5,694 research outputs found
A generalized photon propagator
A covariant gauge independent derivation of the generalized dispersion
relation of electromagnetic waves in a medium with local and linear
constitutive law is presented. A generalized photon propagator is derived. For
Maxwell constitutive tensor, the standard light cone structure and the standard
Feynman propagator are reinstated
Predicting hydrologic response from physio-climatic attributes: an application to ungauged sub-catchments of the Burdekin River, North Queensland
The Burdekin is a large (140,000 square kilometres) catchment located in the dry tropics of North Queensland, Australia. To assess the water resources of this catchment, we require a methodology which will allow us to determine the daily streamflow at any point within the catchment. To this end, we have utilised a simple, lumped parameter model, IHACRES. Of the five parameters in the model, three have been set to default values, while the other two have been related to the physio-climatic attributes of the sub-catchment under consideration. The parameter defining total catchment water yield was constrained using %yield, which is related to summer precipitation, while the streamflow recession time constant was related to the total length of stream reaches in the catchment. These relationships were applicable over a range of scales from 68 square kilometres to 130,000 square kilometres, however three separate relationships were required to define c in the three major regions of the Burdekin – the upper Burdekin, Bowen, and Belyando Suttor. This research has provided a valuable insight into the hydrologic behaviour of the Burdekin catchment, while also providing a useful methodology for water resources assessment. The invariance of the relationships with scale indicates that the dominant processes may be similar for a range of scales, while the fact that different relationships were required for each of the three major regions indicates the geographic limitations of this regionalisation approach
Renal health after long-term exposure to tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in HIV/HBV positive adults in Ghana
Objectives: The study assessed markers of renal health in HIV/HBV co-infected patients receiving TDF- containing antiretroviral therapy in Ghana.
Methods: Urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (uPCR) and albumin-to-protein ratio (uAPR) were measured cross-sectionally after a median of four years of TDF. At this time, alongside extensive laboratory testing, patients underwent evaluation of liver stiffness and blood pressure. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was measured longitudinally before and during TDF therapy.
Results: Among 101 participants (66% women, median age 44 years, median CD4 count 572 cells/mm 3 ) 21% and 17% had detectable HIV-1 RNA and HBV DNA, respectively. Overall 35% showed hypertension, 6% diabetes, 7% liver stiffness indicative of cirrhosis, and 18% urinary excretion of Schistosoma antigen. Tubular proteinuria occurred in 16% of patients and was independently predicted by female gender and hypertension. The eGFR declined by median 1.8 ml/min/year during TDF exposure (IQR −4.4, −0.0); more pronounced declines ( ≥5 ml/min/year) occurred in 22% of patients and were associated with receiv-ing ritonavir-boosted lopinavir rather than efavirenz. HBV DNA, HBeAg, transaminases, and liver stiffness were not predictive of renal function abnormalities.
Conclusions: The findings mandate improved diagnosis and management of hypertension and suggest targeted laboratory monitoring of patients receiving TDF alongside a booster in sub-Saharan Africa
Maxwell's theory on a post-Riemannian spacetime and the equivalence principle
The form of Maxwell's theory is well known in the framework of general
relativity, a fact that is related to the applicability of the principle of
equivalence to electromagnetic phenomena. We pose the question whether this
form changes if torsion and/or nonmetricity fields are allowed for in
spacetime. Starting from the conservation laws of electric charge and magnetic
flux, we recognize that the Maxwell equations themselves remain the same, but
the constitutive law must depend on the metric and, additionally, may depend on
quantities related to torsion and/or nonmetricity. We illustrate our results by
putting an electric charge on top of a spherically symmetric exact solution of
the metric-affine gauge theory of gravity (comprising torsion and
nonmetricity). All this is compared to the recent results of Vandyck.Comment: 9 pages, REVTeX, no figures; minor changes, version to be published
in Class. Quantum Gra
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Ambient-temperature passive magnetic bearings: Theory and design equations
