645 research outputs found
Diffusion in a Granular Fluid - Simulation
The linear response description for impurity diffusion in a granular fluid
undergoing homogeneous cooling is developed in the preceeding paper. The
formally exact Einstein and Green-Kubo expressions for the self-diffusion
coefficient are evaluated there from an approximation to the velocity
autocorrelation function. These results are compared here to those from
molecular dynamics simulations over a wide range of density and inelasticity,
for the particular case of self-diffusion. It is found that the approximate
theory is in good agreement with simulation data up to moderate densities and
degrees of inelasticity. At higher density, the effects of inelasticity are
stronger, leading to a significant enhancement of the diffusion coefficient
over its value for elastic collisions. Possible explanations associated with an
unstable long wavelength shear mode are explored, including the effects of
strong fluctuations and mode coupling
First results of the BATSE/COMPTEL/NMSU rapid burst response campaign
The Imaging Compton Telescope (COMPTEL) on board the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory regularly observes gammaâray bursts which occur inside the instrumentâs âŒ1 sr fieldâofâview. COMPTEL images bursts in the 0.75â30 MeV energy range with a typical location accuracy of 1â3 degrees, depending on burst strength, position, duration, and spectrum. COMPTELâs imaging capability has been exploited in order to search for fading gammaâray burst counterparts at other wavelengths through the establishment of a BATSE/COMPTEL/NMSU rapid burst response campaign. This campaign utilizes near realâtime identification and preliminary burst location by BATSE, accelerated COMPTEL imaging, and a worldâwide network of observers to search COMPTEL error boxes as quickly as possible. Timely, deep searches for lingering counterpart emission of several bursts per year are the realized goal of this campaign. During its first year of operation, the rapid response program has been successfully applied to two strong bursts: GRB 930131 and GRB 930309. These bursts were imaged in record time only hours after their occurrence. Subsequently, several observations were made at radio and optical observatories worldâwide
Influence of Morphology and Permafrost Dynamics on Hyporheic Exchange in Arctic Headwater Streams under Warming Climate Conditions
We investigated surface-subsurface (hyporheic) exchange in two morphologically distinct arctic headwater streams experiencing warming (thawing) sub-channel conditions. Empirically parameterized and calibrated groundwater flow models were used to assess the influence of sub-channel thaw on hyporheic exchange. Average thaw depths were at least two-fold greater under the higher-energy, alluvial stream than under the lowenergy, peat-lined stream. Alluvial hyporheic exchange had shorter residence times and longer flowpaths that occurred across greater portions of the thawed sediments. For both reaches, the morphologic (longitudinal bed topography) and hydraulic conditions (surface and groundwater flow properties) set the potential for hyporheic flow. Simulations of deeper thaw, as predicted under a warming arctic climate, only influence hyporheic exchange until a threshold depth. This depth is primarily determined by the hydraulic head gradients imposed by the stream morphology. Therefore, arctic hyporheic exchange extent is likely to be independent of greater sub-stream thaw depths
The N terminus of myosin-binding protein C extends toward actin filaments in intact cardiac muscle
Myosin and actin filaments are highly organized within muscle sarcomeres. Myosin-binding protein C (MyBP-C) is a flexible, rod-like protein located within the C-zone of the sarcomere. The C-terminal domain of MyBP-C is tethered to the myosin filament backbone, and the N-terminal domains are postulated to interact with actin and/or the myosin head to modulate filament sliding. To define where the N-terminal domains of MyBP-C are localized in the sarcomere of active and relaxed mouse myocardium, the relative positions of the N terminus of MyBP-C and actin were imaged in fixed muscle samples using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. The resolution of the imaging was enhanced by particle averaging. The images demonstrate that the position of the N terminus of MyBP-C is biased toward the actin filaments in both active and relaxed muscle preparations. Comparison of the experimental images with images generated in silico, accounting for known binding partner interactions, suggests that the N-terminal domains of MyBP-C may bind to actin and possibly the myosin head but only when the myosin head is in the proximity of an actin filament. These physiologically relevant images help define the molecular mechanism by which the N-terminal domains of MyBP-C may search for, and capture, molecular binding partners to tune cardiac contractility
The smart activatable P2&3TT probe allows accurate, fast, and highly sensitive detection of Staphylococcus aureus in clinical blood culture samples
Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) is associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. Yet, there is currently no adequate diagnostic test for early and rapid diagnosis of SAB. Therefore, this study was aimed at exploring the potential for clinical implementation of a nuclease-activatable fluorescent probe for early diagnosis of SAB. To this end, clinical blood culture samples from patients with bloodstream infections were incubated for 1 h with the "smart" activatable P2&3TT probe, the total assay time being less than 2 h. Cleavage of this probe by the secreted S. aureus enzyme micrococcal nuclease results in emission of a readily detectable fluorescence signal. Incubation of S. aureus-positive blood culture samples with the P2&3TT probe resulted in 50-fold higher fluorescence intensity levels than incubation with culture-negative samples. Moreover, incubation of the probe with non-S. aureus-positive blood cultures yielded essentially background fluorescence intensity levels for cultures with Gram-negative bacteria, and onlyâ~â3.5-fold increased fluorescence intensity levels over background for cultures with non-S. aureus Gram-positive bacteria. Importantly, the measured fluorescence intensities were dose-dependent, and a positive signal was clearly detectable for S. aureus-positive blood cultures with bacterial loads as low asâ~â7,000 colony-forming units/mL. Thus, the nuclease-activatable P2&3TT probe distinguishes clinical S. aureus-positive blood cultures from non-S. aureus-positive blood cultures and culture-negative blood, accurately, rapidly and with high sensitivity. We conclude that this probe may enhance the diagnosis of SAB
