17,922 research outputs found
Malmquist Bias and the Distance to the Virgo Cluster
This paper investigates the impact of Malmquist bias on the distance to the
Virgo cluster determined by the H_0 Key Project using M100, and consequently on
the derived value of H_0. Malmquist bias is a volume-induced statistical effect
which causes the most probable distance to be different from the raw distance
measured. Consideration of the bias in the distance to the Virgo cluster raises
this distance and lowers the calculated value of H_0. Monte Carlo simulations
of the cluster have been run for several possible distributions of spirals
within the cluster and of clusters in the local universe. Simulations
consistent with known information regarding the cluster and the errors of
measurement result in a bias of about 6.5%-8.5%. This corresponds to an
unbiased distance of 17.2-17.4 Mpc and a value of H_0 in the range 80-82
km/s/Mpc.
The problem of determining the bias to Virgo illustrates several key points
regarding Malmquist bias. Essentially all conventional astronomical distance
measurements are subject to this bias. In addition, the bias accumulates when
an attempt is made to construct "distance ladders" from measurements which are
individually biased. As will be shown in the case of Virgo, the magnitude and
direction of the bias are sensitive to the spatial distribution of the parent
poputation from which the observed object is drawn - a distribution which is
often poorly known. This leads to uncertainty in the magnitude of the bias, and
adds to the importance of minimizing the number of steps in "distance ladders".Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, Latex, To appear in Ap
Amino acid incorporation into mitochondrial ribosomes of Neurospora crassa wild-type and Mi-1 mutant
Observation of Parity Nonconservation in Møller Scattering
We report a measurement of the parity-violating asymmetry in fixed target electron-electron (Møller) scattering: A_(PV) = [-175 ± 30(stat)± 20(syst)] X 10^(-9). This first direct observation of parity nonconservation in Møller scattering leads to a measurement of the electron’s weak charge at low energy Q^e_W = -0:053 ± 0:011. This is consistent with the standard model expectation at the current level of precision: sin^2θ_W = (M_Z)_(MS) = 0:2293 ± 0:0024(stat) ± 0:0016(syst) ± 0:0006(theory)
Non-Thermal Continuum toward SGRB2(N-LMH)
An analysis of continuum antenna temperatures observed in the Green Bank
Telescope (GBT) spectrometer bandpasses is presented for observations toward
SgrB2(N-LMH). Since 2004, we have identified four new prebiotic molecules
toward this source by means of rotational transitions between low energy
levels; concurrently, we have observed significant continuum in the GBT
spectrometer bandpasses centered at 85 different frequencies in the range of 1
to 48 GHz. The continuum heavily influences the molecular spectral features
since we have observed far more absorption lines than emission lines for each
of these new molecular species. Hence, it is important to understand the
nature, distribution, and intensity of the underlying continuum in the GBT
bandpasses for the purposes of radiative transfer, i.e. the means by which
reliable molecular abundances are estimated. We find that the GBT spectrometer
bandpass continuum is consistent with optically-thin, non thermal (synchrotron)
emission with a flux density spectral index of -0.7 and a Gaussian source size
of ~143" at 1 GHz that decreases with increasing frequency as nu^(-0.52). Some
support for this model is provided by high frequency Very Large Array (VLA)
observations of SgrB2.Comment: Accepted for Publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letter
Optimal eavesdropping on QKD without quantum memory
We consider the security of the BB84, six-state and SARG04 quantum key
distribution protocols when the eavesdropper doesn't have access to a quantum
memory. In this case, Eve's most general strategy is to measure her ancilla
with an appropriate POVM designed to take advantage of the post-measurement
information that will be released during the sifting phase of the protocol.
