2,397 research outputs found
Finite-size effects in amorphous Fe90Zr10/Al75Zr25 multilayers
The thickness dependence of the magnetic properties of amorphous Fe90Zr10
layers has been explored using Fe90Zr10/Al75Zr25 multilayers. The Al75Zr25
layer thickness is kept at 40 \AA, while the thickness of the Fe90Zr10 layers
is varied between 5 and 20 \AA. The thickness of the Al75Zr25 layers is
sufficiently large to suppress any significant interlayer coupling. Both the
Curie temperature and the spontaneous magnetization decrease non-linearly with
decreasing thickness of the Fe90Zr10 layers. No ferromagnetic order is observed
in the multilayer with 5 {\AA} Fe90Zr10 layers. The variation of the Curie
temperature with the Fe90Zr10 layer thickness is fitted with a
finite-size scaling formula [1-\Tc(t)/\Tc(\infty)]=[(t-t')/t_0]^{-\lambda},
yielding , and a critical thickness \AA, below which the
Curie temperature is zero.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure
Few-nucleon systems with state-of-the-art chiral nucleon-nucleon forces
We apply improved nucleon-nucleon potentials up to fifth order in chiral
effective field theory, along with a new analysis of the theoretical truncation
errors, to study nucleon-deuteron (Nd) scattering and selected low-energy
observables in 3H, 4He, and 6Li. Calculations beyond second order differ from
experiment well outside the range of quantified uncertainties, providing truly
unambiguous evidence for missing three-nucleon forces within the employed
framework. The sizes of the required three-nucleon force contributions agree
well with expectations based on Weinberg's power counting. We identify the
energy range in elastic Nd scattering best suited to study three-nucleon force
effects and estimate the achievable accuracy of theoretical predictions for
various observables.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Low-energy neutron-deuteron reactions with N3LO chiral forces
We solve three-nucleon Faddeev equations with nucleon-nucleon and
three-nucleon forces derived consistently in the framework of chiral
perturbation theory at next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order in the chiral
expansion. In this first investigation we include only matrix elements of the
three-nucleon force for partial waves with the total two-nucleon
(three-nucleon) angular momenta up to 3 (5/2). Low-energy neutron-deuteron
elastic scattering and deuteron breakup reaction are studied. Emphasis is put
on Ay puzzle in elastic scattering and cross sections in symmetric-space-star
and neutron-neutron quasi-free-scattering breakup configurations, for which
large discrepancies between data and theory have been reported.Comment: 22 pages, 7 figure
Achieving enhanced gain in photorefractive polymers by eliminating electron contributions using large bias fields
Photorefractive polymers have been extensively studied for over two decades and have found applications in holographic displays and optical image processing. The complexity of these materials arises from multiple charge contributions, for example, leading to the formation of competing photorefractive gratings. It has been recently shown that in a photorefractive polymer at relatively moderate applied electric fields the primary charge carriers (holes) establish an initial grating, followed by a subsequent competing grating (electrons) resulting in a decreased two-beam coupling and diffraction efficiencies. In this paper, it is shown that with relatively large sustainable bias fields, the two-beam coupling efficiency is enhanced owing to a decreased electron contribution. These results also explain the cause of dielectric breakdown experienced under large bias fields. Our conclusions are supported by self-pumped transient two-beam coupling and photocurrent measurements as a function of applied bias fields at different wavelengths
In severe alcoholic hepatitis, serum keratin-18 fragments are diagnostic, prognostic, and theragnostic biomarkers.
