43,312 research outputs found
Statistical physics of cerebral embolization leading to stroke
We discuss the physics of embolic stroke using a minimal model of emboli
moving through the cerebral arteries. Our model of the blood flow network
consists of a bifurcating tree, into which we introduce particles (emboli) that
halt flow on reaching a node of similar size. Flow is weighted away from
blocked arteries, inducing an effective interaction between emboli. We justify
the form of the flow weighting using a steady flow (Poiseuille) analysis and a
more complicated nonlinear analysis. We discuss free flowing and heavily
congested limits and examine the transition from free flow to congestion using
numerics. The correlation time is found to increase significantly at a critical
value, and a finite size scaling is carried out. An order parameter for
non-equilibrium critical behavior is identified as the overlap of blockages'
flow shadows. Our work shows embolic stroke to be a feature of the cerebral
blood flow network on the verge of a phase transition.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures. Major rewrite including improved justification
of the model and a finite size scalin
On the chain length dependence of local correlations in polymer melts and a perturbation theory of symmetric polymer blends
The self-consistent field (SCF) theory of dense polymer liquids assumes that
short-range correlations are almost independent of how monomers are connected
into polymers. Some limits of this idea are explored in the context of a
perturbation theory for mixtures of structurally identical polymer species, A
and B, in which the AB pair interaction differs slightly from the AA and BB
interaction, and the difference is controlled by a parameter alpha Expanding
the free energy to O(\alpha) yields an excess free energy of the form alpha
, in both lattice and continuum models, where z(N) is a
measure of the number of inter-molecular near neighbors of each monomer in a
one-component liquid. This quantity decreases slightly with increasing N
because the self-concentration of monomers from the same chain is slightly
higher for longer chains, creating a deeper correlation hole for longer chains.
We analyze the resulting -dependence, and predict that , where is an invariant degree of
polymerization, and . This and other predictions are
confirmed by comparison to simulations. We also propose a way to estimate the
effective interaction parameter appropriate for comparisons of simulation data
to SCF theory and to coarse-grained theories of corrections to SCF theory,
which is based on an extrapolation of coefficients in this perturbation theory
to the limit . We show that a renormalized one-loop theory
contains a quantitatively correct description of the -dependence of local
structure studied here.Comment: submitted to J. Chem. Phy
Analytical and experimental study of two concentric cylinders coupled by a fluid gap
From a structural point of view a liquid coolant type nuclear reactor consists of a heavy steel vessel containing the core and related mechanical components and filled with a hot fluid. This vessel is protected from the severe environment of the core by a shielding structure, the thermal liner, which is usually a relatively thin steel cylinder concentric with the reactor vessel and separated from it by a gap filled with the coolant fluid. This arrangement leads to a potential vibration problem if the fundamental frequency, or one of the higher natural vibration frequencies, of this liner system is close to the frequency of some vibration source present in the reactor vessel. The shell rigidly clamped at its base and free at the top was investigated since it is a better description of the conditions encountered in typical reactor designs
Burst-by-Burst Adaptive Decision Feedback Equalised TCM, TTCM and BICM for H.263-Assisted Wireless Video Telephony
Decision Feedback Equaliser (DFE) aided wideband Burst-by-Burst (BbB) Adaptive Trellis Coded Modulation (TCM), Turbo Trellis Coded Modulation (TTCM) and Bit-Interleaved Coded Modulation (BICM) assisted H.263-based video transceivers are proposed and characterised in performance terms when communicating over the COST 207 Typical Urban wideband fading channel. Specifically, four different modulation modes, namely 4QAM, 8PSK, 16QAM and 64QAM are invoked and protected by the above-mentioned coded modulation schemes. The TTCM assisted scheme was found to provide the best video performance, although at the cost of the highest complexity. A range of lower-complexity arrangements will also be characterised. Finally, in order to confirm these findings in an important practical environment, we have also investigated the adaptive TTCM scheme in the CDMA-based Universal Mobile Telecommunications System's (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) scenario and the good performance of adaptive TTCM scheme recorded when communicating over the COST 207 channels was retained in the UTRA environment
Effects of a Novel Dental Gel on Plaque and Gingivitis: A Comparative Study.
