850 research outputs found
Foundations of multiple black hole evolutions
We present techniques for long-term, stable, and accurate evolutions of
multiple-black-hole spacetimes using the `moving puncture' approach with
fourth- and eighth-order finite difference stencils. We use these techniques to
explore configurations of three black holes in a hierarchical system consisting
of a third black hole approaching a quasi-circular black-hole binary, and find
that, depending on the size of the binary, the resulting encounter may lead to
a prompt merger of all three black holes, production of a highly elliptical
binary (with the third black hole remaining unbound), or disruption of the
binary (leading to three free black holes). We also analyze the classical
Burrau three-body problem using full numerical evolutions. In both cases, we
find behaviors distinctly different from Newtonian predictions, which has
important implications for N-body black-hole simulations. For our simulations
we use analytic approximate data. We find that the eighth-order stencils
significantly reduce the numerical errors for our choice of grid sizes, and
that the approximate initial data produces the expected waveforms (after a
rescaling of the puncture masses) for black-hole binaries with modest initial
separations.Comment: Revtex 4, 13 pages, 15 figure
Disruption of the three-body gravitational systems: Lifetime statistics
We investigate statistics of the decay process in the equal-mass three-body
problem with randomized initial conditions. Contrary to earlier expectations of
similarity with "radioactive decay", the lifetime distributions obtained in our
numerical experiments turn out to be heavy-tailed, i.e. the tails are not
exponential, but algebraic. The computed power-law index for the differential
distribution is within the narrow range, approximately from -1.7 to -1.4,
depending on the virial coefficient. Possible applications of our results to
studies of the dynamics of triple stars known to be at the edge of disruption
are considered.Comment: 13 pages, 2 tables, 3 figure
Leaded tin bronzes: the effects of casting method on dry sliding behaviour
In metal-to-metal sliding bearing applications, leaded tin bronzes are widely known as materials with excellent seizure resistance. In conditions of boundary or dry lubrication, lead may smear across the sliding surface, preventing surface contact and catastrophic seizure. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of casting method on the dry sliding behaviour of leaded tin bronzes. Continuous cast, centrifugally cast, and sand cast leaded tin bronze samples with varying lead contents were subjected to pin-on-disk- testing. It was found that casting method has a significant effect on the wear behaviour of leaded tin bronzes in dry sliding conditions. With continuous cast samples, the dominant wear mode was rapid, stable microcracking along copper/lead interfacial boundaries. With centrifugally and sand cast samples, wear occurred more slowly and erratically through the formation of transfer layers. The dominant wear mode was found to be connected to the coarseness of the distribution of lead particles in the copper matrix
Clinical findings in relation to mortality in non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections : patients with Mycobacterium avium complex have better survival than patients with other mycobacteria
We compared the clinical findings and survival in patients with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and other non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). A total of 167 adult non-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients with at least one positive culture for NTM were included. Medical records were reviewed. The patients were categorised according to the 2007 American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria. MAC comprised 59 % of all NTM findings. MAC patients were more often female (70 % vs. 34 %, p <0.001) and had less fatal underlying diseases (23 % vs. 47 %, p = 0.001) as compared to other NTM patients. Symptoms compatible with NTM infection had lasted for less than a year in 34 % of MAC patients but in 54 % of other NTM patients (p = 0.037). Pulmonary MAC patients had a significantly lower risk of death compared to pulmonary other NTM (hazard ratio [HR] 0.50, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.33-0.77, p = 0.002) or subgroup of other slowly growing NTM (HR 0.55, 95 % CI 0.31-0.99, p = 0.048) or as rapidly growing NTM (HR 0.47, 95 % CI 0.25-0.87, p = 0.02). The median survival time was 13.0 years (95 % CI 5.9-20.1) for pulmonary MAC but 4.6 years (95 % CI 3.4-5.9) for pulmonary other NTM. Serious underlying diseases (HR 3.21, 95 % CI 2.05-5.01, p <0.001) and age (HR 1.07, 95 % CI 1.04-1.09, p <0.001) were the significant predictors of mortality and female sex was a predictor of survival (HR 0.38, 95 % CI 0.24-0.59, p <0.001) in the multivariate analysis. Pulmonary MAC patients had better prognosis than pulmonary other NTM patients. The symptom onset suggests a fairly rapid disease course.Peer reviewe
Capture of dark matter by the Solar System
We study the capture of galactic dark matter by the Solar System. The effect
is due to the gravitational three-body interaction between the Sun, one of the
planets, and a dark matter particle. The analytical estimate for the capture
cross-section is derived and the upper and lower bounds for the total mass of
the captured dark matter particles are found. The estimates for their density
are less reliable. The most optimistic of them give an enhancement of dark
matter density by about three orders of magnitudes compared to its value in our
Galaxy. However, even this optimistic value remains below the best present
observational upper limits by about two orders of magnitude.Comment: 5 pages, 3 tables; Refs. updated and discussion extende
Risk of myocardial infarction and stroke after acute infection or vaccination.
BACKGROUND: There is evidence that chronic inflammation may promote atherosclerotic disease. We tested the hypothesis that acute infection and vaccination increase the short-term risk of vascular events. METHODS: We undertook within-person comparisons, using the case-series method, to study the risks of myocardial infarction and stroke after common vaccinations and naturally occurring infections. The study was based on the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database, which contains computerized medical records of more than 5 million patients. RESULTS: A total of 20,486 persons with a first myocardial infarction and 19,063 persons with a first stroke who received influenza vaccine were included in the analysis. There was no increase in the risk of myocardial infarction or stroke in the period after influenza, tetanus, or pneumococcal vaccination. However, the risks of both events were substantially higher after a diagnosis of systemic respiratory tract infection and were highest during the first three days (incidence ratio for myocardial infarction, 4.95; 95 percent confidence interval, 4.43 to 5.53; incidence ratio for stroke, 3.19; 95 percent confidence interval, 2.81 to 3.62). The risks then gradually fell during the following weeks. The risks were raised significantly but to a lesser degree after a diagnosis of urinary tract infection. The findings for recurrent myocardial infarctions and stroke were similar to those for first events. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide support for the concept that acute infections are associated with a transient increase in the risk of vascular events. By contrast, influenza, tetanus, and pneumococcal vaccinations do not produce a detectable increase in the risk of vascular events
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