On the Existence of Focal Points near Closed Geodesics on Surfaces

We establish some criteria for the existence or nonexistence of focal points near closed geodesics on surfaces. These criteria are in terms of the curvature of the manifold along the closed geodesic and the average values of the partial derivatives of the curvature in the direction perpendicular to the geodesic. Our criteria lead to a new family of examples of surfaces with no focal points. We also show that if S is a compact surface with no focal points and an inequality relating the curvature of the surface to the curvature of the horocycles holds, then the horocycles (considered as curves in S) are uniformly C ^2+Lipschitz.     

Search for exotic baryons at HERMES

An experimental search for the Θ(1540)- and Λ(1520)-resonance was performed in quasi-real photoproduction on deuterium at the HERMES experiment. While evidence for Θ(1540) was found in the decay channel pK ⁰ _S→pπ ⁺ π ^-, no evidence for the corresponding anti-particle was found. In some models it is expected that the Θ(1540) and the Λ(1520) have similar production mechanisms. The photoproduction cross-sections for the Λ(1520) in the decay channel Λ(1520)→pK ^- and the corresponding anti-particle are determined. The partial photoproduction cross-sections for Λ(1520) and ˉ(1520) are obtained as σ _Λ(1520) = 65.3±8.8(stat)±6.9(syst)nb and σ _ˉ(1520) = 9.8±2.6(stat)±0.9(syst)nb, corresponding to a ratio R _Λ(1520) = σ _ˉ(1520)/σ _Λ(1520) = 0.15±0.05(stat)±0.02(syst).     

"Compression-only" behavior: a second-order nonlinear response of ultrasound contrast agent microbubbles

Oscillating phospholipid-coated ultrasound contrast agent microbubbles display a so-called "compression-only" behavior, where it is observed that the bubbles compress efficiently while their expansion is suppressed. Here, a theoretical understanding of the source of this nonlinear behavior is provided through a weakly nonlinear analysis of the shell buckling model proposed by Marmottant et al. [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 118, 3499-3505 (2005)]. It is shown that the radial dynamics of the bubble can be considered as a superposition of a linear response at the fundamental driving frequency and a second-order nonlinear low-frequency response that describes the negative offset of the mean bubble radius. The analytical solution deduced from the weakly nonlinear analysis shows that the compression-only behavior results from a rapid change of the shell elasticity with bubble radius. In addition, the radial dynamics of single phospholipid-coated microbubbles was recorded as a function of both the amplitude and the frequency of the driving pressure pulse. The comparison between the experimental data and the theory shows that the magnitude of compression-only behavior is mainly determined by the initial phospholipids concentration on the bubble surface, which slightly varies from bubble to bubble.     

Third order residual distribution schemes for the Navier–Stokes equations

We construct a third order multidimensional upwind residual distribution scheme for the system of the Navier–Stokes equations. The underlying approximation is obtained using standard P² Lagrange finite elements. To discretise the inviscid component of the equations, each element is divided in sub-elements over which we compute a high order residual defined as the integral of the inviscid fluxes on the boundary of the sub-element. The residuals are distributed to the nodes of each sub-element in a multi-dimensional upwind way. To obtain a discretisation of the viscous terms consistent with this multi-dimensional upwind approach, we make use of a Petrov–Galerkin analogy. The analogy allows to find a family of test functions which can be used to obtain a weak approximation of the viscous terms. The performance of this high-order method is tested on flows with high and low Reynolds number.     

Single spin asymmetries in charged pion production from semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering on a transversely polarized 3He Target at Q2 = 1.4-2.7 GeV2

We report the first measurement of target single spin asymmetries in the semi-inclusive (3)He(e,e'π(±))X reaction on a transversely polarized target. The experiment, conducted at Jefferson Lab using a 5.9 GeV electron beam, covers a range of 0.16 < x < 0.35 with 1.4 < Q(2) < 2.7 GeV(2). The Collins and Sivers moments were extracted from the azimuthal angular dependence of the measured asymmetries. The π(±) Collins moments for (3)He are consistent with zero, except for the π(+) moment at x = 0.35, which deviates from zero by 2.3σ. While the π(-) Sivers moments are consistent with zero, the π(+) Sivers moments favor negative values. The neutron results were extracted using the nucleon effective polarization and measured cross section ratios of proton to (3)He, and are largely consistent with the predictions of phenomenological fits and quark model calculations.     

Development and validation of a ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-UV method for the detection and quantification of erectile dysfunction drugs and some of their analogues found in counterfeit medicines

Pharmaceutical counterfeiting is a permanently growing problem. Control laboratories are constantly analysing counterfeit medicines. In industrialised countries, one of the main counterfeited class of medicines are erectile dysfunction drugs. This paper describes the development and validation of a fast method to detect and quantify the three authorised phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors and five analogues. The method is based on the use of a sub-2 microns polar-embedded column with a gradient using acetonitrile as organic modifier and 10 mM ammonium formate buffer (pH 3.5) as aqueous component of the mobile phase. The separation was achieved in less than 4.5 min. The method has also been compared to the registered HPLC method for the assay of Viagra^® which was considered as the reference method. The method is also compatible with on-line coupling mass spectrometry and will significantly reduce analysis times and solvent consumption.     

Beantwortung einer Frage von J. Arason und A. Pfister als Korollar eines Ergebnisses von L. Bröcker

Ohne Zusammenfassung