195 research outputs found
Fractional-Period Excitations in Continuum Periodic Systems
We investigate the generation of fractional-period states in continuum
periodic systems. As an example, we consider a Bose-Einstein condensate
confined in an optical-lattice potential. We show that when the potential is
turned on non-adiabatically, the system explores a number of transient states
whose periodicity is a fraction of that of the lattice. We illustrate the
origin of fractional-period states analytically by treating them as resonant
states of a parametrically forced Duffing oscillator and discuss their
transient nature and potential observability.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures (some with multiple parts); revised version:
minor clarifications of a couple points, to appear in Physical Review
Loss and revival of phase coherence in a Bose-Einstein condensate moving through an optical lattice
We investigate the phase coherence of a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate that
undergoes a dynamical superfluid-insulator transition in the presence of a
one-dimensional optical lattice. We study the evolution of the condensate after
a sudden displacement of the harmonic trapping potential by solving the
Gross-Pitaevskii equation, and comparing the results with the prediction of two
effective 1D models. We show that, owing to the 3D nature of the system, the
breakdown of the superfluid current above a critical displacement is not
associated to a sharp transition, but there exists a range of displacements for
which the condensate can recover a certain degree of coherence. We also discuss
the implications on the interference pattern after the ballistic expansion as
measured in recent experiments at LENS.Comment: 7 pages, 9 figure
Lessons Learned during the Transition to Online Learning in a University Nutrition and Exercise Department
In the spring semester of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic led to an unprecedented shift from face-to-face learning to an instantaneous online learning environment. At the time, the department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise (HNFE) at Virginia Tech had few online class offerings. Twenty-nine Spring 2020 HNFE classes were transitioned from traditional face-to-face offerings to online delivery models. Many members of the HNFE faculty have strong pedagogical training, but the immediate pedagogical shift in the middle of the semester gave little time for adequate course design geared toward online learning. As such, the purpose of this study was to evaluate student perceptions of the transition to online learning. A departmental survey employing quantitative and qualitative questions was used to assess students’ learning experiences in the spring of 2020 and then re-employed at the conclusion of the Fall 2020 semester to re-assess students’ online course experience and identify if the department was improving in online course delivery. An additional component of the survey specifically evaluated students’ self-perceived motivation for learning. Examples of educational and logistical strategies in online learning environments implemented by instructors and findings of students’ experiences from both surveys will be shared
Superfluid Dynamics of a Bose-Einstein Condensate in a Periodic Potential
We investigate the superfluid properties of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC)
trapped in a one dimensional periodic potential. We study, both analytically
(in the tight binding limit) and numerically, the Bloch chemical potential, the
Bloch energy and the Bogoliubov dispersion relation, and we introduce {\it two}
different, density dependent, effective masses and group velocities. The
Bogoliubov spectrum predicts the existence of sound waves, and the arising of
energetic and dynamical instabilities at critical values of the BEC
quasi-momentum which dramatically affect its coherence properties. We
investigate the dependence of the dipole and Bloch oscillation frequencies in
terms of an effective mass averaged over the density of the condensate. We
illustrate our results with several animations obtained solving numerically the
time-dependent Gross-Pitaevskii equation.Comment: 13 pages, 7 figures, movies and published paper available at
http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/1367-2630/5/1/11
Ground motion simulation of hypothetical earthquakes in the Upper North Island of New Zealand
Phase II study of irinotecan in combination with temozolomide (TEMIRI) in children with recurrent or refractory medulloblastoma: a joint ITCC and SIOPE brain tumor study
BackgroundThis multicenter phase II study investigated temozolomide + irinotecan (TEMIRI) treatment in children with relapsed or refractory medulloblastoma.MethodsPatients received temozolomide 100–125 mg/m2/day (days 1–5) and irinotecan 10 mg/m2/day (days 1–5 and 8–12) every 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was tumor response within the first 4 cycles confirmed ≥4 weeks and assessed by an external response review committee (ERRC). In a 2-stage Optimum Simon design, ≥6 responses in the first 15 evaluable patients were required within the first 4 cycles for continued enrollment; a total of 19 responses from the first 46 evaluable patients was considered successful.ResultsSixty-six patients were treated. Seven responses were recorded during stage 1 and 15 in the first 46 ERRC evaluated patients (2 complete responses and 13 partial responses). The objective response rate during the first 4 cycles was 32.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 19.5%–48.0%). Median duration of response was 27.0 weeks (7.7–44.1 wk). In 63 patients evaluated by local investigators, the objective response rate was 33.3% (95% CI, 22.0%–46.3%), and 68.3% (95% CI, 55.3%–79.4%) experienced clinical benefit. Median survival was 16.7 months (95% CI, 13.3–19.8). The most common grade 3 treatment-related nonhematologic adverse event was diarrhea (7.6%). Grade 3/4 treatment-related hematologic adverse events included neutropenia (16.7%), thrombocytopenia (12.1%), anemia (9.1%), and lymphopenia (9%).ConclusionsThe planned study primary endpoint was not met. However, its tolerability makes TEMIRI a suitable candidate chemotherapy backbone for molecularly targeted agents in future trials in this setting
Effect of Menstrual Cycle Phase and Hormonal Contraceptives on Resting Metabolic Rate and Body Composition