Diffusion in a Granular Fluid - Theory
Many important properties of granular fluids can be represented by a system
of hard spheres with inelastic collisions. Traditional methods of
nonequilibrium statistical mechanics are effective for analysis and description
of the inelastic case as well. This is illustrated here for diffusion of an
impurity particle in a fluid undergoing homogeneous cooling. An appropriate
scaling of the Liouville equation is described such that the homogeneous
cooling ensemble and associated time correlation functions map to those of a
stationary state. In this form the familiar methods of linear response can be
applied, leading to Green - Kubo and Einstein representations of diffusion in
terms of the velocity and mean square displacement correlation functions. These
correlation functions are evaluated approximately using a cumulant expansion
and from kinetic theory, providing the diffusion coefficient as a function of
the density and the restitution coefficients. Comparisons with results from
molecular dynamics simulation are given in the following companion paper
Comparison of Instantaneous and Constant-Rate Stream Tracer Experiments Through Parametric Analysis of Residence Time Distributions
Artificial tracers are frequently employed to characterize solute residence times in stream systems and infer the nature of water retention. When the duration of tracer application is different between experiments, tracer breakthrough curves at downstream locations are difficult to compare directly. We explore methods for deriving stream solute residence time distributions (RTD) from tracer test data, allowing direct, non-parametric comparison of results from experiments of different durations. Paired short- and long-duration field experiments were performed using instantaneous and constant-rate tracer releases, respectively. The experiments were conducted in two study reaches that were morphologically distinct in channel structure and substrate size. Frequency- and time domain deconvolution techniques were used to derive RTDs from the resulting tracer concentrations. Comparisons of results between experiments of different duration demonstrated few differences in hydrologic retention characteristics inferred from short- and long-term tracer tests. Because non-parametric RTD analysis does not presume any shape of the distribution, it is useful for comparisons across tracer experiments with variable inputs and for validations of fundamental transport model assumptions
Data series subtraction with unknown and unmodeled background noise
LISA Pathfinder (LPF), ESA's precursor mission to a gravitational wave
observatory, will measure the degree to which two test-masses can be put into
free-fall, aiming to demonstrate a residual relative acceleration with a power
spectral density (PSD) below 30 fm/s/Hz around 1 mHz. In LPF data
analysis, the measured relative acceleration data series must be fit to other
various measured time series data. This fitting is required in different
experiments, from system identification of the test mass and satellite dynamics
to the subtraction of noise contributions from measured known disturbances. In
all cases, the background noise, described by the PSD of the fit residuals, is
expected to be coloured, requiring that we perform such fits in the frequency
domain. This PSD is unknown {\it a priori}, and a high accuracy estimate of
this residual acceleration noise is an essential output of our analysis. In
this paper we present a fitting method based on Bayesian parameter estimation
with an unknown frequency-dependent background noise. The method uses noise
marginalisation in connection with averaged Welch's periodograms to achieve
unbiased parameter estimation, together with a consistent, non-parametric
estimate of the residual PSD. Additionally, we find that the method is
equivalent to some implementations of iteratively re-weighted least-squares
fitting. We have tested the method both on simulated data of known PSD, and to
analyze differential acceleration from several experiments with the LISA
Pathfinder end-to-end mission simulator.Comment: To appear Phys. Rev. D90 August 201
Identifying Effects and Applications of Fixed and Variable Speed Limits
In Indiana, distracted driving and unexpected queues have led to an increase in the amount of back-of-queue crashes, particularly on approach to work zones. This report presents new strategies for the assessment of both transportation safety and traffic operations using crowd-sourced probe vehicle data and a speed laser vehicle re-identification scheme. This report concludes by recommending strategies for the placement of variable speed limits (VSL) adjacent to work zones and suggestions for future research
An integrated approach to identify new anti-filarial leads to treat river blindness, a neglected tropical disease
Filarial worms cause multiple debilitating diseases in millions of people worldwide, including river blindness. Currently available drugs reduce transmission by killing larvae (microfilariae), but there are no effective cures targeting the adult parasites (macrofilaricides) which survive and reproduce in the host for very long periods. To identify effective macrofilaricides, we carried out phenotypic screening of a library of 2121 approved drugs for clinical use against adul
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