Negative-Energy Spinors and the Fock Space of Lattice Fermions at Finite Chemical Potential

Recently it was suggested that the problem of species doubling with Kogut-Susskind lattice fermions entails, at finite chemical potential, a confusion of particles with antiparticles. What happens instead is that the familiar correspondence of positive-energy spinors to particles, and of negative-energy spinors to antiparticles, ceases to hold for the Kogut-Susskind time derivative. To show this we highlight the role of the spinorial ``energy'' in the Osterwalder-Schrader reconstruction of the Fock space of non-interacting lattice fermions at zero temperature and nonzero chemical potential. We consider Kogut-Susskind fermions and, for comparison, fermions with an asymmetric one-step time derivative.Comment: 14p

Maximum gradient embeddings and monotone clustering

Let (X,d_X) be an n-point metric space. We show that there exists a distribution D over non-contractive embeddings into trees f:X-->T such that for every x in X, the expectation with respect to D of the maximum over y in X of the ratio d_T(f(x),f(y)) / d_X(x,y) is at most C (log n)^2, where C is a universal constant. Conversely we show that the above quadratic dependence on log n cannot be improved in general. Such embeddings, which we call maximum gradient embeddings, yield a framework for the design of approximation algorithms for a wide range of clustering problems with monotone costs, including fault-tolerant versions of k-median and facility location.Comment: 25 pages, 2 figures. Final version, minor revision of the previous one. To appear in "Combinatorica

The Savvidy ``ferromagnetic vacuum'' in three-dimensional lattice gauge theory

The vacuum effective potential of three-dimensional SU(2) lattice gauge theory in an applied color-magnetic field is computed over a wide range of field strengths. The background field is induced by an external current, as in continuum field theory. Scaling and finite volume effects are analyzed systematically. The first evidence from lattice simulations is obtained of the existence of a nontrivial minimum in the effective potential. This supports a ``ferromagnetic'' picture of gluon condensation, proposed by Savvidy on the basis of a one-loop calculation in (3+1)-dimensional QCD.Comment: 9pp (REVTEX manuscript). Postscript figures appende

The Isgur-Wise function in a relativistic model for qQˉq\bar Q system

We use the Dirac equation with a ``(asymptotically free) Coulomb + (Lorentz scalar) linear '' potential to estimate the light quark wavefunction for $q\bar Q$ mesons in the limit $m_Q\to \infty$. We use these wavefunctions to calculate the Isgur-Wise function $\xi (v.v^\prime )$ for orbital and radial ground states in the phenomenologically interesting range $1\leq v.v^ \prime \leq 4$. We find a simple expression for the zero-recoil slope, $\xi^ \prime (1) =-1/2- \epsilon^2 /3$, where $\epsilon$ is the energy eigenvalue of the light quark, which can be identified with the $\bar\Lambda$ parameter of the Heavy Quark Effective Theory. This result implies an upper bound of $-1/2$ for the slope $\xi^\prime (1)$. Also, because for a very light quark $q (q=u, d)$ the size $\sqrt {}$ of the meson is determined mainly by the ``confining'' term in the potential $(\gamma_\circ \sigma r)$, the shape of $\xi_{u,d}(v.v^\prime )$ is seen to be mostly sensitive to the dimensionless ratio $\bar \Lambda_{u,d}^2/\sigma$. We present results for the ranges of parameters $150 MeV <\bar \Lambda_{u,d} <600 MeV$ $(\bar\Lambda_s \approx \bar\Lambda_{u,d}+100 MeV)$, $0.14 {GeV}^2 \leq \sigma \leq 0.25 {GeV}^2$ and light quark masses $m_u, m_d \approx 0, m_s=175 MeV$ and compare to existing experimental data and other theoretical estimates. Fits to the data give: ${\bar\Lambda_{u,d}}^2/\sigma =4.8\pm 1.7$, $-\xi^\prime_{u,d}(1)=2.4\pm 0.7$ and $\vert V_{cb} \vert \sqrt {\frac {\tau_B}{1.48 ps}}=0.050\pm 0.008$ [ARGUS '93]; ${\bar\Lambda_{u,d}}^2/\sigma = 3.4\pm 1.8$, $-\xi^\prime_{u,d}(1)=1.8\pm 0.7$ and $\vert V_{cb} \vert \sqrt { \frac {\tau_B}{1.48 ps}}=0.043\pm 0.008$ [CLEO '93]; ${\bar\Lambda_{u,d}}^2/Comment: 22 pages, Latex, 4 figures (not included) available by fax or via email upon reques

