Off-Shell NN Potential and Triton Binding Energy

The NONLOCAL Bonn-B potential predicts 8.0 MeV binding energy for the triton (in a charge-dependent 34-channel Faddeev calculation) which is about 0.4 MeV more than the predictions by LOCAL NN potentials. We pin down origin and size of the nonlocality in the Bonn potential, in analytic and numeric form. The nonlocality is due to the use of the correct off-shell Feynman amplitude of one-boson-exchange avoiding the commonly used on-shell approximations which yield the local potentials. We also illustrate how this off-shell behavior leads to more binding energy. We emphasize that the increased binding energy is not due to on-shell differences (differences in the fit of the NN data or phase shifts). In particular, the Bonn-B potential reproduces accurately the $\epsilon_1$ mixing parameter up to 350 MeV as determined in the recent Nijmegen multi-energy NN phase-shift analysis. Adding the relativistic effect from the relativistic nucleon propagators in the Faddeev equations, brings the Bonn-B result up to 8.2 MeV triton binding. This leaves a difference of only 0.3 MeV to experiment, which may possibly be explained by refinements in the treatment of relativity and the inclusion of other nonlocalities (e.~g., quark-gluon exchange at short range). Thus, it is conceivable that a realistic NN potential which describes the NN data up to 300 MeV correctly may explain the triton binding energy without recourse to 3-N forces; relativity would play a major role for this result.Comment: 5 pages LaTeX and 2 figures (hardcopies, available upon reqest), UI-NTH-940

Geometric Phase, Hannay's Angle, and an Exact Action Variable

Canonical structure of a generalized time-periodic harmonic oscillator is studied by finding the exact action variable (invariant). Hannay's angle is defined if closed curves of constant action variables return to the same curves in phase space after a time evolution. The condition for the existence of Hannay's angle turns out to be identical to that for the existence of a complete set of (quasi)periodic wave functions. Hannay's angle is calculated, and it is shown that Berry's relation of semiclassical origin on geometric phase and Hannay's angle is exact for the cases considered.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. (revised version

Affordances of PDAs: Undergraduate Student Perceptions

This paper reports on an empirical study of undergraduate students’ exploration and use of PDAs for educational purposes over a period of six months. In previous studies, educational applications of PDAs have focused mainly on exploring designed research or experiments, in which students have used this technology for prescribed learning tasks. Students have fewer opportunities to explore how PDAs can be used effectively for general educational and study purposes. How students perceive and use PDAs on their own is not well understood. This study explores student understandings and use of PDAs to support their academic studies at a university. It investigates students’ free exploration and use of PDAs for various educational purposes through applying rich, descriptive qualitative research methodology. Two cases are reported in this study. Data collection methods included: interviews with students, a review of student artifacts created using the PDA, student electronic journals and observation of student PDA uses. Seven emerging categories of PDA affordances were identified. They include: multimedia collection, multimedia access, communication, scheduling, data processing , connectivity and representation. Each category is presented both at rich descriptive and interpretive levels. I mplications regarding findings are explored.published_or_final_versio

Using PDA for undergraduate student incidental vocabulary testing

Recent studies have explored English vocabulary learning in environments where students used mobile technologies for prescribed vocabulary learning tasks, or tested designed personalized learning systems to enhance student vocabulary learning for short periods of time in language related courses. Dictionary use via mobile devices has mostly been used for referential purposes. Referential use refers to applications that provide student access to content such as dictionaries, e-books, etc. at places where learning activities occur, taking advantage of the portability and mobility of mobile devices. Research on free student use of mobile devices to foster incidental vocabulary learning in non-English courses remains scant, and no in-depth studies have been carried out to investigate the value of dictionary use on mobile devices for incidental vocabulary learning in higher education. This one-year multiple-case study investigated undergraduate students’ dictionary and other uses of Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to enhance their incidental vocabulary learning in an English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) university. The research findings show: (a) the students made various uses of the PDA to improve their vocabulary learning, namely, referential, situated, constructive, reflective, explorative and conversing uses, (b) the students adopted integrated uses of the tools on the PDA and the computer for their incidental vocabulary learning, and (c) the integrated use of the PDA and the computer shaped the vocabulary learning activities and vice versa. These research results indicate that PDAs can be used in more flexible, novel and extended ways for English as a Foreign Language (EFL) vocabulary teaching and learning in higher education, taking student needs and contexts into consideration.published_or_final_versio

