Direction Detector on an Excitable Field: Field Computation with Coincidence Detection

Living organisms process information without any central control unit and without any ruling clock. We have been studying a novel computational strategy that uses a geometrically arranged excitable field, i.e., "field computation." As an extension of this research, in the present article we report the construction of a "direction detector" on an excitable field. Using a numerical simulation, we show that the direction of a input source signal can be detected by applying the characteristic as a "coincidence detector" embedded on an excitable field. In addition, we show that this direction detection actually works in an experiment using an excitable chemical system. These results are discussed in relation to the future development of "field computation."Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Designing Dirac points in two-dimensional lattices

We present a framework to elucidate the existence of accidental contacts of energy bands, particularly those called Dirac points which are the point contacts with linear energy dispersions in their vicinity. A generalized von-Neumann-Wigner theorem we propose here gives the number of constraints on the lattice necessary to have contacts without fine tuning of lattice parameters. By counting this number, one could quest for the candidate of Dirac systems without solving the secular equation. The constraints can be provided by any kinds of symmetry present in the system. The theory also enables the analytical determination of k-point having accidental contact by selectively picking up only the degenerate solution of the secular equation. By using these frameworks, we demonstrate that the Dirac points are feasible in various two-dimensional lattices, e.g. the anisotropic Kagome lattice under inversion symmetry is found to have contacts over the whole lattice parameter space. Spin-dependent cases, such as the spin-density-wave state in LaOFeAs with reflection symmetry, are also dealt with in the present scheme.Comment: 15pages, 9figures (accepted to Phys. Rev. B

What Does mu-tau Symmetry Imply about Neutrino Mixings?

The requirement of the mu-tau symmetry in the neutrino sector that yields the maximal atmospheric neutrino mixing is shown to yield either sin(\theta_{13})=0 (referred to as C1)) or sin(\theta_{12})=0 (referred to as C2)), where \theta_{12(13)} stands for the solar (reactor) neutrino mixing angle. We study general properties possessed by approximately mu-tau symmetric textures. It is argued that the tiny mu-tau symmetry breaking generally leads to cos(2\theta_{23}) \simsin(\theta_{13}) for C1) and cos(2\theta_{23}) \sim \Delta m^2_\odot/\Delta m^2_{atm}(\equiv R) for C2), which indicates that the smallness of cos(2\theta_{23}) is a good measure of the mu-tau symmetry breaking, where \Delta m^2_{atm} (\Delta m^2_\odot) stands for the square mass differences of atmospheric (solar) neutrinos. We further find that the relation R \sim sin^2(\theta_{13}) arises from contributions of O(sin^2(\theta_{13})) in the estimation of the neutrino masses (m_{1,2,3}) for C1), and that possible forms of textures are strongly restricted to realize sin^2(2\theta_{12})=O(1) for C2). To satisfy R \sim sin^2(\theta_{13}) for C1), neutrinos exhibit the inverted mass hierarchy, or the quasi degenerate mass pattern with | m_{1,2,3}| \sim O(\sqrt{\Delta m^2_{atm}}), and, to realize sin^2(2\theta_{12})=O(1) for C2), there should be an additional small parameter \eta whose size is comparable to that of the mu-tau symmetry breaking parameter \epsilon, giving tan(2\theta_{12}) \sim \epsilon/\eta with \eta \sim \epsilon to be compatible with the observed large mixing.Comment: 10 pages, title slightly modified, comments added in the introdction, typos corrected, references updated, version to appear in Physical Reviews

Radical‐medicated end‐group transformation of amphiphilic methacrylate random copolymers for modulation of antimicrobial and hemolytic activities

