Mapping the critical gestational age at birth that alters brain development in preterm-born infants using multi-modal MRI.

PubMed

Wu, Dan; Chang, Linda; Akazawa, Kentaro; Oishi, Kumiko; Skranes, Jon; Ernst, Thomas; Oishi, Kenichi

2017-04-01

Preterm birth adversely affects postnatal brain development. In order to investigate the critical gestational age at birth (GAB) that alters the developmental trajectory of gray and white matter structures in the brain, we investigated diffusion tensor and quantitative T2 mapping data in 43 term-born and 43 preterm-born infants. A novel multivariate linear model-the change point model, was applied to detect change points in fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and T2 relaxation time. Change points captured the "critical" GAB value associated with a change in the linear relation between GAB and MRI measures. The analysis was performed in 126 regions across the whole brain using an atlas-based image quantification approach to investigate the spatial pattern of the critical GAB. Our results demonstrate that the critical GABs are region- and modality-specific, generally following a central-to-peripheral and bottom-to-top order of structural development. This study may offer unique insights into the postnatal neurological development associated with differential degrees of preterm birth. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stepwise positional-orientational order and the multicritical-multistructural global phase diagram of the s=3/2 Ising model from renormalization-group theory.

PubMed

Yunus, Çağın; Renklioğlu, Başak; Keskin, Mustafa; Berker, A Nihat

2016-06-01

The spin-3/2 Ising model, with nearest-neighbor interactions only, is the prototypical system with two different ordering species, with concentrations regulated by a chemical potential. Its global phase diagram, obtained in d=3 by renormalization-group theory in the Migdal-Kadanoff approximation or equivalently as an exact solution of a d=3 hierarchical lattice, with flows subtended by 40 different fixed points, presents a very rich structure containing eight different ordered and disordered phases, with more than 14 different types of phase diagrams in temperature and chemical potential. It exhibits phases with orientational and/or positional order. It also exhibits quintuple phase transition reentrances. Universality of critical exponents is conserved across different renormalization-group flow basins via redundant fixed points. One of the phase diagrams contains a plastic crystal sequence, with positional and orientational ordering encountered consecutively as temperature is lowered. The global phase diagram also contains double critical points, first-order and critical lines between two ordered phases, critical end points, usual and unusual (inverted) bicritical points, tricritical points, multiple tetracritical points, and zero-temperature criticality and bicriticality. The four-state Potts permutation-symmetric subspace is contained in this model.

Critical slowing down as early warning for the onset of collapse in mutualistic communities.

PubMed

Dakos, Vasilis; Bascompte, Jordi

2014-12-09

Tipping points are crossed when small changes in external conditions cause abrupt unexpected responses in the current state of a system. In the case of ecological communities under stress, the risk of approaching a tipping point is unknown, but its stakes are high. Here, we test recently developed critical slowing-down indicators as early-warning signals for detecting the proximity to a potential tipping point in structurally complex ecological communities. We use the structure of 79 empirical mutualistic networks to simulate a scenario of gradual environmental change that leads to an abrupt first extinction event followed by a sequence of species losses until the point of complete community collapse. We find that critical slowing-down indicators derived from time series of biomasses measured at the species and community level signal the proximity to the onset of community collapse. In particular, we identify specialist species as likely the best-indicator species for monitoring the proximity of a community to collapse. In addition, trends in slowing-down indicators are strongly correlated to the timing of species extinctions. This correlation offers a promising way for mapping species resilience and ranking species risk to extinction in a given community. Our findings pave the road for combining theory on tipping points with patterns of network structure that might prove useful for the management of a broad class of ecological networks under global environmental change.

Temperature dependence of the interband critical points of bulk Ge and strained Ge on Si

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernando, Nalin S.; Nunley, T. Nathan; Ghosh, Ayana; Nelson, Cayla M.; Cooke, Jacqueline A.; Medina, Amber A.; Zollner, Stefan; Xu, Chi; Menendez, Jose; Kouvetakis, John

2017-11-01

Epitaxial Ge layers on a Si substrate experience a tensile biaxial stress due to the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients of the Ge epilayer and the Si substrate, which can be measured using asymmetric X-ray diffraction reciprocal space maps. This stress depends on temperature and affects the band structure, interband critical points, and optical spectra. This manuscripts reports careful measurements of the temperature dependence of the dielectric function and the interband critical point parameters of bulk Ge and Ge epilayers on Si using spectroscopic ellipsometry from 80 to 780 K and from 0.8 to 6.5 eV. The authors find a temperature-dependent redshift of the E1 and E1 + Δ1 critical points in Ge on Si (relative to bulk Ge). This redshift can be described well with a model based on thermal expansion coefficients, continuum elasticity theory, and the deformation potential theory for interband transitions. The interband transitions leading to E0‧ and E2 critical points have lower symmetry and therefore are not affected by the stress.

Mapping the Critical Gestational Age at Birth that Alters Brain Development in Preterm-born Infants using Multi-Modal MRI

PubMed Central

Wu, Dan; Chang, Linda; Akazawa, Kentaro; Oishi, Kumiko; Skranes, Jon; Ernst, Thomas; Oishi, Kenichi

2017-01-01

Preterm birth adversely affects postnatal brain development. In order to investigate the critical gestational age at birth (GAB) that alters the developmental trajectory of gray and white matter structures in the brain, we investigated diffusion tensor and quantitative T2 mapping data in 43 term-born and 43 preterm-born infants. A novel multivariate linear model—the change point model, was applied to detect change points in fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and T2 relaxation time. Change points captured the “critical” GAB value associated with a change in the linear relation between GAB and MRI measures. The analysis was performed in 126 regions across the whole brain using an atlas-based image quantification approach to investigate the spatial pattern of the critical GAB. Our results demonstrate that the critical GABs are region- and modality-specific, generally following a central-to-peripheral and bottom-to-top order of structural development. This study may offer unique insights into the postnatal neurological development associated with differential degrees of preterm birth. PMID:28111189

Uncovering novel phase structures in \\Box ^k scalar theories with the renormalization group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safari, M.; Vacca, G. P.

2018-03-01

We present a detailed version of our recent work on the RG approach to multicritical scalar theories with higher derivative kinetic term φ (-\\Box )^kφ and upper critical dimension d_c = 2nk/(n-1). Depending on whether the numbers k and n have a common divisor two classes of theories have been distinguished. For coprime k and n-1 the theory admits a Wilson-Fisher type fixed point. We derive in this case the RG equations of the potential and compute the scaling dimensions and some OPE coefficients, mostly at leading order in ɛ . While giving new results, the critical data we provide are compared, when possible, and accord with a recent alternative approach using the analytic structure of conformal blocks. Instead when k and n-1 have a common divisor we unveil a novel interacting structure at criticality. \\Box ^2 theories with odd n, which fall in this class, are analyzed in detail. Using the RG flows it is shown that a derivative interaction is unavoidable at the critical point. In particular there is an infrared fixed point with a pure derivative interaction at which we compute the scaling dimensions and, for the particular example of \\Box ^2 theory in d_c=6, also some OPE coefficients.

Critical parameters of hard-core Yukawa fluids within the structural theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bahaa Khedr, M.; Osman, S. M.

2012-10-01

A purely statistical mechanical approach is proposed to account for the liquid-vapor critical point based on the mean density approximation (MDA) of the direct correlation function. The application to hard-core Yukawa (HCY) fluids facilitates the use of the series mean spherical approximation (SMSA). The location of the critical parameters for HCY fluid with variable intermolecular range is accurately calculated. Good agreement is observed with computer simulation results and with the inverse temperature expansion (ITE) predictions. The influence of the potential range on the critical parameters is demonstrated and the universality of the critical compressibility ratio is discussed. The behavior of the isochoric and isobaric heat capacities along the equilibrium line and the near vicinity of the critical point is discussed in details.

Communication: Analytic continuation of the virial series through the critical point using parametric approximants.

PubMed

Barlow, Nathaniel S; Schultz, Andrew J; Weinstein, Steven J; Kofke, David A

2015-08-21

The mathematical structure imposed by the thermodynamic critical point motivates an approximant that synthesizes two theoretically sound equations of state: the parametric and the virial. The former is constructed to describe the critical region, incorporating all scaling laws; the latter is an expansion about zero density, developed from molecular considerations. The approximant is shown to yield an equation of state capable of accurately describing properties over a large portion of the thermodynamic parameter space, far greater than that covered by each treatment alone.

Temperature-dependent dielectric functions and interband critical points of sulfur-rich TlIn(S1-xSex)2 layered solid solution crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomonnai, O. O.; Gordan, O.; Guranich, P. P.; Slivka, A. G.; Gomonnai, A. V.; Zahn, D. R. T.

2017-12-01

Real and imaginary parts of the dielectric function of TlIn(S1-xSex)2 (x = 0.05, 0.08, 0.25) single crystals were determined in the spectral range from 1 to 5 eV within a temperature interval 140-293 K from spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. The energies of interband transitions (critical points) of the TlIn(S1-xSex)2 crystals were obtained from the second derivative of the real and imaginary parts of dielectric function. Structural phase transitions are behind the observed change of electronic band structure.

Radiatively driven winds from magnetic, fast-rotating stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nerney, S.

1986-01-01

An analytical procedure is developed to solve the magnetohydrodynamic equations for the stellar wind problem in the strong-magnetic field, optically thick limit for hot stars. The slow-mode, Alfven, and fast-mode critical points are modified by the radiation terms in the force equation but in a manner that can be treated relatively easily. Once the velocities at the critical points and the distances to the points are known, the streamline constants are determined in a straight-forward manner. This allows the structure of the wind to be elucidated without recourse to complicated computational schemes.

Quasiclassical analysis of vortex lattice states in Rashba noncentrosymmetric superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dan, Yuichiro; Ikeda, Ryusuke

2015-10-01

Vortex lattice states occurring in noncentrosymmetric superconductors with a spin-orbit coupling of Rashba type under a magnetic field parallel to the symmetry plane are examined by assuming the s -wave pairing case and in an approach combining the quasiclassical theory with the Landau level expansion of the superconducting order parameter. The resulting field-temperature phase diagrams include not only a discontinuous transition but a continuous crossover between different vortex lattice structures, and, further, a critical end point of a structural transition line is found at an intermediate field and a low temperature in the present approach. It is pointed out that the strange field dependence of the vortex lattice structure is a consequence of that of its anisotropy stemming from the Rashba spin-orbit coupling, and that the critical end point is related to the helical phase modulation peculiar to these materials in the ideal Pauli-limited case. Furthermore, calculation results on the local density of states detectable in STM experiments are also presented.

Geometrically Nonlinear Static Analysis of 3D Trusses Using the Arc-Length Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hrinda, Glenn A.

2006-01-01

Rigorous analysis of geometrically nonlinear structures demands creating mathematical models that accurately include loading and support conditions and, more importantly, model the stiffness and response of the structure. Nonlinear geometric structures often contain critical points with snap-through behavior during the response to large loads. Studying the post buckling behavior during a portion of a structure's unstable load history may be necessary. Primary structures made from ductile materials will stretch enough prior to failure for loads to redistribute producing sudden and often catastrophic collapses that are difficult to predict. The responses and redistribution of the internal loads during collapses and possible sharp snap-back of structures have frequently caused numerical difficulties in analysis procedures. The presence of critical stability points and unstable equilibrium paths are major difficulties that numerical solutions must pass to fully capture the nonlinear response. Some hurdles still exist in finding nonlinear responses of structures under large geometric changes. Predicting snap-through and snap-back of certain structures has been difficult and time consuming. Also difficult is finding how much load a structure may still carry safely. Highly geometrically nonlinear responses of structures exhibiting complex snap-back behavior are presented and analyzed with a finite element approach. The arc-length method will be reviewed and shown to predict the proper response and follow the nonlinear equilibrium path through limit points.

CePt2In7: Shubnikov-de Haas measurements on micro-structured samples under high pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanter, J.; Moll, P.; Friedemann, S.; Alireza, P.; Sutherland, M.; Goh, S.; Ronning, F.; Bauer, E. D.; Batlogg, B.

2014-03-01

CePt2In7 belongs to the CemMnIn3 m + 2 n heavy fermion family, but compared to the Ce MIn5 members of this group, exhibits a more two dimensional electronic structure. At zero pressure the ground state is antiferromagnetically ordered. Under pressure the antiferromagnetic order is suppressed and a superconducting phase is induced, with a maximum Tc above a quantum critical point around 31 kbar. To investigate the changes in the Fermi Surface and effective electron masses around the quantum critical point, Shubnikov-de Haas measurements were conducted under high pressures in an anvil cell. The samples were micro-structured and contacted using a Focused Ion Beam (FIB). The Focused Ion Beam enables sample contacting and structuring down to a sub-micrometer scale, making the measurement of several samples with complex shapes and multiple contacts on a single anvil feasible.

Fermion-induced quantum criticality with two length scales in Dirac systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torres, Emilio; Classen, Laura; Herbut, Igor F.; Scherer, Michael M.

2018-03-01

The quantum phase transition to a Z3-ordered Kekulé valence bond solid in two-dimensional Dirac semimetals is governed by a fermion-induced quantum critical point, which renders the putatively discontinuous transition continuous. We study the resulting universal critical behavior in terms of a functional RG approach, which gives access to the scaling behavior on the symmetry-broken side of the phase transition, for general dimensions and number of Dirac fermions. In particular, we investigate the emergence of the fermion-induced quantum critical point for spacetime dimensions 2

Self-Consistent Field Theory of Gaussian Ring Polymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jaeup; Yang, Yong-Biao; Lee, Won Bo

2012-02-01

Ring polymers, being free from chain ends, have fundamental importance in understanding the polymer statics and dynamics which are strongly influenced by the chain end effects. At a glance, their theoretical treatment may not seem particularly difficult, but the absence of chain ends and the topological constraints make the problem non-trivial, which results in limited success in the analytical or semi-analytical formulation of ring polymer theory. Here, I present a self-consistent field theory (SCFT) formalism of Gaussian (topologically unconstrained) ring polymers for the first time. The resulting static property of homogeneous and inhomogeneous ring polymers are compared with the random phase approximation (RPA) results. The critical point for ring homopolymer system is exactly the same as the linear polymer case, χN = 2, since a critical point does not depend on local structures of polymers. The critical point for ring diblock copolymer melts is χN 17.795, which is approximately 1.7 times of that of linear diblock copolymer melts, χN 10.495. The difference is due to the ring structure constraint.

Nanoporous Materials Can Tune the Critical Point of a Pure Substance

DOE PAGES

Braun, Efrem; Chen, Joseph J.; Schnell, Sondre K.; ...

2015-09-30

Molecular simulations and NMR relaxometry experiments demonstrate that pure benzene or xylene confined in isoreticular metal–organic frameworks (IRMOFs) exhibit true vapor–liquid phase equilibria where the effective critical point may be reduced by tuning the structure of the MOF. Our results are consistent with vapor and liquid phases extending over many MOF unit cells. These results are counterintuitive since the MOF pore diameters are approximately the same length scale as the adsorbate molecules. Lastly, as applications of these materials in catalysis, separations, and gas storage rely on the ability to tune the properties of adsorbed molecules, we anticipate that the abilitymore » to systematically control the critical point, thereby preparing spatially inhomogeneous local adsorbate densities, could add a new design tool for MOF applications.« less

The role of amino acid electron-donor/acceptor atoms in host-cell binding peptides is associated with their 3D structure and HLA-binding capacity in sterile malarial immunity induction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Patarroyo, Manuel E., E-mail: mepatarr@mail.com; Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota; Almonacid, Hannia

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fundamental residues located in some HABPs are associated with their 3D structure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electron-donor atoms present in {beta}-turn, random, distorted {alpha}-helix structures. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electron-donor atoms bound to HLA-DR53. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electron-acceptor atoms present in regular {alpha}-helix structure bound to HLA-DR52. -- Abstract: Plasmodium falciparum malaria continues being one of the parasitic diseases causing the highest worldwide mortality due to the parasite's multiple evasion mechanisms, such as immunological silence. Membrane and organelle proteins are used during invasion for interactions mediated by high binding ability peptides (HABPs); these have amino acids which establish hydrogen bonds between them in some of theirmore » critical binding residues. Immunisation assays in the Aotus model using HABPs whose critical residues had been modified have revealed a conformational change thereby enabling a protection-inducing response. This has improved fitting within HLA-DR{beta}1{sup Asterisk-Operator} molecules where amino acid electron-donor atoms present in {beta}-turn, random or distorted {alpha}-helix structures preferentially bound to HLA-DR53 molecules, whilst HABPs having amino acid electron-acceptor atoms present in regular {alpha}-helix structure bound to HLA-DR52. This data has great implications for vaccine development.« less

Quenched Magnon excitations by oxygen sublattice reconstruction in (SrCuO2)n/(SrTiO3)2 superlattices.

PubMed

Dantz, M; Pelliciari, J; Samal, D; Bisogni, V; Huang, Y; Olalde-Velasco, P; Strocov, V N; Koster, G; Schmitt, T

2016-09-12

The recently discovered structural reconstruction in the cuprate superlattice (SrCuO2)n/(SrTiO3)2 has been investigated across the critical value of n = 5 using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS). We find that at the critical value of n, the cuprate layer remains largely in the bulk-like two-dimensional structure with a minority of Cu plaquettes being reconstructed. The partial reconstruction leads to quenching of the magnons starting at the Γ-point due to the minority plaquettes acting as scattering points. Although comparable in relative abundance, the doped charge impurities in electron-doped cuprate superconductors do not show this quenching of magnetic excitations.

Peculiarities of electron density distribution in bismuth chalcogenides, iron pnictides, cuprates and related unconventional superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orlov, V. G.; Sergeev, G. S.

2018-05-01

With the aim to reveal the origin of instabilities in the electron subsystem of unconventional superconductors, such as stripes or nematic symmetry breaking, electron band structure calculations were performed for a number of bismuth chalcogenides, bismuth oxide, iron pnictides, as well as for Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8, YBa2Cu3O7 and La2CuO4. It was found that bond critical points in the electron density distribution ρ(r) of all the studied compounds were characterized by positive sign of electron density Laplacian evidencing on depletion of electron charge from the area of bond critical points. A correlation was found between the Tc and the value of electron density Laplacian in the strongest bond critical points of superconductors and related substances.

Bootstrap percolation on spatial networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Jian; Zhou, Tao; Hu, Yanqing

2015-10-01

Bootstrap percolation is a general representation of some networked activation process, which has found applications in explaining many important social phenomena, such as the propagation of information. Inspired by some recent findings on spatial structure of online social networks, here we study bootstrap percolation on undirected spatial networks, with the probability density function of long-range links’ lengths being a power law with tunable exponent. Setting the size of the giant active component as the order parameter, we find a parameter-dependent critical value for the power-law exponent, above which there is a double phase transition, mixed of a second-order phase transition and a hybrid phase transition with two varying critical points, otherwise there is only a second-order phase transition. We further find a parameter-independent critical value around -1, about which the two critical points for the double phase transition are almost constant. To our surprise, this critical value -1 is just equal or very close to the values of many real online social networks, including LiveJournal, HP Labs email network, Belgian mobile phone network, etc. This work helps us in better understanding the self-organization of spatial structure of online social networks, in terms of the effective function for information spreading.

Risk of the residents, infrastructure and water bodies by flash floods and sediment transport - assessment for scale of the Czech Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dostál, Tomáš; Krása, Josef; Bauer, Miroslav; Strouhal, Luděk; Jáchymová, Barbora; Devátý, Jan; David, Václav; Koudelka, Petr; Dočkal, Martin

2015-04-01

Pluvial and flash floods, related to massive sediment transport become phenomenon nowadays, under conditions of climate changes. Storm events, related to material damages appear at unexpected places and their effective control is only possible in form of prevention. To apply preventive measures, there have to be defined localities with reasonable reliability, which are endangered by surface runoff and sediment transport produced in the subcatchments, often at agriculturally used landscape. Classification of such localities, concerning of potential damages and magnitude of sediment transport shall be also included within the analyses, to design control measures effectively. Large scale project for whole territory of the Czech Republic (ca 80.000 km2) has therefore been granted b the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic, with the aim to define critical points, where interaction between surface runoff connected to massive sediment transport and infrastructure or vulnerable water bodies can occur and to classify them according to potential risk. Advanced GIS routines, based on analyses of land use, soil conditions and morphology had been used to determine the critical points - points, where significant surface runoff occurs and interacts with infrastructure and vulnerable water bodies, based exclusively on the contributing area - flow accumulation. In total, ca 150.000 critical points were determined within the Czech Republic. For each of critical points, its subcatchment had then been analyzed in detail, concerning of soil loss and sediment transport, using simulation model WATEM/SEDEM. The results were used for classification of potential risk of individual critical points, based on mean soil loss within subcatchment, total sediment transport trough the outlet point and subcatchment area. The classification has been done into 5 classes. The boundaries were determined by calibration survey and statistical analysis, performed at three experimental catchments area of 100 km2 each. Concentrated flow trajectory had then been analyzed trough urban areas and potential vulnerability of incident structures has been determined. Total hazard of infrastructure has been classified again into 5 categories for each individual critical point using risk matrix, combining threat and vulnerability features. Generalized control measures (changes in land-use, changes in agrotechnology, diverting linear measures or retention structures) were then introduced into mathematical model WATEM/SEDEM in number of scenarios, to allow effective design of control measures against surface runoff and sediment transport for each individual critical point. Result of the project will be public available by WEB application and shall be useful for government, local decision makers, for planning of development of communities and also optimization of effective design of flash floods control measures. The research has been supported by the research project VG20122015092.

Nuclear Heuristics: Selected Writings of Albert and Roberta Wohlstetter

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

Western military forces with less unintended killing, not to men- tion deliberate mass slaughter.37 AW then criticized the bishops for adopting the...purposes, like the treatment of stars as point- masses in astronomy. However, the internal structure of states may critically affect conflict or...continue to color our thought, even though we have long since come to see the critical importance of other targets quite detached from masses of

First-Order Interfacial Transformations with a Critical Point: Breaking the Symmetry at a Symmetric Tilt Grain Boundary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shengfeng; Zhou, Naixie; Zheng, Hui; Ong, Shyue Ping; Luo, Jian

2018-02-01

First-order interfacial phaselike transformations that break the mirror symmetry of the symmetric ∑5 (210 ) tilt grain boundary (GB) are discovered by combining a modified genetic algorithm with hybrid Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations. Density functional theory calculations confirm this prediction. This first-order coupled structural and adsorption transformation, which produces two variants of asymmetric bilayers, vanishes at an interfacial critical point. A GB complexion (phase) diagram is constructed via semigrand canonical ensemble atomistic simulations for the first time.

Conflicts between healthcare professionals and families of a multi-ethnic patient population during critical care: an ethnographic study.

PubMed

Van Keer, Rose-Lima; Deschepper, Reginald; Francke, Anneke L; Huyghens, Luc; Bilsen, Johan

2015-12-22

Conflicts during communication in multi-ethnic healthcare settings is an increasing point of concern as a result of societies' increased ethno-cultural diversity. We can expect that conflicts are even more likely to arise in situations where difficult medical decisions have to be made, such as critical medical situations in hospital. However, in-depth research on this topic is rather scarce. During critical care patients are often unable to communicate. We have therefore investigated factors contributing to conflicts between healthcare professionals and family members from ethnic minority groups in critical medical situations in hospital. Ethnographic fieldwork was done in one intensive care unit of a multi-ethnic urban hospital in Belgium over 6 months (January 2014 to June 2014). Data were collected through negotiated interactive observation, in-depth interviews with healthcare professionals, from patients' medical records, and by making notes in a logbook. Data were analysed by using grounded theory procedures. Conflicts were essentially related to differences in participants' views on what constitutes 'good care' based on different care approaches. Healthcare professionals' views on good care were based predominantly on a biomedical care model, whereas families' views on good care were mainly inspired by a holistic lifeworld-oriented approach. Giving good care, from the healthcare professionals' point of view, included great attention to regulations, structured communication, and central decision making. On the other hand, good care from the families' point of view included seeking exhaustive information, and participating in end-of-life decision making. Healthcare professionals' biomedical views on offering good care were strengthened by the features of the critical care context whereas families' holistic views on offering good care were reinforced by the specific characteristics of families' ethno-familial care context, including their different ethno-cultural backgrounds. However, ethno-cultural differences between participants only contributed to conflicts in confrontation with a triggering critical care context. Conflicts cannot be exclusively linked to ethno-cultural differences as structural, functional characteristics of critical care substantially contribute to the development of conflicts. Therefore, effective conflict prevention should not only focus on ethno-cultural differentness but should also take the structural organizational characteristics of the critical care context sufficiently into account.

Nonlinear Dynamics and Nucleation Kinetics in Near-Critical Liquids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Patashinski, Alexander Z.; Ratner, Mark A.; Pines, Vladimir

1996-01-01

The objective of our study is to model the nonlinear behavior of a near-critical liquid following a rapid change of the temperature and/or other thermodynamic parameters (pressure, external electric or gravitational field). The thermodynamic critical point is manifested by large, strongly correlated fluctuations of the order parameter (particle density in liquid-gas systems, concentration in binary solutions) in the critical range of scales. The largest critical length scale is the correlation radius r(sub c). According to the scaling theory, r(sub c) increases as r(sub c) = r(sub 0)epsilon(exp -alpha) when the nondimensional distance epsilon = (T - T(sub c))/T(sub c) to the critical point decreases. The normal gravity alters the nature of correlated long-range fluctuations when one reaches epsilon approximately equal to 10(exp -5), and correspondingly the relaxation time, tau(r(sub c)), is approximately equal to 10(exp -3) seconds; this time is short when compared to the typical experimental time. Close to the critical point, a rapid, relatively small temperature change may perturb the thermodynamic equilibrium on many scales. The critical fluctuations have a hierarchical structure, and the relaxation involves many length and time scales. Above the critical point, in the one-phase region, we consider the relaxation of the liquid following a sudden temperature change that simultaneously violates the equilibrium on many scales. Below T(sub c), a non-equilibrium state may include a distribution of small scale phase droplets; we consider the relaxation of such a droplet following a temperature change that has made the phase of the matrix stable.

Iron chalcogenide superconductors at high magnetic fields

PubMed Central

Lei, Hechang; Wang, Kefeng; Hu, Rongwei; Ryu, Hyejin; Abeykoon, Milinda; Bozin, Emil S; Petrovic, Cedomir

2012-01-01

Iron chalcogenide superconductors have become one of the most investigated superconducting materials in recent years due to high upper critical fields, competing interactions and complex electronic and magnetic phase diagrams. The structural complexity, defects and atomic site occupancies significantly affect the normal and superconducting states in these compounds. In this work we review the vortex behavior, critical current density and high magnetic field pair-breaking mechanism in iron chalcogenide superconductors. We also point to relevant structural features and normal-state properties. PMID:27877518

Prediction of Environmental Impact of High-Energy Materials with Atomistic Computer Simulations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-11-01

from a training set of compounds. Other methods include Quantitative Struc- ture-Activity Relationship ( QSAR ) and Quantitative Structure-Property...26 28 the development of QSPR/ QSAR models, in contrast to boiling points and critical parameters derived from empirical correlations, to improve...Quadratic Configuration Interaction Singles Doubles QSAR Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship QSPR Quantitative Structure-Property

Generalized Roche potential for misaligned binary systems - Properties of the critical lobe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Avni, Y.; Schiller, N.

1982-01-01

The paper considers the Roche potential for binary systems where the stellar rotation axis is not aligned with the orbital revolution axis. It is shown that, as the degree of misalignment varies, internal Lagrangian points and external Lagrangian points may switch their roles. A systematic method to identify the internal Lagrangian point and to calculate the volume of the critical lobe is developed, and numerical results for a wide range of parameters of binary systems with circular orbits are presented. For binary systems with large enough misalignment, discrete changes occur in the topological structure of the equipotential surfaces as the orbital phase varies. The volume of the critical lobe has minima, as a function of orbital phase, at the two instances when the secondary crosses the equatorial plane of the primary. In semidetached systems, mass transfer may be confined to the vicinity of these two instances.

Multicritical points in the mixed ferromagnetic-ferrimagnetic ternary alloy with a single-ion anisotropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobák, A.; Abubrig, F. O.; Balcerzak, T.

2003-12-01

The phase diagram of the ABpC1-p ternary alloy consisting of Ising spins SA=3/2, SB=1, and SC=5/2 in the presence of a single-ion anisotropy is investigated by the use of a mean-field theory based on the Bogoliubov inequality for the Gibbs free energy. To simulate the structure of the ternary metal Prussian blue analog such as (NiIIpMnII1-p)1.5[CrIII(CN)6]ṡzH2O, we assume that the A and X (either B or C) ions are alternately connected and the couplings between the A and X ions include both ferromagnetic (JAB>0) and antiferromagnetic (JAC<0) interactions. At the finite temperatures by changing values of the parameters of the model many different types of phase diagrams are obtained, including a variety of multicritical points such as tricritical points, fourth-order point, critical end points, isolated critical points, and triple points.

Adiabatic physics of an exchange-coupled spin-dimer system: Magnetocaloric effect, zero-point fluctuations, and possible two-dimensional universal behavior

DOE PAGES

Brambleby, J.; Goddard, P. A.; Singleton, John; ...

2017-01-05

We present the magnetic and thermal properties of the bosonic-superfluid phase in a spin-dimer network using both quasistatic and rapidly changing pulsed magnetic fields. The entropy derived from a heat-capacity study reveals that the pulsed-field measurements are strongly adiabatic in nature and are responsible for the onset of a significant magnetocaloric effect (MCE). In contrast to previous predictions we show that the MCE is not just confined to the critical regions, but occurs for all fields greater than zero at sufficiently low temperatures. We explain the MCE using a model of the thermal occupation of exchange-coupled dimer spin states andmore » highlight that failure to take this effect into account inevitably leads to incorrect interpretations of experimental results. In addition, the heat capacity in our material is suggestive of an extraordinary contribution from zero-point fluctuations and appears to indicate universal behavior with different critical exponents at the two field-induced critical points. Finally, the data at the upper critical point, combined with the layered structure of the system, are consistent with a two-dimensional nature of spin excitations in the system.« less

Cluster geometry and survival probability in systems driven by reaction diffusion dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Windus, Alastair; Jensen, Henrik J.

2008-11-01

We consider a reaction-diffusion model incorporating the reactions A→phi, A→2A and 2A→3A. Depending on the relative rates for sexual and asexual reproduction of the quantity A, the model exhibits either a continuous or first-order absorbing phase transition to an extinct state. A tricritical point separates the two phase lines. While we comment on this critical behaviour, the main focus of the paper is on the geometry of the population clusters that form. We observe the different cluster structures that arise at criticality for the three different types of critical behaviour and show that there exists a linear relationship for the survival probability against initial cluster size at the tricritical point only.

Strategies for the profiling, characterisation and detailed structural analysis of N-linked oligosaccharides.

PubMed

Tharmalingam, Tharmala; Adamczyk, Barbara; Doherty, Margaret A; Royle, Louise; Rudd, Pauline M

2013-02-01

Many post-translational modifications, including glycosylation, are pivotal for the structural integrity, location and functional activity of glycoproteins. Sub-populations of proteins that are relocated or functionally changed by such modifications can change resting proteins into active ones, mediating specific effector functions, as in the case of monoclonal antibodies. To ensure safe and efficacious drugs it is essential to employ appropriate robust, quantitative analytical strategies that can (i) perform detailed glycan structural analysis, (ii) characterise specific subsets of glycans to assess known critical features of therapeutic activities (iii) rapidly profile glycan pools for at-line monitoring or high level batch to batch screening. Here we focus on these aspects of glycan analysis, showing how state-of-the-art technologies are required at all stages during the production of recombinant glycotherapeutics. These data can provide insights into processing pathways and suggest markers for intervention at critical control points in bioprocessing and also critical decision points in disease and drug monitoring in patients. Importantly, these tools are now enabling the first glycome/genome studies in large populations, allowing the integration of glycomics into other 'omics platforms in a systems biology context.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Renzhong; Sun, Gang; Xu, Limei, E-mail: limei.xu@pku.edu.cn

A group of materials including water and silicon exhibit many anomalous behaviors, e.g., density anomaly and diffusivity anomaly (increase upon compression). These materials are hypothesized to have a liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT) and the critical fluctuation in the vicinity of the liquid-liquid critical point is considered as the origin of different anomalies. Liquid gallium was also reported to have a LLPT, yet whether it shows similar water-like anomalies is not yet studied. Using molecular dynamics simulations on a modified embedded-atom model, we study the thermodynamic, dynamic, and structural properties of liquid gallium as well as its LLPT. We find that,more » similar to water-like materials predicted to have the LLPT, gallium also shows different anomalous behaviors (e.g., density anomaly, diffusivity anomaly, and structural anomaly). We also find that its thermodynamic and structural response functions are continuous and show maxima in the supercritical region, the loci of which asymptotically approach to the other and merge to the Widom line. These phenomena are consistent with the supercritical phenomenon in a category of materials with a liquid-liquid critical point, which could be common features in most materials with a LLPT.« less

Phases of higher spin black holes: Hawking-Page, transitions between black holes, and a critical point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bañados, Máximo; Düring, Gustavo; Faraggi, Alberto; Reyes, Ignacio A.

2017-08-01

We study the thermodynamic phase diagram of three-dimensional s l (N ;R ) higher spin black holes. By analyzing the semiclassical partition function we uncover a rich structure that includes Hawking-Page transitions to the AdS3 vacuum, first order phase transitions among black hole states, and a second order critical point. Our analysis is explicit for N =4 but we extrapolate some of our conclusions to arbitrary N . In particular, we argue that even N is stable in the ensemble under consideration but odd N is not.

Initial postbuckling analysis of elastoplastic thin-shear structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carnoy, E. G.; Panosyan, G.

1984-01-01

The design of thin shell structures with respect to elastoplastic buckling requires an extended analysis of the influence of initial imperfections. For conservative design, the most critical defect should be assumed with the maximum allowable magnitude. This defect is closely related to the initial postbuckling behavior. An algorithm is given for the quasi-static analysis of the postbuckling behavior of structures that exhibit multiple buckling points. the algorithm based upon an energy criterion allows the computation of the critical perturbation which will be employed for the definition of the critical defect. For computational efficiency, the algorithm uses the reduced basis technique with automatic update of the modal basis. The method is applied to the axisymmetric buckling of cylindrical shells under axial compression, and conclusions are given for future research.

Choked flow of fluid nitrogen with emphasis on the thermodynamic critical region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hendricks, R. C.; Simoneau, R. J.; Ehlers, R. C.

1972-01-01

Experimental measurements of critical flow rate and pressure ratio for nitrogen flowing through a nozzle are presented. Data for selected stagnation isotherms from 87.5 to 234 K with pressures to 9.3 MN/m2 are compared to an equilibrium model with real fluid properties and also a nonequilibrium model. Critical flow pressure ratio along an isotherm tends to peak while the flow rate indicates an inflection. The point is closely associated with the transposed critical temperature and represents a change in the fluid structure.

Mapping Inherited Fractures in the Critical Zone Using Seismic Anisotropy From Circular Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novitsky, Christopher G.; Holbrook, W. Steven; Carr, Bradley J.; Pasquet, Sylvain; Okaya, David; Flinchum, Brady A.

2018-04-01

Weathering and hydrological processes in Earth's shallow subsurface are influenced by inherited bedrock structures, such as bedding planes, faults, joints, and fractures. However, these structures are difficult to observe in soil-mantled landscapes. Steeply dipping structures with a dominant orientation are detectable by seismic anisotropy, with fast wave speeds along the strike of structures. We measured shallow ( 2-4 m) seismic anisotropy using "circle shots," geophones deployed in a circle around a central shot point, in a weathered granite terrain in the Laramie Range of Wyoming. The inferred remnant fracture orientations agree with brittle fracture orientations measured at tens of meters depth in boreholes, demonstrating that bedrock fractures persist through the weathering process into the shallow critical zone. Seismic anisotropy positively correlates with saprolite thickness, suggesting that inherited bedrock fractures may control saprolite thickness by providing preferential pathways for corrosive meteoric waters to access the deep critical zone.

Behavior of supercooled aqueous solutions stemming from hidden liquid-liquid transition in water.

PubMed

Biddle, John W; Holten, Vincent; Anisimov, Mikhail A

2014-08-21

A popular hypothesis that explains the anomalies of supercooled water is the existence of a metastable liquid-liquid transition hidden below the line of homogeneous nucleation. If this transition exists and if it is terminated by a critical point, the addition of a solute should generate a line of liquid-liquid critical points emanating from the critical point of pure metastable water. We have analyzed thermodynamic consequences of this scenario. In particular, we consider the behavior of two systems, H2O-NaCl and H2O-glycerol. We find the behavior of the heat capacity in supercooled aqueous solutions of NaCl, as reported by Archer and Carter [J. Phys. Chem. B 104, 8563 (2000)], to be consistent with the presence of the metastable liquid-liquid transition. We elucidate the non-conserved nature of the order parameter (extent of "reaction" between two alternative structures of water) and the consequences of its coupling with conserved properties (density and concentration). We also show how the shape of the critical line in a solution controls the difference in concentration of the coexisting liquid phases.

Relative Critical Points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Debra

2013-05-01

Relative equilibria of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian systems with symmetry are critical points of appropriate scalar functions parametrized by the Lie algebra (or its dual) of the symmetry group. Setting aside the structures - symplectic, Poisson, or variational - generating dynamical systems from such functions highlights the common features of their construction and analysis, and supports the construction of analogous functions in non-Hamiltonian settings. If the symmetry group is nonabelian, the functions are invariant only with respect to the isotropy subgroup of the given parameter value. Replacing the parametrized family of functions with a single function on the product manifold and extending the action using the (co)adjoint action on the algebra or its dual yields a fully invariant function. An invariant map can be used to reverse the usual perspective: rather than selecting a parametrized family of functions and finding their critical points, conditions under which functions will be critical on specific orbits, typically distinguished by isotropy class, can be derived. This strategy is illustrated using several well-known mechanical systems - the Lagrange top, the double spherical pendulum, the free rigid body, and the Riemann ellipsoids - and generalizations of these systems.

Method for accurate growth of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

DOEpatents

Chalmers, Scott A.; Killeen, Kevin P.; Lear, Kevin L.

1995-01-01

We report a method for accurate growth of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). The method uses a single reflectivity spectrum measurement to determine the structure of the partially completed VCSEL at a critical point of growth. This information, along with the extracted growth rates, allows imprecisions in growth parameters to be compensated for during growth of the remaining structure, which can then be completed with very accurate critical dimensions. Using this method, we can now routinely grow lasing VCSELs with Fabry-Perot cavity resonance wavelengths controlled to within 0.5%.

Neuromuscular control of the point to point and oscillatory movements of a sagittal arm with the actor-critic reinforcement learning method.

PubMed

Golkhou, Vahid; Parnianpour, Mohamad; Lucas, Caro

2005-04-01

In this study, we have used a single link system with a pair of muscles that are excited with alpha and gamma signals to achieve both point to point and oscillatory movements with variable amplitude and frequency.The system is highly nonlinear in all its physical and physiological attributes. The major physiological characteristics of this system are simultaneous activation of a pair of nonlinear muscle-like-actuators for control purposes, existence of nonlinear spindle-like sensors and Golgi tendon organ-like sensor, actions of gravity and external loading. Transmission delays are included in the afferent and efferent neural paths to account for a more accurate representation of the reflex loops.A reinforcement learning method with an actor-critic (AC) architecture instead of middle and low level of central nervous system (CNS), is used to track a desired trajectory. The actor in this structure is a two layer feedforward neural network and the critic is a model of the cerebellum. The critic is trained by state-action-reward-state-action (SARSA) method. The critic will train the actor by supervisory learning based on the prior experiences. Simulation studies of oscillatory movements based on the proposed algorithm demonstrate excellent tracking capability and after 280 epochs the RMS error for position and velocity profiles were 0.02, 0.04 rad and rad/s, respectively.

The methodology of multi-viewpoint clustering analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehrotra, Mala; Wild, Chris

1993-01-01

One of the greatest challenges facing the software engineering community is the ability to produce large and complex computer systems, such as ground support systems for unmanned scientific missions, that are reliable and cost effective. In order to build and maintain these systems, it is important that the knowledge in the system be suitably abstracted, structured, and otherwise clustered in a manner which facilitates its understanding, manipulation, testing, and utilization. Development of complex mission-critical systems will require the ability to abstract overall concepts in the system at various levels of detail and to consider the system from different points of view. Multi-ViewPoint - Clustering Analysis MVP-CA methodology has been developed to provide multiple views of large, complicated systems. MVP-CA provides an ability to discover significant structures by providing an automated mechanism to structure both hierarchically (from detail to abstract) and orthogonally (from different perspectives). We propose to integrate MVP/CA into an overall software engineering life cycle to support the development and evolution of complex mission critical systems.

A Multi-Resolution Data Structure for Two-Dimensional Morse Functions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bremer, P-T; Edelsbrunner, H; Hamann, B

2003-07-30

The efficient construction of simplified models is a central problem in the field of visualization. We combine topological and geometric methods to construct a multi-resolution data structure for functions over two-dimensional domains. Starting with the Morse-Smale complex we build a hierarchy by progressively canceling critical points in pairs. The data structure supports mesh traversal operations similar to traditional multi-resolution representations.

