592 research outputs found
All electromagnetic form factors
The electromagnetic form factors of spin-1/2 particles are known, but due to
historical reasons only half of them are found in many textbooks. Given the
importance of the general result, its model independence, its connection to
discrete symmetries and their violations we made an effort to derive and
present the general result based only on the knowledge of Dirac equation. We
discuss the phenomenology connected directly with the form factors, and spin
precession in external fields including time reversal violating terms. We apply
the formalism to spin-flip synchrotron radiation and suggest pedagogical
projects.Comment: Latex, 22 page
The Effects of Culture and Friendship on Rewarding Honesty and Punishing Deception
[SSCI2010 Impact Factor = 2.202]</p
Multi-field Inflation with a Random Potential
Motivated by the possibility of inflation in the cosmic landscape, which may
be approximated by a complicated potential, we study the density perturbations
in multi-field inflation with a random potential. The random potential causes
the inflaton to undergo a Brownian motion with a drift in the D-dimensional
field space. To quantify such an effect, we employ a stochastic approach to
evaluate the two-point and three-point functions of primordial perturbations.
We find that in the weakly random scenario the resulting power spectrum
resembles that of the single field slow-roll case, with up to 2% more red tilt.
The strongly random scenario, leads to rich phenomenologies, such as primordial
fluctuations in the power spectrum on all angular scales. Such features may
already be hiding in the error bars of observed CMB TT (as well as TE and EE)
power spectrum and can be detected or falsified with more data coming in the
future. The tensor power spectrum itself is free of fluctuations and the tensor
to scalar ratio is enhanced. In addition a large negative running of the power
spectral index is possible. Non-Gaussianity is generically suppressed by the
growth of adiabatic perturbations on super-horizon scales, but can possibly be
enhanced by resonant effects or arise from the entropic perturbations during
the onset of (p)reheating. The formalism developed in this paper can be applied
to a wide class of multi-field inflation models including, e.g. the N-flation
scenario.Comment: More clarifications and references adde
Multi-field Inflation with a Random Potential
Motivated by the possibility of inflation in the cosmic landscape, which may
be approximated by a complicated potential, we study the density perturbations
in multi-field inflation with a random potential. The random potential causes
the inflaton to undergo a Brownian motion with a drift in the D-dimensional
field space. To quantify such an effect, we employ a stochastic approach to
evaluate the two-point and three-point functions of primordial perturbations.
We find that in the weakly random scenario the resulting power spectrum
resembles that of the single field slow-roll case, with up to 2% more red tilt.
The strongly random scenario, leads to rich phenomenologies, such as primordial
fluctuations in the power spectrum on all angular scales. Such features may
already be hiding in the error bars of observed CMB TT (as well as TE and EE)
power spectrum and can be detected or falsified with more data coming in the
future. The tensor power spectrum itself is free of fluctuations and the tensor
to scalar ratio is enhanced. In addition a large negative running of the power
spectral index is possible. Non-Gaussianity is generically suppressed by the
growth of adiabatic perturbations on super-horizon scales, but can possibly be
enhanced by resonant effects or arise from the entropic perturbations during
the onset of (p)reheating. The formalism developed in this paper can be applied
to a wide class of multi-field inflation models including, e.g. the N-flation
scenario.Comment: More clarifications and references adde
Ultra-Wideband Dual-Polarized Patch Antenna With Four Capacitively Coupled Feeds
A novel dual-polarized patch antenna for ultra-wideband(UWB) applications is presented. The antenna consists of asquare patch and four capacitively coupled feeds to enhance theimpedance bandwidth. Each feed is formed by a vertical isoscelestrapezoidal patch and a horizontal isosceles triangular patch. Thefour feeds are connected to the microstrip lines that are printedon the bottom layer of the grounded FR4 substrate. Two taperedbaluns are utilized to excite the antenna to achieve high isolationbetween the ports and reduce the cross-polarization levels. In orderto increase the antenna gain and reduce the backward radiation,a compact surface mounted cavity is integrated with the antenna.The antenna prototype has achieved an impedance bandwidth of112% at (|S11 | ≤ -10 dB) whereas the coupling between thetwo ports is below -28 dB across the operating frequency range.The measured antenna gain varies from 3.91 to 10.2 dBi for port 1and from 3.38 to 9.21 dBi for port 2, with a 3-dB gain bandwidthof 107%
Fluorescent nanoparticles for sensing
