Thermodynamics of two lattice ice models in three dimensions

In a recent paper we introduced two Potts-like models in three dimensions, which share the following properties: (A) One of the ice rules is always fulfilled (in particular also at infinite temperature). (B) Both ice rules hold for groundstate configurations. This allowed for an efficient calculation of the residual entropy of ice I (ordinary ice) by means of multicanonical simulations. Here we present the thermodynamics of these models. Despite their similarities with Potts models, no sign of a disorder-order phase transition is found.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figure

The Knowledge Economy: the Socio-Humanitarian Development Factors and Regional Aspects

У статті розглянуто соціально-гуманітарні фактори розвитку малого та середнього бізнесу на сучасному етапі в ракурсі причин виникнення феномена економіки знань. Як один з факторів розглянуто концепцію безумовного базового доходу. Як інші концепції економіки знань проаналі-зовано: парадигму бездефіцитної економіки, «кінець історії» Ф. Фукуями – як найбільш досконалу форму соціального устрою, а також концепцію хвиль Е. Тофлера; інформаційну цивілізацію та інформаційне суспільство. На основі існуючих на сьогодні найпопулярніших концепцій економіки знань запропоновано комплексну модель взаємодії соціально-гуманітарних чинників економіки знань. Фактор надмірної масовості було виявлено як головний негативний соціокультурний чинник регіонального та бізнес-розвитку нашої держави. Зроблено висновок, що основний критерій розвитку економіки знань, який є спільним для більшості сучасних теорій, – це креативна особистість, що працює в умовах, при яких задоволені більшість її потреб.В статье рассмотрены социально-гуманитарные факторы развития малого и среднего бизнеса на современном этапе в ракурсе причин воз-никновения феномена экономики знаний. В качестве одного из факто-ров рассмотрена концепция безусловного базового дохода. В качестве других концепций экономики знаний проанализированы: парадигма бездефицитной экономики, «конец истории» Ф. Фукуямы – как наибо-лее совершенная форма общественного устройства, а также концеп-ция волн Э. Тоффлера; информационная цивилизация и информацион-ное общество. На основе существующих сегодня наиболее популярных концепций экономики знаний предложена комплексная модель взаимо-действия социально-гуманитарных факторов экономики знаний. Фак-тор чрезмерной массовости признан главным отрицательным со-циокультурным фактором регионального и бизнес-развития нашего государства. Сделан вывод о том, что основной критерий развития экономики знаний, который является общим для большинства совре-менных теорий, – это креативная личность, работающая в условиях, при которых большинство её потребностей удовлетворены.The article discusses the socio-humanitarian factors in the development of small and medium-sized businesses at the current stage, in terms of the ori-gins of the knowledge economy phenomenon. The conception of uncondition-al basic income was considered as a factor. Other concepts of the knowledge economy were analyzed: the paradigm of the economy of abundance, the «End of History» by F. Fukuyama – as the most perfect form of social organi-zation, and the Toffler's wave theory; as well as the information civilization and the information society. On the basis of today’s most popular concepts of knowledge economy, a comprehensive model for the interaction of socio-humanitarian factors in the knowledge economy has been proposed. The ex-cessive massing factor has been recognized as a major negative sociocultural factor in the regional and business development of our State. It has been con-cluded that the basic criterion for development of the knowledge economy, which is common to most modern theories, is a creative person working in an environment where most of its needs are satisfied

Micro-fading spectrometry: investigating the wavelength specificity of fading

A modified microfading spectrometer incorporating a linear variable filter is used to investigate the wavelength dependence of fading of traditional watercolour pigments, dosimeters and fading standards at a higher spectral resolution and/or sampling than had previously been attempted. While the wavelength dependence of photochemical damage was largely found to correlate well with the absorption spectra of each material, exceptions were found in the case of Prussian blue and Prussian green pigments (the latter includes Prussian blue), for which an anti-correlation between the spectral colour change and the absorption spectrum was found

Supercooled-liquid and plastic-crystalline state in succinonitrile-glutaronitrile mixtures

