Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking for Driven Interacting Particles on Triangular Substrates

For collectively interacting repulsive particles driven on triangular substrates, we show that for certain directions of drive a spontaneous symmetry breaking phenomena occurs where the particles can flow in one of two directions that are not aligned with the external drive, giving rise to a positive or negative Hall current. Along these directions, the particle flow is highly ordered, while in the direction of the drive the flow is disordered. We also find a number of dynamical phase transitions and unusual hysteretic properties that arise due to the symmetry breaking properties of the flows.Comment: 4 pages, 4 postscript figure

Coercion and Sanctions as Elements of Normative Systems

The Author examine Schauer's last book "the Force of Law" and explain that the American philosopher is certainly not a fully-fledged normativist but he thinks that coercion is an element of the legal order and of law. The Author, however, suggest to leave aside the role of coercion in the law, and points out that Schauer’s book gives rise to various interesting reflections on law in general. In order to understand the need to use force within the law, it is useful to refer to Schauer’s analyses of the psychological attitudes of individuals and the extent to which these impinge upon their behavior with regard to the legal demands made by a society. In any case, the reasons of the Society must prevail over individual ones.Key words: the force of law, coercion, legal positivismL'Autore esamina ultimo libro di Schauer " La Forza della Legge " e spiega come il filosofo americano non possa essere considerato un normativista a pieno titolo ma questi certamente ritiene che la coercizione sia un elemento dell'ordinamento giuridico e del diritto. L'Autore, tuttavia, suggerisce di non enfatizzare il ruolo di coercizione nella Legge, e sottolinea il libro di Schauer che dà luogo a varie riflessioni interessanti sul Diritto in generale. Al fine di comprendere la necessità di usare la forza nel rispetto della legge, è utile fare riferimento alle analisi di Schauer degli atteggiamenti psicologici degli individui e la misura in cui ciò influisca sul il loro comportamento rispetto alle richieste aderenza alle norme da parte della società. In ogni caso le ragioni della società debbono prevalere su quelle individuali.Parole chiave: la forza del diritto, coercizione, positivismo giuridic

Manipulation and assembly of nanowires with holographic optical traps

We demonstrate that semiconductor nanowires measuring just a few nanometers in diameter can be translated, rotated, cut, fused and organized into nontrivial structures using holographic optical traps. The holographic approach to nano-assembly allows for simultaneous independent manipulation of multiple nanowires, including relative translation and relative rotation.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Antibiotic sensitivity of enterobacteriaceae

Enterobakterije su važni uzročnici infekcija mokraćnog sustava (IMS), infekcija probavnog sustava te infekcija povezanih sa zdravstvenom skrbi. Pri odabiru empirijske antimikrobne terapije treba voditi računa o intrinzičnoj otpornosti nekih bakterijskih vrsta na određene grupe antibiotika, ali još veći problem predstavljaju brojni, stalno mijenjajući, mehanizmi stečene otpornosti na antibiotike. Beta-laktamski antibiotici su najčešće upotrebljavani antibiotici u kliničkoj praksi, a trimetoprim-sulfametoksazol (ko-trimoksazol) i kinoloni su dragocjeni u liječenju IMS i infekcija probavnog sustava, jer uspješno eradiciraju patogene iz ovih sustava. Na sve nabrojene grupe antibiotika javljaju se, međutim, mnogi mehanizmi otpornosti, koji često djeluju udruženo u istom bakterijskom soju. U Hrvatskoj otpornost E. coli iznosi 3% na III. generaciju cefalosporina, 24% na ko-trimoksazol te 11% na ciprofloksacin. K. pneumoniae je češće uzročnik infekcija povezanih sa zdravstvenom skrbi i pokazuje viši stupanj otpornosti na antibiotike; 29% na III. generaciju cefalosporina te 36% na ko-trimoksazol i ciprofloksacin. U Hrvatskoj otpornost enterobakterija na karbapeneme je još uvijek sporadična.Enterobacteriaceae are important pathogens in urinary tract infections (UTI), gastrointestinal and healthcare associated infections. When deciding on empirical antibiotic therapy intrinsic resistance mechanisms present in certain bacterial species should be considered but even more worrisome problem is the presence of numerous, always changing, mechanisms of acquired resistance. Beta-lactam antibiotics are the most frequently used antibiotics in clinical practice and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) and the quinolones are precious drugs in the treatment of UTI and gastrointestinal infections due to their ability to eradicate pathogens from these sites. Numerous resistance mechanisms have emerged to all these groups of antibiotics and often different mechanisms are present in the same strain. In Croatia, E. coli isolates resistance rates are 3% for the 3rd generation cephalosporins, 24% for co-trimoxazole and 11% for ciprofloxacin. K. pneumoniae more often causes healthcare associated infections and has higher rates of resistance; 29% for 3rd generation cephalosporins and 36% for co-trimoxazole and ciprofloxacin. In Croatia carbapenem resistance in enterobacteriaceae is still sporadic