Predicting the relativistic periastron advance of a binary without curving spacetime

Relativistic Newtonian Dynamics, the simple model used previously for predicting accurately the anomalous precession of Mercury, is now applied to predict the periastron advance of a binary. The classical treatment of a binary as a two-body problem is modified to account for the influence of the gravitational potential on spacetime. Without curving spacetime, the model predicts the identical equation for the relativistic periastron advance as the post-Newtonian approximation of general relativity formalism thereby providing further substantiation of this model.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure

Caffeine vs. carbamazepine as indicators of wastewater pollution in a karst aquifer

This paper presents the analysis of caffeine and carbamazepine transport in the subsurface as a result of wastewater release in the Sorek creek over the outcrops of the carbonate, Yarkon-Taninim, aquifer in Israel. Both caffeine and carbamazepine were used as indicators of sewage contamination in the subsurface. While carbamazepine is considered conservative, caffeine is subject to sorption and degradation. The objective of the study was to quantify differences in their transport under similar conditions in the karst aquifer. Water flow and pollutant transport in a “vadose zone–aquifer” system were simulated by a quasi-3-D dual permeability numerical model. The results of this study show that each of these two pollutants can be considered effective tracers for characterization and assessment of aquifer contamination. Carbamazepine was found to be more suitable for assessing the contamination boundaries, while caffeine can be used as a contaminant tracer only briefly after contamination occurs. In instances where there are low concentrations of carbamazepine which appear as background contamination in an aquifer, caffeine might serve as a better marker for detecting new contamination events, given its temporal nature. The estimated caffeine degradation rate and the distribution coefficient of a linear sorption isotherm were 0.091&thinsp;d−1 and 0.1&thinsp;L&thinsp;kg−1, respectively, which imply a high attenuation capacity. The results of the simulation indicate that by the end of the year most of the carbamazepine mass (approximately 95&thinsp;%) remained in the matrix of the vadose zone, while all of the caffeine was completely degraded a few months after the sewage was discharged.</p

Efficacy of Synaptic Inhibition Depends on Multiple, Dynamically Interacting Mechanisms Implicated in Chloride Homeostasis

Chloride homeostasis is a critical determinant of the strength and robustness of inhibition mediated by GABAA receptors (GABAARs). The impact of changes in steady state Cl− gradient is relatively straightforward to understand, but how dynamic interplay between Cl− influx, diffusion, extrusion and interaction with other ion species affects synaptic signaling remains uncertain. Here we used electrodiffusion modeling to investigate the nonlinear interactions between these processes. Results demonstrate that diffusion is crucial for redistributing intracellular Cl− load on a fast time scale, whereas Cl−extrusion controls steady state levels. Interaction between diffusion and extrusion can result in a somato-dendritic Cl− gradient even when KCC2 is distributed uniformly across the cell. Reducing KCC2 activity led to decreased efficacy of GABAAR-mediated inhibition, but increasing GABAAR input failed to fully compensate for this form of disinhibition because of activity-dependent accumulation of Cl−. Furthermore, if spiking persisted despite the presence of GABAAR input, Cl− accumulation became accelerated because of the large Cl− driving force that occurs during spikes. The resulting positive feedback loop caused catastrophic failure of inhibition. Simulations also revealed other feedback loops, such as competition between Cl− and pH regulation. Several model predictions were tested and confirmed by [Cl−]i imaging experiments. Our study has thus uncovered how Cl− regulation depends on a multiplicity of dynamically interacting mechanisms. Furthermore, the model revealed that enhancing KCC2 activity beyond normal levels did not negatively impact firing frequency or cause overt extracellular K− accumulation, demonstrating that enhancing KCC2 activity is a valid strategy for therapeutic intervention

Proteome dataset of subcutaneous adipose tissue obtained from late pregnant dairy cows during summer heat stress and winter seasons