We report a thorough characterization of the glassy phases of mixtures of succinonitrile and glutaronitrile via dielectric spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. This system is revealed to be one of the rare examples where both glassy states of matter, a structurally disordered supercooled liquid and an orientationally disordered plastic crystal, can be prepared in the same material. Both disordered states can be easily supercooled, finally arriving at a structural-glass or a glassy-crystal state. Detailed investigations using broadband dielectric spectroscopy enable a comparison of the glassy dynamics in both phases. Just as previously demonstrated for supercooled-liquid and plastic-crystalline ethanol, our experiments reveal very similar relaxational behavior and glass temperatures of both disordered states. Thus the prominent role of orientational degrees of freedom in the glass transition, suggested on the basis of the findings for ethanol, is fully corroborated by the present work. Moreover, the fragilities of both phases are determined and compared for different mixtures. The findings can be well understood within an energy-landscape based explanation of fragility.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Optimum spectral window for imaging of art with optical coherence tomography

Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) has been shown to have potential for important applications in the field of art conservation and archaeology due to its ability to image subsurface microstructures non-invasively. However, its depth of penetration in painted objects is limited due to the strong scattering properties of artists’ paints. VIS-NIR (400 nm – 2400 nm) reflectance spectra of a wide variety of paints made with historic artists’ pigments have been measured. The best spectral window with which to use optical coherence tomography (OCT) for the imaging of subsurface structure of paintings was found to be around 2.2 μm. The same spectral window would also be most suitable for direct infrared imaging of preparatory sketches under the paint layers. The reflectance spectra from a large sample of chemically verified pigments provide information on the spectral transparency of historic artists’ pigments/paints as well as a reference set of spectra for pigment identification. The results of the paper suggest that broadband sources at ~2 microns are highly desirable for OCT applications in art and potentially material science in general

The Yuan-Tseh Lee Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy

The Yuan-Tseh Lee Array for Microwave Background Anisotropy (AMiBA) is the first interferometer dedicated to studying the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation at 3mm wavelength. The choice of 3mm was made to minimize the contributions from foreground synchrotron radiation and Galactic dust emission. The initial configuration of seven 0.6m telescopes mounted on a 6-m hexapod platform was dedicated in October 2006 on Mauna Loa, Hawaii. Scientific operations began with the detection of a number of clusters of galaxies via the thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect. We compare our data with Subaru weak lensing data in order to study the structure of dark matter. We also compare our data with X-ray data in order to derive the Hubble constant.Comment: accepted for publication in ApJ (13 pages, 7 figures); a version with high resolution figures available at http://www.asiaa.sinica.edu.tw/~keiichi/upfiles/AMiBA7/pho_highreso.pd

Adaptation of Mouse Skeletal Muscle to Long-Term Microgravity in the MDS Mission

The effect of microgravity on skeletal muscles has so far been examined in rat and mice only after short-term (5–20 day) spaceflights. The mice drawer system (MDS) program, sponsored by Italian Space Agency, for the first time aimed to investigate the consequences of long-term (91 days) exposure to microgravity in mice within the International Space Station. Muscle atrophy was present indistinctly in all fiber types of the slow-twitch soleus muscle, but was only slightly greater than that observed after 20 days of spaceflight. Myosin heavy chain analysis indicated a concomitant slow-to-fast transition of soleus. In addition, spaceflight induced translocation of sarcolemmal nitric oxide synthase-1 (NOS1) into the cytosol in soleus but not in the fast-twitch extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle. Most of the sarcolemmal ion channel subunits were up-regulated, more in soleus than EDL, whereas Ca2+-activated K+ channels were down-regulated, consistent with the phenotype transition. Gene expression of the atrophy-related ubiquitin-ligases was up-regulated in both spaceflown soleus and EDL muscles, whereas autophagy genes were in the control range. Muscle-specific IGF-1 and interleukin-6 were down-regulated in soleus but up-regulated in EDL. Also, various stress-related genes were up-regulated in spaceflown EDL, not in soleus. Altogether, these results suggest that EDL muscle may resist to microgravity-induced atrophy by activating compensatory and protective pathways. Our study shows the extended sensitivity of antigravity soleus muscle after prolonged exposition to microgravity, suggests possible mechanisms accounting for the resistance of EDL, and individuates some molecular targets for the development of countermeasures