Collineation group as a subgroup of the symmetric group

Let $\Psi$ be the projectivization (i.e., the set of one-dimensional vector subspaces) of a vector space of dimension $\ge 3$ over a field. Let $H$ be a closed (in the pointwise convergence topology) subgroup of the permutation group $\mathfrak{S}_{\Psi}$ of the set $\Psi$. Suppose that $H$ contains the projective group and an arbitrary self-bijection of $\Psi$ transforming a triple of collinear points to a non-collinear triple. It is well-known from \cite{KantorMcDonough} that if $\Psi$ is finite then $H$ contains the alternating subgroup $\mathfrak{A}_{\Psi}$ of $\mathfrak{S}_{\Psi}$. We show in Theorem \ref{density} below that $H=\mathfrak{S}_{\Psi}$, if $\Psi$ is infinite.Comment: 9 page

First normal stress difference and crystallization in a dense sheared granular fluid

The first normal stress difference (${\mathcal N}_1$) and the microstructure in a dense sheared granular fluid of smooth inelastic hard-disks are probed using event-driven simulations. While the anisotropy in the second moment of fluctuation velocity, which is a Burnett-order effect, is known to be the progenitor of normal stress differences in {\it dilute} granular fluids, we show here that the collisional anisotropies are responsible for the normal stress behaviour in the {\it dense} limit. As in the elastic hard-sphere fluids, ${\mathcal N}_1$ remains {\it positive} (if the stress is defined in the {\it compressive} sense) for dilute and moderately dense flows, but becomes {\it negative} above a critical density, depending on the restitution coefficient. This sign-reversal of ${\mathcal N}_1$ occurs due to the {\it microstructural} reorganization of the particles, which can be correlated with a preferred value of the {\it average} collision angle $\theta_{av}=\pi/4 \pm \pi/2$ in the direction opposing the shear. We also report on the shear-induced {\it crystal}-formation, signalling the onset of fluid-solid coexistence in dense granular fluids. Different approaches to take into account the normal stress differences are discussed in the framework of the relaxation-type rheological models.Comment: 21 pages, 13 figure

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

The semileptonic B->pi decay in a Constituent Quark-Meson model

We evaluate the form factors describing the exclusive decay B-> pi l nu by using a Constituent Quark-Meson model based on an effective quark-meson Lagrangian (CQM). The model allows for an expansion in the pion momenta and we consider terms up to the first order in the pion field derivatives. We compute the leading terms in the soft pion limit and consider corrections to this limit.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, LaTeX (uses aps, epsf, revtex), formula 26 corrected, discussion enlarged, references updated and other minor change

Ward Identities, B-> \rho Form Factors and |V_ub|

The exclusive FCNC beauty semileptonic decay B-> \rho is studied using Ward identities in a general vector meson dominance framework, predicting vector meson couplings involved. The long distance contributions are discussed which results to obtain form factors and |V_ub|. A detailed comparison is given with other approaches.Comment: 30 pages+four postscript figures, an Appendix adde

Charm multiplicity and the branching ratios of inclusive charmless b quark decays in the general two-Higgs-doublet models

In the framework of general two-Higgs-doublet models, we calculate the branching ratios of various inclusive charmless b decays by using the low energy effective Hamiltonian including next-to-leading order QCD corrections, and examine the current status and the new physics effects on the determination of the charm multiplicity $n_c$ and semileptonic branching ratio $B_{SL}$. Within the considered parameter space, the enhancement to the ratio $BR(b \to s g)$ due to the charged-Higgs penguins can be as large as a factor of 8 (3) in the model III (II), while the ratio $BR(b \to no charm)$ can be increased from the standard model prediction of 2.49% to 4.91% (2.99%) in the model III (II). Consequently, the value of $B_{SL}$ and $n_c$ can be decreased simultaneously in the model III. The central value of $B_{SL}$ will be lowered slightly by about 0.003, but the ratio $n_c$ can be reduced significantly from the theoretical prediction of $n_c= 1.28 \pm 0.05$ in the SM to $n_c= 1.23 \pm 0.05$, $1.18 \pm 0.05$ for $m_{H^+}=200, 100$ GeV, respectively. We find that the predicted $n_c$ and the measured $n_c$ now agree within roughly one standard deviation after taking into account the effects of gluonic charged Higgs penguins in the model III with a relatively light charged Higgs boson.Comment: 25 pages, Latex file, axodraw.sty, 6 figures. Final version to be published in Phys.Rev.

