Analog of Astrophysical Magnetorotational Instability in a Couette-Taylor Flow of Polymer Fluids

We report experimental observation of an instability in a Couette-Taylor flow of a polymer fluid in a thin gap between two coaxially rotating cylinders in a regime where their angular velocity decreases with the radius while the specific angular momentum increases with the radius. In the considered regime, neither the inertial Rayleigh instability nor the purely elastic instability are possible. We propose that the observed "elasto-rotational" instability is an analog of the magnetorotational instability which plays a fundamental role in astrophysical Keplerian accretion disks.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Vibrational spectroscopy of GdCr3(BO3)4: Quantitative separation of crystalline phases

This work is devoted to the investigation of GdCr3(BO3)4 crystals by the method of infrared spectroscopy. Incongruently melting borate GdCr3(BO3)4 was obtained as a result of spontaneous crystallization. Crystal structures were identified by the method of infrared spectroscopy. Ab initio calculations in the frame of density functional theory enabled us to separate modes belonging to the R32 and C2/c phases and to estimate the ratio of these phases in GdCr3(BO3)4 crystals. We have found that the content of the rhombohedral R32 (non- centrosymmetric) modification is about 85%. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd

Dust Dynamics in Compressible MHD Turbulence

We calculate the relative grain-grain motions arising from interstellar magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence. The MHD turbulence includes both fluid motions and magnetic fluctuations. While the fluid motions accelerate grains through hydro-drag, the electromagnetic fluctuations accelerate grains through resonant interactions. We consider both incompressive (Alfv\'{e}n) and compressive (fast and slow) MHD modes and use descriptions of MHD turbulence obtained in Cho & Lazarian (2002). Calculations of grain relative motion are made for realistic grain charging and interstellar turbulence that is consistent with the velocity dispersions observed in diffuse gas, including cutoff of the turbulence from various damping processes. We show that fast modes dominate grain acceleration, and can drive grains to supersonic velocities. Grains are also scattered by gyroresonance interactions, but the scattering is less important than acceleration for grains moving with sub-Alfv\'{e}nic velocities. Since the grains are preferentially accelerated with large pitch angles, the supersonic grains will be aligned with long axes perpendicular to the magnetic field. We compare grain velocities arising from MHD turbulence with those arising from photoelectric emission, radiation pressure and H$_{2}$ thrust. We show that for typical interstellar conditions turbulence should prevent these mechanisms from segregating small and large grains. Finally, gyroresonant acceleration is bound to preaccelerate grains that are further accelerated in shocks. Grain-grain collisions in the shock may then contribute to the overabundance of refractory elements in the composition of galactic cosmic rays.Comment: 15 pages, 17 figure

Dirac cones in two-dimensional borane

We introduce two-dimensional borane, a single-layered material of BH stoichiometry, with promising electronic properties. We show that, according to Density Functional Theory calculations, two-dimensional borane is semimetallic, with two symmetry-related Dirac cones meeting right at the Fermi energy $E_f$. The curvature of the cones is lower than in graphene, thus closer to the ideal linear dispersion. Its structure, formed by a puckered trigonal boron network with hydrogen atoms connected to each boron atom, can be understood as distorted, hydrogenated borophene (Science \textbf{350}, 1513 (2015)). Chemical bonding analysis reveals the boron layer in the network being bound by delocalized four-center two-electron ${\sigma}$ bonds. Finally, we suggest high-pressure could be a feasible route to synthesise two-dimensional borane.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Amplification of magnetic fields by dynamo action in Gaussian-correlated helical turbulence

We investigate the growth and structure of magnetic fields amplified by kinematic dynamo action in turbulence with non-zero kinetic helicity. We assume a simple Gaussian velocity correlation tensor, which allows us to consider very large magnetic Reynolds numbers, up to one trillion. We use the kinematic Kazantsev-Kraichnan model of dynamo and find a complete numerical solution for the correlation functions of growing magnetic fields.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

A Turbulent Origin for Flocculent Spiral Structure in Galaxies

The flocculent structure of star formation in 7 galaxies has a Fourier transform power spectrum for azimuthal intensity scans with a power law slope that increases systematically from -1 at large scales to -1.7 at small scales. This is the same pattern as in the power spectra for azimuthal scans of HI emission in the Large Magellanic Clouds and for flocculent dust clouds in galactic nuclei. The steep part also corresponds to the slope of -3 for two-dimensional power spectra that have been observed in atomic and molecular gas surveys of the Milky Way and the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds. The same power law structure for star formation arises in both flocculent and grand design galaxies, which implies that the star formation process is the same in each. Fractal Brownian motion models that include discrete stars and an underlying continuum of starlight match the observations if all of the emission is organized into a global fractal pattern with an intrinsic 1D power spectrum having a slope between 1.3 and 1.8. We suggest that the power spectrum of optical light in galaxies is the result of turbulence, and that large-scale turbulent motions are generated by sheared gravitational instabilities which make flocculent spiral arms first and then cascade to form clouds and clusters on smaller scales.Comment: accepted for ApJ, 31 pg, 9 figure

