455 research outputs found
On the rational subset problem for groups
We use language theory to study the rational subset problem for groups and
monoids. We show that the decidability of this problem is preserved under graph
of groups constructions with finite edge groups. In particular, it passes
through free products amalgamated over finite subgroups and HNN extensions with
finite associated subgroups. We provide a simple proof of a result of
Grunschlag showing that the decidability of this problem is a virtual property.
We prove further that the problem is decidable for a direct product of a group
G with a monoid M if and only if membership is uniformly decidable for
G-automata subsets of M. It follows that a direct product of a free group with
any abelian group or commutative monoid has decidable rational subset
membership.Comment: 19 page
The PiSpec: A Low-Cost, 3D-Printed Spectrometer for Measuring Volcanic SO2 Emission Rates
Spectroscopy has been used to quantify volcanic gas emission rates, most commonly SO2, for a number of decades. Typically, commercial spectrometers costing 1000s USD are employed for this purpose. The PiSpec is a new, custom-designed, 3D-printed spectrometer based on smartphone sensor technology. This unit has ≈1 nm spectral resolution and a spectral range in the ultraviolet of ≈280–340 nm, and is specifically configured for the remote sensing of SO2 using Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS). Here we report on the first field deployment of the PiSpec on a volcano, to demonstrate the proof of concept of the device’s functionality in this application area. The study was performed on Masaya Volcano, Nicaragua, which is one of the largest emitters of SO2 on the planet, during a period of elevated activity where a lava lake was present in the crater. Both scans and traverses were performed, with resulting emission rates ranging from 3.2 to 45.6 kg s−1 across two measurement days; these values are commensurate with those reported elsewhere in the literature during this activity phase (Aiuppa et al., 2018; Stix et al., 2018). Furthermore, we tested the PiSpec’s thermal stability, finding a wavelength shift of 0.046 nm/∘C between 2.5 and 45∘C, which is very similar to that of some commercial spectrometers. Given the low build cost of these units (≈500 USD for a one-off build, with prospects for further price reduction with volume manufacture), we suggest these units hold considerable potential for volcano monitoring operations in resource limited environments
Low-frequency noise as a source of dephasing of a qubit
With the growing efforts in isolating solid-state qubits from external
decoherence sources, the material-inherent sources of noise start to play
crucial role. One representative example is electron traps in the device
material or substrate. Electrons can tunnel or hop between a charged and an
empty trap, or between a trap and a gate electrode. A single trap typically
produces telegraph noise and can hence be modeled as a bistable fluctuator.
Since the distribution of hopping rates is exponentially broad, many traps
produce flicker-noise with spectrum close to 1/f. Here we develop a theory of
decoherence of a qubit in the environment consisting of two-state fluctuators,
which experience transitions between their states induced by interaction with
thermal bath. Due to interaction with the qubit the fluctuators produce
1/f-noise in the qubit's eigenfrequency. We calculate the results of qubit
manipulations - free induction and echo signals - in such environment. The main
problem is that in many important cases the relevant random process is both
non-Markovian and non-Gaussian. Consequently the results in general cannot be
represented by pair correlation function of the qubit eigenfrequency
fluctuations. Our calculations are based on analysis of the density matrix of
the qubit using methods developed for stochastic differential equations. The
proper generating functional is then averaged over different fluctuators using
the so-called Holtsmark procedure. The analytical results are compared with
simulations allowing checking accuracy of the averaging procedure and
evaluating mesoscopic fluctuations. The results allow understanding some
observed features of the echo decay in Josephson qubits.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, Proc. of NATO/Euresco Conf. "Fundamental
Problems of Mesoscopic Physics: Interactions and Decoherence", Granada,
Spain, Sept.200
Decoherence in qubits due to low-frequency noise
The efficiency of the future devices for quantum information processing is
limited mostly by the finite decoherence rates of the qubits. Recently a
substantial progress was achieved in enhancing the time, which a solid-state
qubit demonstrates a coherent dynamics. This progress is based mostly on a
successful isolation of the qubits from external decoherence sources. Under
these conditions the material-inherent sources of noise start to play a crucial
role. In most cases the noise that quantum device demonstrate has 1/f spectrum.