Multiple drivers of decline in the global status of freshwater crayfish (Decapoda: Astacidea)

International audienceRates of biodiversity loss are higher in freshwater ecosystems than in most terrestrial or marine ecosystems, making freshwater conservation a priority. However, prioritization methods are impeded by insufficient knowledge on the distribution and conservation status of freshwater taxa, particularly invertebrates. We evaluated the extinction risk of the world's 590 freshwater crayfish species using the IUCN Categories and Criteria and found 32% of all species are threatened with extinction. The level of extinction risk differed between families, with proportionally more threatened species in the Parastacidae and Astacidae than in the Cambaridae. Four described species were Extinct and 21% were assessed as Data Deficient. There was geographical variation in the dominant threats affecting the main centres of crayfish diversity. The majority of threatened US and Mexican species face threats associated with urban development, pollution, damming and water management. Conversely, the majority of Australian threatened species are affected by climate change, harvesting, agriculture and invasive species. Only a small proportion of crayfish are found within the boundaries of protected areas, suggesting that alternative means of long-term protection will be required. Our study highlights many of the significant challenges yet to come for freshwater biodiversity unless conservation planning shifts from a reactive to proactive approach

Study of the B^0 Semileptonic Decay Spectrum at the Upsilon(4S) Resonance

We have made a first measurement of the lepton momentum spectrum in a sample of events enriched in neutral B's through a partial reconstruction of B0 --> D*- l+ nu. This spectrum, measured with 2.38 fb**-1 of data collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance by the CLEO II detector, is compared directly to the inclusive lepton spectrum from all Upsilon(4S) events in the same data set. These two spectra are consistent with having the same shape above 1.5 GeV/c. From the two spectra and two other CLEO measurements, we obtain the B0 and B+ semileptonic branching fractions, b0 and b+, their ratio, and the production ratio f+-/f00 of B+ and B0 pairs at the Upsilon(4S). We report b+/b0=0.950 (+0.117-0.080) +- 0.091, b0 = (10.78 +- 0.60 +- 0.69)%, and b+ = (10.25 +- 0.57 +- 0.65)%. b+/b0 is equivalent to the ratio of charged to neutral B lifetimes, tau+/tau0.Comment: 14 page, postscript file also available at http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Production and Decay of D_1(2420)^0 and D_2^*(2460)^0

We have investigated $D^{+}\pi^{-}$ and $D^{*+}\pi^{-}$ final states and observed the two established $L=1$ charmed mesons, the $D_1(2420)^0$ with mass $2421^{+1+2}_{-2-2}$ MeV/c$^{2}$ and width $20^{+6+3}_{-5-3}$ MeV/c$^{2}$ and the $D_2^*(2460)^0$ with mass $2465 \pm 3 \pm 3$ MeV/c$^{2}$ and width $28^{+8+6}_{-7-6}$ MeV/c$^{2}$. Properties of these final states, including their decay angular distributions and spin-parity assignments, have been studied. We identify these two mesons as the $j_{light}=3/2$ doublet predicted by HQET. We also obtain constraints on {\footnotesize $\Gamma_S/(\Gamma_S + \Gamma_D)$} as a function of the cosine of the relative phase of the two amplitudes in the $D_1(2420)^0$ decay.Comment: 15 pages in REVTEX format. hardcopies with figures can be obtained by sending mail to: [email protected]

Measurement of the branching fraction for Υ(1S)→τ+τ−\Upsilon (1S) \to \tau^+ \tau^-

We have studied the leptonic decay of the $\Upsilon (1S)$ resonance into tau pairs using the CLEO II detector. A clean sample of tau pair events is identified via events containing two charged particles where exactly one of the particles is an identified electron. We find $B(\Upsilon(1S) \to \tau^+ \tau^-) = (2.61~\pm~0.12~{+0.09\atop{-0.13}})$. The result is consistent with expectations from lepton universality.Comment: 9 pages, RevTeX, two Postscript figures available upon request, CLNS 94/1297, CLEO 94-20 (submitted to Physics Letters B