2,312 research outputs found
Effect of soil type on seismic demand
This paper investigates the validity of the soil considerations used in the determination of seismic demand as part of NZS1170.5, which currently specifies seismic design spectra corresponding to 5 different soil types. According to the current provisions stipulated in NZS1170.5, for all natural periods, the building demand for soft soil is either equal to or greater than that for hard soil. It is noted that this is opposite to the basic structural dynamics theory which suggests that an increase in stiffness of a system results in an increase in the acceleration response. In this pretext, a numerical parametric study is undertaken using a 1-D nonlinear site response analysis in order to capture the effect of soil characteristics on structural seismic demand and to scrutinize the validity of the current site specific seismic design spectra. It is identified that the level of input ground motion intensity and shear stiffness of the column (represented by its shear wave velocity, Vs) are the main parameters affecting the surface response. The study found some shortfalls in the way the current code defines seismic design demand, in particular the hierarchy of soil stiffness at low structural periods. It was found that stiff soils generally tend to have a higher spectral acceleration response in comparison to soft soils although this trend is less prominent for high intensity bed rock motions. It was also found that for medium to hard soil types the spectral acceleration response at short period is grossly underestimated by the current NZS1170.5 provisions. Based on the outcomes of the parametric numerical analyses, a revised strategy to determine seismic structural demand is proposed and demonstrated
The Off-diagonal Goldberger-Treiman Relation and Its Discrepancy
We study the off-diagonal Goldberger-Treiman relation (ODGTR) and its
discrepancy (ODGTD) in the N, Delta, pi sector through O(p^2) using heavy
baryon chiral perturbation theory. To this order, the ODGTD and axial vector N
to Delta transition radius are determined solely by low energy constants. Loop
corrections appear at O(p^4). For low-energy constants of natural size, the
ODGTD would represent a ~ 2% correction to the ODGTR. We discuss the
implications of the ODGTR and ODGTD for lattice and quark model calculations of
the transition form factors and for parity-violating electroexcitation of the
Delta.Comment: 11 pages, 1 eps figur
Universal quantum gates based on a pair of orthogonal cyclic states: Application to NMR systems
We propose an experimentally feasible scheme to achieve quantum computation
based on a pair of orthogonal cyclic states. In this scheme, quantum gates can
be implemented based on the total phase accumulated in cyclic evolutions. In
particular, geometric quantum computation may be achieved by eliminating the
dynamic phase accumulated in the whole evolution. Therefore, both dynamic and
geometric operations for quantum computation are workable in the present
theory. Physical implementation of this set of gates is designed for NMR
systems. Also interestingly, we show that a set of universal geometric quantum
gates in NMR systems may be realized in one cycle by simply choosing specific
parameters of the external rotating magnetic fields. In addition, we
demonstrate explicitly a multiloop method to remove the dynamic phase in
geometric quantum gates. Our results may provide useful information for the
experimental implementation of quantum logical gates.Comment: 9 pages, language revised, the publication versio
Broadband NIR-emitting Te cluster-doped glass for smart light source towards night-vision and NIR spectroscopy applications
Broadband near-infrared (NIR)-emitting materials are crucial components of the next generation of smart NIR light sources based on blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Here, we report a Te cluster-doped borate glass, which exhibits ultra-broadband emission around 980 nm with a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 306 nm under blue light excitation. We propose adjustments of glass chemistry and processing condition as a means for topo-chemical tailoring of the NIR photoemission characteristics in such materials. Through implementing strongly reducing conditions during glass melting, Te clusters with broad NIR photoluminescence can be generated and stabilized once the melt is vitrified to the glassy state. Tunability of the NIR emission peak over the wavelength range of 904 to 1026 nm is possible in this way, allowing for fine adjustments of spectral properties relative to the stretching vibrations of common chemical bonds, for example, in water, proteins, and fats. This potentially enables high sensitivity in NIR spectroscopy. We further demonstrate potential application of glass-converted LEDs in night vision.</p
New supersymmetric solutions of N=2, D=5 gauged supergravity with hyperscalars
We construct new supersymmetric solutions, including AdS bubbles, in an N=2
truncation of five-dimensional N=8 gauged supergravity. This particular
truncation is given by N=2 gauged supergravity coupled to two vector multiples
and three incomplete hypermultiplets, and was originally investigated in the
context of obtaining regular AdS bubble geometries with multiple active
R-charges. We focus on cohomogeneity-one solutions corresponding to objects
with two equal angular momenta and up to three independent R-charges.
