Gravitational waves from coalescing neutron stars encode information about nuclear matter at extreme densities, inaccessible by laboratory experiments. The late inspiral is influenced by the presence ...of tides, which depend on the neutron star equation of state. Neutron star mergers are expected to often produce rapidly-rotating remnant neutron stars that emit gravitational waves. These will provide clues to the extremely hot post-merger environment. This signature of nuclear matter in gravitational waves contains most information in the 2-4 kHz frequency band, which is outside of the most sensitive band of current detectors. We present the design concept and science case for a neutron star extreme matter observatory (NEMO): a gravitational-wave interferometer optimized to study nuclear physics with merging neutron stars. The concept uses high circulating laser power, quantum squeezing and a detector topology specifically designed to achieve the high-frequency sensitivity necessary to probe nuclear matter using gravitational waves. Above one kHz, the proposed strain sensitivity is comparable to full third-generation detectors at a fraction of the cost. Such sensitivity changes expected event rates for detection of post-merger remnants from approximately one per few decades with two A+ detectors to a few per year, and potentially allows for the first gravitational-wave observations of supernovae, isolated neutron stars, and other exotica.
Pykat is a Python package which extends the popular optical interferometer modelling software Finesse. It provides a more modern and efficient user interface for conducting complex numerical ...simulations, as well as enabling the use of Python’s extensive scientific software ecosystem. In this paper we highlight the relationship between Pykat and Finesse, how it is used, and provide an illustrative example of how it has helped to better understand the characteristics of the current generation of gravitational wave interferometers.
We demonstrate the applicability of the EPR entanglement squeezing scheme for enhancing the shot-noise-limited sensitivity of detuned dual-recycled Michelson interferometers. In particular, this ...scheme is applied to the GEO600 interferometer. The effect of losses throughout the interferometer, arm length asymmetries, and imperfect separation of the signal and idler beams is considered.
The presence of an excavation disturbed zone (EDZ) around an excavation boundary can significantly affect the overall performance of the excavation and the general safety of men and equipment. Hence, ...it has been an important subject of research in various rock excavation projects. The EDZ is generally defined as the rock zone beyond the excavation boundary where the physical, mechanical and hydraulic properties of the rock have been significantly affected due to the excavation and redistribution of stresses. For LKAB's Kiirunavaara underground iron ore mine in Sweden, the understanding of the EDZ is essential for optimal design of rock support. With this main objective an EDZ investigation was conducted at the mine using seismic measurement techniques. Cross-hole seismics and spectral analyses of surfaces waves (SASW) were the main techniques used. Borehole Image Processing Systems (BIPS) complemented the seismic measurements. The results show that an EDZ with a thickness of 0.5–1. 0 m existed behind the boundaries of the mining drifts being investigated. The magnitude of the Young's modulus of this zone was 50% to 90% of that of the undisturbed rock.
Proposed near-future upgrades of the current advanced interferometric gravitational wave detectors include the usage of frequency dependent squeezed light to reduce the current sensitivity-limiting ...quantum noise. We quantify and describe the degradation effects that spatial mode-mismatches between optical resonators have on the squeezed field. These mode-mismatches can to first order be described by scattering of light into second-order Gaussian modes. As a demonstration of principle, we also show that squeezing the second-order Hermite-Gaussian modes HG02 and HG20, in addition to the fundamental mode, has the potential to increase the robustness to spatial mode-mismatches. This scheme, however, requires independently optimised squeeze angles for each squeezed spatial mode, which would be challenging to realise in practise.
Signalling through insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) is essential for cell survival, but may turn pathogenic in uncontrolled tissue growth in tumours. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the ...IGF-1R signalling is activated and supports expansion of the inflamed synovia.
In the present study, we assess if disruption of IGF-1R signalling resolves arthritis.
Clinical associations of IGF-1R expression in leukocytes of the peripheral blood were studied in 84 RA patients. Consequences of the IGF-1R signalling inhibition for arthritis were studied in mBSA immunised Balb/c mice treated with NT157 compound promoting degradation of insulin receptor substrates.
In RA patients, high expression of IGF-1R in leukocytes was associated with systemic inflammation as verified by higher expression of NF-kB, serum levels of IL6 and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and higher pain perception. Additionally, phosphorylated IGF-1R and STAT3 enriched T cells infiltrate in RA synovia. Treatment with NT157 inhibited the phosphorylation of IGF-1R and STAT3 in synovia, and alleviated arthritis and joint damage in mice. It also reduced expression of IGF-1R and despaired ERK and Akt signalling in spleen T cells. This limited IL-6 production, changed RoRgt/FoxP3 balance and IL17 levels.
IGF-1R signalling contributes to T cell dependent inflammation in arthritis. Inhibition of IGF-1R on the level of insulin receptor substrates alleviates arthritis by restricting IL6-dependent formation of Th17 cells and may open for new treatment strategies in RA.
•IGF-1R in leukocytes of RA patients is associated with inflammation and pain.•Inhibition of IRS down-steam of IGF-1R alleviates experimental arthritis in mice.•Inhibition of IRS controls IL6 production and balances Th17/Treg formation.•Inhibition of IRS rendered no metabolic consequences in arthritic mice.
One way to upgrade iron ore is to process it into pellets. Such a process includes several stages involving complex fluid dynamics. In this work, focus is on the grate-kiln pelletizing process and ...especially on the rotary kiln, with the objective to get a deeper understanding of the aerodynamics in order to improve the combustion. A down-scaled, simplified model of the real kiln is created and both numerical and experimental analyses of the flow field are performed. Conclusions are that steady state simulations can be used to get an overview over the main features of the flow field. Precautions should though be taken when analyzing the recirculation zone since steady state simulations do not capture the transient, oscillating behavior of the flow seen in the physical experiment. These oscillations will under certain conditions considerably affect the size of the recirculation zone.
MicroRNAs (miRs) represent a part of epigenetic control of autoimmunity gaining increasing attention in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Since cigarette smoking plays important role in RA pathogenesis and ...reprograms transcriptional profile of miRNAs, we ask if the onco-protein survivin, a novel biomarker of RA, may provide a link between smoking and miRNA. Studying survivin expression in leukocytes of 144 female RA patients we observed that smoking patients had higher survivin transcription and a remarkable spreading of survivin isoforms. This was associated with restricted pattern and low production of miRs. Additionally, miRNA processing enzymes Dicer and DGRC8 were decreased in the patients with survivin isoform spreading. The direct contribution of survivin in miRs biogenesis was confirmed by a massive increase of miRs production following inhibition of survivin in leukocyte cultures. Dicer is shown to mediate these effects of survivin. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated binding of survivin to the Dicer promoter region. Dicer expression increased 5-folds following survivin inhibition. Taken together, this study presents experimental evidence of a novel cellular function of survivin, control of miRs biogenesis. Up-regulation of survivin in smokers suggests its role as effector of the adverse epigenetic control in RA.
•Smoking increase survivin production and isoform spreading which restricts miR levels.•Inhibition of survivin reverses miR production through Dicer-dependent mechanism.•Survivin is the molecular executive of smoking effects on miR regulation.
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