A discussion on particle number and quantum indistinguishability

The concept of individuality in quantum mechanics shows radical differences from the concept of individuality in classical physics, as E. Schroedinger pointed out in the early steps of the theory. Regarding this fact, some authors suggested that quantum mechanics does not possess its own language, and therefore, quantum indistinguishability is not incorporated in the theory from the beginning. Nevertheless, it is possible to represent the idea of quantum indistinguishability with a first order language using quasiset theory (Q). In this work, we show that Q cannot capture one of the most important features of quantum non individuality, which is the fact that there are quantum systems for which particle number is not well defined. An axiomatic variant of Q, in which quasicardinal is not a primitive concept (for a kind of quasisets called finite quasisets), is also given. This result encourages the searching of theories in which the quasicardinal, being a secondary concept, stands undefined for some quasisets, besides showing explicitly that in a set theory about collections of truly indistinguishable entities, the quasicardinal needs not necessarily be a primitive concept.Comment: 46 pages, no figures. Accepted by Foundations of Physic

Research investigation into the Ventura River watershed: Geoliteracy, stormwater, and community activity

Presently, scientific communities are confronting Earth’s foremost environmental issues using best management practices. However, an increase for need in the synthesis of socio-ecological principles using a multi- and trans-disciplinary approach is required for solutions that benefit both nature and humans. To examine whether a community perceives stormwater runoff as both a local resource and threat to coastal water quality, an online survey of the Ventura River watershed community probed local residents’ understanding of watershed knowledge, beliefs, and behavior with regards to their local environment as it pertained to water resources, especially as affected by human activity. Analysis of 144 participants’ responses and their self-reported water activity, water activity frequency, and perceptions of Ventura River’s discharge and stormwater runoff reveals the community’s behavior regarding exposure to poor water quality in a local coastal environment and, ultimately, the survey participants’ level of geoliteracy concerning their local watershed. A statistical analysis between categorical variables of the survey questions examines relationships between self-reported waterborne illness symptoms and the water activities that participants enjoy regularly and/or perform for work. The survey responses demonstrated common themes in water knowledge that exist throughout this particular coastal community. Additionally, through the use of an optical and historical classification system, the Ventura River’s sediment discharge was examined both remotely and in situ. Multispectral ocean color satellite sensors have been useful in monitoring the water quality of Case 2 waters. Particularly, after severe storm events contaminants can be carried along with storm runoff from urban storm drains and Mediterranean river mouths which then enter coastal and recreationally trafficked water. Earth scientists have observed poor water quality occurring offshore in Case 2 waters near major river mouths and urban areas causing the coastal water column to deteriorate in quality

Modality, Potentiality and Contradiction in Quantum Mechanics

In [11], Newton da Costa together with the author of this paper argued in favor of the possibility to consider quantum superpositions in terms of a paraconsistent approach. We claimed that, even though most interpretations of quantum mechanics (QM) attempt to escape contradictions, there are many hints that indicate it could be worth while to engage in a research of this kind. Recently, Arenhart and Krause [1, 2, 3] have raised several arguments against this approach and claimed that, taking into account the square of opposition, quantum superpositions are better understood in terms of contrariety propositions rather than contradictory propositions. In [17] we defended the Paraconsistent Approach to Quantum Superpositions (PAQS) and provided arguments in favor of its development. In the present paper we attempt to analyze the meanings of modality, potentiality and contradiction in QM, and provide further arguments of why the PAQS is better suited, than the Contrariety Approach to Quantum Superpositions (CAQS) proposed by Arenhart and Krause, to face the interpretational questions that quantum technology is forcing us to consider.Comment: Published in: New Directions in Paraconsistent Logic, J-Y B\'eziau M. Chakraborty & S. Dutta (Eds.), Springer, in press. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1404.518

Working memory and attention in choice.

We study the role of attention and working memory in choices where options are presented sequentially rather than simultaneously. We build a model where a costly attention effort is chosen, which can vary over time. Evidence is accumulated proportionally to this effort and the utility of the reward. Crucially, the evidence accumulated decays over time. Optimal attention allocation maximizes expected utility from final choice; the optimal solution takes the decay into account, so attention is preferentially devoted to later times; but convexity of the flow attention cost prevents it from being concentrated near the end. We test this model with a choice experiment where participants observe sequentially two options. In our data the option presented first is, everything else being equal, significantly less likely to be chosen. This recency effect has a natural explanation with appropriate parameter values in our model of leaky evidence accumulation, where the decline is stronger for the option observed first. Analysis of choice, response time and brain imaging data provide support for the model. Working memory plays an essential role. The recency bias is stronger for participants with weaker performance in working memory tasks. Also activity in parietal areas, coding the stored value in working, declines over time as predicted