3D Depthwise Convolution: Reducing Model Parameters in 3D Vision Tasks

Standard 3D convolution operations require much larger amounts of memory and computation cost than 2D convolution operations. The fact has hindered the development of deep neural nets in many 3D vision tasks. In this paper, we investigate the possibility of applying depthwise separable convolutions in 3D scenario and introduce the use of 3D depthwise convolution. A 3D depthwise convolution splits a single standard 3D convolution into two separate steps, which would drastically reduce the number of parameters in 3D convolutions with more than one order of magnitude. We experiment with 3D depthwise convolution on popular CNN architectures and also compare it with a similar structure called pseudo-3D convolution. The results demonstrate that, with 3D depthwise convolutions, 3D vision tasks like classification and reconstruction can be carried out with more light-weighted neural networks while still delivering comparable performances.Comment: Work in progres

Using handheld pocket computers in a wireless telemedicine system

Objectives: To see if senior emergency nurse practitioners can provide support to inexperienced ones in a Minor Injuries Unit by using a wireless LAN system of telemedicine transmitting images to a PDA when they were on duty. In addition, whether such a system could be sufficiently accurate to make clinical diagnoses with a high level of diagnostic confidence. This would permit an overall lower grade of nurse to be employed to manage most of the cases as they arrive with a proportionate lowering of costs. Methods: The wireless LAN equipment could roam in the Minor Injuries Unit and the experienced emergency Nurse practitioners could be at home, shopping or even at a considerable distance from the centre. Thirty pictorial images of patients who had been sent to the Review Clinic were transmitted to a PDA various distances of one to sixteen miles from the centre. Two senior emergency nurse practitioners viewed the images and opined on the diagnosis, their degree of confidence in the diagnosis and their opinion of the quality of the image. Results: the images of patients were sharp, clear, and of diagnostic quality. The image quality was only uncertain, as was the level of confidence of the diagnosis if the patient was very dark skinned. Conclusions: The wireless LAN system works with a remote PDA in this clinical situation. However there are question marks over the availability of enough experienced emergency nurse practitioners to staff a service that provides senior cover for longer parts of the day and at weekends

Monolithic arrays of surface emitting laser NOR logic devices

Monolithic, cascadable, laser-logic-device arrays have been realized and characterized. The monolithic surface-emitting laser logic (SELL) device consists of an AlGaAs superlattice lasing around 780 nm connected to a heterojunction phototransistor (HPT) in parallel and a resistor in series. Arrays up to 8×8 have been fabricated, and 2×2 arrays show uniform characteristics. The optical logic output is switched off with 40 μW incident optical input

Anomalies in non-stoichiometric uranium dioxide induced by pseudo-phase transition of point defects

A uniform distribution of point defects in an otherwise perfect crystallographic structure usually describes a unique pseudo phase of that state of a non-stoichiometric material. With off-stoichiometric uranium dioxide as a prototype, we show that analogous to a conventional phase transition, these pseudo phases also will transform from one state into another via changing the predominant defect species when external conditions of pressure, temperature, or chemical composition are varied. This exotic transition is numerically observed along shock Hugoniots and isothermal compression curves in UO2 with first-principles calculations. At low temperatures, it leads to anomalies (or quasi-discontinuities) in thermodynamic properties and electronic structures. In particular, the anomaly is pronounced in both shock temperature and the specific heat at constant pressure. With increasing of the temperature, however, it transforms gradually to a smooth cross-over, and becomes less discernible. The underlying physical mechanism and characteristics of this type of transition are encoded in the Gibbs free energy, and are elucidated clearly by analyzing the correlation with the variation of defect populations as a function of pressure and temperature. The opportunities and challenges for a possible experimental observation of this phase change are also discussed.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Monolithic arrays of surface emitting laser NOR logic devices

Monolithic, cascadable, laser-logic-device arrays have been realized and characterized. The monolithic surface-emitting laser logic (SELL) device consists of an AlGaAs superlattice lasing around 780 nm connected to a heterojunction phototransistor (HPT) in parallel and a resistor in series. Arrays up to 8×8 have been fabricated, and 2×2 arrays show uniform characteristics. The optical logic output is switched off with 40 μW incident optical input