1,255 research outputs found
Very Old Isolated Compact Objects as Dark Matter Probes
Very old isolated neutron stars and white dwarfs have been suggested to be
probes of dark matter. To play such a role, two requests should be fulfilled,
i.e., the annihilation luminosity of the captured dark matter particles is
above the thermal emission of the cooling compact objects (request-I) and also
dominate over the energy output due to the accretion of normal matter onto the
compact objects (request-II). Request-I calls for very dense dark matter medium
and the critical density sensitively depends on the residual surface
temperature of the very old compact objects. The accretion of
interstellar/intracluster medium onto the compact objects is governed by the
physical properties of the medium and by the magnetization and rotation of the
stars and may outshine the signal of dark matter annihilation. Only in a few
specific scenarios both requests are satisfied and the compact objects are dark
matter burners. The observational challenges are discussed and a possible way
to identify the dark matter burners is outlined.Comment: 9 pages including 1 Figure, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Angiogenesis and Vasculogenesis at 7-Day of Reperfused Acute Myocardial Infarction
Objectives 
This study is to investigate the angiogenesis and vasculogenesis at the first week of reperfused acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
Methods 
16 of mini-swines (20 to 30 Kg) were randomly assigned to the sham-operated group and the AMI group. The acute myocardial infarction and reperfusion model was created and the pig tail catheter was performed to monitor hemodynamics before left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion, 90 min of LAD occlusion and 120 min of LAD reperfusion. Pathologic myocardial tissue was collected at 7-day of LAD reperfusion and further assessed by immunochemistry, dual immunochemistry, in-situ hybridization, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot. 
Results 
The infarcted area had higher FLK1 mRNA expression than sham-operated area and the normal area (all P<0.05), and the infarcted and marginal areas showed higher CD146 protein expression than the sham-operated area (all P<0.05), but the microvessel density (CD31 positive expression of microvessels/HP) was not significantly different between the infarcted area and the sham-operated area (8.92±3.05 vs 6.43±1.54) at 7-day of reperfused acute myocardial infarction (P>0.05). 
Conclusions 
FLK1 and CD146 expression significantly increase in the infarcted and marginal areas, and the microvessel density is not significantly different between the infarcted area and the sham-operated area, suggesting that angiogenesis and vasculogenesis in the infarcted area appear to high frequency of increase in 7-day of reperfused myocardial infarction. 

Unconventional superconductivity of NdFeAsO0.82F0.18 indicated by the low temperature dependence of the lower critical field Hc1
We measured the initial M-H curves for a sample of the newly discovered
superconductor NdFeAsO0.82Fe0.18, which had a critical temperature, Tc, of 51
K, and was fabricated at the high pressure of 6 GPa. The lower critical field,
Hc1, was extracted from the deviation point of the Meissner linearity in the
M-H curves, which show linear temperature dependence in the low temperature
region down to 5 K. The Hc1(T) indicates no s-wave superconductivity, but
rather an unconventional superconductivity with a nodal gap structure.
