734 research outputs found
A Generating Function for all Semi-Magic Squares and the Volume of the Birkhoff Polytope
We present a multivariate generating function for all n x n nonnegative
integral matrices with all row and column sums equal to a positive integer t,
the so called semi-magic squares. As a consequence we obtain formulas for all
coefficients of the Ehrhart polynomial of the polytope B_n of n x n
doubly-stochastic matrices, also known as the Birkhoff polytope. In particular
we derive formulas for the volumes of B_n and any of its faces.Comment: 24 pages, 1 figure. To appear in Journal of Algebraic Combinatoric
Proton strangeness form factors in (4,1) clustering configurations
We reexamine a recent result within a nonrelativistic constituent quark model
(NRCQM) which maintains that the uuds\bar s component in the proton has its
uuds subsystem in P state, with its \bar s in S state (configuration I). When
the result are corrected, contrary to the previous result, we find that all the
empirical signs of the form factors data can be described by the lowest-lying
uuds\bar s configuration with \bar s in P state that has its uuds subsystem in
state (configuration II). Further, it is also found that the removal of the
center-of-mass (CM) motion of the clusters will enhance the contributions of
the transition current considerably. We also show that a reasonable description
of the existing form factors data can be obtained with a very small probability
P_{s\bar s}=0.025% for the uuds\bar s component. We further see that the
agreement of our prediction with the data for G_A^s at low-q^2 region can be
markedly improved by a small admixture of configuration I. It is also found
that by not removing CM motion, P_{s\bar s} would be overestimated by about a
factor of four in the case when transition dominates over direct currents.
Then, we also study the consequence of a recent estimate reached from analyzing
the existing data on quark distributions that P_{s\bar s} lies between 2.4-2.9%
which would lead to a large size for the five-quark (5q) system, as well as a
small bump in both G^s_E+\eta G^s_M and G^s_E in the region of q^2 =< 0.1
GeV^2.Comment: Prepared for The Fifth Asia-Pacific Conference on Few-Body Problems
in Physics 2011 in Seoul, South Korea, 22-26 August 201
Spin Glass Behavior in RuSr2Gd1.5Ce0.5Cu2O10
The dynamics of the magnetic properties of polycrystalline
RuSr2Gd1.5Ce0.5Cu2O10 (Ru-1222) have been studied by ac susceptibility and dc
magnetization measurements, including relaxation and ageing studies. Ru-1222 is
a reported magneto-superconductor with Ru spins magnetic ordering at
temperatures near 100 K and superconductivity in Cu-O2 planes below Tc ~ 40 K.
The exact nature of Ru spins magnetic ordering is still debated and no
conclusion has been reached yet. In this work, a frequency-dependent cusp was
observed in ac susceptibility vs. T measurements, which is interpreted as a
spin glass transition. The change in the cusp position with frequency follows
the Vogel-Fulcher law, which is commonly accepted to describe a spin glass with
magnetically interacting clusters. Such interpretation is supported by
themoremanaent magnetization (TRM) measurements at T = 60 K. TRM relaxations
are well described by a stretched exponential relation, and present significant
ageing effects.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Future Directions in Parity Violation: From Quarks to the Cosmos
I discuss the prospects for future studies of parity-violating (PV)
interactions at low energies and the insights they might provide about open
questions in the Standard Model as well as physics that lies beyond it. I cover
four types of parity-violating observables: PV electron scattering; PV hadronic
interactions; PV correlations in weak decays; and searches for the permanent
electric dipole moments of quantum systems.Comment: Talk given at PAVI 06 workshop on parity-violating interactions,
Milos, Greece (May, 2006); 10 page
No evidence of response bias in a populationbased childhood cancer survivor questionnaire survey-Results from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study
Purpose
This is the first study to quantify potential nonresponse bias in a childhood cancer survivor questionnaire survey. We describe early and late responders and nonresponders, and estimate nonresponse bias in a nationwide questionnaire survey of survivors.
Methods
In the Swiss Childhood Cancer Survivor Study, we compared characteristics of early responders (who answered an initial questionnaire), late responders (who answered after ≥1 reminder) and nonresponders. Sociodemographic and cancer-related information was available for the whole population from the Swiss Childhood Cancer Registry. We compared observed prevalence of typical outcomes in responders to the expected prevalence in a complete (100% response) representative population we constructed in order to estimate the effect of nonresponse bias. We constructed the complete population using inverse probability of participation weights.
