925 research outputs found
Do fiscal variables affect fiscal expectations? Experiments with real world and lab data
We generate observable expectations about fiscal variables through laboratory experiments using realworld data fromseveral European countries as stimuli.We compare a VAR model of expectations for data that is presented in a fiscal frame with one for neutrally presented data.We test the validity of the setup and find that participants understand the meaning of the fiscal variables, but also that their ability to perceive the correct characteristics of fiscal policy is limited. Expectations are consistent neither with rational nor with purely adaptive expectations, but instead follow an augmented-adaptive scheme
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Blocks to thyroid cancer cell apoptosis can be overcome by inhibition of the MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways
Current treatment for recurrent and aggressive/anaplastic thyroid cancers is ineffective. Novel targeted therapies aimed at the inhibition of the mutated oncoprotein BRAFV600E have shown promise in vivo and in vitro but do not result in cellular apoptosis. TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces apoptosis in a tumor-selective manner by activating the extrinsic apoptotic pathway. Here, we show that a TRAIL-R2 agonist antibody, lexatumumab, induces apoptosis effectively in some thyroid cancer cell lines (HTh-7, TPC-1 and BCPAP), while more aggressive anaplastic cell lines (8505c and SW1736) show resistance. Treatment of the most resistant cell line, 8505c, using lexatumumab in combination with the BRAFV600E inhibitor, PLX4720, and the PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, (triple-drug combination) sensitizes the cells by triggering both the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways in vitro as well as 8505c orthotopic thyroid tumors in vivo. A decrease in anti-apoptotic proteins, pAkt, Bcl-xL, Mcl-1 and c-FLIP, coupled with an increase in the activator proteins, Bax and Bim, results in an increase in the Bax to Bcl-xL ratio that appears to be critical for sensitization and subsequent apoptosis of these resistant cells. Our results suggest that targeting the death receptor pathway in thyroid cancer can be a promising strategy for inducing apoptosis in thyroid cancer cells, although combination with other kinase inhibitors may be needed in some of the more aggressive tumors initially resistant to apoptosis
Landscape statistics of the low autocorrelated binary string problem
The statistical properties of the energy landscape of the low autocorrelated
binary string problem (LABSP) are studied numerically and compared with those
of several classic disordered models. Using two global measures of landscape
structure which have been introduced in the Simulated Annealing literature,
namely, depth and difficulty, we find that the landscape of LABSP, except
perhaps for a very large degeneracy of the local minima energies, is
qualitatively similar to some well-known landscapes such as that of the
mean-field 2-spin glass model. Furthermore, we consider a mean-field
approximation to the pure model proposed by Bouchaud and Mezard (1994, J.
Physique I France 4 1109) and show both analytically and numerically that it
describes extremely well the statistical properties of LABSP
Solar constraints on new couplings between electromagnetism and gravity
The unification of quantum field theory and general relativity is a fundamental goal of modern physics. In many cases, theoretical efforts to achieve this goal introduce auxiliary gravitational fields, ones in addition to the familiar symmetric second-rank tensor potential of general relativity, and lead to nonmetric theories because of direct couplings between these auxiliary fields and matter. Here, we consider an example of a metric-affine gauge theory of gravity in which torsion couples nonminimally to the electromagnetic field. This coupling causes a phase difference to accumulate between different polarization states of light as they propagate through the metric-affine gravitational field. Solar spectropolarimetric observations are reported and used to set strong constraints on the relevant coupling constant k:k(2)\u3c (2.5 km)(2)
Glassy dynamics and aging in an exactly solvable spin model
We introduce a simple two-dimensional spin model with short-range
interactions which shows glassy behavior despite a Hamiltonian which is
completely homogeneous and possesses no randomness. We solve exactly for both
the static partition function of the model and the distribution of energy
barriers, giving us the equilibration time-scales at low temperature.
Simulations of instantaneous quenches and of annealing of the model are in good
agreement with the analytic calculations. We also measure the two-time spin
correlation as a function of waiting time, and show that the model has aging
behavior consistent with the distribution of barrier heights. The model appears
to have no sharp glass transition. Instead, it falls out of equilibrium at a
temperature which decreases logarithmically as a function of the cooling time.Comment: 16 pages, 4 postscript figures, typeset in LaTeX using the RevTeX
macro packag
First-principles prediction of structure, energetics, formation enthalpy, elastic constants, polarization, and piezoelectric constants of AlN, GaN, and InN: comparison of local and gradient-corrected density-functional theory
A number of diverse bulk properties of the zincblende and wurtzite III-V
nitrides AlN, GaN, and InN, are predicted from first principles within density
functional theory using the plane-wave ultrasoft pseudopotential method, within
both the LDA (local density) and GGA (generalized gradient) approximations to
the exchange-correlation functional. Besides structure and cohesion, we study
formation enthalpies (a key ingredient in predicting defect solubilities and
surface stability), spontaneous polarizations and piezoelectric constants
(central parameters for nanostructure modeling), and elastic constants. Our
study bears out the relative merits of the two density functional approaches in
describing diverse properties of the III-V nitrides (and of the parent species
N, Al, Ga, and In), and leads us to conclude that the GGA approximation,
associated with high-accuracy techniques such as multiprojector ultrasoft
pseudopotentials or modern all-electron methods, is to be preferred in the
study of III-V nitrides.Comment: RevTeX 6 pages, 12 tables, 0 figure
SOPHIE velocimetry of Kepler transit candidates XII. KOI-1257 b: a highly eccentric three-month period transiting exoplanet
In this paper we report a new transiting warm giant planet: KOI-1257 b. It
was first detected in photometry as a planet-candidate by the
space telescope and then validated thanks to a radial velocity follow-up with
the SOPHIE spectrograph. It orbits its host star with a period of 86.647661 d
3 s and a high eccentricity of 0.772 0.045. The planet transits the
main star of a metal-rich, relatively old binary system with stars of mass of
0.99 0.05 Msun and 0.70 0.07 Msun for the primary and secondary,
respectively. This binary system is constrained thanks to a self-consistent
modelling of the transit light curve, the SOPHIE radial
velocities, line bisector and full-width half maximum (FWHM) variations, and
the spectral energy distribution. However, future observations are needed to
confirm it. The PASTIS fully-Bayesian software was used to validate the nature
of the planet and to determine which star of the binary system is the transit
host. By accounting for the dilution from the binary both in photometry and in
radial velocity, we find that the planet has a mass of 1.45 0.35 Mjup,
and a radius of 0.94 0.12 Rjup, and thus a bulk density of 2.1
1.2 g.cm. The planet has an equilibrium temperature of 511 50 K,
making it one of the few known members of the warm-jupiter population. The
HARPS-N spectrograph was also used to observe a transit of KOI-1257 b,
simultaneously with a joint amateur and professional photometric follow-up,
with the aim of constraining the orbital obliquity of the planet. However, the
Rossiter-McLaughlin effect was not clearly detected, resulting in poor
constraints on the orbital obliquity of the planet.Comment: 39 pages, 17 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy &
Astrophysic
Spin states of asteroids in the Eos collisional family
Eos family was created during a catastrophic impact about 1.3 Gyr ago.
