19,466 research outputs found
A Bit-String Model for Biological Aging
We present a simple model for biological aging. We studied it through
computer simulations and we have found this model to reflect some features of
real populations.Comment: LaTeX file, 4 PS figures include
Tests of Lorentz and CPT symmetry with hadrons and nuclei
We explore the breaking of Lorentz and CPT invariance in strong interactions at low energy in the framework of chiral perturbation theory. Starting from the set of Lorentz-violating operators of mass-dimension five with quark and gluon fields, we construct the effective chiral Lagrangian with hadronic and electromagnetic interactions induced by these operators. We develop the power-counting scheme and discuss loop diagrams and the one-pion-exchange nucleon-nucleon potential. The effective chiral Lagrangian is the basis for calculations of low-energy observables with hadronic degrees of freedom. As examples, we consider clock-comparison experiments with nuclei and spin-precession experiments with nucleons in storage rings. We derive strict limits on the dimension-five tensors that quantify Lorentz and CPT violation
Time evolution of the Partridge-Barton Model
The time evolution of the Partridge-Barton model in the presence of the
pleiotropic constraint and deleterious somatic mutations is exactly solved for
arbitrary fecundity in the context of a matricial formalism. Analytical
expressions for the time dependence of the mean survival probabilities are
derived. Using the fact that the asymptotic behavior for large time is
controlled by the largest matrix eigenvalue, we obtain the steady state values
for the mean survival probabilities and the Malthusian growth exponent. The
mean age of the population exhibits a power law decayment. Some Monte
Carlo simulations were also performed and they corroborated our theoretical
results.Comment: 10 pages, Latex, 1 postscript figure, published in Phys. Rev. E 61,
5664 (2000
A Comparison of Exclusion and Trial-and-Error Procedures: Primary and Secondary Effects
Results of a study that compared exclusion and trial-and-error procedures in children with intellectual disabilities
The quadrupole collective model from a Cartan-Weyl perspective
The matrix elements of the quadrupole variables and canonic conjugate
momenta, emerging from collective nuclear models are calculated within a
basis. Using a harmonic oscillator implementation of the
SU(1,1) degree of freedom, it can be shown that the matrix elements of the
quadrupole phonon creation and annihilation operators can be calculated in a
pure algebraic way, making use of an intermediate state method.Comment: Special issue of journal of physics for the QTS5 conferenc
Estimating the value of risk reduction for pedestrians in the road environment: An exploratory analysis
In recent years there has been a re-focus on the valuation of a statistical life from the ex post or human capital method to an ex ante willingness to pay (WTP) approach. This is in part a recognition that we need to focus on establishing the amount, ex ante, that individuals are willing to pay to reduce the risk of exposure to circumstances that might lead to death or degree of injury in the road environment. This study sets out a framework in which to identify the degree of preference heterogeneity in WTP of pedestrians to avoid being killed or injured. A stated choice experiment approach is developed. The empirical setting is a choice of walking route for a particular trip that a sample of pedestrians periodically undertakes in Australia. Mixed logit models are estimated to obtain the marginal (dis)utilities associated with each influence on the choice amongst the attribute packages offered in the stated choice scenarios. These conditional estimates are used to obtain the WTP distributions for fatality and classes of injury avoidance, which are then aggregated to obtain estimates for pedestrians of the value of risk reduction (VRR)
Comments on Anomaly Cancellations by Pole Subtractions and Ghost Instabilities with Gravity
We investigate some aspects of anomaly cancellation realized by the
subtraction of an anomaly pole, stressing on some of its properties in
superspace. In a local formulation these subtractions can be described in terms
of a physical scalar, an axion and related ghosts. They appear to be necessary
for the unitarization of the theory in the ultraviolet, but they may generate
an infrared instability of the corresponding effective action, signalled by
ghost condensation. In particular the subtraction of the superanomaly multiplet
by a pole in superspace is of dubious significance, due to the different nature
of the chiral and conformal anomalies. In turn, this may set more stringent
constraints on the coupling of supersymmetric theories to gravity.Comment: 18 pages. Revised version. To appear in "Classical and Quantum
Gravity
Energy efficiency of information transmission by electrically coupled neurons
The generation of spikes by neurons is energetically a costly process. This
paper studies the consumption of energy and the information entropy in the
signalling activity of a model neuron both when it is supposed isolated and
when it is coupled to another neuron by an electrical synapse. The neuron has
been modelled by a four dimensional Hindmarsh-Rose type kinetic model for which
an energy function has been deduced. For the isolated neuron values of energy
consumption and information entropy at different signalling regimes have been
computed. For two neurons coupled by a gap junction we have analyzed the roles
of the membrane and synapse in the contribution of the energy that is required
for their organized signalling. Computational results are provided for cases of
identical and nonidentical neurons coupled by unidirectional and bidirectional
gap junctions. One relevant result is that there are values of the coupling
strength at which the organized signalling of two neurons induced by the gap
junction takes place at relatively low values of energy consumption and the
ratio of mutual information to energy consumption is relatively high.
Therefore, communicating at these coupling values could be energetically the
most efficient option
Factors of resilience in informal caregivers of people with dementia from integrative international data analysis
Background/Aims: Although caring for a person with dementia can be stressful, some caregivers appear to experience few negative consequences to their well-being. This study aimed to examine what proportion of caregivers demonstrates resilience under different challenging circumstances and to identify factors related to their resilience. Methods: Baseline data from 4 studies from the Netherlands and UK among informal caregivers of people with dementia were harmonized and integrated. Caregiver resilience was defined as high levels of psychological well-being despite different types of high caregiving demands. Multivariate regression analyses identified factors significantly related to caregiver resilience. Results: The integrated data set included 15 harmonized variables with data from 1,048 caregivers facing a high care demand. The prevalence of resilience varied between 35 and 43%, depending on the demand for high care. Being a male caregiver, caring for a female, living apart from your relative, and low caregiver burden were positively related to caregiver resilience. Conclusion: Caregivers have the capacity to demonstrate resilience despite significant challenges. This study demonstrates how harmonization of data from multiple existing studies can be used to increase power and explore the consistency of findings. This contributes to a better understanding of which factors are likely to facilitate caregiver resilience and offers insights for developing services
Observation and theoretical description of the pure Fano-effect in the valence-band photo-emission of ferromagnets
The pure Fano-effect in angle-integrated valence-band photo-emission of
ferromagnets has been observed for the first time. A contribution of the
intrinsic spin polarization to the spin polarization of the photo-electrons has
been avoided by an appropriate choice of the experimental parameters. The
theoretical description of the resulting spectra reveals a complete analogy to
the Fano-effect observed before for paramagnetic transition metals. While the
theoretical photo-current and spin difference spectra are found in good
quantitative agreement with experiment in the case of Fe and Co only a
qualitative agreement could be achieved in the case of Ni by calculations on
the basis of plain local spin density approximation (LSDA). Agreement with
experimental data could be improved in this case in a very substantial way by a
treatment of correlation effects on the basis of dynamical mean field theory
(DMFT).Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures accepted by PR
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