227 research outputs found
Tunneling And The Onset Of Chaos In A Driven Bistable System
We study the interplay between coherent transport by tunneling and diffusive
transport through classically chaotic phase-space regions, as it is reflected
in the Floquet spectrum of the periodically driven quartic double well. The
tunnel splittings in the semiclassical regime are determined with high
numerical accuracy, and the association of the corresponding doublet states to
either chaotic or regular regions of the classical phase space is quantified in
terms of the overlap of the Husimi distribution with the chaotic layer along
the separatrix. We find a strong correlation between both quantities. They show
an increase by orders of magnitude as chaotic diffusion between the wells
starts to dominate the classical dynamics. We discuss semiclassical
explanations for this correlation.Comment: 17 pages in REVTeX preprint format. A version with encapsulated
Postscript figures included (via epsf) and GIF-images of wave functions are
available from the Gopher server aix.rz.uni-augsburg (port 300) in directory
U Augsburg/Inst.f.Physik/Lst.f.Theo.PhysI/Tunneling an
Semiclassical Description of Tunneling in Mixed Systems: The Case of the Annular Billiard
We study quantum-mechanical tunneling between symmetry-related pairs of
regular phase space regions that are separated by a chaotic layer. We consider
the annular billiard, and use scattering theory to relate the splitting of
quasi-degenerate states quantized on the two regular regions to specific paths
connecting them. The tunneling amplitudes involved are given a semiclassical
interpretation by extending the billiard boundaries to complex space and
generalizing specular reflection to complex rays. We give analytical
expressions for the splittings, and show that the dominant contributions come
from {\em chaos-assisted}\/ paths that tunnel into and out of the chaotic
layer.Comment: 4 pages, uuencoded postscript file, replaces a corrupted versio
High-Level Expression of Various Apolipoprotein (a) Isoforms by "Transferrinfection". The Role of Kringle IV Sequences in the Extracellular Association with Low-Density Lipoprotein
Characterization of the assembly of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is of fundamental importance to understanding the biosynthesis and metabolism of this atherogenic lipoprotein. Since no established cell lines exist that express Lp(a) or apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)], a "transferrinfection" system for apo(a) was developed utilizing adenovirus receptor- and transferrin receptor-mediated DNA uptake into cells. Using this method, different apo(a) cDNA constructions of variable length, due to the presence of 3, 5, 7, 9, 15, or 18 internal kringle IV sequences, were expressed in cos-7 cells or CHO cells. All constructions contained kringle IV-36, which includes the only unpaired cysteine residue (Cys-4057) in apo(a). r-Apo(a) was synthesized as a precursor and secreted as mature apolipoprotein into the medium. When medium containing r-apo(a) with 9, 15, or 18 kringle IV repeats was mixed with normal human plasma LDL, stable complexes formed that had a bouyant density typical of Lp(a). Association was substantially decreased if Cys-4057 on r-apo(a) was replaced by Arg by site-directed mutagenesis or if Cys-4057 was chemically modified. Lack of association was also observed with r-apo(a) containing only 3, 5, or 7 kringle IV repeats without "unique kringle IV sequences", although Cys-4057 was present in all of these constructions. Synthesis and secretion of r-apo(a) was not dependent on its sialic acid content. r-Apo(a) was expressed even more efficiently in sialylation-defective CHO cells than in wild-type CHO cells. In transfected CHO cells defective in the addition of N-acetylglucosamine, apo(a) secretion was found to be decreased by 50%. Extracellular association with LDL was not affected by the carbohydrate moiety of r-apo(a), indicating a protein-protein interaction between r-apo(a) and apoB. These results show that, besides kringle IV-36, other kringle IV sequences are necessary for the extracellular association of r-apo(a) with LDL. Changes in the carbohydrate moiety of apo(a), however, do not affect complex formation
Quantum effects after decoherence in a quenched phase transition
We study a quantum mechanical toy model that mimics some features of a
quenched phase transition. Both by virtue of a time-dependent Hamiltonian or by
changing the temperature of the bath we are able to show that even after
classicalization has been reached, the system may display quantum behaviour
again. We explain this behaviour in terms of simple non-linear analysis and
estimate relevant time scales that match the results of numerical simulations
of the master-equation. This opens new possibilities both in the study of
quantum effects in non-equilibrium phase transitions and in general
time-dependent problems where quantum effects may be relevant even after
decoherence has been completed.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, revtex, important revisions made. To be published
in Phys. Rev.
