Distribution of averages in a correlated Gaussian medium as a tool for the estimation of the cluster distribution on size

Calculation of the distribution of the average value of a Gaussian random field in a finite domain is carried out for different cases. The results of the calculation demonstrate a strong dependence of the width of the distribution on the spatial correlations of the field. Comparison with the simulation results for the distribution of the size of the cluster indicates that the distribution of an average field could serve as a useful tool for the estimation of the asymptotic behavior of the distribution of the size of the clusters for "deep" clusters where value of the field on each site is much greater than the rms disorder.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, RevTe

Carbon cage-like materials as potential low work function metallic compounds: Case of clathrates

We present an ab-initio calculation of the electronic affinity of the hypothetical C-46 clathrate by studying its bare and hydrogenated (100) surfaces. We show that such a system shares with the diamond phase a small electronic affinity. Further, contrary to the diamond phase, the possibility of doping endohedrally these cage-like systems allows to significantly raise the position of the Fermi level, resulting in a true metal with a small work function. This is illustrated in the case of the Li8@C-46 doped compound. Such a class of materials might be of much interest for the design of electron-emitting devices.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, RevTe

The fate of quasiparticles in the superconducting state

Quasiparticle properties in the superconducting state are masked by the superfluid and are not directly accessible to infrared spectroscopy. We show how one can use a Kramers--Kronig transformation to separate the quasiparticle from superfluid response and extract intrinsic quasiparticle properties in the superconducting state. We also address the issue of a narrow quasiparticle peak observed in microwave measurements, and demonstrate how it can be combined with infrared measurements to obtain unified picture of electrodynamic properties of cuprate superconductors

A deep learning approach to diabetic blood glucose prediction

We consider the question of 30-minute prediction of blood glucose levels measured by continuous glucose monitoring devices, using clinical data. While most studies of this nature deal with one patient at a time, we take a certain percentage of patients in the data set as training data, and test on the remainder of the patients; i.e., the machine need not re-calibrate on the new patients in the data set. We demonstrate how deep learning can outperform shallow networks in this example. One novelty is to demonstrate how a parsimonious deep representation can be constructed using domain knowledge

Superconductivity-Induced Transfer of In-Plane Spectral Weight in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8: Resolving a Controversy

We present a detailed analysis of the superconductivity-induced redistribution of optical spectral weight in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 near optimal doping. It confirms the previous conclusion by Molegraaf et al. (Science 66, 2239 (2002)), that the integrated low-frequency spectral weight shows an extra increase below Tc. Since the region, where the change of the integrated spectral weight is not compensated, extends well above 2.5 eV, this transfer is caused by the transfer of spectral weight from interband to intraband region and only partially by the narrowing of the intraband peak. We show that the opposite assertion by Boris et al. (Science 304, 708 (2004)) regarding this compound, is unlikely the consequence of any obvious discrepancies between the actual experimental data.Comment: ReVTeX, 9 pages, 8 encapsulated postscript figures, several typo's correcte

Parafermions, parabosons and representations of so(\infty) and osp(1|\infty)

The goal of this paper is to give an explicit construction of the Fock spaces of the parafermion and the paraboson algebra, for an infinite set of generators. This is equivalent to constructing certain unitary irreducible lowest weight representations of the (infinite rank) Lie algebra so(\infty) and of the Lie superalgebra osp(1|\infty). A complete solution to the problem is presented, in which the Fock spaces have basis vectors labelled by certain infinite but stable Gelfand-Zetlin patterns, and the transformation of the basis is given explicitly. We also present expressions for the character of the Fock space representations

Emergence of a negative charging energy in a metallic dot capacitively coupled to a superconducting island

We consider the hybrid setup formed by a metallic dot, capacitively coupled to a superconducting island S connected to a bulk superconductor by a Josephson junction. Charge fluctuations in S act as a dynamical gate and overscreen the electronic repulsion in the metallic dot, producing an attractive interaction between two additional electrons. As the offset charge of the metallic dot is increased, the dot charging curve shows positive steps ($+2e$) followed by negative ones ($-e$) signaling the occurrence of a negative differential capacitance. A proposal for experimental detection is given, and potential applications in nanoelectronics are mentioned.Comment: Revised version, 4 pages, 4 figure

Discovery of Two Simultaneous Kilohertz Quasi-Periodic Oscillations in KS 1731-260

