4,488 research outputs found
Bond angle distribution in amorphous germania and silica
The distribution of Ge-O-Ge and Si-O-Si bond angles alpha in amorphous
germania and silica is re-determined on the basis of diffraction experiments.
The bond angle alpha joining adjacent tetrahedra is the central parameter of
any continuous random network description (CRN) of these glasses. New high
energy photon diffraction experiments on amorphous germania (at photon energies
of 97 and 149 keV) are presented, covering the momentum transfer 0.6-33.5
AA^{-1}. In photon diffraction experiments on GeO2 the contribution of the OO
pairs is very small. To obtain a similar information for amorphous SiO2, high
energy photon diffraction experiments have been combined with neutron
diffraction data on amorphous silica in order to eliminate the OO- partial
structure factor. With this technique it is shown that the Si-O-Si angle
distribution is fairly narrow (sigma=7.5 degree) and in fact comparable in
width to the Ge-O-Ge angle distribution (sigma=8.3 degree), a result which
differs from current opinion. The narrower distribution found in this study are
in much better agreement to the determinations based on 29Si-MAS-NMR. Among the
various models relating the chemical shift to the bond angle, best agreement is
found with those models based on the secant model. Sharp components in the bond
angle distribution can be excluded within the reached real space resolution of
0.09 AA.Comment: 12 pages LATEX, 13 Postscript figures, experimental data includes as
LATEX comment
Variation in the Thyrotropic Activity of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells Arises from Differential Expression of the Human Thyrotropin Receptor and Microheterogeneity of the Hormone.
The role of hCG as a stimulator of the human thyroid has been a subject of controversy, because discrepant results have been obtained in different in vitro assays. In an attempt to explain the variation observed in the thyroid response to hCG, we investigated the ability of hCG and that of its isoforms and glycosylation variants to inhibit [125I]bovine (b) TSH binding and stimulate adenylate cyclase in two clones, JP09 and JP26, of Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with the human TSH receptor (hTSHr). The two clones differed with respect to the number of hTSHr expressed per cell (34,000 in JP09 and 2,000 in JP26 cells). Both responded extremely well to bTSH; the cAMP response to 0.001 IU/L bTSH was distinguishable from basal values. Interestingly, JP09 cells were readily stimulated by hCG (20-100 mg/L; 0.52-2.6 x 10(-6) mol/L) to release cAMP, whereas JP26 cells showed little if any response. Also, cAMP stimulation produced by asialo-hCG was 12-fold in JP09 cells and only 4-fold in JP26 cells compared to 45- and 67-fold stimulations by bTSH, respectively. Stimulation by asialo-hCG was approximately 30% that of bTSH in JP09 cells, but less than 6% in JP26 cells. When assessing the thyrotropic activity of the microheterogeneous isoforms of hCG, more alkaline pI forms were found to be more active than those of a more acidic pI regardless of whether they were derived from normal or molar pregnancy urine. Further studies with hCG, asialo-hCG, asialoagalacto-hCG, and deglycosylated hCG revealed that removal of sialic acid caused a marked increase in both its affinity for hTSHr and its cAMP-releasing potency, whereas removal of further carbohydrate, although it slightly enhanced receptor binding, was detrimental to adenylate cyclase activation. In conclusion, differences in hTSHr expression may cause a variation in the cAMP response to hCG or its glycosylation variants, as does the microheterogeneity of the hormone itself. These mechanisms may be responsible at least in part for the divergent responses of different cell types to hCG and render interpretation of the physiological meaning of the data obtained in recombinant receptor systems difficult
Quantum computers can search rapidly by using almost any transformation
A quantum computer has a clear advantage over a classical computer for
exhaustive search. The quantum mechanical algorithm for exhaustive search was
originally derived by using subtle properties of a particular quantum
mechanical operation called the Walsh-Hadamard (W-H) transform. This paper
shows that this algorithm can be implemented by replacing the W-H transform by
almost any quantum mechanical operation. This leads to several new applications
where it improves the number of steps by a square-root. It also broadens the
scope for implementation since it demonstrates quantum mechanical algorithms
that can readily adapt to available technology.Comment: This paper is an adapted version of quant-ph/9711043. It has been
modified to make it more readable for physicists. 9 pages, postscrip
A Widespread, Clumpy Starburst in the Isolated Ongoing Dwarf Galaxy Merger dm1647+21
Interactions between pairs of isolated dwarf galaxies provide a critical
window into low-mass hierarchical, gas-dominated galaxy assembly and the
buildup of stellar mass in low-metallicity systems. We present the first
VLT/MUSE optical IFU observations of the interacting dwarf pair dm1647+21,
selected from the TiNy Titans survey. The H emission is widespread and
corresponds to a total unobscured star formation rate (SFR) of 0.44 M
yr, 2.7 times higher than the SFR inferred from SDSS data. The implied
specific SFR (sSFR) for the system is elevated by more than an order of
magnitude above non-interacting dwarfs in the same mass range. This increase is
dominated by the lower-mass galaxy, which has a sSFR enhancement of 50.
