Morphology and distribution of Navicula schmassmannii and its transfer to genus Humidophila

A small diatom with a peculiar shape is often identified as Navicula schmassmannii in samples collected from alpine lakes and the Arctic region. Due to its characteristic outline, it is relatively well-identifiable, but scanning electron microscope (SEM) confirmation is essential for proving species identity. This species likely has a palaeoecological indicator value of warming climate in mountain lakes, although it is generally a minor component of the diatom assemblages. Here we re-investigate its type material to clarify its identity and taxonomic position. We provide an emended description based on SEM observation, including new information on girdle morphology. Furthermore, another population of N. schmassmannii was studied. Detailed morphological observations using light microscope (LM) and SEM were done on specimens from a sediment core obtained from Lake Brazi in the Southern Carpathian Mountains. Late-glacial and early Holocene populations of the diatom resembling N. schmassmannii showed high morphological variability in comparison with the type material. On the basis of details of type material and the different morphotypes from Lake Brazi, the transfer of N. schmassmannii Hustedt to the genus Humidophila is proposed as H. schmassmannii (Hustedt) Buczkó et Wojtal

Integrability and level crossing manifolds in a quantum Hamiltonian system

We consider a two-spin model, represented classically by a nonlinear autonomous Hamiltonian system with two degrees of freedom and a nontrivial integrability condition, and quantum mechanically by a real symmetric Hamiltonian matrix with blocks of dimensionalities K=l(l+1)/2, l=1,2,... In the six-dimensional (6D) parameter space of this model, classical integrability is satisfied on a 5D hypersurface, and level crossings occur on 4D manifolds that are completely embedded in the integrability hypersurface except for some lower-D sub-manifolds. Under mild assumptions, the classical integrability condition can be reconstructed from a purely quantum mechanical study of level degeneracies in finite-dimensional invariant blocks of the Hamiltonian matrix. Our conclusions are based on rigorous results for K=3 and on numerical results for K=6,10.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Integrable quadratic Hamiltonians on so(4) and so(3,1)

We investigate a special class of quadratic Hamiltonians on so(4) and so(3,1) and describe Hamiltonians that have additional polynomial integrals. One of the main results is a new integrable case with an integral of sixth degree.Comment: 16 page

Interaction Properties of the Periodic and Step-like Solutions of the Double-Sine-Gordon Equation

The periodic and step-like solutions of the double-Sine-Gordon equation are investigated, with different initial conditions and for various values of the potential parameter $\epsilon$. We plot energy and force diagrams, as functions of the inter-soliton distance for such solutions. This allows us to consider our system as an interacting many-body system in 1+1 dimension. We therefore plot state diagrams (pressure vs. average density) for step-like as well as periodic solutions. Step-like solutions are shown to behave similarly to their counterparts in the Sine-Gordon system. However, periodic solutions show a fundamentally different behavior as the parameter $\epsilon$ is increased. We show that two distinct phases of periodic solutions exist which exhibit manifestly different behavior. Response functions for these phases are shown to behave differently, joining at an apparent phase transition point.Comment: 17pages, 15 figure

Fluctuations and Instabilities of Ferromagnetic Domain Wall pairs in an External Magnetic Field

Soliton excitations and their stability in anisotropic quasi-1D ferromagnets are analyzed analytically. In the presence of an external magnetic field, the lowest lying topological excitations are shown to be either soliton-soliton or soliton-antisoliton pairs. In ferromagnetic samples of macro- or mesoscopic size, these configurations correspond to twisted or untwisted pairs of Bloch walls. It is shown that the fluctuations around these configurations are governed by the same set of operators. The soliton-antisoliton pair has exactly one unstable mode and thus represents a critical nucleus for thermally activated magnetization reversal in effectively one-dimensional systems. The soliton-soliton pair is stable for small external fields but becomes unstable for large magnetic fields. From the detailed expression of this instability threshold and an analysis of nonlocal demagnetizing effects it is shown that the relative chirality of domain walls can be detected experimentally in thin ferromagnetic films. The static properties of the present model are equivalent to those of a nonlinear sigma-model with anisotropies. In the limit of large hard-axis anisotropy the model reduces to a double sine-Gordon model.Comment: 15 pages RevTex 3.0 (twocolumn), 9 figures available on request, to appear in Phys Rev B, Dec (1994

Evolution and environment of the eastern linear pottery culture: A case study in the site of Polgár-Piócási-Dűlő

