Parallel-propagating Fluctuations at Proton-kinetic Scales in the Solar Wind are Dominated by Kinetic Instabilities

We use magnetic helicity to characterise solar wind fluctuations at proton-kinetic scales from Wind observations. For the first time, we separate the contributions to helicity from fluctuations propagating at angles quasi-parallel and oblique to the local mean magnetic field, $\mathbf{B}_0$. We find that the helicity of quasi-parallel fluctuations is consistent with Alfv\'en-ion cyclotron and fast magnetosonic-whistler modes driven by proton temperature anisotropy instabilities and the presence of a relative drift between $\alpha$-particles and protons. We also find that the helicity of oblique fluctuations has little dependence on proton temperature anisotropy and is consistent with fluctuations from the anisotropic turbulent cascade. Our results show that parallel-propagating fluctuations at proton-kinetic scales in the solar wind are dominated by proton temperature anisotropy instabilities and not the turbulent cascade. We also provide evidence that the behaviour of fluctuations at these scales is independent of the origin and macroscopic properties of the solar wind.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJL. 6 Pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Padronização de uma bateria para a avaliação de fatores de risco psicossociais trabalhistas em trabalhadores colombianos

A battery of questionnaires to assess psychosocial risk factors at work was developed in 2010 in response to Resolution 2646 created by the Colombian Ministry of Social Protection. However, this battery presents some theoretical and practical limitations. A new battery of instruments has been designed and validated that includes instruments and risk indicators of the demand-control-social support and the effort-reward imbalance models. Other factors, not included in these models, but that Resolution 2646 suggests should be assessed, have also been added, and with this additional information, the new battery allows us to also calculate a “global indicator” of demand, control, and social support; family and social risk conditions, coping and personality; and health and wellbeing. The new battery was administered to a sample of 16,095 workers from different occupations and representative Colombian regions. An analysis of the various domains indicates that internal consistency of the various scales is high. The new battery has the following properties: it is simple to use in paper format or when administered by computer, it enables comparison between occupations, it offers unified scores for each variable, and provides information to assess the risk factors suggested by Resolution 2646. In addition, it will make it possible to compare the results obtained when analyzing Colombian workers with those obtained from studies of workers from other countries.Em 2010, desenvolveu-se uma bateria de instrumentos para avaliar fatores psicossociais trabalhistas de risco para a saúde, em resposta à Resolução 2 646 do Ministério da Proteção Social da Colômbia. Contudo, esta conta com algumas limitações que, a partir da construção e da validação de uma nova bateria, neste estudo se pretendem superar. Além disso, a nova bateria oferece recursos adicionais para a avaliação desses fatores: a presente bateria incorpora os instrumentos e os indicadores centrais dos modelos demanda-controle-apoio social e desiquilíbrio esforço-recompensa e os fatores internos do trabalho não considerados nesses modelos, mas que a Resolução considera necessários, mediram-se com testes preexistentes ou desenvolvidos pelos autores. Com os dados coletados, é possível calcular indicadores globais de demanda, controle e apoio social; além de condições familiares e sociais de risco, enfrentamento, personalidade e indicadores de saúde e bem-estar. Para a validação, a bateria foi aplicada a uma amostra de 16 095 trabalhadores de diferentes cargos e municípios colombianos. As anál i ses de consistência interna e validade permitem afirmar que a bateria é simples de aplicar em papel ou digital, permitirá comparar cargos, obter pontuações unificadas por variável, oferecer um diagnóstico de um número importante das variáveis sugeridas na Resolução bem como permitirá comparar os resultados dos trabalhadores colombianos com os de outros países. Palavras-chave: fatores trabalhistas de risco psicossocial, Resolução 2 646 de 2008, modelo demanda-controle-apoio social, modelo desiquilíbrio esforço-recompensa, estresse profissional, avaliação.En 2010 se desarrolló una batería de instrumentos para evaluar factores psicosociales laborales de riesgo para la salud, en respuesta a la Resolución 2646 de 2008 del Ministerio de la Protección Social de Colombia. Sin embargo, esta cuenta con algunas limitaciones que, a partir de la construcción y validación de una nueva batería, en el presente estudio se buscan superar. La nueva batería ofrece recursos adicionales para la evaluación de estos factores: incorpora los instrumentos e indicadores centrales de los modelos demanda-control-apoyo social y desequilibrio esfuerzo-recompensa, y los factores intralaborales no contemplados en dichos modelos, pero que la Resolución considera necesarios, se midieron con pruebas preexistentes o desarrolladas por los autores. Con los datos recolectados es posible calcular indicadores globales de demanda, control y apoyo social; además de condiciones familiares y sociales de riesgo, afrontamiento, personalidad e indicadores de salud y bienestar. Para la validación, la batería se aplicó a una muestra de 16.095 trabajadores de diferentes ocupaciones y municipios colombianos. Los análisis de consistencia interna y validez permiten afirmar que la batería es sencilla de aplicar en papel o por computador, permitirá comparar ocupaciones, obtener puntuaciones unificadas por variable, ofrecer un diagnóstico de un número importante de las variables sugeridas en la Resolución y comparar los resultados de los trabajadores colombianos con los de otros países

