300 research outputs found
Divergent selection on locally adapted major histocompatibility complex immune genes experimentally proven in the field
Although crucial for the understanding of adaptive evolution, genetically resolved examples of local adaptation are rare. To maximize survival and reproduction in their local environment, hosts should resist their local parasites and pathogens. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) with its key function in parasite resistance represents an ideal candidate to investigate parasite-mediated local adaptation. Using replicated field mesocosms, stocked with second-generation lab-bred three-spined stickleback hybrids of a lake and a river population, we show local adaptation of MHC genotypes to population-specific parasites, independently of the genetic background. Increased allele divergence of lake MHC genotypes allows lake fish to fight the broad range of lake parasites, whereas more specific river genotypes confer selective advantages against the less diverse river parasites. Hybrids with local MHC genotype gained more body weight and thus higher fitness than those with foreign MHC in either habitat, suggesting the evolutionary significance of locally adapted MHC genotypes
Anderson-Yuval approach to the multichannel Kondo problem
We analyze the structure of the perturbation expansion of the general
multichannel Kondo model with channel anisotropic exchange couplings and in the
presence of an external magnetic field, generalizing to this case the
Anderson-Yuval technique. For two channels, we are able to map the Kondo model
onto a generalized resonant level model. Limiting cases in which the equivalent
resonant level model is solvable are identified. The solution correctly
captures the properties of the two channel Kondo model, and also allows an
analytic description of the cross-over from the non Fermi liquid to the Fermi
liquid behavior caused by the channel anisotropy.Comment: 23 pages, ReVTeX, 4 figures av. on reques
PEArL: a systems approach to demonstrating authenticity in information systems design
The process of information systems (IS) design has been dominated by the demands inherent in providing a technical solution to a perceived problem or need. Engineering IS design methods applied in order to satisfy the problem situation tend to have a preoccupation with verifying specifications as being mathematically correct. Diffculties arise when the ideas underpinning verification are extended in an attempt to ‘prove’ the validity of a proposed design for an IS. A pure engineering approach does not facilitate a response to the subjective elements within social situations, which experience has shown to be essential in demonstrating the pertinence of new designs to those concerned. We suggest that, by applying interpretivist systems ideas, it is possible to support concerned individuals in reflecting upon crucial aspects of the inquiry, enabling those individuals to judge the relevance or ‘authenticity’ of the learning, according to their own values and beliefs. The elements of participants, engagement, authority, relationships and learning are suggested as being crucial. These make up the mnemonic PEArL, which is offered as an aide-mémoire for those concerned with IS design
Nearby quasar remnants and ultra-high energy cosmic rays
As recently suggested, nearby quasar remnants are plausible sites of
black-hole based compact dynamos that could be capable of accelerating
ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs). In such a model, UHECRs would originate
at the nuclei of nearby dead quasars, those in which the putative underlying
supermassive black holes are suitably spun-up. Based on galactic optical
luminosity, morphological type, and redshift, we have compiled a small sample
of nearby objects selected to be highly luminous, bulge-dominated galaxies,
likely quasar remnants. The sky coordinates of these galaxies were then
correlated with the arrival directions of cosmic rays detected at energies EeV. An apparently significant correlation appears in our data. This
correlation appears at closer angular scales than those expected when taking
into account the deflection caused by typically assumed IGM or galactic
magnetic fields over a charged particle trajectory. Possible scenarios
producing this effect are discussed, as is the astrophysics of the quasar
remnant candidates. We suggest that quasar remnants be also taken into account
in the forthcoming detailed search for correlations using data from the Auger
Observatory.Comment: 2 figures, 4 tables, 11 pages. Final version to appear in Physical
Review
Theory of Two-Dimensional Quantum Heisenberg Antiferromagnets with a Nearly Critical Ground State
We present the general theory of clean, two-dimensional, quantum Heisenberg
antiferromagnets which are close to the zero-temperature quantum transition
between ground states with and without long-range N\'{e}el order. For
N\'{e}el-ordered states, `nearly-critical' means that the ground state
spin-stiffness, , satisfies , where is the
nearest-neighbor exchange constant, while `nearly-critical' quantum-disordered
ground states have a energy-gap, , towards excitations with spin-1,
which satisfies . Under these circumstances, we show that the
wavevector/frequency-dependent uniform and staggered spin susceptibilities, and
the specific heat, are completely universal functions of just three
thermodynamic parameters. Explicit results for the universal scaling functions
are obtained by a expansion on the quantum non-linear sigma model,
and by Monte Carlo simulations. These calculations lead to a variety of
testable predictions for neutron scattering, NMR, and magnetization
measurements. Our results are in good agreement with a number of numerical
simulations and experiments on undoped and lightly-doped .Comment: 81 pages, REVTEX 3.0, smaller updated version, YCTP-xxx
Accelerated theta burst stimulation for the treatment of depression: a randomised controlled trial
