494 research outputs found
Unique characterization of the Bel-Robinson tensor
We prove that a completely symmetric and trace-free rank-4 tensor is, up to
sign, a Bel-Robinson type tensor, i.e., the superenergy tensor of a tensor with
the same algebraic symmetries as the Weyl tensor, if and only if it satisfies a
certain quadratic identity. This may be seen as the first Rainich theory result
for rank-4 tensors.Comment: extended version, 13 pages, shorter version published in
Class.Quant.Gra
Algebraic Rainich theory and antisymmetrisation in higher dimensions
The classical Rainich(-Misner-Wheeler) theory gives necessary and sufficient
conditions on an energy-momentum tensor to be that of a Maxwell field (a
2-form) in four dimensions. Via Einstein's equations these conditions can be
expressed in terms of the Ricci tensor, thus providing conditions on a
spacetime geometry for it to be an Einstein-Maxwell spacetime. One of the
conditions is that is proportional to the metric, and it has previously
been shown in arbitrary dimension that any tensor satisfying this condition is
a superenergy tensor of a simple -form. Here we examine algebraic Rainich
conditions for general -forms in higher dimensions and their relations to
identities by antisymmetrisation. Using antisymmetrisation techniques we find
new identities for superenergy tensors of these general (non-simple) forms, and
we also prove in some cases the converse; that the identities are sufficient to
determine the form. As an example we obtain the complete generalisation of the
classical Rainich theory to five dimensions.Comment: 16 pages, LaTe
A simple cost-effective high performance liquid chromatographic assay of sulphadoxine in whole blood spotted on filter paper for field studies
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Artesunate plus sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine is one of the four artemisinin-based combination therapies currently recommended by WHO as first-line treatment for falciparum malaria. Sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine is also used for intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in pregnancy. Drug use patterns and drug pharmacokinetics are important factors impacting the spread of drug resistant parasites hence it is imperative to monitor the effect of pharmacokinetic variability on therapeutic efficacy. Unfortunately, information on the pharmacokinetics of sulphadoxine in children and pregnant women with malaria is very limited. Methods for the assay of sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine have been previously reported, but they are not cost-effective and practicable in analytical laboratories in low resource areas where malaria is endemic. Efforts in this study were thus devoted to development and evaluation of a simple, cost-effective and sensitive method for quantification of sulphadoxine in small capillary samples of whole blood dried on filter paper.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sulphadoxine was determined in whole blood by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography with UV detection at 340 nm. Sulisoxazole (SLX) was used as internal standard. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a Beckman Coulter ODS C<sub>18 </sub>and a mobile phase consisting of 0.05 M phosphate buffer-methanol-acetonitrile (70:17:13 V/V/V) containing 1% triethylamine solution.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Standard curves from sulphadoxine-spiked blood added to filter paper were linear over the concentration range studied. Linear regression analysis yielded correlation coefficient r<sup>2 </sup>> 0.99 (n = 6). Extraction recoveries were about 82-85%. The limit of quantification was 120 ng/ml while the within and between assay coefficient of variations were < 10%. The inter-day precision was < 5.8% and inter-day accuracy ranged from 4.1 to 5.3%. There was no interference from endogenous compounds or any of the commonly used anti-malarial, analgesic and anti-infective drugs with the peaks of SDX or the internal standard.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The recovery and accuracy of determination of SDX from whole blood filter paper samples using the method described in this study is satisfactory, thus making the method a valuable tool in epidemiological studies and therapeutic drug monitoring in developing endemic countries. Furthermore, the applicability of the method in studying the pharmacokinetic disposition of SDX in a patient suggests that the method is suitable in malaria endemic areas.</p
Influence of surface oxide characteristics and speciation on corrosion, electrochemical properties and metal release of atomized 316L stainless steel powders