Designing a Story Database for Use in Automatic Story Generation

In this paper we propose a model for the representation of stories in a story database. The use of such a database will enable computational story generation systems to learn from previous stories and associated user feedback, in order to create believable stories with dramatic plots that invoke an emotional response from users. Some of the distinguishing characteristics of our proposal are the inclusion of what we call ‘narratological concepts’ and user feedback in the story database

Ultra-short pulses in linear and nonlinear media

We consider the evolution of ultra-short optical pulses in linear and nonlinear media. For the linear case, we first show that the initial-boundary value problem for Maxwell's equations in which a pulse is injected into a quiescent medium at the left endpoint can be approximated by a linear wave equation which can then be further reduced to the linear short-pulse equation. A rigorous proof is given that the solution of the short pulse equation stays close to the solutions of the original wave equation over the time scales expected from the multiple scales derivation of the short pulse equation. For the nonlinear case we compare the predictions of the traditional nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation (NLSE) approximation which those of the short pulse equation (SPE). We show that both equations can be derived from Maxwell's equations using the renormalization group method, thus bringing out the contrasting scales. The numerical comparison of both equations to Maxwell's equations shows clearly that as the pulse length shortens, the NLSE approximation becomes steadily less accurate while the short pulse equation provides a better and better approximation

The Prevalence of Children with a History of Sexual Abuse Hospitalized in the Psychiatric Setting

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/72548/1/j.1744-6171.1991.tb00489.x.pd

The Enhancement of Proton Stochastic Heating in the Near-Sun Solar Wind

International audienceStochastic heating (SH) is a nonlinear heating mechanism driven by the violation of magnetic moment invariance due to large-amplitude turbulent fluctuations producing diffusion of ions toward higher kinetic energies in the direction perpendicular to the magnetic field. It is frequently invoked as a mechanism responsible for the heating of ions in the solar wind. Here, we quantify for the first time the proton SH rate Q(perpendicular to) at radial distances from the Sun as close as 0.16 au, using measurements from the first two Parker Solar Probe encounters. Our results for both the amplitude and radial trend of the heating rate, Q(perpendicular to) proportional to r(-2.5), agree with previous results based on the Helios data set at heliocentric distances from 0.3 to 0.9 au. Also in agreement with previous results, Q(perpendicular to) is significantly larger in the fast solar wind than in the slow solar wind. We identify the tendency in fast solar wind for cuts of the core proton velocity distribution transverse to the magnetic field to exhibit a flattop shape. The observed distribution agrees with previous theoretical predictions for fast solar wind where SH is the dominant heating mechanism

Parker Solar Probe observations of proton beams simultaneous with ion-scale waves

Parker Solar Probe (PSP), NASA's latest and closest mission to the Sun, is on a journey to investigate fundamental enigmas of the inner heliosphere. This paper reports initial observations made by the Solar Probe Analyzer for Ions (SPAN-I), one of the instruments in the Solar Wind Electrons Alphas and Protons (SWEAP) instrument suite. We address the presence of secondary proton beams in concert with ion-scale waves observed by FIELDS, the electromagnetic fields instrument suite. We show two events from PSP's 2nd orbit that demonstrate signatures consistent with wave-particle interactions. We showcase 3D velocity distribution functions (VDFs) measured by SPAN-I during times of strong wave power at ion-scales. From an initial instability analysis, we infer that the VDFs departed far enough away from local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) to provide sufficient free energy to locally generate waves. These events exemplify the types of instabilities that may be present and, as such, may guide future data analysis characterizing and distinguishing between different wave-particle interactions.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, 2 table

Effect on Adherence to Nicotine Replacement Therapy of Informing Smokers Their Dose Is Determined by Their Genotype: A Randomised Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: The behavioural impact of pharmacogenomics is untested. We tested two hypotheses concerning the behavioural impact of informing smokers their oral dose of NRT is tailored to analysis of DNA. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We conducted an RCT with smokers in smoking cessation clinics (N = 633). In combination with NRT patch, participants were informed that their doses of oral NRT were based either on their mu-opioid receptor (OPRM1) genotype, or their nicotine dependence questionnaire score (phenotype). The proportion of prescribed NRT consumed in the first 28 days following quitting was not significantly different between groups: (68.5% of prescribed NRT consumed in genotype vs 63.6%, phenotype group, difference = 5.0%, 95% CI -0.9,10.8, p = 0.098). Motivation to make another quit attempt among those (n = 331) not abstinent at six months was not significantly different between groups (p = 0.23). Abstinence at 28 days was not different between groups (p = 0.67); at six months was greater in genotype than phenotype group (13.7% vs 7.9%, difference = 5.8%, 95% CI 1.0,10.7, p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Informing smokers their oral dose of NRT was tailored to genotype not phenotype had a small, statistically non-significant effect on 28-day adherence to NRT. Among those still smoking at six months, there was no evidence that saying NRT was tailored to genotype adversely affected motivation to make another quit attempt. Higher abstinence rate at six months in the genotype arm requires investigation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN14352545.</p