Comment on ``Solution of Classical Stochastic One-Dimensional Many-Body Systems''

In a recent Letter, Bares and Mobilia proposed the method to find solutions of the stochastic evolution operator $H=H_0 + {\gamma\over L} H_1$ with a non-trivial quartic term $H_1$. They claim, ``Because of the conservation of probability, an analog of the Wick theorem applies and all multipoint correlation functions can be computed.'' Using the Wick theorem, they expressed the density correlation functions as solutions of a closed set of integro-differential equations. In this Comment, however, we show that applicability of Wick theorem is restricted to the case $\gamma = 0$ only.Comment: 1 page, revtex style, comment on paper Phys. Rev. Lett. {\bf 83}, 5214 (1999

Edge effects in electrostatic calibrations for the measurement of the Casimir force

We have performed numerical simulations to evaluate the effect on the capacitance of finite size boundaries realistically present in the parallel plane, sphere-plane, and cylinder-plane geometries. The potential impact of edge effects in assessing the accuracy of the parameters obtained in the electrostatic calibrations of Casimir force experiments is then discussed

Universality class of the restricted solid-on-solid model with hopping

We study the restricted solid-on-solid (RSOS) model with finite hopping distance $l_{0}$, using both analytical and numerical methods. Analytically, we use the hard-core bosonic field theory developed by the authors [Phys. Rev. E {\bf 62}, 7642 (2000)] and derive the Villain-Lai-Das Sarma (VLD) equation for the $l_{0}=\infty$ case which corresponds to the conserved RSOS (CRSOS) model and the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) equation for all finite values of $l_{0}$. Consequently, we find that the CRSOS model belongs to the VLD universality class and the RSOS models with any finite hopping distance belong to the KPZ universality class. There is no phase transition at a certain finite hopping distance contrary to the previous result. We confirm the analytic results using the Monte Carlo simulations for several values of the finite hopping distance.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figure

Derivation of continuum stochastic equations for discrete growth models

We present a formalism to derive the stochastic differential equations (SDEs) for several solid-on-solid growth models. Our formalism begins with a mapping of the microscopic dynamics of growth models onto the particle systems with reactions and diffusion. We then write the master equations for these corresponding particle systems and find the SDEs for the particle densities. Finally, by connecting the particle densities with the growth heights, we derive the SDEs for the height variables. Applying this formalism to discrete growth models, we find the Edwards-Wilkinson equation for the symmetric body-centered solid-on-solid (BCSOS) model, the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation for the asymmetric BCSOS model and the generalized restricted solid-on-solid (RSOS) model, and the Villain--Lai--Das Sarma equation for the conserved RSOS model. In addition to the consistent forms of equations for growth models, we also obtain the coefficients associated with the SDEs.Comment: 5 pages, no figur

Enzyme immunoassay for the rapid detection of Escherichia coli O157

An enzyme immunoassay(EIA) to detect Escherichia(E.) coli 0157 in pork was developed by using a sandwich-type assay on the 96-well microplates. All E. coli O157 strains and Citrobacter amalonaticus reacted strongly, however 29 E. coli serotypes and 15 non-E. coli bacterial strains showed negative in E. coli O157 EIA. E. coli 0157 in pork could be detected with in 13 h including 10 h in enrichment broth and 3 h in EIA. As few as 1.8 CFU of E. coli O157 per g of pork could be detected after enrichment, whereas above 1.8 \u3e. 1 o5 CFU of E. coli O157 per g of pork could be detected without enrichment. The E. coli 0157 EIA was a sensitive, easy-to-perform and efficient method for the screening of E. coliO 157 in pork

Diagnosis in a Preclinical Model of Bladder Pain Syndrome Using a Au/ZnO Nanorod-based SERS Substrate

