Continued fraction representation of the Coulomb Green's operator and unified description of bound, resonant and scattering states

If a quantum mechanical Hamiltonian has an infinite symmetric tridiagonal (Jacobi) matrix form in some discrete Hilbert-space basis representation, then its Green's operator can be constructed in terms of a continued fraction. As an illustrative example we discuss the Coulomb Green's operator in Coulomb-Sturmian basis representation. Based on this representation, a quantum mechanical approximation method for solving Lippmann-Schwinger integral equations can be established, which is equally applicable for bound-, resonant- and scattering-state problems with free and Coulombic asymptotics as well. The performance of this technique is illustrated with a detailed investigation of a nuclear potential describing the interaction of two $\alpha$ particles.Comment: 7 pages, 4 ps figures, revised versio

Gamow Shell Model Description of Weakly Bound Nuclei and Unbound Nuclear States

We present the study of weakly bound, neutron-rich nuclei using the nuclear shell model employing the complex Berggren ensemble representing the bound single-particle states, unbound Gamow states, and the non-resonant continuum. In the proposed Gamow Shell Model, the Hamiltonian consists of a one-body finite depth (Woods-Saxon) potential and a residual two-body interaction. We discuss the basic ingredients of the Gamow Shell Model. The formalism is illustrated by calculations involving {\it several} valence neutrons outside the double-magic core: $^{6-10}$He and $^{18-22}$O.Comment: 19 pages, 20 encapsulated PostScript figure

Measuring and managing liquidity risk in the Hungarian practice

The crisis that unfolded in 2007/2008 turned the attention of the financial world toward liquidity, the lack of which caused substantial losses. As a result, the need arose for the traditional financial models to be extended with liquidity. Our goal is to discover how Hungarian market players relate to liquidity. Our results are obtained through a series of semistructured interviews, and are hoped to be a starting point for extending the existing models in an appropriate way. Our main results show that different investor groups can be identified along their approaches to liquidity, and they rarely use sophisticated models to measure and manage liquidity. We conclude that although market players would have access to complex liquidity measurement and management tools, there is a limited need for these, because the currently available models are unable to use complex liquidity information effectively

On lattice profile of the elliptic curve linear congruential generators

Lattice tests are quality measures for assessing the intrinsic structure of pseudorandom number generators. Recently a new lattice test has been introduced by Niederreiter and Winterhof. In this paper, we present a general inequality that is satisfied by any periodic sequence. Then, we analyze the behavior of the linear congruential generators on elliptic curves (EC-LCG) under this new lattice test and prove that the EC-LCG passes it up to very high dimensions. We also use a result of Brandstätter and Winterhof on the linear complexity profile related to the correlation measure of order k to present lower bounds on the linear complexity profile of some binary sequences derived from the EC-LCG

Probabilistic Interpretation of Resonant States

We provide probabilistic interpretation of resonant states. This we do by showing that the integral of the modulus square of resonance wave functions (i.e., the conventional norm) over a properly expanding spatial domain is independent of time, and therefore leads to probability conservation. This is in contrast with the conventional employment of a bi-orthogonal basis that precludes probabilistic interpretation, since wave functions of resonant states diverge exponentially in space. On the other hand, resonant states decay exponentially in time, because momentum leaks out of the central scattering area. This momentum leakage is also the reason for the spatial exponential divergence of resonant state. It is by combining the opposite temporal and spatial behaviors of resonant states that we arrive at our probabilistic interpretation of these states. The physical need to normalize resonant wave functions over an expanding spatial domain arises because particles leak out of the region which contains the potential range and escape to infinity, and one has to include them in the total count of particle number.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Pramana Journal of Physics as an article in the proceedings of Homi Bhabha Centenary Conference on Non-Hermitian Hamiltonians in Quantum Physics PHHQP VIII; this version are with added references as well as some rewording after reviewer's suggestion