Identifying the Cognitive Decrements Caused By HIV

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-10

critical analyses 46 pointed to further assessment of frontal lobe structures. Most of the 15 different tests yielded more than on* dependent variable...is also one of the tests included in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study longitudinal research on the progression of HIV infection. Left frontal lobe ...structures underlie verbal fluency performance and the particular sensitivity of frontal lobe structures to perturbations with HIV infection would

Long range dynamic effects of point-mutations trap a response regulator in an active conformation

PubMed Central

Bobay, Benjamin G.; Thompson, Richele J.; Hoch, James A.; Cavanagh, John

2010-01-01

When a point-mutation in a protein elicits a functional change, it is most common to assign this change to local structural perturbations. Here we show that point-mutations, distant from an essential highly dynamic kinase recognition loop in the response regulator Spo0F, lock this loop in an active conformation. This ‘conformational trapping’ results in functionally hyperactive Spo0F. Consequently, point-mutations are seen to affect functionally critical motions both close to and far from the mutational site. PMID:20828564

Overlapping Modularity at the Critical Point of k-Clique Percolation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tóth, Bálint; Vicsek, Tamás; Palla, Gergely

2013-05-01

One of the most remarkable social phenomena is the formation of communities in social networks corresponding to families, friendship circles, work teams, etc. Since people usually belong to several different communities at the same time, the induced overlaps result in an extremely complicated web of the communities themselves. Thus, uncovering the intricate community structure of social networks is a non-trivial task with great potential for practical applications, gaining a notable interest in the recent years. The Clique Percolation Method (CPM) is one of the earliest overlapping community finding methods, which was already used in the analysis of several different social networks. In this approach the communities correspond to k-clique percolation clusters, and the general heuristic for setting the parameters of the method is to tune the system just below the critical point of k-clique percolation. However, this rule is based on simple physical principles and its validity was never subject to quantitative analysis. Here we examine the quality of the partitioning in the vicinity of the critical point using recently introduced overlapping modularity measures. According to our results on real social and other networks, the overlapping modularities show a maximum close to the critical point, justifying the original criteria for the optimal parameter settings.

Phase space barriers and dividing surfaces in the absence of critical points of the potential energy: Application to roaming in ozone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mauguière, Frédéric A. L., E-mail: frederic.mauguiere@bristol.ac.uk; Collins, Peter, E-mail: peter.collins@bristol.ac.uk; Wiggins, Stephen, E-mail: stephen.wiggins@mac.com

We examine the phase space structures that govern reaction dynamics in the absence of critical points on the potential energy surface. We show that in the vicinity of hyperbolic invariant tori, it is possible to define phase space dividing surfaces that are analogous to the dividing surfaces governing transition from reactants to products near a critical point of the potential energy surface. We investigate the problem of capture of an atom by a diatomic molecule and show that a normally hyperbolic invariant manifold exists at large atom-diatom distances, away from any critical points on the potential. This normally hyperbolic invariantmore » manifold is the anchor for the construction of a dividing surface in phase space, which defines the outer or loose transition state governing capture dynamics. We present an algorithm for sampling an approximate capture dividing surface, and apply our methods to the recombination of the ozone molecule. We treat both 2 and 3 degrees of freedom models with zero total angular momentum. We have located the normally hyperbolic invariant manifold from which the orbiting (outer) transition state is constructed. This forms the basis for our analysis of trajectories for ozone in general, but with particular emphasis on the roaming trajectories.« less

CRITICAL CURVES AND CAUSTICS OF TRIPLE-LENS MODELS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Daněk, Kamil; Heyrovský, David, E-mail: kamil.danek@utf.mff.cuni.cz, E-mail: heyrovsky@utf.mff.cuni.cz

2015-06-10

Among the 25 planetary systems detected up to now by gravitational microlensing, there are two cases of a star with two planets, and two cases of a binary star with a planet. Other, yet undetected types of triple lenses include triple stars or stars with a planet with a moon. The analysis and interpretation of such events is hindered by the lack of understanding of essential characteristics of triple lenses, such as their critical curves and caustics. We present here analytical and numerical methods for mapping the critical-curve topology and caustic cusp number in the parameter space of n-point-mass lenses.more » We apply the methods to the analysis of four symmetric triple-lens models, and obtain altogether 9 different critical-curve topologies and 32 caustic structures. While these results include various generic types, they represent just a subset of all possible triple-lens critical curves and caustics. Using the analyzed models, we demonstrate interesting features of triple lenses that do not occur in two-point-mass lenses. We show an example of a lens that cannot be described by the Chang–Refsdal model in the wide limit. In the close limit we demonstrate unusual structures of primary and secondary caustic loops, and explain the conditions for their occurrence. In the planetary limit we find that the presence of a planet may lead to a whole sequence of additional caustic metamorphoses. We show that a pair of planets may change the structure of the primary caustic even when placed far from their resonant position at the Einstein radius.« less

Multiple reentrant phase transitions and triple points in Lovelock thermodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frassino, Antonia M.; Kubizňák, David; Mann, Robert B.; Simovic, Fil

2014-09-01

We investigate the effects of higher curvature corrections from Lovelock gravity on the phase structure of asymptotically AdS black holes, treating the cosmological constant as a thermodynamic pressure. We examine how various thermodynamic phenomena, such as Van der Waals behaviour, reentrant phase transitions (RPT), and tricritical points are manifest for U(1) charged black holes in Gauss-Bonnet and 3rd-order Lovelock gravities. We furthermore observe a new phenomenon of `multiple RPT' behaviour, in which for fixed pressure the small/large/small/large black hole phase transition occurs as the temperature of the system increases. We also find that when the higher-order Lovelock couplings are related in a particular way, a peculiar isolated critical point emerges for hyperbolic black holes and is characterized by non-standard critical exponents.

A statistical physics perspective on criticality in financial markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bury, Thomas

2013-11-01

Stock markets are complex systems exhibiting collective phenomena and particular features such as synchronization, fluctuations distributed as power-laws, non-random structures and similarity to neural networks. Such specific properties suggest that markets operate at a very special point. Financial markets are believed to be critical by analogy to physical systems, but little statistically founded evidence has been given. Through a data-based methodology and comparison to simulations inspired by the statistical physics of complex systems, we show that the Dow Jones and index sets are not rigorously critical. However, financial systems are closer to criticality in the crash neighborhood.

Metal-insulator transition and superconductivity induced by Rh doping in the binary pnictides RuPn (Pn=P, As, Sb)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirai, Daigorou; Takayama, Tomohiro; Hashizume, Daisuke; Takagi, Hidenori

2012-04-01

Binary ruthenium pnictides, RuP and RuAs, with an orthorhombic MnP structure, were found to show a metal to a nonmagnetic insulator transition at TMI = 270 and 200 K, respectively. In the metallic region above TMI, a structural phase transition, accompanied with a weak anomaly in the resistivity and the magnetic susceptibility, indicative of a pseudogap formation, was identified at Ts = 330 and 280 K, respectively. These two transitions were suppressed by substituting Ru with Rh. We found superconductivity with a maximum Tc = 3.7 and 1.8 K in a narrow composition range around the critical point for the pseudogap phase, Rh content xc = 0.45 and 0.25 for Ru1-xRhxP and Ru1-xRhxAs, respectively, which may provide us with a nonmagnetic route to superconductivity at a quantum critical point.

NSSEFF Designing New Higher Temperature Superconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-04-13

electronic structure calculations are integrated with the synthesis of new superconducting materials, with the aim of providing a rigorous test of the...apparent association of high temperature superconductivity with electron delocalization transitions occurring at quantum critical points. We will use...realistic electronic structure calculations to assess which transition metal monopnictides are closest to electron delocalization, and hence optimal for

Only Time Will Tell: Cross-Sectional Studies Offer No Solution to the Age-Brain-Cognition Triangle--Comment on Salthouse (2011)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raz, Naftali; Lindenberger, Ulman

2011-01-01

Salthouse (2011) critically reviewed cross-sectional and longitudinal relations among adult age, brain structure, and cognition (ABC) and identified problems in interpretation of the extant literature. His review, however, missed several important points. First, there is enough disparity among the measures of brain structure and cognitive…

Effects of various fire-retardants on plate shear and five-point flexural shear properties of plywood

Treesearch

Nadir Ayrilmis; Jerrold E. Winandy

2007-01-01

The influence of four fire-retardant systems on the planar (rolling) shear properties of structural hardwood plywood is evaluated using two possible ASTM D2718 test methodologies: the plate-shear method and the five-point flexural shear method. Knowing the planar shear properties and the potential of the various fire-retardant systems to affect properties is critical...

Method for accurate growth of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

DOEpatents

Chalmers, S.A.; Killeen, K.P.; Lear, K.L.

1995-03-14

The authors report a method for accurate growth of vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). The method uses a single reflectivity spectrum measurement to determine the structure of the partially completed VCSEL at a critical point of growth. This information, along with the extracted growth rates, allows imprecisions in growth parameters to be compensated for during growth of the remaining structure, which can then be completed with very accurate critical dimensions. Using this method, they can now routinely grow lasing VCSELs with Fabry-Perot cavity resonance wavelengths controlled to within 0.5%. 4 figs.

Structure of interfaces at phase coexistence. Theory and numerics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delfino, Gesualdo; Selke, Walter; Squarcini, Alessio

2018-05-01

We compare results of the exact field theory of phase separation in two dimensions with Monte Carlo simulations for the q-state Potts model with boundary conditions producing an interfacial region separating two pure phases. We confirm in particular the theoretical predictions that below critical temperature the surplus of non-boundary colors appears in drops along a single interface, while for q  >  4 at critical temperature there is formation of two interfaces enclosing a macroscopic disordered layer. These qualitatively different structures of the interfacial region can be discriminated through a measurement at a single point for different system sizes.

Quantum multicriticality in disordered Weyl semimetals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Xunlong; Xu, Baolong; Ohtsuki, Tomi; Shindou, Ryuichi

2018-01-01

In electronic band structure of solid-state material, two band-touching points with linear dispersion appear in pairs in the momentum space. When they annihilate each other, the system undergoes a quantum phase transition from a three-dimensional (3D) Weyl semimetal (WSM) phase to a band insulator phase such as a Chern band insulator (CI) phase. The phase transition is described by a new critical theory with a "magnetic dipole"-like object in the momentum space. In this paper, we reveal that the critical theory hosts a novel disorder-driven quantum multicritical point, which is encompassed by three quantum phases: a renormalized WSM phase, a CI phase, and a diffusive metal (DM) phase. Based on the renormalization group argument, we first clarify scaling properties around the band-touching points at the quantum multicritical point as well as all phase boundaries among these three phases. Based on numerical calculations of localization length, density of states, and critical conductance distribution, we next prove that a localization-delocalization transition between the CI phase with a finite zero-energy density of states (zDOS) and DM phase belongs to an ordinary 3D unitary class. Meanwhile, a localization-delocalization transition between the Chern insulator phase with zero zDOS and a renormalized WSM phase turns out to be a direct phase transition whose critical exponent ν =0.80 ±0.01 . We interpret these numerical results by a renormalization group analysis on the critical theory.

Critical and Griffiths-McCoy singularities in quantum Ising spin glasses on d-dimensional hypercubic lattices: A series expansion study.

PubMed

Singh, R R P; Young, A P

2017-08-01

We study the ±J transverse-field Ising spin-glass model at zero temperature on d-dimensional hypercubic lattices and in the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick (SK) model, by series expansions around the strong-field limit. In the SK model and in high dimensions our calculated critical properties are in excellent agreement with the exact mean-field results, surprisingly even down to dimension d=6, which is below the upper critical dimension of d=8. In contrast, at lower dimensions we find a rich singular behavior consisting of critical and Griffiths-McCoy singularities. The divergence of the equal-time structure factor allows us to locate the critical coupling where the correlation length diverges, implying the onset of a thermodynamic phase transition. We find that the spin-glass susceptibility as well as various power moments of the local susceptibility become singular in the paramagnetic phase before the critical point. Griffiths-McCoy singularities are very strong in two dimensions but decrease rapidly as the dimension increases. We present evidence that high enough powers of the local susceptibility may become singular at the pure-system critical point.

Critical and Griffiths-McCoy singularities in quantum Ising spin glasses on d -dimensional hypercubic lattices: A series expansion study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, R. R. P.; Young, A. P.

2017-08-01

We study the ±J transverse-field Ising spin-glass model at zero temperature on d -dimensional hypercubic lattices and in the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick (SK) model, by series expansions around the strong-field limit. In the SK model and in high dimensions our calculated critical properties are in excellent agreement with the exact mean-field results, surprisingly even down to dimension d =6 , which is below the upper critical dimension of d =8 . In contrast, at lower dimensions we find a rich singular behavior consisting of critical and Griffiths-McCoy singularities. The divergence of the equal-time structure factor allows us to locate the critical coupling where the correlation length diverges, implying the onset of a thermodynamic phase transition. We find that the spin-glass susceptibility as well as various power moments of the local susceptibility become singular in the paramagnetic phase before the critical point. Griffiths-McCoy singularities are very strong in two dimensions but decrease rapidly as the dimension increases. We present evidence that high enough powers of the local susceptibility may become singular at the pure-system critical point.

Behavior of supercooled aqueous solutions stemming from hidden liquid–liquid transition in water

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biddle, John W.; Holten, Vincent; Anisimov, Mikhail A., E-mail: anisimov@umd.edu

2014-08-21

A popular hypothesis that explains the anomalies of supercooled water is the existence of a metastable liquid–liquid transition hidden below the line of homogeneous nucleation. If this transition exists and if it is terminated by a critical point, the addition of a solute should generate a line of liquid–liquid critical points emanating from the critical point of pure metastable water. We have analyzed thermodynamic consequences of this scenario. In particular, we consider the behavior of two systems, H{sub 2}O-NaCl and H{sub 2}O-glycerol. We find the behavior of the heat capacity in supercooled aqueous solutions of NaCl, as reported by Archermore » and Carter [J. Phys. Chem. B 104, 8563 (2000)], to be consistent with the presence of the metastable liquid–liquid transition. We elucidate the non-conserved nature of the order parameter (extent of “reaction” between two alternative structures of water) and the consequences of its coupling with conserved properties (density and concentration). We also show how the shape of the critical line in a solution controls the difference in concentration of the coexisting liquid phases.« less

Modelling the crystallization of the globular proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiryayev, Andrey S.

Crystallization of globular proteins has become a very important subject in recent yearn. However there is still no understanding of the particular conditions that lead to the crystallization. Since nucleation of a crystalline droplet is the critical step toward the formation of the solid phase from the supersaturated solution, this is the focus of current studies. In this work we use different approaches to investigate the collective behavior of a system of globular proteins. Especially we focused on the models which have a metastable critical point, because this reflects the properties of solutions of globular proteins. The first approach is a continuum model of globular proteins. This model was first presented by Talanquer and Oxtoby and is based on the van der Waals theory. The model can have either a stable or a metastable critical point. For the system with the metastable critical point we studied the behavior of the free energy barrier to nucleation; we found that along particular pathways the barrier to nucleation has a minimim around the critical point. As well, the number of molecules in the critical cluster was found to diverge as one approaches the critical point, though most of the molecules are in the fluid tail of the droplet. Our results are an extension of earlier work [17, 7]. The properties of the solvent affect the behavior of the solution. In our second approach, we proposed a model that takes into account the contribution of the solvent free energy to the free energy of the globular proteins. We show that one can map the phase diagram of a repulsive hard core plus attractive square well interacting system to the same system particles in the solvent environment. In particular we show that this leads to phase diagrams with upper critical points, lower critical points and even closed loops with both upper and lower critical points, similar to the one found before [10]. For systems with interaction different from the square well, in the presence of the solvent this mapping procedure can be a first approximation to understand the phase diagram. The final part of this work is dedicated to the behavior of sickle hemoglobin. While the fluid behavior of the HbS molecules can be approximately explained by the uniform interparticle potential, this model fails to describe the polymerization process and the particular structure of fibers. We develop an anisotropic "patchy" model to describe some features of the HbS polymerization process. To determine the degree of polymerization of the system a "patchy" order parameter was defined. Monte Carlo simulations for the simple two-patch model was performed and reveal the possibility of obtaining chains that can be considered as one dimensional crystals.

Automatic detection of lung vessel bifurcation in thoracic CT images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maduskar, Pragnya; Vikal, Siddharth; Devarakota, Pandu

2011-03-01

Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems for detection of lung nodules have been an active topic of research for last few years. It is desirable that a CAD system should generate very low false positives (FPs) while maintaining high sensitivity. This work aims to reduce the number of false positives occurring at vessel bifurcation point. FPs occur quite frequently on vessel branching point due to its shape which can appear locally spherical due to the intrinsic geometry of intersecting tubular vessel structures combined with partial volume effects and soft tissue attenuation appearance surrounded by parenchyma. We propose a model-based technique for detection of vessel branching points using skeletonization, followed by branch-point analysis. First we perform vessel structure enhancement using a multi-scale Hessian filter to accurately segment tubular structures of various sizes followed by thresholding to get binary vessel structure segmentation [6]. A modified Reebgraph [7] is applied next to extract the critical points of structure and these are joined by a nearest neighbor criterion to obtain complete skeletal model of vessel structure. Finally, the skeletal model is traversed to identify branch points, and extract metrics including individual branch length, number of branches and angle between various branches. Results on 80 sub-volumes consisting of 60 actual vessel-branching and 20 solitary solid nodules show that the algorithm identified correctly vessel branching points for 57 sub-volumes (95% sensitivity) and misclassified 2 nodules as vessel branch. Thus, this technique has potential in explicit identification of vessel branching points for general vessel analysis, and could be useful in false positive reduction in a lung CAD system.

Structure and Chemistry in Halide Lead-Tellurite Glasses

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McCloy, John S.; Riley, Brian J.; Lipton, Andrew S.

2013-02-11

A series of TeO2-PbO glasses were fabricated with increasing fractions of mixed alkali, alkaline earth, and lanthanide chlorides. The glass and crystal structure was studied with Raman spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray diffraction, and electron microscopy. As the chloride fraction increased, the medium-range order in the glass decreased up to a critical point (~14 mass% of mixed chlorides), above which the glasses became phase-separated. Resulting phases are a TeO2/PbO-rich phase and a crystalline phase rich in alkali chlorides. The 125Te NMR indicates, contrary to previous studies, that Te site distribution did not change with increased concentrations of M+, M2+,more » and M3+ cations, but rather is controlled by the Te/Pb molar ratio. The 207Pb NMR shows that two Pb species exist and their relative concentration changes nearly linearly with addition of the mixed chlorides, indicating that the additives to the TeO2-PbO glass are accommodated by changing the Pb species. The 23Na and 35Cl NMR indicate that Na and Cl are distributed in the single-phase glass phase up to the critical point, and at higher concentrations partition to crystalline phases. Transmission electron microscopy shows that the sample at the critical point contains ~10 nm seed nuclei that increase in size and concentration with exposure to the electron beam.« less

Phase diagram and quench dynamics of the cluster-XY spin chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montes, Sebastián; Hamma, Alioscia

2012-08-01

We study the complete phase space and the quench dynamics of an exactly solvable spin chain, the cluster-XY model. In this chain, the cluster term and the XY couplings compete to give a rich phase diagram. The phase diagram is studied by means of the quantum geometric tensor. We study the time evolution of the system after a critical quantum quench using the Loschmidt echo. The structure of the revivals after critical quantum quenches presents a nontrivial behavior depending on the phase of the initial state and the critical point.

Phase diagram and quench dynamics of the cluster-XY spin chain.

PubMed

Montes, Sebastián; Hamma, Alioscia

2012-08-01

We study the complete phase space and the quench dynamics of an exactly solvable spin chain, the cluster-XY model. In this chain, the cluster term and the XY couplings compete to give a rich phase diagram. The phase diagram is studied by means of the quantum geometric tensor. We study the time evolution of the system after a critical quantum quench using the Loschmidt echo. The structure of the revivals after critical quantum quenches presents a nontrivial behavior depending on the phase of the initial state and the critical point.

Critical Viscosity of Xenon team

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The Critical Viscosity of Xenon Experiment (CVX-2) on the STS-107 Research 1 mission in 2002 will measure the viscous behavior of xenon, a heavy inert gas used in flash lamps and ion rocket engines, at its critical point. The thermostat for CVX sits inside the white cylinder on a support structure (at left) that is placed inside a pressure canister. A similar canister (right) holds the electronics and control systems. The CVX-2 arrangement is identical. The principal investigator is Dr. Robert F. Berg (left) of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD.

Critical Viscosity of Xenon team

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The Critical Viscosity of Xenon Experiment (CVX-2) on the STS-107 Research 1 mission in 2002 will measure the viscous behavior of xenon, a heavy inert gas used in flash lamps and ion rocket engines, at its critical point. The thermostat for CVX sits inside the white cylinder on a support structure (at left) that is placed inside a pressure canister. A similar canister (right) holds the electronics and control systems. The CVX-2 arrangement is identical. The principal investigator is Dr. Robert F. Berg (not shown) of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD.

Temperature-driven evolution of critical points, interlayer coupling, and layer polarization in bilayer Mo S2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Luojun; Zhang, Tingting; Liao, Mengzhou; Liu, Guibin; Wang, Shuopei; He, Rui; Ye, Zhipeng; Yu, Hua; Yang, Rong; Shi, Dongxia; Yao, Yugui; Zhang, Guangyu

2018-04-01

The recently emerging two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have been a fertile ground for exploring abundant exotic physical properties. Critical points, the extrema or saddle points of electronic bands, are the cornerstone of condensed-matter physics and fundamentally determine the optical and transport phenomena of the TMDCs. However, for bilayer Mo S2 , a typical TMDC and the unprecedented electrically tunable venue for valleytronics, there has been a considerable controversy on its intrinsic electronic structure, especially for the conduction band-edge locations. Moreover, interlayer hopping and layer polarization in bilayer Mo S2 which play vital roles in valley-spintronic applications have remained experimentally elusive. Here, we report the experimental observation of intrinsic critical points locations, interlayer hopping, layer-spin polarization, and their evolution with temperature in bilayer Mo S2 by performing temperature-dependent photoluminescence. Our measurements confirm that the conduction-band minimum locates at the Kc instead of Qc, and the energy splitting between Qc and Kc redshifts with a descent of temperature. Furthermore, the interlayer hopping energy for holes and temperature-dependent layer polarization are quantitatively determined. Our observations are in good harmony with density-functional theory calculations.

Cell population structure prior to bifurcation predicts efficiency of directed differentiation in human induced pluripotent cells.

PubMed

Bargaje, Rhishikesh; Trachana, Kalliopi; Shelton, Martin N; McGinnis, Christopher S; Zhou, Joseph X; Chadick, Cora; Cook, Savannah; Cavanaugh, Christopher; Huang, Sui; Hood, Leroy

2017-02-28

Steering the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) toward specific cell types is crucial for patient-specific disease modeling and drug testing. This effort requires the capacity to predict and control when and how multipotent progenitor cells commit to the desired cell fate. Cell fate commitment represents a critical state transition or "tipping point" at which complex systems undergo a sudden qualitative shift. To characterize such transitions during iPSC to cardiomyocyte differentiation, we analyzed the gene expression patterns of 96 developmental genes at single-cell resolution. We identified a bifurcation event early in the trajectory when a primitive streak-like cell population segregated into the mesodermal and endodermal lineages. Before this branching point, we could detect the signature of an imminent critical transition: increase in cell heterogeneity and coordination of gene expression. Correlation analysis of gene expression profiles at the tipping point indicates transcription factors that drive the state transition toward each alternative cell fate and their relationships with specific phenotypic readouts. The latter helps us to facilitate small molecule screening for differentiation efficiency. To this end, we set up an analysis of cell population structure at the tipping point after systematic variation of the protocol to bias the differentiation toward mesodermal or endodermal cell lineage. We were able to predict the proportion of cardiomyocytes many days before cells manifest the differentiated phenotype. The analysis of cell populations undergoing a critical state transition thus affords a tool to forecast cell fate outcomes and can be used to optimize differentiation protocols to obtain desired cell populations.

Geostrophic Vortex Dynamics

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-01

Generalized Kirchhoff Vortices 176 B. The 2-Level Rankine Vortex: Critical Points & Stability 181 C. Tripolar Coherent Euler Vortices 186 7...spontaneously in spectral simulations. One such example is provided by the tripolar vortex structureE which will be examined in detail in Chapter 6. It...of the tripolar coherent vortex structures that have recently been observed in very high resolution numerical simulations of two- dimensional

On the CH...Cu agostic interaction: chiral copper(II) compounds with ephedrine and pseudoephedrine derivatives.

PubMed

Castro, Miguel; Cruz, Julián; López-Sandoval, Horacio; Barba-Behrens, Norah

2005-08-14

The ephedrine derivative, (H2ceph), yields [Cu(Hceph)2], showing a CH...Cu(II) agostic interaction; while in the analogous compound [Cu(Hcpse)2], with pseudoephedrine (H2cpse), that interaction is absent, despite the fact that these two diasteromers differ only in the orientation of the methyl and phenyl groups: erythro in H2ceph and threo in H2cpse. The X-ray crystal structure of [Cu(Hceph)2], indicates a Cu...HC length of 2.454 A and the theoretical study reveals the formation of a Cu...HC bond since the associated electronic density shows both a bond critical point and a bond ring critical point.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thakur, J. S.; Dixit, A.; Sudakar, C.

Low energy optical modes of molecular beam epitaxy-grown In{sub 1-x}Ga{sub x}N thin films with 0<=x<=0.6 are investigated using infrared reflectance measurements. We found that the reflectance of the films for wave vectors in the range from 600 to 800 cm{sup -1} is determined by the high energy E{sub 1}(LO)-plasmon coupled modes. In the higher energy regime of the UV-visible reflectance spectrum of InN, critical points with energies 4.75, 5.36, and 6.12 eV belonging to A and B structures are observed. The energies of these critical points increase with increasing values of x, similar to the band gap energy of thesemore » films.« less

Aerial View: SLS Intertank Arrives at Marshall for Critical Structural Testing

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-03-08

A structural test version of the intertank for NASA's new deep-space rocket, the Space Launch System, arrives at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, March 4, aboard the barge Pegasus. The intertank is the second piece of structural hardware for the massive SLS core stage built at NASA's Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans delivered to Marshall for testing. The structural test article will undergo critical testing as engineers push, pull and bend the hardware with millions of pounds of force to ensure it can withstand the forces of launch and ascent. The test hardware is structurally identical to the flight version of the intertank that will connect the core stage's two colossal propellant tanks, serve as the upper-connection point for the two solid rocket boosters and house critical avionics and electronics. Pegasus, originally used during the Space Shuttle Program, has been redesigned and extended to accommodate the SLS rocket's massive, 212-foot-long core stage -- the backbone of the rocket. The 310-foot-long barge will ferry the flight core stage from Michoud to other NASA centers for tests and launch.

Exploring the complexity of quantum control optimization trajectories.

PubMed

Nanduri, Arun; Shir, Ofer M; Donovan, Ashley; Ho, Tak-San; Rabitz, Herschel

2015-01-07

The control of quantum system dynamics is generally performed by seeking a suitable applied field. The physical objective as a functional of the field forms the quantum control landscape, whose topology, under certain conditions, has been shown to contain no critical point suboptimal traps, thereby enabling effective searches for fields that give the global maximum of the objective. This paper addresses the structure of the landscape as a complement to topological critical point features. Recent work showed that landscape structure is highly favorable for optimization of state-to-state transition probabilities, in that gradient-based control trajectories to the global maximum value are nearly straight paths. The landscape structure is codified in the metric R ≥ 1.0, defined as the ratio of the length of the control trajectory to the Euclidean distance between the initial and optimal controls. A value of R = 1 would indicate an exactly straight trajectory to the optimal observable value. This paper extends the state-to-state transition probability results to the quantum ensemble and unitary transformation control landscapes. Again, nearly straight trajectories predominate, and we demonstrate that R can take values approaching 1.0 with high precision. However, the interplay of optimization trajectories with critical saddle submanifolds is found to influence landscape structure. A fundamental relationship necessary for perfectly straight gradient-based control trajectories is derived, wherein the gradient on the quantum control landscape must be an eigenfunction of the Hessian. This relation is an indicator of landscape structure and may provide a means to identify physical conditions when control trajectories can achieve perfect linearity. The collective favorable landscape topology and structure provide a foundation to understand why optimal quantum control can be readily achieved.

The Effects of One Amino Acid Substitutions at the C-Terminal Region of Thermostable L2 Lipase by Computational and Experimental Approach.

PubMed

Sani, Hartini Ahmad; Shariff, Fairolniza Mohd; Rahman, Raja Noor Zaliha Raja Abd; Leow, Thean Chor; Salleh, Abu Bakar

2018-01-01

The substitutions of the amino acid at the predetermined critical point at the C-terminal of L2 lipase may increase its thermostability and enzymatic activity, or even otherwise speed up the unfolding of the protein structure. The C-terminal of most proteins is often flexible and disordered. However, some protein functions are directly related to flexibility and play significant role in enzyme reaction. The critical point for mutation of L2 lipase structure was predicted at the position 385 of the L2 sequence, and the best three mutants were determined based on I-Mutant2.0 software. The best three mutants were S385E, S385I and S385V. The effects of the substitution of the amino acids at the critical point were analysed with molecular dynamics simulation by using Yet Another Scientific Artificial Reality Application software. The predicted mutant L2 lipases were found to have lower root mean square deviation value as compared to L2 lipase. It was indicated that all the three mutants had higher compactness in the structure, consequently enhanced the stability. Root mean square fluctuation analysis showed that the flexibility of L2 lipase was reduced by mutations. Purified S385E lipase had an optimum temperature of 80 °C in Tris-HCl pH 8. The highest enzymatic activity of purified S385E lipase was obtained at 80 °C temperature in Tris-HCl pH 8, while for L2 lipase it was at 70 °C in Glycine-NaOH pH 9. The thermal stability of S385V lipase was enhanced as compared to other protein since that the melting point (T m ) value was at 85.96 °C. S385I lipase was more thermostable compared to recombinant L2 lipase and other mutants at temperature 60 °C within 16 h preincubation.

Biogeochemical control points in a water-limited critical zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chorover, J.; Brooks, P. D.; Gallery, R. E.; McIntosh, J. C.; Olshansky, Y.; Rasmussen, C.

2017-12-01

The routing of water and carbon through complex terrain is postulated to control structure evolution in the sub-humid critical zone of the southwestern US. By combining measurements of land-atmosphere exchange, ecohydrologic partitioning, and subsurface biogeochemistry, we seek to quantify how a heterogeneous (in time and space) distribution of "reactants" impacts both short-term (sub-)catchment response (e.g., pore and surface water chemical dynamics) and long-term landscape evolution (e.g., soil geochemistry/morphology and regolith weathering depth) in watersheds underlain by rhyolite and schist. Instrumented pedons in convergent, planar, and divergent landscape positions show distinct depth-dependent responses to precipitation events. Wetting front propagation, dissolved carbon flux and associated biogeochemical responses (e.g., pulses of CO2 production, O2 depletion, solute release) vary with topography, revealing the influence of lateral subsidies of water and carbon. The impacts of these episodes on the evolution of porous media heterogeneity is being investigated by statistical analysis of pore water chemistry, chemical/spectroscopic studies of solid phase organo-mineral products, sensor-derived water characteristic curves, and quantification of co-located microbial community activity/composition. Our results highlight the interacting effects of critical zone structure and convergent hydrologic flows in the evolution of biogeochemical control points.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Costigliola, Lorenzo; Schrøder, Thomas B.; Dyre, Jeppe C.

The recent theoretical prediction by Maimbourg and Kurchan [e-print http://arxiv.org/abs/1603.05023 (2016)] that for regular pair-potential systems the virial potential-energy correlation coefficient increases towards unity as the dimension d goes to infinity is investigated for the standard 12-6 Lennard-Jones fluid. This is done by computer simulations for d = 2, 3, 4 going from the critical point along the critical isotherm/isochore to higher density/temperature. In both cases the virial potential-energy correlation coefficient increases significantly. For a given density and temperature relative to the critical point, with increasing number of dimension the Lennard-Jones system conforms better to the hidden-scale-invariance property characterized bymore » high virial potential-energy correlations (a property that leads to the existence of isomorphs in the thermodynamic phase diagram, implying that it becomes effectively one-dimensional in regard to structure and dynamics). The present paper also gives the first numerical demonstration of isomorph invariance of structure and dynamics in four dimensions. Our findings emphasize the need for a universally applicable 1/d expansion in liquid-state theory; we conjecture that the systems known to obey hidden scale invariance in three dimensions are those for which the yet-to-be-developed 1/d expansion converges rapidly.« less

Strong enhancement of s -wave superconductivity near a quantum critical point of Ca 3 Ir 4 Sn 13

DOE PAGES

Biswas, P. K.; Guguchia, Z.; Khasanov, R.; ...

2015-11-11

We repormore » t microscopic studies by muon spin rotation/relaxation as a function of pressure of the Ca 3 Ir 4 Sn 13 and Sr 3Ir 4Sn 13 system displaying superconductivity and a structural phase transition associated with the formation of a charge density wave (CDW). Our findings show a strong enhancement of the superfluid density and a dramatic increase of the pairing strength above a pressure of ≈ 1.6 GPa giving direct evidence of the presence of a quantum critical point separating a superconducting phase coexisting with CDW from a pure superconducting phase. The superconducting order parameter in both phases has the same s-wave symmetry. In spite of the conventional phonon-mediated BCS character of the weakly correlated (Ca 1-xSr x) 3Ir 4Sn 13 system the dependence of the effective superfluid density on the critical temperature puts this compound in the “Uemura” plot close to unconventional superconductors. This system exemplifies that conventional BCS superconductors in the presence of competing orders or multi-band structure can also display characteristics of unconventional superconductors.« less

Tachyonic instability of the scalar mode prior to the QCD critical point based on the functional renormalization-group method in the two-flavor case

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yokota, Takeru; Kunihiro, Teiji; Morita, Kenji

2017-10-01

We establish and elucidate the physical meaning of the appearance of an acausal mode in the sigma mesonic channel, found in the previous work by the present authors, when the system approaches the Z2 critical point. The functional renormalization-group method is applied to the two-flavor quark-meson model with varying current quark mass mq even away from the physical value at which the pion mass is reproduced. We first determine the whole phase structure in the three-dimensional space (T ,μ ,mq) consisting of temperature T , quark chemical potential μ and mq, with the tricritical point, O(4) and Z2 critical lines being located; they altogether make a winglike shape quite reminiscent of those known in the condensed matters with a tricritical point. We then calculate the spectral functions ρσ ,π(ω ,p ) in the scalar and pseudoscalar channel around the critical points. We find that the sigma mesonic mode becomes tachyonic with a superluminal velocity at finite momenta before the system reaches the Z2 point from the lower density, even for mq smaller than the physical value. One of the possible implications of the appearance of such a tachyonic mode at finite momenta is that the assumed equilibrium state with a uniform chiral condensate is unstable toward a state with an inhomogeneous σ condensate. No such anomalous behavior is found in the pseudoscalar channel. We find that the σ -to-2 σ coupling due to finite mq plays an essential role for the drastic modification of the spectral function.

Nontrivial Critical Fixed Point for Replica-Symmetry-Breaking Transitions.

PubMed

Charbonneau, Patrick; Yaida, Sho

2017-05-26

The transformation of the free-energy landscape from smooth to hierarchical is one of the richest features of mean-field disordered systems. A well-studied example is the de Almeida-Thouless transition for spin glasses in a magnetic field, and a similar phenomenon-the Gardner transition-has recently been predicted for structural glasses. The existence of these replica-symmetry-breaking phase transitions has, however, long been questioned below their upper critical dimension, d_{u}=6. Here, we obtain evidence for the existence of these transitions in d

Magnetic reconnection in terms of catastrophe theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echkina, E. Y.; Inovenkov, I. N.; Nefedov, V. V.

2017-12-01

Magnetic field line reconnection (magnetic reconnection) is a phenomenon that occurs in space and laboratory plasma. Magnetic reconnection allows both the change the magnetic topology and the conversion of the magnetic energy into energy of fast particles. The critical point (critical line or plane in higher dimensional cases) of the magnetic field play an important role in process of magnetic reconnection, as in its neighborhood occurs a change of its topology of a magnetic field and redistribution of magnetic field energy. A lot of literature is devoted to the analytical and numerical investigation of the reconnection process. The main result of these investigations as the result of magnetic reconnection the current sheet is formed and the magnetic topology is changed. While the studies of magnetic reconnection in 2D and 3D configurations have a led to several important results, many questions remain open, including the behavior of a magnetic field in the neighborhood of a critical point of high order. The magnetic reconnection problem is closely related to the problem of the structural stability of vector fields. Since the magnetic field topology changes during both spontaneous and induced magnetic reconnection, it is natural to expect that the magnetic field should evolve from a structurally unstable into a structurally stable configuration. Note that, in this case, the phenomenon under analysis is more complicated since, during magnetic reconnection in a highly conducting plasma, we deal with the non-linear interaction between two vector fields: the magnetic field and the field of the plasma velocities. The aim of our article is to consider the process of magnetic reconnection and transformation of the magnetic topology from the viewpoint of catastrophe theory. Bifurcations in similar configurations (2D magnetic configuration with null high order point) with varying parameters were thoroughly discussed in a monograph by Poston and Stewart.

Calabi-Yau structures on categories of matrix factorizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shklyarov, Dmytro

2017-09-01

Using tools of complex geometry, we construct explicit proper Calabi-Yau structures, that is, non-degenerate cyclic cocycles on differential graded categories of matrix factorizations of regular functions with isolated critical points. The formulas involve the Kapustin-Li trace and its higher corrections. From the physics perspective, our result yields explicit 'off-shell' models for categories of topological D-branes in B-twisted Landau-Ginzburg models.

Segmentation of 3d Models for Cultural Heritage Structural Analysis - Some Critical Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonizzi Barsanti, S.; Guidi, G.; De Luca, L.

2017-08-01

Cultural Heritage documentation and preservation has become a fundamental concern in this historical period. 3D modelling offers a perfect aid to record ancient buildings and artefacts and can be used as a valid starting point for restoration, conservation and structural analysis, which can be performed by using Finite Element Methods (FEA). The models derived from reality-based techniques, made up of the exterior surfaces of the objects captured at high resolution, are - for this reason - made of millions of polygons. Such meshes are not directly usable in structural analysis packages and need to be properly pre-processed in order to be transformed in volumetric meshes suitable for FEA. In addition, dealing with ancient objects, a proper segmentation of 3D volumetric models is needed to analyse the behaviour of the structure with the most suitable level of detail for the different sections of the structure under analysis. Segmentation of 3D models is still an open issue, especially when dealing with ancient, complicated and geometrically complex objects that imply the presence of anomalies and gaps, due to environmental agents such as earthquakes, pollution, wind and rain, or human factors. The aims of this paper is to critically analyse some of the different methodologies and algorithms available to segment a 3D point cloud or a mesh, identifying difficulties and problems by showing examples on different structures.

Anomalous enhancement of the lower critical field deep in the superconducting state of LaRu4As12

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juraszek, J.; Bochenek, Ł.; Wawryk, R.; Henkie, Z.; Konczykowski, M.; Cichorek, T.

2018-05-01

LaRu4As12 with the critical temperature Tc = 10.4 K displays several features which point at a non-singlet superconducting order parameter, although the bcc crystal structure of the filled skutterudites does not favour the emergence of multiple energy gaps. LaRu4As12 displays an unexpected enhancement of the lower critical field deep in superconducting state which can be attributed to the existence of two superconducting gaps. At T = 0.4 K, the local magnetization measurements were performed utilizing miniaturized Hall sensors.

Critical Viscosity of Xenon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The Critical Viscosity of Xenon Experiment (CVX-2) on the STS-107 Research 1 mission in 2001 will measure the viscous behavior of xenon, a heavy inert gas used in flash lamps and ion rocket engines, at its critical point. The thermostat for CVX sits inside the white cylinder on a support structure that is placed inside a pressure canister. A similar canister holds the electronics and control systems. The CVX-2 arrangement is identical. The principal investigator is Dr. Robert F. Berg (not shown) of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD. This is a detail view of MSFC 0100143.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Braun, Efrem; Chen, Joseph J.; Schnell, Sondre K.

Molecular simulations and NMR relaxometry experiments demonstrate that pure benzene or xylene confined in isoreticular metal–organic frameworks (IRMOFs) exhibit true vapor–liquid phase equilibria where the effective critical point may be reduced by tuning the structure of the MOF. Our results are consistent with vapor and liquid phases extending over many MOF unit cells. These results are counterintuitive since the MOF pore diameters are approximately the same length scale as the adsorbate molecules. As applications of these materials in catalysis, separations, and gas storage rely on the ability to tune the properties of adsorbed molecules, we anticipate that the ability tomore » systematically control the critical point, thereby preparing spatially inhomogeneous local adsorbate densities, could add a new design tool for MOF applications.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Braun, Efrem; Chen, Joseph J.; Schnell, Sondre K.

