10,655 research outputs found
Explant Analysis of Total Disc Replacement
Explant analysis of human disc prostheses allow early evaluation of the host response to the prosthesis and the response of the prosthesis from the host. Furthermore, early predictions of failure and wear can be obtained. Thus far, about 2-3% of disc prostheses have been removed. Observed wear patterns are similar to that of appendicular prostheses including abrasions/scratching, burnishing, surface deformation, fatigue, and embedded debris. Chemically the polymeric components have shown little degradation in short-term implantation. In metal on metal prostheses the histologic responses consist of large numbers of metallic particles with occasional macrophages and giant cells. Only rare cases of significant inflammatory response from polymeric debris have been seen
Quantum ergodicity for restrictions to hypersurfaces
Quantum ergodicity theorem states that for quantum systems with ergodic
classical flows, eigenstates are, in average, uniformly distributed on energy
surfaces. We show that if N is a hypersurface in the position space satisfying
a simple dynamical condition, the restrictions of eigenstates to N are also
quantum ergodic.Comment: 22 pages, 1 figure; revised according to referee's comments. To
appear in Nonlinearit
Theory of correlations between ultra-cold bosons released from an optical lattice
In this paper we develop a theoretical description of the correlations
between ultra-cold bosons after free expansion from confinement in an optical
lattice. We consider the system evolution during expansion and give criteria
for a far field regime. We develop expressions for first and second order
two-point correlations based on a variety of commonly used approximations to
the many-body state of the system including Bogoliubov, meanfield decoupling,
and particle-hole perturbative solution about the perfect Mott-insulator state.
Using these approaches we examine the effects of quantum depletion and pairing
on the system correlations. Comparison with the directly calculated correlation
functions is used to justify a Gaussian form of our theory from which we
develop a general three-dimensional formalism for inhomogeneous lattice systems
suitable for numerical calculations of realistic experimental regimes.Comment: 18 pages, 11 figures. To appear in Phys. Rev. A. (few minor changes
made and typos fixed
Capsule-free fluid delivery and beam-induced electrodeposition in a scanning electron microscope
Gold coated borosilicate nanocapillaries are used to locally deliver aqueous, electrolytic CuSO4 solution into the low vacuum chamber of an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM). Capillary flow of the liquid is induced by bringing a nanocapillary into contact with a substrate. A microscopic droplet is stabilized by controlling the droplet evaporation rate with the substrate temperature and the pressure of H2O vapor injected into the vacuum chamber. An electron beam is admitted to the droplet through a pressure limiting aperture. Electrochemical reduction of aqueous Cu2+ to solid, high purity, deposited Cu is achieved by biasing the nanocapillary and supplying current by the beam which acts as a virtual cathode and enables electrodeposition on both conductive and insulating substrates. Delivery of liquids into vacuum enables localized, capsule-free beam induced electrochemistry, opening new pathways for direct-write nano and micro-lithography via beam induced electrodeposition. © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2013
Deposition of highly porous nanocrystalline platinum on functionalized substrates through fluorine-induced decomposition of Pt(PF<inf>3</inf>) <inf>4</inf> adsorbates
Nanocrystalline platinum is synthesized at room temperature by co-injecting Pt(PF3)4 and XeF2 vapors onto solid supports in vacuum. The Pt nucleation time scales with chemisorbed fluorine coverage, which is controlled by pre-dosing supports with XeF2, and by optional electron or ion beam irradiation under flowing XeF2. The latter is used to increase the chemisorbed fluorine coverage and localize the Pt growth process. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
Direct Current Electrical Stimulation Increases the Fusion Rate of Spinal Fusion Cages
Study Design. A randomized experimental evaluation of direct current stimulation in a validated animal model with an experimental control group, using blinded radiographic, biomechanical, histologic, and statistical measures.
Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy of the adjunctive use of direct current stimulation on the fusion rate and speed of healing of titanium interbody fusion cages packed with autograft in a sheep lumbar interbody fusion model.
Summary of Background Data. Titanium lumbar interbody spinal fusion cages have been reported to be 90% effective for single-level lumbar interbody fusion. However, fusion rates are reported to be between 70% and 80% in patients with multilevel fusions or with risk factors such as obesity, tobacco use, or metabolic disorders. The authors hypothesized that direct current stimulation would increase the fusion rate of titanium interbody fusion cages packed with autograft in a sheep lumbar interbody fusion model.
