D-modules on Smooth Toric Varieties

Let X be a smooth toric variety. David Cox introduced the homogeneous coordinate ring S of X and its irrelevant ideal B. Extending well-known results on projective space, Cox established the following: (1) the category of quasi-coherent sheaves on X is equivalent to the category of graded S-modules modulo B-torsion, (2) the variety X is a geometric quotient of Spec(S) V(B) by a suitable torus action. We provide the D-module version of these results. More specifically, let A denote the ring of differential operators on Spec(S). We show that the category of D-modules on X is equivalent to a subcategory of graded A-modules modulo B-torsion. Additionally, we prove that the characteristic variety of a D-module is a geometric quotient of an open subset of the characteristic variety of the associated A-module and that holonomic D-modules correspond to holonomic A-modules.Comment: AMS-LaTeX, 28 page

Solitary Wave Dynamics in an External Potential

We study the behavior of solitary-wave solutions of some generalized nonlinear Schr\"odinger equations with an external potential. The equations have the feature that in the absence of the external potential, they have solutions describing inertial motions of stable solitary waves. We construct solutions of the equations with a non-vanishing external potential corresponding to initial conditions close to one of these solitary wave solutions and show that, over a large interval of time, they describe a solitary wave whose center of mass motion is a solution of Newton's equations of motion for a point particle in the given external potential, up to small corrections corresponding to radiation damping.Comment: latex2e, 41 pages, 1 figur

Warm-Mix Asphalt Study: Test Track Construction and FirstLevel Analysis of Phase 3b HVS and Laboratory Testing (Rubberized Asphalt, Mix Design #2)

This is one of two reports describing the third phase of a warm-mix asphalt study that compares the performance of two rubberized asphalt control mixes with that of seven mixes produced with warm-mix technologies. The control mixes were produced and compacted at conventional hot-mix asphalt temperatures (>300 F [150°C]), while the warm-mixes were produced and compacted at temperatures between 36°F (20°C) and 60°F (35°C) lower than the controls. The mixes, test track, Heavy Vehicle Simulator (HVS) and laboratory testing are discussed. Key findings from the study include: Adequate compaction can be achieved on rubberized warm-mixes at lower temperatures. Optimal compaction temperatures will differ. Equal and potentially better rutting performance can be achieved provided that standard specified limits for hot-mix asphalt are met. Test results indicate that use of the warm-mix technologies did not significantly influence performance when compared to control specimens. However, the mixes produced with chemical surfactant technologies did appear to be influenced in part by the lower mix production and construction temperatures, which would have resulted in less oxidation of the binder and consequent lower stiffness of the mix. Rutting performance, fatigue performance and moisture sensitivity did not appear to be affected. The warm-mixes produced using water-foaming technologies appeared to have lower moisture resistance compared to the other warm-mixes. Smoke and odors are significantly reduced on warm-mixes compared to hot-mixes, while workability is considerably better on warm-mixes compared to hot-mixes. The HVS and laboratory testing completed in this phase have provided no results to suggest that warm-mix technologies should not be used in rubberized asphalt in California

Sesamoid Bones in Tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) Investigated With X-Ray Microtomography, and Implications for Sesamoid Evolution in Lepidosauria

Sesamoids bones are small intra‐tendinous (or ligamentous) ossifications found near joints and are often variable between individuals. Related bones, lunulae, are found within the menisci of certain joints. Several studies have described sesamoids and lunulae in lizards and their close relatives (Squamata) as potentially useful characters in phylogenetic analysis, but their status in the extant outgroup to Squamata, tuatara (Sphenodon), remains unclear. Sphenodon is the only living rhynchocephalian, but museum specimens are valuable and difficult to replace. Here, we use non‐destructive X‐ray microtomography to investigate the distribution of sesamoids and lunulae in 19 Sphenodon specimens and trace the evolution of these bones in Lepidosauria (Rhynchocephalia + Squamata). We find adult Sphenodon to possess a sesamoid and lunula complement different from any known squamate, but also some variation within Sphenodon specimens. The penultimate phalangeal sesamoids and tibial lunula appear to mineralize prior to skeletal maturity, followed by mineralization of a sesamoid between metatarsal I and the astragalocalcaneum (MTI‐AC), the palmar sesamoids, and tibiofemoral lunulae around attainment of skeletal maturity. The tibial patella, ulnar, and plantar sesamoids mineralize late in maturity or variably. Ancestral state reconstruction indicates that the ulnar patella and tibiofemoral lunulae are synapomophies of Squamata, and the palmar sesamoid, tibial patella, tibial lunula, and MTI‐AC may be synapomorphies of Lepidosauria

Mechanically coupled laminates with balanced plain weave

Definitive listings of laminate stacking sequences are derived for balanced plain weave laminated materials, assuming each layer is composed of the same material with constant thickness throughout and that standard ply angle orientations 0, 90, and ±45° are adopted; consistent with industrial design practice. A single layer of balanced plain weave material is shown to be immune to thermal distortion following a standard high temperature manufacturing process, which implies that all laminates constructed of this material possess what is commonly referred to as the hygro-thermally curvature-stable or warp-free condition, irrespective of the individual ply orientations used or the laminate stacking sequence definition. A single uncoupled parent laminate class is shown to contain sub-groups with extensionally isotropic and fully isotropic properties that are invariant with off-axis orientation of the principal material axes with respect to the system or structural axes. By contrast a single mechanically coupled parent laminate class is shown to give rise to seven unique forms of coupled laminate through judicious off-axis orientation. Invariant off-axis properties are also identified in coupled laminate designs. Finally, example calculations, abridged stacking sequence listings and design data are presented

