1,490 research outputs found
Anomalous dimensions of leading twist conformal operators
We extend and develop a method for perturbative calculations of anomalous
dimensions and mixing matrices of leading twist conformal primary operators in
conformal field theories. Such operators lie on the unitarity bound and hence
are conserved (irreducible) in the free theory. The technique relies on the
known pattern of breaking of the irreducibility conditions in the interacting
theory. We relate the divergence of the conformal operators via the field
equations to their descendants involving an extra field and accompanied by an
extra power of the coupling constant. The ratio of the two-point functions of
descendants and of their primaries determines the anomalous dimension, allowing
us to gain an order of perturbation theory. We demonstrate the efficiency of
the formalism on the lowest-order analysis of anomalous dimensions and mixing
matrices which is required for two-loop calculations of the former. We compare
these results to another method based on anomalous conformal Ward identities
and constraints from the conformal algebra. It also permits to gain a
perturbative order in computations of mixing matrices. We show the complete
equivalence of both approaches.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures; references adde
The cusp anomalous dimension at three loops and beyond
We derive an analytic formula at three loops for the cusp anomalous dimension
Gamma_cusp(phi) in N=4 super Yang-Mills. This is done by exploiting the
relation of the latter to the Regge limit of massive amplitudes. We comment on
the corresponding three loops quark anti-quark potential. Our result also
determines a considerable part of the three-loop cusp anomalous dimension in
QCD. Finally, we consider a limit in which only ladder diagrams contribute to
physical observables. In that limit, a precise agreement with strong coupling
is observed.Comment: 34 pages, 6 figures. v2: references added, typos correcte
Adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium channel Kir subunits implicated in cardioprotection by diazoxide
BACKGROUND: ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channel openers provide cardioprotection in multiple models. Ion flux at an unidentified mitochondrial K(ATP) channel has been proposed as the mechanism. The renal outer medullary kidney potassium channel subunit, potassium inward rectifying (Kir)1.1, has been implicated as a mitochondrial channel pore-forming subunit. We hypothesized that subunit Kir1.1 is involved in cardioprotection (maintenance of volume homeostasis and contractility) of the K(ATP) channel opener diazoxide (DZX) during stress (exposure to hyperkalemic cardioplegia [CPG]) at the myocyte and mitochondrial levels. METHODS AND RESULTS: Kir subunit inhibitor Tertiapin Q (TPN-Q) was utilized to evaluate response to stress. Mouse ventricular mitochondrial volume was measured in the following groups: isolation buffer; 200 μmol/L of ATP; 100 μmol/L of DZX+200 μmol/L of ATP; or 100 μmol/L of DZX+200 μmol/L of ATP+TPN-Q (500 or 100 nmol/L). Myocytes were exposed to Tyrode’s solution (5 minutes), test solution (Tyrode’s, cardioplegia [CPG], CPG+DZX, CPG+DZX+TPN-Q, Tyrode’s+TPN-Q, or CPG+TPN-Q), N=12 for all (10 minutes); followed by Tyrode’s (5 minutes). Volumes were compared. TPN-Q, with or without DZX, did not alter mitochondrial or myocyte volume. Stress (CPG) resulted in myocyte swelling and reduced contractility that was prevented by DZX. TPN-Q prevented the cardioprotection afforded by DZX (volume homeostasis and maintenance of contractility). CONCLUSIONS: TPN-Q inhibited myocyte cardioprotection provided by DZX during stress; however, it did not alter mitochondrial volume. Because TPN-Q inhibits Kir1.1, Kir3.1, and Kir3.4, these data support that any of these Kir subunits could be involved in the cardioprotection afforded by diazoxide. However, these data suggest that mitochondrial swelling by diazoxide does not involve Kir1.1, 3.1, or 3.4
A generation apart? Youth and political participation in Britain
Conventional wisdom holds that young people in Britain are alienated from politics, with some claiming that this reflects a wider crisis of legitimacy that should be met by initiatives to increase citizenship. This article addresses these areas, presenting both panel survey and focus group data from first-time voters. It concludes that, contrary to the findings from many predominantly quantitative studies of political participation, young people are interested in political matters, and do support the democratic process. However they feel a sense of anti-climax having voted for the first time, and are critical of those who have been elected to positions of political power. If they are a generation apart, this is less to do with apathy, and more to do with their engaged scepticism about ‘formal’ politics in Britain
Using participatory and creative methods to facilitate emancipatory research with people facing multiple disadvantage: a role for health and care professionals
Participatory and creative research methods are a powerful tool for enabling active engagement in the research process of marginalised people. It can be particularly hard for people living with multiple disadvantage, such as disabled people from ethnic minority backgrounds, to access research projects that are relevant to their lived experience. This article argues that creative and participatory methods facilitate the co-researchers’ engagement in the research process, which thus becomes more empowering. Exploring the congruence of these methods with their professional ethos, health and care professionals can use their skills to develop them further. Both theory and practice examples are presented
