1,088 research outputs found
The first author h-index (hfa-index): levelling the field for small and large institute medical and science scholars
Metrics to evaluate research performance in academic institutions: A critique of ERA 2010 as applied in forestry and the indirect H2 index as a possible alternative
Excellence for Research in Australia (ERA) is an attempt by the Australian
Research Council to rate Australian universities on a 5-point scale within 180
Fields of Research using metrics and peer evaluation by an evaluation
committee. Some of the bibliometric data contributing to this ranking suffer
statistical issues associated with skewed distributions. Other data are
standardised year-by-year, placing undue emphasis on the most recent
publications which may not yet have reliable citation patterns. The
bibliometric data offered to the evaluation committees is extensive, but lacks
effective syntheses such as the h-index and its variants. The indirect H2 index
is objective, can be computed automatically and efficiently, is resistant to
manipulation, and a good indicator of impact to assist the ERA evaluation
committees and to similar evaluations internationally.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figures, 7 tables, appendice
Approximate probabilistic verification of hybrid systems
Hybrid systems whose mode dynamics are governed by non-linear ordinary
differential equations (ODEs) are often a natural model for biological
processes. However such models are difficult to analyze. To address this, we
develop a probabilistic analysis method by approximating the mode transitions
as stochastic events. We assume that the probability of making a mode
transition is proportional to the measure of the set of pairs of time points
and value states at which the mode transition is enabled. To ensure a sound
mathematical basis, we impose a natural continuity property on the non-linear
ODEs. We also assume that the states of the system are observed at discrete
time points but that the mode transitions may take place at any time between
two successive discrete time points. This leads to a discrete time Markov chain
as a probabilistic approximation of the hybrid system. We then show that for
BLTL (bounded linear time temporal logic) specifications the hybrid system
meets a specification iff its Markov chain approximation meets the same
specification with probability . Based on this, we formulate a sequential
hypothesis testing procedure for verifying -approximately- that the Markov
chain meets a BLTL specification with high probability. Our case studies on
cardiac cell dynamics and the circadian rhythm indicate that our scheme can be
applied in a number of realistic settings
Accidental stability of dark matter
We propose that dark matter is stable as a consequence of an accidental Z2
that results from a flavour-symmetry group which is the double-cover group of
the symmetry group of one of the regular geometric solids. Although
model-dependent, the phenomenology resembles that of a generic Higgs portal
dark matter scheme.Comment: 12 pages, final version, published in JHE
The e-Index, Complementing the h-Index for Excess Citations
BACKGROUND: The h-index has already been used by major citation databases to evaluate the academic performance of individual scientists. Although effective and simple, the h-index suffers from some drawbacks that limit its use in accurately and fairly comparing the scientific output of different researchers. These drawbacks include information loss and low resolution: the former refers to the fact that in addition to h(2) citations for papers in the h-core, excess citations are completely ignored, whereas the latter means that it is common for a group of researchers to have an identical h-index. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To solve these problems, I here propose the e-index, where e(2) represents the ignored excess citations, in addition to the h(2) citations for h-core papers. Citation information can be completely depicted by using the h-index together with the e-index, which are independent of each other. Some other h-type indices, such as a and R, are h-dependent, have information redundancy with h, and therefore, when used together with h, mask the real differences in excess citations of different researchers. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Although simple, the e-index is a necessary h-index complement, especially for evaluating highly cited scientists or for precisely comparing the scientific output of a group of scientists having an identical h-index
The nature of NV absorbers at high redshift
We present a study of NV absorption systems at 1.5 < z < 2.5 in the optical
spectra of 19 QSOs. Our analysis includes both absorbers arising from the
intergalactic medium as well as systems in the vicinity of the background
quasar. We construct detailed photoionization models to study the physical
conditions and abundances in the absorbers and to constrain the spectral
hardness of the ionizing radiation. The rate of incidence for intervening NV
components is dN/dz = 3.38 +/- 0.43, corresponding to dN/dX = 1.10 +/- 0.14.
