366 research outputs found
Hierarchical population model with a carrying capacity distribution
A time- and space-discrete model for the growth of a rapidly saturating local
biological population is derived from a hierarchical random deposition
process previously studied in statistical physics. Two biologically relevant
parameters, the probabilities of birth, , and of death, , determine the
carrying capacity . Due to the randomness the population depends strongly on
position, , and there is a distribution of carrying capacities, .
This distribution has self-similar character owing to the imposed hierarchy.
The most probable carrying capacity and its probability are studied as a
function of and . The effective growth rate decreases with time, roughly
as in a Verhulst process. The model is possibly applicable, for example, to
bacteria forming a "towering pillar" biofilm. The bacteria divide on randomly
distributed nutrient-rich regions and are exposed to random local bactericidal
agent (antibiotic spray). A gradual overall temperature change away from
optimal growth conditions, for instance, reduces bacterial reproduction, while
biofilm development degrades antimicrobial susceptibility, causing stagnation
into a stationary state.Comment: 25 pages, 11 (9+2) figure
Intrathecal analgesia and restrictive perioperative fluid management within enhanced recovery pathway: hemodynamic implications.
BACKGROUND: Intrathecal analgesia and avoidance of perioperative fluid overload are key items within enhanced recovery pathways. Potential side effects include hypotension and renal dysfunction.
STUDY DESIGN: From January 2010 until May 2010, all patients undergoing colorectal surgery within enhanced recovery pathways were included in this retrospective cohort study and were analyzed by intrathecal analgesia (IT) vs none (noIT). Primary outcomes measures were systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial pressure, and heart rate for 48 hours after surgery. Renal function was assessed by urine output and creatinine values.
RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-three consecutive colorectal patients (127 IT and 36 noIT) were included in the analysis. Both patient groups showed low blood pressure values within the first 4 to 12 hours and a steady increase thereafter before return to baseline values after about 24 hours. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure were significantly lower until 16 hours after surgery in patients having IT compared with the noIT group. Low urine output (<0.5 mL/kg/h) was reported in 11% vs 29% (IT vs noIT; p = 0.010) intraoperatively, 20% vs 11% (p = 0.387), 33% vs 22% (p = 0.304), and 31% vs 21% (p = 0.478) for postanesthesia care unit and postoperative days 1 and 2, respectively. Only 3 of 127 (2.4%) IT and 1 of 36 (2.8%) noIT patients had a transitory creatinine increase >50%; no patients required dialysis.
CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative hypotension affects approximately 10% of patients within an enhanced recovery pathway and is slightly more pronounced in patients with IT. Hemodynamic depression persists for <20 hours after surgery; it has no measurable negative impact and therefore cannot justify detrimental postoperative fluid overload
The Future Evolution of White Dwarf Stars Through Baryon Decay and Time Varying Gravitational Constant
Motivated by the possibility that the fundamental ``constants'' of nature
could vary with time, this paper considers the long term evolution of white
dwarf stars under the combined action of proton decay and variations in the
gravitational constant. White dwarfs are thus used as a theoretical laboratory
to study the effects of possible time variations, especially their implications
for the future history of the universe. More specifically, we consider the
gravitational constant to vary according to the parametric relation , where the time scale is the same order as
the proton lifetime. We then study the long term fate and evolution of white
dwarf stars. This treatment begins when proton decay dominates the stellar
luminosity, and ends when the star becomes optically thin to its internal
radiation.Comment: 12 pages, 10 figures, accepted to Astrophysics and Space Scienc
No hair for spherical black holes: charged and nonminimally coupled scalar field with self--interaction
We prove three theorems in general relativity which rule out classical scalar
hair of static, spherically symmetric, possibly electrically charged black
holes. We first generalize Bekenstein's no--hair theorem for a multiplet of
minimally coupled real scalar fields with not necessarily quadratic action to
the case of a charged black hole. We then use a conformal map of the geometry
to convert the problem of a charged (or neutral) black hole with hair in the
form of a neutral self--interacting scalar field nonminimally coupled to
gravity to the preceding problem, thus establishing a no--hair theorem for the
cases with nonminimal coupling parameter or . The
proof also makes use of a causality requirement on the field configuration.
Finally, from the required behavior of the fields at the horizon and infinity
we exclude hair of a charged black hole in the form of a charged
self--interacting scalar field nonminimally coupled to gravity for any .Comment: 30 pages, RevTeX. Sec.IV corrected, simplified and shortened.
Corrections to Sec.IIA between Eqs. 2.7 and Eq.2.1. First two paragraphs of
Sec. VC new. To appear Phys. Rev. D, Oct. 15, 199
Magnetic Field Amplification in Galaxy Clusters and its Simulation
We review the present theoretical and numerical understanding of magnetic
field amplification in cosmic large-scale structure, on length scales of galaxy
clusters and beyond. Structure formation drives compression and turbulence,
which amplify tiny magnetic seed fields to the microGauss values that are
observed in the intracluster medium. This process is intimately connected to
the properties of turbulence and the microphysics of the intra-cluster medium.
