774 research outputs found
Non-adiabatic holonomic quantum computation
We develop a non-adiabatic generalization of holonomic quantum computation in
which high-speed universal quantum gates can be realized by using non-Abelian
geometric phases. We show how a set of non-adiabatic holonomic one- and
two-qubit gates can be implemented by utilizing optical transitions in a
generic three-level configuration. Our scheme opens up for universal
holonomic quantum computation on qubits characterized by short coherence times.Comment: Some changes, journal reference adde
Open system effects on slow light and electromagnetically induced transparency
The coherence properties of a three-level -system influenced by a
Markovian environment are analyzed. A coherence vector formalism is used and a
vector form of the Lindblad equation is derived. Together with decay channels
from the upper state, open system channels acting on the subspace of the two
lower states are investigated, i.e., depolarization, dephasing, and amplitude
damping channels. We derive an analytic expression for the coherence vector and
the concomitant optical susceptibility, and analyze how the different channels
influence the optical response. This response depends non-trivially on the type
of open system interaction present, and even gain can be obtained. We also
present a geometrical visualization of the coherence vector as an aid to
understand the system response.Comment: Several changes; journal reference adde
Simulation Study of Sulfonate Cluster Swelling in Ionomers
We have performed simulations to study how increasing humidity affects the
structure of Nafion-like ionomers under conditions of low sulfonate
concentration and low humidity. At the onset of membrane hydration, the
clusters split into smaller parts. These subsequently swell, but then maintain
constant the number of sulfonates per cluster. We find that the distribution of
water in low-sulfonate membranes depends strongly on the sulfonate
concentration. For a relatively low sulfonate concentration, nearly all the
side-chain terminal groups are within cluster formations, and the average water
loading per cluster matches the water content of membrane. However, for a
relatively higher sulfonate concentration the water-to-sulfonate ratio becomes
non-uniform. The clusters become wetter, while the inter-cluster bridges become
drier. We note the formation of unusual shells of water-rich material that
surround the sulfonate clusters.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figure
Preparation and Preliminary Dielectric Characterization of Structured C\u3csub\u3e60\u3c/sub\u3e-Thiol-Ene Polymer Nanocomposites Assembled Using the Thiol-Ene Click Reaction
Fullerene-containing materials have the ability to store and release electrical energy. Therefore, fullerenes may ultimately find use in high-voltage equipment devices or as super capacitors for high electric energy storage due to this ease of manipulating their excellent dielectric properties and their high volume resistivity. A series of structured fullerene (C60) polymer nanocomposites were assembled using the thiol-ene click reaction, between alkyl thiols and allyl functionalized C60 derivatives. The resulting high-density C60-urethane-thiol-ene (C60-Thiol-Ene) networks possessed excellent mechanical properties. These novel networks were characterized using standard techniques, including infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The dielectric spectra for the prepared samples were determined over a broad frequency range at room temperature using a broadband dielectric spectrometer and a semiconductor characterization system. The changes in thermo-mechanical and electrical properties of these novel fullerene-thiol-ene composite films were measured as a function of the C60 content, and samples characterized by high dielectric permittivity and low dielectric loss were produced. In this process, variations in chemical composition of the networks were correlated to performance characteristics
Recent Low x and Diffractive Collider Data
Selected recent data from collider experiments pertaining to the
understanding of QCD at low Bjorken-x are reviewed. The status of QCD and Regge
factorisation in hard diffractive interactions is discussed in terms of data
from HERA and the Tevatron. The possibility of anomalous behaviour in the
total cross section is confronted with the most recent
measurements from LEP. Data from all three colliders that are sensitive to
possible BFKL effects are presented and different interpretations are
discussed.Comment: 9 pages, introductory talk from the 1999 Durham Phenomenology
Workshop on Collider Physic
Subsecond Morphological Changes in Nafion during Water Uptake Detected by Small-Angle X-ray Scattering
