5,072 research outputs found
Stability of Few-Charge Systems in Quantum Mechanics
We consider non-relativistic systems in quantum mechanics interacting through
the Coulomb potential, and discuss the existence of bound states which are
stable against spontaneous dissociation into smaller atoms or ions. We review
the studies that have been made of specific mass configurations and also the
properties of the domain of stability in the space of masses or inverse masses.
These rigorous results are supplemented by numerical investigations using
accurate variational methods. A section is devoted to systems of three
arbitrary charges and another to molecules in a world with two
space-dimensions.Comment: 101 pages, review articl
Shell model on a random gaussian basis
Pauli-projected random gaussians are used as a representation to solve the
shell model equations. The elements of the representation are chosen by a
variational procedure. This scheme is particularly suited to describe cluster
formation and cluster decay in nuclei. It overcomes the basis-size problem of
the ordinary shell model and the technical difficulties of the
cluster-configuration shell model. The model reproduces the -decay
width of Po satisfactorily.Comment: Latex, Submitted to Phys. Lett. B, 7 pages, 2 figures available upon
request, ATOMKI-1994-
Interaction-assisted propagation of Coulomb-correlated electron-hole pairs in disordered semiconductors
A two-band model of a disordered semiconductor is used to analyze dynamical
interaction induced weakening of localization in a system that is accessible to
experimental verification. The results show a dependence on the sign of the
two-particle interaction and on the optical excitation energy of the
Coulomb-correlated electron-hole pair.Comment: 4 pages and 3 ps figure
Second bound state of the positronium molecule and biexcitons
A new, hitherto unknown bound state of the positronium molecule, with orbital
angular momentum L=1 and negative parity is reported. This state is stable
against autodissociation even if the masses of the positive and negative
charges are not equal. The existence of a similar state in two-dimension has
also been investigated. The fact that the biexcitons have a second bound state
may help the better understanding of their binding mechanism.Comment: Latex, 8 pages, 2 Postscript figure
Lytic and mechanical stability of clots composed of fibrin and blood vessel wall components.
Background
Proteases expressed in atherosclerotic plaque lesions generate collagen fragments, release glycosaminoglycans (chondroitin sulfate [CS] and dermatan sulfate [DS]) and expose extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins (e.g. decorin) at sites of fibrin formation.
Objective
Here we address the effect of these vessel wall components on the lysis of fibrin by the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA)/plasminogen system and on the mechanical stability of clots.
Methods and results
MMP-8-digested collagen fragments, isolated CS, DS, glycosylated decorin and its core protein were used to prepare mixed matrices with fibrin (additives present at a 50-fold lower mass concentration than fibrinogen). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the presence of ECM components resulted in a coarse fibrin structure, most pronounced for glycosylated decorin causing an increase in the median fiber diameter from 85 to 187 nm. Rheological measurements indicated that these structural alterations were coupled to decreased shear resistance (1.8-fold lower shear stress needed for gel/fluid transition of the clots containing glycosylated decorin) and rigidity (reduction of the storage modulus from 54.3 to 33.2 Pa). The lytic susceptibility of the modified fibrin structures was increased. The time to 50% lysis by plasmin was reduced approximately 2-fold for all investigated ECM components (apart from the core protein of decorin which produced a moderate reduction of the lysis time by 25%), whereas fibrin-dependent plasminogen activation by tPA was inhibited by up to 30%.
Conclusion
ECM components compromise the chemical and mechanical stability of fibrin as a result of changes in its ultrastructure
Off-diagonal disorder in the Anderson model of localization
We examine the localization properties of the Anderson Hamiltonian with
additional off-diagonal disorder using the transfer-matrix method and
finite-size scaling. We compute the localization lengths and study the
metal-insulator transition (MIT) as a function of diagonal disorder, as well as
its energy dependence. Furthermore we investigate the different influence of
odd and even system sizes on the localization properties in quasi
one-dimensional systems. Applying the finite-size scaling approach in
conjunction with a nonlinear fitting procedure yields the critical parameters
of the MIT. In three dimensions, we find that the resulting critical exponent
of the localization length agrees with the exponent for the Anderson model with
pure diagonal disorder.Comment: 12 pages including 4 EPS figures, accepted for publication in phys.
