Correlated Nanoscopic Josephson Junctions

We discuss correlated lattice models with a time-dependent potential across a barrier and show how to implement a Josephson-junction-like behavior. The pairing occurs by a correlation effect enhanced by the symmetry of the system. In order to produce the effect we need a mild distortion which causes avoided crossings in the many-body spectrum. The Josephson-like response involves a quasi-adiabatic evolution in the time-dependent field. Besides, we observe an inverse-Josephson (Shapiro) current by applying an AC bias; a supercurrent in the absence of electromotive force can also be excited. The qualitative arguments are supported by explicit exact solutions in prototype 5-atom clusters with on-site repulsion. These basic units are then combined in ring-shaped systems, where one of the units sits at a higher potential and works as a barrier. In this case the solution is found by mapping the low-energy Hamiltonian into an effective anisotropic Heisenberg chain. Once again, we present evidence for a superconducting flux quantization, i.e. a Josephson-junction-like behavior suggesting the build-up of an effective order parameter already in few-electron systems. Some general implications for the quantum theory of transport are also briefly discussed, stressing the nontrivial occurrence of asymptotic current oscillations for long times in the presence of bound states.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, to appear in J. Phys. - Cond. Ma

On the prediction of psd in antisolvent mediated crystallization processes based on fokker-planck equations

A phenomenological model for the description of antisolvent mediated crystal growth processes is presented. The crystal size growth dynamics is supposed to be driven by a deterministic growth factor coupled to a stochastic component. Two different models for the stochastic component are investigated: a Linear and a Geometric Brownian motion terms. The evolution in time of the particle size distribution is then described in terms of the Fokker-Planck equation. Validations against experimental data are presented for the NaCl-water-ethanol anti-solvent crystallization system. It was found that a proper modeling of the stochastic component does have an impact on the model capabilities to fit the experimental data. In particular, the GBM assumption is better suited to describe the antisolvent crystal growth process under examination

Evaluation of SCION for User-driven Path Control:a Usability Study

The UPIN (User-driven Path verification and control in Inter-domain Networks) project aims to implement a way for users of a network to control how their data is traversing it. In this paper we investigate the possibilities and limitations of SCION for user-driven path control. Exploring several aspects of the performance of a SCION network allows us to define the most efficient path to assign to a user, following specific requests. We extensively analyze multiple paths, specifically focusing on latency, bandwidth and data loss, in SCIONLab, an experimental testbed and implementation of a SCION network. We gather data on these paths and store it in a database, that we then query to select the best path to give to a user to reach a destination, following their request on performance or devices to exclude for geographical or sovereignty reasons. Results indicate our software is a viable option to offer users many paths to choose from, following a series of requests, and therefore perform user-driven path control in a SCION network.</p

Modifications of Gait as Predictors of Natural Osteoarthritis Progression in STR/Ort Mice

OBJECTIVE: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic disease for which disease-modifying therapies are not currently available. Studies to seek new targets for slowing the progress of OA rely on mouse models, but these do not allow for longitudinal monitoring of disease development. This study was undertaken to determine whether gait can be used to measure disease severity in the STR/Ort mouse model of spontaneous OA and whether gait changes are related to OA joint pain. METHODS: Gait was monitored using a treadmill-based video system. Correlations between OA severity and gait at 3 treadmill speeds were assessed in STR/Ort mice. Gait and pain behaviors of STR/Ort mice and control CBA mice were analyzed longitudinally, with monthly assessments. RESULTS: The best speed to identify paw area changes associated with OA severity in STR/Ort mice was found to be 17 cm · seconds(−1). Paw area was modified with age in CBA and STR/Ort mice, but this began earlier in STR/Ort mice and correlated with the onset of OA at 20 weeks of age. In addition, task noncompliance appeared at 20 weeks. Surprisingly, STR/Ort mice did not show any signs of pain with OA development, even when treated with the opioid antagonist naloxone, but did exhibit normal pain behaviors in response to complete Freund's adjuvant–induced arthritis. CONCLUSION: The present results identify an animal model in which OA severity and OA pain can be studied in isolation from one another. The findings suggest that paw area and treadmill noncompliance may be useful tools to longitudinally monitor nonpainful OA development in STR/Ort mice. This will help in providing a noninvasive means of assessing new therapies to slow the progression of OA

