246 research outputs found
Detection and period measurements of GX1+4 at hard x ray energies with the SIGMA telescope
The galactic Low Mass X ray Binary GX1+4 was detected by the coded aperture hard X ray gamma ray SIGMA telescope during the Feb. to April 1991 observations of the galactic center regions. The source, whose emission varied during the survey of a factor greater than 40 pct., reached a maximum luminosity in the 40 to 140 energy range of 1.03 x 10(exp 37) erg/s (D = 8.5 kpc), thus approaching the emission level of the 1970 to 1980 high state. Two minute flux pulsations were detected on Mar. 22 and on Mar. 31 and Apr. 1. Comparison with the last period measurements shows that the current spin-down phase of GX1+4 is ending. Concerning the proposed association of this source with the galactic center 511 keV annihilation emission, upper limits were derived
Economic effects of IFRS adoption in Brazil: An empirical analysis of stock price synchronicity
This study aims to identify the impact of IFRS adoption in stock price
synchronicity of Brazilian capital market through its influence on how much and in which
way firm-specific information is incorporated by stock prices. There are divergences in
the literature about how IFRS adoption (specially the mandatory adoption) affects
synchronicity in countries with poorer institutions. Our results indicate that IFRS
adoption in Brazil has reduced stock price synchronicity and, consequently, increased the
efficiency of resource allocation and potential portfolio diversification. These findings
support the view that IFRS adoption facilitates firm-specific information flows into the
market, improving the informational environment. This findings show that investment
conditions in Brazil have improved, opening better opportunities for foreign investments
on the country, contributing to financial globalization and market integration.info:eu-repo/semantics/submittedVersio
An opportunist and cooperative approach for low level vision
This paper presents a new approach for the design of cooperative segmentatio n
systems. The idea is to introduce cooperation as an integrant part of the decisio n
process . Each segmentation method is then given the ability to make adaptiv e
decisions, to postpone difficult decisions and to solve pending problems by
requesting and accumulating information. For this purpose, each method is
implemented as an incremental process that can interrupt itself at any time to ask
for a cooperation with other processes, in an opportunist way : "child" processe s
are then created at certain locations in the image. Child processes are thus created
each time a "complex" situation is encountered, to gather more information which ,
collected at the "parent" level, is used to take "better" decisions, in a more secure
way. The processes are controlled by a scheduler, like in a multi-task operating
system. Depth-first or breadth-first control strategies may be implemented, wher e
information queries are treated immediately or differed . The potential interest of
the approach is illustrated on a variety of examples .Nous présentons une nouvelle approche de la coopération entre plusieurs méthodes de segmentation. L'idée est d'introduire la coopération dans le processus de décision. Chaque méthode de segmentation peut alors prendre des décisions adaptées, différer les décisions difficiles et résoudre les problèmes délicats en demandant et en accumulant les informations fournies par d'autres méthodes. Dans ce but, chaque méthode comporte une structure de contrôle incrémentale, interruptible à tout moment pour demander l'aide opportune d'autres méthodes : des processus «fils» sont créés aux endroits critiques dès qu'une situation complexe est rencontrée, puis des informations sont retournées au processus père qui est alors en mesure de prendre des décisions plus fiables. Les processus sont contrôlés par un séquenceur, dans l'esprit d'un système d'exploitation multitâches. Ce séquenceur initialise des processus à différents endroits de l'image. Ensuite, la stratégie de parcours en largeur d'abord ou en profondeur d'abord permet de traiter immédiatement ou non les demandes de coopération. Le parcours en largeur d'abord implique l'analyse des problèmes les plus simples avant ceux qui sont plus complexes. Nous illustrons les différents choix sur des exemples variés
Free circulating ICAM-1 in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of HIV-1 infected patients correlate with TNF-α and blood-brain barrier damage
The mechanism for the initiation of blood-brain barrier damage and intrathecal inflammation in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is poorly understood. We have recently reported that tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) mediates active neural inflammation and blood-brain barrier damage in HIV-1 infection. Stimulation of endothelial cells by TNF-α induces the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), which is an important early marker of immune activation and response. We report herein for the first time the detection of high levels of free circulating ICAM-1 in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with HIV-1 infection. Free circulating ICAM-1 in these patients correlated with TNF-α concentrations and with the degree of blood-brain barrier damage and were detected predominantly in patients with neurologic involvement. These findings have important implications for the understanding and investigation of the intrathecal inflammatory response in HIV-1 infection
Speeding up Simplification of Polygonal Curves using Nested Approximations
We develop a multiresolution approach to the problem of polygonal curve
approximation. We show theoretically and experimentally that, if the
