1,151 research outputs found
Ultrarelativistic circular orbits of spinning particles in a Schwarzschild field
Ultrarelativistic circular orbits of spinning particles in a Schwarzschild
field described by the Mathisson-Papapetrou equations are considered. The
preliminary estimates of the possible synchrotron electromagnetic radiation of
highly relativistic protons and electrons on these orbits in the gravitational
field of a black hole are presentedComment: 9 page
Dynamical evolution of boson stars in Brans-Dicke theory
We study the dynamics of a self-gravitating scalar field solitonic object
(boson star) in the Jordan-Brans-Dicke (BD) theory of gravity. We show
dynamical processes of this system such as (i) black hole formation of
perturbed equilibrium configuration on an unstable branch; (ii) migration of
perturbed equilibrium configuration from the unstable branch to stable branch;
(iii) transition from excited state to a ground state. We find that the
dynamical behavior of boson stars in BD theory is quite similar to that in
general relativity (GR), with comparable scalar wave emission. We also
demonstrate the formation of a stable boson star from a Gaussian scalar field
packet with flat gravitational scalar field initial data. This suggests that
boson stars can be formed in the BD theory in much the same way as in GR.Comment: 13 pages by RevTeX, epsf.sty, 16 figures, comments added, refs
updated, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Black Holes, Mergers, and the Entropy Budget of the Universe
Vast amounts of entropy are produced in black hole formation, and the amount
of entropy stored in supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies is now
much greater than the entropy free in the rest of the universe. Either mergers
involved in forming supermassive black holes are rare,or the holes must be very
efficient at capturing nearly all the entropy generated in the process.
We argue that this information can be used to constrain supermassive black
hole production, and may eventually provide a check on numerical results for
mergers involving black holes
Polymerase chain reaction detection of avipox and avian papillomavirus in naturally infected wild birds: comparisons of blood, swab and tissue samples
Avian poxvirus (avipox) is widely reported from avian species, causing cutaneous or mucosal lesions. Mortality rates of up to 100% are recorded in some hosts. Three major avipox clades are recognized. Several diagnostic techniques have been reported, with molecular techniques used only recently. Avipox has been reported from 278 different avian species, but only 111 of these involved sequence and/or strain identification. Collecting samples from wild birds is challenging as only few wild bird individuals or species may be symptomatic. Also, sampling regimes are tightly regulated and the most efficient sampling method, whole bird collection, is ethically challenging. In this study, three alternative sampling techniques (blood, cutaneous swabs and tissue biopsies) from symptomatic wild birds were examined. Polymerase chain reaction was used to detect avipoxvirus and avian papillomavirus (which also induces cutaneous lesions in birds). Four out of 14 tissue samples were positive but all 29 blood samples and 22 swab samples were negative for papillomavirus. All 29 blood samples were negative but 6/22 swabs and 9/14 tissue samples were avipox-positive. The difference between the numbers of positives generated from tissue samples and from swabs was not significant. The difference in the avipox-positive specimens in paired swab (4/6) and tissue samples (6/6) was also not significant. These results therefore do not show the superiority of swab or tissue samples over each other. However, both swab (6/22) and tissue (8/9) samples yielded significantly more avipox-positive cases than blood samples, which are therefore not recommended for sampling these viruses.The authors thank bird ringers from Alula and Monticola, especially Alfredo Ortega and Chechu Aguirre, for help with the capture and ringing of birds, which made this project possible. Thanks to Alvaro Ramírez for samples. This research was funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain (grant number: CGL2010-15734/BOS). R.A.J.W. was supported by the Programa Internacional de Captación de Talento (PICATA) de Moncloa Campus de Excelencia Internacional while writing the manuscript
Gravitational Waves in Brans-Dicke Theory : Analysis by Test Particles around a Kerr Black Hole
Analyzing test particles falling into a Kerr black hole, we study
gravitational waves in Brans-Dicke theory of gravity. First we consider a test
particle plunging with a constant azimuthal angle into a rotating black hole
and calculate the waveform and emitted energy of both scalar and tensor modes
of gravitational radiation. We find that the waveform as well as the energy of
the scalar gravitational waves weakly depends on the rotation parameter of
black hole and on the azimuthal angle.
