articles+ search results

UNCERTAINTY and PHYSICISTS

Taking into account that the scalar a 0 (980) can be dynamically generated from the pseudoscalar-pseudoscalar interaction within the chiral unitary approach, we have studied the single Cabibbo suppressed process D + → π + π 0 η . We find clear peaks of a 0 (980) + and a 0 (980) 0 in the π + η and π 0 η invariant mass distributions, respectively. The predicted Dalitz plots of D + → π + π 0 η also manifest the significant signals for a 0 (980) + and a 0 (980) 0 states. The uncertainties of the results due to the free parameters are also discussed. Our study shows that the process D + → π + π 0 η can be used to explore the nature of the scalar a 0 (980) , thus we encourage the experimental physicists to measure this reaction with more precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DOSIMETERS, PHYSICISTS, CLINICS, RADIATION, and METHODOLOGY

Radiochromic film (RCF) has several advantageous characteristics which make it an attractive dosimeter for many clinical tasks in radiation oncology. However, knowledge of and strict adherence to complicated protocols in order to produce accurate measurements can prohibit RCF from being widely adopted in the clinic. The purpose of this study was to outline some simple and straightforward RCF fundamentals in order to help clinical medical physicists perform accurate RCF measurements. We describe a process and methodology successfully used in our practice with the hope that it saves time and effort for others when implementing RCF in their clinics. Two RCF analysis software programs which differ in cost and complexity, the commercially available FilmQA Pro package and the freely available ImageJ software, were used to show the accuracy, consistency and limitations of each. The process described resulted in a majority of the measurements across a wide dose range to be accurate within ± 2% of the intended dose using either FilmQA Pro or ImageJ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WORLD War II and PHYSICISTS

Defense projects made the West Coast the promised land for US physicists after World War II—until the projects dried up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DENSITY matrices, MOLECULAR orbitals, NATURAL orbitals, QUANTUM mechanics, and PHYSICISTS

Molecular orbital framework is of central importance in chemistry. Often used by chemists and physicists to gain insight into molecular properties, Hartree–Fock or Kohn–Sham orbitals are obtained from rather crude treatments and, strictly speaking, are not observables. Yet, quantum mechanics offers a route for connecting general many-electron wavefunctions with reduced quantities—density matrices and orbitals—which give rise to observable properties. Such mapping makes possible, in principle, reconstruction of these objects from sufficiently detailed experimental data. This Perspective discusses Dyson orbitals and various types of natural transition orbitals and illustrates their role in modeling and interpreting different types of spectroscopic measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PHYSICISTS, ZETA functions, and INFINITE series (Mathematics)

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NEUTRON stars, PHYSICISTS, NUCLEAR physics, COSMIC rays, and TELESCOPES

GENDER expression, PHYSICISTS, SOCIAL isolation, HARASSMENT, SEXUAL harassment, and LGBTQ+ youth

This article looks at the qualitative survey responses of LGBT physicists about their experiences of exclusionary behavior and harassment. Of the 324 respondents 71 reported such an experience and gave a qualitative response. Findings indicate that the majority of respondents experienced exclusionary behavior based on their gender expression or being a woman. The behavior came mostly in the forms of verbal comments and social exclusion, with fewer participants reporting physical touching or sexual harassment. These findings indicate the importance of intersectionality when considering experiences in physics and point to the need for more research on and support for LGBT-identified students and professional. As such, the results represent a relevant and important case study in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SCIENTIFIC computing, PHYSICISTS, MICROSCOPY, BIOLOGISTS, and OPTICS

At the time of this writing, searching Google Scholar for 'light-sheet microscopy' returns almost 8500 results; over three-quarters of which were published in the last 5 years alone. Searching for other advanced imaging methods in the last 5 years yields similar results: 'super-resolution microscopy' (>16 000), 'single-molecule imaging' (almost 10 000), SPIM (Single Plane Illumination Microscopy, 5000), and 'lattice light-sheet' (1300). The explosion of new imaging methods has also produced a dizzying menagerie of acronyms, with over 100 different species of 'light-sheet' alone, from SPIM to UM (Ultra microscopy) to SiMView (Simultaneous MultiView) to iSPIM (inclined SPIM, not to be confused with iSPIM, inverted SPIM). How then is the average biologist, without an advanced degree in physics, optics, or computer science supposed to make heads or tails of which method is best suited for their needs? Let us also not forget the plight of the optical physicist, who at best might need help with obtaining healthy samples and keeping them that way, or at worst may not realize the impact their newest technique could have for biologists. This review will not attempt to solve all these problems, but instead highlight some of the most recent, successful mergers between biology and advanced imaging technologies, as well as hopefully provide some guidance for anyone interested in journeying into the world of live-cell imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]