1,022 research outputs found
Intermittent control models of human standing: similarities and differences
Two architectures of intermittent control are compared and contrasted in the context of the single inverted pendulum model often used for describing standing in humans. The architectures are similar insofar as they use periods of open-loop control punctuated by switching events when crossing a switching surface to keep the system state trajectories close to trajectories leading to equilibrium. The architectures differ in two significant ways. Firstly, in one case, the open-loop control trajectory is generated by a system-matched hold, and in the other case, the open-loop control signal is zero. Secondly, prediction is used in one case but not the other. The former difference is examined in this paper. The zero control alternative leads to periodic oscillations associated with limit cycles; whereas the system-matched control alternative gives trajectories (including homoclinic orbits) which contain the equilibrium point and do not have oscillatory behaviour. Despite this difference in behaviour, it is further shown that behaviour can appear similar when either the system is perturbed by additive noise or the system-matched trajectory generation is perturbed. The purpose of the research is to come to a common approach for understanding the theoretical properties of the two alternatives with the twin aims of choosing which provides the best explanation of current experimental data (which may not, by itself, distinguish beween the two alternatives) and suggesting future experiments to distinguish between the two alternatives
Measurement of the Xi(-)(b) and Omega(-)(b) baryon lifetimes
Using a data sample of pp collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1), the Xi(-)(b) and Omega(-)(b) baryons are reconstructed in the Xi(-)(b) -> J/psi Xi(-) and Omega(-)(b) -> J/psi Omega(-) decay modes and their lifetimes measured to betau(Xi(-)(b)) = 1.55(-0.09)(+0.10) (stat) +/- 0.03 (syst) ps,tau(Omega(-)(b)) = 1.54(-0.21)(+0.26) (stat) +/- 0.05 (syst) ps.These are the most precise determinations to date. Both measurements are in good agreement with previous experimental results and with theoretical predictions. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.</p
First observations of the rare decays B (+) -> K (+)pi (+)pi (-)mu(+)mu (-) and B (+)-> phi K (+)mu(+)mu (-)
First observations of the rare decays B (+) -> K (+)pi (+) pi (-) mu (+) mu (-) and B (+)-> phi K+ mu(+)mu(-) are presented using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb(-1), collected by the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. The branching fractions of the decays are B(B (+) -> K (+)pi (+) pi (-) mu (+) mu (-) ) = (4.36 (-0.27) (+0.29) (stat) +/- 0.21 (syst) +/- (norm)) x 10(-7), B(B (+)-> phi K+ mu(+)mu(-)) = (0.82 (+0.19)(-0.17) (stat) (+0.10)(-0.04) (syst) +/- 0.27 (norm)) x 10(-7) where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the uncertainty on the branching fractions of the normalisation modes. A measurement of the differential branching fraction in bins of the invariant mass squared of the dimuon system is also presented for the decay B (+) -> K (+)pi (+) pi (-) mu (+) mu (-
Cognitive and Tactile Factors Affecting Human Haptic Performance in Later Life
Background: Vision and haptics are the key modalities by which humans perceive objects and interact with their environment in a target-oriented manner. Both modalities share higher-order neural resources and the mechanisms required for object exploration. Compared to vision, the understanding of haptic information processing is still rudimentary. Although it is known that haptic performance, similar to many other skills, decreases in old age, the underlying mechanisms are not clear. It is yet to be determined to what extent this decrease is related to the age-related loss of tactile acuity or cognitive capacity. Methodology/Principal Findings: We investigated the haptic performance of 81 older adults by means of a cross-modal object recognition test. Additionally, we assessed the subjects â tactile acuity with an apparatus-based two-point discrimination paradigm, and their cognitive performance by means of the non-verbal Raven-Standard-Progressive matrices test. As expected, there was a significant age-related decline in performance on all 3 tests. With the exception of tactile acuity, this decline was found to be more distinct in female subjects. Correlation analyses revealed a strong relationship between haptic and cognitive performance for all subjects. Tactile performance, on the contrary, was only significantly correlated with male subjects â haptic performance. Conclusions: Haptic object recognition is a demanding task in old age, especially when it comes to the exploration o
Updated Determination of Dâ°âDÂŻâ°Mixing and CP Violation Parameters with Dâ°âKâșÏâ» Decays
