34,086 research outputs found
On the contact values of the density profiles in an electric double layer using density functional theory
A recently proposed local second contact value theorem [Henderson D., Boda
D., J. Electroanal. Chem., 2005, 582, 16] for the charge profile of an electric
double layer is used in conjunction with the existing Monte Carlo data from the
literature to assess the contact behavior of the electrode-ion distributions
predicted by the density functional theory. The results for the contact values
of the co- and counterion distributions and their product are obtained for the
symmetric valency, restricted primitive model planar double layer for a range
of electrolyte concentrations and temperatures. Overall, the theoretical
results satisfy the second contact value theorem reasonably well, the agreement
with the simulations being semi-quantitative or better. The product of the co-
and counterion contact values as a function of the electrode surface charge
density is qualitative with the simulations with increasing deviations at
higher concentrations.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure
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Sphaerodactylus vincenti
Number of Pages: 6Integrative BiologyGeological Science
Open-mindedness can decrease persuasion amongst adolescents: The role of self-affirmation
Objectives
Self-affirmation (e.g., by reflecting on important personal values) has been found to promote more open-minded appraisal of threatening health messages in at-risk adults. However, it is unclear how self-affirmation affects adolescents and whether it has differential effects on the impact of these messages amongst those at relatively lower and higher risk. The current study explored moderation by risk.
Design
Participants were randomly assigned to either a self-affirmation or a control condition before receiving a health message concerning physical activity.
Methods
Older adolescents (N = 125) completed a self-affirmation or control writing task before reading about the health consequences of not meeting recommendations to be physically active for at least 60 min daily. Most of the sample did not achieve these levels of activity (98%, N = 123). Consequently, the message informed these participants that – unless they changed their behaviour – they would be at higher risk of heart disease. Participants completed measures of responses to the message and behaviour-specific cognitions (e.g., self-efficacy) for meeting the recommendations.
Results
For relatively inactive participants, self-affirmation was associated with increased persuasion. However, for those who were moderately active (but not meeting recommendations), those in the self-affirmation condition were less persuaded by the message.
Conclusions
Whilst self-affirmation can increase message acceptance, there are circumstances when the open-mindedness it induces may decrease persuasion. The evidence provided in this study suggests that caution may be needed when recommendations are challenging and it could be considered reasonable to be sceptical about the need to change behaviour
Influence of anisotropic ion shape, asymmetric valency, and electrolyte concentration on structural and thermodynamic properties of an electric double layer
Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulation results are reported for an electric
double layer modelled by a planar charged hard wall, anisotropic shape cations,
and spherical anions at different electrolyte concentrations and asymmetric
valencies. The cations consist of two tangentially tethered hard spheres of the
same diameter, . One sphere is charged while the other is neutral. Spherical
anions are charged hard spheres of diameter . The ion valency asymmetry 1:2
and 2:1 is considered, with the ions being immersed in a solvent mimicked by a
continuum dielectric medium at standard temperature. The simulations are
carried out for the following electrolyte concentrations: 0.1, 1.0 and 2.0 M.
Profiles of the electrode-ion, electrode-neutral sphere singlet distributions,
the average orientation of dimers, and the mean electrostatic potential are
calculated for a given electrode surface charge, , while the contact
electrode potential and the differential capacitance are presented for varying
electrode charge. With an increasing electrolyte concentration, the shape of
differential capacitance curve changes from that with a minimum surrounded by
maxima into that of a distorted single maximum. For a 2:1 electrolyte, the
maximum is located at a small negative value while for 1:2, at a small
positive value.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure
Double layer for hard spheres with an off-center charge
Simulations for the density and potential profiles of the ions in the planar
electrical double layer of a model electrolyte or an ionic liquid are reported.
The ions of a real electrolyte or an ionic liquid are usually not spheres; in
ionic liquids, the cations are molecular ions. In the past, this asymmetry has
been modelled by considering spheres that are asymmetric in size and/or valence
(viz., the primitive model) or by dimer cations that are formed by tangentially
touching spheres. In this paper we consider spherical ions that are asymmetric
in size and mimic the asymmetrical shape through an off-center charge that is
located away from the center of the cation spheres, while the anion charge is
at the center of anion spheres. The various singlet density and potential
profiles are compared to (i) the dimer situation, that is, the constituent
spheres of the dimer cation are tangentially tethered, and (ii) the standard
primitive model. The results reveal the double layer structure to be
substantially impacted especially when the cation is the counterion. As well as
being of intrinsic interest, this off-center charge model may be useful for
theories that consider spherical models and introduce the off-center charge as
a perturbation.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure
An extended model of the quantum free-electron laser
Previous models of the quantum regime of operation of the Free Electron Laser
(QFEL) have performed an averaging and the application of periodic boundary
conditions to the coupled Maxwell - Schrodinger equations over short, resonant
wavelength intervals of the interaction. Here, an extended, one-dimensional
model of the QFEL interaction is presented in the absence of any such averaging
or application of periodic boundary conditions, the absence of the latter
allowing electron diffusion processes to be modeled throughout the pulse. The
model is used to investigate how both the steady-state (CW) and pulsed regimes
of QFEL operation are affected. In the steady-state regime it is found that the
electrons are confined to evolve as a 2-level system, similar to the previous
QFEL models. In the pulsed regime Coherent Spontaneous Emission (CSE) due to
the shape of the electron pulse current distribution is shown to be present in
the QFEL regime for the first time. However, unlike the classical case, CSE in
the QFEL is damped by the effects of quantum diffusion of the electron
wavefunction. Electron recoil from the QFEL interaction can also cause a
diffusive drift between the recoiled and non-recoiled parts of the electron
pulse wavefunction, effectively removing the recoiled part from the primary
electron-radiation interaction.Comment: Submitted to Optics Expres
Orthogonal measurements are {\it almost} sufficient for quantum discord of two qubits
The common use in literature of orthogonal measurements in obtaining quantum
discord for two-qubit states is discussed and compared with more general
measurements. We prove the optimality of orthogonal measurements for rank 2
states. While for rank 3 and 4 mixed states they are not optimal, we present
strong numerical evidence showing that they give the correct quantum discord up
to minimal corrections. Based on the connection, through purification with an
ancilla, between discord and entanglement of formation (EoF), we give a tight
upper bound for the EoF of a mixed state of rank 2, given by an
optimal decomposition of 2 elements. We also provide an alternative way to
compute the quantum discord for two qubits based on the Bloch vectors of the
state.Comment: EPL 96, 40005 (2011
A Statistical Model for Simultaneous Template Estimation, Bias Correction, and Registration of 3D Brain Images
Template estimation plays a crucial role in computational anatomy since it
provides reference frames for performing statistical analysis of the underlying
anatomical population variability. While building models for template
estimation, variability in sites and image acquisition protocols need to be
accounted for. To account for such variability, we propose a generative
template estimation model that makes simultaneous inference of both bias fields
in individual images, deformations for image registration, and variance
hyperparameters. In contrast, existing maximum a posterori based methods need
to rely on either bias-invariant similarity measures or robust image
normalization. Results on synthetic and real brain MRI images demonstrate the
capability of the model to capture heterogeneity in intensities and provide a
reliable template estimation from registration
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