131 research outputs found
Existence of an information unit as a postulate of quantum theory
Does information play a significant role in the foundations of physics?
Information is the abstraction that allows us to refer to the states of systems
when we choose to ignore the systems themselves. This is only possible in very
particular frameworks, like in classical or quantum theory, or more generally,
whenever there exists an information unit such that the state of any system can
be reversibly encoded in a sufficient number of such units. In this work we
show how the abstract formalism of quantum theory can be deduced solely from
the existence of an information unit with suitable properties, together with
two further natural assumptions: the continuity and reversibility of dynamics,
and the possibility of characterizing the state of a composite system by local
measurements. This constitutes a new set of postulates for quantum theory with
a simple and direct physical meaning, like the ones of special relativity or
thermodynamics, and it articulates a strong connection between physics and
information.Comment: Published version - 6 pages, 3 appendices, 3 figure
Running coupling at finite temperature and chiral symmetry restoration in QCD
We analyze the running gauge coupling at finite temperature for QCD, using
the functional renormalization group. The running of the coupling is calculated
for all scales and temperatures. At finite temperature, the coupling is
governed by a fixed point of the 3-dimensional theory for scales smaller than
the corresponding temperature. The running coupling can drive the quark sector
to criticality, resulting in chiral symmetry breaking. Our results provide for
a quantitative determination of the phase boundary in the plane of temperature
and number of massless flavors. Using the experimental value of the coupling at
the tau mass scale as the only input parameter, we obtain, e.g., for N_f=3
massless flavors a critical temperature of T_cr ~ 148 MeV in good agreement
with lattice simulations.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; references added, results updated and discussion
expanded (matches PLB version
Albany: Using Component-based Design to Develop a Flexible, Generic Multiphysics Analysis Code
Abstract:
Albany is a multiphysics code constructed by assembling a set of reusable, general components. It is an implicit, unstructured grid finite element code that hosts a set of advanced features that are readily combined within a single analysis run. Albany uses template-based generic programming methods to provide extensibility and flexibility; it employs a generic residual evaluation interface to support the easy addition and modification of physics. This interface is coupled to powerful automatic differentiation utilities that are used to implement efficient nonlinear solvers and preconditioners, and also to enable sensitivity analysis and embedded uncertainty quantification capabilities as part of the forward solve. The flexible application programming interfaces in Albany couple to two different adaptive mesh libraries; it internally employs generic integration machinery that supports tetrahedral, hexahedral, and hybrid meshes of user specified order. We present the overall design of Albany, and focus on the specifics of the integration of many of its advanced features. As Albany and the components that form it are openly available on the internet, it is our goal that the reader might find some of the design concepts useful in their own work. Albany results in a code that enables the rapid development of parallel, numerically efficient multiphysics software tools. In discussing the features and details of the integration of many of the components involved, we show the reader the wide variety of solution components that are available and what is possible when they are combined within a simulation capability.
Key Words: partial differential equations, finite element analysis, template-based generic programmin
Tracing a phase transition with fluctuations of the largest fragment size: Statistical multifragmentation models and the ALADIN S254 data
A phase transition signature associated with cumulants of the largest
fragment size distribution has been identified in statistical
multifragmentation models and examined in analysis of the ALADIN S254 data on
fragmentation of neutron-poor and neutron-rich projectiles. Characteristics of
the transition point indicated by this signature are weakly dependent on the
A/Z ratio of the fragmenting spectator source. In particular, chemical
freeze-out temperatures are estimated within the range 5.9 to 6.5 MeV. The
experimental results are well reproduced by the SMM model.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of the International Workshop on
Multifragmentation and Related Topics (IWM2009), Catania, Italy, November
2009
Infrared Properties of QCD from Dyson-Schwinger equations
I review recent results on the infrared properties of QCD from
Dyson-Schwinger equations. The topics include infrared exponents of
one-particle irreducible Green's functions, the fixed point behaviour of the
running coupling at zero momentum, the pattern of dynamical quark mass
generation and properties of light mesons.Comment: 47 pages, 19 figures, Topical Review to be published in J.Phys.G, v2:
typos corrected and some references adde
Tolerance of allogromiid Foraminifera to severely elevated carbon dioxide concentrations : implications to future ecosystem functioning and paleoceanographic interpretations
Author Posting. © Elsevier B.V., 2009. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Global and Planetary Change 65 (2009): 107-114, doi:10.1016/j.gloplacha.2008.10.013.Increases in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) in the atmosphere will
significantly affect a wide variety of terrestrial fauna and flora. Because of tight atmospheric-oceanic
coupling, shallow-water marine species are also expected to be affected by increases in
atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. One proposed way to slow increases in atmospheric
pCO2 is to sequester CO2 in the deep sea. Thus, over the next few centuries marine species will
be exposed to changing seawater chemistry caused by ocean-atmospheric exchange and/or deep-ocean
sequestration. This initial case study on one allogromiid foraminiferal species
(Allogromia laticollaris) was conducted to begin to ascertain the effect of elevated pCO2 on
benthic Foraminifera, which are a major meiofaunal constituent of shallow- and deep-water
marine communities. Cultures of this thecate foraminiferan protist were used for 10-14-day
experiments. Experimental treatments were executed in an incubator that controlled CO2 (15
000; 30 000; 60 000; 90 000; 200 000 ppm), temperature and humidity; atmospheric controls
(i.e., ~375 ppm CO2) were executed simultaneously. Although the experimental elevated pCO2
values are far above foreseeable surface water pCO2, they were selected to represent the
spectrum of conditions expected for the benthos if deep-sea CO2 sequestration becomes a reality.
