23,752 research outputs found
Strongly anisotropic roughness in surfaces driven by an oblique particle flux
Using field theoretic renormalization, an MBE-type growth process with an
obliquely incident influx of atoms is examined. The projection of the beam on
the substrate plane selects a "parallel" direction, with rotational invariance
restricted to the transverse directions. Depending on the behavior of an
effective anisotropic surface tension, a line of second order transitions is
identified, as well as a line of potentially first order transitions, joined by
a multicritical point. Near the second order transitions and the multicritical
point, the surface roughness is strongly anisotropic. Four different roughness
exponents are introduced and computed, describing the surface in different
directions, in real or momentum space. The results presented challenge an
earlier study of the multicritical point.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, REVTeX
Scaling regimes and critical dimensions in the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang problem
We study the scaling regimes for the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation with noise
correlator R(q) ~ (1 + w q^{-2 \rho}) in Fourier space, as a function of \rho
and the spatial dimension d. By means of a stochastic Cole-Hopf transformation,
the critical and correction-to-scaling exponents at the roughening transition
are determined to all orders in a (d - d_c) expansion. We also argue that there
is a intriguing possibility that the rough phases above and below the lower
critical dimension d_c = 2 (1 + \rho) are genuinely different which could lead
to a re-interpretation of results in the literature.Comment: Latex, 7 pages, eps files for two figures as well as Europhys. Lett.
style files included; slightly expanded reincarnatio
On Critical Exponents and the Renormalization of the Coupling Constant in Growth Models with Surface Diffusion
It is shown by the method of renormalized field theory that in contrast to a
statement based on a mathematically ill-defined invariance transformation and
found in most of the recent publications on growth models with surface
diffusion, the coupling constant of these models renormalizes nontrivially.
This implies that the widely accepted supposedly exact scaling exponents are to
be corrected. A two-loop calculation shows that the corrections are small and
these exponents seem to be very good approximations.Comment: 4 pages, revtex, 2 postscript figures, to appear in Phys.Rev.Let
Dielectric branes in non-trivial backgrounds
We present a procedure to evaluate the action for dielectric branes in
non-trivial backgrounds. These backgrounds must be capable to be taken into a
Kaluza-Klein form, with some non-zero wrapping factor. We derive the way this
wrapping factor is gauged away. Examples of this are AdS_5xS^5 and
AdS_3xS^3xT^4, where we perform the construction of different stable systems,
which stability relies in its dielectric character.Comment: 14 pages, published versio
Problems and hopes in nonsymmetric gravity
We consider the linearized nonsymmetric theory of gravitation (NGT) within
the background of an expanding universe and near a Schwarzschild mass. We show
that the theory always develops instabilities unless the linearized
nonsymmetric lagrangian reduces to a particular simple form. This form contains
a gauge invariant kinetic term, a mass term for the antisymmetric metric-field
and a coupling with the Ricci curvature scalar. This form cannot be obtained
within NGT. Based on the linearized lagrangian we know to be stable, we
consider the generation and evolution of quantum fluctuations of the
antisymmetric gravitational field (B-field) from inflation up to the present
day. We find that a B-field with a mass m ~ 0.03(H_I/10^(13)GeV)^4 eV is an
excellent dark matter candidate.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure. Based on two talks by the authors at the 2nd
International Conference on Quantum Theories and Renormalization Group in
Gravity and Cosmology (IRGAC) 2006, Barcelon
Pulmonary giant cells and their significance for the diagnosis of asphyxiation
This study was performed to prove whether the detection of polynuclear giant cells in lungs is useful for the diagnosis of asphyxiation due to throttling or strangulation. Therefore, lung specimens of 54 individuals with different natural and unnatural causes of death were investigated. In most lungs examined numerous alveolar macrophages with 1-2 nuclei were found. Polynuclear giant cells, which were arbitrarily defined as alveolar macrophages containing 3 or more nuclei, were observed in all groups investigated except in the cases of hypoxia due to covering the head with plastic bags. Apparent differences between the other groups in particular an increased number in cases of throttling or strangulation, could not be observed. Immunohistochemical investigations confirmed the hypothesis that the observed polynuclear giant cells were derived from alveolar macrophages. The immunohistochemical analysis of the proliferation marker antigen Ki 67 revealed no positive reaction in the nuclei of polynuclear giant cells indicating that these cells had not developed shortly before death by endomitosis as an adaptative change following reduction in oxygen supply. The results provide evidence that the detection of pulmonary polynuclear giant cells cannot be used as a practical indicator for death by asphyxiation due to throttling or strangulation
Laserlight visual cueing device for freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease: a case study of the biomechanics involved
AbstractBackground: Freezing of gait (FOG) is a serious gait disorder affecting up to two-thirds of people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Cueing has been explored as a method of generating motor execution using visual transverse lines on the floor. However, the impact of a laser light visual cue remains unclear. Objective: To determine the biomechanical effect of a laser cane on FOG in a participant with PD compared to a healthy age- and gender-matched control. Methods: The participant with PD and healthy control were given a task of initiating gait from standing. Electromyography (EMG) data were collected from the tibialis anterior (TA) and the medial gastrocnemius (GS) muscles using an 8-channel system. A 10-camera system (Qualisys) recorded movement in 6 degrees of freedom and a calibrated anatomical system technique was used to construct a full body model. Center of mass (COM) and center of pressure (COP) were the main outcome measures. Results: The uncued condition showed that separation of COM and COP took longer and was of smaller magnitude than the cued condition. EMG activity revealed prolonged activation of GS, with little to no TA activity. The cued condition showed earlier COM and COP separation. There was reduced fluctuation in GS, with abnormal, early bursts of TA activity. Step length improved in the cued condition compared to the uncued condition. Conclusion: Laserlight visual cueing improved step length beyond a non-cued condition for this patient indicating improved posture and muscle control
Random Resistor-Diode Networks and the Crossover from Isotropic to Directed Percolation
By employing the methods of renormalized field theory we show that the
percolation behavior of random resistor-diode networks near the multicritical
line belongs to the universality class of isotropic percolation. We construct a
mesoscopic model from the general epidemic process by including a relevant
isotropy-breaking perturbation. We present a two-loop calculation of the
crossover exponent . Upon blending the -expansion result with
the exact value for one dimension by a rational approximation, we
obtain for two dimensions . This value is in agreement
with the recent simulations of a two-dimensional random diode network by Inui,
Kakuno, Tretyakov, Komatsu, and Kameoka, who found an order parameter exponent
different from those of isotropic and directed percolation.
Furthermore, we reconsider the theory of the full crossover from isotropic to
directed percolation by Frey, T\"{a}uber, and Schwabl and clear up some minor
shortcomings.Comment: 24 pages, 2 figure
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