Magnetoelectricity at room temperature in Bi0.9-xTbxLa0.1FeO3 system

Magnetoelectric compounds with the general formula, Bi0.9-xRxLa0.1FeO3 (R =Gd, Tb, Dy, etc.), have been synthesized. These show the coexistence of ferroelectricity and magnetism, possess high dielectric constant and exhibit magnetoelectric coupling at room temperature. Such materials may be of great significance in basic as well as applied research.Comment: 11 pages of text and figure

Small-world properties of the Indian Railway network

Structural properties of the Indian Railway network is studied in the light of recent investigations of the scaling properties of different complex networks. Stations are considered as `nodes' and an arbitrary pair of stations is said to be connected by a `link' when at least one train stops at both stations. Rigorous analysis of the existing data shows that the Indian Railway network displays small-world properties. We define and estimate several other quantities associated with this network.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures. To be published in Phys. Rev.

Age- and gender-related development of stretch shortening cycle during a sub-maximal hopping task

The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of age and gender (and their interaction) on a stretch shortening cycle solicited during a hopping task. For this aim, 147 girls and 148 boys aged 11 to 20 years, who were enrolled in middle school or secondary school with no experience in sport activity, or training less than three times per week, performed 3 75 hops in place. Leg-stiffness, jump-height and reactive-strength indices were assessed using an accelerometer (Myotest). The participants were selected in order to form five age groups: 11 12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18 and 19-20 years. Regression analysis between force and centre of mass displacement revealed spring-mass behaviour for all groups (r(2)=.73-.89), meaning that beginning at the age of 11 years, children are able to perform complex inter-muscular coordination of the lower limbs, revealing efficient neural control early in childhood. Leg stiffness increased from 24.7 \ub1 10.6 kN \ub7 m(-1) at 11-12 years to 44.1 \ub1 14 kN \ub7 m(-1) in boys, with a small increase until 16 years (+17%) and a large increase between 17 and 20 years (+32.7%). In girls, leg stiffness increased from 26.6 \ub1 9 kN \ub7 m(-1) at 11-12 years to 39.4 \ub1 10.9 kN \ub7 m(-1) at 19-20 years, with a curious decrease in leg stiffness at 17-18 years, probably due to an increase in the percentage of fat at this age (25%). While no gender effect was found, the reactive-strength index revealed that, from 15-16 years onward, boys were better able to produce high levels of force in a shorter time than girls. The age of 15-16 years is a threshold of maturity and gender differentiation, where the boys investigated are more efficient in the stretch shortening cycle

Is Acceleration Used for Ocular Pursuit and Spatial Estimation during Prediction Motion?

Here we examined ocular pursuit and spatial estimation in a linear prediction motion task that emphasized extrapolation of occluded accelerative object motion. Results from the ocular response up to occlusion showed that there was evidence in the eye position, velocity and acceleration data that participants were attempting to pursue the moving object in accord with the veridical motion properties. They then attempted to maintain ocular pursuit of the randomly-ordered accelerative object motion during occlusion but this was not ideal, and resulted in undershoot of eye position and velocity at the moment of object reappearance. In spatial estimation there was a general bias, with participants less likely to report object reappearance being behind than ahead of the expected position. In addition, participants’ spatial estimation did not take into account the effects of object acceleration. Logistic regression indicated that spatial estimation was best predicted for the majority of participants by the difference between actual object reappearance position and an extrapolation based on pre-occlusion velocity. In combination, and in light of previous work, we interpret these findings as showing that eye movements are scaled in accord with the effects of object acceleration but do not directly specify information for accurate spatial estimation in prediction motion

Surface Scaling Analysis of a Frustrated Spring-network Model for Surfactant-templated Hydrogels

We propose and study a simplified model for the surface and bulk structures of crosslinked polymer gels, into which voids are introduced through templating by surfactant micelles. Such systems were recently studied by Atomic Force Microscopy [M. Chakrapani et al., e-print cond-mat/0112255]. The gel is represented by a frustrated, triangular network of nodes connected by springs of random equilibrium lengths. The nodes represent crosslinkers, and the springs correspond to polymer chains. The boundaries are fixed at the bottom, free at the top, and periodic in the lateral direction. Voids are introduced by deleting a proportion of the nodes and their associated springs. The model is numerically relaxed to a representative local energy minimum, resulting in an inhomogeneous, ``clumpy'' bulk structure. The free top surface is defined at evenly spaced points in the lateral (x) direction by the height of the topmost spring, measured from the bottom layer, h(x). Its scaling properties are studied by calculating the root-mean-square surface width and the generalized increment correlation functions C_q(x)= . The surface is found to have a nontrivial scaling behavior on small length scales, with a crossover to scale-independent behavior on large scales. As the vacancy concentration approaches the site-percolation limit, both the crossover length and the saturation value of the surface width diverge in a manner that appears to be proportional to the bulk connectivity length. This suggests that a percolation transition in the bulk also drives a similar divergence observed in surfactant templated polyacrylamide gels at high surfactant concentrations.Comment: 17 pages RevTex4, 10 imbedded eps figures. Expanded discussion of multi-affinit

