251 research outputs found
Experimental realization of a relativistic fluxon ratchet
We report the observation of the ratchet effect for a relativistic flux
quantum trapped in an annular Josephson junction embedded in an inhomogeneous
magnetic field. In such a solid state system mechanical quantities are
proportional to electrical quantities, so that the ratchet effect represents
the realization of a relativistic-flux-quantum-based diode. Mean static voltage
response, equivalent to directed fluxon motion, is experimentally demonstrated
in such a diode for deterministic current forcing both in the overdamped and in
the underdamped dynamical regime. In the underdamped regime, the recently
predicted phenomenon of current reversal is also recovered in our fluxon
ratchet.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures. To appear in PHYSICA
Coupling of Josephson flux-flow oscillators to an external RC load
We investigate by numerical simulations the behavior of the power dissipated
in a resistive load capacitively coupled to a Josephson flux flow oscillator
and compare the results to those obtained for a d.c. coupled purely resistive
load. Assuming realistic values for the parameters R and C, both in the high-
and in the low-Tc case the power is large enough to allow the operation of such
a device in applications.Comment: uuencoded, gzipped tar archive containing 11 pages of REVTeX text + 4
PostScript figures. To appear in Supercond. Sci. Techno
“I Do Not Like Being Me”: the Impact of Self-hate on Increased Risky Sexual Behavior in Sexual Minority People
Background: Increased risky sexual behaviors (RSB) in sexual minority people relative to heterosexual individuals are well documented. However, the role of trans-diagnostic factors that are not sexual orientation-specific, such as self-criticism, in predicting RSB was understudied. The present study aimed to test participants’ gender and sexual orientation as moderators between self-criticism and RSB. Methods: Data were collected during 2019. The total sample included 986 sexual minority people (Nwomen = 51%) and 853 heterosexual people (Nwomen = 46%), ranging from 18 to 35 years of age. Self-criticism dimensions (self-hate, self-inadequacy, self-reassurance), types of positive affect (relaxed, safe/content, and activated affect), and RSB were assessed. Bivariate, multivariate analyses, and moderated regression analyses were conducted. Results: Sexual minority participants showed higher levels of RSB, self-hate, and self-inadequacy than heterosexual people. Only in sexual minority men, RSB correlated positively with self-hate and negatively with safe/content positive affect. Moderated regressions showed that only for sexual minority participants, higher RSB were predicted by higher levels of self-hate. At the same time, this association was not significant for heterosexual people controlling the effects of age, presence of a stable relationship, other self-criticism dimensions, and activation safe/content affect scale. The two-way interaction between sexual orientation and gender was significant, showing that regardless of self-hate, the strength of the association between sexual orientation and RSB is stronger for sexual minority men than sexual minority women and heterosexual participants. Conclusions: Findings highlight the distinctive role of self-hate in the occurrence of RSB in sexual minority people and support the usefulness of developing a compassion-focused intervention to target self-hate in sexual minority people
Observation of progressive motion of ac-driven solitons
We report the first experimental observation of phase-locked motion of a
topological soliton at a nonzero average velocity in a periodically modulated
lossy medium, under the action of an ac force with no dc component [the effect
was predicted by G. Filatrella, B.A. Malomed, and R.D. Parmentier, Phys. Lett.
