800 research outputs found
How brains make decisions
This chapter, dedicated to the memory of Mino Freund, summarizes the Quantum
Decision Theory (QDT) that we have developed in a series of publications since
2008. We formulate a general mathematical scheme of how decisions are taken,
using the point of view of psychological and cognitive sciences, without
touching physiological aspects. The basic principles of how intelligence acts
are discussed. The human brain processes involved in decisions are argued to be
principally different from straightforward computer operations. The difference
lies in the conscious-subconscious duality of the decision making process and
the role of emotions that compete with utility optimization. The most general
approach for characterizing the process of decision making, taking into account
the conscious-subconscious duality, uses the framework of functional analysis
in Hilbert spaces, similarly to that used in the quantum theory of
measurements. This does not imply that the brain is a quantum system, but just
allows for the simplest and most general extension of classical decision
theory. The resulting theory of quantum decision making, based on the rules of
quantum measurements, solves all paradoxes of classical decision making,
allowing for quantitative predictions that are in excellent agreement with
experiments. Finally, we provide a novel application by comparing the
predictions of QDT with experiments on the prisoner dilemma game. The developed
theory can serve as a guide for creating artificial intelligence acting by
quantum rules.Comment: Latex file, 20 pages, 3 figure
Are markers of inflammation more strongly associated with risk for fatal than for nonfatal vascular events?
<p><b>Background:</b> Circulating inflammatory markers may more strongly relate to risk of fatal versus nonfatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, but robust prospective evidence is lacking. We tested whether interleukin (IL)-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), and fibrinogen more strongly associate with fatal compared to nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke.</p>
<p><b>Methods and Findings:</b> In the Prospective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk (PROSPER), baseline inflammatory markers in up to 5,680 men and women aged 70-82 y were related to risk for endpoints; nonfatal CVD (i.e., nonfatal MI and nonfatal stroke [n = 672]), fatal CVD (n = 190), death from other CV causes (n = 38), and non-CVD mortality (n = 300), over 3.2-y follow-up. Elevations in baseline IL-6 levels were significantly (p = 0.0009; competing risks model analysis) more strongly associated with fatal CVD (hazard ratio [HR] for 1 log unit increase in IL-6 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.44-2.12) than with risk of nonfatal CVD (1.17, 95% CI 1.04-1.31), in analyses adjusted for treatment allocation. The findings were consistent in a fully adjusted model. These broad trends were similar for CRP and, to a lesser extent, for fibrinogen. The results were also similar in placebo and statin recipients (i.e., no interaction). The C-statistic for fatal CVD using traditional risk factors was significantly (+0.017; p<0.0001) improved by inclusion of IL-6 but not so for nonfatal CVD events (p = 0.20).</p>
<p><b>Conclusions:</b> In PROSPER, inflammatory markers, in particular IL-6 and CRP, are more strongly associated with risk of fatal vascular events than nonfatal vascular events. These novel observations may have important implications for better understanding aetiology of CVD mortality, and have potential clinical relevance.</p>
Genetic variation in PCAF, a key mediator in epigenetics, is associated with reduced vascular morbidity and mortality: evidence for a new concept from three independent prospective studies
A study of charged kappa in
Based on events collected by BESII, the decay
is studied. In the invariant mass
spectrum recoiling against the charged , the charged
particle is found as a low mass enhancement. If a Breit-Wigner function of
constant width is used to parameterize the kappa, its pole locates at MeV/. Also in this channel,
the decay is observed for the first time.
