Dislocation-induced superfluidity in a model supersolid

Motivated by recent experiments on the supersolid behavior of $^4$He, we study the effect of an edge dislocation in promoting superfluidity in a Bose crystal. Using Landau theory, we couple the elastic strain field of the dislocation to the superfluid density, and use a linear analysis to show that superfluidity nucleates on the dislocation before occurring in the bulk of the solid. Moving beyond the linear analysis, we develop a systematic perturbation theory in the weakly nonlinear regime, and use this method to integrate out transverse degrees of freedom and derive a one-dimensional Landau equation for the superfluid order parameter. We then extend our analysis to a network of dislocation lines, and derive an XY model for the dislocation network by integrating over fluctuations in the order parameter. Our results show that the ordering temperature for the network has a sensitive dependence on the dislocation density, consistent with numerous experiments that find a clear connection between the sample quality and the supersolid response.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figure

Charting the protein complexome in yeast by mass spectrometry

It has become evident over the past few years that many complex cellular processes, including control of the cell cycle and ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis, are carried out by sophisticated multisubunit protein machines that are dynamic in abundance, post-translational modification state, and composition. To understand better the nature of the macromolecular assemblages that carry out the cell cycle and ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis, we have used mass spectrometry extensively over the past few years to characterize both the composition of various protein complexes and the modification states of their subunits. In this article we review some of our recent efforts, and describe a promising new approach for using mass spectrometry to dissect protein interaction networks

Dynamic equation for quantum Hall bilayers with spontaneous interlayer coherence: The low-density limit

The bilayer systems exhibit the Bose-Einstein condensation of excitons that emerge due to Coulomb pairing of electrons belonging to one layer with the holes belonging to the other layer. Here we present the microscopic derivation of the dynamic equation for the condensate wave function at a low density of electron-hole ($e-h$) pairs in a strong magnetic field perpendicular to the layers and an electric field directed along the layers. From this equation we obtain the dispersion law for collective excitations of the condensate and calculate the electric charge of the vortex in the exciton condensate. The critical interlayer spacing, the excess of which leads to a collapse of the superfluid state, is estimated. In bilayer systems with curved conducting layers, the effective mass of the $e-h$ pair becomes the function of the $e-h$ pair coordinates, the regions arise, where the energy of the $e-h$ pair is lowered (exciton traps), and lastly $e-h$ pairs can gain the polarization in the basal plane. This polarization leads to the appearance of quantized vortices even at zero temperature.Comment: 8 page

Drag of superfluid current in bilayer Bose systems

An effect of nondissipative drag of a superfluid flow in a system of two Bose gases confined in two parallel quasi two-dimensional traps is studied. Using an approach based on introduction of density and phase operators we compute the drag current at zero and finite temperatures for arbitrary ratio of densities of the particles in the adjacent layers. We demonstrate that in a system of two ring-shape traps the "drag force" influences on the drag trap in the same way as an external magnetic flux influences on a superconducting ring. It allows to use the drag effect to control persistent current states in superfluids and opens a possibility for implementing a Bose analog of the superconducting Josephson flux qubit.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, new section is added, refs are adde

UK pension sustainability and fund manager governance: agent duties to the principal

Sustainable investing includes the application of non-financial (Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)) criteria to asset selection in institutional investor portfolios (Capelle-Blancard and Mojon 2011). The article explores the implications for applying ESG screening to the institutional investors making the asset selections. Institutional investors are a heterogeneous group of investors, with fund managers specifically being some of the largest listed organisations globally (Ingley and van der Walt 2004). Whether their own corporate management duties to fiduciary governance (the G in ESG) benefiting their shareholders has any material impact on the financial returns outcomes of the pension asset management contract, and specifically whether there is a fiduciary conflict favouring of the exclusive best interest of fund management shareholders is the question addressed by the paper

Electromagnetic force density in dissipative isotropic media

We derive an expression for the macroscopic force density that a narrow-band electromagnetic field imposes on a dissipative isotropic medium. The result is obtained by averaging the microscopic form for Lorentz force density. The derived expression allows us to calculate realistic electromagnetic forces in a wide range of materials that are described by complex-valued electric permittivity and magnetic permeability. The three-dimensional energy-momentum tensor in our expression reduces for lossless media to the so-called Helmholtz tensor that has not been contradicted in any experiment so far. The momentum density of the field does not coincide with any well-known expression, but for non-magnetic materials it matches the Abraham expression

Competing ideologies of Russia's civil society

Many analysts and public opinion makers in the West conflate the notions of Russia’s non-systemic liberal opposition and the country’s civil society. Indeed, despite garnering the support of a minority of Russia’s population, non-systemic liberal opposition represents a well-organized civic group with a clearly articulated agenda and the ability to take action. Yet, does Russia’s civil society end there? A closer look at the country’s politics shows that Russia has a substantial conservative-traditionalist faction that has also developed agenda for action and formulated opinions. This group is anti-liberal rather than illiberal ideologically and pro-strong state/pro a geopolitically independent Russia rather than pro-Kremlin politically. The interaction between liberal and conservative civic groups represents the battle of meanings, ideas, and ethics, and ultimately determines the future trajectory of Russia’s evolution. Thus, the analysis of Russia’s civil society must represent a rather more nuanced picture than a mere study of the liberal non-systemic opposition. This article will examine the complexity of Russia’s civil society scene with reference to the interplay between the liberal opposition and conservative majority factions. The paper will argue that such complexity stems from ideological value pluralism that falls far beyond the boundaries of the liberal consensus, often skewing our understanding of political practice in Russia