1,184 research outputs found
Activity of 50 Long-Period Comets Beyond 5.2 AU
Remote investigations of the ancient solar system matter has been
traditionally carried out through the observations of long-period (LP) comets
that are less affected by solar irradiation than the short-period counterparts
orbiting much closer to the Sun. Here we summarize the results of our
decade-long survey of the distant activity of LP comets. We found that the most
important separation in the dataset is based on the dynamical nature of the
objects. Dynamically new comets are characterized by a higher level of activity
on average: the most active new comets in our sample can be characterized by
afrho values >3--4 higher than that of our most active returning comets. New
comets develop more symmetric comae, suggesting a generally isotropic outflow.
Contrary to this, the coma of recurrent comets can be less symmetrical,
ocassionally exhibiting negative slope parameters, suggesting sudden variations
in matter production. The morphological appearance of the observed comets is
rather diverse. A surprisingly large fraction of the comets have long, teniouos
tails, but the presence of impressive tails does not show a clear correlation
with the brightness of the comets.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in A
Generalized P Colony Automata and Their Relation to P Automata
We investigate genPCol automata with input mappings that can be realized through the application of finite transducers to the string representations of multisets. We show that using unrestricted programs, these automata characterize the class of recursively enumerable languages. The same holds for systems with all-tape programs, having capacity at least two. In the case of systems with com-tape programs, we show that they characterize language classes which are closely related to those characterized by variants of P automata
Regular Multivitamin Supplement Use, Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in ATIC, SHMT2, and SLC46A1, and Risk of Ovarian Carcinoma
ATIC, SHMT2, and SLC46A1 have essential roles in one-carbon (1-C) transfer. The authors examined whether associations between ovarian carcinoma and 15 variants in these genes are modified by regular multivitamin use, a source of 1-C donors, among Caucasian participants from two US case–control studies. Using a phased study design, variant-by-multivitamin interactions were tested, and associations between variants and ovarian carcinoma were reported stratified by multivitamin supplement use. Per-allele risk associations were modified by multivitamin use at six variants among 655 cases and 920 controls (Phase 1). In a larger sample of 968 cases and 1,265 controls (Phases 1 and 2), interactions were significant (P ≤ 0.03) for two variants, particularly among regular multivitamin users: ATIC rs7586969 [odds ratio (OR) = 0.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.6–0.9] and ATIC rs16853834 (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1–2.0). The two ATIC single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) did not share the same haplotype; however, the haplotypes they comprised mirrored their SNP risk associations among regular multivitamin supplement users. A multi-variant analysis was also performed by comparing the observed likelihood ratio test statistic from adjusted models with and without the two ATIC variant-by-multivitamin interaction terms with a null distribution of test statistics generated by permuting case status 10,000 times. The corresponding observed P value of 0.001 was more extreme than the permutation-derived P value of 0.009, suggesting rejection of the null hypothesis of no association. In summary, there is little statistical evidence that the 15 variants are independently associated with risk of ovarian carcinoma. However, the statistical interaction of ATIC variants with regular multivitamin intake, when evaluated at both the SNP and gene level, may support these findings as relevant to ovarian health and disease processes
Overtone and multi-mode RR Lyrae stars in the globular cluster M3
The overtone and multi-mode RR Lyrae stars in the globular cluster M3 are
studied using a 200-d long, and time-series photometry
obtained in 2012. 70\% of the 52 overtone variables observed show some kind of
multi-periodicity (additional frequency at
frequency ratio, Blazhko effect, double/multi-mode pulsation, period doubling).
A signal at 0.587 frequency ratio to the fundamental-mode frequency is detected
in the double-mode star, V13, which may be identified as the second radial
overtone mode. If this mode-identification is correct, than V13 is the first RR
Lyrae star showing triple-mode pulsation of the first three radial modes.
