On the dependence between UV luminosity and Lyman-alpha equivalent width in high redshift galaxies

We show that with the simple assumption of no correlation between the Ly-alpha equivalent width and the UV luminosity of a galaxy, the observed distribution of high redshift galaxies in an equivalent width - absolute UV magnitude plane can be reproduced. We further show that there is no dependence between Ly-alpha equivalent width and Ly-alpha luminosity in a sample of Ly-alpha emitters. The test was expanded to Lyman-break galaxies and again no dependence was found. Simultaneously, we show that a recently proposed lack of large equivalent width, UV bright galaxies (Ando et al. 2006) can be explained by a simple observational effect, based on too small survey volumes.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, accepted in MNRA

Grasping Ideas with the Motor System: Semantic Somatotopy in Idiom Comprehension

Single words and sentences referring to bodily actions activate the motor cortex. However, this semantic grounding of concrete language does not address the critical question whether the sensory–motor system contributes to the processing of abstract meaning and thought. We examined functional magnetic resonance imaging activation to idioms and literal sentences including arm- and leg-related action words. A common left fronto-temporal network was engaged in sentence reading, with idioms yielding relatively stronger activity in (pre)frontal and middle temporal cortex. Crucially, somatotopic activation along the motor strip, in central and precentral cortex, was elicited by idiomatic and literal sentences, reflecting the body part reference of the words embedded in the sentences. Semantic somatotopy was most pronounced after sentence ending, thus reflecting sentence-level processing rather than that of single words. These results indicate that semantic representations grounded in the sensory–motor system play a role in the composition of sentence-level meaning, even in the case of idioms

Ferromagnetic Kondo-Lattice Model

We present a many-body approach to the electronic and magnetic properties of the (multiband) Kondo-lattice model with ferromagnetic interband exchange. The coupling between itinerant conduction electrons and localized magnetic moments leads, on the one hand, to a distinct temperature-dependence of the electronic quasiparticle spectrum and, on the other hand, to magnetic properties, as e.~g.the Curie temperature T_C or the magnon dispersion, which are strongly influenced by the band electron selfenergy and therewith in particular by the carrier density. We present results for the single-band Kondo-lattice model in terms of quasiparticle densities of states and quasiparticle band structures and demonstrate the density-dependence of the self-consistently derived Curie temperature. The transition from weak-coupling (RKKY) to strong-coupling (double exchange) behaviour is worked out. The multiband model is combined with a tight-binding-LMTO bandstructure calculation to describe real magnetic materials. As an example we present results for the archetypal ferromagnetic local-moment systems EuO and EuS. The proposed method avoids the double counting of relevant interactions and takes into account the correct symmetry of atomic orbitals.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figure

Prospects for measurement and control of the scattering length of metastable helium using photoassociation techniques

A numerical investigation of two-laser photoassociation (PA) spectroscopy on spin-polarized metastable helium (He*) atoms is presented within the context of experimental observation of the least-bound energy level in the scattering potential and subsequent determination of the s-wave scattering length. Starting out from the model developed by Bohn and Julienne [Phys. Rev. A \textbf{60}, (1999) 414], PA rate coefficients are obtained as a function of the parameters of the two lasers. The rate coefficients are used to simulate one- and two-laser PA spectra. The results demonstrate the feasibility of a spectroscopic determination of the binding energy of the least-bound level. The simulated spectra may be used as a guideline when designing such an experiment, whereas the model may also be employed for fitting experimentally obtained PA spectra. In addition, the prospects for substantial modification of the He* scattering length by means of optical Feshbach resonances are considered. Several experimental issues relating to the numerical investigation presented here are discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figure

Review of the k-Body Embedded Ensembles of Gaussian Random Matrices

The embedded ensembles were introduced by Mon and French as physically more plausible stochastic models of many--body systems governed by one--and two--body interactions than provided by standard random--matrix theory. We review several approaches aimed at determining the spectral density, the spectral fluctuation properties, and the ergodic properties of these ensembles: moments methods, numerical simulations, the replica trick, the eigenvector decomposition of the matrix of second moments and supersymmetry, the binary correlation approximation, and the study of correlations between matrix elements.Comment: Final version. 29 pages, 4 ps figures, uses iopart.st

Scandinavian clinical practice guideline on fluid and drug therapy in adults with acute respiratory distress syndrome.