Additional roles are played by merger induced shocks that sweep through the
intra-cluster medium and motions induced by sloshing cool cores. The accurate
simulation of magnetic field amplification in clusters still poses a serious
challenge for simulations of cosmological structure formation. We review the
current literature on cosmological simulations that include magnetic fields and
outline theoretical as well as numerical challenges.Comment: 60 pages, 19 Figure
A measurement of the tau mass and the first CPT test with tau leptons
We measure the mass of the tau lepton to be 1775.1+-1.6(stat)+-1.0(syst.) MeV
using tau pairs from Z0 decays. To test CPT invariance we compare the masses of
the positively and negatively charged tau leptons. The relative mass difference
is found to be smaller than 3.0 10^-3 at the 90% confidence level.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, Submitted to Phys. Letts.
Measurement of the B0 Lifetime and Oscillation Frequency using B0->D*+l-v decays
The lifetime and oscillation frequency of the B0 meson has been measured
using B0->D*+l-v decays recorded on the Z0 peak with the OPAL detector at LEP.
The D*+ -> D0pi+ decays were reconstructed using an inclusive technique and the
production flavour of the B0 mesons was determined using a combination of tags
from the rest of the event. The results t_B0 = 1.541 +- 0.028 +- 0.023 ps, Dm_d
= 0.497 +- 0.024 +- 0.025 ps-1 were obtained, where in each case the first
error is statistical and the second systematic.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Lett.
First Measurement of Z/gamma* Production in Compton Scattering of Quasi-real Photons
We report the first observation of Z/gamma* production in Compton scattering
of quasi-real photons. This is a subprocess of the reaction e+e- to
e+e-Z/gamma*, where one of the final state electrons is undetected.
Approximately 55 pb-1 of data collected in the year 1997 at an e+e-
centre-of-mass energy of 183 GeV with the OPAL detector at LEP have been
analysed. The Z/gamma* from Compton scattering has been detected in the
hadronic decay channel. Within well defined kinematic bounds, we measure the
product of cross-section and Z/gamma* branching ratio to hadrons to be
(0.9+-0.3+-0.1) pb for events with a hadronic mass larger than 60 GeV,
dominated by (e)eZ production. In the hadronic mass region between 5 GeV and 60
GeV, dominated by (e)egamma* production, this product is found to be
(4.1+-1.6+-0.6) pb. Our results agree with the predictions of two Monte Carlo
event generators, grc4f and PYTHIA.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX, 5 eps figures included, submitted to Physics Letters
Search for Higgs Bosons in e+e- Collisions at 183 GeV
The data collected by the OPAL experiment at sqrts=183 GeV were used to
search for Higgs bosons which are predicted by the Standard Model and various
extensions, such as general models with two Higgs field doublets and the
Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). The data correspond to an
integrated luminosity of approximately 54pb-1. None of the searches for neutral
and charged Higgs bosons have revealed an excess of events beyond the expected
background. This negative outcome, in combination with similar results from
searches at lower energies, leads to new limits for the Higgs boson masses and
other model parameters. In particular, the 95% confidence level lower limit for
the mass of the Standard Model Higgs boson is 88.3 GeV. Charged Higgs bosons
can be excluded for masses up to 59.5 GeV. In the MSSM, mh > 70.5 GeV and mA >
72.0 GeV are obtained for tan{beta}>1, no and maximal scalar top mixing and
soft SUSY-breaking masses of 1 TeV. The range 0.8 < tanb < 1.9 is excluded for
minimal scalar top mixing and m{top} < 175 GeV. More general scans of the MSSM
parameter space are also considered.Comment: 49 pages. LaTeX, including 33 eps figures, submitted to European
Physical Journal
A Measurement of the Product Branching Ratio f(b->Lambda_b).BR(Lambda_b->Lambda X) in Z0 Decays
The product branching ratio, f(b->Lambda_b).BR(Lambda_b->Lambda X), where
Lambda_b denotes any weakly-decaying b-baryon, has been measured using the OPAL
detector at LEP. Lambda_b are selected by the presence of energetic Lambda
particles in bottom events tagged by the presence of displaced secondary
vertices. A fit to the momenta of the Lambda particles separates signal from B
meson and fragmentation backgrounds. The measured product branching ratio is
f(b->Lambda_b).BR(Lambda_b->Lambda X) = (2.67+-0.38(stat)+0.67-0.60(sys))%
Combined with a previous OPAL measurement, one obtains
f(b->Lambda_b).BR(Lambda_b->Lambda X) = (3.50+-0.32(stat)+-0.35(sys))%.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX, 3 eps figs included, submitted to the European
Physical Journal
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