1,065 research outputs found
Josephson junctions with negative second harmonic in the current-phase relation: properties of novel varphi-junctions
Several recent experiments revealed a change of the sign of the first
harmonic in the current-phase relation of Josephson junctions (JJ) based on
novel superconductors, e.g., d-wave based or JJ with ferromagnetic barrier. In
this situation the role of the second harmonic becomes dominant and it
determines the scenario of a 0-pi transition. We discuss different mechanisms
of the second harmonic generation and its sign. If the second harmonic is
negative the 0-pi transition becomes continuous and the realization of the
so-called varphi junction is possible. We study the unusual properties of such
a novel JJ and analyze the possible experimental techniques for their
observation.Comment: submitted to PR
Time-Dependent Symmetries of Variable-Coefficient Evolution Equations and Graded Lie Algebras
Polynomial-in-time dependent symmetries are analysed for polynomial-in-time
dependent evolution equations. Graded Lie algebras, especially Virasoro
algebras, are used to construct nonlinear variable-coefficient evolution
equations, both in 1+1 dimensions and in 2+1 dimensions, which possess
higher-degree polynomial-in-time dependent symmetries. The theory also provides
a kind of new realisation of graded Lie algebras. Some illustrative examples
are given.Comment: 11 pages, latex, to appear in J. Phys. A: Math. Ge
Characterization of the spore surface and exosporium proteins of Clostridium sporogenes; implications for Clostridium botulinum group I strains.
Clostridium sporogenes is a non-pathogenic close relative and surrogate for Group I (proteolytic) neurotoxin-producing Clostridium botulinum strains. The exosporium, the sac-like outermost layer of spores of these species, is likely to contribute to adhesion, dissemination, and virulence. A paracrystalline array, hairy nap, and several appendages were detected in the exosporium of C. sporogenes strain NCIMB 701792 by EM and AFM. The protein composition of purified exosporium was explored by LC-MS/MS of tryptic peptides from major individual SDS-PAGE-separated protein bands, and from bulk exosporium. Two high molecular weight protein bands both contained the same protein with a collagen-like repeat domain, the probable constituent of the hairy nap, as well as cysteine-rich proteins CsxA and CsxB. A third cysteine-rich protein (CsxC) was also identified. These three proteins are also encoded in C. botulinum Prevot 594, and homologues (75-100% amino acid identity) are encoded in many other Group I strains. This work provides the first insight into the likely composition and organization of the exosporium of Group I C. botulinum spores
Metallic wear in failed titanium-alloy total hip replacements. A histological and quantitative analysis
We conducted extensive histological examination of the tissues that were adjacent to the prosthesis in nine hips that had a failed total arthroplasty. The prostheses were composed of titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. The average time that the prosthesis had been in place in the tissue was 33.5 months (range, eleven to fifty-seven months). Seven arthroplasties were revised because of aseptic loosening and two, for infection. In eight hips cement had been used and in one (that had a porous-coated implant for fifty-two months) no cement had been utilized. Intense histiocytic and plasma-cell reaction was noted in the pseudocapsular tissue. There was copious metallic staining of the lining cells. Polyethylene debris and particles of cement with concomitant giant-cell reaction were present in five hips. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry revealed values for titanium of fifty-sic to 3700 micrograms per gram of dry tissue (average, 1047 micrograms per gram; normal, zero microgram per gram), for aluminum of 2.1 to 396 micrograms per gram (average, 115 micrograms per gram; normal, zero micrograms per gram), and for vanadium of 2.9 to 220 micrograms per gram (average, sixty-seven micrograms per gram; normal, 1.2 micrograms per gram). The highest values were found in the hip in which surgical revision was performed at fifty-seven months. The concentrations of the three elements in the soft tissues were similar to those in the metal of the prostheses. The factors to which failure was attributed were: vertical orientation of the acetabular component (five hips), poor cementing technique on the femoral side (three hips), infection (two hips), and separation of a sintered pad made of pure titanium (one hip). A femoral component that is made of titanium alloy can undergo severe wear of the surface and on the stem, where it is loose, with liberation of potentially toxic local concentrations of metal debris into the surrounding tissues. It may contribute to infection and loosening
Invariant solutions of the supersymmetric sine-Gordon equation
A comprehensive symmetry analysis of the N=1 supersymmetric sine-Gordon
equation is performed. Two different forms of the supersymmetric system are
considered. We begin by studying a system of partial differential equations
corresponding to the coefficients of the various powers of the anticommuting
independent variables. Next, we consider the super-sine-Gordon equation
expressed in terms of a bosonic superfield involving anticommuting independent
variables.