stat. sol. (b
Global-Vector Representation of the Angular Motion of Few-Particle Systems II
The angular motion of a few-body system is described with global vectors
which depend on the positions of the particles. The previous study using a
single global vector is extended to make it possible to describe both natural
and unnatural parity states. Numerical examples include three- and four-nucleon
systems interacting via nucleon-nucleon potentials of AV8 type and a 3
system with a nonlocal potential. The results using the
explicitly correlated Gaussian basis with the global vectors are shown to be in
good agreement with those of other methods. A unique role of the unnatural
parity component, caused by the tensor force, is clarified in the state
of He. Two-particle correlation function is calculated in the coordinate
and momentum spaces to show different characteristics of the interactions
employed.Comment: 39 pages, 4 figure
Shortening the length of stay and mechanical ventilation time by using positive suggestions via MP3 players for ventilated patients
Long stay in intensive care unit (ICU) and prolonged ventilation are deleterious for subsequent quality of life and surcharge financial capacity. We have already demonstrated the beneficial effects of using suggestive communication on recovery time during intensive care. The aim of our present study was to prove the same effects with standardized positive suggestive message delivered by an MP3 player. Patients ventilated in ICU were randomized into a control group receiving standard ICU treatment and two groups with a standardized pre-recorded material delivered via headphones: a suggestive message about safety, self-control, and recovery for the study group and a relaxing music for the music group. Groups were similar in terms of age, gender, and mortality, but the SAPS II scores were higher in the study group than that in the controls (57.8 ± 23.6 vs. 30.1 ± 15.5 and 33.7 ± 17.4). Our post-hoc analysis results showed that the length of ICU stay (134.2 ± 73.3 vs. 314.2 ± 178.4 h) and the time spent on ventilator (85.2 ± 34.9 vs. 232.0 ± 165.6 h) were significantly shorter in the study group compared to the unified control. The advantage of the structured positive suggestive message was proven against both music and control groups
Probing pattern and dynamics of disulfide bridges using synthesis and NMR of an ion channel blocker peptide toxin with multiple diselenide bonds
Anuroctoxin (AnTx), a 35-amino-acid scorpion toxin containing four disulfide bridges, is a high affinity blocker of the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.3, but also blocks Kv1.2. To improve potential therapeutic use of the toxin, we have designed a double substituted analog, [N17A/F32T]-AnTx, which showed comparable Kv1.3 affinity to the wild-type peptide, but also a 2500-fold increase in the selectivity for Kv1.3 over Kv1.2. In the present study we have achieved the chemical synthesis of a Sec-analog in which all cysteine (Cys) residues have been replaced by selenocysteine (Sec) forming four diselenide bonds. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time to replace, by chemical synthesis, all disulfide bonds with isosteric diselenides in a peptide/protein. Gratifyingly, the key pharmacological properties of the Sec-[N17A/F32T]-AnTx are retained since the peptide is functionally active. We also propose here a combined experimental and theoretical approach including NOE- and Se-77-based NMR supplemented by MD simulations for conformational and dynamic characterization of the Sec-[N17A/F32T]-AnTx. Using this combined approach allowed us to attain unequivocal assignment of all four diselenide bonds and supplemental MD simulations allowed characterization of the conformational dynamics around each disulfide/diselenide bridge
One-parameter Superscaling at the Metal-Insulator Transition in Three Dimensions
Based on the spectral statistics obtained in numerical simulations on three
dimensional disordered systems within the tight--binding approximation, a new
superuniversal scaling relation is presented that allows us to collapse data
for the orthogonal, unitary and symplectic symmetry () onto a
single scaling curve. This relation provides a strong evidence for
one-parameter scaling existing in these systems which exhibit a second order
phase transition. As a result a possible one-parameter family of spacing
distribution functions, , is given for each symmetry class ,
where is the dimensionless conductance.Comment: 4 pages in PS including 3 figure
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