18,619 research outputs found
Liquid bridging of cylindrical colloids in near-critical solvents
Within mean field theory, we investigate the bridging transition between a
pair of parallel cylindrical colloids immersed in a binary liquid mixture as a
solvent which is close to its critical consolute point . We determine the
universal scaling functions of the effective potential and of the force between
the colloids. For a solvent which is at the critical concentration and close to
, we find that the critical Casimir force is the dominant interaction at
close separations. This agrees very well with the corresponding Derjaguin
approximation for the effective interaction between the two cylinders, while
capillary forces originating from the extension of the liquid bridge turn out
to be more important at large separations. In addition, we are able to infer
from the wetting characteristics of the individual colloids the first-order
transition of the liquid bridge connecting two colloidal particles to the
ruptured state. While specific to cylindrical colloids, the results presented
here provide also an outline for identifying critical Casimir forces acting on
bridged colloidal particles as such, and for analyzing the bridging transition
between them.Comment: 23 pages, 12 figure
Well-Posedness And Accuracy Of The Ensemble Kalman Filter In Discrete And Continuous Time
The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) is a method for combining a dynamical model
with data in a sequential fashion. Despite its widespread use, there has been
little analysis of its theoretical properties. Many of the algorithmic
innovations associated with the filter, which are required to make a useable
algorithm in practice, are derived in an ad hoc fashion. The aim of this paper
is to initiate the development of a systematic analysis of the EnKF, in
particular to do so in the small ensemble size limit. The perspective is to
view the method as a state estimator, and not as an algorithm which
approximates the true filtering distribution. The perturbed observation version
of the algorithm is studied, without and with variance inflation. Without
variance inflation well-posedness of the filter is established; with variance
inflation accuracy of the filter, with resepct to the true signal underlying
the data, is established. The algorithm is considered in discrete time, and
also for a continuous time limit arising when observations are frequent and
subject to large noise. The underlying dynamical model, and assumptions about
it, is sufficiently general to include the Lorenz '63 and '96 models, together
with the incompressible Navier-Stokes equation on a two-dimensional torus. The
analysis is limited to the case of complete observation of the signal with
additive white noise. Numerical results are presented for the Navier-Stokes
equation on a two-dimensional torus for both complete and partial observations
of the signal with additive white noise
Model for resonant photon creation in a cavity with time dependent conductivity
In an electromagnetic cavity, photons can be created from the vacuum state by
changing the cavity's properties with time. Using a simple model based on a
massless scalar field, we analyze resonant photon creation induced by the
time-dependent conductivity of a thin semiconductor film contained in the
cavity. This time dependence may be achieved by irradiating periodically the
film with short laser pulses. This setup offers several experimental advantages
over the case of moving mirrors.Comment: 9 pages, 1 figure. Minor changes. Version to appear in Phys. Rev.
An exploratory study to identify risk factors for the development of capecitabine-induced palmar plantar erythrodysesthesia (PPE)
Aims: to identify pre-treatment risk factors for the development of Palmar Plantar Erythrodysesthesia in participants receiving capecitabine monotherapy.
Specifically the hypothesis that avoidance of activities that cause friction and pressure cause Palmar Plantar Erythrodysesthesia was tested.
Background. Previous literature showed contradictory evidence on the subject of predictors of chemotherapy-induced Palmar Plantar Erythrodysesthesia. There is a lack of empirical evidence to support the theory that Palmar Plantar Erythrodysesthesia is caused by damage to the microcapillaries due to everyday activities that cause friction or pressure to the hands or feet.
Design. Prospective epidemiological study of risk factors.
Methods. Prospective data collection. All patients prior to commencing capecitabine monotherapy between 11 June 2009–31 December 2010, were offered recruitment into the study and followed up for six cycles of treatment (n = 174). Data were collected during semi-structured interviews, from participants’ diaries, physical examination of the hands and feet and review of notes. Data relating to activities that cause friction, pressure or heat were collected. Data were analysed using bivariate (chi-square and independent groups Student’s t) tests where each independent variable was analysed against Palmar Plantar Erythrodysesthesia.