In each case, a Lie (super)algebra of symmetries is determined and a
classification of all subgroups having generic orbits of codimension 1 in the
space of independent variables is performed. The method of symmetry reduction
is systematically applied in order to derive invariant solutions of the
supersymmetric model. Several types of algebraic, hyperbolic and doubly
periodic solutions are obtained in explicit form.Comment: 27 pages, major revision, the published versio
Cavity-induced coherence effects in spontaneous emission from pre-Selection of polarization
Spontaneous emission can create coherences in a multilevel atom having close
lying levels, subject to the condition that the atomic dipole matrix elements
are non-orthogonal. This condition is rarely met in atomic systems. We report
the possibility of bypassing this condition and thereby creating coherences by
letting the atom with orthogonal dipoles to interact with the vacuum of a
pre-selected polarized cavity mode rather than the free space vacuum. We derive
a master equation for the reduced density operator of a model four level atomic
system, and obtain its analytical solution to describe the interference
effects. We report the quantum beat structure in the populations.Comment: 6 pages in REVTEX multicolumn format, 5 figures, new references
added, journal reference adde
âSilence does not sound the same for everyoneâ: student teachersâ narratives:Student Teachersâ Narratives Around Behavior Management in Scottish Schools
Obligate Heterodimerization of the Archaeal Alba2 Protein with Alba1 Provides a Mechanism for Control of DNA Packaging
SummaryOrganisms growing at elevated temperatures face a particular challenge to maintain the integrity of their genetic material. All thermophilic and hyperthermophilic archaea encode one or more copies of the Alba (Sac10b) gene. Alba is an abundant, dimeric, highly basic protein that binds cooperatively and at high density to DNA. Sulfolobus solfataricus encodes a second copy of the Alba gene, and the Alba2 protein is expressed at âŒ5% of the level of Alba1. We demonstrate by NMR, ITC, and crystallography that Alba2 exists exclusively as a heterodimer with Alba1 at physiological concentrations and that heterodimerization exerts a clear effect upon the DNA packaging, as observed by EM, potentially by changing the interface between adjacent Alba dimers in DNA complexes. A functional role for Alba2 in modulation of higher order chromatin structure and DNA condensation is suggested
A Study Of A New Class Of Discrete Nonlinear Schroedinger Equations
A new class of 1D discrete nonlinear Schrdinger Hamiltonians
with tunable nonlinerities is introduced, which includes the integrable
Ablowitz-Ladik system as a limit. A new subset of equations, which are derived
from these Hamiltonians using a generalized definition of Poisson brackets, and
collectively refered to as the N-AL equation, is studied. The symmetry
properties of the equation are discussed. These equations are shown to possess
propagating localized solutions, having the continuous translational symmetry
of the one-soliton solution of the Ablowitz-Ladik nonlinear
Schrdinger equation. The N-AL systems are shown to be suitable
to study the combined effect of the dynamical imbalance of nonlinearity and
dispersion and the Peierls-Nabarro potential, arising from the lattice
discreteness, on the propagating solitary wave like profiles. A perturbative
analysis shows that the N-AL systems can have discrete breather solutions, due
to the presence of saddle center bifurcations in phase portraits. The
unstaggered localized states are shown to have positive effective mass. On the
other hand, large width but small amplitude staggered localized states have
negative effective mass. The collison dynamics of two colliding solitary wave
profiles are studied numerically. Notwithstanding colliding solitary wave
profiles are seen to exhibit nontrivial nonsolitonic interactions, certain
universal features are observed in the collison dynamics. Future scopes of this
work and possible applications of the N-AL systems are discussed.Comment: 17 pages, 15 figures, revtex4, xmgr, gn
New Integrable Sectors in Skyrme and 4-dimensional CP^n Model
The application of a weak integrability concept to the Skyrme and
models in 4 dimensions is investigated. A new integrable subsystem of the
Skyrme model, allowing also for non-holomorphic solutions, is derived. This
procedure can be applied to the massive Skyrme model, as well. Moreover, an
example of a family of chiral Lagrangians providing exact, finite energy
Skyrme-like solitons with arbitrary value of the topological charge, is given.
In the case of models a tower of integrable subsystems is obtained. In
particular, in (2+1) dimensions a one-to-one correspondence between the
standard integrable submodel and the BPS sector is proved. Additionally, it is
shown that weak integrable submodels allow also for non-BPS solutions.
Geometric as well as algebraic interpretations of the integrability conditions
are also given.Comment: 23 page
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