363 research outputs found
Effect of Cluster Formation on Isospin Asymmetry in the Liquid-Gas Phase Transition Region
Nuclear matter within the liquid-gas phase transition region is investigated
in a mean-field two-component Fermi-gas model. Following largely analytic
considerations, it is shown that: (1) Due to density dependence of asymmetry
energy, some of the neutron excess from the high-density phase could be
expelled into the low-density region. (2) Formation of clusters in the gas
phase tends to counteract this trend, making the gas phase more liquid-like and
reducing the asymmetry in the gas phase. Flow of asymmetry between the
spectator and midrapidity region in reactions is discussed and a possible
inversion of the flow direction is indicated.Comment: 9 pages,3 figures, RevTe
Phase mapping of aging process in InN nanostructures: oxygen incorporation and the role of the zincblende phase
Uncapped InN nanostructures undergo a deleterious natural aging process at
ambient conditions by oxygen incorporation. The phases involved in this process
and their localization is mapped by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
related techniques. The parent wurtzite InN (InN-w) phase disappears from the
surface and gradually forms a highly textured cubic layer that completely wraps
up a InN-w nucleus which still remains from original single-crystalline quantum
dots. The good reticular relationships between the different crystals generate
low misfit strains and explain the apparent easiness for phase transformations
at room temperature and pressure conditions, but also disable the classical
methods to identify phases and grains from TEM images. The application of the
geometrical phase algorithm in order to form numerical moire mappings, and RGB
multilayered image reconstructions allows to discern among the different phases
and grains formed inside these nanostructures. Samples aged for shorter times
reveal the presence of metastable InN:O zincblende (zb) volumes, which acts as
the intermediate phase between the initial InN-w and the most stable cubic
In2O3 end phase. These cubic phases are highly twinned with a proportion of
50:50 between both orientations. We suggest that the existence of the
intermediate InN:O-zb phase should be seriously considered to understand the
reason of the widely scattered reported fundamental properties of thought to be
InN-w, as its bandgap or superconductivity.Comment: 18 pages 7 figure
Effects of a 1-year randomized controlled trial of resistance training on lower limb bone and muscle structure and function in older men
First-principles study of the structural energetics of PdTi and PtTi
The structural energetics of PdTi and PtTi have been studied using
first-principles density-functional theory with pseudopotentials and a
plane-wave basis. We predict that in both materials, the experimentally
reported orthorhombic phase will undergo a low-temperature phase
transition to a monoclinic ground state. Within a soft-mode framework,
we relate the structure to the cubic structure, observed at high
temperature, and the structure to via phonon modes strongly
coupled to strain. In contrast to NiTi, the structure is extremely close
to hcp. We draw on the analogy to the bcc-hcp transition to suggest likely
transition mechanisms in the present case.Comment: 8 pages 5 figure
Transauricular nerve stimulation in acute ischaemic stroke requiring mechanical thrombectomy: Protocol for a phase 2A, proof-of-concept, sham-controlled randomised trial.
BACKGROUND: Labile blood pressure after acute ischaemic stroke requiring mechanical thrombectomy is independently associated with poor patient outcomes. OBJECTIVES: This study protocol describes is designed to determine whether transauricular nerve stimulation, improves baroreflex sensitivity, reduces blood pressure variability in the first 24 hours after acute ischaemic stroke requiring mechanical thrombectomy. DESIGN: PHASE 2A, PROOF-OF-CONCEPT, SHAM-CONTROLLED RANDOMISED TRIAL: Methods and Analysis: 36 individuals undergoing mechanical thrombectomy for acute ischaemic stroke with established hypertension aged >18 years will be randomly allocated to receive bilateral active or sham transauricular nerve stimulation for the duration of the mechanical thrombectomy procedure (AffeX-CT/001 investigational device). The intervention will be repeated for 1h the morning following the mechanical thrombectomy. Non-invasive blood pressure will be measured ≥2h for 24h after mechanical thrombectomy. Holter electrocardiographic monitoring will be recorded during transauricular nerve stimulation. Participants, clinicians and investigators will be masked to treatment allocations. The primary outcome will be the coefficient of variation of systolic blood pressure. Secondary outcomes include additional estimates of blood pressure variability and time/frequency-domain measures of autonomic cardiac modulation An adjusted sample size of 36 patients is required to have a 90% chance of detecting, as significant at the 5% level, a difference in the coefficient of variation in systolic blood pressure of 5±4mmHg between sham and active stimulation [assuming 5% non-compliance rate in each group]. Ethics: confirmed on 16 March 2023 by HRA and Health and Care Research Wales ethics committee (reference 23/WA/0013). DISCUSSION: This study will provide proof-of-concept data that examines whether non-invasive autonomic neuromodulation can be used to favourably modify blood pressure and autonomic control after acute ischaemic stroke requiring mechanical thrombectomy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Trial registration number: NCT05417009
Lattice-switch Monte Carlo: the fcc-bcc problem
Lattice-switch Monte Carlo is an efficient method for calculating the free
energy difference between two solid phases, or a solid and a fluid phase. Here,
we provide a brief introduction to the method, and list its applications since
its inception. We then describe a lattice switch for the fcc and bcc phases
based on the Bain orientation relationship. Finally, we present preliminary
results regarding our application of the method to the fcc and bcc phases in
the Lennard-Jones system. Our initial calculations reveal that the bcc phase is
unstable, quickly degenerating into some as yet undetermined metastable solid
phase. This renders conventional lattice-switch Monte Carlo intractable for
this phase. Possible solutions to this problem are discussed
Fermi surface induced lattice distortion in NbTe
The origin of the monoclinic distortion and domain formation in the quasi
two-dimensional layer compound NbTe is investigated. Angle-resolved
photoemission shows that the Fermi surface is pseudogapped over large portions
of the Brillouin zone. Ab initio calculation of the electron and phonon
bandstructure as well as the static RPA susceptibility lead us to conclude that
Fermi surface nesting and electron-phonon coupling play a key role in the
lowering of the crystal symmetry and in the formation of the charge density
wave phase
Defect and solute properties in dilute Fe-Cr-Ni austenitic alloys from first principles
We present results of an extensive set of first-principles density functional
theory calculations of point defect formation, binding and clustering energies
in austenitic Fe with dilute concentrations of Cr and Ni solutes.Comment: 24 pages, 10 figures, published in Phys. Rev.
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