Hamiltonian-based impurity solver for nonequilibrium dynamical mean-field theory

We derive an exact mapping from the action of nonequilibrium dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) to a single-impurity Anderson model (SIAM) with time-dependent parameters, which can be solved numerically by exact diagonalization. The representability of the nonequilibrium DMFT action by a SIAM is established as a rather general property of nonequilibrium Green functions. We also obtain the nonequilibrium DMFT equations using the cavity method alone. We show how to numerically obtain the SIAM parameters using Cholesky or eigenvector matrix decompositions. As an application, we use a Krylov-based time propagation method to investigate the Hubbard model in which the hopping is switched on, starting from the atomic limit. Possible future developments are discussed.Comment: 24 pages, 11 figure

Zum Einfluss von Dübelleisten auf das Querkrafttragverhalten des Stahlbetongurts von Verbundträgern im Bereich von großen Stegöffnungen

Große Stegöffnungen werden in Stahlverbundträgern immer dann erforderlich, wenn in Trägerebene Leitungen quer zur Trägerachse geführt werden sollen. Die Attraktivität der Stahlverbundbauweise steigt mit der Möglichkeit, die Tragfähigkeit im Bereich großer Stegöffnungen rechnerisch nachweisen zu können. Bisher war es aber nicht möglich, eine Verstärkung des Betongurtes durch Einbau von Dübelleisten in einem Nachweiskonzept nutzbar zu machen. Bei Dübelleisten handelt es sich um Doppelkopfanker, die in einer Reihe meist auf ein Lochblech aufgeschweißt werden. Sie werden von mehreren Herstellern als Querkraft- und Durchstanzbewehrungselemente vertrieben. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird der Einfluss von Dübelleisten auf das Querkrafttragverhalten des Stahlbetongurts von Verbundträgern im Bereich von großen Stegöffnungen untersucht. Dazu wurden 28 Versuche sowie rechnerische Untersuchungen durchgeführt. Dabei konnte in einzelnen Versuchen durch den Einsatz von Dübelleisten eine Traglaststeigerung von mehr als 50 % erzielt werden. Unter anderem wurde der Effekt der Querbiegung untersucht, bei dem durch die vertikale Belastung des Betongurts außerhalb der Verbundträgerachse ein negatives Biegemoment in Querrichtung entsteht. Es wurde ein Nachweiskonzept erarbeitet, mit dem die Querkrafttragfähigkeit eines Betongurts unter Berücksichtigung von im Betongurt angeordneten Dübelleisten wirklichkeitsnah bestimmt werden kann. Das erstellte Konzept ermöglicht es, bei der Bemessung von Verbundträgern, die durch Stegöffnungen geschwächt sind, durch einen geringen Mehreinsatz von Bewehrung in Form von Dübelleisten eine deutliche Traglaststeigerung zu erzielen. Der Einfluss von Querbiegemomenten wird durch eine konservative Abschätzung der Lasteinzugsfläche berücksichtigt.Large web openings of composite beams are necessary if cables and pipes of the building services cross the axis of the steel girder. Composite construction becomes more attractive with the possibility to calculate the load-bearing capacity of the composite beam in the area of a large web opening. However, in previous design models the reinforcement of the concrete chord with shear rails was not included. Shear rails consist of double headed studs which are welded on perforated metal strips to fix their position. Several producers sell these shear rails as shear and punching reinforcement. As part of the following thesis, the influence of shear rails on the laod bearing behaviour of the concrete chord of composite beams with large web openings was investigated. For this purpose 28 experiments as well as finite-element calculations were carried out. Several tests showed that the ultimate load capacity can be increased by 50 % by introducing shear rails. Furthermore, the effect of a negative bending moment orthogonal to the axis of the composite girder was investigated. The moment results from vertical loads beside the girder axis. In order to determine the shear laod capacity of a concrete chord reinforced with shear rails, a design model was set up. The model allows the structural design of composite girders in the area of web openings. By the arrangement of shear rails alongside large web openings, the shear load capacity can be improved significantly. The influence of a bending moment orthogonal to the composite girder axis is taken into consideration by conservatively evaluating the loaded area

