1,179 research outputs found
Failure of classical elasticity in auxetic foams
A recent derivation [P.H. Mott and C.M. Roland, Phys. Rev. B 80, 132104
(2009).] of the bounds on Poisson's ratio, v, for linearly elastic materials
showed that the conventional lower limit, -1, is wrong, and that v cannot be
less than 0.2 for classical elasticity to be valid. This is a significant
result, since it is precisely for materials having small values of v that
direct measurements are not feasible, so that v must be calculated from other
elastic constants. Herein we measure directly Poisson's ratio for four
materials, two for which the more restrictive bounds on v apply, and two having
values below this limit of 0.2. We find that while the measured v for the
former are equivalent to values calculated from the shear and tensile moduli,
for two auxetic materials (v < 0), the equations of classical elasticity give
inaccurate values of v. This is experimental corroboration that the correct
lower limit on Poisson's ratio is 0.2 in order for classical elasticity to
apply.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure
Topological Expansion and Exponential Asymptotics in 1D Quantum Mechanics
Borel summable semiclassical expansions in 1D quantum mechanics are
considered. These are the Borel summable expansions of fundamental solutions
and of quantities constructed with their help. An expansion, called
topological,is constructed for the corresponding Borel functions. Its main
property is to order the singularity structure of the Borel plane in a
hierarchical way by an increasing complexity of this structure starting from
the analytic one. This allows us to study the Borel plane singularity structure
in a systematic way. Examples of such structures are considered for linear,
harmonic and anharmonic potentials. Together with the best approximation
provided by the semiclassical series the exponentially small contribution
completing the approximation are considered. A natural method of constructing
such an exponential asymptotics relied on the Borel plane singularity
structures provided by the topological expansion is developed. The method is
used to form the semiclassical series including exponential contributions for
the energy levels of the anharmonic oscillator.Comment: 46 pages, 22 EPS figure
The role of legumes in the sustainable intensification of African smallholder agriculture: Lessons learnt and challenges for the future.
Grain legumes play a key role in smallholder farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), in relation to food and nutrition security and income generation. Moreover, because of their N2-fixation capacity, such legumes can also have a positive influence on soil fertility. Notwithstanding many decades of research on the agronomy of grain legumes, their N2-fixation capacity, and their contribution to overall system productivity, several issues remain to be resolved to realize fully the benefits of grain legumes. In this paper we highlight major lessons learnt and expose key knowledge gaps in relation to grain legumes and their contributions to farming system productivity. The symbiosis between legumes and rhizobia forms the basis for its benefits and biological N2-fixation (BNF) relies as much on the legume genotype as on the rhizobial strains. As such, breeding grain legumes for BNF deserves considerably more attention. Even promiscuous varieties usually respond to inoculation, and as African soils contain a huge pool of unexploited biodiversity with potential to contribute elite rhizobial strains, strain selection should go hand-in-hand with legume breeding for N2-fixation. Although inoculated strains can outcompete indigenous strains, our understanding of what constitutes a good competitor is rudimentary, as well as which factors affect the persistence of inoculated rhizobia, which in its turn determines whether a farmer needs to re-inoculate each and every season. Although it is commonly assumed that indigenous rhizobia are better adapted to local conditions than elite strains used in inoculants, there is little evidence that this is the case. The problems of delivering inoculants to smallholders through poorly-developed supply chains in Africa necessitates inoculants based on sterile carriers with long shelf life. Other factors critical for a well-functioning symbiosis are also central to the overall productivity of grain legumes. Good agronomic practices, including the use of phosphorus (P)-containing fertilizer, improve legume yields though responses to inputs are usually very variable. In some situations, a considerable proportion of soils show no response of legumes to applied inputs, often referred to as non-responsive soils. Understanding the causes underlying this phenomenon is limited and hinders the uptake of legume agronomy practices. Grain legumes also contribute to the productivity of farming systems, although such effects are commonly greater in rotational than in intercropping systems. While most cropping systems allow for the integration of legumes, intercropped legumes provide only marginal benefits to associated crops. Important rotational benefits have been shown for most grain legumes though those with the highest N accumulation and lowest N harvest index appear to demonstrate higher residual benefits. N balance estimates often results in contradictory observations, mostly caused by the lack of understanding of belowground contributions of legumes to the N balance. Lastly, the ultimate condition for increased uptake of grain legumes by smallholder farmers lies in the understanding of how legume technologies and management practices can be tailored to the enormous diversity of agroecologies, farming systems, and smallholder farms in SSA. In conclusion, while research on grain legumes has revealed a number of important insights that will guide realization of the full potential of such legumes to the sustainable intensification of smallholder farming systems in SSA, many research challenges remain to be addressed to realize the full potential of BNF in these systems.</p
No Ending Point in The Bragg-to-Vortex Glass Phase Transition Line at Low Temperatures
We have measured the magnetic hysteresis loops and the magnetic relaxation
for (Bi-2212) single crystals which exhibit the
second magnetization peak effect. Although no second peak effect is observed
below 20 K in the measurement with fast field sweeping rate, it is found that
the second peak effect will appear again after long time relaxation or in a
measurement with very slow field sweeping rate at 16 K. It is anticipated that