Perceptions of Incivility Among Students and Faculty in Entry-Level Health Professional Programs

Purpose: Online education is growing in popularity but has the potential to result in cyber incivility leading to disruptions in the learning environment. There is little known about the differences in attitudes between students and faculty in the online learning experience regarding cyber civility. The purpose of this study was to analytically measure student and faculty perceptions and attitudes of cyber incivility. Methods: A convenience sample of 180 (34 faculty and 146 students) participants from a health care university were recruited. A 27-item survey was given to record the perceptions of students and faculty on issues of cyber civility. An exploratory factor analysis was completed to validate the survey tool and determine the factors that made up the survey. A Mann Whitney U test was conducted to determine significant differences between student and faculty perceptions on the survey items. Results: Four factors were identified of the retained 19 items after the exploratory factor analysis: attitudes, presentation, appearance, and multitasking. There was a significant difference on 10 of the remaining survey items between students and faculty. Conclusions: Faculty perceived unprofessional dress, multitasking, and active display of complaints in the virtual environment more uncivil and disruptive than students. The themes show the differences between students and faculty perceptions in online platforms in healthcare educational programs. These differences highlight the need for healthcare educational programs to focus on strategies that align student and faculty expectations to positively impact the dynamics of the class and enhance learning in the virtual environment

Prospects for probing the gluon density in protons using heavy quarkonium hadroproduction

We examine carefully bottomonia hadroproduction in proton colliders, especially focusing on the LHC, as a way of probing the gluon density in protons. To this end we develop some previous work, getting quantitative predictions and concluding that our proposal can be useful to perform consistency checks of the parameterization sets of different parton distribution functions.Comment: LaTeX, 14 pages, 6 EPS figure

Dating archaeological copper using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Comparison with voltammetry of microparticles dating

[EN] A methodology for dating copper/bronze archaeological objects aged under atmospheric environments using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is described. The method is based on the measurement of resistance associated to the growth of corrosion layers in EIS recorded upon immersion of the pieces in mineral water and applying a bias potential for the reduction of dissolved oxygen. Theoretical expressions for the time variation of such resistance following a potential rate law are presented. Equivalent expressions are derived and applied for estimating the variation of the tenorite/cuprite ratio from their specific voltammetric signals using voltammetry of microparticles data. Calibration curves were constructed from a set of well-documented coins.Financial support from the MEC Projects CTQ2011-28079-CO3-01 and 02 and CTQ2014-53736-C3-2-P which are supported with ERDF funds is gratefully acknowledged.Domenech Carbo, A.; Capelo, S.; Piquero-Cilla, J.; Domenech Carbo, MT.; Barrio, J.; Fuentes, A.; Al Sekhaneh, W. (2016). Dating archaeological copper using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Comparison with voltammetry of microparticles dating. Materials and Corrosion. 67(2):120-129. https://doi.org/10.1002/maco.201408048S120129672Friedman, I., & Smith, R. L. (1960). Part I, The Development of the Method. American Antiquity, 25(4), 476-493. doi:10.2307/276634Reich, S., Leitus, G., & Shalev, S. (2003). Measurement of corrosion content of archaeological lead artifacts by their Meissner response in the superconducting state; a new dating method. New Journal of Physics, 5, 99-99. doi:10.1088/1367-2630/5/1/399Scholz, F., Schröder, U., Meyer, S., Brainina, K. Z., Zakhachuk, N. F., Sobolev, N. V., & Kozmenko, O. A. (1995). The electrochemical response of radiation defects of non-conducting materials An electrochemical access to age determinations. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 385(1), 139-142. doi:10.1016/0022-0728(94)03840-yDoménech-Carbó, A., Labuda, J., & Scholz, F. (2012). Electroanalytical chemistry for the analysis of solids: Characterization and classification (IUPAC Technical Report). Pure and Applied Chemistry, 85(3), 609-631. doi:10.1351/pac-rep-11-11-13Doménech-Carbó, A., Doménech-Carbó, M. T., & Costa, V. (Eds.). (2009). Electrochemical Methods in Archaeometry, Conservation and Restoration. Monographs in Electrochemistry. doi:10.1007/978-3-540-92868-3Doménech-Carbó, A., Doménech-Carbó, M. T., & Peiró-Ronda, M. A. (2011). Dating Archeological Lead Artifacts from Measurement of the Corrosion Content Using the Voltammetry of Microparticles. 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Deterministic Modeling of the Corrosion of Low-Carbon Steel by Dissolved Carbon Dioxide and the Effect of Acetic Acid. I-Effect of Carbon Dioxide. doi:10.1149/1.3259806Macdonald, D., & Englehardt, G. (2010). The Point Defect Model for Bi-Layer Passive Films. doi:10.1149/1.3496427Sharifi-Asl, S., Taylor, M. L., Lu, Z., Engelhardt, G. R., Kursten, B., & Macdonald, D. D. (2013). Modeling of the electrochemical impedance spectroscopic behavior of passive iron using a genetic algorithm approach. Electrochimica Acta, 102, 161-173. doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2013.03.143Macdonald, D. D. (2011). The history of the Point Defect Model for the passive state: A brief review of film growth aspects. Electrochimica Acta, 56(4), 1761-1772. doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2010.11.005Doménech-Carbó, A., Lastras, M., Rodríguez, F., Cano, E., Piquero-Cilla, J., & Osete-Cortina, L. (2013). Monitoring stabilizing procedures of archaeological iron using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. 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Layer-by-layer identification of copper alteration products in metallic works of art using the voltammetry of microparticles. Analytica Chimica Acta, 680(1-2), 1-9. doi:10.1016/j.aca.2010.09.002Doménech, A., Doménech-Carbó, M. T., Pasies, T., & Bouzas, M. C. (2011). Application of Modified Tafel Analysis to the Identification of Corrosion Products on Archaeological Metals Using Voltammetry of Microparticles. Electroanalysis, 23(12), 2803-2812. doi:10.1002/elan.201100577Li, W. S., Cai, S. Q., & Luo, J. L. (2004). Chronopotentiometric Responses and Capacitance Behaviors of Passive Film Formed on Iron in Borate Buffer Solution. Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 151(4), B220. doi:10.1149/1.1667521Liu, W., Zhang, H., Qu, Z., Zhang, Y., & Li, J. (2009). Corrosion behavior of the steel used as a huge storage tank in seawater. Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry, 14(6), 965-973. doi:10.1007/s10008-009-0886-2Toledo-Matos, L. A., & Pech-Canul, M. A. (2010). 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Revision of food composition tables used to estimate nutrient intake in Ecuador

