Multi-disciplinary Investigation of the Windows of John Thornton, focusing on the Great East Window of York Minster

Twenty-seven samples of glass from panel 2e of John Thornton’s Great East Window (1405–1408) at York Minster have been analyzed using energy dispersive x-ray analysis in the scanning electron microscope. This paper highlights our findings. Inserts and replacements of early modern and medieval glass have been identifi ed. White (colorless) and colored medieval glass differ significantly in composition, suggesting diff erent sources. Eleven samples of white glass original to the window are identical within analytical error, suggesting they came from the same batch, but the head of Christ is from another panel. Blue and flashed red glass were each the product of more than one batch of melting. Primarily, the condition of the glass is dependent upon silica content. Further investigations of other panels from the Great East Window, and of other windows by Thornton, are ongoing

Transmission and Reflection of Bose-Einstein Condensates Incident on a Gaussian Potential Barrier

We investigate how Bose-Einstein condensates, whose initial state is either irrotational or contains a single vortex, scatter off a one-dimensional Gaussian potential barrier. We find that for low atom densities the vortex structure within the condensate is maintained during scattering, whereas at medium and high densities, multiple additional vortices can be created by the scattering process, resulting in complex dynamics and disruption of the atom cloud. This disruption originates from two different mechanisms associated respectively with the initial rotation of the atom cloud and the interference between the incident and reflected matter waves. We investigate how the reflection probability depends on the vorticity of the initial state and on the incident velocity of the Bose-Einstein condensate. To interpret our results, we derive a general analytical expression for the reflection coefficient of a rotating Bose-Einstein condensate that scatters off a spatially-varying one-dimensional potential.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure

An automata characterisation for multiple context-free languages

We introduce tree stack automata as a new class of automata with storage and identify a restricted form of tree stack automata that recognises exactly the multiple context-free languages.Comment: This is an extended version of a paper with the same title accepted at the 20th International Conference on Developments in Language Theory (DLT 2016

Negative Differential Resistivity and Positive Temperature Coefficient of Resistivity effect in the diffusion limited current of ferroelectric thin film capacitors

We present a model for the leakage current in ferroelectric thin- film capacitors which explains two of the observed phenomena that have escaped satisfactory explanation, i.e. the occurrence of either a plateau or negative differential resistivity at low voltages, and the observation of a Positive Temperature Coefficient of Resistivity (PTCR) effect in certain samples in the high-voltage regime. The leakage current is modelled by considering a diffusion-limited current process, which in the high-voltage regime recovers the diffusion-limited Schottky relationship of Simmons already shown to be applicable in these systems

Effect of spin-orbit coupling on the excitation spectrum of Andreev billiards

We consider the effect of spin-orbit coupling on the low energy excitation spectrum of an Andreev billiard (a quantum dot weakly coupled to a superconductor), using a dynamical numerical model (the spin Andreev map). Three effects of spin-orbit coupling are obtained in our simulations: In zero magnetic field: (1) the narrowing of the distribution of the excitation gap; (2) the appearance of oscillations in the average density of states. In strong magnetic field: (3) the appearance of a peak in the average density of states at zero energy. All three effects have been predicted by random-matrix theory.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Response to a rabies epidemic in Bali, Indonesia

Emergency vaccinations and culling failed to contain an outbreak of rabies in Bali, Indonesia, during 2008–2009. Subsequent island-wide mass vaccination (reaching 70% coverage, >200,000 dogs) led to substantial declines in rabies incidence and spread. However, the incidence of dog bites remains high, and repeat campaigns are necessary to eliminate rabies in Bali

The role of atrial natriuretic peptide to attenuate inflammation in a mouse skin wound and individually perfused rat mesenteric microvessels.

We tested the hypothesis that the anti-inflammatory actions of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) result from the modulation of leukocyte adhesion to inflamed endothelium and not solely ANP ligation of endothelial receptors to stabilize endothelial barrier function. We measured vascular permeability to albumin and accumulation of fluorescent neutrophils in a full-thickness skin wound on the flank of LysM-EGFP mice 24 h after formation. Vascular permeability in individually perfused rat mesenteric microvessels was also measured after leukocytes were washed out of the vessel lumen. Thrombin increased albumin permeability and increased the accumulation of neutrophils. The thrombin-induced inflammatory responses were attenuated by pretreating the wound with ANP (30 min). During pretreatment ANP did not lower permeability, but transiently increased baseline albumin permeability concomitant with the reduction in neutrophil accumulation. ANP did not attenuate acute increases in permeability to histamine and bradykinin in individually perfused rat microvessels. The hypothesis that anti-inflammatory actions of ANP depend solely on endothelial responses that stabilize the endothelial barrier is not supported by our results in either individually perfused microvessels in the absence of circulating leukocytes or the more chronic skin wound model. Our results conform to the alternate hypothesis that ANP modulates the interaction of leukocytes with the inflamed microvascular wall of the 24 h wound. Taken together with our previous observations that ANP reduces deformability of neutrophils and their strength of attachment, rolling, and transvascular migration, these observations provide the basis for additional investigations of ANP as an anti-inflammatory agent to modulate leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions

Problematyka badań witraży średniowiecznych

Na podstawie badań ponad 900 fragmentów średniowiecznych szkieł witrażowych, pochodzących z różnych miejsc i okresów (od XII do XVIw.), omówionych zostało kilka wybranych zagadnień związanych z metodyką badawczą i interpretacją wyników. Poruszona problematyka dotyczy dziewiętnastowiecznej restauracji witraży i ich współczesnej interpretacji, badań pojedynczej kwatery, okna i zespołu okien oraz szkieł barwnych. W ostatnim przypadku, dokładniej zostały omówione szkła czerwone oraz dwunastowieczne szkła niebieskie, wytwarzane przy użyciu rzymskich tesserae. / Research on more than 900 fragments of medieval stained glass from different places and periods (from the 12th to the 16th c.) gives grounds for a discussion of select issues connected with research methodology and interpretation of results. Topical issues concern 19th c. restoration of stained glass windows and their modern interpretation, research on particular panels, windows and sets of windows, as well as coloured glass, in the lattermost case especially red glass and 12th c. blue glass produced from Roman tesserae