Effect of pomegranate powder on the heat inactivation of Escherichia coli O104: H4 in ground chicken

Health concerns have led to a search for natural plant-based antimicrobials. Ellagic acid has been shown to have antimicrobial activity against foodborne pathogens. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of a high-ellagic acid commercial pomegranate on the heat resistance of Escherichia coli O104:H4 in ground chicken. A full 2 4 factorial design was used, consisting of temperature treatment with four levels (55.0, 57.5, 60.0, and 62.5 °C) and pomegranate with four levels (0.0, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 wt/wt. % containing 70% ellagic acid). Experiments were conducted twice, providing a total of 32 survival curves. A three-parameter Weibull primary model was used to describe survival kinetics. Secondary models were then developed to estimate the shape parameter ß (i.e., curvature representing susceptibility of cells to stress), scale parameter ? (i.e., time to reach the first decimal reduction) and the 5.0-log lethality time t 5.0 (i.e., time to reach a 5.0-log reduction), all as polynomial functions of temperature and pomegranate powder concentration. The positive effect of pomegranate concentration on both ß and ? demonstrated that the phenolic-rich pomegranate powder causes E. coli O104:H4 cells to become more susceptible to heat, increasing the steepness and concavity of the isothermal survival curves. It was estimated that the 5.0-log reduction time would reach a minimum at a pomegranate powder concentration of 1%, producing a 50% decrease in lethality time, in comparison to that without added pomegranate powder. Nonetheless, a mixed-effect omnibus regression further confirmed that the greatest difference in the thermal resistance of E. coli O104:H4 happened between tests with and without pomegranate powder. In fact, adding more than 1.0% pomegranate powder, at a constant temperature, resulted only in a marginal decrease in thermal resistance. Meat processors can use the model to design lethality treatments in order to achieve specific reductions of E. coli O104:H4 in ground chicken.We thank Angie Osoria and Carol E. Levin for technical assistance as well as in facilitating the preparation of the manuscript. Also, Dr. Gonzales-Barron wishes to acknowledge the financial support provided by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through the award of a five-year Investigator Fellowship (IF) in the mode of Development Grants (IF/00570).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Four-month moxifloxacin-based regimens for drug-sensitive tuberculosis