This suggests that the environment that destroys the phase coherence of the
qubit can be thought of as a system of two-state fluctuators, which experience
random hops between their states. In this short review we discuss the current
state of the theory of the decoherence due to the qubit interaction with the
fluctuators. We describe the effect of such an environment on different
protocols of the qubit manipulations - free induction and echo signal. It turns
out that in many important cases the noise produced by the fluctuators is
non-Gaussian. Consequently the results of the interaction of the qubit with the
fluctuators are not determined by the pair correlation function only.
We describe the effect of the fluctuators using so-called spin-fluctuator
model. Being quite realistic this model allows one to evaluate the qubit
dynamics in the presence of one fluctuator exactly. This solution is found, and
its features, including non-Gaussian effects are analyzed in details. We extend
this consideration for the systems of large number of fluctuators, which
interact with the qubit and lead to the 1/f noise. We discuss existing
experiments on the Josephson qubit manipulation and try to identify
non-Gaussian behavior.Comment: 25 pages, 7 figure
Interactions between vaccinia virus and sensitized macrophages in vitro
The action of peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) from normal and vaccinia virus infected mice on infectious vaccinia virus particles was investigatedin vitro. PEC from immune mice showed a significantly higher infectivity titre reduction (virus clearance, VC) than normal cells. This effect could be clearly attributed to the macrophage. Vaccinia virus multiplied in PEC from normal animals while there was no virus propagation in cells from immunized mice. The release of adsorbed or engulfed virus was reduced significantly in PEC from immunized animals. Anti-vaccinia-antibodies seem to activate normal macrophages to increased virus clearance. This stimulating effect was demonstrable only in the IgG fraction of the antiserum.
The activity of macrophages from mice injected three times over a period of 14 days with vaccinia virus could be entirely blocked with anti-mouse-IgG, while PEC from mice injected one time six days previously were not inhibited
Dynamic nuclear polarization and spin-diffusion in non-conducting solids
There has been much renewed interest in dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP),
particularly in the context of solid state biomolecular NMR and more recently
dissolution DNP techniques for liquids. This paper reviews the role of spin
diffusion in polarizing nuclear spins and discusses the role of the spin
diffusion barrier, before going on to discuss some recent results.Comment: submitted to Applied Magnetic Resonance. The article should appear in
a special issue that is being published in connection with the DNP Symposium
help in Nottingham in August 200
Decay of Rabi oscillations induced by magnetic dipole interactions in diluted paramagnetic solids
Decay of Rabi oscillations of equivalent spins diluted in diamagnetic solid
matrix and coupled by magnetic dipole interactions is studied. It is shown that
these interactions result in random shifts of spin transient nutation
frequencies and thus lead to the decay of the transient signal. Averaging over
random spatial distribution of spins within the solid and over their spectral
positions within magnetic resonance line, we obtain analytical expressions for
the decay of Rabi oscillations. The rate of the decay in the case when the
half-width of magnetic resonance line exceeds Rabi frequency is found to depend
on the intensity of resonant microwave field and on the spin concentration. The
results are compared with the literature data for E1' centers in glassy silica
and [AlO4] centers in quartz.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure
Rapid and Efficient Clearance of Blood-borne Virus by Liver Sinusoidal Endothelium
The liver removes quickly the great bulk of virus circulating in blood, leaving only a small fraction to infect the host, in a manner characteristic of each virus. The scavenger cells of the liver sinusoids are implicated, but the mechanism is entirely unknown. Here we show, borrowing a mouse model of adenovirus clearance, that nearly all infused adenovirus is cleared by the liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC). Using refined immunofluorescence microscopy techniques for distinguishing macrophages and endothelial cells in fixed liver, and identifying virus by two distinct physicochemical methods, we localized adenovirus 1 minute after infusion mainly to the LSEC (∼90%), finding ∼10% with Kupffer cells (KC) and none with hepatocytes. Electron microscopy confirmed our results. In contrast with much prior work claiming the main scavenger to be the KC, our results locate the clearance mechanism to the LSEC and identify this cell as a key site of antiviral activity
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