612 research outputs found
Novel A-B type oscillations in a 2-D electron gas in inhomogenous magnetic fields
We present results from a quantum and semiclassical theoretical study of the
and resistivities of a high mobility 2-D electron gas
in the presence of a dilute random distribution of tubes with magnetic flux
and radius , for arbitrary values of and . We
report on novel Aharonov-Bohm type oscillations in and ,
related to degenerate quantum flux tube resonances, that satisfy the selection
rule , with an integer. We discuss possible
experimental conditions where these oscillations may be observed.Comment: 11 pages REVTE
Spectral properties on a circle with a singularity
We investigate the spectral and symmetry properties of a quantum particle
moving on a circle with a pointlike singularity (or point interaction). We find
that, within the U(2) family of the quantum mechanically allowed distinct
singularities, a U(1) equivalence (of duality-type) exists, and accordingly the
space of distinct spectra is U(1) x [SU(2)/U(1)], topologically a filled torus.
We explore the relationship of special subfamilies of the U(2) family to
corresponding symmetries, and identify the singularities that admit an N = 2
supersymmetry. Subfamilies that are distinguished in the spectral properties or
the WKB exactness are also pointed out. The spectral and symmetry properties
are also studied in the context of the circle with two singularities, which
provides a useful scheme to discuss the symmetry properties on a general basis.Comment: TeX, 26 pages. v2: one reference added and two update
New insights about the evaluation of human sperm quality: the aromatase example.
Male contribution to the couple's infertility is at first evaluated by the routine examination of semen parameters upon optical microscopy providing valuable information for a rational initial diagnosis and for a clinical management of infertility. But the different forms of infertility defined according to the WHO criteria especially teratozoospermia are not always related to the chromatin structure or to the fertilization capacity. New investigations at the molecular level (transcript and protein) could be developed in order to understand the nature of sperm malformation responsible of human infertility and thus to evaluate the sperm quality. The profile analysis of spermatozoal transcripts could be considered as a fingerprint of the past spermatogenic events. The selection of representative transcripts of normal spermatozoa remains complex because a differential expression (increased, decreased or not modified levels) of specific transcripts has been revealed between immotile and motile sperm fractions issued from normozoospermic donors. Microarrays tests or real-time quantitative PCR could be helpful for the identification of factors involved in the male infertility. Differences in the expression of specific transcripts have been reported between normal and abnormal semen samples. With the aromatase example, we have noted a negative strong correlation between the amount of transcript and the percentage of abnormal forms especially in presence of head defects. Immunocytochemical procedures using fluorescent probes associated with either confocal microscopy or flow cytometry can be also helpful to proceed with further investigations about the localization of proteins in the compartmentalized spermatozoa or the acrosome reaction. The dual location of aromatase both in the equatorial segment, the mid-piece and the tail could explain the double role of this enzyme in acrosome reaction and motility
Effects of reflux laryngitis on laryngeal chemoreflexes in newborn lambs
It has been suggested that reflux laryngitis (RL) is involved in apneas-bradycardias of the newborn. The aim of the present study was to develop a unique RL model in newborn lambs to test the hypothesis that RL enhances the cardiorespiratory components of the laryngeal chemoreflexes (LCR) in the neonatal period. Gastric juice surrogate (2 ml of normal saline solution with HCl pH 2 + pepsin 300 U/ml) (RL group, n = 6) or normal saline (control group, n = 6) was repeatedly injected onto the posterior aspect of the larynx, 3 times a day for 6 consecutive days, via a retrograde catheter introduced into the cervical esophagus. Lambs instilled with gastric juice surrogate presented clinical signs of RL, as well as moderate laryngitis on histological observation. Laryngeal chemoreflexes were thereafter induced during sleep by injection of 0.5 ml of HCl (pH 2), ewe's milk, distilled water or saline into the laryngeal vestibule via a chronic, transcutaneous supraglottal catheter. Overall, RL led to a significantly greater respiratory inhibition compared with the control group during LCR, including longer apnea duration (P = 0.01), lower minimal respiratory rate (P = 0.002), and a more prominent decrease in arterial hemoglobin saturation (SpO(2)) (P = 0.03). No effects were observed on cardiac variables. In conclusion, 1) our unique neonatal ovine model presents clinical and histological characteristics of RL; and 2) the presence of RL in newborn lambs increases the respiratory inhibition observed with LCR, at times leading to severe apneas and desaturations
The regulated four parameter one dimensional point interaction
The general four parameter point interaction in one dimensional quantum
mechanics is regulated. It allows the exact solution, but not the perturbative
one. We conjecture that this is due to the interaction not being asymptotically
free. We then propose a different breakup of unperturbed theory and
interaction, which now is asymptotically free but leads to the same physics.
