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S R Elliott

Publications and source records attributed to S R Elliott.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

Instantaneous frequency and amplitude identification using wavelets: application to glass structure.

This paper describes a method for extracting rapidly varying, superimposed amplitude-modulated and frequency-modulated signal components. The method is based upon the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) and uses a new wavelet that is a modification to the well-known Morlet wavelet to allow analysis at high resolution. In order to interpret the CWT of a signal correctly, an approximate analytic expression for the CWT of an oscillatory signal is examined via a stationary-phase approximation. This analysis is specialized for the new wavelet and the results are used to construct expressions for the amplitude and frequency modulations of the components in a signal from the transform of the signal. The method is tested on a representative, variable-frequency signal as an example before being applied to a function of interest in our subject area-a structural correlation function of a disordered material-which immediately reveals previously undetected features.

Journal Article↗

Direct evidence for neutrino flavor transformation from neutral-current interactions in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory.

Observations of neutral-current nu interactions on deuterium in the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory are reported. Using the neutral current (NC), elastic scattering, and charged current reactions and assuming the standard 8B shape, the nu(e) component of the 8B solar flux is phis(e) = 1.76(+0.05)(-0.05)(stat)(+0.09)(-0.09)(syst) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1) for a kinetic energy threshold of 5 MeV. The non-nu(e) component is phi(mu)(tau) = 3.41(+0.45)(-0.45)(stat)(+0.48)(-0.45)(syst) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1), 5.3sigma greater than zero, providing strong evidence for solar nu(e) flavor transformation. The total flux measured with the NC reaction is phi(NC) = 5.09(+0.44)(-0.43)(stat)(+0.46)(-0.43)(syst) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1), consistent with solar models.

Journal Article↗

Measurement of day and night neutrino energy spectra at SNO and constraints on neutrino mixing parameters.

The Sudbury Neutrino Observatory (SNO) has measured day and night solar neutrino energy spectra and rates. For charged current events, assuming an undistorted 8B spectrum, the night minus day rate is 14.0%+/-6.3%(+1.5%)(-1.4%) of the average rate. If the total flux of active neutrinos is additionally constrained to have no asymmetry, the nu(e) asymmetry is found to be 7.0%+/-4.9%(+1.3%)(-1.2%). A global solar neutrino analysis in terms of matter-enhanced oscillations of two active flavors strongly favors the large mixing angle solution.

Journal Article↗

Spatial decay of the single-particle density matrix in insulators: analytic results in two and three dimensions.

Analytic results for the asymptotic decay of the electron density matrix in insulators have been obtained in all three dimensions (D = 1,2,3) for a tight-binding model defined on a simple cubic lattice. The anisotropic decay length is shown to be dependent on the energy parameters of the model. The existence of the power-law prefactor, proportional, variant r(-D/2), is demonstrated.

Journal Article↗

Measurement of the rate of nu(e) + d --> p + p + e(-) interactions produced by (8)B solar neutrinos at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory.

Solar neutrinos from (8)B decay have been detected at the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory via the charged current (CC) reaction on deuterium and the elastic scattering (ES) of electrons. The flux of nu(e)'s is measured by the CC reaction rate to be straight phi(CC)(nu(e)) = 1.75 +/- 0.07(stat)(+0.12)(-0.11)(syst) +/- 0.05(theor) x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1). Comparison of straight phi(CC)(nu(e)) to the Super-Kamiokande Collaboration's precision value of the flux inferred from the ES reaction yields a 3.3 sigma difference, assuming the systematic uncertainties are normally distributed, providing evidence of an active non- nu(e) component in the solar flux. The total flux of active 8B neutrinos is determined to be 5.44+/-0.99 x 10(6) cm(-2) s(-1).

Journal Article↗

Fast Chebyshev-polynomial method for simulating the time evolution of linear dynamical systems.