A salvage excavation preceding a major investment project was conducted in 2006–2007, during which associated settlement features of a Middle Neolithic, Eastern Linear Pottery Culture (Alföld Linearbandkeramik – ALBK) were uncovered in an area called Piócási-dűlő on the eastern outskirts of Polgár. The features of the ALBK settlement date from two periods. The cluster of multi-functional pits yielding a rich assortment of finds, the handful of post-holes and an unusual ritual well found in the southern part of the investigated area formed one unit from the earliest phase of the Middle Neolithic (ALBK I). The settlement’s other occupation can be assigned to the late phase of the Middle Neolithic (ALBK IV). Five houseplans representing the remains of timber-framed buildings outlined a distinct area with three multi-functional pits. Associated with the above features were 8 burials. The preliminary archaeobotanical results from Polgár–Piócási-dűlő are based on the plant material found within the sediments of 11 archaeological structures, which mainly represent pits and a welI. It can be stated that the natural environment offered habitats in which oak trees dominated in the local vegetation, forming floodplain forests and wooded steppes. They also provided food in the form of fruits and formed an optimal habitat for domestic animals. Arable fields were probably also established in the vicinity of the settlements, suggested by findings of macroscopic plant remains that represented cultivated species. In both settlement phases lithic production activities are manifested both by the local on-site lithic production and – most importantly – by the presence of imported, mainly mesolocal, raw materials that point to contacts with deposit areas, or off-site preliminary working of obsidian and limnoquartzites. The kit of harvesting tools and a large number of grinding stones – especially in the younger phase – for the preparation of plant food suggest a major role of plant cultivation

Sex steroid hormones and epilepsy: Effects of hormonal replacement therapy on seizure frequency of postmenopausal women with epilepsy—A systematic review

Background and purpose: Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) is used for symptomatic treatment of menopause. Some evidence suggests a proconvulsant effect of estrogen and an anticonvulsant role of progesterone. Thus, the use of exogenous sex steroid hormones might influence the course of epilepsy in peri- and postmenopausal women with epilepsy (WWE). We conducted a systematic review on the impact of HRT on the frequency of seizures of WWE. Methods: PubMed and Scopus were searched for articles published from inception until August 2022. Abstracts from the past 5 years from the European Academy of Neurology and European Epilepsy Congresses were also reviewed. Article reference lists were screened, and relevant articles were retrieved for consultation. Interventional and observational studies on WWE and animal models of estrogen deficiency were included. Critical appraisal was performed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials and ROBINS-E tool. Results: Of 497 articles screened, 13 studies were included, including three human studies. One cross-sectional study showed a decrease in seizure frequency in WWE using combined HRT, a case–control study showed an increase in comparison with controls, and a randomized clinical trial found a dose-dependent increase in seizure frequency in women with focal epilepsy taking combined HRT. Ten studies addressing the impact of HRT in rat models were also included, which showed conflicting results. Conclusions: There is scarce evidence of the impact of HRT in WWE. Further studies should evaluate the harmful potential, and prospective registries are needed for monitoring this population

Renormalization Group Theory And Variational Calculations For Propagating Fronts

We study the propagation of uniformly translating fronts into a linearly unstable state, both analytically and numerically. We introduce a perturbative renormalization group (RG) approach to compute the change in the propagation speed when the fronts are perturbed by structural modification of their governing equations. This approach is successful when the fronts are structurally stable, and allows us to select uniquely the (numerical) experimentally observable propagation speed. For convenience and completeness, the structural stability argument is also briefly described. We point out that the solvability condition widely used in studying dynamics of nonequilibrium systems is equivalent to the assumption of physical renormalizability. We also implement a variational principle, due to Hadeler and Rothe, which provides a very good upper bound and, in some cases, even exact results on the propagation speeds, and which identifies the transition from ` linear'- to ` nonlinear-marginal-stability' as parameters in the governing equation are varied.Comment: 34 pages, plain tex with uiucmac.tex. Also available by anonymous ftp to gijoe.mrl.uiuc.edu (128.174.119.153), file /pub/front_RG.tex (or .ps.Z

Effects of viscous dissipation and boundary conditions on forced convection in a channel occupied by a saturated porous medium

Forced convection with viscous dissipation in a parallel plate channel filled by a saturated porous medium is investigated numerically. Three different viscous dissipation models are examined. Two different sets of wall conditions are considered: isothermal and isoflux. Analytical expressions are also presented for the asymptotic temperature profile and the asymptotic Nusselt number. With isothermal walls, the Brinkman number significantly influences the developing Nusselt number but not the asymptotic one. At constant wall heat flux, both the developing and the asymptotic Nusselt numbers are affected by the value of the Brinkman number. The Nusselt number is sensitive to the porous medium shape factor under all conditions considered