Integrable structure of W_3 Conformal Field Theory, Quantum Boussinesq Theory and Boundary Affine Toda Theory

In this paper we study the Yang-Baxter integrable structure of Conformal Field Theories with extended conformal symmetry generated by the W_3 algebra. We explicitly construct various T- and Q-operators which act in the irreducible highest weight modules of the W_3 algebra. These operators can be viewed as continuous field theory analogues of the commuting transfer matrices and Q-matrices of the integrable lattice systems associated with the quantum algebra U_q(\hat{sl}(3)). We formulate several conjectures detailing certain analytic characteristics of the Q-operators and propose exact asymptotic expansions of the T- and Q-operators at large values of the spectral parameter. We show, in particular, that the asymptotic expansion of the T-operators generates an infinite set of local integrals of motion of the W_3 CFT which in the classical limit reproduces an infinite set of conserved Hamiltonians associated with the classical Boussinesq equation. We further study the vacuum eigenvalues of the Q-operators (corresponding to the highest weight vector of the W_3 module) and show that they are simply related to the expectation values of the boundary exponential fields in the non-equilibrium boundary affine Toda field theory with zero bulk mass.Comment: LaTeX, 87 pages, 1 figure. Misprints correcte

Networking Hospital ePrescribing: A Systemic View of Digitalization of Medicines' Use in England.

Medicine management is at the core of hospital care and digitalization of prescribing and administration of medicines is often the focus of attention of health IT programs. This may be conveyed to the public in terms of the elimination of paper-based drug charts and increased readability of doctors' prescriptions. Based on analysis of documents about hospital medicines supply and use (including systems' implementation) in the UK, in this conceptual paper electronic prescribing and administration are repositioned as only one aspect of an important wider transformation in medicine management in hospital settings, involving, for example, procurement, dispensing, auditing, waste management, research and safety vigilance. Approaching digitalization from a systemic perspective has the potential to uncover the wider implications of this transformation for patients, the organization and the wider health care system

Environmental monitoring of Mycobacterium bovis in badger feces and badger sett soil by real-time PCR, as confirmed by immunofluorescence, immunocapture, and cultivation

Real-time PCR was used to detect and quantify Mycobacterium bovis cells in naturally infected soil and badger faeces. Immunomagnetic capture, immunofluorescence and selective culture confirmed species identification and cell viability. These techniques will prove useful for monitoring M. bovis in the environment and for elucidating transmission routes between wildlife and cattle

Detection and Risk Stratification of Women at High Risk of Preterm Birth in Rural Communities near Nagpur, India

Background: Presently, preterm birth is globally the leading cause of neonatal mortality. Prompt community based identification of women at high risk for preterm births (HRPB) can either help to avert preterm births or avail effective interventions to reduce neonatal mortality due to preterm births. We evaluated the performance of a package to train community workers to detect the presence of signs or symptoms of HRPB. Methods: Pregnant women enrolled in the intervention arm of a cluster randomized trial of Antenatal Corticosteroids (ACT Trial) conducted at Nagpur, India were informed about 4 directly observable signs and symptoms of preterm labor. Community health workers actively monitored these women from 24 to 36 weeks of gestation for these signs or symptoms. If they were present (HRPB positive) the identified women were brought to government health facilities for assessment and management. HRPB positive could also be determined by the provider if the woman presented directly to the facility. Risk stratification was based on the number of signs or symptoms present. The outcome of preterm birth was based on the clinical assessment of gestational age \u3c 37 weeks at delivery or a birth weight of \u3c2000 g. Results: Between July 1, 2012 and 30 November, 2013, 686 of 7050 (9.7%) pregnant women studied, delivered preterm. 732 (10.4%) women were HRPB positive, of whom 333 (45.5%) delivered preterm. Of the remaining 6318(89.6%) HRPB negative women 353 (5.6%) delivered preterm. The likelihood ratio (LR) of a preterm birth in the HRPB positives was 8.14 (95% confidence interval 7.16-9.26). The LR of a preterm birth increased in women who had more signs or symptoms of HRBP (p \u3c 0.00001). More signs or symptoms of HRPB were also associated with a shorter time to delivery, lower birth weight and higher rates of stillbirths, neonatal deaths and postnatal complications. Addition of risk stratification improved the prediction of preterm delivery (Integrated Discrimination Improvement 17% (95% CI 15-19%)). Conclusions: The package for detection of signs and symptoms of HRPB is feasible, promising and likely to improve management of preterm labor. Trial registration: NCT01073475 on February 21, 2010 and NCT01084096 on March 9, 2010

Investigation of Anti-Relaxation Coatings for Alkali-Metal Vapor Cells Using Surface Science Techniques

