Evolution of spherical cavitation bubbles: parametric and closed-form solutions

We present an analysis of the Rayleigh-Plesset equation for a three dimensional vacuous bubble in water. In the simplest case when the effects of surface tension are neglected, the known parametric solutions for the radius and time evolution of the bubble in terms of a hypergeometric function are briefly reviewed. By including the surface tension, we show the connection between the Rayleigh-Plesset equation and Abel's equation, and obtain the parametric rational Weierstrass periodic solutions following the Abel route. In the same Abel approach, we also provide a discussion of the nonintegrable case of nonzero viscosity for which we perform a numerical integrationComment: 9 pages, 5 figures, 14 references, version accepted for publication at Phys. Fluid

Black Holes in Non-flat Backgrounds: the Schwarzschild Black Hole in the Einstein Universe

As an example of a black hole in a non-flat background a composite static spacetime is constructed. It comprises a vacuum Schwarzschild spacetime for the interior of the black hole across whose horizon it is matched on to the spacetime of Vaidya representing a black hole in the background of the Einstein universe. The scale length of the exterior sets a maximum to the black hole mass. To obtain a non-singular exterior, the Vaidya metric is matched to an Einstein universe. The behaviour of scalar waves is studied in this composite model.Comment: 8 pages, 3 postscript figures, minor corrections Journal Ref: accepted for Physical Review

Semiclassical Analysis of the Wigner 12j12j Symbol with One Small Angular Momentum

We derive an asymptotic formula for the Wigner $12j$ symbol, in the limit of one small and 11 large angular momenta. There are two kinds of asymptotic formulas for the $12j$ symbol with one small angular momentum. We present the first kind of formula in this paper. Our derivation relies on the techniques developed in the semiclassical analysis of the Wigner $9j$ symbol [L. Yu and R. G. Littlejohn, Phys. Rev. A 83, 052114 (2011)], where we used a gauge-invariant form of the multicomponent WKB wave-functions to derive asymptotic formulas for the $9j$ symbol with small and large angular momenta. When applying the same technique to the $12j$ symbol in this paper, we find that the spinor is diagonalized in the direction of an intermediate angular momentum. In addition, we find that the geometry of the derived asymptotic formula for the $12j$ symbol is expressed in terms of the vector diagram for a $9j$ symbol. This illustrates a general geometric connection between asymptotic limits of the various $3nj$ symbols. This work contributes the first known asymptotic formula for the $12j$ symbol to the quantum theory of angular momentum, and serves as a basis for finding asymptotic formulas for the Wigner $15j$ symbol with two small angular momenta.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figure

Multisectoral approach to support use of insecticide-treated net for malaria prevention among mobile and migrant populations in Myanmar: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Myanmar is a premalaria elimination country with artemisinin-resistant malaria. A strategy for transmission control is focused on vulnerable groups such as mobile and migrant populations (MMPs), and includes improving access to insecticide-treated bed nets in the Myanmar artemisinin resistance containment (MARC) zones using multisectoral approaches (MSA). METHODS: This narrative systematic review addressed MSAs targeted to MMPs in Myanmar for malaria prevention. We searched relevant studies in electronic databases and present the narrative findings in 4 domains: stakeholder groups, net coverage and utilization, social determinates, and facilitators/barriers. RESULTS: Nine studies were included. The review identified stakeholders involved in intersectoral collaboration. Net ownership was higher than utilization rates in the MARC zones and rates remained below the WHO recommended target of 100%. There was inadequate description of roles and responsibilities for implementation and on channels of communication within the partnerships and with the Government. CONCLUSIONS: Findings show that interventions to distribute treated bed nets were supported by the multiple stakeholders. Due to the design of the primary studies, analysis of the added value of intersectoral collaboration was limited. More attention must be paid to designing studies to document and evaluate the contributions and outcomes of intersectoral collaboration

