Relativistic Calculation of the Meson Spectrum: a Fully Covariant Treatment Versus Standard Treatments

A large number of treatments of the meson spectrum have been tried that consider mesons as quark - anti quark bound states. Recently, we used relativistic quantum "constraint" mechanics to introduce a fully covariant treatment defined by two coupled Dirac equations. For field-theoretic interactions, this procedure functions as a "quantum mechanical transform of Bethe-Salpeter equation". Here, we test its spectral fits against those provided by an assortment of models: Wisconsin model, Iowa State model, Brayshaw model, and the popular semi-relativistic treatment of Godfrey and Isgur. We find that the fit provided by the two-body Dirac model for the entire meson spectrum competes with the best fits to partial spectra provided by the others and does so with the smallest number of interaction functions without additional cutoff parameters necessary to make other approaches numerically tractable. We discuss the distinguishing features of our model that may account for the relative overall success of its fits. Note especially that in our approach for QCD, the resulting pion mass and associated Goldstone behavior depend sensitively on the preservation of relativistic couplings that are crucial for its success when solved nonperturbatively for the analogous two-body bound-states of QED.Comment: 75 pages, 6 figures, revised content

Relativistic nuclear recoil corrections to the energy levels of hydrogen-like and high ZZ lithium like atoms in all orders in αZ\alpha Z

The relativistic nuclear recoil corrections to the energy levels of low-laying states of hydrogen-like and high $Z$ lithium-like atoms in all orders in $\alpha Z$ are calculated. The calculations are carried out using the B-spline method for the Dirac equation. For low $Z$ the results of the calculation are in good agreement with the $\alpha Z$ -expansion results. It is found that the nuclear recoil contribution, additional to the Salpeter's one, to the Lamb shift ($n=2$) of hydrogen is $-1.32(6)\,kHz$. The total nuclear recoil correction to the energy of the $(1s)^{2}2p_{\frac{1}{2}}-(1s)^{2}2s$ transition in lithium-like uranium constitutes $-0.07\,eV$ and is largely made up of QED contributions.Comment: 19 pages, latex, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Fano Resonances in Electronic Transport through a Single Electron Transistor

We have observed asymmetric Fano resonances in the conductance of a single electron transistor resulting from interference between a resonant and a nonresonant path through the system. The resonant component shows all the features typical of quantum dots, but the origin of the non-resonant path is unclear. A unique feature of this experimental system, compared to others that show Fano line shapes, is that changing the voltages on various gates allows one to alter the interference between the two paths.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures. Submitted to PR

Gescheiterte junge Flüchtlinge? Abschlussbericht des Forschungsprojekts zu Problemlagen und zum Unterstützungsbedarf junger männlicher Geflüchteter in Baden-Württemberg

Dargestellt werden Ergebnisse eines Forschungsprojekts, in dem Entwicklungsrisiken bei jungen männlichen Geflüchteten analysiert wurden. Auf dieser Grundlage werden Empfehlungen für eine Verbesserung der rechtlichen und institutionellen Bedingungen von Integrationsprozessen sowie für die Gestaltung der Sozialen Arbeit mit Geflüchteten entwickelt

Associations of serum short-chain fatty acids with circulating immune cells and serum biomarkers in patients with multiple sclerosis

Altered composition of gut bacteria and changes to the production of their bioactive metabolites, the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), have been implicated in the development of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the immunomodulatory actions of SCFAs and intermediaries in their ability to influence MS pathogenesis are uncertain. In this study, levels of serum SCFAs were correlated with immune cell abundance and phenotype as well as with other relevant serum factors in blood samples taken at first presentation of Clinically Isolated Syndrome (CIS; an early form of MS) or MS and compared to healthy controls. There was a small but significant reduction in propionate levels in the serum of patients with CIS or MS compared with healthy controls. The frequencies of circulating T follicular regulatory cells and T follicular helper cells were significantly positively correlated with serum levels of propionate. Levels of butyrate associated positively with frequencies of IL-10-producing B-cells and negatively with frequencies of class-switched memory B-cells. TNF production by polyclonally-activated B-cells correlated negatively with acetate levels. Levels of serum SCFAs associated with changes in circulating immune cells and biomarkers implicated in the development of MS