4,269 research outputs found
Computing Hilbert Class Polynomials
We present and analyze two algorithms for computing the Hilbert class
polynomial . The first is a p-adic lifting algorithm for inert primes p
in the order of discriminant D < 0. The second is an improved Chinese remainder
algorithm which uses the class group action on CM-curves over finite fields.
Our run time analysis gives tighter bounds for the complexity of all known
algorithms for computing , and we show that all methods have comparable
run times
Patient-reported outcomes following flexible sigmoidoscopy screening for colorectal cancer in a demonstration screening programme in the UK
<p>OBJECTIVES: Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) screening for colorectal cancer will be introduced into the National Cancer Screening Programmes in England in 2013. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) from trial participants indicate high acceptability and no adverse physical or psychological consequences, but this may not generalize to routine screening in the community. This study examined PROMs in a community-based FS screening programme.</p>
<p>METHODS: Eligible adults aged 58-59 (n = 2016) registered at 34 London general practices were mailed a National Health Service-endorsed invitation to attend FS screening. Pain and side-effects were assessed in a 'morning-after' questionnaire, and satisfaction was assessed in a three-month follow-up questionnaire. Anxiety, self-rated health and colorectal symptoms were assessed at prescreening and follow-up.</p>
<p>RESULTS: In total, 1020 people attended screening and were included in the current analyses, of whom 913 (90%) returned the morning-after questionnaire, and 674 (66%) the follow-up questionnaire. The prescreening questionnaire had been completed by 751 (74%) of those who attended. The majority (87%) of respondents reported no pain or mild pain, and the most frequent side-effect (wind) was only experienced more than mildly by 16%. Satisfaction was extremely high, with 98% glad they had the test; 97% would encourage a friend to have it. From prescreening to follow-up there were no changes in anxiety or self-rated health, and the number of colorectal symptoms declined. Satisfaction and changes in wellbeing were not moderated by gender, deprivation, ethnicity or screening outcome.</p>
<p>CONCLUSIONS: PROMs indicate high acceptability of FS screening in 58-59 year olds, with no adverse effects on colorectal symptoms, health status or psychological wellbeing.</p>
Coupling of hard dimers to dynamical lattices via random tensors
We study hard dimers on dynamical lattices in arbitrary dimensions using a
random tensor model. The set of lattices corresponds to triangulations of the
d-sphere and is selected by the large N limit. For small enough dimer
activities, the critical behavior of the continuum limit is the one of pure
random lattices. We find a negative critical activity where the universality
class is changed as dimers become critical, in a very similar way hard dimers
exhibit a Yang-Lee singularity on planar dynamical graphs. Critical exponents
are calculated exactly. An alternative description as a system of
`color-sensitive hard-core dimers' on random branched polymers is provided.Comment: 12 page
Policy instruments in the Common Agricultural Policy
Policy changes in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) can be explained in terms of the exhaustion and long-term contradictions of policy instruments. Changes in policy instruments have reoriented the policy without any change in formal Treaty goals. The social and economic efficacy of instruments in terms of evidence-based policy analysis was a key factor in whether they were delegitimized. The original policy instruments were generally dysfunctional, but reframing the policy in terms of a multifunctionality paradigm permitted the development of more efficacious instruments. A dynamic interaction takes place between the instruments and policy informed by the predominant discourses
Higher Order Analogues of Tracy-Widom Distributions via the Lax Method
We study the distribution of the largest eigenvalue in formal Hermitian
one-matrix models at multicriticality, where the spectral density acquires an
extra number of k-1 zeros at the edge. The distributions are directly expressed
through the norms of orthogonal polynomials on a semi-infinite interval, as an
alternative to using Fredholm determinants. They satisfy non-linear recurrence
relations which we show form a Lax pair, making contact to the string
literature in the early 1990's. The technique of pseudo-differential operators
allows us to give compact expressions for the logarithm of the gap probability
in terms of the Painleve XXXIV hierarchy. These are the higher order analogues
of the Tracy-Widom distribution which has k=1. Using known Backlund
transformations we show how to simplify earlier equivalent results that are
derived from Fredholm determinant theory, valid for even k in terms of the
Painleve II hierarchy.Comment: 24 pages. Improved discussion of Backlund transformations, in
addition to other minor improvements in text. Typos corrected. Matches
published versio
Developmental expression of BK channels in chick cochlear hair cells