The ability of Nafion® membrane to absorb water rapidly and create a network of hydrated interconnected water domains provides this material with an unmatched ability to conduct ions through a chemically and mechanically robust membrane. The morphology and composition of these hydrated membranes significantly affects their transport properties and performance. This work demonstrates that differences in interfacial interactions between the membranes exposed to vapor or liquid water can cause significant changes in kinetics of water uptake. In-situ small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments captured the rapid swelling of the membrane in liquid water with nanostructure rearrangement on the order of seconds. For membranes in contact with water vapor, morphological changes are four-orders-of-magnitude slower than in liquid water, suggesting that interfacial resistance limits the penetration of water into the membrane. Also, upon water absorption from liquid water, a structural rearrangement from a distribution of spherical and cylindrical domains to exclusively cylindrical-like domains is suggested. These differences in water-uptake kinetics and morphology provide a new perspective into Schroeder’s Paradox, which dictates different water contents for vaporand liquid-equilibrated ionomers at unit activity. The findings of this work provide critical insights into the fast kinetics of water absorption of Nafion membrane, which can aid in the design of energy conversion devices that operate under frequent changes in environmental conditions
Morphology of supported polymer electrolyte ultra-thin films: a numerical study
Morphology of polymer electrolytes membranes (PEM), e.g., Nafion, inside PEM
fuel cell catalyst layers has significant impact on the electrochemical
activity and transport phenomena that determine cell performance. In those
regions, Nafion can be found as an ultra-thin film, coating the catalyst and
the catalyst support surfaces. The impact of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic
character of these surfaces on the structural formation of the films has not
been sufficiently explored yet. Here, we report about Molecular Dynamics
simulation investigation of the substrate effects on the ionomer ultra-thin
film morphology at different hydration levels. We use a mean-field-like model
we introduced in previous publications for the interaction of the hydrated
Nafion ionomer with a substrate, characterized by a tunable degree of
hydrophilicity. We show that the affinity of the substrate with water plays a
crucial role in the molecular rearrangement of the ionomer film, resulting in
completely different morphologies. Detailed structural description in different
regions of the film shows evidences of strongly heterogeneous behavior. A
qualitative discussion of the implications of our observations on the PEMFC
catalyst layer performance is finally proposed
Soft Color Interactions and Diffractive Hard Scattering at the Fermilab Tevatron
An improved understanding of nonperturbative QCD can be obtained by the
recently developed soft color interaction models. Their essence is the
variation of color string-field topologies, giving a unified description of
final states in high energy interactions, e.g., diffractive and nondiffractive
events in ep and ppbar. Here we present a detailed study of such models (the
soft color interaction model and the generalized area law model) applied to
ppbar, considering also the general problem of the underlying event including
beam particle remnants. With models tuned to HERA ep data, we find a good
description also of Tevatron data on production of W, beauty and jets in
diffractive events defined either by leading antiprotons or by one or two
rapidity gaps in the forward or backward regions. We also give predictions for
diffractive J/psi production where the soft exchange mechanism produces both a
gap and a color singlet ccbar state in the same event. This soft color
interaction approach is also compared with Pomeron-based models for
diffraction, and some possibilities to experimentally discriminate between
these different approaches are discussed.Comment: 35 pages, 15 figures, uses REVTeX. Minor changes, version to appear
in Phys. Rev.
Prostaglandin E2 stimulates progression-related gene expression in early colorectal adenoma cells
Upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin-dependent vascularisation in small adenomatous polyps is an essential part of colon carcinogenesis. To study the underlying cellular mechanisms, LT97 and Caco2 human colorectal tumour cells not expressing endogenous COX-2 were exposed to 1 μM prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in their medium. At 30 min after addition, expression of c-fos was stimulated 5-fold and 1.3-fold, respectively, depending on the activation of both extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38. The amount of c-jun in nuclear extracts was increased 20% in LT97 cells. Expression of COX-2 was upregulated 1.7-fold in LT97 cells and 1.5-fold in Caco2 2 h after prostaglandin (PG) addition by a p38-mediated pathway. The known PGE2 target gene vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was not modulated. Effects of sustained PGE2 production were studied in VACO235 cells that have high endogenous COX-2 and in LT97 cells infected with an adenovirus expressing COX-2. Prostaglandin E2 secretion into the medium was 1–2 nM and 250 pM, respectively. Expression of both VEGF and c-fos was high in VACO235 cells. In LT97 cells, COX-2 upregulated c-fos expression and c-jun content in nuclear extracts 1.7- and 1.2-fold, respectively, in a PG-dependent way. This shows that exogenous PGE2 as well as COX-2 overexpression affect signalling and gene expression in a way that enhances tumour progression
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