5,590 research outputs found
Internal thermal noise in the LIGO test masses : a direct approach
The internal thermal noise in LIGO's test masses is analyzed by a new
technique, a direct application of the Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem to
LIGO's readout observable, (longitudinal position of test-mass face,
weighted by laser beam's Gaussian profile). Previous analyses, which relied on
a normal-mode decomposition of the test-mass motion, were valid only if the
dissipation is uniformally distributed over the test-mass interior, and they
converged reliably to a final answer only when the beam size was a
non-negligible fraction of the test-mass cross section. This paper's direct
analysis, by contrast, can handle inhomogeneous dissipation and arbitrary beam
sizes. In the domain of validity of the previous analysis, the two methods give
the same answer for , the spectral density of thermal noise, to within
expected accuracy. The new analysis predicts that thermal noise due to
dissipation concentrated in the test mass's front face (e.g. due to mirror
coating) scales as , by contrast with homogeneous dissipation, which
scales as ( is the beam radius); so surface dissipation could
become significant for small beam sizes.Comment: 6 pages, RevTex, 1 figur
Analytical study of non Gaussian fluctuations in a stochastic scheme of autocatalytic reactions
A stochastic model of autocatalytic chemical reactions is studied both
numerically and analytically. The van Kampen perturbative scheme is
implemented, beyond the second order approximation, so to capture the non
Gaussianity traits as displayed by the simulations. The method is targeted to
the characterization of the third moments of the distribution of fluctuations,
originating from a system of four populations in mutual interaction. The theory
predictions agree well with the simulations, pointing to the validity of the
van Kampen expansion beyond the conventional Gaussian solution.Comment: 15 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
The Genetic and Environmental Sources of Resemblance Between Normative Personality and Personality Disorder Traits
Recent work has suggested a high level of congruence between normative personality, most typically represented by the big five factors, and abnormal personality traits. In 2,293 Norwegian adult twins ascertained from a population-based registry, the authors evaluated the degree of sharing of genetic and environmental influences on normative personality, assessed by the Big Five Inventory (BFI), and personality disorder traits (PDTs), assessed by the Personality Inventory for DSM-S-Norwegian Brief Form (PID-5NBF). For four of the five BFI dimensions, the strongest genetic correlation was observed with the expected PID-5-NBF dimension (e.g., neuroticism with negative affectivity [+], conscientiousness with disinhibition [-]). However, neuroticism, conscientiousness, and agreeableness had substantial genetic correlations with other PID-S-NBF dimensions (e.g., neuroticism with compulsivity [+], agreeableness with detachment [-]). Openness had no substantial genetic correlations with any PID-5-NBF dimension. The proportion of genetic risk factors shared in aggregate between the BFI traits and the PID-5-NBF dimensions was quite high for conscientiousness and neuroticism, relatively robust for extraversion and agreeableness, but quite low for openness. Of the six PID-S-NBF dimensions, three (negative affectivity, detachment, and disinhibition) shared, in aggregate, most of their genetic risk factors with normative personality traits. Genetic factors underlying psychoticism, antagonism, and compulsivity were shared to a lesser extent, suggesting that they are influenced by etiological factors not well indexed by the BFI
The Forgotten Topic: Teaching Plant Closing to Executives and Graduate Students
Executive education programs and graduate-level business programs generally devote substantial time and resources to training professionals to open businesses, generate business growth, and manage on-going operations. Few programs, however, devote any time to a topic that many executives will one day be forced to confront: plant closings. Because relatively few managers have actually gone through the plant closing process, there are rarely “experts” available to guide a company through the practical day-to-day aspects of shutting down a facility. This paper addresses the key topics needed for an advanced level program dealing with the operational aspects of closing a facility. Such topics include operations management issues, human resources considerations, and legal compliance. Following an executive level training program of this type should increase the chances of having a successful closure: one that minimizes the negative impact and uncertainty related to the closure
Citalopram plus low-dose pipamperone versus citalopram plus placebo in patients with major depressive disorder: an 8-week, double-blind, randomized study on magnitude and timing of clinical response
Background: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors take several weeks to achieve their full antidepressant effects. Post-synaptic 5-HT<sub>2A</sub> receptor activation is thought to be involved in this delayed therapeutic effect. Pipamperone acts as a highly selective 5-HT<sub>2A</sub>/D<sub>4</sub> antagonist when administered in low doses. The purpose of this study was to compare citalopram 40 mg once daily plus pipamperone 5 mg twice daily (PipCit) versus citalopram plus placebo twice daily for magnitude and onset of therapeutic effect.
Method: An 8-week, randomized, double-blind study in patients with major depressive disorder was carried out.
