SuperRad: A black hole superradiance gravitational waveform model

Gravitational signatures of black hole superradiance are a unique probe of ultralight particles that are weakly-coupled to ordinary matter. The existence of an ultralight boson would lead spinning black holes with size comparable to the Compton wavelength of the boson to become superradiantly unstable to forming an oscillating cloud, spinning down the black hole, and radiating gravitational waves in the process. However, maximizing the chance of observing such signals or, in their absence, placing the strongest constraints on the existence of such particles, requires accurate theoretical predictions. In this work, we introduce a new gravitational waveform model, SuperRad, that models the dynamics, oscillation frequency, and gravitational wave signals of these clouds by combining numerical results in the relativistic regime with fits calibrated to analytical estimates, covering the entire parameter space of ultralight scalar and vector clouds with the lowest two azimuthal numbers ($m = 1$ and $2$). We present new calculations of the gravitational wave frequency evolution as the boson cloud dissipates, including using fully general-relativistic methods to quantify the error in more approximate treatments. Finally, as a first application, we assess the viability of conducting follow-up gravitational wave searches for ultralight vector clouds around massive black hole binary merger remnants. We show that LISA may be able to probe vector masses in the range from $1\times 10^{-16}$ eV to $6\times 10^{-16}$ eV using follow-up gravitational wave searches.Comment: 22 pages, 15 figures, code repository: www.bitbucket.org/weast/superra

Soil carbon insures arable crop production against increasing adverse weather due to climate change

Intensification of arable crop production degrades soil health and production potential through loss of soil organic carbon. This, potentially, reduces agriculture's resilience to climate change and thus food security. Furthermore, the expected increase in frequency of adverse and extreme weather events due to climate change are likely to affect crop yields differently, depending on when in the growing season they occur. We show that soil carbon provides farmers with a natural insurance against climate change through a gain in yield stability and more resilient production. To do this, we combined yield observations from 12 sites and 54 years of Swedish long-term agricultural experiments with historical weather data. To account for heterogenous climate effects, we partitioned the growing season into four representative phases for two major cereal crops. Thereby, we provide evidence that higher soil carbon increases yield gains from favourable conditions and reduces yield losses due to adverse weather events and how this occurs over different stages of the growing season. However, agricultural management practices that restore the soil carbon stock, thus contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation, usually come at the cost of foregone yield for the farmer in the short term. To halt soil degradation and make arable crop production more resilient to climate change, we need agricultural policies that address the public benefits of soil conservation and restoration

Company cars: identifying the problems and challenges of a tax system

There were approximately 650 000 company cars in Belgium in 2016 of a total of 5 700 000 cars on the roads. It may be estimated that approximately 100 000 company cars enter, exit or are driven in the Brussels Region every day: they therefore undoubtedly have a significant impact on regional mobility. This article first attempts to describe the tax system for company cars along with the specificities of the cars concerned. Next, this synopsis describes the characteristics of the companies which provide these cars and the profile of the employees who use them. An analysis of the distances travelled by company cars and their impact on road traffic is conducted, as well as an assessment of the impact of the system on taxes and salaries. Finally, a brief analysis of the environmental impact of company cars is carried out concerning the production of greenhouse gases as well as the impact of emissions on human health. The challenges and debates related to company cars in Brussels and in Belgium are put into perspective at the end of the article.La Belgique compte environ 650 000 voitures de société en 2016 pour un total de 5 700 000 voitures en circulation. On peut estimer qu'environ 100 000 voitures de société entrent, sortent ou circulent en Région bruxelloise chaque jour : celles-ci ont donc très certainement un impact important sur la mobilité régionale. Cet article s'attache d’abord à décrire en quoi consiste le régime fiscal des voitures et les spécificités des voitures concernées. Ensuite, cette note de synthèse décrit les caractéristiques des entreprises qui proposent ces véhicules et le profil des travailleurs qui en bénéficient. Une analyse des distances parcourues par les voitures de société et leur impact sur le trafic automobile est proposée ainsi qu'une estimation de l'impact fiscal et salarial du système. Enfin, une brève analyse des conséquences environnementales des voitures de société est établie concernant tant la production de gaz à effet de serre que l'impact des émissions sur la santé humaine. Une mise en perspective des enjeux et débats liés à la question de la voiture de société à Bruxelles et en Belgique conclut l'article.België telt in totaal 5 700 000 auto’s, waarvan zo’n 650 000 bedrijfswagens in 2016. Naar schatting rijden er iedere dag ongeveer 100 000 bedrijfswagens in, uit en binnen het Brussels Gewest. Bedrijfswagens hebben dus zeker een grote impact op de mobiliteit in het gewest. Dit artikel beschrijft eerst en vooral het fiscale regime van de bedrijfswagens en de specifieke kenmerken van dit type wagens. Vervolgens gaat de synthesenota dieper in op de kenmerken van de bedrijven die deze voertuigen aanbieden en op het profiel van de werknemers die een bedrijfswagen ter beschikking gesteld krijgen. Verder analyseren de auteurs de afstanden die bedrijfswagens afleggen en hun impact op het autoverkeer en schatten zij de fiscale en loonimpact van het systeem in. Ook worden de gevolgen van bedrijfswagens voor het milieu kort geanalyseerd qua productie van broeikasgassen en impact van de emissies op de volksgezondheid. Tot slot plaatst het artikel de uitdagingen en debatten rond de kwestie van de bedrijfswagen op Brussels en op nationaal niveau in perspectief

