868 research outputs found
Further genetic heterogeneity for autosomal dominant human sutural cataracts
A unique sutural cataract was observed in a 4-generation German family to be transmitted as an isolated autosomal, dominant trait. Since mutations in the gamma-crystallin encoding CRYG genes have previously been demonstrated to be the most frequent reason for isolated congenital cataracts, all 4 active CRYG genes have been sequenced. A single base-pair change in the CRYGA gene has been shown, leading to a premature stop codon. This was not observed in 170 control individuals. However, it did not segregate with the disease phenotype. This is the first truncating mutation in an active CRYG gene without a dominant phenotype. As the CRYGA mutation did not explain the cataract, several other candidate loci (CCV, GJA8, CRYBB2, BFSP2, MIP, GJA8, central pouch-like, CRYBA1) were investigated by micro-satellite markers and linkage analysis, but they were excluded based on the combination of haplotype analysis and two-point linkage analysis. The phenotype in this family is due to a mutation in another sutural cataract gene yet to be identified
Born-Infeld Type Extension of (Non-)Critical Gravity
We consider the Born-Infeld type extension of (non-)critical gravity which is
higher curvature gravity on Anti de-Sitter space with specific combinations of
scalar curvature and Ricci tensor. This theory may also be viewed as a natural
extension of three-dimensional Born-Infeld new massive gravity to arbitrary
dimensions. We show that this extension is consistent with holographic
-theorem and scalar graviton modes are absent in this theory. After showing
that ghost modes in the theory can be truncated consistently by appropriate
boundary conditions, we argue that the theory is classically equivalent to
Einstein gravity at the non-linear level. Black hole solutions are discussed in
the view point of the full non-linear classical equivalence between the theory
and Einstein gravity. Holographic entanglement entropy in the theory is also
briefly commented on.Comment: 1+13 pages, improvements in presentation, references added, accepted
to PR
Roles of dark energy perturbations in the dynamical dark energy models: Can we ignore them?
We show the importance of properly including the perturbations of the dark
energy component in the dynamical dark energy models based on a scalar field
and modified gravity theories in order to meet with present and future
observational precisions. Based on a simple scaling scalar field dark energy
model, we show that observationally distinguishable substantial differences
appear by ignoring the dark energy perturbation. By ignoring it the perturbed
system of equations becomes inconsistent and deviations in (gauge-invariant)
power spectra depend on the gauge choice.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
The Shape of LITTLE THINGS Dwarf Galaxies DDO 46 and DDO 168: Understanding the stellar and gas kinematics
We present the stellar and gas kinematics of DDO 46 and DDO 168 from the
LITTLE THINGS survey and determine their respective Vmax/sigma_z,0 values. We
used the KPNO's 4-meter telescope with the Echelle spectrograph as a long-slit
spectrograph. We acquired spectra of DDO 168 along four position angles by
placing the slit over the morphological major and minor axes and two
intermediate position angles. However, due to poor weather conditions during
our observing run for DDO 46, we were able to extract only one useful data
point from the morphological major axis. We determined a central stellar
velocity dispersion perpendicular to the disk, sigma_z,0, of 13.5+/-8 km/s for
DDO 46 and of 10.7+/-2.9 km/s for DDO 168. We then derived the
maximum rotation speed in both galaxies using the LITTLE THINGS HI data. We
separated bulk motions from non-circular motions using a double Gaussian
decomposition technique and applied a tilted-ring model to the bulk velocity
field. We corrected the observed HI rotation speeds for asymmetric drift and
found a maximum velocity, Vmax, of 77.4 +/- 3.7 and 67.4 +/- 4.0 km/s for DDO
46 and DDO 168, respectively. Thus, we derived a kinematic measure,
Vmax/sigma_z,0, of 5.7 +/- 0.6 for DDO 46 and 6.3 +/- 0.3 for DDO 168.
Comparing these values to ones determined for spiral galaxies, we find that DDO
46 and DDO 168 have Vmax/sigma_z,0 values indicative of thin disks, which is in
contrast to minor-to-major axis ratio studies
Evidence for the Coexistence of Anisotropic Superconducting Gap and Nonlocal Effects in the Non-magnetic Superconductor LuNi2B2C
A study of the dependence of the heat capacity Cp(alpha) on field angle in
LuNi2B2C reveals an anomalous disorder effect. For pure samples, Cp(alpha)
exhibits a fourfold variation as the field H < Hc2 is rotated in the [001]
plane, with minima along (alpha = 0). A slightly disordered sample,
however, develops anomalous secondary minima along for H > 1 T, leading
to an 8-fold pattern. The anomalous pattern is discussed in terms of coexisting
superconducting gap anisotropy and non-local effects.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Vertical beaming of wavelength-scale photonic crystal resonators
We report that of the photons generated inside a photonic crystal
slab resonator can be funneled within a small divergence angle of . The far-field radiation properties of a photonic crystal slab
resonant mode are modified by tuning the cavity geometry and by placing a
reflector below the cavity. The former method directly shapes the near-field
distribution so as to achieve directional and linearly-polarized far-field
patterns. The latter modification takes advantage of the interference effect
between the original waves and the reflected waves to enhance the
energy-directionality. We find that, regardless of the slab thickness, the
optimum distance between the slab and the reflector closely equals one
wavelength of the resonance under consideration. We have also discussed an
efficient far-field simulation algorithm based on the finite-difference
time-domain method and the near- to far-field transformation.Comment: 14 pages, 15 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
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