The dimpling in the CuO_2 planes of YBa_2Cu_3O_x (x=6.806-6.984, T=20-300 K) measured by yttrium EXAFS

The dimpling of the CuO_2 planes (spacing between the O2,3 and Cu2 layers) in YBa_2Cu_3O_x has been measured as a function of oxygen concentration and temperature by yttrium x-ray extended-fine-structure spectroscopy (EXAFS). The relative variations of the dimpling with doping (x=6.806-6.984) and temperature (20-300 K) are weak (within 0.05 AA), and arise mainly from displacements of the Cu2 atoms off the O2,3 plane towards Ba. The dimpling appears to be connected with the transition from the underdoped to the overdoped regimes at x=6.95, and with a characteristic temperature in the normal state, T*=150 K.Comment: 6 pages, 2 ps figs, LaTEX, Elsevier Elsart styl

Pentaquark searches at FOCUS

We find no evidence for high-energy photoproduction of pentaquarks at 1540 MeV/$c^2$, 1862 MeV/$c^2$, or 3099 MeV/$c^2$ using decay modes $pK_S^0$, $\Xi^-\pi^-$, and $D^{(*)-}p$, respectively.Comment: Proceedings from talk at 2004 DPF Meeting at University of California, Riversid

Measurements of thermodynamic and transport properties of EuC2_2: a low-temperature analogue of EuO

EuC$_2$ is a ferromagnet with a Curie-temperature of $T_C \simeq 15\,$K. It is semiconducting with the particularity that the resistivity drops by about 5 orders of magnitude on cooling through $T_C$, which is therefore called a metal-insulator transition. In this paper we study the magnetization, specific heat, thermal expansion, and the resistivity around this ferromagnetic transition on high-quality EuC$_2$ samples. At $T_C$ we observe well defined anomalies in the specific heat $c_p(T)$ and thermal expansion $\alpha(T)$ data. The magnetic contributions of $c_p(T)$ and $\alpha(T)$ can satisfactorily be described within a mean-field theory, taking into account the magnetization data. In zero magnetic field the magnetic contributions of the specific heat and thermal expansion fulfill a Gr\"uneisen-scaling, which is not preserved in finite fields. From an estimation of the pressure dependence of $T_C$ via Ehrenfest's relation, we expect a considerable increase of $T_C$ under applied pressure due to a strong spin-lattice coupling. Furthermore the influence of weak off stoichiometries $\delta$ in EuC$_{2 \pm \delta}$ was studied. It is found that $\delta$ strongly affects the resistivity, but hardly changes the transition temperature. In all these aspects, the behavior of EuC$_2$ strongly resembles that of EuO.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure

Simulations and interpretations of cumulative trophic theory

Examining marine ecosystems in a distinct way can produce new ecological, theoretical and applied insights. The common “S” and “hockey stick” -shaped curves, which result from examining the cumulative biomass and trophic level and the cumulative production and cumulative biomass curves of marine ecosystems, have strong potential to elucidate the mechanisms of marine food webs. These curves are based on the cumulative trophic theory, which can be summarized as the integration of biomass and production across trophic level that results from the relatively simple trophic transfer equation. Here we test the behavior of this theory via modeled simulations of the transfer equation under a variety of common mechanisms that can influence marine ecosystems. The simulated scenarios we present and evaluate here explore bottom-up driven changes (production, growth), internal dynamics (transfer efficiency) or top-down driven changes (mortality, selectivity), as well as multi-mechanism scenarios (overfishing and eutrophication) that are commonly experienced in marine ecosystems. We explore these scenarios at high, medium or low levels of change for each feature to ascertain how they can result in major changes to the realized trophodynamics of a marine ecosystem. Our results lend credence to the generality of the cumulative trophic theory by predicting the empirically observed “S” and “hockey stick” -shaped curves under a wide range of possible mechanisms. Given that common, repeatable and predictable dynamics is a key hallmark of increasingly robust theories, the application of cumulative trophic theory in managing marine ecosystems enables more repeatable and predictable responses across a wide range of conditions

