286 research outputs found
Continuous light increases growth, daily carbon gain, antioxidants, and alters carbohydrate metabolism in a cultivated and a wild tomato species
Cultivated tomato species develop leaf injury while grown in continuous light (CL). Growth, photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism and antioxidative enzyme activities of a cultivated (Solanum lycopersicum L. ‘Aromata’) and a wild tomato species (Solanum pimpinellifolium L.) were compared in this study aiming to analyse the species-specific differences and thermoperiod effects in responses to CL. The species were subjected to three photoperiodic treatments for 12 days in climate chambers: 16-h photoperiod with a light/dark temperature of 26/16ºC (P16D10 or control); CL with a constant temperature of 23ºC (P24D0); CL with a variable temperature of 26/16ºC (P24D10). The results showed that both species grown in CL had higher dry matter production due to the continuous photosynthesis and a subsequent increase in carbon gain. In S. lycopersicum, the rate of photosynthesis and the maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II declined in CL with the development of leaf chlorosis, reduction in the leaf chlorophyll content and a higher activity of antioxidative enzymes. The normal diurnal patterns of starch and sugar were only present under control conditions. The results demonstrated that CL conditions mainly affected the photosynthetic apparatus of a cultivated species (S. lycopersicum), and to a less degree to the wild species (S. pimpinellifolium). The negative effects of the CL could be alleviated by diurnal temperature variations, but the physiological mechanisms behind these are less clear. The results also show that the genetic potential for reducing the negative effects of CL does exist in the tomato germplasm
Spectral statistics in chaotic systems with a point interaction
We consider quantum systems with a chaotic classical limit that are perturbed
by a point-like scatterer. The spectral form factor K(tau) for these systems is
evaluated semiclassically in terms of periodic and diffractive orbits. It is
shown for order tau^2 and tau^3 that off-diagonal contributions to the form
factor which involve diffractive orbits cancel exactly the diagonal
contributions from diffractive orbits, implying that the perturbation by the
scatterer does not change the spectral statistic. We further show that
parametric spectral statistics for these systems are universal for small
changes of the strength of the scatterer.Comment: LaTeX, 21 pages, 7 figures, small corrections, new references adde
Geometrical theory of diffraction and spectral statistics
We investigate the influence of diffraction on the statistics of energy
levels in quantum systems with a chaotic classical limit. By applying the
geometrical theory of diffraction we show that diffraction on singularities of
the potential can lead to modifications in semiclassical approximations for
spectral statistics that persist in the semiclassical limit . This
result is obtained by deriving a classical sum rule for trajectories that
connect two points in coordinate space.Comment: 14 pages, no figure, to appear in J. Phys.
Periodic orbit quantization of the Sinai billiard in the small scatterer limit
We consider the semiclassical quantization of the Sinai billiard for disk
radii R small compared to the wave length 2 pi/k. Via the application of the
periodic orbit theory of diffraction we derive the semiclassical spectral
determinant. The limitations of the derived determinant are studied by
comparing it to the exact KKR determinant, which we generalize here for the A_1
subspace. With the help of the Ewald resummation method developed for the full
KKR determinant we transfer the complex diffractive determinant to a real form.
The real zeros of the determinant are the quantum eigenvalues in semiclassical
approximation. The essential parameter is the strength of the scatterer
c=J_0(kR)/Y_0(kR). Surprisingly, this can take any value between plus and minus
infinity within the range of validity of the diffractive approximation kR <<4.
We study the statistics exhibited by spectra for fixed values of c. It is
Poissonian for |c|=infinity, provided the disk is placed inside a rectangle
whose sides obeys some constraints. For c=0 we find a good agreement of the
level spacing distribution with GOE, whereas the form factor and two-point
correlation function are similar but exhibit larger deviations. By varying the
parameter c from 0 to infinity the level statistics interpolates smoothly
between these limiting cases.Comment: 17 pages LaTeX, 5 postscript figures, submitted to J. Phys. A: Math.
