Isotopic Grand Unification with the Inclusion of Gravity (revised version)

We introduce a dual lifting of unified gauge theories, the first characterized by the isotopies, which are axiom- preserving maps into broader structures with positive-definite generalized units used for the representation of matter under the isotopies of the Poincare' symmetry, and the second characterized by the isodualities, which are anti-isomorphic maps with negative-definite generalized units used for the representation of antimatter under the isodualities of the Poincare' symmetry. We then submit, apparently for the first time, a novel grand unification with the inclusion of gravity for matter embedded in the generalized positive-definite units of unified gauge theories while gravity for antimatter is embedded in the isodual isounit. We then show that the proposed grand unification provides realistic possibilities for a resolution of the axiomatic incompatibilities between gravitation and electroweak interactions due to curvature, antimatter and the fundamental space-time symmetries.Comment: 20 pages, Latex, revised in various details and with added reference

Heavy electrons: Electron droplets generated by photogalvanic and pyroelectric effects

Electron clusters, X-rays and nanosecond radio-frequency pulses are produced by 100 mW continuous-wave laser illuminating ferroelectric crystal of LiNbO_3. A long-living stable electron droplet with the size of about 100 mcm has freely moved with the velocity 0.5 cm/s in the air near the surface of the crystal experiencing the Earth gravitational field. The microscopic model of cluster stability, which is based on submicroscopic mechanics developed in the real physical space, is suggested. The role of a restraining force plays the inerton field, a substructure of the particles' matter waves, which a solitary one can elastically withstand the Coulomb repulsion of electrons. It is shown that electrons in the droplet are heavy electrons whose mass at least 1 million of times exceeds the rest mass of free electron. Application for X-ray imaging and lithography is discussed.Comment: 15 p., 3 fig

Characterization of TiAlSiN/TiAlSiON/SiO2 optical stack designed by modelling calculations for solar selective applications

Preparation and characterization of TiAlSiN/TiAlSiON/SiO2 solar selective absorber is reported in this contribution. All layers were deposited in a continuous mode using a industrial equipment, the nitride and oxynitride were prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering and the SiO2 layer by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition. The optical constants of individual layers were calculated by modelling of spectral transmittance and reflectance of the individual layers. The three layer stack absorber was then designed using those optical properties. The thickness of the individual layers was optimized until a solar absorptance of 96% was obtained resulting in a total thickness of about 200 nm, deposited in copper and extruded aluminium absorbers. An emissivity of 5 % for an absorber temperature of 100 ºC was obtained by analyzing the measuring data from a FTIR spectrometer with integrating sphere. After test duration of 600 h, the samples subjected to a thermal annealing at 278 ºC in air showed a performance criterion (PC) below 4% for, while the samples in the humidity tests showed a PC below 2 %.Savo Sola

Solar selective absorbers based on Al2O3:W cermets and AlSiN/AlSiON layers

Solar selective coatings based on double Al2O3:W cermet layers and AlSiN/AlSiON bilayer structures were prepared by magnetron sputtering. Both were deposited on stainless steel substrates using a metallic tungsten (W) layer as back reflector. The coating stacks were completed by an antireflection (AR) layer composed of Al2O3, SiO2, or AlSiOx. Spectrophotometer measurements, X-Ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy and Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry were used to characterize the optical properties, crystalline structure, morphology and composition of these coatings. The spectral optical constants of the single layers were calculated from the reflectance and transmittance measurements and used to design the optical stack. The coatings exhibit a solar absorptance of 93%-95% and an emissivity of 7%-10% (at 400 ºC). The coatings also exhibit excellent thermal stability, with small changes in the optical properties of the coating during heat-treatments at 400 ºC in air for 2500 h and at 580 ºC in vacuum for 850 h. The coating based on the AlSiN/AlSiON bilayer structure was obtained with an Al:Si ratio of 2.5:1. These coatings revealed similar performance as the one obtained with coatings based on Al2O3:W cermet layers.The authors acknowledge the funding from the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, Tekes, and from FEDER funds through the “Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade – COMPETE” and from national funds by FCT- “Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia”, under project no. PEst-C/FIS/UI0607/2011.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Burkitt's lymphoma mimicking EBV disease as first sign of vertical HIV infection in an adolescent

Burkitt's Lymphoma (BL) rarely represents the first clinical manifestation of vertical HIV infection in adolescent in Western Europe. We report the case of a 17 year-old boy with two week history of fever and enlarged cervical lymph nodes firstly misdiagnosed as EBV infection, subsequently diagnosed as Burkitt's Lymphoma and vertical HIV infection

Analytic Controllability of Time-Dependent Quantum Control Systems

The question of controllability is investigated for a quantum control system in which the Hamiltonian operator components carry explicit time dependence which is not under the control of an external agent. We consider the general situation in which the state moves in an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space, a drift term is present, and the operators driving the state evolution may be unbounded. However, considerations are restricted by the assumption that there exists an analytic domain, dense in the state space, on which solutions of the controlled Schrodinger equation may be expressed globally in exponential form. The issue of controllability then naturally focuses on the ability to steer the quantum state on a finite-dimensional submanifold of the unit sphere in Hilbert space -- and thus on analytic controllability. A relatively straightforward strategy allows the extension of Lie-algebraic conditions for strong analytic controllability derived earlier for the simpler, time-independent system in which the drift Hamiltonian and the interaction Hamiltonia have no intrinsic time dependence. Enlarging the state space by one dimension corresponding to the time variable, we construct an augmented control system that can be treated as time-independent. Methods developed by Kunita can then be implemented to establish controllability conditions for the one-dimension-reduced system defined by the original time-dependent Schrodinger control problem. The applicability of the resulting theorem is illustrated with selected examples.Comment: 13 page

Longitudinal Analysis of Quality of Life, Clinical, Radiographic, Echocardiographic, and Laboratory Variables in Dogs with Preclinical Myxomatous Mitral Valve Disease Receiving Pimobendan or Placebo: The EPIC Study

Background: Changes in clinical variables associated with the administration of pimobendan to dogs with preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) and cardiomegaly have not been described. Objectives: To investigate the effect of pimobendan on clinical variables and the relationship between a change in heart size and the time to congestive heart failure (CHF) or cardiac-related death (CRD) in dogs with MMVD and cardiomegaly. To determine whether pimobendan-treated dogs differ from dogs receiving placebo at onset of CHF. Animals: Three hundred and fifty-four dogs with MMVD and cardiomegaly. Materials and Methods: Prospective, blinded study with dogs randomized (ratio 1:1) to pimobendan (0.4-0.6 mg/kg/d) or placebo. Clinical, laboratory, and heart-size variables in both groups were measured and compared at different time points (day 35 and onset of CHF) and over the study duration. Relationships between short-term changes in echocardiographic variables and time to CHF or CRD were explored. Results: At day 35, heart size had reduced in the pimobendan group:median change in (Delta) LVIDDN -0.06 (IQR:-0.15 to + 0.02), P < 0.0001, and LA:Ao -0.08 (IQR:-0.23 to + 0.03), P < 0.0001. Reduction in heart size was associated with increased time to CHF or CRD. Hazard ratio for a 0.1 increase in Delta LVIDDN was 1.26, P = 0.0003. Hazard ratio for a 0.1 increase in Delta LA:Ao was 1.14, P = 0.0002. At onset of CHF, groups were similar. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Pimobendan treatment reduces heart size. Reduced heart size is associated with improved outcome. At the onset of CHF, dogs treated with pimobendan were indistinguishable from those receiving placebo