318 research outputs found
LoCuSS: Hydrostatic Mass Measurements of the High- Cluster Sample -- Cross-calibration of Chandra and XMM-Newton
We present a consistent analysis of Chandra and XMM-Newton observations of an
approximately mass-selected sample of 50 galaxy clusters at -- the
"LoCuSS High- Sample". We apply the same analysis methods to data from
both satellites, including newly developed analytic background models that
predict the spatial variation of the Chandra and XMM-Newton backgrounds to
and precision respectively. To verify the cross-calibration of
Chandra and XMM-Newton-based cluster mass measurements, we derive the mass
profiles of the 21 clusters that have been observed with both satellites,
extracting surface brightness and temperature profiles from identical regions
of the respective datasets. We obtain consistent results for the gas and total
hydrostatic cluster masses: the average ratio of Chandra- to XMM-Newton-based
measurements of and at are and
, respectively with an intrinsic scatter of for gas
masses and for hydrostatic masses. Comparison of our hydrostatic mass
measurements at with the latest LoCuSS weak-lensing results indicate
that the data are consistent with non-thermal pressure support at this radius
of . We also investigate the scaling relation between our hydrostatic
cluster masses and published integrated Compton parameter
measurements from the Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Array. We measure a scatter in mass at
fixed of at , which is consistent with
theoretical predictions of scatter.Comment: 21 pages, 11 figure
High-intensity exercise training induces morphological and biochemical changes in skeletal muscle
Skeletal muscle shows an elevated plasticity and can adapt its metabolic and contractile properties in response to a variety of stimuli such as physical exercise. This implies a series of biochemical and morphological changes in the recruited muscle, in order to produce the more appropriate functional response dependent on the specific stimulation. To determine the effective role of physical exercise in the muscle plasticity, in the present study we investigated the effect of two different exercise protocols on fiber composition and metabolism of two specific muscles of mice: the quadriceps -a fast-twitch muscle- and the gastrocnemius -a typical slow-twitch muscle. Mice were run daily on a motorized treadmill for 8 weeks, at a velocity corresponding to 60% (low-intensity exercise) or 90% (high-intensity exercise) of the maximal running velocity previously determined by an incremental exercise test. We found that at the end of training the body weight was significantly increased in highintensity exercise mice (18.2 ± 1.4 %) compared to low-intensity exercise (8.7 ± 0.6 %) and control (12.7 ± 0.5 %) groups, and it was lesser in low-intensity exercise mice compared to controls. In contrast, the food intake of both exercise training mice was greater compared to control group. Whereas low-intensity exercise mice, despite consumed significantly more food compared to control mice, increased the weight lesser, the weight increase of high-intensity exercise mice, that consumed significantly more food compared to other experimental groups, was significantly greater. These effects were accompanied by a progressive reduction in blood lactate levels at the end of training in both the exercised mice compared with controls; in particular, blood lactate levels after highintensity exercise were significantly lower than those measured in low-intensity exercise mice. Moreover, in the present study we demonstrated that high-intensity exercise training produced a significant increase in the expression of mitochondrial complex enzymes (significant for the enzymes corresponding to the Complex IV, II and I of mitochondrial chain) both in gastrocnemius and quadriceps muscle, compared with controls. These changes were associated with an increase in the amount of slow fibers in both these muscle of high-intensity exercise mice. No changing in the expression of mitochondrial enzymes and in the percentage of slow fibers were found in low-intensity exercise mice
A weak lensing analysis of the PLCK G100.2-30.4 cluster
We present a mass estimate of the Planck-discovered cluster PLCK G100.2-30.4,
derived from a weak lensing analysis of deep SUBARU griz images. We perform a
careful selection of the background galaxies using the multi-band imaging data,
and undertake the weak lensing analysis on the deep (1hr) r-band image. The
shape measurement is based on the KSB algorithm; we adopt the PSFex software to
model the Point Spread Function (PSF) across the field and correct for this in
the shape measurement. The weak lensing analysis is validated through extensive
image simulations. We compare the resulting weak lensing mass profile and total
