4,839 research outputs found
Synthesis of hetero-bifunctional, end-capped oligo-EDOT derivatives
Conjugated oligomers of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) are attractive materials for tissue engineering applications, and as model systems for studying the properties of the widely used polymer PEDOT. We report here the facile synthesis of a series of keto-acid end-capped oligo-EDOT derivatives (n = 2-7) through a combination of a glyoxylation end capping strategy and iterative direct arylation chain extension. Importantly, these structures not only represent the longest oligo-EDOTs reported, but are also bench stable in contrast to previous reports on such oligomers. The constructs reported here can undergo subsequent derivatization for integration into higher order architectures, such as those required for tissue engineering applications. The synthesis of hetero-bifunctional constructs, as well as those containing mixed monomer units is also reported, allowing further complexity to be installed in a controlled manner. Finally, we describe the optical and electrochemical properties of these oligomers and demonstrate the importance of the keto-acid in determining their characteristics
The Bregman chord divergence
Distances are fundamental primitives whose choice significantly impacts the
performances of algorithms in machine learning and signal processing. However
selecting the most appropriate distance for a given task is an endeavor.
Instead of testing one by one the entries of an ever-expanding dictionary of
{\em ad hoc} distances, one rather prefers to consider parametric classes of
distances that are exhaustively characterized by axioms derived from first
principles. Bregman divergences are such a class. However fine-tuning a Bregman
divergence is delicate since it requires to smoothly adjust a functional
generator. In this work, we propose an extension of Bregman divergences called
the Bregman chord divergences. This new class of distances does not require
gradient calculations, uses two scalar parameters that can be easily tailored
in applications, and generalizes asymptotically Bregman divergences.Comment: 10 page
The clinical effectiveness of transurethral incision of the prostate : a systematic review of randomised controlled trials
The original publication is available at www.springerlink.com.Peer reviewedPostprin
Quantum optical coherence can survive photon losses: a continuous-variable quantum erasure correcting code
A fundamental requirement for enabling fault-tolerant quantum information
processing is an efficient quantum error-correcting code (QECC) that robustly
protects the involved fragile quantum states from their environment. Just as
classical error-correcting codes are indispensible in today's information
technologies, it is believed that QECC will play a similarly crucial role in
tomorrow's quantum information systems. Here, we report on the first
experimental demonstration of a quantum erasure-correcting code that overcomes
the devastating effect of photon losses. Whereas {\it errors} translate, in an
information theoretic language, the noise affecting a transmission line, {\it
erasures} correspond to the in-line probabilistic loss of photons. Our quantum
code protects a four-mode entangled mesoscopic state of light against erasures,
and its associated encoding and decoding operations only require linear optics
and Gaussian resources. Since in-line attenuation is generally the strongest
limitation to quantum communication, much more than noise, such an
erasure-correcting code provides a new tool for establishing quantum optical
coherence over longer distances. We investigate two approaches for
circumventing in-line losses using this code, and demonstrate that both
approaches exhibit transmission fidelities beyond what is possible by classical
means.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Operational approach to open dynamics and quantifying initial correlations
A central aim of physics is to describe the dynamics of physical systems.
Schrodinger's equation does this for isolated quantum systems. Describing the
time evolution of a quantum system that interacts with its environment, in its
most general form, has proved to be difficult because the dynamics is dependent
on the state of the environment and the correlations with it. For discrete
processes, such as quantum gates or chemical reactions, quantum process
tomography provides the complete description of the dynamics, provided that the
initial states of the system and the environment are independent of each other.
However, many physical systems are correlated with the environment at the
beginning of the experiment. Here, we give a prescription of quantum process
tomography that yields the complete description of the dynamics of the system
even when the initial correlations are present. Surprisingly, our method also
gives quantitative expressions for the initial correlation.Comment: Completely re-written for clarity of presentation. 15 pages and 2
figure
Feller Processes: The Next Generation in Modeling. Brownian Motion, L\'evy Processes and Beyond
We present a simple construction method for Feller processes and a framework
for the generation of sample paths of Feller processes. The construction is
based on state space dependent mixing of L\'evy processes.
Brownian Motion is one of the most frequently used continuous time Markov
processes in applications. In recent years also L\'evy processes, of which
Brownian Motion is a special case, have become increasingly popular.
L\'evy processes are spatially homogeneous, but empirical data often suggest
the use of spatially inhomogeneous processes. Thus it seems necessary to go to
the next level of generalization: Feller processes. These include L\'evy
processes and in particular Brownian motion as special cases but allow spatial
inhomogeneities.
Many properties of Feller processes are known, but proving the very existence
is, in general, very technical. Moreover, an applicable framework for the
generation of sample paths of a Feller process was missing. We explain, with
practitioners in mind, how to overcome both of these obstacles. In particular
our simulation technique allows to apply Monte Carlo methods to Feller
processes.Comment: 22 pages, including 4 figures and 8 pages of source code for the
generation of sample paths of Feller processe
Appointments, pay and performance in UK boardrooms by gender
This article uses UK data to examine issues regarding the scarcity of women in boardroom positions. The article examines appointments, pay and any associated productivity effects deriving from increased diversity. Evidence of gender-bias in the appointment of women as non-executive directors is found together with mixed evidence of discrimination in wages or fees paid. However, the article finds no support for the argument that gender diverse boards enhance corporate performance. Proposals in favour of greater board diversity may be best structured around the moral value of diversity, rather than with reference to an expectation of improved company performance
Evolution of Th2 responses : Characterization of IL-4/13 in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) and studies of expression and biological activity
Acknowledgements This research was funded by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7) of the European Union (Grant Agreement 311993 TARGETFISH). T.W. received funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland). MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference number HR09011) and contributing institutions.Peer reviewedPublisher PD
Maxwell-Chern-Simons Vortices and Holographic Superconductors
We investigate probe limit vortex solutions of a charged scalar field in
Einstein-Maxwell theory in 3+1 dimensions, for an asymptotically AdS
Schwarzschild black hole metric with the addition of an axionic coupling to the
Maxwell field. We show that the inclusion of such a term, together with a
suitable potential for the axion field, can induce an effective Chern-Simons
term on the 2+1 dimensional boundary. We obtain numerical solutions of the
equations of motion and find Maxwell-Chern-Simons like magnetic vortex
configurations, where the magnetic field profile varies with the size of the
effective Chern-Simons coupling. The axion field has a non-trivial profile
inside the AdS bulk but does not condense at spatial infinity.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures, version accepted for publication in JHE
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