delay and so-called "physical" delay, in an attempt to extract a number of the system parameters of the triple. We discuss the limitations of the information that can be inferred from these O-C curves without further supplemental input, e.g., ground-based spectroscopy. Based on the limited range of orbital periods for the triple star systems to which this search is sensitive, we can extrapolate to estimate that at least 20% of all close binaries have tertiary companions.Comment: 19 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables; ApJ, 2013, 768, 33; corrected Fig. 7, updated references, minor fixes to tex

Drop-on-powder 3d printing of tablets with an anti-cancer drug, 5-fluorouracil

This study reports the first case of an innovative drop-on-powder (DoP) three-dimensional (3D) printing technology to produce oral tablets (diameters of 10 mm and 13 mm) loaded with an anticancer model drug, 5-fluorouracil (FLU). For this study, a composition of the powder carrier containing CaSO4 hydrates, vinyl polymer, and carbohydrate was used as the matrix former, whereas 2-pyrrolidone with a viscosity like water was used as a binding liquid or inkjet ink. All tablets were printed using a commercial ZCorp 3D printer with modification. The resultant tablets were subject to coating with various polymeric solutions containing the drug. The composition of the polymeric solutions was adjusted at drug: polymer(s) 1:1 (w/w) ratio. Either Soluplus® (SOL) alone or in combination with polyethylene glycol (PEG) was used to develop the coating solution of 2.5% (w/v) concentration. The particle size analysis, flow test, and particle morphology studies revealed mono-modal narrow size distribution, good flow properties, and porous loosely bound texture (of the tablets), respectively. Moreover, the advanced application of the fluorescence microscopy showed a homogenous distribution of the drug throughout the surface of the 3D printed tablets. The in vitro dissolution studies showed that the tablet compositions, dimensions, and the coating solution compositions influenced the release of the drug from the tablets. It can be concluded that our innovative DoP 3D printing technology can be used to fabricate personalized dosage forms containing optimized drug content with high accuracy and shape fidelity. This is particularly suitable for those drugs that are highly unstable in thermal processing and cannot withstand the heat treatment, such as in fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing

Compositional Constraints on the Best Characterized Rocky Exoplanet, Kepler-36 b

Kepler-36 is an extreme planetary system, consisting of two transiting sub-Neptune-size planets orbiting around a sub-giant star with periods of 13.84 and 16.24 days. Mutual gravitational interactions between the two planets perturb the planets' transit times, allowing the planets' masses to be measured. Despite the similarity of their masses and orbital radii, the planets show a stark contrast in their mean densities: the inner planet (Kepler-36 b) is more than eight times as dense as its outer companion planet (Kepler-36 c). We perform a photo-dynamical analysis of the Kepler-36 system based on more than three years of Kepler photometry. With N-body integrations of initial conditions sampled from the photo-dynamical fits, we further refine the properties of the system by ruling out solutions that show large scale instability within 5 billion days. Ultimately, we measure the planets' masses with 4.2% precision and the planets' radii with 1.8% precision. Kepler-36 b is the rocky exoplanet with the most precisely measured mass and radius. Kepler-36 b's mass and radius are consistent with an Earth-like composition, whereas an iron-enhanced Mercury-like composition is ruled out

Comparative evaluation of [(99m)tc]tilmanocept for sentinel lymph node mapping in breast cancer patients: results of two phase 3 trials.

