1,175 research outputs found
Fermat Potentials for Non-Perturbative Gravitational Lensing
The images of many distant galaxies are displaced, distorted and often
multiplied by the presence of foreground massive galaxies near the line of
sight; the foreground galaxies act as gravitational lenses. Commonly, the lens
equation, which relates the placement and distortion of the images to the real
source position in the thin-lens scenario, is obtained by extremizing the time
of arrival among all the null paths from the source to the observer (Fermat's
principle). We show that the construction of envelopes of certain families of
null surfaces consitutes an alternative variational principle or version of
Fermat's principle that leads naturally to a lens equation in a generic
spacetime with any given metric. We illustrate the construction by deriving the
lens equation for static asymptotically flat thin lens spacetimes. As an
application of the approach, we find the bending angle for moving thin lenses
in terms of the bending angle for the same deflector at rest. Finally we apply
this construction to cosmological spacetimes (FRW) by using the fact they are
all conformally related to Minkowski space.Comment: accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Iterative Approach to Gravitational Lensing Theory
We develop an iterative approach to gravitational lensing theory based on
approximate solutions of the null geodesic equations. The approach can be
employed in any space-time which is ``close'' to a space-time in which the null
geodesic equations can be completely integrated, such as Minkowski space-time,
Robertson-Walker cosmologies, or Schwarzschild-Kerr geometries. To illustrate
the method, we construct the iterative gravitational lens equations and time of
arrival equation for a single Schwarzschild lens. This example motivates a
discussion of the relationship between the iterative approach, the standard
thin lens formulation, and an exact formulation of gravitational lensing.Comment: 27 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys.Rev.D, minor revisions, new
reference
Dynamics of Fermat potentials in non-perturbative gravitational lensing
We present a framework, based on the null-surface formulation of general
relativity, for discussing the dynamics of Fermat potentials for gravitational
lensing in a generic situation without approximations of any kind.
Additionally, we derive two lens equations: one for the case of thick compact
lenses and the other one for lensing by gravitational waves. These equations in
principle generalize the astrophysical scheme for lensing by removing the
thin-lens approximation while retaining the weak fields.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.
Oxidation of acyclic alkenes and allyl and benzyl ethers with DIB/t-BuOOH/Mg(OAc)<inf>2</inf>
Oxidation of (11Z)-1′,2′-didehydrostemofoline with DIB/TBHP/Mg(OAc)2·4H2O resulted in oxidative cleavage of the C-11-C-12 double bond instead of the desired allylic oxidation of the 1-butenyl side chain. Stemofoline gave a similar result. The oxidation of more simple terminal alkenes was regioselective and gave vinyl ketones while allyl and benzyl ethers gave acrylate and benzoate esters, respectively. Allyl and benzyl ethers could be chemoselectively oxidized in the presence of a terminal alkene or benzyl group. Oxidation of an internal alkene was poorly regioselective, in contrast to the oxidation of 1-substituted cyclohexenes. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
From Structural Inequalities to Speaking Out: Youth Participatory Action Research in College Access Collaborations
In recent years, participatory action research projects aimed at addressing local social issues have gained interest in academic settings. These projects can contribute to university-community partnerships, but communication about such projects remains somewhat limited. This article contributes to these developing discussions by describing how a youth participatory action research project (YPAR) supported an ongoing university-community partnership between South University, a mid-sized private liberal arts school, and the local public school community. This educational partnership led to the Anchor Academy, a college access and success program for high school youth with limited financial resources and little or no family history of college. In 2010-2011, Anchor initiated a YPAR project to study the challenges limited-income, first-generation, and minority students faced on their path to college. This article describes how the project deepened university-community relationships, shaped broader awareness and local programming, and inspired a ripple effect of new partnerships that help to sustain the work of supporting marginalized students in their journeys toward college futures. It addresses the struggles faced by the project as well as the positive outcomes, ultimately arguing for the potential for critical, participatory research methodologies to serve as a particularly meaningful platform for collaboration between universities and their communities
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Mast cell clones: a model for the analysis of cellular maturation.
Cloned mouse mast cells resemble, by ultrastructure, immature mast cells observed in vivo. These mast cell clones can be grown in the absence of any other cells, facilitating direct investigations of their biochemistry and function. We find that cloned mast cells express plasma membrane receptors (Fc epsilon R) that bind mouse IgE with an equilibrium constant (KA) similar to that of normal mouse peritoneal mast cells. In addition, cloned mast cells do not display detectable la antigens and cannot enhance lg secretion when added to lymphocyte cultures or mediate natural killer lysis. In the presence of 1 mM sodium butyrate, cloned mast cells stop dividing and acquire abundant electron-dense cytoplasmic granules similar to those of mature mast cells. Their histamine content increases concomitant with cytoplasmic granule maturation and may exceed that of untreated mast cells by 50-fold. Unlike peritoneal mast cells, cloned mast cells incorporate 35SO4 into chondroitin sulfates rather than heparin. These findings demonstrate that, unlike fully differentiated mouse peritoneal mast cells, cloned immature mouse mast cells contain no heparin and low levels of histamine. In addition, they establish that high-affinity Fc epsilon R are expressed early in mast cell maturation, well before completion of cytoplasmic granule synthesis and mediator storage
Second Order Perturbations of Flat Dust FLRW Universes with a Cosmological Constant
We summarize recent results concerning the evolution of second order
perturbations in flat dust irrotational FLRW models with . We
show that asymptotically these perturbations tend to constants in time, in
agreement with the cosmic no-hair conjecture. We solve numerically the second
order scalar perturbation equation, and very briefly discuss its all time
behaviour and some possible implications for the structure formation.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure. to be published in "Proceedings of the 5th
Alexander Friedmann Seminar on Gravitation and Cosmology", Int. Journ. Mod.
