2,024 research outputs found
Siegert pseudostates: completeness and time evolution
Within the theory of Siegert pseudostates, it is possible to accurately
calculate bound states and resonances. The energy continuum is replaced by a
discrete set of states. Many questions of interest in scattering theory can be
addressed within the framework of this formalism, thereby avoiding the need to
treat the energy continuum. For practical calculations it is important to know
whether a certain subset of Siegert pseudostates comprises a basis. This is a
nontrivial issue, because of the unusual orthogonality and overcompleteness
properties of Siegert pseudostates. Using analytical and numerical arguments,
it is shown that the subset of bound states and outgoing Siegert pseudostates
forms a basis. Time evolution in the context of Siegert pseudostates is also
investigated. From the Mittag-Leffler expansion of the outgoing-wave Green's
function, the time-dependent expansion of a wave packet in terms of Siegert
pseudostates is derived. In this expression, all Siegert pseudostates--bound,
antibound, outgoing, and incoming--are employed. Each of these evolves in time
in a nonexponential fashion. Numerical tests underline the accuracy of the
method
Implicit integration for the solution of metal forming processes
The simulation of metal forming processes is performed using implicit integration analysis procedures. The approach is based on reliable and efficient solution procedures, uses the actual physical simulation parameters (that is, no adjustment of the tool velocity or work piece density is employed) and enables to achieve accurate results of the loading and spring-back processes in a single solution run. In the analyses performed, the solution times were not far from (and frequently less than) those required in explicit time integration analyses
Nanotechnology and diabetes
Nanotechnology offers sensing technologies that provide more accurate and timely medical information for diagnosing disease, and miniature devices that can administer treatment automatically if required. Some tests such as diabetes blood sugar levels require patients to administer the test themselves to avoid the risk of their blood glucose falling to dangerous levels. Certain users such as children and the elderly may not be able to perform the test properly, timely or without considerable pain. Nanotechnology can now offers new implantable and/or wearable sensing technologies that provide continuous and extremely accurate medical information. In the long run, nanotechnology will clearly open up many routes to treatments and cures for diabetes, as it will for many of the diseases and conditions that currently plague mankind. Nanotechnology offers some new solutions in treating diabetes mellitus. Boxes with nanopores that protect transplanted beta cells from the immune system attack, artificial pancreas and artificial beta cell instead of pancreas transplantation, nanospheres as biodegradable polymeric carriers for oral delivery of insulin are just some of them. The abilities of nanomedicine are huge, and nanotechnology could give medicine an entirely new outlook. Whilst some of these technologies are quite far-fetched, there is evidence that we will see significant advances in the treatment and management of diabetes quite soon. The purpose of this review is to throw more light on the recent advances and impact of nanotechnology on biomedical sciences to cure diabetes
Theory of x-ray absorption by laser-dressed atoms
An ab initio theory is devised for the x-ray photoabsorption cross section of
atoms in the field of a moderately intense optical laser (800nm, 10^13 W/cm^2).
The laser dresses the core-excited atomic states, which introduces a dependence
of the cross section on the angle between the polarization vectors of the two
linearly polarized radiation sources. We use the Hartree-Fock-Slater
approximation to describe the atomic many-particle problem in conjunction with
a nonrelativistic quantum-electrodynamic approach to treat the photon-electron
interaction. The continuum wave functions of ejected electrons are treated with
a complex absorbing potential that is derived from smooth exterior complex
scaling. The solution to the two-color (x-ray plus laser) problem is discussed
in terms of a direct diagonalization of the complex symmetric matrix
representation of the Hamiltonian. Alternative treatments with time-independent
and time-dependent non-Hermitian perturbation theories are presented that
exploit the weak interaction strength between x rays and atoms. We apply the
theory to study the photoabsorption cross section of krypton atoms near the K
edge. A pronounced modification of the cross section is found in the presence
of the optical laser.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, 1 table, RevTeX4, corrected typoe
Properties of metastable alkaline-earth-metal atoms calculated using an accurate effective core potential
The first three electronically excited states in the alkaline-earth-metal
atoms magnesium, calcium, and strontium comprise the (nsnp) triplet P^o_J
(J=0,1,2) fine-structure manifold. All three states are metastable and are of
interest for optical atomic clocks as well as for cold-collision physics. An
efficient technique--based on a physically motivated potential that models the
presence of the ionic core--is employed to solve the Schroedinger equation for
the two-electron valence shell. In this way, radiative lifetimes, laser-induced
clock shifts, and long-range interaction parameters are calculated for
