Progressive motion of an ac-driven kink in an annular damped system

A novel dynamical effect is presented: systematic drift of a topological soliton in ac-driven weakly damped systems with periodic boundary conditions. The effect is demonstrated in detail for a long annular Josephson junction. Unlike earlier considered cases of the ac-driven motion of fluxons (kinks), in the present case the long junction is_spatially uniform_. Numerical simulations reveal that progressive motion of the fluxon commences if the amplitude of the ac drive exceeds a threshold value. The direction of the motion is randomly selected by initial conditions, and a strong hysteresis is observed. An analytical approach to the problem is based on consideration of the interaction between plasma waves emitted by the fluxon under the action of the ac drive and the fluxon itself, after the waves complete round trip in the annular junction. The analysis predicts instability of the zero-average-velocity state of the fluxon interacting with its own radiation tails, provided that the drive's amplitude exceeds an explicitly found threshold. The predicted threshold amplitude strongly depends on the phase shift gained by the wave after the round trip. A very similar dependence is found in the simulations, testifying to the relevance of the analytical consideration.Comment: revtex text file and five eps figure files. Physical Review E, in pres

Microwave-induced flow of vortices in long Josephson junctions

We report experimental and numerical study of microwave-induced flow of vortices in long Josephson junctions at zero dc magnetic field. Our intriguing observation is that applying an ac-bias of a small frequency $f \ll f_p$ and sufficiently large amplitude changes the current-voltage characteristics ($I$-$V$ curve) of the junction in a way similar to the effect of dc magnetic field, well known as the flux-flow behavior. The characteristic voltage $V$ of this low voltage branch increases with the power $P$ of microwave radiation as $V_{s}\propto P^{\alpha}$ with the index $\alpha \simeq 0.5$. Experiments using a low-temperature laser scanning microscope unambiguously indicate the motion of Josephson vortices driven by microwaves. Numerical simulations agree with the experimental data and show strongly {\it irregular} vortex motion. We explain our results by exploiting an analogy between the microwave-induced vortex flow in long Josephson junctions and incoherent multi-photon absorption in small Josephson junctions in the presence of large thermal fluctuations. In the case of long Josephson junctions the spatially-temporal chaos in the vortex motion mimics the thermal fluctuations. In accordance with this analogy, a control of the intensity of chaos in a long junction by changing its damping constant leads to a pronounced change in the shape of the $I$-$V$ curve. Our results provide a possible explanation to previously measured but not yet understood microwave-driven properties of intrinsic Josephson junctions in high-temperature superconductors.Comment: 8 pages, 13 figure

Bunching of fluxons by the Cherenkov radiation in Josephson multilayers

A single magnetic fluxon moving at a high velocity in a Josephson multilayer (e.g., high-temperature superconductor such as BSCCO) can emit electromagnetic waves (Cherenkov radiation), which leads to formation of novel stable dynamic states consisting of several bunched fluxons. We find such bunched states in numerical simulation in the simplest cases of two and three coupled junctions. At a given driving current, several different bunched states are stable and move at velocities that are higher than corresponding single-fluxon velocity. These and some of the more complex higher-order bunched states and transitions between them are investigated in detail.Comment: 6 pages + 6 Figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. B on July 1, 200

Phase transition between synchronous and asynchronous updating algorithms

We update a one-dimensional chain of Ising spins of length $L$ with algorithms which are parameterized by the probability $p$ for a certain site to get updated in one time step. The result of the update event itself is determined by the energy change due to the local change in the configuration. In this way we interpolate between the Metropolis algorithm at zero temperature for $p$ of the order of 1/L and for large $L$, and a synchronous deterministic updating procedure for $p=1$. As function of $p$ we observe a phase transition between the stationary states to which the algorithm drives the system. These are non-absorbing stationary states with antiferromagnetic domains for $p>p_c$, and absorbing states with ferromagnetic domains for $p\leq p_c$. This means that above this transition the stationary states have lost any remnants to the ferromagnetic Ising interaction. A measurement of the critical exponents shows that this transition belongs to the universality class of parity conservation.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Biosynthesis of bioactive diterpenoids in the medicinal plant Vitex agnus‐castus