Results: The study population comprised 165 patients (citalopram and placebo, n=82; PipCit, n=83) with a mean baseline Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score of 32.6 (S.D.=5.5). In the first 4 weeks, more citalopram and placebo than PipCit patients discontinued treatment (18% v. 4%, respectively, p=0.003). PipCit patients had significantly greater improvement in MADRS score at week 1 [observed cases (OC), p=0.021; last observation carried forward (LOCF), p=0.007] and week 4 (LOCF, p=0.025) but not at week 8 compared with citalopram and placebo patients. Significant differences in MADRS scores favoured PipCit in reduced sleep, reduced appetite, concentration difficulties and pessimistic thoughts. Mean Clinical Global Impression–Improvement scores were significantly improved after 1 week of PipCit compared with citalopram and placebo (OC and LOCF, p=0.002).
Conclusions: Although the MADRS score from baseline to 8 weeks did not differ between groups, PipCit provided superior antidepressant effects and fewer discontinuations compared with citalopram and placebo during the first 4 weeks of treatment, especially in the first week
Binary inspiral, gravitational radiation, and cosmology
Observations of binary inspiral in a single interferometric gravitational
wave detector can be cataloged according to signal-to-noise ratio and
chirp mass . The distribution of events in a catalog composed of
observations with greater than a threshold depends on the
Hubble expansion, deceleration parameter, and cosmological constant, as well as
the distribution of component masses in binary systems and evolutionary
effects. In this paper I find general expressions, valid in any homogeneous and
isotropic cosmological model, for the distribution with and of
cataloged events; I also evaluate these distributions explicitly for relevant
matter-dominated Friedmann-Robertson-Walker models and simple models of the
neutron star mass distribution. In matter dominated Friedmann-Robertson-Walker
cosmological models advanced LIGO detectors will observe binary neutron star
inspiral events with from distances not exceeding approximately
, corresponding to redshifts of (0.26) for
(), at an estimated rate of 1 per week. As the binary system mass
increases so does the distance it can be seen, up to a limit: in a matter
dominated Einstein-deSitter cosmological model with () that limit
is approximately (1.7) for binaries consisting of two
black holes. Cosmological tests based on catalogs of the
kind discussed here depend on the distribution of cataloged events with
and . The distributions found here will play a pivotal role in testing
cosmological models against our own universe and in constructing templates for
the detection of cosmological inspiraling binary neutron stars and black holes.Comment: REVTeX, 38 pages, 9 (encapsulated) postscript figures, uses epsf.st
On-the-fly Uniformization of Time-Inhomogeneous Infinite Markov Population Models
This paper presents an on-the-fly uniformization technique for the analysis
of time-inhomogeneous Markov population models. This technique is applicable to
models with infinite state spaces and unbounded rates, which are, for instance,
encountered in the realm of biochemical reaction networks. To deal with the
infinite state space, we dynamically maintain a finite subset of the states
where most of the probability mass is located. This approach yields an
underapproximation of the original, infinite system. We present experimental
results to show the applicability of our technique
Screening for anxiety, depression and suicidality by epilepsy specialists in adult services in Scotland
OBJECTIVE: Clinical guidelines recommend screening people with epilepsy (PWE) regularly for mental distress, but it is unclear how guidelines are implemented. We surveyed epilepsy specialists in adult Scottish services to determine approaches used to screen for anxiety, depression, and suicidality; the perceived difficulty of screening; factors associated with intention to screen; and treatment decisions made following positive screens.METHODS: An anonymous email-based questionnaire survey of epilepsy nurses and epilepsy neurology specialists (n = 38) was conducted.RESULTS: Two in every three specialists used a systematic screening approach; a third did not. Clinical interview was employed more often than standardized questionnaire. Clinicians reported positive attitudes towards screening but found screening difficult to implement. Intention to screen was associated with favorable attitude, perceived control, and social norm. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions were proposed equally often for those screening positive for anxiety or depression.CONCLUSION: Routine screening for mental distress is carried out in Scottish epilepsy treatment settings but is not universal. Attention should be paid to clinician factors associated with screening, such as intention to screen and resulting treatment decisions. These factors are potentially modifiable, offering a means of closing the gap between guideline recommendations and clinical practice.</p
Comment on "Why quantum mechanics cannot be formulated as a Markov process"
In the paper with the above title, D. T. Gillespie [Phys. Rev. A 49, 1607,
(1994)] claims that the theory of Markov stochastic processes cannot provide an
adequate mathematical framework for quantum mechanics. In conjunction with the
specific quantum dynamics considered there, we give a general analysis of the
associated dichotomic jump processes. If we assume that Gillespie's
"measurement probabilities" \it are \rm the transition probabilities of a
stochastic process, then the process must have an invariant (time independent)
probability measure. Alternatively, if we demand the probability measure of the
process to follow the quantally implemented (via the Born statistical
postulate) evolution, then we arrive at the jump process which \it can \rm be
interpreted as a Markov process if restricted to a suitable duration time.
However, there is no corresponding Markov process consistent with the
event space assumption, if we require its existence for all times .Comment: Latex file, resubm. to Phys. Rev.
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