115 research outputs found
Teaching Linear Algebra in a Mechanized Mathematical Environment
This paper outlines our ideas on how to teach linear algebra in a mechanized
mathematical environment, and discusses some of our reasons for thinking that
this is a better way to teach linear algebra than the ``old fashioned way''. We
discuss some technological tools such as Maple, Matlab, Python, and Jupyter
Notebooks, and some choices of topics that are especially suited to teaching
with these tools. The discussion is informed by our experience over the past
thirty or more years teaching at various levels, especially at the University
of Western Ontario.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figure
Multispectral imaging of organ viability during uterine transplantation surgery in rabbits and sheep
Uterine transplantation surgery (UTx) has been proposed as a treatment for permanent absolute uterine factor infertility (AUFI) in the case of the congenital absence or surgical removal of the uterus. Successful surgical attachment of the organ and its associated vasculature is essential for the organ’s reperfusion and long-term viability. Spectral imaging techniques have demonstrated the potential for the measurement of hemodynamics in medical applications. These involve the measurement of reflectance spectra by acquiring images of the tissue in different wavebands. Measures of tissue constituents at each pixel can then be extracted from these spectra through modeling of the light–tissue interaction. A multispectral imaging (MSI) laparoscope was used in sheep and rabbit UTx models to study short- and long-term changes in oxygen saturation following surgery. The whole organ was imaged in the donor and recipient animals in parallel with point measurements from a pulse oximeter. Imaging results confirmed the re-establishment of adequate perfusion in the transplanted organ after surgery. Cornual oxygenation trends measured with MSI are consistent with pulse oximeter readings, showing decreased StO2 immediately after anastomosis of the blood vessels. Long-term results show recovery of StO2 to preoperative levels
New Constraints on the Complex Mass Substructure in Abell 1689 from Gravitational Flexion
In a recent publication, the flexion aperture mass statistic was found to
provide a robust and effective method by which substructure in galaxy clusters
might be mapped. Moreover, we suggested that the masses and mass profile of
structures might be constrained using this method. In this paper, we apply the
flexion aperture mass technique to HST ACS images of Abell 1689. We demonstrate
that the flexion aperture mass statistic is sensitive to small-scale structures
in the central region of the cluster. While the central potential is not
constrained by our method, due largely to missing data in the central
0.5 of the cluster, we are able to place constraints on the masses and
mass profiles of prominent substructures. We identify 4 separate mass peaks,
and use the peak aperture mass signal and zero signal radius in each case to
constrain the masses and mass profiles of these substructures. The three most
massive peaks exhibit complex small-scale structure, and the masses indicated
by the flexion aperture mass statistic suggest that these three peaks represent
the dominant substructure component of the cluster (). Their complex structure indicates that the cluster --
far from being relaxed -- may have recently undergone a merger. The smaller,
subsidiary peak is located coincident with a group of galaxies within the
cluster, with mass . These results are in
excellent agreement with previous substructure studies of this cluster.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, MNRAS accepted (7 Dec 2010
The Newtonian limit of spacetimes for accelerated particles and black holes
Solutions of vacuum Einstein's field equations describing uniformly
accelerated particles or black holes belong to the class of boost-rotation
symmetric spacetimes. They are the only explicit solutions known which
represent moving finite objects. Their Newtonian limit is analyzed using the
Ehlers frame theory. Generic spacetimes with axial and boost symmetries are
first studied from the Newtonian perspective. The results are then illustrated
by specific examples such as C-metric, Bonnor-Swaminarayan solutions,
self-accelerating "dipole particles", and generalized boost-rotation symmetric
solutions describing freely falling particles in an external field. In contrast
to some previous discussions, our results are physically plausible in the sense
that the Newtonian limit corresponds to the fields of classical point masses
accelerated uniformly in classical mechanics. This corroborates the physical
significance of the boost-rotation symmetric spacetimes
Gangrenous cholecystitis in an asymptomatic patient found during an elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a case report
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Gangrenous cholecystitis is a severe complication of acute cholecystitis. We present an unusual case of gangrenous cholecystitis which was totally asymptomatic, with normal pre-operative parameters, and was discovered incidentally during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We have not found any similar cases in the published literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 79-year-old British Caucasian man presented initially with acute cholecystitis which responded to conservative management. After six weeks he was asymptomatic and had normal blood parameters. An elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed and our patient was found to have a totally gangrenous gall bladder.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It is important to keep a high index of suspicion for the diagnosis of gangrenous cholecystitis in order to avoid potentially serious complications.</p
Elastic deformation of a fluid membrane upon colloid binding
When a colloidal particle adheres to a fluid membrane, it induces elastic
deformations in the membrane which oppose its own binding. The structural and
energetic aspects of this balance are theoretically studied within the
framework of a Helfrich Hamiltonian. Based on the full nonlinear shape
equations for the membrane profile, a line of continuous binding transitions
and a second line of discontinuous envelopment transitions are found, which
meet at an unusual triple point. The regime of low tension is studied
analytically using a small gradient expansion, while in the limit of large
tension scaling arguments are derived which quantify the asymptotic behavior of
phase boundary, degree of wrapping, and energy barrier. The maturation of
animal viruses by budding is discussed as a biological example of such
colloid-membrane interaction events.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, REVTeX style, follow-up on cond-mat/021242
(Borel) convergence of the variationally improved mass expansion and the O(N) Gross-Neveu model mass gap
We reconsider in some detail a construction allowing (Borel) convergence of
an alternative perturbative expansion, for specific physical quantities of
asymptotically free models. The usual perturbative expansions (with an explicit
mass dependence) are transmuted into expansions in 1/F, where
for while for m \lsim \Lambda,
being the basic scale and given by renormalization group
coefficients. (Borel) convergence holds in a range of which corresponds to
reach unambiguously the strong coupling infrared regime near , which
can define certain "non-perturbative" quantities, such as the mass gap, from a
resummation of this alternative expansion. Convergence properties can be
further improved, when combined with expansion (variationally improved
perturbation) methods. We illustrate these results by re-evaluating, from
purely perturbative informations, the O(N) Gross-Neveu model mass gap, known
for arbitrary from exact S matrix results. Comparing different levels of
approximations that can be defined within our framework, we find reasonable
agreement with the exact result.Comment: 33 pp., RevTeX4, 6 eps figures. Minor typos, notation and wording
corrections, 2 references added. To appear in Phys. Rev.
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