Kolmogorov-Smirnov method for the determination of signal time-shifts

A new method for the determination of electric signal time-shifts is introduced. As the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, it is based on the comparison of the cumulative distribution functions of the reference signal with the test signal. This method is very fast and thus well suited for on-line applications. It is robust to noise and its performances in terms of precision are excellent for time-shifts ranging from a fraction to several sample durations. PACS. 29.40.Gx (Tracking and position-sensitive detectors), 29.30.Kv (X- and -ray spectroscopy), 07.50.Qx (Signal processing electronics)Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Fast analytical methods for the correction of signal random time-shifts and application to segmented HPGe detectors

Detection systems rely more and more on on-line or off-line comparison of detected signals with basis signals in order to determine the characteristics of the impinging particles. Unfortunately, these comparisons are very sensitive to the random time shifts that may alter the signal delivered by the detectors. We present two fast algebraic methods to determine the value of the time shift and to enhance the reliability of the comparison to the basis signals.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figure

Simulations of a single membrane between two walls using a Monte Carlo method

Quantitative theory of interbilayer interactions is essential to interpret x-ray scattering data and to elucidate these interactions for biologically relevant systems. For this purpose Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to obtain pressure P and positional fluctuations sigma. A new method, called Fourier Monte-Carlo (FMC), that is based on a Fourier representation of the displacement field, is developed and its superiority over the standard method is demonstrated. The FMC method is applied to simulating a single membrane between two hard walls, which models a stack of lipid bilayer membranes with non-harmonic interactions. Finite size scaling is demonstrated and used to obtain accurate values for P and sigma in the limit of a large continuous membrane. The results are compared with perturbation theory approximations, and numerical differences are found in the non-harmonic case. Therefore, the FMC method, rather than the approximations, should be used for establishing the connection between model potentials and observable quantities, as well as for pure modeling purposes.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure

Existence of solutions to a higher dimensional mean-field equation on manifolds

For $m\geq 1$ we prove an existence result for the equation $$(-\Delta_g)^m u+\lambda=\lambda\frac{e^{2mu}}{\int_M e^{2mu}d\mu_g}$$ on a closed Riemannian manifold $(M,g)$ of dimension $2m$ for certain values of $\lambda$.Comment: 15 Page

HUMAN ADIPOSE-DERIVED STEM CELLS ATTENUATE CIGARETTE SMOKE INDUCED BONE MARROW HYPOPLASIA VIA SECRETION OF ANTI-INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINE TSG-6

poster abstractIntroduction We have previously observed bone marrow (BM) hypo-plasia in a murine model of chronic smoking, which was ameliorated by mu-rine adipose-derived stromal cells (ASC). This study was designed to test the hypothesis that ASC exert their marrow protective effects through key paracrine factors. Methods Mice (NSG or C57BL/6) were exposed to ciga-rette smoke (CS) for 1 day to 6 months. Human ASC or ASC conditioned media were administered through intravenous (i.v.) or intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections. Secretion of TSG-6 from ASC in response to TNF alpha and IL-1 beta were measured by ELISA. Expression of TSG-6 in ASC was knocked down by siRNA. BM hematopoietic progenitors were quantified by colony forming-unit assays. Possible engrafted human ASC in mouse BM were ex-amined by anti-human nuclei staining. Results The myelossupressive effect of cigarette smoking occurred acutely (1 day: 65.6% of nonsmoking control, NSC, p0.05) or ASC conditioned media (105.7% NSC, p>0.05). Inflammatory cytokines (TNF alpha and IL-1 beta) elevated in smokers (Kuschner et al, 1996; de Maat et al, 2002) demonstrated strong cross-species stimulatory effects on secretions of an anti-inflammatory cytokine, TSG-6 from ASC (TNF alpha: 8.7 +/- 1.3 fold, IL-1 beta: 8.2 +/- 1.1 fold). Knocking down TSG-6 (>90%) abolished the marrow-protective effect of ASC. No human cells were detected in recipient mouse bone marrow. Conclusions The pro-tective effects of ASC against smoking-induced myelosuppression are medi-ated by trophic factors rather than cell engraftment or differentiation. TSG-6 appears to play a significant role in the modulatory pathway: smoke--inflammatory cytokine release--TSG6 secretion from ASC--bone marrow protection

πNN\pi NN coupling determined beyond the chiral limit

Within the conventional QCD sum rules, we calculate the $\pi NN$ coupling constant, $g_{\pi N}$, beyond the chiral limit using two-point correlation function with a pion. We consider the Dirac structure, $i\gamma_5$, at $m_\pi^2$ order, which has clear dependence on the PS and PV coupling schemes for the pion-nucleon interactions. For a consistent treatment of the sum rule, we include the linear terms in quark mass as they constitute the same chiral order as $m_\pi^2$. Using the PS coupling scheme for the pion-nucleon interaction, we obtain $g_{\pi N}=13.3\pm 1.2$, which is very close to the empirical $\pi NN$ coupling. This demonstrates that going beyond the chiral limit is crucial in determining the coupling and the pseudoscalar coupling scheme is preferable from the QCD point of view.Comment: 8 pages, revtex, some errors are corrected, substantially revise

Excited states in Sm139 described with the interacting boson model plus broken pairs

The high-spin structure of Sm139 has been studied through the Pd110(34S,5n) reaction at beam energies of 150 and 165 MeV. The level scheme has been extended up to an excitation energy of 11.1 MeV and spin 61/2+. A band built on the νi13/2 [660]1/2+ intruder orbital has been established and firmly linked to the known lower-spin levels in the nucleus. The low-lying states of both parities as well as a relatively strong ΔI=1 regular structure observed above spin 27/2- are nicely reproduced by the interacting boson-fermion model with broken pairs