4,861 research outputs found
Existence and Lyapunov stability of periodic solutions for generalized higher-order neutral differential equations
Existence and Lyapunov stability of periodic solutions for a generalized higher-order neutral differential equation are established. Copyright © 2011 Jingli Ren et al.published_or_final_versio
The stransverse mass, MT2, in special cases
This document describes some special cases in which the stransverse mass,
MT2, may be calculated by non-iterative algorithms. The most notable special
case is that in which the visible particles and the hypothesised invisible
particles are massless -- a situation relevant to its current usage in the
Large Hadron Collider as a discovery variable, and a situation for which no
analytic answer was previously known. We also derive an expression for MT2 in
another set of new (though arguably less interesting) special cases in which
the missing transverse momentum must point parallel or anti parallel to the
visible momentum sum. In addition, we find new derivations for already known
MT2 solutions in a manner that maintains manifest contralinear boost invariance
throughout, providing new insights into old results. Along the way, we stumble
across some unexpected results and make conjectures relating to geometric forms
of M_eff and H_T and their relationship to MT2.Comment: 11 pages, no figures. v2 corrects minor typos. v3 corrects an
incorrect statement in footnote 8 and inserts a missing term in eq (3.9). v4
and v5 correct minor typos spotted by reader
Supersymmetric particle mass measurement with the boost-corrected contransverse mass
A modification to the contransverse mass (MCT) technique for measuring the
masses of pair-produced semi-invisibly decaying heavy particles is proposed in
which MCT is corrected for non-zero boosts of the centre-of-momentum (CoM)
frame of the heavy states in the laboratory transverse plane. Lack of knowledge
of the mass of the CoM frame prevents exact correction for this boost, however
it is shown that a conservative correction can nevertheless be derived which
always generates an MCT value which is less than or equal to the true value of
MCT in the CoM frame. The new technique is demonstrated with case studies of
mass measurement with fully leptonic ttbar events and with SUSY events
possessing a similar final state.Comment: 33 pages, 33 .eps figures, JHEP3 styl
Measuring Invisible Particle Masses Using a Single Short Decay Chain
We consider the mass measurement at hadron colliders for a decay chain of two
steps, which ends with a missing particle. Such a topology appears as a
subprocess of signal events of many new physics models which contain a dark
matter candidate. From the two visible particles coming from the decay chain,
only one invariant mass combination can be formed and hence it is na\"ively
expected that the masses of the three invisible particles in the decay chain
cannot be determined from a single end point of the invariant mass
distribution. We show that the event distribution in the
vs. invariant mass-squared plane, where , are the transverse
energies of the two visible particles, contains the information of all three
invisible particle masses and allows them to be extracted individually. The
experimental smearing and combinatorial issues pose challenges to the mass
measurements. However, in many cases the three invisible particle masses in the
decay chain can be determined with reasonable accuracies.Comment: 45 pages, 32 figure
Microalgae biomass from swine wastewater and its conversion to bioenergy
© 2018 Elsevier Ltd Ever-increasing swine wastewater (SW) has become a serious environmental concern. High levels of nutrients and toxic contaminants in SW significantly impact on the ecosystem and public health. On the other hand, swine wastewater is considered as valuable water and nutrient source for microalgae cultivation. The potential for converting the nutrients from SW into valuable biomass and then generating bioenergy from it has drawn increasing attention. For this reason, this review comprehensively discussed the biomass production, SW treatment efficiencies, and bioenergy generation potentials through cultivating microalgae in SW. Microalgae species grow well in SW with large amounts of biomass being produced, despite the impact of various parameters (e.g., nutrients and toxicants levels, cultivation conditions, and bacteria in SW). Pollutants in SW can effectively be removed by harvesting microalgae from SW, and the harvested microalgae biomass elicits high potential for conversion to valuable bioenergy
Risk factors for acquisition of levofloxacin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae: A case-control study
A case-control study was conducted to identify the risk factors associated with levofloxacin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (LRSP) colonization or infection. Twenty-seven case patients (patients with LRSP) were compared with 54 controls (patients with levofloxacin-susceptible S. pneumoniae). Risk factors that were significantly associated with LRSP colonization or infection, according to univariate analysis, included an older age (median age, 75 years for case patients versus 72.5 years for controls), residence in a nursing home (odds ratio [OR], 7.2), history of recent (OR, 4.6) and multiple (OR, 4.4) hospitalizations, prior exposure to fluoroquinolones (OR, 10.6) and β-lactams (OR, 8.6), presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; OR, 5.9), and nosocomial origin of the bacteria (OR, 5.7). Multivariate analysis showed that presence of COPD (OR, 10.3), nosocomial origin of the bacteria (OR, 16.2), residence in a nursing home (OR, 7.4), and exposure to fluoroquinolones (OR, 10.7) were independently associated with LRSP colonization or infection. Thus, a distinct group of patients with COPD is the reservoir of LRSP.published_or_final_versio