Molecular simulations and NMR relaxometry experiments demonstrate that pure benzene or xylene confined in isoreticular metal–organic frameworks (IRMOFs) exhibit true vapor–liquid phase equilibria where the effective critical point may be reduced by tuning the structure of the MOF. Our results are consistent with vapor and liquid phases extending over many MOF unit cells. These results are counterintuitive since the MOF pore diameters are approximately the same length scale as the adsorbate molecules. Lastly, as applications of these materials in catalysis, separations, and gas storage rely on the ability to tune the properties of adsorbed molecules, we anticipate that the abilitymore » to systematically control the critical point, thereby preparing spatially inhomogeneous local adsorbate densities, could add a new design tool for MOF applications.« less

Dynamical system analysis of interacting models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carneiro, S.; Borges, H. A.

2018-01-01

We perform a dynamical system analysis of a cosmological model with linear dependence between the vacuum density and the Hubble parameter, with constant-rate creation of dark matter. We show that the de Sitter spacetime is an asymptotically stable critical point, future limit of any expanding solution. Our analysis also shows that the Minkowski spacetime is an unstable critical point, which eventually collapses to a singularity. In this way, such a prescription for the vacuum decay not only predicts the correct future de Sitter limit, but also forbids the existence of a stable Minkowski universe. We also study the effect of matter creation on the growth of structures and their peculiar velocities, showing that it is inside the current errors of redshift space distortions observations.

Probe-Substrate Distance Control in Desorption Electrospray Ionization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yarger, Tyler J.; Yuill, Elizabeth M.; Baker, Lane A.

2018-03-01

We introduce probe-substrate distance (Dps)-control to desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) and report a systematic investigation of key experimental parameters. Examination of voltage, flow rate, and nebulizing gas pressure suggests as Dps decreases, the distance-dependent spray current increases, until a critical point. At the critical point the relationship inverts, and the spray current decreases as the probe moves closer to the surface due to constriction of solution flow by the nebulizing gas. Dps control was used to explore the use of spray current as a signal for feedback positioning, while mass spectrometry imaging was performed simultaneously. Further development of this technique is expected to find application in study of structure-function relationships for clinical diagnostics, biological investigation, and materials characterization. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Trapping Phenomenon Attenuates the Consequences of Tipping Points for Limit Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medeiros, Everton S.; Caldas, Iberê L.; Baptista, Murilo S.; Feudel, Ulrike

2017-02-01

Nonlinear dynamical systems may be exposed to tipping points, critical thresholds at which small changes in the external inputs or in the system’s parameters abruptly shift the system to an alternative state with a contrasting dynamical behavior. While tipping in a fold bifurcation of an equilibrium is well understood, much less is known about tipping of oscillations (limit cycles) though this dynamics are the typical response of many natural systems to a periodic external forcing, like e.g. seasonal forcing in ecology and climate sciences. We provide a detailed analysis of tipping phenomena in periodically forced systems and show that, when limit cycles are considered, a transient structure, so-called channel, plays a fundamental role in the transition. Specifically, we demonstrate that trajectories crossing such channel conserve, for a characteristic time, the twisting behavior of the stable limit cycle destroyed in the fold bifurcation of cycles. As a consequence, this channel acts like a “ghost” of the limit cycle destroyed in the critical transition and instead of the expected abrupt transition we find a smooth one. This smoothness is also the reason that it is difficult to precisely determine the transition point employing the usual indicators of tipping points, like critical slowing down and flickering.

Outbreak statistics and scaling laws for externally driven epidemics.

PubMed

Singh, Sarabjeet; Myers, Christopher R

2014-04-01

Power-law scalings are ubiquitous to physical phenomena undergoing a continuous phase transition. The classic susceptible-infectious-recovered (SIR) model of epidemics is one such example where the scaling behavior near a critical point has been studied extensively. In this system the distribution of outbreak sizes scales as P(n)∼n-3/2 at the critical point as the system size N becomes infinite. The finite-size scaling laws for the outbreak size and duration are also well understood and characterized. In this work, we report scaling laws for a model with SIR structure coupled with a constant force of infection per susceptible, akin to a "reservoir forcing". We find that the statistics of outbreaks in this system fundamentally differ from those in a simple SIR model. Instead of fixed exponents, all scaling laws exhibit tunable exponents parameterized by the dimensionless rate of external forcing. As the external driving rate approaches a critical value, the scale of the average outbreak size converges to that of the maximal size, and above the critical point, the scaling laws bifurcate into two regimes. Whereas a simple SIR process can only exhibit outbreaks of size O(N1/3) and O(N) depending on whether the system is at or above the epidemic threshold, a driven SIR process can exhibit a richer spectrum of outbreak sizes that scale as O(Nξ), where ξ∈(0,1]∖{2/3} and O((N/lnN)2/3) at the multicritical point.

Multicritical scalar theories with higher-derivative kinetic terms: A perturbative RG approach with the ɛ -expansion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safari, M.; Vacca, G. P.

2018-02-01

We employ perturbative renormalization group and ɛ -expansion to study multicritical single-scalar field theories with higher derivative kinetic terms of the form ϕ (-□)kϕ . We focus on those with a Z2-symmetric critical point which are characterized by an upper critical dimension dc=2 n k /(n -1 ) accumulating at even integers. We distinguish two types of theories depending on whether or not the numbers k and n -1 are relatively prime. When they are, the critical theory involves a marginal powerlike interaction ϕ2 n and the deformations admit a derivative expansion that at leading order involves only the potential. In this case we present the beta functional of the potential and use this to calculate some anomalous dimensions and operator product expansion coefficients. These confirm some conformal field theory data obtained using conformal-block techniques, while giving new results. In the second case where k and n -1 have a common divisor, the theories show a much richer structure induced by the presence of marginal derivative operators at criticality. We study the case k =2 with odd values of n , which fall in the second class, and calculate the functional flows and spectrum. These theories have a phase diagram characterized at leading order in ɛ by four fixed points which apart from the Gaussian UV fixed point include an IR fixed point with a purely derivative interaction.

Criticality in the Approach to Failure in Amorphous Solids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Jie; Gueudré, Thomas; Rosso, Alberto; Wyart, Matthieu

2015-10-01

Failure of amorphous solids is fundamental to various phenomena, including landslides and earthquakes. Recent experiments indicate that highly plastic regions form elongated structures that are especially apparent near the maximal shear stress Σmax where failure occurs. This observation suggested that Σmax acts as a critical point where the length scale of those structures diverges, possibly causing macroscopic transient shear bands. Here, we argue instead that the entire solid phase (Σ <Σmax) is critical, that plasticity always involves system-spanning events, and that their magnitude diverges at Σmax independently of the presence of shear bands. We relate the statistics and fractal properties of these rearrangements to an exponent θ that captures the stability of the material, which is observed to vary continuously with stress, and we confirm our predictions in elastoplastic models.

Structural Consequences of Hydrogen Intercalation of Epitaxial Graphene on SiC(0001)

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-23

in barrier height at the graphene –silicon carbide Schottky junction,” Nat. Commun. 4, 2752 (2013). 31H. Yang, J. Heo, S. Park, H. J. Song, D. H. Seo, K...displacement. The shift of the Dirac point defines the Schottky barrier height and will determine the practicality of employing the wide-bandgap...are thought to critically influence technologi- cally relevant properties such as Dirac point shift and Schottky barrier height . Furthermore, this

On-orbit damage detection and health monitoring of large space trusses: Status and critical issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kashangaki, Thomas A. L.

1991-01-01

The long lifetimes, delicate nature and stringent pointing requirements of large space structures such as Space Station Freedom and geostationary Earth sciences platforms might require that these spacecraft be monitored periodically for possible damage to the load carrying structures. A review of the literature in damage detection and health monitoring of such structures is presented, along with a candidate structure to be used as a testbed for future work in this field. A unified notation and terminology is also proposed to facilitate comparisons between candidate methods.

Texture segmentation: do the processing units on the saliency map increase with eccentricity?

PubMed

Schade, Ursula; Meinecke, Cristina

2011-01-01

The saliency map is a computational model and has been constructed for simulating human saliency processing, e.g. pop-out target detection (e.g. Itti & Koch, 2000). In this study the spatial structure on the saliency map was investigated. It is proposed that the saliency map is structured into processing units whose size is increasing with retinal eccentricity. In two experiments the distance between a target in the stimulus and an irrelevant structure in the mask was varied systematically. Our findings had two main points. Firstly, in texture segmentation tasks the saliency signals from two texture irregularities interfere, when these irregularities appear within a critical spatial distance. Second, the critical distances increase with target eccentricity. The eccentricity-dependent critical distances can be interpreted as crowding effects. It is assumed that additionally to the target eccentricity, also the strength of a saliency signal can determine the spatial area of its impairing influence. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Josephson current in ballistic graphene Corbino disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdollahipour, Babak; Mohammadkhani, Ramin; Khalilzadeh, Mina

2018-06-01

We solve Dirac-Bogoliubov-De-Gennes (DBdG) equation in a superconductor-normal graphene-superconductor (SGS) junction with Corbino disk structure to investigate the Josephson current through this junction. We find that the critical current Ic has a nonzero value at Dirac point in which the concentration of the carriers is zero. We show this nonzero critical current depends on the system geometry and it decreases monotonically to zero by decreasing the ratio of the inner to outer radii of the Corbino disk (R1 /R2), while in the limit of R1 /R2 → 1 it scales like a diffusive Corbino disk. The product of the critical current and the normal-state resistance IcRN increases by increasing R1 /R2 and attains the same value for the wide and short rectangular structure at the limit of R1 /R2 → 1 at zero doping. These results reveals the pseudodiffusive behavior of the graphene Corbino Josephson junction similar to the rectangular structure at the zero doping.

The Frenkel Line: a direct experimental evidence for the new thermodynamic boundary

DOE PAGES

Bolmatov, Dima; Zhernenkov, Mikhail; Zav’yalov, Dmitry; ...

2015-11-05

We report that supercritical fluids play a significant role in elucidating fundamental aspects of liquid matter under extreme conditions. They have been extensively studied at pressures and temperatures relevant to various industrial applications. However, much less is known about the structural behaviour of supercritical fluids and no structural crossovers have been observed in static compression experiments in any temperature and pressure ranges beyond the critical point. The structure of supercritical state is currently perceived to be uniform everywhere on the pressure-temperature phase diagram, and to change only in a monotonic way even moving around the critical point, not only alongmore » isotherms or isobars. Conversely, we observe structural crossovers for the first time in a deeply supercritical sample through diffraction measurements in a diamond anvil cell and discover a new thermodynamic boundary on the pressure-temperature diagram. We explain the existence of these crossovers in the framework of the phonon theory of liquids using molecular dynamics simulations. The obtained results are of prime importance since they imply a global reconsideration of the mere essence of the supercritical phase. Furthermore, this discovery may pave the way to new unexpected applications and to the exploration of exotic behaviour of confined fluids relevant to geo- and planetary sciences.« less

Experimental and numerical investigations of resonant acoustic waves in near-critical carbon dioxide.

PubMed

Hasan, Nusair; Farouk, Bakhtier

2015-10-01

Flow and transport induced by resonant acoustic waves in a near-critical fluid filled cylindrical enclosure is investigated both experimentally and numerically. Supercritical carbon dioxide (near the critical or the pseudo-critical states) in a confined resonator is subjected to acoustic field created by an electro-mechanical acoustic transducer and the induced pressure waves are measured by a fast response pressure field microphone. The frequency of the acoustic transducer is chosen such that the lowest acoustic mode propagates along the enclosure. For numerical simulations, a real-fluid computational fluid dynamics model representing the thermo-physical and transport properties of the supercritical fluid is considered. The simulated acoustic field in the resonator is compared with measurements. The formation of acoustic streaming structures in the highly compressible medium is revealed by time-averaging the numerical solutions over a given period. Due to diverging thermo-physical properties of supercritical fluid near the critical point, large scale oscillations are generated even for small sound field intensity. The strength of the acoustic wave field is found to be in direct relation with the thermodynamic state of the fluid. The effects of near-critical property variations and the operating pressure on the formation process of the streaming structures are also investigated. Irregular streaming patterns with significantly higher streaming velocities are observed for near-pseudo-critical states at operating pressures close to the critical pressure. However, these structures quickly re-orient to the typical Rayleigh streaming patterns with the increase operating pressure.

Condensation of helium in aerogel and athermal dynamics of the random-field Ising model.

PubMed

Aubry, Geoffroy J; Bonnet, Fabien; Melich, Mathieu; Guyon, Laurent; Spathis, Panayotis; Despetis, Florence; Wolf, Pierre-Etienne

2014-08-22

High resolution measurements reveal that condensation isotherms of (4)He in high porosity silica aerogel become discontinuous below a critical temperature. We show that this behavior does not correspond to an equilibrium phase transition modified by the disorder induced by the aerogel structure, but to the disorder-driven critical point predicted for the athermal out-of-equilibrium dynamics of the random-field Ising model. Our results evidence the key role of nonequilibrium effects in the phase transitions of disordered systems.

Multiply Degenerate Exceptional Points and Quantum Phase Transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borisov, Denis I.; Ružička, František; Znojil, Miloslav

2015-12-01

The realization of a genuine phase transition in quantum mechanics requires that at least one of the Kato's exceptional-point parameters becomes real. A new family of finite-dimensional and time-parametrized quantum-lattice models with such a property is proposed and studied. All of them exhibit, at a real exceptional-point time t = 0, the Jordan-block spectral degeneracy structure of some of their observables sampled by Hamiltonian H( t) and site-position Q( t). The passes through the critical instant t = 0 are interpreted as schematic simulations of non-equivalent versions of the Big-Bang-like quantum catastrophes.

On the transferability of electron density in binary vanadium borides VB, V3B4 and VB2.

PubMed

Terlan, Bürgehan; Akselrud, Lev; Baranov, Alexey I; Borrmann, Horst; Grin, Yuri

2015-12-01

Binary vanadium borides are suitable model systems for a systematic analysis of the transferability concept in intermetallic compounds due to chemical intergrowth in their crystal structures. In order to underline this structural relationship, topological properties of the electron density in VB, V3B4 and VB2 reconstructed from high-resolution single-crystal X-ray diffraction data as well as derived from quantum chemical calculations, are analysed in terms of Bader's Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules [Bader (1990). Atoms in Molecules: A Quantum Theory, 1st ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press]. The compounds VB, V3B4 and VB2 are characterized by a charge transfer from the metal to boron together with two predominant atomic interactions, the shared covalent B-B interactions and the polar covalent B-M interactions. The resembling features of the crystal structures are well reflected by the respective B-B interatomic distances as well as by ρ(r) values at the B-B bond critical points. The latter decrease with an increase in the corresponding interatomic distances. The B-B bonds show transferable electron density properties at bond critical points depending on the respective bond distances.

Game changer: the topology of creativity.

PubMed

de Vaan, Mathijs; Stark, David; Vedres, Balazs

2015-01-01

This article examines the sociological factors that explain why some creative teams are able to produce game changers--cultural products that stand out as distinctive while also being critically recognized as outstanding. The authors build on work pointing to structural folding--the network property of a cohesive group whose membership overlaps with that of another cohesive group. They hypothesize that the effects of structural folding on game changing success are especially strong when overlapping groups are cognitively distant. Measuring social distance separately from cognitive distance and distinctiveness independently from critical acclaim, the authors test their hypothesis about structural folding and cognitive diversity by analyzing team reassembly for 12,422 video games and the career histories of 139,727 video game developers. When combined with cognitive distance, structural folding channels and mobilizes a productive tension of rules, roles, and codes that promotes successful innovation. In addition to serving as pipes and prisms, network ties are also the source of tools and tensions.

Differential renormalization-group generators for static and dynamic critical phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, T. S.; Vvedensky, D. D.; Nicoll, J. F.

1992-09-01

The derivation of differential renormalization-group (DRG) equations for applications to static and dynamic critical phenomena is reviewed. The DRG approach provides a self-contained closed-form representation of the Wilson renormalization group (RG) and should be viewed as complementary to the Callan-Symanzik equations used in field-theoretic approaches to the RG. The various forms of DRG equations are derived to illustrate the general mathematical structure of each approach and to point out the advantages and disadvantages for performing practical calculations. Otherwise, the review focuses upon the one-particle-irreducible DRG equations derived by Nicoll and Chang and by Chang, Nicoll, and Young; no attempt is made to provide a general treatise of critical phenomena. A few specific examples are included to illustrate the utility of the DRG approach: the large- n limit of the classical n-vector model (the spherical model), multi- or higher-order critical phenomena, and crit ical dynamics far from equilibrium. The large- n limit of the n-vector model is used to introduce the application of DRG equations to a well-known example, with exact solution obtained for the nonlinear trajectories, generating functions for nonlinear scaling fields, and the equation of state. Trajectory integrals and nonlinear scaling fields within the framework of ɛ-expansions are then discussed for tricritical crossover, and briefly for certain aspects of multi- or higher-order critical points, including the derivation of the Helmholtz free energy and the equation of state. The discussion then turns to critical dynamics with a development of the path integral formulation for general dynamic processes. This is followed by an application to a model far-from-equilibrium system that undergoes a phase transformation analogous to a second-order critical point, the Schlögl model for a chemical instability.

A Structural Equation Model of Predictors for Effective Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Ronald B.; Sibley, Stanley D.; Arbaugh, J. B.

2005-01-01

In studying online learning, researchers should examine three critical interactions: instructor-student, student-student, and student-content. Student-content interaction may include a wide variety of pedagogical tools (e.g., streaming media, PowerPoint, and hyperlinking). Other factors that can affect the perceived quality of online learning…

The Theory of the Novel: New Essays.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Halperin, John, Ed.

This collection, containing essays by contemporary critics, analyzes such aspects of the novel as structure, history, point of view, techniques, and its future. Included are "What is Exposition?" by Meir Sternberg; "Notes Toward a Comic Fiction" by Robert B. Martin; "The Aesthetics of the Supra-Novel" by Irving H.…

21 CFR 120.8 - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

...: (i) Critical control points designed to control food hazards that are reasonably likely to occur and could be introduced inside the processing plant environment; and (ii) Critical control points designed... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP...

21 CFR 120.8 - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...: (i) Critical control points designed to control food hazards that are reasonably likely to occur and could be introduced inside the processing plant environment; and (ii) Critical control points designed... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP...

21 CFR 120.8 - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...: (i) Critical control points designed to control food hazards that are reasonably likely to occur and could be introduced inside the processing plant environment; and (ii) Critical control points designed... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP...

21 CFR 120.8 - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...: (i) Critical control points designed to control food hazards that are reasonably likely to occur and could be introduced inside the processing plant environment; and (ii) Critical control points designed... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP...

21 CFR 120.8 - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...: (i) Critical control points designed to control food hazards that are reasonably likely to occur and could be introduced inside the processing plant environment; and (ii) Critical control points designed... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP...

High spin cycles: topping the spin record for a single molecule verging on quantum criticality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baniodeh, Amer; Magnani, Nicola; Lan, Yanhua; Buth, Gernot; Anson, Christopher E.; Richter, Johannes; Affronte, Marco; Schnack, Jürgen; Powell, Annie K.

2018-03-01

The cyclisation of a short chain into a ring provides fascinating scenarios in terms of transforming a finite array of spins into a quasi-infinite structure. If frustration is present, theory predicts interesting quantum critical points, where the ground state and thus low-temperature properties of a material change drastically upon even a small variation of appropriate external parameters. This can be visualised as achieving a very high and pointed summit where the way down has an infinity of possibilities, which by any parameter change will be rapidly chosen, in order to reach the final ground state. Here we report a mixed 3d/4f cyclic coordination cluster that turns out to be very near or even at such a quantum critical point. It has a ground state spin of S = 60, the largest ever observed for a molecule (120 times that of a single electron). [Fe10Gd10(Me-tea)10(Me-teaH)10(NO3)10].20MeCN forms a nano-torus with alternating gadolinium and iron ions with a nearest neighbour Fe-Gd coupling and a frustrating next-nearest neighbour Fe-Fe coupling. Such a spin arrangement corresponds to a cyclic delta or saw-tooth chain, which can exhibit unusual frustration effects. In the present case, the quantum critical point bears a `flatland' of tens of thousands of energetically degenerate states between which transitions are possible at no energy costs with profound caloric consequences. Entropy-wise the energy flatland translates into the pointed summit overlooking the entropy landscape. Going downhill several target states can be reached depending on the applied physical procedure which offers new prospects for addressability.

New Comment on Gibbs Density Surface of Fluid Argon: Revised Critical Parameters, L. V. Woodcock, Int. J. Thermophys. (2014) 35, 1770-1784

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umirzakov, I. H.

2018-01-01

The author comments on an article by Woodcock (Int J Thermophys 35:1770-1784, 2014), who investigates the idea of a critical line instead of a single critical point using the example of argon. In the introduction, Woodcock states that "The Van der Waals critical point does not comply with the Gibbs phase rule. Its existence is based upon a hypothesis rather than a thermodynamic definition". The present comment is a response to the statement by Woodcock. The comment mathematically demonstrates that a critical point is not only based on a hypothesis that is used to define values of two parameters of the Van der Waals equation of state. Instead, the author argues that a critical point is a direct consequence of the thermodynamic phase equilibrium conditions resulting in a single critical point. It is shown that the thermodynamic conditions result in the first and second partial derivatives of pressure with respect to volume at constant temperature at a critical point equal to zero which are usual conditions of an existence of a critical point.

Assessment of the transportation route of oversize and excessive loads in relation to the load-bearing capacity of existing bridges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doležel, Jiří; Novák, Drahomír; Petrů, Jan

2017-09-01

Transportation routes of oversize and excessive loads are currently planned in relation to ensure the transit of a vehicle through critical points on the road. Critical points are level-intersection of roads, bridges etc. This article presents a comprehensive procedure to determine a reliability and a load-bearing capacity level of the existing bridges on highways and roads using the advanced methods of reliability analysis based on simulation techniques of Monte Carlo type in combination with nonlinear finite element method analysis. The safety index is considered as a main criterion of the reliability level of the existing construction structures and the index is described in current structural design standards, e.g. ISO and Eurocode. An example of a single-span slab bridge made of precast prestressed concrete girders of the 60 year current time and its load bearing capacity is set for the ultimate limit state and serviceability limit state. The structure’s design load capacity was estimated by the full probability nonlinear MKP analysis using a simulation technique Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS). Load-bearing capacity values based on a fully probabilistic analysis are compared with the load-bearing capacity levels which were estimated by deterministic methods of a critical section of the most loaded girders.

Communication: Studies of the Lennard-Jones fluid in 2, 3, and 4 dimensions highlight the need for a liquid-state 1/d expansion.

PubMed

Costigliola, Lorenzo; Schrøder, Thomas B; Dyre, Jeppe C

2016-06-21

The recent theoretical prediction by Maimbourg and Kurchan [e-print arXiv:1603.05023 (2016)] that for regular pair-potential systems the virial potential-energy correlation coefficient increases towards unity as the dimension d goes to infinity is investigated for the standard 12-6 Lennard-Jones fluid. This is done by computer simulations for d = 2, 3, 4 going from the critical point along the critical isotherm/isochore to higher density/temperature. In both cases the virial potential-energy correlation coefficient increases significantly. For a given density and temperature relative to the critical point, with increasing number of dimension the Lennard-Jones system conforms better to the hidden-scale-invariance property characterized by high virial potential-energy correlations (a property that leads to the existence of isomorphs in the thermodynamic phase diagram, implying that it becomes effectively one-dimensional in regard to structure and dynamics). The present paper also gives the first numerical demonstration of isomorph invariance of structure and dynamics in four dimensions. Our findings emphasize the need for a universally applicable 1/d expansion in liquid-state theory; we conjecture that the systems known to obey hidden scale invariance in three dimensions are those for which the yet-to-be-developed 1/d expansion converges rapidly.

Horizon as critical phenomenon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sung-Sik

2016-09-01

We show that renormalization group flow can be viewed as a gradual wave function collapse, where a quantum state associated with the action of field theory evolves toward a final state that describes an IR fixed point. The process of collapse is described by the radial evolution in the dual holographic theory. If the theory is in the same phase as the assumed IR fixed point, the initial state is smoothly projected to the final state. If in a different phase, the initial state undergoes a phase transition which in turn gives rise to a horizon in the bulk geometry. We demonstrate the connection between critical behavior and horizon in an example, by deriving the bulk metrics that emerge in various phases of the U( N ) vector model in the large N limit based on the holographic dual constructed from quantum renormalization group. The gapped phase exhibits a geometry that smoothly ends at a finite proper distance in the radial direction. The geometric distance in the radial direction measures a complexity: the depth of renormalization group transformation that is needed to project the generally entangled UV state to a direct product state in the IR. For gapless states, entanglement persistently spreads out to larger length scales, and the initial state can not be projected to the direct product state. The obstruction to smooth projection at charge neutral point manifests itself as the long throat in the anti-de Sitter space. The Poincare horizon at infinity marks the critical point which exhibits a divergent length scale in the spread of entanglement. For the gapless states with non-zero chemical potential, the bulk space becomes the Lifshitz geometry with the dynamical critical exponent two. The identification of horizon as critical point may provide an explanation for the universality of horizon. We also discuss the structure of the bulk tensor network that emerges from the quantum renormalization group.

Gravity dual of spin and charge density waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jokela, Niko; Järvinen, Matti; Lippert, Matthew

2014-12-01

At high enough charge density, the homogeneous state of the D3-D7' model is unstable to fluctuations at nonzero momentum. We investigate the end point of this instability, finding a spatially modulated ground state, which is a charge and spin density wave. We analyze the phase structure of the model as a function of chemical potential and magnetic field and find the phase transition from the homogeneous state to be first order, with a second-order critical point at zero magnetic field.

Effect of the quantum zero-point atomic motion on the optical and electronic properties of diamond and trans-polyacetylene.

PubMed

Cannuccia, Elena; Marini, Andrea

2011-12-16

The quantum zero-point motion of the carbon atoms is shown to induce strong effects on the optical and electronic properties of diamond and trans-polyacetylene, a conjugated polymer. By using an ab initio approach, we interpret the subgap states experimentally observed in diamond in terms of entangled electron-phonon states. These states also appear in trans-polyacetylene causing the formation of strong structures in the band structure that even call into question the accuracy of the band theory. This imposes a critical revision of the results obtained for carbon-based nanostructures by assuming the atoms frozen in their equilibrium positions. © 2011 American Physical Society

Using the NASTRAN Thermal Analyzer to simulate a flight scientific instrument package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, H.-P.; Jackson, C. E., Jr.

1974-01-01

The NASTRAN Thermal Analyzer has proven to be a unique and useful tool for thermal analyses involving large and complex structures where small, thermally induced deformations are critical. Among its major advantages are direct grid point-to-grid point compatibility with large structural models; plots of the model that may be generated for both conduction and boundary elements; versatility of applying transient thermal loads especially to repeat orbital cycles; on-line printer plotting of temperatures and rate of temperature changes as a function of time; and direct matrix input to solve linear differential equations on-line. These features provide a flexibility far beyond that available in most finite-difference thermal analysis computer programs.

Spin- and Valley-Dependent Electronic Structure in Silicene Under Periodic Potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Wei-Tao; Li, Yun-Fang; Tian, Hong-Yu

2018-03-01

We study the spin- and valley-dependent energy band and transport property of silicene under a periodic potential, where both spin and valley degeneracies are lifted. It is found that the Dirac point, miniband, band gap, anisotropic velocity, and conductance strongly depend on the spin and valley indices. The extra Dirac points appear as the voltage potential increases, the critical values of which are different for electron with different spins and valleys. Interestingly, the velocity is greatly suppressed due to the electric field and exchange field, other than the gapless graphene. It is possible to achieve an excellent collimation effect for a specific spin near a specific valley. The spin- and valley-dependent band structure can be used to adjust the transport, and perfect transmissions are observed at Dirac points. Therefore, a remarkable spin and valley polarization is achieved which can be switched effectively by the structural parameters. Importantly, the spin and valley polarizations are greatly enhanced by the disorder of the periodic potential.

Motile bacteria in a critical fluid mixture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koumakis, Nick; Devailly, Clémence; Poon, Wilson C. K.

2018-06-01

We studied the swimming of Escherichia coli bacteria in the vicinity of the critical point in a solution of the nonionic surfactant C12E5 in buffer solution. In phase-contrast microscopy, each swimming cell produces a transient trail behind itself lasting several seconds. Comparing quantitative image analysis with simulations show that these trails are due to local phase reorganization triggered by differential adsorption. This contrasts with similar trails seen in bacteria swimming in liquid crystals, which are due to shear effects. We show how our trails are controlled, and use them to probe the structure and dynamics of critical fluctuations in the fluid medium.

Criticality of Adaptive Control Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patzelt, Felix; Pawelzik, Klaus

2011-12-01

We show, that stabilization of a dynamical system can annihilate observable information about its structure. This mechanism induces critical points as attractors in locally adaptive control. It also reveals, that previously reported criticality in simple controllers is caused by adaptation and not by other controller details. We apply these results to a real-system example: human balancing behavior. A model of predictive adaptive closed-loop control subject to some realistic constraints is introduced and shown to reproduce experimental observations in unprecedented detail. Our results suggests, that observed error distributions in between the Lévy and Gaussian regimes may reflect a nearly optimal compromise between the elimination of random local trends and rare large errors.

A noise thermometry investigation of the melting point of gallium at the NIM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J. T.; Xue, S.

2006-06-01

This paper describes a study of the melting point of gallium with the new NIM Johnson noise thermometer (JNT). The new thermometer adopts the structure of switching correlator and commutator with the reference resistor maintained at the triple point of water. The electronic system of the new thermometer is basically the same as the current JNT, but the preamplifiers have been improved slightly. This study demonstrates that examining the characteristics of the noise signals in the frequency domain is of critical importance in constructing an improved new thermometer, where a power spectral analysis is found to be critical in establishing appropriate grounding for the new thermometer. The new JNT is tested on measurements of the thermodynamic temperature of the melting point of gallium, which give the thermodynamic temperature of 302.9160 K, with an overall integration time of 190 h and a combined standard uncertainty of 9.4 mK. The uncertainty analysis indicates that a standard combined uncertainty of 3 mK could be achieved with the new thermometer over an integration period of 1750 h.

USA Homeland Security: A Model for the United Arab Emirates

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-24

aboard and 11 on the ground were killed. Al-Qaeda involvement was suspected in the February 26, 1993 bomb explosion in a basement garage of the World...critical area concerning security was not added to the DHS structure until Congress passed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Act of 2004.19 To...announced a six-point agenda to ensure that Department policies, operations and structures were providing the instruments needed to address both present

Hairy black holes in cubic quasi-topological gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dykaar, Hannah; Hennigar, Robie A.; Mann, Robert B.

2017-05-01

We construct a class of five dimensional black hole solutions to cubic quasi-topological gravity with conformal scalar hair and study their thermodynamics. We find these black holes provide the second example of black hole λ-lines: a line of second order (continuous) phase transitions, akin to the fluid/superfluid transition of 4He. Examples of isolated critical points are found for spherical black holes, marking the first in the literature to date. We also find various novel and interesting phase structures, including an isolated critical point occurring in conjunction with a double reentrant phase transition. The AdS vacua of the theory are studied, finding ghost-free configurations where the scalar field takes on a non-zero constant value, in notable contrast to the five dimensional Lovelock case.

Single-Chain Folding of Synthetic Polymers: A Critical Update.

PubMed

Altintas, Ozcan; Barner-Kowollik, Christopher

2015-11-23

The current contribution serves as a critical update to a previous feature article from us (Macromol. Rapid Commun. 2012, 33, 958-971), and highlights the latest advances in the preparation of single chain polymeric nanoparticles and initial-yet promising-attempts towards mimicking the structure of natural biomacromolecules via single-chain folding of well-defined linear polymers via so-called single chain selective point folding and repeat unit folding. The contribution covers selected examples from the literature published up to ca. September 2015. Our aim is not to provide an exhaustive review but rather highlight a selection of new and exciting examples for single-chain folding based on advanced macromolecular precision chemistry. Initially, the discussion focuses on the synthesis and characterization of single-chain folded structures via selective point folding. The second part of the feature article addresses the folding of well-defined single-chain polymers by means of repeat unit folding. The current state of the art in the field of single-chain folding indicates that repeat unit folding-driven nanoparticle preparation is well-advanced, while initial encouraging steps towards building selective point folding systems have been taken. In addition, a summary of the-in our view-open key questions is provided that may guide future biomimetic design efforts. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Avoided critical behavior in dynamically forced wetting.

PubMed

Snoeijer, Jacco H; Delon, Giles; Fermigier, Marc; Andreotti, Bruno

2006-05-05

A solid object can be coated by a nonwetting liquid since a receding contact line cannot exceed a critical speed. In this Letter we study the dynamical wetting transition at which a liquid film gets deposited by withdrawing a vertical plate out of a liquid reservoir. It has recently been predicted that this wetting transition is critical with diverging time scales and coincides with the disappearance of stationary menisci. We demonstrate experimentally and theoretically that the transition is due to the formation of a solitary wave, well below the critical point. As a consequence, relaxation times remain finite at threshold. The structure of the liquid deposited on the plate involves a capillary ridge that does not trivially match the Landau-Levich film.

E-learning for Critical Thinking: Using Nominal Focus Group Method to Inform Software Content and Design.

PubMed

Parker, Steve; Mayner, Lidia; Michael Gillham, David

2015-12-01

Undergraduate nursing students are often confused by multiple understandings of critical thinking. In response to this situation, the Critiique for critical thinking (CCT) project was implemented to provide consistent structured guidance about critical thinking. This paper introduces Critiique software, describes initial validation of the content of this critical thinking tool and explores wider applications of the Critiique software. Critiique is flexible, authorable software that guides students step-by-step through critical appraisal of research papers. The spelling of Critiique was deliberate, so as to acquire a unique web domain name and associated logo. The CCT project involved implementation of a modified nominal focus group process with academic staff working together to establish common understandings of critical thinking. Previous work established a consensus about critical thinking in nursing and provided a starting point for the focus groups. The study was conducted at an Australian university campus with the focus group guided by open ended questions. Focus group data established categories of content that academic staff identified as important for teaching critical thinking. This emerging focus group data was then used to inform modification of Critiique software so that students had access to consistent and structured guidance in relation to critical thinking and critical appraisal. The project succeeded in using focus group data from academics to inform software development while at the same time retaining the benefits of broader philosophical dimensions of critical thinking.

E-learning for Critical Thinking: Using Nominal Focus Group Method to Inform Software Content and Design

PubMed Central

Parker, Steve; Mayner, Lidia; Michael Gillham, David

2015-01-01

Background: Undergraduate nursing students are often confused by multiple understandings of critical thinking. In response to this situation, the Critiique for critical thinking (CCT) project was implemented to provide consistent structured guidance about critical thinking. Objectives: This paper introduces Critiique software, describes initial validation of the content of this critical thinking tool and explores wider applications of the Critiique software. Materials and Methods: Critiique is flexible, authorable software that guides students step-by-step through critical appraisal of research papers. The spelling of Critiique was deliberate, so as to acquire a unique web domain name and associated logo. The CCT project involved implementation of a modified nominal focus group process with academic staff working together to establish common understandings of critical thinking. Previous work established a consensus about critical thinking in nursing and provided a starting point for the focus groups. The study was conducted at an Australian university campus with the focus group guided by open ended questions. Results: Focus group data established categories of content that academic staff identified as important for teaching critical thinking. This emerging focus group data was then used to inform modification of Critiique software so that students had access to consistent and structured guidance in relation to critical thinking and critical appraisal. Conclusions: The project succeeded in using focus group data from academics to inform software development while at the same time retaining the benefits of broader philosophical dimensions of critical thinking. PMID:26835469

Cell population structure prior to bifurcation predicts efficiency of directed differentiation in human induced pluripotent cells

PubMed Central

Bargaje, Rhishikesh; Trachana, Kalliopi; Shelton, Martin N.; McGinnis, Christopher S.; Zhou, Joseph X.; Chadick, Cora; Cook, Savannah; Cavanaugh, Christopher; Huang, Sui; Hood, Leroy

2017-01-01

Steering the differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) toward specific cell types is crucial for patient-specific disease modeling and drug testing. This effort requires the capacity to predict and control when and how multipotent progenitor cells commit to the desired cell fate. Cell fate commitment represents a critical state transition or “tipping point” at which complex systems undergo a sudden qualitative shift. To characterize such transitions during iPSC to cardiomyocyte differentiation, we analyzed the gene expression patterns of 96 developmental genes at single-cell resolution. We identified a bifurcation event early in the trajectory when a primitive streak-like cell population segregated into the mesodermal and endodermal lineages. Before this branching point, we could detect the signature of an imminent critical transition: increase in cell heterogeneity and coordination of gene expression. Correlation analysis of gene expression profiles at the tipping point indicates transcription factors that drive the state transition toward each alternative cell fate and their relationships with specific phenotypic readouts. The latter helps us to facilitate small molecule screening for differentiation efficiency. To this end, we set up an analysis of cell population structure at the tipping point after systematic variation of the protocol to bias the differentiation toward mesodermal or endodermal cell lineage. We were able to predict the proportion of cardiomyocytes many days before cells manifest the differentiated phenotype. The analysis of cell populations undergoing a critical state transition thus affords a tool to forecast cell fate outcomes and can be used to optimize differentiation protocols to obtain desired cell populations. PMID:28167799

Direct optical transitions at K- and H-point of Brillouin zone in bulk MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopaczek, J.; Polak, M. P.; Scharoch, P.; Wu, K.; Chen, B.; Tongay, S.; Kudrawiec, R.

2016-06-01

Modulated reflectance (contactless electroreflectance (CER), photoreflectance (PR), and piezoreflectance (PzR)) has been applied to study direct optical transitions in bulk MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2. In order to interpret optical transitions observed in CER, PR, and PzR spectra, the electronic band structure for the four crystals has been calculated from the first principles within the density functional theory for various points of Brillouin zone including K and H points. It is clearly shown that the electronic band structure at H point of Brillouin zone is very symmetric and similar to the electronic band structure at K point, and therefore, direct optical transitions at H point should be expected in modulated reflectance spectra besides the direct optical transitions at the K point of Brillouin zone. This prediction is confirmed by experimental studies of the electronic band structure of MoS2, MoSe2, WS2, and WSe2 crystals by CER, PR, and PzR spectroscopy, i.e., techniques which are very sensitive to critical points of Brillouin zone. For the four crystals besides the A transition at K point, an AH transition at H point has been observed in CER, PR, and PzR spectra a few tens of meV above the A transition. The spectral difference between A and AH transition has been found to be in a very good agreement with theoretical predictions. The second transition at the H point of Brillouin zone (BH transition) overlaps spectrally with the B transition at K point because of small energy differences in the valence (conduction) band positions at H and K points. Therefore, an extra resonance which could be related to the BH transition is not resolved in modulated reflectance spectra at room temperature for the four crystals.

Deconfined quantum critical point on the triangular lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jian, Chao-Ming; Thomson, Alex; Rasmussen, Alex; Bi, Zhen; Xu, Cenke

2018-05-01

In this work we propose a theory for the deconfined quantum critical point (DQCP) for spin-1/2 systems on a triangular lattice, which is a direct unfine-tuned quantum phase transition between the standard "√{3 }×√{3 } " noncollinear antiferromagnetic order (or the so-called 120∘ state) and the "√{12 }×√{12 } " valence solid bond (VBS) order, both of which are very standard ordered phases often observed in numerical simulations. This transition is beyond the standard Landau-Ginzburg paradigm and is also fundamentally different from the original DQCP theory on the square lattice due to the very different structures of both the magnetic and VBS order on frustrated lattices. We first propose a topological term in the effective-field theory that captures the "intertwinement" between the √{3 }×√{3 } antiferromagnetic order and the √{12 }×√{12 } VBS order. Then using a controlled renormalization-group calculation, we demonstrate that an unfine-tuned direct continuous DQCP exists between the two ordered phases mentioned above. This DQCP is described by the Nf=4 quantum electrodynamics (QED) with an emergent PSU(4)=SU(4)/Z4 symmetry only at the critical point. The aforementioned topological term is also naturally derived from the Nf=4 QED. We also point out that physics around this DQCP is analogous to the boundary of a 3 d bosonic symmetry- protected topological state with only on-site symmetries.

Locating the quantum critical point of the Bose-Hubbard model through singularities of simple observables.

PubMed

Łącki, Mateusz; Damski, Bogdan; Zakrzewski, Jakub

2016-12-02

We show that the critical point of the two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model can be easily found through studies of either on-site atom number fluctuations or the nearest-neighbor two-point correlation function (the expectation value of the tunnelling operator). Our strategy to locate the critical point is based on the observation that the derivatives of these observables with respect to the parameter that drives the superfluid-Mott insulator transition are singular at the critical point in the thermodynamic limit. Performing the quantum Monte Carlo simulations of the two-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model, we show that this technique leads to the accurate determination of the position of its critical point. Our results can be easily extended to the three-dimensional Bose-Hubbard model and different Hubbard-like models. They provide a simple experimentally-relevant way of locating critical points in various cold atomic lattice systems.

Self-Criticism: A Measure of Uncompassionate Behaviors Toward the Self, Based on the Negative Components of the Self-Compassion Scale.

