1,773 research outputs found
Featural and configurational processes in the recognition of faces of different familiarity
Previous research suggests that face recognition may involve both configurational and piecemeal (featural) processing. To explore the relationship between these processing modes, we examined the patterns of recognition impairment produced by blurring, inversion, and scrambling, both singly and in various combinations. Two tasks were used: recognition of unfamiliar faces (seen once before) and recognition of highly familiar faces (celebrities). The results provide further support for a configurational - featural distinction. Recognition performance remained well above chance if faces were blurred, scrambled, inverted, or simultaneously inverted and scrambled: each of these manipulations disrupts either configurational or piecemeal processing, leaving the other mode available as a route to recognition. However, blurred/scrambled and blurred/inverted faces were recognised at or near chance levels, presumably because both configurational processing and featural processing were disrupted. Similar patterns of effects were found for both familiar and unfamiliar faces, suggesting that the relationship between configurational and featural processing is qualitatively similar in both cases
Out-of-pocket health care expenditure in Turkey: analysis of the household budget surveys 2002-2008
This paper analyses the prevalence of ācatastrophicā out-of-pocket health expenditure in Turkey and identifies the factors which are associated with its risk using the Turkish Household Budget Surveys from 2002 to 2008. A sample selection approach based on Sartori (2003) is adopted to allow for the potential selection problem which may arise if poor households choose not to seek health care due to concerns regarding its affordability. The results suggest that poor households are less likely to seek health care as compared to non-poor households and that a negative relationship between poverty and experiencing catastrophic health expenditure remains even after allowing for such selection bias. Our findings, which may assist policy-makers concerned with health care system reforms, also highlight factors such as insurance coverage, which may protect households from the risk of incurring catastrophic health expenditure
Magnetohydrodynamic normal mode analysis of plasma with equilibrium pressure anisotropy
In this work, we generalise linear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) stability theory
to include equilibrium pressure anisotropy in the fluid part of the analysis. A
novel 'single-adiabatic' (SA) fluid closure is presented which is complementary
to the usual 'double-adiabatic' (CGL) model and has the advantage of naturally
reproducing exactly the MHD spectrum in the isotropic limit. As with MHD and
CGL, the SA model neglects the anisotropic perturbed pressure and thus loses
non-local fast-particle stabilisation present in the kinetic approach. Another
interesting aspect of this new approach is that the stabilising terms appear
naturally as separate viscous corrections leaving the isotropic SA closure
unchanged. After verifying the self-consistency of the SA model, we re-derive
the projected linear MHD set of equations required for stability analysis of
tokamaks in the MISHKA code. The cylindrical wave equation is derived
analytically as done previously in the spectral theory of MHD and clear
predictions are made for the modification to fast-magnetosonic and slow ion
sound speeds due to equilibrium anisotropy.Comment: 19 pages. This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an
article submitted for publication in Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion.
IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this
version of the manuscript or any version derived from i
Population prevalence, incidence, and predictors of atrial fibrillation in the Renfrew/Paisley study
<b>OBJECTIVES</b> Though atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important cause of cardiovascular morbidity, there are few large epidemiological studies of its prevalence, incidence, and risk factors. The epidemiological features of AF are described in one of the largest population cohorts ever studied.
<b>METHODS</b> The prevalence and incidence of AF were studied in the Renfrew/Paisley population cohort of 15 406 men and women aged 45-64 years living in the west of Scotland. This cohort was initially screened between 1972 and 1976 and again between 1977 and 1979. Incident hospitalisations with AF in the 20 year period following initial screening were also studied.
<b>RESULTS</b> The population prevalence of AF in this cohort was 6.5 cases/1000 examinations. Prevalence was higher in men and older subjects. In those who were rescreened, the four year incidence of AF was 0.54 cases/1000 person years. Radiological cardiomegaly was the most powerful predictor of new AF (adjusted odds ratio 14.0). During 20 year follow up, 3.5% of this cohort was discharged from hospital with a diagnosis of AF; the rate of incident hospitalisation for AF was 1.9 cases/1000 person years. Radiological cardiomegaly (adjusted odds ratio 1.46) and systolic blood pressure (adjusted odds ratio 2.1 for ā„ 169 mm Hg) were independent predictors of this outcome.
