984 research outputs found

    Vacuum phototriodes for the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter endcap

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    The measurement of scintillation light from the lead tungstate crystals of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) poses a substantial technical challenge, particularly in the endcap regions, where the radiation levels are highest. The photodetectors must be fast, sensitive, radiationhard, and operate with significant internal gain in a magnetic field of 4 Tesla. The measured performance characteristics of the first batches of series production vacuum phototriodes (VPT), developed to satisfy the needs of CMS, will be described

    Recognition of Face Identity and Emotion in Expressive Specific Language Impairment

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    Objective: To study face and emotion recognition in children with mostly expressive specific language impairment (SLI-E). Subjects and Methods: A test movie to study perception and recognition of faces and mimic-gestural expression was applied to 24 children diagnosed as suffering from SLI-E and an age-matched control group of normally developing children. Results: Compared to a normal control group, the SLI-E children scored significantly worse in both the face and expression recognition tasks with a preponderant effect on emotion recognition. The performance of the SLI-E group could not be explained by reduced attention during the test session. Conclusion: We conclude that SLI-E is associated with a deficiency in decoding non-verbal emotional facial and gestural information, which might lead to profound and persistent problems in social interaction and development. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base

    Tidal Forces in Reissner-NordstrĂśm Spacetimes

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    We analyze the tidal forces produced in the spacetime of Reissner-Nordstr\"om black holes. We point out that the radial component of the tidal force changes sign just outside the event horizon if the charge-to-mass ratio is close to 11 unlike in Schwarzschild spacetime of uncharged black holes, and that the angular component changes sign between the outer and inner horizons. We solve the geodesic deviation equations for radially falling bodies towards the charged black hole. We find, for example, that the radial component of the geodesic deviation vector starts decreasing inside the event horizon unlike in the Schwarzschild case

    Influence of training status on high-intensity intermittent performance in response to β-alanine supplementation

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    Recent investigations have suggested that highly trained athletes may be less responsive to the ergogenic effects of β-alanine (BA) supplementation than recreationally active individuals due to their elevated muscle buffering capacity. We investigated whether training status influences the effect of BA on repeated Wingate performance. Forty young males were divided into two groups according to their training status (trained: T, and non-trained: NT cyclists) and were randomly allocated to BA and a dextrose-based placebo (PL) groups, providing four experimental conditions: NTPL, NTBA, TPL, TBA. BA (6.4 g day-1 ) or PL was ingested for 4 weeks, with participants completing four 30-s lower-body Wingate bouts, separated by 3 min, before and after supplementation. Total work done was significantly increased following supplementation in both NTBA (p = 0.03) and TBA (p = 0.002), and it was significantly reduced in NTPL (p = 0.03) with no difference for TPL (p = 0.73). BA supplementation increased mean power output (MPO) in bout 4 for the NTBA group (p = 0.0004) and in bouts 1, 2 and 4 for the TBA group (p ≤ 0.05). No differences were observed in MPO for NTPL and TPL. BA supplementation was effective at improving repeated high-intensity cycling performance in both trained and non-trained individuals, highlighting the efficacy of BA as an ergogenic aid for high-intensity exercise regardless of the training status of the individual

    (Micro)evolutionary changes and the evolutionary potential of bird migration

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    Seasonal migration is the yearly long-distance movement of individuals between their breeding and wintering grounds. Individuals from nearly every animal group exhibit this behavior, but probably the most iconic migration is carried out by birds, from the classic V-shape formation of geese on migration to the amazing nonstop long-distance flights undertaken by Arctic Terns Sterna paradisaea. In this chapter, we discuss how seasonal migration has shaped the field of evolution. First, this behavior is known to turn on and off quite rapidly, but controversy remains concerning where this behavior first evolved geographically and whether the ancestral state was sedentary or migratory (Fig. 7.1d, e). We review recent work using new analytical techniques to provide insight into this topic. Second, it is widely accepted that there is a large genetic basis to this trait, especially in groups like songbirds that migrate alone and at night precluding any opportunity for learning. Key hypotheses on this topic include shared genetic variation used by different populations to migrate and only few genes being involved in its control. We summarize recent work using new techniques for both phenotype and genotype characterization to evaluate and challenge these hypotheses. Finally, one topic that has received less attention is the role these differences in migratory phenotype could play in the process of speciation. Specifically, many populations breed next to one another but take drastically different routes on migration (Fig. 7.2). This difference could play an important role in reducing gene flow between populations, but our inability to track most birds on migration has so far precluded evaluations of this hypothesis. The advent of new tracking techniques means we can track many more birds with increasing accuracy on migration, and this work has provided important insight into migration's role in speciation that we will review here

    Effect of β-alanine supplementation on 20 km cycling time trial performance

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    The effects of β-alanine supplementation on high-intensity cycling performance and capacity have been evaluated, although the effects on longer duration cycling performance are unclear. Nineteen UK category 1 male cyclists completed four 20 km cycling time trials, two before and two after supplementation with either 6.4 g•d -1 β-alanine (n = 10; BA) or a matched placebo (n = 9; P). Performance time for the 20 km time trial and 1 km split times were recorded. There was no significant effect of β-alanine supplementation on 20 km time trial performance (BA-pre 1943 ± 129 s; BA-post 1950 ± 147 s; P-pre 1989 ± 106 s; P-post 1986 ± 115 s) or on the performance of each 1 km split. The effect of β-alanine on 20 km time trial performance was deemed unclear as determined by magnitude based inferences. Supplementation with 6.4 g•d -1 of β-alanine for 4 weeks did not affect 20 km cycling time trial performance in well trained male cyclists

    Schwarzschild spacetime under generalised Gullstrand-Painlev\'e slicing

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    We investigate a foliation of Schwarzschild spacetime determined by observers freely falling in the radial direction. This is described using a generalisation of Gullstrand-Painlev\'e coordinates which allows for any possible radial velocity. This foliation provides a contrast with the usual static foliation implied by Schwarzschild coordinates. The 33-dimensional spaces are distinct for the static and falling observers, so the embedding diagrams, spatial measurement, simultaneity, and time at infinity are also distinct, though the 44-dimensional spacetime is unchanged. Our motivation is conceptual understanding, to counter Newton-like viewpoints. In future work, this alternate foliation may shed light on open questions regarding quantum fields, analogue gravity, entropy, energy, and other quantities. This article is aimed at experienced relativists, whereas a forthcoming series is intended for a general audience of physicists, mathematicians, and philosophers.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, to appear as chapter 9 in Cacciatori, G\"uneysu, and Pigola, eds. (c. 2019), Einstein equations: Physical and mathematical aspects of general relativit
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