Constant current source for converting absolute temperatures to analog voltages

Circuit configuration consisting of matched differential amplifier, temperature compensated zener diode, and low pinchoff-voltage field effect transistor provides accurate and stable current supply for temperature sensor devices

Equivariant intersection cohomology of the circle actions

In this paper, we prove that the orbit space B and the Euler class of an action of the circle S^1 on X determine both the equivariant intersection cohomology of the pseudomanifold X and its localization. We also construct a spectral sequence converging to the equivariant intersection cohomology of X whose third term is described in terms of the intersection cohomology of B.Comment: Final version as accepted in RACSAM. The final publication is available at springerlink.com; Revista de la Real Academia de Ciencias Exactas, Fisicas y Naturales. Serie A. Matematicas, 201

XMM-Newton and Swift spectroscopy of the newly discovered very-faint X-ray transient IGR J17494-3030

A growing group of low-mass X-ray binaries are found to be accreting at very-faint X-ray luminosities of <1E36 erg/s (2-10 keV). Once such system is the new X-ray transient IGR J17494-3030. We present Swift and XMM-Newton observations obtained during its 2012 discovery outburst. The Swift observations trace the peak of the outburst, which reached a luminosity of ~7 E35 (D/8 kpc)^2 erg/s (2-10 keV). The XMM-Newton data were obtained when the outburst had decayed to an intensity of ~ 8 E34 (D/8 kpc)^2 erg/s. The spectrum can be described by a power-law with an index of ~1.7 and requires an additional soft component with a black-body temperature of ~0.37 keV (contributing ~20% to the total unabsorbed flux in the 0.5-10 keV band). Given the similarities with high-quality spectra of very-faint neutron star low-mass X-ray binaries, we suggest that the compact primary in IGR J17494-3030 is a neutron star. Interestingly, the source intensity decreased rapidly during the ~12 hr XMM-Newton observation, which was accompanied by a decrease in inferred temperature. We interpret the soft spectral component as arising from the neutron star surface due to low-level accretion, and propose that the observed decline in intensity was the result of a decrease in the mass-accretion rate onto the neutron star.Comment: 3 figures, 2 tables, accepted in MNRAS letter, in pres

The Colombian conflict: a description of a mental health program in the Department of Tolima.

Colombia has been seriously affected by an internal armed conflict for more than 40 years affecting mainly the civilian population, who is forced to displace, suffers kidnapping, extortion, threats and assassinations. Between 2005 and 2008, Médecins Sans Frontières-France provided psychological care and treatment in the region of Tolima, a strategic place in the armed conflict. The mental health program was based on a short-term multi-faceted treatment developed according to the psychological and psychosomatic needs of the population. Here we describe the population attending during 2005-2008, in both urban and rural settings, as well as the psychological treatment provided during this period and its outcomes.We observed differences between the urban and rural settings in the traumatic events reported, the clinical expression of the disorders, the disorders diagnosed, and their severity. Although the duration of the treatment was limited due to security reasons and access difficulties, patient condition at last visit improved in most of the patients. These descriptive results suggest that further studies should be conducted to examine the role of short-term psychotherapy, adapted specifically to the context, can be a useful tool to provide psychological care to population affected by an armed conflict

Prediction and dynamics of ripples and the bottom boundary layer under combined wave and current flow in the field (poster)

Previously published investigations on the wave bottom boundary layer and ripple geometry are combined to derive a new ripple predictor for flows under waves or under combined wave-current flows. The ripple predictor of Nielsen (1981) for waves only was modified in order to use it in combined flows. The modified model now uses the effective Shields parameter total roughness-related in contrast to the most commonly used Shields parameter grain roughness-related. To predict the ripple geometry the proposed model uses the results of the Christoffersen and Jonsson (1985) model, which describes the dynamics of the wave-current bottom boundary layer (WCBBL). The ripple predictor and the WCBBL model take into account the bedforms already existing to predict the new ripple and flow field. The predicted ripple and WCBBL parameters fits very well the selected measurements of Li and Amos (1998) for ripple geometry and observations on saltation/suspension and sheet flow. The ripple predictor proposed models the ripple field in the break-off range and when large wave ripples were observed in the field, after the peak of the storms, without explicit assumptions. The apparent roughness length modelled by the WCBBL model is similar to measurements, made by other researchers in laboratories

Resonance in Asymmetric Warped Geometry

We study the spectrum of an asymmetric warped braneworld model with different AdS curvatures on either side of the brane. In addition to the RS-like modes we find a resonance state. Its mass is proportional to the geometric mean of the two AdS curvature scales, while the difference between them determines the strength of the resonance peak. There is a complementarity between the RS zero-mode and the resonance: making the asymmetry stronger weakens the zero-mode but strengthens the resonance, and vice versa. We calculate numerically the braneworld gravitational potential and discuss the holographic correspondence for the asymmetric model.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures; v2 references with comments added; v3 two references added, JHEP versio

Ghosts in asymmetric brane gravity and the decoupled stealth limit

We study the spectrum of gravitational perturbations around a vacuum de Sitter brane in a 5D asymmetric braneworld model, with induced curvature on the brane. This generalises the stealth acceleration model proposed by Charmousis, Gregory and Padilla (CGP) which realises the Cardassian cosmology in which power law cosmic acceleration can be driven by ordinary matter. Whenever the bulk has infinite volume we find that there is always a perturbative ghost propagating on the de Sitter brane, in contrast to the Minkowski brane case analysed by CGP. We discuss the implication of this ghost for the stealth acceleration model, and identify a limiting case where the ghost decouples as the de Sitter curvature vanishes.Comment: 21 page

Los japoneses en Aguascalientes, México. Un perfil sociocultural de ciudadanía en la ciudad

En este artículo se presenta un estudio del caso de los japoneses desplazados por las empresas trasnacionales automotrices que se han ubicado en Aguascalientes. A partir de la etnografía y entrevistas, se logra un análisis de la manera en que este grupo se ha desenvuelto desde hace casi 30 años como una alteridad en esta ciudad. El objetivo es reflexionar acerca del modo en que los propios japoneses se sitúan como ciudadanos frente a su entorno. Los resultados muestran que la paulatina expansión de la globalización les ha permitido mantener su estilo de vida, ajeno al contexto sociocultural del lugar en el que habitan. Este trabajo se centra en la lógica de la empresa trasnacional y la ciudadanía con respecto a la ciudad, desde la mirada japonesa.ITESO, A.C