4,171 research outputs found

    Melting of hexagonal skyrmion states in chiral magnets

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    Skyrmions are spiral structures observed in thin films of certain magnetic materials (Uchida et al 2006 Science 311 359–61). Of the phases allowed by the crystalline symmetries of these materials (Yi et al 2009 Phys. Rev. B 80 054416), only the hexagonally packed phases (SCh) have been observed. Here the melting of the SCh phase is investigated using Monte Carlo simulations. In addition to the usual measure of skyrmion density, chiral charge, a morphological measure is considered. In doing so it is shown that the low-temperature reduction in chiral charge is associated with a change in skyrmion profiles rather than skyrmion destruction. At higher temperatures, the loss of six-fold symmetry is associated with the appearance of elongated skyrmions that disrupt the hexagonal packing

    On Unitarity Based Relations Between Various Lepton Family Violating Processes

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    Simple "unitarity inspired" relations between two- and three-body lepton flavor violating decays are noted and discussed. In the absence of cancellations, the existing strong bounds on μ3e\mu \to 3e and μeγγ \mu\to e\gamma\gamma severly constrain two-body lepton flavor violating decays.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

    Role of Adaptor TrfA and ClpPC in Controlling Levels of SsrA-Tagged Proteins and Antitoxins in Staphylococcus aureus

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    Staphylococcus aureus responds to changing extracellular environments in part by adjusting its proteome through alterations of transcriptional priorities and selective degradation of the preexisting pool of proteins. In Bacillus subtilis, the proteolytic adaptor protein MecA has been shown to play a role in assisting with the proteolytic degradation of proteins involved in competence and the oxidative stress response. However, the targets of TrfA, the MecA homolog in S. aureus, have not been well characterized. In this work, we investigated how TrfA assists chaperones and proteases to regulate the proteolysis of several classes of proteins in S. aureus. By fusing the last 3 amino acids of the SsrA degradation tag to Venus, a rapidly folding yellow fluorescent protein, we obtained both fluorescence-based and Western blot assay-based evidence that TrfA and ClpCP are the adaptor and protease, respectively, responsible for the degradation of the SsrA-tagged protein in S. aureus. Notably, the impact of TrfA on degradation was most prominent during late log phase and early stationary phase, due in part to a combination of transcriptional regulation and proteolytic degradation of TrfA by ClpCP. We also characterized the temporal transcriptional regulation governing TrfA activity, wherein Spx, a redox-sensitive transcriptional regulator degraded by ClpXP, activates trfA transcription while repressing its own promoter. Finally, the scope of TrfA-mediated proteolysis was expanded by identifying TrfA as the adaptor that works with ClpCP to degrade antitoxins in S. aureus. Together, these results indicate that the adaptor TrfA adds temporal nuance to protein degradation by ClpCP in S. aureus

    The Design and Validation of the Quantum Mechanics Conceptual Survey

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    The Quantum Mechanics Conceptual Survey (QMCS) is a 12-question survey of students' conceptual understanding of quantum mechanics. It is intended to be used to measure the relative effectiveness of different instructional methods in modern physics courses. In this paper we describe the design and validation of the survey, a process that included observations of students, a review of previous literature and textbooks and syllabi, faculty and student interviews, and statistical analysis. We also discuss issues in the development of specific questions, which may be useful both for instructors who wish to use the QMCS in their classes and for researchers who wish to conduct further research of student understanding of quantum mechanics. The QMCS has been most thoroughly tested in, and is most appropriate for assessment of (as a posttest only), sophomore-level modern physics courses. We also describe testing with students in junior quantum courses and graduate quantum courses, from which we conclude that the QMCS may be appropriate for assessing junior quantum courses, but is not appropriate for assessing graduate courses. One surprising result of our faculty interviews is a lack of faculty consensus on what topics should be taught in modern physics, which has made designing a test that is valued by a majority of physics faculty more difficult than expected.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review Special Topics: Physics Education Researc

    Ponovni opis, biologija, životni ciklus, ponašanje i ekotip Sphedanolestes minusculus Bergroth (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

