8,200 research outputs found
A deep, wide-field search for substellar members in NGC 2264
We report the first results of our ongoing campaign to discover the first
brown dwarfs (BD) in NGC 2264, a young (3 Myr), populous star forming region
for which our optical studies have revealed a very high density of potential
candidates - 236 in 1 deg - from the substellar limit down to at least
20 M for zero reddening. Candidate BD were first selected
using wide field () band imaging with CFH12K, by reference to current
theoretical isochrones. Subsequently, 79 (33%) of the sample were found
to have near-infrared 2MASS photometry ( 0.3 mag. or better),
yielding dereddened magnitudes and allowing further investigation by comparison
with the location of NextGen and DUSTY isochrones in colour-colour and
colour-magnitude diagrams involving various combinations of ,, and
. We discuss the status and potential substellarity of a number of
relatively unreddened (A 5) likely low-mass members in our
sample, but in spite of the depth of our observations in , we are as yet
unable to unambiguously identify substellar candidates using only 2MASS data.
Nevertheless, there are excellent arguments for considering two faint (observed
18.4 and 21.2) objects as cluster candidates with masses
respectively at or rather below the hydrogen burning limit. More current
candidates could be proven to be cluster members with masses around 0.1
M {\it via} gravity-sensitive spectroscopy, and deeper near-infrared
imaging will surely reveal a hitherto unknown population of young brown dwarfs
in this region, accessible to the next generation of deep near-infrared
surveys.Comment: 10 pages, 12 figures, accepted by A&
The Generalized Spectral Kurtosis Estimator
Due to its conceptual simplicity and its proven effectiveness in real-time
detection and removal of radio frequency interference (RFI) from radio
astronomy data, the Spectral Kurtosis (SK) estimator is likely to become a
standard tool of a new generation of radio telescopes. However, the SK
estimator in its original form must be developed from instantaneous power
spectral density (PSD) estimates, and hence cannot be employed as an RFI
excision tool downstream of the data pipeline in existing instruments where any
time averaging is performed. In this letter, we develop a generalized estimator
with wider applicability for both instantaneous and averaged spectral data,
which extends its practical use to a much larger pool of radio instruments.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, MNRAS Letters accepte
Precise determination of the lattice spacing in full lattice QCD
We compare three different methods to determine the lattice spacing in
lattice QCD and give results from calculations on the MILC ensembles of
configurations that include the effect of , and sea quarks. It is
useful, for ensemble to ensemble comparison, to express the results as giving a
physical value for , a parameter from the heavy quark potential. Combining
the three methods gives a value for in the continuum limit of
0.3133(23)(3) fm. Using the MILC values for , this corresponds to a
value for the parameter of 0.4661(38) fm. We also discuss how to use the
for determining the lattice spacing and tuning the -quark mass
accurately, by giving values for (0.6858(40) GeV) and
(0.1815(10) GeV).Comment: 15 page
Dynamic filtering of static dipoles in magnetoencephalography
We consider the problem of estimating neural activity from measurements
of the magnetic fields recorded by magnetoencephalography. We exploit
the temporal structure of the problem and model the neural current as a
collection of evolving current dipoles, which appear and disappear, but whose
locations are constant throughout their lifetime. This fully reflects the physiological
interpretation of the model.