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cochlear hair cells are high-frequency sensory receptors. At the onset of hearing, hair cells acquire fast, calcium-activated potassium (BK) currents, turning immature spiking cells into functional receptors. In non-mammalian vertebrates, the number and kinetics of BK channels are varied systematically along the frequency-axis of the cochlea giving rise to an intrinsic electrical tuning mechanism. The processes that control the appearance and heterogeneity of hair cell BK currents remain unclear.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Quantitative PCR results showed a non-monotonic increase in BK α subunit expression throughout embryonic development of the chick auditory organ (i.e. basilar papilla). Expression peaked near embryonic day (E) 19 with six times the transcript level of E11 sensory epithelia. The steady increase in gene expression from E11 to E19 could not explain the sudden acquisition of currents at E18-19, implicating post-transcriptional mechanisms. Protein expression also preceded function but progressed in a sequence from diffuse cytoplasmic staining at early ages to punctate membrane-bound clusters at E18. Electrophysiology data confirmed a continued refinement of BK trafficking from E18 to E20, indicating a translocation of BK clusters from supranuclear to subnuclear domains over this critical developmental age.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Gene products encoding BK α subunits are detected up to 8 days before the acquisition of anti-BK clusters and functional BK currents. Therefore, post-transcriptional mechanisms seem to play a key role in the delayed emergence of calcium-sensitive currents. We suggest that regulation of translation and trafficking of functional α subunits, near voltage-gated calcium channels, leads to functional BK currents at the onset of hearing.</p
On the Quantum Geometry of Multi-critical CDT
We discuss extensions of a recently introduced model of multi-critical CDT to
higher multi-critical points. As in the case of pure CDT the continuum limit
can be taken on the level of the action and the resulting continuum surface
model is again described by a matrix model. The resolvent, a simple observable
of the quantum geometry which is accessible from the matrix model is calculated
for arbitrary multi-critical points. We go beyond the matrix model by
determining the propagator using the peeling procedure which is used to extract
the effective quantum Hamiltonian and the fractal dimension in agreement with
earlier results by Ambjorn et al. With this at hand a string field theory
formalism for multi-critical CDT is introduced and it is shown that the
Dyson-Schwinger equations match the loop equations of the matrix model. We
conclude by commenting on how to formally obtain the sum over topologies and a
relation to stochastic quantisation.Comment: 15 pages, 2 figures, improved discussion, some new results regarding
Hausdorff dimension, as publishe
Associations between sedentary behaviour and physical activity in children and adolescents: a meta-analysis
Physical activity and sedentary behaviour are associated with metabolic and mental health during childhood and adolescence. Understanding the inter-relationships between these behaviours will help to inform intervention design. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesized evidence from observational studies describing the association between sedentary behaviour and physical activity in young people (<18 years). English-language publications up to August 2013 were located through electronic and manual searches. Included studies presented statistical associations between at least one measure of sedentary behaviour and one measure of physical activity. One hundred sixty-three papers were included in the meta-analysis, from which data on 254 independent samples was extracted. In the summary meta-analytic model (k = 230), a small, but significant, negative association between sedentary behaviour and physical activity was observed (r = -0.108, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -0.128, -0.087). In moderator analyses, studies that recruited smaller samples (n < 100, r = -0.193, 95% CI = -0.276, -0.109) employed objective methods of measurement (objectively measured physical activity; r = -0.233, 95% CI = -0.330, -0.137) or were assessed to be of higher methodological quality (r = -0.176, 95% CI = -0.215, -0.138) reported stronger associations, although effect sizes remained small. The association between sedentary behaviour and physical activity in young people is negative, but small, suggesting that these behaviours do not directly displace one another
The Kaon-Photoproduction Of Nucleons In The Quark Model
In this paper, we develop a general framework to study the
meson-photoproductions of nucleons in the chiral quark model. The S and U
channel resonance contributions are expressed in terms of the
Chew-Goldberger-Low-Nambu (CGLN) amplitudes. The kaon-photoproduction
processes, , , and , are calculated. The initial results show that the quark
model provides a much improved description of the reaction mechanism for the
kaon-photoproductions of the nucleon with less parameters than the traditional
phenomenological approaches.Comment: 25 pages, 9 postscript figures can be obtained from the author
Numerical Estimation of the Asymptotic Behaviour of Solid Partitions of an Integer
The number of solid partitions of a positive integer is an unsolved problem
in combinatorial number theory. In this paper, solid partitions are studied
numerically by the method of exact enumeration for integers up to 50 and by
Monte Carlo simulations using Wang-Landau sampling method for integers up to
8000. It is shown that, for large n, ln[p(n)]/n^(3/4) = 1.79 \pm 0.01, where
p(n) is the number of solid partitions of the integer n. This result strongly
suggests that the MacMahon conjecture for solid partitions, though not exact,
could still give the correct leading asymptotic behaviour.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, revtex
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