Are gauge shocks really shocks?

The existence of gauge pathologies associated with the Bona-Masso family of generalized harmonic slicing conditions is proven for the case of simple 1+1 relativity. It is shown that these gauge pathologies are true shocks in the sense that the characteristic lines associated with the propagation of the gauge cross, which implies that the name ``gauge shock'' usually given to such pathologies is indeed correct. These gauge shocks are associated with places where the spatial hypersurfaces that determine the foliation of spacetime become non-smooth.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, REVTEX 4. Revised version, including corrections suggested by referee

Quality of life after aortic valve repair is similar to Ross patients and superior to mechanical valve replacement: A cross-sectional study

Background: In patients after aortic valve surgery, the quality of life is hypothesized to be influenced by the type of the valve procedure. A cross-sectional study on the postoperative quality of life was carried out in patients after aortic valve-sparing surgery (with regards to the age of the patient), Ross procedure and mechanical aortic valve replacement. Methods: Quality of life was studied in 139 patients after aortic valve surgery divided into four study groups (Y - aortic valve-sparing procedure at the age below 50years, mean age 36.2years; O - aortic valve-sparing procedure at the age 50years and over, mean age 59.2years; R - Ross procedure, mean age 37.8years and M - mechanical aortic valve replacement at the age below 50years, mean age 39.2years). SF-36 Short Form and valve-specific questionnaires were mailed to the patients after 6months or later following surgery (median 26.9months). Results: In SF-36, the younger aortic valve repair patients and the Ross patients scored significantly better in 4 of 4 physical subscales and in 2 of 4 mental subscales than the older aortic valve repair and mechanical valve replacement patients. In the valve-specific questionnaire; however, all 3 groups free of anticoagulation (Y, O, and R) displayed greater freedom from negative valve-related concerns. Conclusions: Postoperative quality of life is influenced by the type of aortic valve procedure and is negatively linked with mechanical prosthesis implantation and long-term anticoagulation. Aortic valve-sparing strategy should be considered in cases with suitable valve morphology due to favorable clinical results and beneficial impact on the long-term quality of life

Formation of convective cells in the scrape-off layer of the CASTOR tokamak

Understanding of the scrape-off layer (SOL) physics in tokamaks requires diagnostics with sufficient temporal and spatial resolution. This contribution describes results of experiments performed in the SOL of the CASTOR tokamak (R=40 cm, a = 6 cm) by means of a ring of 124 Langmuir probes surrounding the whole poloidal cross section. The individual probes measure either the ion saturation current of the floating potential with the spatial resolution up to 3 mm. Experiments are performed in a particular magnetic configuration, characterized by a long parallel connection length in the SOL, L_par ~q2piR. We report on measurements in discharges, where the edge electric field is modified by inserting a biased electrode into the edge plasma. In particular, a complex picture is observed, if the biased electrode is located inside the SOL. The poloidal distribution of the floating potential appears to be strongly non-uniform at biasing. The peaks of potential are observed at particular poloidal angles. This is interpreted as formation of a biased flux tube, which emanates from the electrode along the magnetic field lines and snakes q times around the torus. The resulting electric field in the SOL is 2-dimensional, having the radial as well as the poloidal component. It is demonstrated that the poloidal electric field E_pol convects the edge plasma radially due to the E_pol x B_T drift either inward or outward depending on its sign. The convective particle flux is by two orders of magnitude larger than the fluctuation-induced one and consequently dominates.Comment: 12th International Congress on Plasma Physics, 25-29 October 2004, Nice (France

Status of the PICASSO Project

The Picasso project is a dark matter search experiment based on the superheated droplet technique. Preliminary runs performed at the Picasso Lab in Montreal have showed the suitability of this detection technique to the search for weakly interacting cold dark matter particles. In July 2002, a new phase of the project started. A batch of six 1-liter detectors with an active mass of approximately 40g was installed in a gallery of the SNO observatory in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada at a depth of 6,800 feet (2,070m). We give a status report on the new experimental setup, data analysis, and preliminary limits on spin-dependent neutralino interaction cross section.Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures. To appear in the Proceedings of the TAUP 2003 conference, 5-9 September, 2003, University of Washington, Seattle, US

Experimental Constraints on the Neutrino Oscillations and a Simple Model of Three Flavour Mixing

A simple model of the neutrino mixing is considered, which contains only one right-handed neutrino field, coupled via the mass term to the three usual left-handed fields. This is a simplest model that allows for three-flavour neutrino oscillations. The existing experimental limits on the neutrino oscillations are used to obtain constraints on the two free mixing parameters of the model. A specific sum rule relating the oscillation probabilities of different flavours is derived.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures in post script, Latex, IFT 2/9

Limits on the neutrino magnetic moment from the MUNU experiment

The MUNU experiment was carried out at the Bugey nuclear power reactor. The aim was the study of electron antineutrino-electron elastic scattering at low energy. The recoil electrons were recorded in a gas time projection chamber, immersed in a tank filled with liquid scintillator serving as veto detector, suppressing in particular Compton electrons. The measured electron recoil spectrum is presented. Upper limits on the neutrino magnetic moment were derived and are discussed.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures Added reference: p.3, 1st col., TEXONO Added sentence: p.4, 1st col., electron attachement Modified sentence: p.5, 1st col., readout sequence Added sentence: p.5, 1st col., fast rise time cu