11,007 research outputs found
Bright branes for strongly coupled plasmas
We use holographic techniques to study photon production in a class of finite
temperature, strongly coupled, large-Nc SU(Nc) quark-gluon plasmas with Nf <<
Nc quark flavours. Our results are valid to leading order in the
electromagnetic coupling constant but non-perturbatively in the SU(Nc)
interactions. The spectral function of electromagnetic currents and other
related observables exhibit an interesting structure as a function of the
photon frequency and the quark mass. We discuss possible implications for heavy
ion collision experiments.Comment: 29 pages, 14 figure
3D Printed Soft Robotic Hand
Soft robotics is an emerging industry, largely dominated by companies which hand mold their actuators. Our team set out to design an entirely 3D printed soft robotic hand, powered by a pneumatic control system which will prove both the capabilities of soft robots and those of 3D printing. Through research, computer aided design, finite element analysis, and experimental testing, a functioning actuator was created capable of a deflection of 2.17” at a maximum pressure input of 15 psi. The single actuator was expanded into a 4 finger gripper and the design was printed and assembled. The created prototype was ultimately able to lift both a 100-gram apple and a 4-gram pill, proving its functionality in two prominent industries: pharmaceutical and food packing
Bringing entanglement to the high temperature limit
We show the existence of an entangled nonequilibrium state at very high
temperatures when two linearly coupled harmonic oscillators are parametrically
driven and dissipate into two independent heat baths. This result has a twofold
meaning: first, it fundamentally shifts the classical-quantum border to
temperatures as high as our experimental ability allows us, and second, it can
help increase by at least one order of magnitude the temperature at which
current experimental setups are operated.Comment: accepted in Phys. Rev. Let
Securitisation and the bank lending channel
The dramatic increase in securitisation activity has modified the functioning of credit markets by reducing the fundamental role of liquidity transformation performed by financial intermediaries. We claim that the changing role of banks from “originate and hold” to “originate, repackage and sell” has also modified banks’ abilities to grant credit and the effectiveness of the bank lending channel of monetary policy. Using a large sample of European banks, we find that the use of securitisation appears to shelter banks’ loan supply from the effects of monetary policy. Securitisation activity has also strengthened the capacity of banks to supply new loans but this capacity depends upon business cycle conditions as well as upon banks’ risk positions. In this respect the recent experience of the sub-prime mortgage loans crisis is very instructive.asset securitisation, bank lending channel, monetary policy
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