Low-energy excitations of a linearly Jahn-Teller coupled orbital quintet

The low-energy spectra of the single-mode h x (G+H) linear Jahn-Teller model is studied by means of exact diagonalization. Both eigenenergies and photoemission spectral intensities are computed. These spectra are useful to understand the vibronic dynamics of icosahedral clusters with partly filled orbital quintet molecular shells, for example C60 positive ions.Comment: 14 pages revte

Alemtuzumab pre-conditioning with tacrolimus monotherapy in pediatric renal transplantation

We employed antibody pre-conditioning with alemtuzumab and posttransplant immunosuppression with low-dose tacrolimus monotherapy in 26 consecutive pediatric kidney transplant recipients between January 2004 and December 2005. Mean recipient age was 10.7 ± 5.8 years, 7.7% were undergoing retransplantation, and 3.8% were sensitized, with a PRA >20%. Mean donor age was 32.8 ± 9.2 years. Living donors were utilized in 65% of the transplants. Mean cold ischemia time was 27.6 ± 6.4 h. The mean number of HLA mismatches was 3.3 ± 1.3. Mean follow-up was 25 ± 8 months. One and 2 year patient survival was 100% and 96%. One and 2 year graft survival was 96% and 88%. Mean serum creatinine was 1.1 ± 0.6 mg/dL, and calculated creatinine clearance was 82.3 ± 29.4 mL/min/1.73 m 2. The incidence of pre-weaning acute rejection was 11.5%; the incidence of delayed graft function was 7.7%. Eighteen (69%) of the children were tapered to spaced tacrolimus monotherapy, 10.5 ± 2.2 months after transplantation. The incidence of CMV, PTLD and BK virus was 0%; the incidence of posttransplant diabetes was 7.7%. Although more follow-up is clearly needed, antibody pre-conditioning with alemtuzumab and tacrolimus monotherapy may be a safe and effective regimen in pediatric renal transplantation. © 2007 The Authors

A risk-level assessment system based on the STRIDE/DREAD model for digital data marketplaces

Security is a top concern in digital infrastructure and there is a basic need to assess the level of security ensured for any given application. To accommodate this requirement, we propose a new risk assessment system. Our system identifies threats of an application workflow, computes the severity weights with the modified Microsoft STRIDE/DREAD model and estimates the final risk exposure after applying security countermeasures in the available digital infrastructures. This allows potential customers to rank these infrastructures in terms of security for their own specific use cases. We additionally present a method to validate the stability and resolution of our ranking system with respect to subjective choices of the DREAD model threat rating parameters. Our results show that our system is stable against unavoidable subjective choices of the DREAD model parameters for a specific use case, with a rank correlation higher than 0.93 and normalised mean square error lower than 0.05

Calculations of the Local Density of States for some Simple Systems

A recently proposed convolution technique for the calculation of local density of states is described more thouroughly and new results of its application are presented. For separable systems the exposed method allows to construct the ldos for a higher dimensionality out of lower dimensional parts. Some practical and theoretical aspects of this approach are also discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Construction and Assembly of the Wire Planes for the MicroBooNE Time Projection Chamber

In this paper we describe how the readout planes for the MicroBooNE Time Projection Chamber were constructed, assembled and installed. We present the individual wire preparation using semi-automatic winding machines and the assembly of wire carrier boards. The details of the wire installation on the detector frame and the tensioning of the wires are given. A strict quality assurance plan ensured the integrity of the readout planes. The different tests performed at all stages of construction and installation provided crucial information to achieve the successful realisation of the MicroBooNE wire planes.Comment: 24 pages, 22 figures, accepted for publication as Technical Report in JINS