First Isolation of Hepatitis E Virus Genotype 4 in Europe through Swine Surveillance in the Netherlands and Belgium

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) genotypes 3 and 4 are a cause of human hepatitis and swine are considered the main reservoir. To study the HEV prevalence and characterize circulating HEV strains, fecal samples from swine in the Netherlands and Belgium were tested by RT-PCR. HEV prevalence in swine was 7–15%. The Dutch strains were characterized as genotype 3, subgroups 3a, 3c and 3f, closely related to sequences found in humans and swine earlier. The HEV strains found in Belgium belonged to genotypes 3f and 4b. The HEV genotype 4 strain was the first ever reported in swine in Europe and an experimental infection in pigs was performed to isolate the virus. The genotype 4 strain readily infected piglets and caused fever and virus shedding. Since HEV4 infections have been reported to run a more severe clinical course in humans this observation may have public health implications

Non-equilibrium statistical mechanics: From a paradigmatic model to biological transport

Unlike equilibrium statistical mechanics, with its well-established foundations, a similar widely-accepted framework for non-equilibrium statistical mechanics (NESM) remains elusive. Here, we review some of the many recent activities on NESM, focusing on some of the fundamental issues and general aspects. Using the language of stochastic Markov processes, we emphasize general properties of the evolution of configurational probabilities, as described by master equations. Of particular interest are systems in which the dynamics violate detailed balance, since such systems serve to model a wide variety of phenomena in nature. We next review two distinct approaches for investigating such problems. One approach focuses on models sufficiently simple to allow us to find exact, analytic, non-trivial results. We provide detailed mathematical analyses of a one-dimensional continuous-time lattice gas, the totally asymmetric exclusion process (TASEP). It is regarded as a paradigmatic model for NESM, much like the role the Ising model played for equilibrium statistical mechanics. It is also the starting point for the second approach, which attempts to include more realistic ingredients in order to be more applicable to systems in nature. Restricting ourselves to the area of biophysics and cellular biology, we review a number of models that are relevant for transport phenomena. Successes and limitations of these simple models are also highlighted.Comment: 72 pages, 18 figures, Accepted to: Reports on Progress in Physic

Design of bio-nanosystems for oral delivery of functional compounds

Nanotechnology has been referred to as one of the most interesting topics in food technology due to the potentialities of its use by food industry. This calls for studying the behavior of nanosystems as carriers of biological and functional compounds aiming at their utilization for delivery, controlled release and protection of such compounds during food processing and oral ingestion. This review highlights the principles of design and production of bio-nanosystems for oral delivery and their behavior within the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract, while providing an insight into the application of reverse engineering approach to the design of those bio-nanosystems. Nanocapsules, nanohydrogels, lipid-based and multilayer nanosystems are discussed (in terms of their main ingredients, production techniques, predominant forces and properties) and some examples of possible food applications are given. Phenomena occurring in in vitro digestion models are presented, mainly using examples related to the utilization of lipid-based nanosystems and their physicochemical behavior throughout the GI tract. Furthermore, it is shown how a reverse engineering approach, through two main steps, can be used to design bio-nanosystems for food applications, and finally a last section is presented to discuss future trends and consumer perception on food nanotechnology.Miguel A. Cerqueira, Ana C. Pinheiro, Helder D. Silva, Philippe E. Ramos, Ana I. Bourbon, Oscar L. Ramos (SFRH/BPD/72753/2010, SFRH/BD/48120/2008, SFRH/BD/81288/2011, SFRH/BD/80800/2011, SFRH/BD/73178/2010 and SFRH/BPD/80766/2011, respectively) are the recipients of a fellowship from the Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT, POPH-QREN and FSE Portugal). Maria L. Flores-Lopez thanks Mexican Science and Technology Council (CONACYT, Mexico) for PhD fellowship support (CONACYT Grant number: 215499/310847). The support of EU Cost Actions FA0904 and FA1001 is gratefully acknowledged