Furthermore, the linearity of Hc1 at low temperature does not hold at high
temperature, but shows other characteristics, indicating that this
superconductor might have multi-gap features. Based on the low temperature
nodal gap structure, we estimate that the maximum gap magnitude delta 0 =
(1.6+- 0.2) kBTc.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure
Estuary and sea-associated wetlands as final sink for organic pollutants: a case study in Sabah, Malaysia
Estuaries and sea-associated wetlands are the final destination for organic pollutants due to their chemical and physical properties. The current research studied Parai River and estuary adjacent to the southern South China Sea in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Six samples of surface sediment were taken during January 2012. The samples (top 3 cm) were extracted by Soxhlet using Dichloromethane, subjected to 2 steps of column chromatography for clean-up and fractionation followed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry. The results indicated that the highest concentration of alkane in a full range of even and odd carbon numbers is dominant in the estuary and sea-associated wetland. Estuaries receive the highest level of suspended materials due to continuous interaction between marine saline and riverine fresh water. The high amount of Unresolved Complex Mixture (UCM) indicated an incomplete cycle of degradation and decomposition. Terrestrial input was the most dominant natural entry to the study area where C31/C19 ratio was employed. The study concluded that sea-associated wetlands around the estuary may act as the final sink of organic pollutants in the environmen
Generalized twisted modules associated to general automorphisms of a vertex operator algebra
We introduce a notion of strongly C^{\times}-graded, or equivalently,
C/Z-graded generalized g-twisted V-module associated to an automorphism g, not
necessarily of finite order, of a vertex operator algebra. We also introduce a
notion of strongly C-graded generalized g-twisted V-module if V admits an
additional C-grading compatible with g. Let V=\coprod_{n\in \Z}V_{(n)} be a
vertex operator algebra such that V_{(0)}=\C\one and V_{(n)}=0 for n<0 and let
u be an element of V of weight 1 such that L(1)u=0. Then the exponential of
2\pi \sqrt{-1} Res_{x} Y(u, x) is an automorphism g_{u} of V. In this case, a
strongly C-graded generalized g_{u}-twisted V-module is constructed from a
strongly C-graded generalized V-module with a compatible action of g_{u} by
modifying the vertex operator map for the generalized V-module using the
exponential of the negative-power part of the vertex operator Y(u, x). In
particular, we give examples of such generalized twisted modules associated to
the exponentials of some screening operators on certain vertex operator
algebras related to the triplet W-algebras. An important feature is that we
have to work with generalized (twisted) V-modules which are doubly graded by
the group C/Z or C and by generalized eigenspaces (not just eigenspaces) for
L(0), and the twisted vertex operators in general involve the logarithm of the
formal variable.Comment: Final version to appear in Comm. Math. Phys. 38 pages. References on
triplet W-algebras added, misprints corrected, and expositions revise
Aharonov-Bohm interference in topological insulator nanoribbons
Topological insulators represent novel phases of quantum matter with an
insulating bulk gap and gapless edges or surface states. The two-dimensional
topological insulator phase was predicted in HgTe quantum wells and confirmed
by transport measurements. Recently, Bi2Se3 and related materials have been
proposed as three-dimensional topological insulators with a single Dirac cone
on the surface and verified by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy
experiments. Here, we show unambiguous transport evidence of topological
surface states through periodic quantum interference effects in layered
single-crystalline Bi2Se3 nanoribbons. Pronounced Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in
the magnetoresistance clearly demonstrate the coverage of two-dimensional
electrons on the entire surface, as expected from the topological nature of the
surface states. The dominance of the primary h/e oscillation and its
temperature dependence demonstrate the robustness of these electronic states.
Our results suggest that topological insulator nanoribbons afford novel
promising materials for future spintronic devices at room temperature.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, RevTex forma
Urban energy consumption and CO2 emissions in Beijing: current and future
This paper calculates the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of Beijing over 2005–2011 in light of the Beijing’s energy balance table and the carbon emission coefficients of IPCC. Furthermore, based on a series of energy conservation planning program issued in Beijing, the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning System (LEAP)-BJ model is developed to study the energy consumption and CO2 emissions of Beijing’s six end-use sectors and the energy conversion sector over 2012–2030 under the BAU scenario and POL scenario. Some results are found in this research: (1) During 2005–2011, the energy consumption kept increasing, while the total CO2 emissions fluctuated obviously in 2008 and 2011. The energy structure and the industrial structure have been optimized to a certain extent. (2) If the policies are completely implemented, the POL scenario is projected to save 21.36 and 35.37 % of the total energy consumption and CO2 emissions than the BAU scenario during 2012 and 2030. (3) The POL scenario presents a more optimized energy structure compared with the BAU scenario, with the decrease of coal consumption and the increase of natural gas consumption. (4) The commerce and service sector and the energy conversion sector will become the largest contributor to energy consumption and CO2 emissions, respectively. The transport sector and the industrial sector are the two most potential sectors in energy savings and carbon reduction. In terms of subscenarios, the energy conservation in transport (TEC) is the most effective one. (5) The macroparameters, such as the GDP growth rate and the industrial structure, have great influence on the urban energy consumption and carbon emissions
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