9,891 research outputs found
Phase transitions, entanglement and quantum noise interferometry in cold atoms
We show that entanglement monotones can characterize the pronounced
enhancement of entanglement at a quantum phase transition if they are sensitive
to long-range high order correlations. These monotones are found to develop a
sharp peak at the critical point and to exhibit universal scaling. We
demonstrate that similar features are shared by noise correlations and verify
that these experimentally accessible quantities indeed encode entanglement
information and probe separability.Comment: 4 pages 4 figure
Wave polarizations for a beam-like gravitational wave in quadratic curvature gravity
We compute analytically the tidal field and polarizations of an exact
gravitational wave generated by a cylindrical beam of null matter of finite
width and length in quadratic curvature gravity. We propose that this wave can
represent the gravitational wave that keep up with the high energy photons
produced in a gamma ray burst (GRB) source.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, minor corrections, to appear in CQ
Some aspects of analytical chemistry as applied to water quality assurance techniques for reclaimed water: The potential use of X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for automated on-line fast real-time simultaneous multi-component analysis of inorganic pollutants in reclaimed water
The potential use of isotopically excited energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry for automated on line fast real time (5 to 15 minutes) simultaneous multicomponent (up to 20) trace (1 to 10 parts per billion) analysis of inorganic pollutants in reclaimed water was examined. Three anionic elements (chromium 6, arsenic and selenium) were studied. The inherent lack of sensitivity of XRF spectrometry for these elements mandates use of a preconcentration technique and various methods were examined, including: several direct and indirect evaporation methods; ion exchange membranes; selective and nonselective precipitation; and complexation processes. It is shown tha XRF spectrometry itself is well suited for automated on line quality assurance, and can provide a nondestructive (and thus sample storage and repeat analysis capabilities) and particularly convenient analytical method. Further, the use of an isotopically excited energy dispersive unit (50 mCi Cd-109 source) coupled with a suitable preconcentration process can provide sufficient sensitivity to achieve the current mandated minimum levels of detection without the need for high power X-ray generating tubes
Formation of nanosized strontium substituted hydroxyapatites
Incorporation of specific elements into calcium phosphates offers the combination of a bioactive material and a therapeutic effect. This is important for improving the integration of implants as well as treating medical conditions. Strontium is a suitable candidate and displays the ability to stimulate bone growth and reducing bone resorption. This study investigated the formation of strontium carbonated hydroxyapatite nanoparticles from an amorphous phase. Crystallization of carbonated hydroxyapatite occurred at 585 oC, but samples with an intended 25% and 75% replacement of calcium with strontium crystallized at 624 oC. Heat treatment at the crystallization temperature revealed that strontium free apatite does not crystallize in 5 minutes, but an increasing strontium concentration leads to a higher rate of crystallization. X-ray diffraction patterns suggest that it may be difficult to include strontium, but higher strontium concentrations are possibly included with ease in the lattice. This work has produced a nanosized apatite accompanied by an amorphous phase after a short heat-treatment time. This offers a range of features that collectively show great promise for significantly enhancing the release of strontium for improved bone therapeutic effects
Equilibrium Phases of Tilted Dipolar Lattice Bosons
The recent advances in creating nearly degenerate quantum dipolar gases in
optical lattices are opening the doors for the exploration of equilibrium
physics of quantum systems with anisotropic and long-range dipolar
interactions. In this paper we study the zero- and finite-temperature phase
diagrams of a system of hard-core dipolar bosons at half-filling, trapped in a
two-dimensional optical lattice. The dipoles are aligned parallel to one
another and tilted out of the optical lattice plane by means of an external
electric field. At zero-temperature, the system is a superfluid at all tilt
angles provided that the strength of dipolar interaction is below a
critical value . Upon increasing the interaction strength while
keeping fixed, the superfluid phase is destabilized in favor of a
checkerboard or a stripe solid depending on the tilt angle. We explore the
nature of the phase transition between the two solid phases and find evidence
of a micro-emulsion phase, following the Spivak-Kivelson scenario, separating
these two solid phases. Additionally, we study the stability of these quantum
phases against thermal fluctuations and find that the stripe solid is the most
robust, making it the best candidate for experimental observation.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure
Oxidative phosphorylation efficiency, proton conductance and reactive oxygen species production of liver mitochondria correlates with body mass in frogs
ody size is a central biological parameter affecting most biological processes (especially energetics) and mitochondria is a key organelle controlling metabolism and is also the cell's main source of chemical energy. However, the link between body size and mitochondrial function is still unclear, especially in ectotherms. In this study, we investigated several parameters of mitochondrial bioenergetics in the liver of three closely related species of frogs (the common frog Rana temporaria, the marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus and the bull frog Lithobates catesbeiana). These particular species were chosen due to their differences in adult body mass. We found that the mitochondrial coupling efficiency was markedly increased with animal size, which lead to a higher ATP production (+70%) in the larger frogs (L. catesbeiana) compared to the smaller frogs (R. temporaria). This was essentially driven by a strong negative dependence of mitochondrial proton conductance on body mass. Liver mitochondria from the larger frogs (L. catesbeiana) displayed 50% of the proton conductance of mitochondria from the smaller frogs (R. temporaria). Contrary to our prediction, the low mitochondrial proton conductance measured in L. catesbeiana was not associated with higher radical oxygen species production. Instead, liver mitochondria from the larger individuals produced significantly lower radical oxygen species than those from the smaller frogs. Collectively, the data shows that key bioenergetics parameters of mitochondria (proton leak, ATP production efficiency and radical oxygen species production) are correlated with body mass in frogs. This research expands our understanding of the relationship between mitochondrial function and the evolution of allometric scaling in ectotherms
Oscillations in a maturation model of blood cell production.
We present a mathematical model of blood cell production which describes both the development of cells through the cell cycle, and the maturation of these cells as they differentiate to form the various mature blood cell types. The model differs from earlier similar ones by considering primitive stem cells as a separate population from the differentiating cells, and this formulation removes an apparent inconsistency in these earlier models. Three different controls are included in the model: proliferative control of stem cells, proliferative control of differentiating cells, and peripheral control of stem cell committal rate. It is shown that an increase in sensitivity of these controls can cause oscillations to occur through their interaction with time delays associated with proliferation and differentiation, respectively. We show that the characters of these oscillations are quite distinct and suggest that the model may explain an apparent superposition of fast and slow oscillations which can occur in cyclical neutropenia. © 2006 Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics
Dynamics of a self--gravitating magnetized source
We consider a magnetized degenerate gas of fermions as the matter source of a
homogeneous but anisotropic Bianchi I spacetime with a Kasner--like metric. We
examine the dynamics of this system by means of a qualitative and numerical
study of Einstein-Maxwell field equations which reduce to a non--linear
autonomous system. For all initial conditions and combinations of free
parameters the gas evolves from an initial anisotropic singularity into an
asymptotic state that is completely determined by a stable attractor. Depending
on the initial conditions the anisotropic singularity is of the ``cigar'' or
``plate'' types.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur
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