INTRODUCTION: Theta burst pattern repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TBS) is increasingly applied to treat depression. TBS's brevity is well-suited to application in accelerated schedules. Sizeable trials of accelerated TBS are lacking; and optimal TBS parameters such as stimulation intensity are not established. METHODS: We conducted a three arm, single blind, randomised, controlled, multi-site trial comparing accelerated bilateral TBS applied at 80 % or 120 % of the resting motor threshold and left unilateral 10 Hz rTMS. 300 patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) were recruited. TBS arms applied 20 bilateral prefrontal TBS sessions over 10 days, while the rTMS arm applied 20 daily sessions of 10 Hz rTMS to the left prefrontal cortex over 4 weeks. Primary outcome was depression treatment response at week 4. RESULTS: The overall treatment response rate was 43.7 % and the remission rate was 28.2 %. There were no significant differences for response (p = 0.180) or remission (p = 0.316) across the three groups. Response rates between accelerated bilateral TBS applied at sub- and supra-threshold intensities were not significantly different (p = 0.319). Linear mixed model analysis showed a significant effect of time (p < 0.01), but not rTMS type (p = 0.680). CONCLUSION: This is the largest accelerated bilateral TBS study to date and provides evidence that it is effective and safe in treating TRD. The accelerated application of TBS was not associated with more rapid antidepressant effects. Bilateral sequential TBS did not have superior antidepressant effect to unilateral 10 Hz rTMS. There was no significant difference in antidepressant efficacy between sub- and supra-threshold accelerated bilateral TBS.Leo Chen, Elizabeth H.X.Thoma, Pakin Kaewpijit, Aleksandra Miljevic, Rachel Hughes, Lisa Hahn ... et al
Isotropic-nematic phase equilibria in the Onsager theory of hard rods with length polydispersity
We analyse the effect of a continuous spread of particle lengths on the phase
behavior of rodlike particles, using the Onsager theory of hard rods. Our aim
is to establish whether ``unusual'' effects such as isotropic-nematic-nematic
(I-N-N) phase separation can occur even for length distributions with a single
peak. We focus on the onset of I-N coexistence. For a log-normal distribution
we find that a finite upper cutoff on rod lengths is required to make this
problem well-posed. The cloud curve, which tracks the density at the onset of
I-N coexistence as a function of the width of the length distribution, exhibits
a kink; this demonstrates that the phase diagram must contain a three-phase
I-N-N region.
Theoretical analysis shows that in the limit of large cutoff the cloud point
density actually converges to zero, so that phase separation results at any
nonzero density; this conclusion applies to all length distributions with
fatter-than-exponentail tails. Finally we consider the case of a Schulz
distribution, with its exponential tail. Surprisingly, even here the long rods
(and hence the cutoff) can dominate the phase behaviour, and a kink in the
cloud curve and I-N-N coexistence again result. Theory establishes that there
is a nonzero threshold for the width of the length distribution above which
these long rod effects occur, and shows that the cloud and shadow curves
approach nonzero limits for large cutoff, both in good agreement with the
numerical results.Comment: 20 pages, 13 figure
Search for direct production of charginos and neutralinos in events with three leptons and missing transverse momentum in √s = 7 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector
A search for the direct production of charginos and neutralinos in final states with three electrons or muons and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is based on 4.7 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data delivered by the Large Hadron Collider and recorded with the ATLAS detector. Observations are consistent with Standard Model expectations in three signal regions that are either depleted or enriched in Z-boson decays. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set in R-parity conserving phenomenological minimal supersymmetric models and in simplified models, significantly extending previous results
Jet size dependence of single jet suppression in lead-lead collisions at sqrt(s(NN)) = 2.76 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the LHC
Measurements of inclusive jet suppression in heavy ion collisions at the LHC
provide direct sensitivity to the physics of jet quenching. In a sample of
lead-lead collisions at sqrt(s) = 2.76 TeV corresponding to an integrated
luminosity of approximately 7 inverse microbarns, ATLAS has measured jets with
a calorimeter over the pseudorapidity interval |eta| < 2.1 and over the
transverse momentum range 38 < pT < 210 GeV. Jets were reconstructed using the
anti-kt algorithm with values for the distance parameter that determines the
nominal jet radius of R = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5. The centrality dependence of
the jet yield is characterized by the jet "central-to-peripheral ratio," Rcp.
Jet production is found to be suppressed by approximately a factor of two in
the 10% most central collisions relative to peripheral collisions. Rcp varies
smoothly with centrality as characterized by the number of participating
nucleons. The observed suppression is only weakly dependent on jet radius and
transverse momentum. These results provide the first direct measurement of
inclusive jet suppression in heavy ion collisions and complement previous
measurements of dijet transverse energy imbalance at the LHC.Comment: 15 pages plus author list (30 pages total), 8 figures, 2 tables,
submitted to Physics Letters B. All figures including auxiliary figures are
available at
http://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/HION-2011-02
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