Spectrum of confining strings in SU(N) gauge theories

We study the spectrum of the confining strings in four-dimensional SU(N) gauge theories. We compute, for the SU(4) and SU(6) gauge theories formulated on a lattice, the string tensions sigma_k related to sources with Z_N charge k, using Monte Carlo simulations. Our results are consistent with the sine formula sigma_k/sigma = sin k pi/N / sin pi/N for the ratio between sigma_k and the standard string tension sigma. For the SU(4) and SU(6) cases the accuracy is approximately 1% and 2%, respectively. The sine formula is known to emerge in various realizations of supersymmetric SU(N) gauge theories. On the other hand, our results show deviations from Casimir scaling. We also discuss an analogous behavior exhibited by two-dimensional SU(N) x SU(N) chiral models.Comment: Latex, 34 pages, 10 figures. Results of new SU(4) simulations added. The new data are included in the analysis, leading to improved final estimates for SU(4). Conclusions unchange

The discontinuous nature of chromospheric activity evolution

Chromospheric activity has been thought to decay smoothly with time and, hence, to be a viable age indicator. Measurements in solar type stars in open clusters seem to point to a different conclusion: chromospheric activity undergoes a fast transition from Hyades level to that of the Sun after about 1 Gyr of main--sequence lifetime and any decaying trend before or after this transition must be much less significant than the short term variations.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure, to be published in Astrophysics and Space Scienc

Neuropeptide Y1 receptor in immune cells regulates inflammation and insulin resistance associated with diet-induced obesity

Recruitment of activated immune cells into white adipose tissue (WAT) is linked to the development of insulin resistance and obesity, but the mechanism behind this is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that Y1 receptor signaling in immune cells controls inflammation and insulin resistance in obesity. Selective deletion of Y1 receptors in the hematopoietic compartment of mice leads to insulin resistance and inflammation in WAT under high fat-fed conditions. This is accompanied by decreased mRNA expression of the anti-inflammatory marker adiponectin in WAT and an increase of the proinflammatory monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). In vitro, activated Y1-deficient intraperitoneal macrophages display an increased inflammatory response, with exacerbated secretion of MCP-1 and tumor necrosis factor, whereas addition of neuropeptide Y to wild-type macrophages attenuates the release of these cytokines, this effect being blocked by Y1 but not Y2 receptor antagonism. Importantly, treatment of adipocytes with the supernatant of activated Y1-deficient macrophages causes insulin resistance, as demonstrated by decreased insulin-induced phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and Akt as well as decreased expression of insulin receptor substrate 1. Thus, Y1 signaling in hematopoietic-derived cells such as macrophages is critical for the control of inflammation and insulin resistance in obesity.Laurence Macia, Ernie Yulyaningsih, Laurent Pangon, Amy D. Nguyen, Shu Lin, Yan C. Shi, Lei Zhang, Martijn Bijker, Shane Grey, Fabienne Mackay, Herbert Herzog, and Amanda Sainsbur

A Tail of a Quark in N=4 SYM

We study the dynamics of a `composite' or `dressed' quark in strongly-coupled large-N_c N=4 super-Yang-Mills, making use of the AdS/CFT correspondence. We show that the standard string dynamics nicely captures the physics of the quark and its surrounding non-Abelian field configuration, making it possible to derive a relativistic equation of motion that incorporates the effects of radiation damping. From this equation one can deduce a non-standard dispersion relation for the composite quark, as well as a Lorentz covariant formula for its rate of radiation. We explore the consequences of the equation in a few simple examples.Comment: 26 pages, no figures. v2: added brief clarification on string boundary conditions, version to be published in JHE

Manufacturing flow line systems: a review of models and analytical results

The most important models and results of the manufacturing flow line literature are described. These include the major classes of models (asynchronous, synchronous, and continuous); the major features (blocking, processing times, failures and repairs); the major properties (conservation of flow, flow rate-idle time, reversibility, and others); and the relationships among different models. Exact and approximate methods for obtaining quantitative measures of performance are also reviewed. The exact methods are appropriate for small systems. The approximate methods, which are the only means available for large systems, are generally based on decomposition, and make use of the exact methods for small systems. Extensions are briefly discussed. Directions for future research are suggested.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant DDM-8914277

Point View in Bird and Flower Painting

在中国传统绘画中，点景是极其重要的一种表达方式。石涛所研究的绘画问题中，情感、理性、力量都是不可缺少的，如何恰当地运用这三者，却有可能导致完全不同的创作结果。而点景正是这三者的集合点，不仅要用心灵去感受自然对象的内在精神，不能因为对象的限制而使感受层次也受到限制，把眼睛之受升华为心理之受。在绘画作品中合理地运用点景能使画家的情感与物象更加融合，画家自身的主观感受在画面上得到充分的体现，以一种小的特殊表现符号流露出画家作品里表达的象征倾向和审美概念，对画面的构图及意境有着画龙点睛的作用。本文以花鸟画点景为研究对象，重点介绍了点景的表现与意义；进一步阐述了点景在传统花鸟画构成中的作用，着重论述其在...The “point view” is extremely important as a means of expression in the traditional Chinese painting. Emotion, rationality and power are essential in the Shi Tao studied painting, and how to properly use them may lead to the creation of a completely different result. For the reason that “point view” is a collection of these three points, shouldn’t we only use the soul to feel the inner spirit of n...学位：文学硕士院系专业：艺术教育学院美术系_美术学学号：1862007115166

Contact With Nature, Sense of Humor, and Psychological Well-Being

We administered a questionnaire measuring contact with nature, sense of humor, and psychological well-being. Factor analysis of the humor items yielded four factors: humor production, humor appreciation, coping humor, and humor tolerance. Factor analysis of 14 well-being measures yielded three factors: emotional well-being, personal development, and effective functioning. The best sense-of-humor predictor of the well-being measures and factors was humor appreciation. Regression models for each of the well-being factors as dependent variables with humor appreciation and contact with nature as independent variables showed that additive models with both predictors were appropriate for personal development and effective functioning and that a simple model with humor appreciation as the sole predictor was sufficient for emotional well being. Secondary analyses suggested that contact with nature was the better predictor of effective functioning, whereas sense of humor was the better predictor of personal development