5,000 research outputs found
Transit Orientation: More Than Just Coverage—A New Method for the Assessment of Transit and Development Co-Location
A gravimetric assessment of the Gotthard Base Tunnel geological model: insights from a novel gravity terrain-adaptation correction and rock physics data.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel (GBT) is a 57 km long railway tunnel, constructed in the Central Alps in Switzerland and extending mainly North-South across numerous geological units. We acquired 80 new gravity data points at the surface along the GBT profile and used 77 gravity measurements in the tunnel to test and constrain the shallow crustal, km-scale geological model established during the tunnel construction. To this end, we developed a novel processing scheme, which computes a fully 3D, density-dependent gravity terrain-adaptation correction (TAC), to consistently compare the gravity observations with the 2D geological model structure; the latter converted into a density model. This approach allowed to explore and quantify candidate rock density distributions along the GBT modelled profile in a computationally-efficient manner, and to test whether a reasonable fit can be found without structural modification of the geological model. The tested density data for the various lithologies were compiled from the SAPHYR rock physical property database. The tested models were evaluated both in terms of misfit between observed and synthetic gravity data, and also in terms of correlation between misfit trend and topography of the target profile. The results indicate that the locally sampled densities provide a better fit to the data for the considered lithologies, rather than density data averaged over a wider set of Alpine rock samples for the same lithology. Furthermore, using one homogeneous and constant density value for all the topographic corrections does not provide an optimal fit to the data, which instead confirms density variations along the profile. Structurally, a satisfactory fit could be found without modifying the 2D geological model, which thus can be considered gravimetry-proof. From a more general perspective, the gravity data processing routines and the density-dependent corrections developed in this case study represent a remarkable potential for further high-resolution gravity investigations of geological structures.
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s00015-022-00422-z
Surface morphology and magnetic anisotropy in (Ga,Mn)As
Atomic Force Microscopy and Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements
have revealed the presence of ripples aligned along the direction
on the surface of (Ga,Mn)As layers grown on GaAs(001) substrates and buffer
layers, with periodicity of about 50 nm in all samples that have been studied.
These samples show the strong symmetry breaking uniaxial magnetic anisotropy
normally observed in such materials. We observe a clear correlation between the
amplitude of the surface ripples and the strength of the uniaxial magnetic
anisotropy component suggesting that these ripples might be the source of such
anisotropy.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. Replaced with published versio
Gonadotrophin stimulation for in vitro fertilization significantly alters the hormone milieu in follicular fluid: a comparative study between natural cycle IVF and conventional IVF
STUDY QUESTION Is the steroid hormone profile in follicular fluid (FF) at the time of oocyte retrieval different in naturally matured follicles, as in natural cycle IVF (NC-IVF), compared with follicles stimulated with conventional gonadotrophin stimulated IVF (cIVF)? SUMMARY ANSWER Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH), testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) concentrations are ∼3-fold higher, androstenedione (A2) is ∼1.5-fold higher and luteinizing hormone (LH) is ∼14-fold higher in NC-IVF than in cIVF follicles, suggesting an alteration of the follicular metabolism in conventional gonadotrophin stimulated IVF. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY In conventional IVF, the implantation rate of unselected embryos appears to be lower than in NC-IVF, which is possibly due to negative effects of the stimulation regimen on follicular metabolism. In NC-IVF, the intrafollicular concentration of AMH has been shown to be positively correlated with the oocyte fertilization and implantation rates. Furthermore, androgen treatment seems to improve the ovarian response in low responders. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION This cross-sectional study involving 36 NC-IVF and 40 cIVF cycles was performed from 2011 to 2013. Within this population, 13 women each underwent 1 NC-IVF and 1 cIVF cycle. cIVF was performed by controlled ovarian stimulation with HMG and GnRH antagonists. