5,913 research outputs found
A relativistic coupled-channel formalism for the pion form factor
The electromagnetic form factor of a confined quark-antiquark pair is
calculated within the framework of point-form relativistic quantum mechanics.
The dynamics of theexchanged photon is explicitly taken into account by
treating theelectromagnetic scattering of an electron by a meson as a
relativistic two-channel problem for a Bakamjian-Thomas type mass operator.
This approach guarantees Poincare invariance. Using a Feshbach reduction the
coupled-channel problem can be converted into a one-channel problem for the
elastic electron-meson channel. By comparing the one-photon-exchange optical
potential at the constituent and hadronic levels, we are able to unambiguously
identify the electromagnetic meson form factor. Violations of
cluster-separability properties, which are inherent in the Bakamjian-Thomas
approach, become negligible for sufficiently large invariant mass of the
electron-meson system. In the limit of an infinitely large invariant mass, an
equivalence with form-factor calculations done in front-form relativistic
quantum mechanics is established analytically.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure, submitted to EPJ Web of Conference
Critical connectedness of thin arithmetical discrete planes
An arithmetical discrete plane is said to have critical connecting thickness
if its thickness is equal to the infimum of the set of values that preserve its
-connectedness. This infimum thickness can be computed thanks to the fully
subtractive algorithm. This multidimensional continued fraction algorithm
consists, in its linear form, in subtracting the smallest entry to the other
ones. We provide a characterization of the discrete planes with critical
thickness that have zero intercept and that are -connected. Our tools rely
on the notion of dual substitution which is a geometric version of the usual
notion of substitution acting on words. We associate with the fully subtractive
algorithm a set of substitutions whose incidence matrix is provided by the
matrices of the algorithm, and prove that their geometric counterparts generate
arithmetic discrete planes.Comment: 18 pages, v2 includes several corrections and is a long version of
the DGCI extended abstrac
Point-form quantum field theory and meson form factors
We shortly review point-form quantum field theory, i.e. the canonical
quantization of a relativistic field theory on a Lorentz-invariant surface of
the form . As an example of how point-form quantum field
theory may enter the framework of relativistic quantum mechanics we discuss the
calculation of the electromagnetic form factor of a confined quark-antiquark
pair (e.g. the pion).Comment: 3 pages, 2 figures. Based on a talk presented by W. Schweiger at the
20th European Conference on Few-Body Problems in Physics, September 10-14
2007, Pisa, Ital
Direct Observation of Quantum Coherence in Single-Molecule Magnets
Direct evidence of quantum coherence in a single-molecule magnet in frozen
solution is reported with coherence times as long as T2 = 630 ns. We can
strongly increase the coherence time by modifying the matrix in which the
single-molecule magnets are embedded. The electron spins are coupled to the
proton nuclear spins of both the molecule itself and interestingly, also to
those of the solvent. The clear observation of Rabi oscillations indicates that
we can manipulate the spin coherently, an essential prerequisite for performing
quantum computations.Comment: 5 Pages, 4 Figures, final version published in PR
Geodesics for Efficient Creation and Propagation of Order along Ising Spin Chains
Experiments in coherent nuclear and electron magnetic resonance, and optical
spectroscopy correspond to control of quantum mechanical ensembles, guiding
them from initial to final target states by unitary transformations. The
control inputs (pulse sequences) that accomplish these unitary transformations
should take as little time as possible so as to minimize the effects of
relaxation and decoherence and to optimize the sensitivity of the experiments.
