23,302 research outputs found
A wave-function Monte Carlo method for simulating conditional master equations
Wave-function Monte Carlo methods are an important tool for simulating
quantum systems, but the standard method cannot be used to simulate decoherence
in continuously measured systems. Here we present a new Monte Carlo method for
such systems. This was used to perform the simulations of a continuously
measured nano-resonator in [Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 057208 (2009)].Comment: 4 pages, revtex 4, 1 eps figure. v2: correction to Eqs (3),(9), and
(11); v3 added further informatio
Global Education in Second Language Teaching
This article paints an optimistic picture of the role we second language teachers can play not only in improving our students' language proficiency but also in infusing global education into our classes as we join with our students to address global concerns, such as peace, prosperity, environmental protection, and human rights. The article is divided into four parts. The first part describes global education and identifies organizations of second language educators participating in global education. The second part of the article focuses on two key areas of global education: peace education and environmental education. Next, we address questions that second language teachers frequently ask about including global education in their teaching. Lastly, we supply lists of print and electronic resources on peace education and environmental education
A Monte Carlo Method for Modeling Thermal Damping: Beyond the Brownian-Motion Master Equation
The "standard" Brownian motion master equation, used to describe thermal
damping, is not completely positive, and does not admit a Monte Carlo method,
important in numerical simulations. To eliminate both these problems one must
add a term that generates additional position diffusion. He we show that one
can obtain a completely positive simple quantum Brownian motion, efficiently
solvable, without any extra diffusion. This is achieved by using a stochastic
Schroedinger equation (SSE), closely analogous to Langevin's equation, that has
no equivalent Markovian master equation. Considering a specific example, we
show that this SSE is sensitive to nonlinearities in situations in which the
master equation is not, and may therefore be a better model of damping for
nonlinear systems.Comment: 6 pages, revtex4. v2: numerical results for a nonlinear syste
Nucleation Induced Undulative Instability in Thin Films of nCB Liquid Crystals
A surface instability is reported in thin nematic films of 5CB and 8CB,
occurring near the nematic--isotropic phase transition.
Although this instability leads to patterns reminiscent of spinodal
dewetting, we show that it is actually based on a nucleation mechanism. Its
characteristic wavelength does not depend markedly on film thickness, but
strongly on the heating rate.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure
Phonon number quantum jumps in an optomechanical system
We describe an optomechanical system in which the mean phonon number of a
single mechanical mode conditionally displaces the amplitude of the optical
field. Using homodyne detection of the output field we establish the conditions
under which phonon number quantum jumps can be inferred from the measurement
record: both the cavity damping rate and the measurement rate of the phonon
number must be much greater than the thermalization rate of the mechanical
mode. We present simulations of the conditional dynamics of the measured system
using the stochastic master equation. In the good-measurement limit, the
conditional evolution of the mean phonon number shows quantum jumps as phonons
enter and exit the mechanical resonator via the bath.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures. minor revisions since first versio
Shape of a liquid front upon dewetting
We examine the profile of a liquid front of a film that is dewetting a solid
substrate. Since volume is conserved, the material that once covered the
substrate is accumulated in a rim close to the three phase contact line.
Theoretically, such a profile of a Newtonian liquid resembles an exponentially
decaying harmonic oscillation that relaxes into the prepared film thickness.
For the first time, we were able to observe this behavior experimentally. A
non-Newtonian liquid - a polymer melt - however, behaves differently. Here,
viscoelastic properties come into play. We will demonstrate that by analyzing
the shape of the rim profile. On a nm scale, we gain access to the rheology of
a non-Newtonian liquid.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Gravitational Waves in Bianchi Type-I Universes I: The Classical Theory
The propagation of classical gravitational waves in Bianchi Type-I universes
is studied. We find that gravitational waves in Bianchi Type-I universes are
not equivalent to two minimally coupled massless scalar fields as it is for the
Robertson-Walker universe. Due to its tensorial nature, the gravitational wave
is much more sensitive to the anisotropy of the spacetime than the scalar field
is and it gains an effective mass term. Moreover, we find a coupling between
the two polarization states of the gravitational wave which is also not present
in the Robertson-Walker universe.Comment: 34 papers, written in ReVTeX, submitted to Physical Review
On the validity of the reduced Salpeter equation
We adapt a general method to solve both the full and reduced Salpeter
equations and systematically explore the conditions under which these two
equations give equivalent results in meson dynamics. The effects of constituent
mass, angular momentum state, type of interaction, and the nature of
confinement are all considered in an effort to clearly delineate the range of
validity of the reduced Salpeter approximations. We find that for
the solutions are strikingly similar for all
constituent masses. For zero angular momentum states the full and reduced
Salpeter equations give different results for small quark mass especially with
a large additive constant coordinate space potential. We also show that
corrections to heavy-light energy levels can be accurately
computed with the reduced equation.Comment: Latex (uses epsf macro), 24 pages of text, 12 postscript figures
included. Slightly revised version, to appear in Phys. Rev.
Preclinical Applications of 3'-Deoxy-3'-[18F]Fluorothymidine in Oncology - A Systematic Review
The positron emission tomography (PET) tracer 3'-deoxy-3'-[18F]fluorothymidine ([18F]FLT) has been proposed to measure cell proliferation non-invasively in vivo. Hence, it should provide valuable information for response assessment to tumor therapies. To date, [18F]FLT uptake has found limited use as a response biomarker in clinical trials in part because a better understanding is needed of the determinants of [18F]FLT uptake and therapy-induced changes of its retention in the tumor. In this systematic review of preclinical [18F]FLT studies, comprising 174 reports, we identify the factors governing [18F]FLT uptake in tumors, among which thymidine kinase 1 plays a primary role. The majority of publications (83 %) report that decreased [18F]FLT uptake reflects the effects of anticancer therapies. 144 times [18F]FLT uptake was related to changes in proliferation as determined by ex vivo analyses. Of these approaches, 77 % describe a positive relation, implying a good concordance of tracer accumulation and tumor biology. These preclinical data indicate that [18F]FLT uptake holds promise as an imaging biomarker for response assessment in clinical studies. Understanding of the parameters which influence cellular [18F]FLT uptake and retention as well as the mechanism of changes induced by therapy is essential for successful implementation of this PET tracer. Hence, our systematic review provides the background for the use of [18F]FLT in future clinical studies
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