We present a fast method for simulating the time evolution of any linear dynamical system possessing eigenmodes. This method does not require an explicit calculation of the eigenvectors and eigenfrequencies, and is based on a Chebyshev polynomial expansion of the formal operator matrix solution in the eigenfrequency domain. It does not suffer from the limitations of ordinary time-integration methods, and can be made accurate to almost machine precision. Among its possible applications are harmonic classical mechanical systems, quantum diffusion, and stochastic transport theory. An example of its use is given for the problem of vibrational wave-packet propagation in a disordered lattice.

Journal Article↗

Origin of the boson peak in systems with lattice disorder.

The origin of the boson peak in models with force-constant disorder has been established by calculations using the coherent potential approximation. The analytical results obtained are supported by precise numerical solutions. The boson peak in the disordered system is associated with the lowest van Hove singularity in the spectrum of the reference crystalline system, pushed down in frequency by disorder-induced level-repelling and hybridization effects.

Journal Article↗

Mechanism of photoinduced changes in the structure and optical properties of amorphous As2S3.

We propose a mechanism of photostructural changes in amorphous As2S3 ( a-As2S3) on the basis of ab initio molecular orbital calculations on clusters of atoms modeling the local structure of the amorphous system. We have found that trigonal AsS3 pyramidal units can be transformed into a fivefold coordinated As site having four As-S bonds and one As-As bond via a photoionization process. This photoinduced coordination defect center exhibits a lower photoabsorption energy as compared with the usual pyramidal structure, explaining the observed photodarkening effect of a-As2S3.

Journal Article↗

Expression of the costimulator molecules, CD40 and CD154, on lymphocytes from neonates and young children.

Differential expression of the costimulator molecules CD40 and CD154 on neonatal lymphocytes may be one explanation for limited T-dependent antibody responses in human neonates. CD40 was expressed at similar levels on resting B cells from adults, young children (2-20 months of age) or cord blood. CD40 expression was higher on cord blood B cells compared to adult B cells after stimulation with PMA and ionomycin, but similar on adult and cord blood B cells activated by CD3-stimulated T cells. In contrast to previous reports, cord blood T cells stimulated with PMA and ionomycin expressed adult levels of CD154 initially, but this expression was more transient on cord blood T cells. When adult and cord blood mononuclear cells were stimulated with CD3 mAb, T cells from some cord blood specimens showed different kinetics of CD154 expression compared with adult T cells. However, some cord blood specimens showed adult patterns of T cell CD154 expression. When mononuclear cells were depleted of B cells and monocytes prior to stimulation with CD3 mAb, the MFI and percentage of T cells expressing CD154 increased, with adult and cord T cells showing similar patterns of expression. These results show some differences in expression of CD40 and CD154 between neonatal and adult lymphocytes, but do not directly account for the relative deficiencies of humoral immunity in neonates.

Adult↗

Expression of the costimulator molecules, CD80, CD86, CD28, and CD152 on lymphocytes from neonates and young children.

The expression of CD80, CD86, CD28, and CD152 were examined on peripheral blood lymphocytes from adults, neonates (cord blood lymphocytes) and young children (2-20 months of age). There was no difference in the expression of CD80 or CD86 between adult and neonatal B cells, either resting or activated. A higher percentage of resting T cells expressed CD28 in neonates and young children compared to adults. CD28 expression was similar on adult and neonatal T cells activated with PMA and ionomycin. However, CD28 was expressed at greater intensity on a higher percentage of neonatal T cells than adult T cells stimulated with CD3. CD152 expression was lower on neonatal T cells than adult T cells stimulated with PMA and ionomycin and undetectable on neonatal T cells stimulated with CD3. In contrast, intracellular CD152 was equivalent in adult and neonatal T cells stimulated with PMA and ionomycin, suggesting trafficking of CD152 to the cell surface may be differentially regulated in neonatal T cells. Since the T cell response is determined by the balance of signals received from CD28 and CD152, high levels of CD28 expression and lower surface expression of CD152 on neonatal T cells may represent specialisation to promote activation of neonatal T cells.

