How to add a boundary condition

Given a conformal QFT local net of von Neumann algebras B_2 on the two-dimensional Minkowski spacetime with irreducible subnet A\otimes\A, where A is a completely rational net on the left/right light-ray, we show how to consistently add a boundary to B_2: we provide a procedure to construct a Boundary CFT net B of von Neumann algebras on the half-plane x>0, associated with A, and locally isomorphic to B_2. All such locally isomorphic Boundary CFT nets arise in this way. There are only finitely many locally isomorphic Boundary CFT nets and we get them all together. In essence, we show how to directly redefine the C* representation of the restriction of B_2 to the half-plane by means of subfactors and local conformal nets of von Neumann algebras on S^1.Comment: 20 page

Benchmark calculations for electron velocity distribution function obtained with Monte Carlo Flux simulations

Modern, multi-modular plasma modeling requires accurate and versatile methods for the determination of the electron velocity distribution function from which rate coefficients of electron impact processes as well as electron transport quantities are determined. In this paper we propose as a solution a modified version of a strongly overlooked method developed in the early 90\u27s, namely, Monte Carlo Flux (MCF). The improvement lies in a criterion for the otherwise somewhat empirical selection of the time-step used in the method. We show that an MCF based code highlights and overcomes the limitations of two-terms codes such as BOLSIG+ and it is much faster than a conventional Monte Carlo. Moreover, MCF is in excellent agreement with the multi-term method for a wide range of reduced electric fields, being at the same time much simpler to implement and to extend to more general cases than the latter. Explicit illustrations of the Markov matrices representing short-time kinetics are presented to gain insight into the method. The two-dimensional velocity distribution and its expansion into Legendre polynomials are discussed for electrons in argon.</p

Benchmarking of Monte Carlo Flux simulations of electrons in CO2

Electron velocity distribution functions (EVDFs) in CO2 obtained by means of the Monte Carlo Flux (MCF) method are compared with results from two-term and multi-term Boltzmann solvers. The MCF method provides detailed calculations of the EVDF through a highly efficient variance reduction technique. Benchmark calculations of Legendre polynomial coefficients of the EVDF expansion are reported for a wide range of reduced electric fields (E/N), showing excellent agreement with multi-term solutions. Rate coefficients of inelastic processes calculated from two-term Boltzmann solvers differ significantly, up to 70%, from MCF and multi-term solutions, due to the anisotropy of the EVDF. An extension of the method to consider the thermal distribution of the background gas is also presented. This extension, together with an accurate description of the population of rotationally and vibrationally excited states, provides excellent agreement with measured transport coefficients at low E/N. A good agreement is obtained at moderate E/N between experimental values of dissociation rate coefficients and MCF calculations after careful consideration and analysis of several cross sections data sets.</p

Benchmarking of Monte Carlo flux simulations of electrons in CO2

Electron velocity distribution functions (EVDFs) in CO2 obtained by means of the Monte Carlo flux (MCF) method are compared with results from two-term and multi-term Boltzmann solvers. The MCF method provides detailed calculations of the EVDF through a highly efficient variance reduction technique. Benchmark calculations of Legendre polynomial coefficients of the EVDF expansion are reported for a wide range of reduced electric fields (E/N), showing excellent agreement with multi-term solutions. Rate coefficients of inelastic processes calculated from two-term Boltzmann solvers differ significantly, up to 70%, from MCF and multi-term solutions, due to the anisotropy of the EVDF. An extension of the method to consider the thermal distribution of the background gas is also presented. This extension, together with an accurate description of the population of rotationally and vibrationally excited states, provides excellent agreement with measured transport coefficients at low E/N. A good agreement is obtained at moderate E/N between experimental values of dissociation rate coefficients and MCF calculations after careful consideration and analysis of several cross sections data sets

Some computations in the cyclic permutations of completely rational nets

In this paper we calculate certain chiral quantities from the cyclic permutation orbifold of a general completely rational net. We determine the fusion of a fundamental soliton, and by suitably modified arguments of A. Coste , T. Gannon and especially P. Bantay to our setting we are able to prove a number of arithmetic properties including congruence subgroup properties for $S, T$ matrices of a completely rational net defined by K.-H. Rehren .Comment: 30 Pages Late

Evidence of a pressure-induced metallization process in monoclinic VO2_2

Raman and combined trasmission and reflectivity mid infrared measurements have been carried out on monoclinic VO$_2$ at room temperature over the 0-19 GPa and 0-14 GPa pressure ranges, respectively. The pressure dependence obtained for both lattice dynamics and optical gap shows a remarkable stability of the system up to P*$\sim$10 GPa. Evidence of subtle modifications of V ion arrangements within the monoclinic lattice together with the onset of a metallization process via band gap filling are observed for P$>$P*. Differently from ambient pressure, where the VO$_2$ metal phase is found only in conjunction with the rutile structure above 340 K, a new room temperature metallic phase coupled to a monoclinic structure appears accessible in the high pressure regime, thus opening to new important queries on the physics of VO$_2$.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

