Nanoscale Quantum Calorimetry with Electronic Temperature Fluctuations

Motivated by the recent development of fast and ultra-sensitive thermometry in nanoscale systems, we investigate quantum calorimetric detection of individual heat pulses in the sub-meV energy range. We propose a hybrid superconducting injector-calorimeter set-up, with the energy of injected pulses carried by tunneling electrons. Treating all heat transfer events microscopically, we analyse the statistics of the calorimeter temperature fluctuations and derive conditions for an accurate measurement of the heat pulse energies. Our results pave the way for novel, fundamental quantum thermodynamics experiments, including calorimetric detection of single microwave photons.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures plus supplemental material, 8 pages, 1 figur

The dynamics of neutron star crusts: Lagrangian perturbation theory for a relativistic superfluid-elastic system

The inner crust of a mature neutron star is composed of an elastic lattice of neutron-rich nuclei penetrated by free neutrons. These neutrons can flow relative to the crust once the star cools below the superfluid transition temperature. In order to model the dynamics of this system, which is relevant for a range of problems from pulsar glitches to magnetar seismology and continuous gravitational-wave emission from rotating deformed neutron stars, we need to understand general relativistic Lagrangian perturbation theory for elastic matter coupled to a superfluid component. This paper develops the relevant formalism to the level required for astrophysical applications.Comment: 31 pages, double spacing, minor typos fixe

On the properties of cycles of simple Boolean networks

We study two types of simple Boolean networks, namely two loops with a cross-link and one loop with an additional internal link. Such networks occur as relevant components of critical K=2 Kauffman networks. We determine mostly analytically the numbers and lengths of cycles of these networks and find many of the features that have been observed in Kauffman networks. In particular, the mean number and length of cycles can diverge faster than any power law.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Random Boolean Network Models and the Yeast Transcriptional Network

The recently measured yeast transcriptional network is analyzed in terms of simplified Boolean network models, with the aim of determining feasible rule structures, given the requirement of stable solutions of the generated Boolean networks. We find that for ensembles of generated models, those with canalyzing Boolean rules are remarkably stable, whereas those with random Boolean rules are only marginally stable. Furthermore, substantial parts of the generated networks are frozen, in the sense that they reach the same state regardless of initial state. Thus, our ensemble approach suggests that the yeast network shows highly ordered dynamics.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figure

The Isospin Distribution of Fragments in Reactions 96Ru+96Ru, 96Ru+96Zr, 96Zr+96Ru, and 96Zr+96Zr at Beam Energy 400 AMeV

The isospin distribution of particles and fragments in collisions 96Ru+96Ru, 96Ru+96Zr, 96Zr+96Ru, and 96Zr+96Zr at beam energy 400 AMeV is studied with isospin dependent QMD model. We find that the rapidity distribution of differential neutron-proton counting in neutron rich nucleus-nucleus collisions at intermediate energies is sensitive to the isospin dependent part of nuclear potential. The study of the N/Z ratio of nucleons, light charged particles (LCP) and intermediate mass fragments (IMF) shows that the isospin dependent part of nuclear potential drives IMF to be more isospin symmetric and emitted nucleons to be more neutron rich. From the study of the time evolution of the isospin distribution in emitted nucleons, LCP and IMF we find that neutrons diffuse much faster than protons at beginning and the final isospin distribution is a result of dynamical balance of symmetry potential and Coulomb force under the charge conservation.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Elastic Stars in General Relativity: II. Radial perturbations

We study radial perturbations of general relativistic stars with elastic matter sources. We find that these perturbations are governed by a second order differential equation which, along with the boundary conditions, defines a Sturm-Liouville type problem that determines the eigenfrequencies. Although some complications arise compared to the perfect fluid case, leading us to consider a generalisation of the standard form of the Sturm-Liouville equation, the main results of Sturm-Liouville theory remain unaltered. As an important consequence we conclude that the mass-radius curve for a one-parameter sequence of regular equilibrium models belonging to some particular equation of state can be used in the same well-known way as in the perfect fluid case, at least if the energy density and the tangential pressure of the background solutions are continuous. In particular we find that the fundamental mode frequency has a zero for the maximum mass stars of the models with solid crusts considered in Paper I of this series.Comment: 22 pages, no figures, final version accepted for publication in Class. Quantum Grav. The treatment of the junction conditions has been improve

Snoring and Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Midlife Women: A Mechanistic Model of Snoring-Related Atherogenesis and Associations with C-Reactive Protein

Simple snoring is highly prevalent and should be considered a phenomenon distinct from sleep disordered breathing (SDB). Snoring is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Midlife women are at increased risk for snoring and cardiovascular disease, yet little is known about the relationships between these factors in this population. We propose and test a mechanistic model of snoring-related atherogenesis to explain these associations. This is the first study to examine the relationship in midlife women between objective and subjective snoring and C-reactive protein (CRP), a CVD biomarker, and the first study to characterize the correlates of snoring in midlife women. The full multi-ethnic sample included 300 women (52.07 ± 2.13 years, 44% African American) from the SWAN Sleep Study, ancillary to the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Objective snoring and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) were measured in a subset of 241 participants on one night of in-home polysomnography. CRP was measured at the core SWAN visit temporally closest to the sleep study. Linear regression models examined the relationships between objectively-derived snoring index, a ratio of snore epochs to sleep epochs, and CRP in both the full sample and in postmenopausal women only. Objective and subjective snoring group differences in mean CRP were tested using ANCOVA. Frequency of objective snoring was associated with higher CRP in postmenopausal women only. Snoring was not significantly associated with CRP in the full sample. The relationship between snoring and CRP was not moderated by AHI or race. There were no group differences in CRP between objective or subjective snoring groups after adjusting for all covariates. Characterization of the sample revealed that simple snorers are distinct from women with SDB. Simple snorers also differed from absent snorers on key CVD risk factors, including higher BMI, systolic blood pressure, and number of metabolic syndrome criteria. There was little agreement between objective snoring frequency and subjective snoring self-report. These findings show that simple snoring should be considered a distinct construct from SDB and measured objectively alongside AHI in future studies. Snoring represents a unique and understudied risk factor for CVD, particularly in postmenopausal women