The Neuropsychological Assessment of Cognitive Deficits Considering Measures of Performance Variability

Neuropsychologists often face interpretational difficulties when assessing cognitive deficits, particularly in cases of unclear cerebral etiology. How can we be sure whether a single test score below the population average is indicative of a pathological brain condition or normal? In the past few years, the topic of intra-individual performance variability has gained great interest. On the basis of a large normative sample, two measures of performance variability and their importance for neuropsychological interpretation will be presented in this paper: the number of low scores and the level of dispersion. We conclude that low scores are common in healthy individuals. On the other hand, the level of dispersion is relatively small. Here, base rate information about abnormally low scores and abnormally high dispersion across cognitive abilities are provided to improve the awareness of normal variability and to serve clinicians as additional interpretive measures in the diagnostic proces

Research vessel Meteor, cruise no. 48 : 6 July - 3 November 2000

Die fünf Abschnitte der Meteor-Reise 48 führen in die Zone der Ostrandzirkulation des Südost-Atlantiks und verknüpfen ozeanografische, biologische, geologische und chemische Arbeiten im Bereich des Auftriebsgebietes vor der südwest-afrikanischen Küste sowie im Pelagial des Angolabeckens und des Kapbeckens. Die Arbeiten konzentrieren sich auf · die Biodiversität von Benthosgemeinschaften in Tiefseebecken, · biogeochemische Stoffkreisläufe und kurzskalige holozäne Klimavariationen im Auftriebsgebiet vor Namibia, · die Dynamik des Angola Domes und des Benguelastromes und die Entstehung des Südäquatorialen Gegenstroms im Atlantik, · die Verteilungen von Spurenelementen und natürlichen Radionukliden im Auftriebsgebiet vor Namibia, · den Einfluss mesoskaliger physikalischer Strukturen und Prozesse auf die Produktion des Zooplanktons im nördlichen Benguela-Auftriebssystem.The five legs of Meteor cruise 48 lead into the eastern boundary circulation of the south-eastern Atlantic, combining oceanographical, biological, geological, and chemical work in the upwelling area off the coast of Namibia and the pelagic region of the Angola and the Cape basin. Studies focus on · biodiversity of the benthos community in deep sea basins, · biogeochemical cycles and short-scale holocene climate variations in the Namibia upwelling region, · dynamics of the Angola dome and the Benguela current, and the formation of the southequatorial contercurrent in the Atlantic, · distributions of (essential) trace elements and natural radionuclides in the Namibia upwelling region · the influence of mesoscale physical structures/processes on the production of zooplankton in the northern Benguela upwelling system

Nonverbal memory tests revisited: Neuroanatomical correlates and differential influence of biasing cognitive functions

The detection of right temporal lobe dysfunction with nonverbal memory tests has remained difficult in the past. Reasons for this might be the potential influence of other biasing cognitive functions such as executive functions or the verbalisability of nonverbal material. The aim of this study was to investigate three classic nonverbal memory tests by identifying their neuroanatomical correlates with lesion-symptom mapping (LSM) and by probing their independence from verbal encoding abilities and executive functions. In a cohort of 119 patients with first-time cerebrovascular accident, memory perfor- mance was assessed in the Nonverbal Learning and Memory Test for Routes (NLMTR), the Rey Complex Figure Test (RCFT), and the Visual Design Learning Test (VDLT). Calculating multivariate LSM, we identified crucial brain structures for these three nonverbal memory tests. Behavioural analyses were performed to assess the impact of executive functions and verbal encoding abilities with regression analyses and likelihood-ratio tests. LSM revealed for the RCFT mainly right-hemispheric frontal, insular, subcortical, and white matter structures and for the NLMTR right-hemispheric temporal (hippocampus), insular, subcortical, and white matter structures. The VDLT did not reach significance in LSM analyses. Behavioural results showed that amongst the three nonverbal memory tests the impact of executive functions was most pronounced for RCFT, and the impact of verbal encoding abilities was most important in VDLT. Likelihood-ratio tests confirmed that only for NLMTR did the goodness of fit not significantly improve by adding executive functions or verbal encoding abilities. These results suggest that amongst the three nonverbal memory tests the NLMTR, as a spatial navigation test, could serve as the most suitable marker of right-hemispheric temporal lobe functioning, with the right hippocampus being involved only in this test

Lesion-symptom mapping corroborates lateralization of verbal and nonverbal memory processes and identifies distributed brain networks responsible for memory dysfunction.

