369 research outputs found
Trajectories for the Wave Function of the Universe from a Simple Detector Model
Inspired by Mott's (1929) analysis of particle tracks in a cloud chamber, we
consider a simple model for quantum cosmology which includes, in the total
Hamiltonian, model detectors registering whether or not the system, at any
stage in its entire history, passes through a series of regions in
configuration space. We thus derive a variety of well-defined formulas for the
probabilities for trajectories associated with the solutions to the
Wheeler-DeWitt equation. The probability distribution is peaked about classical
trajectories in configuration space. The ``measured'' wave functions still
satisfy the Wheeler-DeWitt equation, except for small corrections due to the
disturbance of the measuring device. With modified boundary conditions, the
measurement amplitudes essentially agree with an earlier result of Hartle
derived on rather different grounds. In the special case where the system is a
collection of harmonic oscillators, the interpretation of the results is aided
by the introduction of ``timeless'' coherent states -- eigenstates of the
Hamiltonian which are concentrated about entire classical trajectories.Comment: 37 pages, plain Tex. Second draft. Substantial revision
Detection of a Pair Density Wave State in UTe
Although UTe is a very promising candidate material to embody bulk
topological superconductivity, its superconductive order-parameter
remains unknown. Many diverse forms for
are physically possible because, in uranium-based heavy
fermion materials, strongly hybridized flat bands of composite fermions
generate highly complex interactions. Moreover, in such materials intertwined
density waves of spin (SDW), charge (CDW) and pairs (PDW) may interpose, with
the latter state exhibiting spatially modulating superconductive
order-parameter , electron pair density and pairing
energy-gap. Hence, the newly discovered CDW state in UTe motivates the
exciting prospect that a PDW state may exist in this material. To search for a
PDW in UTe, we visualize the pairing energy-gap with -scale
energy-resolution made possible by superconductive STM tips at subkelvin
temperatures. We detect three PDWs, each with peak-peak gap modulations circa
10 and at incommensurate wavevectors that are
indistinguishable from the wavevectors of the prevenient
CDW. Concurrent visualization of the UTe superconductive PDWs and the
non-superconductive CDWs reveals that every :
pair is registered to each other spatially, but with a relative phase
. From these observations, and given UTe as a
spin-triplet superconductor, the PDW state detected here should be a
spin-triplet pair density wave. While such states do exist in superfluid
He, for superconductors they are unprecedented.Comment: 37 pages, 13 figure
Multicenter prevalence of anaphylaxis in clinic-based oral food challenges
Background
Although previous single-center studies report the rate of anaphylaxis for oral food challenges (OFCs) as 9% to 11%, little is known regarding the epidemiology of clinical OFCs across multiple centers in the United States.
Objective
To examine the epidemiology, symptoms, and treatment of clinical low-risk OFCs in the nonresearch setting.
Methods
Data were obtained from 2008 to 2013 through a physician survey in 5 food allergy centers geographically distributed across the United States. Allergic reaction rates and the association of reaction rates with year, hospital, and demographics were determined using a linear mixed model. Meta-analysis was used to pool the proportion of reactions and anaphylaxis with inverse-variance weights using a random-effects model with exact confidence intervals (CIs).
Results
A total of 6,377 OFCs were performed, and the pooled estimate of anaphylaxis was 2% (95% CI, 1%-3%). The rate of allergic reactions was 14% (95% CI, 13%-16%) and was consistent during the study period (P = .40). Reaction rates ranged from 13% to 33%. Males reacted 16% more frequently than females (95% CI, 4%-37.5%; P = .04). Foods challenged in 2013 varied geographically, with peanut as the most challenged food in the Northeast, Midwest, and West and egg as the most challenged in the South.
