Persistence and the Random Bond Ising Model in Two Dimensions

We study the zero-temperature persistence phenomenon in the random bond $\pm J$ Ising model on a square lattice via extensive numerical simulations. We find strong evidence for ` blocking\rq regardless of the amount disorder present in the system. The fraction of spins which {\it never} flips displays interesting non-monotonic, double-humped behaviour as the concentration of ferromagnetic bonds $p$ is varied from zero to one. The peak is identified with the onset of the zero-temperature spin glass transition in the model. The residual persistence is found to decay algebraically and the persistence exponent $\theta (p)\approx 0.9$ over the range $0.1\le p\le 0.9$. Our results are completely consistent with the result of Gandolfi, Newman and Stein for infinite systems that this model has ` mixed\rq behaviour, namely positive fractions of spins that flip finitely and infinitely often, respectively. [Gandolfi, Newman and Stein, Commun. Math. Phys. {\bf 214} 373, (2000).]Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Hair radioactivity as a measure of exposure to radioisotopes

Since many radioisotopes accumulate in hair, this tropism was investigated by comparing the radioactivity of shaved with plucked hair collected from rats at various time intervals up to 24 hrs after intravenous injection of the ecologically important radioisotopes, iodine-131, manganese-54, strontium-85, and zinc-65. The plucked hair includes the hair follicles where biochemical transformations are taking place. The data indicate a slight surge of each radioisotpe into the hair immediately after injection, a variation of content of each radionuclide in the hair, and a greater accumulation of radioactivity in plucked than in shaved hair. These results have application not only to hair as a measure of exposure to radioisotopes, but also to tissue damage and repair at the hair follicle

In situ aerosol measurements taken during the 2007 COPS field campaign at the Hornisgrinde ground site

Copyright @ 2011 Royal Meteorological Society.The Convective and Orographically-induced Precipitation Study (COPS) campaign was conducted during the summer of 2007. A suite of instruments housed at the top of the Hornisgrinde Mountain (1156 m) in the Black Forest region of south-west Germany provided datasets that allow an investigation into the physical, chemical and hygroscopic properties of the aerosol particles sampled during COPS. Organic mass loadings were found to dominate the aerosol composition for the majority of the project, exceeding 8 µg m−3 during a period of high pressure, high temperature, and low wind speed. The ratio of organic:sulphate sub-micron mass concentration exceeds 10:1 during the same time period. Back trajectories show air from this time-frame passing slowly over the local forest and not passing over any local anthropogenic sources. Occasional peaks in nitrate mass loadings were associated with changes in the typical wind direction from south-westerly to north-westerly where air had passed over the Stuttgart region. Size distribution data shows a dominant accumulation-mode when the measurement site was free from precipitation events. A sharp increase in ultrafine particle number concentration was seen during most days commencing around noon. The apparent growth of these particles is associated with an increase in organic mass loading, suggesting condensational growth. For the most part, with the exception of the high pressure period, the aerosol properties recorded during COPS were comparable to previous studies of continental aerosol properties.NER

Preventing and responding to depression, self-harm, and suicide in older people living in long term care settings: a systematic review

Abstract Objective: The well documented demographic shift to an aging population means that more people will in future be in need of long term residential care. Previous research has reported an increased risk of mental health issues and suicidal ideation among older people living in residential care settings. However, there is little information on the actual prevalence of depression, self-harm, and suicidal behavior in this population, how it is measured and how care homes respond to these issues. Method: This systematic review of international literature addressed three research questions relating to; the prevalence of mental health problems in this population; how they are identified and; how care homes try to prevent or respond to mental health issues. Results: Findings showed higher reported rates of depression and suicidal behavior in care home residents compared to matched age groups in the community, variation in the use of standardised measures across studies and, interventions almost exclusively focused on increasing staff knowledge about mental health but with an absence of involvement of older people themselves in these programmes. Conclusion: We discuss the implications of these findings in the context of addressing mental health difficulties experienced by older people in residential care and future research in this area

The kaon semileptonic form factor in Nf=2+1 domain wall lattice QCD with physical light quark masses

