θ13\theta_{13}, δ\delta and the neutrino mass hierarchy at a γ=350\gamma=350 double baseline Li/B β\beta-Beam

We consider a $\beta$-Beam facility where $^8$Li and $^8$B ions are accelerated at $\gamma = 350$, accumulated in a 10 Km storage ring and let decay, so as to produce intense $\bar \nu_e$ and $\nu_e$ beams. These beams illuminate two iron detectors located at $L \simeq 2000$ Km and $L \simeq 7000$ Km, respectively. The physics potential of this setup is analysed in full detail as a function of the flux. We find that, for the highest flux ($10 \times 10^{18}$ ion decays per year per baseline), the sensitivity to $\theta_{13}$ reaches $\sin^2 2 \theta_{13} \geq 2 \times10^{-4}$; the sign of the atmospheric mass difference can be identified, regardless of the true hierarchy, for $\sin^2 2 \theta_{13} \geq 4\times10^{-4}$; and, CP-violation can be discovered in 70% of the $\delta$-parameter space for $\sin^2 2 \theta_{13} \geq 10^{-3}$, having some sensitivity to CP-violation down to $\sin^2 2 \theta_{13} \geq 10^{-4}$ for $|\delta| \sim 90^\circ$.Comment: 35 pages, 20 figures. Minor changes, matches the published versio

Symbolic Toolkit for Chaos Explorations

New computational technique based on the symbolic description utilizing kneading invariants is used for explorations of parametric chaos in a two exemplary systems with the Lorenz attractor: a normal model from mathematics, and a laser model from nonlinear optics. The technique allows for uncovering the stunning complexity and universality of the patterns discovered in the bi-parametric scans of the given models and detects their organizing centers -- codimension-two T-points and separating saddles.Comment: International Conference on Theory and Application in Nonlinear Dynamics (ICAND 2012

Transition to meson-dominated matter at RHIC. Consequences for kaon flow

Anisotropic flow of kaons and antikaons is studied in heavy-ion collisions at CERN SPS and BNL RHIC energies within the microscopic quark-gluon string model. In the midrapidity range the directed flow of kaons v_1 differs considerably from that of antikaons at SPS energy (E_{lab} = 160 AGeV), while at RHIC energy (\sqrt{s} = 130 AGeV) the excitation functions of both, kaon and antikaon, flows coincide within the statistical error bars. The change is attributed to formation of dense meson-dominated matter at RHIC, where the differences in interaction cross-sections of kaons and antikaons become unimportant. The time evolution of the kaon anisotropic flow is also investigated. The elliptic flow of these hadrons is found to develop at midrapidity at times 3 < t < 10 fm/c, which is much larger than the nuclear passing time t^{pass} = 0.12 fm/c. As a function of transverse momentum the elliptic flow increases almost linearly with rising p_t. It stops to rise at p_t > 1.5 GeV/c reaching the saturation value $v_2^K (p_t) \approx 10$.Comment: REVTEX, 14 pages, 4 figure

What is plan quality in radiotherapy? The importance of evaluating dose metrics, complexity, and robustness of treatment plans

Plan evaluation is a key step in the radiotherapy treatment workflow. Central to this step is the assessment of treatment plan quality. Hence, it is important to agree on what we mean by plan quality and to be fully aware of which parameters it depends on. We understand plan quality in radiotherapy as the clinical suitability of the delivered dose distribution that can be realistically expected from a treatment plan. Plan quality is commonly assessed by evaluating the dose distribution calculated by the treatment planning system (TPS). Evaluating the 3D dose distribution is not easy, however; it is hard to fully evaluate its spatial characteristics and we still lack the knowledge for personalising the prediction of the clinical outcome based on individual patient characteristics. This advocates for standardisation and systematic collection of clinical data and outcomes after radiotherapy. Additionally, the calculated dose distribution is not exactly the dose delivered to the patient due to uncertainties in the dose calculation and the treatment delivery, including variations in the patient set-up and anatomy. Consequently, plan quality also depends on the robustness and complexity of the treatment plan. We believe that future work and consensus on the best metrics for quality indices are required. Better tools are needed in TPSs for the evaluation of dose distributions, for the robust evaluation and optimisation of treatment plans, and for controlling and reporting plan complexity. Implementation of such tools and a better understanding of these concepts will facilitate the handling of these characteristics in clinical practice and be helpful to increase the overall quality of treatment plans in radiotherapy

Stability and collapse of localized solutions of the controlled three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation

On the basis of recent investigations, a newly developed analytical procedure is used for constructing a wide class of localized solutions of the controlled three-dimensional (3D) Gross-Pitaevskii equation (GPE) that governs the dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs). The controlled 3D GPE is decomposed into a two-dimensional (2D) linear Schr\"{o}dinger equation and a one-dimensional (1D) nonlinear Schr\"{o}dinger equation, constrained by a variational condition for the controlling potential. Then, the above class of localized solutions are constructed as the product of the solutions of the transverse and longitudinal equations. On the basis of these exact 3D analytical solutions, a stability analysis is carried out, focusing our attention on the physical conditions for having collapsing or non-collapsing solutions.Comment: 21 pages, 14 figure

MANAGING THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENCES IN NATIONAL CULTURE ON SOCIAL CAPITAL IN MULTINATIONAL IT PROJECT TEAMS – A GERMAN PERSPECTIVE

How can management handle relationship problems arising from cultural differences in multinational IT project teams? This paper uses a social capital lens to better understand the negative impact of cultural differences in IT project teams. In contrast to many previous works we do not consider cultural differences as a whole but explore the role of the different national culture dimensions. This allows for a more detailed view on cultural differences in a team context and thus contributes to a better understanding about which dimensions of national culture drive relationship problems and which management measures can help to dampen the negative effects. Based on several exploratory cases (6 multinational IT projects in 4 companies, headquartered in Germany), the authors identify three patterns showing typical problems in team social relationships which arise from differences in particular dimensions of national culture. Pattern-specific as well as general management measures, employed to address the culture-driven negative effects, are identified as well

Transport Properties of the Quark-Gluon Plasma -- A Lattice QCD Perspective

Transport properties of a thermal medium determine how its conserved charge densities (for instance the electric charge, energy or momentum) evolve as a function of time and eventually relax back to their equilibrium values. Here the transport properties of the quark-gluon plasma are reviewed from a theoretical perspective. The latter play a key role in the description of heavy-ion collisions, and are an important ingredient in constraining particle production processes in the early universe. We place particular emphasis on lattice QCD calculations of conserved current correlators. These Euclidean correlators are related by an integral transform to spectral functions, whose small-frequency form determines the transport properties via Kubo formulae. The universal hydrodynamic predictions for the small-frequency pole structure of spectral functions are summarized. The viability of a quasiparticle description implies the presence of additional characteristic features in the spectral functions. These features are in stark contrast with the functional form that is found in strongly coupled plasmas via the gauge/gravity duality. A central goal is therefore to determine which of these dynamical regimes the quark-gluon plasma is qualitatively closer to as a function of temperature. We review the analysis of lattice correlators in relation to transport properties, and tentatively estimate what computational effort is required to make decisive progress in this field.Comment: 54 pages, 37 figures, review written for EPJA and APPN; one parag. added end of section 3.4, and one at the end of section 3.2.2; some Refs. added, and some other minor change