Examining the spatially-resolved maps of classic optical line diagnostics, we
find the ISM excitation can be fully explained by star formation. The velocity
field of the ionized gas is not consistent with simple rotation. Dynamical
simulations indicate that the irregular velocity field and the stellar
structure is consistent with the identification of this system as an ongoing
interaction between two dwarf galaxies. The widespread, clumpy enhancements in
star formation in this system point to important differences in the effect of
mergers on dwarf galaxies, compared to massive galaxies: rather than the
funneling of gas to the nucleus and giving rise to a nuclear starburst,
starbursts in low-mass galaxy mergers may be triggered by large-scale ISM
compression, and thus be more distributed.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ. 11 pages, 5 figures, 1 table.
Figures slightly degraded to meet arXiv size restrictions. For more
information about TiNy Titans see https://lavinia.as.arizona.edu/~tinytitans
Hydrostatic Compression Behavior and High-Pressure Stabilized β-Phase in γ-Based Titanium Aluminide Intermetallics
Titanium aluminides find application in modern light-weight, high-temperature turbines, such as aircraft engines, but suffer from poor plasticity during manufacturing and processing. Huge forging presses enable materials processing in the 10-GPa range, and hence, it is necessary to investigate the phase diagrams of candidate materials under these extreme conditions. Here, we report on an in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction study in a large-volume press of a modern (α2 + γ) two-phase material, Ti-45Al-7.5Nb-0.25C, under pressures up to 9.6 GPa and temperatures up to 1686 K. At room temperature, the volume response to pressure is accommodated by the transformation γ → α2, rather than volumetric strain, expressed by the apparently high bulk moduli of both constituent phases. Crystallographic aspects, specifically lattice strain and atomic order, are discussed in detail. It is interesting to note that this transformation takes place despite an increase in atomic volume, which is due to the high ordering energy of γ. Upon heating under high pressure, both the eutectoid and γ-solvus transition temperatures are elevated, and a third, cubic β-phase is stabilized above 1350 K. Earlier research has shown that this β-phase is very ductile during plastic deformation, essential in near-conventional forging processes. Here, we were able to identify an ideal processing window for near-conventional forging, while the presence of the detrimental β-phase is not present under operating conditions. Novel processing routes can be defined from these findings. © 2016, Creative Commons
Halocarbons associated with Arctic sea ice
Short-lived halocarbons were measured in Arctic sea-ice brine, seawater and air above the Greenland and Norwegian seas (∼81°N, 2 to 5°E) in mid-summer, from a melting ice floe at the edge of the ice pack. In the ice floe, concentrations of C2H5I, 2-C3H7I and CH2Br2 showed significant enhancement in the sea ice brine, of average factors of 1.7, 1.4 and 2.5 times respectively, compared to the water underneath and after normalising to brine volume. Concentrations of mono-iodocarbons in air are the highest ever reported, and our calculations suggest increased fluxes of halocarbons to the atmosphere may result from their sea-ice enhancement. Some halocarbons were also measured in ice of the sub-Arctic in Hudson Bay (∼55°N, 77°W) in early spring, ice that was thicker, colder and less porous than the Arctic ice in summer, and in which the halocarbons were concentrated to values over 10 times larger than in the Arctic ice when normalised to brine volume. Concentrations in the Arctic ice were similar to those in Antarctic sea ice that was similarly warm and porous. As climate warms and Arctic sea ice becomes more like that of the Antarctic, our results lead us to expect the production of iodocarbons and so of reactive iodine gases to increase
Heterogeneous Catalysis under pressure - In-situ neutron diffraction under industrial conditions
The present work describes the application of a tubular reactor that allows in-situ neutron diffraction on working catalysts at high pressures. The designed reactor enables the application to a sample of industrially-relevant reaction conditions, i.e., in a temperature range up to 330° C and 60 bar pressure, coupled with online gas-analysis. Application of the cell is demonstrated by ammonia synthesis over a commercial catalyst with diffraction data obtained from the high-resolution powder diffractometer, Echidna, at the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, ANSTO
Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) as a predictor of prolonged urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy
Objectives: To investigate monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) as a novel urinary biomarker to predict prolonged post prostatectomy incontinence. Methods: Men submitted urine samples prior to robotic radical prostatectomy. MCP-1 values were derived using an ELISA test. Pad usage at 7, 30, and 60 days were documented by patient post cards mailed when zero pads was reached. The primary outcome was defined as no incontinence pad usage at 30 days at prostatectomy. Results: After exclusions, 76 patients were included in analyses. Continence was reached by 29% (22/76), 56% (42/76), and (75/76) 98% at 7, 30, and 60 days, respectively. The average MCP-1 (p=0.258) was not different between the continent and incontinent groups. Highest quartile of MCP-1 (MCP > 166 pg/mL) and normalized MCP-1 (MCP-1/TV >0.53) noted a significant delay in continence at 30 days (p=0.050 and p=0.003). Only 26% (5/19) in the highest MCP1/TV quartile were continent, whereas 65% (37/57) of men in the 3 lower quartiles reached zero pad continence (p=0.003). In a logistic regression model the highest quartile of MCP1/TV had a significant chance of being incontinent at 30 days (OR 0.22; 95% CI 0.058-0.80; p=0.022). Conclusion: MCP-1/TV is a urinary biomarker that may predict prolonged urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy
Разработка модели контейнера для сбора компактных люминесцентных ламп
Предложена конструкция контейнера для сбора у населения компактных люминесцентных ламп. Разработан и создан демонстрационный макет контейнера. Проверена его работоспособность.A container design is proposed for collecting compact fluorescent lamps from the city residents. A demonstration mock-up of the container was developed and created. It is checked up its working capacity
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