Anomalous Thouless energy and critical statistics on the metallic side of the many-body localization transition

We study a one-dimensional (1d) XXZ spin-chain in a random field on the metallic side of the many-body localization transition by level statistics. For a fixed interaction, and intermediate disorder below the many-body localization transition, we find that, asymptotically, the number variance grows faster than linear with a disorder dependent exponent. This is consistent with the existence of an anomlaous Thouless energy in the spectrum. In non-interacting disordered metals this is an energy scale related to the typical time for a particle to diffuse across the sample. In the interacting case it seems related to a more intricate anomalous diffusion process. This interpretation is not fully consistent with recent claims that, for intermediate disorder, level statistics are described by a plasma model with power-law decaying interactions whose number variance grows slower than linear. As disorder is further increased, still on the metallic side, the Thouless energy is gradually washed out. In the range of sizes we can explore, level statistics are scale invariant and approach Poisson statistics at the many-body localization transition. Slightly below the many-body localization transition, spectral correlations, well described by critical statistics, are quantitatively similar to those of a high dimensional, non-interacting, disordered conductor at the Anderson transition.A.M.G. acknowledges support from EPSRC, Grant No. EP/I004637/1.This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the American Physical Society via https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.94.14420

Diversity antenna for a wrist telephone

A radiotelephone wrist device includes a case having a transceiver and a strap attached to the case for fastening the device to a user's wrist. The strap has a top layer and a bottom layer. The top layer is attached to the bottom layer by a pivot mechanism which facilitates rotating at least a portion of the top layer with respect to the bottom layer. A microphone is located on the strap and electrically connected to the transceiver. A speaker is located at an end of the top layer of the strap and electrically connected to the transceiver. A first antenna is located in the bottom layer of the strap. A second antenna is located in the rotatable portion of the top layer of the strap.Published versio

Fixed-point elimination in the intuitionistic propositional calculus

It is a consequence of existing literature that least and greatest fixed-points of monotone polynomials on Heyting algebras-that is, the algebraic models of the Intuitionistic Propositional Calculus-always exist, even when these algebras are not complete as lattices. The reason is that these extremal fixed-points are definable by formulas of the IPC. Consequently, the $\mu$-calculus based on intuitionistic logic is trivial, every $\mu$-formula being equivalent to a fixed-point free formula. We give in this paper an axiomatization of least and greatest fixed-points of formulas, and an algorithm to compute a fixed-point free formula equivalent to a given $\mu$-formula. The axiomatization of the greatest fixed-point is simple. The axiomatization of the least fixed-point is more complex, in particular every monotone formula converges to its least fixed-point by Kleene's iteration in a finite number of steps, but there is no uniform upper bound on the number of iterations. We extract, out of the algorithm, upper bounds for such n, depending on the size of the formula. For some formulas, we show that these upper bounds are polynomial and optimal

Inhibition of Y1 receptor signaling improves islet transplant outcome

Failure to secrete sufficient quantities of insulin is a pathological feature of type-1 and type-2 diabetes, and also reduces the success of islet cell transplantation. Here we demonstrate that Y1 receptor signaling inhibits insulin release in β-cells, and show that this can be pharmacologically exploited to boost insulin secretion. Transplanting islets with Y1 receptor deficiency accelerates the normalization of hyperglycemia in chemically induced diabetic recipient mice, which can also be achieved by short-term pharmacological blockade of Y1 receptors in transplanted mouse and human islets. Furthermore, treatment of non-obese diabetic mice with a Y1 receptor antagonist delays the onset of diabetes. Mechanistically, Y1 receptor signaling inhibits the production of cAMP in islets, which via CREB mediated pathways results in the down-regulation of several key enzymes in glycolysis and ATP production. Thus, manipulating Y1 receptor signaling in β-cells offers a unique therapeutic opportunity for correcting insulin deficiency as it occurs in the pathological state of type-1 diabetes as well as during islet transplantation.Islet transplantation is considered one of the potential treatments for T1DM but limited islet survival and their impaired function pose limitations to this approach. Here Loh et al. show that the Y1 receptor is expressed in β- cells and inhibition of its signalling, both genetic and pharmacological, improves mouse and human islet function.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

A high density recombination map of the pig reveals a correlation between sex-specific recombination and GC content

