Generalized minority games with adaptive trend-followers and contrarians

We introduce a simple extension of the minority game in which the market rewards contrarian (resp. trend-following) strategies when it is far from (resp. close to) efficiency. The model displays a smooth crossover from a regime where contrarians dominate to one where trend-followers dominate. In the intermediate phase, the stationary state is characterized by non-Gaussian features as well as by the formation of sustained trends and bubbles.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figure

A revised CNCPS feed carbohydrate fractionation scheme for formulating rations for ruminants

Balancing ruminant diets for appropriate levels and types of dietary carbohydrates (CHO) is necessary to maximize production while assuring the health of the animals. Several feed fractions (i.e., volatile fatty acids (VFA), lactate, sugars, starch) are now being measured in some commercial feed laboratories and this information may assist in better formulating diets. A CHO fractionation scheme based on ruminal degradation characteristics needed for nutritional models is described and its impact on predictions with the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) is assessed. Dietary CHO are divided into eight fractions: the CA1 is volatile fatty acids (VFA), CA2 is lactic acid, CA3 is other organic acids, CA4 is sugars, CB1 is starch, CB2 is soluble fiber, CB3 is available neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and CC is unavailable NDF. A Monte Carlo analysis was conducted with an example lactating dairy cow ration to compare the original CNCPS CHO scheme (CA=sugars and organic acids, CB1=starch and soluble fiber, CB2=available NDF, CC=unavailable NDF) with the developed CHO scheme. A database was used to obtain distributions and correlations of the feed inputs used in the schemes for the ingredients of the ration (corn and grass silages, high moisture corn, soybean meal, and distillers\u27 grains). The CHO fractions varied in a decreasing order as VFAs, soluble fiber, lactic acid, sugar, NDF, starch, and total non-fiber carbohydrates (NFC). Use of the expanded scheme in the CNCPS decreased the microbial CP production, which was sensitive (standard regression coefficient in parenthesis) to corn silage starch (0.55), grass silage NDF rate (0.46), high moisture corn grain starch rate (0.44), and corn silage NDF rate (0.33). Predicted ruminal NFC digestibility remained similar. The expanded CHO scheme provides a more appropriate feed description to account for variation in changes in silage quality and diet NFC composition. However, to fully account for differences in feed CHO utilization, further improvements in the methodology used to estimate the fractions and their corresponding degradation rates, inclusion of dietary factors in dry matter intake predictions, and prediction of ruminal VFA production and pH are necessary

How are compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction affected by quality of working life? Findings from a survey of mental health staff in Italy

BACKGROUND: Quality of working life includes elements such as autonomy, trust, ergonomics, participation, job complexity, and work-life balance. The overarching aim of this study was to investigate if and how quality of working life affects Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction among mental health practitioners. METHODS: Staff working in three Italian Mental Health Departments completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale, measuring Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction, and the Quality of Working Life Questionnaire. The latter was used to collect socio-demographics, occupational characteristics and 13 indicators of quality of working life. Multiple regressions controlling for other variables were undertaken to predict Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, and Compassion Satisfaction. RESULTS: Four hundred questionnaires were completed. In bivariate analyses, experiencing more ergonomic problems, perceiving risks for the future, a higher impact of work on life, and lower levels of trust and of perceived quality of meetings were associated with poorer outcomes. Multivariate analysis showed that (a) ergonomic problems and impact of work on life predicted higher levels of both Compassion Fatigue and Burnout; (b) impact of life on work was associated with Compassion Fatigue and lower levels of trust and perceiving more risks for the future with Burnout only; (c) perceived quality of meetings, need of training, and perceiving no risks for the future predicted higher levels of Compassion Satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: In order to provide adequate mental health services, service providers need to give their employees adequate ergonomic conditions, giving special attention to time pressures. Building trustful relationships with management and within the teams is also crucial. Training and meetings are other important targets for potential improvement. Additionally, insecurity about the future should be addressed as it can affect both Burnout and Compassion Satisfaction. Finally, strategies to reduce possible work-life conflicts need to be considered

A Pair Polarimeter for Linearly Polarized High Energy Photons

A high quality beam of linearly polarized photons of several GeV will become available with the coherent bremsstrahlung technique at JLab. We have developed a polarimeter which requires about two meters of the beam line, has an analyzing power of 20% and an efficiency of 0.02%. The layout and first results of a polarimeter test on the laser back-scattering photon beam at SPring-8/LEPS are presented

tvorba vektorskih mezona i pridružene stranosti pomoću snopa linearno polariziranih fotona u JLabu