Here we give efficient syntheses of various unitary transformations on Ising
spin chains of arbitrary length. The efficient realization of the unitary
transformations presented here is obtained by computing geodesics on a sphere
under a special metric. We show that contrary to the conventional belief, it is
possible to propagate a spin order along an Ising spin chain with coupling
strength J (in units of Hz), significantly faster than 1/(2J) per step. The
methods presented here are expected to be useful for immediate and future
applications involving control of spin dynamics in coherent spectroscopy and
quantum information processing
Lock-in detection for pulsed electrically detected magnetic resonance
We show that in pulsed electrically detected magnetic resonance (pEDMR)
signal modulation in combination with a lock-in detection scheme can reduce the
low-frequency noise level by one order of magnitude and in addition removes the
microwave-induced non-resonant background. This is exemplarily demonstrated for
spin-echo measurements in phosphorus-doped Silicon. The modulation of the
signal is achieved by cycling the phase of the projection pulse used in pEDMR
for the read-out of the spin state.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
The Effects Of Mixing Multi-component HLW Glasses On Spinel Crystal Size
The Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant will vitrify radioactive waste into borosilicate glass. The high-level waste (HLW) glass formulations are constrained by processing and property requirements, including restrictions aimed at avoiding detrimental impacts of spinel crystallization in the melter. To understand the impact of glass chemistry on crystallization, two HLW glasses precipitating small (∼5 μm) spinel crystals were individually mixed and melted with a glass that precipitated large (∼45 μm) spinel crystals in ratios of 25, 50, and 75 wt.%. The size of spinel crystals in the mixed glasses varied from 5 to 20 μm. Small crystal size was attributed to: (1) high concentrations of nuclei due to the presence of ruthenium oxide and (2) chromium oxide aiding high rates of nucleation. Results from this study indicate that the spinel crystal size can be controlled using chromium oxide and/or noble metal concentrations in the melt, even in complex mixtures like HLW glasses. Smaller crystals tend to settle more slowly than larger crystals, therefore smaller crystals would be more acceptable in the melter without a risk of failure. Allowing higher concentrations of spinel-forming waste components in the waste glass enables glass compositions with higher waste loading, thus increasing plant operational flexibility. An additional benefit to the presence of chromium oxide in the glass composition is the potential for the oxide to protect melter walls against corrosion
Incidence, Disease Severity, and Follow-Up of Influenza A/A, A/B, and B/B Virus Dual Infections in Children: A Hospital-Based Digital Surveillance Program
Influenza virus (IV) coinfection, i.e., simultaneous infection with IV and other viruses, is a common occurrence in humans. However, little is known about the incidence and clinical impact of coinfection with two different IV subtypes or lineages (“dual infections”). We report the incidence, standardized disease severity, and follow-up of IV dual infections from a hospital-based digital surveillance cohort, comprising 6073 pediatric patients fulfilling pre-defined criteria of influenza-like illness in Berlin, Germany. All patients were tested for IV A/B by PCR, including subtypes/lineages. We assessed all patients at the bedside using the mobile ViVI ScoreApp, providing a validated disease severity score in real-time. IV-positive patients underwent follow-up assessments until resolution of symptoms. Overall, IV dual infections were rare (4/6073 cases; 0.07%, incidence 12/100,000 per year) but showed unusual and/or prolonged clinical presentations with slightly above-average disease severity. We observed viral rebound, serial infection, and B/Yamagata-B/Victoria dual infection. Digital tools, used for instant clinical assessments at the bedside, combined with baseline/follow-up virologic investigation, help identify coinfections in cases of prolonged and/or complicated course of illness. Infection with one IV does not necessarily prevent consecutive or simultaneous (co-/dual) infection, highlighting the importance of multivalent influenza vaccination and enhanced digital clinical and virological surveillance.Peer Reviewe
[18F]Fluoro-2-Deoxy-D-Glucose Incorporation by MCF-7 Breast Tumour Cells In Vitro Is Modulated by Treatment with Tamoxifen, Doxorubicin, and Docetaxel: Relationship to Chemotherapy-Induced Changes in ATP Content, Hexokinase Activity, and Glucose Transport
Breast tumours responding to chemotherapy exhibit decreased [18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) incorporation. Underlying mechanisms of these changes is poorly understood. Here, in MCF-7 cells, responding to chemotherapy drugs commonly utilised in the treatment of breast cancer, [18F]FDG incorporation and several pivotal factors associated with [18F]FDG incorporation investigated. Methods. IC50 and subclinical doxorubicin, docetaxel, and tamoxifen doses determined using MTT assay. [18F]FDG incorporation by cells treated with IC50 drug doses for 48 hours and 72 hours were determined and FDG dephosphorylation estimated by measuring loss of 18F from [18F]FDG-preincubated cells (pulse-chase). Glucose transport determined by measuring initial uptake rate of non-metabolised glucose analogue omethylglucose; hexokinase activity and ATP content measured in cell homogenates; Cell cycle distribution determined using flow cytometry of propidium iodide stained nuclei. Results. [18F]FDG incorporation and ATP content decreased in cells after 72 hours treatment with IC50 doses of tamoxifen, doxorubicin, and docetaxel compared with untreated controls. Decreased glucose transport and/or hexokinase activity accompanied decreased [18F]FDG incorporation by MCF-7 cells treated with tamoxifen or doxorubicin but not docetaxel. Conclusions. Tumour cell [18F]FDG incorporation along with ATP content decreased by treatment with tamoxifen, doxorubicin and docetaxel paralleling clinical observations for solid tumours. Effect of each treatment on glucose transport and hexokinase activity was chemotherapy-drug dependent
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