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The availability of a high-density SNP genotyping chip and a reference genome sequence of the pig (<it>Sus scrofa</it>) enabled the construction of a high-density linkage map. A high-density linkage map is an essential tool for further fine-mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for a variety of traits in the pig and for a better understanding of mechanisms underlying genome evolution.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Four different pig pedigrees were genotyped using the Illumina PorcineSNP60 BeadChip. Recombination maps for the autosomes were computed for each individual pedigree using a common set of markers. The resulting genetic maps comprised 38,599 SNPs, including 928 SNPs not positioned on a chromosome in the current assembly of the pig genome (build 10.2). The total genetic length varied according to the pedigree, from 1797 to 2149 cM. Female maps were longer than male maps, with a notable exception for SSC1 where male maps are characterized by a higher recombination rate than females in the region between 91–250 Mb. The recombination rates varied among chromosomes and along individual chromosomes, regions with high recombination rates tending to cluster close to the chromosome ends, irrespective of the position of the centromere. Correlations between main sequence features and recombination rates were investigated and significant correlations were obtained for all the studied motifs. Regions characterized by high recombination rates were enriched for specific GC-rich sequence motifs as compared to low recombinant regions. These correlations were higher in females than in males, and females were found to be more recombinant than males at regions where the GC content was greater than 0.4.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The analysis of the recombination rate along the pig genome highlighted that the regions exhibiting higher levels of recombination tend to cluster around the ends of the chromosomes irrespective of the location of the centromere. Major sex-differences in recombination were observed: females had a higher recombination rate within GC-rich regions and exhibited a stronger correlation between recombination rates and specific sequence features.</p

Appointing Women to Boards: Is There a Cultural Bias?

Companies that are serious about corporate governance and business ethics are turning their attention to gender diversity at the most senior levels of business (Institute of Business Ethics, Business Ethics Briefing 21:1, 2011). Board gender diversity has been the subject of several studies carried out by international organizations such as Catalyst (Increasing gender diversity on boards: Current index of formal approaches, 2012), the World Economic Forum (Hausmann et al., The global gender gap report, 2010), and the European Board Diversity Analysis (Is it getting easier to find women on European boards? 2010). They all lead to reports confirming the overall relatively low proportion of women on boards and the slow pace at which more women are being appointed. Furthermore, the proportion of women on corporate boards varies much across countries. Based on institutional theory, this study hypothesizes and tests whether this variation can be attributed to differences in cultural settings across countries. Our analysis of the representation of women on boards for 32 countries during 2010 reveals that two cultural characteristics are indeed associated with the observed differences. We use the cultural dimensions proposed by Hofstede (Culture’s consequences: International differences in work-related values, 1980) to measure this construct. Results show that countries which have the greatest tolerance for inequalities in the distribution of power and those that tend to value the role of men generally exhibit lower representations of women on boards

Response to novel objects and foraging tasks by common marmoset (Callithrix Jacchus) female Pairs

Many studies have shown that environmental enrichment can significantly improve the psychological well-being of captive primates, increasing the occurrence of explorative behavior and thus reducing boredom. The response of primates to enrichment devices may be affected by many factors such as species, sex, age, personality and social context. Environmental enrichment is particularly important for social primates living in unnatural social groupings (i.e. same-sex pairs or singly housed animals), who have very few, or no, benefits from the presence of social companions in addition to all the problems related to captivity (e.g. increased inactivity). This study analyses the effects of enrichment devices (i.e. novel objects and foraging tasks) on the behavior of common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) female pairs, a species that usually lives in family groups. It aims to determine which aspects of an enrichment device are more likely to elicit explorative behaviors, and how aggressive and stress-related behaviors are affected by its presence. Overall, the marmosets explored foraging tasks significantly longer than novel objects. The type of object, which varied in size, shape and aural responsiveness (i.e. they made a noise when the monkey touched them), did not affect the response of the monkeys, but they explored objects that were placed higher in the enclosure more than those placed lower down.Younger monkeys were more attracted to the enrichment devices than the older ones. Finally, stress-related behavior (i.e. scratching) significantly decreased when the monkeys were presented with the objects; aggressive behavior as unaffected. This study supports the importance of environmental enrichment for captive primates and shows that in marmosets its effectiveness strongly depends upon the height of the device in the enclosure and the presence of hidden food. The findings can be explained ifone considers the foraging behavior of wild common marmosets. Broader applications for the research findings are suggested in relation to enrichment

Replacement therapy for bleeding episodes in factor VII deficiency: A prospective evaluation

