11,850 research outputs found
Depolarization volume and correlation length in the homogenization of anisotropic dielectric composites
In conventional approaches to the homogenization of random particulate
composites, both the distribution and size of the component phase particles are
often inadequately taken into account. Commonly, the spatial distributions are
characterized by volume fraction alone, while the electromagnetic response of
each component particle is represented as a vanishingly small depolarization
volume. The strong-permittivity-fluctuation theory (SPFT) provides an
alternative approach to homogenization wherein a comprehensive description of
distributional statistics of the component phases is accommodated. The
bilocally-approximated SPFT is presented here for the anisotropic homogenized
composite which arises from component phases comprising ellipsoidal particles.
The distribution of the component phases is characterized by a two-point
correlation function and its associated correlation length. Each component
phase particle is represented as an ellipsoidal depolarization region of
nonzero volume. The effects of depolarization volume and correlation length are
investigated through considering representative numerical examples. It is
demonstrated that both the spatial extent of the component phase particles and
their spatial distributions are important factors in estimating coherent
scattering losses of the macroscopic field.Comment: Typographical error in eqn. 16 in WRM version is corrected in arxiv
versio
Workflow Management for Multiple Sclerosis Patients: IT and Organization
Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) visit various healthcare providers during the course of their disease. It was suggested that IT might help to\ud
orchestrate their care provision. We have applied the USE IT-tool to get insight in the relevant problems, solutions and constraints of the MS-care and the MS care providers both in the organizational and the information technological area. There is hardly a chain of healthcare, but rather, a network in which informal communication plays an important role. This informal network worked reasonably effective, but inefficient and slow. The patient himself plays a keyrole in information exchange between care-providers. Many providers were unaware of the services that other healthcare providers could give in general or did provide to a specific patient. MS patients-count is only small for most care providers. None of the interviewed patients mentioned a lack of contacts between careproviders as a problem. They thought that lack of\ud
experience caused their major problems: insufficient and inadequate care. To improve care, we proposed a solution that combines a âshort MS-protocolâ, the\ud
introduction of a central coordinator of care and a Patient Relation Management (PRM) System. This is a simple web-based application that is based on agreement by the caregivers that supports routing, tracking and tracing of a MS patient and supplies the caregivers with professional guidelines, as written down in the protocol. It is likely that we would have suggested a far more complicated ICT solution if we had only analyzed the MS-care process as such, without specific consideration of the USE IT dimensions
Towards a better understanding of the e-health user: comparing USE IT and Requirements study for an Electronic Patient Record.
This paper compares a traditional requirements study with 22 interviews for the design of an electronic patient record (EPR) and a USE IT analysis with 17 interviews trying to understand the end- user of an EPR. Developing, implementing and using information technology in organizations is a complex social activity. It is often characterized by ill-defined problems or vague goals, conflicts and disruptions that result from organizational change. Successfully implementing information systems in healthcare organizations appears to be a difficult task. Information Technology is regarded as an enabler of change in healthcare organizations but (information) technology adoption decisions in healthcare are complex, because of the uncertainty of benefits and the rate of change of technology. (Job) Relevance is recognized as an important determinant for IS success but still does not find its way into a systems design process
Non-degenerate, three-wave mixing with the Josephson ring modulator
The Josephson ring modulator (JRM) is a device, based on Josephson tunnel
junctions, capable of performing non-degenerate mixing in the microwave regime
without losses. The generic scattering matrix of the device is calculated by
solving coupled quantum Langevin equations. Its form shows that the device can
achieve quantum-limited noise performance both as an amplifier and a mixer.
Fundamental limitations on simultaneous optimization of performance metrics
like gain, bandwidth and dynamic range (including the effect of pump depletion)
are discussed. We also present three possible integrations of the JRM as the
active medium in a different electromagnetic environment. The resulting
circuits, named Josephson parametric converters (JPC), are discussed in detail,
and experimental data on their dynamic range are found to be in good agreement
with theoretical predictions. We also discuss future prospects and requisite
optimization of JPC as a preamplifier for qubit readout applications.Comment: 21 pages, 16 figures, 4 table
Magnetic relaxation of a system of superparamagnetic particles weakly coupled by dipole-dipole interactions
The effect of long range dipole-dipole interactions on the thermal
fluctuations of the magnetization of an assembly of single-domain ferromagnetic
particles is considered. If orientational correlations between the particles
are neglected, the evolution of the magnetization orientations may be described
by a nonlinear Fokker-Planck equation (FPE) reducing to the usual linear one in
the limit of infinite dilution [W.F. Brown Jr, Phys. Rev. 130, 1677 (1963)].
The thermally activated relaxation time scale of the assembly is estimated,
leading to a simple modification of the axially symmetric asymptotes for the
superparamagnetic relaxation time.Comment: 31 pages, 3 figures, regular articl
The Zipf law for random texts with unequal probabilities of occurrence of letters and the Pascal pyramid
We model the generation of words with independent unequal probabilities of
occurrence of letters. We prove that the probability of occurrence of
words of rank has a power asymptotics. As distinct from the paper published
earlier by B. Conrad and M. Mitzenmacher, we give a brief proof by elementary
methods and obtain an explicit formula for the exponent of the power law.Comment: 4 page
Scattering of cosmic strings by black holes: loop formation
We study the deformation of a long cosmic string by a nearby rotating black
hole. We examine whether the deformation of a cosmic string, induced by the
gravitational field of a Kerr black hole, may lead to the formation of a loop
of cosmic string. The segment of the string which enters the ergosphere of a
rotating black hole gets deformed and, if it is sufficiently twisted, it can
self-intersect chopping off a loop of cosmic string. We find that the formation
of a loop, via this mechanism, is a rare event. It will only arise in a small
region of the collision phase space, which depends on the string velocity, the
impact parameter and the black hole angular momentum. We conclude that
generically, the cosmic string is simply scattered or captured by the rotating
black hole.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, RevTe
Nonequilibrium phase transition in a driven Potts model with friction
We consider magnetic friction between two systems of -state Potts spins
which are moving along their boundaries with a relative constant velocity .
Due to the interaction between the surface spins there is a permanent energy
flow and the system is in a steady state which is far from equilibrium. The
problem is treated analytically in the limit (in one dimension, as
well as in two dimensions for large- values) and for and finite by
Monte Carlo simulations in two dimensions. Exotic nonequilibrium phase
transitions take place, the properties of which depend on the type of phase
transition in equilibrium. When this latter transition is of first order, a
sequence of second- and first-order nonequilibrium transitions can be observed
when the interaction is varied.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figures, one journal reference adde
Antibound States and Halo Formation in the Gamow Shell Model
The open quantum system formulation of the nuclear shell model, the so-called
Gamow Shell Model (GSM), is a multi-configurational SM that employs a
single-particle basis given by the Berggren ensemble consisting of Gamow states
and the non-resonant continuum of scattering states. The GSM is of particular
importance for weakly bound/unbound nuclear states where both many-body
correlations and the coupling to decay channels are essential. In this context,
we investigate the role of l=0 antibound (virtual) neutron single-particle
states in the shell model description of loosely bound wave functions, such as
the ground state wave function of a halo nucleus 11Li
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