The corresponding regulated potential can be solved both exactly and
perturbatively, in agreement with the conjecture.Comment: 17 pages, no figures, Tex fil
Comparing Formulations of Generalized Quantum Mechanics for Reparametrization-Invariant Systems
A class of decoherence schemes is described for implementing the principles
of generalized quantum theory in reparametrization-invariant `hyperbolic'
models such as minisuperspace quantum cosmology. The connection with
sum-over-histories constructions is exhibited and the physical equivalence or
inequivalence of different such schemes is analyzed. The discussion focuses on
comparing constructions based on the Klein-Gordon product with those based on
the induced (a.k.a. Rieffel, Refined Algebraic, Group Averaging, or Spectral
Analysis) inner product. It is shown that the Klein-Gordon and induced products
can be simply related for the models of interest. This fact is then used to
establish isomorphisms between certain decoherence schemes based on these
products.Comment: 21 pages ReVTe
Particle Production near an AdS Crunch
We numerically study the dual field theory evolution of five-dimensional
asymptotically anti-de Sitter solutions of supergravity that develop
cosmological singularities. The dual theory is an unstable deformation of the N
= 4 gauge theory on R S3, and the big crunch singularity in the bulk
occurs when a boundary scalar field runs to infinity. Consistent quantum
evolution requires one imposes boundary conditions at infinity. Modeling these
by a steep regularization of the scalar potential, we find that when an
initially nearly homogeneous wavepacket rolls down the potential, most of the
potential energy of the initial configuration is converted into gradient energy
during the first oscillation of the field. This indicates there is no
transition from a big crunch to a big bang in the bulk for dual boundary
conditions of this kind.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure
Extensional viscosity of coating colors and its relation with jet coating performance
RĂ©sumĂ©: Un rhĂ©omĂštre Ă orifice a Ă©tĂ© utilisĂ© pour mesurer la viscositĂ© extensionnelle de plusieurs fluides non pigmentĂ©s et de sauces de couchage prĂ©pareĂ©s Ă base de carbonate de calcium dans le cadre dâune application de couchage par jet. Le rhĂ©omĂštre Ă orifice a Ă©tĂ© tout dâabord Ă©talonnĂ© en utilisant une courbe du nombre dâEuler en fonction du nombre de Reynolds avec des fluides newtoniens. Cette courbe dâĂ©talonnage a par la suite Ă©tĂ© utilisĂ©e pour dĂ©terminer la viscositĂ© extensionnelle apparente des sauces de couchage. Dans lâintervalle des vitesses de
déformation étudié, tous les fluides ont montré une rhéofluidifiance en extension, le rapport de Trouton des
sauces de couchage Ă©tant compris entre 5 et 20. Des essais de couchage par jet ont Ă©tĂ© aussi menĂ©s dans le but dâĂ©valuer lâeffet de la viscositĂ© extensionnelle des sauces de couchage sur la performance du jet. Il sâest avĂ©rĂ© que la viscositĂ© extensionnelle est un paramĂštre clĂ© dĂ©terminant la configuration du mĂ©nisque en aval de la rĂ©gion de contact sur le substrat. ---------- Abstract: An orifice flowmeter was used to measure the extensional viscosity of several non-pigmented fluids and paper coating colors containing calcium carbonate as pigment in the context of a jet coating application. The orifice flowmeter was first calibrated in terms of a dimensionless Euler number versus Reynolds number curve with Newtonian fluids. The calibration curve was then used to determine the apparent extensional viscosity of coating colors. In the strain rate range investigated, all the fluids were found to exhibit strain-thinning and the Trouton ratio of the coating colors was in the range 5 to 20. Jet coating tests were also carried out in order to evaluate the effect of the extensional viscosity on the jet performance. The extensional viscosity was shown to be a
key parameter determining the configuration of the downstream meniscus in the web contact region
Equivalence of Local and Separable Realizations of the Discontinuity-Inducing Contact Interaction and Its Perturbative Renormalizability
We prove that the separable and local approximations of the
discontinuity-inducing zero-range interaction in one-dimensional quantum
mechanics are equivalent. We further show that the interaction allows the
perturbative treatment through the coupling renormalization.
Keywords: one-dimensional system, generalized contact interaction,
renormalization, perturbative expansion. PACS Nos: 3.65.-w, 11.10.Gh, 31.15.MdComment: ReVTeX 7pgs, doubl column, no figure, See also the website
http://www.mech.kochi-tech.ac.jp/cheon
Effect of acute copper sulfate exposure on olfactory responses to amino acids and pheromones in goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Exposure of olfactory epithelium to environmentally relevant concentrations of copper disrupts olfaction in fish. To examine
the dynamics of recovery at both functional and morphological levels after acute copper exposure, unilateral exposure of goldfish olfactory epithelia to 100 ÎŒM CuSO4 (10 min) was followed by electro-olfactogram (EOG) recording and scanning electron microscopy. Sensitivity to amino acids (L-arginine
and L-serine), generally considered food-related odorants, recovered most rapidly (three days), followed by that to
catecholamines(3-O-methoxytyramine),bileacids(taurolithocholic acid) and the steroid pheromone, 17,20 -dihydroxy-4-pregnen-
3-one 20-sulfate, which took 28 days to reach full recovery. Sensitivity to the postovulatory pheromone prostaglandin F2R had
not fully recovered even at 28 days. These changes in sensitivity were correlated with changes in the recovery of ciliated and microvillous receptor cell types. Microvillous cells appeared largely unaffected by CuSO4 treatment. Cilia in
ciliated receptor neurones, however, appeared damaged one day post-treatment and were virtually absent after three days but
had begun to recover after 14 days. Together, these results support the hypothesis that microvillous receptor neurones detect amino acids whereas ciliated receptor neurones were not functional and are responsible for detection of social stimuli (bile acidsandpheromones).Furthermore, differences in sensitivity to copper may be due to different transduction pathways in
the different cell types
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