3,263 research outputs found
Torsion, TQFT, and Seiberg-Witten invariants of 3-manifolds
We prove a conjecture of Hutchings and Lee relating the Seiberg-Witten
invariants of a closed 3-manifold X with b_1 > 0 to an invariant that `counts'
gradient flow lines--including closed orbits--of a circle-valued Morse function
on the manifold. The proof is based on a method described by Donaldson for
computing the Seiberg-Witten invariants of 3-manifolds by making use of a
`topological quantum field theory,' which makes the calculation completely
explicit. We also realize a version of the Seiberg-Witten invariant of X as the
intersection number of a pair of totally real submanifolds of a product of
vortex moduli spaces on a Riemann surface constructed from geometric data on X.
The analogy with recent work of Ozsvath and Szabo suggests a generalization of
a conjecture of Salamon, who has proposed a model for the Seiberg-Witten-Floer
homology of X in the case that X is a mapping torus.Comment: Published by Geometry and Topology at
http://www.maths.warwick.ac.uk/gt/GTVol6/paper2.abs.htm
Reversible Superconductivity in Electrochromic Indium-Tin Oxide Films
Transparent conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films, electrochemically
intercalated with sodium or other cations, show tunable superconducting
transitions with a maximum at 5 K. The transition temperature and the
density of states, (extracted from the measured Pauli susceptibility
exhibit the same dome shaped behavior as a function of electron
density. Optimally intercalated samples have an upper critical field T and . Accompanying the development of
superconductivity, the films show a reversible electrochromic change from
transparent to colored and are partially transparent (orange) at the peak of
the superconducting dome. This reversible intercalation of alkali and alkali
earth ions into thin ITO films opens diverse opportunities for tunable,
optically transparent superconductors
Nanoscale magnetic structure of ferromagnet/antiferromagnet manganite multilayers
Polarized Neutron Reflectometry and magnetometry measurements have been used
to obtain a comprehensive picture of the magnetic structure of a series of
La{2/3}Sr{1/3}MnO{3}/Pr{2/3}Ca{1/3}MnO{3} (LSMO/PCMO) superlattices, with
varying thickness of the antiferromagnetic (AFM) PCMO layers (0<=t_A<=7.6 nm).
While LSMO presents a few magnetically frustrated monolayers at the interfaces
with PCMO, in the latter a magnetic contribution due to FM inclusions within
the AFM matrix was found to be maximized at t_A~3 nm. This enhancement of the
FM moment occurs at the matching between layer thickness and cluster size,
where the FM clusters would find the optimal strain conditions to be
accommodated within the "non-FM" material. These results have important
implications for tuning phase separation via the explicit control of strain.Comment: 4 pages, submitted to PR
EUV and X-ray spectroheliograph study
The results of a program directed toward the definition of an EUV and X-ray spectroheliograph which has significant performance and operational improvements over the OSO-7 instrument are documented. The program investigated methods of implementing selected changes and incorporated the results of the study into a set of drawings which defines the new instrument. The EUV detector performance degradation observed during the OSO-7 mission was investigated and the most probable cause of the degradation identified
A -Vertex Kernel for Maximum Internal Spanning Tree
We consider the parameterized version of the maximum internal spanning tree
problem, which, given an -vertex graph and a parameter , asks for a
spanning tree with at least internal vertices. Fomin et al. [J. Comput.
System Sci., 79:1-6] crafted a very ingenious reduction rule, and showed that a
simple application of this rule is sufficient to yield a -vertex kernel.
Here we propose a novel way to use the same reduction rule, resulting in an
improved -vertex kernel. Our algorithm applies first a greedy procedure
consisting of a sequence of local exchange operations, which ends with a
local-optimal spanning tree, and then uses this special tree to find a
reducible structure. As a corollary of our kernel, we obtain a deterministic
algorithm for the problem running in time
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FARS2 mutations presenting with pure spastic paraplegia and lesions of the dentate nuclei.
Mutations in FARS2, the gene encoding the mitochondrial phenylalanine-tRNA synthetase (mtPheRS), have been linked to a range of phenotypes including epileptic encephalopathy, developmental delay, and motor dysfunction. We report a 9-year-old boy with novel compound heterozygous variants of FARS2, presenting with a pure spastic paraplegia syndrome associated with bilateral signal abnormalities in the dentate nuclei. Exome sequencing identified a paternal nonsense variant (Q216X) lacking the catalytic core and anticodon-binding regions, and a maternal missense variant (P136H) possessing partial enzymatic activity. This case confirms and expands the phenotype related to FARS2 mutations with regards to clinical presentation and neuroimaging findings
Forest Saccharomyces paradoxus are robust to seasonal biotic and abiotic changes
Microorganisms are famous for adapting quickly to new environments. However, most evidence for rapid microbial adaptation comes from laboratory experiments or domesticated environments, and it is unclear how rates of adaptation scale from human-influenced environments to the great diversity of wild microorganisms. We examined potential monthly-scale selective pressures in the model forest yeast Saccharomyces paradoxus. Contrary to expectations of seasonal adaptation, the S. paradoxus population was stable over four seasons in the face of abiotic and biotic environmental changes. While the S. paradoxus population was diverse, including 41 unique genotypes among 192 sampled isolates, there was no correlation between S. paradoxus genotypes and seasonal environments. Consistent with observations from other S. paradoxus populations, the forest population was highly clonal and inbred. This lack of recombination, paired with population stability, implies that S. paradoxus evolved the phenotypic plasticity needed to resist seasonal environmental fluctuations long ago, and that individual S. paradoxus are generalists with regard to seasonal environments. Similarly, while the forest population included diversity among phenotypes related to intraspecific interference competition, there was no evidence for active coevolution among these phenotypes. At least ten percent of the forest S. paradoxus individuals produced “}killer toxins{”, which kill sensitive Saccharomyces cells, but the presence of a toxin-producing isolate did not predict resistance to the toxin among nearby isolates. How forest yeasts acclimate to changing environments remains an open question, and future studies should investigate the physiological responses that allow microbial cells to cope with environmental fluctuations in their native habitats.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest
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