Methods. Twenty-two sheep underwent lumbar discectomy and fusion at L4–L5 with an 11- × 20-mm Bagby and Kuslich (BAK) cage packed with autograft. Seven sheep received a BAK cage and no current. Seven sheep had a cage and a 40-μA current applied with a direct current stimulator. Eight sheep had a BAK cage and a 100-μA current applied. All sheep were killed 4 months after surgery. The efficacy of electrical stimulation in promoting interbody fusion was assessed by performing radiographic, biomechanical, and histologic analyses in a blinded fashion.
Results. The histologic fusion rate increased as the direct current dose increased from 0 μA to 40 μA to 100 μA (P \u3c 0.009). Histologically, all animals in the 100-μA group had fusions in both the right and left sides of the cage. Direct current stimulation had a significant effect on increasing the stiffness of the treated motion segment in right lateral bending (P \u3c 0.120), left lateral bending (P \u3c 0.017), right axial rotation (P \u3c 0.004), left axial rotation (P \u3c 0.073), extension (P \u3c 0.078), and flexion (P \u3c 0.029) over nonstimulated levels.
Conclusion. Direct current stimulation increased the histologic and biomechanical fusion rate and the speed of healing of lumbar interbody spinal fusion cages in an ovine model at 4 months
1995 atmospheric trace molecule spectroscopy (ATMOS) linelist
The Atmospheric Trace Molecule Spectroscopy (ATMOS) experiment uses a Fourier-transform spectrometer on board the Space Shuttle to record infrared solar occultation spectra of the atmosphere at 0.01-cm^(-1) resolution. The current version of the molecular spectroscopic database used for the analysis of the data obtained during three Space Shuttle missions between 1992 and 1994 is described. It is an extension of the effort first described by Brown et al. [Appl. Opt. 26, 5154 (1987)] to maintain an up-to-date database for the ATMOS experiment. The three-part ATMOS compilation contains Line parameters of 49 molecular species between 0 and 10000 cm^(-1), The main list, with nearly 700,000 entries, is an updated version of the HITRAN 1992 database. The second compilation contains supplemental line parameters, and the third set consists of absorption cross sections to represent the unresolvable features of heavy molecules. The differences between the ATMOS database and other public compilations are discussed
Implementing Dirac Approach to Quantum Mechanics in a Hungarian Secondary School
Quantum mechanics is included in many curricula across countries because of its cultural value and technological application. In the last decades, two-state approaches to quantum mechanics became popular because of the age of quantum computers. This article presents an experiment with 24 Hungarian high school students on teaching/learning quantum mechanics according to Dirac’s approach to concepts and basic formalism developed in the context of light polarization. Tutorials, pre/post-tests, and oral interviews are the main monitoring tools used to collect data on the students’ learning path. From the qualitative and quantitative data analysis, learning progressions emerged in the phenomenology exploration and on the probabilistic nature of single quantum measurement. The students’ conceptions of quantum state are enriched, confirming the importance to focus educational approaches on fundamental topics. For one section of students, the complex relationship between quantum state and property remained problematic, but the students’ interpretations of a quantum state can be categorized. Two lines of reasoning emerged regarding the impossibility to attribute a trajectory to a quantum system, one more orthodox and one that seeks to avoid the probabilistic nature of the quantum world
Exciton-magnon transitions in the frustrated chromium antiferromagnets CuCrO2, alpha-CaCr2O4, CdCr2O4, and ZnCr2O4
We report on optical transmission spectroscopy of the Cr-based frustrated
triangular antiferromagnets CuCrO2 and alpha-CaCr2O4, and the spinels CdCr2O4
and ZnCr2O4 in the near-infrared to visible-light frequency range. We explore
the possibility to search for spin correlations far above the magnetic ordering
temperature and for anomalies in the magnon lifetime in the magnetically
ordered state by probing exciton-magnon sidebands of the spin-forbidden
crystal-field transitions of the Cr3+ ions (spin S = 3/2). In CuCrO2 and
alpha-CaCr2O4 the appearance of fine structures below T_N is assigned to magnon
sidebands by comparison with neutron scattering results. The temperature
dependence of the line width of the most intense sidebands in both compounds
can be described by an Arrhenius law. For CuCrO2 the sideband associated with
the 4A2 -> 2T2 transition can be observed even above T_N. Its line width does
not show a kink at the magnetic ordering temperature and can alternatively be
described by a Z2 vortex scenario proposed previously for similar materials.
The exciton-magnon features in alpha-CaCr2O4 are more complex due to the
orthorhombic distortion. While for CdCr2O4 magnon sidebands are identified
below T_N and one sideband excitation is found to persist across the magnetic
ordering transition, only a weak fine structure related to magnetic ordering
has been observed in ZnCr2O4.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, all comments are welcome and appreciated,
accepted for publication in PR
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