In order to conduct inference under this proposed model, it was necessary
to develop an algorithm based around state-of-the-art sequential Monte
Carlo methods employing carefully designed importance distributions. Previous
work employed a bootstrap filter and an artificial dynamic structure
where dipoles performed a random walk in space, yielding nonphysical artefacts
in the reconstructions; such artefacts are not observed when using the
proposed model. The algorithm is validated with simulated data, in which
it provided an average localisation error which is approximately half that of
the bootstrap filter. An application to complex real data derived from a somatosensory
experiment is presented. Assessment of model fit via marginal
likelihood showed a clear preference for the proposed model and the associated
reconstructions show better localisation
Rapid progesterone actions on thymulin-secreting epithelial cells cultured from rat thymus
Many soluble factors of neural, endocrine, paracrine and autocrine origin are present in the thymus and modulate its function. Long-term effects of sex steroids have! been documented for thymocytes and cells of the thymic microenvironment. In this report we examine rapid actions of progesterone upon aspects of epithelial cell physiology. Progesterone (0.1-10 mu M) was applied to cultured thymulin-secreting thymic epithelial cells (TS-TEC) and changes in transmembrane potential, transmembrane current, intracellular calcium levels and thymulin secretion were assessed. Rapid changes in electrophysiology and intracellular calcium provide evidence for a membrane-bound progesterone receptor in these cells, in addition to classical cytoplasmic receptors. Application of progesterone to TS-TEC caused electrophysiological changes in 56% of cells (n = 40), activating an inward current (-24 +/- 9 pA at 1 mu M, n = 7, p < 0.02) and dose-dependent depolarization (7.1 +/- 1.8 mV at 1 mu M, n = 19, p < 0.01). Intracellular calcium levels, monitored by the ratiometric fluorescent calcium indicator fura-2, increased within seconds of progesterone (1 mu M) application. Progesterone(1 mu M) increased thymulin levels in supernatant, as measured by ELISA, above the levels in the preapplication period (142 +/- 16% of the preapplication period, n = 3, p < 0.02). This effect was reduced in the presence of cobalt chloride which blocks voltage-dependent calcium channels. In addition, TS-IEC in culture were immunoreactive to antibody AG7. This antibody was raised to a membrane-bound antigen involved in calcium influx subsequent to progesterone binding in sperm. thus we suggest that progesterone acts upon many aspects of TS-TEC physiology through both cytoplasmic and membrane-bound receptors
Transport on randomly evolving trees
The time process of transport on randomly evolving trees is investigated. By
introducing the notions of living and dead nodes a model of random tree
evolution is constructed which describes the spreading in time of objects
corresponding to nodes. By using the method of the age-dependent branching
processes we derive the joint distribution function of the number of living and
dead nodes, and determine the correlation between these node numbers as a
function of time. Also analyzed are the stochastic properties of the end-nodes;
and the correlation between the numbers of living and dead end-nodes is shown
to change its character suddenly at the very beginning of the evolution
process. The survival probability of random trees is investigated and
expressions are derived for this probability.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figures, published in Phys. Rev. E 72, 051101 (2005
Panel: OASIS in the mirror: reflections on the impacts and research of IFIP WG 8.2
What has IFIP contributed to the field of information systems and organizations through the activities of Working Group 8.2, its central working group in information systems? What has WG 8.2 delivered to its constituents? What have the results and impacts of the WG 8.2 been on the larger community? This panel will not shy away from controversy as it discusses the history, contributions, and unrealized potential of research spawned by this working group over the past 30 years.The past and the future of information systems: 1976-2006 and beyondRed de Universidades con Carreras en InformĂĄtica (RedUNCI
The Hudson Bay Lithospheric Experiment (HuBLE) : Insights into Precambrian Plate Tectonics and the Development of Mantle Keels
The UK component of HuBLE was supported by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) grant NE/F007337/1, with financial and logistical support from the Geological Survey of Canada, CanadaâNunavut Geoscience Office, SEIS-UK (the seismic node of NERC), and First Nations communities of Nunavut. J. Beauchesne and J. Kendall provided invaluable assistance in the field. Discussions with M. St-Onge, T. Skulski, D. Corrigan and M. Sanborne-Barrie were helpful for interpretation of the data. D. Eaton and F. A. Darbyshire acknowledge the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. Four stations on the Belcher Islands and northern Quebec were installed by the University of Western Ontario and funded through a grant to D. Eaton (UWO Academic Development Fund). I. Bastow is funded by the Leverhulme Trust. This is Natural Resources Canada Contribution 20130084 to its Geomapping for Energy and Minerals Program. This work has received funding from the European Research Council under the European Unions Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013)/ERC Grant agreement no. 240473 âCoMITACâ.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
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