579 research outputs found
Using a synthesis of the research literature related to the aetiology of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis to provide ideas on future directions for success
This review is atypical by design. It has used a synthesis of the available literature relating to the aetiology of AIS to draw attention to the lack of progress in this area despite intensive research for more than 100 years. The review has argued that if progress is to be made in this area then significant changes in approach to the problem must be made. Such changes have been outlined and major areas of potential focus identified with the intention of creating debate and discussion. There is no doubt that people are working hard in this area of research but this review has deliberately attempted to question its achievements and future directions
Causarum Investigatio and the Two Bell's Theorems of John Bell
"Bell's theorem" can refer to two different theorems that John Bell proved,
the first in 1964 and the second in 1976. His 1964 theorem is the
incompatibility of quantum phenomena with the joint assumptions of Locality and
Predetermination. His 1976 theorem is their incompatibility with the single
property of Local Causality. This is contrary to Bell's own later assertions,
that his 1964 theorem began with the assumption of Local Causality, even if not
by that name. Although the two Bell's theorems are logically equivalent, their
assumptions are not. Hence, the earlier and later theorems suggest quite
different conclusions, embraced by operationalists and realists, respectively.
The key issue is whether Locality or Local Causality is the appropriate notion
emanating from Relativistic Causality, and this rests on one's basic notion of
causation. For operationalists the appropriate notion is what is here called
the Principle of Agent-Causation, while for realists it is Reichenbach's
Principle of common cause. By breaking down the latter into even more basic
Postulates, it is possible to obtain a version of Bell's theorem in which each
camp could reject one assumption, happy that the remaining assumptions reflect
its weltanschauung. Formulating Bell's theorem in terms of causation is
fruitful not just for attempting to reconcile the two camps, but also for
better describing the ontology of different quantum interpretations and for
more deeply understanding the implications of Bell's marvellous work.Comment: 24 pages. Prepared for proceedings of the "Quantum [Un]speakables II"
conference (Vienna, 2014), to be published by Springe
Bell Correlations and the Common Future
Reichenbach's principle states that in a causal structure, correlations of
classical information can stem from a common cause in the common past or a
direct influence from one of the events in correlation to the other. The
difficulty of explaining Bell correlations through a mechanism in that spirit
can be read as questioning either the principle or even its basis: causality.
In the former case, the principle can be replaced by its quantum version,
accepting as a common cause an entangled state, leaving the phenomenon as
mysterious as ever on the classical level (on which, after all, it occurs). If,
more radically, the causal structure is questioned in principle, closed
space-time curves may become possible that, as is argued in the present note,
can give rise to non-local correlations if to-be-correlated pieces of classical
information meet in the common future --- which they need to if the correlation
is to be detected in the first place. The result is a view resembling Brassard
and Raymond-Robichaud's parallel-lives variant of Hermann's and Everett's
relative-state formalism, avoiding "multiple realities."Comment: 8 pages, 5 figure
A centrality measure for cycles and subgraphs II
In a recent work we introduced a measure of importance for groups of vertices in a complex network. This centrality for groups is always between 0 and 1 and induces the eigenvector centrality over vertices. Furthermore, its value over any group is the fraction of all network flows intercepted by this group. Here we provide the rigorous mathematical constructions underpinning these results via a semi-commutative extension of a number theoretic sieve. We then established further relations between the eigenvector centrality and the centrality proposed here, showing that the latter is a proper extension of the former to groups of nodes. We finish by comparing the centrality proposed here with the notion of group-centrality introduced by Everett and Borgatti on two real-world networks: the Wolfe’s dataset and the protein-protein interaction network of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In this latter case, we demonstrate that the centrality is able to distinguish protein complexe
The Golden Ratio Prediction for the Solar Angle from a Natural Model with A5 Flavour Symmetry
We formulate a consistent model predicting, in the leading order
approximation, maximal atmospheric mixing angle, vanishing reactor angle and
tan {\theta}_12 = 1/{\phi} where {\phi} is the Golden Ratio. The model is based
on the flavour symmetry A5 \times Z5 \times Z3, spontaneously broken by a set
of flavon fields. By minimizing the scalar potential of the theory up to the
next-to-leading order in the symmetry breaking parameter, we demonstrate that
this mixing pattern is naturally achieved in a finite portion of the parameter
space, through the vacuum alignment of the flavon fields. The leading order
approximation is stable against higher-order corrections. We also compare our
construction to other models based on discrete symmetry groups.Comment: 28 pages, 2 figures. Minor changes, references added. Corrected typos