Absolute spacetime: the twentieth century ether

All gauge theories need ``something fixed'' even as ``something changes.'' Underlying the implementation of these ideas all major physical theories make indispensable use of an elaborately designed spacetime model as the ``something fixed,'' i.e., absolute. This model must provide at least the following sequence of structures: point set, topological space, smooth manifold, geometric manifold, base for various bundles. The ``fine structure'' of spacetime inherent in this sequence is of course empirically unobservable directly, certainly when quantum mechanics is taken into account. This issue is at the basis of the difficulties in quantizing general relativity and has been approached in many different ways. Here we review an approach taking into account the non-Boolean properties of quantum logic when forming a spacetime model. Finally, we recall how the fundamental gauge of diffeomorphisms (the issue of general covariance vs coordinate conditions) raised deep conceptual problems for Einstein in his early development of general relativity. This is clearly illustrated in the notorious ``hole'' argument. This scenario, which does not seem to be widely known to practicing relativists, is nevertheless still interesting in terms of its impact for fundamental gauge issues.Comment: Contribution to Proceedings of Mexico Meeting on Gauge Theories of Gravity in honor of Friedrich Heh

The role of UK alcohol and drug (AOD) nurses in a changing workforce

Background: This paper presents the findings from an exploratory study on alcohol and other drugs (AOD) nurses’ views on current career opportunities and challenges and on how their role has been affected by clinical and structural changes in service delivery. Methods: The paper is based on qualitative interviews with a purposive sample of twelve AOD nurses in the UK. A narrative approach to interviewing aimed to encourage emergence of new insights and suggest theories for future examination. Interview domains were informed by the research team’s knowledge of AOD nursing and by themes from published literature. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded and a reflexive thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Key themes emerging focused on the growth, advantages, and challenges of non-medical prescribing (NMP), and the impact on AOD nursing of changes in workforce structures and environments. The findings indicate considerable doubts about career opportunities for nurses in AOD services although NMP may offer some limited routes to career advancement. Conclusions: Some long-standing issues around the identity and professional status of AOD nurses persist and current clinical and structural changes have created a “liminal space” within which the nursing role and AOD nurse identity are disrupted and in transition

Generating Complex Potentials with Real Eigenvalues in Supersymmetric Quantum Mechanics

In the framework of SUSYQM extended to deal with non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, we analyze three sets of complex potentials with real spectra, recently derived by a potential algebraic approach based upon the complex Lie algebra sl(2, C). This extends to the complex domain the well-known relationship between SUSYQM and potential algebras for Hermitian Hamiltonians, resulting from their common link with the factorization method and Darboux transformations. In the same framework, we also generate for the first time a pair of elliptic partner potentials of Weierstrass $\wp$ type, one of them being real and the other imaginary and PT symmetric. The latter turns out to be quasiexactly solvable with one known eigenvalue corresponding to a bound state. When the Weierstrass function degenerates to a hyperbolic one, the imaginary potential becomes PT non-symmetric and its known eigenvalue corresponds to an unbound state.Comment: 20 pages, Latex 2e + amssym + graphics, 2 figures, accepted in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Automatic wheeze detection based on auditory modelling

Automatic wheeze detection has several potential benefits compared with reliance on human auscultation: it is experience independent, an automated historical record can easily be kept, and it allows quantification of wheeze severity. Previous attempts to detect wheezes automatically have had partial success but have not been reliable enough to become widely accepted as a useful tool. In this paper an improved algorithm for automatic wheeze detection based on auditory modelling is developed, called the frequency- and duration-dependent threshold algorithm. The mean frequency and duration of each wheeze component are obtained automatically. The detected wheezes are marked on a spectrogram. In the new algorithm, the concept of a frequency- and duration-dependent threshold for wheeze detection is introduced. Another departure from previous work is that the threshold is based not on global power but on power corresponding to a particular frequency range. The algorithm has been tested on 36 subjects, 11 of whom exhibited characteristics of wheeze. The results show a marked improvement in the accuracy of wheeze detection when compared with previous algorithms

Edgeworth Expansion of the Largest Eigenvalue Distribution Function of GUE Revisited

We derive expansions of the resolvent Rn(x;y;t)=(Qn(x;t)Pn(y;t)-Qn(y;t)Pn(x;t))/(x-y) of the Hermite kernel Kn at the edge of the spectrum of the finite n Gaussian Unitary Ensemble (GUEn) and the finite n expansion of Qn(x;t) and Pn(x;t). Using these large n expansions, we give another proof of the derivation of an Edgeworth type theorem for the largest eigenvalue distribution function of GUEn. We conclude with a brief discussion on the derivation of the probability distribution function of the corresponding largest eigenvalue in the Gaussian Orthogonal Ensemble (GOEn) and Gaussian Symplectic Ensembles (GSEn)