PubMed

Montero-Marín, Jesús; Gaete, Jorge; Demarzo, Marcelo; Rodero, Baltasar; Lopez, Luiz C Serrano; García-Campayo, Javier

2016-01-01

The use of the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) as a single measure has been pointed out as problematic by many authors and its originally proposed structure has repeatedly been called into question. The negative facets of this construct are more strongly related to psychopathology than the positive indicators. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the different structures proposed for the SCS, including a new measure based only on the negative factors, and to assess the psychometric features of the more plausible solution. The study employed a cross-sectional and cross-cultural design. A sample of Brazilian (n = 406) and Spanish (n = 416) primary care professionals completed the SCS, and other questionnaires to measure psychological health-related variables. The SCS factor structure was estimated using confirmatory factor analysis by the maximum likelihood method. Internal consistency was assessed by squaring the correlation between the latent true variable and the observed variables. The relationships between the SCS and other constructs were analyzed using Spearman's r s . The structure with the best fit was comprised of the three negative first-order factors of "self-judgment", "isolation" and "over-identification", and one negative second-order factor, which has been named "self-criticism" [CFI = 0.92; RMSEA = 0.06 (90% CI = 0.05-0.07); SRMR = 0.05]. This solution was supported by both samples, presented partial metric invariance [CFI = 0.91; RMSEA = 0.06 (90% CI = 0.05-0.06); SRMR = 0.06], and showed significant correlations with other health-related psychological constructs. Reliability was adequate for all the dimensions (R ≥ 0.70). The original structure proposed for the SCS was not supported by the data. Self-criticism, comprising only the negative SCS factors, might be a measure of uncompassionate behaviors toward the self, with good psychometric properties and practical implications from a clinical point of view, reaching a stable structure and overcoming possible methodological artifacts.

Constraints on Stress Components at the Internal Singular Point of an Elastic Compound Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pestrenin, V. M.; Pestrenina, I. V.

2017-03-01

The classical analytical and numerical methods for investigating the stress-strain state (SSS) in the vicinity of a singular point consider the point as a mathematical one (having no linear dimensions). The reliability of the solution obtained by such methods is valid only outside a small vicinity of the singular point, because the macroscopic equations become incorrect and microscopic ones have to be used to describe the SSS in this vicinity. Also, it is impossible to set constraint or to formulate solutions in stress-strain terms for a mathematical point. These problems do not arise if the singular point is identified with the representative volume of material of the structure studied. In authors' opinion, this approach is consistent with the postulates of continuum mechanics. In this case, the formulation of constraints at a singular point and their investigation becomes an independent problem of mechanics for bodies with singularities. This method was used to explore constraints at an internal singular point (representative volume) of a compound wedge and a compound rib. It is shown that, in addition to the constraints given in the classical approach, there are also constraints depending on the macroscopic parameters of constituent materials. These constraints turn the problems of deformable bodies with an internal singular point into nonclassical ones. Combinations of material parameters determine the number of additional constraints and the critical stress state at the singular point. Results of this research can be used in the mechanics of composite materials and fracture mechanics and in studying stress concentrations in composite structural elements.

Structures in magnetohydrodynamic turbulence: Detection and scaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uritsky, V. M.; Pouquet, A.; Rosenberg, D.; Mininni, P. D.; Donovan, E. F.

2010-11-01

We present a systematic analysis of statistical properties of turbulent current and vorticity structures at a given time using cluster analysis. The data stem from numerical simulations of decaying three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the absence of an imposed uniform magnetic field; the magnetic Prandtl number is taken equal to unity, and we use a periodic box with grids of up to 15363 points and with Taylor Reynolds numbers up to 1100. The initial conditions are either an X -point configuration embedded in three dimensions, the so-called Orszag-Tang vortex, or an Arn’old-Beltrami-Childress configuration with a fully helical velocity and magnetic field. In each case two snapshots are analyzed, separated by one turn-over time, starting just after the peak of dissipation. We show that the algorithm is able to select a large number of structures (in excess of 8000) for each snapshot and that the statistical properties of these clusters are remarkably similar for the two snapshots as well as for the two flows under study in terms of scaling laws for the cluster characteristics, with the structures in the vorticity and in the current behaving in the same way. We also study the effect of Reynolds number on cluster statistics, and we finally analyze the properties of these clusters in terms of their velocity-magnetic-field correlation. Self-organized criticality features have been identified in the dissipative range of scales. A different scaling arises in the inertial range, which cannot be identified for the moment with a known self-organized criticality class consistent with magnetohydrodynamics. We suggest that this range can be governed by turbulence dynamics as opposed to criticality and propose an interpretation of intermittency in terms of propagation of local instabilities.

Critical and Transformative Literacies: Music and General Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benedict, Cathy L.

2012-01-01

Even though there are multiple literacies, the preoccupation and even reliance on the primacy of functional literacy, as seen as an end-point in the formal process of schooling, masks an ideology that rarely goes interrogated throughout all disciplines. This article considers the obligation and structure of functional literacy, and, in particular,…

Framing the Conversation: Social Studies Education and the Neoconservative Agenda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kornfeld, John

2005-01-01

For years many from the Left have been calling for educational reform, pointing out the shortcomings of public schooling for its antidemocratic structures and policies, irrelevant and sometimes racist curriculum, and myriad other faults. And social studies teachers and curriculum developers have borne the brunt of much of these criticisms. Now the…

CONTRIBUTIONS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE/QUALITY CONTROL TO EMERGING TECHNIQUES IN ECOLOGY: NOT JUST FOR CHEMISTS ANYMORE

EPA Science Inventory

The structure of biological monitoring designs has become critical as support not only for assessments of condition under Section 305(b) of the Clean Water Act but also as the starting point for site-specific determinations of impairment, diagnosis of causes of impairment, alloca...

Dynamical instability of a spin spiral in an interacting Fermi gas as a probe of the Stoner transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conduit, G. J.; Altman, E.

2010-10-01

We propose an experiment to probe ferromagnetic phenomena in an ultracold Fermi gas, while alleviating the sensitivity to three-body loss and competing many-body instabilities. The system is initialized in a small pitch spin spiral, which becomes unstable in the presence of repulsive interactions. To linear order the exponentially growing collective modes exhibit critical slowing down close to the Stoner transition point. Also, to this order, the dynamics are identical on the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic sides of the transition. However, we show that scattering off the exponentially growing modes qualitatively alters the collective mode structure. The critical slowing down is eliminated and in its place a new unstable branch develops at large wave vectors. Furthermore, long-wavelength instabilities are quenched on the paramagnetic side of the transition. We study the experimental observation of the instabilities, specifically addressing the trapping geometry and how phase-contrast imaging will reveal the emerging domain structure. These probes of the dynamical phenomena could allow experiments to detect the transition point and distinguish between the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic regimes.

Transversal Kerr effect of In1- x Mn x As layers prepared by ion implantation followed by pulsed laser annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gan'shina, Elena; Golik, Leonard; Kun'kova, Zoya; Bykov, Igor; Novikov, Andrey; Rukovishnikov, Alexander; Yuan, Ye; Zykov, Georgy; Böttger, Roman; Zhou, Shengqiang

2016-07-01

In1- x Mn x As (x = 6.9%) layers prepared by ion implantation and subsequent pulsed laser annealing have been studied using the magnetooptical transversal Kerr effect (TKE) and spectral ellipsometry. Ellipsometry data reveal the good crystal quality of the layers. The samples show ferromagnetic behaviour below 77 K. Near the absorption edge of the parent InAs semiconductor, large TKE values are observed. In the energy regions of the transitions in the Γ and L critical points of the InAs Brillouin zone, there are several clearly defined structures in the low-temperature TKE spectra. We have calculated the spectral dependences of the diagonal and nondiagonal components of the permittivity tensor (PT), as well as the spectrum of magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) for our samples. A number of extrema in the obtained MCD and PT spectra are close to the energies of transitions in the critical points of the parent semiconductor band structure, which confirms the intrinsic ferromagnetism of the Mn-doped InAs layers.

Geometries and properties of bimetallic phosphido-bridged complex Cp(CO) 2W(μ-PPh 2)W(CO) 5 and Cp(CO) 3W(μ-PPh 2)W(CO) 5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fang; Yang, Hongmei; Yang, Zuoyin; Zhang, Jingchang; Cao, Weiliang

2007-01-01

Complete geometry optimizations were carried out by HF and DFT methods to study the molecular structure of binuclear transition-metal compounds (Cp(CO) 3W(μ-PPh 2)W(CO) 5) (I) and (Cp(CO) 2W(μ-PPh 2)W(CO) 5) (II). A comparison of the experimental data and calculated structural parameters demonstrates that the most accurate geometry parameters are predicted by the MPW1PW91/LANL2DZ among the three DFT methods. Topological properties of molecular charge distributions were analyzed with the theory of atoms in molecules. (3, -1) critical points, namely bond critical point, were found between the two tungsten atoms, and between W1 and C10 in complex II, which confirms the existence of the metal-metal bond and a semi-bridging CO between the two tungsten atoms. The result provided a theoretical guidance of detailed study on the binuclear phosphido-bridged complex containing transition metal-metal bond, which could be useful in the further study of the heterobimetallic phosphido-bridged complexes.

Studies of electronic structure of ZnO grain boundary and its proximity by using spatially resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ong, H. C.; Dai, J. Y.; Du, G. T.

2002-07-01

The low electron energy loss and complex dielectric functions of an arbitrary grain boundary and its proximity in ZnO thin films have been studied by using the spatially resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy. The critical point parameters have been determined by fitting the dielectric functions simultaneously with analytical line shape model. Gradual changes have been observed in the dielectric functions spectra. The critical points are found to redshift and then blueshift when the electron beam scanned across the grain boundary, which suggest the distinctive electronic structure not only of the grain boundary but also of the depletion region. In addition, comparison has been made between the experiment and the recent theoretical studies to account for the interband transitions that occur in the grain boundaries. Several features predicted by the theory are qualitatively found to be consistent with our results. The presence of dangling bonds instead of bond distortion is attributed to be the major cause of defects in the grain boundaries of ZnO.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kopaczek, J.; Polak, M. P.; Scharoch, P.

Modulated reflectance (contactless electroreflectance (CER), photoreflectance (PR), and piezoreflectance (PzR)) has been applied to study direct optical transitions in bulk MoS{sub 2}, MoSe{sub 2}, WS{sub 2}, and WSe{sub 2}. In order to interpret optical transitions observed in CER, PR, and PzR spectra, the electronic band structure for the four crystals has been calculated from the first principles within the density functional theory for various points of Brillouin zone including K and H points. It is clearly shown that the electronic band structure at H point of Brillouin zone is very symmetric and similar to the electronic band structure at Kmore » point, and therefore, direct optical transitions at H point should be expected in modulated reflectance spectra besides the direct optical transitions at the K point of Brillouin zone. This prediction is confirmed by experimental studies of the electronic band structure of MoS{sub 2}, MoSe{sub 2}, WS{sub 2}, and WSe{sub 2} crystals by CER, PR, and PzR spectroscopy, i.e., techniques which are very sensitive to critical points of Brillouin zone. For the four crystals besides the A transition at K point, an A{sub H} transition at H point has been observed in CER, PR, and PzR spectra a few tens of meV above the A transition. The spectral difference between A and A{sub H} transition has been found to be in a very good agreement with theoretical predictions. The second transition at the H point of Brillouin zone (B{sub H} transition) overlaps spectrally with the B transition at K point because of small energy differences in the valence (conduction) band positions at H and K points. Therefore, an extra resonance which could be related to the B{sub H} transition is not resolved in modulated reflectance spectra at room temperature for the four crystals.« less

The ion-acoustic soliton: A gas-dynamic viewpoint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenzie, J. F.

2002-03-01

The properties of fully nonlinear ion-acoustic solitons are investigated by interpreting conservation of total momentum as the structure equation for the proton flow in the wave. In most studies momentum conservation is regarded as the first integral of the Poisson equation for the electric potential and is interpreted as being analogous to a particle moving in a pseudo-potential well. By adopting an essentially gas-dynamic viewpoint, which emphasizes momentum conservation and the properties of the Bernoulli-type energy equations, the crucial role played by the proton sonic point becomes apparent. The relationship (implied by energy conservation) between the electron and proton speeds in the transition yields a locus—the hodograph of the system-which shows that, in the first half of the soliton, the electrons initially lag behind the protons until the charge neutral point is reached, after which they run ahead of the protons. The system reaches an equilibrium point (the center of the soliton) before the proton flow goes sonic. It follows that the critical ion-acoustic Mach number, Mc, above which smooth, continuous solitons cannot be constructed, stems from the requirement that the two equilibrium points of the structure equation coalesce at the proton sonic point of the flow. In general the range of the ion-acoustic Mach numbers, Mep, in which solitons exist, is extended beyond the classical range 1

Compatibility of SYTO 13 and Hoechst 33342 for Longitudinal Imaging of Neuron Viability and Cell Death

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-14

Defining the molecular and biochemical pathways re- sponsible for cell death phenotypes is essential for iden- tifying critical points that could be...clearly image nuclear structure resulted in PI-positive nuclei developing an orange hue. (B) Planimetric quantitation of nuclear size measured...metabolites on undifferentiated PC12 cells: a putative structure -toxicity relationship. Chem Res Toxicol 2006, 19(10):1294–1304. 10. McNutt P, Celver J

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-01-24

The Critical Viscosity of Xenon Experiment (CVX-2) on the STS-107 Research 1 mission in 2002 will measure the viscous behavior of xenon, a heavy inert gas used in flash lamps and ion rocket engines, at its critical point. The thermostat for CVX sits inside the white cylinder on a support structure (at left) that is placed inside a pressure canister. A similar canister (right) holds the electronics and control systems. The CVX-2 arrangement is identical. The principal investigator is Dr. Robert F. Berg (left) of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD.

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-01-24

The Critical Viscosity of Xenon Experiment (CVX-2) on the STS-107 Research 1 mission in 2002 will measure the viscous behavior of xenon, a heavy inert gas used in flash lamps and ion rocket engines, at its critical point. The thermostat for CVX sits inside the white cylinder on a support structure (at left) that is placed inside a pressure canister. A similar canister (right) holds the electronics and control systems. The CVX-2 arrangement is identical. The principal investigator is Dr. Robert F. Berg (not shown) of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD.

Robustness of critical points in a complex adaptive system: Effects of hedge behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Yuan; Huang, Ji-Ping

2013-08-01

In our recent papers, we have identified a class of phase transitions in the market-directed resource-allocation game, and found that there exists a critical point at which the phase transitions occur. The critical point is given by a certain resource ratio. Here, by performing computer simulations and theoretical analysis, we report that the critical point is robust against various kinds of human hedge behavior where the numbers of herds and contrarians can be varied widely. This means that the critical point can be independent of the total number of participants composed of normal agents, herds and contrarians, under some conditions. This finding means that the critical points we identified in this complex adaptive system (with adaptive agents) may also be an intensive quantity, similar to those revealed in traditional physical systems (with non-adaptive units).

Transport properties of gases and binary liquids near the critical point

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sengers, J. V.

1972-01-01

A status report is presented on the anomalies observed in the behavior of transport properties near the critical point of gases and binary liquids. The shear viscosity exhibits a weak singularity near the critical point. An analysis is made of the experimental data for those transport properties, thermal conductivity and thermal diffusivity near the gas-liquid critical point and binary diffusion coefficient near the critical mixing point, that determine the critical slowing down of the thermodynamic fluctuations in the order parameter. The asymptotic behavior of the thermal conductivity appears to be closely related to the asymptotic behavior of the correlation length. The experimental data for the thermal conductivity and diffusivity are shown to be in substantial agreement with current theoretical predictions.

On Logic and Standards for Structuring Documents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eyers, David M.; Jones, Andrew J. I.; Kimbrough, Steven O.

The advent of XML has been widely seized upon as an opportunity to develop document representation standards that lend themselves to automated processing. This is a welcome development and much good has come of it. That said, present standardization efforts may be criticized on a number of counts. We explore two issues associated with document XML standardization efforts. We label them (i) the dynamic point and (ii) the logical point. Our dynamic point is that in many cases experience has shown that the search for a final, or even reasonably permanent, document representation standard is futile. The case is especially strong for electronic data interchange (EDI). Our logical point is that formalization into symbolic logic is materially helpful for understanding and designing dynamic document standards.

Perpetual Points: New Tool for Localization of Coexisting Attractors in Dynamical Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudkowski, Dawid; Prasad, Awadhesh; Kapitaniak, Tomasz

Perpetual points (PPs) are special critical points for which the magnitude of acceleration describing the dynamics drops to zero, while the motion is still possible (stationary points are excluded), e.g. considering the motion of the particle in the potential field, at perpetual point, it has zero acceleration and nonzero velocity. We show that using PPs we can trace all the stable fixed points in the system, and that the structure of trajectories leading from former points to stable equilibria may be similar to orbits obtained from unstable stationary points. Moreover, we argue that the concept of perpetual points may be useful in tracing unexpected attractors (hidden or rare attractors with small basins of attraction). We show potential applicability of this approach by analyzing several representative systems of physical significance, including the damped oscillator, pendula, and the Henon map. We suggest that perpetual points may be a useful tool for localizing coexisting attractors in dynamical systems.

Using argument notation to engineer biological simulations with increased confidence

PubMed Central

Alden, Kieran; Andrews, Paul S.; Polack, Fiona A. C.; Veiga-Fernandes, Henrique; Coles, Mark C.; Timmis, Jon

2015-01-01

The application of computational and mathematical modelling to explore the mechanics of biological systems is becoming prevalent. To significantly impact biological research, notably in developing novel therapeutics, it is critical that the model adequately represents the captured system. Confidence in adopting in silico approaches can be improved by applying a structured argumentation approach, alongside model development and results analysis. We propose an approach based on argumentation from safety-critical systems engineering, where a system is subjected to a stringent analysis of compliance against identified criteria. We show its use in examining the biological information upon which a model is based, identifying model strengths, highlighting areas requiring additional biological experimentation and providing documentation to support model publication. We demonstrate our use of structured argumentation in the development of a model of lymphoid tissue formation, specifically Peyer's Patches. The argumentation structure is captured using Artoo (www.york.ac.uk/ycil/software/artoo), our Web-based tool for constructing fitness-for-purpose arguments, using a notation based on the safety-critical goal structuring notation. We show how argumentation helps in making the design and structured analysis of a model transparent, capturing the reasoning behind the inclusion or exclusion of each biological feature and recording assumptions, as well as pointing to evidence supporting model-derived conclusions. PMID:25589574

Using argument notation to engineer biological simulations with increased confidence.

PubMed

Alden, Kieran; Andrews, Paul S; Polack, Fiona A C; Veiga-Fernandes, Henrique; Coles, Mark C; Timmis, Jon

2015-03-06

The application of computational and mathematical modelling to explore the mechanics of biological systems is becoming prevalent. To significantly impact biological research, notably in developing novel therapeutics, it is critical that the model adequately represents the captured system. Confidence in adopting in silico approaches can be improved by applying a structured argumentation approach, alongside model development and results analysis. We propose an approach based on argumentation from safety-critical systems engineering, where a system is subjected to a stringent analysis of compliance against identified criteria. We show its use in examining the biological information upon which a model is based, identifying model strengths, highlighting areas requiring additional biological experimentation and providing documentation to support model publication. We demonstrate our use of structured argumentation in the development of a model of lymphoid tissue formation, specifically Peyer's Patches. The argumentation structure is captured using Artoo (www.york.ac.uk/ycil/software/artoo), our Web-based tool for constructing fitness-for-purpose arguments, using a notation based on the safety-critical goal structuring notation. We show how argumentation helps in making the design and structured analysis of a model transparent, capturing the reasoning behind the inclusion or exclusion of each biological feature and recording assumptions, as well as pointing to evidence supporting model-derived conclusions.

Post-Structural Methodology at the Quilting Point: Intercultural Encounters.

PubMed

Gillett, Grant

Lacan's quilting point connects a network of signifiers with the lived world as a place of voices, memory, and adaptation "seen in" the mirror of language. Crossing cultures can obscure the ways we make sense of the world. Some planes of signification, in aiming to be universal in their knowledge (such as the natural sciences), try to track objects and events independent of our thoughts about them and the ways that signifiers may slide past each other. However, cross-structural comparison and the analysis of cross cultural encounters cannot treat its objects of interest that way. Thus we need a theory and methodology that effectively connects the multilayered discourses of subjectivities from diverse cultures and allows triangulation between them in relation to points of shared experience. At such points we need a critical attitude to our own framework and an openness to the uneasy reflective equilibrium that uncovers assumptions and modes of thinking that will hamper us. Quilting points are such points where different discourses converge on a single event or set of events so as to mark "vertical" connections allowing tentative alignments between ways of meaning so that we can begin to build real cross-cultural understanding.

Revisiting the phase transition of AdS-Maxwell-power-Yang-Mills black holes via AdS/CFT tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Moumni, H.

2018-01-01

In the present work we investigate the Van der Waals-like phase transition of AdS black hole solution in the Einstein-Maxwell-power-Yang-Mills gravity (EMPYM) via different approaches. After reconsidering this phase structure in the entropy-thermal plane, we recall the nonlocal observables such as holographic entanglement entropy and two point correlation function to show that the both observables exhibit a Van der Waals-like behavior as the case of the thermal entropy. By checking the Maxwell's equal area law and calculating the critical exponent for different values of charge C and nonlinearity parameter q we confirm that the first and the second order phases persist in the holographic framework. Also the validity of the Maxwell law is governed by the proximity to the critical point.

Weyl Semimetal to Metal Phase Transitions Driven by Quasiperiodic Potentials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pixley, J. H.; Wilson, Justin H.; Huse, David A.; Gopalakrishnan, Sarang

2018-05-01

We explore the stability of three-dimensional Weyl and Dirac semimetals subject to quasiperiodic potentials. We present numerical evidence that the semimetal is stable for weak quasiperiodic potentials, despite being unstable for weak random potentials. As the quasiperiodic potential strength increases, the semimetal transitions to a metal, then to an "inverted" semimetal, and then finally to a metal again. The semimetal and metal are distinguished by the density of states at the Weyl point, as well as by level statistics, transport, and the momentum-space structure of eigenstates near the Weyl point. The critical properties of the transitions in quasiperiodic systems differ from those in random systems: we do not find a clear critical scaling regime in energy; instead, at the quasiperiodic transitions, the density of states appears to jump abruptly (and discontinuously to within our resolution).

Criticality in third order lovelock gravity and butterfly effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qaemmaqami, Mohammad M.

2018-01-01

We study third order Lovelock Gravity in D=7 at the critical point which three (A)dS vacua degenerate into one. We see there is not propagating graviton at the critical point. And also we compute the butterfly velocity for this theory at the critical point by considering the shock wave solutions near horizon, this is important to note that although there is no propagating graviton at the critical point, due to boundary gravitons the butterfly velocity is non-zero. Finally we observe that the butterfly velocity for third order Lovelock Gravity at the critical point in D=7 is less than the butterfly velocity for Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet Gravity at the critical point in D=7 which is less than the butterfly velocity in D = 7 for Einstein Gravity, vB^{E.H}>vB^{E.G.B}>vB^{3rd Lovelock} . Maybe we can conclude that by adding higher order curvature corrections to Einstein Gravity the butterfly velocity decreases.

Photonic Weyl degeneracies in magnetized plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Wenlong; Yang, Biao; Lawrence, Mark; Fang, Fengzhou; Béri, Benjamin; Zhang, Shuang

2016-08-01

Weyl particles are elusive relativistic fermionic particles with vanishing mass. While not having been found as an elementary particle, they are found to emerge in solid-state materials where three-dimensional bands develop a topologically protected point-like crossing, a so-called Weyl point. Photonic Weyl points have been recently realised in three-dimensional photonic crystals with complex structures. Here we report the presence of a novel type of plasmonic Weyl points in a naturally existing medium--magnetized plasma, in which Weyl points arise as crossings between purely longitudinal plasma modes and transverse helical propagating modes. These photonic Weyl points are right at the critical transition between a Weyl point with the traditional closed finite equifrequency surfaces and the newly proposed `type II' Weyl points with open equifrequency surfaces. Striking observable features of plasmon Weyl points include a half k-plane chirality manifested in electromagnetic reflection. Our study introduces Weyl physics into homogeneous photonic media, which could pave way for realizing new topological photonic devices.

Towards a Critical Health Equity Research Stance: Why Epistemology and Methodology Matter More Than Qualitative Methods.

PubMed

Bowleg, Lisa

2017-10-01

Qualitative methods are not intrinsically progressive. Methods are simply tools to conduct research. Epistemology, the justification of knowledge, shapes methodology and methods, and thus is a vital starting point for a critical health equity research stance, regardless of whether the methods are qualitative, quantitative, or mixed. In line with this premise, I address four themes in this commentary. First, I criticize the ubiquitous and uncritical use of the term health disparities in U.S. public health. Next, I advocate for the increased use of qualitative methodologies-namely, photovoice and critical ethnography-that, pursuant to critical approaches, prioritize dismantling social-structural inequities as a prerequisite to health equity. Thereafter, I discuss epistemological stance and its influence on all aspects of the research process. Finally, I highlight my critical discourse analysis HIV prevention research based on individual interviews and focus groups with Black men, as an example of a critical health equity research approach.

Damping Characteristics of Metal Matrix Composites

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-05-25

DAMPING OF METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES - -.......... 7-1 7.1 EPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE .............................................................. 7-1 7.2 M...space structures (LSS). A critical design concern for LSS is suppression of vibrations, caused by onboard and hostile threat-related disturbances during...acquisi- tion pointing and tracing (APT) phases of maneuvering. Various active and passive control mea- sures can be incorporated in the designs of

Structural Basis for Activation of the Receptor Tyrosine Kinase KIT by Stem Cell Factor

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yuzawa,S.; Opatowsky, Y.; Zhang, Z.

2007-01-01

Stem Cell Factor (SCF) initiates its multiple cellular responses by binding to the ectodomain of KIT, resulting in tyrosine kinase activation. We describe the crystal structure of the entire ectodomain of KIT before and after SCF stimulation. The structures show that KIT dimerization is driven by SCF binding whose sole role is to bring two KIT molecules together. Receptor dimerization is followed by conformational changes that enable lateral interactions between membrane proximal Ig-like domains D4 and D5 of two KIT molecules. Experiments with cultured cells show that KIT activation is compromised by point mutations in amino acids critical for D4-D4more » interaction. Moreover, a variety of oncogenic mutations are mapped to the D5-D5 interface. Since key hallmarks of KIT structures, ligand-induced receptor dimerization, and the critical residues in the D4-D4 interface, are conserved in other receptors, the mechanism of KIT stimulation unveiled in this report may apply for other receptor activation.« less

A topological hierarchy for functions on triangulated surfaces.

PubMed

Bremer, Peer-Timo; Edelsbrunner, Herbert; Hamann, Bernd; Pascucci, Valerio

2004-01-01

We combine topological and geometric methods to construct a multiresolution representation for a function over a two-dimensional domain. In a preprocessing stage, we create the Morse-Smale complex of the function and progressively simplify its topology by cancelling pairs of critical points. Based on a simple notion of dependency among these cancellations, we construct a hierarchical data structure supporting traversal and reconstruction operations similarly to traditional geometry-based representations. We use this data structure to extract topologically valid approximations that satisfy error bounds provided at runtime.

Critical point analysis of phase envelope diagram

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Soetikno, Darmadi; Siagian, Ucok W. R.; Kusdiantara, Rudy, E-mail: rkusdiantara@s.itb.ac.id

2014-03-24

Phase diagram or phase envelope is a relation between temperature and pressure that shows the condition of equilibria between the different phases of chemical compounds, mixture of compounds, and solutions. Phase diagram is an important issue in chemical thermodynamics and hydrocarbon reservoir. It is very useful for process simulation, hydrocarbon reactor design, and petroleum engineering studies. It is constructed from the bubble line, dew line, and critical point. Bubble line and dew line are composed of bubble points and dew points, respectively. Bubble point is the first point at which the gas is formed when a liquid is heated. Meanwhile,more » dew point is the first point where the liquid is formed when the gas is cooled. Critical point is the point where all of the properties of gases and liquids are equal, such as temperature, pressure, amount of substance, and others. Critical point is very useful in fuel processing and dissolution of certain chemicals. Here in this paper, we will show the critical point analytically. Then, it will be compared with numerical calculations of Peng-Robinson equation by using Newton-Raphson method. As case studies, several hydrocarbon mixtures are simulated using by Matlab.« less

Dynamical Signatures of Structural Connectivity Damage to a Model of the Brain Posed at Criticality.

PubMed

Haimovici, Ariel; Balenzuela, Pablo; Tagliazucchi, Enzo

2016-12-01

Synchronization of brain activity fluctuations is believed to represent communication between spatially distant neural processes. These interareal functional interactions develop in the background of a complex network of axonal connections linking cortical and subcortical neurons, termed the human "structural connectome." Theoretical considerations and experimental evidence support the view that the human brain can be modeled as a system operating at a critical point between ordered (subcritical) and disordered (supercritical) phases. Here, we explore the hypothesis that pathologies resulting from brain injury of different etiologies are related to this model of a critical brain. For this purpose, we investigate how damage to the integrity of the structural connectome impacts on the signatures of critical dynamics. Adopting a hybrid modeling approach combining an empirical weighted network of human structural connections with a conceptual model of critical dynamics, we show that lesions located at highly transited connections progressively displace the model toward the subcritical regime. The topological properties of the nodes and links are of less importance when considered independently of their weight in the network. We observe that damage to midline hubs such as the middle and posterior cingulate cortex is most crucial for the disruption of criticality in the model. However, a similar effect can be achieved by targeting less transited nodes and links whose connection weights add up to an equivalent amount. This implies that brain pathology does not necessarily arise due to insult targeted at well-connected areas and that intersubject variability could obscure lesions located at nonhub regions. Finally, we discuss the predictions of our model in the context of clinical studies of traumatic brain injury and neurodegenerative disorders.

Phenomenological consequences of enhanced bulk viscosity near the QCD critical point

DOE PAGES

Monnai, Akihiko; Mukherjee, Swagato; Yin, Yi

2017-03-06

In the proximity of the QCD critical point the bulk viscosity of quark-gluon matter is expected to be proportional to nearly the third power of the critical correlation length, and become significantly enhanced. Here, this work is the first attempt to study the phenomenological consequences of enhanced bulk viscosity near the QCD critical point. For this purpose, we implement the expected critical behavior of the bulk viscosity within a non-boost-invariant, longitudinally expanding 1 + 1 dimensional causal relativistic hydrodynamical evolution at nonzero baryon density. We demonstrate that the critically enhanced bulk viscosity induces a substantial nonequilibrium pressure, effectively softening themore » equation of state, and leads to sizable effects in the flow velocity and single-particle distributions at the freeze-out. In conclusion, the observable effects that may arise due to the enhanced bulk viscosity in the vicinity of the QCD critical point can be used as complementary information to facilitate searches for the QCD critical point.« less

Adsorption parameters and phase behaviour of non-ionic surfactants at liquid interfaces.

PubMed

Slavchov, Radomir Iliev; Ivanov, Ivan Boyanov

2017-11-29

A reasonable adsorption model is one that allows all adsorption parameters (adsorption constant, hard-disc area α, attraction parameter β) of a surfactant at a liquid interface to be predicted accurately as a function of the molecular structure and medium conditions. However, the established adsorption models of van der Waals and Frumkin lead to inconsistencies, such as negative β at water|oil, α significantly larger than the crystallographic area of the molecule, and phase behaviour that contradicts the experimental observations. Several less popular models that are better suited for liquid interfaces are investigated. It is shown that the sticky disc model agrees with the observed adsorption behaviour of several homologous series of surfactants, both at water|air and water|oil interfaces. The area α is independent of the interface and agrees within 6% to what follows from collapse and crystallographic data. A model of the lateral attraction is proposed, from which it follows that β has a strongly non-linear dependence on the hydrocarbon chain length, the area of the head group and the temperature. Using the model of β, experimental data, and the law of corresponding states, the critical point of the adsorbed layer could be determined. Depending on the value of β, the adsorption behaviour of the surfactants at liquid interfaces can be classified into distinct categories: cohesive or non-cohesive, based on their Boyle points (where β = 2), and sub-critical or super-critical, based on their critical points (where β = 38.1).

Solid-liquid critical behavior of water in nanopores.

PubMed

Mochizuki, Kenji; Koga, Kenichiro

2015-07-07

Nanoconfined liquid water can transform into low-dimensional ices whose crystalline structures are dissimilar to any bulk ices and whose melting point may significantly rise with reducing the pore size, as revealed by computer simulation and confirmed by experiment. One of the intriguing, and as yet unresolved, questions concerns the observation that the liquid water may transform into a low-dimensional ice either via a first-order phase change or without any discontinuity in thermodynamic and dynamic properties, which suggests the existence of solid-liquid critical points in this class of nanoconfined systems. Here we explore the phase behavior of a model of water in carbon nanotubes in the temperature-pressure-diameter space by molecular dynamics simulation and provide unambiguous evidence to support solid-liquid critical phenomena of nanoconfined water. Solid-liquid first-order phase boundaries are determined by tracing spontaneous phase separation at various temperatures. All of the boundaries eventually cease to exist at the critical points and there appear loci of response function maxima, or the Widom lines, extending to the supercritical region. The finite-size scaling analysis of the density distribution supports the presence of both first-order and continuous phase changes between solid and liquid. At around the Widom line, there are microscopic domains of two phases, and continuous solid-liquid phase changes occur in such a way that the domains of one phase grow and those of the other evanesce as the thermodynamic state departs from the Widom line.

Use of Reflection-in-Action and Self-Assessment to Promote Critical Thinking Among Pharmacy Students

PubMed Central

Gregory, Paul AM; Chiu, Stephanie

2008-01-01

Objective To examine whether self-assessment and reflection-in-action improves critical thinking among pharmacy students. Methods A 24-item standardized test of critical thinking was developed utilizing previously-validated questions. Participants were divided into 2 groups (conditions). Those in condition 1 completed the test with no interference; those in condition 2 completed the test but were prompted at specific points during the test to reflect and self-assess. Results A total of 94 undergraduate (BScPhm) pharmacy students participated in this study. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed between those who completed the test under condition 1 and condition 2, suggesting reflection and self-assessment may contribute positively to improvement in critical thinking. Conclusions Structured opportunities to reflect-in-action and self-assess may be associated with improvements among pharmacy students in performance of tasks related to critical thinking. PMID:18698383

Fermion-induced quantum critical points.

PubMed

Li, Zi-Xiang; Jiang, Yi-Fan; Jian, Shao-Kai; Yao, Hong

2017-08-22

A unified theory of quantum critical points beyond the conventional Landau-Ginzburg-Wilson paradigm remains unknown. According to Landau cubic criterion, phase transitions should be first-order when cubic terms of order parameters are allowed by symmetry in the Landau-Ginzburg free energy. Here, from renormalization group analysis, we show that second-order quantum phase transitions can occur at such putatively first-order transitions in interacting two-dimensional Dirac semimetals. As such type of Landau-forbidden quantum critical points are induced by gapless fermions, we call them fermion-induced quantum critical points. We further introduce a microscopic model of SU(N) fermions on the honeycomb lattice featuring a transition between Dirac semimetals and Kekule valence bond solids. Remarkably, our large-scale sign-problem-free Majorana quantum Monte Carlo simulations show convincing evidences of a fermion-induced quantum critical points for N = 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, consistent with the renormalization group analysis. We finally discuss possible experimental realizations of the fermion-induced quantum critical points in graphene and graphene-like materials.Quantum phase transitions are governed by Landau-Ginzburg theory and the exceptions are rare. Here, Li et al. propose a type of Landau-forbidden quantum critical points induced by gapless fermions in two-dimensional Dirac semimetals.

The location of the second critical point of water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanno, Hitoshi; Miyata, Kuniharu

2006-05-01

Based on the DTA data for homogeneous ice nucleation of emulsified liquid water at low temperatures and high pressures, the location of the second critical point (SCP) of water, which is expected to exist in addition to the normal liquid-vapor critical point, is estimated to be at 145 K < Tc2 < 175 K and Pc2 = ˜200 MPa ( Tc2: second critical temperature, Pc2: second critical pressure). It is shown that SCP is closely associated with the break point of the curve for the homogeneous ice nucleation temperature ( TH) of liquid water and with the transition between low density and high density amorphous solid water (LDA and HDA). Although the existence of SCP has become more realistic, the location seems to be less favorable to the water model of the second-critical-point interpretation.

Superconducting Sweet-Spot in Microcrystalline Graphite Revealed by Point-Contact Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, F.; Nyéki, J.; Saunders, J.

2018-05-01

In this letter we describe the observation of a magnetic field dependent electronic gap, suggestive of local superconductivity, in the point-contact spectrum of micro-crystalline graphite. Magnetic field dependent point-contact spectroscopy was carried out at a temperature of 1.8K using an etched aluminium tip. At zero field a gap structure in the differential conductance is observed, showing a gap of Δ = 4.2 meV. On applying magnetic fields of up to 500mT, this gap gradually closes, following the theoretical prediction by Ginzburg and Landau for a fully flux-penetrated superconductor. By applying BCS-theory, we infer a critical superconducting temperature of 14K.

Critical point relascope sampling for unbiased volume estimation of downed coarse woody debris

Treesearch

Jeffrey H. Gove; Michael S. Williams; Mark J. Ducey; Mark J. Ducey

2005-01-01

Critical point relascope sampling is developed and shown to be design-unbiased for the estimation of log volume when used with point relascope sampling for downed coarse woody debris. The method is closely related to critical height sampling for standing trees when trees are first sampled with a wedge prism. Three alternative protocols for determining the critical...

Faraday instability in a near-critical fluid under weightlessness.

PubMed

Gandikota, G; Chatain, D; Amiroudine, S; Lyubimova, T; Beysens, D

2014-01-01

Experiments on near-critical hydrogen have been conducted under magnetic compensation of gravity to investigate the Faraday instability that arises at the liquid-vapor interface under zero-gravity conditions. We investigated such instability in the absence of stabilizing gravity. Under such conditions, vibration orients the interface and can destabilize it. The experiments confirm the existence of Faraday waves and demonstrate a transition from a square to a line pattern close to the critical point. They also show a transition very close to the critical point from Faraday to periodic layering of the vapor-liquid interface perpendicular to vibration. It was seen that the Faraday wave instability is favored when the liquid-vapor density difference is large enough (fluid far from the critical point), whereas periodic layering predominates for small difference in the liquid and vapor densities (close to the critical point). It was observed for the Faraday wave instability that the wavelength of the instability decreases as one approaches the critical point. The experimental results demonstrate good agreement to the dispersion relation for zero gravity except for temperatures very close to the critical point where a transition from a square pattern to a line pattern is detected, similarly to what is observed under 1g conditions.

Critical lines for an unequal size of molecules in a binary gas-liquid mixture around the van Laar point using the combination of the Tompa model and the van der Waals equation.

PubMed

Gençaslan, Mustafa; Keskin, Mustafa

2012-02-14

We combine the modified Tompa model with the van der Waals equation to study critical lines for an unequal size of molecules in a binary gas-liquid mixture around the van Laar point. The van Laar point is coined by Meijer and it is the only point at which the mathematical double point curve is stable. It is the intersection of the tricritical point and the double critical end point. We calculate the critical lines as a function of χ(1) and χ(2), the density of type I molecules and the density of type II molecules for various values of the system parameters; hence the global phase diagrams are presented and discussed in the density-density plane. We also investigate the connectivity of critical lines at the van Laar point and its vicinity and discuss these connections according to the Scott and van Konynenburg classifications. It is also found that the critical lines and phase behavior are extremely sensitive to small modifications in the system parameters. © 2012 American Institute of Physics

Experimental analysis for fabrication of high-aspect-ratio piezoelectric ceramic structure by micro-powder injection molding process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jun Sae; Gal, Chang Woo; Park, Jae Man; Kim, Jong Hyun; Park, Seong Jin

2018-04-01

Aspect ratio effects in the micro-powder injection molding process were experimentally analyzed for fabrication of high-aspect-ratio piezoelectric ceramic structure. The mechanisms of critical defects have been studied according to individual manufacturing steps. In the molding process, incomplete filling phenomenon determines the critical aspect ratios of a micro pattern. According to mold temperature, an incomplete filling phenomenon has been analyzed with respect to different pattern sizes and aspect ratio. In demolding and drying process, the capillary behavior of sacrificial polymeric mold insert determines the critical aspect ratio of a micro pattern. With respect to pattern dimensions, slumping behavior has been analyzed. Based on our current systems, micro PZT feature has stability when it has lower aspect ratio than 5. Under optimized processing conditions, 20 μm and 40 μm ceramic rod array feature which has 5 of aspect ratio were successfully fabricated by the developed process. Further modification points to fabricate the smaller and higher feature were specifically addressed.

Numerical estimation of structure constants in the three-dimensional Ising conformal field theory through Markov chain uv sampler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herdeiro, Victor

2017-09-01

Herdeiro and Doyon [Phys. Rev. E 94, 043322 (2016), 10.1103/PhysRevE.94.043322] introduced a numerical recipe, dubbed uv sampler, offering precise estimations of the conformal field theory (CFT) data of the planar two-dimensional (2D) critical Ising model. It made use of scale invariance emerging at the critical point in order to sample finite sublattice marginals of the infinite plane Gibbs measure of the model by producing holographic boundary distributions. The main ingredient of the Markov chain Monte Carlo sampler is the invariance under dilation. This paper presents a generalization to higher dimensions with the critical 3D Ising model. This leads to numerical estimations of a subset of the CFT data—scaling weights and structure constants—through fitting of measured correlation functions. The results are shown to agree with the recent most precise estimations from numerical bootstrap methods [Kos, Poland, Simmons-Duffin, and Vichi, J. High Energy Phys. 08 (2016) 036, 10.1007/JHEP08(2016)036].

