Spin Information from Vector-Meson Decay in Photoproduction

For the photoproduction of vector mesons, all single and double spin observables involving vector meson two-body decays are defined consistently in the $\gamma N$ center of mass. These definitions yield a procedure for extracting physically meaningful single and double spin observables that are subject to known rules concerning their angle and energy evolution. As part of this analysis, we show that measuring the two-meson decay of a photoproduced $\rho$ or $\phi$ does not determine the vector meson's vector polarization, but only its tensor polarization. The vector meson decay into lepton pairs is also insensitive to the vector meson's vector polarization, unless one measures the spin of one of the leptons. Similar results are found for all double spin observables which involve observation of vector meson decay. To access the vector meson's vector polarization, one therefore needs to either measure the spin of the decay leptons, make an analysis of the background interference effects or relate the vector meson's vector polarization to other accessible spin observables.Comment: 22 pages, 3 figure

Triggered Star Formation by Massive Stars

We present our diagnosis of the role that massive stars play in the formation of low- and intermediate-mass stars in OB associations (the Lambda Ori region, Ori OB1, and Lac OB1 associations). We find that the classical T Tauri stars and Herbig Ae/Be stars tend to line up between luminous O stars and bright-rimmed or comet-shaped clouds; the closer to a cloud the progressively younger they are. Our positional and chronological study lends support to the validity of the radiation-driven implosion mechanism, where the Lyman continuum photons from a luminous O star create expanding ionization fronts to evaporate and compress nearby clouds into bright-rimmed or comet-shaped clouds. Implosive pressure then causes dense clumps to collapse, prompting the formation of low-mass stars on the cloud surface (i.e., the bright rim) and intermediate-mass stars somewhat deeper in the cloud. These stars are a signpost of current star formation; no young stars are seen leading the ionization fronts further into the cloud. Young stars in bright-rimmed or comet-shaped clouds are likely to have been formed by triggering, which would result in an age spread of several megayears between the member stars or star groups formed in the sequence.Comment: 2007, ApJ, 657, 88

Integrated Flexible Ocular Coil for Power and Data Transfer in Retinal Prostheses

A microfabricated and fully-implantable coil for use as a power and data transfer component for retinal prostheses is presented. Compared with traditional hand-made ocular coils, this parylene-based device is thin and flexible with 10 turns of thin-film metal wires and a thickness of less than 10 µm. In addition, the entire coil structure can be heat-formed on a mold to match the eye's curvature for extraocular implantation. Because it is made using parylene thin-film technology, this coil can be directly integrated with multielectrode arrays and with parylene-based packages incorporating application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or discrete electrical components such as chip capacitors. This coil thus enables the fabrication and implantation of a fully microfabricated system for retinal prostheses

Recording advances for neural prosthetics

An important challenge for neural prosthetics research is to record from populations of neurons over long periods of time, ideally for the lifetime of the patient. Two new advances toward this goal are described, the use of local field potentials (LFPs) and autonomously positioned recording electrodes. LFPs are the composite extracellular potential field from several hundreds of neurons around the electrode tip. LFP recordings can be maintained for longer periods of time than single cell recordings. We find that similar information can be decoded from LFP and spike recordings, with better performance for state decodes with LFPs and, depending on the area, equivalent or slightly less than equivalent performance for signaling the direction of planned movements. Movable electrodes in microdrives can be adjusted in the tissue to optimize recordings, but their movements must be automated to be a practical benefit to patients. We have developed automation algorithms and a meso-scale autonomous electrode testbed, and demonstrated that this system can autonomously isolate and maintain the recorded signal quality of single cells in the cortex of awake, behaving monkeys. These two advances show promise for developing very long term recording for neural prosthetic applications

Enhanced dispersion interaction in confined geometry

The dispersion interaction between two point-like particles confined in a dielectric slab between two plates of another dielectric medium is studied within a continuum (Lifshitz) theory. The retarded (Casimir-Polder) interaction at large inter-particle distances is found to be strongly enhanced as the mismatch between the dielectric permittivities of the two media is increased. The large-distance interaction is multiplied due to confinement by a factor of $(33\gamma^{5/2}+13\gamma^{-3/2})/46$ at zero temperature, and by $(5\gamma^2+\gamma^{-2})/6$ at finite temperature, \gamma=\ein(0)/\eout(0) being the ratio between the static dielectric permittivities of the inner and outer media. This confinement-induced amplification of the dispersion interaction can reach several orders of magnitude.Comment: 4 page

