Fixed Point Index for Weakly Inward Mappings

AbstractThe fixed point index for weakly inward mappings, which are not cone mappings, is defined in this paper. Its properties are also investigated. Consequently we study the derivatives of weakly inward mappings and nonzero fixed points of such mappings

Optical Limiting in Single-walled Carbon Nanotube Suspensions

Optical limiting behaviour of suspensions of single-walled carbon nanotubes in water, ethanol and ethylene glycol is reported. Experiments with 532 nm, 15 nsec duration laser pulses show that optical limiting occurs mainly due to nonlinear scattering. The observed host liquid dependence of optical limiting in different suspensions suggests that the scattering originates from microbubbles formed due to absorption-induced heating.Comment: 10 pages, 5 eps figures, to appear in Chem. Phys. Let

Effects of crossed states on photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy of InAs quantum dots

In this report, the influence of the intrinsic transitions between bound-to-delocalized states (crossed states or quasicontinuous density of electron-hole states) on photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra of InAs quantum dots (QDs) was investigated. The InAs QDs were different in size, shape, and number of bound states. Results from the PLE spectroscopy at low temperature and under a high magnetic field (up to 14 T) were compared. Our findings show that the profile of the PLE resonances associated with the bound transitions disintegrated and broadened. This was attributed to the coupling of the localized QD excited states to the crossed states and scattering of longitudinal acoustical (LA) phonons. The degree of spectral linewidth broadening was larger for the excited state in smaller QDs because of the higher crossed joint density of states and scattering rate

Single nucleotide polymorphism analysis of exons 3 and 4 of IGF-1 gene in pigs

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Oxygen impurities in NiAl: Relaxation effects

We have used a full-potential linear muffin-tin orbital method to calculate the effects of oxygen impurities on the electronic structure of NiAl. Using the supercell method with a 16-atom supercell we have investigated the cases where an oxygen atom is substitutionally placed at either a nickel or an aluminum site. Full relaxation of the atoms within the supercell was allowed. We found that oxygen prefers to occupy a nickel site over an aluminum site with a site selection energy of 138 mRy (21,370 K). An oxygen atom placed at an aluminum site is found to cause a substantial relaxation of its nickel neighbors away from it. In contrast, this steric repulsion is hardly present when the oxygen atom occupies the nickel site and is surrounded by aluminum neighbors. We comment on the possible relation of this effect to the pesting degradation phenomenon (essentially spontaneous disintegration in air) in nickel aluminides.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. B (Aug. 15, 2001

Adiabatic evolution under quantum control

One of the difficulties in adiabatic quantum computation is the limit on the computation time. Here we propose two schemes to speed-up the adiabatic evolution. To apply this controlled adiabatic evolution to adiabatic quantum computation, we design one of the schemes without any prior knowledge of the instantaneous eigenstates of the final Hamiltonian. Whereas in another scheme, the control is constructed with the instantaneous eigenstate that is the target state of the control. As an illustration, we study a two-level system driven by a time-dependent magnetic field under the control. The physics behind the control scheme is explained.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Metamaterial Polarization Converter Analysis: Limits of Performance

In this paper we analyze the theoretical limits of a metamaterial converter that allows for linear-to- elliptical polarization transformation with any desired ellipticity and ellipse orientation. We employ the transmission line approach providing a needed level of the design generalization. Our analysis reveals that the maximal conversion efficiency for transmission through a single metamaterial layer is 50%, while the realistic re ection configuration can give the conversion efficiency up to 90%. We show that a double layer transmission converter and a single layer with a ground plane can have 100% polarization conversion efficiency. We tested our conclusions numerically reaching the designated limits of efficiency using a simple metamaterial design. Our general analysis provides useful guidelines for the metamaterial polarization converter design for virtually any frequency range of the electromagnetic waves.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, 2 table

Brominated flame retardants in Canadian chicken egg yolks

Chicken eggs categorised as conventional, omega-3 enriched, free range and organic were collected at grading stations in three regions of Canada between 2005 and 2006. Free run eggs, which were only available for collection from two regions, were also sampled during this time frame. Egg yolks from each of these egg types (n = 162) were analysed to determine brominated flame retardant levels, specifically polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD). PBDEs were detected in 100% of the 162 samples tested, while HBCD was observed in 85% of the egg yolks. Total PBDE concentrations in egg yolks ranged from 0.018 to 20.9 ng g−1 lipid (median = 3.03 ng g−1 lipid), with PBDE 209 identified as being the major contributor to ΣPBDE concentrations. In addition to PBDE 209, PBDE 99, 47, 100, 183 and 153 were important contributors to ΣPBDE concentrations. Total HBCD concentrations ranged from below the limit of detection to a maximum concentration of 71.9 ng g−1 lipid (median = 0.053 ng g−1 lipid). The α-isomer was the dominant contributor to ΣHBCD levels in Canadian egg yolks and was the most frequently detected HBCD isomer. ΣPBDE levels exhibited large differences in variability between combinations of region and type. ΣHBCD concentrations were not significantly different among regions, although differences were observed between the different types of egg yolks analysed in the present study

Comparison of Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV)-a new method of carbamazepine analysis-with Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay (FPIA)

Carbamazepine is a widely used anti-epileptic drug with narrow therapeutic range. Many methods have been developed for monitoring the serum drug level. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), an electrochemical method advantaged by simple, inexpensive, and relatively short analysis time, has recently been developed for carbamazepine detection. We used a newly developed DPV method with glassy carbon as a working electrode to determine the carbamazepine level. The performance of DPV is compared with the widely used fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) technique in precision, accuracy, linearity and detection limit. The precision, linearity and accuracy of the DPV and FPIA techniques were comparable at most clinical used levels. The detection limit was 1 mu g/mL for the DPV technique and 0.5 mu g/mL for the FPIA technique. The performance of the DPV technique was within the FDA guidelines for bioanalytical methods, which ensures the clinical applicability of the DPV technique. The DPV technique may have the potential to be a good alternative for carbamazepine analysis