Effective-field theory and the nuclear many-body problem

We review many-body calculations of the equation of state of dilute neutron matter in the context of effective-field theories of the nucleon-nucleon interaction.     

All solid-state sum-frequency generation of 1.12-W continuous-wave laser at 588 nm

A new resonator design for doubly resonant continuous-wave (CW) intracavity sum-frequency mixing (SFM) is reported. 1.12 W of coherent radiation at 588 nm is generated by mixing 1062-nm Nd:GdVO4laser and 1319-nm Nd:YAG laser. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency is up to 3.7%.     

Idempotency of Extensions via the Bicompletion

Let Top ₀ be the category of topological T ₀-spaces, QU ₀ the category of quasi-uniform T ₀-spaces, T : QU ₀ → Top ₀ the usual forgetful functor and K : QU ₀ → QU ₀ the bicompletion reflector with unit k : 1 → K. Any T-section F : Top ₀ → QU ₀ is called K-true if KF = FTKF, and upper (lower) K-true if KF is finer (coarser) than FTKF. The literature considers important T-sections F that enjoy all three, or just one, or none of these properties. It is known that T(K,k)F is well-pointed if and only if F is upper K-true. We prove the surprising fact that T(K,k)F is the reflection to Fix(TkF) whenever it is idempotent. We also prove a new characterization of upper K-trueness. We construct examples to set apart some natural cases. In particular we present an upper K-true F for which T(K,k)F is not idempotent, and a K-true F for which the coarsest associated T-preserving coreflector in QU ₀ is not stable under K. We dedicate this paper to the memory of Sérgio de Ornelas Salbany (1941–2005).     

Concentration inequalities for random fields via coupling

We present a new and simple approach to concentration inequalities in the context of dependent random processes and random fields. Our method is based on coupling and does not use information inequalities. In case one has a uniform control on the coupling, one obtains exponential concentration inequalities. If such a uniform control is no more possible, then one obtains polynomial or stretched-exponential concentration inequalities. Our abstract results apply to Gibbs random fields, both at high and low temperatures and in particular to the low-temperature Ising model which is a concrete example of non-uniformity of the coupling.      

The high-T c superconductor Sr0.2Lai1.8CuO4: A direct and inverse-photoemission study

We have measured ultraviolet and inverse-photoemission spectra of the novel superconductor Sr₀₂La_1.8CuO₄. Our results compare favorably with recent band-structure calculations for La₂CuO₄.A full account of this work will be published elsewhere [1]     

Dosimetric investigations of laser-induced phase transition of MX1-cell membranes by use of quantum dots

It is well known that laser scattered-light applicators when applied for laser-induced tumor therapy allow the precise thermal destruction of metastases. Using laser radiation in the NIR spectral range (usually, Nd:YAG laser systems λ = 1064 nm), a penetration depth of 5–10 cm (1/e is the decrease in radiation intensity) is achieved in biological tissues. The major tissue-optical parameters, i.e., absorption coefficient μ_a, scattering coefficient μ_s, and the anisotropy factor g, show biological tissues to be strongly scattering media which have a so-called optical window in the NIR. As a consequence, the therapeutic laser radiation is scattered and absorbed at a deeper level, leading to a virtual enlargement of the laser applicator. The thermal sclerotization and the thermal cell damage originate within the absorbing volume of the laser radiation and spread outward by thermal diffusion. There are three dosimetrically relevant zones of thermal and biological damage: (1) a zone of thermal coagulation; (2) a threshold of partial necrosis (destruction of all metabolic processes in the cell is the maintenance of essential parts of the cytoskeleton and the plasma membrane); this is characterized by a specific temperature range, the so-called phase transition, which refers to the transition from the gel phase of the biomembrane to the fluid phase; the determination of this temperature zone is an integral part of the following experimental investigations on MX1 cells; (3) an external zone of thermal effects made up of partial and multiple damage with a statistical chance of survival. This paper describes the investigations on heat stress in cancer cells to verify the maximum phase transition of the outer MX1 cell membranes and the related results. For this purpose, a novel method of quantum dot fluorescence dosimetry was developed. The evaluation of the measured laser-induced fluorescences yields a first approximation of the determination of the phase transition on MX1 cells.     

Loss without recovery of Gibbsianness during diffusion of continuous spins

We consider a specific continuous-spin Gibbs distribution μ_t=0 for a double-well potential that allows for ferromagnetic ordering. We study the time-evolution of this initial measure under independent diffusions. For `high temperature' initial measures we prove that the time-evoved measure μ<sub>t</sub> is Gibbsian for all t. For `low temperature' initial measures we prove that μ_t stays Gibbsian for small enough times t, but loses its Gibbsian character for large enough t. In contrast to the analogous situation for discrete-spin Gibbs measures, there is no recovery of the Gibbs property for large t in the presence of a non-vanishing external magnetic field. All of our results hold for any dimension d≥2. This example suggests more generally that time-evolved continuous-spin models tend to be non-Gibbsian more easily than their discrete-spin counterparts. Research carried out at EURANDOM and supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

A locally computed suboptimal control strategy for a class of interconnected systems

In this paper, a locally computed suboptimal control strategy for a class of interconnected systems is introduced. First, optimal statefeedback control equations are derived for a finite-horizon quadratic cost. Then, the control for each subsystem is separated into two portions. The first portion stabilizes the isolated subsystem, and the second portion corresponds to the interactions. To achieve a locally calculable control, an approximation to the optimal control equations is introduced, and two iterative suboptimal control algorithms are developed. In the first algorithm, the initial conditions of subsystems are assumed to be known; in the second algorithm, this information is replaced by statistical distributions. The orders of errors in the iterations of the algorithm and in the suboptimality are given in terms of interconnections. An example with comparisons is also included to show the performance of the approach.