metastable Mg, Ca, and Sr.Comment: 13 pages, 9 table
Spin configurations in circular and rectangular vertical quantum dots in a magnetic field: Three-dimensional self-consistent simulation
The magnetic field dependence of the electronic properties of \textit{real}
single vertical quantum dots in circular and rectangular mesas is investigated
within a full three-dimensional multiscale self-consistent approach without any
{\it \'a priori} assumptions about the shape and strength of the confinement
potential. The calculated zero field electron addition energies are in good
agreement with available experimental data for both mesa geometries. Charging
diagrams in a magnetic field for number of electrons up to five are also
computed. Consistent with the experimental data, we found that the charging
curves for the rectangular mesa dot in a magnetic field are flatter and exhibit
less features than for a circular mesa dot. Evolution of the singlet-triplet
energy separation in the two electron system for both dot geometries in
magnetic field was also investigated. In the limit of large field, beyond the
singlet-triplet transition, the singlet-triplet energy difference continues to
become more negative in a circular mesa dot without any saturation within the
range of considered magnetic fields whilst it is predicted to asymptotically
approach zero for the rectangular mesa dot. This different behavior is
attributed to the symmetry "breaking" that occurs in the singlet wave-functions
in the rectangular mesa dot but not in the circular one.Comment: 12 pages, 8 gifure
Identification of prognostic inflammatory factors in colorectal liver metastases
BACKGROUND: The modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) has been reported to be an important prognostic indicator in a number of tumor types, including colorectal cancer (CRC). The features of the inflammatory state thought to accompany elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), a key feature of mGPS, were characterized in patients with colorectal liver metastases. Additional inflammatory mediators that contribute to prognosis were explored. METHODS: In sera from 69 patients with colorectal liver metastases, a panel of 42 inflammatory mediators were quantified as a function of CRP levels, and as a function of disease-free survival. Multivariate statistical methods were used to determine association of each mediator with elevated CRP and truncated disease-free survival. RESULTS: Elevated CRP was confirmed to be a strong predictor of survival (HR 4.00, p = 0.001) and recurrence (HR 3.30, p = 0.002). The inflammatory state associated with elevated CRP was comprised of raised IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12 and IL-15. In addition, elevated IL-8 and PDGF-AB/BB and decreased eotaxin and IP-10 were associated with worse disease-free and overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated CRP is associated with a proinflammatory state. The inflammatory state is an important prognostic indicator in CRC liver metastases. The individual contributions of tumor biology and the host to this inflammatory response will require further investigation. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2407-14-542) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users
Therapeutic limitations in tumor-specific CD8+ memory T cell engraftment
BACKGROUND: Adoptive immunotherapy with cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) represents an alternative approach to treating solid tumors. Ideally, this would confer long-term protection against tumor. We previously demonstrated that in vitro-generated tumor-specific CTL from the ovalbumin (OVA)-specific OT-I T cell receptor transgenic mouse persisted long after adoptive transfer as memory T cells. When recipient mice were challenged with the OVA-expressing E.G7 thymoma, tumor growth was delayed and sometimes prevented. The reasons for therapeutic failures were not clear. METHODS: OT-I CTL were adoptively transferred to C57BL/6 mice 21 – 28 days prior to tumor challenge. At this time, the donor cells had the phenotypical and functional characteristics of memory CD8+ T cells. Recipients which developed tumor despite adoptive immunotherapy were analyzed to evaluate the reason(s) for therapeutic failure. RESULTS: Dose-response studies demonstrated that the degree of tumor protection was directly proportional to the number of OT-I CTL adoptively transferred. At a low dose of OT-I CTL, therapeutic failure was attributed to insufficient numbers of OT-I T cells that persisted in vivo, rather than mechanisms that actively suppressed or anergized the OT-I T cells. In recipients of high numbers of OT-I CTL, the E.G7 tumor that developed was shown to be resistant to fresh OT-I CTL when examined ex vivo. Furthermore, these same tumor cells no longer secreted a detectable level of OVA. In this case, resistance to immunotherapy was secondary to selection of clones of E.G7 that expressed a lower level of tumor antigen. CONCLUSIONS: Memory engraftment with tumor-specific CTL provides long-term protection against tumor. However, there are several limitations to this immunotherapeutic strategy, especially when targeting a single antigen. This study illustrates the importance of administering large numbers of effectors to engraft sufficiently efficacious immunologic memory. It also demonstrates the importance of targeting several antigens when developing vaccine strategies for cancer
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