4,542 research outputs found
Statics and Dynamics of Skyrmions Interacting with Pinning: A Review
Magnetic skyrmions are topologically stable nanoscale particle-like objects
that were discovered in 2009. Since that time, intense research interest has
led to the identification of numerous compounds that support skyrmions over a
range of conditions spanning cryogenic to room temperatures. Skyrmions can be
set into motion under various types of driving, and the combination of their
size, stability, and dynamics makes them ideal candidates for numerous
applications. Skyrmions represent a new class of system in which the energy
scales of the skyrmion-skyrmion interactions, sample disorder, temperature, and
drive can compete. A growing body of work indicates that the static and dynamic
states of skyrmions can be influenced strongly by pinning or disorder in the
sample; thus, an understanding of such effects is essential for the eventual
use of skyrmions in applications. In this article we review the current state
of knowledge regarding individual skyrmions and skyrmion assemblies interacting
with quenched disorder or pinning. We outline the microscopic mechanisms for
skyrmion pinning, including the repulsive and attractive interactions that can
arise from impurities, grain boundaries, or nanostructures. This is followed by
descriptions of depinning phenomena, sliding states over disorder, the effect
of pinning on the skyrmion Hall angle, the competition between thermal and
pinning effects, the control of skyrmion motion using ordered potential
landscapes such as one- or two-dimensional periodic asymmetric substrates, the
creation of skyrmion diodes, and skyrmion ratchet effects. We highlight the
distinctions arising from internal modes and the strong gyroscopic or Magnus
forces that cause the dynamical states of skyrmions to differ from those of
other systems with pinning. We also discuss future directions and open
questions related to the pinning and dynamics in skyrmion systems.Comment: 66 pages, 71 figure
Harmonic generation by atoms in circularly polarized two-color laser fields with coplanar polarizations and commensurate frequencies
The generation of harmonics by atoms or ions in a two-color, coplanar field
configuration with commensurate frequencies is investigated through both, an
analytical calculation based on the Lewenstein model and the numerical ab
initio solution of the time-dependent Schroedinger equation of a
two-dimensional model ion. Through the analytical model, selection rules for
the harmonic orders in this field configuration, a generalized cut-off for the
harmonic spectra, and an integral expression for the harmonic dipole strength
is provided. The numerical results are employed to test the predictions of the
analytical model. The scaling of the cut-off as a function of both, one of the
laser intensities and frequency ratio , as well as entire spectra for
different and laser intensities are presented and analyzed. The
theoretical cut-off is found to be an upper limit for the numerical results.
Other discrepancies between analytical model and numerical results are
clarified by taking into account the probabilities of the absorption processes
involved.Comment: 8 figure
Harmonic generation in ring-shaped molecules
We study numerically the interaction between an intense circularly polarized
laser field and an electron moving in a potential which has a discrete
cylindrical symmetry with respect to the laser pulse propagation direction.
This setup serves as a simple model, e.g., for benzene and other aromatic
compounds. From general symmetry considerations, within a Floquet approach,
selection rules for the harmonic generation [O. Alon Phys. Rev. Lett. 80 3743
(1998)] have been derived recently. Instead, the results we present in this
paper have been obtained solving the time-dependent Schroedinger equation ab
initio for realistic pulse shapes. We find a rich structure which is not always
dominated by the laser harmonics.Comment: 15 pages including 7 figure
Munc18-1: sequential interactions with the fusion machinery stimulate vesicle docking and priming
Exocytosis of secretory or synaptic vesicles is executed by a mechanism including the SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) proteins. Munc18-1 is a part of this fusion machinery, but its role is controversial because it is indispensable for fusion but also inhibits the assembly of purified SNAREs in vitro. This inhibition reflects the binding of Munc18-1 to a closed conformation of the target-SNARE syntaxin1. The controversy would be solved if binding to closed syntaxin1 were shown to be stimulatory for vesicle fusion and/or additional essential interactions were identified between Munc18-1 and the fusion machinery. Here, we provide evidence for both notions by dissecting sequential steps of the exocytotic cascade while expressing Munc18 variants in the Munc18-1 null background. In Munc18-1 null chromaffin cells, vesicle docking is abolished and syntaxin levels are reduced. A mutation that diminished Munc18 binding to syntaxin1 in vitro attenuated the vesicle-docking step but rescued vesicle priming in excess of docking. Conversely, expressing the Munc18-2 isoform, which also displays binding to closed syntaxin1, rescued vesicle docking identical with Munc18-1 but impaired more downstream vesicle priming steps. All Munc18 variants restored syntaxin1 levels at least to wild-type levels, showing that the docking phenotype is not caused by syntaxin1 reduction. None of the Munc18 variants affected vesicle fusion kinetics or fusion pore duration. In conclusion, binding of Munc18-1 to closed syntaxin1 stimulates vesicle docking and a distinct interaction mode regulates the consecutive priming step. Copyright © 2007 Society for Neuroscience
