1,306 research outputs found
Persistent currents in a Bose-Einstein condensate in the presence of disorder
We examine bosonic atoms that are confined in a toroidal,
quasi-one-dimensional trap, subjected to a random potential. The resulting
inhomogeneous atomic density is smoothened for sufficiently strong, repulsive
interatomic interactions. Statistical analysis of our simulations show that the
gas supports persistent currents, which become more fragile due to the
disorder.Comment: 5 pages, RevTex, 3 figures, revised version, to appear in JLT
Simple models of small world networks with directed links
We investigate the effect of directed short and long range connections in a
simple model of small world network. Our model is such that we can determine
many quantities of interest by an exact analytical method. We calculate the
function , defined as the number of sites affected up to time when a
naive spreading process starts in the network. As opposed to shortcuts, the
presence of un-favorable bonds has a negative effect on this quantity. Hence
the spreading process may not be able to affect all the network. We define and
calculate a quantity named the average size of accessible world in our model.
The interplay of shortcuts, and un-favorable bonds on the small world
properties is studied.Comment: 15 pages, 9 figures, published versio
Predictors of Patient-Reported Pain and Functional Outcomes Over 10 Years After Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective Cohort Study.
Background
This study aimed to identify preoperative predictors of patient-reported outcomes after total knee replacement (TKR) and to investigate their association with the outcomes over time.
Methods
We used data from 2,080 patients from the Knee Arthroplasty Trial (KAT) who received primary TKR in the UK between July 1999 and January 2003. The primary outcome measure was the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) collected annually over 10 years after TKR. Preoperative predictors included a range of patient characteristics and clinical conditions. Mixed-effects linear regression model analysis of repeated measurements was used to identify predictors of OKS overall score, pain and function subscale scores over 10 years, separately.
Results
Worse preoperative OKS score, worse mental well-being, BMI>35 kg/m^2, living in the most deprived areas, higher American Society of Anaesthesiologists grade, presence of comorbidities, and history of previous knee surgery were associated with worse OKS overall score over 10 years after surgery. The same predictors were identified for pain and function subscale scores, and for both long-term (10 years) and short-/mid-term outcomes (1 and 5 years). However, fitted models explained more variations in function and shorter-term outcomes than in pain and longer-term outcomes, respectively.
Conclusion
The same predictors were identified for pain and functional outcomes over both short-tomedium term and long term after TKR. Within the factors identified, functional and shorter-term outcomes were more predictable than pain and longer-term outcomes, respectively. Regardless of their preoperative characteristics, on average, patients achieved substantial improvement in pain over time, though improvement for function was less prominent. </p
Lemaitre-Tolman-Bondi model and accelerating expansion
I discuss the spherically symmetric but inhomogeneous Lemaitre-Tolman- Bondi
(LTB) metric, which provides an exact toy model for an inhomogeneous universe.
Since we observe light rays from the past light cone, not the expansion of the
universe, spatial variation in matter density and Hubble rate can have the same
effect on redshift as acceleration in a perfectly homogeneous universe. As a
consequence, a simple spatial variation in the Hubble rate can account for the
distant supernova data in a dust universe without any dark energy. I also
review various attempts towards a semirealistic description of the universe
based on the LTB model.Comment: Invited Review for a special Gen. Rel. Grav. issue on Dark Energy. 17
pages, 3 figure
Inflation with racetrack superpotential and matter field
Several models of inflation with the racetrack superpotential for the volume
modulus coupled to a matter field are investigated. In particular, it is shown
that two classes of racetrack inflation models, saddle point and inflection
point ones, can be constructed in a fully supersymmetric framework with the
matter field F-term as a source of supersymmetry breaking and uplifting. Two
models of F-term supersymmetry breaking are considered: the Polonyi model and
the quantum corrected O'Raifeartaigh model. In the former case, both classes of
racetrack inflation models differ significantly from the corresponding models
with non-supersymmetric uplifting. The main difference is a quite strong
dominance of the inflaton by the matter field. In addition, fine-tuning of the
parameters is relaxed as compared to the original racetrack models. In the case
of the racetrack inflation models coupled to the O'Raifeartaigh model, the
matter field is approximately decoupled from the inflationary dynamics. In all
of the above models the gravitino mass is larger than the Hubble scale during
inflation. The possibility of having the gravitino much lighter than the Hubble
scale is also investigated. It is very hard to construct models with light
gravitino in which the volume modulus dominates inflation. On the other hand,