Surface oxide characteristics of powder particles are important to consider for any toxicological risk assessment based on in-vitro or in-vivo tests. This study focuses on a multi-analytical approach (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, scanning- and transmission electron microscopy, and different electrochemical techniques) for in-depth characterization of surface oxides of inert-gas-atomized (GA) AISI 316L stainless steel powder, compared with massive sheet and a water-atomized (WA) 316L powder. Implications of differences in surface oxide phases and their surface distribution on corrosion, electrochemical properties and metal release are systematically discussed. Cr was enriched in an inner surface layer for both GA powders, with Mn and S enriched in the outermost surface oxide. The surface oxide was 2-5 nm thick for both GA powder size fractions, amorphous for the GA powder size
Influence of surface oxide characteristics and speciation on corrosion, electrochemical properties and metal release of atomized 316L stainless steel powders
Surface oxide characteristics of powder particles are important to consider for any toxicological risk assessment based on in-vitro or in-vivo tests. This study focuses on a multi-analytical approach (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, scanning- and transmission electron microscopy, and different electrochemical techniques) for in-depth characterization of surface oxides of inert-gas-atomized (GA) AISI 316L stainless steel powder, compared with massive sheet and a water-atomized (WA) 316L powder. Implications of differences in surface oxide phases and their surface distribution on corrosion, electrochemical properties and metal release are systematically discussed. Cr was enriched in an inner surface layer for both GA powders, with Mn and S enriched in the outermost surface oxide. The surface oxide was 2-5 nm thick for both GA powder size fractions, amorphous for the GA powder size
Could a different management routine that strengthens the mother-offspring bond contribute to a more efficient organic piglet production?
In current Swedish organic piglet production full reproductive potential of the sows and growth potential of piglets are not achieved. The efficiency is held back by occurrence of lactational oestrus, low litter weight and large weight variation within litter. Therefore it is critical that these obstacles are reduced in a way that is easy to adapt in practice and does not contradict the ideas behind organic animal husbandry.
This project aims to an improvement of the conditions needed to efficiently produce organic piglets in a batch wise manner. The batch wise breeding will reduce production costs and increase disease control.
Our preliminary results indicate that the sow’s weaning to oestrus interval can be affected by the time spent in individual farrowing pen during the lactational period
Another positivity proof and gravitational energy localizations
Two locally positive expressions for the gravitational Hamiltonian, one using
4-spinors the other special orthonormal frames, are reviewed. A new quadratic
3-spinor-curvature identity is used to obtain another positive expression for
the Hamiltonian and thereby a localization of gravitational energy and positive
energy proof. These new results provide a link between the other two methods.
Localization and prospects for quasi-localization are discussed.Comment: 14 pages REVTe
Symmetric hyperbolic systems for a large class of fields in arbitrary dimension
Symmetric hyperbolic systems of equations are explicitly constructed for a
general class of tensor fields by considering their structure as r-fold forms.
The hyperbolizations depend on 2r-1 arbitrary timelike vectors. The importance
of the so-called "superenergy" tensors, which provide the necessary symmetric
positive matrices, is emphasized and made explicit. Thereby, a unified
treatment of many physical systems is achieved, as well as of the sometimes
called "higher order" systems. The characteristics of these symmetric
hyperbolic systems are always physical, and directly related to the null
directions of the superenergy tensor, which are in particular principal null
directions of the tensor field solutions. Generic energy estimates and
inequalities are presented too.Comment: 24 pages, no figure
On the structure of the new electromagnetic conservation laws
New electromagnetic conservation laws have recently been proposed: in the
absence of electromagnetic currents, the trace of the Chevreton superenergy
tensor, is divergence-free in four-dimensional (a) Einstein spacetimes
for test fields, (b) Einstein-Maxwell spacetimes. Subsequently it has been
pointed out, in analogy with flat spaces, that for Einstein spacetimes the
trace of the Chevreton superenergy tensor can be rearranged in the
form of a generalised wave operator acting on the energy momentum
tensor of the test fields, i.e., . In this
letter we show, for Einstein-Maxwell spacetimes in the full non-linear theory,
that, although, the trace of the Chevreton superenergy tensor can
again be rearranged in the form of a generalised wave operator
acting on the electromagnetic energy momentum tensor, in this case the result
is also crucially dependent on Einstein's equations; hence we argue that the
divergence-free property of the tensor has
significant independent content beyond that of the divergence-free property of
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