The application of hazard analysis and critical control points and risk management in the preparation of anti-cancer drugs.

PubMed

Bonan, Brigitte; Martelli, Nicolas; Berhoune, Malik; Maestroni, Marie-Laure; Havard, Laurent; Prognon, Patrice

2009-02-01

To apply the Hazard analysis and Critical Control Points method to the preparation of anti-cancer drugs. To identify critical control points in our cancer chemotherapy process and to propose control measures and corrective actions to manage these processes. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points application began in January 2004 in our centralized chemotherapy compounding unit. From October 2004 to August 2005, monitoring of the process nonconformities was performed to assess the method. According to the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points method, a multidisciplinary team was formed to describe and assess the cancer chemotherapy process. This team listed all of the critical points and calculated their risk indexes according to their frequency of occurrence, their severity and their detectability. The team defined monitoring, control measures and corrective actions for each identified risk. Finally, over a 10-month period, pharmacists reported each non-conformity of the process in a follow-up document. Our team described 11 steps in the cancer chemotherapy process. The team identified 39 critical control points, including 11 of higher importance with a high-risk index. Over 10 months, 16,647 preparations were performed; 1225 nonconformities were reported during this same period. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points method is relevant when it is used to target a specific process such as the preparation of anti-cancer drugs. This method helped us to focus on the production steps, which can have a critical influence on product quality, and led us to improve our process.

Fermionic halos at finite temperature in AdS/CFT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Argüelles, Carlos R.; Grandi, Nicolás E.

2018-05-01

We explore the gravitational backreaction of a system consisting in a very large number of elementary fermions at finite temperature, in asymptotically AdS space. We work in the hydrodynamic approximation, and solve the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equations with a perfect fluid whose equation of state takes into account both the relativistic effects of the fermionic constituents, as well as its finite temperature effects. We find a novel dense core-diluted halo structure for the density profiles in the AdS bulk, similarly as recently reported in flat space, for the case of astrophysical dark matter halos in galaxies. We further study the critical equilibrium configurations above which the core undergoes gravitational collapse towards a massive black hole, and calculate the corresponding critical central temperatures, for two qualitatively different central regimes of the fermions: the diluted-Fermi case, and the degenerate case. As a probe for the dual CFT, we construct the holographic two-point correlator of a scalar operator with large conformal dimension in the worldline limit, and briefly discuss on the boundary CFT effects at the critical points.

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-01-24

The Critical Viscosity of Xenon Experiment (CVX-2) on the STS-107 Research 1 mission in 2001 will measure the viscous behavior of xenon, a heavy inert gas used in flash lamps and ion rocket engines, at its critical point. The thermostat for CVX sits inside the white cylinder on a support structure that is placed inside a pressure canister. A similar canister holds the electronics and control systems. The CVX-2 arrangement is identical. The principal investigator is Dr. Robert F. Berg (not shown) of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD. This is a detail view of MSFC 0100143.

Quantum phase transition in dimerised spin-1/2 chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Aparajita; Bhadra, Sreeparna; Saha, Sonali

2015-11-01

Quantum phase transition in dimerised antiferromagnetic Heisenberg spin chain has been studied. A staircase structure in the variation of concurrence within strongly coupled pairs with that of external magnetic field has been observed indicating multiple critical (or critical like) points. Emergence of entanglement due to external magnetic field or magnetic entanglement is observed for weakly coupled spin pairs too in the same dimer chain. Though closed dimerised isotropic XXX Heisenberg chains with different dimer strengths were mainly explored, analogous studies on open chains as well as closed anisotropic (XX interaction) chains with tilted external magnetic field have also been studied.

Thermoelastic Analysis of Hyper-X Camera Windows Suddenly Exposed to Mach 7 Stagnation Aerothermal Shock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, William L.; Gong, Leslie

2000-01-01

To visually record the initial free flight event of the Hyper-X research flight vehicle immediately after separation from the Pegasus(registered) booster rocket, a video camera was mounted on the bulkhead of the adapter through which Hyper-X rides on Pegasus. The video camera was shielded by a protecting camera window made of heat-resistant quartz material. When Hyper-X separates from Pegasus, this camera window will be suddenly exposed to Mach 7 stagnation thermal shock and dynamic pressure loading (aerothermal loading). To examine the structural integrity, thermoelastic analysis was performed, and the stress distributions in the camera windows were calculated. The critical stress point where the tensile stress reaches a maximum value for each camera window was identified, and the maximum tensile stress level at that critical point was found to be considerably lower than the tensile failure stress of the camera window material.

Strain-Driven Approach to Quantum Criticality in AFe 2As 2 with A=K, Rb, and Cs

DOE PAGES

Eilers, Felix; Grube, Kai; Zocco, Diego A.; ...

2016-06-08

The iron-based superconductors AFe 2As 2 with A = K, Rb, Cs exhibit large Sommerfeld coefficients approaching those of heavy-fermion systems. We have investigated the magnetostriction and thermal expansion of this series to shed light on this unusual behavior. Quantum oscillations of the magnetostriction allow identifying the band-specific quasiparticle masses which by far exceed the band-structure derived masses. The divergence of the Grüneisen ratio derived from thermal expansion indicates that with increasing volume along the series a quantum critical point is approached. In conclusion, the critical fluctuations responsible for the enhancement of the quasiparticle masses appear to weaken the superconductingmore » state.« less

Quantum Electrodynamics in d=3 from the ε Expansion.

PubMed

Di Pietro, Lorenzo; Komargodski, Zohar; Shamir, Itamar; Stamou, Emmanuel

2016-04-01

We study quantum electrodynamics in d=3 coupled to N_{f} flavors of fermions. The theory flows to an IR fixed point for N_{f} larger than some critical number N_{f}^{c}. For N_{f}≤N_{f}^{c}, chiral-symmetry breaking is believed to take place. In analogy with the Wilson-Fisher description of the critical O(N) models in d=3, we make use of the existence of a fixed point in d=4-2ε to study the three-dimensional conformal theory. We compute, in perturbation theory, the IR dimensions of fermion bilinear and quadrilinear operators. For small N_{f}, a quadrilinear operator can become relevant in the IR and destabilize the fixed point. Therefore, the epsilon expansion can be used to estimate N_{f}^{c}. An interesting novelty compared to the O(N) models is that the theory in d=3 has an enhanced symmetry due to the structure of 3D spinors. We identify the operators in d=4-2ε that correspond to the additional conserved currents at d=3 and compute their infrared dimensions.

Quantum tricritical point in the temperature-pressure-magnetic field phase diagram of CeTiGe 3

DOE PAGES

Kaluarachchi, Udhara S.; Taufour, Valentin; Bud'ko, Sergey L.; ...

2018-01-22

We report the temperature-pressure-magnetic eld phase diagram of the ferromagnetic Kondolattice CeTiGe 3 determined by means of electrical resistivity measurements. Measurements up to ~5.8GPa reveal a rich phase diagram with multiple phase transitions. At ambient pressure, CeTiGe 3 orders ferromagnetically at T C =14 K. Application of pressure suppresses T C, but a pressure induced ferromagnetic quantum criticality is avoided by the appearance of two new successive transitions for p>4.1GPa that are probably antiferromagnetic in nature. These two transitions are suppressed under pressure, with the lower temperature phase being fully suppressed above 5.3GPa. The critical pressures for the presumed quantummore » phase transitions are p1≅4.1GPa and p2≅5.3GPa. Above 4.1GPa, application of magnetic eld shows a tricritical point evolving into a wing structure phase with a quantum tricritical point at 2.8T at 5.4GPa, where the rst order antiferromagneticferromagnetic transition changes into the second order antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic transition.« less

Automatic Modelling of Rubble Mound Breakwaters from LIDAR Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bueno, M.; Díaz-Vilariño, L.; González-Jorge, H.; Martínez-Sánchez, J.; Arias, P.

2015-08-01

Rubble mound breakwaters maintenance is critical to the protection of beaches and ports. LiDAR systems provide accurate point clouds from the emerged part of the structure that can be modelled to make it more useful and easy to handle. This work introduces a methodology for the automatic modelling of breakwaters with armour units of cube shape. The algorithm is divided in three main steps: normal vector computation, plane segmentation, and cube reconstruction. Plane segmentation uses the normal orientation of the points and the edge length of the cube. Cube reconstruction uses the intersection of three perpendicular planes and the edge length. Three point clouds cropped from the main point cloud of the structure are used for the tests. The number of cubes detected is around 56 % for two of the point clouds and 32 % for the third one over the total physical cubes. Accuracy assessment is done by comparison with manually drawn cubes calculating the differences between the vertexes. It ranges between 6.4 cm and 15 cm. Computing time ranges between 578.5 s and 8018.2 s. The computing time increases with the number of cubes and the requirements of collision detection.

Access to and Accessibility of Education: An Analytic and Conceptual Approach to a Multidimensional Issue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stauber, Barbara; Parreira do Amaral, Marcelo

2015-01-01

This article presents analytical considerations for the discussion of issues of access to education and inequality. It first sharpens the concept of access and inequality by pointing to the interplay of structure and agency as well as to processes of social differentiation in which differences are constructed. This implies a critical view on…

The response of terrestrial ecosystems to global climate change: Towards an integrated approach

Treesearch

Lindsey E. Rustad

2008-01-01

Accumulating evidence points to an anthropogenic 'fingerprint' on the global climate change that has occurred in the last century. Climate change has, and will continue to have, profound effects on the structure and function of terrestrial ecosystems. As such, there is a critical need to continue to develop a sound scientific basis for national and...

A Demonstration of the Continuous Phase (Second-Order) Transition of a Binary Liquid System in the Region around Its Critical Point

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Michael R.

2006-01-01

In most general chemistry and introductory physical chemistry classes, critical point is defined as that temperature-pressure point on a phase diagram where the liquid-gas interface disappears, a phenomenon that generally occurs at relatively high temperatures or high pressures. Two examples are: water, with a critical point at 647 K (critical…

Critical Viscosity of Xenon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The Critical Viscosity of Xenon Experiment (CVX-2) on the STS-107 Research 1 mission in 2002 will measure the viscous behavior of xenon, a heavy inert gas used in flash lamps and ion rocket engines, at its critical point. Because xenon near the critical point will collapse under its own weight, experiments on Earth (green line) are limited as they get closer (toward the left) to the critical point. CVX in the microgravity of space (red line) moved into unmeasured territory that scientists had not been able to reach.

Ferromagnetic quantum critical point in CePd2P2 with Pd → Ni substitution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, Y.; Bone, S. E.; Minasian, S.; Ferrier, M. G.; Lezama-Pacheco, J.; Mocko, V.; Ditter, A. S.; Kozimor, S. A.; Seidler, G. T.; Nelson, W. L.; Chiu, Y.-C.; Huang, K.; Potter, W.; Graf, D.; Albrecht-Schmitt, T. E.; Baumbach, R. E.

2018-06-01

An investigation of the structural, thermodynamic, and electronic transport properties of the isoelectronic chemical substitution series Ce (Pd1-xNix) 2P2 is reported, where a possible ferromagnetic quantum critical point is uncovered in the temperature-concentration (T -x ) phase diagram. This behavior results from the simultaneous contraction of the unit cell volume, which tunes the relative strengths of the Kondo and Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interactions, and the introduction of disorder through alloying. Near the critical region at xcr≈ 0.7, the rate of contraction of the unit cell volume strengthens, indicating that the cerium f valence crosses over from trivalent to a noninteger value. Consistent with this picture, x-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements reveal that while CePd2P2 has a purely trivalent cerium f state, CeNi2P2 has a small (<10 %) tetravalent contribution. In a broad region around xcr, there is a breakdown of Fermi-liquid temperature dependences, signaling the influence of quantum critical fluctuations and disorder effects. Measurements of clean CePd2P2 furthermore show that applied pressure has an initial effect similar to alloying on the ferromagnetic order. From these results, CePd2P2 emerges as a keystone system to test theories such as the Belitz-Kirkpatrick-Vojta model for ferromagnetic quantum criticality, where distinct behaviors are expected in the dirty and clean limits.

Homoclinic orbits and critical points of barrier functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cannarsa, Piermarco; Cheng, Wei

2015-06-01

We interpret the close link between the critical points of Mather's barrier functions and minimal homoclinic orbits with respect to the Aubry sets on {{T}}n . We also prove a critical point theorem for barrier functions and the existence of such homoclinic orbits on {{T}}2 as an application.

Universal Off-Equilibrium Scaling of Critical Cumulants in the QCD Phase Diagram

DOE PAGES

Mukherjee, Swagato; Venugopalan, Raju; Yin, Yi

2016-11-23

Exploiting the universality between the QCD critical point and the three-dimensional Ising model, closed form expressions derived for nonequilibrium critical cumulants on the crossover side of the critical point reveal that they can differ in both magnitude and sign from equilibrium expectations. Here, we demonstrate here that key elements of the Kibble-Zurek framework of nonequilibrium phase transitions can be employed to describe the dynamics of these critical cumulants. Lastly, our results suggest that observables sensitive to critical dynamics in heavy-ion collisions should be expressible as universal scaling functions, thereby providing powerful model-independent guidance in searches for the QCD critical point.

Entanglement entropies and fermion signs of critical metals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplis, N.; Krüger, F.; Zaanen, J.

2017-04-01

The fermion sign problem is often viewed as a sheer inconvenience that plagues numerical studies of strongly interacting electron systems. Only recently has it been suggested that fermion signs are fundamental for the universal behavior of critical metallic systems and crucially enhance their degree of quantum entanglement. In this work we explore potential connections between emergent scale invariance of fermion sign structures and scaling properties of bipartite entanglement entropies. Our analysis is based on a wave-function Ansatz that incorporates collective, long-range backflow correlations into fermionic Slater determinants. Such wave functions mimic the collapse of a Fermi liquid at a quantum critical point. Their nodal surfaces, a representation of the fermion sign structure in many-particle configurations space, show fractal behavior up to a length scale ξ that diverges at a critical backflow strength. We show that the Hausdorff dimension of the fractal nodal surface depends on ξ , the number of fermions and the exponent of the backflow. For the same wave functions we numerically calculate the second Rényi entanglement entropy S2. Our results show a crossover from volume scaling, S2˜ℓθ (θ =2 in d =2 dimensions), to the characteristic Fermi-liquid behavior S2˜ℓ lnℓ on scales larger than ξ . We find that volume scaling of the entanglement entropy is a robust feature of critical backflow fermions, independent of the backflow exponent and hence the fractal dimension of the scale invariant sign structure.

Derivation and experimental validation of an analytical criterion for the identification of self-excited modes in drilling systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hohl, Andreas; Tergeist, Mathias; Oueslati, Hatem; Jain, Jayesh R.; Herbig, Christian; Ostermeyer, Georg-Peter; Reckmann, Hanno

2015-04-01

Drilling system applications are subject to torsional vibrations that are induced by self-excitation mechanisms. A common mechanism is a falling characteristic of contact or cutting forces with respect to the relative velocity between the bit and the formation. To mitigate the effects of this mechanism, it is important to identify modes that are the most likely to be excited. However, in complex structures the identification of critical mode shapes is no trivial task. This paper discusses a criterion derived to identify critical torsional modes in drilling systems that are prone to self-excitation. Basic assumptions are a falling (velocity-weakening) characteristic of the contact forces and only one contributing mode. Multiple contact forces along the structure can be considered with different contact characteristics. Contributing parameters are angular eigenfrequency, deflection of the mode shape at the contact points, modal damping of the examined mode, and the slope of the characteristic of the contact forces at the operating point. In a case study of a drilling system the derived criterion is tested. The case study focuses on torsional vibrations excited by cutting forces observed in field measurements with high amplitudes and accelerations. The corresponding modes are localized to the so-called bottomhole assembly (BHA) at the end of the drilling system. Numerical results from a finite element analysis are compared to downhole measurements to verify the critical modes that are identified with the criterion. In addition, mass and stiffness changes along the structure are intentionally induced to beneficially influence mode shapes. Results indicate that reducing the mode shape at the source of vibration (bit) decreases the excitability of this mode shape.

An antithetic variate to facilitate upper-stem height measurements for critical height sampling with importance sampling

Treesearch

Thomas B. Lynch; Jeffrey H. Gove

2013-01-01

Critical height sampling (CHS) estimates cubic volume per unit area by multiplying the sum of critical heights measured on trees tallied in a horizontal point sample (HPS) by the HPS basal area factor. One of the barriers to practical application of CHS is the fact that trees near the field location of the point-sampling sample point have critical heights that occur...

Real-Time Continuous Response Spectra Exceedance Calculation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vernon, Frank; Harvey, Danny; Lindquist, Kent; Franke, Mathias

2017-04-01

A novel approach is presented for near real-time earthquake alarms for critical structures at distributed locations using real-time estimation of response spectra obtained from near free-field motions. Influential studies dating back to the 1980s identified spectral response acceleration as a key ground motion characteristic that correlates well with observed damage in structures. Thus, monitoring and reporting on exceedance of spectra-based thresholds are useful tools for assessing the potential for damage to facilities or multi-structure campuses based on input ground motions only. With as little as one strong-motion station per site, this scalable approach can provide rapid alarms on the damage status of remote towns, critical infrastructure (e.g., hospitals, schools) and points of interests (e.g., bridges) for a very large number of locations enabling better rapid decision making during critical and difficult immediate post-earthquake response actions. Real-time calculation of PSA exceedance and alarm dissemination are enabled with Bighorn, a module included in the Antelope software package that combines real-time spectral monitoring and alarm capabilities with a robust built-in web display server. Examples of response spectra from several M 5 events recorded by the ANZA seismic network in southern California will be presented.

Defect interactions in GaAs single crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gatos, H. C.; Lagowski, J.

1984-01-01

The two-sublattice structural configuration of GaAs and deviations from stoichiometry render the generation and interaction of electrically active point defects (and point defect complexes) critically important for device applications and very complex. Of the defect-induced energy levels, those lying deep into the energy band are very effective lifetime ""killers". The level 0.82 eV below the condition band, commonly referred to as EL2, is a major deep level, particularly in melt-grown GaAs. This level is associated with an antisite defect complex (AsGa - VAS). Possible mechanisms of its formation and its annihilation were further developed.

GIS-based analysis of drinking-water supply structures: a module for microbial risk assessment.

PubMed

Kistemann, T; Herbst, S; Dangendorf, F; Exner, M

2001-05-01

Water-related infections constitute an important health impact world-wide. A set of tools serving for Microbial Risk Assessment (MRA) of waterborne diseases should comprise the entire drinking-water management system and take into account the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) concept which provides specific Critical Control Points (CCPs) reflecting each step of drinking-water provision. A Geographical Information System (GIS) study concerning water-supply structure (WSS) was conducted in the Rhein-Berg District (North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany). As a result, suitability of the existing water databases HYGRIS (hydrological basis geo-information system) and TEIS (drinking-water recording and information system) for the development of a WSS-GIS module could be demonstrated. Spatial patterns within the integrated raw and drinking-water data can easily be uncovered by GIS-specific options. The application of WSS-GIS allows a rapid visualization and analysis of drinking-water supply structure and offers huge advantages concerning microbial monitoring of raw and drinking water as well as recognition and investigation of incidents and outbreaks. Increasing requests regarding health protection and health reporting, demands for a better outbreak management and water-related health impacts of global climate change are major challenges of future water management to be tackled with methods including spatial analysis. GIS is assumed to be a very useful tool to meet these requirements.

Long-range correlations improve understanding of the influence of network structure on contact dynamics.

PubMed

Peyrard, N; Dieckmann, U; Franc, A

2008-05-01

Models of infectious diseases are characterized by a phase transition between extinction and persistence. A challenge in contemporary epidemiology is to understand how the geometry of a host's interaction network influences disease dynamics close to the critical point of such a transition. Here we address this challenge with the help of moment closures. Traditional moment closures, however, do not provide satisfactory predictions close to such critical points. We therefore introduce a new method for incorporating longer-range correlations into existing closures. Our method is technically simple, remains computationally tractable and significantly improves the approximation's performance. Our extended closures thus provide an innovative tool for quantifying the influence of interaction networks on spatially or socially structured disease dynamics. In particular, we examine the effects of a network's clustering coefficient, as well as of new geometrical measures, such as a network's square clustering coefficients. We compare the relative performance of different closures from the literature, with or without our long-range extension. In this way, we demonstrate that the normalized version of the Bethe approximation-extended to incorporate long-range correlations according to our method-is an especially good candidate for studying influences of network structure. Our numerical results highlight the importance of the clustering coefficient and the square clustering coefficient for predicting disease dynamics at low and intermediate values of transmission rate, and demonstrate the significance of path redundancy for disease persistence.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mukherjee, Swagato; Venugopalan, Raju; Yin, Yi

Exploiting the universality between the QCD critical point and the three-dimensional Ising model, closed form expressions derived for nonequilibrium critical cumulants on the crossover side of the critical point reveal that they can differ in both magnitude and sign from equilibrium expectations. Here, we demonstrate here that key elements of the Kibble-Zurek framework of nonequilibrium phase transitions can be employed to describe the dynamics of these critical cumulants. Lastly, our results suggest that observables sensitive to critical dynamics in heavy-ion collisions should be expressible as universal scaling functions, thereby providing powerful model-independent guidance in searches for the QCD critical point.

Metallic quantum critical points with finite BCS couplings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raghu, Srinivas

The problem of superconductivity near quantum critical points (QCPs) remains a central topic of modern condensed matter physics. In such systems, there is a competition between the enhanced pairing tendency due to the presence of long-range attractive interactions near criticality, and the suppression of superconductivity due to the destruction of Landau quasiparticles. I will describe some recent work that addresses these competing effects in the context of a solvable model of a metallic quantum critical point. I will show that the two effects - namely the enhanced pairing and the destruction of Landau quasiparticles - can offset one another, resulting in stable ''naked'' quantum critical points without superconductivity. However, the resulting quantum critical metal exhibits strong superconducting fluctuations on all length scales. Reference: S.R., Gonzalo Torroba, and Huajia Wang, arXiv1507.06652, PRB(2015).

75 FR 8239 - School Food Safety Program Based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles (HACCP...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-24

... 0584-AD65 School Food Safety Program Based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles... Safety Program Based on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point Principles (HACCP) was published on... of Management and Budget (OMB) cleared the associated information collection requirements (ICR) on...

77 FR 70724 - Eligibility of the Republic of Korea To Export Poultry Products to the United States

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-27

...) official controls over condemned product; (8) a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system...) Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems, (5) Chemical Residue Testing Programs, and (6) Microbiological Testing Programs. FSIS evaluates the information submitted to verify that the critical points in...

Dynamic analysis of elastic rubber tired car wheel breaking under variable normal load

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedotov, A. I.; Zedgenizov, V. G.; Ovchinnikova, N. I.

2017-10-01

The purpose of the paper is to analyze the dynamics of the braking of the wheel under normal load variations. The paper uses a mathematical simulation method according to which the calculation model of an object as a mechanical system is associated with a dynamically equivalent schematic structure of the automatic control. Transfer function tool analyzing structural and technical characteristics of an object as well as force disturbances were used. It was proved that the analysis of dynamic characteristics of the wheel subjected to external force disturbances has to take into account amplitude and phase-frequency characteristics. Normal load variations impact car wheel braking subjected to disturbances. The closer slip to the critical point is, the higher the impact is. In the super-critical area, load variations cause fast wheel blocking.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Monnai, Akihiko; Mukherjee, Swagato; Yin, Yi

In the proximity of the QCD critical point the bulk viscosity of quark-gluon matter is expected to be proportional to nearly the third power of the critical correlation length, and become significantly enhanced. Here, this work is the first attempt to study the phenomenological consequences of enhanced bulk viscosity near the QCD critical point. For this purpose, we implement the expected critical behavior of the bulk viscosity within a non-boost-invariant, longitudinally expanding 1 + 1 dimensional causal relativistic hydrodynamical evolution at nonzero baryon density. We demonstrate that the critically enhanced bulk viscosity induces a substantial nonequilibrium pressure, effectively softening themore » equation of state, and leads to sizable effects in the flow velocity and single-particle distributions at the freeze-out. In conclusion, the observable effects that may arise due to the enhanced bulk viscosity in the vicinity of the QCD critical point can be used as complementary information to facilitate searches for the QCD critical point.« less

Phenomenologie et caractérisation des supraconducteurs à haute T_c

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peyral, P.; Lebeau, C.; Rosenblatt, J.; Burin, J. P.; Raboutou, A.; Pena, Q.; Perrin, C.

1991-11-01

Transport properties of high T_c superconductors depend on the microscopic structure of the ideal material and on the mesoscopic characteristics of each sample. From an experimental point of view it is essential to separate their efrects. This can be done by describing quantitatively the resistive transition in zero field as a two-step process : a superconducting intragranular transition and an intergranular coherence transition. Well-known theories of critical fluctuations and Gaussian fluctuations allow us to obtain important characteristic parameters of the intragranular material such as the critical temperature, the normal resistivity and the width of the critical region. Les propriétés de transport des supraconducteurs dépendent à la fois de la structure microscopique du matériau idéal et des caractéristiques mésoscopiques (la granularité) de chaque échantillon. Du point de vue expérimental il est essentiel de pouvoir séparer leurs effet respectifs. Nous parvenons à cette séparation en décrivant quantitativement la transition résistive sous champ nul en deux étapes: supraconductrice intragranulaire et cohérente intergranulaire. Des théories connues des fluctuations critiques et gaussiennes nous permettent alors d'obtenir des paramètres importants pour la caractérisation du matériau intragranulaire, comme sa température critique, sa résistivité normale et la largeur de sa région critique.

Modeling and Studying the Effect of Texture and Elastic Anisotropy of Copper Microstructure in Nanoscale Interconnects on Reliability in Integrated Circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basavalingappa, Adarsh

Copper interconnects are typically polycrystalline and follow a lognormal grain size distribution. Polycrystalline copper interconnect microstructures with a lognormal grain size distribution were obtained with a Voronoi tessellation approach. The interconnect structures thus obtained were used to study grain growth mechanisms, grain boundary scattering, scattering dependent resistance of interconnects, stress evolution, vacancy migration, reliability life times, impact of orientation dependent anisotropy on various mechanisms, etc. In this work, the microstructures were used to study the impact of microstructure and elastic anisotropy of copper on thermal and electromigration induced failure. A test structure with copper and bulk moduli values was modeled to do a comparative study with the test structures with textured microstructure and elastic anisotropy. By subjecting the modeled test structure to a thermal stress by ramping temperature down from 400 °C to 100 °C, a significant variation in normal stresses and pressure were observed at the grain boundaries. This variation in normal stresses and hydrostatic stresses at the grain boundaries was found to be dependent on the orientation, dimensions, surroundings, and location of the grains. This may introduce new weak points within the metal line where normal stresses can be very high depending on the orientation of the grains leading to delamination and accumulation sites for vacancies. Further, the hydrostatic stress gradients act as a driving force for vacancy migration. The normal stresses can exceed certain grain orientation dependent critical threshold values and induce delamination at the copper and cap material interface, thereby leading to void nucleation and growth. Modeled test structures were subjected to a series of copper depositions at 250 °C followed by copper etch at 25 °C to obtain initial stress conditions. Then the modeled test structures were subjected to 100,000 hours ( 11.4 years) of simulated thermal stress at an elevated temperature of 150 °C. Vacancy migration due to concentration gradients, thermal gradients, and mechanical stress gradients were considered under the applied thermal stress. As a result, relatively high concentrations of vacancies were observed in the test structure due to a driving force caused by the pressure gradients resulting from the elastic anisotropy of copper. The grain growth mechanism was not considered in these simulations. Studies with two grain analysis demonstrated that the stress gradients developed will be severe when (100) grains are adjacent to (111) grains, therefore making them the weak points for potentially reliability failures. Ilan Blech discovered that electromigration occurs above a critical product of the current density and metal length, commonly referred as Blech condition. Electromigration stress simulations in this work were carried out by subjecting test structures to scaled current densities to overcome the Blech condition of (jL)crit for small dimensions of test structure and the low temperature stress condition used. Vacancy migration under the electromigration stress conditions was considered along with the vacancy migration induced stress evolution. A simple void growth model was used which assumes voids start to form when vacancies reach a critical level. Increase of vacancies in a localized region increases the resistance of the metal line. Considering a 10% increase in resistance as a failure criterion, the distributions of failure times were obtained for given electromigration stress conditions. Bimodal/multimodal failure distributions were obtained as a result. The sigma values were slightly lower than the ones commonly observed from experiments. The anisotropy of the elastic moduli of copper leads to the development of significantly different stress values which are dependent on the orientation of the grains. This results in some grains having higher normal stress than the others. This grain orientation dependent normal stress can reach a critical stress necessary to induce delamination at the copper and cap interface. Time taken to reach critical stress was considered as time to fail and distributions of failure times were obtained for structures with different grain orientations in the microstructure for different critical stress values. The sigma values of the failure distributions thus obtained for different constant critical stress values had a strong dependence of on the critical stress. It is therefore critical to use the appropriate critical stress value for the delamination of copper and cap interface. The critical stress necessary to overcome the local adhesion of the copper and the cap material interface is dependent on grain orientation of the copper. Simulations were carried out by considering grain orientation dependent critical normal stress values as failure criteria. The sigma value thus obtained with selected critical stress values were comparable to sigma values commonly observed from experiments.

The key quality control technology of main cable erection in long-span suspension bridge construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yongrui; Wei, Wei; Dai, Jie

2017-04-01

Main cable is one of the most important structure of suspension Bridges, which bear all the dead and live load from upper structure. Cable erection is one of the most critical process in suspension bridge construction. Key points about strand erection are studied in this paper, including strand traction, lateral movement, section adjustment, placing into saddle, anchoring, line shape adjustment and keeping, and tension control. The technology has helped a long-span suspension bridge in Yunnan Province, China get a ideal finished state.

Effect of hydrophobic environments on the hypothesized liquid-liquid critical point of water.

PubMed

Strekalova, Elena G; Corradini, Dario; Mazza, Marco G; Buldyrev, Sergey V; Gallo, Paola; Franzese, Giancarlo; Stanley, H Eugene

2012-01-01

The complex behavior of liquid water, along with its anomalies and their crucial role in the existence of life, continue to attract the attention of researchers. The anomalous behavior of water is more pronounced at subfreezing temperatures and numerous theoretical and experimental studies are directed towards developing a coherent thermodynamic and dynamic framework for understanding supercooled water. The existence of a liquid-liquid critical point in the deep supercooled region has been related to the anomalous behavior of water. However, the experimental study of supercooled water at very low temperatures is hampered by the homogeneous nucleation of the crystal. Recently, water confined in nanoscopic structures or in solutions has attracted interest because nucleation can be delayed. These systems have a tremendous relevance also for current biological advances; e.g., supercooled water is often confined in cell membranes and acts as a solvent for biological molecules. In particular, considerable attention has been recently devoted to understanding hydrophobic interactions or the behavior of water in the presence of apolar interfaces due to their fundamental role in self-assembly of micelles, membrane formation and protein folding. This article reviews and compares two very recent computational works aimed at elucidating the changes in the thermodynamic behavior in the supercooled region and the liquid-liquid critical point phenomenon for water in contact with hydrophobic environments. The results are also compared to previous reports for water in hydrophobic environments.

Monte Carlo simulations of the X Y vectorial Blume-Emery-Griffiths model in multilayer films for 3He-4He mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos-Filho, J. B.; Plascak, J. A.

2017-09-01

The X Y vectorial generalization of the Blume-Emery-Griffiths (X Y -VBEG) model, which is suitable to be applied to the study of 3He-4He mixtures, is treated on thin films structure and its thermodynamical properties are analyzed as a function of the film thickness. We employ extensive and up-to-date Monte Carlo simulations consisting of hybrid algorithms combining lattice-gas moves, Metropolis, Wolff, and super-relaxation procedures to overcome the critical slowing down and correlations among different spin configurations of the system. We also make use of single histogram techniques to get the behavior of the thermodynamical quantities close to the corresponding transition temperatures. Thin films of the X Y -VBEG model present a quite rich phase diagram with Berezinskii-Kosterlitz-Thouless (BKT) transitions, BKT endpoints, and isolated critical points. As one varies the impurity concentrations along the layers, and in the limit of infinite film thickness, there is a coalescence of the BKT transition endpoint and the isolated critical point into a single, unique tricritical point. In addition, when mimicking the behavior of thin films of 3He-4He mixtures, one obtains that the concentration of 3He atoms decreases from the outer layers to the inner layers of the film, meaning that the superfluid particles tend to locate in the bulk of the system.

Q ‑ Φ criticality and microstructure of charged AdS black holes in f(R) gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Gao-Ming; Huang, Yong-Chang

2017-12-01

The phase transition and critical behaviors of charged AdS black holes in f(R) gravity with a conformally invariant Maxwell (CIM) source and constant curvature are further investigated. As a highlight, this research is carried out by employing new state parameters (T,Q, Φ) and contributes to deeper understanding of the thermodynamics and phase structure of black holes. Our analyses manifest that the charged f(R)-CIM AdS black hole undergoes a first-order small-large black hole phase transition, and the critical behaviors qualitatively behave like a Van der Waals liquid-vapor system. However, differing from the case in Einstein’s gravity, phase structures of the black holes in f(R) theory exhibit an interesting dependence on gravity modification parameters. Moreover, we adopt the thermodynamic geometry to probe the black hole microscopic properties. The results show that, on the one hand, both the Ruppeiner curvature and heat capacity diverge exactly at the critical point, on the other hand, the f(R)-CIM AdS black hole possesses the property as ideal Fermi gases. Of special interest, we discover a microscopic similarity between the black holes and a Van der Waals liquid-vapor system.

Dynamics of influence and social balance in spatially-embedded regular and random networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, P.; Sreenivasan, S.; Szymanski, B.; Korniss, G.

2015-03-01

Structural balance - the tendency of social relationship triads to prefer specific states of polarity - can be a fundamental driver of beliefs, behavior, and attitudes on social networks. Here we study how structural balance affects deradicalization in an otherwise polarized population of leftists and rightists constituting the nodes of a low-dimensional social network. Specifically, assuming an externally moderating influence that converts leftists or rightists to centrists with probability p, we study the critical value p =pc , below which the presence of metastable mixed population states exponentially delay the achievement of centrist consensus. Above the critical value, centrist consensus is the only fixed point. Complementing our previously shown results for complete graphs, we present results for the process on low-dimensional networks, and show that the low-dimensional embedding of the underlying network significantly affects the critical value of probability p. Intriguingly, on low-dimensional networks, the critical value pc can show non-monotonicity as the dimensionality of the network is varied. We conclude by analyzing the scaling behavior of temporal variation of unbalanced triad density in the network for different low-dimensional network topologies. Supported in part by ARL NS-CTA, ONR, and ARO.

Crossed Ga2O3/SnO2 multiwire architecture: a local structure study with nanometer resolution.

PubMed

Martínez-Criado, Gema; Segura-Ruiz, Jaime; Chu, Manh-Hung; Tucoulou, Remi; López, Iñaki; Nogales, Emilio; Mendez, Bianchi; Piqueras, Javier

2014-10-08

Crossed nanowire structures are the basis for high-density integration of a variety of nanodevices. Owing to the critical role of nanowires intersections in creating hybrid architectures, it has become a challenge to investigate the local structure in crossing points in metal oxide nanowires. Thus, if intentionally grown crossed nanowires are well-patterned, an ideal model to study the junction is formed. By combining electron and synchrotron beam nanoprobes, we show here experimental evidence of the role of impurities in the coupling formation, structural modifications, and atomic site configuration based on crossed Ga2O3/SnO2 nanowires. Our experiment opens new avenues for further local structure studies with both nanometer resolution and elemental sensitivity.

Analysis of patient diaries in Danish ICUs: a narrative approach.

PubMed

Egerod, Ingrid; Christensen, Doris

2009-10-01

The objective was to describe the structure and content of patient diaries written for critically ill patients in Danish intensive care units (ICUs). Critical illness is associated with physical and psychological aftermath including cognitive impairment and post-traumatic stress. Patient diaries written in the intensive care unit are used to help ICU-survivors come to terms with their illness. The study had a qualitative, descriptive and explorative design, using a narrative approach of analysis. Data were analysed on several levels: extra-case level, case level, diary-entry level, and sub-entry level. The sample consisted of 25 patient diaries written by critical care nurses in 2007 for patients at a general ICU in Denmark. The base narrative describes three stages: crisis, turning point, and normalisation. Each case includes parallel plots of nurse, patient and family, which converge during normalisation. Each diary is structured by: summary, daily entries and end note. Each diary entry is structured by: greeting, narrator status, patient status, family status/contextual cues and sign-off note. Patient diaries acknowledge the patient experience and provide new insights into nursing performance. This study offers a framework for understanding ICU patient diaries, which may facilitate cross-unit comparisons and support future guideline development. The dual perspectives of patient diaries and the ambiguous ownership of the narratives may pave the way for insights to improve critical care nursing and ICU rehabilitation.

Analysis and characterizations of planar transmission structures and components for superconducting and monolithic integrated circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Itoh, Tatsuo

1991-01-01

The analysis and modeling of superconducting planar transmission lines were performed. Theoretically, the highest possible Q values of superconducting microstrip line was calculated and, as a result, it provided the Q value that the experiment can aim for. As an effort to search for a proper superconducting transmission line structure, the superconducting microstrip line and coplanar waveguide were compared in terms of loss characteristics and their design aspects. Also, the research was expanded to a superconducting coplanar waveguide family in the microwave packaging environment. Theoretically, it was pointed out that the substrate loss is critical in the superconducting transmission line structures.

Analysis of the proton longitudinal structure function from the gluon distribution function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boroun, G. R.; Rezaei, B.

2012-11-01

We make a critical, next-to-leading order, study of the relationship between the longitudinal structure function F L and the gluon distribution proposed in Cooper-Sarkar et al. (Z. Phys. C 39:281, 1988; Acta Phys. Pol. B 34:2911 2003), which is frequently used to extract the gluon distribution from the proton longitudinal structure function at small x. The gluon density is obtained by expanding at particular choices of the point of expansion and compared with the hard Pomeron behavior for the gluon density. Comparisons with H1 data are made and predictions for the proposed best approach are also provided.

Adiabatic Coupling Constant of Nitrobenzene- n-Alkane Critical Mixtures. Evidence from Ultrasonic Spectra and Thermodynamic Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirzaev, Sirojiddin Z.; Kaatze, Udo

2016-09-01

Ultrasonic spectra of mixtures of nitrobenzene with n-alkanes, from n-hexane to n-nonane, are analyzed. They feature up to two Debye-type relaxation terms with discrete relaxation times and, near the critical point, an additional relaxation term due to the fluctuations in the local concentration. The latter can be well represented by the dynamic scaling theory. Its amplitude parameter reveals the adiabatic coupling constant of the mixtures of critical composition. The dependence of this thermodynamic parameter upon the length of the n-alkanes corresponds to that of the slope in the pressure dependence of the critical temperature and is thus taken another confirmation of the dynamic scaling model. The change in the variation of the coupling constant and of several other mixture parameters with alkane length probably reflects a structural change in the nitrobenzene- n-alkane mixtures when the number of carbon atoms per alkane exceeds eight.

Can we approach the gas-liquid critical point using slab simulations of two coexisting phases?

PubMed

Goujon, Florent; Ghoufi, Aziz; Malfreyt, Patrice; Tildesley, Dominic J

2016-09-28

In this paper, we demonstrate that it is possible to approach the gas-liquid critical point of the Lennard-Jones fluid by performing simulations in a slab geometry using a cut-off potential. In the slab simulation geometry, it is essential to apply an accurate tail correction to the potential energy, applied during the course of the simulation, to study the properties of states close to the critical point. Using the Janeček slab-based method developed for two-phase Monte Carlo simulations [J. Janec̆ek, J. Chem. Phys. 131, 6264 (2006)], the coexisting densities and surface tension in the critical region are reported as a function of the cutoff distance in the intermolecular potential. The results obtained using slab simulations are compared with those obtained using grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of isotropic systems and the finite-size scaling techniques. There is a good agreement between these two approaches. The two-phase simulations can be used in approaching the critical point for temperatures up to 0.97 T C ∗ (T ∗ = 1.26). The critical-point exponents describing the dependence of the density, surface tension, and interfacial thickness on the temperature are calculated near the critical point.

Space Generic Open Avionics Architecture (SGOAA) standard specification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wray, Richard B.; Stovall, John R.

1994-01-01

This standard establishes the Space Generic Open Avionics Architecture (SGOAA). The SGOAA includes a generic functional model, processing structural model, and an architecture interface model. This standard defines the requirements for applying these models to the development of spacecraft core avionics systems. The purpose of this standard is to provide an umbrella set of requirements for applying the generic architecture models to the design of a specific avionics hardware/software processing system. This standard defines a generic set of system interface points to facilitate identification of critical services and interfaces. It establishes the requirement for applying appropriate low level detailed implementation standards to those interfaces points. The generic core avionics functions and processing structural models provided herein are robustly tailorable to specific system applications and provide a platform upon which the interface model is to be applied.

Modeling of transmission line exposure to direct lightning strokes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rizk, F.A.M.

1990-10-01

The paper introduces a new model for assessing the exposure of free-standing structures and horizontal conductors above flat ground to direct lightning strokes. The starting point of this work is a recently developed criterion for positive leader inception, modified to account for positive leaders initiated under the influence of a negative descending lightning stroke. Subsequent propagation of the positive leader is analyzed to define the point of encounter of the two leaders which determines the attractive radius of a structure or the attractive lateral distance of a conductor. These parameters are investigated for a wide range of heights and return-strokemore » currents. A method for analyzing shielding failure and determining the critical shielding angle is also described. The predictions of the model are compared with field observations and previously developed models.« less

Morphology evolution in strain-compensated multiple quantum well structures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ledentsov, N. N., E-mail: nikolay.ledentsov@v-i-systems.com; Shchukin, V. A.; Rouvimov, S.

2014-01-20

Morphology evolution in (In,Ga)As-Ga(As,P) strain-compensated multilayer structures is studied. The effects of nanoscale interface corrugation and phase separation are evident after the third period of the multilayer structure and become more pronounced with each new stack until the sixth period. Then, the interface stabilizes pointing to the formation of strain-balanced equilibrium interface structure. The epitaxial structure remains defect-free up to the maximum number (twenty) of periods studied. In a structure with a high lattice mismatch between the neighboring layers, In{sub 0.40}Ga{sub 0.60}As/GaAs{sub 0.85}P{sub 0.15}, clusters of dislocations are revealed already in the third period. The observed phenomena are critical formore » proper engineering of optoelectronic devices.« less

Isothermal transitions of a thermosetting system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gillham, J. K.; Benci, J. A.; Noshay, A.

1974-01-01

A study of the curing reactions of a cycloaliphatic epoxy resin/anhydride system by torsional braid analysis showed the existence of two critical isothermal temperatures - namely, the maximum glass transition temperature of the thermoset system and the glass transition temperature of the material at its gel point. Two rheologically active kinetic transitions occur during isothermal cure which correspond to gelation and vitrification. Three types of isothermal behavior occur. Methods for determining the time to gel and the time to vitrify, and also the two above-mentioned critical isothermal temperatures, have been developed. The time to gel obeyed the Arrhenius relationship, whereas the time to vitrify passed through a minimum. Application of these results to thermosetting systems in general is discussed in terms of the influence of molecular structure on the values of the critical isothermal temperatures.

Sponsor relationships, analyte stability in ligand-binding assays and critical reagent management: a bioanalytical CRO perspective.

PubMed

Lefor Bradford, Julia

2015-01-01

This perspective article discusses key points to address in the establishment of sound partnerships between sponsors and bioanalytical CROs to assure the timeliness, quality and consistency of bioanalysis throughout biological therapeutic development. The performance of ligand-binding assays can be greatly impacted by low-grade reagents, lot-to-lot variability and lack of stability of the analyte in matrix, impacting both timelines and cost. Thorough characterization of the biologic of interest and its assay-enabling critical reagents will lend itself well to conservation of materials and continuity of assay performance. When unplanned events occur, such as performance declines or premature depletion of material, structured procedures are paramount to supplement the current loosely defined regulatory guidance on critical reagent characterization and method bridging.

An adaptive cubature formula for efficient reliability assessment of nonlinear structural dynamic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jun; Kong, Fan

2018-05-01

Extreme value distribution (EVD) evaluation is a critical topic in reliability analysis of nonlinear structural dynamic systems. In this paper, a new method is proposed to obtain the EVD. The maximum entropy method (MEM) with fractional moments as constraints is employed to derive the entire range of EVD. Then, an adaptive cubature formula is proposed for fractional moments assessment involved in MEM, which is closely related to the efficiency and accuracy for reliability analysis. Three point sets, which include a total of 2d2 + 1 integration points in the dimension d, are generated in the proposed formula. In this regard, the efficiency of the proposed formula is ensured. Besides, a "free" parameter is introduced, which makes the proposed formula adaptive with the dimension. The "free" parameter is determined by arranging one point set adjacent to the boundary of the hyper-sphere which contains the bulk of total probability. In this regard, the tail distribution may be better reproduced and the fractional moments could be evaluated with accuracy. Finally, the proposed method is applied to a ten-storey shear frame structure under seismic excitations, which exhibits strong nonlinearity. The numerical results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed method.

Staying alive: rethinking deterritorialization in a post-feminist era.

PubMed

Lundberg, Anna

2015-07-01

In recent years, the concept 'post-feminism' and its links to neoliberal economic structures and to the extreme reinforcement of individualization as raison d'etre of Western civilization have been discussed at length by numerous distinguished scholars in feminist cultural studies and feminist philosophy. This article takes its point of departure in this discussion. Drawing on Wendy Brown, Elizabeth Grosz, Angela McRobbie, Wendy Larner, and others, the text is examining the discourse of post-feminism and neoliberalism, and its effects on overarching political scenarios, as well as on everyday life: What happens to feminist politics when the collective, both as figuration and as virtual political platform, is deemed to be something situated in the discursive outskirts? By drawing on examples form the contemporary cultural imaginaries, from popular culture, economic structures, and public debate, and by pointing out the links between the micro-perspective of our everyday living and overarching political structures, this article aims at bringing to the fore and critically discuss these issues, and the ways in which they intersect with contemporary Western feminism. The article ends with a discussion of possible points of exit or paths to follow in order to find alternatives. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Bayesian Multiscale Modeling of Closed Curves in Point Clouds

PubMed Central

Gu, Kelvin; Pati, Debdeep; Dunson, David B.

2014-01-01

Modeling object boundaries based on image or point cloud data is frequently necessary in medical and scientific applications ranging from detecting tumor contours for targeted radiation therapy, to the classification of organisms based on their structural information. In low-contrast images or sparse and noisy point clouds, there is often insufficient data to recover local segments of the boundary in isolation. Thus, it becomes critical to model the entire boundary in the form of a closed curve. To achieve this, we develop a Bayesian hierarchical model that expresses highly diverse 2D objects in the form of closed curves. The model is based on a novel multiscale deformation process. By relating multiple objects through a hierarchical formulation, we can successfully recover missing boundaries by borrowing structural information from similar objects at the appropriate scale. Furthermore, the model’s latent parameters help interpret the population, indicating dimensions of significant structural variability and also specifying a ‘central curve’ that summarizes the collection. Theoretical properties of our prior are studied in specific cases and efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo methods are developed, evaluated through simulation examples and applied to panorex teeth images for modeling teeth contours and also to a brain tumor contour detection problem. PMID:25544786

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-01-24

The Critical Viscosity of Xenon Experiment (CVX-2) on the STS-107 Research 1 mission in 2002 will measure the viscous behavior of xenon, a heavy inert gas used in flash lamps and ion rocket engines, at its critical point. Because xenon near the critical point will collapse under its own weight, experiments on Earth (green line) are limited as they get closer (toward the left) to the critical point. CVX in the microgravity of space (red line) moved into unmeasured territory that scientists had not been able to reach.

Probing deconfinement in a chiral effective model with Polyakov loop at imaginary chemical potential

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morita, Kenji; Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502; Skokov, Vladimir

2011-10-01

The phase structure of the two-flavor Polyakov-loop extended Nambu-Jona-Lashinio model is explored at finite temperature and imaginary chemical potential with a particular emphasis on the confinement-deconfinement transition. We point out that the confined phase is characterized by a cos3{mu}{sub I}/T dependence of the chiral condensate on the imaginary chemical potential while in the deconfined phase this dependence is given by cos{mu}{sub I}/T and accompanied by a cusp structure induced by the Z(3) transition. We demonstrate that the phase structure of the model strongly depends on the choice of the Polyakov loop potential U. Furthermore, we find that by changing themore » four fermion coupling constant G{sub s}, the location of the critical end point of the deconfinement transition can be moved into the real chemical potential region. We propose a new parameter characterizing the confinement-deconfinement transition.« less

Finiteness of corner vortices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalita, Jiten C.; Biswas, Sougata; Panda, Swapnendu

2018-04-01

Till date, the sequence of vortices present in the solid corners of steady internal viscous incompressible flows was thought to be infinite. However, the already existing and most recent geometric theories on incompressible viscous flows that express vortical structures in terms of critical points in bounded domains indicate a strong opposition to this notion of infiniteness. In this study, we endeavor to bridge the gap between the two opposing stream of thoughts by diagnosing the assumptions of the existing theorems on such vortices. We provide our own set of proofs for establishing the finiteness of the sequence of corner vortices by making use of the continuum hypothesis and Kolmogorov scale, which guarantee a nonzero scale for the smallest vortex structure possible in incompressible viscous flows. We point out that the notion of infiniteness resulting from discrete self-similarity of the vortex structures is not physically feasible. Making use of some elementary concepts of mathematical analysis and our own construction of diametric disks, we conclude that the sequence of corner vortices is finite.

Coexistence Curve of Perfluoromethylcyclohexane-Isopropyl Alcohol

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jacobs, D. T.; Kuhl, D. E.; Selby, C. E.

1996-01-01

The coexistence curve of the binary fluid mixture perfluoromethylcyclohexane-isopropyl alcohol was determined by precisely measuring the refractive index both above and below its upper critical consolute point. Sixty-seven two-phase data points were obtained over a wide range of reduced temperatures, 10(exp -5) less than t less than 2.5 x 10(exp -1), to determine the location of the critical point: critical temperature=89.901 C, and critical composition = 62.2% by volume perfluoromethylcyclohexane. These data were analyzed to determine the critical exponent 8 close to the critical point, the amplitude B, and the anomaly in the diameter. The volume-fraction coexistence curve is found to be as symmetric as any composition like variable. Correction to scaling is investigated as well as the need for a crossover theory. A model is proposed that describes the asymptotic approach to zero of the effective exponent Beta, which allows an estimation of the temperature regime free of crossover effects.

Erasing no-man’s land by thermodynamically stabilizing the liquid-liquid transition in tetrahedral particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smallenburg, Frank; Filion, Laura; Sciortino, Francesco

2014-09-01

One of the most controversial hypotheses for explaining the origin of the thermodynamic anomalies characterizing liquid water postulates the presence of a metastable second-order liquid-liquid critical point located in the `no-man’s land’. In this scenario, two liquids with distinct local structure emerge near the critical temperature. Unfortunately, as spontaneous crystallization is rapid in this region, experimental support for this hypothesis relies on significant extrapolations, either from the metastable liquid or from amorphous solid water. Although the liquid-liquid transition is expected to feature in many tetrahedrally coordinated liquids, including silicon, carbon and silica, even numerical studies of atomic and molecular models have been unable to conclusively prove the existence of this transition. Here we provide such evidence for a model in which it is possible to continuously tune the softness of the interparticle interaction and the flexibility of the bonds, the key ingredients controlling the existence of the critical point. We show that conditions exist where the full coexistence is thermodynamically stable with respect to crystallization. Our work offers a basis for designing colloidal analogues of water exhibiting liquid-liquid transitions in equilibrium, opening the way for experimental confirmation of the original hypothesis.

Naturally tuned quantum critical point in the S =1 kagomé YCa3(VO) 3(BO3)4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silverstein, Harlyn J.; Sinclair, Ryan; Sharma, Arzoo; Qiu, Yiming; Heinmaa, Ivo; Leitmäe, Alexander; Wiebe, Christopher R.; Stern, Raivo; Zhou, Haidong

2018-04-01

Although S =1 /2 kagomé systems have been intensely studied theoretically, and within the past decade been realized experimentally, much less is known about the S =1 analogs. While the theoretical ground state is still under debate, it has been found experimentally that S =1 kagomé systems either order at low temperatures or enter a spin glass state. In this work, YCa3(VO) 3(BO3)4 (YCVBO) is presented, with trivalent vanadium. Owing to its unusual crystal structure, the metal-metal bonding is highly connected along all three crystallographic directions, atypical of other kagomé materials. Using neutron scattering it is shown that YCVBO fails to order down to at least 50 mK and exhibits broad and dispersionless excitations. 11B NMR provides evidence of fluctuating spins at low temperatures while dc magnetization shows critical scaling that is also observed in systems near a quantum critical point such as Herbertsmithite, despite its insulating nature and S =1 magnetism. The evidence shown indicates that YCVBO is naturally tuned to be a quantum disordered magnet in the limit of T =0 K.

Universal relations between non-Gaussian fluctuations in heavy-ion collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jiunn-Wei; Deng, Jian; Kohyama, Hiroaki; Labun, Lance

2017-01-01

We show that universality near a critical end point implies a characteristic relation between third- and fourth-order baryon susceptibilities χ3 and χ4, resulting in a banana-shaped loop when χ4 is plotted as a function of χ3 along a freeze-out line. This result relies only on the derivative relation between χ3 and χ4, the enhancement of the correlation length and the scaling symmetry near a critical point, and the freeze-out line near the critical point not too parallel to the μB axis. Including the individual enhancements of χ3 and χ4 near a critical point, these features may be a consistent set of observations supporting the interpretation of baryon fluctuation data as arising from criticality.

Odd-Parity Superconductivity near an Inversion Breaking Quantum Critical Point in One Dimension

DOE PAGES

Ruhman, Jonathan; Kozii, Vladyslav; Fu, Liang

2017-05-31

In this work, we study how an inversion-breaking quantum critical point affects the ground state of a one-dimensional electronic liquid with repulsive interaction and spin-orbit coupling. We find that regardless of the interaction strength, the critical fluctuations always lead to a gap in the electronic spin sector. The origin of the gap is a two-particle backscattering process, which becomes relevant due to renormalization of the Luttinger parameter near the critical point. The resulting spin-gapped state is topological and can be considered as a one-dimensional version of a spin-triplet superconductor. Interestingly, in the case of a ferromagnetic critical point, the Luttingermore » parameter is renormalized in the opposite manner, such that the system remains nonsuperconducting.« less

Competition of mesoscales and crossover to theta-point tricriticality in near-critical polymer solutions.

PubMed

Anisimov, M A; Kostko, A F; Sengers, J V; Yudin, I K

2005-10-22

The approach to asymptotic critical behavior in polymer solutions is governed by a competition between the correlation length of critical fluctuations diverging at the critical point of phase separation and an additional mesoscopic length scale, the radius of gyration. In this paper we present a theory for crossover between two universal regimes: a regime with Ising (fluctuation-induced) asymptotic critical behavior, where the correlation length prevails, and a mean-field tricritical regime with theta-point behavior controlled by the mesoscopic polymer chain. The theory yields a universal scaled description of existing experimental phase-equilibria data and is in excellent agreement with our light-scattering experiments on polystyrene solutions in cyclohexane with polymer molecular weights ranging from 2 x 10(5) up to 11.4 x 10(6). The experiments demonstrate unambiguously that crossover to theta-point tricriticality is controlled by a competition of the two mesoscales. The critical amplitudes deduced from our experiments depend on the polymer molecular weight as predicted by de Gennes [Phys. Lett. 26A, 313 (1968)]. Experimental evidence for the presence of logarithmic corrections to mean-field tricritical theta-point behavior in the molecular-weight dependence of the critical parameters is also presented.

Fibre Optic Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring of Aircraft Composite Structures: Recent Advances and Applications

PubMed Central

Di Sante, Raffaella

2015-01-01

In-service structural health monitoring of composite aircraft structures plays a key role in the assessment of their performance and integrity. In recent years, Fibre Optic Sensors (FOS) have proved to be a potentially excellent technique for real-time in-situ monitoring of these structures due to their numerous advantages, such as immunity to electromagnetic interference, small size, light weight, durability, and high bandwidth, which allows a great number of sensors to operate in the same system, and the possibility to be integrated within the material. However, more effort is still needed to bring the technology to a fully mature readiness level. In this paper, recent research and applications in structural health monitoring of composite aircraft structures using FOS have been critically reviewed, considering both the multi-point and distributed sensing techniques. PMID:26263987

Fibre Optic Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring of Aircraft Composite Structures: Recent Advances and Applications.

PubMed

Di Sante, Raffaella

2015-07-30

In-service structural health monitoring of composite aircraft structures plays a key role in the assessment of their performance and integrity. In recent years, Fibre Optic Sensors (FOS) have proved to be a potentially excellent technique for real-time in-situ monitoring of these structures due to their numerous advantages, such as immunity to electromagnetic interference, small size, light weight, durability, and high bandwidth, which allows a great number of sensors to operate in the same system, and the possibility to be integrated within the material. However, more effort is still needed to bring the technology to a fully mature readiness level. In this paper, recent research and applications in structural health monitoring of composite aircraft structures using FOS have been critically reviewed, considering both the multi-point and distributed sensing techniques.

New type of quantum criticality in the pyrochlore iridates

DOE PAGES

Savary, Lucile; Moon, Eun -Gook; Balents, Leon

2014-11-13

Magnetic fluctuations and electrons couple in intriguing ways in the vicinity of zero-temperature phase transitions—quantum critical points—in conducting materials. Quantum criticality is implicated in non-Fermi liquid behavior of diverse materials and in the formation of unconventional superconductors. Here, we uncover an entirely new type of quantum critical point describing the onset of antiferromagnetism in a nodal semimetal engendered by the combination of strong spin-orbit coupling and electron correlations, and which is predicted to occur in the iridium oxide pyrochlores. We formulate and solve a field theory for this quantum critical point by renormalization group techniques and show that electrons andmore » antiferromagnetic fluctuations are strongly coupled and that both these excitations are modified in an essential way. This quantum critical point has many novel features, including strong emergent spatial anisotropy, a vital role for Coulomb interactions, and highly unconventional critical exponents. Our theory motivates and informs experiments on pyrochlore iridates and constitutes a singular realistic example of a nontrivial quantum critical point with gapless fermions in three dimensions.« less

Critical indices for reversible gamma-alpha phase transformation in metallic cerium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soldatova, E. D.; Tkachenko, T. B.

1980-08-01

Critical indices for cerium have been determined within the framework of the pseudobinary solution theory along the phase equilibrium curve, the critical isotherm, and the critical isobar. The results obtained verify the validity of relationships proposed by Rushbrook (1963), Griffiths (1965), and Coopersmith (1968). It is concluded that reversible gamma-alpha transformation in metallic cerium is a critical-type transformation, and cerium has a critical point on the phase diagram similar to the critical point of the liquid-vapor system.

Development of Optical System for ARGO-M

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nah, Jakyoung; Jang, Jung-Guen; Jang, Bi-Ho; Han, In-Woo; Han, Jeong-Yeol; Park, Kwijong; Lim, Hyung-Chul; Yu, Sung-Yeol; Park, Eunseo; Seo, Yoon-Kyung; Moon, Il-Kwon; Choi, Byung-Kyu; Na, Eunjoo; Nam, Uk-Won

2013-03-01

ARGO-M is a satellite laser ranging (SLR) system developed by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute with the consideration of mobility and daytime and nighttime satellite observation. The ARGO-M optical system consists of 40 cm receiving telescope, 10 cm transmitting telescope, and detecting optics. For the development of ARGO-M optical system, the structural analysis was performed with regard to the optics and optomechanics design and the optical components. To ensure the optical performance, the quality was tested at the level of parts using the laser interferometer and ultra-high-precision measuring instruments. The assembly and alignment of ARGO-M optical system were conducted at an auto-collimation facility. As the transmission and reception are separated in the ARGO-M optical system, the pointing alignment between the transmitting telescope and receiving telescope is critical for precise target pointing. Thus, the alignment using the ground target and the radiant point observation of transmitting laser beam was carried out, and the lines of sight for the two telescopes were aligned within the required pointing precision. This paper describes the design, structural analysis, manufacture and assembly of parts, and entire process related with the alignment for the ARGO-M optical system.

Role of Side-Chain Molecular Features in Tuning Lower Critical Solution Temperatures (LCSTs) of Oligoethylene Glycol Modified Polypeptides.

PubMed

Gharakhanian, Eric G; Deming, Timothy J

2016-07-07

A series of thermoresponsive polypeptides has been synthesized using a methodology that allowed facile adjustment of side-chain functional groups. The lower critical solution temperature (LCST) properties of these polymers in water were then evaluated relative to systematic molecular modifications in their side-chains. It was found that in addition to the number of ethylene glycol repeats in the side-chains, terminal and linker groups also have substantial and predictable effects on cloud point temperatures (Tcp). In particular, we found that the structure of these polypeptides allowed for inclusion of polar hydroxyl groups, which significantly increased their hydrophilicity and decreased the need to use long oligoethylene glycol repeats to obtain LCSTs. The thioether linkages in these polypeptides were found to provide an additional structural feature for reversible switching of both polypeptide conformation and thermoresponsive properties.

AN EMPIRICISM FOR ESTABLISHING THE TRANSITION TEMPERATURES OF SUPERCONDUCTING ALLOYS AND COMPOUNDS

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gold, L.

1964-01-01

The preparation of superconductive alloys may be guided by a form of empiricism based upon the isotope law. For a series of alloys having a common structure, the critical temperatures of its members are presumed so interrelated. The reduced mass of a compound becomes somewhat obscure for stoichiometry other than 50 to 50 at.%. Several possible definitions of reduced mass permit setting of upper and lower bounds on the transition point in general. Theoretical calculations are presented for Nb/sub 3/In with evidence that the experimental values for this substance and Nb/sub 3/Ga may require slight revision. In line with themore » quest for alloys with higher critical temperatures than N/b/sub 3/Sn, a prediction is made that Nb/sub 3/Si (were it to exist and be of the BETA - tungsten structure) would be a promising prospect. (auth)« less

New structure of diamine curing agent for epoxy resins with self-restoration ability: Synthesis and spectroscopy characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raimondo, Marialuigia; Guadagno, Liberata; Naddeo, Carlo; Longo, Pasquale; Mariconda, Annaluisa; Agovino, Anna

2017-02-01

The development of smart materials in aeronautical structures consisting of compounds based on epoxy resins having self-repair capability has been hampered by some criticalities. One of the main critical points is related to the impossibility to use primary amines (e.g.: 4,4‧-diaminodiphenyl sulfone, DDS) as hardeners, because they can poison the catalyst responsible for the healing mechanisms. In this paper, the synthesis, characterization and some tests of applicability of a new hardener, the tetramethylated diaminodiphenyl sulfone (tm-DDS), are shown. The tm-DDS is able to rapidly react with epoxy resin, giving a composite material having some characteristics significantly better than composites hardened with different tertiary amines. The new hardener is able to increase the glass transition temperature (Tg) of about 90 °C with respect to the more common hardener, ancamine K54, already used in self-healing epoxy formulations.

New insights into the opening band gap of graphene oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tran, Ngoc Thanh Thuy; Lin, Shih-Yang; Lin, Ming-Fa

Electronic properties of oxygen absorbed few-layer graphenes are investigated using first-principle calculations. They are very sensitive to the changes in the oxygen concentration, number of graphene layer, and stacking configuration. The feature-rich band structures exhibit the destruction or distortion of the Dirac cone, opening of band gap, anisotropic energy dispersions, O- and (C,O)-dominated energy dispersions, and extra critical points. The band decomposed charge distributions reveal the π-bonding dominated energy gap. The orbital-projected density of states (DOS) have many special structures mainly coming from a composite energy band, the parabolic and partially flat ones. The DOS and spatial charge distributions clearly indicate the critical orbital hybridizations in O-O, C-O and C-C bonds, being responsible for the diversified properties. All of the few-layer graphene oxides are semi-metals except for the semiconducting monolayer ones.

The Pt site reactivity of the molecular graphs of Au6Pt isomers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Tianlv; Jenkins, Samantha; Xiao, Chen-Xia; Maza, Julio R.; Kirk, Steven R.

2013-12-01

Within the framework of the theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM), in an exploratory study we propose a new measure of site reactivity equivalent to the atomic coordination number based purely on the electronic structure. It was found that the number of ring critical points (NNRCPs) positioned on the boundary of the atomic basin of the dopant (Pt) nucleus correlated very well with the relative zero point energy (ZPE) corrected energies. A weaker condition (i.e. than the number of associated bond paths) for the association of the dopant Pt nucleus with the Au6Pt molecular graph is found for NNRCP = 0.

FAST TRACK COMMUNICATION: Ground-state fidelity and entanglement entropy for the quantum three-state Potts model in one spatial dimension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Yan-Wei; Hu, Bing-Quan; Zhao, Jian-Hui; Zhou, Huan-Qiang

2010-09-01

The ground-state fidelity per lattice site is computed for the quantum three-state Potts model in a transverse magnetic field on an infinite-size lattice in one spatial dimension in terms of the infinite matrix product state algorithm. It is found that, on the one hand, a pinch point is identified on the fidelity surface around the critical point, and on the other hand, the ground-state fidelity per lattice site exhibits bifurcations at pseudo critical points for different values of the truncation dimension, which in turn approach the critical point as the truncation dimension becomes large. This implies that the ground-state fidelity per lattice site enables us to capture spontaneous symmetry breaking when the control parameter crosses the critical value. In addition, a finite-entanglement scaling of the von Neumann entropy is performed with respect to the truncation dimension, resulting in a precise determination of the central charge at the critical point. Finally, we compute the transverse magnetization, from which the critical exponent β is extracted from the numerical data.

Nonequilibrium Phase Transitions and a Nonequilibrium Critical Point from Anti-de Sitter Space and Conformal Field Theory Correspondence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakamura, Shin

2012-09-01

We find novel phase transitions and critical phenomena that occur only outside the linear-response regime of current-driven nonequilibrium states. We consider the strongly interacting (3+1)-dimensional N=4 large-Nc SU(Nc) supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with a single flavor of fundamental N=2 hypermultiplet as a microscopic theory. We compute its nonlinear nonballistic quark-charge conductivity by using the AdS/CFT correspondence. We find that the system exhibits a novel nonequilibrium first-order phase transition where the conductivity jumps and the sign of the differential conductivity flips at finite current density. A nonequilibrium critical point is discovered at the end point of the first-order regime. We propose a nonequilibrium steady-state analogue of thermodynamic potential in terms of the gravity-dual theory in order to define the transition point. Nonequilibrium analogues of critical exponents are proposed as well. The critical behavior of the conductivity is numerically confirmed on the basis of these proposals. The present work provides a new example of nonequilibrium phase transitions and nonequilibrium critical points.

Neighborhood Age Structure and its Implications for Health

PubMed Central

2006-01-01

Age structure at the neighborhood level is rarely considered in contextual studies of health. However, age structure can play a critical role in shaping community life, the availability of resources, and the opportunities for social engagement—all factors that, research suggests, have direct and indirect effects on health. Age structure can be theorized as a compositional effect and as a contextual effect. In addition, the dynamic nature of age structure and the utility of a life course perspective as applied to neighborhood effects research merits attention. Four Chicago neighborhoods are summarized to illustrate how age structure varies across small space, suggesting that neighborhood age structure should be considered a key structural covariate in contextual research on health. Considering age structure implies incorporating not only meaningful cut points for important age groups (e.g., proportion 65 years and over) but attention to the shape of the distribution as well. PMID:16865558

Fluid Structure Interaction in a Turbine Blade

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gorla, Rama S. R.

2004-01-01

An unsteady, three dimensional Navier-Stokes solution in rotating frame formulation for turbomachinery applications is presented. Casting the governing equations in a rotating frame enabled the freezing of grid motion and resulted in substantial savings in computer time. The turbine blade was computationally simulated and probabilistically evaluated in view of several uncertainties in the aerodynamic, structural, material and thermal variables that govern the turbine blade. The interconnection between the computational fluid dynamics code and finite element structural analysis code was necessary to couple the thermal profiles with the structural design. The stresses and their variations were evaluated at critical points on the Turbine blade. Cumulative distribution functions and sensitivity factors were computed for stress responses due to aerodynamic, geometric, mechanical and thermal random variables.

Air Force Office of Scientific Research, 1993 Research Highlights.

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

used to describe the behavior of critical point phenomena by Nobel laureate Dr. Kenneth Wilson. Their research has produced useful engineering...40 years of its existence, AFOSR has supported the work of about two dozen scientists who, later, have been awarded the Nobel prize as well as a...locations and types of sensor or actuator elements that are suitable for structurally- integrated nondestructive evaluation ( NDE ) systems. The basic

Human Terrain Mapping and Its Implication for Counterinsurgency Operations in Afghanistan

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-14

PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZAriON USMC Command and Staff College REPORT NUMBER Marine Corps University N/A 2076...Political Patterns, and Identify Key Friction Points or Misconceptions. In the second step, the area, structure, capabilities, organizations , people, and...others advocate the benefits of adapting methods and organization to focus on the population, critics are concerned that excessive change may hinder

Structure of the effective potential for a spherical wormhole

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Montelongo Garcia, N.; Zannias, T.

2008-09-15

The structure of the effective potential V describing causal geodesics near the throat of an arbitrary spherical wormhole is analyzed. Einstein's equations relative to a set of regular coordinates covering a vicinity of the throat imply that any spherical wormhole can be constructed from solutions of an effective initial value problem with the throat serving as an initial value surface. The initial data involve matter variables, the area A(0) of the throat, and the gradient {lambda}(0) of the redshift factor on the throat. Whenever {lambda}(0)=0, the effective potential V has a critical point on the throat. Conditions upon the datamore » are derived ensuring that the critical point is a local minimum (respectively maximum). For particular families of quasi-Schwarzschild wormholes, V exhibits a local minimum on the throat independently upon the energy E and angular momentum L{sup 2} of the test particles and thus such wormholes admit stable circular timelike and null geodesics on the throat. For families of Chaplygin wormholes, we show that such geodesics are unstable. Based on a suitable power series representation of the metric, properties of V away from the throat are obtained that are useful for the analysis of accretion disks and radiation processes near the throat of any spherical wormhole.« less

Euclidean mirrors: enhanced vacuum decay from reflected instantons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akal, Ibrahim; Moortgat-Pick, Gudrid

2018-05-01

We study the tunnelling of virtual matter–antimatter pairs from the quantum vacuum in the presence of a spatially uniform, time-dependent electric background composed of a strong, slow field superimposed with a weak, rapid field. After analytic continuation to Euclidean spacetime, we obtain from the instanton equations two critical points. While one of them is the closing point of the instanton path, the other serves as an Euclidean mirror which reflects and squeezes the instanton. It is this reflection and shrinking which is responsible for an enormous enhancement of the vacuum pair production rate. We discuss how important features of two different mechanisms can be analysed and understood via such a rotation in the complex plane. (a) Consistent with previous studies, we first discuss the standard assisted mechanism with a static strong field and certain weak fields with a distinct pole structure in order to show that the reflection takes place exactly at the poles. We also discuss the effect of possible sub-cycle structures. We extend this reflection picture then to weak fields which have no poles present and illustrate the effective reflections with explicit examples. An additional field strength dependence for the rate occurs in such cases. We analytically compute the characteristic threshold for the assisted mechanism given by the critical combined Keldysh parameter. We discuss significant differences between these two types of fields. For various backgrounds, we present the contributing instantons and perform analytical computations for the corresponding rates treating both fields nonperturbatively. (b) In addition, we also study the case with a nonstatic strong field which gives rise to the assisted dynamical mechanism. For different strong field profiles we investigate the impact on the critical combined Keldysh parameter. As an explicit example, we analytically compute the rate by employing the exact reflection points. The validity of the predictions for both mechanisms is confirmed by numerical computations.

Experimental determinations of the eigenmodes for composite bars made with carbon and Kevlar-carbon fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miriţoiu, C. M.; Stănescu, M. M.; Burada, C. O.; Bolcu, D.; Roşca, V.

2015-11-01

For modal identification, the single-point excitation method has been widely used in modal tests and it consists in applying a force in a given point and recording the vibratory structure response in all interest points, including the excitation point. There will be presented the experimental recordings for the studied bars (with Kevlar-carbon or carbon fibers), the frequency response function in Cartesian and polar coordinates. By using the frequency response functions we determine the eigenparameters for each bar. We present the final panel of the eigenmodes (with the damping factors, eigenfrequencies and critical damping) for each considered bar. Using the eigenfrequency of the first determined eigenmode, the bars stiffness has been determined. The presented bars can be used in practical engineering for: car or bus body parts, planes body parts, bullet-proof vests, reinforcements for sandwich beams, and so on.

Analyses on the geometrical structure of magnetic field in the current sheet based on cluster measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, C.; Li, X.; Dunlop, M.; Liu, Z. X.; Balogh, A.; Baker, D. N.; Hapgood, M.; Wang, X.

2003-05-01

The geometrical structure of the magnetic field is a critical character in the magnetospheric dynamics. Using the magnetic field data measured by the Cluster constellation satellites, the geometrical structure including the curvature radius, directions of curvature, and normal of the osculating planes of the magnetic field lines within the current sheet/neutral sheet have been investigated. The results are (1) Inside of the tail neutral sheet (NS), the curvature of magnetic field lines points towards Earth, the normal of the osculating plane points duskward, and the characteristic half width (or the minimum curvature radius) of the neutral sheet is generally less than 2 RE, for many cases less than 1600 km. (2) Outside of the neutral sheet, the curvature of magnetic field lines pointed northward (southward) at the north (south) side of NS, the normal of the osculating plane points dawnward, and the curvature radius is about 5 RE ˜ 10 RE. (3) Thin NS, where the magnetic field lines have the minimum of the curvature radius less than 0.25 RE, may appear at all the local time between LT 20 hours and 4 hours, but thin NS occurs more frequently near to midnight than that at the dawnside and duskside. (4) The size of the NS is dependent on substorm phases. Generally, the NS is thin during the growth and expansion phases and grows thick during the recovery phase. (5) For the one-dimensional NS, the half thickness and flapping velocity of the NS could be quantitatively determined. Therefore the differential geometry analyses based on Cluster 4-point magnetic measurements open a window for visioning the three-dimensional static and dynamic magnetic field structure of geomagnetosphere.

A density functional study of second-row dicarbides C2X (X = Na-Cl) with carbon monosulfide molecule: molecular structure and bonding mechanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parida, Saroj K.; Sahu, Sridhar

2018-05-01

In present work, a systematic study regarding molecular structure, and bonding mechanism of carbon monosulfide (CS) on second-row dicarbides C2X with (X = Na-Cl) has been investigated within the framework of density functional theory (DFT). In presence of carbon monosulfide molecule, the structures of C2Na, C2Mg, C2Al, and C2Si are found be changed from cyclic to linear, whereas geometries of C2P, C2S, and C2Cl clusters are almost remain unchanged. Interestingly, the bare carbon monosulfide molecule is attached with carbon site of bare C2X clusters rather than the second-row elements (X = Na-Cl). Furthermore, the nature of bonding in C2XCS clusters has been studiedthrough Bader's topological analysis of the electron charge density distribution ρ(r), Laplacian ∇2 ρ(r) and total energy density H BCP at the bond critical points (BCPs) of the clusters within the framework of the atoms in molecules theory (AIM). In C2XCS clusters, electron density at the bond critical point ρ(r) > 0.30 a.u. with negative values of Laplacian ∇2 ρ(r) indicates shared-kind of interactions between both the carbon atoms of C2X and CS molecule. In addition, we also analyze IR spectra that could assist for the experimental detection.

Freezing, melting and structure of ice in a hydrophilic nanopore.

PubMed

Moore, Emily B; de la Llave, Ezequiel; Welke, Kai; Scherlis, Damian A; Molinero, Valeria

2010-04-28

The nucleation, growth, structure and melting of ice in 3 nm diameter hydrophilic nanopores are studied through molecular dynamics simulations with the mW water model. The melting temperature of water in the pore was T(m)(pore) = 223 K, 51 K lower than the melting point of bulk water in the model and in excellent agreement with experimental determinations for 3 nm silica pores. Liquid and ice coexist in equilibrium at the melting point and down to temperatures as low as 180 K. Liquid water is located at the interface of the pore wall, increasing from one monolayer at the freezing temperature, T(f)(pore) = 195 K, to two monolayers a few degrees below T(m)(pore). Crystallization of ice in the pore occurs through homogeneous nucleation. At the freezing temperature, the critical nucleus contains approximately 75 to 100 molecules, with a radius of gyration similar to the radius of the pore. The critical nuclei contain features of both cubic and hexagonal ice, although stacking of hexagonal and cubic layers is not defined until the nuclei reach approximately 150 molecules. The structure of the confined ice is rich in stacking faults, in agreement with the interpretation of X-ray and neutron diffraction experiments. Though the presence of cubic layers is twice as prevalent as hexagonal ones, the crystals should not be considered defective Ic as sequences with more than three adjacent cubic (or hexagonal) layers are extremely rare in the confined ice.

21 CFR 123.6 - Hazard analysis and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... identified food safety hazards, including as appropriate: (i) Critical control points designed to control... control points designed to control food safety hazards introduced outside the processing plant environment... Control Point (HACCP) plan. 123.6 Section 123.6 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF...

21 CFR 123.6 - Hazard analysis and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... identified food safety hazards, including as appropriate: (i) Critical control points designed to control... control points designed to control food safety hazards introduced outside the processing plant environment... Control Point (HACCP) plan. 123.6 Section 123.6 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF...

21 CFR 123.6 - Hazard analysis and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... identified food safety hazards, including as appropriate: (i) Critical control points designed to control... control points designed to control food safety hazards introduced outside the processing plant environment... Control Point (HACCP) plan. 123.6 Section 123.6 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF...

Powerpoint: An Overused Technology Deserving of Criticism, but Indispensable

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopper, Keith B.; Waugh, Jonathan B.

2014-01-01

PowerPoint is roundly reviled and ridiculed, yet this technology enjoys universal popularity. This article reviews the criticisms of PowerPoint and its peer technologies, describes its affordances and advantages, and suggests innovative PowerPoint applications in instruction. Beyond garden-variety applications of PowerPoint, it may also be used to…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kaluarachchi, Udhara S.; Taufour, Valentin; Bud'ko, Sergey L.

We report the temperature-pressure-magnetic eld phase diagram of the ferromagnetic Kondolattice CeTiGe 3 determined by means of electrical resistivity measurements. Measurements up to ~5.8GPa reveal a rich phase diagram with multiple phase transitions. At ambient pressure, CeTiGe 3 orders ferromagnetically at T C =14 K. Application of pressure suppresses T C, but a pressure induced ferromagnetic quantum criticality is avoided by the appearance of two new successive transitions for p>4.1GPa that are probably antiferromagnetic in nature. These two transitions are suppressed under pressure, with the lower temperature phase being fully suppressed above 5.3GPa. The critical pressures for the presumed quantummore » phase transitions are p1≅4.1GPa and p2≅5.3GPa. Above 4.1GPa, application of magnetic eld shows a tricritical point evolving into a wing structure phase with a quantum tricritical point at 2.8T at 5.4GPa, where the rst order antiferromagneticferromagnetic transition changes into the second order antiferromagnetic-ferromagnetic transition.« less

Anomalous elastic properties across the γ to α volume collapse in cerium

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lipp, Magnus J.; Jenei, Zs.; Cynn, H.

2017-10-31

The behavior of the f-electrons in the lanthanides and actinides governs important macroscopic properties but their pressure and temperature dependence is not fully explored. Cerium with nominally just one 4f electron offers a case study with its iso-structural volume collapse from the γ-phase to the α-phase ending in a critical point (pC, VC, TC), unique among the elements, whose mechanism remains controversial. Here, we present longitudinal (cL) and transverse sound speeds (cT) versus pressure from higher than room temperature to TC for the first time. While cL experiences a non-linear dip at the volume collapse, cT shows a step-like change.more » This produces very peculiar macroscopic properties: the minimum in the bulk modulus becomes more pronounced, the step-like increase of the shear modulus diminishes and the Poisson’s ratio becomes negative—meaning that cerium becomes auxetic. At the critical point itself cerium lacks any compressive strength but offers resistance to shear.« less

Critical tipping point distinguishing two types of transitions in modular network structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shai, Saray; Kenett, Dror Y.; Kenett, Yoed N.; Faust, Miriam; Dobson, Simon; Havlin, Shlomo

2015-12-01

Modularity is a key organizing principle in real-world large-scale complex networks. The relatively sparse interactions between modules are critical to the functionality of the system and are often the first to fail. We model such failures as site percolation targeting interconnected nodes, those connecting between modules. We find, using percolation theory and simulations, that they lead to a "tipping point" between two distinct regimes. In one regime, removal of interconnected nodes fragments the modules internally and causes the system to collapse. In contrast, in the other regime, while only attacking a small fraction of nodes, the modules remain but become disconnected, breaking the entire system. We show that networks with broader degree distribution might be highly vulnerable to such attacks since only few nodes are needed to interconnect the modules, consequently putting the entire system at high risk. Our model has the potential to shed light on many real-world phenomena, and we briefly consider its implications on recent advances in the understanding of several neurocognitive processes and diseases.

Dynamical Interplay between Awareness and Epidemic Spreading in Multiplex Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granell, Clara; Gómez, Sergio; Arenas, Alex

2013-09-01

We present the analysis of the interrelation between two processes accounting for the spreading of an epidemic, and the information awareness to prevent its infection, on top of multiplex networks. This scenario is representative of an epidemic process spreading on a network of persistent real contacts, and a cyclic information awareness process diffusing in the network of virtual social contacts between the same individuals. The topology corresponds to a multiplex network where two diffusive processes are interacting affecting each other. The analysis using a microscopic Markov chain approach reveals the phase diagram of the incidence of the epidemics and allows us to capture the evolution of the epidemic threshold depending on the topological structure of the multiplex and the interrelation with the awareness process. Interestingly, the critical point for the onset of the epidemics has a critical value (metacritical point) defined by the awareness dynamics and the topology of the virtual network, from which the onset increases and the epidemics incidence decreases.