To access publisher's full text version of this article, please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links field or click on the hyperlink at the top of the page marked Files. This article is open access.The objective of the Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (SSAI) task force on fluid and drug therapy in adults with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was to provide clinically relevant, evidence-based treatment recommendations according to standards for trustworthy guidelines.The guideline was developed according to standards for trustworthy guidelines, including a systematic review of the literature and use of the GRADE methodology for assessment of the quality of evidence and for moving from evidence to recommendations.A total of seven ARDS interventions were assessed. We suggest fluid restriction in patients with ARDS (weak recommendation, moderate quality evidence). Also, we suggest early use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) in patients with severe ARDS (weak recommendation, moderate quality evidence). We recommend against the routine use of other drugs, including corticosteroids, beta2 agonists, statins, and inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) or prostanoids in adults with ARDS (strong recommendations: low- to high-quality evidence). These recommendations do not preclude the use of any drug or combination of drugs targeting underlying or co-existing disorders.This guideline emphasizes the paucity of evidence of benefit - and potential for harm - of common interventions in adults with ARDS and highlights the need for prudence when considering use of non-licensed interventions in this patient population.Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (SSAI

A comparison of Li + transport in dimethoxyethane, poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(tetramethylene oxide) by molecular dynamics simulations.

Pure dimethoxyethane (DME), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and poly(tetramethylene oxide) (PTME) and their binary mixtures with LiI were investigated by molecular dynamics simulations (Li/O proportion equal to 1:8). The properties analyzed included the relative occurrence of trans and gauche population for selected torsions, radial distribution functions, mean square fluctuations and mobilities. We studied the relation between the ionic transport process of Li + and the conformational behavior in DME, PEO and PTME systems. We investigated the solvation shell around Li + in those systems. The gauche effect of DME and PEO (OCCO torsion) is strongly related to salt addition. This effect is more pronounced in DME-based systems. Li + /O co-ordination occurs in all considered systems. The mobility of the ionic species is larger in DME than in the polymers. In PTME, it is only slightly smaller than in PEO

ECVAM retrospective validation of in vitro micronucleus test (MNT)

In the past decade several studies comparing the in vitro chromosome aberration test (CAT) and the in vitro micronucleus test (MNT) were performed. A high correlation was observed in each of the studies (>85%); however, no formal validation for the micronucleus in vitro assay had been carried out. Therefore, a working group was established by the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) to perform a retrospective validation of the existing data, in order to evaluate the validity of the in vitro MNT on the basis of the modular validation approach. The primary focus of this retrospective validation was on the evaluation of the potential of the in vitro MNT as alternative to the standard in vitro CAT. The working group evaluated, in a first step, the available published data and came to the conclusion that two studies [German ring trial, von der Hude, W., Kalweit, S., Engelhardt, G. et al. (2000) In-vitro micronucleus assay with Chinese hamster V79 cells: results of a collaborative study with 26 chemicals. Mutat. Res., 468, 137–163, and SFTG International Collaborative Study, Lorge, E., Thybaud, V., Aardema, M., Oliver, J., Wataka, A., Lorenzon, G. and Marzin, D. (2006) SFTG International Collaborative Study on in-vitro micronucleus test I. General conditions and overall conclusions of the study. Mutat. Res., 607, 13–36] met the criteria for a retrospective validation according to the criteria previously defined by the working group. These two studies were evaluated in depth (including the reanalysis of raw data) and provided the information required for assessing the reliability (reproducibility) of the test. For the assessment of the concordance between the in vitro MNT and the in vitro CAT, additional published data were considered. Based on this retrospective validation, the ECVAM Validation Management Team concluded that the in vitro MNT is reliable and relevant and can therefore be used as an alternative method to the in vitro CAT. Following peer review, these conclusions were formally endorsed by the ECVAM Scientific Advisory Committee