Group projector generalization of dirac-heisenberg model

The general form of the operators commuting with the ground representation (appearing in many physical problems within single particle approximation) of the group is found. With help of the modified group projector technique, this result is applied to the system of identical particles with spin independent interaction, to derive the Dirac-Heisenberg hamiltonian and its effective space for arbitrary orbital occupation numbers and arbitrary spin. This gives transparent insight into the physical contents of this hamiltonian, showing that formal generalizations with spin greater than 1/2 involve nontrivial additional physical assumptions.Comment: 10 page

Modified group projectors: tight binding method

Modified group projector technique for induced representations is a powerful tool for calculation and symmetry quantum numbers assignation of a tight binding Hamiltonian energy bands of crystals. Namely, the induced type structure of such a Hamiltonian enables efficient application of the procedure: only the interior representations of the orbit stabilizers are to be considered. Then the generalized Bloch eigen functions are obtained naturally by the expansion to the whole state space. The method is applied to the electronic pi-bands of the single wall carbon nanotubes: together with dispersion relations, their complete symmetry assignation by the full symmetry (line) groups and the corresponding symmetry-adapted eigen function are found.Comment: 10 pages 1 figur

Super-slippery Carbon Nanotubes: Symmetry Breaking breaks friction

The friction between the walls of multi-wall carbon nanotubes is shown to be extremely low in general, with important details related to the specific choice of the walls. This is governed by a simple expression revealing that the phenomenon is a profound consequence of the specific symmetry breaking: super-slippery sliding of the incommensurate walls is a Goldstone mode. Three universal principles of tribology, offering a recipe for the lubricant selection are emphasized.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, 1 table; pdf available from: http://www.ff.bg.ac.yu/qmf/qsg_e.ht

Symmetry Based Properties of the Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Nanotubes

The full geometrical symmetry groups (the line groups) of the monolayered, 2Hb and 3R polytypes of the inorganic MoS2 and WS2 micro- and nanotubes of arbitrary chirality are found. This is used to find the coordinates of the representative atoms sufficient to determine completely geometrical structure of tubes. Then some physical properties which can be deduced from the symmetry are discussed: electron band degeneracies, selection rules, general forms of the second rank tensors and potentials, phonon spectra.Comment: 6 pages 1 figur

The "ACT-ive" pursuit of loss and gain : the impact of an acceptance and commitment therapy-based intervention on post weight-loss surgery individuals : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Clinical Psychology at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand

Obesity prevalence continues to increase at an alarming rate worldwide and poses serious health risks to those affected including increased morbidity, mortality, and psychosocial consequences. Weight-loss surgery is currently the best evidence-based treatment for obesity yet, substantial postoperative weight regain is reported within 2-5 years. Successful weight management is complicated when longstanding psychological difficulties are present, that often require psychological input to address. In response, a private weight-loss surgery clinic has developed an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based (ACT) Intervention entitled the Foundations of Healthy Living (FOHL) Retreat with the aim of improving weight-loss surgery outcomes by providing greater support to individuals in the post-operative period. In this thesis, an exploration of the efficacy of the FOHL Retreat is conducted. A quasi-experiment pretest posttest non-equivalent control group design is utilised to investigate the impacts of the intervention on weight-related experiential avoidance, eating behaviour, and body mass index (BMI) over time. An additional supplementary exploration into participants’ relationships with food, eating, and their bodies pre- and post-surgically is undertaken using open-text response format questions. Those who attended the Retreat were also asked to share their perspectives on how their participation in the intervention affected their psychological wellbeing. The main findings of the study showed that the ACT-based intervention demonstrated significant effects on several of the variables of interest, in particular, disordered eating and BMI. These effects were mediated by improvements in weight-related experiential avoidance, suggesting the importance of focussing on targeting experiential avoidance as a key mechanism of change in positive postoperative psychological and weight outcomes. The qualitative component of this study expanded on these findings, identifying several key themes present in the experiences of individuals both prior to, and following, weight-loss surgery. Additionally, qualitative responses provided further insight as to the psychological changes participants experienced. Taken together, these findings highlight firstly, the importance of addressing the psychological needs of weight-loss surgery individuals, and secondly, the value of ACT in augmenting surgical outcomes. The results presented here also offer suggestions for further development and future dissemination of such interventions for this population

Organised Crime and State Sovereignty - The conflict between the Mexican state and drug cartels 2006-2011

Since December 2006, the government of Mexico has been embroiled in a battle against numerous criminal organisations seeking to control territory and assure continued flow of revenue through the production and trafficking of drugs. Although this struggle has been well documented in Mexican and international media, it has not received as much scholarly attention due to the difficulties involved with assessing current phenomena. This thesis seeks to play a small part in filling that gap by exploring how and why the drug cartels in Mexico have proved a challenge to Mexico’s domestic sovereignty and the state’s capacity to have monopoly over the use of force, maintain effective and legitimate law enforcement, and to exercise control over its territory. The thesis will explain how the violence, corruption and subversion of the state’s authority have resulted in a shift of the dynamics of power from state agents to criminal organizations in Mexico. It also suggests implications for domestic sovereignty in regions experiencing similar problems with organized crime, perhaps pointing to a wider trend in international politics in the era of globalization

FOLLOW-UP OF BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND INTENSITY OF OXIDATIVE STRESS IN PATIENTS WITH EXTRAHEPATHIC CHOLESTASIS

In cholestasis, due to impossibility of gall flow into duodenum, there occurs a subsequent return of gall constituents to hepatocytes and circulation. Extrahepatic cholestasis is the result of mechanic obstacle of gall flow through ductus hepaticus, choledochus or papilla Vateri, leading to the occurrence of manifest icterus. In cases leading to liver damage, hydrophobic gall salts and non-conjugated bilirubins have the most important toxic effects.The aim of this study was to follow up the biochemical parameters, enzyme activity AST, ALT, *-GT and AF, bilirubin concentration and albumins, and intensity of oxidative stress in blood plasma in patients with different types of extrahepatic cholestasis.The study included 60 subjects divided into two groups. The first one was control group (30 healthy subjects), while II group involved 30 patients with intraluminar extrahepatic obstruction.Significant increase of enzyme activity of AST, ALT, *-GT and AF in plasma of cholestatic patients was present in comparison to the control group (p< 0,001). The levels of total direct and indirect bilirubin in plasma of cholestatic patients increased (p<0,001) when compared to the control group. The level of albumin in plasma of cholestatic patients significantly decreased in comparison to the control group (p<0,05). The intensity of oxidative stress measured through the levels of malondialdehide (MDA) and carbonyl group concentration in plasma of cholestatic patients increased (p<0,001) when compared to the control group.Significant increase of cholestasis enzyme markers (AST, ALT, *-GT and AF) and bilirubin levels in blood plasma was noticed in patients with extrahepatic cholestasis. Cholestasis leads to significant disorders of synthetic function of the liver that are manifested by decrease of albumin concentration in plasma