3,194 research outputs found
Response to sub-threshold stimulus is enhanced by spatially heterogeneous activity
Sub-threshold stimuli cannot initiate excitations in active media, but
surprisingly as we show in this paper, they can alter the time-evolution of
spatially heterogeneous activity by modifying the recovery dynamics. This
results in significant reduction of waveback velocity which may lead to spatial
coherence, terminating all activity in the medium including spatiotemporal
chaos. We analytically derive model-independent conditions for which such
behavior can be observed.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure
Transport coefficients for the shear dynamo problem at small Reynolds numbers
We build on the formulation developed in Sridhar & Singh (JFM, 664, 265,
2010), and present a theory of the \emph{shear dynamo problem} for small
magnetic and fluid Reynolds numbers, but for arbitrary values of the shear
parameter. Specializing to the case of a mean magnetic field that is slowly
varying in time, explicit expressions for the transport coefficients,
and , are derived. We prove that, when the velocity
field is non helical, the transport coefficient vanishes. We then
consider forced, stochastic dynamics for the incompressible velocity field at
low Reynolds number. An exact, explicit solution for the velocity field is
derived, and the velocity spectrum tensor is calculated in terms of the
Galilean--invariant forcing statistics. We consider forcing statistics that is
non helical, isotropic and delta-correlated-in-time, and specialize to the case
when the mean-field is a function only of the spatial coordinate and time
; this reduction is necessary for comparison with the numerical
experiments of Brandenburg, R{\"a}dler, Rheinhardt & K\"apyl\"a (ApJ, 676, 740,
2008). Explicit expressions are derived for all four components of the magnetic
diffusivity tensor, . These are used to prove that the
shear-current effect cannot be responsible for dynamo action at small \re and
\rem, but for all values of the shear parameter.Comment: 27 pages, 5 figures, Published in Physical Review
Fibroblast mediated dynamics in diffusively uncoupled myocytes -- a simulation study using 2-cell motifs
In healthy hearts myocytes are typically coupled to nearest neighbours
through gap junctions. Under pathological conditions such as fibrosis, or in
scar tissue, or across ablation lines myocytes can uncouple from their
neighbours. Electrical conduction may still occur via fibroblasts that not only
couple proximal myocytes but can also couple otherwise unconnected regions. We
hypothesise that such coupling can alter conduction between myocytes via
introduction of delays or by initiation of premature stimuli that can
potentially result in reentry or conduction blocks. To test this hypothesis we
have developed several -cell motifs and investigated the effect of
fibroblast mediated electrical coupling between uncoupled myocytes. We have
identified various regimes of myocyte behaviour that depend on the strength of
gap-junctional conductance, connection topology, and parameters of the myocyte
and fibroblast models. These motifs are useful in developing a mechanistic
understanding of long-distance coupling on myocyte dynamics and enable the
characterisation of interaction between different features such as myocyte and
fibroblast properties, coupling strengths and pacing period. They are
computationally inexpensive and allow for incorporation of spatial effects such
as conduction velocity. They provide a framework for constructing scar tissue
boundaries and enable linking of cellular level interactions with scar induced
arrhythmia
Graphene reinforced biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) nano-composites
Novel biodegradable poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) [PHBV]/graphene nanocomposites were prepared by solution casting. The thermal properties, crystallization behavior, microstructure, and fracture morphology of the composites were investigated. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) results show that graphene layers are homogeneously dispersed in the polymer matrix. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and dynamic scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies show that the well dispersed graphene sheets act as nucleating agent for crystallization. Consequently, the mechanical properties of the composites have been substantially improved as evident from dynamic mechanical and static tensile tests. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) showed an increase in temperature of maximum degradation. Soil degradation tests of PHBV/graphene nanocomposites showed that presence of graphene doesn’t interfere in its biodegradability
Microwave properties of : Influence of magnetic scattering
We report measurements of the surface impedance of
, . Increasing
concentration leads to some striking results not observed in samples doped
by non-magnetic constituents. The three principal features of the data
- multiple structure in the transition, a high residual resistance and, at high
concentrations, an upturn of the low data, are all characteristic of
the influence of magnetic scattering on superconductivity, and appear to be
common to materials where magnetism and superconductivity coexist. The low
behavior of appears to change from to at large
doping, and provides evidence of the influence of magnetic pairbreaking of the
.Comment: 5 pages, 3 eps figures, Revtex, 2-column format, uses graphicx. To
appear in Physica C. Postscript version also available at
http://sagar.physics.neu.edu/preprints.htm
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