Secondly, using a model of a non-spherical dust shell of test particles
falling into a Kerr black hole, we study when the scalar modes dominate. When a
black hole is rotating, the tensor modes do not vanish even for a ``spherically
symmetric" shell, instead a slightly oblate shell minimizes their energy but
with non-zero finite value, which depends on Kerr parameter . As a result,
we find that the scalar modes dominate only for highly spherical collapse, but
they never exceed the tensor modes unless the Brans-Dicke parameter
\omega_{BD} \lsim 750 for or unless \omega_{BD} \lsim 20,000
for , where is mass of black hole.
We conclude that the scalar gravitational waves with \omega_{BD} \lsim
several thousands do not dominate except for very limited situations
(observation from the face-on direction of a test particle falling into a
Schwarzschild black hole or highly spherical dust shell collapse into a Kerr
black hole). Therefore observation of polarization is also required when we
determine the theory of gravity by the observation of gravitational waves.Comment: 24 pages, revtex, 18 figures are attached with ps file
Expression analysis of G Protein-coupled receptors in mouse macrophages
Background. Monocytes and macrophages express an extensive repertoire of G Protein-Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) that regulate inflammation and immunity. In this study we performed a systematic micro-array analysis of GPCR expression in primary mouse macrophages to identify family members that are either enriched in macrophages compared to a panel of other cell types, or are regulated by an inflammatory stimulus, the bacterial product lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Results. Several members of the P2RY family had striking expression patterns in macrophages; P2ry6 mRNA was essentially expressed in a macrophage-specific fashion, whilst P2ry1 and P2ry5 mRNA levels were strongly down-regulated by LPS. Expression of several other GPCRs was either restricted to macrophages (e.g. Gpr84) or to both macrophages and neural tissues (e.g. P2ry12, Gpr85). The GPCR repertoire expressed by bone marrow-derived macrophages and thioglycollate- elicited peritoneal macrophages had some commonality, but there were also several GPCRs preferentially expressed by either cell population. Conclusion. The constitutive or regulated expression in macrophages of several GPCRs identified in this study has not previously been described. Future studies on such GPCRs and their agonists are likely to provide important insights into macrophage biology, as well as novel inflammatory pathways that could be future targets for drug discovery
Signature of chaos in gravitational waves from a spinning particle
A spinning test particle around a Schwarzschild black hole shows a chaotic
behavior, if its spin is larger than a critical value. We discuss whether or
not some peculiar signature of chaos appears in the gravitational waves emitted
from such a system. Calculating the emitted gravitational waves by use of the
quadrupole formula, we find that the energy emission rate of gravitational
waves for a chaotic orbit is about 10 times larger than that for a circular
orbit, but the same enhancement is also obtained by a regular "elliptic" orbit.
A chaotic motion is not always enhance the energy emission rate maximally. As
for the energy spectra of the gravitational waves, we find some characteristic
feature for a chaotic orbit. It may tell us how to find out a chaotic behavior
of the system. Such a peculiar behavior, if it will be found, may also provide
us some additional informations to determine parameters of a system such as a
spin.Comment: 14 pages, LaTeX, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Various features of quasiequilibrium sequences of binary neutron stars in general relativity
Quasiequilibrium sequences of binary neutron stars are numerically calculated
in the framework of the Isenberg-Wilson-Mathews (IWM) approximation of general
relativity. The results are presented for both rotation states of synchronized
spins and irrotational motion, the latter being considered as the realistic one
for binary neutron stars just prior to the merger. We assume a polytropic
equation of state and compute several evolutionary sequences of binary systems
composed of different-mass stars as well as identical-mass stars with adiabatic
indices gamma=2.5, 2.25, 2, and 1.8. From our results, we propose as a
conjecture that if the turning point of binding energy (and total angular
momentum) locating the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) is found in
Newtonian gravity for some value of the adiabatic index gamma_0, that of the
ADM mass (and total angular momentum) should exist in the IWM approximation of
general relativity for the same value of the adiabatic index.Comment: Text improved, some figures changed or deleted, new table, 38 pages,
31 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
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