4,611 research outputs found
Coefficient of tangential restitution for the linear dashpot model
The linear dashpot model for the inelastic normal force between colliding
spheres leads to a constant coefficient of normal restitution,
const., which makes this model very popular for the investigation
of dilute and moderately dense granular systems. For two frequently used models
for the tangential interaction force we determine the coefficient of tangential
restitution , both analytically and by numerical integration of
Newton's equation. Although const. for the linear-dashpot model,
we obtain pronounced and characteristic dependencies of the tangential
coefficient on the impact velocity . The
results may be used for event-driven simulations of granular systems of
frictional particles.Comment: 12 pages, 12 figure
Realistic atomistic structure of amorphous silicon from machine-learning-driven molecular dynamics
Amorphous silicon (a-Si) is a widely studied noncrystalline material, and yet the subtle details of its atomistic structure are still unclear. Here, we show that accurate structural models of a-Si can be obtained using a machine-learning-based interatomic potential. Our best a-Si network is obtained by simulated cooling from the melt at a rate of 1011 K/s (that is, on the 10 ns time scale), contains less than 2% defects, and agrees with experiments regarding excess energies, diffraction data, and 29Si NMR chemical shifts. We show that this level of quality is impossible to achieve with faster quench simulations. We then generate a 4096-atom system that correctly reproduces the magnitude of the first sharp diffraction peak (FSDP) in the structure factor, achieving the closest agreement with experiments to date. Our study demonstrates the broader impact of machine-learning potentials for elucidating structures and properties of technologically important amorphous materials
Critical free energy and Casimir forces in rectangular geometries
We study the critical behavior of the free energy and the thermodynamic
Casimir force in a block geometry in
dimensions with aspect ratio above, at, and below on
the basis of the O symmetric lattice model with periodic boundary
conditions (b.c.). We consider a simple-cubic lattice with isotropic
short-range interactions. Exact results are derived in the large - limit
describing the geometric crossover from film () over cubic to
cylindrical () geometries. For , three perturbation
approaches are presented that cover both the central finite-size regime near
for and the region outside the central
finite-size regime well above and below for arbitrary . At bulk
of isotropic systems with periodic b.c., we predict the critical Casimir
force in the vertical direction to be negative (attractive) for a slab
(), and zero for a cube
. We also present extrapolations to the cylinder limit
() and to the film limit () for and . Our
analytic results for finite-size scaling functions in the minimal
renormalization scheme at fixed dimension agree well with Monte Carlo
data for the three-dimensional Ising model by Hasenbusch for and by
Vasilyev et al. for above, at, and below .Comment: 23 pages, 14 figure
Gemcitabine and carboplatin in intensively pretreated patients with metastatic breast cancer
Background: Patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) are increasingly exposed to anthracyclines and taxanes either during treatment of primary breast cancer or during initial therapy of metastatic disease. The combination of gemcitabine and carboplatin was therefore investigated as an anthracycline- and taxane-free treatment option. Patients and Methods: MBC patients previously treated with chemotherapy were enrolled in a multicenter phase II study. Treatment consisted of gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m(2) i.v. on days 1 and 8) and carboplatin (AUC 4 i.v. on day 1) applied every 3 weeks. Results: Thirty-nine patients were recruited, and a total of 207 treatment cycles were applied with a median of 5 cycles per patient. One complete response and 11 partial responses were observed for an overall response rate of 31% (95% CI: 17-48%). Twelve patients (31%) had stable disease. Median time to progression was 5.3 months (95% CI: 2.6-6.7 months) and median overall survival from start of treatment was 13.2 months (95% CI: 8.7-16.7 months). Grade 3/4 hematological toxicity included leukopenia (59%/5%), thrombo-cytopenia (26%/23%) and anemia (10%/0%). Nonhematological toxicity was rarely severe. Conclusion: Combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and carboplatin is an effective and generally well-tolerated treatment option for intensively pretreated patients with MBC. Due to a considerable incidence of severe thrombocytopenia it would be reasonable to consider starting gemcitabine at the lower dose level of 800 mg/m(2). Copyright (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel
Are serial CA 19-9 kinetics helpful in predicting survival in patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer treated with gemcitabine and cisplatin?
