3,611 research outputs found
Phase transition in the Countdown problem
Here we present a combinatorial decision problem, inspired by the celebrated
quiz show called the countdown, that involves the computation of a given target
number T from a set of k randomly chosen integers along with a set of
arithmetic operations. We find that the probability of winning the game
evidences a threshold phenomenon that can be understood in the terms of an
algorithmic phase transition as a function of the set size k. Numerical
simulations show that such probability sharply transitions from zero to one at
some critical value of the control parameter, hence separating the algorithm's
parameter space in different phases. We also find that the system is maximally
efficient close to the critical point. We then derive analytical expressions
that match the numerical results for finite size and permit us to extrapolate
the behavior in the thermodynamic limit.Comment: Submitted for publicatio
The Visibility Graph: a new method for estimating the Hurst exponent of fractional Brownian motion
Fractional Brownian motion (fBm) has been used as a theoretical framework to
study real time series appearing in diverse scientific fields. Because its
intrinsic non-stationarity and long range dependence, its characterization via
the Hurst parameter H requires sophisticated techniques that often yield
ambiguous results. In this work we show that fBm series map into a scale free
visibility graph whose degree distribution is a function of H. Concretely, it
is shown that the exponent of the power law degree distribution depends
linearly on H. This also applies to fractional Gaussian noises (fGn) and
generic f^(-b) noises. Taking advantage of these facts, we propose a brand new
methodology to quantify long range dependence in these series. Its reliability
is confirmed with extensive numerical simulations and analytical developments.
Finally, we illustrate this method quantifying the persistent behavior of human
gait dynamics.Comment: 5 pages, submitted for publicatio
Risk and protective factors for release in outpatients with schizophrenia
eposterWe aim to determine risk and protective factors influencing relapse incidence in outpatient with schizophrenia.
A longitudinal, observational study was done with outpatients with schizophrenia (F20) or schizoaffective disorder (F25)(DMS-IV and ICD-10), without hospitalization during the previous 6 months. The patients were consecutively included into the study to received oral (O-A) or long-acting injectable (depot-A) antipsychotics. Clinical stage evolution, compliance, efficacy and safety assessments (including PANSS, CGI-SSI, hospitalization rates, and adverse events) were recorded before and after 6 and 12 months of treatment.
Results: 60 outpatients (aged 34.5±8.9, male 73%), 75% schizophrenia and 25% schizoaffective disorder diagnosis, 68.3% fewer than 15 years of schizophrenia evolution, 76.7% fewer than 5 times previous hospitalizations were treated with O-A (41.7%) or depot-A (58.3%) antipsychotics for at least one year. Depot-A treated patients showed a significant higher compliance compared to O-A patients during the all following time, lower PANSS (total, positive and negative) scores and CGI-SSI score (p<0.01), and a delayed relapse incidence and re-hospitalization to more than 1 year in the 48% of patients (relapse % depot/% oral) after 6 months 22.9%/52.0%, and after 12 months 48.6%/4.0%.
Conclusion: There were protective factors which delayed relapse incidence in schizophrenia: Use of sustained-release preparations, family support. There were risk factors for occurrence of relapse in schizophrenia: cocaine, heroin and alcohol consumption, absence of family support, greater severity of patients assessed through CGI-SI, male sex, age older than 25 years and long-term evolution of the disorder.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech
Are gauge shocks really shocks?