ObjectivesThe goal of this prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blinded study was to evaluate the effects of a novel dental gel on plaque and gingival health. The dental gel was designed to (1) break up and prevent re-accumulation of microbial biofilm, and (2) inhibit metal mediated inflammation.Materials and methodsTwenty-five subjects with moderate gingival inflammation (Löe and Silness Gingival Index ≥2) and pocket depths <4 were randomly assigned to brush twice daily for 21 days with the test or the control dental gel. On Days 0, 7, 14 and 21, plaque levels (Quigley-Hein, Turesky Modification Plaque Index), gingival inflammation (Löe and Silness Gingival Index) and gingival bleeding (modified Sulcus Bleeding Index) were determined by one blinded, investigator using a pressure sensitive probe.ResultsAfter 3 weeks, all 3 clinical indices were significantly improved in both groups (P<0.05) and significantly lower in the test group (P<0.05).ConclusionThe novel dental gel formulation was provided effective plaque control and reduced gingival inflammation.Clinical relevanceA novel dentifrice formulation may be an effective tool for plaque removal and maintaining gingival health
The influence of the cluster environment on the star formation efficiency of 12 Virgo spiral galaxies
The influence of the environment on gas surface density and star formation
efficiency of cluster spiral galaxies is investigated. We extend previous work
on radial profiles by a pixel-to pixel analysis looking for asymmetries due to
environmental interactions. The star formation rate is derived from GALEX UV
and Spitzer total infrared data. As in field galaxies, the star formation rate
for most Virgo galaxies is approximately proportional to the molecular gas
mass. Except for NGC 4438, the cluster environment does not affect the star
formation efficiency with respect to the molecular gas. Gas truncation is not
associated with major changes in the total gas surface density distribution of
the inner disk of Virgo spiral galaxies. In three galaxies, possible increases
in the molecular fraction and the star formation efficiency with respect to the
total gas, of factors of 1.5 to 2, are observed on the windward side of the
galactic disk. A significant increase of the star formation efficiency with
respect to the molecular gas content on the windward side of ram
pressure-stripped galaxies is not observed. The ram-pressure stripped
extraplanar gas of 3 highly inclined spiral galaxies shows a depressed star
formation efficiency with respect to the total gas, and one of them (NGC 4438)
shows a depressed rate even with respect to the molecular gas. The
interpretation is that stripped gas loses the gravitational confinement and
associated pressure of the galactic disk, and the gas flow is diverging, so the
gas density decreases and the star formation rate drops. However, the stripped
extraplanar gas in one highly inclined galaxy (NGC 4569) shows a normal star
formation efficiency with respect to the total gas. We propose this galaxy is
different because it is observed long after peak pressure, and its extraplanar
gas is now in a converging flow as it resettles back into the disk.Comment: 34 pages, 24 figures, accepted for publication by A&
Virgo Galaxies with Long One-Sided HI Tails
In a new HI imaging survey of Virgo galaxies (VIVA: VLA Imaging of Virgo
galaxies in Atomic gas), we find 7 spiral galaxies with long HI tails. The
morphology varies but all the tails are extended well beyond the optical radii
on one side. These galaxies are found in intermediate-low density regions
(0.6-1 Mpc in projection from M87). The tails are all pointing roughly away
from M87, suggesting that these tails may have been created by a global cluster
mechanism. While the tidal effects of the cluster potential are too small, a
rough estimate suggests that simple ram-pressure stripping indeed could have
formed the tails in all but two cases. At least three systems show HI
truncation to within the stellar disk, providing evidence for a gas-gas
interaction. Although most of these galaxies do not appear disturbed optically,
some have close neighbors, suggesting that tidal interactions may have moved
gas outwards making it more susceptible to the ICM ram-pressure or viscosity.
Indeed, a simulation study of one of the tail galaxies, NGC 4654, suggests that
the galaxy is most likely affected by the combined effect of a gravitational
interaction and ram-pressure stripping. We conclude that these one-sided HI
tail galaxies have recently arrived in the cluster, falling in on highly radial
orbits. It appears that galaxies begin to lose their gas already at
intermediate distances from the cluster center through ram-pressure or
turbulent viscous stripping and tidal interactions with neighbours, or a
combination of both.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures (including 1 plate), accepted for accepted for
publication in ApJ Letter (vol. 659, L115), a version with full resolution
Plate 1 is available from
http://www.astro.umass.edu/~achung/astro-ph/viva_tail.pd
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