To evaluate the feasibility of ZnO nanorod-based surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) diagnostics for disease models, particularly for interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), ZnO-based SERS sensing chips were developed and applied to an animal disease model. ZnO nanorods were grown to form nano-sized porous structures and coated with gold to facilitate size-selective biomarker detection. Raman spectra were acquired on a surface enhanced Raman substrate from the urine in a rat model of IC/BPS and analyzed using a statistical analysis method called principal component analysis (PCA). The nanorods grown after the ZnO seed deposition were 30 to 50 nm in diameter and 500 to 600 nm in length. A volume of gold corresponding to a thin film thickness of 100 nm was deposited on the grown nanorod structure. Raman spectroscopic signals were measured in the scattered region for nanometer biomarker detection to indicate IC/BPS. The Raman peaks for the control group and IC/BPS group are observed at 641, 683, 723, 873, 1002, 1030, and 1355 cm(-1),which corresponded to various bonding types and compounds. The PCA results are plotted in 2D and 3D. The Raman signals and statistical analyses obtained from the nano-sized biomarkers of intractable inflammatory diseases demonstrate the possibility of an early diagnosis

The possible roles of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide channels in regulating pacemaker activity in colonic interstitial cells of Cajal

BACKGROUND: Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide (HCN) channels are pacemaker channels that regulate heart rate and neuronal rhythm in spontaneously active cardiac and neuronal cells. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) are also spontaneously active pacemaker cells in the gastrointestinal tract. Here, we investigated the existence of HCN channel and its role on pacemaker activity in colonic ICCs. METHODS: We performed whole-cell patch clamp, RT-PCR, and Ca(2+)-imaging in cultured ICCs from mouse mid colon. RESULTS: SQ-22536 and dideoxyadenosine (adenylate cyclase inhibitors) decreased the frequency of pacemaker potentials, whereas both rolipram (cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor) and cell-permeable 8-bromo-cAMP increased the frequency of pacemaker potentials. CsCl, ZD7288, zatebradine, clonidine (HCN channel blockers), and genistein (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor) suppressed the pacemaker activity. RT-PCR revealed expression of HCN1 and HCN3 channels in c-kit and Ano1 positive colonic ICCs. In recordings of spontaneous intracellular Ca(2+) [Ca(2+)](i) oscillations, rolipram and 8-bromo-cAMP increased [Ca(2+)](i) oscillations, whereas SQ-22536, CsCl, ZD7288, and genistein decreased [Ca(2+)](i) oscillations. CONCLUSIONS: HCN channels in colonic ICCs are tonically activated by basal cAMP production and participate in regulation of pacemaking activity

Improvement of Aerosol Optical Depth Retrieval over Hong Kong from a Geostationary Meteorological Satellite Using Critical Reflectance with Background Optical Depth Correction

Despite continuous efforts to retrieve aerosol optical depth (AOD) using a conventional 5-channelmeteorological imager in geostationary orbit, the accuracy in urban areas has been poorer than other areas primarily due to complex urban surface properties and mixed aerosol types from different emission sources. The two largest error sources in aerosol retrieval have been aerosol type selection and surface reflectance. In selecting the aerosol type from a single visible channel, the season-dependent aerosol optical properties were adopted from longterm measurements of Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) sun-photometers. With the aerosol optical properties obtained fromthe AERONET inversion data, look-up tableswere calculated by using a radiative transfer code: the Second Simulation of the Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum (6S). Surface reflectance was estimated using the clear sky composite method, awidely used technique for geostationary retrievals. Over East Asia, the AOD retrieved from the Meteorological Imager showed good agreement, although the values were affected by cloud contamination errors. However, the conventional retrieval of the AOD over Hong Kong was largely underestimated due to the lack of information on the aerosol type and surface properties. To detect spatial and temporal variation of aerosol type over the area, the critical reflectance method, a technique to retrieve single scattering albedo (SSA), was applied. Additionally, the background aerosol effect was corrected to improve the accuracy of the surface reflectance over Hong Kong. The AOD retrieved froma modified algorithmwas compared to the collocated data measured by AERONET in Hong Kong. The comparison showed that the new aerosol type selection using the critical reflectance and the corrected surface reflectance significantly improved the accuracy of AODs in Hong Kong areas,with a correlation coefficient increase from0.65 to 0.76 and a regression line change from MI [basic algorithm] = 0.41AERONET + 0.16 to MI [new algorithm] = 0.70AERONET + 0.01