14,320 research outputs found
X-ray polarization fluctuations induced by cloud eclipses in active galactic nuclei
Context: A fraction of active galactic nuclei (AGN) show dramatic X-ray
spectral changes on the day-to-week time scales associated with variation in
the line of sight of the cold absorber. Aims: We intend to model the
polarization fluctuations arising from an obscuration event, thereby offering a
method of determining whether flux variations are due to occultation or extreme
intrinsic emission variability. Methods: Undertaking 1 - 100 keV polarimetric
simulations with the Monte Carlo code STOKES, we simulated the journey of a
variety of cold gas clouds in front of an extended primary source. We varied
the hydrogen column density nH and size of the absorber, as well as the initial
polarization state of the emitting source, to cover a wide range of scenarios.
Results: For unpolarized primary fluxes, large (about 50deg) variations of the
polarization position angle psi are expected before and after an occultation
event, which is associated with very low residual polarization degrees (P lower
than 1 per cent). In the case of an emitting disk with intrinsic,
position-independent polarization, and for a given range of parameters, X-ray
eclipses significantly alter the observed polarization spectra, with most of
the variations seen in psi. Finally, non-uniformly polarized emitting regions
produce very distinctive polarization variations due to the successive covering
and uncovering of different portions of the disk. Plotted against time,
variations in P and psi form detectable P~Cygni type profiles that are
distinctive signatures of non-axisymmetric emission. Conclusions: Polarization
measurements are thus particularly adapted to distinguish between intrinsic
intensity fluctuations and external eclipsing events, constrain the geometry of
the covering medium, and test the hypothesis of non-uniformly emitting disks
predicted by general relativity.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
Antiglycation activity and HT-29 cellular uptake of aloe-emodin, aloin, and aloe arborescens leaf extracts
Aloe arborescens is a relevant species largely used in traditional medicine of several countries. In particular, the decoction of leaves is prepared for various medicinal purposes including antidiabetic care. The aim of this research was the study of the antiglycation activity of two A. arborescens leaf extracts and isolated compounds: aloin and aloe-emodin. These phytoconstituents were quantitatively assessed in methanolic and hydroalcoholic extracts using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis. In addition, the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were detected. In order to study their potential use in diabetic conditions, the antiglycation and antiradical properties of the two extracts and aloin and aloe-emodin were investigated by means of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil (DPPH) assays; further, their cytotoxicity in HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells was evaluated by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Furthermore, the ability of aloin and aloe-emodin to permeate the cellular membranes of HT-29 cells was determined in order to estimate their potential in vivo absorption. This assessment indicated that aloe-emodin can substantially pass through cell membranes (~20%), whereas aloin did not permeate into HT-29 cells. Overall, the data show that both the methanolic and the hydroalcoholic A. arborescens extracts determine significant inhibition of glycation and free-radical persistence, without any cytotoxic activity. The data also show that the antiglycation and the antiradical activities of aloin and aloe-emodin are lower than those of the two extracts. In relation to the permeability study, only aloe-emodin is able to cross HT-29 cellular membranes, showing the attitude to pass through the intestinal layer. Overall, the present data surely support the traditional use of A. arborescens leaf extracts against hyperglycemic conditions, while aloin and aloe-emodin as potential drugs need further study
Pyramidal Fisher Motion for Multiview Gait Recognition
The goal of this paper is to identify individuals by analyzing their gait.
Instead of using binary silhouettes as input data (as done in many previous
works) we propose and evaluate the use of motion descriptors based on densely
sampled short-term trajectories. We take advantage of state-of-the-art people
detectors to define custom spatial configurations of the descriptors around the
target person. Thus, obtaining a pyramidal representation of the gait motion.
The local motion features (described by the Divergence-Curl-Shear descriptor)
extracted on the different spatial areas of the person are combined into a
single high-level gait descriptor by using the Fisher Vector encoding. The
proposed approach, coined Pyramidal Fisher Motion, is experimentally validated
on the recent `AVA Multiview Gait' dataset. The results show that this new
approach achieves promising results in the problem of gait recognition.Comment: Submitted to International Conference on Pattern Recognition, ICPR,
201
Sensitivity below the standard quantum limit in gravitational wave detectors with Michelson-Fabry-Perot readout
We calculate the quantum noise limited displacement sensitivity of a
Michelson-Fabry-Perot (MFP) with detuned cavities, followed by phase-sensitive
homodyne detection. We show that the standard quantum limit can be surpassed
even with resonant cavities and without any signal-recycling mirror nor
additional cavities. Indeed, thanks to the homodyne detection, the output field
quadrature can be chosen in such a way to cancel the effect of input amplitude
fluctuations, i.e., eliminating the force noise. With detuned cavities, the
modified opto-mechanical susceptivity allows to reach unlimited sensitivity for
large enough (yet finite) optical power. Our expressions include mirror losses
and cavity delay effect, for a realistic comparison with experiments. Our study
is particularly devoted to gravitational wave detectors and we consider both an
interferometer with free-falling mirrors, and a MFP as readout for a massive
detector. In the latter case, the sensitivity curve of the recently conceived
'DUAL' detector, based on two acoustic modes, is obtained
Inhomogeneous mechanical losses in micro-oscillators with high reflectivity coating
We characterize the mechanical quality factor of micro-oscillators covered by
a highly reflective coating. We test an approach to the reduction of mechanical
losses, that consists in limiting the size of the coated area to reduce the
strain and the consequent energy loss in this highly dissipative component.
Moreover, a mechanical isolation stage is incorporated in the device. The
results are discussed on the basis of an analysis of homogeneous and
non-homogeneous losses in the device and validated by a set of Finite-Element
models. The contributions of thermoelastic dissipation and coating losses are
separated and the measured quality factors are found in agreement with the
calculated values, while the absence of unmodeled losses confirms that the
isolation element integrated in the device efficiently uncouples the dynamics
of the mirror from the support system. Also the resonant frequencies evaluated
by Finite-Element models are in good agreement with the experimental data, and
allow the estimation of the Young modulus of the coating. The models that we
have developed and validated are important for the design of oscillating
micro-mirrors with high quality factor and, consequently, low thermal noise.
Such devices are useful in general for high sensitivity sensors, and in
particular for experiments of quantum opto-mechanics
Infrared Observations of AGN
We present results from an imaging and spectroscopic study of the dust
properties of Seyfert galaxies in the 1-10um range. The data are compared to
state of the art models of torus emission to constrain geometrical and physical
properties of the obscuring medium.Comment: 2 pages, to appear in the IAU Symp.No.222 proceedings:"The Interplay
among Black Holes, Stars and ISM in Galactic Nuclei", Gramado, Brazil, March
1-5, 200
Room temperature GW bar detector with opto-mechanical readout
We present the full implementation of a room-temperature gravitational wave
bar detector equipped with an opto-mechanical readout. The mechanical
vibrations are read by a Fabry--Perot interferometer whose length changes are
compared with a stable reference optical cavity by means of a resonant laser.
The detector performance is completely characterized in terms of spectral
sensitivity and statistical properties of the fluctuations in the system output
signal. The new kind of readout technique allows for wide-band detection
sensitivity and we can accurately test the model of the coupled oscillators for
thermal noise. Our results are very promising in view of cryogenic operation
and represent an important step towards significant improvements in the
performance of massive gravitational wave detectors.Comment: 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
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