7,390 research outputs found
The Topological Theory of the Milnor Invariant
We study a topological Abelian gauge theory that generalizes the Abelian
Chern-Simons one, and that leads in a natural way to the Milnor's link
invariant when the classical action on-shell is calculated.Comment: 4 pages; corrected equatio
Natural convection in a shallow cavity with differentially heated end walls. Part 2. Numerical solutions
Numerical solutions of the full Navier-Stokes equations are obtained for the problem of natural convection in closed cavities of small aspect ratio with differentially
heated end walls. These solutions cover the parameter range
Pr = 6.983, 10 ≤ Gr ≤ 2x10^4 and 0.05 ≤ A ≤ 1. A comparison with the asymptotic theory of part 1 shows excellent agreement between the analytical and numerical solutions provided that A ≾ 0.1 and Gr^2A^3Pr^2 ≾ l0^5. In addition,
the numerical solutions demonstrate the transition between the shallow-cavity limit of part 1 and the boundary-layer limit; A fixed, Gr → ∞
Kinetic modelling of epitaxial film growth with up- and downward step barriers
The formation of three-dimensional structures during the epitaxial growth of
films is associated to the reflection of diffusing particles in descending
terraces due to the presence of the so-called Ehrlich-Schwoebel (ES) barrier.
We generalize this concept in a solid-on-solid growth model, in which a barrier
dependent on the particle coordination (number of lateral bonds) exists
whenever the particle performs an interlayer diffusion. The rules do not
distinguish explicitly if the particle is executing a descending or an
ascending interlayer diffusion. We show that the usual model, with a step
barrier in descending steps, produces spurious, columnar, and highly unstable
morphologies if the growth temperature is varied in a usual range of mound
formation experiments. Our model generates well-behaved mounded morphologies
for the same ES barriers that produce anomalous morphologies in the standard
model. Moreover, mounds are also obtained when the step barrier has an equal
value for all particles independently if they are free or bonded. Kinetic
roughening is observed at long times, when the surface roughness w and the
characteristic length scale as and where
and , independently of the growth
temperature.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figure
Buoyancy-driven motion of a deformable drop toward a planar wall at low Reynolds number
The slow viscous motion of a deformable drop moving normal to a planar wall is studied numerically. In particular, a boundary integral technique employing the Green's function appropriate to a no-slip planar wall is used. Beginning with spherical drop shapes far from the wall, highly deformed and ‘dimpled’ drop configurations are obtained as the planar wall is approached. The initial stages of dimpling and their evolution provide information and insight into the basic assumptions of film-drainage theory
Spatially resolved physical and chemical properties of the planetary nebula NGC 3242
Optical integral-field spectroscopy was used to investigate the planetary
nebula NGC 3242. We analysed the main morphological components of this source,
including its knots, but not the halo. In addition to revealing the properties
ofthe physical and chemical nature of this nebula, we also provided reliable
spatially resolved constraints that can be used for future photoionisation
modelling of the nebula. The latter is ultimately necessary to obtain a fully
self-consistent 3D picture of the physical and chemical properties of the
object. The observations were obtained with the VIMOS instrument attached to
VLT-UT3. Maps and values for specific morphological zones for the detected
emission-lines were obtained and analysed with routines developed by the
authors to derive physical and chemical conditions of the ionised gas in a 2D
fashion. We obtained spatially resolved maps and mean values of the electron
densities, temperatures, and chemical abundances, for specific morphological
structures in NGC 3242. These results show the pixel-to-pixel variations of the
the small- and large-scale structures of the source. These diagnostic maps
provide information free from the biases introduced by traditional single
long-slit observations. In general, our results are consistent with a uniform
abundance distribution for the object, whether we look at abundance maps or
integrated fluxes from specified morphological structures. The results indicate
that special care should be taken with the calibration of the data and that
only data with extremely good signal-to-noise ratio and spectral coverage
should be used to ensure the detection of possible spatial variations.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
A Practical Approach To A Low Protein Diet In Brazil
Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an emerging health public problem in Brazil. Nutritional counseling with focus on protein restriction is a promising strategy to treatment of nondialysis CKD patients due its effects on slowing renal loss. However, Brazilian people have high protein intake, which is a challenge when low protein diet (LPD) should be prescribed. This review describes a practical approach to the dietetic management of nondialysis CKD patients in Brazil. Discussion: Although Brazilian cuisine varies greatly by region, Brazil has current trends of incorporating Western dietary habits, including high intake of red meat. Traditional plant-based foods, such as rice and beans, are also important contributors to the high protein content to the Brazilian diet. Thus, a successful implementation of LPD requires adaptation of these dietary habits, with reduction of portion sizes and adequate food substitution options. Intensive nutritional counseling with specialized renal dietitians is also important to improve compliance to the LPD. Moreover, the precarious health system organization and economic problems are barriers to nutritional care, which could be solved with intensive and specialized perspectives of treatment. Summary: The adherence to protein restriction is important for better metabolic and clinical control of nondialysis CKD patients. Early dietetic attention, nutrition education strategies and intensive specialized nutritional counseling are essential to achieve diet habits that promote adherence to the LPD without excluding cultural characteristics of the Brazilian diet. © 2016 The Author(s).17
Unpacking the ‘developing’ country classification: origins and hierarchies
The division of the world into ‘developing’ and ‘developed’ countries has grown increasingly problematic in the past decades. Nonetheless, it remains embedded in legal documents, foreign policy discourse, and colloquial use. This paper explores this complexity by unpacking the different ways in which the ‘developing’ label is used in the international system. It argues that understanding the complexity around its use requires a rigorous analysis of the label’s diverse meanings and consequences. This is done by introducing a taxonomy that intersects two elements: (1) the source of the classification (External or Internal) and (2) the kind of hierarchy implied in the classification (Narrow or Broad). This two-by-two matrix generates four approaches in which the ‘developing’ vs ‘developed’ dichotomy is used: Technocratic, Elective, Northern Gaze, and Southern Solidarity. Each approach is explored empirically, illustrated by cases connected to international organizations and multilateral treaties. In doing so, the paper teases out the underlying reasons why the use of the dichotomy is so challenging, based on what kinds of contestation it generates, and which actors are pushing for demise or longevity (and where)
Lattice-Boltzmann Method for Non-Newtonian Fluid Flows
We study an ad hoc extension of the Lattice-Boltzmann method that allows the
simulation of non-Newtonian fluids described by generalized Newtonian models.
We extensively test the accuracy of the method for the case of shear-thinning
and shear-thickening truncated power-law fluids in the parallel plate geometry,
and show that the relative error compared to analytical solutions decays
approximately linear with the lattice resolution. Finally, we also tested the
method in the reentrant-flow geometry, in which the shear-rate is no-longer a
scalar and the presence of two singular points requires high accuracy in order
to obtain satisfactory resolution in the local stress near these points. In
this geometry, we also found excellent agreement with the solutions obtained by
standard finite-element methods, and the agreement improves with higher lattice
resolution
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