Survival was assessed in two independent ways: pseudopodial presence/absence and
measurement of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is an indicator of cellular energy.
Substantial proportions of A. laticollaris populations survived 200 000 ppm CO2 although the
mean of the median [ATP] of survivors was statistically lower for this treatment than for that of
atmospheric control specimens. After individuals that had been incubated in 200 000 ppm CO2
for 12 days were transferred to atmospheric conditions for ~24 hours, the [ATP] of live
specimens (survivors) approximated those of the comparable atmospheric control treatment.
Incubation in 200 000 ppm CO2 also resulted in reproduction by some individuals. Results
suggest that certain Foraminifera are able to tolerate deep-sea CO2 sequestration and perhaps
thrive as a result of elevated pCO2 that is predicted for the next few centuries, in a high-pCO2
world. Thus, allogromiid foraminiferal “blooms” may result from climate change. Furthermore,
because allogromiids consume a variety of prey, it is likely that they will be major players in
ecosystem dynamics of future coastal sedimentary environments.This work was funded by US Department of Energy grant # DE-FG02-03ER63696 (to
J. Kennett and J. Bernhard), NSF OCE-0725966, and the WHOI Summer Student Fellow
Program, which is funded by NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates Program grant
#OCE-0139423
Aberrant promoter methylation in human DAB2 interactive protein (hDAB2IP) gene in gastrointestinal tumour
The human DOC-2/DAB2 interactive protein (hDAB2IP) gene is a novel member of the Ras GTPase-activating family and has been demonstrated to be a tumour-suppressor gene inactivated by methylation in several cancers. In this study, we analysed the methylation and expression status of hDAB2IP in gastrointestinal tumours. The promoter region of hDAB2IP was divided into two regions (m2a and m2b) based on our previous report, and the methylation status was determined by bisulphite DNA sequencing in gastric cancer cell lines. The gene expression was semiquantified by real-time RT–PCR, and the results indicated that the m2b promoter region might be an authentic methylation-mediated key regulator of the gene expression. Based on the sequence data, we developed a methylation-specific PCR (MSP) for the m2a and m2b regions and applied it to the samples. Methylation-specific PCR revealed aberrant methylation in the m2a region in eight of 12 gastric cancer cell lines (67%), 16 of 35 gastric cancer tissues (46%) and 29 of 60 colorectal cancer tissues (48%), and in the m2b region in eight of 12 cell lines (67%), 15 of 35 gastric cancer tissues (43%) and 28 of 60 colorectal cancer tissues (47%). On the other hand, seven (12%) and 11 (19%) of 59 gastrointestinal nonmalignant mucosal specimens showed methylation in the m2a and m2b regions, respectively, suggesting that hDAB2IP methylation might play a causative role in carcinogenesis. The 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine treatment restored the gene expression in the m2b-methylated cell lines, confirming that the methylation caused gene downregulation. We also examined the relationship between hDAB2IP methylation and the clinicopathological features in patients with primary tumours, and determined that methylation in the m2b region was associated with location of the tumour in the stomach. In summary, our results demonstrated that hDAB2IP methylation is frequently present in gastrointestinal tumours and that the resulting gene silencing plays an important role in gastrointestinal carcinogenesis
Physics searches at the LHC
With the LHC up and running, the focus of experimental and theoretical high
energy physics will soon turn to an interpretation of LHC data in terms of the
physics of electroweak symmetry breaking and the TeV scale. We present here a
broad review of models for new TeV-scale physics and their LHC signatures. In
addition, we discuss possible new physics signatures and describe how they can
be linked to specific models of physics beyond the Standard Model. Finally, we
illustrate how the LHC era could culminate in a detailed understanding of the
underlying principles of TeV-scale physics.Comment: 184 pages, 55 figures, 14 tables, hundreds of references; scientific
feedback is welcome and encouraged. v2: text, references and Overview Table
added; feedback still welcom
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