Prague's Emission Fourier Transform Microwave Spectrometer - Design and Preliminary Results

The design, performance and operation of the high resolution microwave spectrometer are described. The spectrometer is based on the Fabry-Perot resonator supplemented by a pulsed supersonic nozzle for adiabatic cooling of the sample. The spectrometer’s high sensitivity and resolution are demonstrated by several examples

Calibration of the Urbana lidar system

A method for calibrating data obtained by the Urban sodium lidar system is presented. First, an expression relating the number of photocounts originating from a specific altitude range to the soodium concentration is developed. This relation is then simplified by normalizing the sodium photocounts with photocounts originating from the Rayleigh region of the atmosphere. To evaluate the calibration expression, the laser linewidth must be known. Therefore, a method for measuring the laser linewidth using a Fabry-Perot interferometer is given. The laser linewidth was found to be 6 + or - 2.5 pm. Problems due to photomultiplier tube overloading are discussed. Finally, calibrated data is presented. The sodium column abundance exhibits something close to a sinusoidal variation throughout the year with the winter months showing an enhancement of a factor of 5 to 7 over the summer months

Magnetic Field Uniformity Across the GF 9-2 YSO, L1082C Dense Core, and GF 9 Filamentary Dark Cloud

The orientation of the magnetic field (B-field) in the filamentary dark cloud GF 9 was traced from the periphery of the cloud into the L1082C dense core that contains the low-mass, low-luminosity Class 0 young stellar object (YSO) GF 9-2 (IRAS 20503+6006). This was done using SOFIA HAWC+ dust thermal emission polarimetry (TEP) at 216 um in combination with Mimir near-infrared background starlight polarimetry (BSP) conducted at H-band (1.6 um) and K-band (2.2 um). These observations were augmented with published I-band (0.77 um) BSP and Planck 850 um TEP to probe B-field orientations with offset from the YSO in a range spanning 6000 AU to 3 pc. No strong B-field orientation change with offset was found, indicating remarkable uniformity of the B-field from the cloud edge to the YSO environs. This finding disagrees with weak-field models of cloud core and YSO formation. The continuity of inferred B-field orientations for both TEP and BSP probes is strong evidence that both are sampling a common B-field that uniformly threads the cloud, core, and YSO region. Bayesian analysis of Gaia DR2 stars matched to the Mimir BSP stars finds a distance to GF 9 of 270 +/- 10 pc. No strong wavelength dependence of B-field orientation angle was found, contrary to previous claims.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures ApJ, accepte

Free-form lens model and mass estimation of the high redshift galaxy cluster ACT-CL J0102-4915, "El Gordo"

We examine the massive colliding cluster El Gordo, one of the most massive clusters at high redshift. We use a free-form lensing reconstruction method that avoids making assumptions about the mass distribution. We use data from the RELICS program and identify new multiply lensed system candidates. The new set of constraints and free-form method provides a new independent mass estimate of this intriguing colliding cluster. Our results are found to be consistent with earlier parametric models, indirectly confirming the assumptions made in earlier work. By fitting a double gNFW profile to the lens model, and extrapolating to the virial radius, we infer a total mass for the cluster of $M_{200c}=(1.08^{+0.65}_{-0.12})\times10^{15}$M$_{\odot}$. We estimate the uncertainty in the mass due to errors in the photometric redshifts, and discuss the uncertainty in the inferred virial mass due to the extrapolation from the lens model. We also find in our lens map a mass overdensity corresponding to the large cometary tail of hot gas, reinforcing its interpretation as a large tidal feature predicted by hydrodynamical simulations that mimic El Gordo. Finally, we discuss the observed relation between the plasma and the mass map, finding that the peak in the projected mass map may be associated with a large concentration of colder gas, exhibiting possible star formation. El Gordo is one of the first clusters that will be observed with JWST, which is expected to unveil new high redshift lensed galaxies around this interesting cluster, and provide a more accurate estimation of its mass.Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures. Updated figure

Continuum limit in abelian projected SU(2) lattice gauge theory

We study the continuum limit of the abelian string tension and the density of abelian monopoles calculated after carefully fixing the maximal abelian gauge by employing the simulated annealing algorithm. We present the evidence that the abelian string tension converges to the nonabelian one in the continuum limit. For the monopole density we confirm earlier findings that the density of the properly defined infrared monopoles has correct scaling while the total density seems divergent in the continuum limit due to ultraviolate contributions. We also compare with results obtained with the usual iterative gauge fixing algorithm.Comment: Lattice2001(confinement), 3 page

Phase I multicenter study of combined high-dose ifosfamide and doxorubicin in the treatment of advanced sarcomas