Diffraction of light by a planar aperture in a metallic screen

We present a complete derivation of the formula of Smythe [Phys.Rev.72, 1066 (1947)] giving the electromagnetic field diffracted by an aperture created in a perfectly conducting plane surface. The reasoning, valid for any excitating field and any hole shape, makes use only of the free scalar Green function for the Helmoltz equation without any reference to a Green dyadic formalism. We compare our proof with the one previously given by Jackson and connect our reasoning to the general Huygens Fresnel theorem.Comment: J. Math. Phys. 47, 072901 (2006

Pattern formation and selection in quasi-static fracture

Fracture in quasi-statically driven systems is studied by means of a discrete spring-block model. Developed from close comparison with desiccation experiments, it describes crack formation induced by friction on a substrate. The model produces cellular, hierarchical patterns of cracks, characterized by a mean fragment size linear in the layer thickness, in agreement with experiments. The selection of a stationary fragment size is explained by exploiting the correlations prior to cracking. A scaling behavior associated with the thickness and substrate coupling, derived and confirmed by simulations, suggests why patterns have similar morphology despite their disparity in scales.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX, two-column, 5 PS figures include

Hordenine : pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and behavioural effects in the horse

Hordenine is an alkaloid occurring naturally in grains, sprouting barley, and certain grasses. It is occasionally found in post race urine samples, and therefore we investigated its pharmacological actions in the horse. Hordenine (2.0 mgkg bodyweight [bwt]) was administered by rapid intravenous (iv) injection to 10 horses. Typically, dosed horses showed a tlehmen response and defecated within 60 secs. All horses showed substantial respiratory distress. Respiratory rates increased about 250 per cent and heart rates were approximately double that of resting values. All animals broke out in a sweat shortly after iv injection, but basal body temperature was not affected. These effects were transient, and the animals appeared normal within 30 mins of dosing. Tkeated horses were tested in a variable interval responding apparatus 30 mins after dosing and no residual stimulation or depressant effects of hordenine were apparent. Animals dosed orally with 2.0 mgkg bwt of hordenine showed no changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, basal body temperature or behaviour. After iv injection of hordenine, (2.0 mgkg bwt) plasma reached a maximum value of about 1.0 pglml, and declined thereafter in a biexponential fashion. Kinetics of plasma concentration satisfied the concept of a two compartment open system, with an a-phase half-life of about 3 mins, and a P-phase half-life of about 35 mins. Total urinary concentrations of hordenine (free and conjugated) peaked at about 400 pg/ml, and then declined exponentially to background levels by 24 h after dosing. Oral administration of hordenine (2.0 mgkg bwt) showed peak plasma levels of about 0.15 pg/ml 1 h after dosing, followed by a slow multi-exponential decline in blood levels of the drug. Total urinary concentrations of hordenine (free and conjugated) peaked at about 200 pg/ml, remained at this level for about 8 h, and then declined to background levels. Plasma levels of hordenine were reflected by a kinetic model which assumed very slow absorption of hordenine from the gastrointestinal tract and no effect on behaviour, heart rate or respiratory rate were noted after oral administration. Because of the low plasma levels, it would appear to be particularly difficult to obtain a pharmacological effect of hordenine after oral administration

Relativistic Generalization of the Gamow Factor for Fermion Pair Production or Annihilation

In the production or annihilation of a pair of fermions, the initial-state or final-state interactions often lead to significant effects on the reaction cross sections. For Coulomb-type interactions, the Gamow factor has been traditionally used to take into account these effects. However the Gamow factor needs to be modified when the magnitude of the coupling constant or the relative velocity of two particles increases. We obtain the relativistic generalization of the Gamow factor in terms of the overlap of the Feynman amplitude with the relativistic wave function of two fermions with an attractive Coulomb-type interaction. An explicit form of the corrective factor is presented for the spin-singlet S-wave state. While the corrective factor approaches the Gamow factor in the non-relativistic limit, we found that the Gamow factor significantly over-estimates the effects when the coupling constant or the velocity is large.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures in LaTe

Symbiotic Bright Solitary Wave Solutions of Coupled Nonlinear Schrodinger Equations

Conventionally, bright solitary wave solutions can be obtained in self-focusing nonlinear Schrodinger equations with attractive self-interaction. However, when self-interaction becomes repulsive, it seems impossible to have bright solitary wave solution. Here we show that there exists symbiotic bright solitary wave solution of coupled nonlinear Schrodinger equations with repulsive self-interaction but strongly attractive interspecies interaction. For such coupled nonlinear Schrodinger equations in two and three dimensional domains, we prove the existence of least energy solutions and study the location and configuration of symbiotic bright solitons. We use Nehari's manifold to construct least energy solutions and derive their asymptotic behaviors by some techniques of singular perturbation problems.Comment: to appear in Nonlinearit