481 research outputs found
q-Newton binomial: from Euler to Gauss
A counter-intuitive result of Gauss (formulae (1.6), (1.7) below) is made
less mysterious by virtue of being generalized through the introduction of an
additional parameter
How smart should resilience be? On the need of a transdisciplinary approach to transform pig production systems
Pig production is related to many societal challenges. This raises the question whether and how pig production systems can be transformed in a way that better includes animal welfare and is responsive to (other) societal concerns. In a project funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), we focus on the role of resilience to explore the possibilities of defining novel production systems that better match with the interests and adaptive capacities of animals. However, to play this central role, the concept of resilience needs an integrated and transdisciplinary approach. Using the ‘SmartResilience’ project as an example, we argue that to address societal challenges in livestock production it is not sufficient to view one topic through the lenses of multiple disciplines and to produce research results from each discipline which are only supplementary to one another. We argue why complex societal challenges like transforming livestock systems can only be tackled by real collaboration between different disciplines, and why this collaboration already needs to start in the design-phase of innovations. We discuss three stages of collaboration that will lead to a deepened integration of disciplines, which will ultimately result in positive societal impact: (1) identifying the underlying concepts that play a role for achieving the project aim (e.g. animal welfare, resilience); (2) making the implicit assumptions of these concepts explicit by integrating knowledge and methods from different disciplines (e.g. philosophy and animal science); and (3) translating and incorporating the explicit assumptions of concepts into practice and into further actions within the project (e.g. pig breeding or housing strategies). By doing this, we expect to prepare a route forward for more welfare-friendly and sustainable pig production that is in dialogue with society
The microscopic spin-phonon coupling constants in CuGeO_3
Using RPA results, mean field theory, and refined data for the polarization
vectors we determine the coupling constants of the four Peierls-active phonon
modes to the spin chains of CuGeO_3. We then derive the values of the coupling
of the spin system to the linear ionic displacements, the bond lengths and the
angles between bonds. Our values are consistent with microscopic theories and
various experimental results. We discuss the applicability of static approaches
to the spin-phonon coupling. The c-axis anomaly of the thermal expansion is
explained. We give the values of the coupling constants in an effective
one-dimensional Hamiltonian.Comment: 11 pages, two figures, 13 tables, PRB 59 (in press
'An outsider in our midst': narratives of Neil Lennon, soccer and ethno-religious igotry in the Scottish press
This essay offers a critique of media narratives concerning soccer and those of 'difference' in contemporary Scotland, in particular those who have Irishness as their different identity. It examines certain newspaper narratives concerning Neil Lennon of Celtic FC during autumn 2005. During this period Lennon was characterized as a soccer villain. The commentaries drew on existing perceptions concerning his personality and style of play. More importantly Lennon's national identity (Irish) and his religious background (Catholic) were integrated into the narratives, marking him as an outsider in Scotland. These narratives resonate with public and private discourses of 'otherness' concerning the Irish Catholic diaspora community in Scotland. These broader discourses are manifest as ethno-religious prejudices directed against this community. The discourses of 'outsider' and 'otherness' that surround Lennon, Celtic FC and the Irish Catholic community expose the myth of Scotland's collective self-image as an egalitarian and inclusive society
Cosmological parameters from SDSS and WMAP
We measure cosmological parameters using the three-dimensional power spectrum
P(k) from over 200,000 galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) in
combination with WMAP and other data. Our results are consistent with a
``vanilla'' flat adiabatic Lambda-CDM model without tilt (n=1), running tilt,
tensor modes or massive neutrinos. Adding SDSS information more than halves the
WMAP-only error bars on some parameters, tightening 1 sigma constraints on the
Hubble parameter from h~0.74+0.18-0.07 to h~0.70+0.04-0.03, on the matter
density from Omega_m~0.25+/-0.10 to Omega_m~0.30+/-0.04 (1 sigma) and on
neutrino masses from <11 eV to <0.6 eV (95%). SDSS helps even more when
dropping prior assumptions about curvature, neutrinos, tensor modes and the
equation of state. Our results are in substantial agreement with the joint
analysis of WMAP and the 2dF Galaxy Redshift Survey, which is an impressive
consistency check with independent redshift survey data and analysis
techniques. In this paper, we place particular emphasis on clarifying the
physical origin of the constraints, i.e., what we do and do not know when using
different data sets and prior assumptions. For instance, dropping the
assumption that space is perfectly flat, the WMAP-only constraint on the
measured age of the Universe tightens from t0~16.3+2.3-1.8 Gyr to
t0~14.1+1.0-0.9 Gyr by adding SDSS and SN Ia data. Including tensors, running
tilt, neutrino mass and equation of state in the list of free parameters, many
constraints are still quite weak, but future cosmological measurements from
SDSS and other sources should allow these to be substantially tightened.Comment: Minor revisions to match accepted PRD version. SDSS data and ppt
figures available at http://www.hep.upenn.edu/~max/sdsspars.htm
Oh Comrade, What Times those Were! History, Capital Punishment and the Urban Square.