Las tablas y bases de datos de composición de alimentos (TCA/BDCA) son herramientas de valoración dietética. Objetivo: identificar las diferentes TCA empleadas como instrumento para estimar ingesta de nutrientes en Ecuador. La recogida de información se realizó a través de informadores-clave, cuestionarios auto-administrados, complementadas con búsquedas webs institucionales. A las TCA/BDCA identificadas se realizó análisis de contenido sobre variables generales y metodológicas. TCA referidas: Ecuatoriana-1965 (70%), INCAP (60%), México (60%). Se reportaron 7 TCA y 3 BDCA, 8 Latinoamericanas y 2 Españolas. Una TCA elaborada por método-directo (ecuatoriana), 7 por método-indirecto, 2 sin-información. 6 TCA/BDCA definieron nutrientes, 9 refirieron valores (100g/ porción-comestible). Para realizar una correcta estimacion de ingesta, es necesario contar con una TCA ecuatoriana actualizada. Ecuatoriana-1965 presenta pocos alimentos analizados y, métodos analíticos no-actualizados. Las autoras aconsejan el uso de TCA-INCAP, dado que la lista de alimentos refleja similitud con alimentos ecuatorianos. Además INCAP dispone BDCA para incorporar recetas.Tables and food composition databases (FCT/FCDB) are tools used for dietetic evaluation. Objective: to identify different FCT used as an instrument to estimate the nutrient intake in Ecuador. The collection of data was made through key informants -self completed questionnaires-, supplemented with institutional web research. An analysis of content was performed to the identified FCT/FCDB by general and methodological variables. Referenced tables were: Ecuadorian-1965 (70%), INCAP (60%), México (60%). 7 FCT and 3 FCDB were reported, 8 from Latin America and 2 from Spain. One table was constructed by direct method (Ecuadorian-table), 7 by indirect, and 1 had no Information. 6 FCT/FCDB defined the nutrients, 9 expressed values per (100g/ edible portion). In order to asses a proper ingest in Ecuador, it is necessary to have an updated ecuadorian FCT, Ecuadorian-1965 shows few analyzed foods and, not updated analytic techniques. The authors recommend the usage of FCT-INCAP, due to its food list reflects similarities with ecuadorian foods. In addition, INCAP disposes of a FCDB in which ecuadorian recipes can be included

Contextual logic for quantum systems

In this work we build a quantum logic that allows us to refer to physical magnitudes pertaining to different contexts from a fixed one without the contradictions with quantum mechanics expressed in no-go theorems. This logic arises from considering a sheaf over a topological space associated to the Boolean sublattices of the ortholattice of closed subspaces of the Hilbert space of the physical system. Differently to standard quantum logics, the contextual logic maintains a distributive lattice structure and a good definition of implication as a residue of the conjunction.Comment: 16 pages, no figure