The Spin--Symmetry of the Quark Model

Corrections to the exact heavy--quark symmetry results are expected to follow the $1/m_{Q}$ mass effect of the heavy--quark. We show, by an explicit calculation, that there is something other than the mass effect that suppresses the breaking of the spin symmetry

Ozonation of cooling tower waters

Continuous ozone injection into water circulating between a cooling tower and heat exchanger with heavy scale deposits inhibits formation of further deposits, promotes flaking of existing deposits, inhibits chemical corrosion and controls algae and bacteria

Ability Versus Trait Emotional Intelligence: Dual Influences on Adolescent Psychological Adaptation

Emotional intelligence (EI) is reliably associated with better mental health. A growing body of evidence suggests that EI acts as a protective buffer against some psychosocial stressors to promote adaptation. However, little is known about how the two principle forms of EI (trait and ability) work together to impact underlying stressor-health processes in adolescence. One thousand one hundred and seventy British adolescents (mean age = 13.03 years; SD = 1.26) completed a variety of standardized instruments assessing EI; coping styles; family dysfunction; negative life events; socioeconomic adversity; depression and disruptive behavior. Path analyses found that trait and ability EI work in tandem to modify the selection and efficacy of avoidant coping to influence the indirect effect of stressors on depression but not disruptive behavior. Nevertheless, actual emotional skill (ability EI) appears dependent on perceived competency (trait EI) to realize advantageous outcomes. Findings are evaluated and discussed with reference to theoretical and practical implications

Area deprivation across the life course and physical capability in mid-life: findings from the 1946 British Birth Cohort

Physical capability in later life is influenced by factors occurring across the life course, yet exposures to area conditions have only been examined cross-sectionally. Data from the National Survey of Health and Development, a longitudinal study of a 1946 British birth cohort, were used to estimate associations of area deprivation (defined as percentage of employed people working in partly skilled or unskilled occupations) at ages 4, 26, and 53 years (residential addresses linked to census data in 1950, 1972, and 1999) with 3 measures of physical capability at age 53 years: grip strength, standing balance, and chair-rise time. Cross-classified multilevel models with individuals nested within areas at the 3 ages showed that models assessing a single time point underestimate total area contributions to physical capability. For balance and chair-rise performance, associations with area deprivation in midlife were robust to adjustment for individual socioeconomic position and prior area deprivation (mean change for a 1-standard-deviation increase: balance, −7.4% (95% confidence interval (CI): −12.8, −2.8); chair rise, 2.1% (95% CI: −0.1, 4.3)). In addition, area deprivation in childhood was related to balance after adjustment for childhood socioeconomic position (−5.1%, 95% CI: −8.7, −1.6). Interventions aimed at reducing midlife disparities in physical capability should target the socioeconomic environment of individuals—for standing balance, as early as childhood

Hydrogen-silicon carbide interactions

A study of the thermochemistry and kinetics of hydrogen environmental attack of silicon carbide was conducted for temperatures in the range from 1100 C to 1400 C. Thermodynamic maps based on the parameters of pressure and oxygen/moisture content were constructed. With increasing moisture levels, four distinct regions of attack were identified. Each region is defined by the thermodynamically stable solid phases. The theoretically stable solid phases of Region 1 are silicon carbide and silicon. Experimental evidence is provided to support this thermodynamic prediction. Silicon carbide is the single stable solid phase in Region 2. Active attack of the silicon carbide in this region occurs by the formation of gases of SiO, CO, CH4, SiH4, and SiH. Analysis of the kinetics of reaction for Region 2 at 1300 C show the attack of the silicon carbide to be controlled by gas phase diffusion of H2O to the sample. Silicon carbide and silica are the stable phases common to Regions 3 and 4. These two regions are characterized by the passive oxidation of silicon carbide and formation of a protective silica layer

Bridging the microscopic and the hydrodynamic in active filament solutions

Hydrodynamic equations for an isotropic solution of active polar filaments are derived from a microscopic mean-field model of the forces exchanged between motors and filaments. We find that a spatial dependence of the motor stepping rate along the filament is essential to drive bundle formation. A number of differences arise as compared to hydrodynamics derived (earlier) from a mesoscopic model where relative filament velocities were obtained on the basis of symmetry considerations. Due to the anisotropy of filament diffusion, motors are capable of generating net filament motion relative to the solvent. The effect of this new term on the stability of the homogeneous state is investigated.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Europhys. Let

Nematic and Polar order in Active Filament Solutions

Using a microscopic model of interacting polar biofilaments and motor proteins, we characterize the phase diagram of both homogeneous and inhomogeneous states in terms of experimental parameters. The polarity of motor clusters is key in determining the organization of the filaments in homogeneous isotropic, polarized and nematic states, while motor-induced bundling yields spatially inhomogeneous structures.Comment: 4 pages. 3 figure

Photoproducts of bacteriorhodopsin mutants: a molecular dynamics study

Molecular dynamics simulations of wild-type bacteriorhodopsin (bR) and of its D85N, D85T, D212N, and Y57F mutants have been carried out to investigate possible differences in the photoproducts of these proteins. For each mutant, a series of 50 molecular dynamics simulations of the photoisomerization and subsequent relaxation process were completed. The photoproducts can be classified into four distinct classes: 1) 13-cis retinal, with the retinal N-H+ bond oriented toward Asp-96; 2) 13-cis retinal, with the N-H+ oriented toward Asp-85 and hydrogen-bonded to a water molecule; 3) 13,14-di-cis retinal; 4) all-trans retinal. Simulations of wild-type bR and of its Y57F mutant resulted mainly in class 1 and class 2 products; simulations of D85N, D85T, and D212N mutants resulted almost entirely in class 1 products. The results support the suggestion that only class 2 products initiate a functional pump cycle. The formation of class 1 products for the D85N, D85T, and D212N mutants can explain the reversal of proton pumping under illumination by blue and yellow light