the peak effect will appear at very low temperatures (approaching zero K) when
the relaxation time is long enough. We attribute this phenomenon to the profile
of the interior magnetic field and conclude that the phase transition line of
Bragg glass to vortex glass has no ending point at low temperatures.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Effects on performance, carcass and meat quality of replacing maize silage and concentrate by grass silage and corn-cob mix in the diet of growing bulls
Grass silage is barely used in intensive beef production, but it is unclear if its lower energy supply compared to maize-silage feeding really impairs growth performance. Diets with 100, 300, 500 or 750 g grass silage/kg dry matter replacing maize silage and concentrate were tested with or without dried corn-cob mix (CCM). Performance, carcass and meat quality were studied in 30 Limousin-sired bulls. Feeding grass silage, CCM, and concentrate in a ratio of 500:300:200 allowed to maintain a similar animal performance, carcass and meat quality compared to a conventional maize silage/concentrate diet. Increasing the dietary grass silage proportion to 750 g/kg decreased the shear force of the meat. The proportion of n–3 fatty acids in intramuscular fat increased with dietary grass silage proportion. Consequently, a strategic combination of grass silage with energyrich forages may facilitate grassland-based feeding strategies in intensive beef production with favourable meat fatty acid profiles and a performance comparable to that with maize-silage based diets
Unified order-disorder vortex phase transition in high-Tc superconductors
The diversity of vortex melting and solid-solid transition lines measured in
different high-T superconductors is explained, postulating a unified
order-disorder phase transition driven by both thermally- and disorder-induced
fluctuations. The temperature dependence of the transition line and the nature
of the disordered phase (solid, liquid, or pinned liquid) are determined by the
relative contributions of these fluctuations and by the pinning mechanism. By
varying the pinning mechanism and the pinning strength one obtains a spectrum
of monotonic and non-monotonic transition lines similar to those measured in
BiSrCaCuO, YBaCuO,
NdCeCuO,
BiPbSrCaCuO and (LaSr)CuOComment: To be published in Phys. Rev. B Rapid Com
Тактика и техника медиастинальной лимфаденэктомии в легочной онкологии
Fascial cellular mediastinal spaces containing lymphatic nodes allocated regionally to lungs are described.The incidence of different groups with intrathoracic lymphatic nodes involvement depending on the site of tum our origin was investigated.Mediastinal lymphoidectomy approach with the removal of collateral mediastinal and fixed in roots lymphatic nodes is described. The findings in 802 patients treated with the mentioned method are presented (lymph impairments: NO in 290, N1 in 277, N3 in 20). Five year survival rate in monosurgical management of malignant cellular cancer was comprised in 53% (in NO — 70%, in N1 — 54%, in N2 — 33%).Lymphoidectomy technique and approach are discussed.В статье рассматриваются поверхностные клеточные средостенные пространства, содержащие лимфатические узлы, сопряженные регионально с легкими.Исследовался случай различных групп больных с внутриторакальным опухолевым вовлечением лимфатических узлов, зависящим от положения опухолевого начала.Описывается подход к средостенной лимфаденэктомии через удаление коллатеральных медиастинальных и прикорневых лимфатических узлов. Представлены результаты по 802 больным, пролеченных по упомянутой методике (нарушения лимфоциркуляции: N0 у 290, N1 у 277, N3 у 20). Был отмечен пятилетний уровень выживаемости при монохирургическом лечении немелкоклеточного рака у 53% наблюдений (у N0 — 70%, у N1 — 54%, у N2 — 33%).Обсуждаются техника и подходы к лимфаденэктомии
Calculation of minor hysteresis loops under metastable to stable transformations in vortex matter
We present a model in which metastable supercooled phase and stable
equilibrium phase of vortex matter coexist in different regions of a sample.
Minor hysteresis loops are calculated with the simple assumption of the two
phases of vortex matter having field-independent critical current densities. We
use our earlier published ideas that the free energy barrier separating the
metastable and stable phases reduces as the magnetic induction moves farther
from the first order phase transition line, and that metastable to stable
transformations occur in local regions of the sample when the local energy
dissipation exceeds a critical value. Previously reported anomalous features in
minor hysteresis loops are reproduced, and calculated field profiles are
presented.Comment: 9pages, 7 figure
Structure, gating and interactions of the voltage-dependent anion channel
The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) is one of the most highly abundant proteins found in the outer mitochondrial membrane, and was one of the earliest discovered. Here we review progress in understanding VDAC function with a focus on its structure, discussing various models proposed for voltage gating as well as potential drug targets to modulate the channel’s function. In addition, we explore the sensitivity of VDAC structure to variations in the membrane environment, comparing DMPC-only, DMPC with cholesterol, and near-native lipid compositions, and use magic-angle spinning NMR spectroscopy to locate cholesterol on the outside of the β-barrel. We find that the VDAC protein structure remains unchanged in different membrane compositions, including conditions with cholesterol
Disorder and thermally driven vortex-lattice melting in La{2-x}Sr{x}CuO{4} crystals
Magnetization measurements in La{2-x}Sr{x}CuO{4} crystals indicate vortex
order-disorder transition manifested by a sharp kink in the second
magnetization peak. The transition field exhibits unique temperature
dependence, namely a strong decrease with temperature in the entire measured
range. This behavior rules out the conventional interpretation of a
disorder-driven transition into an entangled vortex solid phase. It is shown
that the transition in La{2-x}Sr{x}CuO{4} is driven by both thermally- and
disorder-induced fluctuations, resulting in a pinned liquid state. We conclude
that vortex solid-liquid, solid-solid and solid to pinned-liquid transitions
are different manifestations of the same thermodynamic order-disorder
transition, distinguished by the relative contributions of thermal and
disorder-induced fluctuations.Comment: To be published in phys. Rev. B Rapid Com
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