A 198, 43 (1995)]. The velocity is related by a resonant condition to the
driving frequency. The observation is made in terms of the current-voltage,
I(V), characteristics for a fluxon trapped in an annular Josephson junction
placed into dc magnetic field. Large zero-crossing constant-voltage steps,
exactly corresponding to the resonantly locked soliton motion at different
orders of the resonance, are found on the experimental I(V) curves. A measured
dependence of the size of the steps vs. the external magnetic field is in good
agreement with predictions of an analytical model based on the balance equation
for the fluxon's energy. The effect has a potential application as a
low-frequency voltage standard. The work was supported by a grant from the
German-Israeli Foundation.Comment: Physical Review B, in press (Rapid Communication
Experimental investigation of flux motion in exponentially shaped Josephson junctions
We report experimental and numerical analysis of expontentially shaped long
Josephson junctions with lateral current injection. Quasi-linear flux flow
branches are observed in the current-voltage characteristic of the junctions in
the absence of magnetic field. A strongly asymmetric response to an applied
magnetic field is also exhibited by the junctions. Experimental data are found
in agreement with numerical predictions and demonstrate the existence of a
geometry-induced potential experienced by the flux quanta in nonuniform width
junctions.Comment: 16 pg, 8 figures, Submitted in PRB March
Phytochemicals as antibiotic alternatives to promote growth and enhance host health
There are heightened concerns globally on emerging drug-resistant superbugs and the lack of new antibiotics for treating human and animal diseases. For the agricultural industry, there is an urgent need to develop strategies to replace antibiotics for food-producing animals, especially poultry and livestock. The 2nd International Symposium on Alternatives to Antibiotics was held at the World Organization for Animal Health in Paris, France, December 12-15, 2016 to discuss recent scientific developments on strategic antibiotic-free management plans, to evaluate regional differences in policies regarding the reduction of antibiotics in animal agriculture and to develop antibiotic alternatives to combat the global increase in antibiotic resistance. More than 270 participants from academia, government research institutions, regulatory agencies, and private animal industries from >25 different countries came together to discuss recent research and promising novel technologies that could provide alternatives to antibiotics for use in animal health and production; assess challenges associated with their commercialization; and devise actionable strategies to facilitate the development of alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) without hampering animal production. The 3-day meeting consisted of four scientific sessions including vaccines, microbial products, phytochemicals, immune-related products, and innovative drugs, chemicals and enzymes, followed by the last session on regulation and funding. Each session was followed by an expert panel discussion that included industry representatives and session speakers. The session on phytochemicals included talks describing recent research achievements, with examples of successful agricultural use of various phytochemicals as antibiotic alternatives and their mode of action in major agricultural animals (poultry, swine and ruminants). Scientists from industry and academia and government research institutes shared their experience in developing and applying potential antibiotic-alternative phytochemicals commercially to reduce AGPs and to develop a sustainable animal production system in the absence of antibiotics.Fil: Lillehoj, Hyun. United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service; ArgentinaFil: Liu, Yanhong. University of California; Estados UnidosFil: Calsamiglia, Sergio. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Fernandez Miyakawa, Mariano Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones CientĂficas y TĂ©cnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de TecnologĂa Agropecuaria. Centro de InvestigaciĂłn en Ciencias Veterinarias y AgronĂłmicas. Instituto de PatobiologĂa; ArgentinaFil: Chi, Fang. Amlan International; Estados UnidosFil: Cravens, Ron L.. Amlan International; Estados UnidosFil: Oh, Sungtaek. United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service; ArgentinaFil: Gay, Cyril G.. United States Department of Agriculture. Agricultural Research Service; Argentin
The Putative Liquid-Liquid Transition is a Liquid-Solid Transition in Atomistic Models of Water
We use numerical simulation to examine the possibility of a reversible
liquid-liquid transition in supercooled water and related systems. In
particular, for two atomistic models of water, we have computed free energies
as functions of multiple order parameters, where one is density and another
distinguishes crystal from liquid. For a range of temperatures and pressures,
separate free energy basins for liquid and crystal are found, conditions of
phase coexistence between these phases are demonstrated, and time scales for
equilibration are determined. We find that at no range of temperatures and
pressures is there more than a single liquid basin, even at conditions where
amorphous behavior is unstable with respect to the crystal. We find a similar
result for a related model of silicon. This result excludes the possibility of
the proposed liquid-liquid critical point for the models we have studied.
Further, we argue that behaviors others have attributed to a liquid-liquid
transition in water and related systems are in fact reflections of transitions
between liquid and crystal
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