Its branching ratio is .Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure
Sustainability, certification, and regulation of biochar
Biochar has a relatively long half-life in soil and can fundamentally alter soil properties, processes, and ecosystem services. The prospect of global-scale biochar application to soils highlights the importance of a sophisticated and rigorous certification procedure. The objective of this work was to discuss the concept of integrating biochar properties with environmental and socioeconomic factors, in a sustainable biochar certification procedure that optimizes complementarity and compatibility between these factors over relevant time periods. Biochar effects and behavior should also be modelled at temporal scales similar to its expected functional lifetime in soils. Finally, when existing soil data are insufficient, soil sampling and analysis procedures need to be described as part of a biochar certification procedure.O “biochar” tem um tempo de meia-vida no solo relativamente longo e pode alterar substancialmente as propriedades, processos e funções do solo. A perspectiva da aplicação de “biochar” aos solos, em escala global, evidencia a importância de se lhe atribuir um processo de certificação sofisticado e rigoroso. O objetivo deste trabalho foi discutir o conceito da integração das propriedades do “biochar” com os fatores ambientais e socioeconômicos relevantes do local de aplicação selecionado, como parte de um procedimento de certificação sustentável que otimize a complementaridade e a compatibilidade entre esses fatores, em períodos de tempo relevantes. Os efeitos e o comportamento do “biochar” devem, também, ser modelados em escalas temporais similares às de seu tempo de vida funcional nos solos do local selecionado. Finalmente, onde os dados existentes sobre as características do solo forem insuficientes, procedimentos de amostragem e análise do solo devem ser descritos como parte do procedimento de certificação do “biochar”.publishe
Observation of a Narrow Resonance of Mass 2.46 GeV/c^2 Decaying to D_s^*+ pi^0 and Confirmation of the D_sJ^* (2317) State
Using 13.5 inverse fb of e+e- annihilation data collected with the CLEO II
detector we have observed a narrow resonance in the Ds*+pi0 final state, with a
mass near 2.46 GeV. The search for such a state was motivated by the recent
discovery by the BaBar Collaboration of a narrow state at 2.32 GeV, the
DsJ*(2317)+ that decays to Ds+pi0. Reconstructing the Ds+pi0 and Ds*+pi0 final
states in CLEO data, we observe peaks in both of the corresponding
reconstructed mass difference distributions, dM(Dspi0)=M(Dspi0)-M(Ds) and
dM(Ds*pi0)=M(Ds*pi0)-M(Ds*), both of them at values near 350 MeV. We interpret
these peaks as signatures of two distinct states, the DsJ*(2317)+ plus a new
state, designated as the DsJ(2463)+. Because of the similar dM values, each of
these states represents a source of background for the other if photons are
lost, ignored or added. A quantitative accounting of these reflections confirms
that both states exist. We have measured the mean mass differences
= 350.0 +/- 1.2 [stat] +/- 1.0 [syst] MeV for the DsJ*(2317) state, and
= 351.2 +/- 1.7 [stat] +/- 1.0 [syst] MeV for the new DsJ(2463)+
state. We have also searched, but find no evidence, for decays of the two
states via the channels Ds*+gamma, Ds+gamma, and Ds+pi+pi-. The observations of
the two states at 2.32 and 2.46 GeV, in the Ds+pi0 and Ds*+pi0 decay channels
respectively, are consistent with their interpretations as (c anti-strange)
mesons with orbital angular momentum L=1, and spin-parities of 0+ and 1+.Comment: 16 pages postscript, also available through
http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS, version to be published in Physical
Review D; minor modifications and fixes to typographical errors, plus an
added section on production properties. The main results are unchanged; they
supersede those reported in hep-ex/030501
Measurement of the Charge Asymmetry in
We report on a search for a CP-violating asymmetry in the charmless hadronic
decay B -> K*(892)+- pi-+, using 9.12 fb^-1 of integrated luminosity produced
at \sqrt{s}=10.58 GeV and collected with the CLEO detector. We find A_{CP}(B ->
