osp(1|2) Conformal Field Theory

We review some results recently obtained for the conformal field theories based on the affine Lie superalgebra osp(1|2). In particular, we study the representation theory of the osp(1|2) current algebras and their character formulas. By means of a free field representation of the conformal blocks, we obtain the structure constants and the fusion rules of the model. (Lecture delivered at the CERN-Santiago de Compostela-La Plata Meeting, "Trends in Theoretical Physics", La Plata, Argentina, April-May 1997).Comment: 16 pages, 1 figure, LaTe

Structure of penetrable-rod fluids: Exact properties and comparison between Monte Carlo simulations and two analytic theories

Bounded potentials are good models to represent the effective two-body interaction in some colloidal systems, such as dilute solutions of polymer chains in good solvents. The simplest bounded potential is that of penetrable spheres, which takes a positive finite value if the two spheres are overlapped, being 0 otherwise. Even in the one-dimensional case, the penetrable-rod model is far from trivial, since interactions are not restricted to nearest neighbors and so its exact solution is not known. In this paper we first derive the exact correlation functions of penetrable-rod fluids to second order in density at any temperature, as well as in the high-temperature and zero-temperature limits at any density. Next, two simple analytic theories are constructed: a high-temperature approximation based on the exact asymptotic behavior in the limit $T\to\infty$ and a low-temperature approximation inspired by the exact result in the opposite limit $T\to 0$. Finally, we perform Monte Carlo simulations for a wide range of temperatures and densities to assess the validity of both theories. It is found that they complement each other quite well, exhibiting a good agreement with the simulation data within their respective domains of applicability and becoming practically equivalent on the borderline of those domains. A perspective on the extension of both approaches to the more realistic three-dimensional case is provided.Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures, 4 tables: v2: minor changes; published final versio

Knowledge and attitude towards the gradual reduction of salt in bread – an online survey

Aim: Assess knowledge and attitude towards the gradual reduction of salt in bread and the potential impact on eating habits of children (6-18 years) and their families, as part as a Health Impact Assessment pilot study.N/

Antiresonance and interaction-induced localization in spin and qubit chains with defects

We study a spin chain with an anisotropic XXZ coupling in an external field. Such a chain models several proposed types of a quantum computer. The chain contains a defect with a different on-site energy. The interaction between excitations is shown to lead to two-excitation states localized next to the defect. In a resonant situation scattering of excitations on each other might cause decay of an excitation localized on the defect. We find that destructive quantum interference suppresses this decay. Numerical results confirm the analytical predictions.Comment: Updated versio