Dark-energy constraints and correlations with systematics from CFHTLS weak lensing, SNLS supernovae Ia and WMAP5

Aims We combine measurements of weak gravitational lensing from the CFHTLS-Wide survey, supernovae Ia from CFHT SNLS and CMB anisotropies from WMAP5 to obtain joint constraints on cosmological parameters, in particular, the dark-energy equation-of-state parameter w. We assess the influence of systematics in the data on the results and look for possible correlations with cosmological parameters. Methods We implemented an MCMC algorithm to sample the parameter space of a flat CDM model with a dark-energy component of constant w. Systematics in the data are parametrised and included in the analysis. We determine the influence of photometric calibration of SNIa data on cosmological results by calculating the response of the distance modulus to photometric zero-point variations. The weak lensing data set is tested for anomalous field-to-field variations and a systematic shape measurement bias for high-redshift galaxies. Results Ignoring photometric uncertainties for SNLS biases cosmological parameters by at most 20% of the statistical errors, using supernovae alone; the parameter uncertainties are underestimated by 10%. The weak-lensing field-to-field variance between 1 deg2-MegaCam pointings is 5-15% higher than predicted from N-body simulations. We find no bias in the lensing signal at high redshift, within the framework of a simple model, and marginalising over cosmological parameters. Assuming a systematic underestimation of the lensing signal, the normalisation increases by up to 8%. Combining all three probes we obtain -0.10 < 1 + w < 0.06 at 68% confidence ( -0.18 < 1 + w < 0.12 at 95%), including systematic errors. Our results are therefore consistent with the cosmological constant . Systematics in the data increase the error bars by up to 35%; the best-fit values change by less than 0.15.

Prevalence and potential fitness cost of weak phosphine resistance in Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) in eastern Australia

The prevalence of resistance to phosphine in the rust-red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, from eastern Australia was investigated, as well as the potential fitness cost of this type of resistance. Discriminating dose tests on 115 population samples collected from farms from 2006 to 2010 showed that populations containing insects with the weakly resistant phenotype are common in eastern Australia (65.2 of samples), although the frequency of resistant phenotypes within samples was typically low (median of 2.3). The population cage approach was used to investigate the possibility that carrying the alleles for weak resistance incurs a fitness cost. Hybridized populations were initiated using a resistant strain and either of two different susceptible strains. There was no evidence of a fitness cost based on the frequency of susceptible phenotypes in hybridized populations that were reared for seven generations without exposure to phosphine. This suggests that resistant alleles will tend to persist in field populations that have undergone selection even if selection pressure is removed. The prevalence of resistance is a warning that this species has been subject to considerable selection pressure and that effective resistance management practices are needed to address this problem. The resistance prevalence data also provide a basis against which to measure management success.

Itinerant electron ferromagnetism in Sr2+-, Ca2+-, and Ba2+-doped rare-earth orthocobaltites (Ln3+1�xM2+xCoO3)

Electronic and magnetic properties of Ln1�xSrxCoO3 (Ln = Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, and Gd) systems show that above a critical value of x, the d electrons become itinerant while the materials become ferromagnetic at low temperatures. The ferromagnetic component increases with increase in x and decrease in temperature. The Curie temperature increases with x and decreases with decrease in the size of the rare-earth ion. Incorporation of Ba2+ in LaCoO3 favors itinerant electron ferromagnetism relative to Sr2+ while Ca2+ is less favorable than Sr2+.

Intersoliton forces in weak-coupling quantum field theories

We offer a procedure for evaluating the forces exerted by solitons of weak-coupling field theories on one another. We illustrate the procedure for the kink and the antikink of the two-dimensional φ4 theory. To do this, we construct analytically a static solution of the theory which can be interpreted as a kink and an antikink held a distance R apart. This leads to a definition of the potential energy U(R) for the pair, which is seen to have all the expected features. A corresponding evaluation is also done for U(R) between a soliton and an antisoliton of the sine-Gordon theory. When this U(R) is inserted into a nonrelativistic two-body problem for the pair, it yields a set of bound states and phase shifts. These are found to agree with exact results known for the sine-Gordon field theory in those regions where U(R) is expected to be significant, i.e., when R is large compared to the soliton size. We take this agreement as support that our procedure for defining U(R) yields the correct description of the dynamics of well-separated soliton pairs. An important feature of U(R) is that it seems to give strong intersoliton forces when the coupling constant is small, as distinct from the forces between the ordinary quanta of the theory. We suggest that this is a general feature of a class of theories, and emphasize the possible relevance of this feature to real strongly interacting hadrons.

