1,009 research outputs found
Spatio-temporal behaviour of atomic-scale tribo-ceramic films in adaptive surface engineered nano-materials
Atomic-scale, tribo-ceramic films associated with dissipative structures formation are discovered under extreme frictional conditions which trigger self-organization. For the first time, we present an actual image of meta-stable protective tribo-ceramics within thicknesses of a few atomic layers. A mullite and sapphire structure predominates in these phases. They act as thermal barriers with an amazing energy soaking/ dissipating capacity. Less protective tribo-films cannot sustain in these severe conditions and rapidly wear out. Therefore, a functional hierarchy is established. The created tribo-films act in synergy, striving to better adapt themselves to external stimuli. Under a highly complex structure and non-equilibrium state, the upcoming generation of adaptive surface engineered nano-multilayer materials behaves like intelligent systems - capable of generating, with unprecedented efficiency, the necessary tribo-films to endure an increasingly severe environment
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Interactions of selected bacterial isolates with DBT and solubilized coal
We are studying the interactions of isolated bacteria with dibenzothiophene (DBT), a sulfur-containing model compound, and with a solubilized coal product derived from a high-organic-sulfur lignite. The sensitivity of the tetrazolium assay used to identify and study these strains was improved by substituting tetrazolium violet for triphenyltetrazolium. DBT metabolism by thirteen strains was investigated using qualitative and quantitative GC and GC-MS analyses. Growth medium and incubation time affect the extent of DBT degradation and the production of DBT metabolites. Under specific conditions, seven of the strains produce metabolites which elute close to the position of one or another of the biphenyl standards. However, when these samples are spiked with the standard compounds, the bacterial metabolites do not co-elute with the standards. The modification of solubilized high-organic-sulfur coal by six of these strains was also studied. No selective removal of sulfur relative to carbon was observed. 13 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs
Radiative Corrections to One-Photon Decays of Hydrogenic Ions
Radiative corrections to the decay rate of n=2 states of hydrogenic ions are
calculated. The transitions considered are the M1 decay of the 2s state to the
ground state and the E1(M2) decays of the and states to
the ground state. The radiative corrections start in order , but the method used sums all orders of . The leading
correction for the E1 decays is calculated and compared
with the exact result. The extension of the calculational method to parity
nonconserving transitions in neutral atoms is discussed.Comment: 22 pages, 2 figure
The braid groups of the projective plane and the Fadell-Neuwirth short exact sequence
International audienceWe study the pure braid groups of the real projective plane , and in particular the possible splitting of the Fadell-Neuwirth short exact sequence , where and , and is the homomorphism which corresponds geometrically to forgetting the last strings. This problem is equivalent to that of the existence of a section for the associated fibration of configuration spaces. Van Buskirk proved in 1966 that and admit a section if and . Our main result in this paper is to prove that there is no section if . As a corollary, it follows that and are the only values for which a section exists. As part of the proof, we derive a presentation of : this appears to be the first time that such a presentation has been given in the literature
Nonreciprocal transmission and reflection of a chirally coupled quantum dot
We report strongly non-reciprocal behaviour for quantum dot exciton spins coupled to nano-photonic waveguides under resonant laser excitation. A clear dependence of the transmission spectrum on the propagation direction is found for a chirally-coupled quantum dot, with spin up and spin down exciton spins coupling to the left and right propagation directions respectively. The reflection signal shows an opposite trend to the transmission, which a numerical model indicates is due to direction-selective saturation of the quantum dot. The chiral spin-photon interface we demonstrate breaks reciprocity of the system and opens the way to spin-based quantum optical components such as optical diodes and circulators in a chip-based solid-state environment
The delta-function-kicked rotor: Momentum diffusion and the quantum-classical boundary
We investigate the quantum-classical transition in the delta-kicked rotor and
the attainment of the classical limit in terms of measurement-induced
state-localization. It is possible to study the transition by fixing the
environmentally induced disturbance at a sufficiently small value, and
examining the dynamics as the system is made more macroscopic. When the system
action is relatively small, the dynamics is quantum mechanical and when the
system action is sufficiently large there is a transition to classical
behavior. The dynamics of the rotor in the region of transition, characterized
by the late-time momentum diffusion coefficient, can be strikingly different
from both the purely quantum and classical results. Remarkably, the early time
diffusive behavior of the quantum system, even when different from its
classical counterpart, is stabilized by the continuous measurement process.
This shows that such measurements can succeed in extracting essentially quantum
effects. The transition regime studied in this paper is accessible in ongoing
experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, revtex4 (revised version contains much more
introductory material
Cost calculation and prediction in adult intensive care: A ground-up utilization study
Publisher's copy made available with the permission of the publisherThe ability of various proxy cost measures, including therapeutic activity scores (TISS and Omega) and cumulative daily severity of illness scores, to predict individual ICU patient costs was assessed in a prospective “ground-up” utilization costing study over a six month period in 1991. Daily activity (TISS and Omega scores) and utilization in consecutive admissions to three adult university associated ICUs was recorded by dedicated data collectors. Cost prediction used linear regression with determination (80%) and validation (20%) data sets. The cohort, 1333 patients, had a mean (SD) age 57.5 (19.4) years, (41% female) and admission APACHE III score of 58 (27). ICU length of stay and mortality were 3.9 (6.1) days and 17.6% respectively. Mean total TISS and Omega scores were 117 (157) and 72 (113) respectively. Mean patient costs per ICU episode (1991 6801 (2534, range 95,602. Dominant cost fractions were nursing 43.3% and overheads 16.9%. Inflation adjusted year 2002 (mean) costs were AUS). Total costs in survivors were predicted by Omega score, summed APACHE III score and ICU length of stay; determination R2, 0.91; validation 0.88. Omega was the preferred activity score. Without the Omega score, predictors were age, summed APACHE III score and ICU length of stay; determination R2, 0.73; validation 0.73. In non-survivors, predictors were age and ICU length of stay (plus interaction), and Omega score (determination R2, 0.97; validation 0.91). Patient costs may be predicted by a combination of ICU activity indices and severity scores.J. L. Moran, A. R. Peisach, P. J. Solomon, J. Martinhttp://www.aaic.net.au/Article.asp?D=200403
Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector
A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results
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