From the perspective of traditional Western histories of the urban realm, public squares have been seen to represent a privileged site of urban containment expressive of a community's highest values of individual freedom, social inclusion and cultural refinement. But such views can be misleading. For what is omitted from the scope of these conventional historical visions and their ideal and conforming subjects of public spatial discourse, is an entire array of other and darker narratives that equally speak of personal choice, collective participation and cultural value. Capital punishment reflects such an example, a practice that once comprised an integral part of the political, social and cultural landscape of a Western city's squares and streets. Drawing from Michel Foucault's Discipline and Punish and its implications on how we might begin to re-read the history of the urban square, the following seeks to explore those practices and modes of rationality that underpinned the once public spectacle of executions and torture as a vital condition of urban life. In particular, this discussion will question the assumptions of an historical tradition that continues to reduce our understanding of the city and its open spaces of public appearance and action to an idealistic and illusory reality of the urban realm and its narrow framing of collective conduct, necessity and significance
A deep dive into the ecology of Gamay (Botany Bay, Australia): current knowledge and future priorities for this highly modified coastal waterway
Context: Gamay is a coastal waterway of immense social, cultural and ecological value. Since European settlement, it has become a hub for industrialisation and human modification. There is growing desire for ecosystem-level management of urban waterways, but such efforts are often challenged by a lack of integrated knowledge.
Aim and methods: We systematically reviewed published literature and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), and consulted scientists to produce a review of Gamay that synthesises published knowledge of Gamay’s aquatic ecosystem to identify knowledge gaps and future research opportunities.
Key results: We found 577 published resources on Gamay, of which over 70% focused on ecology. Intertidal rocky shores were the most studied habitat, focusing on invertebrate communities. Few studies considered multiple habitats or taxa. Studies investigating cumulative human impacts, long-term trends and habitat connectivity are lacking, and the broader ecological role of artificial substrate as habitat in Gamay is poorly understood. TEK of Gamay remains a significant knowledge gap. Habitat restoration has shown promising results and could provide opportunities to improve affected habitats in the future.
Conclusion and implications: This review highlights the extensive amount of knowledge that exists for Gamay, but also identifies key gaps that need to be filled for effective management
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and related phenotypes: polygenic risk scores in population-based and case-control cohorts
Background Genetic factors influence chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) risk, but the individual variants
that have been identified have small effects. We hypothesised that a polygenic risk score using additional variants
would predict COPD and associated phenotypes.
Methods We constructed a polygenic risk score using a genome-wide association study of lung function (FEV1 and
FEV1/forced vital capacity [FVC]) from the UK Biobank and SpiroMeta. We tested this polygenic risk score in nine
cohorts of multiple ethnicities for an association with moderate-to-severe COPD (defined as FEV1/FVC <0·7 and FEV1
<80% of predicted). Associations were tested using logistic regression models, adjusting for age, sex, height, smoking
pack-years, and principal components of genetic ancestry. We assessed predictive performance of models by area
under the curve. In a subset of studies, we also studied quantitative and qualitative CT imaging phenotypes that
reflect parenchymal and airway pathology, and patterns of reduced lung growth.
Findings The polygenic risk score was associated with COPD in European (odds ratio [OR] per SD 1·81
[95% CI 1·74–1·88] and non-European (1·42 [1·34–1·51]) populations. Compared with the first decile, the tenth decile
of the polygenic risk score was associated with COPD, with an OR of 7·99 (6·56–9·72) in European ancestry and
4·83 (3·45–6·77) in non-European ancestry cohorts. The polygenic risk score was superior to previously described
genetic risk scores and, when combined with clinical risk factors (ie, age, sex, and smoking pack-years), showed
improved prediction for COPD compared with a model comprising clinical risk factors alone (AUC 0·80 [0·79–0·81]
vs 0·76 [0·75–0·76]). The polygenic risk score was associated with CT imaging phenotypes, including wall area
percent, quantitative and qualitative measures of emphysema, local histogram emphysema patterns, and destructive
emphysema subtypes. The polygenic risk score was associated with a reduced lung growth pattern.
Interpretation A risk score comprised of genetic variants can identify a small subset of individuals at markedly
increased risk for moderate-to-severe COPD, emphysema subtyp
Update on Beam Induced RF Heating in the LHC
Since June 2011 the rapid increase of the luminosity performance of the LHC has come at the expense of both increased temperature and pressure of specific, near-beam, LHC equipment. In some cases, this beam induced heating has caused delays while equipment cool-down, beam dumps and even degradation of some devices. This contribution gathers the observations of beam induced heating, attributed to longitudinal beam coupling impedance, their current level of understanding and possible actions planned to be implemented during the 1st LHC Long Shutdown (LS1) in 2013-2014
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