Results. The only variables that were associated with an increased risk of Palmar Plantar Erythrodysesthesia were a tendency to have warm hands and pre-existing inflammatory disease.
Conclusions. This study gives no support for the hypothesis that avoidance of activities that cause friction and pressure cause Palmar Plantar Erythrodysesthesia
Analysis and interpretation of high transverse entanglement in optical parametric down conversion
Quantum entanglement associated with transverse wave vectors of down
conversion photons is investigated based on the Schmidt decomposition method.
We show that transverse entanglement involves two variables: orbital angular
momentum and transverse frequency. We show that in the monochromatic limit high
values of entanglement are closely controlled by a single parameter resulting
from the competition between (transverse) momentum conservation and
longitudinal phase matching. We examine the features of the Schmidt eigenmodes,
and indicate how entanglement can be enhanced by suitable mode selection
methods.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Wave attenuation and dispersion due to floating ice covers
Experiments investigating the attenuation and dispersion of surface waves in
a variety of ice covers are performed using a refrigerated wave flume. The ice
conditions tested in the experiments cover naturally occurring combinations of
continuous, fragmented, pancake and grease ice. Attenuation rates are shown to
be a function of ice thickness, wave frequency, and the general rigidity of the
ice cover. Dispersion changes were minor except for large wavelength increases
when continuous covers were tested. Results are verified and compared with
existing literature to show the extended range of investigation in terms of
incident wave frequency and ice conditions
Quantum lattice solitons in ultracold bosons near Feshbach resonance
Quantum lattice solitons in a system of two ultracold bosons near Feshbach
resonance are investigated. It is shown that their binding energy, effective
mass, and spatial width, can be manipulated varying the detuning from the
Feshbach resonance. In the case of attractive atomic interactions, the molecule
creation stabilizes the solitons. In the case of repulsive interactions, the
molecule creation leads to the possibility of existence of bright solitons in
some interval of detunings. Due to quantum fluctuations the soliton width is a
random quantity. Its standard deviation is larger than the mean value for such
a small number of particles
Labeless and reversible immunosensor assay based upon an electrochemical current-transient protocol
A novel labeless and reversible immunoassay based upon an electrochemical
current-transient protocol is reported which offers many advantages in
comparison to classical immuno-biochemical analyses in terms of simplicity,
speed of response, reusability and possibility of multiple determinations.
Conducting polypyrrole films containing antibodies against 1) Bovine Serum
Albumin (BSA) and 2) Digoxin were deposited on the surface of platinum
electrodes to produce conductive affinity matrices having clearly defined
binding characteristics. The deposition process has been investigated using 125I
labelled anti-digoxin to determine optimal fabrication protocols. Antibody
integrity and activity, together with non-specific binding of antigen on the
conducting matrix have also been investigated using tritiated digoxin to probe
polypyrrole/anti-digoxin films. Amperometric responses to digoxin were recorded
in flow conditions using these films, but the technique was limited in use
mainly due to baseline instability. Anti-BSA - polypyrrole matrices were
investigated in more detail in both flow and quiescent conditions. No observable
response was found in flow conditions, however under quiescent conditions (in
non-stirred batch cell), anti-BSA – polypyrrole films have been demonstrated to
function as novel quantitative chronoamperometric immuno-biosensors when
interrogated using a pulsed potential waveform. The behaviour of the electrodes
showed that the antibody/antigen binding and/or interaction process underlying
the response observed was reversible in nature, indicating that the electrodes
could be used for multiple sensing protocols. Calibration profiles for BSA
demonstrated linearity for a concentration range of 0-50 ppm but tended towards
a plateau at higher concentrations. Factors relating to replicate sensor
production, sample measurement and reproducibility are discuss
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