On the numerical evaluation of Legendre's chi-function

Legendre's chi-function, [formula] , is reexpanded in a power series in powers of [formula] . The expansion obtained is well suited for the computation of [formula] in the two cases of real z close to 1, and [formula] . For n=2 and n=3 , the present computational procedure is shown to be superior to the procedure recently proposed by Dempsey, Liu, and Dempsey, which uses Plana's summation formula

Spherically Symmetric Solutions in Macroscopic Gravity

Schwarzschild's solution to the Einstein Field Equations was one of the first and most important solutions that lead to the understanding and important experimental tests of Einstein's theory of General Relativity. However, Schwarzschild's solution is essentially based on an ideal theory of gravitation, where all inhomogeneities are ignored. Therefore, any generalization of the Schwarzschild solution should take into account the effects of small perturbations that may be present in the gravitational field. The theory of Macroscopic Gravity characterizes the effects of the inhomogeneities through a non-perturbative and covariant averaging procedure. With similar assumptions on the geometry and matter content, a solution to the averaged field equations as dictated by Macroscopic Gravity are derived. The resulting solution provides a possible explanation for the flattening of galactic rotation curves, illustrating that Dark Matter is not real but may only be the result of averaging inhomogeneities in a spherically symmetric background.Comment: 14 pages, added and updated references, some paragraphs rewritten for clarity, typographical errors fixed, results have not change

Long-Term Results After the Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitor Abciximab in Unstable Angina

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to investigate long-term effects of the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitor abciximab in patients with acute coronary syndrome without ST elevation who were not scheduled for coronary intervention. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 7800 patients were included with an acute coronary syndrome without ST elevation, documented by either elevated cardiac troponin or transient or persistent ST-segment depression. They were randomized to abciximab bolus and 24-hour infusion, abciximab bolus and 48-hour infusion, or matching placebo. The overall 1-year mortality rate was 8.3% (649 patients). One-year mortality was 7.8% in the placebo group and 8.2% in the 24-hour and 9.0% in the 48-hour abciximab infusion group. Compared with placebo, the hazard ratio for the 24-hour infusion of abciximab was 1.1 (95% CI 0.86 to 1.29), and for the 48-hour infusion, it was 1.2 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.41). The lack of benefit of abciximab was observed in every subgroup studied. Patients with negative troponin or elevated C-reactive protein had a higher mortality rate after treatment with abciximab for 48 hours than with placebo: 8.5% versus 5.8% in those with negative troponin (P=0.02), 16.3% versus 12.1% in those with elevated C-reactive protein (P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with placebo, abciximab did not provide any survival benefit at 1 year in patients admitted with an acute coronary syndrome with ST depression and/or elevated troponin who were not scheduled to undergo early coronary revascularization. In subgroups of patients, in particular those with low cardiac troponin or elevated C-reactive protein, abciximab was associated with excess mortality

Generator Coordinate Calculations for the Breathing-Mode Giant Monopole Resonance in Relativistic Mean Field Theory

The breathing-mode giant monopole resonance (GMR) is studied within the framework of the relativistic mean-field theory using the Generator Coordinate Method (GCM). The constrained incompressibility and the excitation energy of isoscalar giant monopole states are obtained for finite nuclei with various sets of Lagrangian parameters. A comparison is made with the results of nonrelativistic constrained Skyrme Hartree-Fock calculations and with those from Skyrme RPA calculations. In the RMF theory the GCM calculations give a transition density for the breathing mode, which resembles much that obtained from the Skyrme HF+RPA approach and also that from the scaling mode of the GMR. From the systematic study of the breathing-mode as a function of the incompressibility in GCM, it is shown that the GCM succeeds in describing the GMR energies in nuclei and that the empirical breathing-mode energies of heavy nuclei can be reproduced by forces with an incompressibility close to $K = 300$ MeV in the RMF theory.Comment: 27 pages (Revtex) and 5 figures (available upon request), Preprint MPA-793 (March 1994