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Follicular fluid was collected from the leading follicles. AMH, T, A2, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), E2, FSH, LH and progesterone (P) were determined by immunoassays in 76 women. Aromatase activity in follicular fluid cells was analysed by a tritiated water release assay in 33 different women. For statistical analysis, the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U or Wilcoxon tests were used. MAIN RESULTS AND ROLE OF CHANCE In follicular fluid from NC-IVF and from cIVF, median levels were 32.8 and 10.7 pmol/l for AMH (P < 0.0001), 47.2 and 18.8 µmol/l for T (P < 0.0001), 290 and 206 nmol/l for A2 (P = 0.0035), 6.7 and 5.6 pg/ml for DHEA (n.s.), 3292 and 1225 nmol/l for E2 (P < 0.0001), 4.9 and 7.2 mU/ml for FSH (P < 0.05), 14.4 and 0.9 mU/ml for LH (P < 0.0001) and 62 940 and 54 710 nmol/l for P (n.s.), respectively. Significant differences in follicular fluid concentrations for AMH, E2 and LH were also found in the 13 patients who underwent both NC-IVF and cIVF when they were analysed separately in pairs. Hormone analysis in serum excluded any relevant impact of AMH, T, A2, and E2 serum concentration on the follicular fluid hormone concentrations. Median serum concentrations were 29.4 and 0.9 mU/ml for LH (P < 0.0001) and 2.7 and 23.5 nmol/l for P (P < 0.0001) after NC-IVF and c-IVF, respectively. Positive correlations were seen for FF-AMH with FF-T (r = 0.35, P = 0.0002), FF-T with FF-LH (r = 0.48, P < 0.0001) and FF-E2 with FF-T (r = 0.75, P < 0.0001). The analysis of aromatase activity was not different in NC-IVF and cIVF follicular cells. LIMITATION, REASONS FOR CAUTION Any association between the hormone concentrations and the implantation potential of the oocytes could not be investigated as the oocytes in cIVF were not treated individually in the IVF laboratory. Since both c-IVF and NC-IVF follicles were stimulated by hCG before retrieval, the endocrine milieu in the natural cycle does not represent the pure physiological situation. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS The endocrine follicular milieu and the concentration of putative markers of oocyte quality, such as AMH, are significantly different in gonadotrophin-stimulated conventional IVF compared with natural cycle IVF. This could be a cause for the suggested lower oocyte quality in cIVF compared with naturally matured oocytes. The reasons for the reduced AMH concentration might be low serum and follicular fluid LH concentrations due to LH suppression, leading initially to low follicular androgen concentrations and then to low follicular AMH production. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS Funding for this study was obtained from public universities (for salaries) and private industry (for consumables). Additionally, the study was supported by an unrestricted grant from MSD Merck Sharp & Dohme GmbH and IBSA Institut Biochimique SA. The authors are clinically involved in low-dose monofollicular stimulation and IVF therapies, using gonadotrophins from all gonadotrophin distributors on the Swiss market, including Institut Biochimique SA and MSD Merck Sharp & Dohme GmbH. Otherwise, the authors have no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER Not applicabl
On the Calibration of Full-polarization 86GHz Global VLBI Observations
We report the development of a semi-automatic pipeline for the calibration of
86 GHz full-polarization observations performed with the Global Millimeter-VLBI
array (GMVA) and describe the calibration strategy followed in the data
reduction. Our calibration pipeline involves non-standard procedures, since
VLBI polarimetry at frequencies above 43 GHz is not yet well established. We
also present, for the first time, a full-polarization global-VLBI image at 86
GHz (source 3C 345), as an example of the final product of our calibration
pipeline, and discuss the effect of instrumental limitations on the fidelity of
the polarization images. Our calibration strategy is not exclusive for the
GMVA, and could be applied on other VLBI arrays at millimeter wavelengths. The
use of this pipeline will allow GMVA observers to get fully-calibrated datasets
shortly after the data correlation.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figures. Accepted for publication in A&
Naturally split supersymmetry
Nonobservation of superparticles till date, new Higgs mass limits from the
CMS and ATLAS experiments, WMAP constraints on relic density, various other low
energy data, and the naturalness consideration, all considered simultaneously
imply a paradigm shift of supersymmetric model building. In this paper we
perform, for the first time, a detailed numerical study of brane-world induced
supersymmetry breaking for both minimal and next-to-minimal scenarios. We
observe that a naturally hierarchical spectrum emerges through an interplay of
bulk, brane-localized and quasi-localized fields, which can gain more relevance
in the subsequent phases of the LHC run.Comment: 6 pages, 6 eps figures; v2: minor updates, to appear in JHE
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