Integral correlation measures for multiparticle physics

We report on a considerable improvement in the technique of measuring multiparticle correlations via integrals over correlation functions. A modification of measures used in the characterization of chaotic dynamical sytems permits fast and flexible calculation of factorial moments and cumulants as well as their differential versions. Higher order correlation integral measurements even of large multiplicity events such as encountered in heavy ion collisons are now feasible. The change from ``ordinary'' to ``factorial'' powers may have important consequences in other fields such as the study of galaxy correlations and Bose-Einstein interferometry.Comment: 23 pages, 6 tar-compressed uuencoded PostScript figures appended, preprint TPR-92-4

Factorial Moments in a Generalized Lattice Gas Model

We construct a simple multicomponent lattice gas model in one dimension in which each site can either be empty or occupied by at most one particle of any one of $D$ species. Particles interact with a nearest neighbor interaction which depends on the species involved. This model is capable of reproducing the relations between factorial moments observed in high--energy scattering experiments for moderate values of $D$. The factorial moments of the negative binomial distribution can be obtained exactly in the limit as $D$ becomes large, and two suitable prescriptions involving randomly drawn nearest neighbor interactions are given. These results indicate the need for considerable care in any attempt to extract information regarding possible critical phenomena from empirical factorial moments.Comment: 15 pages + 1 figure (appended as postscript file), REVTEX 3.0, NORDITA preprint 93/4

Extended-soft-core Baryon-Baryon Model II. Hyperon-Nucleon Interaction

The YN results are presented from the Extended-soft-core (ESC) interactions. They consist of local- and non-local-potentials due to (i) One-boson-exchange (OBE), with pseudoscalar-, vector-, scalar-, and axial-vector-nonets, (ii) Diffractive exchanges, (iii) Two-pseudoscalar exchange, and (iv) Meson-pair-exchange (MPE). This model, called ESC04, describes NN and YN in a unified way using broken flavor SU(3)-symmetry. Novel ingredients are the inclusion of (i) the axial-vector-mesons, (ii) a zero in the scalar- and axial-vector meson form factors. We describe simultaneous fits to the NN- and YN-data, using four options in the ESC-model. Very good fits were obtained. G-matrix calculations with these four options are also reported. The obtained well depths (U_\Lambda, U_\Sigma, U_\Xi) reveal distinct features of ESC04a-d. The \Lambda\Lambda-interactions are demonstrated to be consistent with the observed data of_{\Lambda\Lambda}^6He. The possible three-body effects are investigated by considering phenomenologically the changes of the vector-meson masses in a nuclear medium.Comment: preprint vesion 66 pages, two-column version 27 pages, 17 figure

Written versus verbal consent: a qualitative study of stakeholder views of consent procedures used at the time of recruitment into a peripartum trial conducted in an emergency setting.

BACKGROUND: Obtaining prospective written consent from women to participate in trials when they are experiencing an obstetric emergency is challenging. Alternative consent pathways, such as gaining verbal consent at enrolment followed, later, by obtaining written consent, have been advocated by some clinicians and bioethicists but have received little empirical attention. We explored women's and staff views about the consent procedures used during the internal pilot of a trial (GOT-IT), where the protocol permitted staff to gain verbal consent at recruitment. METHODS: Interviews with staff (n = 27) and participating women (n = 22). Data were analysed thematically and interviews were cross-compared to identify differences and similarities in participants' views about the consent procedures used. RESULTS: Women and some staff highlighted benefits to obtaining verbal consent at trial enrolment, including expediting recruitment and reducing the burden on those left exhausted by their births. However, most staff with direct responsibility for taking consent expressed extreme reluctance to proceed with enrolment until they had obtained written consent, despite being comfortable using verbal procedures in their clinical practice. To account for this resistance, staff drew a strong distinction between research and clinical care and suggested that a higher level of consent was needed when recruiting into trials. In doing so, staff emphasised the need to engage women in reflexive decision-making and highlighted the role that completing the consent form could play in enabling and evidencing this process. While most staff cited their ethical responsibilities to women, they also voiced concerns that the absence of a signed consent form at recruitment could expose them to greater risk of litigation were an individual to experience a complication during the trial. Inexperience of recruiting into peripartum trials and limited availability of staff trained to take consent also reinforced preferences for obtaining written consent at recruitment. CONCLUSIONS: While alternative consent pathways have an important role to play in advancing emergency medicine research, and may be appreciated by potential recruits, they may give rise to unintended ethical and logistical challenges for staff. Staff would benefit from training and support to increase their confidence and willingness to recruit into trials using alternative consent pathways. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This qualitative research was undertaken as part of the GOT-IT Trial (trial registration number: ISCRTN 88609453 ). Date of registration 26/03/2014