Many technologies based on cells containing alkali-metal atomic vapor benefit from the use of anti-relaxation surface coatings in order to preserve atomic spin polarization. In particular, paraffin has been used for this purpose for several decades and has been demonstrated to allow an atom to experience up to 10,000 collisions with the walls of its container without depolarizing, but the details of its operation remain poorly understood. We apply modern surface and bulk techniques to the study of paraffin coatings, in order to characterize the properties that enable the effective preservation of alkali spin polarization. These methods include Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, atomic force microscopy, near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. We also compare the light-induced atomic desorption yields of several different paraffin materials. Experimental results include the determination that crystallinity of the coating material is unnecessary, and the detection of C=C double bonds present within a particular class of effective paraffin coatings. Further study should lead to the development of more robust paraffin anti-relaxation coatings, as well as the design and synthesis of new classes of coating materials.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figures. Copyright 2010 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. The following article appeared in the Journal of Chemical Physics and may be found at http://link.aip.org/link/?JCP/133/14470

Pathogen quantitation in complex matrices: a multi-operator comparison of DNA extraction methods with a novel assessment of PCR inhibition

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.BACKGROUND: Mycobacterium bovis is the aetiological agent of bovine tuberculosis (bTB), an important recrudescent zoonosis, significantly increasing in British herds in recent years. Wildlife reservoirs have been identified for this disease but the mode of transmission to cattle remains unclear. There is evidence that viable M. bovis cells can survive in soil and faeces for over a year. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We report a multi-operator blinded trial for a rigorous comparison of five DNA extraction methods from a variety of soil and faecal samples to assess recovery of M. bovis via real-time PCR detection. The methods included four commercial kits: the QIAamp Stool Mini kit with a pre-treatment step, the FastDNA® Spin kit, the UltraClean™ and PowerSoil™ soil kits and a published manual method based on phenol:chloroform purification, termed Griffiths. M. bovis BCG Pasteur spiked samples were extracted by four operators and evaluated using a specific real-time PCR assay. A novel inhibition control assay was used alongside spectrophotometric ratios to monitor the level of inhibitory compounds affecting PCR, DNA yield, and purity. There were statistically significant differences in M. bovis detection between methods of extraction and types of environmental samples; no significant differences were observed between operators. Processing times and costs were also evaluated. To improve M. bovis detection further, the two best performing methods, FastDNA® Spin kit and Griffiths, were optimised and the ABI TaqMan environmental PCR Master mix was adopted, leading to improved sensitivities. CONCLUSIONS: M. bovis was successfully detected in all environmental samples; DNA extraction using FastDNA® Spin kit was the most sensitive method with highest recoveries from all soil types tested. For troublesome faecal samples, we have used and recommend an improved assay based on a reduced volume, resulting in detection limits of 4.25×10(5) cells g(-1) using Griffiths and 4.25×10(6) cells g(-1) using FastDNA® Spin kit.This work was supported by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council BBSRCBB/E020925/1 grant to OC and EMHW, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, DEFRA SE3231 grant to EMHW and OC. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Algebraic Bethe ansatz for the gl(1∣|2) generalized model II: the three gradings

The algebraic Bethe ansatz can be performed rather abstractly for whole classes of models sharing the same $R$-matrix, the only prerequisite being the existence of an appropriate pseudo vacuum state. Here we perform the algebraic Bethe ansatz for all models with $9 \times 9$, rational, gl(1$|$2)-invariant $R$-matrix and all three possibilities of choosing the grading. Our Bethe ansatz solution applies, for instance, to the supersymmetric t-J model, the supersymmetric $U$ model and a number of interesting impurity models. It may be extended to obtain the quantum transfer matrix spectrum for this class of models. The properties of a specific model enter the Bethe ansatz solution (i.e. the expression for the transfer matrix eigenvalue and the Bethe ansatz equations) through the three pseudo vacuum eigenvalues of the diagonal elements of the monodromy matrix which in this context are called the parameters of the model.Comment: paragraph added in section 3, reference added, version to appear in J.Phys.

Effect of uncertainty in external forcing on a fluid lubricated bearing

Developments in industrial applications motivate improvements in fluid lubricated bearing technology, enabling smaller face clearances and increased rotation rates. Associated film lubrication technology aims to improve efficiency and reliability. A bearing model is developed to evaluate the effect of external, potentially destabilising, random forcing applied to a pair of highly rotating axisymmetric bearing faces, separated by a thin fluid film. Two cases of random external force are examined. A first study considers an imposed random force disturbance constrained to a fixed period, where the average minimum face clearance together with the probability it reaches a specified gap tolerance. More general uncertainties are associated with more complex external forcing and takes the form of a white or coloured noise. In this case the average time for the face clearance to reach a prescribed tolerance is examined. Results can inform bearing design, providing an indication of the effect of disturbances on the average lifetime and identify constraints on operating conditions for safe and reliable behaviour.</p

Electromagnetic waves in a wormhole geometry

We investigate the propagation of electromagnetic waves through a static wormhole. It is shown that the problem can be reduced to a one-dimensional Schr\"odinger-like equation with a barrier-type potential. Using numerical methods, we calculate the transmission coefficient as a function of the energy. We also discuss the polarization of the outgoing radiation due to this gravitational scattering.Comment: LaTex file, 5 pages, 2 figures, one reference added, accepted for publication in PR