Minimal Model for Sand Dunes

We propose a minimal model for aeolian sand dunes. It combines an analytical description of the turbulent wind velocity field above the dune with a continuum saltation model that allows for saturation transients in the sand flux. The model provides a qualitative understanding of important features of real dunes, such as their longitudinal shape and aspect ratio, the formation of a slip face, the breaking of scale invariance, and the existence of a minimum dune size.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, replaced with publishd versio

Androgens and Development of Posttransplantation Diabetes Mellitus in Male Kidney Transplant Recipients:A Post Hoc Analysis of a Prospective Study

OBJECTIVE: Posttransplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) effects up to 30% of all kidney transplant recipients (KTR). Recent studies in mice found that sufficient androgen levels are necessary for β-cell health and adequate insulin secretion. This raises the question whether a similar relationship might be present in KTR. Hence, we hypothesized that dihydrotestosterone and testosterone are associated with the development of PTDM in male KTR. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a post hoc analyses of a prospective single-center cohort study including adult male KTR with a functioning graft ≥1 year posttransplantation. Androgen levels were assessed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Development of PTDM was defined according to the American Diabetes Association's criteria. RESULTS: We included 243 male KTR (aged 51 ± 14 years), with a median dihydrotestosterone 0.9 (0.7-1.3) nmol/L and testosterone of 12.1 (9.4-15.8) nmol/L. During 5.3 (3.7-5.8) years of follow-up, 28 KTR (11.5%) developed PTDM. A clear association was observed, as 15 (19%), 10 (12%), and 3 (4%) male KTR developed PTDM in the respective tertiles of dihydrotestosterone (P = 0.008). In Cox regression analyses, both dihydrotestosterone and testosterone as continuous variables were inversely associated with the risk to development PTDM, independent of glucose and HbA1c (hazard ratio [HR] 0.31 [95%CI 0.16-0.59], P < 0.001; and HR 0.32 [95%CI 0.15-0.68], P = 0.003, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that low androgen levels are a novel potential modifiable risk factor for the development of PTDM in male KTR

PENYALAHGUNAAN ASET NEGARA DALAM BENTUK JARINGAN SATELIT UNTUK KEPENTINGAN KORPORASI DIHUBUNGKAN DENGAN UNDANGUNDANG NOMOR 36 TAHUN 1999 TENTANG TELEKOMUNIKASI JO UNDANGUNDANG NOMOR 20 TAHUN 2001 TENTANG TINDAK PIDANA KORUPSI

telekomunikasi sebagaimana dilakukan oleh IM2. IM2 telah menyalahgunakan pita frekuensi 2.1 Ghz, dan secara melawan hukum beroperasi pada jaringan tersebut sehingga menimbulkan kerugian negara. Berdasarkan hal tersebut maka penulis tertarik meneliti, bagaimana Undang-Undang Telekomunikasi jo Peraturan Menteri Komunikasi dan Informatika dan Undang-Undang Tindak Pidana Korupsi mengatur mekanisme pemanfaatan aset negara berupa jaringan satelit, mengapa aset negara berupa jaringan satelit kerap kali disalahgunakan didalam pemanfaatannya oleh korporasi, serta bagaimana upaya yang dapat dilakukan untuk melindungi aset negara dalam bentuk jaringan satelit terhadap penyalahgunaan yang dilakukan oleh korporasi. Penelitian ini menggunakan spesifikasi penelitian yang bersifat deskriftif analitis dengan pendekatan yuridis normatif dibantu yuridis empiris, data yang diperlukan dalam penelitian ini dikumpulkan melalui studi kepustakaan dan studi lapangan, kemudian dianalisis menggunakan teknik analisis data berupa yuridis kualitatif. Pemanfaatan aset negara berupa jaringan satelit melalui pita frekuensi merupakan salah satu hak yang dalam pemanfaatannya diatur oleh peraturan perundang-undangan agar tercipta keadilan, kepastian dan ketertiban, keamanan, keseimbangan, perlindungan dan pemeliharaan dalam pemanfataannya. Jaringan satelit yang merupakan jaringan satelit aset negara pemanfaatannya mensyaratkan izin dan pembayaran tarif tertentu, sehingga konsekuensinya ketika terjadi penyalahgunaan pemanfaatan jaringan satelit, negara akan mengalami kerugian. Aset negara berupa jaringan satelit kerap kali disalahgunakan didalam pemanfaatannya oleh korporasi disebabkan beberapa faktor diantaranya faktor hukum itu sendiri dalam hal ini peraturan perundang-undangannya, faktor penegak hukum, faktor sarana atau fasilitas yang mendukung pengawasan dan penegakan hukum itu sendiri, faktor masyarakat, yakni lingkungan dimana hukum tersebut berlaku atau diterapkan, dalam hal ini yaitu lingkungan korporasi, faktor kebudayaan yakni kurangnya kesadaran hukum korporasi dalam upaya pemanfaatan aset negara secara berkeadilan dan tertib sesuai peraturan perundang-undangan yang berlaku, dimana pemanfaatan yang tidak secara berkeadilan akan membawa negara menuju kepada kehancuran. Upaya yang dapat dilakukan untuk melindungi aset negara dalam bentuk jaringan satelit terhadap penyalahgunaan yang dilakukan oleh korporasi harus berangkat dari beberapa faktor yang menjadi penyebab penyalahgunaan pemanfaatan jaringan satelit diantaranya yaitu melalui upaya preventif berupa revisi perunang-undangan, pengawasan, sosialisasi sert upaya represif berupa penegakan hukum. Penegakan hukum harus dilaksanakan tanpa pandang bulu, sebagai bentuk keyakinan atas doktrin hukum, bahwa setiap orang mempunyai kedudukan yang sama di depan hukum. Kata Kunci: Penyalahgunaan Aset Negara, Jaringan Sateli