Back Reaction And Local Cosmological Expansion Rate

We calculate the back reaction of cosmological perturbations on a general relativistic variable which measures the local expansion rate of the Universe. Specifically, we consider a cosmological model in which matter is described by a single field. We analyze back reaction both in a matter dominated Universe and in a phase of scalar field-driven chaotic inflation. In both cases, we find that the leading infrared terms contributing to the back reaction vanish when the local expansion rate is measured at a fixed value of the matter field which is used as a clock, whereas they do not appear to vanish if the expansion rate is evaluated at a fixed value of the background time. We discuss possible implications for more realistic models with a more complicated matter sector.Comment: 7 pages, No figure

Continuously improving the practice of cardiology

Guidelines for the management of patients with cardiovascular disease are designed to assist cardiologists and other physicans in their practice. Surveys are conducted to assess whether guidelines are followed in practice. The results of surveys on acute coronary syndromes, coronary revascularisation, secondary prevention, valvular heart disease and heart failure are presented. Comparing surveys conducted between 1995 and 2002, a gradual improvement in use ofsecondary preventive therapy is observed. Nevertheless, important deviations from established guidelines are noted, with a significant variation among different hospitals in the Netherlands and in other European countries. Measures for fiuther improvement of clinical practice indude more rapid treatment of patients with evolving myocardial infarction, more frequent use of clopidogrel and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor blockers in patients with acute coronary syndromes, more frequent use of 5-blockers in patients with heart failure and more intense measures to encourage patients to stop smoking. Targets for the proportion ofpatients who might receive specific therapies are presented

Detecting a stochastic gravitational wave background with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna

The random superposition of many weak sources will produce a stochastic background of gravitational waves that may dominate the response of the LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) gravitational wave observatory. Unless something can be done to distinguish between a stochastic background and detector noise, the two will combine to form an effective noise floor for the detector. Two methods have been proposed to solve this problem. The first is to cross-correlate the output of two independent interferometers. The second is an ingenious scheme for monitoring the instrument noise by operating LISA as a Sagnac interferometer. Here we derive the optimal orbital alignment for cross-correlating a pair of LISA detectors, and provide the first analytic derivation of the Sagnac sensitivity curve.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures. Significant changes to the noise estimate

Dutch outcome in implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy (DO-IT)

Background Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are widely used for the prevention of sudden cardiac death. At present, both clinical benefit and cost-effectiveness of ICD therapy in primary prevention patients are topics of discussion, as only a minority of these patients will eventually receive appropriate ICD therapy. Methods/design The DO-IT Registry is a nationwide prospective cohort with a target enrolment of 1,500 primary prevention ICD patients with reduced left ventricular function in a setting of structural heart disease. The primary outcome measures are death and appropriate ICD therapy for ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Secondary outcome measures are inappropriate ICD therapy, death of any cause, hospitalisation for ICD related complications and for cardiovascular reasons. As of December 2016, data on demographic, clinical, and ICD characteristics of 1,468 patients have been collected. Follow-up will continue up to 24 months after inclusion of the last patient. During follow-up, clinical and ICD data are collected based on the normal follow-up of these patients, assuming ICD interrogations take place every six months and clinical follow-up i

All-particle cosmic ray energy spectrum measured with 26 IceTop stations

We report on a measurement of the cosmic ray energy spectrum with the IceTop air shower array, the surface component of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole. The data used in this analysis were taken between June and October, 2007, with 26 surface stations operational at that time, corresponding to about one third of the final array. The fiducial area used in this analysis was 0.122 km^2. The analysis investigated the energy spectrum from 1 to 100 PeV measured for three different zenith angle ranges between 0{\deg} and 46{\deg}. Because of the isotropy of cosmic rays in this energy range the spectra from all zenith angle intervals have to agree. The cosmic-ray energy spectrum was determined under different assumptions on the primary mass composition. Good agreement of spectra in the three zenith angle ranges was found for the assumption of pure proton and a simple two-component model. For zenith angles {\theta} < 30{\deg}, where the mass dependence is smallest, the knee in the cosmic ray energy spectrum was observed between 3.5 and 4.32 PeV, depending on composition assumption. Spectral indices above the knee range from -3.08 to -3.11 depending on primary mass composition assumption. Moreover, an indication of a flattening of the spectrum above 22 PeV were observed.Comment: 38 pages, 17 figure