mass estimate to those obtained from our re-analysis of XMM-Newton
observations, derived under the hypothesis of hydrostatic equilibrium. The
total integrated mass profiles are in remarkably good agreement, agreeing
within 1 across their common radial range. A mass is derived for the cluster from our weak lensing
analysis. Comparing this value to that obtained from our reanalysis of
XMM-Newton data, we obtain a bias factor of (1-b) = 0.8 0.1. This is
compatible within 1 with the value of (1-b) obtained by Planck
Collaboration XXIV from their calibration of the bias factor using
newly-available weak lensing reconstructed masses.Comment: 11 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication on Astronomy &
Astrophysics; updates in affiliation
A newly identified galaxy group thanks to tidal streams of intragroup light
In the accretion-driven growth scenario, part of the intracluster light is
formed in the group environment. We report the serendipitous discovery of a
group of galaxies with signs of diffuse light in the foreground of the known
galaxy cluster MACS J0329-0211 at z=0.45. Our investigation began with the
detection of diffuse light streams around a pair of bright galaxies in the
southeastern region of a Suprime-Cam image of the galaxy cluster MACS
J0329-0211. Our analysis is based on the extended CLASH-VLT redshift catalog
and on new spectroscopic data obtained ad hoc with the Italian Telescopio
Nazionale Galileo. We use the density reconstruction method to analyze the
redshift distribution of the galaxies in the region around the galaxy pair. We
also use available photometric and X-ray data to better characterize the
properties of the group. Thanks to the large amount of redshift data collected
in this region, we have been able to discover the existence of a group of
galaxies, here called GrG J0330-0218, which is associated with the pair of
galaxies. These are the two brightest group galaxies (BGG1 and BGG2). We
extracted 41 group members from the redshift catalog and estimate a mean
redshift z=0.1537 and a line-of-sight velocity dispersion sigmav=370 km/s. In
the phase-space diagram, the distribution of the galaxies of GrG J0330-0218
follows the characteristic trumpet-shaped pattern, which is related to the
escape velocity of galaxy clusters, suggesting that the group is a virialized
structure. Under this assumption, the mass of the group is M200 about 6E13
Msun. We also measured a mass-to-light ratio of 130 Msun/Lsun and a luminosity
fraction of diffuse light of about 20% within 0.5 R200. We conjecture that
galaxy pairs that are surrounded by diffuse light, probably due to tidal
interactions, can serve as signposts for groups.Comment: Astronomy & Astrophysics accepted, 13 pages, 10 figure
A calorimeter coupled with a magnetic spectrometer for the detection of primary cosmic antiprotons
A tracking calorimeter made of 3200 brass streamer tubes together with 3200 pick-up strips has been built to complement a magnetic spectrometer in order to detect cosmic antiprotons in space. The characteristics of such a calorimeter, the results of a preliminary test of a prototype as well as the properties of the whole apparatus are presented. The apparatus, designed to operate on a balloon at an altitude of about 40 km, can be considered as a second generation detector, capable in principle to solve the problem of the presence of low energy (â€1 Ge V/c) antiprotons in the cosmic rays which is still open because of the disagreement between the existent experimental data
VIP: An Experiment to Search for a Violation of the Pauli Exclusion Principle
The Pauli Exclusion Principle is a basic principle of Quantum Mechanics, and
its validity has never been seriously challenged. However, given its
fundamental standing, it is very important to check it as thoroughly as
possible. Here we describe the VIP (VIolation of the Pauli exclusion principle)
experiment, an improved version of the Ramberg and Snow experiment (E. Ramberg
and G. Snow, {\it Phys. Lett. B} {\bf 238}, 438 (1990)); VIP has just completed
the installation at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory, and aims to test the
Pauli Exclusion Principle for electrons with unprecedented accuracy, down to
. We report preliminary experimental
results and briefly discuss some of the implications of a possible violation.Comment: Plenary talk presented by E. Milotti at Meson 2006, Cracow, 9-13 June
200
New experimental limit on the Pauli Exclusion Principle violation by electrons
The Pauli Exclusion Principle (PEP) is one of the basic principles of modern
physics and, even if there are no compelling reasons to doubt its validity, it
is still debated today because an intuitive, elementary explanation is still
missing, and because of its unique stand among the basic symmetries of physics.
