821 research outputs found
X-Ray IGM in the Local Group
Recent observations with the dispersive X-ray spectrometers aboard Chandra
and Newton Observatory have begun to probe the properties of the X-ray
intergalactic medium (IGM) at small redshifts. Using large quantities (~950
ksec) of spectroscopic data acquired using the RGS aboard Newton Observatory,
we investigated the intervening material toward three low redshift, high
Galactic latitude AGNs with nominally featureless spectra: Mrk421, PKS2155-304
and 3C273. Each spectrum provides clear evidence for what appears to be a local
(z~0), highly ionized absorbing medium betrayed by the OVII 1s-2p resonance
transition feature seen at 21.6A (N[OVII] ~ 1E16 cm-2). Measurements are also
made for the Lyman alpha transition of the adjacent ionization state, (OVIII;
18.97A), which potentially constrains the absorber's temperature. Finally, in a
collisional equilibrium approximation, upper limits to diffuse emission
intensities place upper limits on the electron density (ne < 2E-4 cm-3), lower
limits on the scale length of the absorber (L > 140 kpc) and lower limits on
its mass (M > 5E10 M[sun]). Limits on the absorber's scale length and its
velocity distribution lead us to identify it with the Local Group.Comment: 6 pages, 1 table and 2 figs. Latex. To appear in "The IGM/Galaxy
Connection: The Distribution of Baryons at z=0" to be published by Kluwer
Academic Publishing. Resubmitted with 2 typos corrected, page 5 and figure 2.
Thanks to Masao Sako for pointing these ou
Why Do Leaders Matter? The Role of Expert Knowledge
Why do some leaders succeed while others fail? This question is important, but its complexity makes it hard to study systematically. We draw on a setting where there are well-defined objectives, small teams of workers, and exact measures of leaders’ characteristics and organizational performance. We show that a strong predictor of a leader’s success in year T is that person’s own level of attainment, in the underlying activity, in approximately year T-20. Our data come from 15,000 professional basketball games and reveal that former star players make the best coaches. This ‘expert knowledge’ effect is large
Why Do Leaders Matter? The Role of Expert Knowledge
Why do some leaders succeed while others fail? This question is important, but its complexity makes it hard to study systematically. We examine an industry in which there are well-defined objectives, small teams, and exact measures of leaders’ characteristics. We show that a strong predictor of a leader’s success in year T is that person’s own level of attainment, in the underlying activity, in approximately year T-20. Our data come from 15,000 professional basketball games. The effect on team performance of the coach’s ‘expert knowledge’ is large and is discernible in the data within 12 months of his being hired.organizational performance, firms, leadership, fixed-effects, productivity
On the Putative Detection of z>0 X-ray Absorption Features in the Spectrum of Markarian 421
In a series of papers, Nicastro et al. have reported the detection of z>0
OVII absorption features in the spectrum of Mrk421 obtained with the Chandra
Low Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer (LETGS). We evaluate this result
in the context of a high quality spectrum of the same source obtained with the
Reflection Grating Spectrometer (RGS) on XMM-Newton. The data comprise over
955ks of usable exposure time and more than 26000 counts per 50 milliAngstrom
at 21.6 Angstroms. We concentrate on the spectrally clean region (21.3 < lambda
< 22.5 Angstroms) where sharp features due to the astrophysically abundant OVII
may reveal an intervening, warm--hot intergalactic medium (WHIM). We do not
confirm detection of any of the intervening systems claimed to date. Rather, we
detect only three unsurprising, astrophysically expected features down to the
Log(N_i)~14.6 (3 sigma) sensitivity level. Each of the two purported WHIM
features is rejected with a statistical confidence that exceeds that reported
for its initial detection. While we can not rule out the existence of fainter,
WHIM related features in these spectra, we suggest that previous discovery
claims were premature. A more recent paper by Williams et al. claims to have
demonstrated that the RGS data we analyze here do not have the resolution or
statistical quality required to confirm or deny the LETGS detections. We show
that our careful analysis resolves the issues encountered by Williams et al.