Synthesis, characterization, thermal degradation, and comparative chain dynamics studies of weak-link polysulfide polymers

Synthesis, spectroscopic and thermal characterization of two new classes of polysulfide polymers: poly[1(phenoxymethyl) ethylene polysulfide] (PPMEP), and poly [1-(phenoxy) ethylene polysulfide] (PPEP) is presented. The direct pyrolysis mass spectrometry (DP-MS) technique, used to study the thermal degradation behavior of these polysulfide polymers, indicated that the polymers underwent degradation through the weak-links scission. The thermal stability of the polysulfide polymers decreased as the ``rank'' (number of sulfur atoms in the polysulfide linkage; n=1, 2, 4) increased. The main-chain flexibility of these polysulfide polymers in terms of their C-13 NMR spinlattice relaxation time (T-1) measurements on the backbone methine (-CH-) and methylene (-CH2-) carbons are reported here for the first time. A comparative study of the solution chain dynamics indicated that it increased as ``rank'' of the polysulfide linkages decreased as well as by introducing side chain spacers such as, ether (-O-) or methyleneoxy (-CH2O-) groups.

Exploring polymorphism by solvent mediation in potentially active herbicide Metribuzin: A subtle interplay of weak intermolecular interactions

Metribuzin, 4-amino-6-tert-butyl-3-methylthio- 1,2,4-triazin-5-one, exhibits polymorphic behaviour, crystallizing as plates and needles, driven by variation in solvent polarity, a delicate balance of weak intermolecular forces generating different molecular assemblies.

Suppression of charge order, disappearance of antiferromagnetism, and emergence of ferromagnetism in Nd0.5Ca0.5MnO3 nanoparticles

Nd0.5Ca0.5MnO3 nanoparticles (average diameter similar to 20 and 40 nm) are synthesized by the polymeric precursor sol-gel method and characterized by various physico-chemical techniques. Quite strikingly, in the 20 nm particles, the charge-ordered (CO) and the antiferromagnetic phases observed in the bulk below 250 K and 160 K, respectively, are completely absent. Instead, a ferromagnetic (FM) transition is observed at 95 K followed by an insulator-to-metal transition at 75 K. The 40 nm particles show a residual CO phase but a transition to the FM state also occurs, at a slightly higher temperature of 110 K.

Heteroepitaxial Yba2cu3o7-X-Prba2cu3o7-X-Yba2cu3o7-X Weak Links Grown By Laser Deposition

Summary form only given. The authors have developed a controllable HTSC (high-temperature superconductor) weak-link fabrication process for producing weak links from the high-temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO), using PrBa2Cu3O7-x (PBCO) as a lattice-matched semiconducting barrier layer. The devices obtained show current-voltage characteristics similar to those observed for low-temperature superconductor/normal-metal/superconductor (SNS) devices. The authors found good scaling of the critical currents Ic with area, A, and scaling of the resistances Rj with 1/A; the typical values of the IcRj product of 3.5 mV are consistent with traditional SNS behavior. The authors observed Shapiro steps in response to 100-GHz millimeter-wave radiation and oscillation of the DC supercurrent in a transverse magnetic field, thus demonstrating that both the AC and DC Josephson effects occur in these devices.

Room temperature ferromagnetism in ZnO (core)/graphite (shell) nanowires fabricated by a one-step method

ZnO (core)/graphitic (shell) nanowires were successfully fabricated by a one-step method. Morphology of the as-grown nanowires was studied in detail by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDS). High resolution TEM micrographs and selected area electron diffraction patterns reveal the core/shell morphology of the nanowires that grew along the c-axis of ZnO. EDS study of the nanowires confirms that there are no impurities within the detectable limit. Superconducting quantum interference device magnetometer measurements show room temperature ferromagnetic ordering in these core/shell nanowires. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating strong and weak discontinuities without integration subcells and example applications in an XFEM/GFEM framework

Partition of unity methods, such as the extended finite element method, allows discontinuities to be simulated independently of the mesh (Int. J. Numer. Meth. Engng. 1999; 45:601-620). This eliminates the need for the mesh to be aligned with the discontinuity or cumbersome re-meshing, as the discontinuity evolves. However, to compute the stiffness matrix of the elements intersected by the discontinuity, a subdivision of the elements into quadrature subcells aligned with the discontinuity is commonly adopted. In this paper, we use a simple integration technique, proposed for polygonal domains (Int. J. Nuttier Meth. Engng 2009; 80(1):103-134. DOI: 10.1002/nme.2589) to suppress the need for element subdivision. Numerical results presented for a few benchmark problems in the context of linear elastic fracture mechanics and a multi-material problem show that the proposed method yields accurate results. Owing to its simplicity, the proposed integration technique can be easily integrated in any existing code. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Weak Ehrenfeucht-Fraïssé Games

In this paper we define a game which is played between two players I and II on two mathematical structures A and B. The players choose elements from both structures in moves, and at the end of the game the player II wins if the chosen structures are isomorphic. Thus the difference of this to the ordinary Ehrenfeucht-Fra¨ıss´e game is that the isomorphism can be arbitrary, whereas in the ordinary EF-game it is determined by the moves of the players. We investigate determinacy of the weak EF-game for different (the length of the game) and its relation to the ordinary EF-game.

Weak consistency of read-only transactions: A tool to improve concurrency in heterogeneous locking protocols

Three different types of consistencies, viz., semiweak, weak, and strong, of a read-only transaction in a schedule s of a set T of transactions are defined and these are compared with the existing notions of consistencies of a read-only transaction in a schedule. We present a technique that enables a user to control the consistency of a read-only transaction in heterogeneous locking protocols. Since the weak consistency of a read-only transaction improves concurrency in heterogeneous locking protocols, the users can help to improve concurrency in heterogeneous locking protocols by supplying the consistency requirements of read-only transactions. A heterogeneous locking protocol P' derived from a locking protocol P that uses exclusive mode locks only and ensures serializability need not be deadlock-free. We present a sufficient condition that ensures the deadlock-freeness of Pprime, when P is deadlock-free and all the read-only transactions in Pprime are two phase.

Artificial commutation for inversion into a weak AC system in a multiterminal HVDC system

This paper deals with the application of artificial commutation for a normally rated inverter connecting a weak AC system in a multiterminal HVDC (MTDC) system. Artificial commutation is achieved using series capacitors. A modular digital simulation technique is developed to study the dynamic performance of the system. It is shown that by a proper selection of the value of the capacitor it is possible to limit the valve stresses and the DC harmonics to acceptable levels and achieve an improved performance during severe transient conditions. The determination of the value of the series capacitor is based on a parametric study.

Characterizing and recognizing weak visibility polygons

A polygon is said to be a weak visibility polygon if every point of the polygon is visible from some point of an internal segment. In this paper we derive properties of shortest paths in weak visibility polygons and present a characterization of weak visibility polygons in terms of shortest paths between vertices. These properties lead to the following efficient algorithms: (i) an O(E) time algorithm for determining whether a simple polygon P is a weak visibility polygon and for computing a visibility chord if it exist, where E is the size of the visibility graph of P and (ii) an O(n2) time algorithm for computing the maximum hidden vertex set in an n-sided polygon weakly visible from a convex edge.

Direct versus kinetic exchange in multiband models for organic ferromagnetism

Multiband Hubbard and Pariser-Parr-Pople calculations have been carried out on mixed donor-acceptor (DA) stacks with doubly degenerate acceptor orbitals and nondegenerate donor orbitals at two-thirds filling. Model exact results for 2, 3, and 4 DA units show that McConnell's prediction of high-spin ground states in these systems is, in general, incorrect. The larger phase space available for the low-spin states leads to their kinetic stabilization in preference to high-spin states. However, for large electron-correlation strengths, the direct exchange dominates over the kinetic exchange resulting in a high-spin ground state