The present paper reports a new limit on the probability that PEP is violated
by electrons, in a search for a shifted K line in copper: the presence
of this line in the soft X-ray copper fluorescence would signal a transition to
a ground state already occupied by 2 electrons. The obtained value, , improves the existing limit by almost two
orders of magnitude.Comment: submitted to Phys. Lett.
High-intensity exercise training induces morphological and biochemical changes in skeletal muscles
IN THE PRESENT STUDY WE INVESTIGATED THE EFFECT OF TWO DIFFERENT EXERCISE PROTOCOLS ON FIBRE COMPOSITION AND METABOLISM OF TWO SPECIFIC MUSCLES OF MICE: the quadriceps and the gastrocnemius. Mice were run daily on a motorized treadmill, at a velocity corresponding to 60% or 90% of the maximal running velocity. Blood lactate and body weight were measured during exercise training. We found that at the end of training the body weight significantly increased in high-intensity exercise mice compared to the control group (P=0.0268), whereas it decreased in low-intensity exercise mice compared to controls (P=0.30). In contrast, the food intake was greater in both trained mice compared to controls (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.0001 for low-intensity and high-intensity exercise mice, respectively). These effects were accompanied by a progressive reduction in blood lactate levels at the end of training in both the exercised mice compared with controls (P=0.03 and P < 0.0001 for low-intensity and high-intensity exercise mice, respectively); in particular, blood lactate levels after high-intensity exercise were significantly lower than those measured in low-intensity exercise mice (P=0.0044). Immunoblotting analysis demonstrated that high-intensity exercise training produced a significant increase in the expression of mitochondrial enzymes contained within gastrocnemius and quadriceps muscles. These changes were associated with an increase in the amount of slow fibres in both these muscles of high-intensity exercise mice, as revealed by the counts of slow fibres stained with specific antibodies (P < 0.0001 for the gastrocnemius; P=0.0002 for the quadriceps). Our results demonstrate that high-intensity exercise, in addition to metabolic changes consisting of a decrease in blood lactate and body weight, induces an increase in the mitochondrial enzymes and slow fibres in different skeletal muscles of mice, which indicates an exercise-induced increase in the aerobic metabolism
Non-Pauli Effects from Noncommutative Spacetimes
Noncommutative spacetimes lead to nonlocal quantum field theories (qft's)
where spin-statistics theorems cannot be proved. For this reason, and also
backed by detailed arguments, it has been suggested that they get corrected on
such spacetimes leading to small violations of the Pauli principle. In a recent
paper \cite{Pauli}, Pauli-forbidden transitions from spacetime noncommutativity
were calculated and confronted with experiments. Here we give details of the
computation missing from this paper. The latter was based on a spacetime
different from the Moyal plane. We argue that it
quantizes time in units of . Energy is then conserved only mod
. Issues related to superselection rules raised by non-Pauli
effects are also discussed in a preliminary manner.Comment: 15 Pages, 1 Table, Full details and further developments of
arXiv:1003.2250. This version is close to the one accepted by JHE
New experimental limit on Pauli Exclusion Principle violation by electrons (the VIP experiment)
The Pauli exclusion principle (PEP) represents one of the basic principles of
modern physics and, even if there are no compelling reasons to doubt its
validity, it still spurs a lively debate, because an intuitive, elementary
explanation is still missing, and because of its unique stand among the basic
symmetries of physics. A new limit on the probability that PEP is violated by
electrons was estabilished by the VIP (VIolation of the Pauli exclusion
principle) Collaboration, using the method of searching for PEP forbidden
atomic transitions in copper. The preliminary value, {1/2}\beta^{2} \textless
4.5\times 10^{-28}, represents an improvement of about two orders of magnitude
of the previous limit. The goal of VIP is to push this limit at the level of
.Comment: submitted to Journal of Physics: Conference Series, by the Institute
of Physic
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