K*(892)+- pi-+) = 0.26+0.33-0.34(stat.)+0.10-0.08(syst.), giving an allowed
interval of [-0.31,0.78] at the 90% confidence level.Comment: 7 pages postscript, also available through
http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS, submitted to PR
Study of the q^2-Dependence of B --> pi ell nu and B --> rho(omega)ell nu Decay and Extraction of |V_ub|
We report on determinations of |Vub| resulting from studies of the branching
fraction and q^2 distributions in exclusive semileptonic B decays that proceed
via the b->u transition. Our data set consists of the 9.7x10^6 BBbar meson
pairs collected at the Y(4S) resonance with the CLEO II detector. We measure
B(B0 -> pi- l+ nu) = (1.33 +- 0.18 +- 0.11 +- 0.01 +- 0.07)x10^{-4} and B(B0 ->
rho- l+ nu) = (2.17 +- 0.34 +0.47/-0.54 +- 0.41 +- 0.01)x10^{-4}, where the
errors are statistical, experimental systematic, systematic due to residual
form-factor uncertainties in the signal, and systematic due to residual
form-factor uncertainties in the cross-feed modes, respectively. We also find
B(B+ -> eta l+ nu) = (0.84 +- 0.31 +- 0.16 +- 0.09)x10^{-4}, consistent with
what is expected from the B -> pi l nu mode and quark model symmetries. We
extract |Vub| using Light-Cone Sum Rules (LCSR) for 0<= q^2<16 GeV^2 and
Lattice QCD (LQCD) for 16 GeV^2 <= q^2 < q^2_max. Combining both intervals
yields |Vub| = (3.24 +- 0.22 +- 0.13 +0.55/-0.39 +- 0.09)x10^{-3}$ for pi l nu,
and |Vub| = (3.00 +- 0.21 +0.29/-0.35 +0.49/-0.38 +-0.28)x10^{-3} for rho l nu,
where the errors are statistical, experimental systematic, theoretical, and
signal form-factor shape, respectively. Our combined value from both decay
modes is |Vub| = (3.17 +- 0.17 +0.16/-0.17 +0.53/-0.39 +-0.03)x10^{-3}.Comment: 45 pages postscript, also available through
http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS, submitted to PR
Search for CP Violation in D^0--> K_S^0 pi^+pi^-
We report on a search for CP violation in the decay of D0 and D0B to Kshort
pi+pi-. The data come from an integrated luminosity of 9.0 1/fb of e+e-
collisions at sqrt(s) ~ 10 GeV recorded with the CLEO II.V detector. The
resonance substructure of this decay is well described by ten quasi-two-body
decay channels (K*-pi+, K*0(1430)-pi+, K*2(1430)-pi+, K*(1680)-pi+, Kshort rho,
Kshort omega, Kshort f0(980), Kshort f2(1270), Kshort f0(1370), and the ``wrong
sign'' K*+ pi-) plus a small non-resonant component. We observe no evidence for
CP violation in the amplitudes and phases that describe the decay D0 to K_S^0
pi+pi-.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, also available at
http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/, submitted to PR
Measurement of Lepton Momentum Moments in the Decay bar{B} \to X \ell \bar{\nu} and Determination of Heavy Quark Expansion Parameters and |V_cb|
We measure the primary lepton momentum spectrum in B-bar to X l nu decays,
for p_l > 1.5 GeV/c in the B rest frame. From this, we calculate various
moments of the spectrum. In particular, we find R_0 = [int(E_l>1.7)
(dGam/dE_sl)*dE_l] / [int(E_l>1.5) (dGam/dE_sl)*dE_l] = 0.6187 +/- 0.0014_stat
+/- 0.0016_sys and R_1 = [int(E_l>1.5) E_l(dGam/dE_sl)*dE_l] / [int(E_l>1.5)
(dGam/dE_sl)*dE_l] = (1.7810 +/- 0.0007_stat +/- 0.0009_sys) GeV. We use these
moments to determine non-perturbative parameters governing the semileptonic
width. In particular, we extract the Heavy Quark Expansion parameters
Lambda-bar = (0.39 +/- 0.03_stat +/- 0.06_sys +/- 0.12_th) GeV and lambda_1 =
(-0.25 +/- 0.02_stat +/- 0.05_sys +/- 0.14_th) GeV^2. The theoretical
constraints used are evaluated through order 1/M_B^3 in the non-perturbative
expansion and beta_0*alpha__s^2 in the perturbative expansion. We use these
parameters to extract |V_cb| from the world average of the semileptonic width
and find |V_cb| = (40.8 +/- 0.5_Gam-sl +/- 0.4_(lambda_1,Lambda-bar)-exp +/-
0.9_th) x 10^-3. In addition, we extract the short range b-quark mass m_b^1S =
(4.82 +/- 0.07_exp +/- 0.11_th) GeV/c^2. Finally, we discuss the implications
of our measurements for the theoretical understanding of inclusive semileptonic
processes.Comment: 21 pages postscript, also available through
http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS, submitted to PR
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