A thermodynamically self-consistent theory for the Blume-Capel model

We use a self-consistent Ornstein-Zernike approximation to study the Blume-Capel ferromagnet on three-dimensional lattices. The correlation functions and the thermodynamics are obtained from the solution of two coupled partial differential equations. The theory provides a comprehensive and accurate description of the phase diagram in all regions, including the wing boundaries in non-zero magnetic field. In particular, the coordinates of the tricritical point are in very good agreement with the best estimates from simulation or series expansion. Numerical and analytical analysis strongly suggest that the theory predicts a universal Ising-like critical behavior along the $\lambda$-line and the wing critical lines, and a tricritical behavior governed by mean-field exponents.Comment: 11 figures. to appear in Physical Review

Ethyl 6-(6-meth­oxy-2-naphth­yl)-2-oxo-4-(2-thien­yl)cyclo­hex-3-ene-1-carboxyl­ate

The title compound, C24H22O4S, was prepared by reaction between (2E)-3-(6-meth­oxy-2-naphth­yl)-1-(2-thien­yl)prop-2-en-1-one and ethyl acetoacetate. In the crystal, the cyclo­hexenone ring shows a distorted half-chair conformation. The length of the double bond in the cyclohexenone ring [1.343 (4) Å] is normal

Density anomaly in a competing interactions lattice gas model

We study a very simple model of a short-range attraction and an outer shell repulsion as a test system for demixing phase transition and density anomaly. The phase-diagram is obtained by applying mean field analysis and Monte Carlo simulations to a two dimensional lattice gas with nearest-neighbors attraction and next-nearest-neighbors repulsion (the outer shell). Two liquid phases and density anomaly are found. The coexistence line between these two liquid phases meets a critical line between the fluid and the low density liquid at a tricritical point. The line of maximum density emerges in the vicinity of the tricritical point, close to the demixing transition

Engineering Schottky contacts in open-air fabricated heterojunction solar cells to enable high performance and ohmic charge transport.

The efficiencies of open-air processed Cu2O/Zn(1-x)Mg(x)O heterojunction solar cells are doubled by reducing the effect of the Schottky barrier between Zn(1-x)Mg(x)O and the indium tin oxide (ITO) top contact. By depositing Zn(1-x)Mg(x)O with a long band-tail, charge flows through the Zn(1-x)Mg(x)O/ITO Schottky barrier without rectification by hopping between the sub-bandgap states. High current densities are obtained by controlling the Zn(1-x)Mg(x)O thickness to ensure that the Schottky barrier is spatially removed from the p-n junction, allowing the full built-in potential to form, in addition to taking advantage of the increased electrical conductivity of the Zn(1-x)Mg(x)O films with increasing thickness. This work therefore shows that the Zn(1-x)Mg(x)O window layer sub-bandgap state density and thickness are critical parameters that can be engineered to minimize the effect of Schottky barriers on device performance. More generally, these findings show how to improve the performance of other photovoltaic system reliant on transparent top contacts, e.g., CZTS and CIGS.This work was supported by EPSRC of the UK (award number RG3717)This is the accepted manuscript. The final version is available from ACS at http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/am5058663

Critical behavior of a fluid in a disordered porous matrix: An Ornstein-Zernike approach

Using a liquid-state approach based on Ornstein-Zernike equations, we study the behavior of a fluid inside a porous disordered matrix near the liquid-gas critical point.The results obtained within various standard approximation schemes such as lowest-order $\gamma$-ordering and the mean-spherical approximation suggest that the critical behavior is closely related to that of the random-field Ising model (RFIM).Comment: 10 pages, revtex, to appear in Physical Review Letter

Casimir energy and geometry : beyond the Proximity Force Approximation

We review the relation between Casimir effect and geometry, emphasizing deviations from the commonly used Proximity Force Approximation (PFA). We use to this aim the scattering formalism which is nowadays the best tool available for accurate and reliable theory-experiment comparisons. We first recall the main lines of this formalism when the mirrors can be considered to obey specular reflection. We then discuss the more general case where non planar mirrors give rise to non-specular reflection with wavevectors and field polarisations mixed. The general formalism has already been fruitfully used for evaluating the effect of roughness on the Casimir force as well as the lateral Casimir force or Casimir torque appearing between corrugated surfaces. In this short review, we focus our attention on the case of the lateral force which should make possible in the future an experimental demonstration of the nontrivial (i.e. beyond PFA) interplay of geometry and Casimir effect.Comment: corrected typos, added references, QFEXT'07 special issue in J. Phys.

The active living gender's gap challenge: 2013-2017 Eurobarometers physical inactivity data show constant higher prevalence in women with no progress towards global reduction goals

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organization (WHO) considers physical inactivity (PIA) as a critical noncommunicable factor for disease and mortality, affecting more women than men. In 2013, the WHO set a 10% reduction of the PIA prevalence, with the goal to be reached by 2025. Changes in the 2013-2017 period of physical inactivity prevalence in the 28 European Union (EU) countries were evaluated to track the progress in achieving WHO 2025 target. METHODS: In 2013 and 2017 EU Special Eurobarometers, the physical activity levels reported by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire of 53,607 adults were analyzed. Data were considered as a whole sample and country-by-country. A χ2 test was used to analyze the physical inactivity prevalence (%) between countries, analyzing women and men together and separately. Additionally, PIA prevalence was analyzed between years (2013-2017) for the overall EU sample and within-country using a Z-Score for two population proportions. RESULTS: The PIA prevalence increased between 2013 and 2017 for the overall EU sample (p <  0.001), and for women (p = 0.04) and men (p < 0.001) separately. Data showed a higher PIA prevalence in women versus men during both years (p <  0.001). When separately considering changes in PIA by gender, only Belgium's women and Luxembourg's men showed a reduction in PIA prevalence. Increases in PIA prevalence over time were observed in women from Austria, Croatia, Germany, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia and in men from Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, and Spain. CONCLUSIONS: PIA prevalence showed an overall increase across the EU and for both women and men between 2013 and 2017, with higher rates of PIA reported for women versus men during both years. PIA prevalence was reduced in only Belgium's women and Luxembourg's men. Our data indicate a limited gender-sensible approach while tacking PIA prevalence with no progress reaching global voluntary reductions of PIA for 2025

Nonergodicity transitions in colloidal suspensions with attractive interactions

The colloidal gel and glass transitions are investigated using the idealized mode coupling theory (MCT) for model systems characterized by short-range attractive interactions. Results are presented for the adhesive hard sphere and hard core attractive Yukawa systems. According to MCT, the former system shows a critical glass transition concentration that increases significantly with introduction of a weak attraction. For the latter attractive Yukawa system, MCT predicts low temperature nonergodic states that extend to the critical and subcritical region. Several features of the MCT nonergodicity transition in this system agree qualitatively with experimental observations on the colloidal gel transition, suggesting that the gel transition is caused by a low temperature extension of the glass transition. The range of the attraction is shown to govern the way the glass transition line traverses the phase diagram relative to the critical point, analogous to findings for the fluid-solid freezing transition.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures; to be published in Phys. Rev. E (1 May 1999

Development and validation of a rapid method for the detection of latrunculol A in plasma

Latrunculol A is a recently discovered 6,7-dihydroxy analog of the potent actin inhibitor latrunculin A. Latrunculol A has exhibited greater cytotoxicity than latrunculin A against both murine and human colon tumor cell lines in vitro. Currently, there are no reports regarding the bioavailability of latrunculol A in vivo. This study was undertaken as a prelude to pharmacokinetic assessments and it is the first work where bioavailability of latrunculol A was studied. In the present work, a simple plasma preparation and a rapid HPLC method have been developed. Mouse plasma containing latrunculol A was first treated by acetonitrile and then centrifuged at 14,000 rpm at 4 °C for 25 min. The supernatant was injected in an HPLC system comprising a Waters Symmetry NH2 column, a mobile phase of acetonitrile/water (95/5, v/v), a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min, at 220 nm. The method was validated by parameters including a good linear correlation, a limit of quantification of 9 ng/mL, and a good precision with a coefficient variation of 1.65, 1.86, and 1.26% for 20, 400, and 800 ng/mL, respectively. With this simple method, excellent separation and sensitivity of latrunculol A are achieved, thus allowing a rapid analysis of the plasma samples for absorption, distribution, and metabolism studies