Vitex agnus‐castus L. (Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant historically used throughout the Mediterranean region to treat menstrual cycle disorders, and is still used today as a clinically effective treatment for premenstrual syndrome. The pharmaceutical activity of the plant extract is linked to its ability to lower prolactin levels. This feature has been attributed to the presence of dopaminergic diterpenoids that can bind to dopamine receptors in the pituitary gland. Phytochemical analyses of V. agnus‐castus show that it contains an enormous array of structurally related diterpenoids and, as such, holds potential as a rich source of new dopaminergic drugs. The present work investigated the localisation and biosynthesis of diterpenoids in V. agnus‐castus . With the assistance of matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionisation‐mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI‐MSI), diterpenoids were localised to trichomes on the surface of fruit and leaves. Analysis of a trichome‐specific transcriptome database, coupled with expression studies, identified seven candidate genes involved in diterpenoid biosynthesis: three class II diterpene synthases (diTPSs); three class I diTPSs; and a cytochrome P450 (CYP). Combinatorial assays of the diTPSs resulted in the formation of a range of different diterpenes that can account for several of the backbones of bioactive diterpenoids observed in V. agnus‐castus . The identified CYP, Vac CYP76BK1, was found to catalyse 16‐hydroxylation of the diol‐diterpene, peregrinol, to labd‐13Z ‐ene‐9,15,16‐triol when expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Notably, this product is a potential intermediate in the biosynthetic pathway towards bioactive furan‐ and lactone‐containing diterpenoids that are present in this species

Machine-learning-based calving prediction from activity, lying, and ruminating behaviors in dairy cattle

The objective of this study was to use automated activity, lying, and rumination monitors to characterize prepartum behavior and predict calving in dairy cattle. Data were collected from 20 primiparous and 33 multiparous Holstein dairy cattle from September 2011 to May 2013 at the University of Kentucky Coldstream Dairy. The HR Tag (SCR Engineers Ltd., Netanya, Israel) automatically collected neck activity and rumination data in 2-h increments. The IceQube (IceRobotics Ltd., South Queensferry, United Kingdom) automatically collected number of steps, lying time, standing time, number of transitions from standing to lying (ly-. ing bouts), and total motion, summed in 15-min increments. IceQube data were summed in 2-h increments to match HR Tag data. All behavioral data were collected for 14 d before the predicted calving date. Retrospective data analysis was performed using mixed linear models to examine behavioral changes by day in the 14 d before calving. Bihourly behavioral differences from baseline values over the 14 d before calving were also evaluated using mixed linear models. Changes in daily rumination time, total motion, lying time, and lying bouts occurred in the 14 d before calving. In the bihourly analysis, extreme values for all behaviors occurred in the final 24 h, indicating that the monitored behaviors may be useful in calving prediction. To determine whether technologies were useful at predicting calving, random forest, linear discriminant analysis, and neural network machine -learning techniques were constructed and implemented using R version 3.1.0 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). These methods were used on variables from each technology and all combined variables from both technologies. A neural network analysis that combined variables from both technologies at the daily level yielded 100.0% sen-sitivity and 86.8% specificity. A neural network analysis that combined variables from both technologies in bihourly increments was used to identify 2-h periods in the 8 h before calving with 82.8% sensitivity and 80.4% specificity. Changes in behavior and machine-learning alerts indicate that commercially marketed behavioral monitors may have calving prediction potential

Inter-rater reliability of the EPUAP pressure ulcer classification system using photographs