Ifosfamide and doxorubicin are the most active agents in the treatment of sarcomas and are characterized by a marked dose-response relationship. The objective of this study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of both agents in combination under granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) cover. Patients and methods: Thirty-three patients with untreated sarcomas (soft tissue: n = 20; gynecological: n = 11; bone: n = 2) were treated with ifosfamide 12 g/m2 by continuous i.v. infusion over five days and doxorubicin with dose escalation from 50 mg/m2 i.v. bolus divided on two days, then to 60 mg/m2bolus divided on three days. Ifosfamide was reduced to 10 g/m2 and doxorubicin was further escalated up to 90 mg/m2. GM-CSF (5 μg/kg/day subcutaneously) was started 24 hours after chemotherapy and continued for 10 days. Results: The MTD was reached with the combination of ifosfamide at 12 g/m2 and doxorubicin at 60 mg/m2. But with ifosfamide 10 g/m2 and doxorubicin 90 mg/m2 the MTD was not obtained. While severe leukopenia and granulopenia were observed at all-dose levels, severe anemia was more frequently related to the highest dose of ifosfamide. Severe thrombopenia and mucositis were more commonly observed at the highest dose of doxorubicin. Ifosfamide 10 g/m2 and doxorubicin 90 mg/m2 induced WHO grade 4 leukopenia in 58%, grade 3-4 thrombopenia in 42%, and anemia in 31% of cycles. Mucositis was minor in 50% of cycles. The overall response rate among 31 evaluable patients was 55% (95 confidence interval (CI): 36%-73%), with four (13%) complete responders and 13 (42%) partial responders. Response rates based on soft-tissue sarcomas or gynecological sarcomas alone were similar. Ten patients could be treated by elective surgery and/or radiotherapy. The total group of patients reached a median survival of two years, with 25% (SE 8%) survivors after three years. Conclusions: The dose level of ifosfamide 10 g/m2 and doxorubicin 90 mg/m2 with supportive GM-CSF is manageable in a multicenter setting and should be further tested in regular phase II trials, including patients with gynecological and soft-tissue sarcomas. Transient toxicity with myelosup-pression should be accepted in order to obtain a high anti-tumor activity of this regimen and a potential improvement in surviva

Convergence of simulated annealing by the generalized transition probability

We prove weak ergodicity of the inhomogeneous Markov process generated by the generalized transition probability of Tsallis and Stariolo under power-law decay of the temperature. We thus have a mathematical foundation to conjecture convergence of simulated annealing processes with the generalized transition probability to the minimum of the cost function. An explicitly solvable example in one dimension is analyzed in which the generalized transition probability leads to a fast convergence of the cost function to the optimal value. We also investigate how far our arguments depend upon the specific form of the generalized transition probability proposed by Tsallis and Stariolo. It is shown that a few requirements on analyticity of the transition probability are sufficient to assure fast convergence in the case of the solvable model in one dimension.Comment: 11 page

Long-term results of a multicenter SAKK trial on high-dose ifosfamide and doxorubicin in advanced or metastatic gynecologic sarcomas

Background: Dose intensive chemotherapy has not been tested prospectively for the treatment of gynecologic sarcomas. We investigated the antitumor activity and toxicity of high-dose ifosfamide and doxorubicin, in the context of a multidisciplinary strategy for the treatment of advanced and metastatic, not pretreated, gynecologic sarcomas. Patients and methods: Thirty-nine patients were enrolled onto a phase I-II multicenter trial of ifosfamide, 10 g/m2 as a continuous infusion over 5 days, plus doxorubicin intravenously, 25 mg/m2/day for 3 days with Mesna and granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor every 21 days. Salvage therapy was allowed after chemotherapy. Results: Among the 37 evaluable patients, the tumor was locally advanced (n = 11), with concomitant distant metastases (n = 5) or with distant metastases only (n = 21). After a median of three (range 1-7) chemotherapy cycles, six patients experienced a complete response and 12 a partial response for an overall response rate of 49% (95% CI 32% to 66%). The response rate was higher in poorly differentiated tumors (62%) compared with moderately well differentiated ones (18%), but was not different according to histology subtypes. Eleven patients had salvage therapy, either immediately following chemotherapy (n = 7) or at time of progression (n = 4). With a median follow-up time of 5 years, the median overall survival was 30.5 months. Hematological toxicity was as expected neutropenia, thrombopenia and anemia ≥grade 3 at 50%, 34% and 33% of cycles respectively. No toxic death occurred. Conclusions: High-dose ifosfamide plus doxorubicin is an active regimen for all subtypes of gynecological sarcomas. Its toxicity was manageable in a multicentric setting. The prolonged survival might be due to the multidisciplinary strategy that was possible in one-third of the patient

P-vortices and Drama of Gribov Copies

We present results of the careful study of the Gribov copies problem in SU(2) lattice gauge theory for the direct maximal center projection widely used in confinement studies. Applying simulated annealing algorithm we demonstrate that this problem is more severe than it was thought before. The projected (gauge noninvariant) string tension is not in the agreement with the physical string tension. We do not find any indications that P-vortices reproduce the full SU(2) string tension neither in the infinite volume limit nor in the continuum limit.Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures, Latex2e, typos correcte