Is better nutrition in childhood in a developing population associated with better cognitive function in later adulthood?: The Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study
Objective: There is growing evidence that early life exposures, such as childhood socioeconomic status, are related to later adulthood cognition. However, the specific aspect of early conditions underlying this association is not clear. Animal protein intake is positively associated with earlier walking in infants. Dietary supplementation with meat in infants and children in developing countries results in better cognitive function, independent of iron status. Protein energy supplementation with vegetables, milk and sugar (not meat) given from birth to 24 months in developing populations is associated with better cognitive function in early adulthood (mean age 32 years), especially amongst women. Inadequate
childhood nutrition is associated with poor short term academic and cognitive outcomes. However, it is not known whether childhood nutrition has life long effects on cognitive function. We examined the association of childhood meat eating with adulthood cognitive function in southern China where the older population lived through significant hardship during their early years.
Methods: Multivariable linear regression was used in a crosssectional study of 20,086 Chinese men and women aged >50 years from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study (phases 2 and 3) 2005–8. We assessed the association of childhood meat eating with amnesic-MCI and delayed 10-word recall score. The 10-word recall is a test of new learning ability from the CERAD (Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer’s Disease) test battery which has been validated as a culturally and educationally sensitive tool for identifying dementia in population based research in developing countries. Amnesic-MCI was defined as a delayed recall score of 3 or less out of 10, corresponding to 1 standard deviation below the mean.
Results: Adjusted for age, sex and education, childhood meat eating 1–6 days per week and daily childhood meat eating were associated with a higher 10-word recall score (number of words recalled 50.08 [95% confidence interval50.02 to 0.13] and 0.24 [0.16 to 0.33] respectively) and with lower
odds of amnesic-MCI (odds ratio50.80 [95% confidence interval50.72 to 0.89] and 0.79 [0.67 to 0.94] respectively). Additional adjustment for childhood and adulthood socio economic position and current physical activity attenuated these findings, however daily childhood meat eating remained associated with a higher 10-word recall score (0.17 [0.08 to 0.26].
Conclusions: A diet that includes a small amount of daily meat in childhood (after infancy) may have long-term positive effects on cognitive function. If confirmed, these results highlight the importance of adequate childhood nutrition. Alternatively childhood meat eating may reflect a generally more cognitively protective childhood environment and nutrition. Irrespective, these findings also emphasise the
childhood and adolescent antecedents of adult disease, with corresponding public health implications for healthy aging. Future research should examine the role of childhood exposures in long term cognitive development and if a role for childhood meat eating is verified, should elucidate the type and quantity of macro and micro nutrients that may be cognitively protective and the biological mechanisms behind
these effects, so that preventive strategies can be implemented.
Acknowledgements: The University of Hong Kong (HKSAR), Guangzhou Public Health Bureau (China),
Guangzhou Science and Technology Bureau (China), The University of Birmingham (UK).published_or_final_versio
Detection of 3D rock block contacts by penetration edges
2001-2002 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe
Missing Momentum Reconstruction and Spin Measurements at Hadron Colliders
We study methods for reconstructing the momenta of invisible particles in
cascade decay chains at hadron colliders. We focus on scenarios, such as SUSY
and UED, in which new physics particles are pair produced. Their subsequent
decays lead to two decay chains ending with neutral stable particles escaping
detection. Assuming that the masses of the decaying particles are already
measured, we obtain the momenta by imposing the mass-shell constraints. Using
this information, we develop techniques of determining spins of particles in
theories beyond the standard model. Unlike the methods relying on Lorentz
invariant variables, this method can be used to determine the spin of the
particle which initiates the decay chain. We present two complementary ways of
applying our method by using more inclusive variables relying on kinematic
information from one decay chain, as well as constructing correlation variables
based on the kinematics of both decay chains in the same event.Comment: Version to appear in JHE
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