4,491 research outputs found
Default mode network connectivity and reciprocal social behavior in 22q11.2 deletion syndrome
22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is a genetic mutation associated with disorders of cortical connectivity and social dysfunction. However, little is known about the functional connectivity (FC) of the resting brain in 22q11DS and its relationship with social behavior. A seed-based analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data was used to investigate FC associated with the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), in (26) youth with 22qDS and (51) demographically matched controls. Subsequently, the relationship between PCC connectivity and Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) scores was examined in 22q11DS participants. Relative to 22q11DS participants, controls showed significantly stronger FC between the PCC and other default mode network (DMN) nodes, including the precuneus, precentral gyrus and left frontal pole. 22q11DS patients did not show age-associated FC changes observed in typically developing controls. Increased connectivity between PCC, medial prefrontal regions and the anterior cingulate cortex, was associated with lower SRS scores (i.e. improved social competence) in 22q11DS. DMN integrity may play a key role in social information processing. We observed disrupted DMN connectivity in 22q11DS, paralleling reports from idiopathic autism and schizophrenia. Increased strength of long-range DMN connectivity was associated with improved social functioning in 22q11DS. These findings support a \u27developmental-disconnection\u27 hypothesis of symptom development in this disorder
High pressure evolution of FeO electronic structure revealed by X-ray absorption
We report the first high pressure measurement of the Fe K-edge in hematite
(FeO) by X-ray absorption spectroscopy in partial fluorescence yield
geometry. The pressure-induced evolution of the electronic structure as
FeO transforms from a high-spin insulator to a low-spin metal is
reflected in the x-ray absorption pre-edge. The crystal field splitting energy
was found to increase monotonically with pressure up to 48 GPa, above which a
series of phase transitions occur. Atomic multiplet, cluster diagonalization,
and density-functional calculations were performed to simulate the pre-edge
absorption spectra, showing good qualitative agreement with the measurements.
The mechanism for the pressure-induced phase transitions of FeO is
discussed and it is shown that ligand hybridization significantly reduces the
critical high-spin/low-spin pressure.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures and 1 tabl
Predictions for s-Wave and p-Wave Heavy Baryons from Sum Rules and Constituent Quark Model (I): Strong Interactions
We study the strong interactions of the L=1 orbitally excited baryons with
one heavy quark in the framework of the Heavy Hadron Chiral Perturbation
Theory. To leading order in the heavy mass expansion, the interaction
Lagrangian describing the couplings of these states among themselves and with
the ground state heavy baryons contains 46 unknown couplings. We derive sum
rules analogous to the Adler-Weisberger sum rule which constrain these
couplings and relate them to the couplings of the s-wave heavy baryons. Using a
spin 3/2 baryon as a target, we find a sum rule expressing the deviation from
the quark model prediction for pion couplings to s-wave states in terms of
couplings of the p-wave states. In the constituent quark model these couplings
are related and can be expressed in terms of only two reduced matrix elements.
Using recent CLEO data on and strong decays, we
determine some of the unknown couplings in the chiral Lagrangian and the two
quark model reduced matrix elements. Specific predictions are made for the
decay properties of all L=1 charmed baryons.Comment: 50 pages, REVTeX with 4 included figures; predictions for additional
decay modes included; 1 reference adde
Multi-threshold second-order phase transition
We present a theory of the multi-threshold second-order phase transition, and
experimentally demonstrate the multi-threshold second-order phase transition
phenomenon. With carefully selected parameters, in an external cavity diode
laser system, we observe second-order phase transition with multiple (three or
four) thresholds in the measured power-current-temperature three dimensional
phase diagram. Such controlled death and revival of second-order phase
transition sheds new insight into the nature of ubiquitous second-order phase
transition. Our theory and experiment show that the single threshold
second-order phase transition is only a special case of the more general
multi-threshold second-order phase transition, which is an even richer
phenomenon.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
Formal matched asymptotics for degenerate Ricci flow neckpinches
Gu and Zhu have shown that Type-II Ricci flow singularities develop from
nongeneric rotationally symmetric Riemannian metrics on , for all . In this paper, we describe and provide plausibility arguments for a
detailed asymptotic profile and rate of curvature blow-up that we predict such
solutions exhibit
Separability of Black Holes in String Theory
We analyze the origin of separability for rotating black holes in string
theory, considering both massless and massive geodesic equations as well as the
