Comments on the Monopole-Antimonopole Pair Solutions

Recently, the monopole-antimonopole pair and monopole-antimonopole chain solutions are solved with internal space coordinate system of $\theta$-winding number $m$ greater than one. However, we notice that it is also possible to solve these solutions numerically in terms of $\theta$-winding number $m=1$ instead. When $m=1$, the exact asymptotic solutions at small and large distances are parameterized by a single integer parameter $s$. Here we once again study the monopole-antimonopole pair solution of the SU(2) Yang-Mills-Higgs theory which belongs to the topological trivial sector numerically in its new form. This solution with $\theta$-winding and $\phi$-winding number one is parameterized by $s=0$ at small $r$ and $s=1$ at large $r$.Comment: Two figures, 13 pages, to be sent for publicatio

Factors affecting product quality and reliability: A comparison of developed and developing countries

Increasing global competition has led to the need for organisations to continually improve their quality performance. In particular, developing countries such as China are focused on catching up with more developed countries. This study examines the relationships between improvement in three factors (health and safety conditions, worker motivation and satisfaction, work/life balance policies) in increase in product quality and reliability in developed countries. Based on a questionnaire, the study shows that improvement in health and safety conditions have a significant direct impact on increase in product quality and reliability while improvement in work/life balance do not have the same effect

TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ELITE MALE AND FEMALE DISCUS THROWERS

This study identified technical characteristics of discus throwing techniques used by elite male and female discus throwers. Fifty-seven male and fifty-two female elite discus throwers were divided into four groups based on their longest official distances. Flight distance was the major determinant of the official distance for male athletes. Flight distance and aerodynamic distance contribution to the official distance for females. Horizontal and vertical velocities of the discus at release were major determinants of the official distance for both all athletes. Increases in the horizontal and vertical velocities of the discus during different phases had different effects on the official distance for all athletes. Results provide information for technical training of discus techniques and basis for future discus throwing studies

Defects in Self Assembled Colloidal Crystals

Colloidal self assembly is an efficient method for making 3-D ordered nanostructures suitable for materials such as photonic crystals and macroscopic solids for catalysis and sensor applications. Colloidal crystals grown by convective methods exhibit defects on two different scales. Macro defects such as cracks and void bands originate from the dynamics of meniscus motion during colloidal crystal growth while micro defects like vacancies, dislocation and stacking faults are indigenous to the colloidal crystalline structure. This paper analyses the crystallography and energetics of the microscopic defects from the point of view of classical thermodynamics and discusses the strategy for the control of the macroscopic defects through optimization of the liquid-vapor interface.Singapore-MIT Alliance (SMA