Rotation states of individual family members contain information about the
history of the whole population. We aim to increase the number of asteroid
shape models and rotation states within the Eos collision family, as well as to
revise previously published shape models from the literature. Such results can
be used to constrain theoretical collisional and evolution models of the
family, or to estimate other physical parameters by a thermophysical modeling
of the thermal infrared data. We use all available disk-integrated optical data
(i.e., classical dense-in-time photometry obtained from public databases and
through a large collaboration network as well as sparse-in-time individual
measurements from a few sky surveys) as input for the convex inversion method,
and derive 3D shape models of asteroids together with their rotation periods
and orientations of rotation axes. We present updated shape models for 15
asteroids and new shape model determinations for 16 asteroids. Together with
the already published models from the publicly available DAMIT database, we
compiled a sample of 56 Eos family members with known shape models that we used
in our analysis of physical properties within the family. Rotation states of
asteroids smaller than ~20 km are heavily influenced by the YORP effect, whilst
the large objects more or less retained their rotation state properties since
the family creation. Moreover, we also present a shape model and bulk density
of asteroid (423) Diotima, an interloper in the Eos family, based on the
disk-resolved data obtained by the Near InfraRed Camera (Nirc2) mounted on the
W.M. Keck II telescope.Comment: Accepted for publication in ICARUS Special Issue - Asteroids: Origin,
Evolution & Characterizatio
Thick Does the Trick: Genesis of Ferroelectricity in 2D GeTe-Rich (GeTe)m(Sb2Te3)n Lamellae
The possibility to engineer (GeTe)m(Sb2Te3)n phase-change materials to co-host ferroelectricity is extremely attractive. The combination of these functionalities holds great technological impact, potentially enabling the design of novel multifunctional devices. Here an experimental and theoretical study of epitaxial (GeTe)m(Sb2Te3)n with GeTe-rich composition is presented. These layered films feature a tunable distribution of (GeTe)m(Sb2Te3)1 blocks of different sizes. Breakthrough evidence of ferroelectric displacement in thick (GeTe)m(Sb2Te3)1 lamellae is provided. The density functional theory calculations suggest the formation of a tilted (GeTe)m slab sandwiched in GeTe-rich blocks. That is, the net ferroelectric polarization is confined almost in-plane, representing an unprecedented case between 2D and bulk ferroelectric materials. The ferroelectric behavior is confirmed by piezoresponse force microscopy and electroresistive measurements. The resilience of the quasi van der Waals character of the films, regardless of their composition, is also demonstrated. Hence, the material developed hereby gathers in a unique 2D platform the phase-change and ferroelectric switching properties, paving the way for the conception of innovative device architectures
Damage spreading transition in glasses: a probe for the ruggedness of the configurational landscape
We consider damage spreading transitions in the framework of mode-coupling
theory. This theory describes relaxation processes in glasses in the mean-field
approximation which are known to be characterized by the presence of an
exponentially large number of meta-stable states. For systems evolving under
identical but arbitrarily correlated noises we demonstrate that there exists a
critical temperature which separates two different dynamical regimes
depending on whether damage spreads or not in the asymptotic long-time limit.
This transition exists for generic noise correlations such that the zero damage
solution is stable at high-temperatures being minimal for maximal noise
correlations. Although this dynamical transition depends on the type of noise
correlations we show that the asymptotic damage has the good properties of an
dynamical order parameter such as: 1) Independence on the initial damage; 2)
Independence on the class of initial condition and 3) Stability of the
transition in the presence of asymmetric interactions which violate detailed
balance. For maximally correlated noises we suggest that damage spreading
occurs due to the presence of a divergent number of saddle points (as well as
meta-stable states) in the thermodynamic limit consequence of the ruggedness of
the free energy landscape which characterizes the glassy state. These results
are then compared to extensive numerical simulations of a mean-field glass
model (the Bernasconi model) with Monte Carlo heat-bath dynamics. The freedom
of choosing arbitrary noise correlations for Langevin dynamics makes damage
spreading a interesting tool to probe the ruggedness of the configurational
landscape.Comment: 25 pages, 13 postscript figures. Paper extended to include
cross-correlation
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