Superfluidity of the BEC at finite temperature

We use the classical fields approximation to study a translational flow of the condensate with respect to the thermal cloud in a weakly interacting Bose gas. We study both, subcritical and supercritical relative velocity cases and analyze in detail a state of stationary flow which is reached in the dynamics. This state corresponds to the thermal equilibrium, which is characterized by the relative velocity of the condensate and the thermal cloud. The superfluidity manifests itself in the existence of many thermal equilibria varying in (the value of this velocity) the relative velocity between the condensate and the thermal cloud. We pay a particular attention to excitation spectra in a phonon as well as in a particle regime. Finally, we introduce a measure of the amount of the superfluid fraction in a weakly interacting Bose gas, allowing for the precise distinction between the superfluid and the condensed fractions in a single and consistent framework.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure

Physicochemical Characterization and Dissolution Studies of Solid Dispersions of Clotrimazole with Pluronic F127

Purpose: To evaluate the physicochemical properties of clotrimazole (CLT) solid dispersion with Pluronic F127 (PLU).Methods: Solid dispersions of the antifungal drug, clotrimazole, were prepared with Pluronic F127 using grinding (PM) and fusion (FUS) methods. Physicochemical characterization of the dispersions were performed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), x-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In vitro drug release was carried out using the rotating disc method.Results: These studies showed that there was no chemical interaction between CLT and PLU. Release studies on the SDs showed a significant (> 90-fold) improvement in dissolution rate compared to pure CLT. The greatest increase in dissolution (< 80 %) was observed for the solid dispersion (CLT/PLU) prepared by FUS in the ratio 60:40 % w/w.Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the developed solid dispersion system is a suitable approach for enhancing the dissolution rate of CLT.Keywords: Clotrimazole, Pluronic F127, Solid dispersion, Dissolution, Differential scanning calorimetry, Phase diagra

Topological phase transition for a quantum rotor Bose-Einstein condensate

We investigate the properties of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of $F=1$ $^{87}$Rb atoms in a 2D spin-dependent optical lattice potential generated by intersecting laser beams with a superposition of polarizations. For $^{87}$Rb, where the total electronic angular momentum is $J = 1/2$, the effective interaction of an atom with the electromagnetic field contains a scalar potential $V$ and a vector potential (often called fictitious magnetic field). The Rb atoms behave as a quantum rotor (QR) with angular momentum given by the sum of the atomic motion rotational angular momentum around the lattice minima and the atomic hyperfine spin $F$. Properties of the QR are strongly affected when an external magnetic field perpendicular to the plane of QR motion is applied. A topological phase transition occurs as the ratio of the external transverse magnetic field to fictitious magnetic field exceeds critical value. At such a quantum phase transition the symmetry of the ground state changes and is expressed in the change of the spin texture.Comment: 5 pages + Supplemental materia

The effect of organic acids as leaching agents for hydrometallurgical recovery of metals from PCBs

The hydrometallurgical treatment, compared to other recycling processes, is of great interest due to its higher efficiency and better economy. In hydrometallurgy, popular agents used in the leaching processes of e-waste include inorganic acids, ammonia, chlorides, thiourea, thiosulphates. Organic acids are also becoming more and more popular. The article presents an overview of possible paths of the metal recovery from e-waste with the use of various organic acids. The results of own research on the leaching of printed circuit boards with the use of organic acids including citric acid, oxalic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, malic acid, lactic acid are also presented

The effect of organic acids as leaching agents for hydrometallurgical recovery of metals from PCBs

The hydrometallurgical treatment, compared to other recycling processes, is of great interest due to its higher efficiency and better economy. In hydrometallurgy, popular agents used in the leaching processes of e-waste include inorganic acids, ammonia, chlorides, thiourea, thiosulphates. Organic acids are also becoming more and more popular. The article presents an overview of possible paths of the metal recovery from e-waste with the use of various organic acids. The results of own research on the leaching of printed circuit boards with the use of organic acids including citric acid, oxalic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, malic acid, lactic acid are also presented

Biomechanical properties of the thin PVD coatings defined by red blood cells

The measurement of the strength of bonds between biomaterials and cells is a major challenge in biotribology since it allows for the identification of different species in adhesion phenomena. Biomaterials, such as diamond-like carbon (DLC), titanium, and titanium nitride, seem to be good candidates for future blood-contact applications. These materials were deposited as thin films by the hybrid pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique to examine the influence of such surfaces on cell behavior. The biomaterial examinations were performed in static conditions with red blood cells and then subjected to a dynamical test to observe the cell detachment kinetics. The tests revealed differences in behavior with respect to the applied coating material. The strongest cell-biomaterial interaction was observed for the carbonbased materials compared to the titanium and titanium nitride. Among many tests, a radial flow interaction analysis gives the opportunity to analyze cell adhesion to the applied material with the high accuracy. Analysis of concentrates helped to select materials for further dynamic tests on blood using an aortic flow simulator. In this case, the platelet adhesion to the surface and their degree of activation was analyzed. The quality of the selected coating was tested using a scratch test. The analyses of the microstructure were done using high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The phase composition and the residual stress were analyzed using X-ray diffraction methods

Chemical composition of atherosclerotic plaques of apoE/LDLR-double knockout mice by synchrotron radiation FTIR microspectroscopy

Atherosclerosis is a multietiological inflammatory disease of large and medium-sized arteries of increasing incidence in westernized countries. The aim of this study was to identify the biochemical changes during the progression of atherosclerosis by synchrotron radiation Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy in atheromas of apoE/$LDLR^{-//-}$ mice fed egg-rich diet supplemented or not with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor perindopril. Synchrotron radiation Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy technique was used to obtain information at high spatial resolution about the distribution of proteins (C-N, N-H, CO for amide I and amide II bands), lipids ($CH_2$, $CH_3$ bands) as well as mineral deposits (calcium carbonates and phosphates). Total contents of lipids and proteins were found to be significantly lower in animals treated with the diet and perindopril. An increase in saturation level of lipids was observed in animals fed with egg-rich diet when compared to the normal diet and perindopril treatment, which did not inhibit this effect. Moreover, a significant change in the secondary structure of proteins (ratio between absorption bands 1634 $cm^{-1}$/1656 $cm^{-1}$ attributed to β-type and α-type, respectively) was observed in both experimental groups in comparison with the control. Principal component analysis was used to analyse the recorded spectra. It has revealed that higher content of phosphates (wavenumber range 950-1020 $cm^{-1}$) was observed between egg-rich diet fed animals and the control group

Probing the classical field approximation - thermodynamics and decaying vortices

We review our version of the classical field approximation to the dynamics of a finite temperature Bose gas. In the case of a periodic box potential, we investigate the role of the high momentum cut-off, essential in the method. In particular, we show that the cut-off going to infinity limit decribes the particle number going to infinity with the scattering length going to zero. In this weak interaction limit, the relative population of the condensate tends to unity. We also show that the cross-over energy, at which the probability distribution of the condensate occupation changes its character, grows with a growing scattering length. In the more physical case of the condensate in the harmonic trap we investigate the dissipative dynamics of a vortex. We compare the decay time and the velocities of the vortex with the available analytic estimates.Comment: 7 pages, 8 eps figures, submitted to J. Optics B for the proceedings of the "Atom Optics and Interferometry" Lunteren 2002 worksho