The Beneficial Impact of Sorting Heavy Cattle at Re-Implant

This research examined a simple sorting strategy to reduce the prevalence of heavyweight carcass discounts. Cattle that were identified and sorted off at re-implant had a reduced prevalence of heavyweight carcasses versus unsorted cattle. Re-implant sorting was profitable at pen average in-weights of 800 pounds or less.cattle, fed cattle marketing, cattle sorting, formula marketing, Farm Management, Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing, Q11, Q16, M31,

Magnetic excitations in the metallic single-layer Ruthenates Ca(2-x)Sr(x)RuO(4) studied by inelastic neutron scattering

By inelastic neutron scattering, we have analyzed the magnetic correlations in the paramagnetic metallic region of the series Ca(2-x)Sr(x)RuO(4), 0.2<=x<=0.62. We find different contributions that correspond to 2D ferromagnetic fluctuations and to fluctuations at incommensurate wave vectors (0.11,0,0), (0.26,0,0) and (0.3,0.3,0). These components constitute the measured response as function of the Sr-concentration x, of the magnetic field and of the temperature. A generic model is applicable to metallic Ca(2-x)Sr(x)RuO(4) close to the Mott transition, in spite of their strongly varying physical properties. The amplitude, characteristic energy and width of the incommensurate components vary only little as function of x, but the ferromagnetic component depends sensitively on concentration, temperature and magnetic field. While ferromagnetic fluctuations are very strong in Ca1.38Sr0.62RuO4 with a low characteristic energy of 0.2 meV at T=1.5 K, they are strongly suppressed in Ca1.8Sr0.2RuO4, but reappear upon the application of a magnetic field and form a magnon mode above the metamagnetic transition. The inelastic neutron scattering results document how the competition between ferromagnetic and incommensurate antiferromagnetic instabilities governs the physics of this system

QCD sum rules for the anti-charmed pentaquark

We present a QCD sum rule analysis for the anti-charmed pentaquark state with and without strangeness. While the sum rules for most of the currents are either non-convergent or dominated by the $DN$ continuum, the one for the non-strange pentaquark current composed of two diquarks and an antiquark, is convergent and has a structure consistent with a positive parity pentaquark state after subtracting out the $DN$ continuum contribution. Arguments are presented on the similarity between the result of the present analysis and that based on the constituent quark models, which predict a more stable pentaquark states when the antiquark is heavy.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, REVTex, revised version,new figures added and references update

Expression profiling of snoRNAs in normal hematopoiesis and AML

Key Points A subset of snoRNAs is expressed in a developmental- and lineage-specific manner during human hematopoiesis. Neither host gene expression nor alternative splicing accounted for the observed differential expression of snoRNAs in a subset of AML.</jats:p

Comparison of fibre optical measurements and discrete element simulations for the study of granulation in a spout fluidized bed

Spout fluidized beds are frequently used for the production of granules or particles through granulation. The products find application in a large variety of applications, for example detergents, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals and food. Spout fluidized beds have a number of advantageous properties, such as a high mobility of the particles, which prevents undesired agglomeration and yields excellent heat transfer properties. The particle growth mechanism in a spout fluidized bed as function of particle-droplet interaction has a profound influence on the particle morphology and thus on the product quality. Nevertheless, little is known about the details of the granulation process. This is mainly due to the fact that the granulation process is not visually accessible. In this work we use fundamental, deterministic models to enable the detailed investigation of granulation behaviour in a spout fluidized bed. A discrete element model is used describing the dynamics of the continuous gas-phase and the discrete droplets and particles. For each element momentum balances are solved. The momentum transfer among each of the three phases is described in detail at the level of individual elements. The results from the discrete element model simulations are compared with local measurements of particle volume fractions as well as particle velocities by using a novel fibre optical probe in a fluidized bed of 400 mm I.D. Simulations and experiments were carried out for three different cases using Geldart B type aluminium oxide particles: a freely bubbling fluidized bed; a spout fluidized bed without the presence of droplets and a spout fluidized bed with the presence of droplets. It is demonstrated how the discrete element model can be used to obtain information about the interaction of the discrete phases, i.e. the growth zone in a spout fluidized bed. Eventually this kind of information can be used to obtain closure information required in more coarse grained models