1,124 research outputs found
Optimized explicit Runge-Kutta schemes for the spectral difference method applied to wave propagation problems
Explicit Runge-Kutta schemes with large stable step sizes are developed for
integration of high order spectral difference spatial discretization on
quadrilateral grids. The new schemes permit an effective time step that is
substantially larger than the maximum admissible time step of standard explicit
Runge-Kutta schemes available in literature. Furthermore, they have a small
principal error norm and admit a low-storage implementation. The advantages of
the new schemes are demonstrated through application to the Euler equations and
the linearized Euler equations.Comment: 37 pages, 3 pages of appendi
Computing Linear Matrix Representations of Helton-Vinnikov Curves
Helton and Vinnikov showed that every rigidly convex curve in the real plane
bounds a spectrahedron. This leads to the computational problem of explicitly
producing a symmetric (positive definite) linear determinantal representation
for a given curve. We study three approaches to this problem: an algebraic
approach via solving polynomial equations, a geometric approach via contact
curves, and an analytic approach via theta functions. These are explained,
compared, and tested experimentally for low degree instances.Comment: 19 pages, 3 figures, minor revisions; Mathematical Methods in
Systems, Optimization and Control, Birkhauser, Base
Qubit State Discrimination
We show how one can solve the problem of discriminating between qubit states.
We use the quantum state discrimination duality theorem and the Bloch sphere
representation of qubits which allows for an easy geometric and analytical
representation of the optimal guessing strategies.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. v2 has small corrections and changes in
reference
The factor structure of executive function in childhood and adolescence
Executive functioning (EF) plays a major role in many domains of human behaviour, including self-regulation, academic achievement, and even sports expertise. While a significant proportion of cross-sectional research has focused on the developmental pathways of EF, the existing literature is fractionated due to a wide range of methodologies applied to narrow age ranges, impeding comparison across a broad range of age groups. The current study used a cross-sectional design to investigate the factor structure of EF within late childhood and adolescence. A total of 2166 Flemish children and adolescents completed seven tasks of the Cambridge Brain Sciences test battery. Based on the existing literature, a Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed, which indicated that a unitary factor model provides the best fit for the youngest age group (7–12 years). For the adolescents (12–18 years), the factor structure consists of four different components, including working memory, shifting, inhibition and planning. With regard to differences between early (12–15 years) and late (15–18 years) adolescents, working memory, inhibition and planning show higher scores for the late adolescents, while there was no difference on shifting. The current study is one of the first to administer the same seven EF tests in a considerably large sample of children and adolescents, and as such contributes to the understanding of the developmental trends in EF. Future studies, especially with longitudinal designs, are encouraged to further increase the knowledge concerning the factor structure of EF, and the development of the different EF components
Nonsense mutations in alpha-II spectrin in three families with juvenile onset hereditary motor neuropathy
Distal hereditary motor neuropathies are a rare subgroup of inherited peripheral neuropathies hallmarked by a length-dependent axonal degeneration of lower motor neurons without significant involvement of sensory neurons. We identified patients with heterozygous nonsense mutations in the alpha II-spectrin gene, SPTAN1, in three separate dominant hereditary motor neuropathy families via next-generation sequencing. Variable penetrance was noted for these mutations in two of three families, and phenotype severity differs greatly between patients. The mutant mRNA containing nonsense mutations is broken down by nonsense-mediated decay and leads to reduced protein levels in patient cells. Previously, dominant-negative alpha II-spectrin gene mutations were described as causal in a spectrum of epilepsy phenotypes
Exact Floquet states of a driven condensate and their stabilities
We investigate the Gross-Pitaevskii equation for a classically chaotic
system, which describes an atomic Bose-Einstein condensate confined in an
optical lattice and driven by a spatiotemporal periodic laser field. It is
demonstrated that the exact Floquet states appear when the external
time-dependent potential is balanced by the nonlinear mean-field interaction.
The balance region of parameters is divided into a phase-continuing region and
a phase-jumping one. In the latter region, the Floquet states are
spatiotemporal vortices of nontrivial phase structures and zero-density cores.
Due to the velocity singularities of vortex cores and the blowing-up of
perturbed solutions, the spatiotemporal vortices are unstable periodic states
embedded in chaos. The stability and instability of these Floquet states are
numerically explored by the time evolution of fidelity between the exact and
numerical solutions. It is numerically illustrated that the stable Floquet
states could be prepared from the uniformly initial states by slow growth of
the external potential.Comment: 14 pages, 3 eps figures, final version accepted for publication in J.
Phys.
Pole dynamics for the Flierl-Petviashvili equation and zonal flow
We use a systematic method which allows us to identify a class of exact
solutions of the Flierl-Petvishvili equation. The solutions are periodic and
have one dimensional geometry. We examine the physical properties and find that
these structures can have a significant effect on the zonal flow generation.Comment: Latex 40 pages, seven figures eps included. Effect of variation of
g_3 is studied. New references adde
Relative age, biological maturation and anaerobic characteristics in elite youth soccer players
Being relatively older and having an advanced biological maturation status have been associated with increased likelihood of selection in young elite soccer players. The aims of the study were to investigate the presence of a relative age effect (RAE) and the influence of birth quarter on anthropometry, biological maturity and anaerobic parameters in 374 elite Belgian youth soccer players. The sample was divided into 3 age groups, each subdivided into 4 birth quarters (BQ). Players had their APHV estimated and height, weight, SBJ, CMJ, sprint 5 and 30 m were assessed. Overall, more players were born in BQ1 (42.3%) compared with players born in BQ4 (13.7%). Further, MANCOVA revealed no differences in all parameters between the 4 BQ's, controlled for age and APHV. These results suggest that relatively youngest players can offset the RAE if they enter puberty earlier. Furthermore, the results demonstrated possible differences between BQ1 and BQ4, suggesting that caution is necessary when estimating differences between players because of large discrepancies between statistical and practical significance. These findings also show that coaches should develop realistic expectations of the physical abilities of younger players and these expectations should be made in the context of biological characteristics rather than chronological age-based standards. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart. New York
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