The set of experiments forming the g8a run took place in the summer of 2001 in Hall B of Jefferson Lab. The g8a run was the commissioning experiment for the linearly polarised photon beam at CLAS. The aim of these experiments is to improve the understanding of the underlying symmetry of the quark degrees of freedom in the nucleon, the nature of the parity exchange between the incident photon and the target nucleon, and the mechanism of associated strangeness production in electromagnetic reactions. A beam of tagged and collimated linearly polarised photons (energy range 1.8−2.2 GeV) in conjunction with the large solid angle coverage of CLAS make possible the extraction of the differential cross-sections and polarisation observables for the photoproduction of vector mesons and kaons. The reaction channels −→γ p → ρ 0p → π +π −p and −→γ p → K+Λ 0 → K+π −p are under investigation to search for possibly missing nucleon resonances. An overview of the experiment and preliminary results on the measurement of the photon asymmetries of the aforementioned reactions are presented.Mjerenje g8a izveli smo u ljeto 2001 u Halli B u JLabu. To je mjerenje ujedno bilo puštanje u pogon linearno polariziranog snopa kod uređaja CLAS. Cilj tih mjerenja bio je unapređenje našeg shvaćanja simetrije koja je osnova kvarkovskih stupnjeva slobode u nukleonu, značajki izmjene parnosti između fotona i nukleona u meti i mehanizma tvorbe pridružene stranosti u elektromagnetskim reakcijama. Snop kolimiranih i označenih linearno polariziranih fotona (energije 1.8 − 2.2 GeV), zajedno s velikim prostornim kutom CLASa, omogućili su određivanje diferencijalnih udarnih presjeka i polarizacijskih veličina za fototvorbu vektorskih mezona i kaona. Istraživali smo reakcijske kanale →γ p → ρ 0p → π +π −p i →γ p → K+Λ 0 → K+π −p radi mogućeg nalaženja novih nukleonskih rezonancija. Dajemo opis mjerenja i prethodne ishode za fotonsku asimetriju navedenih reakcija

tvorba vektorskih mezona i pridružene stranosti pomoću snopa linearno polariziranih fotona u JLabu

The set of experiments forming the g8a run took place in the summer of 2001 in Hall B of Jefferson Lab. The g8a run was the commissioning experiment for the linearly polarised photon beam at CLAS. The aim of these experiments is to improve the understanding of the underlying symmetry of the quark degrees of freedom in the nucleon, the nature of the parity exchange between the incident photon and the target nucleon, and the mechanism of associated strangeness production in electromagnetic reactions. A beam of tagged and collimated linearly polarised photons (energy range 1.8−2.2 GeV) in conjunction with the large solid angle coverage of CLAS make possible the extraction of the differential cross-sections and polarisation observables for the photoproduction of vector mesons and kaons. The reaction channels −→γ p → ρ 0p → π +π −p and −→γ p → K+Λ 0 → K+π −p are under investigation to search for possibly missing nucleon resonances. An overview of the experiment and preliminary results on the measurement of the photon asymmetries of the aforementioned reactions are presented.Mjerenje g8a izveli smo u ljeto 2001 u Halli B u JLabu. To je mjerenje ujedno bilo puštanje u pogon linearno polariziranog snopa kod uređaja CLAS. Cilj tih mjerenja bio je unapređenje našeg shvaćanja simetrije koja je osnova kvarkovskih stupnjeva slobode u nukleonu, značajki izmjene parnosti između fotona i nukleona u meti i mehanizma tvorbe pridružene stranosti u elektromagnetskim reakcijama. Snop kolimiranih i označenih linearno polariziranih fotona (energije 1.8 − 2.2 GeV), zajedno s velikim prostornim kutom CLASa, omogućili su određivanje diferencijalnih udarnih presjeka i polarizacijskih veličina za fototvorbu vektorskih mezona i kaona. Istraživali smo reakcijske kanale →γ p → ρ 0p → π +π −p i →γ p → K+Λ 0 → K+π −p radi mogućeg nalaženja novih nukleonskih rezonancija. Dajemo opis mjerenja i prethodne ishode za fotonsku asimetriju navedenih reakcija

Homochiral growth through enantiomeric cross-inhibition

The stability and conservation properties of a recently proposed polymerization model are studied. The achiral (racemic) solution is linearly unstable once the relevant control parameter (here the fidelity of the catalyst) exceeds a critical value. The growth rate is calculated for different fidelity parameters and cross-inhibition rates. A chirality parameter is defined and shown to be conserved by the nonlinear terms of the model. Finally, a truncated version of the model is used to derive a set of two ordinary differential equations and it is argued that these equations are more realistic than those used in earlier models of that form.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, Orig. Life Evol. Biosph. (accepted

The energetic efficiency of growing lambs fed highconcentrate diets with different roughages.

