Mean field and corrections for the Euclidean Minimum Matching problem

Consider the length $L_{MM}^E$ of the minimum matching of N points in d-dimensional Euclidean space. Using numerical simulations and the finite size scaling law $= \beta_{MM}^E(d) N^{1-1/d}(1+A/N+... )$, we obtain precise estimates of $\beta_{MM}^E(d)$ for $2 \le d \le 10$. We then consider the approximation where distance correlations are neglected. This model is solvable and gives at $d \ge 2$ an excellent ``random link'' approximation to $\beta_{MM}^E(d)$. Incorporation of three-link correlations further improves the accuracy, leading to a relative error of 0.4% at d=2 and 3. Finally, the large d behavior of this expansion in link correlations is discussed.Comment: source and one figure. Submitted to PR

IL-1 beta and TNF alpha Promote Monocyte Viability through the Induction of GM-CSF Expression by Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Fibroblasts

Background. Macrophages and synovial fibroblasts (SF) are two major cells implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). SF could be a source of cytokines and growth factors driving macrophages survival and activation. Here, we studied the effect of SF on monocyte viability and phenotype. Methods. SF were isolated from synovial tissue of RA patients and CD14+ cells were isolated from peripheral blood of healthy donors. SF conditioned media were collected after 24 hours of culture with or without stimulation with TNFα or IL-1β. Macrophages polarisation was studied by flow cytometry. Results. Conditioned medium from SF significantly increased monocytes viability by 60% compared to CD14+ cells cultured in medium alone . This effect was enhanced using conditioned media from IL-1β and TNFα stimulated SF. GM-CSF but not M-CSF nor IL34 blocking antibodies was able to significantly decrease monocyte viability by 30% when added to the conditioned media from IL-1β and TNFα stimulated SF . Finally, monocyte cultured in presence of SF conditioned media did not exhibit a specific M1 or M2 phenotype. Conclusion. Overall, rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts stimulated with proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNFα) promote monocyte viability via GM-CSF but do not induce a specific macrophage polarization

Performance of ePix10K, a high dynamic range, gain auto-ranging pixel detector for FELs

ePix10K is a hybrid pixel detector developed at SLAC for demanding free-electron laser (FEL) applications, providing an ultrahigh dynamic range (245 eV to 88 MeV) through gain auto-ranging. It has three gain modes (high, medium and low) and two auto-ranging modes (high-to-low and medium-to-low). The first ePix10K cameras are built around modules consisting of a sensor flip-chip bonded to 4 ASICs, resulting in 352x384 pixels of 100 $\mu$m x 100 $\mu$m each. We present results from extensive testing of three ePix10K cameras with FEL beams at LCLS, resulting in a measured noise floor of 245 eV rms, or 67 e$^-$ equivalent noise charge (ENC), and a range of 11000 photons at 8 keV. We demonstrate the linearity of the response in various gain combinations: fixed high, fixed medium, fixed low, auto-ranging high to low, and auto-ranging medium-to-low, while maintaining a low noise (well within the counting statistics), a very low cross-talk, perfect saturation response at fluxes up to 900 times the maximum range, and acquisition rates of up to 480 Hz. Finally, we present examples of high dynamic range x-ray imaging spanning more than 4 orders of magnitude dynamic range (from a single photon to 11000 photons/pixel/pulse at 8 keV). Achieving this high performance with only one auto-ranging switch leads to relatively simple calibration and reconstruction procedures. The low noise levels allow usage with long integration times at non-FEL sources. ePix10K cameras leverage the advantages of hybrid pixel detectors with high production yield and good availability, minimize development complexity through sharing the hardware, software and DAQ development with all other versions of ePix cameras, while providing an upgrade path to 5 kHz, 25 kHz and 100 kHz in three steps over the next few years, matching the LCLS-II requirements.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Toeplitz operators on symplectic manifolds

We study the Berezin-Toeplitz quantization on symplectic manifolds making use of the full off-diagonal asymptotic expansion of the Bergman kernel. We give also a characterization of Toeplitz operators in terms of their asymptotic expansion. The semi-classical limit properties of the Berezin-Toeplitz quantization for non-compact manifolds and orbifolds are also established.Comment: 40 page

