Atomistic simulation of slow grain boundary motion

Existing atomistic simulation techniques to study grain boundary motion are usually limited to either high velocities or temperatures and are difficult to compare to realistic experimental conditions. Here we introduce an adapted simulation method that can access boundary velocities in the experimental range and extract mobilities in the zero driving force limit at temperatures as low as ～0.2T(m) (T(m) is the melting point). The method reveals three mechanistic regimes of boundary mobility at zero net velocity depending on the system temperature.     

Regulation of glutamatergic signalling by PACAP in the mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus

Background  

Previous studies indicate that light information reaches the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) through a subpopulation of retinal ganglion cells that contain both glutamate and pituitary adenylyl cyclase activating peptide (PACAP). While the role of glutamate in this pathway has been well studied, the involvement of PACAP and its receptors are only beginning to be understood. Speculating that PACAP may function to modulate how neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus respond to glutamate, we used electrophysiological and calcium imaging tools to examine possible cellular interactions between these co-transmitters.     

On‐chip stimulated Brillouin Scattering for microwave signal processing and generation

Demonstration of continuously tunable delay, low‐noise lasers, dynamically controlled gratings, and optical phase shifting using the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) process has lead to the emergence of SBS as a promising technology for microwave photonics. On‐chip realization of SBS enables photonic integration of microwave photonic signal processing and offers significantly enhanced performance and improved efficiency. On‐chip stimulated Brillouin scattering is reviewed in the context of slow‐light based tunable delay, low‐noise narrow linewidth lasers and filtering for integrated microwave photonics. A discussion on key material and device properties, necessary to enable on‐chip Brillouin scattering using both the single‐pass and resonator geometry, is presented along with an outlook for photonic integration of microwave signal processing and generation in other platforms.     

Erratum to: The Ginibre Ensemble of Real Random Matrices and its Scaling Limits

We correct an error in Theorem 12 of the original article concerning the edge scaling limit of the law of real eigenvalues for the real Ginibre ensemble.     

光纤光栅腐蚀传感器

提出了一种测量钢筋腐蚀的新型传感器.这种传感器将光纤光栅拉伸后固定在圆形钢筋的表面,在钢筋被腐蚀后,光纤光栅所受到的拉伸应变将被释放,光纤光栅的反射光波长发生变化,通过测量光纤光栅的波长就可以测得钢筋腐蚀程度.这种传感器测量准确度优于±0.1 μm,测量范围约12 μm,可用于混凝土结构中钢筋腐蚀的早期监测.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-Nuclearity in a New Perspective

In this Letter we try to settle some confused points concerning the use of the notion of p-nuclearity in the mathematical and physical literature, pointing out that the nuclearity index in the physicists’ sense vanishes for any p> 1. Our discussion of these issues suggests a new perspective, in terms of ε-entropy and operator spaces, which might permit connections to be drawn between phase space criteria and quantum energy inequalities.Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): 81T05, 47B10, 47L25.     

On the Positivity of the Coefficients of a Certain Polynomial Defined by Two Positive Definite Matrices

It is shown that the polynomialp(t) = Tr[(A+tB)^m]has positive coefficients when m = 6 and A and B are any two 3-by-3 complex Hermitian positive definite matrices. This case is the first that is not covered by prior, general results. This problem arises from a conjecture raised by Bessis, Moussa, and Villani in connection with a long-standing problem in theoretical physics. The full conjecture, as shown recently by Lieb and Seiringer, is equivalent to p(t) having positive coefficients for any m and any two n-by-n positive definite matrices. We show that, generally, the question in the real case reduces to that of singular A and B, and this is a key part of our proof.     

Pourbaix diagrams in weakly coupled systems: a case study involving acridinol and phenanthridinol pseudobases

The thermodynamics of proton‐coupled electron transfer (PCET) in weakly coupled organic pseudobases was investigated using 2,7‐dimethyl‐9‐hydroxy‐9‐phenyl‐10‐tolyl‐9,10‐dihydroacridine (AcrOH) and 6‐phenylphenanthridinol (PheOH) as model compounds. Pourbaix diagrams for two model compounds were constructed using the oxidation potentials and the pK_a values obtained, respectively, from cyclic voltammetry and photometric titrations. Our comparative study reveals the importance of having the redox active –N center closer to –OH functionality on the thermodynamics of PCET process: PheOH exhibits a wider range of pH values (pH = 2.8 to 13.3) in which both the alcohol and the corresponding alkoxy radical are expected to coexist in solution. This result indicates that a concerted mechanism is more likely to be discovered in pseudobases analogous to PheOH. The thermochemical data also indicate that the concerted PCET mechanism cannot be achieved if water is used as the proton acceptor: assuming the pK_a of hydronium ions as ?1.7, the PCET involving PheOH or AcrOH as proton/electron donors and water as the proton acceptor is expected to follow the stepwise ET/PT mechanism. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Approximate importance sampling Monte Carlo for data assimilation

Importance sampling Monte Carlo offers powerful approaches to approximating Bayesian updating in sequential problems. Specific classes of such approaches are known as particle filters. These procedures rely on the simulation of samples or ensembles of the unknown quantities and the calculation of associated weights for the ensemble members. As time evolves and/or when applied in high-dimensional settings, such as those of interest in many data assimilation problems, these weights typically display undesirable features. The key difficulty involves a collapse toward approximate distributions concentrating virtually all of their probability on an implausibly few ensemble members.

After reviewing ensembling, Monte Carlo, importance sampling and particle filters, we present some approximations intended to moderate the problem of collapsing weights. The motivations for these suggestions are combinations of (i) the idea that key dynamical behavior in many systems actually takes place on a low dimensional manifold, and (ii) notions of statistical dimension reduction. We illustrate our suggestions in a problem of inference for ocean surface winds and atmospheric pressure. Real observational data are used.     

Recreational runners with patellofemoral pain exhibit elevated patella water content

Increased bone water content resulting from repetitive patellofemoral joint overloading has been suggested to be a possible mechanism underlying patellofemoral pain (PFP). To date, it remains unknown whether persons with PFP exhibit elevated bone water content. The purpose of this study was to determine whether recreational runners with PFP exhibit elevated patella water content when compared to pain-free controls. Ten female recreational runners with a diagnosis of PFP (22 to 39 years of age) and 10 gender, age, weight, height, and activity matched controls underwent chemical-shift-encoded water-fat magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to quantify patella water content (i.e., water-signal fraction). Differences in bone water content of the total patella, lateral aspect of the patella, and medial aspect of the patella were compared between groups using independent t tests. Compared with the control group, the PFP group demonstrated significantly greater total patella bone water content (15.4 ± 3.5% vs. 10.3 ± 2.1%; P = 0.001), lateral patella water content (17.2 ± 4.2% vs. 11.5 ± 2.5%; P = 0.002), and medial patella water content (13.2 ± 2.7% vs. 8.4 ± 2.3%; P < 0.001). The higher patella water content observed in female runners with PFP is suggestive of venous engorgement and elevated extracellular fluid. In turn, this may lead to an increase in intraosseous pressure and pain.