Patients with inherited factor VII (FVII) deficiency display different clinical phenotypes requiring ad hoc management. This study evaluated treatments for spontaneous and traumatic bleeding using data from the Seven Treatment Evaluation Registry (STER). One-hundred one bleeds were analysed in 75 patients (41 females; FVII coagulant activity <1-20%). Bleeds were grouped as haemarthroses (n=30), muscle/subcutaneous haematomas (n=16), epistaxis (n=12), gum bleeding (n=13), menorrhagia (n=16), central nervous system (CNS; n=9), gastrointestinal (GI; n=2) and other (n=3). Of 93 evaluable episodes, 76 were treated with recombinant, activated FVII (rFVIIa), eight with fresh frozen plasma (FFP), seven with plasma-derived FVII (pdFVII) and two with prothrombin-complex concentrates. One-day replacement therapy resulted in very favourable outcomes in haemarthroses, and was successful in muscle/subcutaneous haematomas, epistaxis and gum bleeding. For menorrhagia, single- or multiple-dose schedules led to favourable outcomes. No thrombosis occurred; two inhibitors were detected in two repeatedly treated patients (one post-rFVIIa, one post-pdFVII). In FVII deficiency, most bleeds were successfully treated with single 'intermediate' doses (median 60 µg/kg) of rFVIIa. For the most severe bleeds (CNS, GI) short- or long-term prophylaxis may be optimalPatients with inherited factor VII (FVII) deficiency display different clinical phenotypes requiring ad hoc management. This study evaluated treatments for spontaneous and traumatic bleeding using data from the Seven Treatment Evaluation Registry (STER). One-hundred one bleeds were analysed in 75 patients (41 females; FVII coagulant activity <1-20%). Bleeds were grouped as haemarthroses (n=30), muscle/subcutaneous haematomas (n=16), epistaxis (n=12), gum bleeding (n=13), menorrhagia (n=16), central nervous system (CNS; n=9), gastrointestinal (GI; n=2) and other (n=3). Of 93 evaluable episodes, 76 were treated with recombinant, activated FVII (rFVIIa), eight with fresh frozen plasma (FFP), seven with plasma-derived FVII (pdFVII) and two with prothrombin-complex concentrates. One-day replacement therapy resulted in very favourable outcomes in haemarthroses, and was successful in muscle/subcutaneous haematomas, epistaxis and gum bleeding. For menorrhagia, single- or multiple-dose schedules led to favourable outcomes. No thrombosis occurred; two inhibitors were detected in two repeatedly treated patients (one postrFVIIa, one post-pdFVII). In FVII deficiency, most bleeds were successfully treated with single 'intermediate' doses (median 60 μg/kg) of rFVIIa. For the most severe bleeds (CNS, GI) short- or long-term prophylaxis may be optimal. © Schattauer 2013

Cardiac Alterations in Human African Trypanosomiasis (T.b. gambiense) with Respect to the Disease Stage and Antiparasitic Treatment

In Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), neurological symptoms dominate and cardiac involvement has been suggested. Because of increasing resistance to the available drugs for HAT, new compounds are desperately needed. Evaluation of cardiotoxicity is one parameter of drug safety, but without knowledge of the baseline heart involvement in HAT, cardiologic findings and drug-induced alterations will be difficult to interpret. The electrocardiogram (ECG) is a tool to evaluate cardiac involvement and the risk of arrythmias. We analysed the ECG of 465 HAT patients and compared them with the ECG of 61 healthy volunteers. In HAT patients the QTc interval was prolonged. This comprises a risk of fatal arrhythmias if new drugs with antiarrhythmic potential will be used. Further, repolarization changes and low voltage were more frequent than in healthy controls. This could be explained by an inflammation of the heart. Treatment of HAT was associated with appearance of repolarization changes but not with a QTc prolongation. These changes appear to be associated with the disease, but not with a specific drug. The main conclusion of this study is that heart involvement is frequent in HAT and mostly well tolerated. However, it can become relevant, if new compounds with antiarrhythmic potential will be used

The Perceptions on Male Circumcision as a Preventive Measure Against HIV Infection and Considerations in Scaling up of the Services: A Qualitative Study Among Police Officers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

\ud In recent randomized controlled trials, male circumcision has been proven to complement the available biomedical interventions in decreasing HIV transmission from infected women to uninfected men. Consequently, Tanzania is striving to scale-up safe medical male circumcision to reduce HIV transmission. However, there is a need to investigate the perceptions of male circumcision in Tanzania using specific populations. The purpose of the present study was to assess the perceptions of male circumcision in a cohort of police officers that also served as a source of volunteers for a phase I/II HIV vaccine (HIVIS-03) trial in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In-depth interviews with 24 men and 10 women were conducted. Content analysis informed by the socio-ecological model was used to analyze the data. Informants perceived male circumcision as a health-promoting practice that may prevent HIV transmission and other sexually transmitted infections. They reported male circumcision promotes sexual pleasure, confidence and hygiene or sexual cleanliness. They added that it is a religious ritual and a cultural practice that enhances the recognition of manhood in the community. However, informants were concerned about the cost involved in male circumcision and cleanliness of instruments used in medical and traditional male circumcision. They also expressed confusion about the shame of undergoing circumcision at an advanced age and pain that could emanate after circumcision. The participants advocated for health policies that promote medical male circumcision at childhood, specifically along with the vaccination program. The perceived benefit of male circumcision as a preventive strategy to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections is important. However, there is a need to ensure that male circumcision is conducted under hygienic conditions. Integrating male circumcision service in the routine childhood vaccination program may increase its coverage at early childhood. The findings from this investigation provide contextual understanding that may assist in scaling-up male circumcision in Tanzania.\u