121,955 research outputs found
Metallicities of galaxies in the nearby Lynx-Cancer void
Does the void environment have a sizable effect on the evolution of dwarf
galaxies? If yes, the best probes should be the most fragile least massive
dwarfs. We compiled a sample of about one hundred dwarfs with M_B in the range
-12 to -18 mag, falling within the nearby Lynx-Cancer void. The goal is to
study their evolutionary parameters -- gas metallicity and gas mass-fraction,
and to address the epoch of the first substantial episode of Star Formation.
Here we present and discuss the results of O/H measurements in 38 void
galaxies, among which several the most metal-poor galaxies are found with the
oxygen abundances of 12+log(O/H)=7.12-7.3 dex.Comment: 2 pages, one figure. To appear in proceedings of 'Environment and the
Formation of Galaxies: 30 years later,' (Lisbon, September 2010), published
by Springer-Verla
Determining optimal cadence for an individual road cyclist from field data
The cadence that maximises power output developed at the crank by an individual cyclist is conventionally determined using a laboratory test. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (i) to show that such a cadence, which we call the optimal cadence, can be determined using power output, heart-rate, and cadence measured in the field and (ii) to describe methodology to do so. For an individual cyclist's sessions, power output is related to cadence and the elicited heart-rate using a non-linear regression model. Optimal cadences are found for two riders (83 and 70 revolutions per minute, respectively); these cadences are similar to the riders’ preferred cadences (82–92?rpm and 65–75?rpm). Power output reduces by approximately 6% for cadences 20?rpm above or below optimum. Our methodology can be used by a rider to determine an optimal cadence without laboratory testing intervention: the rider will need to collect power output, heart-rate, and cadence measurements from training and racing sessions over an extended period (>6 months); ride at a range of cadences within those sessions; and calculate his/her optimal cadence using the methodology described or a software tool that implements it
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A case of porphyria cutanea tarda in the setting of hepatitis C infection and tobacco usage
Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) is the most common type of porphyria, presenting in middle-aged patients with a photodistributed vesiculobullous eruption, milia, and scars. Porphyria cutanea tarda occurs in relation to inhibition of uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase, a key enzyme in the heme biosynthesis pathway. A number of genetic and acquired factors increase susceptibility to PCT by reducing uroporphyrinogen decarboxylase activity. A handful of other vesiculobullous conditions may mimic PCT both clinically and histologically; therefore, both skin biopsy and laboratory evaluation are helpful in confirming the diagnosis. We report a case of PCT in the setting of cigarette usage and untreated hepatitis C infection
A slow coronal mass ejection with rising X-ray source
An eruptive event, which occurred on 16th April 2002, is discussed. Using images from the Transition Region and Coronal Explorer ( TRACE) at 195 angstrom, we observe a lifting flux rope which gives rise to a slow coronal mass ejection ( CME). There are supporting velocity observations from the Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer ( CDS) on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory ( SOHO), which illustrate the helical nature of the structure. Additionally a rising coronal hard X- ray source, which is observed with the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager ( RHESSI), is shown to follow the flux rope with a speed of similar to 60 km s(-1). It is also sampled by the CDS slit, although it has no signature in the Fe XIX band. Following the passage of this source, there is evidence from the CDS for down- flowing ( cooling) material along newly reconnected loops through Doppler velocity observations, combined with magnetic field modeling. Later, a slow CME is observed with the Large Angle and Spectroscopic Coronagraph ( LASCO). We combine a height- time profile of the flux rope at lower altitudes with the slow CME. The rising flux rope speeds up by a factor of 1.7 at the start of the impulsive energy release and goes through further acceleration before reaching 1.5 solar radii. These observations support classical CME scenarios in which the eruption of a filament precedes flaring activity. Cusped flare loops are observed following the erupting flux rope and their altitude increases with time. In addition we find RHESSI sources both below and above the probable location of the reconnection region
Variants of the human PPARG locus and the susceptibility to chronic periodontitis
Apart from its regulatory function in lipid and glucose metabolism, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)γ has impact on the regulation of inflammation and bone metabolism. The aim of the study was to investigate the association of five polymorphisms (rs10865710, rs2067819, rs3892175, rs1801282, rs3856806) within the PPARG gene with chronic periodontitis. The study population comprised 402 periodontitis patients and 793 healthy individuals. Genotyping of the PPARG gene polymorphisms was performed by PCR and melting curve analysis. Comparison of frequency distribution of genotypes between individuals with periodontal disease and healthy controls for the polymorphism rs3856806 showed a P-value of 0.04 but failed to reach significance after correction for multiple testing (P  0.90). A 3-site analysis (rs2067819-rs1801282-rs3856860) revealed five haplotypes with a frequency of ≥1% among cases and controls. Following adjustment for age, gender and smoking, none of the haplotypes was significantly different between periodontitis and healthy controls after Bonferroni correction. This study could not show a significant association between PPARG gene variants and chronic periodontitis
Universal scaling properties of extremal cohesive holographic phases
We show that strongly-coupled, translation-invariant holographic IR phases at
finite density can be classified according to the scaling behaviour of the
metric, the electric potential and the electric flux introducing four critical
exponents, independently of the details of the setup. Solutions fall into two
classes, depending on whether they break relativistic symmetry or not. The
critical exponents determine key properties of these phases, like thermodynamic
stability, the (ir)relevant deformations around them, the low-frequency scaling
of the optical conductivity and the nature of the spectrum for electric
perturbations. We also study the scaling behaviour of the electric flux through
bulk minimal surfaces using the Hartnoll-Radicevic order parameter, and
characterize the deviation from the Ryu-Takayanagi prescription in terms of the
critical exponents.Comment: v4: corrected a typo in eqn (3.29), now (3.28). Conclusions unchange
Regular realizability problems and context-free languages
We investigate regular realizability (RR) problems, which are the problems of
verifying whether intersection of a regular language -- the input of the
problem -- and fixed language called filter is non-empty. In this paper we
focus on the case of context-free filters. Algorithmic complexity of the RR
problem is a very coarse measure of context-free languages complexity. This
characteristic is compatible with rational dominance. We present examples of
P-complete RR problems as well as examples of RR problems in the class NL. Also
we discuss RR problems with context-free filters that might have intermediate
complexity. Possible candidates are the languages with polynomially bounded
rational indices.Comment: conference DCFS 201
A unified wavelet-based modelling framework for non-linear system identification: the WANARX model structure
A new unified modelling framework based on the superposition of additive submodels, functional components, and
wavelet decompositions is proposed for non-linear system identification. A non-linear model, which is often represented
using a multivariate non-linear function, is initially decomposed into a number of functional components via the wellknown
analysis of variance (ANOVA) expression, which can be viewed as a special form of the NARX (non-linear
autoregressive with exogenous inputs) model for representing dynamic input–output systems. By expanding each functional
component using wavelet decompositions including the regular lattice frame decomposition, wavelet series and
multiresolution wavelet decompositions, the multivariate non-linear model can then be converted into a linear-in-theparameters
problem, which can be solved using least-squares type methods. An efficient model structure determination
approach based upon a forward orthogonal least squares (OLS) algorithm, which involves a stepwise orthogonalization
of the regressors and a forward selection of the relevant model terms based on the error reduction ratio (ERR), is
employed to solve the linear-in-the-parameters problem in the present study. The new modelling structure is referred to
as a wavelet-based ANOVA decomposition of the NARX model or simply WANARX model, and can be applied to
represent high-order and high dimensional non-linear systems
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