Unifying Nucleon and Quark Dynamics at Finite Baryon Number Density

We present a model of baryonic matter which contains free constituent quarks in addition to bound constituent quarks in nucleons. In addition to the common linear sigma-model we include the exchange of vector-mesons. The percentage of free quarks increases with baryon density but the nucleons resist a restoration of chiral symmetry.Comment: 8 pages LaTeX, 3 postscript figures, submitted to Phys. Lett.

Approximate Particle Number Projection for Rotating Nuclei

Pairing correlations in rotating nuclei are discussed within the Lipkin-Nogami method. The accuracy of the method is tested for the Krumlinde-Szyma\'nski R(5) model. The results of calculations are compared with those obtained from the standard mean field theory and particle-number projection method, and with exact solutions.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures available on request, REVTEX3.

Kontsevich product and gauge invariance

We analyze the question of $U_{\star} (1)$ gauge invariance in a flat non-commutative space where the parameter of non-commutativity, $\theta^{\mu\nu} (x)$, is a local function satisfying Jacobi identity (and thereby leading to an associative Kontsevich product). We show that in this case, both gauge transformations as well as the definitions of covariant derivatives have to modify so as to have a gauge invariant action. We work out the gauge invariant actions for the matter fields in the fundamental and the adjoint representations up to order $\theta^{2}$ while we discuss the gauge invariant Maxwell theory up to order $\theta$. We show that despite the modifications in the gauge transformations, the covariant derivative and the field strength, Seiberg-Witten map continues to hold for this theory. In this theory, translations do not form a subgroup of the gauge transformations (unlike in the case when $\theta^{\mu\nu}$ is a constant) which is reflected in the stress tensor not being conserved.Comment: 7 page

Supersymmteric Null-like Holographic Cosmologies

We construct a new class of 1/4-BPS time dependent domain-wall solutions with null-like metric and dilaton in type II supergravities, which admit a null-like big bang singularity. Based on the domain-wall/QFT correspondence, these solutions are dual to 1/4-supersymmetric quantum field theories living on a boundary cosmological background with time dependent coupling constant and UV cutoff. In particular we evaluate the holographic $c$ function for the 2-dimensional dual field theory living on the corresponding null-like cosmology. We find that this $c$ function runs in accordance with the $c$-theorem as the boundary universe evolves, this means that the number of degrees of freedom is divergent at big bang and suggests the possible resolution of big bang singularity.Comment: 26 pages;v2 references adde

The Hubbard model with smooth boundary conditions

We apply recently developed smooth boundary conditions to the quantum Monte Carlo simulation of the two-dimensional Hubbard model. At half-filling, where there is no sign problem, we show that the thermodynamic limit is reached more rapidly with smooth rather than with periodic or open boundary conditions. Away from half-filling, where ordinarily the simulation cannot be carried out at low temperatures due to the existence of the sign problem, we show that smooth boundary conditions allow us to reach significantly lower temperatures. We examine pairing correlation functions away from half-filling in order to determine the possible existence of a superconducting state. On a $10\times 10$ lattice for $U=4$, at a filling of $\langle n \rangle = 0.87$ and an inverse temperature of $\beta=10$, we did find enhancement of the $d$-wave correlations with respect to the non-interacting case, a possible sign of $d$-wave superconductivity.Comment: 16 pages RevTeX, 9 postscript figures included (Figure 1 will be faxed on request

Hybrid CPU/GPU Acceleration of Detection of 2-SNP Epistatic Interactions in GWAS

This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Lecture Notes in Computer Science. The final authenticated version is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-09873-9_57[Abstract] High-throughput genotyping technologies allow the collection of up to a few million genetic markers (such as SNPs) of an individual within a few minutes of time. Detecting epistasis, such as 2-SNP interactions, in Genome-Wide Association Studies is an important but time consuming operation since statistical computations have to be performed for each pair of measured markers. In this work we present EpistSearch, a parallelized tool that, following the log-linear model approach, uses a novel filter to determine the interactions between all SNP-pairs. Our tool is parallelized using a hybrid combination of Pthreads and CUDA in order to take advantage of CPU/GPU architectures. Experimental results with simulated and real datasets show that EpistSearch outperforms previous approaches, either using GPUs or only CPU cores. For instance, an exhaustive analysis of a real-world dataset with 500,000 SNPs and 5,000 individuals requires less than 42 minutes on a machine with 6 CPU cores and a GTX Titan GPU

