Improved precision with Hologic Apex software.

UnlabelledThe precision of Hologic Apex v2.0 analysis software is significantly improved from Hologic Delphi v11.2 software and is comparable to GE Lunar Prodigy v7.5 software. Apex and Delphi precisions were, respectively, 1.0% vs. 1.2% (L1-L4 spine), 1.l % vs. 1.3% (total femur), 1.6% vs. 1.9% (femoral neck), and 0.7% vs. 0.9% (dual total femur).IntroductionPrecision of bone mineral density (BMD) measurements by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is known to vary by manufacturer, model, and technologist. This study evaluated the precision of three analysis versions: Apex v2.0 and Delphi v11.2 (Hologic, Inc.), and Prodigy v7.5 (GE Healthcare, Inc.) independent of technologist skill.MethodsDuplicate spine and dual hip scans on 90 women were acquired on both Delphi and Prodigy DXA systems at three clinics. BMD measures were converted to standardized BMD (sBMD) units. Precision errors were described as a root-mean-square (RMS) standard deviations and RMS percent coefficients of variation across the population.ResultsApex and Delphi values were highly correlated (r ranged from 0.90 to 0.99). Excluding the right neck, the Apex precision error was found to be 20% to 25% lower than the Delphi (spine: 1.0% versus 1.2% (p < 0.05), total hip: 1.1% versus 1.3% (p < 0.05), right neck: 2.3% versus 2.6% (p > 0.1)). No statistically significant differences were found in the precision error of the Apex and Prodigy (p > 0.05) except for the right neck (2.3% versus 1.8% respectively, p = 0.03).ConclusionThe Apex software has significantly lower precision error compared to Delphi software with similar mean values, and similar precision to that of the Prodigy

One-loop approximation for the Heisenberg antiferromagnet

We use the diagram technique for spin operators to calculate Green's functions and observables of the spin-1/2 quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice. The first corrections to the self-energy and interaction are taken into account in the chain diagrams. The approximation reproduces main results of Takahashi's modified spin-wave theory [Phys. Rev. B 40, 2494 (1989)] and is applicable in a wider temperature range. The energy per spin calculated in this approximation is in good agreement with the Monte Carlo and small-cluster exact-diagonalization calculations in the range 0 <= T < 1.2J where J is the exchange constant. For the static uniform susceptibility the agreement is good for T < 0.6J and becomes somewhat worse for higher temperatures. Nevertheless the approximation is able to reproduce the maximum in the temperature dependence of the susceptibility near T = 0.9J.Comment: 15 pages, 6 ps figure

Temperature behavior of the magnon modes of the square lattice antiferromagnet

A spin-wave theory of short-range order in the square lattice Heisenberg antiferromagnet is formulated. With growing temperature from T=0 a gapless mode is shown to arise simultaneously with opening a gap in the conventional spin-wave mode. The spectral intensity is redistributed from the latter mode to the former. For low temperatures the theory reproduces results of the modified spin-wave theory by M.Takahashi, J.E.Hirsch et al. and without fitting parameters gives values of observables in good agreement with Monte Carlo results in the temperature range 0 <= T < 0.8J where J is the exchange constant.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure

Corticothalamic projections control synchronization in locally coupled bistable thalamic oscillators

Thalamic circuits are able to generate state-dependent oscillations of different frequencies and degrees of synchronization. However, only little is known how synchronous oscillations, like spindle oscillations in the thalamus, are organized in the intact brain. Experimental findings suggest that the simultaneous occurrence of spindle oscillations over widespread territories of the thalamus is due to the corticothalamic projections, as the synchrony is lost in the decorticated thalamus. Here we study the influence of corticothalamic projections on the synchrony in a thalamic network, and uncover the underlying control mechanism, leading to a control method which is applicable in wide range of stochastic driven excitable units.Comment: 4 pages with 4 figures (Color online on p.3-4) include

Cyclotron effect on coherent spin precession of two-dimensional electrons

We investigate the spin dynamics of high-mobility two-dimensional electrons in GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells grown along the $[001]$ and $[110]$ directions by time-resolved Faraday rotation at low temperatures. In measurements on the $(001)$-grown structures without external magnetic fields, we observe coherent oscillations of the electron spin polarization about the effective spin-orbit field. In non-quantizing magnetic fields applied normal to the sample plane, the cyclotron motion of the electrons rotates the effective spin-orbit field. This rotation leads to fast oscillations in the spin polarization about a non-zero value and a strong increase in the spin dephasing time in our experiments. These two effects are absent in the $(110)$-grown structure due to the different symmetry of its effective spin-orbit field. The measurements are in excellent agreement with our theoretical model.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Pressure-Induced Magnetic Quantum Phase Transitions from Gapped Ground State in TlCuCl3

Magnetization maesurements under hydrostatic pressure were performed on an S=1/2 coupled spin system TlCuCl3 with a gapped ground state under magnetic field H parallel to the [2,0,1] direction. With increasing applied pressure P, the gap decreases and closes completely at Pc=0.42 kbar. For P>Pc, TlCuCl3 undergoes antiferromagnetic ordering. A spin-flop transition was observed at Hsf=0.7T. The spin-flop field is approximately independent of pressure, although the sublattice magnetization increases with pressure. The gap and Neel temperature are presented as function is attributed to to the relative enhancement of the interdimer exchange interactions compared with the intradimer exchange interaction.Comment: 4pages,3figures To be published in J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. Vol.73 No.1

Ehrenfest relations and magnetoelastic effects in field-induced ordered phases

Magnetoelastic properties in field-induced magnetic ordered phases are studied theoretically based on a Ginzburg-Landau theory. A critical field for the field-induced ordered phase is obtained as a function of temperature and pressure, which determine the phase diagram. It is found that magnetic field dependence of elastic constant decreases discontinuously at the critical field, Hc, and that it decreases linearly with field in the ordered phase (H>Hc). We found an Ehrenfest relation between the field dependence of the elastic constant and the pressure dependence of critical field. Our theory provides the theoretical form for magnetoelastic properties in field- and pressure-induced ordered phases.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure