A Bayesian Approach to Locating the Red Giant Branch Tip Magnitude (Part I)

We present a new approach for identifying the Tip of the Red Giant Branch (TRGB) which, as we show, works robustly even on sparsely populated targets. Moreover, the approach is highly adaptable to the available data for the stellar population under study, with prior information readily incorporable into the algorithm. The uncertainty in the derived distances is also made tangible and easily calculable from posterior probability distributions. We provide an outline of the development of the algorithm and present the results of tests designed to characterize its capabilities and limitations. We then apply the new algorithm to three M31 satellites: Andromeda I, Andromeda II and the fainter Andromeda XXIII, using data from the Pan-Andromeda Archaeological Survey (PAndAS), and derive their distances as $731^{(+ 5) + 18}_{(- 4) - 17}$ kpc, $634^{(+ 2) + 15}_{(- 2) - 14}$ kpc and $733^{(+ 13)+ 23}_{(- 11) - 22}$ kpc respectively, where the errors appearing in parentheses are the components intrinsic to the method, while the larger values give the errors after accounting for additional sources of error. These results agree well with the best distance determinations in the literature and provide the smallest uncertainties to date. This paper is an introduction to the workings and capabilities of our new approach in its basic form, while a follow-up paper shall make full use of the method's ability to incorporate priors and use the resulting algorithm to systematically obtain distances to all of M31's satellites identifiable in the PAndAS survey area.Comment: 11 pages, 18 figure

Mechanisms of Orthostatic Tolerance Improvement Following Artificial Gravity Exposure Differ Between Men and Women

We recently determined that a short exposure to artificial gravity (AG) improved the orthostatic tolerance limit (OTL) of cardiovascularly deconditioned subjects. We now seek to determine the mechanisms of that improvement in these hypovolemic men and women. Methods. We determined the orthostatic tolerance limit (OTL) of 9 men and 8 women following a 90 min exposure to AG compared to 90 min of head down bed rest (HDBR). In both cases (21 days apart), subjects were made hypovolemic (low salt diet plus 20 mg intravenous furosemide). Orthostatic tolerance was determined from a combination of head up tilt and increasing lower body negative pressure until presyncope. Mean values and correlations with OTL were determined for heart rate, blood pressure, stroke volume, cardiac output and peripheral resistance (Finometer), cerebral artery blood velocity (DWL), partial pressure of carbon dioxide (Novametrics) and body segmental impedance (UFI THRIM) were measured during supine baseline, during OTL to presyncope and during supine recovery Results. Orthostatic tolerance of these hypovolemic subjects was significantly greater on the day of AG exposure than on the HDBR day. Regression of OTL on these variables identified significant relationships on the HDBR day that were not evident on the AG day: resting TPR correlated positively while resting cerebral flow correlated negatively with OTL. On both days, women's resting stroke volume correlated positively with orthostatic tolerance. Higher group mean values of stroke volume and cerebral artery flow and lower values of blood pressure, peripheral vascular and cerebrovascular resistance both at control and during OTL testing were observed on the AG day. Even though regression of OTL on resting stroke volume was significant only in women, presyncopal stroke volume reached the same level on each day of study for both men and women while the OTL test lasted 30% longer in men and 22% longer in women. Cerebral artery flow appeared to follow stroke volume and absolute values of cerebral flow did not correlate with the development of presyncope. Women responded to AG exposure with elevated cerebral flow at resting control and throughout the OTL test, implying a loss of autoregulation in deconditioned (hypovolemic) women following AG exposure. Conclusions. Before countermeasures to space flight cardiovascular deconditioning are established, gender differences in cardiovascular responses to orthostatic stress, in general, and to orthostatic stress following exposure to artificial gravity, in particular, need to be determined. Since, in both men and women, a single, acute bout of AG exposure improved orthostatic tolerance, the feasibility of short exposures to AG during longer spaceflights or prior to entry into a gravity (Earth or Mars) environment, should be explored. Given the known beneficial effects of AG on other organ systems, the present study indicates that the positive effects of AG on cardiac stroke volume make AG a likely candidate for maintaining cardiovascular conditioning

Access to recreational physical activities by car and bus : an assessment of socio-spatial inequalities in mainland Scotland

Obesity and other chronic conditions linked with low levels of physical activity (PA) are associated with deprivation. One reason for this could be that it is more difficult for low-income groups to access recreational PA facilities such as swimming pools and sports centres than high-income groups. In this paper, we explore the distribution of access to PA facilities by car and bus across mainland Scotland by income deprivation at datazone level. GIS car and bus networks were created to determine the number of PA facilities accessible within travel times of 10, 20 and 30 minutes. Multilevel negative binomial regression models were then used to investigate the distribution of the number of accessible facilities, adjusting for datazone population size and local authority. Access to PA facilities by car was significantly (p<0.01) higher for the most affluent quintile of area-based income deprivation than for most other quintiles in small towns and all other quintiles in rural areas. Accessibility by bus was significantly lower for the most affluent quintile than for other quintiles in urban areas and small towns, but not in rural areas. Overall, we found that the most disadvantaged groups were those without access to a car and living in the most affluent areas or in rural areas

Determination of the D0 -> K+pi- Relative Strong Phase Using Quantum-Correlated Measurements in e+e- -> D0 D0bar at CLEO