Gluteal Muscle Activation During Common Yoga Poses

# Background Approximately 24% of physical therapists report regularly using yoga to strengthen major muscle groups. Although clinicians and athletes often use yoga as a form of strength training, little is known about the activation of specific muscle groups during yoga poses, including the gluteus maximus and medius. # Hypothesis/Purpose The purpose of this study was to measure gluteus maximimus and gluteus medius activation via electromyography (EMG) during five common yoga poses. A secondary purpose of the current study was to examine differences in muscle activation between sexes and experience levels. # Study Design Cross-Sectional # Methods Thirty-one healthy males and females aged 18-35 years were tested during five yoga poses performed in a randomized order. Surface EMG electrodes were placed on subjects’ right gluteus maximus and gluteus medius. Subjects performed the poses on both sides following a maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) test for each muscle. All yoga pose EMG data were normalized to the corresponding muscle MVIC data. # Results Highest gluteus maximus activation occurred during Half Moon Pose on the lifted/back leg (63.3% MVIC), followed by the stance/front leg during Half Moon Pose (61.7%), then the lifted/back leg during Warrior Three Pose (46.1%). Highest gluteus medius activation occurred during Half Moon Pose on the lifted/back leg (41.9%), followed by the lifted/back leg during the Warrior Three Pose (41.6%). A significant difference was found in %MVIC of gluteus medius activity between male and female subjects (p = 0.026), and between experienced and inexperienced subjects (p = 0.050), indicating higher activation among males and inexperienced subjects, respectively. # Conclusion Half Moon Pose and Warrior Three Pose elicited the highest activation for both the gluteus maximus and the gluteus medius. Higher gluteus medius activation was seen in males and inexperienced subjects compared to their female and experienced counterparts. # Level of Evidence

Delt situasjonsforståelse under søk og redning i nordområdene

Prosjektets mål er å bidra til økt kunnskap om hvordan etablere delt situasjonsforståelse mellom sentrale aktører innen SAR i Nordområdet. Prosjektgruppa har arbeidet ut ifra en menneske-teknologi-organisasjon (MTO) tilnærming og hvor vi har sett på 1) menneskelige og organisatoriske faktorer og 2) tekniske faktorer som virker inn på etableringen av delt situasjonsforståelse mellom aktører. Det er blitt samlet inn statistikk over hendelser, involverte ressurser og aktører, det er gjennomført en litteraturgjennomgang, arrangert en workshop og utført intervjuer med aktører innen SAR. I denne rapporten legger vi fram resultater fra disse studiene som er gjort. Rapporten inneholder følgende hovedelementer: • Oversikt over eksisterende tekniske, menneskelige og organisatoriske utfordringer for delt situasjonsforståelse og effektiviteten i SAR-tjenesten. • Forslag til konkrete aktiviteter og tiltak som vil bidra til en bedre delt situasjonsforståels

Small bowel enteroclysis with magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography in patients with failed and uncertain passage of a patency capsule

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Video capsule enteroscopy (VCE) has revolutionized small bowel imaging, enabling visual examination of the mucosa of the entire small bowel, while MR enteroclysis (MRE) and CT enteroclysis (CTE) have largely replaced conventional barium enteroclysis. A new indication for MRE and CTE is the clinical suspicion of small bowel strictures, as indicated by delayed or non-delivery of a test capsule given before a VCE examination, to exclude stenosis. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical value of subsequent MRE and CTE in patients in whom a test capsule did not present itself in due time.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Seventy-five consecutive patients were identified with a delayed or unnoticed delivery of the test capsule. Seventy patients consented to participate and underwent MRE (44) or CTE (26). The medical records and imaging studies were retrospectively reviewed and symptoms, laboratory results and imaging findings recorded.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Lesions compatible with Crohns disease were shown by MRE in 5 patients, by CTE in one and by VCE in four, one of whom had lesions on MRE. In patients without alarm symptoms and findings (weight loss, haematochezia, anaemia, nocturnal diarrheoa, ileus, fistula, abscess and abnormal blood tests) imaging studies did not unveil any such lesion. VCE's were performed in only 20 patients, mainly younger than 50 years of age, although no stenotic lesion was shown by MRE and CTE. In the remaining 50 patients no VCE or other endoscopic intervention was performed indicating that the referring physician was content with the diagnostic information from MRE or CTE.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The diagnostic value of MRE and CTE is sufficient for clinical management of most patients with suspected small bowel disease, and thus VCE may be omitted or at least postponed for later usage.</p

Voitures de société et mobilité durable. Diagnostic et enjeux

La voiture de société est, sans aucun doute, un des avantages de toute nature (ATN) les plus fréquemment proposés par les entreprises à leurs employés. Combien compte-t-on de voitures de société en Belgique ? Quels sont les profils des usagers ? Et quels sont les impacts sociétaux, environnementaux et économiques de cet « avantage »

The Index Bundle and Multiparameter Bifurcation for Discrete Dynamical Systems

We develop a K-theoretic approach to multiparameter bifurcation theory of homoclinic solutions of discrete non-autonomous dynamical systems from a branch of stationary solutions. As a byproduct we obtain a family index theorem for asymptotically hyperbolic linear dynamical systems which is of independent interest. In the special case of a single parameter, our bifurcation theorem weakens the assumptions in previous work by Pejsachowicz and the first author