ARTreat Project: Three-Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Plaque Formation and Development in the Arteries
Atherosclerosis is a progressive disease characterized by the accumulation of lipids and fibrous elements in arteries. It is characterized by dysfunction of endothelium and vasculitis, and accumulation of lipid, cholesterol, and cell elements inside blood vessel wall. In this study, a continuum-based approach for plaque formation and development in 3-D is presented. The blood flow is simulated by the 3-D Navier-Stokes equations, together with the continuity equation while low-density lipoprotein (LDL) transport in lumen of the vessel is coupled with Kedem-Katchalsky equations. The inflammatory process was solved using three additional reaction-diffusion partial differential equations. Transport of labeled LDL was fitted with our experiment on the rabbit animal model. Matching with histological data for LDL localization was achieved. Also, 3-D model of the straight artery with initial mild constriction of 30% plaque for formation and development is presented
Modification of the rho meson detected by low-mass electron-positron pairs in central Pb-Au collisions at 158 A GeV/c
We present a measurement of pair production in central Pb-Au
collisions at 158 GeV/. As reported earlier, a significant excess of the
pair yield over the expectation from hadron decays is observed. The
improved mass resolution of the present data set, recorded with the upgraded
CERES experiment at the CERN-SPS, allows for a comparison of the data with
different theoretical approaches. The data clearly favor a substantial
in-medium broadening of the spectral function over a density-dependent
shift of the pole mass. The in-medium broadening model implies that
baryon induced interactions are the key mechanism to in-medium modifications of
the -meson in the hot fireball at SPS energy.Comment: Revised versio
Azimuthal dependence of pion source radii in Pb+Au collisions at 158 A GeV
We present results of a two-pion correlation analysis performed with the
Au+Pb collision data collected by the upgraded CERES experiment in the fall of
2000. The analysis was done in bins of the reaction centrality and the pion
azimuthal emission angle with respect to the reaction plane. The pion source,
deduced from the data, is slightly elongated in the direction perpendicular to
the reaction plane, similarly as was observed at the AGS and at RHIC.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure
Semi-Hard Scattering Unraveled from Collective Dynamics by Two-Pion Azimuthal Correlations in 158 A GeV/c Pb + Au Collisions
Elliptic flow and two-particle azimuthal correlations of charged hadrons and
high- pions ( 1 GeV/) have been measured close to mid-rapidity in
158A GeV/ Pb+Au collisions by the CERES experiment. Elliptic flow ()
rises linearly with to a value of about 10% at 2 GeV/. Beyond
1.5 GeV/, the slope decreases considerably, possibly indicating
a saturation of at high . Two-pion azimuthal anisotropies for
1.2 GeV/ exceed the elliptic flow values by about 60% in mid-central
collisions. These non-flow contributions are attributed to near-side and
back-to-back jet-like correlations, the latter exhibiting centrality dependent
broadening.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Letters, 4 pages, 5 figure
Event-by-event fluctuations at SPS
Results on event-by-event fluctuations of the mean transverse momentum and
net charge in Pb-Au collisions, measured by the CERES Collaboration at
CERN-SPS, are presented. We discuss the centrality and beam energy dependence
and compare our data to cascade calculations.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, proceedings to INPC2004 Goteborg, Swede
A comparative study of ultrasonic direct contact, immersion, and layer resonance methods for assessment of enamel thickness in teeth
Wear of dental enamel is a growing problem, but is clinically difficult to diagnose and monitor. An accurate and easy-to-use non-destructive method for the measurement of enamel thickness would be useful for early diagnosis of enamel loss and for monitoring progression. Ultrasound has been identified by several researchers as a potential tool suitable for enamel thickness measurement. However, in vitro studies have shown that while the method is feasible, it suffers from wide variability. The methods proposed to date rely on the measurement of the time of flight of an ultrasonic pulse through the enamel layer. This requires the operator to locate the enamel-dentine junction. In this work, three methods are evaluated to try to reduce this variability and to investigate some practicalities of the approach. Time-of-flight methods using both contact and immersion transducers were used. Immersion transducers gave the most accurate results, within 10-15 per cent of values deduced from tooth sections, but would be harder to arrange for in vivo measurements. Preliminary studies have also shown that it is possible to achieve a resonance in the enamel layer and to measure thickness that way. While this approach needs further experimental refinement, it has the potential to be used for much thinner enamel layer thicknesses
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