1,426 research outputs found
The Milky Way halo as a QSO absorption-line system. New results from an HST/STIS absorption-line catalogue of Galactic high-velocity clouds
We use archival UV absorption-line data from HST/STIS to statistically
analyse the absorption characteristics of the high-velocity clouds (HVCs) in
the Galactic halo towards more than 40 extragalactic background sources. We
determine absorption covering fractions of low- and intermediate ions (OI, CII,
SiIII, MgII, FeII, SiIII, CIV, and SiIV) in the range fc = 0.20 - 0.70. For
detailed analysis we concentrate on SiII absorption components in HVCs, for
which we investigate the distribution of column densities, b-values, and radial
velocities. Combining information for SiII and MgII, and using a geometrical
HVC model we investigate the contribution of HVCs to the absorption cross
section of strong MgII absorbers in the local Universe. We estimate that the
Galactic HVCs would contribute on average ~52 % to the total strong MgII cross
section of the Milky Way, if our Galaxy were to be observed from an exterior
vantage point. We further estimate that the mean projected covering fraction of
strong MgII absorption in the Milky Way halo and disc from an exterior vantage
point is fc(sMgII) = 0.31 for a halo radius of R = 61 kpc. These numbers,
together with the observed number density of strong MgII absorbers at low
redshift, indicate that the contribution of infalling gas clouds (i.e., HVC
analogues) in the halos of Milky Way-type galaxies to the cross section of
strong MgII absorbers is <34 %. These findings are in line with the idea that
outflowing gas (e.g., produced by galactic winds) in the halos of more actively
star-forming galaxies dominate the absorption-cross section of strong MgII
absorbers in the local Universe
Quantum speedup of classical mixing processes
Most approximation algorithms for #P-complete problems (e.g., evaluating the
permanent of a matrix or the volume of a polytope) work by reduction to the
problem of approximate sampling from a distribution over a large set
. This problem is solved using the {\em Markov chain Monte Carlo} method: a
sparse, reversible Markov chain on with stationary distribution
is run to near equilibrium. The running time of this random walk algorithm, the
so-called {\em mixing time} of , is as shown
by Aldous, where is the spectral gap of and is the minimum
value of . A natural question is whether a speedup of this classical
method to , the diameter of the graph
underlying , is possible using {\em quantum walks}.
We provide evidence for this possibility using quantum walks that {\em
decohere} under repeated randomized measurements. We show: (a) decoherent
quantum walks always mix, just like their classical counterparts, (b) the
mixing time is a robust quantity, essentially invariant under any smooth form
of decoherence, and (c) the mixing time of the decoherent quantum walk on a
periodic lattice is , which is indeed
and is asymptotically no worse than the
diameter of (the obvious lower bound) up to at most a logarithmic
factor.Comment: 13 pages; v2 revised several part
On the hitting times of quantum versus random walks
In this paper we define new Monte Carlo type classical and quantum hitting
times, and we prove several relationships among these and the already existing
Las Vegas type definitions. In particular, we show that for some marked state
the two types of hitting time are of the same order in both the classical and
the quantum case.
Further, we prove that for any reversible ergodic Markov chain , the
quantum hitting time of the quantum analogue of has the same order as the
square root of the classical hitting time of . We also investigate the
(im)possibility of achieving a gap greater than quadratic using an alternative
quantum walk.