The cyclical changes in sex hormones across the menstrual cycle (MC) are associated with various biological changes that may alter resting metabolic rate (RMR) and body composition estimates. Hormonal contraceptive (HC) use must also be considered given their impact on endogenous sex hormone concentrations and synchronous exogenous profiles. The purpose of this study was to determine if RMR and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry body composition estimates change across the MC and differ compared with HC users. This was accomplished during a 5-week training camp involving naturally cycling athletes (n = 11) and HC users (n = 7 subdermal progestin implant, n = 4 combined monophasic oral contraceptive pill, n = 1 injection) from the National Rugby League Indigenous Women's Academy. MC phase was retrospectively confirmed via serum estradiol and progesterone concentrations and a positive ovulation test. HC users had serum estradiol and progesterone concentrations assessed at the time point of testing. Results were analyzed using general linear mixed model. There was no effect of MC phase on absolute RMR (p = .877), relative RMR (p = .957), or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry body composition estimates (p > .05). There was no effect of HC use on absolute RMR (p = .069), relative RMR (p = .679), or fat mass estimates (p = .766), but HC users had a greater fat-free mass and lean body mass than naturally cycling athletes (p = .028). Our findings suggest that RMR and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry body composition estimates do not significantly differ due to changes in sex hormones in a group of athletes, and measurements can be compared between MC phases or with HC usage without variations in sex hormones causing additional noise
Short-term very high carbohydrate diet and gut-training have minor effects on gastrointestinal status and performance in highly trained endurance athletes
We implemented a multi-pronged strategy (MAX) involving chronic (2 weeks high carbohydrate [CHO] diet + gut-training) and acute (CHO loading + 90 g·h−1 CHO during exercise) strategies to promote endogenous and exogenous CHO availability, compared with strategies reflecting lower ranges of current guidelines (CON) in two groups of athletes. Nineteen elite male race walkers (MAX: 9; CON:10) undertook a 26 km race-walking session before and after the respective interventions to investigate gastrointestinal function (absorption capacity), integrity (epithelial injury), and symptoms (GIS). We observed considerable individual variability in responses, resulting in a statistically significant (p < 0.001) yet likely clinically insignificant increase (Δ 736 pg·mL−1) in I-FABP after exercise across all trials, with no significant differences in breath H2 across exercise (p = 0.970). MAX was associated with increased GIS in the second half of the exercise, especially in upper GIS (p < 0.01). Eighteen highly trained male and female distance runners (MAX: 10; CON: 8) then completed a 35 km run (28 km steady-state + 7 km time-trial) supported by either a slightly modified MAX or CON strategy. Inter-individual variability was observed, without major differences in epithelial cell intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) or GIS, due to exercise, trial, or group, despite the 3-fold increase in exercise CHO intake in MAX post-intervention. The tight-junction (claudin-3) response decreased in both groups from pre- to post-intervention. Groups achieved a similar performance improvement from pre- to post-intervention (CON = 39 s [95 CI 15–63 s]; MAX = 36 s [13–59 s]; p = 0.002). Although this suggests that further increases in CHO availability above current guidelines do not confer additional advantages, limitations in our study execution (e.g., confounding loss of BM in several individuals despite a live-in training camp environment and significant increases in aerobic capacity due to intensified training) may have masked small differences. Therefore, athletes should meet the minimum CHO guidelines for training and competition goals, noting that, with practice, increased CHO intake can be tolerated, and may contribute to performance outcomes
Superfluidity of Bose-Einstein Condensate in An Optical Lattice: Landau-Zener Tunneling and Dynamical Instability
Superflow of Bose-Einstein condensate in an optical lattice is represented by
a Bloch wave, a plane wave with periodic modulation of the amplitude. We review
the theoretical results on the interaction effects in the energy dispersion of
the Bloch waves and in the linear stability of such waves. For sufficiently
strong repulsion between the atoms, the lowest Bloch band develops a loop at
the edge of the Brillouin zone, with the dramatic consequence of a finite
probability of Landau-Zener tunneling even in the limit of a vanishing external
force. Superfluidity can exist in the central region of the Brillouin zone in
the presence of a repulsive interaction, beyond which Landau instability takes
place where the system can lower its energy by making transition into states
with smaller Bloch wavenumbers. In the outer part of the region of Landau
instability, the Bloch waves are also dynamically unstable in the sense that a
small initial deviation grows exponentially in time. In the inner region of
Landau instability, a Bloch wave is dynamically stable in the absence of
persistent external perturbations. Experimental implications of our findings
will be discussed.Comment: A new section on tight-binding approximation is added with a new
figur
Anisotropic Magnetoresistance Effects in Fe, Co, Ni, Fe_4N, and Half-Metallic Ferromagnet: A Systematic Analysis
We theoretically analyze the anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) effects of
bcc Fe (+), fcc Co (+), fcc Ni (+), FeN (-), and a half-metallic
ferromagnet (-). The sign in each ( ) represents the sign of the AMR ratio
observed experimentally. We here use the two-current model for a system
consisting of a spin-polarized conduction state and localized d states with
spin--orbit interaction. From the model, we first derive a general expression
of the AMR ratio. The expression consists of a resistivity of the conduction
state of the spin ( or ), , and resistivities due to s--d scattering processes from the
conduction state to the localized d states. On the basis of this expression, we
next find a relation between the sign of the AMR ratio and the s--d scattering
process. In addition, we obtain expressions of the AMR ratios appropriate to
the respective materials. Using the expressions, we evaluate their AMR ratios,
where the expressions take into account the values of of the respective materials. The evaluated AMR
ratios correspond well to the experimental results.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figures, to be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn, minor
mistakes corrected, final versio
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