5,709 research outputs found
Gate-tunable bandgap in bilayer graphene
The tight-binding model of bilayer graphene is used to find the gap between
the conduction and valence bands, as a function of both the gate voltage and as
the doping by donors or acceptors. The total Hartree energy is minimized and
the equation for the gap is obtained. This equation for the ratio of the gap to
the chemical potential is determined only by the screening constant. Thus the
gap is strictly proportional to the gate voltage or the carrier concentration
in the absence of donors or acceptors. In the opposite case, where the donors
or acceptors are present, the gap demonstrates the asymmetrical behavior on the
electron and hole sides of the gate bias. A comparison with experimental data
obtained by Kuzmenko et al demonstrates the good agreement.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure
Statistical model of dephasing in mesoscopic devices introduced in the scattering matrix formalism
We propose a phenomenological model of dephasing in mesoscopic transport,
based on the introduction of random phase fluctuations in the computation of
the scattering matrix of the system. A Monte Carlo averaging procedure allows
us to extract electrical and microscopic device properties. We show that, in
this picture, scattering matrix properties enforced by current conservation and
time reversal invariance still hold. In order to assess the validity of the
proposed approach, we present simulations of conductance and magnetoconductance
of Aharonov-Bohm rings that reproduce the behavior observed in experiments, in
particular as far as aspects related to decoherence are concerned.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure
A glimpse into the differential topology and geometry of optimal transport
This note exposes the differential topology and geometry underlying some of
the basic phenomena of optimal transportation. It surveys basic questions
concerning Monge maps and Kantorovich measures: existence and regularity of the
former, uniqueness of the latter, and estimates for the dimension of its
support, as well as the associated linear programming duality. It shows the
answers to these questions concern the differential geometry and topology of
the chosen transportation cost. It also establishes new connections --- some
heuristic and others rigorous --- based on the properties of the
cross-difference of this cost, and its Taylor expansion at the diagonal.Comment: 27 page
Effectiveness of guided self-help in decreasing expressed emotion in family caregivers of people diagnosed with depression in Thailand: a randomised controlled trial
Background: High expressed emotion (EE) can extend the duration of illness and precipitate relapse; however, little evidence-based information is available to assist family caregivers of individuals with depression. In the present exploratory study, we examined the effectiveness of a cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) based guided self-help (GSH) manual in decreasing EE in caregivers of people with depression, in Thailand.
Method: A parallel group randomised controlled trial was conducted, following CONSORT guidelines, with 54 caregivers who were allocated equally to GSH or control group (standard outpatient department support). In addition, both groups were contacted weekly by telephone. EE was assessed, using the Family Questionnaire (FQ), at baseline, post-test (Week 8) and follow-up (Week 12).
Results: FQ scores at baseline indicated that both groups had similar, though moderately high level of EE. However, between baseline and post-test EE scores decreased markedly in the intervention group, but in contrast, they increased slightly in the control group. Between post-test and follow-up, little change took place in the EE scores of either group. Overall, the intervention group recipients of GSH showed a significant decrease in EE whereas the control group recipients of standard outpatient department support reported a slight increase in EE.
Conclusion: These findings provide preliminary evidence that GSH is beneficial in reducing EE in caregivers, which is advantageous to family members with depression and caregivers. The approach may be used as an adjunct to the limited outpatient department support given to caregivers by mental health professionals and, perhaps, to caregivers who do not attend these departments
On the Regularity of Optimal Transportation Potentials on Round Spheres
In this paper the regularity of optimal transportation potentials defined on
round spheres is investigated. Specifically, this research generalises the
calculations done by Loeper, where he showed that the strong (A3) condition of
Trudinger and Wang is satisfied on the round sphere, when the cost-function is
the geodesic distance squared. In order to generalise Loeper's calculation to a
broader class of cost-functions, the (A3) condition is reformulated via a
stereographic projection that maps charts of the sphere into Euclidean space.
This reformulation subsequently allows one to verify the (A3) condition for any
case where the cost-fuction of the associated optimal transportation problem
can be expressed as a function of the geodesic distance between points on a
round sphere. With this, several examples of such cost-functions are then
analysed to see whether or not they satisfy this (A3) condition.Comment: 24 pages, 4 figure
Describing interruptions, multi-tasking and task-switching in the community pharmacy: A qualitative study in England
Background: There is growing evidence base around interruptions and distractions in the community pharmacy setting. There is also evidence to suggest these practices may be associated with dispensing errors. Up to date, qualitative research on this subject is limited.
