Possible cosmological implications in electrodynamics due to variations of the fine structure constant

Astronomical observations are suggesting that the fine structure constant varies cosmologically. We present an analysis on the consequences that these variations might induce on the electromagnetic field as a whole. We show that under these circumstances the electrodynamics in vacuum could be described by two fields, the ``standard'' Maxwell's field and a new scalar field. We provide a generalised Lorentz force which can be used to test our results experimentally.Comment: 7 pages, no figures. Accepted for publication in Rev. Mex. Fis. (Some extra information included, references added and small corrections made to the original version

Return to Tourist Destination. Is it Reputation, After All?

In this paper we study the hypothesis that the repeated purchases in the tourism markets could be considered as a consequence of asymmetrical information problems. We analyze this hypothesis with the case study of the Island of Tenerife by the estimation of a count data model. We obtain that the length of the stay and the information obtained from previous visits and/or relatives and friends might increase the return to a destination suggesting the presence of a reputation mechanism as proposed by Shapiro (1983). We also estimate the determinants of the willingness to return confirming the main results.reputation, tourism, count data, logit

Vibrational assignments of two polymorphic forms of metaxolone by using DFT calculations and the SQM methodology

A theoretical study has been performed on the musclerelaxant 5-[(3, 5-dimethylphenoxy)methyl]-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one, of generic name metaxolone (MTX), by using the hybridB3LYP/6-31G calculations in the gas phase and theexperimental available infrared and Raman spectra in thesolid phase. Three C1, C2 and C3 isomers were found in thepotential energy surface (PES) but only two of them, C1 andC2 correspond to those experimentally reported polymorphicforms A and B, respectively. The absence of C3 isomer couldbe easily explained by the quite high values in the dihedralC5-C7-O2-C9 and O1-C5-C7-O2 angles different from thoseexperimental structures reported for the two polymorphicforms A and B of MTX. On the other hand, the higher bondorders values together with the high topological propertiesobserved for the oxazolidinone ring of C1 could possiblysupport their existence despite this isomer has highest energythan C2 and C3. The natural bond orbital (NBO) analysesreveal the high stabilities of C1 and C2 while the atoms inmolecules(AIM) study suggests that the ringdimethylphenoxy-methyl practically do not have influence onthe properties of MTX. The frontier orbitals show that theisomers of MTX have reactivities and electrophilicity indexessimilar to antiviral thymidine while their nucleophilicityindexes present values closer to antimicrobial thione. Inaddition, the complete vibrational assignments of those twostable isomers were performed by using the experimentalavailable FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra, their normal internalcoordinates,the scaled quantum mechanical force field(SQMFF) methodology and the Molvib program.Theharmonic force fields for the two isomers and theircorresponding force constants were also reported. The forceconstants values are in agreement with values reported in theliterature for species with similar groups.Fil: Iramain, Maximiliano Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química Inorgánica; ArgentinaFil: Márquez, María J.. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química Inorgánica; ArgentinaFil: Ledesma, Ana Estela. Universidad Nacional de Santiago del Estero. Facultad de Cs.exactas y Tecnologías. Departamento de Física y Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Brandan, Silvia Antonia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia. Instituto de Química Inorgánica; Argentin

Optimized generation of spatial qudits by using a pure phase spatial light modulator

We present a method for preparing arbitrary pure states of spatial qudits, namely, D-dimensional (D > 2) quantum systems carrying information in the transverse momentum and position of single photons. For this purpose, a set of D slits with complex transmission are displayed on a spatial light modulator (SLM). In a recent work we have shown a method that requires a single phase-only SLM to control independently the complex coefficients which define the quantum state of dimension D. The amplitude information was codified by introducing phase gratings inside each slit and the phase value of the complex transmission was added to the phase gratings. After a spatial filtering process we obtained in the image plane the desired qudit state. Although this method has proven to be a good alternative to compact the previously reported architectures, it presents some features that could be improved. In this paper we present an alternative scheme to codify the required phase values that minimizes the effects of temporal phase fluctuations associated to the SLM where the codification is carried on. In this scheme the amplitudes are set by appropriate phase gratings addressed at the SLM while the relative phases are obtained by a lateral displacement of these phase gratings. We show that this method improves the quality of the prepared state and provides very high fidelities of preparation for any state. An additional advantage of this scheme is that a complete 2\pi modulation is obtained by shifting the grating by one period, and hence the encoding is not limited by the phase modulation range achieved by the SLM. Numerical simulations, that take into account the phase fluctuations, show high fidelities for thousands of qubit states covering the whole Bloch sphere surface. Similar analysis are performed for qudits with D = 3 and D = 7.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figure

