Parametric Evolution for a Deformed Cavity

We consider a classically chaotic system that is described by a Hamiltonian H(Q,P;x), where (Q,P) describes a particle moving inside a cavity, and x controls a deformation of the boundary. The quantum-eigenstates of the system are |n(x)>. We describe how the parametric kernel P(n|m) = , also known as the local density of states, evolves as a function of x-x0. We illuminate the non-unitary nature of this parametric evolution, the emergence of non-perturbative features, the final non-universal saturation, and the limitations of random-wave considerations. The parametric evolution is demonstrated numerically for two distinct representative deformation processes.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, improved introduction, to be published in Phys. Rev.

Wigner Random Banded Matrices with Sparse Structure: Local Spectral Density of States

Random banded matrices with linearly increasing diagonal elements are recently considered as an attractive model for complex nuclei and atoms. Apart from early papers by Wigner \cite{Wig} there were no analytical studies on the subject. In this letter we present analytical and numerical results for local spectral density of states (LDOS) for more general case of matrices with a sparsity inside the band. The crossover from the semicircle form of LDOS to that given by the Breit-Wigner formula is studied in detail.Comment: Misprints are corrected and stylistic changes are made. To be published in PR

Reduction of circulating cholesterol and apolipoprotein levels during sepsis

Sepsis with multiple organ failure is frequently associated with a substantial decrease of cholesterol levels. This decrease of cholesterol is strongly associated with mortality suggesting a direct relation between inflammatory conditions and altered cholesterol homeostasis. The host response during sepsis is mediated by cytokines and growth factors, which are capable of influencing lipid metabolism. Conversely lipoproteins are also capable of modulating cytokine production during the inflammatory response. Therefore the decrease in circulating cholesterol levels seems to play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of sepsis. In this review the interaction between cytokines and lipid metabolism and its clinical consequences will be discussed

E10 and SO(9,9) invariant supergravity

We show that (massive) D=10 type IIA supergravity possesses a hidden rigid SO(9,9) symmetry and a hidden local SO(9) x SO(9) symmetry upon dimensional reduction to one (time-like) dimension. We explicitly construct the associated locally supersymmetric Lagrangian in one dimension, and show that its bosonic sector, including the mass term, can be equivalently described by a truncation of an E10/K(E10) non-linear sigma-model to the level \ell<=2 sector in a decomposition of E10 under its so(9,9) subalgebra. This decomposition is presented up to level 10, and the even and odd level sectors are identified tentatively with the Neveu--Schwarz and Ramond sectors, respectively. Further truncation to the level \ell=0 sector yields a model related to the reduction of D=10 type I supergravity. The hyperbolic Kac--Moody algebra DE10, associated to the latter, is shown to be a proper subalgebra of E10, in accord with the embedding of type I into type IIA supergravity. The corresponding decomposition of DE10 under so(9,9) is presented up to level 5.Comment: 1+39 pages LaTeX2e, 2 figures, 2 tables, extended tables obtainable by downloading sourc

Propagation of travelling waves in sub-excitable systems driven by noise and periodic forcing

It has been reported that traveling waves propagate periodically and stably in sub-excitable systems driven by noise [Phys. Rev. Lett. \textbf{88}, 138301 (2002)]. As a further investigation, here we observe different types of traveling waves under different noises and periodic forces, using a simplified Oregonator model. Depending on different noises and periodic forces, we have observed different types of wave propagation (or their disappearance). Moreover, the reversal phenomena are observed in this system based on the numerical experiments in the one-dimensional space. As an explanation, we regard it as the effect of periodic forces. Thus, we give qualitative explanations to how reversal phenomena stably appear, which seem to arise from the mixing function of the periodic force and the noise. And the output period and three velocities (the normal, the positive and the negative) of the travelling waves are defined and their relationship with the periodic forces, along with the types of waves, are also studied in sub-excitable system under a fixed noise intensity.Comment: Some references and information are added in the modified version. Accepted, The European Physical Journal

Technology Directions for the 21st Century

New technologies will unleash the huge capacity of fiber-optic cable to meet growing demands for bandwidth. Companies will continue to replace private networks with public network bandwidth-on-demand. Although asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) is the transmission technology favored by many, its penetration will be slower than anticipated. Hybrid networks - e.g., a mix of ATM, frame relay, and fast Ethernet - may predominate, both as interim and long-term solutions, based on factors such as availability, interoperability, and cost. Telecommunications equipment and services prices will decrease further due to increased supply and more competition. Explosive Internet growth will continue, requiring additional backbone transmission capacity and enhanced protocols, but it is not clear who will fund the upgrade. Within ten years, space-based constellations of satellites in Low Earth orbit (LEO) will serve mobile users employing small, low-power terminals. 'Little LEO's' will provide packet transmission services and geo-position determination. 'Big LEO's' will function as global cellular telephone networks, with some planning to offer video and interactive multimedia services. Geosynchronous satellites also are proposed for mobile voice grade links and high-bandwidth services. NASA may benefit from resulting cost reductions in components, space hardware, launch services, and telecommunications services