Ge
Three disks in a row: A two-dimensional scattering analog of the double-well problem
We investigate the scattering off three nonoverlapping disks equidistantly
spaced along a line in the two-dimensional plane with the radii of the outer
disks equal and the radius of the inner disk varied. This system is a
two-dimensional scattering analog to the double-well-potential (bound state)
problem in one dimension. In both systems the symmetry splittings between
symmetric and antisymmetric states or resonances, respectively, have to be
traced back to tunneling effects, as semiclassically the geometrical periodic
orbits have no contact with the vertical symmetry axis. We construct the
leading semiclassical ``creeping'' orbits that are responsible for the symmetry
splitting of the resonances in this system. The collinear three-disk-system is
not only one of the simplest but also one of the most effective systems for
detecting creeping phenomena. While in symmetrically placed n-disk systems
creeping corrections affect the subleading resonances, they here alone
determine the symmetry splitting of the 3-disk resonances in the semiclassical
calculation. It should therefore be considered as a paradigm for the study of
creeping effects. PACS numbers: 03.65.Sq, 03.20.+i, 05.45.+bComment: replaced with published version (minor misprints corrected and
references updated); 23 pages, LaTeX plus 8 Postscript figures, uses
epsfig.sty, espf.sty, and epsf.te
The use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators in Iceland: a retrospective population based study
BACKGROUND: Indications for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) implantation have expanded considerably in recent years, resulting in steadily growing numbers of ICD recipients worldwide. The aim of this study was to review the overall experience with ICDs in Iceland. METHODS: This was a retrospective single centre study set at the University Hospital in Iceland. Data on all ICD implantations in Iceland from the first implantation in 1992 till the end of 2002 was reviewed. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients (71% male) received an ICD during this period. There was an increase in the number of implants by year and the number of new implants in 2001 and 2002 amounted to 56 and 38 per million, respectively. The mean age at implantation was 58 (+/-14) years. Forty patients (65%) had coronary artery disease. The most common indications for ICD implantation were cardiac arrest, 32 (52%) and another 26 (42%) had experienced ventricular tachycardia without cardiac arrest. The most common adverse event was inappropriate shocks. Twenty-eight patients (45%) received therapy from their ICDs, with the majority receiving appropriate therapy. Of the thirteen patients deceased before or during the study period, no case of sudden arrhythmic death was observed. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the experience with ICDs in Iceland is in most respects similar to other Western countries
The Clacton Spear: the last one hundred years
In 1911 an eminent amateur prehistorian pulled the broken end of a pointed wooden shaft from Palaeolithic-age sediments at a seaside town in Essex. This artefact, still the earliest worked wood to be discovered in the world, became known as the Clacton Spear. Over the past 100 years it has variously been interpreted as a projectile weapon, a stave, a digging stick, a snow probe, a lance, a game stake and a prod to ward off rival scavengers. These perspectives have followed academic fashions, as the popular views of early hominins have altered. Since discovery the Clacton spear has also been replicated twice, has undergone physical transformations due to preservation treatments, and has featured in two public exhibitions. Within this article the changing context of the spear, its parallels, and all previous conservation treatments and their impacts are assessed.© 2015 Royal Archaeological Institute. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in The Archaeological Journal on 3rd March 2015, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi.org/10.1080/00665983.2015.1008839.The attached document is the author(’s’) final accepted/submitted version of the journal article. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from it
Immunogenicity of Fractional Doses of Tetravalent A/C/Y/W135 Meningococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine: Results from a Randomized Non-Inferiority Controlled Trial in Uganda
Meningitis are infections of the lining of the brain and spinal cord and can cause high fever, blood poisoning, and brain damage, as well as result in death in up to 10% of cases. Epidemics of meningitis occur almost every year in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, throughout a high-burden area spanning Senegal to Ethiopia dubbed the “Meningitis Belt.” Most epidemics in Africa are caused by Neisseria meningitidis (mostly serogroup A and W135). Mass vaccination campaigns attempt to control epidemics by administering meningococcal vaccines targeted against these serogroups, among others. However, global shortages of these vaccines are currently seen. We studied the use of fractional (1/5 and 1/10) doses of a licensed vaccine to assess its non-inferiority compared with the normal full dose. In a randomized trial in Uganda, we found that immune response and safety using a 1/5 dose were comparable to full dose for three serogroups (A, Y, W135), though not a fourth (C). In light of current shortages of meningococcal vaccines and their importance in fighting meningitis epidemics around the world, we suggest fractional doses be taken under consideration in mass vaccination campaigns
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