Dynamical interplay between awareness and epidemic spreading in multiplex networks.

PubMed

Granell, Clara; Gómez, Sergio; Arenas, Alex

2013-09-20

We present the analysis of the interrelation between two processes accounting for the spreading of an epidemic, and the information awareness to prevent its infection, on top of multiplex networks. This scenario is representative of an epidemic process spreading on a network of persistent real contacts, and a cyclic information awareness process diffusing in the network of virtual social contacts between the same individuals. The topology corresponds to a multiplex network where two diffusive processes are interacting affecting each other. The analysis using a microscopic Markov chain approach reveals the phase diagram of the incidence of the epidemics and allows us to capture the evolution of the epidemic threshold depending on the topological structure of the multiplex and the interrelation with the awareness process. Interestingly, the critical point for the onset of the epidemics has a critical value (metacritical point) defined by the awareness dynamics and the topology of the virtual network, from which the onset increases and the epidemics incidence decreases.

Connecting thermodynamic and dynamical anomalies of water-like liquid-liquid phase transition in the Fermi-Jagla model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higuchi, Saki; Kato, Daiki; Awaji, Daisuke; Kim, Kang

2018-03-01

We present a study using molecular dynamics simulations based on the Fermi-Jagla potential model, which is the continuous version of the mono-atomic core-softened Jagla model [J. Y. Abraham, S. V. Buldyrev, and N. Giovambattista, J. Phys. Chem. B 115, 14229 (2011)]. This model shows the water-like liquid-liquid phase transition between high-density and low-density liquids at the liquid-liquid critical point. In particular, the slope of the coexistence line becomes weakly negative, which is expected to represent one of the anomalies of liquid polyamorphism. In this study, we examined the density, dynamic, and thermodynamic anomalies in the vicinity of the liquid-liquid critical point. The boundaries of density, self-diffusion, shear viscosity, and excess entropy anomalies were characterized. Furthermore, these anomalies are connected according to Rosenfeld's scaling relationship between the excess entropy and the transport coefficients such as diffusion and viscosity. The results demonstrate the hierarchical and nested structures regarding the thermodynamic and dynamic anomalies of the Fermi-Jagla model.

Characterizing air quality data from complex network perspective.

PubMed

Fan, Xinghua; Wang, Li; Xu, Huihui; Li, Shasha; Tian, Lixin

2016-02-01

Air quality depends mainly on changes in emission of pollutants and their precursors. Understanding its characteristics is the key to predicting and controlling air quality. In this study, complex networks were built to analyze topological characteristics of air quality data by correlation coefficient method. Firstly, PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 μm) indexes of eight monitoring sites in Beijing were selected as samples from January 2013 to December 2014. Secondly, the C-C method was applied to determine the structure of phase space. Points in the reconstructed phase space were considered to be nodes of the network mapped. Then, edges were determined by nodes having the correlation greater than a critical threshold. Three properties of the constructed networks, degree distribution, clustering coefficient, and modularity, were used to determine the optimal value of the critical threshold. Finally, by analyzing and comparing topological properties, we pointed out that similarities and difference in the constructed complex networks revealed influence factors and their different roles on real air quality system.

Bose–Einstein condensation versus Dicke–Hepp–Lieb transition in an optical cavity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Piazza, Francesco, E-mail: francesco.piazza@ph.tum.de; Strack, Philipp; Zwerger, Wilhelm

We provide an exact solution for the interplay between Bose–Einstein condensation and the Dicke–Hepp–Lieb self-organization transition of an ideal Bose gas trapped inside a single-mode optical cavity and subject to a transverse laser drive. Based on an effective action approach, we determine the full phase diagram at arbitrary temperature, which features a bi-critical point where the transitions cross. We calculate the dynamically generated band structure of the atoms and the associated suppression of the critical temperature for Bose–Einstein condensation in the phase with a spontaneous periodic density modulation. Moreover, we determine the evolution of the polariton spectrum due to themore » coupling of the cavity photons and the atomic field near the self-organization transition, which is quite different above or below the Bose–Einstein condensation temperature. At low temperatures, the critical value of the Dicke–Hepp–Lieb transition decreases with temperature and thus thermal fluctuations can enhance the tendency to a periodic arrangement of the atoms. -- Highlights: •Atoms inside a driven cavity can undergo two transitions: self-organization and BEC. •The phase diagram has four phases which coexist at a bi-critical point. •Atom–cavity coupling creates a dynamical lattice for the atoms. •Finite temperature can enhance the tendency towards self-organization. •We calculate the detailed spectrum of the polaritonic excitations.« less

On the structure of critical energy levels for the cubic focusing NLS on star graphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adami, Riccardo; Cacciapuoti, Claudio; Finco, Domenico; Noja, Diego

2012-05-01

We provide information on a non-trivial structure of phase space of the cubic nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) on a three-edge star graph. We prove that, in contrast to the case of the standard NLS on the line, the energy associated with the cubic focusing Schrödinger equation on the three-edge star graph with a free (Kirchhoff) vertex does not attain a minimum value on any sphere of constant L2-norm. We moreover show that the only stationary state with prescribed L2-norm is indeed a saddle point.

Preliminary Testing of a Compact, Bone-Attached Robot for Otologic Surgery

PubMed Central

Dillon, Neal P.; Balachandran, Ramya; dit Falisse, Antoine Motte; Wanna, George B.; Labadie, Robert F.; Withrow, Thomas J.; Fitzpatrick, J. Michael; Webster, Robert J.

2014-01-01

Otologic surgery often involves a mastoidectomy procedure, in which part of the temporal bone is milled away in order to visualize critical structures embedded in the bone and safely access the middle and inner ear. We propose to automate this portion of the surgery using a compact, bone-attached milling robot. A high level of accuracy is required to avoid damage to vital anatomy along the surgical path, most notably the facial nerve, making this procedure well-suited for robotic intervention. In this study, several of the design considerations are discussed and a robot design and prototype are presented. The prototype is a 4 degrees-of-freedom robot similar to a four-axis milling machine that mounts to the patient’s skull. A positioning frame, containing fiducial markers and attachment points for the robot, is rigidly attached to the skull of the patient, and a CT scan is acquired. The target bone volume is manually segmented in the CT by the surgeon and automatically converted to a milling path and robot trajectory. The robot is then attached to the positioning frame and is used to drill the desired volume. The accuracy of the entire system (image processing, planning, robot) was evaluated at several critical locations within or near the target bone volume with a mean free space accuracy result of 0.50 mm or less at all points. A milling test in a phantom material was then performed to evaluate the surgical workflow. The resulting milled volume did not violate any critical structures. PMID:25477726

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khomkin, A. L., E-mail: alhomkin@mail.ru; Shumikhin, A. S.

The conductivity of metal vapors at the critical point and near it has been considered. The liquid-metal conductivity originates in this region. The thermodynamic parameters of the critical point, the density of conduction electrons, and the conductivities of various metal vapors have been calculated within the unified approach. It has been proposed to consider the conductivity at the critical point—critical conductivity—as the fourth critical parameter in addition to the density, temperature, and pressure.

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test-3 and 4: Critical Point

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weitz, David A.; Lu, Peter J.

2007-01-01

Binary Colloidal Alloy Test - 3 and 4: Critical Point (BCAT-3-4-CP) will determine phase separation rates and add needed points to the phase diagram of a model critical fluid system. Crewmembers photograph samples of polymer and colloidal particles (tiny nanoscale spheres suspended in liquid) that model liquid/gas phase changes. Results will help scientists develop fundamental physics concepts previously cloaked by the effects of gravity.

Exact renormalization group equation for the Lifshitz critical point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bervillier, C.

2004-10-01

An exact renormalization equation (ERGE) accounting for an anisotropic scaling is derived. The critical and tricritical Lifshitz points are then studied at leading order of the derivative expansion which is shown to involve two differential equations. The resulting estimates of the Lifshitz critical exponents compare well with the O(ε) calculations. In the case of the Lifshitz tricritical point, it is shown that a marginally relevant coupling defies the perturbative approach since it actually makes the fixed point referred to in the previous perturbative calculations O(ε) finally unstable.

Davies Critical Point and Tunneling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La, Hoseong

2012-04-01

From the point of view of tunneling, the physical meaning of the Davies critical point of a second-order phase transition in the black hole thermodynamics is clarified. At the critical point, the nonthermal contribution vanishes so that the black hole radiation is entirely thermal. It separates two phases: one with radiation enhanced by the nonthermal contribution, the other suppressed by the nonthermal contribution. We show this in both charged and rotating black holes. The phase transition is also analyzed in the cases in which emissions of charges and angular momenta are incorporated.

Noise and Sonic Boom Impact Technology. BOOMAP2 Computer Program for Sonic Boom Research. Volume 3. Program Maintenance Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

the spline coefficients are calculated. 2.2.3.3 GETSEG GETSEG divides the flight into segments where the points are above the critical Mach number. The...first two and the last two points of a segment can be below critical , which is done in order to improve the spline interpolation. There can also be...subcritical points in the track; however, there can be at most only 5.5 seconds between critical points. If there is a 4.5 4 second gap between data

The E(2) symmetry and quantum phase transition in the two-dimensional limit of the vibron model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yu; Pan, Feng; Liu, Yu-Xin; Draayer, J. P.

2010-11-01

We study in detail the relation between the two-dimensional Euclidean dynamical E(2) symmetry and the quantum phase transition in the two-dimensional limit of the vibron model, called the U(3) vibron model. Both geometric and algebraic descriptions of the U(3) vibron model show that structures of low-lying states at the critical point of the model with a quartic potential as its classical limit can be approximately described by the E(2) symmetry. We also fit the finite-size scaling exponent of the energy levels and E1 transition rates in the F(2) model, which is exactly the E(2) model but with truncation in its Hilbert subspace, as well as those at the critical point in the U(3) vibron model. The N-scaling power law around the critical point shows that the E(2) symmetry is well preserved even for cases with finite number of bosons. In addition, two kinds of experimentally accessible effective order parameters, such as the energy ratios E_{2_1}/E_{1_1}, E_{3_1}/E_{1_1} and E1 transition ratios \\frac{B(E1;2_1\\rightarrow 1_1)}{B(E1;1_1\\rightarrow 0_1)}, \\frac{B(E1;0_2\\rightarrow 1_1)}{B(E1;1_1\\rightarrow 0_1)}, are proposed to identify the second-order phase transition in such systems. Possible empirical examples exhibiting approximate E(2) symmetry are also presented.

Structure of frequency-interacting RNA helicase from Neurospora crassa reveals high flexibility in a domain critical for circadian rhythm and RNA surveillance.

PubMed

Morales, Yalemi; Olsen, Keith J; Bulcher, Jacqueline M; Johnson, Sean J

2018-01-01

The FRH (frequency-interacting RNA helicase) protein is the Neurospora crassa homolog of yeast Mtr4, an essential RNA helicase that plays a central role in RNA metabolism as an activator of the nuclear RNA exosome. FRH is also a required component of the circadian clock, mediating protein interactions that result in the rhythmic repression of gene expression. Here we show that FRH unwinds RNA substrates in vitro with a kinetic profile similar to Mtr4, indicating that while FRH has acquired additional functionality, its core helicase function remains intact. In contrast with the earlier FRH structures, a new crystal form of FRH results in an ATP binding site that is undisturbed by crystal contacts and adopts a conformation consistent with nucleotide binding and hydrolysis. Strikingly, this new FRH structure adopts an arch domain conformation that is dramatically altered from previous structures. Comparison of the existing FRH structures reveals conserved hinge points that appear to facilitate arch motion. Regions in the arch have been previously shown to mediate a variety of protein-protein interactions critical for RNA surveillance and circadian clock functions. The conformational changes highlighted in the FRH structures provide a platform for investigating the relationship between arch dynamics and Mtr4/FRH function.

Order parameter fluctuations at a buried quantum critical point

PubMed Central

Feng, Yejun; Wang, Jiyang; Jaramillo, R.; van Wezel, Jasper; Haravifard, S.; Srajer, G.; Liu, Y.; Xu, Z.-A.; Littlewood, P. B.; Rosenbaum, T. F.

2012-01-01

Quantum criticality is a central concept in condensed matter physics, but the direct observation of quantum critical fluctuations has remained elusive. Here we present an X-ray diffraction study of the charge density wave (CDW) in 2H-NbSe2 at high pressure and low temperature, where we observe a broad regime of order parameter fluctuations that are controlled by proximity to a quantum critical point. X-rays can track the CDW despite the fact that the quantum critical regime is shrouded inside a superconducting phase; and in contrast to transport probes, allow direct measurement of the critical fluctuations of the charge order. Concurrent measurements of the crystal lattice point to a critical transition that is continuous in nature. Our results confirm the long-standing expectations of enhanced quantum fluctuations in low-dimensional systems, and may help to constrain theories of the quantum critical Fermi surface. PMID:22529348

Tipping Points in Resource Abundance Drive Irreversible Changes in Community Structure.

PubMed

Haney, Seth D; Siepielski, Adam M

2018-05-01

Global climate change has made what were seemingly extraordinary environmental conditions, such as prolonged droughts, commonplace. One consequence of extreme environmental change is concomitant changes in resource abundance. How will such extreme resource changes impact biodiversity? We developed a trait-based consumer-resource model to examine how resource abundance affects the potential for adaptive evolution and coexistence among competitors. We found that moderate changes in resource abundance have little effect on trait evolution. However, when resource scarcities were sufficiently extreme, a critical transition-a tipping point-occurred, which caused consumer traits to diverge and restructured the community in a way that outlasted the scarcity. Therefore, even though traits can evolve in response to minor resource fluctuations, large environmental shifts may be necessary for producing long-lasting impacts on community structure. These results may also help to illuminate patterns of stasis frequently observed in nature, despite the considerable evidence demonstrating rapid evolutionary change.

Assessing criticality in seismicity by entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goltz, C.

2003-04-01

There is an ongoing discussion whether the Earth's crust is in a critical state and whether this state is permanent or intermittent. Intermittent criticality would allow specification of time-dependent hazard in principle. Analysis of a spatio-temporally evolving synthetic critical point phenomenon and of real seismicity using configurational entropy shows that the method is a suitable approach for the characterisation of critical point dynamics. Results obtained rather support the notion of intermittent criticality in earthquakes. Statistical significance of the findings is assessed by the method of surrogate data.

Model for a Ferromagnetic Quantum Critical Point in a 1D Kondo Lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komijani, Yashar; Coleman, Piers

2018-04-01

Motivated by recent experiments, we study a quasi-one-dimensional model of a Kondo lattice with ferromagnetic coupling between the spins. Using bosonization and dynamical large-N techniques, we establish the presence of a Fermi liquid and a magnetic phase separated by a local quantum critical point, governed by the Kondo breakdown picture. Thermodynamic properties are studied and a gapless charged mode at the quantum critical point is highlighted.

Frequency-independent approach to calculate physical optics radiations with the quadratic concave phase variations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Yu Mao, E-mail: yumaowu@fudan.edu.cn; Teng, Si Jia, E-mail: sjteng12@fudan.edu.cn

In this work, we develop the numerical steepest descent path (NSDP) method to calculate the physical optics (PO) radiations with the quadratic concave phase variations. With the surface integral equation method, the physical optics (PO) scattered fields are formulated and further reduced to the surface integrals. The high frequency physical critical points contributions, including the stationary phase points, the boundary resonance points and the vertex points are comprehensively studied via the proposed NSDP method. The key contributions of this work are twofold. One is that together with the PO integrals taking the quadratic parabolic and hyperbolic phase terms, this workmore » makes the NSDP theory be complete for treating the PO integrals with quadratic phase variations. Another is that, in order to illustrate the transition effect of the high frequency physical critical points, in this work, we consider and further extend the NSDP method to calculate the PO integrals with the coalescence of the high frequency critical points. Numerical results for the highly oscillatory PO integral with the coalescence of the critical points are given to verify the efficiency of the proposed NSDP method. The NSDP method could achieve the frequency independent computational workload and error controllable accuracy in all the numerical experiments, especially for the case of the coalescence of the high frequency critical points.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Urbic, Tomaz, E-mail: tomaz.urbic@fkkt.uni-lj.si; Dias, Cristiano L.

The thermodynamic and structural properties of the planar soft-sites dumbbell fluid are examined by Monte Carlo simulations and integral equation theory. The dimers are built of two Lennard-Jones segments. Site-site integral equation theory in two dimensions is used to calculate the site-site radial distribution functions for a range of elongations and densities and the results are compared with Monte Carlo simulations. The critical parameters for selected types of dimers were also estimated. We analyze the influence of the bond length on critical point as well as tested correctness of site-site integral equation theory with different closures. The integral equations canmore » be used to predict the phase diagram of dimers whose molecular parameters are known.« less

Age-Related Differences in Associative Learning of Landmarks and Heading Directions in a Virtual Navigation Task.

PubMed

Zhong, Jimmy Y; Moffat, Scott D

2016-01-01

Previous studies have showed that spatial memory declines with age but have not clarified the relevance of different landmark cues for specifying heading directions among different age groups. This study examined differences between younger, middle-aged and older adults in route learning and memory tasks after they navigated a virtual maze that contained: (a) critical landmarks that were located at decision points (i.e., intersections) and (b) non-critical landmarks that were located at non-decision points (i.e., the sides of the route). Participants were given a recognition memory test for critical and non-critical landmarks and also given a landmark-direction associative learning task. Compared to younger adults, older adults committed more navigation errors during route learning and were poorer at associating the correct heading directions with both critical and non-critical landmarks. Notably, older adults exhibited a landmark-direction associative memory deficit at decision points; this was the first finding to show that an associative memory deficit exist among older adults in a navigational context for landmarks that are pertinent for reaching a goal, and suggest that older adults may expend more cognitive resources on the encoding of landmark/object features than on the binding of landmark and directional information. This study is also the first to show that older adults did not have a tendency to process non-critical landmarks, which were regarded as distractors/irrelevant cues for specifying the directions to reach the goal, to an equivalent or larger extent than younger adults. We explain this finding in view of the low number of non-critical cues in our virtual maze (relative to a real-world urban environment) that might not have evoked older adults' usual tendency toward processing or encoding distractors. We explain the age differences in navigational and cognitive performance with regards to functional and structural changes in the hippocampus and parahippocampus, and recommend further investigations into the functional connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus for a better understanding of the landmark-direction associative learning among the elderly. Finally, it is hoped that the current behavioral findings will facilitate efforts to identify the neural markers of Alzheimer's disease, a disease that commonly involves navigational deficits.

Carbon cycling at the tipping point: Does ecosystem structure predict resistance to disturbance?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gough, C. M.; Bond-Lamberty, B. P.; Stuart-Haentjens, E.; Atkins, J.; Haber, L.; Fahey, R. T.

2017-12-01

Ecosystems worldwide are subjected to disturbances that reshape their physical and biological structure and modify biogeochemical processes, including carbon storage and cycling rates. Disturbances, including those from insect pests, pathogens, and extreme weather, span a continuum of severity and, accordingly, may have different effects on carbon cycling processes. Some ecosystems resist biogeochemical changes following disturbance, until a critical threshold of severity is exceeded. The ecosystem properties underlying such functional resistance, and signifying when a tipping point will occur, however, are almost entirely unknown. Here, we present observational and experimental results from forests in the Great Lakes region, showing ecosystem structure is closely coupled with carbon cycling responses to disturbance, with shifts in structure predicting thresholds of and, in some cases, increases in carbon storage. We find, among forests in the region, that carbon storage regularly exhibits a non-linear threshold response to increasing disturbance levels, but the severity at which a threshold is reached varies among disturbed forests. More biologically and structurally complex forest ecosystems sometimes exhibit greater functional resistance than simpler forests, and consequently may have a higher disturbance severity threshold. Counter to model predictions but consistent with some theoretical frameworks, empirical data show moderate levels of disturbance may increase ecosystem complexity to a point, thereby increasing rates of carbon storage. Disturbances that increase complexity therefore may stimulate carbon storage, while severe disturbances at or beyond thresholds may simplify structure, leading to carbon storage declines. We conclude that ecosystem structural attributes are closely coupled with biogeochemical thresholds across disturbance severity gradients, suggesting that improved predictions of disturbance-related changes in the carbon cycle require better representation of ecosystem structure in models.

Defect production in nonlinear quench across a quantum critical point.

PubMed

Sen, Diptiman; Sengupta, K; Mondal, Shreyoshi

2008-07-04

We show that the defect density n, for a slow nonlinear power-law quench with a rate tau(-1) and an exponent alpha>0, which takes the system through a critical point characterized by correlation length and dynamical critical exponents nu and z, scales as n approximately tau(-alphanud/(alphaznu+1)) [n approximately (alphag((alpha-1)/alpha)/tau)(nud/(znu+1))] if the quench takes the system across the critical point at time t=0 [t=t(0) not = 0], where g is a nonuniversal constant and d is the system dimension. These scaling laws constitute the first theoretical results for defect production in nonlinear quenches across quantum critical points and reproduce their well-known counterpart for a linear quench (alpha=1) as a special case. We supplement our results with numerical studies of well-known models and suggest experiments to test our theory.

Coherent-Anomaly Method in Critical Phenomena. III.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xiao; Katori, Makoto; Suzuki, Masuo

Two kinds of systematic mean-field transfer-matrix methods are formulated in the 2-dimensional Ising spin system, by introducing Weiss-like and Bethe-like approximations. All the critical exponents as well as the true critical point can be estimated in these methods following the CAM procedure. The numerical results of the above system are Tc* = 2.271 (J/kB), γ=γ' ≃ 1.749, β≃0.131 and δ ≃ 15.1. The specific heat is confirmed to be continuous and to have a logarithmic divergence at the true critical point, i.e., α=α'=0. Thus, the finite-degree-of-approximation scaling ansatz is shown to be correct and very powerful in practical estimations of the critical exponents as well as the true critical point.

Criticality in a non-equilibrium, driven system: charged colloidal rods (fd-viruses) in electric fields.

PubMed

Kang, K; Dhont, J K G

2009-11-01

Experiments on suspensions of charged colloidal rods (fd-virus particles) in external electric fields are performed, which show that a non-equilibrium critical point can be identified. Several transition lines of field-induced phases and states meet at this point and it is shown that there is a length- and time-scale which diverge at the non-equilibrium critical point. The off-critical and critical behavior is characterized, with both power law and logarithmic divergencies. These experiments show that analogous features of the classical, critical divergence of correlation lengths and relaxation times in equilibrium systems are also exhibited by driven systems that are far out of equilibrium, related to phases/states that do not exist in the absence of the external field.

Dynamics of Photoexcitation and Photocatalysis at Nanostructured Carbon Interfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-07-14

nanotubes with a sacrificial polymer and eliminating the polymer using a critical point drying process. This process creates aerogel structures that...Bindl DJ, Jacobberger RM, Wu M-Y, Singha Roy S, Arnold MS, Semiconducting Carbon Nanotube Aerogel Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells, Small 10 (16), pp...ACS Nano 2015, 9 (1), 564-572. Ye Y, Bindl DJ, Jacobberger RM, Wu M-Y, Singha Roy S, Arnold MS, Semiconducting Carbon Nanotube Aerogel Bulk

Synthesis of a new hardener agent for self-healing epoxy resins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raimondo, Marialuigia; Guadagno, Liberata; Naddeo, Carlo; Longo, Pasquale; Mariconda, Annaluisa; Agovino, Anna

2014-05-01

Actually, the development of smart composites capable of self-repair in aeronautical structures is still at the planning stage owing to complex issues to overcome. One of the critical points in the development of self-healing epoxy resin is related to the impossibility to employ primary amines as hardeners. In this paper, the synthesis of a new hardener for self-healing resins is shown together with applicability conditions/ranges.

Investigation of the Fracture Behavior of Scaled HY-130 Weldments

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

RESULTS OF EPFM ANALYSIS OF TFREE-POINT BEND SPECIMENS OF DIFFERENT SIZES ........... D-48 xi NAVSWC TR 90-360 TABLES 1 RESULTS OF DYNAMIC FRACTURE...characterize the critical loading needed to cause fracture of the welded joint. An example of such a measure of severity applicable to structures with...weldments. Application of the approach to two titanium alloys and the results of that hwvestigation will be presented in another report. The next four

Recent work on gaseous detonations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nettleton, M. A.

The paper reviews recent progress in the field of gaseous detonations, with sections on shock diffraction and reflection, the transition to detonation, hybrid, spherically-imploding, and galloping and stuttering fronts, their structure, their transmission and quenching by additives, the critical energy for initiation and detonation of more unusual fuels. The final section points out areas where our understanding is still far from being complete and contains some suggestions of ways in which progress might be made.

Energy of the quasi-free electron in supercritical krypton near the critical point.

PubMed

Li, Luxi; Evans, C M; Findley, G L

2005-12-01

Field ionization measurements of high-n CH(3)I and C(2)H(5)I Rydberg states doped into krypton are presented as a function of krypton number density along the critical isotherm. These data exhibit a decrease in the krypton-induced shift of the dopant ionization energy near the critical point. This change in shift is modeled to within +/-0.2% of experiment using a theory that accounts for the polarization of krypton by the dopant ion, the polarization of krypton by the quasi-free electron that arises from field ionization of the dopant, and the zero point kinetic energy of the free electron. The overall decrease in the shift of the dopant ionization energy near the critical point of krypton, which is a factor of 2 larger than that observed in argon, is dominated by the increase in the zero point kinetic energy of the quasi-free electron.

Pressure-composition relations for coexisting gases and liquids and the critical points in the system NaCl-H2O at 450, 475, and 500°C

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosenbauer, Robert J.; Bischoff, James L.

1987-01-01

Pressure-temperature-composition (P, T, x) relations for the co-existing vapor and liquid phases in the system NaCl-H2O were determined experimentally at 450, 475, and 500°C. Data for each isotherm includeP-x relations near the critical point and extend to the three-phase assemblage vapor-liquid-halite on the vapor side. On the liquid side the P-x data range from the critical point to the room-temperature halite saturation point (~25 wt.% NaCl). Critical pressures were calculated from measured pressures and compositions and classical theory. The results generally support the few data points of Urusova (1974, 1975) and Ölander and Liander (1950) but differ markedly from the extensive data of Sourirajan andKennedy (1962).

Assessment of variability in the hydrological cycle of the Loess Plateau, China: examining dependence structures of hydrological processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, A.; Wang, Y.

2017-12-01

Investigating variability in dependence structures of hydrological processes is of critical importance for developing an understanding of mechanisms of hydrological cycles in changing environments. In focusing on this topic, present work involves the following: (1) identifying and eliminating serial correlation and conditional heteroscedasticity in monthly streamflow (Q), precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration (PE) series using the ARMA-GARCH model (ARMA: autoregressive moving average; GARCH: generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity); (2) describing dependence structures of hydrological processes using partial copula coupled with the ARMA-GARCH model and identifying their variability via copula-based likelihood-ratio test method; and (3) determining conditional probability of annual Q under different climate scenarios on account of above results. This framework enables us to depict hydrological variables in the presence of conditional heteroscedasticity and to examine dependence structures of hydrological processes while excluding the influence of covariates by using partial copula-based ARMA-GARCH model. Eight major catchments across the Loess Plateau (LP) are used as study regions. Results indicate that (1) The occurrence of change points in dependence structures of Q and P (PE) varies across the LP. Change points of P-PE dependence structures in all regions almost fully correspond to the initiation of global warming, i.e., the early 1980s. (3) Conditional probabilities of annual Q under various P and PE scenarios are estimated from the 3-dimensional joint distribution of (Q, P and PE) based on the above change points. These findings shed light on mechanisms of the hydrological cycle and can guide water supply planning and management, particularly in changing environments.

High-temperature structural phase transitions in neighborite: a high-resolution neutron powder diffraction investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knight, Kevin S.; Price, G. David; Stuart, John A.; Wood, Ian G.

2015-01-01

The nature of the apparently continuous structural phase transition at 1,049 K in the perovskite-structured, MgSiO3 isomorph, neighborite (NaMgF3), from the orthorhombic ( Pbnm) hettotype phase to the cubic () aristotype structure, has been re-investigated using high-resolution, time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction. Using data collected at 1 K intervals close to the nominal phase transition temperature, the temperature dependence of the intensities of superlattice reflections at the M point and the R point of the pseudocubic Brillouin zone indicate the existence of a new intermediate tetragonal phase in space group P4/ mbm, with a narrow phase field extending from ~1,046.5 to ~1,048.5 K, at ambient pressure. Group theoretical analysis shows that the structural transitions identified in this study, Pbnm- P4/ mbm, and P4/ mbm-, are permitted to be second order. The observation of the tetragonal phase resolves the longstanding issue of why the high-temperature phase transition, previously identified as Pbnm-, and which would be expected to be first order under Landau theory, is in fact found to be continuous. Analysis of the pseudocubic shear strain shows it to vary with a critical exponent of 0.5 implying that the phase transition from Pbnm to P4/ mbm is tricritical in character. The large librational modes that exist in the MgF6 octahedron at high temperature, and the use of Gaussian probability density functions to describe atomic displacements, result in apparent bond shortening in the Mg-F distances, making mode amplitude determination an unreliable method for determination of the critical exponent from internal coordinates. Crystal structures are reported for the three phases of NaMgF3 at 1,033 K ( Pbnm), 1,047 K ( P4/ mbm) and 1,049 K ().

On the convergence and accuracy of the FDTD method for nanoplasmonics.

PubMed

Lesina, Antonino Calà; Vaccari, Alessandro; Berini, Pierre; Ramunno, Lora

2015-04-20

Use of the Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) method to model nanoplasmonic structures continues to rise - more than 2700 papers have been published in 2014 on FDTD simulations of surface plasmons. However, a comprehensive study on the convergence and accuracy of the method for nanoplasmonic structures has yet to be reported. Although the method may be well-established in other areas of electromagnetics, the peculiarities of nanoplasmonic problems are such that a targeted study on convergence and accuracy is required. The availability of a high-performance computing system (a massively parallel IBM Blue Gene/Q) allows us to do this for the first time. We consider gold and silver at optical wavelengths along with three "standard" nanoplasmonic structures: a metal sphere, a metal dipole antenna and a metal bowtie antenna - for the first structure comparisons with the analytical extinction, scattering, and absorption coefficients based on Mie theory are possible. We consider different ways to set-up the simulation domain, we vary the mesh size to very small dimensions, we compare the simple Drude model with the Drude model augmented with two critical points correction, we compare single-precision to double-precision arithmetic, and we compare two staircase meshing techniques, per-component and uniform. We find that the Drude model with two critical points correction (at least) must be used in general. Double-precision arithmetic is needed to avoid round-off errors if highly converged results are sought. Per-component meshing increases the accuracy when complex geometries are modeled, but the uniform mesh works better for structures completely fillable by the Yee cell (e.g., rectangular structures). Generally, a mesh size of 0.25 nm is required to achieve convergence of results to ∼ 1%. We determine how to optimally setup the simulation domain, and in so doing we find that performing scattering calculations within the near-field does not necessarily produces large errors but reduces the computational resources required.

UAV-based urban structural damage assessment using object-based image analysis and semantic reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez Galarreta, J.; Kerle, N.; Gerke, M.

2015-06-01

Structural damage assessment is critical after disasters but remains a challenge. Many studies have explored the potential of remote sensing data, but limitations of vertical data persist. Oblique imagery has been identified as more useful, though the multi-angle imagery also adds a new dimension of complexity. This paper addresses damage assessment based on multi-perspective, overlapping, very high resolution oblique images obtained with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). 3-D point-cloud assessment for the entire building is combined with detailed object-based image analysis (OBIA) of façades and roofs. This research focuses not on automatic damage assessment, but on creating a methodology that supports the often ambiguous classification of intermediate damage levels, aiming at producing comprehensive per-building damage scores. We identify completely damaged structures in the 3-D point cloud, and for all other cases provide the OBIA-based damage indicators to be used as auxiliary information by damage analysts. The results demonstrate the usability of the 3-D point-cloud data to identify major damage features. Also the UAV-derived and OBIA-processed oblique images are shown to be a suitable basis for the identification of detailed damage features on façades and roofs. Finally, we also demonstrate the possibility of aggregating the multi-perspective damage information at building level.

Observation of surface layering in a nonmetallic liquid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Haiding; Evmenenko, Guennadi; Kewalramani, Sumit; Kim, Kyungil; Dutta, Pulak; Ehrlich, Steven

2006-03-01

Non-monotonic density profiles (layers) have previously been observed at the free surfaces of many metallic liquids, but not in isotropic dielectric liquids. Whether the presence of an electron gas is necessary for surface layering has been the subject of debate. Until recently, MD simulations have suggested that layering at free liquid interface may be a generic phenomenon and is not limited to the metallic liquids^1. The theories predict that if normal liquids can be cooled down to temperatures low enough, layering structure should be observed experimentally. However, this is difficult for most molecular liquids because these liquids freeze well above the temperature necessary for observing the layering structure. By studying the surface structure of liquid TEHOS (tetrakis(2-ethylhexoxy)silane), which combines relatively low freezing point and high boiling point compared to that of most molecular liquids, we have observed the evidence of layering at the free interface of liquid TEHOS using x-ray reflectivity. When cooled to T/Tc 0.25 (well above the bulk freezing point, Tc is the critical temperature of TEHOS), the surface roughness drops sharply and density oscillations appear near the surface. Lateral ordering of the surface layers is liquid-like, just as at liquid metal surfaces. 1. E. Chac'on and P. Tarazona, Phys. Rev. Lett. 91 166103-1 (2003)

Review of indicators for cross-sectoral optimization of nosocomial infection prophylaxis – a perspective from structurally- and process-oriented hygiene

PubMed Central

Hübner, Nils-Olaf; Fleßa, Steffen; Jakisch, Ralf; Assadian, Ojan; Kramer, Axel

2012-01-01

In the care of patients, the prevention of nosocomial infections is crucial. For it to be successful, cross-sectoral, interface-oriented hygiene quality management is necessary. The goal is to apply the HACCP (Hazard Assessment and Critical Control Points) concept to hospital hygiene, in order to create a multi-dimensional hygiene control system based on hygiene indicators that will overcome the limitations of a procedurally non-integrated and non-cross-sectoral view of hygiene. Three critical risk dimensions can be identified for the implementation of three-dimensional quality control of hygiene in clinical routine: the constitution of the person concerned, the surrounding physical structures and technical equipment, and the medical procedures. In these dimensions, the establishment of indicators and threshold values enables a comprehensive assessment of hygiene quality. Thus, the cross-sectoral evaluation of the quality of structure, processes and results is decisive for the success of integrated infection prophylaxis. This study lays the foundation for hygiene indicator requirements and develops initial concepts for evaluating quality management in hygiene. PMID:22558049

Heat capacity anomaly in a self-aggregating system: Triblock copolymer 17R4 in water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dumancas, Lorenzo V.; Simpson, David E.; Jacobs, D. T.

2015-05-01

The reverse Pluronic, triblock copolymer 17R4 is formed from poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO): PPO14 - PEO24 - PPO14, where the number of monomers in each block is denoted by the subscripts. In water, 17R4 has a micellization line marking the transition from a unimer network to self-aggregated spherical micelles which is quite near a cloud point curve above which the system separates into copolymer-rich and copolymer-poor liquid phases. The phase separation has an Ising-like, lower consolute critical point with a well-determined critical temperature and composition. We have measured the heat capacity as a function of temperature using an adiabatic calorimeter for three compositions: (1) the critical composition where the anomaly at the critical point is analyzed, (2) a composition much less than the critical composition with a much smaller spike when the cloud point curve is crossed, and (3) a composition near where the micellization line intersects the cloud point curve that only shows micellization. For the critical composition, the heat capacity anomaly very near the critical point is observed for the first time in a Pluronic/water system and is described well as a second-order phase transition resulting from the copolymer-water interaction. For all compositions, the onset of micellization is clear, but the formation of micelles occurs over a broad range of temperatures and never becomes complete because micelles form differently in each phase above the cloud point curve. The integrated heat capacity gives an enthalpy that is smaller than the standard state enthalpy of micellization given by a van't Hoff plot, a typical result for Pluronic systems.

Structural peculiarities and Raman spectra of TeO{sub 2}/WO{sub 3}-based glasses: A fresh look at the problem

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mirgorodsky, Andreie; Colas, Maggy; Smirnov, Mikhael

2012-06-15

Ideas currently dominating the field of structural studies of TeO{sub 2}-based glasses are critically considered. A new physically and chemically consistent approach to the constitution of binary TeO{sub 2}-WO{sub 3} glasses is proposed, in which the reasoning coming from the Raman spectra reexamination are correlated with the basic principles of thermodynamics. Separation into two phases is suggested in such glasses. One phase is TeO{sub 2}, and another is Te(WO{sub 4}){sub 2} consisting of tetrahedral [WO{sub 4}]{sup 2-} anions and of Te{sup 4+} cations. Supplementary M{sub n}O{sub k} oxides added to the glasses are found incorporated in the former phase, thusmore » producing solid solutions (for M=Ti, Nb) or tellurite compounds (for M=Nd). - Graphical abstract: Raman scattering spectra of TeO{sub 2}-based glasses with the following compositions (mol%): (a) pure TeO{sub 2}, (b) 85TeO{sub 2}-15WO{sub 3}, (c) 80TeO{sub 2}-15WO{sub 3}-5TiO{sub 2} ,(d) 80TeO{sub 2}-10WO{sub 3}-5TiO{sub 2}-5Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}, (e) 80TeO{sub 2}-12WO{sub 3}-5TiO{sub 2}-3 Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3}, (f) 80TeO{sub 2}-10WO{sub 3}-5TiO{sub 2}-5Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Structural studies of TeO{sub 2}-WO{sub 3} glasses are critically considered. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The oxide glass formation is analyzed from Raman spectra and thermodynamic principles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Separation into two phases, TeO{sub 2} and Te(WO{sub 4}){sub 2}, is intrinsic in such glasses. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer TiO{sub 2} or Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} addition to TeO{sub 2}-WO{sub 3} glasses leads to produce solid solutions. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nd{sub 2}O{sub 3} addition to TeO{sub 2}-WO{sub 3} glasses leads to produce a tellurite compound.« less

Measuring neuronal avalanches in disordered systems with absorbing states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girardi-Schappo, M.; Tragtenberg, M. H. R.

2018-04-01

Power-law-shaped avalanche-size distributions are widely used to probe for critical behavior in many different systems, particularly in neural networks. The definition of avalanche is ambiguous. Usually, theoretical avalanches are defined as the activity between a stimulus and the relaxation to an inactive absorbing state. On the other hand, experimental neuronal avalanches are defined by the activity between consecutive silent states. We claim that the latter definition may be extended to some theoretical models to characterize their power-law avalanches and critical behavior. We study a system in which the separation of driving and relaxation time scales emerges from its structure. We apply both definitions of avalanche to our model. Both yield power-law-distributed avalanches that scale with system size in the critical point as expected. Nevertheless, we find restricted power-law-distributed avalanches outside of the critical region within the experimental procedure, which is not expected by the standard theoretical definition. We remark that these results are dependent on the model details.

Inherently unstable networks collapse to a critical point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheinman, M.; Sharma, A.; Alvarado, J.; Koenderink, G. H.; MacKintosh, F. C.

2015-07-01

Nonequilibrium systems that are driven or drive themselves towards a critical point have been studied for almost three decades. Here we present a minimalist example of such a system, motivated by experiments on collapsing active elastic networks. Our model of an unstable elastic network exhibits a collapse towards a critical point from any macroscopically connected initial configuration. Taking into account steric interactions within the network, the model qualitatively and quantitatively reproduces results of the experiments on collapsing active gels.

Critical behavior in the system cyclopentanone + water + secondary butyl alcohol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krishna, U. Santhi; Unni, P. K. Madhavan

2018-05-01

We report detailed measurements of coexistence surface in the ternary system cylcopentanone + water + secondary butyl alcohol. The coexistence surface is seen to have an unusual tunnel like feature and is a potential system in which special critical points such as the Quadruple Critical Point (QCP) could be studied. Analysis of coexistence curves indicates that the system shows 3D-Ising like critical behavior.

Pseudo-critical point in anomalous phase diagrams of simple plasma models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chigvintsev, A. Yu; Iosilevskiy, I. L.; Noginova, L. Yu

2016-11-01

Anomalous phase diagrams in subclass of simplified (“non-associative”) Coulomb models is under discussion. The common feature of this subclass is absence on definition of individual correlations for charges of opposite sign. It is e.g. modified OCP of ions on uniformly compressible background of ideal Fermi-gas of electrons OCP(∼), or a superposition of two non-ideal OCP(∼) models of ions and electrons etc. In contrast to the ordinary OCP model on non-compressible (“rigid”) background OCP(#) two new phase transitions with upper critical point, boiling and sublimation, appear in OCP(∼) phase diagram in addition to the well-known Wigner crystallization. The point is that the topology of phase diagram in OCP(∼) becomes anomalous at high enough value of ionic charge number Z. Namely, the only one unified crystal- fluid phase transition without critical point exists as continuous superposition of melting and sublimation in OCP(∼) at the interval (Z 1 < Z < Z 2). The most remarkable is appearance of pseudo-critical points at both boundary values Z = Z 1 ≈ 35.5 and Z = Z 2 ≈ 40.0. It should be stressed that critical isotherm is exactly cubic in both these pseudo-critical points. In this study we have improved our previous calculations and utilized more complicated model components equation of state provided by Chabrier and Potekhin (1998 Phys. Rev. E 58 4941).