Memory disorders are a common consequence of cerebrovascular accident (CVA). However, uncertainties remain about the exact anatomical correlates of memory impairment and the material-specific lateralization of memory function in the brain. We used lesion-symptom mapping (LSM) in patients with first-time CVA to identify which brain structures are pivotal for verbal and nonverbal memory and to re-examine whether verbal and nonverbal memory functions are lateralized processes in the brain. The cognitive performance of a relatively large cohort of 114 patients in five classic episodic memory tests was analysed with factor analysis. Two factors were extracted that distinguished the verbal and nonverbal components of these memory tests, and their scores were subsequently tested for anatomical correlates by combining univariate and multivariate LSM. LSM analysis revealed for the verbal factor exclusively left-hemispheric insular, subcortical and adjacent white matter regions and for the nonverbal factor exclusively right-hemispheric temporal, occipital, insular, subcortical and adjacent white matter structures. These results corroborate the long-standing hypothesis of a material-specific lateralization of memory function in the brain and confirm a robust association between right temporal lobe lesions and nonverbal memory dysfunction. The right-hemispheric correlates for the nonverbal aspects of episodic memory include not only classic memory structures in the medial temporal lobe but also a more distributed network that includes cortical and subcortical structures also known for implicit memory processes

an observational study

Background Currently there is no ARDS definition or classification system that allows optimal prediction of mortality in ARDS patients. This study aimed to examine the predictive values of the AECC and Berlin definitions, as well as clinical and respiratory parameters obtained at onset of ARDS and in the course of the first seven consecutive days. Methods The observational study was conducted at a 14-bed intensive care unit specialized on treatment of ARDS. Predictive validity of the AECC and Berlin definitions as well as PaO2/FiO2 and FiO2/PaO2*Pmean (oxygenation index) on mortality of ARDS patients was assessed and statistically compared. Results Four hundred forty two critically-ill patients admitted for ARDS were analysed. Multivariate Cox regression indicated that the oxygenation index was the most accurate parameter for mortality prediction. The third day after ARDS criteria were met at our hospital was found to represent the best compromise between earliness and accuracy of prognosis of mortality regarding the time of assessment. An oxygenation index of 15 or greater was associated with higher mortality, longer length of stay in ICU and hospital and longer duration of mechanical ventilation. In addition, non-survivors had a significantly longer length of stay and duration of mechanical ventilation in referring hospitals before admitted to the national reference centre than survivors. Conclusions The oxygenation index is suggested to be the most suitable parameter to predict mortality in ARDS, preferably assessed on day 3 after admission to a specialized centre. Patients might benefit when transferred to specialized ICU centres as soon as possible for further treatment

Opposing temperature dependence of the stretching response of single PEG and PNiPAM polymers

The response of switchable polymer blends and coatings to temperature variation is important for the development of high-performance materials. Although this has been well studied for bulk materials, a proper understanding at the molecular level, in particular for high stretching forces, is still lacking. Here we investigate the molecular details of the temperature-dependent elastic response of two widely used water-soluble polymers, namely, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNiPAM) with a combined approach using atomic force microscopy (AFM) based single molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. SMFS became possible by the covalent attachment of long and defined single polymers featuring a functional end group. Most interestingly, varying the temperature produces contrasting effects for PEG and PNiPAM. Surprising as these results might occur at first sight, they can be understood with the help of MD simulations in explicit water. We find that hydration is widely underestimated for the mechanics of macromolecules and that a polymer chain has competing energetic and entropic elastic components. We propose to use the temperature dependence to quantify the energetic behavior for high stretching forces. This fundamental understanding of temperature-dependent single polymer stretching response might lead to innovations like fast switchable polymer blends and coatings with polymer chains that act antagonistically

Predictors of survival in critically ill patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS): an observational study

Number of patients receiving extracorporeal lung assist devices (ELAD) on each day. (DOC 26 kb