948 research outputs found
Fractal Dimensions of Confined Clusters in Two-Dimensional Directed Percolation
The fractal structure of directed percolation clusters, grown at the
percolation threshold inside parabolic-like systems, is studied in two
dimensions via Monte Carlo simulations. With a free surface at y=\pm Cx^k and a
dynamical exponent z, the surface shape is a relevant perturbation when k<1/z
and the fractal dimensions of the anisotropic clusters vary continuously with
k. Analytic expressions for these variations are obtained using a blob picture
approach.Comment: 6 pages, Plain TeX file, epsf, 3 postscript-figure
About the screening of the charge of a proton migrating in a metal
The amount of screening of a proton in a metal, migrating under the influence
of an applied electric field, is calculated using different theoretical
formulations. First the lowest order screening expression derived by Sham
(1975) is evaluated. In addition 'exact' expressions are evaluated which were
derived according to different approaches. For a proton in a metal modeled as a
jellium the screening appears to be 15 +/- 10 %, which is neither negligible
not reconcilable with the controversial full-screening point of view of
Bosvieux and Friedel (1962). In reconsidering the theory of electromigration, a
new simplified linear-response expression for the driving force is shown to
lead to essentially the same result as found by Sorbello (1985), who has used a
rather complicated technique. The expressions allow for a reduction such that
only the scattering phase shifts of the migrating impurity are required.
Finally it is shown that the starting formula for the driving force of Bosvieux
and Friedel leads exactly to the zero-temperature limit of well-established
linear response descriptions, by which the sting of the controversy has been
removed.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figure
Surface Shape and Local Critical Behaviour in Two-Dimensional Directed Percolation
Two-dimensional directed site percolation is studied in systems directed
along the x-axis and limited by a free surface at y=\pm Cx^k. Scaling
considerations show that the surface is a relevant perturbation to the local
critical behaviour when k<1/z where z=\nu_\parallel/\nu is the dynamical
exponent. The tip-to-bulk order parameter correlation function is calculated in
the mean-field approximation. The tip percolation probability and the fractal
dimensions of critical clusters are obtained through Monte-Carlo simulations.
The tip order parameter has a nonuniversal, C-dependent, scaling dimension in
the marginal case, k=1/z, and displays a stretched exponential behaviour when
the perturbation is relevant. The k-dependence of the fractal dimensions in the
relevant case is in agreement with the results of a blob picture approach.Comment: 13 pages, Plain TeX file, epsf, 6 postscript-figures, minor
correction
Critical behaviour near multiple junctions and dirty surfaces in the two-dimensional Ising model
We consider m two-dimensional semi-infinite planes of Ising spins joined
together through surface spins and study the critical behaviour near to the
junction. The m=0 limit of the model - according to the replica trick -
corresponds to the semi-infinite Ising model in the presence of a random
surface field (RSFI). Using conformal mapping, second-order perturbation
expansion around the weakly- and strongly-coupled planes limits and
differential renormalization group, we show that the surface critical behaviour
of the RSFI model is described by Ising critical exponents with logarithmic
corrections to scaling, while at multiple junctions (m>2) the transition is
first order. There is a spontaneous junction magnetization at the bulk critical
point.Comment: Old paper, for archiving. 6 pages, 1 figure, IOP macro, eps
Tautomeric mutation: A quantum spin modelling
A quantum spin model representing tautomeric mutation is proposed for any DNA
molecule. Based on this model, the quantum mechanical calculations for
mutational rate and complementarity restoring repair rate in the replication
processes are carried out. A possible application to a real biological system
is discussed.Comment: 7 pages (no figures
Long-term regulation of proximal tubule acid–base transporter abundance by angiotensin II
In the proximal tubule, angiotensin II (Ang-II) regulates HCO−3 reabsorption and H+ secretion by binding the type 1 Ang-II (AT1) receptor, stimulating Na+/HCO−3 cotransport and Na+/H+ exchange. Studies were carried out to determine if long-term changes in Ang-II receptor occupation alter the abundance of the basolateral Na+/HCO−3 cotransporter (NBC1) or the apical membrane type 3Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE3). In the first set of experiments, rats eating a low-sodium diet were infused with the AT1 blocker, candesartan, or vehicle. In the second, lisinopril-infused rats were infused with either Ang II or vehicle. Transporter abundances were determined in whole kidney homogenates (WKH) and in brush border membrane (BBM) preparations by semiquantitative immunoblotting. Tissue distribution of transporters was assessed by immunocytochemistry. Blockade of the AT1 receptor by candesartan caused decreased abundance of NBC1 in WKH (59±9% of control; P<0.05) and Ang-II infusion increased abundance (130±7% of control; P<0.05). Changes in NBC1 in response to candesartan were confirmed immunohistochemically. Neither candesartan nor Ang II infusion affected the abundance of NHE3 in WKH or cortical homogenates. Candesartan decreased type 2 sodium-phosphate cotransporter abundance in both WKH (52±7% of control; P<0.05) and BBM (32±7% of control; P<0.05). Serum bicarbonate was decreased by candesartan and increased by Ang-II. Candesartan also decreased urinary ammonium excretion (P<0.05). The long-term effects of Ang-II in the proximal tubule may be mediated in part by regulation of NBC1 abundance, modifying bicarbonate reabsorption
Quantum first order phase transitions
The scaling theory of critical phenomena has been successfully extended for
classical first order transitions even though the correlation length does not
diverge in these transitions. In this paper we apply the scaling ideas to
quantum first order transitions. The usefulness of this approach is illustrated
treating the problems of a superconductor coupled to a gauge field and of a
biquadratic Heisenberg chain, at zero temperature. In both cases there is a
latent energy associated with their discontinuous quantum transitions. We
discuss the effects of disorder and give a general criterion for it's relevance
in these transitions.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, misprints corrected and a reference added.
Version published in PHYSICA
Nonequilibrium critical dynamics of the two-dimensional Ising model quenched from a correlated initial state
The universality class, even the order of the transition, of the
two-dimensional Ising model depends on the range and the symmetry of the
interactions (Onsager model, Baxter-Wu model, Turban model, etc.), but the
critical temperature is generally the same due to self-duality. Here we
consider a sudden change in the form of the interaction and study the
nonequilibrium critical dynamical properties of the nearest-neighbor model. The
relaxation of the magnetization and the decay of the autocorrelation function
are found to display a power law behavior with characteristic exponents that
depend on the universality class of the initial state.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Surface Magnetization of Aperiodic Ising Systems: a Comparative Study of the Bond and Site Problems
We investigate the influence of aperiodic perturbations on the critical
behaviour at a second order phase transition. The bond and site problems are
compared for layered systems and aperiodic sequences generated through
substitution. In the bond problem, the interactions between the layers are
distributed according to an aperiodic sequence whereas in the site problem, the
layers themselves follow the sequence. A relevance-irrelevance criterion
introduced by Luck for the bond problem is extended to discuss the site
problem. It involves a wandering exponent for pairs, which can be larger than
the one considered before in the bond problem. The surface magnetization of the
layered two-dimensional Ising model is obtained, in the extreme anisotropic
limit, for the period-doubling and Thue-Morse sequences.Comment: 19 pages, Plain TeX, IOP macros + epsf, 6 postscript figures, minor
correction
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