Supported by the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership, U.S. Agency for International Development, U.K. Department for International Development, Directorate General for International Cooperation of the Netherlands, Irish Aid, Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and National Institutes of Health, AIDS Clinical Trials Group and by grants from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) (UM1AI068634, UM1 AI068636, and UM1AI106701) and by NIAID grants to the University of KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) site 31422 (1U01AI069469); to the Perinatal HIV Research Unit, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, South Africa, ACTG site 12301 (1U01AI069453); and to the Durban International Clinical Trials Unit, South Africa, ACTG site 11201 (1U01AI069426); Bayer Healthcare for the donation of moxifloxacin; and Sanofi for the donation of rifampin.Background: Early-phase and preclinical studies suggest that moxifloxacin-containing regimens could allow for effective 4-month treatment of uncomplicated, smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 trial to test the noninferiority of two moxifloxacin-containing regimens as compared with a control regimen. One group of patients received isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol for 8 weeks, followed by 18 weeks of isoniazid and rifampin (control group). In the second group, we replaced ethambutol with moxifloxacin for 17 weeks, followed by 9 weeks of placebo (isoniazid group), and in the third group, we replaced isoniazid with moxifloxacin for 17 weeks, followed by 9 weeks of placebo (ethambutol group). The primary end point was treatment failure or relapse within 18 months after randomization. Results: Of the 1931 patients who underwent randomization, in the per-protocol analysis, a favorable outcome was reported in fewer patients in the isoniazid group (85%) and the ethambutol group (80%) than in the control group (92%), for a difference favoring the control group of 6.1 percentage points (97.5% confidence interval [CI], 1.7 to 10.5) versus the isoniazid group and 11.4 percentage points (97.5% CI, 6.7 to 16.1) versus the ethambutol group. Results were consistent in the modified intention-to-treat analysis and all sensitivity analyses. The hazard ratios for the time to culture negativity in both solid and liquid mediums for the isoniazid and ethambutol groups, as compared with the control group, ranged from 1.17 to 1.25, indicating a shorter duration, with the lower bounds of the 95% confidence intervals exceeding 1.00 in all cases. There was no significant difference in the incidence of grade 3 or 4 adverse events, with events reported in 127 patients (19%) in the isoniazid group, 111 (17%) in the ethambutol group, and 123 (19%) in the control group. Conclusions: The two moxifloxacin-containing regimens produced a more rapid initial decline in bacterial load, as compared with the control group. However, noninferiority for these regimens was not shown, which indicates that shortening treatment to 4 months was not effective in this setting. (Funded by the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development and others; REMoxTB ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00864383.)Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Decay constants and mixing parameters in a relativistic model for q\barQ system

We extend our recent work, in which the Dirac equation with a ``(asymptotically free) Coulomb + (Lorentz scalar $\gamma_0\sigma r$) linear '' potential is used to obtain the light quark wavefunction for $q\bar Q$ mesons in the limit $m_Q\to \infty$, to estimate the decay constant $f_P$ and the mixing parameter $B$ of the pseudoscalar mesons. We compare our results for the evolution of $f_P$ and $B$ with the meson mass $M_P$ to the non-relativistic formulas for these quantities and show that there is a significant correction in the subasymptotic region. For $\sigma =0.14{{\rm ~GeV}}^{-2}$ and \lms =0.240{\rm ~GeV} we obtain: $f_D =0.371\; ,\; f_{D_s}=0.442\; ,\; f_B=0.301\; ,\; f_{B_s}=0.368 {\rm ~GeV}$ and $B_D=0.88\; ,\; B_{D_s}=0.89\; ,\; B_B=0.95\; ,\; B_{B_s}=0.96\; ,\;$ and $B_K=0.60$.Comment: 13 pages, Latex, 3 figures (included

SEMIOCHEMICAL ACTIVITY OF PHEROMONES AND ANALOGUES OF THREE MATSUCOCCUS SPECIES (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: MATSUCOCCIDAE)

SEMIOCHEMICAL ACTIVITY OF PHEROMONES AND ANALOGUES OF THREE MATSUCOCCUS SPECIES (HEMIPTERA: COCCOIDEA: MATSUCOCCIDAE). The sex pheromone of the Israeli pine bast scale, Matsucoccus josephi Bodenheimer Harpaz (Homoptera: Matsucoccidae), was identified as the ketone (2E,5R,6E,8E)-5,7-dimethyl-2,6,8- decatrien-4-one. The chiral diene chain is common also to the sex pheromones of M. matsumurae Bean Godwin and M. feytaudi Ducasse. The species-specificity of the three pheromones is due to the differences in the second side chain of these ketones. Field and GC- EAD studies indicated that the sex pheromones of each of the three Matsucoccus spp. is a potent kairomone of both males and females of the predator Elatophilus hebraicus Pericart (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae). The response of E. hebraicus to the sex pheromones of M. matsumurae and M. feytaudi is particularly interesting since it does not occur in the distribution area of these two congeneric spp. These results prompted us to prepare a series of analogues with variations in the two side chains in order to probe the structure-activity relationship of the pheromonal/kairomonal attractancy of M. josephi and E. hebraicus. Field results indicate that alterations in the common diene moiety affected the kairomonal activity, while structural changes in the second side chain markedly reduced the pheromonal activity. Key words: stereoisomer