models in which the inflationary dynamics is dominated by the matter field are
relatively simple and seem to be more natural.Comment: 40 pages, 13 figures, references added, typos corrected, version to
be publishe
Beauty is Distractive: Particle production during multifield inflation
We consider a two-dimensional model of inflation, where the inflationary
trajectory is "deformed" by a grazing encounter with an Extra Species/Symmetry
Point (ESP) after the observable cosmological scales have left the Hubble
radius. The encounter entails a sudden production of particles, whose
backreaction causes a bending of the trajectory and a temporary decrease in
speed, both of which are sensitive to initial conditions. This "modulated"
effect leads to an additional contribution to the curvature perturbation, which
can be dominant if the encounter is close. We compute associated
non-Gaussianities, the bispectrum and its scale dependence as well as the
trispectrum, which are potentially detectable in many cases. In addition, we
consider a direct modulation of the coupling to the light field at the ESP via
a modulaton field, a mixed scenario whereby the modulaton is identified with a
second inflaton, and an extended Extra Species Locus (ESL); all of these
scenarios lead to similar additional contributions to observables. We conclude
that inflaton interactions throughout inflation are strongly constrained if
primordial non-Gaussianities remain unobserved in current experiments such as
PLANCK. If they are observed, an ESP encounter leaves additional signatures on
smaller scales which may be used to identify the model.Comment: 41 pages, 6 figures; v2: references and minor clarifications added,
conclusions unchange
Multipotent adult progenitor cells sustain function of ischemic limbs in mice
Despite progress in cardiovascular research, a cure for peripheral vascular disease has not been found. We compared
the vascularization and tissue regeneration potential of murine and human undifferentiated multipotent
adult progenitor cells (mMAPC-U and hMAPC-U), murine MAPC-derived vascular progenitors (mMAPC-VP),
and unselected murine BM cells (mBMCs) in mice with moderate limb ischemia, reminiscent of intermittent
claudication in human patients. mMAPC-U durably restored blood flow and muscle function and stimulated
muscle regeneration, by direct and trophic contribution to vascular and skeletal muscle growth. This was in
contrast to mBMCs and mMAPC-VP, which did not affect muscle regeneration and provided only limited and
transient improvement. Moreover, mBMCs participated in a sustained inflammatory response in the lower
limb, associated with progressive deterioration in muscle function. Importantly, mMAPC-U and hMAPC-U also
remedied vascular and muscular deficiency in severe limb ischemia, representative of critical limb ischemia in
humans. Thus, unlike BMCs or vascular-committed progenitors, undifferentiated multipotent adult progenitor
cells offer the potential to durably repair ischemic damage in peripheral vascular disease patients
Stability of persistent currents in a Bose-Einstein condensate confined in a toroidal trap
Motivated by recent experiments in Bose-Einstein condensed atoms that have
been confined in toroidal traps, we examine the stability of persistent
currents in such systems. We investigate the extent that the stability of these
currents may be tunable, and the possible difficulties in their creation and
detection.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure
Green function techniques in the treatment of quantum transport at the molecular scale
The theoretical investigation of charge (and spin) transport at nanometer
length scales requires the use of advanced and powerful techniques able to deal
with the dynamical properties of the relevant physical systems, to explicitly
include out-of-equilibrium situations typical for electrical/heat transport as
well as to take into account interaction effects in a systematic way.
Equilibrium Green function techniques and their extension to non-equilibrium
situations via the Keldysh formalism build one of the pillars of current
state-of-the-art approaches to quantum transport which have been implemented in
both model Hamiltonian formulations and first-principle methodologies. We offer
a tutorial overview of the applications of Green functions to deal with some
fundamental aspects of charge transport at the nanoscale, mainly focusing on
applications to model Hamiltonian formulations.Comment: Tutorial review, LaTeX, 129 pages, 41 figures, 300 references,
submitted to Springer series "Lecture Notes in Physics
Measurement of and charged current inclusive cross sections and their ratio with the T2K off-axis near detector
We report a measurement of cross section and the first measurements of the cross section
and their ratio
at (anti-)neutrino energies below 1.5
GeV. We determine the single momentum bin cross section measurements, averaged
over the T2K -flux, for the detector target material (mainly
Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen and Copper) with phase space restricted laboratory
frame kinematics of 500 MeV/c. The
results are and $\sigma(\nu)=\left( 2.41\
\pm0.022{\rm{(stat.)}}\pm0.231{\rm (syst.)}\ \right)\times10^{-39}^{2}R\left(\frac{\sigma(\bar{\nu})}{\sigma(\nu)}\right)=
0.373\pm0.012{\rm (stat.)}\pm0.015{\rm (syst.)}$.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figure
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