A Continuum Saltation Model for Sand Dunes

We derive a phenomenological continuum saltation model for aeolian sand transport that can serve as an efficient tool for geomorphological applications. The coupled differential equations for the average density and velocity of sand in the saltation layer reproduce both known equilibrium relations for the sand flux and the time evolution of the sand flux as predicted by microscopic saltation models. The three phenomenological parameters of the model are a reference height for the grain-air interaction, an effective restitution coefficient for the grain-bed interaction, and a multiplication factor characterizing the chain reaction caused by the impacts leading to a typical time or length scale of the saturation transients. We determine the values of these parameters by comparing our model with wind tunnel measurements. Our main interest are out of equilibrium situations where saturation transients are important, for instance at phase boundaries (ground/sand) or under unsteady wind conditions. We point out that saturation transients are indispensable for a proper description of sand flux over structured terrain, by applying the model to the windward side of an isolated dune, thereby resolving recently reported discrepancies between field measurements and theoretical predictions.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Minimal model for aeolian sand dunes

We present a minimal model for the formation and migration of aeolian sand dunes. It combines a perturbative description of the turbulent wind velocity field above the dune with a continuum saltation model that allows for saturation transients in the sand flux. The latter are shown to provide the characteristic length scale. The model can explain the origin of important features of dunes, such as the formation of a slip face, the broken scale invariance, and the existence of a minimum dune size. It also predicts the longitudinal shape and aspect ratio of dunes and heaps, their migration velocity and shape relaxation dynamics. Although the minimal model employs non-local expressions for the wind shear stress as well as for the sand flux, it is simple enough to serve as a very efficient tool for analytical and numerical investigations and to open up the way to simulations of large scale desert topographies.Comment: 19 pages, 22 figure

Wavelet analysis of epileptic spikes

Interictal spikes and sharp waves in human EEG are characteristic signatures of epilepsy. These potentials originate as a result of synchronous, pathological discharge of many neurons. The reliable detection of such potentials has been the long standing problem in EEG analysis, especially after long-term monitoring became common in investigation of epileptic patients. The traditional definition of a spike is based on its amplitude, duration, sharpness, and emergence from its background. However, spike detection systems built solely around this definition are not reliable due to the presence of numerous transients and artifacts. We use wavelet transform to analyze the properties of EEG manifestations of epilepsy. We demonstrate that the behavior of wavelet transform of epileptic spikes across scales can constitute the foundation of a relatively simple yet effective detection algorithm.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Characterizing Exoplanets in the Visible and Infrared: A Spectrometer Concept for the EChO Space Mission

Transit-spectroscopy of exoplanets is one of the key observational techniques to characterize the extrasolar planet and its atmosphere. The observational challenges of these measurements require dedicated instrumentation and only the space environment allows an undisturbed access to earth-like atmospheric features such as water or carbon-dioxide. Therefore, several exoplanet-specific space missions are currently being studied. One of them is EChO, the Exoplanet Characterization Observatory, which is part of ESA's Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 program, and which is one of four candidates for the M3 launch slot in 2024. In this paper we present the results of our assessment study of the EChO spectrometer, the only science instrument onboard this spacecraft. The instrument is a multi-channel all-reflective dispersive spectrometer, covering the wavelength range from 400 nm to 16 microns simultaneously with a moderately low spectral resolution. We illustrate how the key technical challenge of the EChO mission - the high photometric stability - influences the choice of spectrometer concept and drives fundamentally the instrument design. First performance evaluations underline the fitness of the elaborated design solution for the needs of the EChO mission.Comment: 20 pages, 8 figures, accepted for publication in the Journal of Astronomical Instrumentatio