Either the Blazhko effect or the frequency (or both of these
phenomena) appear in 7 double-mode stars. The
period ratio of RRd stars showing the Blazhko effect are anomalous. A
displacement of the main frequency component at the fundamental-mode with the
value of modulation frequency (or its half) is detected in three Blazhko RRd
stars parallel with the appearance of the overtone-mode pulsation. The
frequency appears in RRc stars that lie at the blue side of the
double-mode region and in RRd stars, raising the suspicion that its occurrence
may be connected to double-mode pulsation. The changes of the Blazhko and
double-mode properties of the stars are also reviewed using the recent and
archive photometric data.Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ Suppl. 26 pages, 25 figure
Feature integration in natural language concepts
Two experiments measured the joint influence of three key sets of semantic features on the frequency with which artifacts (Experiment 1) or plants and creatures (Experiment 2) were categorized in familiar categories. For artifacts, current function outweighed both originally intended function and current appearance. For biological kinds, appearance and behavior, an inner biological function, and appearance and behavior of offspring all had similarly strong effects on categorization. The data were analyzed to determine whether an independent cue model or an interactive model best accounted for how the effects of the three feature sets combined. Feature integration was found to be additive for artifacts but interactive for biological kinds. In keeping with this, membership in contrasting artifact categories tended to be superadditive, indicating overlapping categories, whereas for biological kinds, it was subadditive, indicating conceptual gaps between categories. It is argued that the results underline a key domain difference between artifact and biological concepts
Pervasive melt percolation reactions in ultra-depleted refractory harzburgites at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 15° 20′N : ODP Hole 1274A
Author Posting. © The Authors, 2006. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Springer for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology 153 (2007): 303-319, doi:10.1007/s00410-006-0148-6.ODP Leg 209 Site 1274 mantle peridotites are highly refractory in terms of lack of residual
clinopyroxene, olivine Mg# (up to 0.92) and spinel Cr# (~0.5), suggesting high degree of partial
melting (>20%). Detailed studies of their microstructures show that they have extensively
reacted with a pervading intergranular melt prior to cooling in the lithosphere, leading to
crystallization of olivine, clinopyroxene and spinel at the expense of orthopyroxene. The least
reacted harzburgites are too rich in orthopyroxene to be simple residues of low-pressure (spinel
field) partial melting. Cu-rich sulfides that precipitated with the clinopyroxenes indicate that
the intergranular melt was generated by no more than 12% melting of a MORB mantle or by
more extensive melting of a clinopyroxene-rich lithology. Rare olivine-rich lherzolitic domains,
characterized by relics of coarse clinopyroxenes intergrown with magmatic sulfides, support
the second interpretation. Further, coarse and intergranular clinopyroxenes are highly depleted
in REE, Zr and Ti. A two-stage partial melting/melt-rock reaction history is proposed, in which
initial mantle underwent depletion and refertilization after an earlier high pressure (garnet field)
melting event before upwelling and remelting beneath the present-day ridge. The ultra-depleted
compositions were acquired through melt re-equilibration with residual harzburgites.Funding for this
research was provided by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique-Institut National des
Sciences de l’Univers (Programme Dynamique et Evolution de la Terre Interne)
Extensive Spectroscopy and Photometry of the Type IIP Supernova 2013ej
We present extensive optical (, , and open CCD) and
near-infrared () photometry for the very nearby Type IIP SN ~2013ej
extending from +1 to +461 days after shock breakout, estimated to be MJD
. Substantial time series ultraviolet and optical spectroscopy
obtained from +8 to +135 days are also presented. Considering well-observed SNe
IIP from the literature, we derive bolometric calibrations from
and unfiltered measurements that potentially reach 2\% precision with a
color-dependent correction. We observe moderately strong Si II
as early as +8 days. The photospheric velocity () is
determined by modeling the spectra in the vicinity of Fe II
whenever observed, and interpolating at photometric epochs based on a
semianalytic method. This gives km s at +50
days. We also observe spectral homogeneity of ultraviolet spectra at +10--12
days for SNe IIP, while variations are evident a week after explosion. Using
the expanding photosphere method, from combined analysis of SN 2013ej and SN
2002ap, we estimate the distance to the host galaxy to be
Mpc, consistent with distance estimates from other methods. Photometric and
spectroscopic analysis during the plateau phase, which we estimated to be
days long, yields an explosion energy of
ergs, a final pre-explosion progenitor mass of ~M and a
radius of ~R. We observe a broken exponential profile beyond
+120 days, with a break point at + days. Measurements beyond this
break time yield a Ni mass of ~M.Comment: 29 pages, 23 figures, 15 tables, Published in The Astrophisical
Journa
Absolute Distances to Nearby Type Ia Supernovae via Light Curve Fitting Methods
We present a comparative study of absolute distances to a sample of very nearby, bright Type Ia supernovae (SNe) derived from high cadence, high signal-to-noise, multi-band photometric data. Our sample consists of four SNe: 2012cg, 2012ht, 2013dy and 2014J. We present new homogeneous, high-cadence photometric data in Johnson-Cousins BVRI and Sloan g' r' i' z' bands taken from two sites (Piszkesteto and Baja, Hungary), and the light curves are analyzed with publicly available light curve fitters (MLCS2k2, SNooPy2 and SALT2.4). When comparing the best-fit parameters provided by the different codes, it is found that the distance moduli of moderately reddened SNe Ia agree within less than or similar to 0.2 mag, and the agreement is even better (less than or similar to 0.1 mag) for the highest signal-to-noise BVRI data. For the highly reddened SN 2014J the dispersion of the inferred distance moduli is slightly higher. These SN-based distances are in good agreement with the Cepheid distances to their host galaxies. We conclude that the current state-of-the-art light curve fitters for Type Ia SNe can provide consistent absolute distance moduli having less than similar to 0.1-0.2 mag uncertainty for nearby SNe. Still, there is room for future improvements to reach the desired similar to 0.05 mag accuracy in the absolute distance modulus
Surface modification of Ti-6Al-4V alloy for biomineralization and specific biological response: Part II, Alkaline phosphatase grafting
Titanium and its alloys are the most widespread
materials for the realization of orthopaedic and dental implants due to their good mechanical properties and biocompatibility.
Surface functionalization of biomaterials
aimed to improve and quicken implant integration and tissue regeneration is an active research field. The opportunity
to confer biological activity (ability to directly stimulate cells with proper biological signals) to the Ti6Al4 V alloy, previously modified to be bioactive from
the inorganic point of view (apatite precipitation), was explored in this research work. The alkaline phosphatase
(ALP) enzyme was grafted to metal surface via tresyl chloride activation, maintaining its activity. A synergistic effect between biological functionalization and inorganic
bioactivity was observed
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