BackgroundSentinel lymph node (SLN) surgery is used worldwide for staging breast cancer patients and helps limit axillary lymph node dissection. [(99m)Tc]Tilmanocept is a novel receptor-targeted radiopharmaceutical evaluated in 2 open-label, nonrandomized, within-patient, phase 3 trials designed to assess the lymphatic mapping performance.MethodsA total of 13 centers contributed 148 patients with breast cancer. Each patient received [(99m)Tc]tilmanocept and vital blue dye (VBD). Lymph nodes identified intraoperatively as radioactive and/or blue stained were excised and histologically examined. The primary endpoint, concordance (lower boundary set point at 90 %), was the proportion of nodes detected by VBD and [(99m)Tc]tilmanocept.ResultsA total of 13 centers contributed 148 patients who were injected with both agents. Intraoperatively, 207 of 209 nodes detected by VBD were also detected by [(99m)Tc]tilmanocept for a concordance rate of 99.04 % (p < 0.0001). [(99m)Tc]tilmanocept detected a total of 320 nodes, of which 207 (64.7 %) were detected by VBD. [(99m)Tc]Tilmanocept detected at least 1 SLN in more patients (146) than did VBD (131, p < 0.0001). In 129 of 131 patients with ≥1 blue node, all blue nodes were radioactive. Of 33 pathology-positive nodes (18.2 % patient pathology rate), [(99m)Tc]tilmanocept detected 31 of 33, whereas VBD detected only 25 of 33 (p = 0.0312). No pathology-positive SLNs were detected exclusively by VBD. No serious adverse events were attributed to [(99m)Tc]tilmanocept.Conclusion[(99m)Tc]Tilmanocept demonstrated success in detecting a SLN while meeting the primary endpoint. Interestingly, [(99m)Tc]tilmanocept was additionally noted to identify more SLNs in more patients. This localization represented a higher number of metastatic breast cancer lymph nodes than that of VBD

Polymer Structures on Surface Acoustic Wave Biosensors

The influence of surface structuring on surface acoustic wave (SAW) biosensor signals has been investigated. Polymer structures on the sensor surfaces were applied by lithography or by self-assembling of polystyrene microparticles. In first experiments, structured and unstructured sensors led to similar results in a model affinity assay using streptavidin and biotinylated protein. On the other hand, structuring had a strong effect on SAW sensor signals obtained by protein adsorption on parylene C coated sensors. Depending on the protein, both decreased (albumin, streptavidin) and increased (fibrinogen) signals were observed with structured SAW sensors. Particularly the latter could contribute to facilitated blood analysis in the future

Early Switch in Glial Protein and Fibronectin Markers on Cells during the Culture of Human Gliomas

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75201/1/j.1749-6632.1984.tb13851.x.pd

Properties of the a1 Meson from Lattice QCD

We determine the mass and decay constant of the $a_1$ meson using Monte Carlo simulation of lattice QCD. We find $M_{a_1} = 1250 \pm 80$ MeV and $f_{a_1} = 0.30 \pm 0.03 ~({\rm GeV})^2$, in good agreement with experiment.Comment: 9 page uu-encoded compressed postscript file. version appearing in Phys. Rev. Lett. 74 (1995) 459

Historical Biomass Burning: Late 19th Century Pioneer Agriculture Revolution in Northern Hemisphere Ice Core Data and its Atmospheric Interpretation

Ice core data from Yukon and Greenland spanning from ∼1750 to 1950 indicate that between ∼1850 and ≤1910 a clear atmospheric signal exists of an episodic biomass burning event that is referred to as the Pioneer Agriculture Revolution. This is best seen in NH4+ ion and particulate concentrations but also in some limited black carbon concentration data, where for all three quantities maximum levels reach about 3 times the prerevolution background concentrations. Tree cellulose δ13C data and some early, controversial, French, air CO2 data, occurring within the same time interval, are interpreted as providing other independent evidence for the same, mainly North American, late 19th century biomass burning event. Some hitherto problematic northern hemisphere ice core derived CO2 concentration data may now be interpreted as containing a biomass burn signal, and these data are compared, especially as to the time of occurrence, with all the other results. A global carbon cycle model simulation of atmospheric CO2 mixing ratios using a maximum input of 3 Gt(C)/yr at northern midlatitudes produces “anomalous” CO2 levels close to some of the ice core carbon dioxide values. However, other values in this data set do not reasonably represent fully mixed atmospheric values. This suggests that these values might be transients but still “tracers” for biomass burning. Nevertheless, it appears possible that interhemispheric CO2 gradients of similar magnitude to the present one could have existed briefly late last century