Synthesis effects on the magnetic and superconducting properties of RuSr2GdCu2O8
A systematic study on the synthesis of the Ru-1212 compound by preparing a
series of samples that were annealed at increasing temperatures and then
quenched has been performed. It results that the optimal temperature for the
annealing lies around 1060-1065 C; a further temperature increase worsens the
phase formation. Structural order is very important and the subsequent grinding
and annealing improves it. Even if from the structural point of view the
samples appear substantially similar, the physical characterization highlight
great differences both in the electrical and magnetic properties related to
intrinsic properties of the phase as well as to the connection between the
grains as inferred from the resistive and the Curie Weiss behaviour at high
temperature as well as in the visibility of ZFC anf FC magnetic signals.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures. Proc. Int. Workshop " Ruthenate and
rutheno-cuprate materials: theory and experiments", Vietri, October 2001. To
be published on LNP Series, Springer Verlag, Berlin, C. Noce, A. Vecchione,
M. Cuoco, A. Romano Eds, 200
C-axis lattice dynamics in Bi-based cuprate superconductors
We present results of a systematic study of the c axis lattice dynamics in
single layer Bi2Sr2CuO6 (Bi2201), bilayer Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (Bi2212) and trilayer
Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 (Bi2223) cuprate superconductors. Our study is based on both
experimental data obtained by spectral ellipsometry on single crystals and
theoretical calculations. The calculations are carried out within the framework
of a classical shell model, which includes long-range Coulomb interactions and
short-range interactions of the Buckingham form in a system of polarizable
ions. Using the same set of the shell model parameters for Bi2201, Bi2212 and
Bi2223, we calculate the frequencies of the Brillouin-zone center phonon modes
of A2u symmetry and suggest the phonon mode eigenvector patterns. We achieve
good agreement between the calculated A2u eigenfrequencies and the experimental
values of the c axis TO phonon frequencies which allows us to make a reliable
phonon mode assignment for all three Bi-based cuprate superconductors. We also
present the results of our shell model calculations for the Gamma-point A1g
symmetry modes in Bi2201, Bi2212 and Bi2223 and suggest an assignment that is
based on the published experimental Raman spectra. The
superconductivity-induced phonon anomalies recently observed in the c axis
infrared and resonant Raman scattering spectra in trilayer Bi2223 are
consistently explained with the suggested assignment.Comment: 29 pages, 13 figure
Integrated measures of lead and manganese exposure improve estimation of their joint effects on cognition in Italian school-age children
Every day humans are exposed to mixtures of chemicals, such as lead (Pb) and manganese (Mn). An underappreciated aspect of studying the health effects of mixtures is the role that the exposure biomarker media (blood, hair, etc.) may play in estimating the effects of the mixture. Different biomarker media represent different aspects of each chemical's toxicokinetics, thus no single medium can fully capture the toxicokinetic profile for all the chemicals in a mixture. A potential solution to this problem is to combine exposure data across different media to derive integrated estimates of each chemical's internal concentration. This concept, formalized as a multi-media biomarker (MMB) has proven effective for estimating the health impacts of Pb exposure, but may also be useful to estimate mixture effects, such as the joint effects of metals like Pb and Mn, while factoring in how the association changes based upon the biomarker media. Levels of Pb and Mn were quantified in five media: blood, hair, nails, urine, and saliva in the Public Health Impact of Metals Exposure (PHIME) project, a study of Italian adolescents aged 10–14 years. MMBs were derived for both metals using weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression across the five media. Age-adjusted Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) IQ scores, measured at the same time as the exposure measures, were the primary outcome and models were adjusted for sex and socioeconomic status. The levels Pb and Mn were relatively low, with median blood Pb of 1.27 (IQR: 0.84) μg/dL and median blood Mn of 1.09 (IQR: 0.45) μg/dL. Quartile increases in a Pb-Mn combination predicted decreased Full Scale IQ of 1.9 points (95% CI: 0.3, 3.5) when Pb and Mn exposure levels were estimated using MMBs, while individual regressions for each metal were not associated with Full Scale IQ. Additionally, a quartile increase in the WQS index of Pb and Mn, measured using MMBs, were associated with reductions in Verbal IQ by 2.8 points (1.0, 4.5). Weights that determine the contributions of the metals to the joint effect highlighted that the contribution of the Pb-Mn was 72–28% for Full Scale IQ and 42–58% for Verbal IQ. We found that the joint effects of Pb and Mn are strongly affected by the medium used to measure exposure and that the joint effects of the Pb and Mn MMBs on cognition were the stronger than any individual biomarker. Thus, increase power and accuracy for measuring mixture effects compared to individual biomarkers. As the number of chemicals in mixtures increases, appropriate biomarker selection will become increasingly important and MMBs are a natural way to reduce bias in such analyses
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