Abstract presented at ADSA-PSA-AMPA-ASAS Joint Annual Meeting, July, 2012, Phoenix, Arizona

Balanços de energia e proteína metabolizável de ovelhas em pastagem de capim-tanzânia.

Resumo: O uso do pasto como única fonte de alimentação pode não ser suficiente para atender as exigências nutricionais em todo o ciclo de produção. As exigências nutricionais podem mudar conforme a fase fisiológica e há necessidade em determinar e quantificar quais nutrientes são limitantes e em que época é necessário à intervenção com a suplementação alimentar. Objetivou-se, com este estudo, avaliar o balanço de energia e proteína de ovelhas em diferentes estados fisiológicos, em pastagem de capim-tanzânia, utilizando o pastejo simulado e o software Small Ruminant Nutrition System (SRNS). Foram utilizadas 90 ovelhas mestiças entre as raças Santa Inês e Somalis Brasileira, com distintos graus de sangue, manejadas em uma área de três hectares de pastagem de capim-tanzânia irrigada e adubada no período seco. As ovelhas foram acompanhadas durante todo o ciclo de produção para contemplar as variações de exigências nutricionais ao longo do ano. Para estimativa da qualidade da dieta de ovinos foram coletadas amostras por meio da simulação de pastejo. Para a simulação dos balanços de energia e proteína foi utilizado o SRNS. Os balanços negativos de energia e proteína ocorreram principalmente nas fases de gestação e lactação, fases onde ocorrem as maiores exigências nutricionais. Houve um déficit de 53,38% das exigências de energia metabolizável (EM) e de 147,45% das exigências de proteína metabolizável (PM) do final da gestação para início da lactação. Em relação às exigências de EM e PM no período de gestação, o déficit foi de 91,55% das necessidades de EM e de 90,32% para PM de ovelhas no início da gestação para o final da gestação. Nestes períodos são necessárias estratégias de suplementação alimentar como forma de corrigir estes balanços negativos. Nos demais meses, que corresponderam às ovelhas no início da gestação e animais não gestantes/não lactantes, os ajustes em termos de proteína e energia são mínimos, sendo que o próprio animal, por meio de sua fisiologia, pode mobilizar suas reservas corporais ou fazer a reciclagem do nitrogênio para tentar atender estas exigências. Conclui-se que O SRNS mostrou-se sensível para predizer os balanços nutricionais nas condições deste estudo e que a proteína é o nutriente mais limitante neste tipo de sistema de criação. [Nutritional balance of metabolizable energy and protein of ewes grazing tanzânia grass]. Abstract: The use of pasture as a only source of nutrients of grazing ruminants may not be sufficient to meet the nutritional requirements throughout the production cycle. The nutritional requirements may change as the physiological stage. Therefore, there is a need to determine and quantify which nutrients are limiting and the intervention with dietary supplementation is needed. This experiment was carried out to assess the nutritional balance of energy and protein for sheep in different physiological states, grazing tanzania grass, using the hand plucked forage and simulations using the software Small Ruminant Nutrition System (SRNS). Ninety crossbred ewes between Santa Inês and Brasilian Somalis, with different, were assigned an area of three hectares of tanzania grass pasture, irrigated and fertilized during the dry season. The data collect was carried out throughout whole physiological cycle to encompass changes in nutritional requirements throughout the year. The negative balance of energy and protein occurred mainly in stages of gestation and lactation phases, when the ewes experienced the greatest demands of nutrients. There was a deficit of 53.38% of the metabolizable energy (ME) and 147.45% of metabolizable protein (PM) at the end of gestation to early lactation. Regarding EM and PM requirements during pregnancy, there was a deficit of 91.55% of the requirements of EM and 90.32% of PM for the ewes from early to late pregnancy. During these periods supplemental feeding strategies is required to correct these deficits. In the other months, which corresponded to ewes in early pregnancy and non-pregnant animals / non-lactating, adjustments in terms of protein and energy were minimal, and the animal itself, through its physiology, can mobilize their body reserves or increasing recycling of nitrogen probably will be able to meet these requirements. The SRNS was sensitive to predict the nutritional balance in the conditions of this study. Protein is the main limiting nutrient in this raising system