Curiously, we find a new set of zero and negative mass solitons asymptotic to
AdS_5/Z_k, for k \ge 3, which are everywhere regular without closed timelike
curves.Comment: Latex 3 times, 42 page
Development of a multiplex event-specific PCR assay for detection of genetically modified rice
Global rice supplies have been found contaminated with unapproved varieties of genetically modified (GM) rice in recent years, which has led to product recalls in several of countries. Faster and more effective detection of GM contamination can prevent adulterated food, feed and seed from being consumed and grown, minimize the potential environmental, health or economic damage. In this study, a simple, reliable and cost-effective multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for identifying genetic modifications of TT51-1, Kemingdao1 (KMD1) and Kefeng6 (KF6) rice was developed by using the event-specific fragment. The limit of detection (LOD) for each event in the multiplex PCR is approximately 0.1%. Developed multiplex PCR assays can provide a rapid and simultaneous detection of GM rice
Near-horizon geometries of supersymmetric AdS(5) black holes
We provide a classification of near-horizon geometries of supersymmetric,
asymptotically anti-de Sitter, black holes of five-dimensional U(1)^3-gauged
supergravity which admit two rotational symmetries. We find three
possibilities: a topologically spherical horizon, an S^1 \times S^2 horizon and
a toroidal horizon. The near-horizon geometry of the topologically spherical
case turns out to be that of the most general known supersymmetric,
asymptotically anti-de Sitter, black hole of U(1)^3-gauged supergravity. The
other two cases have constant scalars and only exist in particular regions of
this moduli space -- in particular they do not exist within minimal gauged
supergravity. We also find a solution corresponding to the near-horizon
geometry of a three-charge supersymmetric black ring held in equilibrium by a
conical singularity; when lifted to type IIB supergravity this solution can be
made regular, resulting in a discrete family of warped AdS(3) geometries.
Analogous results are presented in U(1)^n gauged supergravity.Comment: Latex, 29 pages. v2: minor improvements, references adde
Recoil Order Chiral Corrections to Baryon Octet Axial Currents and Large QCD
We compute the chiral corrections to octet baryon axial currents through
in heavy baryon chiral perturbation theory, including both
octet and decuplet baryon intermediate states. We include the latter in a
consistent way by using the small scale expansion. We find that, in contrast to
the situation at , there exist no cancellations between octet
and decuplet contributions at . Consequently, the corrections spoil the expected scaling behavior of the chiral
expansion. We discuss this result in terms of the expansion. We also
consider the implications for determination of the strange quark contribution
to the nucleon spin from polarized deep inelastic scattering data.Comment: 7 page
Leaf Extracts of Calocedrus formosana (Florin) Induce G2/M Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in Human Bladder Cancer Cells
Calocedrus formosana (Florin) bark acetone/ethylacetate extracts are known to exert an antitumor effect on some human cancer cell lines, but the mechanism is yet to be defined. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Florin leaf methanol extracts on the growth and apoptosis of human bladder cancer cell lines. MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay showed that the growth of these bladder cancer cells was potently inhibited by the Florin leaf extracts. The cell cycle of these extract-treated cells (TCCSUP cells) was arrested at the G2/M phase as determined by flow cytometry. Western blot analysis revealed the increases of cyclin B1 and Cdc2 kinase levels, alone with the decrease of phosphorylated Cdc2 kinase, after treating these cells with the extracts. An immunofluorescence assessment of ÎČ-tubulin showed decreased levels of polymerized tubulin in treated cells. However, the proteolytic cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase and the activation of caspase-3/-8/-9 were all increased upon treatments of extracts. The concurrent increase of Bax and decrease of Bcl-2 levels indicated that the extracts could induce apoptosis in these treated cells. Taken together, these results suggest that the Florin leaf extracts may be an effective antibladder cancer agent
Glial activation involvement in neuronal death by Japanese encephalitis virus infection
Japanese encephalitis is characterized by profound neuronal destruction/dysfunction and concomitant microgliosis/astrogliosis. Although substantial activation of glia is observed in Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV)-induced Japanese encephalitis, the inflammatory responses and consequences of astrocytes and microglial activation after JEV infection are not fully understood. In this study, infection of cultured neurons/glia with JEV caused neuronal death and glial activation, as evidenced by morphological transformation, increased cell proliferation and elevated tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 beta, IL-6 and RANTES (regulated upon activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted) production. Replication-competent JEV caused all glial responses and neurotoxicity. However, replication-incompetent JEV lost these abilities, except for the ability to change microglial morphology. The bystander damage caused by activated glia also contributed to JEV-associated neurotoxicity. Microglia underwent morphological changes, increased cell proliferation and elevated TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6 and RANTES expression in response to JEV infection. In contrast, IL-6 and RANTES expression, but no apparent morphological changes, proliferation or TNF-alpha/IL-1 beta expression, was demonstrated in JEV-infected astrocytes. Supernatants of JEV-infected microglia, but not JEV-infected astrocytes, induced glial activation and triggered neuronal death. Antibody neutralization studies revealed that TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta, but not RANTES or IL-6, released by activated microglia appeared to play roles in JEV-associated neurotoxicity. In conclusion, following JEV infection, neuronal death was accompanied by concomitant microgliosis and astrogliosis, and neurotoxic mediators released by JEV-activated microglia, rather than by JEV-activated astrocytes, had the ability to amplify the microglial response and cause neuronal death
- âŠ