2,683 research outputs found
The non-Abelian feature of parton energy loss in energy dependence of jet quenching in high-energy heavy-ion collisions
One of the non-Abelian features of parton energy loss is the ratio between gluon and quark jets. Since jet production rate is
dominated by quark jets at high and by gluon jets at low
, high hadron suppression in high-energy heavy-ion collisions should
reflect such a non-Abelian feature. Within a leading order perturbative QCD
parton model that incorporates transverse expansion and Woods-Saxon nuclear
distribution, the energy dependence of large GeV/ hadron
suppression is found to be sensitive to the non-Abelian feasture of parton
energy loss and could be tested by data from low energy runs at RHIC or data
from LHC.Comment: RevTex 4, 7 pages, 3 figure
An interactive and multi-level framework for summarising user generated videos
We present an interactive and multi-level abstraction framework for user-generated video (UGV) summarisation, allowing a user the flexibility to select a summarisation criterion out of a number of methods provided by the system. First, a given raw video is segmented into shots, and each shot is further decomposed into sub-shots in line with the change in dominant camera motion. Secondly, principal component analysis (PCA) is applied to the colour representation of the collection of sub-shots, and a content map is created using the first few components. Each sub-shot is represented with a ``footprint'' on the content map, which reveals its content significance (coverage) and the most dynamic segment. The final stage of abstraction is
devised in a user-assisted manner whereby a user is able to specify a desired summary length, with options to interactively perform abstraction at different granularity of visual comprehension. The results obtained show the potential benefit in significantly alleviating the burden of
laborious user intervention associated with conventional video editing/browsing
Reactions of C({\it a}) with selected saturated alkanes: A temperature dependence study
We present a temperature dependence study on the gas phase reactions of the
C({\it a}) radical with a selected series of saturated alkanes
(CH, CH, n-CH, i-CH, and n-CH) by
means of pulsed laser photolysis/laser-induced fluorescence technique. The
bimolecular rate constants for these reactions were obtained between 298 and
673 K. A pronounced negative temperature effect was observed for n-CH,
i-CH, and n-CH and interpreted in terms of steric hindrance
of the more reactive secondary or tertiary C-H bonds by less reactive CH
groups. Detailed analysis of our experimental results reveals quantitatively
the temperature dependence of reactivities for the primary, secondary, and
tertiary C-H bonds in these saturated alkanes and further lends support to a
mechanism of hydrogen abstraction.Comment: 26 pages, 8 figures, 1 table, 30 references; accepted to JC
Differential Actions of Ethanol and Trichloroethanol at Sites in the M3 and M4 Domains of the NMDA Receptor GluN2A (NR2A) Subunit
Background and purpose: Alcohol produces its behavioural effects in part due to inhibition of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the CNS. Previous studies have identified amino acid residues in membrane-associated domains 3 (M3) and 4 (M4) of the NMDA receptor that influence ethanol sensitivity. In addition, in other alcohol-sensitive ion channels, sedative-hypnotic agents have in some cases been shown to act at sites distinct from the sites of ethanol action. In this study, we compared the influence of mutations at these sites on sensitivity to ethanol and trichloroethanol, a sedative-hypnotic agent that is a structural analogue of ethanol.
Experimental approach: We constructed panels of mutants at ethanol-sensitive positions in the GluN2A (NR2A) NMDA receptor subunit and transiently expressed these mutants in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. We used whole-cell patch-clamp recording to assess the actions of ethanol and trichloroethanol in these mutant NMDA receptors.
Key results: Ethanol sensitivity of mutants at GluN2A(Ala825) was not correlated with any physicochemical measures tested. Trichloroethanol sensitivity was altered in two of three ethanol-insensitive mutant GluN2A subunits: GluN2A(Phe637Trp) in M3 and GluN2A(Ala825Trp) in M4, but not GluN2A(Met823Trp). Trichloroethanol sensitivity decreased with increasing molecular volume at Phe637 or increasing hydrophobicity at Ala825 and was correlated with ethanol sensitivity at both sites.
Conclusions and implications: Evidence obtained to date is consistent with a role of GluN2A(Ala825) as a modulatory site for ethanol and trichloroethanol sensitivity, but not as a binding site. Trichloroethanol appears to inhibit the NMDA receptor in a manner similar, but not identical to, that of ethanol
Division of labor, skill complementarity, and heterophily in socioeconomic networks
Constituents of complex systems interact with each other and self-organize to
form complex networks. Empirical results show that the link formation process
of many real networks follows either the global principle of popularity or the
local principle of similarity or a tradeoff between the two. In particular, it
has been shown that in social networks individuals exhibit significant
homophily when choosing their collaborators. We demonstrate, however, that in
populations in which there is a division of labor, skill complementarity is an
important factor in the formation of socioeconomic networks and an individual's
choice of collaborators is strongly affected by heterophily. We analyze 124
evolving virtual worlds of a popular "massively multiplayer online role-playing
game" (MMORPG) in which people belong to three different professions and are
allowed to work and interact with each other in a somewhat realistic manner. We
find evidence of heterophily in the formation of collaboration networks, where
people prefer to forge social ties with people who have professions different
from their own. We then construct an economic model to quantify the heterophily
by assuming that individuals in socioeconomic systems choose collaborators that
are of maximum utility. The results of model calibration confirm the presence
of heterophily. Both empirical analysis and model calibration show that the
heterophilous feature is persistent along the evolution of virtual worlds. We
also find that the degree of complementarity in virtual societies is positively
correlated with their economic output. Our work sheds new light on the
scientific research utility of virtual worlds for studying human behaviors in
complex socioeconomic systems.Comment: 14 Latex pages + 3 figure
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