360 research outputs found
Zig-zag instability of an Ising wall in liquid crystals
We present a theoretical explanation for the interfacial zigzag instability
that appears in anisotropic systems. Such an instability has been
experimentally highlighted for an Ising wall formed in a nematic liquid crystal
cell under homeotropic anchoring conditions. From an envelope equation,
relevant close to the Freedericksz transition, we have derived an asymptotic
equation describing the interface dynamics in the vicinity of its bifurcation.
The asymptotic limit used accounts for a strong difference between two of the
elastic constants. The model is characterized by a conservative order parameter
which satisfies a Cahn-Hilliard equation. It provides a good qualitative
understanding of the experiments.Comment: 4 pagess, 4 figures, lette
Single polymer dynamics: coil-stretch transition in a random flow
By quantitative studies of statistics of polymer stretching in a random flow
and of a flow field we demonstrate that the stretching of polymer molecules in
a 3D random flow occurs rather sharply via the coil-stretch transition at the
value of the criterion close to theoretically predicted.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Ring-Pattern Dynamics in Smectic-C* and Smectic-C_A* Freely Suspended Liquid Crystal Films
Ring patterns of concentric 2pi-solitons in molecular orientation, form in
freely suspended chiral smectic-C films in response to an in-plane rotating
electric field. We present measurements of the zero-field relaxation of ring
patterns and of the driven dynamics of ring formation under conditions of
synchronous winding, and a simple model which enables their quantitative
description in low polarization DOBAMBC. In smectic C_A* TFMHPOBC we observe an
odd-even layer number effect, with odd number layer films exhibiting order of
magnitude slower relaxation rates than even layer films. We show that this rate
difference is due to much larger spontaneous polarization in odd number layer
films.Comment: 4 RevTeX pgs, 4 eps figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let
The French Didactic Tradition in Mathematics
This chapter presents the French didactic tradition. It first describes theemergence and development of this tradition according to four key features (role ofmathematics and mathematicians, role of theories, role of design of teaching andlearning environments, and role of empirical research), and illustrates it through two case studies respectively devoted to research carried out within this traditionon algebra and on line symmetry-reflection. It then questions the influence of thistradition through the contributions of four researchers from Germany, Italy, Mexicoand Tunisia, before ending with a short epilogue
Coalescence in the 1D Cahn-Hilliard model
We present an approximate analytical solution of the Cahn-Hilliard equation
describing the coalescence during a first order phase transition. We have
identified all the intermediate profiles, stationary solutions of the noiseless
Cahn-Hilliard equation. Using properties of the soliton lattices, periodic
solutions of the Ginzburg-Landau equation, we have construct a family of ansatz
describing continuously the processus of destabilization and period doubling
predicted in Langer's self similar scenario
Simulating JWST deep extragalactic imaging surveys and physical parameter recovery
International audienceWe present a new prospective analysis of deep multi-band imaging with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). In this work, we investigate the recovery of high-redshift 5â 6 and redshifts of 0â â5 galaxy samples can be reduced to < 0.01 arcminâ2 with a limited impact on galaxy completeness. We investigate multiple high-redshift galaxy selection techniques and find that the best compromise between completeness and purity at 5â< âzâ< â10 using the full redshift posterior probability distributions. In the EGS field, the galaxy completeness remains higher than 50% at magnitudes mUVâ< â27.5 and at all redshifts, and the purity is maintained above 80 and 60% at zââ€â7 and 10, respectively. The faint-end slope of the galaxy UV luminosity function is recovered with a precision of 0.1â0.25, and the cosmic star formation rate density within 0.1 dex. We argue in favor of additional observing programs covering larger areas to better constrain the bright end
Tryptase as a marker of severity of aortic valve stenosis
Background: Severe aortic valve stenosis is one of the most common cause of mortality in adult patients affected with metabolic syndrome, a condition associated with an active inflammatory process involving also mast cells and their mediators, in particular tryptase. The aim of this study was to characterize the possible long-term prognostic role of tryptase in severe aortic valve stenosis. Case presentation: The baseline serum tryptase was measured in 5 consecutive patients admitted to our Hospital to undergo aortic valve replacement for severe acquired stenosis. Within 2years after, the patients were evaluated for the occurrence of major cardiovascular events (MACE). The tryptase measurements were higher in patients experiencing MACE (10.9, 11.7 and 9.32ng/ml) than in non-MACE ones (5.69 and 5.58ng/ml). Conclusions: In patients affected with severe aortic stenosis, baseline serum tryptase may predict occurence of MACE. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the long-term prognostic role of this biomarker
âWarrantâ revisited: Integrating mathematics teachersâ pedagogical and epistemological considerations into Toulminâs model for argumentation
In this paper, we propose an approach to analysing teacher arguments that takes into account field dependenceânamely, in Toulminâs sense, the dependence of warrants deployed in an argument on the field of activity to which the argument relates. Freeman, to circumvent issues that emerge when we attempt to determine the field(s) that an argument relates to, proposed a classification of warrants (a priori, empirical, institutional and evaluative). Our approach to analysing teacher arguments proposes an adaptation of Freemanâs classification that distinguishes between: epistemological and pedagogical a priori warrants, professional and personal empirical warrants, epistemological and curricular institutional warrants, and evaluative warrants. Our proposition emerged from analyses conducted in the course of a written response and interview study that engages secondary mathematics teachers with classroom scenarios from the mathematical areas of analysis and algebra. The scenarios are hypothetical, grounded on seminal learning and teaching issues, and likely to occur in actual practice. To illustrate our proposed approach to analysing teacher arguments here, we draw on the data we collected through the use of one such scenario, the Tangent Task. We demonstrate how teacher arguments, not analysed for their mathematical accuracy only, can be reconsidered, arguably more productively, in the light of other teacher considerations and priorities: pedagogical, curricular, professional and personal
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