Conclusion
As the largest national survey of allergic reactions of clinical open OFCs in a nonresearch setting in the United States, this study found that performing clinical nonresearch open low-risk OFCs results in few allergic reactions, with 86% of challenges resulting in no reactions and 98% without anaphylaxis
Simulation methods in the healthcare systems
International audienceHealthcare systems can be considered as large-scale complex systems. They need to be well managed in order to create the desired values for its stakeholders as the patients, the medical staff and the industrials working for healthcare. Many simulation methods coming from other sectors have already proved their added value for healthcare. However, based on our experience in the French heath sector (Jean et al. 2012), we found these methods are not widely used in comparison with other areas as manufacturing and logistic. This paper presents a literature review of the healthcare issue and major simulations methods used to address them. This work is design to suggest how more systematic creation of solutions may be performed using complementary methods to resolve a common issue. We believe that this first work can help to better understand the simulation approaches used for health workers, deciders or researchers of any responsibility level
Analytic approximations for the broadening of the spectral lines of hydrogen-like ions
Broadband approximate expressions for calculating the broadening of the spectral lines of hydrogenlike ions in a multicomponent plasma are derived taking into account both the influence of the interaction between plasma particles on the distribution function of the plasma microfield and the effect of the microfield dynamics on the broadening of the central component of the spectral line. With the approximate expressions proposed, the calculation of the shape of a given spectral line of a certain ion in a plasma with a given ion composition requires only a few seconds of computer time. The approximate expressions provide a good computational accuracy not only for the central component of the spectral line but also for the spectral line wings
Time-dependent bending rigidity and helical twist of DNA by rearrangement of bound HU protein
HU is a protein that plays a role in various bacterial processes including compaction, transcription and replication of the genome. Here, we use atomic force microscopy to study the effect of HU on the stiffness and supercoiling of double-stranded DNA. First, we measured the persistence length, height profile, contour length and bending angle distribution of the DNA–HU complex after different incubation times of HU with linear DNA. We found that the persistence and contour length depend on the incubation time. At high concentrations of HU, DNA molecules first become stiff with a larger value of the persistence length. The persistence length then decreases over time and the molecules regain the flexibility of bare DNA after ~2 h. Concurrently, the contour length shows a slight increase. Second, we measured the change in topology of closed circular relaxed DNA following binding of HU. Here, we observed that HU induces supercoiling over a similar time span as the measured change in persistence length. Our observations can be rationalized in terms of the formation of a nucleoprotein filament followed by a structural rearrangement of the bound HU on DNA. The rearrangement results in a change in topology, an increase in bending flexibility and an increase in contour length through a decrease in helical pitch of the duplex.Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technolog
Expression and trans-specific polymorphism of self-incompatibility RNases in Coffea (Rubiaceae)
Self-incompatibility (SI) is widespread in the angiosperms, but identifying the biochemical components of SI mechanisms has proven to be difficult in most lineages. Coffea (coffee; Rubiaceae) is a genus of old-world tropical understory trees in which the vast majority of diploid species utilize a mechanism of gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI). The S-RNase GSI system was one of the first SI mechanisms to be biochemically characterized, and likely represents the ancestral Eudicot condition as evidenced by its functional characterization in both asterid (Solanaceae, Plantaginaceae) and rosid (Rosaceae) lineages. The S-RNase GSI mechanism employs the activity of class III RNase T2 proteins to terminate the growth of "self" pollen tubes. Here, we investigate the mechanism of Coffea GSI and specifically examine the potential for homology to S-RNase GSI by sequencing class III RNase T2 genes in populations of 14 African and Madagascan Coffea species and the closely related self-compatible species Psilanthus ebracteolatus. Phylogenetic analyses of these sequences aligned to a diverse sample of plant RNase T2 genes show that the Coffea genome contains at least three class III RNase T2 genes. Patterns of tissue-specific gene expression identify one of these RNase T2 genes as the putative Coffea S-RNase gene. We show that populations of SI Coffea are remarkably polymorphic for putative S-RNase alleles, and exhibit a persistent pattern of trans-specific polymorphism characteristic of all S-RNase genes previously isolated from GSI Eudicot lineages. We thus conclude that Coffea GSI is most likely homologous to the classic Eudicot S-RNase system, which was retained since the divergence of the Rubiaceae lineage from an ancient SI Eudicot ancestor, nearly 90 million years ago.United States National Science Foundation [0849186]; Society of Systematic Biologists; American Society of Plant Taxonomists; Duke University Graduate Schoolinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Harmonising data on the correlates of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in young people: Methods and lessons learnt from the international Children's Accelerometry database (ICAD).
BACKGROUND: Large, heterogeneous datasets are required to enhance understanding of the multi-level influences on children's physical activity and sedentary behaviour. One route to achieving this is through the pooling and co-analysis of data from multiple studies. Where this approach is used, transparency of the methodology for data collation and harmonisation is essential to enable appropriate analysis and interpretation of the derived data. In this paper, we describe the acquisition, management and harmonisation of non-accelerometer data in a project to expand the International Children's Accelerometry Database (ICAD). METHOD: Following a consultation process, ICAD partners were requested to share accelerometer data and information on selected behavioural, social, environmental and health-related constructs. All data were collated into a single repository for cataloguing and harmonisation. Harmonised variables were derived iteratively, with input from the ICAD investigators and a panel of invited experts. Extensive documentation, describing the source data and harmonisation procedure, was prepared and made available through the ICAD website. RESULTS: Work to expand ICAD has increased the number of studies with longitudinal accelerometer data, and expanded the breadth of behavioural, social and environmental characteristics that can be used as exposure variables. A set of core harmonised variables, including parent education, ethnicity, school travel mode/duration and car ownership, were derived for use by the research community. Guidance documents and facilities to enable the creation of new harmonised variables were also devised and made available to ICAD users. An expanded ICAD database was made available in May 2017. CONCLUSION: The project to expand ICAD further demonstrates the feasibility of pooling data on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and potential determinants from multiple studies. Key to this process is the rigorous conduct and reporting of retrospective data harmonisation, which is essential to the appropriate analysis and interpretation of derived data. These documents, made available through the ICAD website, may also serve as a guide to others undertaking similar projects
Spaces of Yoga – Towards a Non-Essentialist Understanding of Yoga
This chapter will examine some of the spaces that yoga occupies in the contemporary world, both physical and social. By looking at yoga through the focus of particular, contested spaces and locations, it will be argued that overarching essentialist definitions of yoga are impossible, although individuals and social groups can and do create essentialist definitions that are more or less useful for particular purposes. By exploring these narratives and boundaries in the context of specific locations, we can better understand what people are doing with the collection of beliefs and practices known as yoga
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