Multiplicity Distributions and Rapidity Gaps

I examine the phenomenology of particle multiplicity distributions, with special emphasis on the low multiplicities that are a background in the study of rapidity gaps. In particular, I analyze the multiplicity distribution in a rapidity interval between two jets, using the HERWIG QCD simulation with some necessary modifications. The distribution is not of the negative binomial form, and displays an anomalous enhancement at zero multiplicity. Some useful mathematical tools for working with multiplicity distributions are presented. It is demonstrated that ignoring particles with pt<0.2 has theoretical advantages, in addition to being convenient experimentally.Comment: 24 pages, LaTeX, MSUHEP/94071

A Novel Stochastic Multi-Scale Model of Francisella tularensis Infection to Predict Risk of Infection in a Laboratory

We present a multi-scale model of the within-phagocyte, within-host and population-level infection dynamics of Francisella tularensis, which extends the mechanistic one proposed by Wood et al. (2014). Our multi-scale model incorporates key aspects of the interaction between host phagocytes and extracellular bacteria, accounts for inter-phagocyte variability in the number of bacteria released upon phagocyte rupture, and allows one to compute the probability of response, and mean time until response, of an infected individual as a function of the initial infection dose. A Bayesian approach is applied to parameterize both the within-phagocyte and within-host models using infection data. Finally, we show how dose response probabilities at the individual level can be used to estimate the airborne propagation of Francisella tularensis in indoor settings (such as a microbiology laboratory) at the population level, by means of a deterministic zonal ventilation model

Clan Structure Analysis and Rapidity Gap Probability

Clan structure analysis in rapidity intervals is generalized from negative binomial multiplicity distribution to the wide class of compound Poisson distributions. The link of generalized clan structure analysis with correlation functions is also established. These theoretical results are then applied to minimum bias events and evidentiate new interesting features, which can be inspiring and useful in order to discuss data on rapidity gap probability at TEVATRON and HERA.Comment: (14 pages in Plain TeX plus 5 Postscript Figures, all compressed via uufiles) DFTT 28/9

Stochastic dynamics of Francisella tularensis infection and replication

We study the pathogenesis of Francisella tularensis infection with an experimental mouse model, agent-based computation and mathematical analysis. Following inhalational exposure to Francisella tularensis SCHU S4, a small initial number of bacteria enter lung host cells and proliferate inside them, eventually destroying the host cell and releasing numerous copies that infect other cells. Our analysis of disease progression is based on a stochastic model of a population of infectious agents inside one host cell, extending the birth-and-death process by the occurrence of catastrophes: cell rupture events that affect all bacteria in a cell simultaneously. Closed expressions are obtained for the survival function of an infected cell, the number of bacteria released as a function of time after infection, and the total bacterial load. We compare our mathematical analysis with the results of agent-based computation and, making use of approximate Bayesian statistical inference, with experimental measurements carried out after murine aerosol infection with the virulent SCHU S4 strain of the bacterium Francisella tularensis, that infects alveolar macrophages. The posterior distribution of the rate of replication of intracellular bacteria is consistent with the estimate that the time between rounds of bacterial division is less than 6 hours in vivo

Seagrass habitats of northeast Australia: models of key processes and controls

An extensive and diverse assemblage of seagrass habitats exists along the tropical and subtropical coastline of north east Australia and the associated Great Barrier Reef. In their natural state, these habitats are characterised by very low nutrient concentrations and are primarily nitrogen limited. Summer rainfall and tropical storms/cyclones lead to large flows of sediment-laden fresh water. Macro grazers, dugongs (Dugong dugon) and green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) are an important feature in structuring tropical Australian seagrass communities. In general, all seagrass habitats in north east Australia are influenced by high disturbance and are both spatially and temporally variable. This paper classifies the diversity into four habitat types and proposes the main limiting factor for each habitat. The major processes that categorise each habitat are described and significant threats or gaps in understanding are identified. Four broad categories of seagrass habitat are defined as 'River estuaries', 'Coastal', 'Deep water' and 'Reef', and the dominant controlling factors are terrigenous runoff, physical disturbance, low light and low nutrients, respectively. Generic concepts of seagrass ecology and habitat function have often been found inappropriate to the diverse range of seagrass habitats in north east Australian waters. The classification and models developed here explain differences in habitats by identifying ecological functions and potential response to impacts in each habitat. This understanding will help to better focus seagrass management and research in tropical habitats