Results
Of 2328 survivors, 930 returned the initial questionnaire (40%); 671 returned the questionnaire after ≥1reminder (29%). Compared to early and late responders, we found that the 727 nonresponders (31%) were more likely male, aged <20 years, French or Italian speaking, of foreign nationality, diagnosed with lymphoma or a CNS or germ cell tumor, and treated only with surgery. But observed prevalence of typical estimates (somatic health, medical care, mental health, health behaviors) was similar among the sample of early responders (40%), all responders (69%), and the complete representative population (100%). In this survey, nonresponse bias did not seem to influence observed prevalence estimates.
Conclusion
Nonresponse bias may play only a minor role in childhood cancer survivor studies, suggesting that results can be generalized to the whole population of such cancer survivors and applied in clinical practice
The clustering of ultra-high energy cosmic rays and their sources
The sky distribution of cosmic rays with energies above the 'GZK cutoff'
holds important clues to their origin. The AGASA data, although consistent with
isotropy, shows evidence for small-angle clustering, and it has been argued
that such clusters are aligned with BL Lacertae objects, implicating these as
sources. It has also been suggested that clusters can arise if the cosmic rays
come from the decays of very massive relic particles in the Galactic halo, due
to the expected clumping of cold dark matter. We examine these claims and show
that both are in fact not justified.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures, version in press at Phys. Rev.
Processing of aluminum-graphite particulate metal matrix composites by advanced shear technology
Copyright @ 2009 ASM International. This paper was published in Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance 18(9) and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of ASM International. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic or multiple reproduction, distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means, duplications of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of this paper are prohibited.To extend the possibilities of using aluminum/graphite composites as structural materials, a novel process is developed. The conventional methods often produce agglomerated structures exhibiting lower strength and ductility. To overcome the cohesive force of the agglomerates, a melt conditioned high-pressure die casting
(MC-HPDC) process innovatively adapts the well-established, high-shear dispersive mixing action of a twin screw mechanism. The distribution of particles and properties of composites are quantitatively evaluated.
The adopted rheo process significantly improved the distribution of the reinforcement in the matrix with a strong interfacial bond between the two. A good combination of improved ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and tensile elongation (e) is obtained compared with composites produced by conventional processes.EPSR
Questioning and organization studies
This essay identifies a cleavage in the organisation literature that separates ‘questions’ and ‘questioning’ at a very fundamental philosophical level. On the one hand, the objective notion of ‘questions’ has already been well addressed within organization studies, evident in how scholars have scrutinized questions as objects of analysis; for example, paying close attention to the forms and functions of questions as instruments of research. More recently, the linguistic turn within the social sciences has influenced how organization studies researchers have considered organizations as discursive entities, with debate extending to the discursive nature of ‘questions’. On the other hand, the process of ‘questioning’ remains under-researched. From one perspective, questioning the process of questioning is challenging, but, as we submit, this is precisely where American pragmatism can be helpful. As we explore in this essay, the forward-looking quality of pragmatist inquiry is what motors the process of questioning. Our pragmatist-inflected argument is that questioning does not have to always serve critique and position building in the organization studies field. Rather, questioning out of curiosity can build new dialogue and open up new methodological avenues. This may help change the habitual ways in which we explore ideas, problems and situations in organization studies as well as lead to more democratic forms of organizing. Crucially, in this essay we are not looking for ultimate ‘answers’; rather we hope to excite discussion about questioning by giving prominence to something that is so ubiquitous and taken-for-granted as to be invisible to many of us as an object of inquiry
Congruency within rural social networks as an indicator of interpersonal influence on risk judgments: the great stir caused by BSE in a village in northern Germany
Quasi-free photoproduction of η-mesons off 3He nuclei
Quasi-free photoproduction of η-mesons has been measured off nucleons bound in 3He nuclei for incident photon energies from the threshold region up to 1.4 GeV. The experiment was performed at the tagged photon facility of the Mainz MAMI accelerator with an almost 4π covering electromagnetic calorimeter, combining the TAPS and Crystal Ball detectors. The η-mesons were detected in coincidence with the recoil nucleons. This allowed a comparison of the production cross section off quasi-free protons and quasi-free neutrons and a full kinematic reconstruction of the final state, eliminating effects from nuclear Fermi motion. In the S11(1535) resonance peak, the data agree with the neutron/proton cross section ratio extracted from measurements with deuteron targets. More importantly, the prominent structure observed in photoproduction off quasi-free neutrons bound in the deuteron is also clearly observed. Its parameters (width, strength) are consistent with the expectations from the deuteron results. On an absolute scale the cross sections for both quasi-free protons and neutrons are suppressed with respect to the deuteron target pointing to significant nuclear final-state interaction effects
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