We exploit the quantum coherence between pair-produced D0 and D0bar in psi(3770) decays to study charm mixing, which is characterized by the parameters x and y, and to make a first determination of the relative strong phase \delta between doubly Cabibbo-suppressed D0 -> K+pi- and Cabibbo-favored D0bar -> K+pi-. We analyze a sample of 1.0 million D0D0bar pairs from 281 pb^-1 of e+e- collision data collected with the CLEO-c detector at E_cm = 3.77 GeV. By combining CLEO-c measurements with branching fraction input and time-integrated measurements of R_M = (x^2+y^2)/2 and R_{WS} = Gamma(D0 -> K+pi-)/Gamma(D0bar -> K+pi-) from other experiments, we find \cos\delta = 1.03 +0.31-0.17 +- 0.06, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. In addition, by further including external measurements of charm mixing parameters, we obtain an alternate measurement of \cos\delta = 1.10 +- 0.35 +- 0.07, as well as x\sin\delta = (4.4 +2.7-1.8 +- 2.9) x 10^-3 and \delta = 22 +11-12 +9-11 degrees.Comment: 37 pages, also available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/2007/. Incorporated referee's comment

Characterization of linewidth variation on 248- and 193-nm exposure tools

Proceedings of S P I E - the International Society for OpticalThe line-width variation of a 193 nm lithographic process utilizing a 0.60 NA scanner and a binary reticle is compared to that of a 248 nm lithographic processes utilizing a 0.68 NA scanner and a variety of reticle technologies. These include binary, attenuated PSM with assist features and alternating PSM reticles. Despite the fact that the 193 nm tool has a lower NA and that the data was generated using a binary reticle, the 193 nm lithographic process allows for the line-width values to be pushed lower than previously achieved with 248 nm lithographic processes. The 3-sigma values from 4000 electrical linewidth measurements per wafer (160 measurements per 25*25 mm field, 25 fields per wafer) were calculated for different mask features. The 193 nm process was capable of reaching line-widths needed for future generations of advance logic chips. Compared to the 193 nm process utilizing a binary reticle, only the 248 nm processes utilizing either an attenuated PSM with assist features or an alternating PSM reticle had similarly low line-width variation. The 248 nm processes utilizing a binary reticle had higher line-width variation even at larger poly gate conductor line-widths.published_or_final_versio

Measurement of the Decay Constant fDS+f_D{_S^+} using $D_S^+ --> ell^+ nu

We measure the decay constant fDs using the Ds -> l+ nu channel, where the l+ designates either a mu+ or a tau+, when the tau+ -> pi+ nu. Using both measurements we find fDs = 274 +-13 +- 7 MeV. Combining with our previous determination of fD+, we compute the ratio fDs/fD+ = 1.23 +- 0.11 +- 0.04. We compare with theoretical estimates.Comment: 6 pages postscript,also available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/2007

A Study of Exclusive Charmless Semileptonic B Decays and Extraction of |V_{ub}| at CLEO

We have studied semileptonic B decay to the exclusive charmless states pi, rho/omega, eta and eta' using the full 15.5 fb^-1 CLEO Upsilon(4S) sample, with measurements performed in subregions of phase space to minimize dependence on a priori knowledge of the form factors involved. We find total branching fractions B(B^0 -> pi^-l^+nu) = (1.37 +- 0.15_stat +- 0.11_sys) x 10^-4 and B(B^0 -> rho^- l^+ nu) = (2.93 +- 0.37_stat +- 0.37_sys) x 10^-4. We find evidence for B^+ -> eta' l^+ nu, with B(B^+ -> eta' l^+ nu) = (2.66 +- 0.80_stat +- 0.56_sys) x 10^-4 and 1.20 x 10^-4 eta' l^+ nu) < 4.46 x 10^-4 (90% CL). We also limit B(B^+ -> eta l^+ nu) < 1.01 x 10^-4 (90% CL). By combining our B -> pi l nu information with unquenched lattice calculations, we find |V_ub| = (3.6 +- 0.4 +- 0.2 +0.6 -0.4) x 10^-3, where the errors are statistical, experimental systematic, and theoretical systematic, respectively.Comment: 35 pages, 15 figures; revise

Measurement of Absolute Hadronic Branching Fractions of D Mesons and e^+ e^- --> D D-bar Cross Sections at the psi(3770)

Using 281 /pb of e^+ e^- collisions recorded at the psi(3770) resonance with the CLEO-c detector at CESR, we determine absolute hadronic branching fractions of charged and neutral D mesons using a double tag technique. Among measurements for three D^0 and six D^+ modes, we obtain reference branching fractions B(D^0 --> K^-pi^+) = (3.891 +- 0.035 +- 0.059 +- 0.035)% and B(D^+ --> K^-pi^+pi^+) = (9.14 +- 0.10 +- 0.16 +- 0.07)%, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is all systematic errors other than final state radiation (FSR), and the third is the systematic uncertainty due to FSR. We include FSR in these branching fractions by allowing for additional unobserved photons in the final state. Using an independent determination of the integrated luminosity, we also extract the cross sections sigma(e+e- --> D^0 D^0-bar) = (3.66+- 0.03 +- 0.06) nb and sigma(e+e- --> D^+ D^-) = (2.91+- 0.03 +- 0.05) nb at a center of mass energy, E_cm = 3774 +- 1 MeV.Comment: 47 pages, postscript also available through this http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/2007/, to be published in PRD, updated branching fractions using B(KS0 --> pi+ pi-) from PDG 2007, and updated text in response to the PRD reviewe

Warfare, Fiscal Capacity, and Performance

We exploit differences in casualties sustained in pre-modern wars to estimate the impact of fiscal capacity on economic performance. In the past, states fought different amounts of external conflicts, of various lengths and magnitudes. To raise the revenues to wage wars, states made fiscal innovations, which persisted and helped to shape current fiscal institutions. Economic historians claim that greater fiscal capacity was the key long-run institutional change brought about by historical conflicts. Using casualties sustained in pre-modern wars to instrument for current fiscal institutions, we estimate substantial impacts of fiscal capacity on GDP per worker. The results are robust to a broad range of specifications, controls, and sub-samples