1,343 research outputs found

    Lorentz shear modulus of fractional quantum Hall states

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    We show that the Lorentz shear modulus of macroscopically homogeneous electronic states in the lowest Landau level is proportional to the bulk modulus of an equivalent system of interacting classical particles in the thermodynamic limit. Making use of this correspondence we calculate the Lorentz shear modulus of Laughlin's fractional quantum Hall states at filling factor ν=1/m\nu=1/m (mm an odd integer) and find that it is equal to ±mn/4\pm \hbar mn/4, where nn is the density of particles and the sign depends on the direction of magnetic field. This is in agreement with the recent result obtained by Read in arXiv:0805.2507 and corrects our previous result published in Phys. Rev. B {\bf 76}, 161305 (R) (2007).Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

    The antimicrobial peptide TAT-RasGAP<sub>317-326</sub> inhibits the formation and expansion of bacterial biofilms in vitro.

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    Biofilms are structured aggregates of bacteria embedded in a self-produced matrix that develop in diverse ecological niches. Pathogenic bacteria can form biofilms on surfaces and in tissues, causing nosocomial and chronic infections that are difficult to treat. While antibiotics are largely inefficient in limiting biofilm formation and expansion, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are emerging as alternative antibiofilm treatments. In this study, we explore the effect of the newly described AMP TAT-RasGAP &lt;sub&gt;317-326&lt;/sub&gt; on Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. Efficiency of TAT-RasGAP &lt;sub&gt;317-326&lt;/sub&gt; on biofilms was tested in vitro. Both viability of bacteria contained in the biofilm as well as biomass of the biofilm were quantified using resazurin and crystal violet staining, respectively. The antibiofilm effect of TAT-RasGAP &lt;sub&gt;317-326&lt;/sub&gt; was compared with a selection of classical antibiotics and AMPs. We observe that TAT-RasGAP &lt;sub&gt;317-326&lt;/sub&gt; inhibits biofilm formation at concentrations equivalent or two times greater than the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of planktonic bacteria. Moreover, TAT-RasGAP &lt;sub&gt;317-326&lt;/sub&gt; limits the expansion of A. baumannii and P. aeruginosa established biofilms at twice the concentration inhibiting biofilm formation. These results underscore the potential use of TAT-RasGAP &lt;sub&gt;317-326&lt;/sub&gt; against biofilms and encourage further studies in the development of AMPs to treat biofilm-related infections

    Motion Tracking Exergames for Elderly Users

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    This paper reports the results from the field tests of two custom made exergames, based on a commercial off-the-shelf technology, aimed for the elderly people. First game resembles the guided mobility and stretching class, and the second one is more game-like with youthful theme and active movement. Both exergames were tested on two sites, urban and rural setting, totaling 19 elderlies. Usability findings are reported in a form of System Usability Scale (SUS) score analysis, and playability aspects as a Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) analysis. Results from the questionnaires are supplemented with observation and interview material. The second game, which had more familiar setting and appropriate pacing, received positive feedback and higher scores from the tests. Based on this material we discuss about the design of exergames aimed for the elderly persons who are not experienced computer game players, the importance of graphical clarity and the need for specialized game experience questionnaire for the elderlies.</p

    Activation gaps for the fractional quantum Hall effect: realistic treatment of transverse thickness

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    The activation gaps for fractional quantum Hall states at filling fractions ν=n/(2n+1)\nu=n/(2n+1) are computed for heterojunction, square quantum well, as well as parabolic quantum well geometries, using an interaction potential calculated from a self-consistent electronic structure calculation in the local density approximation. The finite thickness is estimated to make \sim30% correction to the gap in the heterojunction geometry for typical parameters, which accounts for roughly half of the discrepancy between the experiment and theoretical gaps computed for a pure two dimensional system. Certain model interactions are also considered. It is found that the activation energies behave qualitatively differently depending on whether the interaction is of longer or shorter range than the Coulomb interaction; there are indications that fractional Hall states close to the Fermi sea are destabilized for the latter.Comment: 32 pages, 13 figure

    Calculus and heat flow in metric measure spaces and applications to spaces with Ricci bounds from below

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    This paper is devoted to a deeper understanding of the heat flow and to the refinement of calculus tools on metric measure spaces (X,d,m). Our main results are: - A general study of the relations between the Hopf-Lax semigroup and Hamilton-Jacobi equation in metric spaces (X,d). - The equivalence of the heat flow in L^2(X,m) generated by a suitable Dirichlet energy and the Wasserstein gradient flow of the relative entropy functional in the space of probability measures P(X). - The proof of density in energy of Lipschitz functions in the Sobolev space W^{1,2}(X,d,m). - A fine and very general analysis of the differentiability properties of a large class of Kantorovich potentials, in connection with the optimal transport problem. Our results apply in particular to spaces satisfying Ricci curvature bounds in the sense of Lott & Villani [30] and Sturm [39,40], and require neither the doubling property nor the validity of the local Poincar\'e inequality.Comment: Minor typos corrected and many small improvements added. Lemma 2.4, Lemma 2.10, Prop. 5.7, Rem. 5.8, Thm. 6.3 added. Rem. 4.7, Prop. 4.8, Prop. 4.15 and Thm 4.16 augmented/reenforced. Proof of Thm. 4.16 and Lemma 9.6 simplified. Thm. 8.6 corrected. A simpler axiomatization of weak gradients, still equivalent to all other ones, has been propose
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