The existence of gauge pathologies associated with the Bona-Masso family of
generalized harmonic slicing conditions is proven for the case of simple 1+1
relativity. It is shown that these gauge pathologies are true shocks in the
sense that the characteristic lines associated with the propagation of the
gauge cross, which implies that the name ``gauge shock'' usually given to such
pathologies is indeed correct. These gauge shocks are associated with places
where the spatial hypersurfaces that determine the foliation of spacetime
become non-smooth.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, REVTEX 4. Revised version, including corrections
suggested by referee
Quality Testing of Gaseous Helium Pressure Vessels by Acoustic Emission
The resistance of pressure equipment is currently tested, before commissioning or at periodic maintenance, by means of normal pressure tests. Defects occurring inside materials during the execution of these tests or not seen by usual non-destructive techniques can remain as undetected potential sources of failure . The acoustic emission (AE) technique can detect and monitor the evolution of such failures. Industrial-size helium cryogenic systems employ cryogens often stored in gaseous form under pressure at ambient temperature. Standard initial and periodic pressure testing imposes operational constraints which other complementary testing methods, such as AE, could significantly alleviate. Recent reception testing of 250 m3 GHe storage vessels with a design pressure of 2.2 MPa for the LEP and LHC cryogenic systems has implemented AE with the above-mentioned aims
Morfología polínica de las especies de cítricos cultivadas en Andalucía occidental (España)
. Morfología polínica de las especies de cítricos cultivadas en Andalucía occidental (España). Se estudia la morfología polínica de seis especies de cítricos de los géneros Citrus (C. aurantium, C. deliciosa, C. grandis, C. limon y C. sinensis) y Fortunella (F. margarita), con los microscopios óptico y electrónico de barrido. Por los caracteres estudiados (polaridad, simetría, contorno (en visión ecuatorial y corte óptico meridiano y visión polar y corte ecuatorial), tamaño, número, tipo y dimensiones de las aberturas, grosor de la exina y ornamentación) se describe la morfología del polen y se discuten los resultados obtenidos.No es posible la separación de los dos géneros, pero se pueden diferenciar parte de las especies del género Citrus
The Partition Function of Multicomponent Log-Gases
We give an expression for the partition function of a one-dimensional log-gas
comprised of particles of (possibly) different integer charge at inverse
temperature {\beta} = 1 (restricted to the line in the presence of a
neutralizing field) in terms of the Berezin integral of an associated non-
homogeneous alternating tensor. This is the analog of the de Bruijn integral
identities [3] (for {\beta} = 1 and {\beta} = 4) ensembles extended to
multicomponent ensembles.Comment: 14 page
Predicción del rendimiento académico en las nuevas titulaciones de grado de la EPS de la Universidad de Córdoba
En este artículo se describe una experiencia de
innovación docente que tiene como finalidad
predecir el rendimiento académico de los
estudiantes de primer curso de grado universitario
utilizando técnicas de minería de datos. La
investigación se ha realizado utilizando
información de los alumnos de tres asignaturas de
introducción a la informática que se han impartido
durante el primer cuatrimestre del curso 2010-11
en las distintas titulaciones de grado de la Escuela
Politécnica Superior de la Universidad de
Córdoba.SUMMARY -- In this paper, we describe an educational
innovation experience about the prediction of the
students’ academic performance during the first
year of university degree by applying data mining
techniques. The research has been carried out by
using the information of students of three subjects
about introduction to computer science during the
first semester of 2010-11 academic year in the
different degrees of the Higher Technical College
of the University of Cordoba.Peer Reviewe
Time series irreversibility: a visibility graph approach
We propose a method to measure real-valued time series irreversibility which
combines two differ- ent tools: the horizontal visibility algorithm and the
Kullback-Leibler divergence. This method maps a time series to a directed
network according to a geometric criterion. The degree of irreversibility of
the series is then estimated by the Kullback-Leibler divergence (i.e. the
distinguishability) between the in and out degree distributions of the
associated graph. The method is computationally effi- cient, does not require
any ad hoc symbolization process, and naturally takes into account multiple
scales. We find that the method correctly distinguishes between reversible and
irreversible station- ary time series, including analytical and numerical
studies of its performance for: (i) reversible stochastic processes
(uncorrelated and Gaussian linearly correlated), (ii) irreversible stochastic
pro- cesses (a discrete flashing ratchet in an asymmetric potential), (iii)
reversible (conservative) and irreversible (dissipative) chaotic maps, and (iv)
dissipative chaotic maps in the presence of noise. Two alternative graph
functionals, the degree and the degree-degree distributions, can be used as the
Kullback-Leibler divergence argument. The former is simpler and more intuitive
and can be used as a benchmark, but in the case of an irreversible process with
null net current, the degree-degree distribution has to be considered to
identifiy the irreversible nature of the series.Comment: submitted for publicatio
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