After an optimization on all the parameters accessible to Eve, our method
provides us with new bounds for the security of six-state and SARG04 against a
memoryless adversary. In particular, for the six-state protocol we show that
the maximum QBER for which a secure key can be extracted is increased from
12.6% (for collective attacks) to 20.4% with the memoryless assumption.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. Analysis of six-state and SARG04 QKD protocols
adde
Mismatch-based delayed thrombolysis: a meta-analysis
<p><b>Background and Purpose</b>: Clinical benefit from thrombolysis is reduced as stroke onset to treatment time increases. The use of "mismatch" imaging to identify patients for delayed treatment has face validity and has been used in case series and clinical trials. We undertook a meta-analysis of relevant trials to examine whether present evidence supports delayed thrombolysis among patients selected according to mismatch criteria.</p>
<p><b>Methods</b>: We collated outcome data for patients who were enrolled after 3 hours of stroke onset in thrombolysis trials and had mismatch on pretreatment imaging. We selected the trials on the basis of a systematic search of the Web of Knowledge. We compared favorable outcome, reperfusion and/or recanalization, mortality, and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage between the thrombolyzed and nonthrombolyzed groups of patients and the probability of a favorable outcome among patients with successful reperfusion and clinical findings for 3 to 6 versus 6 to 9 hours from poststroke onset. Results are expressed as adjusted odds ratios (a-ORs) with 95% CIs. Heterogeneity was explored by test statistics for clinical heterogeneity, I2 (inconsistency), and L’Abbé plot.</p>
<p><b>Results</b>: We identified articles describing the DIAS, DIAS II, DEDAS, DEFUSE, and EPITHET trials, giving a total of 502 mismatch patients thrombolyzed beyond 3 hours. The combined a-ORs for favorable outcomes were greater for patients who had successful reperfusion (a-OR=5.2; 95% CI, 3 to 9; I2=0%). Favorable clinical outcome was not significantly improved by thrombolysis (a-OR=1.3; 95% CI, 0.8 to 2.0; I2=20.9%). Odds for reperfusion/recanalization were increased among patients who received thrombolytic therapy (a-OR=3.0; 95% CI, 1.6 to 5.8; I2=25.7%). The combined data showed a significant increase in mortality after thrombolysis (a-OR=2.4; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.9; I2=0%), but this was not confirmed when we excluded data from desmoteplase doses that were abandoned in clinical development (a-OR=1.6; 95% CI, 0.7 to 3.7; I2=0%). Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was significantly increased after thrombolysis (a-OR=6.5; 95% CI, 1.2 to 35.4; I2=0%) but not significant after exclusion of abandoned doses of desmoteplase (a-OR=5.4; 95% CI, 0.9 to 31.8; I2=0%).</p>
<p><b>Conclusions</b>: Delayed thrombolysis amongst patients selected according to mismatch imaging is associated with increased reperfusion/recanalization. Recanalization/reperfusion is associated with improved outcomes. However, delayed thrombolysis in mismatch patients was not confirmed to improve clinical outcome, although a useful clinical benefit remains possible. Thrombolysis carries a significant risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and possibly increased mortality. Criteria to diagnose mismatch are still evolving. Validation of the mismatch selection paradigm is required with a phase III trial. Pending these results, delayed treatment, even according to mismatch selection, cannot be recommended as part of routine care.</p>
Cosmic microwave background anisotropies in the CDM model: a covariant and gauge-invariant approach
We present a fully covariant and gauge-invariant calculation of the evolution
of anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation. We use the
physically appealing covariant approach to cosmological perturbations, which
ensures that all variables are gauge-invariant and have a clear physical
interpretation. We derive the complete set of frame-independent, linearised
equations describing the (Boltzmann) evolution of anisotropy and inhomogeneity
in an almost Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) cold dark matter (CDM) universe.
These equations include the contributions of scalar, vector and tensor modes in
a unified manner. Frame-independent equations for scalar and tensor
perturbations, which are valid for any value of the background curvature, are
obtained straightforwardly from the complete set of equations. We discuss the
scalar equations in detail, including the integral solution and relation with
the line of sight approach, analytic solutions in the early radiation dominated
era, and the numerical solution in the standard CDM model. Our results confirm
those obtained by other groups, who have worked carefully with non-covariant
methods in specific gauges, but are derived here in a completely transparent
fashion.Comment: Two new sections added to earlier version. To appear in Astrophys.
Light Assisted Collisional Loss in a Rb Ultracold Optical Trap
We have studied hetero- and homonuclear excited state/ground state collisions
by loading both Rb and Rb into a far off resonant trap (FORT).
Because of the relatively weak confinement of the FORT, we expect the hyperfine
structure of the different isotopes to play a crucial role in the collision
rates. This dependence on hyperfine structure allows us to measure collisions
associated with long range interatomic potentials of different structure: such
as long and short ranged; or such as purely attractive, purely repulsive, or
mixed attractive and repulsive. We observe significantly different loss rates
for different excited state potentials. Additionally, we observe that some
collisional channels' loss rates are saturated at our operating intensities
(~15 mW/cm). These losses are important limitations in loading dual
isotope optical traps.Comment: about 8 pages, 5 figure
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