We present the first calculation of the kaon semileptonic form factor with sea and valence quark masses tuned to their physical values in the continuum limit of 2+1 flavour domain wall lattice QCD. We analyse a comprehensive set of simulations at the phenomenologically convenient point of zero momentum transfer in large physical volumes and for two different values of the lattice spacing. Our prediction for the form factor is f+(0)=0.9685(34)(14) where the first error is statistical and the second error systematic. This result can be combined with experimental measurements of K->pi decays for a determination of the CKM-matrix element for which we predict |Vus|=0.2233(5)(9) where the first error is from experiment and the second error from the lattice computation.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, 6 table

Weaning of immunosuppression in long - Term liver transplant recipients

Seventy-two long-surviving liver transplant recipients were evaluated prospectively, including a baseline allograft biopsy for weaning off of immunosuppression. Thirteen were removed from candidacy because of chronic rejection (n=4), hepatitis (n=2), patient anxiety (n=5), or lack of cooperation by the local physician (n=2). The other 59, aged 12-68 years, had stepwise drug weaning with weekly or biweekly monitoring of liver function tests. Their original diagnoses were PBC (n=9), HCC (n=l), Wilson’s disease (n=4), hepatitides (n=15), Laennec’s cirrhosis (n=l), biliary atresia (n=16), cystic fibrosis (n=l), hemochromatosis (n=l), hepatic trauma (n=l), alpha-l-antitrypsin deficiency (n=9), and secondary biliary cirrhosis (n=l). Most of the patients had complications of long-term immunosuppression, of which the most significant were renal dysfunction (n=8), squamous cell carcinoma (n=2) or verruca vulgaris of skin (n=9), osteoporosis and/or arthritis (n=12), obesity (n=3), hypertension (n=ll), and opportunistic infections (n=2). When azathioprine was a third drug, it was stopped first. Otherwise, weaning began with prednisone, using the results of corticotropin stimulation testing as a guide. If adrenal insufficiency was diagnosed, patients reduced to <5 mg/day prednisone were considered off of steroids. The baseline agents (azathioprine, cyclospo-rine, or FK506) were then gradually reduced in monthly decrements. Complete weaning was accomplished in 16 patients (27.1%) with 3-19 months drug-free follow-up, is progressing in 28 (47.4%), and failed in 15 (25.4%) without graft losses or demonstrable loss of graft function from the rejections. This and our previous experience with self-weaned and other patients off of immunosuppression indicate that a significant percentage of appropriately selected long-surviving liver recipients can unknowingly achieve drug-free graft acceptance. Such attempts should not be contemplated until 5-10 years posttransplantation and then only with careful case selection, close monitoring, and prompt reinstitution of immunosuppression when necessary. © 1995 by Williams & Wilkins

Point defect dynamics in bcc metals

We present an analysis of the time evolution of self-interstitial atom and vacancy (point defect) populations in pure bcc metals under constant irradiation flux conditions. Mean-field rate equations are developed in parallel to a kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) model. When only considering the elementary processes of defect production, defect migration, recombination and absorption at sinks, the kMC model and rate equations are shown to be equivalent and the time evolution of the point defect populations is analyzed using simple scaling arguments. We show that the typically large mismatch of the rates of interstitial and vacancy migration in bcc metals can lead to a vacancy population that grows as the square root of time. The vacancy cluster size distribution under both irreversible and reversible attachment can be described by a simple exponential function. We also consider the effect of highly mobile interstitial clusters and apply the model with parameters appropriate for vanadium and $\alpha-$iron.Comment: to appear in Phys. Rev.

Heavy quark mass dependence of semileptonic form factors for B decays

We present our study of the dependence of the heavy-to-light semileptonic B decay form factors on the heavy-light meson mass $M_{PS}$. Simulations are made over a range of the heavy quark mass covering both the charm and bottom quarks using the $O(a)$-improved clover action at $\beta=5.9$ on a $16^3\times 40$ and $24^3\times 64$ lattice. We find that a weak dependence of form factors on $M_{PS}$ observed in previous studies in the region of charm quark persists up to the region of$b$ quark. The soft pion relation $f^0(q^2_{max})=f_B/f_\pi$ is examined and found to be largely violated.Comment: 3 pages, latex source-file, 4 figures as epsf-file, uses espcrc2.sty. Talk presented by S. Tominaga at Lattice 97, Edinburgh, Scotland, 22-26 Jul 199