corresponding wave equations. We construct a conformal Killing-Stackel tensor
for a general class of black holes with four independent charges, then identify
two-charge configurations where enhancement to an exact Killing-Stackel tensor
is possible. We show that further enhancement to a conserved Killing-Yano
tensor is possible only for the special case of Kerr-Newman black holes. We
construct natural null congruences for all these black holes and use the
results to show that only the Kerr-Newman black holes are algebraically special
in the sense of Petrov. Modifying the asymptotic behavior by the subtraction
procedure that induces an exact SL(2)^2 also preserves only the conformal
Killing-Stackel tensor. Similarly, we find that a rotating Kaluza-Klein black
hole possesses a conformal Killing-Stackel tensor but has no further
enhancements.Comment: 27 page
Isometric embeddings of 2-spheres by embedding flow for applications in numerical relativity
We present a numerical method for solving Weyl's embedding problem which
consists of finding a global isometric embedding of a positively curved and
positive-definite spherical 2-metric into the Euclidean three space. The method
is based on a construction introduced by Weingarten and was used in Nirenberg's
proof of Weyl's conjecture. The target embedding results as the endpoint of an
embedding flow in R^3 beginning at the unit sphere's embedding. We employ
spectral methods to handle functions on the surface and to solve various
(non)-linear elliptic PDEs. Possible applications in 3+1 numerical relativity
range from quasi-local mass and momentum measures to coarse-graining in
inhomogeneous cosmological models.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figure
Baryonium, tetra-quark state and glue-ball in large N_c QCD
From the large-N_c QCD point of view, baryonia, tetra-quark states, hybrids,
and glueballs are studied. The existence of these states is argued for. They
are constructed from baryons. In N_f=1 large N_c QCD, a baryonium is always
identical to a glueball with N_c valence gluons. The ground state 0^{-+}
glueball has a mass about 2450 MeV. f_0(1710) is identified as the lowest
0^{++} glueball. The lowest four-quark nonet should be f_0(1370), a_0(1450),
K^*_0(1430) and f_0(1500). Combining with the heavy quark effective theory,
spectra of heavy baryonia and heavy tetra-quark states are predicted. 1/N_c
corrections are discussed.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figure
Levinson's theorem and scattering phase shift contributions to the partition function of interacting gases in two dimensions
We consider scattering state contributions to the partition function of a
two-dimensional (2D) plasma in addition to the bound-state sum. A partition
function continuity requirement is used to provide a statistical mechanical
heuristic proof of Levinson's theorem in two dimensions. We show that a proper
account of scattering eliminates singularities in thermodynamic properties of
the nonideal 2D gas caused by the emergence of additional bound states as the
strength of an attractive potential is increased. The bound-state contribution
to the partition function of the 2D gas, with a weak short-range attraction
between its particles, is found to vanish logarithmically as the binding energy
decreases. A consistent treatment of bound and scattering states in a screened
Coulomb potential allowed us to calculate the quantum-mechanical second virial
coefficient of the dilute 2D electron-hole plasma and to establish the
difference between the nearly ideal electron-hole gas in GaAs and the strongly
correlated exciton/free-carrier plasma in wide-gap semiconductors such as ZnSe
or GaN.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures; new version corrects some minor typo
Adaptive design methods in clinical trials – a review
In recent years, the use of adaptive design methods in clinical research and development based on accrued data has become very popular due to its flexibility and efficiency. Based on adaptations applied, adaptive designs can be classified into three categories: prospective, concurrent (ad hoc), and retrospective adaptive designs. An adaptive design allows modifications made to trial and/or statistical procedures of ongoing clinical trials. However, it is a concern that the actual patient population after the adaptations could deviate from the originally target patient population and consequently the overall type I error (to erroneously claim efficacy for an infective drug) rate may not be controlled. In addition, major adaptations of trial and/or statistical procedures of on-going trials may result in a totally different trial that is unable to address the scientific/medical questions the trial intends to answer. In this article, several commonly considered adaptive designs in clinical trials are reviewed. Impacts of ad hoc adaptations (protocol amendments), challenges in by design (prospective) adaptations, and obstacles of retrospective adaptations are described. Strategies for the use of adaptive design in clinical development of rare diseases are discussed. Some examples concerning the development of Velcade intended for multiple myeloma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are given. Practical issues that are commonly encountered when implementing adaptive design methods in clinical trials are also discussed
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