86 research outputs found
Reconstruction of Black Hole Metric Perturbations from Weyl Curvature
Perturbation theory of rotating black holes is usually described in terms of
Weyl scalars and , which each satisfy Teukolsky's complex
master wave equation and respectively represent outgoing and ingoing radiation.
On the other hand metric perturbations of a Kerr hole can be described in terms
of (Hertz-like) potentials in outgoing or ingoing {\it radiation
gauges}. In this paper we relate these potentials to what one actually computes
in perturbation theory, i.e and . We explicitly construct
these relations in the nonrotating limit, preparatory to devising a
corresponding approach for building up the perturbed spacetime of a rotating
black hole. We discuss the application of our procedure to second order
perturbation theory and to the study of radiation reaction effects for a
particle orbiting a massive black hole.Comment: 6 Pages, Revtex
The Accelerating Growth of Online Tagging Systems
Research on the growth of online tagging systems not only is interesting in
its own right, but also yields insights for website management and semantic web
analysis. Traditional models that describing the growth of online systems can
be divided between linear and nonlinear versions. Linear models, including the
BA model (Brabasi and Albert, 1999), assume that the average activity of users
is a constant independent of population. Hence the total activity is a linear
function of population. On the contrary, nonlinear models suggest that the
average activity is affected by the size of the population and the total
activity is a nonlinear function of population. In the current study,
supporting evidences for the nonlinear growth assumption are obtained from data
on Internet users' tagging behavior. A power law relationship between the
number of new tags (F) and the population (P), which can be expressed as F ~ P
^ gamma (gamma > 1), is found. I call this pattern accelerating growth and find
it relates the to time-invariant heterogeneity in individual activities. I also
show how a greater heterogeneity leads to a faster growth.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure
Probabilistic models to evaluate effectiveness of steel bridge weld fatigue retrofitting by peening
The purpose of this study was to evaluate, with two probabilistic analytical models, the effectiveness of several alternative fatigue management strategies for steel bridge welds. The investigated strategies employed, in various combinations, magnetic particle inspection, gouging and rewelding, and postweld treatment by peening. The analytical models included a probabilistic strain-based fracture mechanics model and a Markov chain model. For comparing the results obtained with the two models, the fatigue life was divided into a small, fixed number of condition states based on crack depth, similar to those often used by bridge management systems to model deterioration due to other processes, such as corrosion and road surface wear. The probabilistic strain-based fracture mechanics model was verified first by comparison with design S-N curves and test data for untreated welds. Next, the verified model was used to determine the probability that untreated and treated welds would be in each condition state in a given year; the probabilities were then used to calibrate transition probabilities for a much simpler Markov chain fatigue model. Then both models were used to simulate a number of fatigue management strategies. From the results of these simulations, the performance of the different strategies was compared, and the accuracy of the simpler Markov chain fatigue model was evaluated. In general, peening was more effective if preceded by inspection of the weld. The Markov chain fatigue model did a reasonable job of predicting the general trends and relative effectiveness of the different investigated strategies
A model independent approach to the dark energy equation of state
The consensus of opinion in cosmology is that the Universe is currently
undergoing a period of accelerated expansion. With current and proposed high
precision experiments it offers the hope of being able to discriminate between
the two competing models that are being suggested to explain the observations,
namely a cosmological constant or a time dependent `Quintessence' model. The
latter suffers from a plethora of scalar field potentials all leading to
similar late time behaviour of the universe, hence to a lack of predictability.
In this paper, we develop a model independent approach which simply involves
parameterizing the dark energy equation of state in terms of known observables.
This allows to analyse the impact dark energy has had on cosmology without the
need to refer to particular scalar field models and opens up the possibility
that future experiments will be able to constrain the dark energy equation of
state in a model independent manner.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures. Final version to appear in PR
Interaction-Driven Self-adaptation of Service Ensembles
Abstract. The emergence of large-scale online collaboration requires current information systems to be apprehended as service ensembles comprising human and software service entities. The software services in such systems cannot adapt to user needs based on autonomous principles alone. Instead system requirements need to reflect global interaction characteristics that arise from the overall collaborative effort. Interaction monitoring and analysis, therefore, must become a central aspect of system self-adaptation. We propose to dynamically evaluate and update system requirements based on interaction characteristics. Subsequent reconfiguration and replacement of services enables the ensemble to mature in parallel with the evolution of its user community. We evaluate our approach in a case study focusing on adaptive storage services.
In search of disorders: internalizing symptom networks in a large clinical sample.
Background
The coâoccurrence of internalizing disorders is a common form of psychiatric comorbidity, raising questions about the boundaries between these diagnostic categories. We employ network psychometrics in order to: (a) determine whether internalizing symptoms cluster in a manner reflecting DSM diagnostic criteria, (b) gauge how distinct these diagnostic clusters are and (c) examine whether this network structure changes from childhood to early and then late adolescence.
Method
Symptomâlevel data were obtained for service users in publicly funded mental health services in England between 2011 and 2015 (N = 37,162). A symptom network (i.e. Gaussian graphical model) was estimated, and a community detection algorithm was used to explore the clustering of symptoms.
