849 research outputs found

    Distribution of Eigenvalues for the Modular Group

    Full text link
    The two-point correlation function of energy levels for free motion on the modular domain, both with periodic and Dirichlet boundary conditions, are explicitly computed using a generalization of the Hardy-Littlewood method. It is shown that ion the limit of small separations they show an uncorrelated behaviour and agree with the Poisson distribution but they have prominent number-theoretical oscillations at larger scale. The results agree well with numerical simulations.Comment: 72 pages, Latex, the fiogures mentioned in the text are not vital, but can be obtained upon request from the first Autho

    Laser gas-discharge absorption measurements of the ratio of two transition rates in argon

    Full text link
    The ratio of two line strengths at 922.7 nm and 978.7 nm of argon is measured in an argon pulsed discharge with the use of a single-mode Ti:Sapphire laser. The result 3.29(0.13) is in agreement with our theoretical prediction 3.23 and with a less accurate ratio 2.89(0.43) from the NIST database.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, 1 tabl

    A toy model of fractal glioma development under RF electric field treatment

    Full text link
    A toy model for glioma treatment by a radio frequency electric field is suggested. This low-intensity, intermediate-frequency alternating electric field is known as the tumor-treating-field (TTF). In the framework of this model the efficiency of this TTF is estimated, and the interplay between the TTF and the migration-proliferation dichotomy of cancer cells is considered. The model is based on a modification of a comb model for cancer cells, where the migration-proliferation dichotomy becomes naturally apparent. Considering glioma cancer as a fractal dielectric composite of cancer cells and normal tissue cells, a new effective mechanism of glioma treatment is suggested in the form of a giant enhancement of the TTF. This leads to the irreversible electroporation that may be an effective non-invasive method of treating brain cancer.Comment: Submitted for publication in European Physical Journal

    Application of direct bioautography and SPME-GC-MS for the study of antibacterial chamomile ingredients

    Get PDF
    The isolation and characterization of antibacterial chamomile components were performed by the use of direct bioautography and solid phase microextraction (SPME)-GC-MS. Four ingredients, active against Vibrio fischeri, were identified as the polyacetylene geometric isomers cis- and trans-spiroethers, the coumarin related herniarin, and the sesquiterpene alcohol (-)-alpha-bisabolol

    Quantum phase transitions from topology in momentum space

    Full text link
    Many quantum condensed matter systems are strongly correlated and strongly interacting fermionic systems, which cannot be treated perturbatively. However, physics which emerges in the low-energy corner does not depend on the complicated details of the system and is relatively simple. It is determined by the nodes in the fermionic spectrum, which are protected by topology in momentum space (in some cases, in combination with the vacuum symmetry). Close to the nodes the behavior of the system becomes universal; and the universality classes are determined by the toplogical invariants in momentum space. When one changes the parameters of the system, the transitions are expected to occur between the vacua with the same symmetry but which belong to different universality classes. Different types of quantum phase transitions governed by topology in momentum space are discussed in this Chapter. They involve Fermi surfaces, Fermi points, Fermi lines, and also the topological transitions between the fully gapped states. The consideration based on the momentum space topology of the Green's function is general and is applicable to the vacua of relativistic quantum fields. This is illustrated by the possible quantum phase transition governed by topology of nodes in the spectrum of elementary particles of Standard Model.Comment: 45 pages, 17 figures, 83 references, Chapter for the book "Quantum Simulations via Analogues: From Phase Transitions to Black Holes", to appear in Springer lecture notes in physics (LNP

    Biological Nitrification Inhibition—A Novel Strategy to Regulate Nitrification in Agricultural Systems

    Get PDF
    Human activity has had the single largest influence on the global nitrogen (N) cycle by introducing unprecedented amounts of reactive-N into ecosystems. A major portion of this reactive-N, applied as fertilizer to crops, leaks into the environment with cascading negative effects on ecosystem functions and contributes to global warming. Natural ecosystems use multiple pathways of the N-cycle to regulate the flow of this element. By contrast, the large amounts of N currently applied in agricultural systems cycle primarily through the nitrification process, a single inefficient route that allows much of the reactive-N to leak into the environment. The fact that present agricultural systems do not channel this reactive-N through alternate pathways is largely due to uncontrolled soil nitrifier activity, creating a rapid nitrifying soil environment. Regulating nitrification is therefore central to any strategy for improving nitrogen-use efficiency. Biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) is an active plant-mediated natural function, where nitrification inhibitors released from plant roots suppress soil-nitrifying activity, thereby forcing N into other pathways. This review illustrates the presence of detection methods for variation in physiological regulation of BNI-function in field crops and pasture grasses and analyzes the potential for its genetic manipulation. We present a conceptual framework utilizing a BNI-platform that integrates diverse crop science disciplines with ecological principles. Sustainable agriculture will require development of production systems that include new crop cultivars capable of controlling nitrification (i.e., high BNI-capacity) and improved agronomic practices to minimize leakage of reactive-N during the N-cycle, a critical requirement for increasing food production while avoiding environmental damage

    Comparing very low birth weight versus very low gestation cohort methods for outcome analysis of high risk preterm infants

    Get PDF
    Background: Compared to very low gestational age (\u3c32 weeks, VLGA) cohorts, very low birth weight (\u3c1500 g; VLBW) cohorts are more prone to selection bias toward small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants, which may impact upon the validity of data for benchmarking purposes. Method: Data from all VLGA or VLBW infants admitted in the 3 Networks between 2008 and 2011 were used. Two-thirds of each network cohort was randomly selected to develop prediction models for mortality and composite adverse outcome (CAO: mortality or cerebral injuries, chronic lung disease, severe retinopathy or necrotizing enterocolitis) and the remaining for internal validation. Areas under the ROC curves (AUC) of the models were compared. Results: VLBW cohort (24,335 infants) had twice more SGA infants (20.4% vs. 9.3%) than the VLGA cohort (29,180 infants) and had a higher rate of CAO (36.5% vs. 32.6%). The two models had equal prediction power for mortality and CAO (AUC 0.83), and similarly for all other cross-cohort validations (AUC 0.81-0.85). Neither model performed well for the extremes of birth weight for gestation (\u3c1500 g and ≄32 weeks, AUC 0.50-0.65; ≄1500 g and \u3c32 weeks, AUC 0.60-0.62). Conclusion: There was no difference in prediction power for adverse outcome between cohorting VLGA or VLBW despite substantial bias in SGA population. Either cohorting practises are suitable for international benchmarking
    • 

    corecore