The question of ‘alternatives’ within food and drink markets and marketing: introduction to the special issue

The question of 'alternatives' within food and drink markets and marketing: introduction to the special issu

The quantum state vector in phase space and Gabor's windowed Fourier transform

Representations of quantum state vectors by complex phase space amplitudes, complementing the description of the density operator by the Wigner function, have been defined by applying the Weyl-Wigner transform to dyadic operators, linear in the state vector and anti-linear in a fixed `window state vector'. Here aspects of this construction are explored, with emphasis on the connection with Gabor's `windowed Fourier transform'. The amplitudes that arise for simple quantum states from various choices of window are presented as illustrations. Generalized Bargmann representations of the state vector appear as special cases, associated with Gaussian windows. For every choice of window, amplitudes lie in a corresponding linear subspace of square-integrable functions on phase space. A generalized Born interpretation of amplitudes is described, with both the Wigner function and a generalized Husimi function appearing as quantities linear in an amplitude and anti-linear in its complex conjugate. Schr\"odinger's time-dependent and time-independent equations are represented on phase space amplitudes, and their solutions described in simple cases.Comment: 36 pages, 6 figures. Revised in light of referees' comments, and further references adde

On the ultra-compact nature of 4U1822-000

We report the discovery of a periodic modulation in the optical lightcurve of the candidate ultra-compact X-ray binary 4U1822-000. Using time-resolved optical photometry taken with the William Herschel Telescope we find evidence for a sinusoidal modulation with a semi-amplitude of 8 percent and a period of 191 min, which is most likely close to the true orbital period of the binary. Using the van Paradijs & McClintock relation for the absolute magnitude and the distance modulus allowing for interstellar reddening, we estimate the distance to 4U1822-000 to be 6.3 kpc. The long orbital period and casts severe doubts on the ultra-compact nature of 4U1822-000.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure, accepted by MNRA

The masses of the cataclysmic variables AC Cancri and V363 Aurigae

We present time-resolved spectroscopy and photometry of the double-lined eclipsing cataclysmic variables AC Cnc and V363 Aur (= Lanning 10). There is evidence of irradiation on the inner hemisphere of the secondary star in both systems, which we correct for using a model that reproduces the observations remarkably well. We find the radial velocity of the secondary star in AC Cnc to be KR= 176 ± 3 km s−1 and its rotational velocity to be v sin i= 135 ± 3 km s−1. From these parameters we obtain masses of M1= 0.76 ± 0.03 M⊙ for the white-dwarf primary and M2= 0.77 ± 0.05 M⊙ for the K2 ± 1V secondary star, giving a mass ratio of q= 1.02 ± 0.04. We measure the radial and rotational velocities of the G7 ± 2V secondary star in V363 Aur to be KR= 168 ± 5 km s−1 and v sin i= 143 ± 5 km s−1, respectively. The component masses of V363 Aur are M1= 0.90 ± 0.06 M⊙ and M2= 1.06 ± 0.11 M⊙, giving a mass ratio of q= 1.17 ± 0.07. The mass ratios for AC Cnc and V363 Aur fall within the theoretical limits for dynamically and thermally stable mass transfer. Both systems are similar to the SW Sex stars, exhibiting single-peaked emission lines with transient absorption features, high-velocity S-wave components and phase-offsets in their radial-velocity curves. The Balmer lines in V363 Aur show a rapid increase in flux around phase 0 followed by a rapid decrease, which we attribute to the eclipse of an optically thick region at the centre of the disc. This model could also account for the behaviour of other SW Sex stars where the Balmer lines show only a shallow eclipse compared to the continuum

Effect of LEO Exposure on Aromatic Polymers Containing Phenylphosphine Oxide Groups

As part of the Materials on The International Space Station Experiment (MISSE), aromatic polymers containing phenylphosphine oxide groups were exposed to low Earth orbit (LEO) for approximately 4 years. All of the aromatic polymers containing phenylphosphine oxide groups survived the exposure despite the high fluence of atomic oxygen that completely eroded other polymer films such as Kapton and Mylar of comparable or greater thickness. The samples consisted of a colorless polyimide film and a poly(arylene ether benzimidazole) film and thread. The samples were characterized for changes in physical properties, thermal/optical properties (i.e. solar absorptivity and thermal emissivity), surface chemistry (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), and surface topography (atomic force microscopy). The data from the polymer samples on MISSE were compared to samples from the same batch of material stored under ambient conditions on Earth. In addition, comparisons were made between the MISSE samples and those subjected to shorter term space flight exposures. The results of these analyses will be presented

Differential Increase in Taurine Levels by Low-Dose Ethanol in the Dorsal and Ventral Striatum Revealed by Microdialysis With On-Line Capillary Electrophoresis

