The persistence of a visual dominance effect in a telemanipulator task: A comparison between visual and electrotactile feedback

The possibility to use an electrotactile stimulation in teleoperation and to observe the interpretation of such information as a feedback to the operator was investigated. It is proposed that visual feedback is more informative than an electrotactile one; and that complex electrotactile feedback slows down both the motor decision and motor response processes, is processed as an all or nothing signal, and bypasses the receptive structure and accesses directly in a working memory where information is sequentially processed and where memory is limited in treatment capacity. The electrotactile stimulation is used as an alerting signal. It is suggested that the visual dominance effect is the result of the advantage of both a transfer function and a sensory memory register where information is pretreated and memorized for a short time. It is found that dividing attention has an effect on the acquisition of the information but not on the subsequent decision processes

Comment on ``Inflation and flat directions in modular invariant superstring effective theories''

The inflation model of Gaillard, Lyth and Murayama is revisited, with a systematic scan of the parameter space for dilaton stabilization during inflation.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure

The Standard Model of Particle Physics

Particle physics has evolved a coherent model that characterizes forces and particles at the most elementary level. This Standard Model, built from many theoretical and experimental studies, is in excellent accord with almost all current data. However, there are many hints that it is but an approximation to a yet more fundamental theory. We trace the development of the Standard Model and indicate the reasons for believing that it is incomplete.Comment: 25 pages, 17 figures; accepted for publication in Rev. Mod. Physics (APS centenary issue

Investigating the Optimal Management Strategy for a Healthcare Facility Maintenance Program

Reacting to the need to transform and the increasing pressure to outsource all non-core activities, Air Force Material Command Surgeon General discontinued its previous use of full service contracts with original equipment manufacturers and adopted a relatively new maintenance outsourcing strategy: strategic partnering with an equipment management firm. The objective of this study is to create a decision-model for selecting the optimal management strategy for a healthcare organization\u27s facility maintenance program. This study used personal interviews with facility management personnel from MAJCOMs to collect and analyze data. This study offers a re-conceptualized framework for viewing and understanding the various maintenance programs and their interrelationships. Additionally, the study evaluates the strategic fit between maintenance programs and strategic objectives and finally examines the strength of the strategic fit and how it relates to overall customer satisfaction of the maintenance program. The data from the interviews tested the interviewee\u27s relative satisfaction with their programs and analyzed each management program and determined which strategic objectives resulted in satisfaction. This research found that facilities should determine their particular level of risk. Facilities that prefer term vs. whole insurance may be more satisfied with a program that hedges its risk by utilizing multiple OEMs or 3rd party providers. Facilities that desire stable pricing and cost structures and consolidated management would do well to investigate single OEMs or single comprehensive providers

Azimuthal and pseudo-rapidity correlations with strange particles at intermediate-pT_T at RHIC

We present results on two-particle azimuthal correlations with strange trigger particles ($K^0_S$, $\Lambda$, $\Xi$, $\Omega$) associated with unidentified charged particles %at intermediate $p_T$ in d+Au and Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 200 GeV. We investigate, in detail, the near-side associated yield as a function of centrality, $p_T$ and strangeness content in the trigger particle to look for possible flavor and baryon/meson differences. We compare our results to a fragmentation and recombination model, where the study of $\Omega$-triggered correlations is used as a critical test of the validity of the recombination picture.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, presented at the 19th International Conference on Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, "Quark Matter 2006", Shanghai, China, November 14-20, 200

Three-way electrical gating characteristics of metallic Y-junction carbon nanotubes

Y-junction based carbon nanotube (CNT) transistors exhibit interesting switching behaviors, and have the structural advantage that the electrical gate for current modulation can be formed by any of the three constituent branches. In this letter, we report on the gating characteristics of metallic Y-CNT morphologies. By measuring the output conductance and transconductance we conclude that the efficiency and gain depend on the branch diameter and is electric field controlled. Based on these principles, we propose a design for a Y-junction based CNT switching device, with tunable electrical properties

Intra-jet correlations of high-ptp_t hadrons from STAR

Systematic measurements of pseudorapidity ($\Delta\eta$) and azimuthal ($\Delta\phi$) correlations between high-$p_t$ charged hadrons in $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=200 GeV Au+Au collisions are presented. An enhancement of correlated yield at large $\Delta\eta$ on the near-side is observed. This effect persists up to trigger $p_{t}^{trig}$ $\sim$ 9 GeV/c, indicating that it is associated with jet production. More detailed analysis suggests distinct short-range and long-range components in the correlation.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, presented at the 19th International Conference on Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions, "Quark Matter 2006", Shanghai, China, November 14-20, 200

Jet-like correlations between Forward- and Mid- rapidity in p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions from STAR at 200 GeV

In this proceedings we present STAR measurements of two particle azimuthal correlations between trigger particles at mid-rapidity ($|\eta|<$ 1) and associated particles at forward rapidities (2.7 $<|\eta|<$ 3.9) in p+p, d+Au and Au+Au collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$= 200 GeV. Two particle azimuthal correlations between a mid-rapidity trigger particle and forward-rapidity associated particles preferably probe large-x quarks scattered off small-x gluons in RHIC collisions. Comparison of the separate d- and Au-side measurements in d+Au collisions may potentially probe gluon saturation and the presence of Color Glass Condensate. In Au+Au collisions quark energy loss can be probed at large rapidities, which may be different from gluon energy loss measured at mid-rapidity.Comment: Quark Matter 06 Conference proceedings, submitted to Journal of Phys.

How well does NLO pQCD describe strangeness in p+pp+p collisions at s\sqrt{s}= 200 GeV in STAR?

We present measurements of the transverse momentum spectra for $\mathrm{K^{0}_{S}}$, $\Lambda$, $\Xi$ and their antiparticles in p+p collisions at $\sqrt{s}=200 GeV$. The extracted mid-rapidity yields and $$ are in agreement with previous $p+\bar{p}$ experiments while they have smaller statistical errors. We compare the measured spectra for $\mathrm{K^{0}_{S}}$ and $\Lambda$ to the latest available calculations from NLO pQCD and see good agreement for the $\mathrm{K^{0}_{S}}$ above 1.5 GeV/c.Comment: conference proceedings, Strangeness in Quark Matter 2004, 5 pages, submitted to Journal Physics G, final version submitted to journal incl. modifications requested by edito

Physics with Identified Particles at STAR

New physics results with identified particles at STAR are presented. Measurements at low $p_T$ address bulk properties of the collision, while those at high $p_T$ address jet energy loss in the bulk matter produced. Between these extremes, measurements at intermediate $p_T$ address the interplay between jets and the bulk. We highlight: measurements of $v_2$ fluctuations as a new, sensitive probe of the initial conditions and the equation of state; correlations involving multi-strange particles, along with ratios of identified particles to test coalescence as a mechanism of particle production at intermediate $p_T$; three particle azimuthal correlation to search for conical emission; and the energy and particle-type dependence of hadron production at high $p_T$ to study quark and gluon jet energy loss.Comment: 9 pages, 7 figures. To appear in the proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Ultra-Relativistic Nucleus-Nucleus Collisions (Quark Matter 2006), Shanghai, China, November 14-20, 200