Electromagnetic radiative corrections in parity-violating electron-proton scattering

QED radiative corrections have been calculated for leptonic and hadronic variables in parity-violating elastic ep scattering. For the first time, the calculation of the asymmetry in the elastic radiative tail is performed without the peaking-approximation assumption in hadronic variables configuration. A comparison with the PV-A4 data validates our approach. This method has been also used to evaluate the radiative corrections to the parity-violating asymmetry measured in the G0 experiment. The results obtained are here presented.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figure

The Tsai-Wu failure criterion rationalised in the context of UD composites

This paper is to rationalise the empirical aspect of the Tsai-Wu failure criterion in the context of UD composites associated with the determination of the interactive strength property F12 based on the analytic geometry. It reveals that the condition of closed failure envelope cannot be satisfied by all UD composites and hence the restriction should be abandoned. Depending on the way the failure envelope opens, UD composites can be classified into two categories. (a) F12 can be determined uniquely using the conventional strength properties with an additional assumption that the material exhibits very high or infinite strength under triaxial compression at a specific stress ratio; or (b) The Tsai-Wu criterion leads to one of the two scenarios: either allowing infinite strength for an in-plane stress state or allowing infinite strength under triaxial stresses involving tension along fibres

Alteration of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in estrogen- and androgen-treated adult male leopard frog, Rana pipiens

BACKGROUND: Gonadal steroids, in particular 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and 17 beta-estradiol (E2), have been shown to feed back on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis of the ranid frog. However, questions still remain on how DHT and E2 impact two of the less-studied components of the ranid HPG axis, the hypothalamus and the gonad, and if the feedback effects are consistently negative. Thus, the goal of the study was to examine the effects of DHT and E2 upon the HPG axis of the gonadally-intact, sexually mature male leopard frogs, Rana pipiens. METHODS: R. pipiens were implanted with silastic capsules containing either cholesterol (Ch, a control), DHT, or E2 for 10 or 30 days. At each time point, steroid-induced changes in hypothalamic GnRH and pituitary LH concentrations, circulating luteinizing hormone (LH), and testicular histology were examined. RESULTS: Frogs implanted with DHT or E2 for 10 days did not show significant alterations in the HPG axis. In contrast, frogs implanted with hormones for 30 days had significantly lower circulating LH (for both DHT and E2), decreased pituitary LH concentration (for E2 only), and disrupted spermatogenesis (for both DHT and E2). The disruption of spermatogenesis was qualitatively similar between DHT and E2, although the effects of E2 were consistently more potent. In both DHT and E2-treated animals, a marked loss of all pre-meiotic germ cells was observed, although the loss of secondary spermatogonia appeared to be the primary cause of disrupted spermatogenesis. Unexpectedly, the presence of post-meiotic germ cells was either unaffected or enhanced by DHT or E2 treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, these results showed that both DHT and E2 inhibited circulating LH and disrupted spermatogenesis progressively in a time-dependent manner, with the longer duration of treatment producing the more pronounced effects. Further, the feedback effects exerted by both steroid hormones upon the HPG axis were largely negative, although the possibility exists for a stimulatory effect upon the post-meiotic germ cells

Radio Jet Feedback and Star Formation in Heavily Obscured Quasars at Redshifts ~0.3-3, I: ALMA Observations

We present ALMA 870 micron (345 GHz) data for 49 high redshift (0.47<z<2.85), luminous (11.7 < log L(bol) (Lsun) < 14.2) radio-powerful AGN, obtained to constrain cool dust emission from starbursts concurrent with highly obscured radiative-mode black hole (BH) accretion in massive galaxies which possess a small radio jet. The sample was selected from WISE with extremely steep (red) mid-infrared (MIR) colors and with compact radio emission from NVSS/FIRST. Twenty-six sources are detected at 870 microns, and we find that the sample has large mid- to far-infrared luminosity ratios consistent with a dominant and highly obscured quasar. The rest-frame 3 GHz radio powers are 24.7 < log P3.0 GHz (W/Hz) < 27.3, and all sources are radio-intermediate or radio-loud. BH mass estimates are 7.7 < log M(BH) (Msun) < 10.2. The rest frame 1-5 um SEDs are very similar to the "Hot DOGs" (Hot Dust Obscured Galaxies), and steeper (redder) than almost any other known extragalactic sources. ISM masses estimated for the ALMA detected sources are 9.9 < log M(ISM) (Msun) < 11.75 assuming a dust temperature of 30K. The cool dust emission is consistent with star formation rates (SFRs) reaching several thousand Msun/yr, depending on the assumed dust temperature, however we cannot rule out the alternative that the AGN powers all the emission in some cases. Our best constrained source has radiative transfer solutions with ~ equal contributions from an obscured AGN and a young (10-15 Myr) compact starburst.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures. To appear in Astrophysical Journal. Update on Sept 14 to correct the ALMA proposal id. to ADS/JAO.ALMA#2011.0.00397.S and to add a missing acknowledgemen