Background: Serial kinetics of serum CA 19-9 levels have been reported to reflect response and survival in patients with pancreatic cancer undergoing surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. We prospectively studied serial kinetics of serum CA 19-9 levels of patients with locally advanced or metastatic disease treated with gemcitabine and cisplatin. Patients and Methods: Enrolled in the study were 87 patients (female/male = 26/61; stage III/IV disease = 24/63). Patients received gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, and 15 plus cisplatin 50 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 15, every 4 weeks. Serum samples were collected at the onset of chemotherapy and before the start of a new treatment cycle (day 28). Results: 77 of 87 patients (88.5%) with initially elevated CA 19-9 levels were included for evaluation. According to imaging criteria, 4 (5.2%) achieved a complete remission and 11 (14.3%) achieved partial remission, yielding an overall response rate of 19.5%. 43 (55.8%) patients were CA 19-9 responders, defined by greater than or equal to50% decrease in CA 19-9 serum levels within 2 months after treatment initiation. Except for one, all patients who had responded by imaging criteria (n = 14) fulfilled the criterion of a CA 19-9 responder. Despite being characterized as non-responders by CT-imaging criteria (stable/progressive disease), 29 patients were classified as CA 19-9 responders (positive predictive value 32.5%). Independent of the response evaluation by CT, CA 19-9 responders survived significantly longer than CA 19-9 non-responders (295 d; 95% CI: 285-445 vs. 174 d; 95% CI: 134-198; p = 0.022). Conclusion: CA 19-9 kinetics in serum serve as an early and reliable indicator of response and help to predict survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer receiving effective treatment with gemcitabine and cisplatin
A Physical Model for the Origin of Quasar Lifetimes
We propose a model of quasar lifetimes in which observational quasar
lifetimes and an intrinsic lifetime of rapid accretion are strongly
distinguished by the physics of obscuration by surrounding gas and dust.
Quasars are powered by gas funneled to galaxy centers, but for a large part of
the accretion lifetime are heavily obscured by the large gas densities powering
accretion. In this phase, starbursts and black hole growth are fueled but the
quasar is buried. Eventually, feedback from accretion energy disperses
surrounding gas, creating a window in which the black hole is observable
optically as a quasar, until accretion rates drop below those required to
maintain a quasar luminosity. We model this process and measure the unobscured
and intrinsic quasar lifetimes in a hydrodynamical simulation of a major galaxy
merger. The source luminosity is determined from the black hole accretion rate,
calculated from local gas properties. We calculate the column density of
hydrogen to the source along multiple lines of sight and use these column
densities and gas metallicities to determine B-band attenuation of the source.
Defining the observable quasar lifetime as the total time with an observed
B-band luminosity above some limit L_B,min, we find lifetimes ~10-20 Myr for
L_B,min=10^11 L_sun (M_B=-23), in good agreement with observationally
determined quasar lifetimes. This is significantly smaller than the intrinsic
lifetime ~100 Myr obtained if attenuation is neglected. The ratio of observed
to intrinsic lifetime is also strong function of both the limiting luminosity
and the observed frequency.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to ApJ Letter
Snell's Law from an Elementary Particle Viewpoint
Snell's law of light deflection between media with different indices of
refraction is usually discussed in terms of the Maxwell electromagnetic wave
theory. Snell's law may also be derived from a photon beam theory of light
rays. This latter particle physics view is by far the most simple one for
understanding the laws of refraction.Comment: ReVTeX Format 2 *.eps figure
Involvement of endothelins, peptides with potent vasoactive properties, in HIV-1 encephalopathy
Загрязнение мирового океана
Проблема загрязнения Мирового океана - одна из самых важных и актуальных. Возможно ли решить её в современных условиях. Океан, как известно, - это основа всего живого на нашей планете. Ведь именно в нём появились первые живые организмы в нашей геологической истории. Мировой океан занимает больше 70% поверхности планеты. Кроме того, в нём содержится около 95% всей воды. Вот почему загрязнение вод Мирового океана настолько опасно для географической оболочки планеты. И сегодня эта проблема всё более обостряется.The problem of ocean pollution is one of the most important and relevant. Is it possible to solve it in modern conditions? The ocean, as you know, is the basis of all life on our planet. After all, it appeared the first living organisms in our geological history. Oceans occupy more than 70% of the planet's surface. In addition, it contains about 95% of all water. That's why the pollution of the waters of the World ocean is so dangerous to the geographical envelope of the planet. And today this problem is becoming more acute
Cosmic Reionisation by Stellar Sources: Population II Stars
We study the reionisation of the Universe by stellar sources using a
numerical approach that combines fast 3D radiative transfer calculations with
high resolution hydrodynamical simulations. Ionising fluxes for the sources are
derived from intrinsic star formation rates computed in the underlying
hydrodynamical simulations. Our mass resolution limit for sources is M~ 4.0 x
10^7 h^-1 M_sol, which is roughly an order of magnitude smaller than in
previous studies of this kind. Our calculations reveal that the reionisation
process is sensitive to the inclusion of dim sources with masses below ~10^9
h^-1 M_sol. We present the results of our reionisation simulation assuming a
range of escape fractions for ionising photons and make statistical comparisons
with observational constraints on the neutral fraction of hydrogen at z~6
derived from the z=6.28 SDSS quasar of Becker and coworkers. Our best fitting
model has an escape fraction of ~20% and causes reionisation to occur by z~8,
although the IGM remains fairly opaque until z~6. In order to simultaneously
match the observations from the z=6.28 SDSS quasar and the optical depth
measurement from WMAP with the sources modeled here, we require an evolving
escape fraction that rises from f_esc=0.20 near z~6 to f_esc>~10 at z~18.Comment: 42 pages, 13 figure
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