Background. Many classification systems for grading pressure ulcers are discussed in the literature. Correct identification and classification of a pressure ulcer is important for accurate reporting of the magnitude of the problem, and for timely prevention. The reliability of pressure ulcer classification systems has rarely been tested. Aims and objectives. The purpose of this paper is to examine the inter-rater reliability of classifying pressure ulcers according to the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel classification system when using pressure ulcer photographs.Design. Survey was among pressure ulcer experts.Methods. Fifty-six photographs were presented to 44 pressure ulcer experts. The experts classified the lesions as normal skin, blanchable erythema, pressure ulcer (four grades) or incontinence lesion. Inter-rater reliability was calculated.Results. The multirater-Kappa for the entire group of experts was 0.80 (P < 0.001).Various groups of experts obtained comparable results. Differences in classifications are mainly limited to 1 degree of difference. Incontinence lesions are most often confused with grade 2 (blisters) and grade 3 pressure ulcers (superficial pressure ulcers).Conclusions. The inter-rater reliability of the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel classification appears to be good for the assessment of photographs by experts. The difference between an incontinence lesion and a blister or a superficial pressure ulcer does not always seem clear.Relevance to clinical practice. The ability to determine correctly whether a lesion is a pressure ulcer lesion is important to assess the effectiveness of preventive measures. In addition, the ability to make a correct distinction between pressure ulcers and incontinence lesions is important as they require different preventive measures. A faulty classification leads to mistaken measures and negative results. Photographs can be used as a practice instrument to learn to discern pressure ulcers from incontinence lesions and to get to know the different grades of pressure ulcers. The Pressure Ulcer Classification software package has been developed to facilitate learning

What do people do with porn? qualitative research into the consumption, use and experience of pornography and other sexually explicit media

This article reviews qualitative research into the consumption of pornography and other sexually explicit media emerging from a range of subject areas. Taking a critique of quantitative methods and a focus on measuring sexual effects and attitudes as a starting point, it considers the proposition that qualitative work is more suited to an examination of the complex social, cultural and political constructions of sexuality. Examining studies into the way men, women and young people see, experience, and use explicit media texts, the article identifies the key findings that have emerged. Qualitative work shows that sexuality explicit media texts are experienced and understood in a variety of ways and evoke strong and often contradictory reactions, not all of which are represented in public debates about pornography. These texts function in a range of different ways, depending on context; as a source of knowledge, a resource for intimate practices, a site for identity construction, and an occasion for performing gender and sexuality. The article reviews these studies and their findings, identifying what they suggest about directions for future research, both in terms of developing methodology and refining approaches to sexuality and media consumption.</p

Solitons in Triangular and Honeycomb Dynamical Lattices with the Cubic Nonlinearity

We study the existence and stability of localized states in the discrete nonlinear Schr{\"o}dinger equation (DNLS) on two-dimensional non-square lattices. The model includes both the nearest-neighbor and long-range interactions. For the fundamental strongly localized soliton, the results depend on the coordination number, i.e., on the particular type of the lattice. The long-range interactions additionally destabilize the discrete soliton, or make it more stable, if the sign of the interaction is, respectively, the same as or opposite to the sign of the short-range interaction. We also explore more complicated solutions, such as twisted localized modes (TLM's) and solutions carrying multiple topological charge (vortices) that are specific to the triangular and honeycomb lattices. In the cases when such vortices are unstable, direct simulations demonstrate that they turn into zero-vorticity fundamental solitons.Comment: 17 pages, 13 figures, Phys. Rev.

Three-body structure of low-lying 18Ne states

We investigate to what extent 18Ne can be descibed as a three-body system made of an inert 16O-core and two protons. We compare to experimental data and occasionally to shell model results. We obtain three-body wave functions with the hyperspherical adiabatic expansion method. We study the spectrum of 18Ne, the structure of the different states and the predominant transition strengths. Two 0+, two 2+, and one 4+ bound states are found where they are all known experimentally. Also one 3+ close to threshold is found and several negative parity states, 1-, 3-, 0-, 2-, most of them bound with respect to the 16O excited 3- state. The structures are extracted as partial wave components, as spatial sizes of matter and charge, and as probability distributions. Electromagnetic decay rates are calculated for these states. The dominating decay mode for the bound states is E2 and occasionally also M1.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures (version to appear in EPJA