Spin Correlations in top quark pair production near threshold at the e−e+ e^- e^+ Linear Collider

We investigate the spin correlations in top quark pair production near threshold at the $e^- e^+$ linear collider. Comparing with the results above the threshold region, we find that near the threshold region the off-diagonal basis, the optimized decomposition of the top quark spins above the threshold region, does not exist, and the beamline basis is the optimal basis, in which there are the dominant spin components: the up-down (UD) component for $e_L^- e^+$ scattering and the down-up (DU) component for $e_R^- e^+$ scattering can make up more than 50% of the total cross section, respectively.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, minor modification

Elastic parton scattering and non-statistical event-by-event mean-pt fluctuations in Au + Au collisions at RHIC

Non-statistical event-by-event mean-pt fluctuations in Au + Au collisions at sqrt(s_NN) = 130 and 200 GeV are analyzed in AMPT with string-melting, and the results are compared with STAR data. The analysis suggests that in-medium elastic parton scattering may contribute greatly to the mean-p_t fluctuations in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that non-statistical event-by-event mean-pt fluctuations can be used to probe the initial partonic dynamics in these collisions. The comparison shows that with an in-medium elastic parton scattering cross section sigma_p=10 mb, AMPT with string-melting can well reproduce sqrt(s_NN) = 130 GeV data on the centrality dependence of non-statistical event-by-event mean-pt fluctuations. The comparison also shows that the fluctuation data for sqrt(s_NN) = 200 GeV Au + Au collisions can be well reproduced with sigma_p between 6 and 10 mb.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Percutaneous renal artery denervation in patients with chronic systolic heart failure: A randomized controlled trial

Background: Renal denervation (RDN) is as an effective treatment for heart failure (HF), but its effects on cardiac function of patients with HF are not well documented. Here, the aim was to investigate RDN’s effect on patients with chronic systolic HF, by conducting a single-center, prospective, randomized, and controlled study. Methods: Sixty patients with chronic systolic HF were randomly assigned to the RDN or control groups, receiving percutaneous catheter-based RDN with radiofrequency ablation and drug treatment, respectively. All patients performed a 6-minute walk test, echocardiography, blood pressure measurement, and biochemical test, at both baseline and in a 6-month follow up. Results: Over 6-month follow up, patients in RDN group showed a decrease in N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (440.1 ± 226.5 pg/mL vs. 790.8 ± 287.0 pg/mL, p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 1.14), an increase in left ventricular ejection fraction (39.1 ± 7.3% vs. 35.6 ± 3.3%, p = 0.017, Cohen’s d = 0.61), improved New York Heart Association class assessment (p = 0.01, Cohen’s d = 0.66), and decreased blood pressures (p < 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.91), without reporting hypotension and syncope amaurosis. No significant between-group difference was observed for glomerular filtration rate and heart rate. Conclusions: Renal denervation which effectively and safely improves patient’s cardiac function as well as exercise tolerance, could be considered as an effective treatment for chronic systolic HF

Equivalent Nanocircuit Theory and Its Applications

A new methodology termed as equivalent nanocircuit (EN) theory is briefly introduced, and its recent important progress in designing meta‐material devices with peculiar characteristics in optical or infrared frequency domain is reviewed. Three representative EN‐based designs of infrared window meta‐materials, such as Butterworth filter, metal‐insulator‐metal absorber and design‐simplified TCO‐based super‐flat absorber, are demonstrated. All these progresses clearly indicate that the EN theory provides an inspiring advancement on the way of designing more complicated meta‐devices

5-(Hy­droxy­meth­yl)furan-2-carb­oxy­lic acid

In the title compound, C6H6O4, the furan ring is nearly coplanar with the carboxyl group, the maximum atomic deviation being 0.0248 (9) Å. The crystal packing is stabilized by classical O—H⋯O and weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonding