Fermions in Odd Space-Time Dimensions: Back to Basics

It is a well-known feature of odd space-time dimensions d that there exist two inequivalent fundamental representations A and B of the Dirac gamma matrices. Moreover, the parity transformation swaps the fermion fields living in A and B. As a consequence, a parity-invariant Lagrangian can only be constructed by incorporating both the representations. Based upon these ideas and contrary to long-held belief, we show that in addition to a discrete exchange symmetry for the massless case, we can also define chiral symmetry provided the Lagrangian contains fields corresponding to both the inequivalent representations. We also study the transformation properties of the corresponding chiral currents under parity and charge-conjugation operations. We work explicitly in 2 + 1 dimensions and later show how some of these ideas generalize to an arbitrary number of odd dimensions.     

Non-Trivial t-Intersection in the Function Lattice

The function lattice, or generalized Boolean algebra, is the set of ℓ-tuples with the ith coordinate an integer between 0 and a bound n<sub>isub>. Two ℓ-tuples t-intersect if they have at least t common nonzero coordinates. We prove a Hilton–Milner type theorem for systems of t-intersecting ℓ-tuples.Received September 29, 2004     

The Laurent series, sensitive discount and Blackwell optimality for continuous-time controlled Markov chains

This paper gives conditions for the convergence of the Laurent series expansion for a class of continuous-time controlled Markov chains with possibly unbounded reward (or cost) rates and unbounded transition rates. That series is then used to study several optimization criteria, including n-discount optimality (for n=–1,0,1,...), Blackwell optimality, and the maximization of a certain vector criterion that in particular gives gain and bias optimality.The research of this author was supported by a grant from the Spanish Secretaría de Estado de Educación y Universidades in cooperation with the European Social Funds.The research of this author was partially supported by CONACyT Grant 37355-E.Manuscript received: November 2003/Final version received: July 2004     

Diblock copolymers based on allyl methacrylate: Synthesis,characterization, and chemical modification

Different diblock copolymers constituted by one segment of a monomer supporting a reactive functional group, like allyl methacrylate (AMA), were synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Bromo‐terminated polymers, like polystyrene (PS), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and poly(butyl acrylate) (PBA) were employed as macroinitiators to form the other blocks. Copolymerizations were carried out using copper chloride with N,N,N′,N″,N″‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) as the catalyst system in benzonitrile solution at 70 °C. At the early stage, the ATRP copolymerizations yielded well‐defined linear block copolymers. However, with the polymerization progress a change in the macromolecular architecture takes place due to the secondary reactions caused by the allylic groups, passing to a branched and/or star‐shaped structure until finally yielding gel at monomer conversion around 40% or higher. The block copolymers were characterized by means of size exclusion chromatography (SEC), <sup>1sup>H NMR spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In addition, one of these copolymers, specifically P(BA‐b‐AMA), was satisfactorily modified through osmylation reaction to obtain the subsequent amphiphilic diblock copolymer of P(BA‐b‐DHPMA), where DHPMA is 2,3‐dihydroxypropyl methacrylate; demonstrating the feasibility of side‐chain modification of the functional obtained copolymers. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 45: 3538–3549, 2007     

A Verified Optimization Technique to Locate Chaotic Regions of Hénon Systems

We present a new verified optimization method to find regions for Hénon systems where the conditions of chaotic behaviour hold. The present paper provides a methodology to verify chaos for certain mappings and regions. We discuss first how to check the set theoretical conditions of a respective theorem in a reliable way by computer programs. Then we introduce optimization problems that provide a model to locate chaotic regions. We prove the correctness of the underlying checking algorithms and the optimization model. We have verified an earlier published chaotic region, and we also give new chaotic places located by the new technique.     

Electronic properties of model quantum-dot structures in zero and finite magnetic fields

We have computed electronic structures and total energies of circularly confined two-dimensional quantum dots and their lateral dimers in zero and finite uniform external magnetic fields using different theoretical schemes: the spin-density-functional theory (SDFT), the current-and-spin-density-functional theory (CSDFT), and the variational quantum Monte Carlo (VMC) method. The SDFT and CSDFT calculations employ a recently-developed, symmetry-unrestricted real-space algorithm allowing solutions which break the spin symmetry. Results obtained for a six-electron dot in the weak confinement limit and in zero magnetic field as well as in a moderate confinement and in finite magnetic fields enable us to draw conclusions about the reliability of the more approximative SDFT and CSDFT schemes in comparison with the VMC method. The same is true for results obtained for the two-electron quantum dot dimer as a function of inter-dot distance. The structure and role of the symmetry-breaking solutions appearing in the SDFT and CSDFT calculations for the above systems are discussed. Received 16 October 2001 and Received in final form 17 January 2002     

Orderings of uniquely colorable hypergraphs

For a mixed hypergraph H=(X,C,D), where C and D are set systems over the vertex set X, a coloring is a partition of X into &lsquo;color classes&rsquo; such that every C&isin;C meets some class in more than one vertex, and every D&isin;D has a nonempty intersection with at least two classes. A vertex-orderx<sub>1sub>,x<sub>2sub>,…,x<sub>nsub> on X (n=|X|) is uniquely colorable if the subhypergraph induced by {x<sub>jsub>:1?j?i} has precisely one coloring, for each i (1?i?n). We prove that it is NP-complete to decide whether a mixed hypergraph admits a uniquely colorable vertex-order, even if the input is restricted to have just one coloring. On the other hand, via a characterization theorem it can be decided in linear time whether a given color-sequence belongs to a mixed hypergraph in which the uniquely colorable vertex-order is unique.     

Optical properties of in situ doped and undoped titania nanocatalysts and doped titania sol-gel nanofilms

In this paper we present spectroscopic properties of doped and undoped titanium dioxide (TiO<sub>2sub>) as nanofilms prepared by the sol-gel process with rhodamine 6G doping and studied by photoacoustic absorption, excitation and emission spectroscopy. The absorption spectra of TiO<sub>2sub> thin films doped with rhodamine 6G at very low concentration during their preparation show two absorption bands, one at 2.3 eV attributed to molecular dimmer formation, which is responsible for the fluorescence quenching of the sample and the other at 3.0 eV attributed to TiO<sub>2sub> absorption, which subsequently yields a strong emission band at 600 nm. The electronic band structure and optical properties of the rutile phase of TiO<sub>2sub> are calculated employing a fully relativistic, full-potential, linearized, augmented plane-wave (FPLAPW) method within the local density approximation (LDA). Comparison of this calculation with experimental data for TiO<sub>2sub> films prepared for undoped sol-gels and by sputtering is performed.     

Synthesis of cyclic mono- and bis-disulfides and their selective conversion to mono- and bis-thiosulfinates

Twelve-membered ring pseudopeptidic cyclic disulfides have been prepared by iodine oxidation of the parent dithiols. However, oxidation of N,N′-(1,2-phenylene)bis(2-mercapto-2-methylpropanamide) afforded a 25/75 mixture of cyclic mono- and bis-disulfides that were separated by selective precipitation in CHCl<sub>3sub>. The cyclic bis-disulfide was selectively prepared by iodine oxidation of the Ni complex of this dithiol and crystallized. Its crystal structure was solved by X-ray diffraction. All these cyclic mono- or bis-disulfides were selectively converted to cyclic mono- and bis-thiosulfinates upon stoichiometric oxidation with dimethyldioxirane at low temperature. <sup>1sup>H NMR of the cyclic bis-thiosulfinate revealed the presence of four isomers, two couples of stereoisomers, as expected from the insertion of two oxygen atoms in this compound, one on each disulfide bond. The two couples of cis/trans isomers were separated by preparative TLC and identified after alkaline cleavage of the two S(O)-S bonds and metalation with Ni(II). As HO<sup>&minus;sup> attack is selective for the sulfinyl sulfur, the nature of the Ni complexes obtained is a signature of each couple of stereoisomers.