Abatacept↗

Removal of erythroid cells from umbilical cord blood mononuclear cell preparations using magnetic beads and a monoclonal antibody against glycophorin A.

Umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells isolated by density centrifugation are contaminated by erythrocytes and nucleated erythroid precursors which may exceed 50% of the total cell population, and thus interfere with phenotypic, functional and mRNA analyses. Lysis with hypotonic ammonium chloride can overcome this problem, but interferes with lysosomal function and should be avoided when cell preparations are intended for functional studies. The aim of this study was to develop a technique for removing erythroid cells from cord blood mononuclear cell preparations that would be as effective as ammonium chloride lysis but would not affect cellular function. This paper describes a method using 10F7, a mouse monoclonal antibody against human glycophorin A, and magnetic beads coated with anti-mouse immunoglobulin. The population of cord blood mononuclear cells recovered using this technique was of high purity, good yield and viability, and the cells responded appropriately to stimulation in vitro. To maximise cost-effectiveness, purification with magnetic beads could be performed after two density separations to reduce the quantity of beads required.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Effects of maturation on alpha-adrenergic receptor affinity and occupancy in small cerebral arteries.

The present experiments examine the hypothesis that changes in receptor affinity and occupation mediate maturational changes in norepinephrine sensitivity in small cerebral arteries. In second-order (2B) and fourth-order (4B) branch middle cerebral artery segments from newborn and adult sheep, we first found that a stretch ratio based on artery diameter better estimated optimal prestretch than did passive tension. Next, we determined norepinephrine dose-response relations before and after prazosin, yohimbine, and benextramine. Prazosin competitively blocked contractions to norepinephrine, but yohimbine had no effect, indicating that alpha 1-adrenoceptors mediated contraction. Norepinephrine sensitivity [determined from the -log of the half-maximal effective dose (pD2)], maximal response, and binding affinity all decreased with age in 4B but not 2B segments. Receptor occupancy at the pD2 increased with age only in 2B segments. In conclusion, maturation of ovine middle cerebral arteries involves branch-specific changes in affinity and receptor occupation of the alpha 1-adrenoceptors that mediate contractile responses to norepinephrine. Age-related changes in receptor density and/or intrinsic efficacy probably are involved also.

Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists↗

Maturation enhances the sensitivity of ovine cerebral arteries to the ATP-sensitive potassium channel activator lemakalim.

A wide variety of previous studies have demonstrated that arterial reactivity and contractility change dramatically during maturation. In light of recent findings that binding sites for glibenclamide, a ligand for ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels, become more abundant with age in many tissues, the present studies examine the hypothesis that maturational changes in vascular reactivity involve changes in arterial electrophysiologic characteristics. To test this hypothesis, we determined the dose-response relation to lemakalim, a selective activator of KATP channels, in isolated endothelium-denuded segments of the second (2B, internal diameter approximately 200 microns) and fourth (4B, internal diameter approximately 125 microns) branches of middle cerebral arteries taken from newborn (3-7 d old) and adult sheep. At 100 microM, lemakalim completely relaxed serotonin-induced tone in all arteries. However, -log ED50 values were 29 to 43 times greater in adult (2B, 7.15 +/- 0.38; 4B, 6.61 +/- 0.42) than in newborn (2B, 5.52 +/- 0.25; 4B, 5.15 +/- 0.24) segments. Correspondingly, Hill values were significantly smaller in adults (2B, 0.47 +/- 0.17; 4B, 0.71 +/- 0.30) than in newborns (2B, 1.40 +/- 0.35; 4B, 3.30 +/- 0.92). These findings demonstrate that KATP channels are less sensitive to activation in newborn than in adult cerebral arteries. Given the important influence of KATP channels on vascular tone, and their possible role in many cardiovascular responses, the present data suggest that maturational increases in the activity of KATP channels contribute significantly to age-related changes in cerebrovascular contractility.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