Research has been underway at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory to build a theoretical and experimental base for the design of ambient-temperature passive magnetic bearings for a variety of possible applications. in the approach taken the limitations imposed by Earnshaw`s theorem with respect to the stability of passive magnetic bearing systems employing axially symmetric permanent-magnet elements are overcome by employing special combinations of elements, as follows: Levitating and restoring forces are provided by combinations of permanent-magnet-excited elements chosen to provide positive stiffnesses (negative force derivatives) for selected displacements (i.e., those involving translations or angular displacement of the axis of rotation). As dictated by Eamshaw`s theorem, any bearing system thus constructed will be statically unstable for at least one of the remaining possible displacements. Stabilization against this displacement is accomplished by using periodic arrays (`Halbach arrays`) of permanent magnets to induce currents in close-packed inductively loaded circuits, thereby producing negative force derivatives stabilizing the system while in rotation. Disengaging mechanical elements stabilize the system when at rest and when below a low critical speed. The paper discusses theory and equations needed for the design of such systems
On possible skewon effects on light propagation
We start from a local and linear spacetime relation between the
electromagnetic excitation and the field strength. Then we study the generally
covariant Fresnel surfaces for light rays and light waves. The metric and the
connection of spacetime are left unspecified. Accordingly, our framework is
ideally suited for a search of possible violations of the Lorentz symmetry in
the photon sector of the extended standard model. We discuss how the skewon
part of the constitutive tensor, if suitably parametrized, influences the
Fresnel surfaces and disturbs the light cones of vacuum electrodynamics.
Conditions are specified that yield the reduction of the original quartic
Fresnel surface to the double light cone structure (birefringence) and to the
single light cone. Qualitatively, the effects of the real skewon field can be
compared to those in absorbing material media. In contrast, the imaginary
skewon field can be interpreted in terms of non-absorbing media with natural
optical activity and Faraday effects. The astrophysical data on gamma-ray
bursts are used for deriving an upper limit for the magnitude of the skewon
field.Comment: Revtex, 29 pages, 10 figures, references added, text as in the
published versio
Families of superintegrable Hamiltonians constructed from exceptional polynomials
We introduce a family of exactly-solvable two-dimensional Hamiltonians whose
wave functions are given in terms of Laguerre and exceptional Jacobi
polynomials. The Hamiltonians contain purely quantum terms which vanish in the
classical limit leaving only a previously known family of superintegrable
systems. Additional, higher-order integrals of motion are constructed from
ladder operators for the considered orthogonal polynomials proving the quantum
system to be superintegrable
NASA Light-Emitting Diodes for the Prevention of Oral Mucositis in Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Patients
Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of prophylactic near-infrared light therapy from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in pediatric bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients.
Background Data: Oral mucositis (OM) is a frequent side effect of chemotherapy that leads to increased morbidity. Near-infrared light has been shown to produce biostimulatory effects in tissues, and previous results using nearinfrared lasers have shown improvement in OM indices. However, LEDs may hold greater potential for clinical applications.
Materials and Methods: We recruited 32 consecutive pediatric patients undergoing myeloablative therapy in preparation for BMT. Patients were examined by two of three pediatric dentists trained in assessing the Schubert oral mucositis index (OMI) for left and right buccal and lateral tongue mucosal surfaces, while the patients were asked to rate their current left and right mouth pain, left and right xerostomia, and throat pain. LED therapy consisted of daily treatment at a fluence of 4 J/cm2 using a 670-nm LED array held to the left extraoral epithelium starting on the day of transplant, with a concurrent sham treatment on the right. Patients were assessed before BMT and every 2–3 days through posttransplant day 14. Outcomes included the percentage of patients with ulcerative oral mucositis (UOM) compared to historical epidemiological controls, the comparison of left and right buccal pain to throat pain, and the comparison between sides of the buccal and lateral tongue OMI and buccal pain.
Results: The incidence of UOM was 53%, compared to an expected rate of 70–90%. There was also a 48% and 39% reduction of treated left and right buccal pain, respectively, compared to untreated throat pain at about posttransplant day 7 (p \u3c 0.05). There were no significant differences between sides in OMI or pain.
Conclusion: Although more studies are needed, LED therapy appears useful in the prevention of OM in pediatric BMT patients
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