Reward positivity elicited by predictive cues

A recent theory holds that a component of the human event-related brain potential called the reward positivity reflects a reward prediction error signal. We investigated this idea in gambling-like task in which, on each trial, a visual stimulus predicted a subsequent rewarding or nonrewarding outcome with 80% probability. Consistent with earlier results, we found that the reward positivity was larger to unexpected than to expected outcomes. In addition, we found that the predictive cues also elicited a reward positivity, as proposed by the theory. These results indicate that the reward positivity reflects the initial assessment of whether a trial will end in success or failure and the reappraisal of that information once the outcome actually occurs. NeuroReport 22:249-252 (C) 2011 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Projective measurement in nuclear magnetic resonance

It is demonstrated that nuclear magnetic resonance experiments using pseudopure spin states can give possible outcomes of projective quantum measurement and probabilities of such outcomes. The physical system is a cluster of six dipolar-coupled nuclear spins of benzene in a liquid-crystalline matrix. For this system with the maximum total spin S=3, the results of measuring $S_X$ are presented for the cases when the state of the system is one of the eigenstates of $S_Z$.Comment: 9 pages incluing 3 figure

Classification of bi-qutrit positive partial transpose entangled edge states by their ranks

We construct $3\otimes 3$ PPT entangled edge states with maximal ranks, to complete the classification of $3\otimes 3$ PPT entangled edge states by their types. The ranks of the states and their partial transposes are 8 and 6, respectively. These examples also disprove claims in the literature.Comment: correct the title to avoid an acronym, correct few text

Density of Yang-Lee zeros for the Ising ferromagnet

The densities of Yang-Lee zeros for the Ising ferromagnet on the $L\times L$ square lattice are evaluated from the exact grand partition functions ($L=3\sim16$). The properties of the density of Yang-Lee zeros are discussed as a function of temperature $T$ and system size $L$. The three different classes of phase transitions for the Ising ferromagnet, first-order phase transition, second-order phase transition, and Yang-Lee edge singularity, are clearly distinguished by estimating the magnetic scaling exponent $y_h$ from the densities of zeros for finite-size systems. The divergence of the density of zeros at Yang-Lee edge in high temperatures (Yang-Lee edge singularity), which has been detected only by the series expansion until now for the square-lattice Ising ferromagnet, is obtained from the finite-size data. The identification of the orders of phase transitions in small systems is also discussed using the density of Yang-Lee zeros.Comment: to appear in Physical Review

Application of Computable General Equilibrium Model to Derive Impacts of Surface Water Reallocation Policy

Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

lordif: An R Package for Detecting Differential Item Functioning Using Iterative Hybrid Ordinal Logistic Regression/Item Response Theory and Monte Carlo Simulations

Logistic regression provides a flexible framework for detecting various types of differential item functioning (DIF). Previous efforts extended the framework by using item response theory (IRT) based trait scores, and by employing an iterative process using group--specific item parameters to account for DIF in the trait scores, analogous to purification approaches used in other DIF detection frameworks. The current investigation advances the technique by developing a computational platform integrating both statistical and IRT procedures into a single program. Furthermore, a Monte Carlo simulation approach was incorporated to derive empirical criteria for various DIF statistics and effect size measures. For purposes of illustration, the procedure was applied to data from a questionnaire of anxiety symptoms for detecting DIF associated with age from the Patient--Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System.

Chiral restoration at finite temperature with meson loop corrections

We investigate chiral-restoration patterns of QCD for N_{c}=3 and N_{f}=2 at finite temperature (T) and zero quark-chemical potential beyond the chiral limit, indicating the explicit chiral-symmetry breaking. To this end, we employ the instanton-vacuum configuration for the flavor SU(2) sector and the Harrington-Shepard caloron for modifying relevant instanton parameters as functions of T. The meson-loop corrections (MLC), which correspond to 1/N_{c} corrections, are also taken into account to reproduce appropriate m_{q} dependences of chiral order parameters. We compute chiral condensate as a function of T and/or m_{q}. From the numerical calculations, we observe that MLC play an important role to have a correct universality-class behavior of chiral-restoration patterns in this framework, depending on m_{q}: Second-order phase transition in the chiral limit, m_{q}=0 and crossover for m_{q}>0. Without MLC, all the restoration patterns are crossover, due to simple saddle-point approximations. It turns out that T^{\chi}_{c}=159 MeV in the chiral limit and T^{\chi}_{c}=(177,186,196) MeV for m_{q}=(5,10,15) MeV, using the phenomenological choices for the instanton parameters at T=0.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figure

Kaon semileptonic decay (K_{l3}) form factors from the instanton vacuum

We investigate the kaon semileptonic decay (K_{l3}) form factors within the framework of the nonlocal chiral quark model from the instanton vacuum, taking into account the effects of flavor SU(3) symmetry breaking. We also consider the problem of gauge invariance arising from the momentum-dependent quark mass in the present work. All theoretical calculations are carried out without any adjustable parameter, the average instanton size (rho ~ 1/3 fm) and the inter-instanton distance (R ~ 1 fm) having been fixed. We also show that the present results satisfy the Callan-Treiman low-energy theorem as well as the Ademollo-Gatto theorem. Using the K_{l3} form factors, we evaluate relevant physical quantities. It turns out that the effects of flavor SU(3) symmetry breaking are essential in reproducing the kaon semileptonic form factors. The present results are in a good agreement with experiments, and are compatible with other model calculations.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, submitted to PR