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    Sphedanolestes minusculus Bergroth lays pale yellow eggs in batches. Eggs are glued to each other and to the substratum with cementing material. The average number of eggs per female was 63.33 ± 21.77. The eggs hatch in 7.80 ± 0.41 days. The average developmental period from I instar to V instar was 48.43 ± 7.39days. The longevity of the male (80.16 ± 5.23) was shorter (96.77 ± 11.88) than that of the female. The preoviposition period was 12.55 ± 3.43 days and the male and female sex ratio was 1: 1.5. The innate capacity of natural increase (rc) was 0.061 with a gross reproduction rate (mx) of 91.671 females per female. Mean length of generation (Tc) was 76.310 days. Redescriptions of adult and descriptions of egg and nymphal instars are given with illustrations. Predatory and mating behaviour exhibited sequential events as in other reduviids. Prey-deprived predators took less time to approach, capture and pin the prey. Individuals of S. minusculus collected from three different ecological and geomorphological habitats viz., Olavakod tropical rainforest, Sunkankadai scrub jungle and Aralvaimozhi semiarid zone exhibited pronounced diversities in their oviposition pattern, hatchability, incubation and stadial periods, nymphal mortality, adult longevity and sex ratio. These diversities are considered a specially adapted biological function collectively called ecotypism.Sphedanolestes minusculus Bergroth polaže blijedo žuta jaja u gomilicama. Jaja su ljepljivom tvari slijepljena međusobno kao i za podlogu. Srednja vrijednost broja jaja po ženki je bila 63,33 ± 21,77. Ličinke su se izvalile u 7,80 ± 0,41 dana. Srednja vrijednost razvojnog perioda od I do V stadija bila je 48,43 ± 7.39 dana. Dužina života mužjaka (80,16 ± 5,23) bila je kraća (96,77 ± 11,88) nego ženki. Preovipozicija jaja je trajala 12,55 ± 3.43 dana a omjer između mužjaka i ženki je bio 1:1,5. Urođen, svojstven kapacitet prirodnog porasta (rc) je bio 0,061 s maksimalnim omjerom reprodukcije (mx) od 91,671 ženki. Prosječna dužina života jedne generacije (Tc) bila je 76, 310 dana. Ponovo su opisani odrasli, a na novo jaja i ličinački stadiji prikazani slikama. Složeno predatorsko ponašanje i ponašanje tijekom parenja slijedilo je pravilan tok kao kod drugih vrsta porodice Reduviidae. Ovi predatori su brzi u lovu i pridržavanju ulova. Jedinke Sphedanolestes minusculus su bile sakupljane u tri različita ekološka i geomorfološka staništa: Olavakod - tropska kišna šuma, Sunkankadai - guštara đungle i Aralvaimozhi - semiaridna zona. Opisane su različitosti u: njihovim ovipozicijskim uzorcima, izlijeganju jaja, vremenu inkubacije, trajanju razvojnih stadija, ličinačkoj smrtnosti, dužini života odraslih, te omjeru spolova. Te razlike u opisanim karakteristikama smatraju se posebno prilagođenim biološkim funkcijama koje zajednički nazivamo ekotip

    Study on the role of microfinance on indebtedness in marine fisheries sector in Odisha

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    The microfinance organizations and self help groups mobilised in marine fisheries sector play vital role in reducing the indebtedness among marine fisherfolk. The study makes an attempt on the assessment of the extent of indebtedness among marine fisherfolk in mechanized, motorized and traditional fisheries sectors and the impact assessment of Microfinance Institutions (MFI) on coastal indebtedness. The study was carried out in four coastal districts of Odisha state. Situational analysis was done through PLA in the selected locations and the sample respondents were selected from mechanized, motorized and traditional sectors. Data were collected through personal interview from members of 12 selected MFIs and non members in these sectors comprising a total of 600 respondents. The results showed that the level of indebtedness of members of MFIs was less compared to the non members. Even if the indebtedness was more in certain cases, the repayment capacity was found to be significantly improved in MFIs. There is an extreme necessity for strengthening the MFI ventures in the traditional and tertiary fisheries sectors in the state. A comparative assessment of the sources of credit, purposes of credit and utilization pattern of loans in the state also was undertaken to draw valid conclusions. It was also found that the MFIs ranked better in most of the major attributes in the perception of stakeholders compared to banks and non-institutional credit sources. Success cases of MFIs on entrepreneurial capacity building, those significantly played the role in the debt redemption and poverty alleviation were documented as a practical manual for mobilizing MFIs in any key areas on a sustainable basis

    Assessment of provisional ecosystem services in Vypin Island, Cochin Backwater and payment for coastal ecosystem services

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    Assessment of provisional ecosystem services in Vypin Island, Cochin Backwater and payment for coastal ecosystem service
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