753 research outputs found
The s Process: Nuclear Physics, Stellar Models, Observations
Nucleosynthesis in the s process takes place in the He burning layers of low
mass AGB stars and during the He and C burning phases of massive stars. The s
process contributes about half of the element abundances between Cu and Bi in
solar system material. Depending on stellar mass and metallicity the resulting
s-abundance patterns exhibit characteristic features, which provide
comprehensive information for our understanding of the stellar life cycle and
for the chemical evolution of galaxies. The rapidly growing body of detailed
abundance observations, in particular for AGB and post-AGB stars, for objects
in binary systems, and for the very faint metal-poor population represents
exciting challenges and constraints for stellar model calculations. Based on
updated and improved nuclear physics data for the s-process reaction network,
current models are aiming at ab initio solution for the stellar physics related
to convection and mixing processes. Progress in the intimately related areas of
observations, nuclear and atomic physics, and stellar modeling is reviewed and
the corresponding interplay is illustrated by the general abundance patterns of
the elements beyond iron and by the effect of sensitive branching points along
the s-process path. The strong variations of the s-process efficiency with
metallicity bear also interesting consequences for Galactic chemical evolution.Comment: 53 pages, 20 figures, 3 tables; Reviews of Modern Physics, accepte
Assessment of bulbar function in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: validation of a self-report scale (Center for Neurologic Study Bulbar Function Scale).
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Impaired bulbar functions of speech and swallowing are among the most serious consequences of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Despite this, clinical trials in ALS have rarely emphasized bulbar function as an endpoint. The rater-administered Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale-Revised (ALSFRS-R) or various quality-of-life measures are commonly used to measure symptomatic benefit. Accordingly, we sought to evaluate the utility of measures specific to bulbar function in ALS.
METHODS: We assessed bulbar functions in 120 patients with ALS, with clinicians first making direct observations of the degree of speech, swallowing and salivation impairment in these subjects. Clinical diagnosis of bulbar impairment was then compared with ALSFRS-R scores, speech rate, time to swallow liquids and solids, and scores obtained when patients completed visual analog scales (VASs) and the newly-developed 21-question self-administered Center for Neurologic Study Bulbar Function Scale (CNS-BFS).
RESULTS: The CNS-BFS, ALSFRS-R, VAS and timed speech and swallowing were all concordant with clinician diagnosis. The self-report CNS-BFS and ALSFRS-R bulbar subscale best predicted clinician diagnosis with misclassification rates of 8% and 14% at the optimal cut-offs, respectively. In addition, the CNS-BFS speech and swallowing subscales outperformed both the bulbar component of the ALSFRS-R and speech and swallowing VASs when correlations were made between these scales and objective measures of timed reading and swallowing.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on these findings and its relative ease of administration, we conclude that the CNS-BFS is a useful metric for assessing bulbar function in patients with ALS
School performance in Australia: is there a role for quasi-markets?
Recent changes to the organisation of Australia's education system have raised the possibility of implementing wide-ranging market reforms. In this article we discuss the scope for introducing reforms similar to the United Kingdom's 'quasi-market' model. We discuss the role of school league tables in providing signals and incentives in a quasi-market. Specifically, we compare a range of unadjusted and model-based league tables of primary school performance in Queensland's public education system. These comparisons indicate that model-based tables which account for socio-economic status and student intake quality vary significantly from the unadjusted tables
Digital catchment observatories: A platform for engagement and knowledge exchange between catchment scientists, policy makers, and local communities
Increasing pressures on the hydrological cycle from our changing planet have led to calls for a refocus of research in the sciences of hydrology and water resources. Opportunities for new and innovative research into these areas are being facilitated by advances in the use of cyberinfrastructure, such as the development of digital catchment observatories. This is enabling research into hydrological issues such as flooding to be approached differently. The ability to combine different sources of data, knowledge, and modeling capabilities from different groups such as scientists, policy makers, and the general public has the potential to provide novel insights into the way individual catchments respond at different temporal and spatial scales. While the potential benefits of the digital catchment observatory are large, this new way of carrying out research into hydrological sciences is likely to prove challenging on many levels. Along with the obvious technical and infrastructural challenges to this work, an important area for consideration is how to enable a digital observatory to work for a range of potential end-users, paving the way for new areas of research through developing a platform effective for engagement and knowledge exchange. Using examples from the recent local-scale hydrological exemplar in the Environmental Virtual Observatory pilot project (http://www.evo-uk.org), this commentary considers a number of issues around the communication between and engagement of different users, the use of local knowledge and uncertainty with cloud-based models, and the potential for decision support and directions for future research
A cloud based tool for knowledge exchange on local scale flood risk
There is an emerging and urgent need for new approaches for the management of environmental
challenges such as flood hazard in the broad context of sustainability. This requires a new way of working
which bridges disciplines and organisations, and that breaks down science-culture boundaries. With this,
there is growing recognition that the appropriate involvement of local communities in catchment
management decisions can result in multiple benefits. However, new tools are required to connect organisations
and communities. The growth of cloud based technologies offers a novel way to facilitate this
process of exchange of information in environmental science and management; however, stakeholders
need to be engaged with as part of the development process from the beginning rather than being
presented with a final product at the end.
Here we present the development of a pilot Local Environmental Virtual Observatory Flooding Tool.