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/66164/1/01.ALC.0000131979.78003.34.pd

The component masses of the cataclysmic variable V347 Puppis

We present time-resolved spectroscopy and photometry of the double-lined eclipsing cataclysmic variable V347 Pup (=LB 1800). There is evidence of irradiation on the inner hemisphere of the secondary star, which we correct for using a model to give a secondary-star radial velocity of KR= 198 ± 5 km s−1. The rotational velocity of the secondary star in V347 Pup is found to be v sin i= 131 ± 5 km s−1 and the system inclination is i= 840 ± 23. From these parameters we obtain masses of M1= 0.63 ± 0.04 M⊙ for the white dwarf primary and M2= 0.52 ± 0.06 M⊙ for the M0.5V secondary star, giving a mass ratio of q= 0.83 ± 0.05. On the basis of the component masses, and the spectral type and radius of the secondary star in V347 Pup, we find tentative evidence for an evolved companion. V347 Pup shows many of the characteristics of the SW Sex stars, exhibiting single-peaked emission lines, high-velocity S-wave components and phase-offsets in the radial velocity curve. We find spiral arms in the accretion disc of V347 Pup and measure the disc radius to be close to the maximum allowed in a pressureless disc

Two-Loop Quark Self-Energy in a New Formalism (II): Renormalization of the Quark Propagator in the Light-Cone Gauge

The complete two-loop correction to the quark propagator, consisting of the spider, rainbow, gluon bubble and quark bubble diagrams, is evaluated in the noncovariant light-cone gauge (lcg). (The overlapping self-energy diagram had already been computed.) The chief technical tools include the powerful matrix integration technique, the n^*-prescription for the spurious poles of 1/qn, and the detailed analysis of the boundary singularities in five- and six-dimensional parameter space. It is shown that the total divergent contribution to the two-loop correction Sigma_2 contains both covariant and noncovariant components, and is a local function of the external momentum p, even off the mass-shell, as all nonlocal divergent terms cancel exactly. Consequently, both the quark mass and field renormalizations are local. The structure of Sigma_2 implies a quark mass counterterm of the form $\delta m (lcg) = m\tilde\alpha_s C_F(3+\tilde\alpha_sW) + {\rm O} (\tilde\alpha_s^3)$, \tilde\alpha_s = g^2\Gamma(\eps)(4\pi)^{\eps -2}, with W depending only on the dimensional regulator epsilon, and on the numbers of colors and flavors. It turns out that \delta m(lcg) is identical to the mass counterterm in the general linear covariant gauge. Our results are in agreement with the Bassetto-Dalbosco-Soldati renormalization scheme.Comment: 36 pages Latex, 5 eps figures, to appear in Nucl.Phys.

Phylogenetic characterisation of circulating, clinical influenza isolates from Bali, Indonesia: preliminary report from the BaliMEI project.

BACKGROUND: Human influenza represents a major public health concern, especially in south-east Asia where the risk of emergence and spread of novel influenza viruses is particularly high. The BaliMEI study aims to conduct a five year active surveillance and characterisation of influenza viruses in Bali using an extensive network of participating healthcare facilities. METHODS: Samples were collected during routine diagnostic treatment in healthcare facilities. In addition to standard clinical and molecular methods for influenza typing, next generation sequencing and subsequent de novo genome assembly were performed to investigate the phylogeny of the collected patient samples. RESULTS: The samples collected are characteristic of the seasonally circulating influenza viruses with indications of phylogenetic links to other samples characterised in neighbouring countries during the same time period. CONCLUSIONS: There were some strong phylogenetic links with sequences from samples collected in geographically proximal regions, with some of the samples from the same time-period resulting to small clusters at the tree-end points. However this work, which is the first of its kind completely performed within Indonesia, supports the view that the circulating seasonal influenza in Bali reflects the strains circulating in geographically neighbouring areas as would be expected to occur within a busy regional transit centre

Investigation of shock waves in explosive blasts using fibre optic pressure sensors

The published version of this article may be accessed at the link below. Copyright @ IOP Publishing, 2006.We describe miniature all-optical pressure sensors, fabricated by wafer etching techniques, less than 1 mm(2) in overall cross-section with rise times in the mu s regime and pressure ranges typically 900 kPa (9 bar). Their performance is suitable for experimental studies of the pressure-time history for test models exposed to shocks initiated by an explosive charge. The small size and fast response of the sensors promises higher quality data than has been previously available from conventional electrical sensors, with potential improvements to numerical models of blast effects. Results from blast tests are presented in which up to six sensors were multiplexed, embedded within test models in a range of orientations relative to the shock front.Support from the UK Engineering&Physical Sciences Research Council and Dstl Fort Halstead through the MoD Joint Grants Scheme are acknowledged. WN MacPherson is supported by an EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship