Moduli space actions on the Hochschild Co-Chains of a Frobenius algebra I: Cell Operads

This is the first of two papers in which we prove that a cell model of the moduli space of curves with marked points and tangent vectors at the marked points acts on the Hochschild co--chains of a Frobenius algebra. We also prove that a there is dg--PROP action of a version of Sullivan Chord diagrams which acts on the normalized Hochschild co-chains of a Frobenius algebra. These actions lift to operadic correlation functions on the co--cycles. In particular, the PROP action gives an action on the homology of a loop space of a compact simply--connected manifold. In this first part, we set up the topological operads/PROPs and their cell models. The main theorems of this part are that there is a cell model operad for the moduli space of genus $g$ curves with $n$ punctures and a tangent vector at each of these punctures and that there exists a CW complex whose chains are isomorphic to a certain type of Sullivan Chord diagrams and that they form a PROP. Furthermore there exist weak versions of these structures on the topological level which all lie inside an all encompassing cyclic (rational) operad.Comment: 50 pages, 7 figures. Newer version has minor changes. Some material shifted. Typos and small things correcte

Enhanced Anandamide Plasma Levels in Patients with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome following Traumatic Injury: A Preliminary Report

The complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a disabling neuropathic pain condition that may develop following injuries of the extremities. The pathogenesis of this syndrome is not clear; however, it includes complex interactions between the nervous and the immune system resulting in chronic inflammation, pain and trophic changes. This interaction may be mediated by chronic stress which is thought to activate the endogenous cannabinoid (endocannabinoid) system (ECS). We conducted an open, prospective, comparative clinical study to determine plasma level of the endocannabinoid anandamide by high-performance liquid chromatography and a tandem mass spectrometry system in 10 patients with CRPS type I versus 10 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. As compared to healthy controls, CRPS patients showed significantly higher plasma concentrations of anandamide. These results indicate that the peripheral ECS is activated in CRPS. Further studies are warranted to evaluate the role of the ECS in the limitation of inflammation and pain. Copyright (C) 2009 S. Karger AG, Base

The formation of ultra-compact dwarf galaxies and nucleated dwarf galaxies

Ultra compact dwarf galaxies (UCDs) have similar properties as massive globular clusters or the nuclei of nucleated galaxies. Recent observations suggesting a high dark matter content and a steep spatial distribution within groups and clusters provide new clues as to their origins. We perform high-resolution N-body / smoothed particle hydrodynamics simulations designed to elucidate two possible formation mechanisms for these systems: the merging of globular clusters in the centre of a dark matter halo, or the massively stripped remnant of a nucleated galaxy. Both models produce density profiles as well as the half light radii that can fit the observational constraints. However, we show that the first scenario results to UCDs that are underluminous and contain no dark matter. This is because the sinking process ejects most of the dark matter particles from the halo centre. Stripped nuclei give a more promising explanation, especially if the nuclei form via the sinking of gas, funneled down inner galactic bars, since this process enhances the central dark matter content. Even when the entire disk is tidally stripped away, the nucleus stays intact and can remain dark matter dominated even after severe stripping. Total galaxy disruption beyond the nuclei only occurs on certain orbits and depends on the amount of dissipation during nuclei formation. By comparing the total disruption of CDM subhaloes in a cluster potential we demonstrate that this model also leads to the observed spatial distribution of UCDs which can be tested in more detail with larger data sets.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures, final version accepted for publication in MNRA

Median Statistics, H_0, and the Accelerating Universe

(Abridged) We develop median statistics that provide powerful alternatives to chi-squared likelihood methods and require fewer assumptions about the data. Applying median statistics to Huchra's compilation of nearly all estimates of the Hubble constant, we find a median value H_0=67 km/s/Mpc. Median statistics assume only that the measurements are independent and free of systematic errors. This estimate is arguably the best summary of current knowledge because it uses all available data and, unlike other estimates, makes no assumption about the distribution of measurement errors. The 95% range of purely statistical errors is +/- 2 km/s/Mpc. The statistical precision of this result leads us to analyze the range of possible systematic errors in the median, which we estimate to be roughly +/- 5 km/s/Mpc (95% limits), dominating over the statistical errors. A Bayesian median statistics treatment of high-redshift Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) apparent magnitude versus redshift data from Riess et al. yields a posterior probability that the cosmological constant Lambda > 0 of 70 or 89%, depending on the prior information used. The posterior probability of an open universe is about 47%. Analysis of the Perlmutter et al. high-redshift SNe Ia data show the best-fit flat-Lambda model favored over the best-fit Lambda = 0 open model by odds of 366:1; corresponding Riess et al. odds are 3:1 (assuming prior odds of 1:1).Median statistics analyses of the SNe Ia data do not rule out a time-variable Lambda model, and may even favor it over a time-independent Lambda and a Lambda = 0 open model.Comment: Significant revisions include discussion of systematic errors in the median of H_0. Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journal, v548, February 20, 2001 issue. 47 pages incl. figures and table

TB biomarkers, TB correlates and human challenge models: New tools for improving assessment of new TB vaccines

SummaryThe 4th Global Forum on TB Vaccines, convened in Shanghai, China, from 21 – 24 April 2015, brought together a wide and diverse community involved in tuberculosis vaccine research and development to discuss the current status of, and future directions for this critical effort. This paper summarizes the sessions on Biomarkers and Correlates, and Human Challenge Models. Summaries of all sessions from the 4th Global Forum are compiled in a special supplement of Tuberculosis. [August 2016, Vol 99, Supp S1, S1–S30]

Characteristics and outcomes of doctors in a substance dependence monitoring programme in Canada: prospective descriptive study

Objective To describe the characteristics at enrolment and outcomes of doctors in a substance dependence monitoring programme in Canada

Evolution on a Rugged Landscape:Pinning and Aging

Population dynamics on a rugged landscape is studied analytically and numerically within a simple discrete model for evolution of N individuals in one-dimensional fitness space. We reduce the set of master equations to a single Fokker-Plank equation which allows us to describe the dynamics of the population in terms of thermo-activated Langevin diffusion of a single particle in a specific random potential. We found that the randomness in the mutation rate leads to pinning of the population and on average to a logarithmic slowdown of the evolution, resembling aging phenomenon in spin glass systems. In contrast, the randomness in the replication rate turns out to be irrelevant for evolution in the long-time limit as it is smoothed out by increasing ``evolution temperature''. The analytic results are in a good agreement with numerical simulations.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let