A nutritional intervention for moderate altitude endurance preparation: A case report

Background: Moderate altitudes carry physiological and metabolic changes that can dampen exercise performance. Fortunately, these changes can be modulated by an optimal nutritional intervention. This case study represents the first nutritional intervention of a moderate altitude athlete. These results may help to establish well-designed nutritional guidelines for moderate altitude sports athletes. Case presentation: This case study examined the effects of a 11- week nutritional intervention on body composition, muscle strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, resting and exercise nutrient oxidation, and subjective sleep quality, in a male high-level moderate altitude athlete with a very light non-exercise activity thermogenesis. During the 11-week of nutritional intervention, 2800-3500 kcal/day, 6.8-8.9 g/kg/day of carbohydrates, 1.2-1.7 g/kg/day of protein, and 1-2.5 g/kg/day of fat were prescribed. Different specific considerations were also included, such as: iron supplementation, antioxidants increment in different phases, and ergogenic aids (i.e. creatine and beta-alanine). Our results demonstrated a decrease in adiposity and an increase in fat-free mass. In parallel, the athlete improved muscle strength, and therefore endurance adaptations after a maximal effort test (i.e. enhancement of the heart rate recovery). After the intervention, the athlete not only increased the carbohydrate oxidation during exercise and resting conditions but also improved his subjective sleep quality. Conclusions: Our results suggest that a nutritional intervention based on the endurance nutritional recommendations and adapted to the altitude physiological peculiarities can induce body recomposition, improve physiological adaptations to effort, and upgrade the substrate oxidation in a moderate altitude high-level athletes.Spanish Government FPU19/01609Redes Tematicas de Investigacion Cooperativa RETIC Red SAMID RD16/0022University of Granada Plan Propio de InvestigacionJunta de Andalucia, Consejeria de Conocimiento, Investigacion y Universidades (ERDF) SOMM17/6107/UGR DOC 01151University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigacion 2020 Programa de Contratos Puent

A Raman Study of Morphotropic Phase Boundary in PbZr1-xTixO3 at low temperatures

Raman spectra of PbZr1-xTixO3 ceramics with titanium concentration varying between 0.40 and 0.60 were measured at 7 K. By observing the concentration-frequency dependence of vibrational modes, we identified the boundaries among rhombohedral, monoclinic, and tetragonal ferroelectric phases. The analysis of the spectra was made in the view of theory group analysis making possible the assignment of some modes for the monoclinic phase.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

The Influence of the Degree of Heterogeneity on the Elastic Properties of Random Sphere Packings

The macroscopic mechanical properties of colloidal particle gels strongly depend on the local arrangement of the powder particles. Experiments have shown that more heterogeneous microstructures exhibit up to one order of magnitude higher elastic properties than their more homogeneous counterparts at equal volume fraction. In this paper, packings of spherical particles are used as model structures to computationally investigate the elastic properties of coagulated particle gels as a function of their degree of heterogeneity. The discrete element model comprises a linear elastic contact law, particle bonding and damping. The simulation parameters were calibrated using a homogeneous and a heterogeneous microstructure originating from earlier Brownian dynamics simulations. A systematic study of the elastic properties as a function of the degree of heterogeneity was performed using two sets of microstructures obtained from Brownian dynamics simulation and from the void expansion method. Both sets cover a broad and to a large extent overlapping range of degrees of heterogeneity. The simulations have shown that the elastic properties as a function of the degree of heterogeneity are independent of the structure generation algorithm and that the relation between the shear modulus and the degree of heterogeneity can be well described by a power law. This suggests the presence of a critical degree of heterogeneity and, therefore, a phase transition between a phase with finite and one with zero elastic properties.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures; Granular Matter (published online: 11. February 2012

The different paths to entropy

In order to undestand how the complex concept of entropy emerged,we propose a trip towards the past reviewing the works of Clausius, Boltzmann, Gibbs and Planck. In particular, since the Gibbs's work is not very well known, we present a detailed analysis, recalling the three definitions of the entropy that Gibbs gives. May be one of the most important aspect of the entropy is to see it as a thermodynamic potential like the other thermodynamic potentials as proposed by Callen. We close with some remarks on entropy and irreversibility.Comment: 32 page