Conformal symmetry of the critical 3D Ising model inside a sphere

We perform Monte-Carlo simulations of the three-dimensional Ising model at the critical temperature and zero magnetic field. We simulate the system in a ball with free boundary conditions on the two dimensional spherical boundary. Our results for one and two point functions in this geometry are consistent with the predictions from the conjectured conformal symmetry of the critical Ising model.We are grateful to Slava Rychkov for useful discussions and for suggesting this work. The research leading to these results has received funding from the [European Union] Seventh Framework Programme [FP7-People-2010-IRSES] and [FP7/2007-2013] under grant agreements No 269217, 317089 and No 247252, and from the grant CERN/FP/123599/2011. Centro de Física do Porto is partially funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology of Portugal (FCT). J.V.P.L. acknowledges funding from projecto Operacional Regional do Norte, within Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional (QREN) and through Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER), Ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER- 00003

Trans-specialization understanding in international technology alliances: The influence of cultural distance

In the information age, the firm's performance hinges on combining partners' specialist knowledge to achieve value co-creation. Combining knowledge from different specialties could be a costly process in the international technology alliances (ITAs) context. We argue that the combination of different specializations requires the development of "trans-specialization understanding" (TSU) instead of the internalization of partners' specialist knowledge. This article examines the extent to which inter-firm governance in ITAs shapes TSU, and whether the development of TSU is endangered by cultural distance. We hypothesize that relational governance, product modularity, and cultural distance influence TSU development, which in turn influences firm performance. We collected data from 110 non-equity ITAs between software and hardware firms participating in the mobile device sector. We analyzed the data using partial least squares path modeling. Our findings suggest that TSU largely depends on product modularity and relational governance in alliances. However, while cultural distance negatively moderates the path from relational governance to TSU, it has no effect on the relationship between product modularity and TSU. Based on this, we conclude that product modularity can substitute for relational governance when strong relational norms are not well-developed in international alliances. Thus cultural distance does not invariably amount to a liability in ITAs

Transgenesis in Animal Agriculture: Addressing Animal Health and Welfare Concerns

The US Food and Drug Administration’s final Guidance for Industry on the regulation of transgenesis in animal agriculture has paved the way for the commercialization of genetically engineered (GE) farm animals. The production-related diseases associated with extant breeding technologies are reviewed, as well as the predictable welfare consequences of continued emphasis on prolificacy at the potential expense of physical fitness. Areas in which biotechnology could be used to improve the welfare of animals while maintaining profitability are explored along with regulatory schema to improve agency integration in GE animal oversight

Reaction-diffusion front for A+B->empty-set in one dimension

We study theoretically and numerically the steady state diffusion controlled reaction A + B → Ø, where currents J of A and B particles are applied at opposite boundaries. For a reaction rate λ, and equal diffusion constants D, we find that when λJ-1/2D-1/2≪1 the reaction front is well described by mean-field theory. However, for λJ-1/2D-1/2≫1, the front acquires a Gaussian profile - a result of noise induced wandering of the reaction front center. We make a theoretical prediction for this profile which is in good agreement with simulation. Finally, we investigate the intrinsic (nonwandering) front width and find results consistent with scaling and field theoretic predictions

Reaction-diffusion front for A+B->empty-set in one dimension

We study theoretically and numerically the steady state diffusion controlled reaction A + B → Ø, where currents J of A and B particles are applied at opposite boundaries. For a reaction rate λ, and equal diffusion constants D, we find that when λJ-1/2D-1/2≪1 the reaction front is well described by mean-field theory. However, for λJ-1/2D-1/2≫1, the front acquires a Gaussian profile - a result of noise induced wandering of the reaction front center. We make a theoretical prediction for this profile which is in good agreement with simulation. Finally, we investigate the intrinsic (nonwandering) front width and find results consistent with scaling and field theoretic predictions

Reaction-diffusion front for A+B-->

We study theoretically and numerically the steady state diffusion controlled reaction $A+B\rightarrow\emptyset$, where currents $J$ of $A$ and $B$ particles are applied at opposite boundaries. For a reaction rate $\lambda$, and equal diffusion constants $D$, we find that when $\lambda J^{-1/2} D^{-1/2}\ll 1$ the reaction front is well described by mean field theory. However, for $\lambda J^{-1/2} D^{-1/2}\gg 1$, the front acquires a Gaussian profile - a result of noise induced wandering of the reaction front center. We make a theoretical prediction for this profile which is in good agreement with simulation. Finally, we investigate the intrinsic (non-wandering) front width and find results consistent with scaling and field theoretic predictions

ATOMISTIC CALCULATIONS ON LOW-TEMPERATURE LAYER-BY-LAYER GROWTH

We have studied deposition-induced mobility of atoms on surfaces by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In these simulations, Cu and In atoms were deposited with thermal energies on flat and adatom-cluster covered Cu(100) surfaces at a temperature of 100 K. It was found that in some cases the latent heat of condensation is used by the deposited atom to make a jump to a neighbouring site. Atoms deposited on small adatom clusters were in some cases observed to jump off the cluster. The results of the MD simulations were used in a discussion of low-temperature layer-by-layer growth of Cu on Cu(100), as was recently observed experimentally

Reaction-diffusion front for A+B->empty-set in one dimension

We study theoretically and numerically the steady state diffusion controlled reaction A + B → Ø, where currents J of A and B particles are applied at opposite boundaries. For a reaction rate λ, and equal diffusion constants D, we find that when λJ-1/2D-1/2≪1 the reaction front is well described by mean-field theory. However, for λJ-1/2D-1/2≫1, the front acquires a Gaussian profile - a result of noise induced wandering of the reaction front center. We make a theoretical prediction for this profile which is in good agreement with simulation. Finally, we investigate the intrinsic (nonwandering) front width and find results consistent with scaling and field theoretic predictions