Field cooling memory effect in Bi2212 and Bi2223 single crystals

A memory effect in the Josephson vortex system created by magnetic field in the highly anisotropic superconductors Bi2212 and Bi2223 is demonstrated using microwave power absorption. This surprising effect appears despite a very low viscosity of Josephson vortices compared to Abrikosov vortices. The superconductor is field cooled in DC magnetic field H_{m} oriented parallel to the CuO planes through the critical temperature T_{c} down to 4K, with subsequent reduction of the field to zero and again above H_{m}. Large microwave power absorption signal is observed at a magnetic field just above the cooling field clearly indicating a memory effect. The dependence of the signal on deviation of magnetic field from H_{m} is the same for a wide range of H_{m} from 0.15T to 1.7T

Cryptotomography: reconstructing 3D Fourier intensities from randomly oriented single-shot diffraction patterns

We reconstructed the 3D Fourier intensity distribution of mono-disperse prolate nano-particles using single-shot 2D coherent diffraction patterns collected at DESY's FLASH facility when a bright, coherent, ultrafast X-ray pulse intercepted individual particles of random, unmeasured orientations. This first experimental demonstration of cryptotomography extended the Expansion-Maximization-Compression (EMC) framework to accommodate unmeasured fluctuations in photon fluence and loss of data due to saturation or background scatter. This work is an important step towards realizing single-shot diffraction imaging of single biomolecules.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Initial-boundary value problems for discrete evolution equations: discrete linear Schrodinger and integrable discrete nonlinear Schrodinger equations

We present a method to solve initial-boundary value problems for linear and integrable nonlinear differential-difference evolution equations. The method is the discrete version of the one developed by A. S. Fokas to solve initial-boundary value problems for linear and integrable nonlinear partial differential equations via an extension of the inverse scattering transform. The method takes advantage of the Lax pair formulation for both linear and nonlinear equations, and is based on the simultaneous spectral analysis of both parts of the Lax pair. A key role is also played by the global algebraic relation that couples all known and unknown boundary values. Even though additional technical complications arise in discrete problems compared to continuum ones, we show that a similar approach can also solve initial-boundary value problems for linear and integrable nonlinear differential-difference equations. We demonstrate the method by solving initial-boundary value problems for the discrete analogue of both the linear and the nonlinear Schrodinger equations, comparing the solution to those of the corresponding continuum problems. In the linear case we also explicitly discuss Robin-type boundary conditions not solvable by Fourier series. In the nonlinear case we also identify the linearizable boundary conditions, we discuss the elimination of the unknown boundary datum, we obtain explicitly the linear and continuum limit of the solution, and we write down the soliton solutions.Comment: 41 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Inverse Problem

Structure, Time Propagation and Dissipative Terms for Resonances

For odd anharmonic oscillators, it is well known that complex scaling can be used to determine resonance energy eigenvalues and the corresponding eigenvectors in complex rotated space. We briefly review and discuss various methods for the numerical determination of such eigenvalues, and also discuss the connection to the case of purely imaginary coupling, which is PT-symmetric. Moreover, we show that a suitable generalization of the complex scaling method leads to an algorithm for the time propagation of wave packets in potentials which give rise to unstable resonances. This leads to a certain unification of the structure and the dynamics. Our time propagation results agree with known quantum dynamics solvers and allow for a natural incorporation of structural perturbations (e.g., due to dissipative processes) into the quantum dynamics.Comment: 14 pages; LaTeX; minor change

Skew-self-adjoint discrete and continuous Dirac type systems: inverse problems and Borg-Marchenko theorems

New formulas on the inverse problem for the continuous skew-self-adjoint Dirac type system are obtained. For the discrete skew-self-adjoint Dirac type system the solution of a general type inverse spectral problem is also derived in terms of the Weyl functions. The description of the Weyl functions on the interval is given. Borg-Marchenko type uniqueness theorems are derived for both discrete and continuous non-self-adjoint systems too