5,949 research outputs found
Finite Temperature Dynamics of the Spin 1/2 Bond Alternating Heisenberg Antiferromagnetic Chain
We present results for the dynamic structure factor of the S=1/2 bond
alternating Heisenberg chain over a large range of frequencies and
temperatures. Data are obtained from a numerical evaluation of thermal averages
based on the calculation of all eigenvalues and eigenfunctions for chains of up
to 20 spins. Interpretation is guided by the exact temperature dependence in
the noninteracting dimer limit which remains qualitatively valid up to an
interdimer exchange . The temperature induced central peak
around zero frequency is clearly identified and aspects of the crossover to
spin diffusion in its variation from low to high temperatures are discussed.
The one-magnon peak acquires an asymmetric shape with increasing temperature.
The two-magnon peak is dominated by the S=1 bound state which remains well
defined up to temperatures of the order of J. The variation with temperature
and wavevector of the integrated intensity for one and two magnon scattering
and of the central peak are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure
EDQNM closure: A homogeneous simulation to support it. A quasi-homogeneous simulation to disprove it
It is known that two-point closures are useful tools for understanding and predicting turbulence. Among the various closures, the Eddy Damped Quasi-Normal Markovian (EDQNM) approach is one of the simplest and, at the same time, most useful. Direct numerical simulations (DNS) can provide information that can be used to test the validity of two-point theories. It is the purpose of the present work to use DNS to validate, or improve upon, EDQNM. A case was selected for which EDQNM is known to give satisfactory results: homogeneous isotropic turbulence. Quantities were then evaluated which may be used to test the assumptions of two-point closure approximations: spectral Lagrangian time scales. The goal was to make a careful and refined study to validate the EDQNM theory. A reference case was built for which EDQNM is likely to give poor results. An attempt to generate a quasi-homogeneous turbulent field containing organized structures, was built by artifically injecting them in the initial conditions. The results of direct simulations using such initial conditions are expected to provide a challenge for EDQNM since this kind of field is simple enough to allow comparisons with two-point theories, but at the same time contains coherent structures which cannot be expected to be accurately accounted for by closures based on expansions about Gaussianity
Electronic, dynamical, and thermal properties of ultra-incompressible superhard rhenium diboride: A combined first-principles and neutron scattering study
Rhenium diboride is a recently recognized ultra-incompressible superhard
material. Here we report the electronic (e), phonon (p), e-p coupling and
thermal properties of ReB from first-principles density-functional theory
(DFT) calculations and neutron scattering measurements. Our calculated elastic
constants ( = 641 GPa, = 159 GPa, = 128 GPa,
= 1037 GPa, and = 271 GPa), bulk modulus ( 350 GPa) and
hardness ( 46 GPa) are in good agreement with the reported
experimental data. The calculated phonon density of states (DOS) agrees very
well with our neutron vibrational spectroscopy result. Electronic and phonon
analysis indicates that the strong covalent B-B and Re-B bonding is the main
reason for the super incompressibility and hardness of ReB. The thermal
expansion coefficients, calculated within the quasi-harmonic approximation and
measured by neutron powder diffraction, are found to be nearly isotropic in
and directions and only slightly larger than that of diamond in terms of
magnitude. The excellent agreement found between calculations and experimental
measurements indicate that first-principles calculations capture the main
interactions in this class of superhard materials, and thus can be used to
search, predict, and design new materials with desired properties.Comment: submitted to pr
Acute Liver Dysfunction Criteria in Critically Ill Children: The PODIUM Consensus Conference
CONTEXT
Develop evidence-based criteria for individual organ dysfunction.
OBJECTIVES
Evaluate current evidence and develop contemporary consensus criteria for acute liver dysfunction with associated outcomes in critically ill children.
DATA SOURCES
Electronic searches of PubMed and Embase conducted from January 1992 to January 2020, used medical subject heading terms and text words to characterize acute liver dysfunction and outcomes.
STUDY SELECTION
Studies evaluating critically ill children with acute liver dysfunction, assessed screening tools, and outcomes were included. Studies evaluating adults, infants ≤36 weeks gestational age, or animals or were reviews/commentaries, case series with sample size ≤10, or non-English language studies were excluded.
DATA EXTRACTION
Data were abstracted from each eligible study into a data extraction form along with risk of bias assessment by a task force member.
RESULTS
The systematic review supports criteria for acute liver dysfunction, in the absence of known chronic liver disease, as having onset of symptoms <8 weeks, combined with biochemical evidence of acute liver injury, and liver-based coagulopathy, with hepatic encephalopathy required for an international normalized ratio between 1.5 and 2.0.
