1,123 research outputs found
Classical paths in systems of fermions
We implement in systems of fermions the formalism of pseudoclassical paths
that we recently developed for systems of bosons and show that quantum states
of fermionic fields can be described, in the Heisenberg picture, as linear
combinations of randomly distributed paths that do not interfere between
themselves and obey classical Dirac equations. Every physical observable is
assigned a time-dependent value on each path in a way that respects the
anticommutative algebra between quantum operators and we observe that these
values on paths do not necessarily satisfy the usual algebraic relations
between classical observables. We use these pseudoclassical paths to define the
dynamics of quantum fluctuations in systems of fermions and show that, as we
found for systems of bosons, the dynamics of fluctuations of a wide class of
observables that we call "collective" observables can be approximately
described in terms of classical stochastic concepts. Finally, we apply this
formalism to describe the dynamics of local fluctuations of globally conserved
fermion numbers.Comment: to appear in Pys. Rev.
Systematic Study of Fermion Masses and Mixing Angles in Horizontal SU(2) Gauge Theory
Despite its great success in explaining the basic interactions of nature, the
standard model suffers from an inability to explain the observed masses of the
fundamental particles and the weak mixing angles between them. We shall survey
a set of possible extensions to the standard model, employing an SU(2)
``horizontal'' gauge symmetry between the particle generations, to see what
light they can shed on this problem.Comment: 43 pages, 4 figures (available by postal mail on request), OZ-92/0
Stable Expression of Gal/GalNAc Lectin of Entamoeba Histolytica in Transgenic Chloroplasts and Immunogenicity in Mice Towards Vaccine Development for Amoebiasis
Chloroplast genetic engineering offers several advantages, including high levels of transgene expression, transgene containment via maternal inheritance and multigene engineering in a single transformation event. Entamoeba histolytica infects 50 million people, causing about 100 000 deaths annually, but there is no approved vaccine against this pathogen. LecA, a potential target for blocking amoebiasis, was expressed for the first time in transgenic plants. Stable transgene integration into chloroplast genomes and homoplasmy were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analyses. LecA expression was evaluated by Western blots and quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (up to 6.3% of total soluble protein or 2.3 mg LecA/g leaf tissue). Subcutaneous immunization of mice with crude extract of transgenic leaves resulted in higher immunoglobulin G titres (up to 1 : 10 000) than in previous reports. An average yield of 24 mg of LecA per plant should produce 29 million doses of vaccine antigen per acre of transgenic plants. Such high levels of expression and immunogenicity should facilitate the development of a less expensive amoebiasis vaccine
Decoherence of Histories and Hydrodynamic Equations for a Linear Oscillator Chain
We investigate the decoherence of histories of local densities for linear
oscillators models. It is shown that histories of local number, momentum and
energy density are approximately decoherent, when coarse-grained over
sufficiently large volumes. Decoherence arises directly from the proximity of
these variables to exactly conserved quantities (which are exactly decoherent),
and not from environmentally-induced decoherence. We discuss the approach to
local equilibrium and the subsequent emergence of hydrodynamic equations for
the local densities.Comment: 37 pages, RevTe
Spacetime Coarse Grainings in the Decoherent Histories Approach to Quantum Theory
We investigate the possibility of assigning consistent probabilities to sets
of histories characterized by whether they enter a particular subspace of the
Hilbert space of a closed system during a given time interval. In particular we
investigate the case that this subspace is a region of the configuration space.
This corresponds to a particular class of coarse grainings of spacetime
regions. We consider the arrival time problem and the problem of time in
reparametrization invariant theories as for example in canonical quantum
gravity. Decoherence conditions and probabilities for those application are
derived. The resulting decoherence condition does not depend on the explicit
form of the restricted propagator that was problematic for generalizations such
as application in quantum cosmology. Closely related is the problem of
tunnelling time as well as the quantum Zeno effect. Some interpretational
comments conclude, and we discuss the applicability of this formalism to deal
with the arrival time problem.Comment: 23 pages, Few changes and added references in v
Research Update: Energy Strategies for Dry Cows
This information was presented at the 2014 Cornell Nutrition Conference for Feed Manufacturers, organized by the Department of Animal Science In the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University. Softcover copies of the entire conference proceedings may be purchased at http://ansci.cals.cornell.edu/extension-outreach/adult-extension/dairy-management/order-proceedings-resources or by calling (607)255-4285
Theory of Melting and the Optical Properties of Gold/DNA Nanocomposites
We describe a simple model for the melting and optical properties of a
DNA/gold nanoparticle aggregate. The optical properties at fixed wavelength
change dramatically at the melting transition, which is found to be higher and
narrower in temperature for larger particles, and much sharper than that of an
isolated DNA link. All these features are in agreement with available
experiments. The aggregate is modeled as a cluster of gold nanoparticles on a
periodic lattice connected by DNA bonds, and the extinction coefficient is
computed using the discrete dipole approximation. Melting takes place as an
increasing number of these bonds break with increasing temperature. The melting
temperature corresponds approximately to the bond percolation threshold.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure. To be published in Phys. Rev.
New hairy black holes with negative cosmological constant
Black hole solutions with nonspherical event horizon topology are shown to
exist in an Einstein-Yang-Mills theory with negative cosmological constant. The
main characteristics of the solutions are presented and differences with
respect to the spherically symmetric case are studied. The stability of these
configurations is also addressed.Comment: 14 pages, 6 Encapsulated PostScript figures, references adde
Consistent histories, the quantum Zeno effect, and time of arrival
We present a decomposition of the general quantum mechanical evolution
operator, that corresponds to the path decomposition expansion, and interpret
its constituents in terms of the quantum Zeno effect (QZE). This decomposition
is applied to a finite dimensional example and to the case of a free particle
in the real line, where the possibility of boundary conditions more general
than those hitherto considered in the literature is shown. We reinterpret the
assignment of consistent probabilities to different regions of spacetime in
terms of the QZE. The comparison of the approach of consistent histories to the
problem of time of arrival with the solution provided by the probability
distribution of Kijowski shows the strength of the latter point of view
D-term inflation and neutrino mass
We study a -term inflation scenario in a model extended from the minimal
supersymmetric standard model (MSSM) by two additional abelian factor groups
focussing on its particle physics aspects. Condensates of the fields related to
the inflation can naturally give a possible solution to both the -problem
in the MSSM and the neutrino mass through their nonrenormalizable couplings to
the MSSM fields. Mixings between neutrinos and neutralinos are also induced by
some of these condensates. Small neutrino masses are generated by a weak scale
seesaw mechanism as a result of these mixings. Moreover, the decay of the
condensates may be able to cause the leptogenesis. Usually known discrepancy
between both values of a Fayet-Iliopoulos -term which are predicted by the
COBE normalization and also by an anomalous U(1) in the weakly-coupled
superstring might be reconciled.Comment: 21 pages, LaTeX, small modifications, one reference adde
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