The column density distribution function is fitted by the slope beta = 1.89 +/-
0.22, consistent with measurements for CIV and OVI. The narrow line widths
(b_NV ~ 6 km/s) imply photoionization rather than collisions as dominating
ionization process. The column densities of CIV and NV are correlated but show
different slopes for intervening and associated absorbers, which indicates
different ionizing spectra. Associated systems are found to be more metal-rich,
denser, and more compact than intervening absorbers. This conclusion is
independent of the adopted ionizing radiation. For the intervening NV systems
we find typical values of [C/H] ~ -0.6 and n_H ~ 10^-3.6 cm^-3, and sizes of a
few kpc, while for associated NV absorbers we obtain [C/H] ~ +0.7, n_H ~
10^-2.8 cm^-3, and sizes of several 10 pc. The abundance of nitrogen relative
to carbon [N/C] and alpha-elements like oxygen and silicon [N/alpha] is
correlated with [N/H], indicating the enrichment by secondary nitrogen. The
larger scatter in [N/alpha] in intervening systems suggests an inhomogeneous
enrichment of the IGM. There is an anti-correlation between [N/alpha] and
[alpha/C], which could be used to constrain the initial mass function of the
carbon- and nitrogen-producing stellar population.Comment: accepted by A&A, revised versio
Minimal Flavour Violation for Leptoquarks
Scalar leptoquarks, with baryon and lepton number conserving interactions,
could have TeV scale masses, and be produced at colliders or contribute to a
wide variety of rare decays. In pursuit of some insight as to the most
sensitive search channels, We assume that the leptoquark-lepton-quark coupling
can be constructed from the known mass matrices. We estimate the rates for
selected rare processes in three cases: leptoquarks carrying lepton and quark
flavour, leptoquarks with quark flavour only, and unflavoured leptoquarks. We
find that leptoquark decay to top quarks is an interesting search channel.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figures, minor changes and references adde
Search for Exotic Strange Quark Matter in High Energy Nuclear Reactions
We report on a search for metastable positively and negatively charged states
of strange quark matter in Au+Pb reactions at 11.6 A GeV/c in experiment E864.
We have sampled approximately six billion 10% most central Au+Pb interactions
and have observed no strangelet states (baryon number A < 100 droplets of
strange quark matter). We thus set upper limits on the production of these
exotic states at the level of 1-6 x 10^{-8} per central collision. These limits
are the best and most model independent for this colliding system. We discuss
the implications of our results on strangelet production mechanisms, and also
on the stability question of strange quark matter.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures, to be published in Nuclear Physics A (Carl Dover
memorial edition
Non-invasive assessment of peripheral arterial disease: Automated ankle brachial index measurement and pulse volume analysis compared to duplex scan
Objectives: This cross-sectional study aimed to individually and cumulatively compare sensitivity and specificity of the (1) ankle brachial index and (2) pulse volume waveform analysis recorded by the same automated device, with the presence or absence of peripheral arterial disease being verified by ultrasound duplex scan.
Methods: Patients (n=205) referred for lower limb arterial assessment underwent ankle brachial index measurement and pulse volume waveform recording using volume plethysmography, followed by ultrasound duplex scan. The presence of peripheral arterial disease was recorded if ankle brachial index 50% was evident with ultrasound duplex scan. Outcome measure was agreement between the measured ankle brachial index and interpretation of pulse volume waveform for peripheral arterial disease diagnosis, using ultrasound duplex scan as the reference standard.
Results: Sensitivity of ankle brachial index was 79%, specificity 91% and overall accuracy 88%. Pulse volume waveform sensitivity was 97%, specificity 81% and overall accuracy 85%. The combined sensitivity of ankle brachial index and pulse volume waveform was 100%, specificity 76% and overall accuracy 85%.
Conclusion: Combining these two diagnostic modalities within one device provided a highly accurate method of ruling out peripheral arterial disease, which could be utilised in primary care to safely reduce unnecessary secondary care referrals
Cigarette Smoke Exposure Alters mSin3a and Mi-2α/β Expression; implications in the control of pro-inflammatory gene transcription and glucocorticoid function
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The key co-repressor complex components HDAC-2, Mi-2α/β and mSin3a are all critical to the regulation of gene transcription. HDAC-2 function is impaired by oxidative stress in a PI3Kδ dependant manner which may be involved in the chronic glucocorticoid insensitive inflammation in the lungs of COPD patients. However, the impact of cigarette smoke exposure on the expression of mSin3a and Mi2α/β and their role in glucocorticoid responsiveness is unknown.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Wild type, PI3Kγ knock-out (PI3Kγ<sup>-/-</sup>) and PI3K kinase dead knock-in (PI3Kδ<sup>D910/A910</sup>) transgenic mice were exposed to cigarette smoke for 3 days and the expression levels of the co-repressor complex components HDAC-2, mSin3a, Mi-2α and Mi-2β and HDAC-2 activity in the lungs were assessed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cigarette smoke exposure impaired glucocorticoid function and reduced HDAC-2 activity which was protected in the PI3Kδ<sup>D910/A910 </sup>mice. Both mSin3a and Mi-2α protein expression was reduced in smoke-exposed mice. Budesonide alone protected mSin3a protein expression with no additional effect seen with abrogation of PI3Kγ/δ activity, however Mi-2α, but not Mi-2β, expression was protected in both PI3Kδ<sup>D910/A910 </sup>and PI3Kγ<sup>-/- </sup>budesonide-treated smoke-exposed mice. The restoration of glucocorticoid function coincided with the protection of both HDAC activity and mSin3a and Mi-2α protein expression.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Cigarette smoke exposure induced glucocorticoid insensitivity and alters co-repressor activity and expression which is prevented by blockade of PI3K signaling with glucocorticoid treatment. Inhibition of PI3Kδ signalling in combination with glucocorticoid treatment may therefore provide a therapeutic strategy for restoring oxidant-induced glucocortiocid unresponsiveness.</p
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