Nanoparticle-based fluorescent sensors have emerged as a competitive
alternative to small molecule sensors, due to their excellent
fluorescence-based sensing capabilities. The tailorability of design,
architecture, and photophysical properties has attracted the attention of many
research groups, resulting in numerous reports related to novel nanosensors
applied in sensing a vast variety of biological analytes. Although
semiconducting quantum dots have been the best-known representative of
fluorescent nanoparticles for a long time, the increasing popularity of new
classes of organic nanoparticle-based sensors, such as carbon dots and
polymeric nanoparticles, is due to their biocompatibility, ease of synthesis,
and biofunctionalization capabilities. For instance, fluorescent gold and
silver nanoclusters have emerged as a less cytotoxic replacement for
semiconducting quantum dot sensors. This chapter provides an overview of recent
developments in nanoparticle-based sensors for chemical and biological sensing
and includes a discussion on unique properties of nanoparticles of different
composition, along with their basic mechanism of fluorescence, route of
synthesis, and their advantages and limitations
Citrate salts for preventing and treating calcium containing kidney stones in adults
Background: kidney stones affect people worldwide and have a high rate of recurrence even with treatment. Recurrences are particularly prevalent in people with low urinary citrate levels. These people have a higher incidence of calcium phosphate and calcium oxalate stones. Oral citrate therapy increases the urinary citrate levels, which in turn binds with calcium and inhibits the crystallisation thus reduces stone formation. Despite the widespread use of oral citrate therapy for prevention and treatment of calcium oxalate stones, the evidence to support its clinical efficacy remains uncertain.Objectives: the objective of this review was to determine the efficacy and adverse events associated with citrate salts for the treatment and prevention of calcium containing kidney stones.Search methods: we searched the Cochrane Kidney and Transplant Specialised Register to 29 July 2015 through contact with the Trials' Search Co-ordinator using search terms relevant to this review.Selection criteria: we included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that assessed the efficacy and adverse events associated with citrate salts for the treatment and prevention of calcium containing kidney stones in adults treated for a minimum of six months.Data collection and analysis: two authors assessed studies for inclusion in this review. Data were extracted according to predetermined criteria. Summary estimates of effect were obtained using a random-effects model, and results were expressed as risk ratios (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) for dichotomous outcomes, and mean difference (MD) and 95% CI for continuous outcomes.Main results: we included seven studies that included a total of 477 participants, most of whom had oxalate stones. Of these, three studies (247 participants) compared potassium citrate with placebo or no intervention; three (166 participants) compared potassium-sodium citrate with no intervention; and one (64 participants) compared potassium-magnesium citrate with placebo. Overall, quality of the reporting of the included studies was considered moderate to poor, and there was a high risk of attrition bias in two studies.Compared with placebo or no intervention, citrate therapy significantly reduced the stone size (4 studies, 160 participants: RR 2.35, 95% CI 1.36 to 4.05). New stone formation was significantly lower with citrate therapy compared to control (7 studies, 324 participants: RR 0.26, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.68). The beneficial effect on stone size stability was also evident (4 studies, 160 participants: RR 1.97, 95% CI 1.19 to 3.26). Adverse events were reported in four studies, with the main side effects being upper gastrointestinal disturbance and one patient reported a rash. There were more gastrointestinal adverse events in the citrate group; however this was not significant (4 studies, 271 participants: RR 2.55, 95% CI 0.71 to 9.16). There were significantly more dropouts due to adverse events with citrate therapy compared to control (4 studies, 271 participants: RR 4.45, 95% CI 1.28 to 15.50). The need for retreatment was significantly less with citrate therapy compared to control (2 studies, 157 participants: RR 0.22, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.89).Author's conclusions: nitrate salts prevent new stone formation and reduce further stone growth in patients with residual stones that predominantly contain oxalate. The quality of reported literature remains moderate to poor; hence a well-designed statistically powered multi-centre RCT is needed in order to answer relevant questions concerning the efficacy of citrate salts.</p
Loss of heterozygosity at 9q33 and hypermethylation of the DBCCR1 gene in oral squamous cell carcinoma
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