The Importance of Stealth: Recent Findings with the Eye-in-the-Sea Deep-Sea Observatory

The Eye-in-the-Sea (EITS) observatory was designed to be acoustically quiet and to use far-red illumination to observe deep-sea animals unobtrusively. The EITS has clearly demonstrated the critical importance of stealth in research ocean observatories. Its use has revealed both animals and behaviors never seen before. Additionally recordings of animal activity under different lighting conditions and in the presence or absence of different sound-producing vehicles (ROVs and submersibles) have revealed to what extent tools for exploration bias observations. Recent recordings made during a 2007 NOAA Ocean Exploration mission to deep waters around the Bahamas provide excellent additional examples of the importance of stealth. During three 36 hr deployments, at 487, 548 and 694 m, at least nine species of deep-sea shark were recorded. A clear diurnal rhythm was apparent with smaller sharks such as Squalus cubensis seen during the day and larger sharks such as Hexanchus griseus at night. Examples of recordings made of unusual behaviors will be shown including bottom-rooting by six-gill sharks and different swimming behaviors of barracudinas (Paralepididae) under red light as compared to white light

Operator solutions for fractional Fokker-Planck equations

We obtain exact results for fractional equations of Fokker-Planck type using evolution operator method. We employ exact forms of one-sided Levy stable distributions to generate a set of self-reproducing solutions. Explicit cases are reported and studied for various fractional order of derivatives, different initial conditions, and for different versions of Fokker-Planck operators.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Some Orthogonal Polynomials Arising from Coherent States

We explore in this paper some orthogonal polynomials which are naturally associated to certain families of coherent states, often referred to as nonlinear coherent states in the quantum optics literature. Some examples turn out to be known orthogonal polynomials but in many cases we encounter a general class of new orthogonal polynomials for which we establish several qualitative results.Comment: 21 page

Influence of oxygen ordering kinetics on Raman and optical response in YBa_2Cu_3O_{6.4}

Kinetics of the optical and Raman response in YBa_2Cu_3O_{6.4} were studied during room temperature annealing following heat treatment. The superconducting T_c, dc resistivity, and low-energy optical conductivity recover slowly, implying a long relaxation time for the carrier density. Short relaxation times are observed for the B_{1g} Raman scattering -- magnetic, continuum, and phonon -- and the charge transfer band. Monte Carlo simulations suggest that these two relaxation rates are related to two length scales corresponding to local oxygen ordering (fast) and long chain and twin formation (slow).Comment: REVTeX, 3 pages + 4 PostScript (compressed) figure

Open system approach to the internal dynamics of a model multilevel molecule

A model multilevel molecule described by two sets of rotational internal energy levels of different parity and degenerate ground states, coupled by a constant interaction, is considered, by assuming that the random collisions in a gas of identical molecules, provoke transitions between adjacent energy levels of the same parity. The prescriptions of the continuous time quantum random walk are applied to the single molecule, interpreted as an open quantum system, and the master equation driving its internal dynamics is built for a general distribution of the waiting times between two consecutive collisions. The coherence terms and the populations of the energy levels relax to the asymptotics with inverse power laws for relevant classes of non-Poissonian distributions of the collision times. The stable asymptotic equilibrium configuration is independent of the distribution. The long time dynamics may be hindered by increasing the tail of the distribution density. This effect may be interpreted as the appearance of the quantum Zeno effect over long time scales

Preoperative short-term radiation therapy (25 Gy, 2.5 Gy twice daily) for primary resectable rectal cancer (phase II)

To evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, and long-term bowel function of preoperative hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy in primary resectable rectal cancer. A total of 184 consecutive patients (median age 65 years, male : female=2 : 1) with clinical T3Nx rectal adenocarcinoma received preoperative pelvic radiation therapy with single fractions of 2.5 Gy twice daily (interval 6 h between fractions) to a total dose of 25 Gy within 1 week. Surgery was conducted the following week. Postoperative histology revealed UICC stage I in 33%, stage II in 26%, stage III in 34%, and stage IV in 7% of the patients. Median follow-up was 43 months (53 months for surviving patients). The actuarial 4-year-local-recurrence rate was 2.1%, overall recurrence 23%. Disease-specific and disease-free survivals at 4 years (excluding stage IV) were 82 and 69%, respectively. Overall survival for 4 years was 68%. Postoperative mortality was 0.5% (one patient), early anastomotic leakage occurred in 11.4%, and anastomotic stenosis requiring treatment in 6%, of 132 patients with primary anastomosis. Seven of 184 patients (3.8%) died of abdominal complications, all within the first year. Bowel function was satisfactory after more than 5 years. Local control in primarily resectable rectal cancer after 10 × 2.5 Gy is excellent, warranting further evaluation of this treatment

Upper critical field pecularities of superconducting YNi2B2C and LuNi2B2C

We present new upper critical field Hc2(T) data in a broad temperature region from 0.3K to Tc for LuNi2B2C and YNi2B2C single crystals with well characterized low impurity scattering rates. The absolute values for all T, in particular Hc2(0), and the sizeable positive curvature (PC) of Hc2(T) at high and intermediate T are explained quantitatively within an effective two-band model. The failure of the isotropic single band approach is discussed in detail. Supported by de Haas van Alphen data, the superconductivity reveals direct insight into details of the electronic structure. The observed maximal PC near Tc gives strong evidence for clean limit type II superconductors.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, Phys. Rev. Lett. accepte

Infrared and optical properties of pure and cobalt-doped LuNi_2B_2C

We present optical conductivity data for Lu(Ni$_{1-x}$Co$_x$)$_2$B$_2$C over a wide range of frequencies and temperatures for x=0 and x=0.09. Both materials show evidence of being good Drude metals with the infrared data in reasonable agreement with dc resistivity measurements at low frequencies. An absorption threshold is seen at approximately 700 cm-1. In the cobalt-doped material we see a superconducting gap in the conductivity spectrum with an absorption onset at 24 +/- 2 cm-1 = 3.9$ +/- 0.4 k_BT_c suggestive of weak to moderately strong coupling. The pure material is in the clean limit and no gap can be seen. We discuss the data in terms of the electron-phonon interaction and find that it can be fit below 600 cm-1 with a plasma frequency of 3.3 eV and an electron-phonon coupling constant lambda_{tr}=0.33 using an alpha^{2}F(omega) spectrum fit to the resistivity.Comment: 10 pages with 10 embedded figures, submitted to PR

A Dominated Coupling From The Past algorithm for the stochastic simulation of networks of biochemical reactions

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In recent years, stochastic descriptions of biochemical reactions based on the Master Equation (ME) have become widespread. These are especially relevant for models involving gene regulation. Gillespie’s Stochastic Simulation Algorithm (SSA) is the most widely used method for the numerical evaluation of these models. The SSA produces exact samples from the distribution of the ME for finite times. However, if the stationary distribution is of interest, the SSA provides no information about convergence or how long the algorithm needs to be run to sample from the stationary distribution with given accuracy. </p> <p>Results</p> <p>We present a proof and numerical characterization of a Perfect Sampling algorithm for the ME of networks of biochemical reactions prevalent in gene regulation and enzymatic catalysis. Our algorithm combines the SSA with Dominated Coupling From The Past (DCFTP) techniques to provide guaranteed sampling from the stationary distribution. The resulting DCFTP-SSA is applicable to networks of reactions with uni-molecular stoichiometries and sub-linear, (anti-) monotone propensity functions. We showcase its applicability studying steady-state properties of stochastic regulatory networks of relevance in synthetic and systems biology.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The DCFTP-SSA provides an extension to Gillespie’s SSA with guaranteed sampling from the stationary solution of the ME for a broad class of stochastic biochemical networks.</p