simplification algorithm A used between any two successive levels of resolution
satisfies some conditions, the multiresolution algorithm MR will have a
complexity lower than the complexity of A. In particular, we show that if A has
a O(N2/K) complexity (the complexity of a reduced search dynamic solution
approach), where N and K are respectively the initial and the final number of
segments, the complexity of MR is in O(N).We experimentally compare the
outcomes of MR with those of the optimal "full search" dynamic programming
solution and of classical merge and split approaches. The experimental
evaluations confirm the theoretical derivations and show that the proposed
approach evaluated on 2D coastal maps either shows a lower complexity or
provides polygonal approximations closer to the initial curves.Comment: 12 pages + figure
The Agile Alert System For Gamma-Ray Transients
In recent years, a new generation of space missions offered great
opportunities of discovery in high-energy astrophysics. In this article we
focus on the scientific operations of the Gamma-Ray Imaging Detector (GRID)
onboard the AGILE space mission. The AGILE-GRID, sensitive in the energy range
of 30 MeV-30 GeV, has detected many gamma-ray transients of galactic and
extragalactic origins. This work presents the AGILE innovative approach to fast
gamma-ray transient detection, which is a challenging task and a crucial part
of the AGILE scientific program. The goals are to describe: (1) the AGILE
Gamma-Ray Alert System, (2) a new algorithm for blind search identification of
transients within a short processing time, (3) the AGILE procedure for
gamma-ray transient alert management, and (4) the likelihood of ratio tests
that are necessary to evaluate the post-trial statistical significance of the
results. Special algorithms and an optimized sequence of tasks are necessary to
reach our goal. Data are automatically analyzed at every orbital downlink by an
alert pipeline operating on different timescales. As proper flux thresholds are
exceeded, alerts are automatically generated and sent as SMS messages to
cellular telephones, e-mails, and push notifications of an application for
smartphones and tablets. These alerts are crosschecked with the results of two
pipelines, and a manual analysis is performed. Being a small scientific-class
mission, AGILE is characterized by optimization of both scientific analysis and
ground-segment resources. The system is capable of generating alerts within two
to three hours of a data downlink, an unprecedented reaction time in gamma-ray
astrophysics.Comment: 34 pages, 9 figures, 5 table
PRACTICAL DESIGN EXAMPLES FOR HUMAN HABITATS IN SPACE, OFF-GRID, AND IN LOW-IMPACT COMMUNITIES
All human habitat problems fall into three major categories- the environment, the habitat itself, and the occupants. By breaking these problems down into common themes and addressing them directly, we can build a common knowledge base for all three challenges faced by humanity. A crew living in space has the new problems of coping with radiation, microgravity, and vacuum. All the while, they are dealing the usual issues of eating, sleeping, and getting along with the rest of the occupants. By isolating the differences between space and earth habitats, we can create common architectural styles for each human habitat challenge where commonality is appropriate. We can then examine the differences, then isolate and modularize the secondary systems where possible. This simplifies experimentation and testing of the physical and psychological design of a structure on Earth prior to attempting use in space. It also allows spin-off architectures for extreme environments, off-grid settlements, research bases, and low impact communities on Earth. By isolating and testing each attribute of the system in parallel with control groups, we can scientifically refine the systems for human shelter regardless of environment. This paper will show numerous examples of architectures designed for space or space analog research bases. These designs can be both de-scoped to off-grid sustainable architecture, and scoped up for space habitat applications. Concepts such as internal greenhouses, enclosed permaculture, thermal protection, energy management, and radiation shielding are included for both minimal habitats and large bases. These systems can then be applied for disaster first responders, research bases in extreme environments, o-grid homes, and low-impact communities
The flaring blazars of the first 1.5 years of the AGILE mission
We report the AGILE gamma-ray observations and the results of the
multiwavelength campaigns on seven flaring blazars detected by the mission:
During two multiwavelength campaigns, we observed gamma-ray activity from two
Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars of the Virgo region, e.g. 3C 279 and 3C 273 (the
latter being the first extragalactic source simultaneously observed with the
gamma-ray telescope and the hard X ray imager of the mission). Due to the large
FOV of the AGILE/GRID instrument, we achieved an almost continuous coverage of
the FSRQ 3C 454.3. The source showed flux above 10E-6 photons/cm2/s (E > 100
MeV) and showed day by day variability during all the AGILE observing periods.
In the EGRET era, the source was found in high gamma-ray activity only once. An
other blazar, PKS 1510-089 was frequently found in high gamma-ray activity. S5
0716+71, an intermediate BL Lac object, exhibited a very high gamma-ray
activity and fast gamma-ray variability during a period of intense optical
activity. We observed high gamma-ray activity from W Comae, a BL Lac object,
and Mrk 421, an high energy peaked BL Lac object. For this source, a
multiwavelength campaign from optical to TeV has been performed
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