We have discovered two simultaneous quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) at 898.3+/-3.3 Hz and 1158.6+/-9.0 Hz in the 1996 August 1 observation of the low-mass X-ray binary KS 1731-260 with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer. The rms amplitude and FWHM of the lower frequency QPO were 5.3+/-0.7 % and 22+/-8 Hz, whereas those of the higher frequency QPO were 5.2+/-1.0 % and 37+/-21 Hz. At low inferred mass accretion rate both QPOs are visible, at slightly higher mass accretion rate the lower frequency QPO disappears and the frequency of the higher frequency QPO increases to ~1178 Hz. At the highest inferred mass accretion rate this QPO is only marginally detectable (2.1 sigma) near 1207 Hz, which is the highest frequency so far observed in an X-ray binary. The frequency difference (260.3+/-9.6 Hz) between the QPOs is equal to half the frequency of the oscillations observed in a type I burst in this source (at 523.92+/-0.05 Hz, Smith, Morgan and Bradt 1997). This suggests that the neutron star spin frequency is 261.96 Hz (3.8 ms), and that the lower frequency QPO is the beat between the higher frequency QPO, which could be a preferred orbital frequency around the neutron star, and the neutron star spin. During the 1996 August 31 observation we detected an additional QPO at 26.9+/-2.3 Hz, with a FWHM and rms amplitude of 11+/-5 Hz and 3.4+/-0.6 %.Comment: 6 pages including 3 figures, Astrophysical Journal Letters, in press (issue 482

Time-and-motion tool for the assessment of working time in tuberculosis laboratories: a multicentre study

SETTING: Implementation of novel diagnostic assays in tuberculosis (TB) laboratory diagnosis requires effective management of time and resources. OBJECTIVE: To further develop and assess at multiple centres a time-and-motion (T&M) tool as an objective means for recording the actual time spent on running laboratory assays. DESIGN: Multicentre prospective study conducted in six European Union (EU) reference TB laboratories. RESULTS: A total of 1060 specimens were tested using four laboratory assays. The number of specimens per batch varied from one to 60; a total of 64 recordings were performed. Theoretical hands-on times per specimen (TTPS) in h:min:s for Xpert® MTB/RIF, mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number of tandem repeats genotyping, Ziehl-Neelsen staining and manual fluorescence microscopy were respectively 00:33:02 ± 00:12:32, 00:13:34 ± 00:03:11, 00:09:54 ± 00:00:53 and 00:06:23 ± 00:01:36. Variations between laboratories were predominantly linked to the time spent on reporting and administrative procedures. Processing specimens in batches could help save time in highly automated assays (e.g., line-probe) (TTPS 00:14:00 vs. 00:09:45 for batches comprising 7 and 31 specimens, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The T&M tool can be considered a universal and objective methodology contributing to workload assessment in TB diagnostic laboratories. Comparison of workload between laboratories could help laboratory managers justify their resource and personnel needs for the implementation of novel, time-saving, cost-effective technologies, as well as identify areas for improvement

The two colors of MgB2

We present the anisotropic optical conductivity of MgB$_{2}$ between 0.1 and 3.7 eV at room temperature obtained on single crystals of different purity by the spectroscopic ellipsometry and reflectance measurements. The bare (unscreened) plasma frequency $\omega_{p}$ is almost isotropic and equal to 6.3 eV, which contrasts some earlier reports of a very small value of $\omega_{p}$. The data suggests that the $\sigma$-bands are characterized by a stronger electron-phonon coupling $\lambda_ {tr}$ but smaller impurity scattering $\gamma_{imp}$, compared to the $\pi$-bands. The optical response along the boron planes is marked by an intense interband transition at 2.6 eV, due to which the reflectivity plasma edges along the a- and c-axes are shifted with respect to each other. As a result, the sample spectacularly changes color from a blueish-silver to the yellow as the polarization is rotated from the in-plane direction towards the c-axis. The optical spectra are in good agreement with the published {\it ab initio} calculations. The remaining discrepancies can be explained by the relative shift of $\sigma$-bands and $\pi$-bands by about 0.2 eV compared to the theoretical band structure, in agreement with the de Haas-van Alphen experiments. The widths of the Drude and the interband peaks are both very sensitive to the sample purity.Comment: 11 pages, 13 figure