LIMITATIONS
Unable to assess acute-on-chronic liver dysfunction, subjective nature of hepatic encephalopathy, relevant articles missed by reviewers.
CONCLUSIONS
Proposed criteria identify an infant, child, or adolescent who has reached a clinical threshold where any of the 3 outcomes (alive with native liver, death, or liver transplant) are possible and should prompt an urgent liaison with a recognized pediatric liver transplant center if liver failure is the principal driver of multiple organ dysfunction
Interferometric scattering enables fluorescence-free electrokinetic trapping of single nanoparticles in free solution
Anti-Brownian traps confine single particles in free solution by closed-loop
feedback forces that directly counteract Brownian motion. The extended-duration
measurement of trapped objects allows detailed characterization of
photophysical and transport properties, as well as observation of infrequent or
rare dynamics. However, this approach has been generally limited to particles
that can be tracked by fluorescent emission. Here we present the
Interferometric Scattering Anti-Brownian ELectrokinetic trap (ISABEL trap),
which uses interferometric scattering rather than fluorescence to monitor
particle position. By decoupling the ability to track (and therefore trap) a
particle from collection of its spectroscopic data, the ISABEL trap enables
confinement and extended study of single particles that do not fluoresce, that
only weakly fluoresce, or which exhibit intermittent fluorescence or
photobleaching. This new technique significantly expands the range of nanoscale
objects that may be investigated at the single-particle level in free solution.Comment: Manuscript and SI; videos available upon reques
Crystalline phases in chiral ferromagnets: Destabilization of helical order
In chiral ferromagnets, weak spin-orbit interactions twist the ferromagnetic
order into spirals, leading to helical order. We investigate an extended
Ginzburg-Landau theory of such systems where the helical order is destabilized
in favor of crystalline phases. These crystalline phases are based on periodic
arrangements of double-twist cylinders and are strongly reminiscent of blue
phases in liquid crystals. We discuss the relevance of such blue phases for the
phase diagram of the chiral ferromagnet MnSi.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures (published version
How much does teenage parenthood affect long term outcomes? A systematic review.
Background: The rates of teenage pregnancy in the UK are relatively high. Although early entry to parenthood can be a positive experience, most studies find large adverse effects on long term outcomes for the mother, child and father, in addition to being costly for the NHS. This is why the government launched its Teenage Pregnancy Strategy in 1999. However, there is growing evidence that teenage pregnancy might be mainly an indicator of disadvantage which is the underlying cause of the negative outcomes.
Methods: A systematic literature review was undertaken of studies which used a UK dataset to quantify any long term outcomes of a teenage birth upon the mother, father or child. Studies were included if they used appropriate methods to isolate the causal effect of early parenthood. The databases searched included Medline, Cochrane, EconLit and Web of Science.
Results: Six studies were identified by the review; five studies considered the mother’s socioeconomic outcomes, one study reported the child’s outcomes, and no studies met the inclusion criteria for the father’s outcomes. The studies suggested that early motherhood accounts for relatively few of the negative long term socioeconomic outcomes and it is predominantly an indicator of a disadvantaged family background.
Conclusion: Limited evidence is available to understand the long term outcomes associated with teenage birth within the UK for the mother, father and child. Current econometric studies suggest that effective interventions to prevent teenage pregnancies will not eradicate the poorer long term socioeconomic outcomes often associated with early motherhood. Thus policy should focus on reducing initial disadvantage in addition to preventing teenage pregnancy. Additional econometric analyses around the mothers’, fathers’ and children’s long term socioeconomic and health-related outcomes would be
valuable
A method of evaluating efficiency during space-suited work in a neutral buoyancy environment
The purpose was to investigate efficiency as related to the work transmission and the metabolic cost of various extravehicular activity (EVA) tasks during simulated microgravity (whole body water immersion) using three space suits. Two new prototype space station suits, AX-5 and MKIII, are pressurized at 57.2 kPa and were tested concurrently with the operationally used 29.6 kPa shuttle suit. Four male astronauts were asked to perform a fatigue trial on four upper extremity exercises during which metabolic rate and work output were measured and efficiency was calculated in each suit. The activities were selected to simulate actual EVA tasks. The test article was an underwater dynamometry system to which the astronauts were secured by foot restraints. All metabolic data was acquired, calculated, and stored using a computerized indirect calorimetry system connected to the suit ventilation/gas supply control console. During the efficiency testing, steady state metabolic rate could be evaluated as well as work transmitted to the dynamometer. Mechanical efficiency could then be calculated for each astronaut in each suit performing each movement
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