in Appendix A. Version appeared on JHE
B-L Cosmic Strings in Heterotic Standard Models
E_{8} X E_{8} heterotic string and M-theory, when compactified on smooth
Calabi-Yau manifolds with SU(4) vector bundles, can give rise to softly broken
N=1 supersymmetric theories with the exact matter spectrum of the MSSM,
including three right-handed neutrinos and one Higgs-Higgs conjugate pair of
supermultiplets. These vacua have the SU(3)_{C} X SU(2)_{L} X U(1)_{Y} gauge
group of the standard model augmented by an additional gauged U(1)_{B-L}. Their
minimal content requires that the B-L symmetry be spontaneously broken by a
vacuum expectation value of at least one right-handed sneutrino. The soft
supersymmetry breaking operators can induce radiative breaking of the B-L gauge
symmetry with an acceptable B-L/electroweak hierarchy. In this paper, it is
shown that U(1)_{B-L} cosmic strings occur in this context, potentially with
both bosonic and fermionic superconductivity. We present a numerical analysis
that demonstrates that boson condensates can, in principle, form for theories
of this type. However, the weak Yukawa and gauge couplings of the right-handed
sneutrino suggests that bosonic superconductivity will not occur in the
simplest vacua in this context. The electroweak phase transition also disallows
fermion superconductivity, although substantial bound state fermion currents
can exist.Comment: 41 pages, 5 figure
The logic of the future in quantum theory
According to quantum mechanics, statements about the future made by sentient beings like us are, in general, neither true nor false; they must satisfy a many-valued logic. I propose that the truth value of such a statement should be identified with the probability that the event it describes will occur. After reviewing the history of related ideas in logic, I argue that it gives an understanding of probability which is particularly satisfactory for use in quantum mechanics. I construct a lattice of future-tense propositions, with truth values in the interval , and derive logical properties of these truth values given by the usual quantum-mechanical formula for the probability of a history
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Development of an integrated genome informatics, data management and workflow infrastructure: a toolbox for the study of complex disease genetics.
The genetic dissection of complex disease remains a significant challenge. Sample-tracking and the recording, processing and storage of high-throughput laboratory data with public domain data, require integration of databases, genome informatics and genetic analyses in an easily updated and scaleable format. To find genes involved in multifactorial diseases such as type 1 diabetes (T1D), chromosome regions are defined based on functional candidate gene content, linkage information from humans and animal model mapping information. For each region, genomic information is extracted from Ensembl, converted and loaded into ACeDB for manual gene annotation. Homology information is examined using ACeDB tools and the gene structure verified. Manually curated genes are extracted from ACeDB and read into the feature database, which holds relevant local genomic feature data and an audit trail of laboratory investigations. Public domain information, manually curated genes, polymorphisms, primers, linkage and association analyses, with links to our genotyping database, are shown in Gbrowse. This system scales to include genetic, statistical, quality control (QC) and biological data such as expression analyses of RNA or protein, all linked from a genomics integrative display. Our system is applicable to any genetic study of complex disease, of either large or small scale.RIGHTS : This article is licensed under the BioMed Central licence at http://www.biomedcentral.com/about/license which is similar to the 'Creative Commons Attribution Licence'. In brief you may : copy, distribute, and display the work; make derivative works; or make commercial use of the work - under the following conditions: the original author must be given credit; for any reuse or distribution, it must be made clear to others what the license terms of this work are
Planet Populations as a Function of Stellar Properties
Exoplanets around different types of stars provide a window into the diverse
environments in which planets form. This chapter describes the observed
relations between exoplanet populations and stellar properties and how they
connect to planet formation in protoplanetary disks. Giant planets occur more
frequently around more metal-rich and more massive stars. These findings
support the core accretion theory of planet formation, in which the cores of
giant planets form more rapidly in more metal-rich and more massive
protoplanetary disks. Smaller planets, those with sizes roughly between Earth
and Neptune, exhibit different scaling relations with stellar properties. These
planets are found around stars with a wide range of metallicities and occur
more frequently around lower mass stars. This indicates that planet formation
takes place in a wide range of environments, yet it is not clear why planets
form more efficiently around low mass stars. Going forward, exoplanet surveys
targeting M dwarfs will characterize the exoplanet population around the lowest
mass stars. In combination with ongoing stellar characterization, this will
help us understand the formation of planets in a large range of environments.Comment: Accepted for Publication in the Handbook of Exoplanet
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