Characteristics of Quantum-Classical Correspondence for Two Interacting Spins

The conditions of quantum-classical correspondence for a system of two interacting spins are investigated. Differences between quantum expectation values and classical Liouville averages are examined for both regular and chaotic dynamics well beyond the short-time regime of narrow states. We find that quantum-classical differences initially grow exponentially with a characteristic exponent consistently larger than the largest Lyapunov exponent. We provide numerical evidence that the time of the break between the quantum and classical predictions scales as log(${\cal J}/ \hbar$), where ${\cal J}$ is a characteristic system action. However, this log break-time rule applies only while the quantum-classical deviations are smaller than order hbar. We find that the quantum observables remain well approximated by classical Liouville averages over long times even for the chaotic motions of a few degree-of-freedom system. To obtain this correspondence it is not necessary to introduce the decoherence effects of a many degree-of-freedom environment.Comment: New introduction, accepted in Phys Rev A (May 2001 issue), 12 latex figures, 3 ps figure

Sintomatologia ansiosa e depressiva em famílias com filhos adolescentes: Qual o papel da diferenciação do self dos pais?

A literatura tem realçado o impacto da história familiar de psicopatologia no desenvolvimento de perturbações emocionais nas gerações mais novas e a associação entre o nível de diferenciação do self e diversos quadros clínicos (e.g., ansiosos e depressivos). Com recurso a um desenho quantitativo transversal e a uma amostra de 104 tríades familiares (mãe, pai e filho/a adolescente), o presente estudo pretende analisar: a associação entre a sintomatologia depressiva e ansiosa de mães e pais e filhos/as adolescentes; e o papel mediador da diferenciação do self das mães e dos pais na relação entre a sintomatologia depressiva e ansiosa de mães e de pais e a sintomatologia depressiva e ansiosa dos/as filhos/as adolescentes. Os resultados mostram que: a sintomatologia depressiva e ansiosa do pai e da mãe são preditoras do nível de diferenciação do self do pai e da mãe; a relação entre a sintomatologia depressiva da mãe e dos/as filhos/as é mediada pela diferenciação do self da mãe; e a sintomatologia ansiosa da mãe é preditora da sintomatologia ansiosa dos/as filhos/as. Apesar de os resultados sugerirem que a mãe tenha também um papel central na transmissão de adversidade aos filhos, apontam para que a sintomatologia ansiosa e depressiva de pais e filhos se associem de formas diferentes. Este estudo tem implicações para a prática clínica e para a literatura na área da psicologia clínica e psicologia da família, ao relevar o impacto da sintomatologia da mãe e do seu nível de diferenciação do self no desenvolvimento de psicopatologia na adolescência.The literature has highlighted the impact of the family psychopathology history on the development of psychopathology in the younger generations and the association between the level of self differentiation and various clinical conditions (e.g., anxiety and depression). Using a quantitative cross-sectional design and a sample of 104 family triads (mother, father and adolescent child), the present study aims to analyze: the association between depressive and anxious symptomatology of mothers and fathers and adolescent children; and the mediating role of the self-differentiation of mothers and fathers in the relationship between the depressive and anxious symptomatology of mothers and fathers and the depressive and anxious symptomatology of the adolescent children. The results show that: the depressive and anxious symptomatology of the father and the mother are predictors of the level of differentiation of the self of the father and the mother; the relationship between the depressive symptomatology of the mother and the child is mediated by the differentiation of the mother's self; and the anxious symptomatology of the mother is a predictor of the anxious symptomatology of the child. Although the results suggest that the mother also has a central role in the transmission of adversity to the children, they point out that the anxious and depressive symptomatology of parents and children associate in different ways. This study has implications for clinical practice and for literature in clinical psychology and family psychology, by highlighting the impact of the mother's symptomatology and mothers’ level of self differentiation in the development of psychopathology in adolescence.Orientação: Ana Priost

An examination of the relationship between hotspots and recombination associated with chromosome 21 nondisjunction

Trisomy 21, resulting in Down Syndrome (DS), is the most common autosomal trisomy among live-born infants and is caused mainly by nondisjunction of chromosome 21 within oocytes. Risk factors for nondisjunction depend on the parental origin and type of meiotic error. For errors in the oocyte, increased maternal age and altered patterns of recombination are highly associated with nondisjunction. Studies of normal meiotic events in humans have shown that recombination clusters in regions referred to as hotspots. In addition, GC content, CpG fraction, Poly(A)/Poly(T) fraction and gene density have been found to be significant predictors of the placement of sex-averaged recombination in the human genome. These observations led us to ask whether the altered patterns of recombination associated with maternal nondisjunction of chromosome 21 could be explained by differences in the relationship between recombination placement and recombination-related genomic features (i.e., GC content, CpG fraction, Poly(A)/Poly(T) fraction or gene density) on 21q or differential hot-spot usage along the nondisjoined chromosome 21. We found several significant associations between our genomic features of interest and recombination, interestingly, these results were not consistent among recombination types (single and double proximal or distal events). We also found statistically significant relationships between the frequency of hotspots and the distribution of recombination along nondisjoined chromosomes. Collectively, these findings suggest that factors that affect the accessibility of a specific chromosome region to recombination may be altered in at least a proportion of oocytes with MI and MII errors