Comment on `Universal relation between the Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy and the thermodynamic entropy in simple liquids'

The intriguing relations between Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy and self diffusion coefficients and the excess (thermodynamic) entropy found by Dzugutov and collaborators do not appear to hold for hard sphere and hard disks systems.Comment: 1 page revte

Lyapunov Exponents from Kinetic Theory for a Dilute, Field-driven Lorentz Gas

Positive and negative Lyapunov exponents for a dilute, random, two-dimensional Lorentz gas in an applied field, $\vec{E}$, in a steady state at constant energy are computed to order $E^{2}$. The results are: $\lambda_{\pm}=\lambda_{\pm}^{0}-a_{\pm}(qE/mv)^{2}t_{0}$ where $\lambda_{\pm}^{0}$ are the exponents for the field-free Lorentz gas, $a_{+}=11/48, a_{-}=7/48$, $t_{0}$ is the mean free time between collisions, $q$ is the charge, $m$ the mass and $v$ is the speed of the particle. The calculation is based on an extended Boltzmann equation in which a radius of curvature, characterizing the separation of two nearby trajectories, is one of the variables in the distribution function. The analytical results are in excellent agreement with computer simulations. These simulations provide additional evidence for logarithmic terms in the density expansion of the diffusion coefficient.Comment: 7 pages, revtex, 3 postscript figure

Numerical Energy Conservation for Multi-Frequency Oscillatory Differential Equations

The long-time near-conservation of the total and oscillatory energies of numerical integrators for Hamiltonian systems with highly oscillatory solutions is studied in this paper. The numerical methods considered are symmetric trigonometric integrators and the Störmer-Verlet method. Previously obtained results for systems with a single high frequency are extended to the multi-frequency case, and new insight into the long-time behaviour of numerical solutions is gained for resonant frequencies. The results are obtained using modulated multi-frequency Fourier expansions and the Hamiltonian-like structure of the modulation system. A brief discussion of conservation properties in the continuous problem is also include

Acute Renal Failure Following Intravenous Cholangiography

A case of acute renal failure following the diagnostic administration of a tri-iodinated compound is reported. The clinical findings and course are presented, with particular emphasis on the fact that there appeared to be no underlying or associated disorder which may have cause the renal failure, other than possible mild dehydration.S. Afr. Med. J., 45, 1400 (1971

Numerical Integrators for Highly Oscillatory Hamiltonian Systems: A Review

Numerical methods for oscillatory, multi-scale Hamiltonian systems are reviewed. The construction principles are described, and the algorithmic and analytical distinction between problems with nearly constant high frequencies and with time- or state-dependent frequencies is emphasized. Trigonometric integrators for the first case and adiabatic integrators for the second case are discussed in more detail

The OPERA trial : a protocol for the process evaluation of a randomised trial of an exercise intervention for older people in residential and nursing accommodation

Background: The OPERA trial is large cluster randomised trial testing a physical activity intervention to address depression amongst people living in nursing and residential homes for older people. A process evaluation was commissioned alongside the trial and we report the protocol for this process evaluation. Challenges included the cognitive and physical ability of the participants, the need to respect the privacy of all home residents, including study non-participants, and the physical structure of the homes. Evaluation activity had to be organised around the structured timetable of homes, leaving limited opportunities for data collection. The aims of this process evaluation are to provide findings that will assist in the interpretation of the clinical trial results, and to inform potential implementation of the physical activity intervention on a wider scale. Methods/design: Quantitative data on recruitment of homes and individuals is being collected. For homes in the intervention arm, data on dose and fidelity of the intervention delivered; including individual rates of participation in exercise classes are collected. In the control homes, uptake and delivery of depression awareness training is monitored. These data will be combined with qualitative data from an in-depth study of a purposive sample of eight homes (six intervention and two control). Discussion: Although process evaluations are increasingly funded alongside trials, it is still rare to see the findings published, and even rarer to see the protocol for such an evaluation published. Process evaluations have the potential to assist in interpreting and understanding trial results as well as informing future roll-outs of interventions. If such evaluations are funded they should also be reported and reviewed in a similar way to the trial outcome evaluation