Objective: To explore interruptions and distractions in the community setting; utilising an ethnographic approach to be able to provide a detailed description of the circumstances surrounding such practices.
Setting: Community pharmacies in England, July to October 2011.
Method: An ethnographic approach was taken. Non participant, unstructured observations were utilised to make records of pharmacists’ every activities. Case studies were formed by combining field notes with detailed information on pharmacists and their respective pharmacy businesses. Content analysis was undertaken both manually and electronically, utilising NVivo 10.
Results: Response rate was 12% (n=11). Over fifteen days, a total of 123 hours and 58 minutes of observations were recorded in 11 separate pharmacies of 11 individual pharmacists. The sample was evenly split by gender (female n=6; male n=5) and pharmacy ownership (independent n=5; multiple n=6). Employment statuses included employee pharmacists (n=6), owners (n=4) and a locum (n=1). Average period of registration as a pharmacist was 19 years (range 5-39 years). Average prescriptions busyness of pharmacies ranged from 2,600 – 24,000 items dispensed per month. Two key themes were: “Interruptions and task-switching” and “distractions and multi-tasking.” All observed pharmacists’ work was dominated by interruptions, task-switches, distractions and multi-tasking, often to manage a barrage of conflicting demands. These practices were observed to be part of a deep-rooted culture in the community setting. Directional work maps illustrated the extent and direction of task switching employed by pharmacists.
Conclusions: In this study pharmacists’ working practices were permeated by interruptions and multi-tasking. These practices are inefficient and potentially reduce patient safety in terms of dispensing accuracy
Nonmonotonic inelastic tunneling spectra due to surface spin excitations in ferromagnetic junctions
The paper addresses inelastic spin-flip tunneling accompanied by surface spin
excitations (magnons) in ferromagnetic junctions. The inelastic tunneling
current is proportional to the magnon density of states which is
energy-independent for the surface waves and, for this reason, cannot account
for the bias-voltage dependence of the observed inelastic tunneling spectra.
This paper shows that the bias-voltage dependence of the tunneling spectra can
arise from the tunneling matrix elements of the electron-magnon interaction.
These matrix elements are derived from the Coulomb exchange interaction using
the itinerant-electron model of magnon-assisted tunneling. The results for the
inelastic tunneling spectra, based on the nonequilibrium Green's function
calculations, are presented for both parallel and antiparallel magnetizations
in the ferromagnetic leads.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, version as publishe
Distributions of the Conductance and its Parametric Derivatives in Quantum Dots
Full distributions of conductance through quantum dots with single-mode leads
are reported for both broken and unbroken time-reversal symmetry. Distributions
are nongaussian and agree well with random matrix theory calculations that
account for a finite dephasing time, , once broadening due to finite
temperature is also included. Full distributions of the derivatives of
conductance with respect to gate voltage are also investigated.Comment: 4 pages (REVTeX), 4 eps figure
Conductance scaling at the band center of wide wires with pure non--diagonal disorder
Kubo formula is used to get the scaling behavior of the static conductance
distribution of wide wires showing pure non-diagonal disorder. Following recent
works that point to unusual phenomena in some circumstances, scaling at the
band center of wires of odd widths has been numerically investigated. While the
conductance mean shows a decrease that is only proportional to the inverse
square root of the wire length, the median of the distribution exponentially
decreases as a function of the square root of the length. Actually, the whole
distribution decays as the inverse square root of the length except close to
G=0 where the distribution accumulates the weight lost at larger conductances.
It accurately follows the theoretical prediction once the free parameter is
correctly fitted. Moreover, when the number of channels equals the wire length
but contacts are kept finite, the conductance distribution is still described
by the previous model. It is shown that the common origin of this behavior is a
simple Gaussian statistics followed by the logarithm of the E=0 wavefunction
weight ratio of a system showing chiral symmetry. A finite value of the
two-dimensional conductance mean is obtained in the infinite size limit. Both
conductance and the wavefunction statistics distributions are given in this
limit. This results are consistent with the 'critical' character of the E=0
wavefunction predicted in the literature.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, RevTeX macr
- …