A Note on the Use of Markov Chains in Forecasting Store Choice

Ehrenberg\u27s sweeping criticism of Markov brand switching models [3] highlights many shortcomings of these models for aggregate analysis of consumer behavior. While it has been pointed out that some of his criticisms are not entirely correct [13], one of Ehrenberg\u27s themes is unquestionably valid. The models tend to break down empirically due to violations of important Markovian stability assumptions [14]. A situation in which the assumptions of the model appear less restrictive is short-run forecasting of store choice behavior of individual families

Can spacetime curvature induced corrections to Lamb shift be observable?

The Lamb shift results from the coupling of an atom to vacuum fluctuations of quantum fields, so corrections are expected to arise when the spacetime is curved since the vacuum fluctuations are modified by the presence of spacetime curvature. Here, we calculate the curvature-induced correction to the Lamb shift outside a spherically symmetric object and demonstrate that this correction can be remarkably significant outside a compact massive astrophysical body. For instance, for a neutron star or a stellar mass black hole, the correction is $\sim$ 25% at a radial distance of $4GM/c^2$, $\sim$ 16% at $10GM/c^2$ and as large as $\sim$ 1.6% even at $100GM/c^2$, where $M$ is the mass of the object, $G$ the Newtonian constant, and $c$ the speed of light. In principle, we can look at the spectra from a distant compact super-massive body to find such corrections. Therefore, our results suggest a possible way of detecting fundamental quantum effects in astronomical observations.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, slight title change, clarifications and more discussions added, version to be published in JHE

The Electric Dipole Form Factor of the Nucleon in Chiral Perturbation Theory to Sub-leading Order

The electric dipole form factor (EDFF) of the nucleon stemming from the QCD theta term and from the quark color-electric dipole moments is calculated in chiral perturbation theory to sub-leading order. This is the lowest order in which the isoscalar EDFF receives a calculable, non-analytic contribution from the pion cloud. In the case of the theta term, the expected lower bound on the deuteron electric dipole moment is |d_d| > 1.4 10^(-4) \theta e fm. The momentum dependence of the isovector EDFF is proportional to a non-derivative time-reversal-violating pion-nucleon coupling, and the scale for momentum variation ---appearing, in particular, in the radius of the form factor--- is the pion mass.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figure

The optical calcium frequency standards of PTB and NIST

We describe the current status of the Ca optical frequency standards with laser-cooled neutral atoms realized in two different laboratories for the purpose of developing a possible future optical atomic clock. Frequency measurements performed at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) make the frequency of the clock transition of 40Ca one of the best known optical frequencies (relative uncertainty 1.2e-14) and the measurements of this frequency in both laboratories agree to well within their respective uncertainties. Prospects for improvement by orders of magnitude in the relative uncertainty of the standard look feasible.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, to appear in Comptes Rendus Physiqu

Improved Measurement of the Positive Muon Anomalous Magnetic Moment

A new measurement of the positive muon's anomalous magnetic moment has been made at the Brookhaven Alternating Gradient Synchrotron using the direct injection of polarized muons into the superferric storage ring. The angular frequency difference omega_{a} between the angular spin precession frequency omega_{s} and the angular orbital frequency omega_{c} is measured as well as the free proton NMR frequency omega_{p}. These determine R = omega_{a} / omega_{p} = 3.707~201(19) times 10^{-3}. With mu_{mu} / mu_{p} = 3.183~345~39(10) this gives a_{mu^+} = 11~659~191(59) times 10^{-10} (pm 5 ppm), in good agreement with the previous CERN and BNL measurements for mu^+ and mu^-, and with the standard model prediction.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. D62 Rapid Communication

The Nucleon Electric Dipole Form Factor From Dimension-Six Time-Reversal Violation

We calculate the electric dipole form factor of the nucleon that arises as a low-energy manifestation of time-reversal violation in quark-gluon interactions of effective dimension 6: the quark electric and chromoelectric dipole moments, and the gluon chromoelectric dipole moment. We use the framework of two-flavor chiral perturbation theory to one loop

Characterization of invasive and colonizing isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae in East African adults

Ninety-five colonizing isolates and 74 invasive isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae from Kenyan adults were characterized by using capsular serotyping and multilocus sequence typing. Twenty-two sequence types clustering into five clonal complexes were found. Data support the view that S. agalactiae isolates belonging to a limited number of clonal complexes are invasive in adults worldwide

Constraining 2HDM by Present and Future Muon(g-2) Data

Constraints on the general 2HDM ("Model II") are obtained from the existing $(g-2)_{\mu}$ data including limits on Higgs bosons masses from LEP I data. We consider separately two cases: with a light scalar $h$ and with a light pseudoscalar $A$, assuming ${M_{h}+M_{A}} \ge {M_{Z}}$. The charged Higgs contribution is also included. It is found that already the present $(g-2)_{\mu}$ data improve limits obtained recently by ALEPH collaboration on \tb for the mass of the pseudoscalar below \mr 2 GeV. The improvement in the accuracy by factor 20 in the forthcoming E821 experiment may lead to more stringent, than provided by ALEPH group, limits up to $M_A\sim$ 30 GeV if the mass difference between $h$ and $A$ is $\sim M_Z$. Similar results should hold for a light scalar scenario as well.Comment: 19 pages, including 5 figure

Spin-gravity coupling and gravity-induced quantum phases

External gravitational fields induce phase factors in the wave functions of particles. The phases are exact to first order in the background gravitational field, are manifestly covariant and gauge invariant and provide a useful tool for the study of spin-gravity coupling and of the optics of particles in gravitational or inertial fields. We discuss the role that spin-gravity coupling plays in particular problems.Comment: 18 pages, 1 figur

Incentive Compatible Reimbursement Schemes for Physicians

We consider physicians with fixed capacity levels. If a physician’s capacity exceeds demand, she may have an incentive to overtreat, i.e., she may provide unnecessary treatments to use up idle capacity. By contrast, with excess demand she may undertreat, i.e., she may not provide necessary treatments since other activities are financially more attractive. We first show that simple fee-for-service reimbursement schemes do not provide proper incentives. If insurers use, however, fee-for-service schemes with quantity restrictions, they solve the fraudulent physician problem