INTRODUCTION: Up to 40% of patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis (AH) die within 6 months of presentation, making prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment essential. We determined the associations between serum keratin-18 (K18) and histological features, prognosis, and differential response to prednisolone in patients with severe AH. METHODS: Total (K18-M65) and caspase-cleaved K18 (K18-M30) were quantified in pretreatment sera from 824 patients enrolled in the Steroids or Pentoxifylline for Alcoholic Hepatitis trial (87 with suitable histological samples) and disease controls. RESULTS: K18 fragments were markedly elevated in severe AH and strongly predicted steatohepatitis (alcoholic steatohepatitis) on biopsy (area under receiver operating characteristics: 0.787 and 0.807). Application of published thresholds to predict alcoholic steatohepatitis would have rendered biopsy unnecessary in 84% of all AH cases. K18-M30 and M65 were associated with 90-day mortality, independent of age and Model for End-stage Liver Disease score in untreated patients. The association for K18-M65 was independent of both age and Model for End-stage Liver Disease in prednisolone-treated patients. Modelling of the effect of prednisolone on 90-day mortality as a function of pretreatment serum K18 levels indicated benefit in those with high serum levels of K18-M30. At low pretreatment serum K18 levels, prednisolone was potentially harmful. A threshold of K18-M30 5 kIU/L predicted therapeutic benefit from prednisolone above this level (odds ratio: 0.433, 95% confidence interval: 0.19-0.95, P = 0.0398), but not below (odds ratio: 1.271, 95% confidence interval: 0.88-1.84, P = 0.199). Restricting prednisolone usage to the former group would have reduced exposure by 87%. DISCUSSION: In a large cohort of patients with severe AH, serum K18 strongly correlated with histological severity, independently associated with 90-day mortality, and predicted response to prednisolone therapy. Quantification of serum K18 levels could assist in clinical decision-making
Today’s older adults are cognitively fitter than older adults were 20 years ago, but when and how they decline is no different than in the past
History-graded increases in older adults' levels of cognitive performance are well documented, but little is known about historical shifts in within-person change: cognitive decline and onset of decline. We combined harmonized perceptual-motor speed data from independent samples recruited in 1990 and 2010 to obtain 2,008 age-matched longitudinal observations (M = 78 years, 50% women) from 228 participants in the Berlin Aging Study (BASE) and 583 participants in the Berlin Aging Study II (BASE-II). We used nonlinear growth models that orthogonalized within- and between-person age effects and controlled for retest effects. At age 78, the later-born BASE-II cohort substantially outperformed the earlier-born BASE cohort (d = 1.20; 25 years of age difference). Age trajectories, however, were parallel, and there was no evidence of cohort differences in the amount or rate of decline and the onset of decline. Cognitive functioning has shifted to higher levels, but cognitive decline in old age appears to proceed similarly as it did two decades ago
Time Dynamics of Self-Pumped Reflection Gratings in a Photorefractive Polymer
The time dynamics of self-pumped reflection gratings in a commonly used photorefractive polymer PDCST:PVK:ECZ-BBP:C60 with no additional electron sources or traps is investigated. While holes are normally the mobile charges and responsible for grating formation, our experimental observations, analyzed using multi-exponential fitting curves, show evidence of electrons in addition to holes as charge carriers, particularly above an applied field of 40 V/μm.
The dependence of effective carrier mobilities on the applied electric field, deduced from experimental results, show stronger field dependence of electron mobility at high electric fields. At an applied field of 70 V/μm, electron and hole mobilities become approximately equal, and the contribution of electrons on grating formation becomes significant
The Transiting System GJ1214: High-Precision Defocused Transit Observations and a Search for Evidence of Transit Timing Variation
Aims: We present 11 high-precision photometric transit observations of the
transiting super-Earth planet GJ1214b. Combining these data with observations
from other authors, we investigate the ephemeris for possible signs of transit
timing variations (TTVs) using a Bayesian approach.
Methods: The observations were obtained using telescope-defocusing
techniques, and achieve a high precision with random errors in the photometry
as low as 1mmag per point. To investigate the possibility of TTVs in the light
curve, we calculate the overall probability of a TTV signal using Bayesian
methods.
Results: The observations are used to determine the photometric parameters
and the physical properties of the GJ1214 system. Our results are in good
agreement with published values. Individual times of mid-transit are measured
with uncertainties as low as 10s, allowing us to reduce the uncertainty in the
orbital period by a factor of two.
Conclusions: A Bayesian analysis reveals that it is highly improbable that
the observed transit times is explained by TTV, when compared with the simpler
alternative of a linear ephemeris.Comment: Submitted to A&
Threshold neutral pion photoproduction off the tri-nucleon to O(q^4)
We calculate electromagnetic neutral pion production off tri-nucleon bound
states (3H, 3He) at threshold in chiral nuclear effective field theory to
fourth order in the standard heavy baryon counting. We show that the fourth
order two-nucleon corrections to the S-wave multipoles at threshold are very
small. This implies that a precise measurement of the S-wave cross section for
neutral pion production off 3He allows for a stringent test of the chiral
perturbation theory prediction for the S-wave electric multipole E_{0+}^{pi0
n}.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures, title changed, final version to appear in EPJA.
arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1103.340
- …