Phys. A (2002). Macros: ws-ijmpa.cls, ws-p9-75x6-50.cl
Lactobacillus fermentum (PCC®) supplementation and gastrointestinal and respiratory-tract illness symptoms: a randomised control trial in athletes
BACKGROUND Probiotics purportedly reduce symptoms of gastrointestinal and upper respiratory-tract illness by modulating commensal microflora. Preventing and reducing symptoms of respiratory and gastrointestinal illness are the primary reason that dietary supplementation with probiotics are becoming increasingly popular with healthy active individuals. There is a paucity of data regarding the effectiveness of probiotics in this cohort. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a probiotic on faecal microbiology, self-reported illness symptoms and immunity in healthy well trained individuals. METHODS Competitive cyclists (64 males and 35 females; age 35 ± 9 and 36 ± 9 y, VO2max 56 ± 6 and 52 ± 6 ml.kg-1.min-1, mean ± SD) were randomised to either probiotic (minimum 1 × 109 Lactobacillus fermentum (PCC®) per day) or placebo treatment for 11 weeks in a double-blind, randomised, controlled trial. The outcome measures were faecal L. fermentum counts, self-reported symptoms of illness and serum cytokines. RESULTS Lactobacillus numbers increased 7.7-fold (90% confidence limits 2.1- to 28-fold) more in males on the probiotic, while there was an unclear 2.2-fold (0.2- to 18-fold) increase in females taking the probiotic. The number and duration of mild gastrointestinal symptoms were ~2-fold greater in the probiotic group. However, there was a substantial 0.7 (0.2 to 1.2) of a scale step reduction in the severity of gastrointestinal illness at the mean training load in males, which became more pronounced as training load increased. The load (duration×severity) of lower respiratory illness symptoms was less by a factor of 0.31 (99%CI; 0.07 to 0.96) in males taking the probiotic compared with placebo but increased by a factor of 2.2 (0.41 to 27) in females. Differences in use of cold and flu medication mirrored these symptoms. The observed effects on URTI had too much uncertainty for a decisive outcome. There were clear reductions in the magnitude of acute exercise-induced changes in some cytokines. CONCLUSION L. fermentum may be a useful nutritional adjunct for healthy exercising males. However, uncertainty in the effects of supplementation on URTI and on symptoms in females needs to be resolved. TRIAL REGISTRATION The trial was registered in the Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12611000006943).The study was funded by Christian Hansen A/S, Probiomics and the Australian Institute of Sport
Therapeutic potential of targeting sphingosine kinases and sphingosine 1-phosphate in hematological malignancies
Sphingolipids, such as ceramide, sphingosine and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) are bioactive molecules that have important functions in a variety of cellular processes, which include proliferation, survival, differentiation and cellular responses to stress. Sphingolipids have a major impact on the determination of cell fate by contributing to either cell survival or death. Although ceramide and sphingosine are usually considered to induce cell death, S1P promotes survival of cells. Sphingosine kinases (SPHKs) are the enzymes that catalyze the conversion of sphingosine to S1P. There are two isoforms, SPHK1 and SPHK2, which are encoded by different genes. SPHK1 has recently been implicated in contributing to cell transformation, tumor angiogenesis and metastatic spread, as well as cancer cell multidrug-resistance. More recent findings suggest that SPHK2 also has a role in cancer progression. This review is an overview of our understanding of the role of SPHKs and S1P in hematopoietic malignancies and provides information on the current status of SPHK inhibitors with respect to their therapeutic potential in the treatment of haematological cancers
First evidence of cryptotephra in palaeoenvironmental records associated with Norse occupation sites in Greenland
The Norse/Viking occupation of Greenland is part of a dispersal of communities across the North Atlantic coincident with the supposed Medieval Warm Period of the late 1st millennium AD. The abandonment of the Greenland settlements has been linked to climatic deterioration in the Little Ice Age as well as other possible explanations. There are significant dating uncertainties over the time of European abandonment of Greenland and the potential influence of climatic deterioration. Dating issues largely revolve around radiocarbon chronologies for Norse settlements and associated mire sequences close to settlement sites. Here we show the potential for moving this situation forward by a combination of palynological, radiocarbon and cryptotephra analyses of environmental records close to three ‘iconic’ Norse sites in the former Eastern Settlement of Greenland – Herjolfsnes, Hvalsey and Garðar (the modern Igaliku). While much work remains to be undertaken, our results show that palynological evidence can provide a useful marker for both the onset and end of Norse occupation in the region, while the radiocarbon chronologies for these sequences remain difficult. Significantly, we here demonstrate the potential for cryptotephra to become a useful tool in resolving the chronology of Norse occupation, when coupled with palynology. For the first time, we show that cryptotephra are present within palaeoenvironmental sequences located within or close to Norse settlement ruin-groups, with tephra horizons detected at all three sites. While shard concentrations were small at Herjolfsnes, concentrations sufficient for geochemical analyses were detected at Igaliku and Hvalsey. WDS-EPMA analyses of these tephra indicate that, unlike the predominantly Icelandic tephra sources reported in the Greenland ice core records, the tephra associated with the Norse sites correlate more closely with volcanic centres in the Aleutians and Cascades. Recent investigations of cryptotephra dispersal from North American centres, along with our new findings, point to the potential for cryptotephra to facilitate hypothesis testing, providing a key chronological tool for refining the timing of Norse activities in Greenland (e.g. abandonment) and of environmental contexts and drivers (e.g. climate forcing)
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