Tuning critical failure with viscoelasticity: How aftershocks inhibit criticality in an analytical mean field model of fracture.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baro Urbea, J.; Davidsen, J.

2017-12-01

The hypothesis of critical failure relates the presence of an ultimate stability point in the structural constitutive equation of materials to a divergence of characteristic scales in the microscopic dynamics responsible of deformation. Avalanche models involving critical failure have determined universality classes in different systems: from slip events in crystalline and amorphous materials to the jamming of granular media or the fracture of brittle materials. However, not all empirical failure processes exhibit the trademarks of critical failure. As an example, the statistical properties of ultrasonic acoustic events recorded during the failure of porous brittle materials are stationary, except for variations in the activity rate that can be interpreted in terms of aftershock and foreshock activity (J. Baró et al., PRL 2013).The rheological properties of materials introduce dissipation, usually reproduced in atomistic models as a hardening of the coarse-grained elements of the system. If the hardening is associated to a relaxation process the same mechanism is able to generate temporal correlations. We report the analytic solution of a mean field fracture model exemplifying how criticality and temporal correlations are tuned by transient hardening. We provide a physical meaning to the conceptual model by deriving the constitutive equation from the explicit representation of the transient hardening in terms of a generalized viscoelasticity model. The rate of 'aftershocks' is controlled by the temporal evolution of the viscoelastic creep. At the quasistatic limit, the moment release is invariant to rheology. Therefore, the lack of criticality is explained by the increase of the activity rate close to failure, i.e. 'foreshocks'. Finally, the avalanche propagation can be reinterpreted as a pure mathematical problem in terms of a stochastic counting process. The statistical properties depend only on the distance to a critical point, which is universal for any parametrization of the transient hardening and a whole category of fracture models.

Critical behavior and microscopic structure of charged AdS black holes via an alternative phase space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dehyadegari, Amin; Sheykhi, Ahmad; Montakhab, Afshin

2017-05-01

It has been argued that charged Anti-de Sitter (AdS) black holes have similar thermodynamic behavior as the Van der Waals fluid system, provided one treats the cosmological constant as a thermodynamic variable (pressure) in an extended phase space. In this paper, we disclose the deep connection between charged AdS black holes and Van der Waals fluid system from an alternative point of view. We consider the mass of an AdS black hole as a function of square of the charge Q2 instead of the standard Q, i.e. M = M (S ,Q2 , P). We first justify such a change of view mathematically and then ask if a phase transition can occur as a function of Q2 for fixed P. Therefore, we write the equation of state as Q2 =Q2 (T , Ψ) where Ψ (conjugate of Q2) is the inverse of the specific volume, Ψ = 1 / v. This allows us to complete the analogy of charged AdS black holes with Van der Waals fluid system and derive the phase transition as well as critical exponents of the system. We identify a thermodynamic instability in this new picture with real analogy to Van der Waals fluid with physically relevant Maxwell construction. We therefore study the critical behavior of isotherms in Q2- Ψ diagram and deduce all the critical exponents of the system and determine that the system exhibits a small-large black hole phase transition at the critical point (Tc , Qc2 ,Ψc). This alternative view is important as one can imagine such a change for a given single black hole i.e. acquiring charge which induces the phase transition. Finally, we disclose the microscopic properties of charged AdS black holes by using thermodynamic geometry. Interestingly, we find that scalar curvature has a gap between small and large black holes, and this gap becomes exceedingly large as one moves away from the critical point along the transition line. Therefore, we are able to attribute the sudden enlargement of the black hole to the strong repulsive nature of the internal constituents at the phase transition.

Dosimetric equivalence of nonstandard HDR brachytherapy catheter patterns

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cunha, J. A. M.; Hsu, I-C.; Pouliot, J.

2009-01-15

Purpose: To determine whether alternative high dose rate prostate brachytherapy catheter patterns can result in similar or improved dose distributions while providing better access and reducing trauma. Materials and Methods: Standard prostate cancer high dose rate brachytherapy uses a regular grid of parallel needle positions to guide the catheter insertion. This geometry does not easily allow the physician to avoid piercing the critical structures near the penile bulb nor does it provide position flexibility in the case of pubic arch interference. This study used CT datasets with 3 mm slice spacing from ten previously treated patients and digitized new cathetersmore » following three hypothetical catheter patterns: conical, bi-conical, and fireworks. The conical patterns were used to accommodate a robotic delivery using a single entry point. The bi-conical and fireworks patterns were specifically designed to avoid the critical structures near the penile bulb. For each catheter distribution, a plan was optimized with the inverse planning algorithm, IPSA, and compared with the plan used for treatment. Irrelevant of catheter geometry, a plan must fulfill the RTOG-0321 dose criteria for target dose coverage (V{sub 100}{sup Prostate}>90%) and organ-at-risk dose sparing (V{sub 75}{sup Bladder}<1 cc, V{sub 75}{sup Rectum}<1 cc, V{sub 125}{sup Urethra}<<1 cc). Results: The three nonstandard catheter patterns used 16 nonparallel, straight divergent catheters, with entry points in the perineum. Thirty plans from ten patients with prostate sizes ranging from 26 to 89 cc were optimized. All nonstandard patterns fulfilled the RTOG criteria when the clinical plan did. In some cases, the dose distribution was improved by better sparing the organs-at-risk. Conclusion: Alternative catheter patterns can provide the physician with additional ways to treat patients previously considered unsuited for brachytherapy treatment (pubic arch interference) and facilitate robotic guidance of catheter insertion. In addition, alternative catheter patterns may decrease toxicity by avoidance of the critical structures near the penile bulb while still fulfilling the RTOG criteria.« less

Eight guidelines for developing a strategy for the '90s.

PubMed

Kaufman, N

1994-03-20

Regardless of the outcome of federal reform initiatives, health care is undergoing structural change of unprecedented magnitude. Structural change occurs when there is a fundamental, sustainable change in the values and purchasing behavior of buyers. During such times, market leaders are extremely vulnerable to competitive threats due to internal bureaucratic barriers. Witness the U.S. computer and automobile industries. As Robert Lutz, president of Chrysler, points out, "Being large doesn't mean being safe. The large won't eat the small. The swift will eat the slow." During this dynamic period in health care, it is critical that strategy be on target. Periods of structural change are filled with numerous threats as well as opportunities. The following are eight guidelines for developing health care strategy during the structural changes of the '90s.

Aerogel materials with periodic structures imprinted with cellulose nanocrystals.

PubMed

Xu, Yi-Tao; Dai, Yiling; Nguyen, Thanh-Dinh; Hamad, Wadood Y; MacLachlan, Mark J

2018-02-22

Novel aerogel materials with periodic structures derived from chiral nematic liquid crystalline cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are reported. The liquid crystalline structure of phase-separated CNCs is locked by a simple solvent exchange method or silica condensation. Both cellulose and silica/cellulose aerogel materials were obtained after critical point drying, and subsequent calcination of the silica/cellulose composite afforded a silica aerogel with periodic order. Gas adsorption and electron microscopy studies revealed that these materials have high surface areas and a unique chiral nematic structure imparted from the helicoidal CNC template. This is a new, scalable approach to aerogel materials with highly anisotropic structures. The high porosity and periodic, chiral features of these new materials may make them suitable for applications that require anisotropic properties or as hard templates for the construction of other ordered aerogels.

Physical, Structural and Operational Vulnerability of Critical Facilities in Valle de Chalco Solidaridad, Estado de Mexico, Mexico. Case of study: Avándaro, San Isidro and El Triunfo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia Payne, D. G.; Novelo-Casanova, D. A.; Ponce-Pacheco, A. B.; Espinosa-Campos, O.; Huerta-Parra, M.; Reyes-Pimentel, T.; Rodriguez, F.; Benitez-Olivares, I.

2010-12-01

Valle de Chalco Solidaridad is located in Mexico City Metropolitan Area in Estado de Mexico, Mexico. In this town there is a sewage canal called “La Compañía”. A wall of this canal collapsed on February 5, 2010 due to heavy rains creating the flooding of four surrounding communities. It is important to point out that this area is frequently exposed to floods. In this work, we consider a critical facility as an essential structure for performance, health care and welfare within a community or/and as a place that can be used as shelter in case of emergency or disaster. Global vulnerability (the sum of the three measured vulnerabilities) of the 25 critical facilities identified in the locations of Avándaro, San Isidro and El Triunfo was assessed using the Community Vulnerability Assessment Tool developed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). For each critical facility we determined its operational, structural and physical vulnerabilities. For our analysis, we considered the four main natural hazards to which Valle de Chalco is exposed: earthquakes, floods, landslides and sinking. We considered five levels of vulnerability using a scale from 1 to 5, where values range from very low to very high vulnerability, respectively. A critical facilities database was generated by collecting general information for three categories: schools, government and church. Each facility was evaluated considering its location in relation to identified high-risk areas. Our results indicate that in average, the global vulnerability of all facilities is low, however, there are particular cases in which this global vulnerability is high. The average operational vulnerability of the three communities is moderate. The global structural vulnerability (sum of the structural vulnerability for the four analyzed hazards) is moderate. In particular, the structural vulnerability to earthquakes is low, to landslides is very low, to flooding is moderate and to sinking is low. Due to the location of the critical facilities, its global physical vulnerability (sum of the physical vulnerability to the four analyzed hazards) is moderate. Only three facilities have very high physical vulnerability to floods. Churches (six facilities) have the highest operational vulnerability, whereas its structural vulnerability is the lowest. Schools (13 facilities) have the lowest operational vulnerability, nevertheless, there are two schools with very high vulnerability. Regarding the six government facilities, we identified that their structural vulnerability range from moderate to high. As a result of this work, we believe in the importance of strengthening the culture of civil protection within the critical facilities of the communities of Valle de Chalco.

How Mathematics Describes Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teklu, Abraham

2017-01-01

The circle of life is something we have all heard of from somewhere, but we don't usually try to calculate it. For some time we have been working on analyzing a predator-prey model to better understand how mathematics can describe life, in particular the interaction between two different species. The model we are analyzing is called the Holling-Tanner model, and it cannot be solved analytically. The Holling-Tanner model is a very common model in population dynamics because it is a simple descriptor of how predators and prey interact. The model is a system of two differential equations. The model is not specific to any particular set of species and so it can describe predator-prey species ranging from lions and zebras to white blood cells and infections. One thing all these systems have in common are critical points. A critical point is a value for both populations that keeps both populations constant. It is important because at this point the differential equations are equal to zero. For this model there are two critical points, a predator free critical point and a coexistence critical point. Most of the analysis we did is on the coexistence critical point because the predator free critical point is always unstable and frankly less interesting than the coexistence critical point. What we did is consider two regimes for the differential equations, large B and small B. B, A, and C are parameters in the differential equations that control the system where B measures how responsive the predators are to change in the population, A represents predation of the prey, and C represents the satiation point of the prey population. For the large B case we were able to approximate the system of differential equations by a single scalar equation. For the small B case we were able to predict the limit cycle. The limit cycle is a process of the predator and prey populations growing and shrinking periodically. This model has a limit cycle in the regime of small B, that we solved for numerically. With some assumptions to reduce the differential equations we were able to create a system of equations and unknowns to predict the behavior of the limit cycle for small B.

One-norm geometric quantum discord and critical point estimation in the XY spin chain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cheng, Chang-Cheng; Wang, Yao; Guo, Jin-Liang, E-mail: guojinliang80@163.com

2016-11-15

In contrast with entanglement and quantum discord (QD), we investigate the thermal quantum correlation in terms of Schatten one-norm geometric quantum discord (GQD) in the XY spin chain, and analyze their capabilities in detecting the critical point of quantum phase transition. We show that the one-norm GQD can reveal more properties about quantum correlation between two spins, especially for the long-range quantum correlation at finite temperature. Under the influences of site distance, anisotropy and temperature, one-norm GQD and its first derivative make it possible to detect the critical point efficiently for a general XY spin chain. - Highlights: • Comparingmore » with entanglement and QD, one-norm GQD is more robust versus the temperature. • One-norm GQD is more efficient in characterization of long-range quantum correlation between two distant qubits. • One-norm GQD performs well in highlighting the critical point of QPT at zero or low finite temperature. • One-norm GQD has a number of advantages over QD in detecting the critical point of the spin chain.« less

Critical fluid light scattering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gammon, Robert W.

1988-01-01

The objective is to measure the decay rates of critical density fluctuations in a simple fluid (xenon) very near its liquid-vapor critical point using laser light scattering and photon correlation spectroscopy. Such experiments were severely limited on Earth by the presence of gravity which causes large density gradients in the sample when the compressibility diverges approaching the critical point. The goal is to measure fluctuation decay rates at least two decades closer to the critical point than is possible on earth, with a resolution of 3 microK. This will require loading the sample to 0.1 percent of the critical density and taking data as close as 100 microK to the critical temperature. The minimum mission time of 100 hours will allow a complete range of temperature points to be covered, limited by the thermal response of the sample. Other technical problems have to be addressed such as multiple scattering and the effect of wetting layers. The experiment entails measurement of the scattering intensity fluctuation decay rate at two angles for each temperature and simultaneously recording the scattering intensities and sample turbidity (from the transmission). The analyzed intensity and turbidity data gives the correlation length at each temperature and locates the critical temperature. The fluctuation decay rate data from these measurements will provide a severe test of the generalized hydrodynamic theories of transport coefficients in the critical regions. When compared to equivalent data from binary liquid critical mixtures they will test the universality of critical dynamics.

Mott metal-insulator transition on compressible lattices.

PubMed

Zacharias, Mario; Bartosch, Lorenz; Garst, Markus

2012-10-26

The critical properties of the finite temperature Mott end point are drastically altered by a coupling to crystal elasticity, i.e., whenever it is amenable to pressure tuning. Similar as for critical piezoelectric ferroelectrics, the Ising criticality of the electronic system is preempted by an isostructural instability, and long-range shear forces suppress microscopic fluctuations. As a result, the end point is governed by Landau criticality. Its hallmark is, thus, a breakdown of Hooke's law of elasticity with a nonlinear strain-stress relation characterized by a mean-field exponent. Based on a quantitative estimate, we predict critical elasticity to dominate the temperature range ΔT*/T(c)≃8%, close to the Mott end point of κ-(BEDT-TTF)(2)X.

Theoretical Analysis of Thermodynamic Measurements near a Liquid-Gas Critical Point

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barmatz, M.; Zhong, Fang; Hahn, Inseob

2003-01-01

Over the years, many ground-based studies have been performed near liquid-gas critical points to elucidate the expected divergences in thermodynamic quantities. The unambiguous interpretation of these studies very near the critical point is hindered by a gravity-induced density stratification. However, these ground-based measurements can give insight into the crossover behavior between the asymptotic critical region near the transition and the mean field region farther away. We have completed a detailed analysis of heat capacity, susceptibility and coexistence curve measurements near the He-3 liquid-gas critical point using the minimal-subtraction renormalization (MSR) scheme within the phi(exp 4) model. This MSR scheme, using only two adjustable parameters, provides a reasonable global fit to all of these experimental measurements in the gravity-free region out to a reduced temperature of |t| approx. 2x10(exp -2). Recently this approach has also been applied to the earlier microgravity measurements of Haupt and Straub in SF(sub 6) with surprising results. The conclusions drawn from the MSR analyses will be presented. Measurements in the gravity-affected region closer to the He-3 critical point have also been analyzed using the recent crossover parametric model (CPM) of the equation-of-state. The results of fitting heat capacity measurements to the CPM model along the He-3 critical isochore in the gravity-affected region will also be presented.

An Improved Computational Method for the Calculation of Mixture Liquid-Vapor Critical Points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitrakopoulos, Panagiotis; Jia, Wenlong; Li, Changjun

2014-05-01

Knowledge of critical points is important to determine the phase behavior of a mixture. This work proposes a reliable and accurate method in order to locate the liquid-vapor critical point of a given mixture. The theoretical model is developed from the rigorous definition of critical points, based on the SRK equation of state (SRK EoS) or alternatively, on the PR EoS. In order to solve the resulting system of nonlinear equations, an improved method is introduced into an existing Newton-Raphson algorithm, which can calculate all the variables simultaneously in each iteration step. The improvements mainly focus on the derivatives of the Jacobian matrix, on the convergence criteria, and on the damping coefficient. As a result, all equations and related conditions required for the computation of the scheme are illustrated in this paper. Finally, experimental data for the critical points of 44 mixtures are adopted in order to validate the method. For the SRK EoS, average absolute errors of the predicted critical-pressure and critical-temperature values are 123.82 kPa and 3.11 K, respectively, whereas the commercial software package Calsep PVTSIM's prediction errors are 131.02 kPa and 3.24 K. For the PR EoS, the two above mentioned average absolute errors are 129.32 kPa and 2.45 K, while the PVTSIM's errors are 137.24 kPa and 2.55 K, respectively.

Magnetic-field induced quantum critical points of valence transition in Ce- and Yb-based heavy fermions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Shinji; Tsuruta, Atsushi; Miyake, Kazumasa; Flouquet, Jacques

2009-03-01

Valence instability and its critical fluctuations have attracted much attention recently in the heavy-electron systems. Valence fluctuations are essentially charge fluctuations, and it is highly non-trivial how the quantum critical point (QCP) as well as the critical end point is controlled by the magnetic field. To clarify this fundamental issue, we have studied the mechanism of how the critical points of the first-order valence transitions are controlled by the magnetic field [1]. We show that the critical temperature is suppressed to be the QCP by the magnetic field and unexpectedly the QCP exhibits nonmonotonic field dependence in the ground-state phase diagram, giving rise to emergence of metamagnetism even in the intermediate valence-crossover regime. The driving force of the field-induced QCP is clarified to be a cooperative phenomenon of Zeeman effect and Kondo effect, which creates a distinct energy scale from the Kondo temperature. This mechanism explains a peculiar magnetic response in CeIrIn5 and metamagnetic transition in YbXCu4 for X=In as well as a sharp contrast between X=Ag and Cd. We present the novel phenomena under the magnetic field to discuss significance of the proximity of the critical points of the first-order valence transition. [1] S. Watanabe et al. PRL100, (2008) 236401.

Investigating point zero: The artificial catchment 'Chicken Creek' as an observatory to study critical zone structures and processes of the critical zone in an initial ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hüttl, Reinhard F.; Gerwin, Werner

2010-05-01

Recently, earth surface structures reaching from vegetation to the groundwater in the near underground have been termed "critical zone". This zone is "critical" to supporting life on Earth and, thus, the understanding of processes within this zone is of great importance in environmental sciences. Investigating the critical zone requires interdisciplinary and integrative research approaches across the fields of geomorphology, ecology, biology, soil science, hydrology and environmental modeling. A central motivation of the critical zone concept is the need for moving beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries to a more holistic and integrated study of the Earth surface system. However, the critical zone is characterized by complex interactions between abiotic and biotic structures and processes which need to be analyzed for improving our understanding of ecosystem functioning as well as of ecosystem development. To gain a better understanding of these fundamental questions it might be helpful to look at initial ecosystems, i.e. at ecosystems in the initial phase of development. It can be hypothesized that the complexity of a very young ecosystem is lower compared to mature systems and, therefore, structure-process interactions might become more obvious at early than at later stages of development. In this context, an artificial watershed was constructed with well known boundary conditions to investigate the initial ecosystem phase. The catchment ‘Chicken Creek' in Lusatia (Germany; 150 km SE from Berlin) has an area of 6 ha. It was set up with a layer of post-glacial sandy sediments overlying an aquiclude made of clay at the base. These hydrological starting conditions allowed for the formation of a groundwater body within the sandy layer of the experimental catchment. Further, after completion of the construction works in September 2005 the site was left to natural succession and no measures like planting or fertilization were carried out. As the initial phase of ecosystem development is highly dynamic under the prevailing climate conditions and ecosystem structures are formed and altered very rapidly the careful observation of the ongoing processes is essential. Thus, a comprehensive ecological monitoring programme has been started immediately after completion of the watershed to investigate the development and differentiation of structures and processes and their interactions. This paper highlights the conceptual approach of the project and particularly of the artificial watershed. Findings of this comprehensive project over a period of 4 years will be presented.

How pattern formation in ring networks of excitatory and inhibitory spiking neurons depends on the input current regime.

PubMed

Kriener, Birgit; Helias, Moritz; Rotter, Stefan; Diesmann, Markus; Einevoll, Gaute T

2013-01-01

Pattern formation, i.e., the generation of an inhomogeneous spatial activity distribution in a dynamical system with translation invariant structure, is a well-studied phenomenon in neuronal network dynamics, specifically in neural field models. These are population models to describe the spatio-temporal dynamics of large groups of neurons in terms of macroscopic variables such as population firing rates. Though neural field models are often deduced from and equipped with biophysically meaningful properties, a direct mapping to simulations of individual spiking neuron populations is rarely considered. Neurons have a distinct identity defined by their action on their postsynaptic targets. In its simplest form they act either excitatorily or inhibitorily. When the distribution of neuron identities is assumed to be periodic, pattern formation can be observed, given the coupling strength is supracritical, i.e., larger than a critical weight. We find that this critical weight is strongly dependent on the characteristics of the neuronal input, i.e., depends on whether neurons are mean- or fluctuation driven, and different limits in linearizing the full non-linear system apply in order to assess stability. In particular, if neurons are mean-driven, the linearization has a very simple form and becomes independent of both the fixed point firing rate and the variance of the input current, while in the very strongly fluctuation-driven regime the fixed point rate, as well as the input mean and variance are important parameters in the determination of the critical weight. We demonstrate that interestingly even in "intermediate" regimes, when the system is technically fluctuation-driven, the simple linearization neglecting the variance of the input can yield the better prediction of the critical coupling strength. We moreover analyze the effects of structural randomness by rewiring individual synapses or redistributing weights, as well as coarse-graining on the formation of inhomogeneous activity patterns.

How pattern formation in ring networks of excitatory and inhibitory spiking neurons depends on the input current regime

PubMed Central

Kriener, Birgit; Helias, Moritz; Rotter, Stefan; Diesmann, Markus; Einevoll, Gaute T.

2014-01-01

Pattern formation, i.e., the generation of an inhomogeneous spatial activity distribution in a dynamical system with translation invariant structure, is a well-studied phenomenon in neuronal network dynamics, specifically in neural field models. These are population models to describe the spatio-temporal dynamics of large groups of neurons in terms of macroscopic variables such as population firing rates. Though neural field models are often deduced from and equipped with biophysically meaningful properties, a direct mapping to simulations of individual spiking neuron populations is rarely considered. Neurons have a distinct identity defined by their action on their postsynaptic targets. In its simplest form they act either excitatorily or inhibitorily. When the distribution of neuron identities is assumed to be periodic, pattern formation can be observed, given the coupling strength is supracritical, i.e., larger than a critical weight. We find that this critical weight is strongly dependent on the characteristics of the neuronal input, i.e., depends on whether neurons are mean- or fluctuation driven, and different limits in linearizing the full non-linear system apply in order to assess stability. In particular, if neurons are mean-driven, the linearization has a very simple form and becomes independent of both the fixed point firing rate and the variance of the input current, while in the very strongly fluctuation-driven regime the fixed point rate, as well as the input mean and variance are important parameters in the determination of the critical weight. We demonstrate that interestingly even in “intermediate” regimes, when the system is technically fluctuation-driven, the simple linearization neglecting the variance of the input can yield the better prediction of the critical coupling strength. We moreover analyze the effects of structural randomness by rewiring individual synapses or redistributing weights, as well as coarse-graining on the formation of inhomogeneous activity patterns. PMID:24501591

Coherent-Anomaly Method in Critical Phenomena. III. Mean-Field Transfer-Matrix Method in the 2D Ising Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xiao; Katori, Makoto; Suzuki, Masuo

1987-11-01

Two kinds of systematic mean-field transfer-matrix methods are formulated in the 2-dimensional Ising spin system, by introducing Weiss-like and Bethe-like approximations. All the critical exponents as well as the true critical point can be estimated in these methods following the CAM procedure. The numerical results of the above system are Tc*≃2.271 (J/kB), γ{=}γ'≃1.749, β≃0.131 and δ≃15.1. The specific heat is confirmd to be continuous and to have a logarithmic divergence at the true critical point, i.e., α{=}α'{=}0. Thus, the finite-degree-of-approximation scaling ansatz is shown to be correct and very powerful in practical estimations of the critical exponents as well as the true critical point.

Optimization and development of stable w/o/w cosmetic multiple emulsions by means of the Quality by Design approach.

PubMed

Kovács, A; Erős, I; Csóka, I

2016-04-01

The aim of our present work was to develop stable water-in-oil-in-water (w/o/w) cosmetic multiple emulsions that are proper for cosmetic use and can also be applied on the skin as pharmaceutical vehicles by means of Quality by Design (QbD) concept. This product design concept consists of a risk assessment step and also the 'predetermination' of the critical material attributes and process parameters of a stable multiple emulsion system. We have set up the hypothesis that the stability of multiple emulsions can be improved by the development based on such systematic planning - making a map of critical product parameters - so their industrial usage can be increased. The risk assessment and the determination of critical physical-chemical stability parameters of w/o/w multiple emulsions to define critical control points were performed by means of quality tools and the leanqbd(™) (QbD Works LLC, Fremont, CA, U.S.A.) software. Critical materials and process parameters: Based on the results of preformulation experiments, three factors, namely entrapped active agent, preparation methodology and shear rate, were found to be highly critical factors for critical quality attributes (CQAs) and for stability, whereas the nature of oil was found a medium level risk factor. The results of the risk assessment are the following: (i) droplet structure and size distribution should be evaluated together to be able to predict the stability issues, (ii) the presence of entrapped active agents had a great impact on droplet structure, (iii) the viscosity curves represent the structural changes during storage, if the decrease in relative viscosity is >15% the emulsion disintegrates, and (iv) it is enough to use the shear rate between 34g and 116g relative centrifugal force (RCF). CQAs: By risk assessment, we discovered that four factors should be considered to be high-risk variables as compared to others: droplet size, droplet structure, viscosity and multiple character were found to be highly critical attributes. The preformulation experiment is the part of a development plan. On the basis of these results, the control strategy can be defined and a stable multiple emulsion can be ensured that meets the relevant stakeholders' quality expectations. © 2015 Society of Cosmetic Scientists and the Société Française de Cosmétologie.

THE ROLE OF THE INNER CORONAL NULL POINT IN THE FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF SOLAR QUIESCENT PROMINENCES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhang, Y. Z., E-mail: yzzhangmail@sohu.com

2015-02-10

Using a 2.5-dimensional MHD simulation, we investigate the role played by the inner coronal null point in the formation and evolution of solar quiescent prominences. The flux rope is characterized by its magnetic fluxes, the toroidal magnetic flux Φ {sub p} and the poloidal flux Φ{sub ψ}. It is found that for a given Φ {sub p}, the catastrophe does not occur in the flux rope system until Φ{sub ψ} increases to a critical point. Moreover, the magnetic flux of the null point is the maximum value of the magnetic flux in the quadrupole background magnetic field, and represented bymore » ψ {sub N}. The results show that the bigger ψ {sub N} usually corresponds to the smaller catastrophic point, the lower magnetic energy of the flux rope system, and the lesser magnetic energy inside the flux rope. Our results confirm that catastrophic disruption of the prominence occurs more easily when there is a bigger ψ {sub N}. However, ψ {sub N} has little influence on the maximum speed of the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) with an erupted prominence. Thus we argue that a topological configuration with the inner coronal null point is a necessary structure for the formation and evolution of solar quiescent prominences. In conclusion, it is easier for the prominences to form and to erupt as a core part of the CMEs in the magnetic structure with a greater ψ {sub N}.« less

Erasing no-man's land by thermodynamically stabilizing the liquid-liquid transition in tetrahedral particles.

PubMed

Smallenburg, Frank; Filion, Laura; Sciortino, Francesco

2014-09-01

One of the most controversial hypotheses for explaining the origin of the thermodynamic anomalies characterizing liquid water postulates the presence of a metastable second-order liquid-liquid critical point [1] located in the "no-man's land" [2]. In this scenario, two liquids with distinct local structure emerge near the critical temperature. Unfortunately, since spontaneous crystallization is rapid in this region, experimental support for this hypothesis relies on significant extrapolations, either from the metastable liquid or from amorphous solid water [3, 4]. Although the liquid-liquid transition is expected to feature in many tetrahedrally coordinated liquids, including silicon [5], carbon [6] and silica, even numerical studies of atomic and molecular models have been unable to conclusively prove the existence of this transition. Here we provide such evidence for a model in which it is possible to continuously tune the softness of the interparticle interaction and the flexibility of the bonds, the key ingredients controlling the existence of the critical point. We show that conditions exist where the full coexistence is thermodynamically stable with respect to crystallization. Our work offers a basis for designing colloidal analogues of water exhibiting liquid-liquid transitions in equilibrium, opening the way for experimental confirmation of the original hypothesis.

Ecosystem thresholds, tipping points, and critical transitions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Munson, Seth M.; Reed, Sasha C.; Peñuelas, Josep

Terrestrial ecosystems in a time of change: thresholds, tipping points, and critical transitions; an organized session at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, December 2017

Critical quasiparticle theory applied to heavy fermion metals near an antiferromagnetic quantum phase transition

PubMed Central

Abrahams, Elihu; Wölfle, Peter

2012-01-01

We use the recently developed critical quasiparticle theory to derive the scaling behavior associated with a quantum critical point in a correlated metal. This is applied to the magnetic-field induced quantum critical point observed in YbRh2Si2, for which we also derive the critical behavior of the specific heat, resistivity, thermopower, magnetization and susceptibility, the Grüneisen coefficient, and the thermal expansion coefficient. The theory accounts very well for the available experimental results. PMID:22331893

Structural Basis for Antifreeze Activity of Ice-binding Protein from Arctic Yeast*

PubMed Central

Lee, Jun Hyuck; Park, Ae Kyung; Do, Hackwon; Park, Kyoung Sun; Moh, Sang Hyun; Chi, Young Min; Kim, Hak Jun

2012-01-01

Arctic yeast Leucosporidium sp. produces a glycosylated ice-binding protein (LeIBP) with a molecular mass of ∼25 kDa, which can lower the freezing point below the melting point once it binds to ice. LeIBP is a member of a large class of ice-binding proteins, the structures of which are unknown. Here, we report the crystal structures of non-glycosylated LeIBP and glycosylated LeIBP at 1.57- and 2.43-Å resolution, respectively. Structural analysis of the LeIBPs revealed a dimeric right-handed β-helix fold, which is composed of three parts: a large coiled structural domain, a long helix region (residues 96–115 form a long α-helix that packs along one face of the β-helix), and a C-terminal hydrophobic loop region (243PFVPAPEVV251). Unexpectedly, the C-terminal hydrophobic loop region has an extended conformation pointing away from the body of the coiled structural domain and forms intertwined dimer interactions. In addition, structural analysis of glycosylated LeIBP with sugar moieties attached to Asn185 provides a basis for interpreting previous biochemical analyses as well as the increased stability and secretion of glycosylated LeIBP. We also determined that the aligned Thr/Ser/Ala residues are critical for ice binding within the B face of LeIBP using site-directed mutagenesis. Although LeIBP has a common β-helical fold similar to that of canonical hyperactive antifreeze proteins, the ice-binding site is more complex and does not have a simple ice-binding motif. In conclusion, we could identify the ice-binding site of LeIBP and discuss differences in the ice-binding modes compared with other known antifreeze proteins and ice-binding proteins. PMID:22303017

Critical Point in Self-Organized Tissue Growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aguilar-Hidalgo, Daniel; Werner, Steffen; Wartlick, Ortrud; González-Gaitán, Marcos; Friedrich, Benjamin M.; Jülicher, Frank

2018-05-01

We present a theory of pattern formation in growing domains inspired by biological examples of tissue development. Gradients of signaling molecules regulate growth, while growth changes these graded chemical patterns by dilution and advection. We identify a critical point of this feedback dynamics, which is characterized by spatially homogeneous growth and proportional scaling of patterns with tissue length. We apply this theory to the biological model system of the developing wing of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster and quantitatively identify signatures of the critical point.

Self-assembly in Dipolar Fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronti, Michela; Kantorovich, Sofia

We are studying low temperature structural transitions in dipolar hard spheres (DHS), combining grand-canonical Monte Carlo simulations and direct analytical theoretical calculations. DHS is characterized by long-range anisotropic interactions: it consists of a point dipole at the center of a hard sphere. We are interested in low temperature and low density phase behaviour of DHS systems. From a theoretical point of view the process of self-assembly is not responsible for a phase transition; this belief was completely reverted by theoretical studies showing that the process of self-assembly is alone capable to induce phase transition. On the other hand in the last years it was proved that no sign of critical behaviour is observed, implementing efficient and tailored Monte Carlo algorithms. Moreover a theoretical approach based on Density Functional Theory was developed: a series of structural transitions were discovered providing evidence of a hierarchy in the structures on cooling. We are performing free-energy calculations in order to draw the phase diagram of DHS model. Comparing the numerical results with the theoretical ones shed light on the scenario of temperature induced structural transitions in magnetic nanocolloids. Etn-COLLDENSE (H2020-MCSA-ITN-2014, Grant No. 642774).

Phase diagram and critical end point for strongly interacting quarks.

PubMed

Qin, Si-xue; Chang, Lei; Chen, Huan; Liu, Yu-xin; Roberts, Craig D

2011-04-29

We introduce a method based on chiral susceptibility, which enables one to draw a phase diagram in the chemical-potential-temperature plane for strongly interacting quarks whose interactions are described by any reasonable gap equation, even if the diagrammatic content of the quark-gluon vertex is unknown. We locate a critical end point at (μ(E),T(E))∼(1.0,0.9)T(c), where T(c) is the critical temperature for chiral-symmetry restoration at μ=0, and find that a domain of phase coexistence opens at the critical end point whose area increases as a confinement length scale grows.

Molecular simulation of the thermodynamic, structural, and vapor-liquid equilibrium properties of neon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlasiuk, Maryna; Frascoli, Federico; Sadus, Richard J.

2016-09-01

The thermodynamic, structural, and vapor-liquid equilibrium properties of neon are comprehensively studied using ab initio, empirical, and semi-classical intermolecular potentials and classical Monte Carlo simulations. Path integral Monte Carlo simulations for isochoric heat capacity and structural properties are also reported for two empirical potentials and one ab initio potential. The isobaric and isochoric heat capacities, thermal expansion coefficient, thermal pressure coefficient, isothermal and adiabatic compressibilities, Joule-Thomson coefficient, and the speed of sound are reported and compared with experimental data for the entire range of liquid densities from the triple point to the critical point. Lustig's thermodynamic approach is formally extended for temperature-dependent intermolecular potentials. Quantum effects are incorporated using the Feynman-Hibbs quantum correction, which results in significant improvement in the accuracy of predicted thermodynamic properties. The new Feynman-Hibbs version of the Hellmann-Bich-Vogel potential predicts the isochoric heat capacity to an accuracy of 1.4% over the entire range of liquid densities. It also predicts other thermodynamic properties more accurately than alternative intermolecular potentials.

Independent Peer Review of Communications, Navigation, and Networking re-Configurable Testbed (CoNNeCT) Project Antenna Pointing Subsystem (APS) Integrated Gimbal Assembly (IGA) Structural Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raju, Ivatury S.; Larsen, Curtis E.; Pellicciotti, Joseph W.

2010-01-01

Glenn Research Center Chief Engineer's Office requested an independent review of the structural analysis and modeling of the Communications, Navigation, and Networking re-Configurable Testbed (CoNNeCT) Project Antenna Pointing Subsystem (APS) Integrated Gimbal Assembly (IGA) to be conducted by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC). At this time, the IGA had completed its critical design review (CDR). The assessment was to be a peer review of the NEi-NASTRAN1 model of the APS Antenna, and not a peer review of the design and the analysis that had been completed by the GRC team for CDR. Thus, only a limited amount of information was provided on the structural analysis. However, the NESC team had difficulty separating analysis concerns from modeling issues. The team studied the NASTRAN model, but did not fully investigate how the model was used by the CoNNeCT Project and how the Project was interpreting the results. The team's findings, observations, and NESC recommendations are contained in this report.

Isotopic differentiation and sublattice melting in dense dynamic ice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermann, Andreas; Ashcroft, N. W.; Hoffmann, Roald

2013-12-01

The isotopes of hydrogen provide a unique exploratory laboratory for examining the role of zero point energy (ZPE) in determining the structural and dynamic features of the crystalline ices of water. There are two critical regions of high pressure: (i) near 1 TPa and (ii) near the predicted onset of metallization at around 5 TPa. At the lower pressure of the two, we see the expected small isotopic effects on phase transitions. Near metallization, however, the effects are much greater, leading to a situation where tritiated ice could skip almost entirely a phase available to the other isotopomers. For the higher pressure ices, we investigate in some detail the enthalpics of a dynamic proton sublattice, with the corresponding structures being quite ionic. The resistance toward diffusion of single protons in the ground state structures of high-pressure H2O is found to be large, in fact to the point that the ZPE reservoir cannot overcome these. However, the barriers toward a three-dimensional coherent or concerted motion of protons can be much lower, and the ensuing consequences are explored.

Infinite-disorder critical points of models with stretched exponential interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juhász, Róbert

2014-09-01

We show that an interaction decaying as a stretched exponential function of distance, J(l)˜ e-cl^a , is able to alter the universality class of short-range systems having an infinite-disorder critical point. To do so, we study the low-energy properties of the random transverse-field Ising chain with the above form of interaction by a strong-disorder renormalization group (SDRG) approach. We find that the critical behavior of the model is controlled by infinite-disorder fixed points different from those of the short-range model if 0 < a < 1/2. In this range, the critical exponents calculated analytically by a simplified SDRG scheme are found to vary with a, while, for a > 1/2, the model belongs to the same universality class as its short-range variant. The entanglement entropy of a block of size L increases logarithmically with L at the critical point but, unlike the short-range model, the prefactor is dependent on disorder in the range 0 < a < 1/2. Numerical results obtained by an improved SDRG scheme are found to be in agreement with the analytical predictions. The same fixed points are expected to describe the critical behavior of, among others, the random contact process with stretched exponentially decaying activation rates.

Use of a tissue sectioner to expose internal structures of biological samples for scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Brown, M F; Brotzman, H G; Kinden, D A

1976-09-01

A procedure yielding sections of unembedded biological samples for observation by scanning electron microscopy is described. Sections of samples, fixed and hardened in OsO4, were obtained in quantity with a tissue sectioner. Subsequent treatments to osmium-coat cut surfaces were employed prior to critical point drying. The procedure yields cleanly cut surfaces through cells and cytoplasmic organelles which are retained in their normal position. Sections of apple leaf and mouse kidney are illustrated. Sections can be readily cut in a desired plane with less structural damage than is typically encountered by other sectioning or dissection techniques.

Diffusion in jammed particle packs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolintineanu, Dan S.; Silbert, Leonardo E.; Grest, Gary S.; Lechman, Jeremy B.

2015-03-01

Diffusive transport in jammed particle packs is of interest for a number of applications, as well as being a potential indicator of structural properties near the jamming point. To this end, we report stochastic simulations of equilibrium diffusion through monodisperse sphere packs near the jamming point in the limit of a perfectly insulating surrounding medium. The time dependence of various diffusion properties is resolved over several orders of magnitude. Two time regimes of expected Fickian diffusion are observed, separated by an intermediate regime of anomalous diffusion. This intermediate regime grows as the particle volume fraction approaches the critical jamming transition. The diffusion behavior is fully controlled by the extent of the contacts between neighboring particles, which in turn depend on proximity to the jamming point. In particular, the mean first passage time associated with the escape of random walkers between neighboring particles is shown to control both the time to recover Fickian diffusion and the long time diffusivity. Scaling laws are established that relate these quantities to the difference between the actual and critical jamming volume fractions. Sandia National Laboratories is a multiprogram laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's NNSA under Contract DE- AC04-94AL85000.

Phase transition and thermodynamic geometry of f (R ) AdS black holes in the grand canonical ensemble

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gu-Qiang; Mo, Jie-Xiong

2016-06-01

The phase transition of a four-dimensional charged AdS black hole solution in the R +f (R ) gravity with constant curvature is investigated in the grand canonical ensemble, where we find novel characteristics quite different from that in the canonical ensemble. There exists no critical point for T -S curve while in former research critical point was found for both the T -S curve and T -r+ curve when the electric charge of f (R ) black holes is kept fixed. Moreover, we derive the explicit expression for the specific heat, the analog of volume expansion coefficient and isothermal compressibility coefficient when the electric potential of f (R ) AdS black hole is fixed. The specific heat CΦ encounters a divergence when 0 <Φ b . This finding also differs from the result in the canonical ensemble, where there may be two, one or no divergence points for the specific heat CQ . To examine the phase structure newly found in the grand canonical ensemble, we appeal to the well-known thermodynamic geometry tools and derive the analytic expressions for both the Weinhold scalar curvature and Ruppeiner scalar curvature. It is shown that they diverge exactly where the specific heat CΦ diverges.