We report measurements of charm-mixing parameters based on the decay-time-dependent ratio of Dâ°âKâșÏâ» to Dâ°âKâ»Ïâș rates. The analysis uses a data sample of proton-proton collisions corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.0ââfbâ»Âč recorded by the LHCb experiment from 2011 through 2016. Assuming charge-parity (CP) symmetry, the mixing parameters are determined to be xâČÂČ=(3.9±2.7)Ă10â»â”, yâČ=(5.28±0.52)Ă10â»Âł, and R[subscript D]=(3.454±0.031)Ă10â»Âł. Without this assumption, the measurement is performed separately for Dâ° and D[over ÂŻ]â° mesons, yielding a direct CP-violating asymmetry A[subscript D]=(-0.1±9.1)Ă10â»Âł, and magnitude of the ratio of mixing parameters 1.00<|q/p|<1.35 at the 68.3% confidence level. All results include statistical and systematic uncertainties and improve significantly upon previous single-measurement determinations. No evidence for CP violation in charm mixing is observed
Observation of Dâ° Meson Decays to Î âșÏâ»ÎŒâșΌ⻠and KâșKâ»ÎŒâșΌ⻠Final States
The first observation of the Dâ°âÏâșÏâ»ÎŒâșΌ⻠and Dâ°âKâșKâ»ÎŒâșΌ⻠decays is reported using a sample of proton-proton collisions collected by LHCb at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, and corresponding to 2ââfbâ»Âč of integrated luminosity. The corresponding branching fractions are measured using as normalization the decay Dâ°âKâ»Ïâș[ÎŒâșÎŒâ»][subscript Ïâ°/Ï], where the two muons are consistent with coming from the decay of a Ïâ° or Ï meson. The results are B(Dâ°âÏâșÏâ»ÎŒâșÎŒâ»)=(9.64±0.48±0.51±0.97)Ă10â»â· and B(Dâ°âKâșKâ»ÎŒâșÎŒâ»)=(1.54±0.27±0.09±0.16)Ă10â»â·, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the limited knowledge of the normalization branching fraction. The dependence of the branching fraction on the dimuon mass is also investigated
Creating a specialist protein resource network:a meeting report for the protein bioinformatics and community resources retreat
During 11â12 August 2014, a Protein Bioinformatics and Community Resources Retreat was held at the Wellcome Trust Genome Campus in Hinxton, UK. This meeting brought together the principal investigators of several specialized protein resources (such as CAZy, TCDB and MEROPS) as well as those from protein databases from the large Bioinformatics centres (including UniProt and RefSeq). The retreat was divided into five sessions: (1) key challenges, (2) the databases represented, (3) best practices for maintenance and curation, (4) information flow to and from large data centers and (5) communication and funding. An important outcome of this meeting was the creation of a Specialist Protein Resource Network that we believe will improve coordination of the activities of its member resources. We invite further protein database resources to join the network and continue the dialogue
A study of CP violation in the decays B±â[K+K-Ï+Ï-]Dh± (h= K, Ï) and B±â[Ï+Ï-Ï+Ï-]Dh±
The first study of CP violation in the decay mode B±â[K+K-Ï+Ï-]Dh± , with h= K, Ï , is presented, exploiting a data sample of protonâproton collisions collected by the LHCb experiment that corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 9 \,fb - 1 . The analysis is performed in bins of phase space, which are optimised for sensitivity to local CP asymmetries. CP -violating observables that are sensitive to the angle Îł of the Unitarity Triangle are determined. The analysis requires external information on charm-decay parameters, which are currently taken from an amplitude analysis of LHCb data, but can be updated in the future when direct measurements become available. Measurements are also performed of phase-space integrated observables for B±â[K+K-Ï+Ï-]Dh± and B±â[Ï+Ï-Ï+Ï-]Dh± decays
Measurement of lepton universality parameters in and decays
A simultaneous analysis of the and decays is performed to test muon-electron universality in
two ranges of the square of the dilepton invariant mass, . The measurement
uses a sample of beauty meson decays produced in proton-proton collisions
collected with the LHCb detector between 2011 and 2018, corresponding to an
integrated luminosity of . A sequence of multivariate
selections and strict particle identification requirements produce a higher
signal purity and a better statistical sensitivity per unit luminosity than
previous LHCb lepton universality tests using the same decay modes. Residual
backgrounds due to misidentified hadronic decays are studied using data and
included in the fit model. Each of the four lepton universality measurements
reported is either the first in the given interval or supersedes previous
LHCb measurements. The results are compatible with the predictions of the
Standard Model.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and
additional information, are available at
https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-045.html (LHCb
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