and recovers the full resolution and statistical quality of the RGS data. We
highlight the differences between our analysis and those published by Williams
et al. as this may explain our disparate conclusions.Comment: 19 pages/7 figures/4 tables. 060424 submitted to ApJ 060522
re-submitted following ApJ reques
\u3ci\u3eIn Vitro\u3c/i\u3e Validation of Patient-Specific Hemodynamic Simulations in Coronary Aneurysms Caused by Kawasaki Disease
To perform experimental validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applied to patient specific coronary aneurysm anatomy of Kawasaki disease. We quantified hemodynamics in a patient-specific coronary artery aneurysm physical phantom under physiologic rest and exercise flow conditions. Using phase contrast MRI (PCMRI), we acquired 3-component flow velocity at two slice locations in the aneurysms. We then performed numerical simulations with the same geometry and inflow conditions, and performed qualitative and quantitative comparisons of velocities between experimental measurements and simulation results. We observed excellent qualitative agreement in flow pattern features. The quantitative spatially and temporally varying differences in velocity between PCMRI and CFD were proportional to the flow velocity. As a result, the percent discrepancy between simulation and experiment was relatively constant regardless of flow velocity variations. Through 1D and 2D quantitative comparisons, we found a 5–17% difference between measured and simulated velocities. Additional analysis assessed wall shear stress differences between deformable and rigid wall simulations. This study demonstrated that CFD produced good qualitative and quantitative predictions of velocities in a realistic coronary aneurysm anatomy under physiological flow conditions. The results provide insights on factors that may influence the level of agreement, and a set of in vitro experimental data that can be used by others to compare against CFD simulation results. The findings of this study increase confidence in the use of CFD for investigating hemodynamics in the specialized anatomy of coronary aneurysms. This provides a basis for future hemodynamics studies in patient-specific models of Kawasaki disease
Outlook for tuberculosis elimination in California: An individual-based stochastic model.
RationaleAs part of the End TB Strategy, the World Health Organization calls for low-tuberculosis (TB) incidence settings to achieve pre-elimination (<10 cases per million) and elimination (<1 case per million) by 2035 and 2050, respectively. These targets require testing and treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI).ObjectivesTo estimate the ability and costs of testing and treatment for LTBI to reach pre-elimination and elimination targets in California.MethodsWe created an individual-based epidemic model of TB, calibrated to historical cases. We evaluated the effects of increased testing (QuantiFERON-TB Gold) and treatment (three months of isoniazid and rifapentine). We analyzed four test and treat targeting strategies: (1) individuals with medical risk factors (MRF), (2) non-USB, (3) both non-USB and MRF, and (4) all Californians. For each strategy, we estimated the effects of increasing test and treat by a factor of 2, 4, or 10 from the base case. We estimated the number of TB cases occurring and prevented, and net and incremental costs from 2017 to 2065 in 2015 U.S. dollars. Efficacy, costs, adverse events, and treatment dropout were estimated from published data. We estimated the cost per case averted and per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained.Measurements and main resultsIn the base case, 106,000 TB cases are predicted to 2065. Pre-elimination was achieved by 2065 in three scenarios: a 10-fold increase in the non-USB and persons with MRF (by 2052), and 4- or 10-fold increase in all Californians (by 2058 and 2035, respectively). TB elimination was not achieved by any intervention scenario. The most aggressive strategy, 10-fold in all Californians, achieved a case rate of 8 (95% UI 4-16) per million by 2050. Of scenarios that reached pre-elimination, the incremental net cost was 48 billion. These had an incremental cost per QALY of 3.1 million. A more efficient but somewhat less effective single-lifetime test strategy reached as low as $80,000 per QALY.ConclusionsSubstantial gains can be made in TB control in coming years by scaling-up current testing and treatment in non-USB and those with medical risks
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