Results
The estimated network was densely connected and characterized by a multitude of weak associations between symptoms. Six communities of symptoms were identified; however, they were weakly demarcated. Two of these communities corresponded to social phobia and panic disorder, and four did not clearly correspond with DSM diagnostic categories. The network structure was largely consistent by sex and across three age groups (8â11, 12â14 and 15â18 years). Symptom connectivity in the two older age groups was significantly greater compared to the youngest group and there were differences in centrality across the age groups, highlighting the ageâspecific relevance of certain symptoms.
Conclusions
These findings clearly demonstrate the interconnected nature of internalizing symptoms, challenging the view that such pathology takes the form of distinct disorders
The last reconnection of the Marmara Sea (Turkey) to the World Ocean : A paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic perspective
Author Posting. © Elsevier B.V., 2008. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Elsevier B.V. for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Marine Geology 255 (2008): 64-82, doi:10.1016/j.margeo.2008.07.005.During the late glacial, marine isotope Stage 2, the Marmara Sea transformed into a
brackish lake as global sea level fell below the sill in the Dardanelles Strait. A record of the
basinâs reconnection to the global ocean is preserved in its sediments permitting the extraction of
the paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic history of the region. The goal of this study is to
develop a high-resolution record of the lacustrine to marine transition of Marmara Sea in order to
reconstruct regional and global climatic events at 24 a millennial scale. For this purpose, we mapped
the paleoshorelines of Marmara Sea along the northern, eastern, and southern shelves at
Ăekmece, Prince Islands, and Imrali, using data from multibeam bathymetry, high-resolution
subbottom profiling (chirp) and ten sediment cores. Detailed sedimentologic, biostratigraphic
(foraminifers, mollusk, diatoms), X-ray fluorescence geochemical scanning, and oxygen and
carbon stable isotope analyses correlated to a calibrated radiocarbon chronology provided
evidence for cold and dry conditions prior to 15 ka BP, warm conditions of the Bolling-Allerod
from ~15 to 13 ka BP, a rapid marine incursion at 12 ka BP, still stand of Marmara Sea and
sediment reworking of the paleoshorelines during the Younger Dryas at ~11.5 to 10.5 ka BP, and
development of strong stratification and influx of nutrients as Black Sea waters spilled into
Marmara Sea at 9.2 ka BP. Stable environmental conditions developed in Marmara Sea after 6.0
ka BP as sea-level reached its present shoreline and the basin floors filled with sediments
achieving their present configuration.Support for the analyses was
from NSF-OCE-0222139; OCE-9807266 and PSC-CUNY 69138-00 38
Engineered immunogens to elicit antibodies against conserved coronavirus epitopes
Immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 primarily target the receptor binding domain of the spike protein, which continually mutates to escape acquired immunity. Other regions in the spike S2 subunit, such as the stem helix and the segment encompassing residues 815-823 adjacent to the fusion peptide, are highly conserved across sarbecoviruses and are recognized by broadly reactive antibodies, providing hope that vaccines targeting these epitopes could offer protection against both current and emergent viruses. Here we employ computational modeling to design scaffolded immunogens that display the spike 815-823 peptide and the stem helix epitopes without the distracting and immunodominant receptor binding domain. These engineered proteins bind with high affinity and specificity to the mature and germline versions of previously identified broadly protective human antibodies. Epitope scaffolds interact with both sera and isolated monoclonal antibodies with broadly reactivity from individuals with pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 immunity. When used as immunogens, epitope scaffolds elicit sera with broad betacoronavirus reactivity and protect as âboostsâ against live virus challenge in mice, illustrating their potential as components of a future pancoronavirus vaccine
Size Doesn't Matter: Towards a More Inclusive Philosophy of Biology
notes: As the primary author, OâMalley drafted the paper, and gathered and analysed data (scientific papers and talks). Conceptual analysis was conducted by both authors.publication-status: Publishedtypes: ArticlePhilosophers of biology, along with everyone else, generally perceive life to fall into two broad categories, the microbes and macrobes, and then pay most of their attention to the latter. âMacrobeâ is the word we propose for larger life forms, and we use it as part of an argument for microbial equality. We suggest that taking more notice of microbes â the dominant life form on the planet, both now and throughout evolutionary history â will transform some of the philosophy of biologyâs standard ideas on ontology, evolution, taxonomy and biodiversity. We set out a number of recent developments in microbiology â including biofilm formation, chemotaxis, quorum sensing and gene transfer â that highlight microbial capacities for cooperation and communication and break down conventional thinking that microbes are solely or primarily single-celled organisms. These insights also bring new perspectives to the levels of selection debate, as well as to discussions of the evolution and nature of multicellularity, and to neo-Darwinian understandings of evolutionary mechanisms. We show how these revisions lead to further complications for microbial classification and the philosophies of systematics and biodiversity. Incorporating microbial insights into the philosophy of biology will challenge many of its assumptions, but also give greater scope and depth to its investigations
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