24,788 research outputs found
On the Stability and Structural Dynamics of Metal Nanowires
This article presents a brief review of the nanoscale free-electron model,
which provides a continuum description of metal nanostructures. It is argued
that surface and quantum-size effects are the two dominant factors in the
energetics of metal nanowires, and that much of the phenomenology of nanowire
stability and structural dynamics can be understood based on the interplay of
these two competing factors. A linear stability analysis reveals that metal
nanocylinders with certain magic conductance values G=1, 3, 6, 12, 17, 23, 34,
42, 51, 67, 78, 96, ... times the conductance quantum are exceptionally stable.
A nonlinear dynamical simulation of nanowire structural evolution reveals a
universal equilibrium shape consisting of a magic cylinder suspended between
unduloidal contacts. The lifetimes of these metastable structures are also
computed.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure
A Statistical Study on Force-Freeness of Solar Magnetic Fields in the Photosphere
It is an indisputable fact that solar magnetic fields are force-free in the
corona, where force free fields means that current and magnetic fields are
parallel and there is no Lorentz force in the fields. While the force-free
extent of photospheric magnetic fields remains open. In this paper, the
statistical results about it is given. The vector magnetograms (namely,
, and in heliocentric coordinates) are employed, which
are deduced and calibrated from Stokes spectra, observed by Solar Magnetic
Field Telescope (SMFT) at Huairou Solar Observing Station (HSOS) are used. We
study and calibrated 925 magnetograms calibrated by two sets of calibration
coefficients, that indicate the relations between magnetic fields and the
strength of Stokes spectrum and can be calculated either theoretically or
empirically. The statistical results show that the majority of active region
magnetic fields are not consistent with the force-free model.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, has been accepted by PAS
Chlamydia trachomatis infection and the risk of perinatal mortality in Hungary
Introduction: Chlamydial infections of the genital tract are thought to often lead to preterm birth, which is the most important perinatal problem in Hungary.
Aim of study: A multicenter study was carried out to determine the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection, risk factors for the infection and to relate the infection to perinatal mortality, accounting for potential confounding effects.
Methods: The nucleic acid hybridization method (PACE2 Gen-Probe) was applied for the examination of Chlamydia trachomatis. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess risk.
Results: A total of 6156 pregnant women were examined for the occurrence of Chlamydia trachomatis. The observed overall rate of chlamydial infection was 5.9%. Young age (less than 24 years old) (OR and 95% CI:1.6 (1.3-2.0)), unmarried status (1.5 (1.2-1.9)) and the high unemployment rate (2.1 (1.6-2.7)) were statistically significant predictors of the infection.
In logistic regression analysis, chlamydial infection (1.9 (1.1-3.3)). high unemployment rate (1.5 (1.2-2.2)) and low birth weight (1.7 (1.1-2.7) were significant predictors of perinatal mortality.
Conclusions: Testing pregnant women for diseases that can be transmitted perinatally is an important part of obstetric cart. Screening for C. trachomatis of unmarried women under 24 years of age is suggested and need increased observation during labor
Sensitive Chemical Compass Assisted by Quantum Criticality
The radical-pair-based chemical reaction could be used by birds for the
navigation via the geomagnetic direction. An inherent physical mechanism is
that the quantum coherent transition from a singlet state to triplet states of
the radical pair could response to the weak magnetic field and be sensitive to
the direction of such a field and then results in different photopigments in
the avian eyes to be sensed. Here, we propose a quantum bionic setup for the
ultra-sensitive probe of a weak magnetic field based on the quantum phase
transition of the environments of the two electrons in the radical pair. We
prove that the yield of the chemical products via the recombination from the
singlet state is determined by the Loschmidt echo of the environments with
interacting nuclear spins. Thus quantum criticality of environments could
enhance the sensitivity of the detection of the weak magnetic field.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
On the classification of Kahler-Ricci solitons on Gorenstein del Pezzo surfaces
We give a classification of all pairs (X,v) of Gorenstein del Pezzo surfaces
X and vector fields v which are K-stable in the sense of Berman-Nystrom and
therefore are expected to admit a Kahler-Ricci solition. Moreover, we provide
some new examples of Fano threefolds admitting a Kahler-Ricci soliton.Comment: 21 pages, ancillary files containing calculations in SageMath; minor
correction
A comparative study of optical/ultraviolet variability of narrow-line Seyfert 1 and broad-line Seyfert 1 active galactic nuclei
The ensemble optical/ultraviolet variability of narrow-line Seyfert 1 (NLS1)
type active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is investigated, based on a sample selected
from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe-82 region with multi-epoch
photometric scanning data. As a comparison a control sample of broad-line
Seyfert 1 (BLS1) type AGNs is also incorporated. To quantify properly the
intrinsic variation amplitudes and their uncertainties, a novel method of
parametric maximum-likelihood is introduced, that has, as we argued, certain
virtues over previously used methods. The majority of NLS1-type AGNs exhibit
significant variability on timescales from about ten days to a few years with,
however, on average smaller amplitudes compared to BLS1-type AGNs. About 20
NLS1- type AGNs showing relatively large variations are presented, that may
deserve future monitoring observations, for instance, reverberation mapping.