Saturation from nuclear pion dynamics

We construct an equation-of-state for nuclear matter based on the chiral Lagrangian. The relevant scales are discussed and an effective chiral power expansion scheme, which is constructed to work around the nuclear saturation density, is presented. A realistic equation-of-state is obtained by adjusting one free parameter, when the leading and subleading terms in the expansion are included. The saturation mechanism is due to correlations induced by the one-pion-exchange interaction. Furthermore, we find a substantial deviation from the Fermi-gas estimate of the quark condensate in nuclear matter already at the saturation density.Comment: revised version, with minor corrections, 13 pages, 3 Postscript figure

Precision measurements with polar molecules: the role of the black body radiation

In the perspective of the outstanding developments of high-precision measurements of fundamental constants using polar molecules related to ultimate checks of fundamental theories, we investigate the possibly counterproductive role of black-body radiation on a series of diatomic molecules which would be trapped and observed for long durations. We show that the absorption of black-body radiation at room temperature may indeed limit the lifetime of trapped molecules prepared in a well-defined quantum state. Several examples are treated, corresponding to pure rotational absorption, pure vibrational absorption or both. We also investigate the role of a black-body radiation-induced energy shift on molecular levels and how it could affect high-precision frequency measurements

Predation by Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus significantly reduces viability and alters the microbial community composition of activated sludge flocs and granules

© FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. We recently isolated and characterised a predatory Bdellovibrio bacteriovorus strain from activated sludge (Ulu Pandan Water Reclamation Plant, Singapore), and this strain, B. bacteriovorus UP, was able to prey upon a broad spectrum of bacterial isolates from the activated sludge when grown as planktonic cells or as biofilms. Here, we have tested the effect of Bdellovibrio predation on floccular and granular sludge to determine if the spatial organisation, loosely or tightly aggregated communities, was protective from predation. The effect of predation was assessed using a combination of biomass quantification, cellular activity measurement and microscopic image analysis to determine community viability. Additionally, changes in the microbial communities due to predation by B. bacteriovorus UP were analysed through total RNA sequencing. Predation led to a significant reduction in microbial activity and total biomass for both floccular and granular sludge communities. Predation was also associated with significant changes in the microbial community composition in both communities, with > 90% of the community members reduced in relative abundance after 24 h. Of those community members, the dominant organisms, such as Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, were the most affected phylotypes. This suggests that predatory bacteria, which display indiscriminant feeding, could significantly shift the species composition and thus, may disturb the operational performance of wastewater treatment systems

Cold Trapped Ions as Quantum Information Processors

In this tutorial we review physical implementation of quantum computing using a system of cold trapped ions. We discuss systematically all the aspects for making the implementation possible. Firstly, we go through the loading and confining of atomic ions in the linear Paul trap, then we describe the collective vibrational motion of trapped ions. Further, we discuss interactions of the ions with a laser beam. We treat the interactions in the travelling-wave and standing-wave configuration for dipole and quadrupole transitions. We review different types of laser cooling techniques associated with trapped ions. We address Doppler cooling, sideband cooling in and beyond the Lamb-Dicke limit, sympathetic cooling and laser cooling using electromagnetically induced transparency. After that we discuss the problem of state detection using the electron shelving method. Then quantum gates are described. We introduce single-qubit rotations, two-qubit controlled-NOT and multi-qubit controlled-NOT gates. We also comment on more advanced multi-qubit logic gates. We describe how quantum logic networks may be used for the synthesis of arbitrary pure quantum states. Finally, we discuss the speed of quantum gates and we also give some numerical estimations for them. A discussion of dynamics on off-resonant transitions associated with a qualitative estimation of the weak coupling regime and of the Lamb-Dicke regime is included in Appendix.Comment: 44 revtex pages, 23 figures, to appear in Journal of Modern Optic