Null Deformed Domain Wall

We study null 1/4 BPS deformations of flat domain wall solutions (NDDW) in N=2, d=5 gauged supergravity with hypermultiplets and vector multiplets coupled. These are uncharged time-dependent configurations and contain as special case, 1/2 supersymmetric flat domain walls (DW), as well as 1/2 BPS null solutions of the ungauged supergravity. Combining our analysis with the classification method initiated by Gauntlett et al., we prove that all the possible deformations of the DW have origin in the hypermultiplet sector or/and are null. Here, we classify all the null deformations: we show that they naturally organize themselves into "gauging" (v-deformation) and "non gauging" (u-deformation). They have different properties: only in presence of v-deformation is the solution supported by a time-dependent scalar potential. Furthermore we show that the number of possible deformations equals the number of matter multiplets coupled. We discuss the general procedure for constructing explicit solutions, stressing the crucial role taken by the integrability conditions of the scalars as spacetime functions. Two analytical solutions are presented. Finally, we comment on the holographic applications of the NDDW, in relation to the recently proposed time-dependent AdS/CFT.Comment: 38 pages; minor changes, references added; text revised, minor changes, final version published in JHE

All-optical switching and strong coupling using tunable whispering-gallery-mode microresonators

We review our recent work on tunable, ultrahigh quality factor whispering-gallery-mode bottle microresonators and highlight their applications in nonlinear optics and in quantum optics experiments. Our resonators combine ultra-high quality factors of up to Q = 3.6 \times 10^8, a small mode volume, and near-lossless fiber coupling, with a simple and customizable mode structure enabling full tunability. We study, theoretically and experimentally, nonlinear all-optical switching via the Kerr effect when the resonator is operated in an add-drop configuration. This allows us to optically route a single-wavelength cw optical signal between two fiber ports with high efficiency. Finally, we report on progress towards strong coupling of single rubidium atoms to an ultra-high Q mode of an actively stabilized bottle microresonator.Comment: 20 pages, 24 figures. Accepted for publication in Applied Physics B. Changes according to referee suggestions: minor corrections to some figures and captions, clarification of some points in the text, added references, added new paragraph with results on atom-resonator interactio

Towards the prediction of antimicrobial efficacy for hydrogen bonded, self-associating amphiphiles

Herein, we report 50 structurally related supramolecular self-associating amphiphilic (SSA) salts and related compounds. These SSAs are shown to act as antimicrobial agents, active against model Gram-positive (Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and/or Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria of clinical interest. Through a combination of solution state, gas phase, solid state and in silico measurements we determine 14 different physicochemical parameters for each of these 50 structurally related compounds. These parameter sets are then used to identify molecular structure – physicochemical property – antimicrobial activity relationships for our model Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, while simultaneously providing insight towards the elucidation of SSA mode of antimicrobial action

Generic properties of a quasi-one dimensional classical Wigner crystal

We studied the structural, dynamical properties and melting of a quasi-one-dimensional system of charged particles, interacting through a screened Coulomb potential. The ground state energy was calculated and, depending on the density and the screening length, the system crystallizes in a number of chains. As a function of the density (or the confining potential), the ground state configurations and the structural transitions between them were analyzed both by analytical and Monte Carlo calculations. The system exhibits a rich phase diagram at zero temperature with continuous and discontinuous structural transitions. We calculated the normal modes of the Wigner crystal and the magneto-phonons when an external constant magnetic field $B$ is applied. At finite temperature the melting of the system was studied via Monte Carlo simulations using the $modified$ $Lindemann$ $criterion$ (MLC). The melting temperature as a function of the density was obtained for different screening parameters. Reentrant melting as a function of the density was found as well as evidence of directional dependent melting. The single chain regime exhibits anomalous melting temperatures according to the MLC and as a check we study the pair correlation function at different densities and different temperatures, formulating a different criterion. Possible connection with recent theoretical and experimental results are discussed and experiments are proposed.Comment: 13 pages text, 21 picture