1,196 research outputs found
Evaluating patient reported outcomes in routine practice of patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with biological disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs (b-DMARDs)
Exact Lyapunov Exponent for Infinite Products of Random Matrices
In this work, we give a rigorous explicit formula for the Lyapunov exponent
for some binary infinite products of random real matrices. All
these products are constructed using only two types of matrices, and ,
which are chosen according to a stochastic process. The matrix is singular,
namely its determinant is zero. This formula is derived by using a particular
decomposition for the matrix , which allows us to write the Lyapunov
exponent as a sum of convergent series. Finally, we show with an example that
the Lyapunov exponent is a discontinuous function of the given parameter.Comment: 1 pages, CPT-93/P.2974,late
Geometric Random Inner Products: A New Family of Tests for Random Number Generators
We present a new computational scheme, GRIP (Geometric Random Inner
Products), for testing the quality of random number generators. The GRIP
formalism utilizes geometric probability techniques to calculate the average
scalar products of random vectors generated in geometric objects, such as
circles and spheres. We show that these average scalar products define a family
of geometric constants which can be used to evaluate the quality of random
number generators. We explicitly apply the GRIP tests to several random number
generators frequently used in Monte Carlo simulations, and demonstrate a new
statistical property for good random number generators
Electrolytic depletion interactions
We consider the interactions between two uncharged planar macroscopic
surfaces immersed in an electrolyte solution which are induced by interfacial
selectivity. These forces are taken into account by introducing a depletion
free-energy density functional, in addition to the usual mean-field
Poisson-Boltzmann functional. The minimization of the total free-energy
functional yields the density profiles of the microions and the electrostatic
potential. The disjoining pressure is obtained by differentiation of the total
free energy with respect to the separation of the surfaces, holding the range
and strength of the depletion forces constant. We find that the induced
interaction between the two surfaces is always repulsive for sufficiently large
separations, and becomes attractive at shorter separations. The nature of the
induced interactions changes from attractive to repulsive at a distance
corresponding to the range of the depletion forces.Comment: 17 pages, 4 Postscript figures, submitted to Physical Review
Charge Fluctuations on Membrane Surfaces in Water
We generalize the predictions for attractions between over-all neutral
surfaces induced by charge fluctuations/correlations to non-uniform systems
that include dielectric discontinuities, as is the case for mixed charged lipid
membranes in an aqueous solution. We show that the induced interactions depend
in a non-trivial way on the dielectric constants of membrane and water and show
different scaling with distance depending on these properties. The generality
of the calculations also allows us to predict under which dielectric conditions
the interaction will change sign and become repulsive
Fractal Dimensions of Confined Clusters in Two-Dimensional Directed Percolation
The fractal structure of directed percolation clusters, grown at the
percolation threshold inside parabolic-like systems, is studied in two
dimensions via Monte Carlo simulations. With a free surface at y=\pm Cx^k and a
dynamical exponent z, the surface shape is a relevant perturbation when k<1/z
and the fractal dimensions of the anisotropic clusters vary continuously with
k. Analytic expressions for these variations are obtained using a blob picture
approach.Comment: 6 pages, Plain TeX file, epsf, 3 postscript-figure
Surface Shape and Local Critical Behaviour in Two-Dimensional Directed Percolation
Two-dimensional directed site percolation is studied in systems directed
along the x-axis and limited by a free surface at y=\pm Cx^k. Scaling
considerations show that the surface is a relevant perturbation to the local
critical behaviour when k<1/z where z=\nu_\parallel/\nu is the dynamical
exponent. The tip-to-bulk order parameter correlation function is calculated in
the mean-field approximation. The tip percolation probability and the fractal
dimensions of critical clusters are obtained through Monte-Carlo simulations.
The tip order parameter has a nonuniversal, C-dependent, scaling dimension in
the marginal case, k=1/z, and displays a stretched exponential behaviour when
the perturbation is relevant. The k-dependence of the fractal dimensions in the
relevant case is in agreement with the results of a blob picture approach.Comment: 13 pages, Plain TeX file, epsf, 6 postscript-figures, minor
correction
A stochastic model for heart rate fluctuations
Normal human heart rate shows complex fluctuations in time, which is natural,
since heart rate is controlled by a large number of different feedback control
loops. These unpredictable fluctuations have been shown to display fractal
dynamics, long-term correlations, and 1/f noise. These characterizations are
statistical and they have been widely studied and used, but much less is known
about the detailed time evolution (dynamics) of the heart rate control
mechanism. Here we show that a simple one-dimensional Langevin-type stochastic
difference equation can accurately model the heart rate fluctuations in a time
scale from minutes to hours. The model consists of a deterministic nonlinear
part and a stochastic part typical to Gaussian noise, and both parts can be
directly determined from the measured heart rate data. Studies of 27 healthy
subjects reveal that in most cases the deterministic part has a form typically
seen in bistable systems: there are two stable fixed points and one unstable
one.Comment: 8 pages in PDF, Revtex style. Added more dat
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