This work describes synthesis of antimicrobial methacrylate copolymers by reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and examines the versatility of this approach for improving chemical optimization to create potent, non‐toxic antimicrobial polymers. Specifically, this study focuses on the radical‐mediated transformation of end group of antimicrobial peptide‐mimetic polymer. RAFT polymerization using 2‐cyano‐2‐yl‐dithiobenzoate provided a statistical methacrylate copolymer consisting of aminobutyl and ethyl groups in the side chains. The following radical‐mediated modification using free radical initiators successfully transformed the ω‐end group of parent copolymer from dithiobenzoate to a cyanoisobutyl or aminoethyl cyanopentanoate group without any significant changes to the polymer molecular weight. In general, the parent polymer and variants showed a broad spectrum of activity against a panel of bacteria, but low hemolytic activity against human red blood cells. The parent copolymer with the dithiobenzoate end‐group showed highest antimicrobial and hemolytic activities as compared with other copolymers. The copolymers caused membrane depolarization in Staphylococcus aureus, while the ability of copolymers for membrane disruption is not dependent on the end‐group structures. The synthetic route reported in this study will be useful for further study of the role of polymer end‐groups in the antimicrobial activity of copolymers. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2017, 55, 304–312Cationic amphiphilic methacrylate copolymers with antimicrobial activity were prepared by RAFT polymerization. The radical‐mediated modification method transformed the ω‐end groups from the RAFT agent to different functional groups, which modulate their antibacterial and hemolytic activities. The radical‐medicated approach would be a viable option to optimize the structures of methacrylate copolymers for their antimicrobial activity and selectivity to bacteria through pinpoint end‐group transformation as well as to functionalize polymers for potential applications such as surface modifications.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135523/1/pola28384.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135523/2/pola28384-sup-0001-suppinfo1.pd

Charmed meson spectra and decay constants with one-loop O(a)O(a) improved relativistic heavy quark action

We calculate charmed meson spectra and decay constants in lattice QCD employing one-loop $O(a)$ improved heavy quark action and axial-vector currents. In quenched simulations at $a \sim 0.1$ fm with the plaquette gauge action as well as a renormalization-group improved one, it is shown that the deviation from the continuum dispersion relation and the violation of space-time symmetry for the pseudoscalar meson decay constants are substantially reduced, once the $O(a)$ improvement is applied. Preliminary results with two flavors of dynamical quarks are also presented.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figure, talk presented at Lattice2004(heavy), Fermilab, June 21-26, 200

Mass, Confinement and CP Invariance in the Seiberg-Witten Model"

Several physics aspects of the Seiberg-Witten solution of N=2 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with SU(2) gauge group, supplemented with a small mass term for the "matter" fields which leads to an $N=1$ theory with confinement, are discussed. The light spectrum of the theory is understood on the basis of current algebra relations, and CP invariance of the massless and massive theories is studied. We find that in the massive (confining) theory the low energy physics has an exact CP symmetry, while in a generic vacuum in the massless theory CP invarince is spontaneously broken.Comment: Latex file, 13 pages, plus 1 eps Figure file (Revised

Disability Prevention Programs for Older People: Factors Associated with Medical and Nursing Care Costs

This study aimed to clarify factors associated with medical and nursing care costs for older people living in community and to suggest an effective disability prevention programs. Total of participants in this study was 83 individuals (29 men and 54 women; mean age 81.2 ± 6.3 years old) on November 1st – December 28th, 2014. This study compared the average medical and nursing care costs per month with national average for those aged ≥ 65 years old. Logistic regression test was conducted to examine its association with medical and nursing care costs. Those who had outing activities ≥ 3 times a week were approximately three times less likely to reduce medical and nursing care costs than those who had outing activities < 3 times a week despite three controlled covariates (OR = 3.23 and 95% CI = 1.03 – 10.42). Disability prevention programs that improve frequency of outing at least three times in a week may become a valid economic approach to older people who do not live in nursing home

The origin of ideas in the 'Paper for the People': research into how the Sunday Times chooses topics and commentators for its opinion pages

Abstract The topics in the opinion pages of newspapers are the substance of much public debate and discussion. This research report focuses on the Sunday Times, one of South Africa's most influential newspapers, and seeks to understand how columnists and issues are chosen for its opinion and analysis pages. The research was conducted by interviewing decision-makers at the Sunday Times, observing them during their meetings and conducting a content analysis of the newspaper. The findings identify journalistic professional practice as a key element in the selection process, along with an awareness of, and to some extent, identification with, a national project of transformation in a post-repressive regime. The findings also point to how issues of transformation in South Africa affect how media decision-makers consider their own jobs and motivates them to make conscious efforts to push the media agenda forward in a way constructive to public discourse