Effects of the Planar Galactic Tides and Stellar Mass on Comet Cloud Dynamics

We report the first results of a research program to explore the sensitivity of the orbits of Oort cloud comets to changes in the strength of the Galactic tides in the plane of the disk and also to changes in the mass of the host star. We performed 2D simulations that confirm that the effects of the tides on comet orbits are sensitive to a star's distance from the Galactic center. A comet cloud closer to the Galactic center than the Sun will have comet perihelia reduced to the region of the inner planets more effectively by the planar tides alone. Similar results are found for a star of smaller mass. We also show how this phenomenon of comet injection persists for a set of alternative Galactic potential models. These preliminary results suggest a fruitful line of research, one that aims to generalize the study of comet cloud dynamics to systems different from the Solar System. In particular, it will allow us to study the roles played by comet clouds in defining the boundaries of the Galactic Habitable Zone.Comment: Published by The Open Astronomy Journal; some slight differences from published versio

On the q−q-parameter spectrum of generalized information-entropy measures with no cut-off prescriptions

After studying some properties of the generalized exponential and logarithmic function, in particular investigating the domain where the first maintains itself real and positive, and outlining how the known dualities $q \leftrightarrow \frac{1}{q}$ and $q \leftrightarrow 2-q$ play an important role, we shall examine the set of q-deforming parameters that allow generalized canonical maximum entropy probability distributions (MEPDs) to maintain itself positive and real without cut-off prescriptions. We determine the set of q-deforming parameters for which a generalized statistics with discrete but unbound energy states is possible.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figure

On compressive radial tidal forces

Radial tidal forces can be compressive instead of disruptive, a possibility that is frequently overlooked in high level physics courses. For example, radial tidal compression can emerge in extended stellar systems containing a smaller stellar cluster. For particular conditions the tidal field produced by this extended mass distribution can exert on the cluster it contains compressive effects instead of the common disruptive forces. This interesting aspect of gravity can be derived from standard relations given in many textbooks and introductory courses in astronomy and can serve as an opportunity to look closer at some aspects of gravitational physics, stellar dynamics, and differential geometry. The existence of compressive tides at the center of huge stellar systems might suggest new evolutionary scenarios for the formation of stars and primordial galactic formation processes.Comment: 22 pages, 2 figure

A step beyond Tsallis and Renyi entropies

Tsallis and R\'{e}nyi entropy measures are two possible different generalizations of the Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy (or Shannon's information) but are not generalizations of each others. It is however the Sharma-Mittal measure, which was already defined in 1975 (B.D. Sharma, D.P. Mittal, J.Math.Sci \textbf{10}, 28) and which received attention only recently as an application in statistical mechanics (T.D. Frank & A. Daffertshofer, Physica A \textbf{285}, 351 & T.D. Frank, A.R. Plastino, Eur. Phys. J., B \textbf{30}, 543-549) that provides one possible unification. We will show how this generalization that unifies R\'{e}nyi and Tsallis entropy in a coherent picture naturally comes into being if the q-formalism of generalized logarithm and exponential functions is used, how together with Sharma-Mittal's measure another possible extension emerges which however does not obey a pseudo-additive law and lacks of other properties relevant for a generalized thermostatistics, and how the relation between all these information measures is best understood when described in terms of a particular logarithmic Kolmogorov-Nagumo average

On the extended Kolmogorov-Nagumo information-entropy theory, the q -> 1/q duality and its possible implications for a non-extensive two dimensional Ising model

The aim of this paper is to investigate the q -> 1/q duality in an information-entropy theory of all q-generalized entropy functionals (Tsallis, Renyi and Sharma-Mittal measures) in the light of a representation based on generalized exponential and logarithm functions subjected to Kolmogorov's and Nagumo's averaging. We show that it is precisely in this representation that the form invariance of all entropy functionals is maintained under the action of this duality. The generalized partition function also results to be a scalar invariant under the q -> 1/q transformation which can be interpreted as a non-extensive two dimensional Ising model duality between systems governed by two different power law long-range interactions and temperatures. This does not hold only for Tsallis statistics, but is a characteristic feature of all stationary distributions described by q-exponential Boltzmann factors.Comment: 13 pages, accepted for publication in Physica

Collisions of self-bound quantum droplets

We report on the study of binary collisions between quantum droplets formed by an attractive mixture of ultracold atoms. We distinguish two main outcomes of the collision, i.e. merging and separation, depending on the velocity of the colliding pair. The critical velocity $v_c$ that discriminates between the two cases displays a different dependence on the atom number $N$ for small and large droplets. By comparing our experimental results with numerical simulations, we show that the non-monotonic behavior of $v_c(N)$ is due to the crossover from a compressible to an incompressible regime, where the collisional dynamics is governed by different energy scales, i.e. the droplet binding energy and the surface tension. These results also provide the first evidence of the liquid-like nature of quantum droplets in the large $N$ limit, where their behavior closely resembles that of classical liquid droplets

Higginsianins A and B, two fungal diterpenoid α-pyrones with cytotoxic activity against human cancer cells

Two new diterpenoid α-pyrones, named higginsianins A and B, were isolated from the mycelium of the microbial fungus Colletotrichum higginsianum grown in liquid culture. In previous studies, we have shown that both compounds reduce viability of different types of cancer cells in culture. Here, we extend our previous observations and explore, at a deeper level, the cellular effects of higginsianins treatment. Higginisianins A and B reduce viability of A431, HeLa and H1299 cancer cells. Both compounds increase the level of the cell cycle inhibitor p21WAF and reduce the rate of cell proliferation. Cell cycle analyses reveal that higginsianins arrest cancer cells in S-phase. Furthermore, cells incubated with higginsianins reveal discrete γ-H2AX positive nuclear foci indicating the occurrence of DNA lesions. At longer incubation times, higginsianins induce massive cell detachment and non-apoptotic cell death. Human primary keratinocytes and spontaneously immortalized Hacat cells, a preneoplastic cell line model, are less sensitive to higginsianins effects. These findings suggest that higginsianins exhibit considerable cytotoxicity against a wide spectrum of malignant cells and may be considered as promising anticancer agents

The BaR-SPOrt Experiment

BaR-SPOrt (Balloon-borne Radiometers for Sky Polarisation Observations) is an experiment to measure the linearly polarized emission of sky patches at 32 and 90 GHz with sub-degree angular resolution. It is equipped with high sensitivity correlation polarimeters for simultaneous detection of both the U and Q stokes parameters of the incident radiation. On-axis telescope is used to observe angular scales where the expected polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMBP) peaks. This project shares most of the know-how and sophisticated technology developed for the SPOrt experiment onboard the International Space Station. The payload is designed to flight onboard long duration stratospheric balloons both in the Northern and Southern hemispheres where low foreground emission sky patches are accessible. Due to the weakness of the expected CMBP signal (in the range of microK), much care has been spent to optimize the instrument design with respect to the systematics generation, observing time efficiency and long term stability. In this contribution we present the instrument design, and first tests on some components of the 32 GHz radiometer.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation (Polaimetry in Astronomy) Hawaii August 2002 SPIE Meetin