2,845 research outputs found
Optical alignment and spinning of laser-trapped microscopic particles
Light-induced rotation of absorbing microscopic particles by transfer of
angular momentum from light to the material raises the possibility of optically
driven micromachines. The phenomenon has been observed using elliptically
polarized laser beams or beams with helical phase structure. But it is
difficult to develop high power in such experiments because of overheating and
unwanted axial forces, limiting the achievable rotation rates to a few hertz.
This problem can in principle be overcome by using transparent particles,
transferring angular momentum by a mechanism first observed by Beth in 1936,
when he reported a tiny torque developed in a quartz waveplate due to the
change in polarization of transmitted light. Here we show that an optical
torque can be induced on microscopic birefringent particles of calcite held by
optical tweezers. Depending on the polarization of the incident beam, the
particles either become aligned with the plane of polarization (and thus can be
rotated through specified angles) or spin with constant rotation frequency.
Because these microscopic particles are transparent, they can be held in
three-dimensional optical traps at very high power without heating. We have
observed rotation rates in excess of 350 Hz.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Model for hypernucleus production in heavy ion collisions
We estimate the production cross sections of hypernuclei in projectile like
fragment (PLF) in heavy ion collisions. The discussed scenario for the
formation cross section of hypernucleus is: (a) Lambda particles are produced
in the participant region but have a considerable rapidity spread and (b)
Lambda with rapidity close to that of the PLF and total momentum (in the rest
system of PLF) up to Fermi motion can then be trapped and produce hypernuclei.
The process (a) is considered here within Heavy Ion Jet Interacting Generator
HIJING-BBbar model and the process (b) in the canonical thermodynamic model
(CTM). We estimate the production cross-sections for light hypernuclei for C +
C at 3.7 GeV total nucleon-nucleon center of mass energy and for Ne+Ne and
Ar+Ar collisions at 5.0 GeV. By taking into account explicitly the impact
parameter dependence of the colliding systems, it is found that the cross
section is different from that predicted by the coalescence model and large
discrepancy is obtained for 6_He and 9_Be hypernuclei.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables, revtex4, added reference
Grid Workflow Modelling Using Grid-Specific BPEL Extensions
This paper discusses problems of Grid service composition using BPEL4WS. In particular, difficulties concerning the invocation of WSRF-based services are elucidated. A solution to this problem is presented by extending the BPEL specification, and an implementation based on the ActiveBPEL workflow enactment engine is described
Optical microrheology using rotating laser-trapped particles
We demonstrate an optical system that can apply and accurately measure the
torque exerted by the trapping beam on a rotating birefringent probe particle.
This allows the viscosity and surface effects within liquid media to be
measured quantitatively on a micron-size scale using a trapped rotating
spherical probe particle. We use the system to measure the viscosity inside a
prototype cellular structure.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. v2: bibliographic details, minor text correction
In vivo efficacy of carvacrol on Campylobacter jejuni prevalence in broiler chickens during an entire fattening period
Carvacrol, a primary constituent of plant essential oils (EOs), and its antimicrobial activity have been the subject of many in vitro studies. Due to an increasing demand for alternative antimicrobials and an emerging number of antibiotic resistant bacteria, the use of essential oils has played a major role in many recent approaches to reduce Campylobacter colonization in poultry before slaughter age. For that purpose, the reducing effect of carvacrol on Campylobacter jejuni prevalence in broilers was determined in vivo in an experimental broiler chicken model during an entire fattening period. Carvacrol was added to the feed in a concentration of 120 mg/kg feed four days post hatch until the end of the trial. In this study, we demonstrated a statistically significant decrease of C. jejuni counts by 1.17 decadic logarithm (log10) most probable number (MPN)/g in cloacal swabs during starter and grower periods (corresponding to a broilers age between 1 and 28 days). Similar results were observed for colon enumeration at the end of the trial where C. jejuni counts were significantly reduced by 1.25 log10 MPN/g. However, carvacrol did not successfully reduce Campylobacter cecal colonization in 33-day-old broilers
Conducting rigorous research with subgroups of at-risk youth: lessons learned from a teen pregnancy prevention project in Alaska
In 2010, Alaska Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) received federal funding to test an
evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention program. The grant required a major modification to an existing
program and a randomized control trial (RCT) to test its effectiveness. As the major modifications, Alaska
used peer educators instead of adults to deliver the program to youth aged 1419 instead of the original
curriculum intended age range of 1214. Cultural and approach adaptations were included as well. After
4 years of implementation and data collection, the sample was too small to provide statistically significant
results. The lack of findings gave no information about the modification, nor any explanation of how the
curriculum was received, or reasons for the small sample. This paper reports on a case study follow-up to
the RCT to better understand outcome and implementation results. For this study, researchers reviewed
project documents and interviewed peer educators, state and local staff, and evaluators. Three themes
emerged from the data: (a) the professional growth of peer educators and development of peer education, (b)
difficulties resulting from curriculum content, especially for subpopulations of sexually active youth, youth
identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and/or asexual, pregnant, and parenting
youth and (c) the appropriateness of an RCT with subpopulations of at-risk youth. Three recommendations
emerged from the case study. First, including as many stakeholders as possible in the program and
evaluation design phases is essential, and must be supported by appropriate funding streams and training.
Second, there must be recognition of the multiple small subpopulations found in Alaska when adapting
programs designed for a larger and more homogeneous population. Third, RCTs may not be appropriate
for all population subgroups.Ye
The effects of meson mixing on dilepton spectra
The effect of scalar and vector meson mixing on the dilepton radiation from
hot and dense hadronic matter is estimated in different isospin channels. In
particular, we study the effect of - and mixing and
calculate the corresponding rates. Effects are found to be significant compared
to standard - and - annihilations. While the mixing in
the isoscalar channel mostly gives a contribution in the invariant mass range
between the two-pion threshold and the peak, the isovector channel
mixing induces an additional peak just below that of the .
Experimentally, the dilepton signals from - mixing seem to be more
tractable than those from - mixing.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figure
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