823 research outputs found
Robust Detection of Ocular Dominance Columns in Humans using High Field HSE BOLD fMRI
The ability to reliably and reproducibility map high resolution functional architecture using fMRI techniques has been a point of debate in animal as well as human studies. Several animal and human studies have successfully mapped high resolution functional organizations, however, the robustness of the phenomenon (i.e. reproducibility and demonstration in multiple subjects), which would certainly improve the credibility of the data, has been a subject of debate. Here we demonstrate the spatial specificity of Hahn spin echo BOLD by robust mapping of ocular dominance columns in humans at the high magnetic field of 7 T
Scaling and Universality of the Complexity of Analog Computation
We apply a probabilistic approach to study the computational complexity of
analog computers which solve linear programming problems. We analyze
numerically various ensembles of linear programming problems and obtain, for
each of these ensembles, the probability distribution functions of certain
quantities which measure the computational complexity, known as the convergence
rate, the barrier and the computation time. We find that in the limit of very
large problems these probability distributions are universal scaling functions.
In other words, the probability distribution function for each of these three
quantities becomes, in the limit of large problem size, a function of a single
scaling variable, which is a certain composition of the quantity in question
and the size of the system. Moreover, various ensembles studied seem to lead
essentially to the same scaling functions, which depend only on the variance of
the ensemble. These results extend analytical and numerical results obtained
recently for the Gaussian ensemble, and support the conjecture that these
scaling functions are universal.Comment: 22 pages, latex, 12 eps fig
On Some Positivity Properties of the Interquark Potential in QCD
We prove that the Fourier transform of the exponential e^{-\b V(R)} of the
{\bf static} interquark potential in QCD is positive. It has been shown by
Eliott Lieb some time ago that this property allows in the same limit of static
spin independent potential proving certain mass relation between baryons with
different quark flavors.Comment: 6 pages, latex with one postscript figur
Decay of Quantum Accelerator Modes
Experimentally observable Quantum Accelerator Modes are used as a test case
for the study of some general aspects of quantum decay from classical stable
islands immersed in a chaotic sea. The modes are shown to correspond to
metastable states, analogous to the Wannier-Stark resonances. Different regimes
of tunneling, marked by different quantitative dependence of the lifetimes on
1/hbar, are identified, depending on the resolution of KAM substructures that
is achieved on the scale of hbar. The theory of Resonance Assisted Tunneling
introduced by Brodier, Schlagheck, and Ullmo [9], is revisited, and found to
well describe decay whenever applicable.Comment: 16 pages, 11 encapsulated postscript figures (figures with a better
resolution are available upon request to the authors); added reference for
section
Sub Millimeter Analysis of Specificity of SE, GE, and ASE BOLD Responses in the Human Visual Cortex
Sub-millimeter spatial resolution applications are becoming of increasing interest in fMRI. Several animal and human studies have successfully mapped high resolution functional organizations. However, it is not known which fMRI technique (which depends on field strength), maximizes contrast to noise as well as specificity to capillaries for sub-millimeter functional mapping. In this work we examine this problem by comparing functional maps, at 0.5mm in plane resolution, of gradient echo BOLD, spin echo BOLD, and asymmetric echo BOLD in human visual cortex at 7 Tesla
What distinguishes positive deviance (PD) health professionals from their peers and what impact does a PD intervention have on behaviour change: a cross-sectional study of infection control and prevention in three Israeli hospitals
Past studies using the positive deviance (PD) approach in the field of infection prevention and control (IPC) have primarily focused on impacts on healthcare-associated infection rates. This research aimed to determine if health professionals who exhibit PD behaviours have distinctive socio-cognitive profiles compared to non-PD professionals, and to examine the impact of a PD intervention on healthcare professionalsâ (HPs) behavioural changes in maintaining IPC guidelines. In a cross-sectional study among 135 HPs, respondents first filled out a socio-cognitive characteristics questionnaire, and after 5 months were requested to complete a selfreported behavioural change questionnaire. The main findings indicate that socio-cognitive variables such as external locus of control, perceived threat and social learning were significant predictors of a person exhibiting PD behaviours. Almost 70% of HPs reported behavioural change and creating social networks as a result of the PD intervention in maintaining IPC guidelines, 16.9% of them are a âPD boostersâ (a new group of HPs who have adopted the positive practices of PDs that were originally identified, and also added additional practices of their own). Social networks can contribute to internalizing and raising personal accountability even among non-PD professionals, by creating a mind map that makes each person believe they are an important node in the network, regardless of their status and role. Health intervention programmes should purposely make visible and prominent social network connections in the hospital system.publishedVersio
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