Finally, we present new quantum algorithms for the detection and finding
problems. The complexities of both algorithms are related to the new,
potentially smaller, quantum hitting times. The detection algorithm is based on
phase estimation and is particularly simple. The finding algorithm combines a
similar phase estimation based procedure with ideas of Tulsi from his recent
theorem for the 2D grid. Extending his result, we show that for any
state-transitive Markov chain with unique marked state, the quantum hitting
time is of the same order for both the detection and finding problems
Association of Caldendrin splice isoforms with secretory vesicles in neurohypophyseal axons and the pituitary
AbstractCaldendrin is a neuronal calcium-binding protein, which is highly enriched in the postsynaptic density fraction and exhibits a prominent somato-dendritic distribution in brain. Two additional splice variants derive from the caldendrin gene, which have unrelated N-termini and were previously only detected in the retina. We now show that these isoforms are present in neurohypophyseal axons and on secretory granules of endocrine cells. In light of the described interaction of the Caldendrin C-terminus with Q-type Cav2.1 calcium channels these data suggest that this interaction takes place in neurohypophyseal axons and pituitary cells indicating functions of the short splice variants in triggering Ca2+ transients to a vesicular target interaction
Predictors and correlates of adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) for chronic HIV infection: a meta-analysis
Adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a key predictor of the success of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment, and is potentially amenable to intervention. Insight into predictors or correlates of non-adherence to ART may help guide targets for the development of adherence-enhancing interventions. Our objective was to review evidence on predictors/correlates of adherence to ART, and to aggregate findings into quantitative estimates of their impact on adherence. We searched PubMed for original English-language papers, published between 1996 and June 2014, and the reference lists of all relevant articles found. Studies reporting on predictors/correlates of adherence of adults prescribed ART for chronic HIV infection were included without restriction to adherence assessment method, study design or geographical location. Two researchers independently extracted the data from the same papers. Random effects models with inverse variance weights were used to aggregate findings into pooled effects estimates with 95% confidence intervals. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used as the common effect size. The impact of study design features (adherence assessment method, study design, and the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) of the country in which the study was set) was investigated using categorical mixed effects meta-regression. In total, 207 studies were included. The following predictors/correlates were most strongly associated with adherence: adherence self-efficacy (SMD = 0.603, P = 0.001), current substance use (SMD = -0.395, P = 0.001), concerns about ART (SMD = -0.388, P = 0.001), beliefs about the necessity/utility of ART (SMD = 0.357, P = 0.001), trust/satisfaction with the HIV care provider (SMD = 0.377, P = 0.001), depressive symptoms (SMD = -0.305, P = 0.001), stigma about HIV (SMD = -0.282, P = 0.001), and social support (SMD = 0.237, P = 0.001). Smaller but significant associations were observed for the following being prescribed a protease inhibitor-containing regimen (SMD = -0.196, P = 0.001), daily dosing frequency (SMD = -0.193, P = 0.001), financial constraints (SMD -0.187, P = 0.001) and pill burden (SMD = -0.124, P = 0.001). Higher trust/satisfaction with the HIV care provider, a lower daily dosing frequency, and fewer depressive symptoms were more strongly related with higher adherence in low and medium HDI countries than in high HDI countries. These findings suggest that adherence-enhancing interventions should particularly target psychological factors such as self-efficacy and concerns/beliefs about the efficacy and safety of ART. Moreover, these findings suggest that simplification of regimens might have smaller but significant effect
Ассоциация полиморфизма генов ферментов биотрансформации и детоксикации ксенобиотиков с риском развития заболеваний у детей, перенесших перинатальные гипоксические поражения ЦНС
ПОЛИМОРФИЗМ ГЕНЕТИЧЕСКИЙФЕРМЕНТЫБИОТРАНСФОРМАЦИЯЛЕКАРСТВ ДЕТОКСИКАЦИЯ МЕТАБОЛИЧЕСКАЯКСЕНОБИОТИКИФАКТОРЫ РИСКАПЕРИНАТОЛОГИЯНЕРВНАЯ СИСТЕМА ЦЕНТРАЛЬНАЯ /повреждПЛОДА ГИПОКСИ
Absolute polarization angle calibration using polarized diffuse Galactic emission observed by BICEP
We present a method of cross-calibrating the polarization angle of a
polarimeter using BICEP Galactic observations. \bicep\ was a ground based
experiment using an array of 49 pairs of polarization sensitive bolometers
observing from the geographic South Pole at 100 and 150 GHz. The BICEP
polarimeter is calibrated to +/-0.01 in cross-polarization and less than +/-0.7
degrees in absolute polarization orientation. BICEP observed the temperature
and polarization of the Galactic plane (R.A= 100 degrees ~ 270 degrees and Dec.
= -67 degrees ~ -48 degrees). We show that the statistical error in the 100 GHz
BICEP Galaxy map can constrain the polarization angle offset of WMAP Wband to
0.6 degrees +\- 1.4 degrees. The expected 1 sigma errors on the polarization
angle cross-calibration for Planck or EPIC are 1.3 degrees and 0.3 degrees at
100 and 150 GHz, respectively. We also discuss the expected improvement of the
BICEP Galactic field observations with forthcoming BICEP2 and Keck
observations.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures and 2 tables. To appear in Proceedings of SPIE
Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation 201
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