CJK- Improved LO Parton Distributions in the Real Photon and Their Experimental Uncertainties

A new analysis of the radiatively generated, LO quark (u,d,s,c,b) and gluon densities in the real, unpolarized photon, improved in respect to our paper [1], is presented. We perform four new global fits to the experimental data for F2^gamma, two using a standard FFNS approach and two based on ACOT(chi) scheme [2], leading to the FFNS(CJK) and CJK models. We also present the analysis of the uncertainties of the new CJK 2 parton distributions due to the experimental errors, the very first such analysis performed for the photon. This analysis is based on the Hessian method, for a comparison for chosen cross-sections we use also the Lagrange method.Comment: Prepared for Photon 2003: International Conference on the Structure and Interactions of the Photon (Including the 15th International Workshop on Photon-Photon Collisions), Frascati (Italy), 7-11 April 2003; 10 pages, Latex using espcrc2 style, 1 tex and 5 postscript figures; FORTRAN programs available at http://www.fuw.edu.pl/~pjank/param.htm

Ultrahigh-efficiency wavelength conversion in nanophotonic periodically poled lithium niobate waveguides

Periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguides are a powerful platform for efficient wavelength conversion. Conventional PPLN converters, however, typically require long device lengths and high pump powers due to the limited nonlinear interaction strength. Here we use a nanostructured PPLN waveguide to demonstrate an ultrahigh normalized efficiency of 2600%/W−cm^2 for second-harmonic generation of 1.5 μm radiation, more than 20 times higher than that in state-of-the-art diffused waveguides. This is achieved by a combination of sub-wavelength optical confinement and high-fidelity periodic poling at a first-order poling period of 4 μm. Our highly integrated PPLN waveguides are promising for future chip-scale integration of classical and quantum photonic systems

Ultrabroadband Nonlinear Optics in Dispersion Engineered Periodically Poled Lithium Niobate Waveguides

We experimentally demonstrate the first generation of dispersion-engineered periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) waveguides. These waveguides achieve ultra-broadband second-harmonic generation (SHG) and multi-octave supercontinuum generation (SCG) with record-low pulse energies

Biochar and biochar with N-fertilizer affect soil N2O emission in Haplic Luvisol

The benefits of biochar application are well described in tropical soils, however there is a dearth of information on its effects in agricultural temperate soils. An interesting and little explored interaction may occur in an intensive agriculture setting; biochar addition may modify the effect of commonplace N-fertilization.We conducted a field experiment to study the effects of biochar application at the rate of 0, 10 and 20 t ha−1 (B0, B10 and B20) in combination with 0, 40 and 80 kg N ha−1 of N-fertilizer (N0, N40, N80).We followed nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, analysed a series of soil physicochemical properties and measured barley yield in a Haplic Luvisol in Central Europe. Seasonal cumulative N2O emissions from B10N0 and B20N0 treatments decreased by 27 and 25% respectively, when compared to B0N0. Cumulative N2O emissions from N40 and N80 combined with B10 and B20 were also lower by 21, 19 and 25, 32%, respectively compared to controls B0N40 and B0N80. Average pH was significantly increased by biochar addition. Increased soil pH and reduces NO−3 content seen in biochar treatments could be the two possible mechanisms responsible for reduced N2O emissions. There was a statistically significant increase of soil water content in B20N0 treatment compared to B0N0 control, possibly as a result of larger surface area and the presence of microspores having altered pore size distribution and water-holding capacity of the soil. Application of biochar at the rate of 10 t ha−1 had a positive effect on spring barley grain yield

Mass-spectrometric identification of a novel angiotensin peptide in human plasma

Objective— Angiotensin peptides play a central role in cardiovascular physiology and pathology. Among these peptides, angiotensin II (Ang II) has been investigated most intensively. However, further angiotensin peptides such as Ang 1-7, Ang III, and Ang IV also contribute to vascular regulation, and may elicit additional, different, or even opposite effects to Ang II. Here, we describe a novel Ang II-related, strong vasoconstrictive substance in plasma from healthy humans and end-stage renal failure patients. Methods and Results— Chromatographic purification and structural analysis by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight/time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF/TOF) revealed an angiotensin octapeptide with the sequence Ala-Arg-Val-Tyr-Ile-His-Pro-Phe, which differs from Ang II in Ala1 instead of Asp1. Des[Asp1]-[Ala1]-Ang II, in the following named Angiotensin A (Ang A), is most likely generated enzymatically. In the presence of mononuclear leukocytes, Ang II is converted to Ang A by decarboxylation of Asp1. Ang A has the same affinity to the AT1 receptor as Ang II, but a higher affinity to the AT2 receptor. In the isolated perfused rat kidney, Ang A revealed a smaller vasoconstrictive effect than Ang II, which was not modified in the presence of the AT2 receptor antagonist PD 123319, suggesting a lower intrinsic activity at the AT1 receptor. Ang II and Ang A concentrations in plasma of healthy subjects and end-stage renal failure patients were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation mass-analysis, because conventional enzyme immunoassay for Ang II quantification did not distinguish between Ang II and Ang A. In healthy subjects, Ang A concentrations were less than 20% of the Ang II concentrations, but the ratio Ang A / Ang II was higher in end-stage renal failure patients. Conclusion— Ang A is a novel human strong vasoconstrictive angiotensin-derived peptide, most likely generated by enzymatic transformation through mononuclear leukocyte-derived aspartate decarboxylase. Plasma Ang A concentration is increased in end-stage renal failure. Because of its stronger agonism at the AT2 receptor, Ang A may modulate the harmful effects of Ang II. In this study, a new angiotensin-peptide of human plasma is described, which is characterized as a strong AT2-receptor agonist

Lepton Flavour Violation in a Class of Lopsided SO(10) Models

A class of predictive SO(10) grand unified theories with highly asymmetric mass matrices, known as lopsided textures, has been developed to accommodate the observed mixing in the neutrino sector. The model class effectively determines the rate for charged lepton flavour violation, and in particular the branching ratio for $\mu -> e \gamma$, assuming that the supersymmetric GUT breaks directly to the constrained minimal supersymmetric standard model (CMSSM). We find that in light of the combined constraints on the CMSSM parameters from direct searches and from the WMAP satellite observations, the resulting predicted rate for $\mu -> e \gamma$ in this model class can be within the current experimental bounds for low $\tan \beta$, but that the next generation of $\mu -> e \gamma$ experiments would effectively rule out this model class if LFV is not detected.Comment: 23 page

Recent advances in electronic structure theory and their influence on the accuracy of ab initio potential energy surfaces

Recent advances in electronic structure theory and the availability of high speed vector processors have substantially increased the accuracy of ab initio potential energy surfaces. The recently developed atomic natural orbital approach for basis set contraction has reduced both the basis set incompleteness and superposition errors in molecular calculations. Furthermore, full CI calculations can often be used to calibrate a CASSCF/MRCI approach that quantitatively accounts for the valence correlation energy. These computational advances also provide a vehicle for systematically improving the calculations and for estimating the residual error in the calculations. Calculations on selected diatomic and triatomic systems will be used to illustrate the accuracy that currently can be achieved for molecular systems. In particular, the F+H2 yields HF+H potential energy hypersurface is used to illustrate the impact of these computational advances on the calculation of potential energy surfaces