Adipose tissue has a central role in the regulation of metabolism in dairy cows, and many proteins expressed in this tissue are involved in metabolic responses to stress (Peinado et al., 2012) [1]. Environmental heat stress is one of the main stressors limiting production in dairy cattle (Fuquay, 1981; West, 2003) [2,3], and there is a complex interaction between heat stress and the transition period from late pregnancy to onset of lactation, which is manifested in heat-stressed late-gestation cows (Tao and Dahl, 2013) [4]. We recently defined the proteome of adipose tissue in peripartum dairy cows, identifying 586 proteins of which 18.9% were differentially abundant in insulin-resistant compared to insulin-sensitive adipose tissue (Zachut, 2015) [5]. That study showed that proteomic techniques constitute a valuable tool for identifying novel biomarkers in adipose tissue that are related to metabolic adaptation to stress in dairy cows. The objective of the present work was to examine the adipose tissue proteome under thermo-neutral or seasonal heat stress conditions in late pregnant dairy cows. We have collected subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies from 10 late pregnant dairy cows during summer heat stress and from 8 late pregnant dairy cows during winter season, and identified and quantified 1495 proteins in the adipose tissues. This dataset of adipose tissue proteome from dairy cows adds novel information on the variety of proteins that are abundant in this tissue during late pregnancy under thermo-neutral as well as heat stress conditions. Differential abundance of 107 (7.1%) proteins was found between summer and winter adipose. These results are discussed in our recent research article (Zachut et al., 2017) [6]

Advances in testing the effect of acceleration on time dilation using a synchrotron Mössbauer source

New results, additional techniques and know-how acquired, developed and employed in a recent HC-1898 experiment at the Nuclear Resonance Beamline ID18 of ESRF are presented, in the quest to explore the acceleration effect on time dilation. Using the specially modified Synchrotron Mössbauer Source and KB-optics together with a rotating single-line semicircular Mössbauer absorber on the rim of a specially designed rotating disk, the aim was to measure the relative spectral shift between the spectra of two states when the acceleration of the absorber is anti-parallel and parallel to the source. A control system was used for the first time and a method to quantify the effects of non-random vibrations on the spectral shift was developed. For several runs where the effect of these vibrations was negligible, a stable statistically significant non-zero relative shift was observed. This suggests the influence of acceleration on time

Testing the influence of acceleration on time dilation using a rotating Mössbauer absorber

The aim of the experiment series was to test the influence of acceleration on time dilation by measuring the relative spectral shift between the resonance spectra of a rotating Mossbauer absorber with acceleration anti-parallel and parallel to the direction of the incident beam. Based on the experiences and know-how acquired in our previous experiments, We collected data for rotation frequencies up to 510Hz in both directions of rotation and also used different slits. For each run with high rotation, we observed a stable statistically significant relative shift between the spectra of the two states with opposite acceleration. This indicates the influence of acceleration on time dilation. However, we found that this shift also depends on the choice of the slit, and on the direction of rotation. These new unexpected findings, resulting from the loss of symmetry in obtaining the resonant lines in the two states, could overshadow the relative shift due to acceleration. This loss of the symmetry is caused by the deflection of the radiative decay due to the Nuclear Lighthouse effect from the rotating Mossbauer absorber. We also found that it is impossible to keep the alignment (between the optical and the dynamical rotor systems) with accuracy needed for such experiment, for long runs, which resulted in the reduction of the accuracy of the observed relative shift. These prevent us to claim with certainty the influence of acceleration on time dilation using the currently available technology. An improved KB optics with focal spot of less than 1 micron to avoid the use of a slit and a more rigid mounting of the rotor system, are necessary for the success of such experiment. Hopefully, these findings together with the indispensable plan for a conclusive experiment presented in the paper, will prove useful to future experimentalists wishing to pursue such an experiment

Impact of non-random vibrations in Mössbauer rotor experiments testing time dilation

All experiments testing time dilation by measuring the spectral shift of a rotating Mössbauer absorber assume that vibrations do not affect the spectral shift because of their purely random nature and claim that the observed shift is due to time dilation only. Our recent experimentusing the Synchrotron M¨ossbauer Source at ESRF revealed, however, a shift due to the non-random periodic vibration patterns caused by the rotor/bearing system. These patterns fit the predictions of the Jeffcott model for such a system with non-zero eccentricity. We havecalculated this shift due to the non-random vibrations and the resulting relative shift between two states when the acceleration of the absorber is anti-parallel and parallel to the source. This relative shift exhibits the same behavior as the observed relative shift. Hence, the effect of the spectral shift due to vibrations cannot be ignored in any M¨ossbauer rotor experiments for testing time dilation. Recommendations for improvement of future rotor experiments testing time dilation are presented