<b>CONCLUSIONS</b> Data from one of the largest epidemiological studies ever undertaken confirm that AF has a large population prevalence and incidence, even in middle aged people. More important, it was shown that the long term incidence of hospitalisation related to AF is high and that two simple clinical measurements are highly predictive of incident AF. These findings have important implications for the prevention of AF
Impact of energetic particle orbits on long range frequency chirping of BGK modes
Long range frequency chirping of Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal modes, whose
existence is determined by the fast particles, is investigated in cases where
these particles do not move freely and their motion is bounded to restricted
orbits. An equilibrium oscillating potential, which creates different orbit
topologies of energetic particles, is included into the bump-on-tail
instability problem of a plasma wave. With respect to fast particles dynamics,
the extended model captures the range of particles motion (trapped/passing)
with energy and thus represents a more realistic 1D picture of the long range
sweeping events observed for weakly damped modes, e.g. global Alfven
eigenmodes, in tokamaks. The Poisson equation is solved numerically along with
bounce averaging the Vlasov equation in the adiabatic regime. We demonstrate
that the shape and the saturation amplitude of the nonlinear mode structure
depends not only on the amount of deviation from the initial eigenfrequency but
also on the initial energy of the resonant electrons in the equilibrium
potential. Similarly, the results reveal that the resonant electrons following
different equilibrium orbits in the electrostatic potential lead to different
rates of frequency evolution. As compared to the previous model [Breizman B.N.
2010 Nucl. Fusion 50 084014], it is shown that the frequency sweeps with lower
rates. The additional physics included in the model enables a more complete 1D
description of the range of phenomena observed in experiments.Comment: Submitted to Nuclear Fusion 25/01/201
Nonaxisymmetric, multi-region relaxed magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium solutions
We describe a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) constrained energy functional for
equilibrium calculations that combines the topological constraints of ideal MHD
with elements of Taylor relaxation.
Extremizing states allow for partially chaotic magnetic fields and
non-trivial pressure profiles supported by a discrete set of ideal interfaces
with irrational rotational transforms.
Numerical solutions are computed using the Stepped Pressure Equilibrium Code,
SPEC, and benchmarks and convergence calculations are presented.Comment: Submitted to Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion for publication
with a cluster of papers associated with workshop: Stability and Nonlinear
Dynamics of Plasmas, October 31, 2009 Atlanta, GA on occasion of 65th
birthday of R.L. Dewar. V2 is revised for referee
A flowing plasma model to describe drift waves in a cylindrical helicon discharge
A two-fluid model developed originally to describe wave oscillations in the
vacuum arc centrifuge, a cylindrical, rapidly rotating, low temperature and
confined plasma column, is applied to interpret plasma oscillations in a RF
generated linear magnetised plasma (WOMBAT), with similar density and field
strength. Compared to typical centrifuge plasmas, WOMBAT plasmas have slower
normalised rotation frequency, lower temperature and lower axial velocity.
Despite these differences, the two-fluid model provides a consistent
description of the WOMBAT plasma configuration and yields qualitative agreement
between measured and predicted wave oscillation frequencies with axial field
strength. In addition, the radial profile of the density perturbation predicted
by this model is consistent with the data. Parameter scans show that the
dispersion curve is sensitive to the axial field strength and the electron
temperature, and the dependence of oscillation frequency with electron
temperature matches the experiment. These results consolidate earlier claims
that the density and floating potential oscillations are a resistive drift
mode, driven by the density gradient. To our knowledge, this is the first
detailed physics model of flowing plasmas in the diffusion region away from the
RF source. Possible extensions to the model, including temperature
non-uniformity and magnetic field oscillations, are also discussed
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