7,198 research outputs found
Quantum Phase Transitions in Coupled Dimer Compounds
We study the critical properties in cubic systems of antiferromagnetically
coupled spin dimers near magnetic-field induced quantum phase transitions. The
quantum critical points in the zero-temperature phase diagrams are determined
from quantum Monte Carlo simulations. Furthermore, scaling properties of the
uniform magnetization and the staggered transverse magnetization across the
quantum phase transition in magnetic fields are calculated. The critical
exponents are derived from Ginzburg-Landau theory. We find excellent agreement
between the quantum Monte Carlo simulations and the analytical results.Comment: 7 pages, 9 eps-figure
Microfluidics-based approaches to the isolation of African trypanosomes
African trypanosomes are responsible for significant levels of disease in both humans and animals. The protozoan parasites are free-living flagellates, usually transmitted by arthropod vectors, including the tsetse fly. In the mammalian host they live in the bloodstream and, in the case of human-infectious species, later invade the central nervous system. Diagnosis of the disease requires the positive identification of parasites in the bloodstream. This can be particularly challenging where parasite numbers are low, as is often the case in peripheral blood. Enriching parasites from body fluids is an important part of the diagnostic pathway. As more is learned about the physicochemical properties of trypanosomes, this information can be exploited through use of different microfluidic-based approaches to isolate the parasites from blood or other fluids. Here, we discuss recent advances in the use of microfluidics to separate trypanosomes from blood and to isolate single trypanosomes for analyses including drug screening
Maternal and perinatal mortality figures in 249 South African hospitals 1988 - 1992
No Abstract
Constructing Mutually Unbiased Bases in Dimension Six
The density matrix of a qudit may be reconstructed with optimal efficiency if
the expectation values of a specific set of observables are known. In dimension
six, the required observables only exist if it is possible to identify six
mutually unbiased complex 6x6 Hadamard matrices. Prescribing a first Hadamard
matrix, we construct all others mutually unbiased to it, using algebraic
computations performed by a computer program. We repeat this calculation many
times, sampling all known complex Hadamard matrices, and we never find more
than two that are mutually unbiased. This result adds considerable support to
the conjecture that no seven mutually unbiased bases exist in dimension six.Comment: As published version. Added discussion of the impact of numerical
approximations and corrected the number of triples existing for non-affine
families (cf Table 3
Efficient generation of neural stem cell-like cells from adult human bone marrow stromal cells
Clonogenic neural stem cells (NSCs) are self-renewing cells that maintain the capacity to differentiate into brain-specific cell types, and may also replace or repair diseased brain tissue. NSCs can be directly isolated from fetal or adult nervous tissue, or derived from embryonic stem cells. Here, we describe the efficient conversion of human adult bone marrow stromal cells (hMSC) into a neural stem cell-like population (hmNSC, for human marrow-derived NSC-like cells). These cells grow in neurosphere-like structures, express high levels of early neuroectodermal markers, such as the proneural genes NeuroD1, Neurog2, MSl1 as well as otx1 and nestin, but lose the characteristics of mesodermal stromal cells. In the presence of selected growth factors, hmNSCs can be differentiated into the three main neural phenotypes: astroglia, oligodendroglia and neurons. Clonal analysis demonstrates that individual hmNSCs are multipotent and retain the capacity to generate both glia and neurons. Our cell culture system provides a powerful tool for investigating the molecular mechanisms of neural differentiation in adult human NSCs. hmNSCs may therefore ultimately help to treat acute and chronic neurodegenerative diseases
Semiclassical form factor for chaotic systems with spin 1/2
We study the properties of the two-point spectral form factor for classically
chaotic systems with spin 1/2 in the semiclassical limit, with a suitable
semiclassical trace formula as our principal tool. To this end we introduce a
regularized form factor and discuss the limit in which the so-called diagonal
approximation can be recovered. The incorporation of the spin contribution to
the trace formula requires an appropriate variant of the equidistribution
principle of long periodic orbits as well as the notion of a skew product of
the classical translational and spin dynamics. Provided this skew product is
mixing, we show that generically the diagonal approximation of the form factor
coincides with the respective predictions from random matrix theory.Comment: 20 pages, no figure
A combined tactile and Raman probe for tissue characterization - Design considerations
Histopathology is the golden standard for cancer diagnosis and involves the characterization of tissue components. It is labour intensive and time consuming. We have earlier proposed a combined fibre-optic near-infrared Raman spectroscopy (NIR-RS) and tactile resonance method (TRM) probe for detecting positive surgical margins as a complement to interoperative histopathology. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of attaching an RS probe inside a cylindrical TRM sensor and to investigate how laser-induced heating of the fibre-optic NIR-RS affected the temperature of the RS probe tip and an encasing TRM sensor. In addition, the possibility to perform fibre-optic NIR-RS in a well-lit environment was investigated. A small amount of rubber latex was preferable for attaching the thin RS probe inside the TRM sensor. The temperature rise of the TRM sensor due to a fibre-optic NIR-RS at 270 mW during 20 s was less than 2 degrees C. Fibre-optic NIR-RS was feasible in a dimmed bright environment using a small light shield and automatic subtraction of a pre-recorded contaminant spectrum. The results are promising for a combined probe for tissue characterization
The action for higher spin black holes in three dimensions
In the context of (2+1)--dimensional Chern-Simons SL(N,R)\times SL(N,R) gauge
fields and spin N black holes we compute the on-shell action and show that it
generates sensible and consistent thermodynamics. In particular, the
Chern-Simons action solves the integrability conditions recently considered in
the literature.Comment: Paper shortened and generalized. Main results unchanged. 25 pages,
Latex, no figure
A model of non-perturbative gluon emission in an initial state parton shower
We consider a model of transverse momentum production in which
non-perturbative smearing takes place throughout the perturbative evolution, by
a simple modification to an initial state parton shower algorithm. Using this
as the important non-perturbative ingredient, we get a good fit to data over a
wide range of energy. Combining it with the non-perturbative masses and cutoffs
that are a feature of conventional parton showers also leads to a reasonable
fit. We discuss the extrapolation to the LHC.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures; version accepted by JHE
Energy non-equipartition in systems of inelastic, rough spheres
We calculate and verify with simulations the ratio between the average
translational and rotational energies of systems with rough, inelastic
particles, either forced or freely cooling. The ratio shows non-equipartition
of energy. In stationary flows, this ratio depends mainly on the particle
roughness, but in nonstationary flows, such as freely cooling granular media,
it also depends strongly on the normal dissipation. The approach presented here
unifies and simplifies different results obtained by more elaborate kinetic
theories. We observe that the boundary induced energy flux plays an important
role.Comment: 4 pages latex, 4 embedded eps figures, accepted by Phys Rev
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