Aromaticity in a Surface Deposited Cluster: Pd4_4 on TiO2_2 (110)

We report the presence of \sigma-aromaticity in a surface deposited cluster, Pd$_4$ on TiO$_2$ (110). In the gas phase, Pd$_4$ adopts a tetrahedral structure. However, surface binding promotes a flat, \sigma-aromatic cluster. This is the first time aromaticity is found in surface deposited clusters. Systems of this type emerge as a promising class of catalyst, and so realization of aromaticity in them may help to rationalize their reactivity and catalytic properties, as a function of cluster size and composition.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Возможности обезболивания при фотодинамической терапии

The authors consider the possibilities of pain management during photodynamic therapy (PDT) of visible tumors based on the observation of 102 patients. Of the total number of patients, 62 had verified basal cell skin cancer, 10 people - squamous cell skin cancer, another 10 - oral and oropharynx mucosa cancer, 8 - oral leukoplakia and dysplasia, in 6 - lower lip cancer, in 4 - breast cancer, in 2 - other localizations of neoplasms. In 15 patients, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) were used as pain management, in 69 - a combination of NSAID with tramadol, in 14 - nerve block anesthesia, in 4 - PDT was performed under general anesthesia. The intensity of pain syndrome during laser irradiation of the tumor was assessed on the verbal rating scale (VRS). The absence of pain was recorded in 9% of cases. Mild pain was noted by 58% of patients, moderate pain - 20%, severe pain - 10%, very severe pain was noted by 3% of patients.The degree of expression of pain syndrome during PDT depends on the incidence of a lesion, histological form of tumor, and method of anesthesia. NSAID alone, or in combination with an opioid analgesic, allows effective control of pain syndrome in PDT of basal cell skin cancer in 89%, in PDT of squamous cell skin cancer in 66% of observations. Nerve block anesthesia allows stoping pain syndrome during PDT of oropharyngeal tumors.Авторы рассматривают возможности обезболивания при фотодинамической терапии (ФДТ) опухолей визуальных локализаций на основе анализа данных 102 пациентов. Среди пациентов, включенных в выборку, у 62 верифицирован базальноклеточный рак кожи, у 10 - плоскоклеточный рак кожи, у 10 - рак слизистой оболочки полости рта и ротоглотки, у 8 - лейкоплакия и дисплазия слизистой оболочки полости рта, у 6 - рак нижней губы, у 4 - рак молочной железы, у 2 - новообразования иных локализаций.У 15 пациентов для обезболивания применяли нестероидные противовоспалительные препараты (НПВС), у 69 - сочетание НПВС со слабыми опиоидами (трамадолом), у 14 - проводниковую анестезию, у 4 ФДТ проводили под общим обезболиванием. Интенсивность болевого синдрома оценивалась в процессе проведения лазерного облучения опухоли по шкале вербальных оценок (ШВО). Отсутствие болевых ощущений зафиксировано в 9% наблюдений. Слабую боль отмечали в 58% наблюдений, умеренную боль – в 20%, сильную боль - в 10%, очень сильную боль - в 3% наблюдений.Степень выраженности болевого синдрома при проведении ФДТ зависит от распространенности поражения, гистологической формы опухоли и способа обезболивания. НПВС в самостоятельном варианте или в сочетании с опиоидным анальгетиком позволяют эффективно контролировать болевой синдром при ФДТ базальноклеточного рака кожи в 89%, плоскоклеточного рака кожи – в 66% наблюдений. Проводниковая анестезия позволяет купировать болевой синдром при проведении ФДТ опухолей орофарингеальной области

Radio-Frequency Measurements of Coherent Transition and Cherenkov Radiation: Implications for High-Energy Neutrino Detection

We report on measurements of 11-18 cm wavelength radio emission from interactions of 15.2 MeV pulsed electron bunches at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator. The electrons were observed both in a configuration where they produced primarily transition radiation from an aluminum foil, and in a configuration designed for the electrons to produce Cherenkov radiation in a silica sand target. Our aim was to emulate the large electron excess expected to develop during an electromagnetic cascade initiated by an ultra high-energy particle. Such charge asymmetries are predicted to produce strong coherent radio pulses, which are the basis for several experiments to detect high-energy neutrinos from the showers they induce in Antarctic ice and in the lunar regolith. We detected coherent emission which we attribute both to transition and possibly Cherenkov radiation at different levels depending on the experimental conditions. We discuss implications for experiments relying on radio emission for detection of electromagnetic cascades produced by ultra high-energy neutrinos.Comment: updated figure 10; fixed typo in equation 2.2; accepted by PR