Bose-Einstein condensates in a double well: mean-field chaos and multi-particle entanglement
A recent publication [Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 140408 (2008)] shows that there
is a relation between mean-field chaos and multi-particle entanglement for BECs
in a periodically shaken double well. 'Schrodinger-cat' like mesoscopic
superpositions in phase-space occur for conditions for which the system
displays mean-field chaos. In the present manuscript, more general
highly-entangled states are investigated. Mean-field chaos accelerates the
emergence of multi-particle entanglement; the boundaries of stable regions are
particularly suited for entanglement generation.Comment: 5 Pages, 5 jpg-figures, to be published in the proceedings of the
LPHYS0
Studies on the heterogeneity of human serum Lp lipoproteins and on the occurrence of double Lp lipoprotein variants
Lp lipoproteins have been prepared by a mild method from the serum of a large number of individuals. Approximately 25% of the individuals tested showed the presence of a double Lp peak in analytical ultracentrifuge diagrams. These double peaks were designated Lp(a)-1 and Lp(a)-2 to distinguish them from the single Lp(a) peak. The mean viscosity-corrected sedimentation coefficient, S 1.004, 20 C and density of the single Lp(a) peak were 15.8±1.8 s ( n =32) and 1.076±0.01 g/ml, of the Lp(a)-1 peak were 13.5±1.1 s ( n =14) and 1.064±0.007 g/ml, and of the Lp(a)-2 peak were 16.8±1.7 s ( n =14) and 1.074±0.009 g/ml. Absorption tests using a double and single Lp preparation showed that both Lp peaks in the double variants possess Lp(a) specificity. Evidence is lacking as yet for individual specificities for either Lp(a)-1 or Lp(a)-2. Interand intra-individual heterogeneity among Lp lipoproteins is discussed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44186/1/10528_2004_Article_BF00485737.pd
Spectral Statistics in Chaotic Systems with Two Identical Connected Cells
Chaotic systems that decompose into two cells connected only by a narrow
channel exhibit characteristic deviations of their quantum spectral statistics
from the canonical random-matrix ensembles. The equilibration between the cells
introduces an additional classical time scale that is manifest also in the
spectral form factor. If the two cells are related by a spatial symmetry, the
spectrum shows doublets, reflected in the form factor as a positive peak around
the Heisenberg time. We combine a semiclassical analysis with an independent
random-matrix approach to the doublet splittings to obtain the form factor on
all time (energy) scales. Its only free parameter is the characteristic time of
exchange between the cells in units of the Heisenberg time.Comment: 37 pages, 15 figures, changed content, additional autho
Dynamical Tunneling in Mixed Systems
We study quantum-mechanical tunneling in mixed dynamical systems between
symmetry-related phase space tori separated by a chaotic layer. Considering
e.g. the annular billiard we decompose tunneling-related energy splittings and
shifts into sums over paths in phase space. We show that tunneling transport is
dominated by chaos-assisted paths that tunnel into and out of the chaotic layer
via the ``beach'' regions sandwiched between the regular islands and the
chaotic sea. Level splittings are shown to fluctuate on two scales as functions
of energy or an external parameter: they display a dense sequence of peaks due
to resonances with states supported by the chaotic sea, overlaid on top of slow
modulations arising from resonances with states supported by the ``beaches''.
We obtain analytic expressions which enable us to assess the relative
importance of tunneling amplitudes into the chaotic sea vs. its internal
transport properties. Finally, we average over the statistics of the chaotic
region, and derive the asymptotic tail of the splitting distribution function
under rather general assumptions concerning the fluctuation properties of
chaotic states.Comment: 28 pages, Latex, 16 EPS figure
Effect of dissipation and measurement on a tunneling system
We consider a parametrically driven Kerr medium in which the pumping may be sinusoidally varied. It has been previously found that this system exhibits coherent tunneling between two fixed points which can be either enhanced or suppressed by altering the driving frequency and strength. We numerically investigate the dynamics when damping is included. This is done both by solving a master equation and using the quantum-trajectory method. In the latter case it is also possible to model the result of a continuous heterodyne measurement of the cavity output. The dissipation destroys the coherences which give rise to the tunneling, causing the sinusoidal oscillation of the mean to give way to a stochastic jumping between the fixed points, manifested as a random telegraph signal. In the quantum-trajectory picture we show that the coherences responsible for tunneling are an exponentially decreasing function of the signal-to-noise ratio for heterodyne measurements. However, evidence of both the bare tunneling rate and the driving modified tunneling rate are still apparent in the random telegraph signal
Alzheimer's biomarkers in daily practice (ABIDE) project: Rationale and design.
INTRODUCTION: The Alzheimer's biomarkers in daily practice (ABIDE) project is designed to translate knowledge on diagnostic tests (magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], cerebrospinal fluid [CSF], and amyloid positron emission tomography [PET]) to daily clinical practice with a focus on mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS: ABIDE is a 3-year project with a multifaceted design and is structured into interconnected substudies using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. RESULTS: Based on retrospective data, we develop personalized risk estimates for MCI patients. Prospectively, we collect MRI and CSF data from 200 patients from local memory clinics and amyloid PET from 500 patients in a tertiary setting, to optimize application of these tests in daily practice. Furthermore, ABIDE will develop strategies for optimal patient-clinician conversations. DISCUSSION: Ultimately, this will result in a set of practical tools for clinicians to support the choice of diagnostic tests and facilitate the interpretation and communication of their results
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