CoQ10 and vitamin A supplementation support voice rehabilitation. A double-blind, randomized, controlled, three-period cross-over pilot study

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of an adjuvant therapy (CoQ10 in its watersoluble form and vitamin A) in supporting voice rehabilitation in a large group of patients with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD). Study Design: Twelve-week, double-blind, randomized, controlled, three-period crossover pilot study. The primary endpoint was the change in the Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) over the 12-week study period. Secondary endpoints were the changes in the subcomponents of DSI, including MPT, F0-high, I-low, and jitter. Exploratory endpoints were the changes in the Shimmer and in Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Methods: Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to two counter-balanced arms. Group A (ADJ-PLA) patients were administered QTer 300 mg and Vit A acetate 500.000&nbsp;Ul/g 1 mg twice daily for a 4-week intervention period, followed by a 4-week period of wash-out, and then were submitted to a last 4-week period of placebo. Patients in Group B (PLB-ADJ) were given the treatment period in reverse order. Both groups received a 45-min voice therapy in a group format once a day for 4 weeks during the first and the second active periods. The therapy was held during the wash-out period. Results: The analysis of main time effect indicated a trend toward recovery of vocal function regardless of group assignment. A significant time by group effect was found on DSI [F = 3.4 (2.5, 80.5), p = 0.03], F0-high [F = 4.5 (2.6, 82.9), p = 0.008] and Shimmer [F = 3.6 (1.5, 46.9), p = 0.048], under CoQ10 and Vit A treatment, with a small effect size. There was no significant time by group effect on the other study measures, namely MPT, I-low, VHI. Conclusions: A trend toward recovery of vocal function was observed in all the patients, likely due to voice rehabilitation. The improvement of DSI was greater under CoQ10 and Vitamin treatment, indicating a more pronounced improvement of vocal quality under adjuvant therapy. The study protocol was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Policlinico Umberto I Hospital, Rome, Italy Rif. 3069/13.02.2014

Exploiting the close-to-Dirac point shift of Fermi level in Sb2Te3/Bi2Te3 topological insulator heterostructure for spin-charge conversion

Properly tuning the Fermi level position in topological insulators is of vital importance to tailor their spin-polarized electronic transport and to improve the efficiency of any functional device based on them. Here we report the full in situ Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) and study of a highly crystalline Bi2Te3/Sb2Te3 topological insulator heterostructure on top of large area (4'') Si(111) substrates. The bottom Sb2Te3 layer serves as an ideal seed layer for the growth of highly crystalline Bi2Te3 on top, also inducing a remarkable shift of the Fermi level to place it very close to the Dirac point, as visualized by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. In order to exploit such ideal topologically-protected surface states, we fabricate the simple spin-charge converter Si(111)/Sb2Te3/Bi2Te3/Au/Co/Au and spin-charge conversion (SCC) is probed by spin pumping ferromagnetic resonance. A large SCC is measured at room temperature, which is interpreted within the inverse Edelstein effect (IEE), thus resulting in a conversion efficiency lambda_IEE of 0.44 nm. Our results demonstrate the successful tuning of the surface Fermi level of Bi2Te3 when grown on top of Sb2Te3 with a full in situ MOCVD process, which is highly interesting in view of its future technology transfer.Comment: Main text: 19 pages, 6 figures. Supplementary information are also included in the file with additional 4 page

Hepatitis C virus production requires apolipoprotein A-I and affects its association with nascent low-density lipoproteins

Background/aims The life cycle of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is intimately linked to the lipid metabolism of the host. In particular, HCV exploits the metabolic machinery of the lipoproteins in several steps of its life cycle such as circulation in the bloodstream, cell attachment and entry, assembly and release of viral particles. However, the details of how HCV interacts with and influences the metabolism of the host lipoproteins are not well understood. A study was undertaken to investigate whether HCV directly affects the protein composition of host circulating lipoproteins. Methods A proteomic analysis of circulating very low-, low- and high-density lipoproteins (VLDL, LDL and HDL), isolated from either in-treatment naive HCV-infected patients or healthy donors (HD), was performed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF). The results obtained were further investigated using in vitro models of HCV infection and replication. Results A decreased level of apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) was found in the LDL fractions of HCV-infected patients. This result was confirmed by western blot and ELISA analysis. HCV cellular models (JFH1 HCV cell culture system (HCVcc) and HCV subgenomic replicons) showed that the decreased apoA-I/LDL association originates from hepatic biogenesis rather than lipoprotein catabolism occurring in the circulation, and is not due to a downregulation of the apoA-I protein concentration. The sole non-structural viral proteins were sufficient to impair the apoA-I/LDL association. Functional evidence was obtained for involvement of apoA-I in the viral life cycle such as RNA replication and virion production. The specific siRNA-mediated downregulation of apoA-I led to a reduction in both HCV RNA and viral particle levels in culture. Conclusions This study shows that HCV induces lipoprotein structural modification and that its replication and production are linked to the host lipoprotein metabolism, suggesting apoA-I as a new possible target for antiviral therapy