The averaged structure functions of variability, constructed using the same
maximumlikelihood method, show remarkable similarity in shape for the two types
of AGNs on timescales longer than about 10 days, which can be approximated by a
power-law or an exponential function. This, along with other similar
properties, such as the wavelength-dependent variability, are indicative of a
common dominant mechanism responsible for the long-term optical/UV variability
of both NLS1- and BLS1-type AGNs. Towards the short timescales, however, there
is tentative evidence that the structure function of NLS1-type AGNs continues
declining, whereas that of BLS1-type AGNs flattens with some residual
variability on timescales of days. If this can be confirmed, it may suggest
that an alternative mechanism, such as X-ray reprocessing, starts to become
dominating in BLS1-type AGNs, but not in NLS1-, on such timescales.Comment: 53 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables, accepted for pulication in A
Recommended from our members
P2-type Na2/3Ni1/3Mn2/3O2 Cathode Material with Excellent Rate and Cycling Performance for Sodium-Ion Batteries
P2-type Na2/3Ni1/3Mn2/3O2 is an air-stable cathode material for sodium-ion batteries. However, it suffers irreversible P2-O2 phase transition in 4.2-V plateau and shows poor cycling stability and rate capability within this plateau. To evaluate the practicability of this material in 2.3–4.1 V voltage range, single-crystal micro-sized P2-type Na2/3Ni1/3Mn2/3O2 with high rate capability and cycling stability is synthesized via polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-combustion method. The electrochemical performance is evaluated by galvanostatic charge-discharge tests. The kinetics of Na+ intercalation/deintercalation is studied detailly with potential intermittent titration technique (PITT), galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The discharge capacity at 0.1 C in 2.3–4.1 V is 87.6 mAh g−1. It can deliver 91.5% capacity at 40 C rate and keep 89% after 650 cycles at 5C. The calculated theoretical energy density of full cell with hard carbon anode is 210 Wh kg−1. The moderate energy density associated with high power density and long cycle life is acceptable for load adjustment of new-energy power, showing the prospect of practical application
Characterizing cell adhesion by using micropipette aspiration
International audienceWe have developed a technique to directly quantify cell-substrate adhesion force using micropipette aspiration. The micropipette is positioned perpendicular to the surface of an adherent cell and a constant-rate aspiration pressure is applied. Since the micropipette diameter and the aspiration pressure are our control parameters, we have direct knowledge of the aspiration force, whereas the cell behavior is monitored either in brightfield or interference reflection microscopy. This setup thus allows us to explore a range of geometric parameters, such as projected cell area, adhesion area, or pipette size, as well as dynamical parameters such as the loading rate. We find that cell detachment is a well-defined event occurring at a critical aspiration pressure, and that the detachment force scales with the cell adhesion area (for a given micropipette diameter and loading rate), which defines a critical stress. Taking into account the cell adhesion area, intrinsic parameters of the adhesion bonds, and the loading rate, a minimal model provides an expression for the critical stress that helps rationalize our experimental results
A Microscopic Mechanism for Muscle's Motion
The SIRM (Stochastic Inclined Rods Model) proposed by H. Matsuura and M.
Nakano can explain the muscle's motion perfectly, but the intermolecular
potential between myosin head and G-actin is too simple and only repulsive
potential is considered. In this paper we study the SIRM with different complex
potential and discuss the effect of the spring on the system. The calculation
results show that the spring, the effective radius of the G-actin and the
intermolecular potential play key roles in the motion. The sliding speed is
about calculated from the model which well agrees with
the experimental data.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure
- …