A new primal-dual path-following interior-point algorithm for semidefinite optimization

AbstractIn this paper we present a new primal-dual path-following interior-point algorithm for semidefinite optimization. The algorithm is based on a new technique for finding the search direction and the strategy of the central path. At each iteration, we use only full Nesterov–Todd step. Moreover, we obtain the currently best known iteration bound for the algorithm with small-update method, namely, O(nlognϵ), which is as good as the linear analogue

Predicting bioavailability of PAHs in field-contaminated soils by passive sampling with triolein embedded cellulose acetate membranes

Triolein embedded cellulose acetate membrane (TECAM) was used for passive sampling of the fraction of naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene in 18 field -contaminated soils. The sampling process of PAHs by TECAM fitted well with a first-order kinetics model and PAHs reached 95% of equilibrium in TECAM within 20 h. Concentrations of PAHs in TECAM (C-TECAM) correlated well with the concentrations in soils (r(2) = 0.693-0.962, p < 0.001). Furthermore. concentrations of PAHs determined in the soil solution were very close to the values estimated by C-TECAM and the partition coefficient between TECAM and water (KTECAM-W). After lipid normalization nearly 1:1 relationships were observed between PAH concentrations in TECAMs and earthworms exposed to the soils (r(2) = 0.591-0.824, n = 18, p < 0.01). These results suggest that TECAM can be a useful tool to predict bioavailability of PAHs in field-contaminated soils. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Intertwined Order and Holography: The Case of Parity Breaking Pair Density Waves

Article / Letter to editorLeids Instituut Onderzoek Natuurkund

Intertwined Order and Holography: The Case of Parity Breaking Pair Density Waves

Article / Letter to editorLeids Instituut Onderzoek Natuurkund

Magnetic phase diagrams of the Kagome staircase compound Co3V2O8

At zero magnetic field, a series of five phase transitions occur in Co3V2O8. The Neel temperature, TN=11.4 K, is followed by four additional phase changes at T1=8.9 K, T2=7.0 K, T3=6.9 K, and T4=6.2 K. The different phases are distinguished by the commensurability of the b-component of its spin density wave vector. We investigate the stability of these various phases under magnetic fields through dielectric constant and magnetic susceptibility anomalies. The field-temperature phase diagram of Co3V2O8 is completely resolved. The complexity of the phase diagram results from the competition of different magnetic states with almost equal ground state energies due to competing exchange interactions and frustration.Comment: Proceedings of the 2007 Conference on Strongly Correlated Electron Systems, 2 pages, 2 figure

A tunable radiation source by coupling laser-plasma-generated electrons to a periodic structure

Near-infrared radiation around 1000 nm generated from the interaction of a high-density MeV electron beam, obtained by impinging an intense ultrashort laser pulse on a solid target, with a metal grating is observed experimentally. Theoretical modeling and particle-in-cell simulation suggest that the radiation is caused by the Smith-Purcell mechanism. The results here indicate that tunable terahertz radiation with tens GV=m field strength can be achieved by using appropriate grating parameter

Effects of chitosan addition on growth performance, diarrhoea, anti-oxidative function and serum immune parameters of weaned piglets

The present experiment was designed to determine the efficacy of a commercial source of chitosan (CS) to enhance performance, anti-oxidative function, and immune response in weaned pigs. A total of 60 crossbreed piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire), with average live bodyweight of 8.85 ± 1.52 kg, were weaned at 28 ± 2 days and randomly assigned to five treatment groups, which were fed maize-soybean meal diets containing 0 (basal diet, control) and 250, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg CS. The experiment lasted for two weeks. Body weight was recorded and daily feed intake was calculated. Faecal consistency was monitored for the overall period. After two weeks, blood samples were collected and anti-oxidative and immune parameters were determined. The results showed that CS improved average daily gain and daily gain: daily feed intake during the experiment. Mean faecal score values for the second week were improved by CS, which showed decreased values compared with the control diet. The CS increased the total antioxidant capacity and the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase and the content of reduced glutathione in serum, and decreased the malondialdehyde and cortisol contents of serum. Furthermore, CS increased the levels of serum IL-1β，IL-2 and IgG. These findings suggested that the use of CS improved performance and anti-oxidative function, and regulated the immune response of weaned pigs.Keywords: Anti-oxidative capability, chitosan, immunity, performance, piglet

Thermal expansion and pressure effect in MnWO4

MnWO4 has attracted attention because of its ferroelectric property induced by frustrated helical spin order. Strong spin-lattice interaction is necessary to explain ferroelectricity associated with this type of magnetic order.We have conducted thermal expansion measurements along the a, b, c axes revealing the existence of strong anisotropic lattice anomalies at T1=7.8 K, the temperature of the magnetic lock-in transition into a commensurate low-temperature (reentrant paraelectric) phase. The effect of hydrostatic pressure up to 1.8 GPa on the FE phase is investigated by measuring the dielectric constant and the FE polarization. The low- temperature commensurate and paraelectric phase is stabilized and the stability range of the ferroelectric phase is diminished under pressure.Comment: 2 pages, 3 figures. SCES conference proceedings, houston, TX, 2007. to be published in Physica

Superconductivity in MgB_2 doped with Ti and C

Measurements of the superconducting upper critical field, H_{c2}, and critical current density, J_c, have been carried out for MgB_2 doped with Ti and/or C in order to explore the problems encountered if these dopants are used to enhance the superconducting performance. Carbon replaces boron in the MgB_2 lattice and apparently shortens the electronic mean free path thereby raising H_c2. Titanium forms precipitates of either TiB or TiB_2 that enhance the flux pinning and raise J_c. Most of these precipitates are intra-granular in the MgB_2 phase. If approximately 0.5% Ti and approximately 2% C are co-deposited with B to form doped boron fibers and these fibers are in turn reacted in Mg vapor to form MgB_2, the resulting superconductor has H_{c2}(T=0) ~ 25 T and J_c ~ 10,000 A/cm**2 at 5 K and 2.2 T.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure

Identification of a candidate gene for Rc-D1, a locus controlling red coleoptile colour in wheat

Red coleoptile is an easily observed agronomic trait of wheat and has been extensively studied. However, the molecular mechanism of this trait has not yet been revealed. In this study, the MYB gene TaMYB-D1 was isolated from the wheat cultivar ‘Gy115’, which possesses red coleoptiles. This gene resided at the short arm of the homoelogous group 7 chromosomes. TaMYB-D1 was the only gene expressed in the coleoptiles of ‘Gy115’ and was not expressed in ‘Opata’ and ‘CS’, which have uncoloured coleoptiles. Phylogenetic analysis placed TaMYB-D1 very close to ZmC1 and other MYB proteins regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis. The encoded protein of TaMYB-D1 had an integrated DNA binding domain of 102 amino acids and a transcription domain with 42 amino acids, similar to the structure of ZmC1. Transient expression analysis in onion epidermal cells showed that TaMYB-D1 was located at the plant nucleus, which suggested its role as a transcription factor. The expression of TaMYB-D1 was accompanied with the expression of TaDFR and anthocyanin biosynthesis in the development of the coleoptile of ‘Gy115’. Transient expression analysis showed that only TaMYB-D1 induced a few ‘Opata’ coleoptile cells to synthesize anthocyanin in light, and the gene also induced a colour change to red in many cells with the help of ZmR. All of these results suggested TaMYB-D1 as the candidate gene for the red coleoptile trait of ‘Gy115’