On the impact of exchange rate regimes on tourism

The main objective of this paper is to analyze the effect of the exchange rate arrangements on international tourism. The ambiguity of literature about the effect of exchange rate volatility contrasts with the magnitude of the impact of a common currency on trade. On the basis of a gravity equation we estimate a moderate effect of a currency union on tourism of almost 12%. Furthermore, we estimate a gravity equation for international trade, obtaining that the common currency effect on trade is reduced when tourism is introduced as a regressor. This suggests that tourism flows may contribute to explain the excessive magnitude of the estimated effect of a common currency on trade in this literature. Finally, we analyze the impact of several de facto exchange rate arrangements on tourism, finding that less flexible exchange rates promotes tourism flows.Tourism, Exchange Rate Regime, Common Currency

Conditional purity and quantum correlation measures in two qubit mixed states

We analyze and show experimental results of the conditional purity, the quantum discord and other related measures of quantum correlation in mixed two-qubit states constructed from a pair of photons in identical polarization states. The considered states are relevant for the description of spin pair states in interacting spin chains in a transverse magnetic field. We derive clean analytical expressions for the conditional local purity and other correlation measures obtained as a result of a remote local projective measurement, which are fully verified by the experimental results. A simple exact expression for the quantum discord of these states in terms of the maximum conditional purity is also derived.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, minor changes, to be published in J. Phys.

Revisiting Rose's common currency debate

The main objective of this research is to revisit the estimation of the effect of a common currency on international trade by applying the new methodology proposed by Helpman, Melitz and Rubistein (2008) and incorporating tourism to the theoretical framework. Rose (2000) estimates an empirical model of bilateral trade, finding a significant coefficient for a currency union variable of 1.2, suggesting an effect of currency unions on trade of over a 200%. Rose (2000)’s finding did not receive full acceptance and further research was consequently devoted to find reasons of such high effect. This still remains as a major puzzle in the International Economics. Rose and Van Wincoop (2001) hold that there may still be some omitted factors that drives countries to both participate in currency unions and trade more. In this research a gravity equation for trade is estimated controlling by international tourism.Common currency, tourism, gravity equation

APLF (C2orf13) is a novel component of poly(ADP-ribose) signaling in mammalian cells

APLF is a novel protein of unknown function that accumulates at sites of chromosomal DNA strand breakage via forkhead-associated (FHA) domain-mediated interactions with XRCC1 and XRCC4. APLF can also accumulate at sites of chromosomal DNA strand breaks independently of the FHA domain via an unidentified mechanism that requires a highly conserved C-terminal tandem zinc finger domain. Here, we show that the zinc finger domain binds tightly to poly(ADP-ribose), a polymeric posttranslational modification synthesized transiently at sites of chromosomal damage to accelerate DNA strand break repair reactions. Protein poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is tightly regulated and defects in either its synthesis or degradation slow global rates of chromosomal single-strand break repair. Interestingly, APLF negatively affects poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation in vitro, and this activity is dependent on its capacity to bind the polymer. In addition, transient overexpression in human A549 cells of full-length APLF or a C-terminal fragment encoding the tandem zinc finger domain greatly suppresses the appearance of poly(ADP-ribose), in a zinc finger-dependent manner. We conclude that APLF can accumulate at sites of chromosomal damage via zinc finger-mediated binding to poly(ADP-ribose) and is a novel component of poly(ADP-ribose) signaling in mammalian cells