The aim was to develop a cloud based learning platform for stakeholders, bringing together fragmented
data, models and visualisation tools that will enable these stakeholders to make scientifically informed
environmental management decisions at the local scale. It has been developed by engaging with
different stakeholder groups in three catchment case studies in the UK and a panel of national experts in
relevant topic areas. However, these case study catchments are typical of many northern latitude
catchments. The tool was designed to communicate flood risk in locally impacted communities whilst
engaging with landowners/farmers about the risk of runoff from the farmed landscape. It has been
developed iteratively to reflect the needs, interests and capabilities of a wide range of stakeholders. The
pilot tool combines cloud based services, local catchment datasets, a hydrological model and bespoke
visualisation tools to explore real time hydrometric data and the impact of flood risk caused by future
land use changes. The novel aspects of the pilot tool are; the co-evolution of tools on a cloud based
platform with stakeholders, policy and scientists; encouraging different science disciplines to work
together; a wealth of information that is accessible and understandable to a range of stakeholders; and
provides a framework for how to approach the development of such a cloud based tool in the future.
Above all, stakeholders saw the tool and the potential of cloud technologies as an effective means to
taking a whole systems approach to solving environmental issues. This sense of community ownership is
essential in order to facilitate future appropriate and acceptable land use management decisions to be codeveloped
by local catchment communities. The development processes and the resulting pilot tool
could be applied to local catchments globally to facilitate bottom up catchment management approaches
Changes in Floquet state structure at avoided crossings: delocalization and harmonic generation
Avoided crossings are common in the quasienergy spectra of strongly driven
nonlinear quantum wells. In this paper we examine the sinusoidally driven
particle in a square potential well to show that avoided crossings can alter
the structure of Floquet states in this system. Two types of avoided crossings
are identified: on type leads only to temporary changes (as a function of
driving field strength) in Floquet state structure while the second type can
lead to permanent delocalization of the Floquet states. Radiation spectra from
these latter states show significant increase in high harmonic generation as
the system passes through the avoided crossing.Comment: 8 pages with 10 figures submitted to Physical Review
Dependence of direct neutron capture on nuclear-structure models
The prediction of cross sections for nuclei far off stability is crucial in
the field of nuclear astrophysics. We calculate direct neutron capture on the
even-even isotopes Sn and Pb with energy levels,
masses, and nuclear density distributions taken from different
nuclear-structure models. The utilized structure models are a
Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov model, a relativistic mean field theory, and a
macroscopic-microscopic model based on the finite-range droplet model and a
folded-Yukawa single-particle potential. Due to the differences in the
resulting neutron separation and level energies, the investigated models yield
capture cross sections sometimes differing by orders of magnitude. This may
also lead to differences in the predicted astrophysical r-process paths.
Astrophysical implications are discussed.Comment: 25 pages including 12 figures, RevTeX, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Quantum feedback control of a superconducting qubit: Persistent Rabi oscillations
The act of measurement bridges the quantum and classical worlds by projecting
a superposition of possible states into a single, albeit probabilistic,
outcome. The time-scale of this "instantaneous" process can be stretched using
weak measurements so that it takes the form of a gradual random walk towards a
final state. Remarkably, the interim measurement record is sufficient to
continuously track and steer the quantum state using feedback. We monitor the
dynamics of a resonantly driven quantum two-level system -- a superconducting
quantum bit --using a near-noiseless parametric amplifier. The high-fidelity
measurement output is used to actively stabilize the phase of Rabi
oscillations, enabling them to persist indefinitely. This new functionality
shows promise for fighting decoherence and defines a path for continuous
quantum error correction.Comment: Manuscript: 5 Pages and 3 figures ; Supplementary Information: 9
pages and 3 figure
Characterization of a pathogenic variant in the ABCD1 gene through protein molecular modeling
Background. The ATP-binding cassette, subfamily D, member 1 (ABCD1) protein is a peroxisomal half-transporter that allows for very long chain fatty acid (VLCFA) degradation. Pathogenic variants of ABCD1 cause VLCFAs to build up in various tissues and bodily fluids, resulting in a disorder called X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD). This disorder is most commonly marked by adrenocortical insufficiency and high VLCFA concentration, and has varying levels of neurological involvement depending on phenotype. For example, the Addison-only form of X-ALD has no neurological impact, while the cerebral form of X-ALD often causes severe sensory loss, motor function impairment, cognitive decline, and death. Methods. A newly characterized and suspected pathogenic variant in ABCD1 was analyzed using our protein informatics platform (PIP). Personalized protein-level molecular studies were completed on genetic testing data, complementing the analysis and clinical study. Results. A case of adult onset adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN) and a novel ABCD1 variant are presented. The unique ABCD1 protein is discussed, and the probandâs case is compared to existing reports of AMN. Conclusions. Data fusion from multiple sources was combined in a comprehensive approach yielding an enriched assessment of the patientâs disease and prognosis. Molecular modeling was performed on the variant to better characterize its clinical significance and confirm pathogenicity
Initial/boundary-value problems of tumor growth within a host tissue
This paper concerns multiphase models of tumor growth in interaction with a
surrounding tissue, taking into account also the interplay with diffusible
nutrients feeding the cells. Models specialize in nonlinear systems of possibly
degenerate parabolic equations, which include phenomenological terms related to
specific cell functions. The paper discusses general modeling guidelines for
such terms, as well as for initial and boundary conditions, aiming at both
biological consistency and mathematical robustness of the resulting problems.
Particularly, it addresses some qualitative properties such as a priori
nonnegativity, boundedness, and uniqueness of the solutions. Existence of the
solutions is studied in the one-dimensional time-independent case.Comment: 30 pages, 5 figure
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