490 research outputs found
Fermionic functional renormalization group for first-order phase transitions: a mean-field model
First-order phase transitions in many-fermion systems are not detected in the
susceptibility analysis of common renormalization-group (RG) approaches. Here
we introduce a counterterm technique within the functional
renormalization-group (fRG) formalism which allows access to all stable and
metastable configurations. It becomes possible to study symmetry-broken states
which occur through first-order transitions as well as hysteresis phenomena.
For continuous transitions, the standard results are reproduced. As an example,
we study discrete-symmetry breaking in a mean-field model for a commensurate
charge-density wave. An additional benefit of the approach is that away from
the critical temperature for the breaking of discrete symmetries large
interactions can be avoided at all RG scales.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures. v2 corrects typos, adds references and a
discussion of the literatur
Neural Correlates of Temporal Credit Assignment in the Parietal Lobe
Empirical studies of decision making have typically assumed that value learning is governed by time, such that a reward prediction error arising at a specific time triggers temporally-discounted learning for all preceding actions. However, in natural behavior, goals must be acquired through multiple actions, and each action can have different significance for the final outcome. As is recognized in computational research, carrying out multi-step actions requires the use of credit assignment mechanisms that focus learning on specific steps, but little is known about the neural correlates of these mechanisms. To investigate this question we recorded neurons in the monkey lateral intraparietal area (LIP) during a serial decision task where two consecutive eye movement decisions led to a final reward. The underlying decision trees were structured such that the two decisions had different relationships with the final reward, and the optimal strategy was to learn based on the final reward at one of the steps (the “F” step) but ignore changes in this reward at the remaining step (the “I” step). In two distinct contexts, the F step was either the first or the second in the sequence, controlling for effects of temporal discounting. We show that LIP neurons had the strongest value learning and strongest post-decision responses during the transition after the F step regardless of the serial position of this step. Thus, the neurons encode correlates of temporal credit assignment mechanisms that allocate learning to specific steps independently of temporal discounting
Improved Coulomb Correction Formulae for Bose-Einstein Correlations
We present improved Coulomb correction formulae for Bose-Einstein
correlations including also exchange term and use them to calculate appropriate
correction factors for several source functions. It is found that Coulomb
correction to the exchange function in the Bose-Einstein correlations cannot be
neglected.Comment: LaTex file, 8 pages, hard copies of 6 (multiple) figures available on
request to [email protected] or [email protected]
Successful isolation of viable adipose-derived stem cells from human adipose tissue subject to long-term cryopreservation: positive implications for adult stem cell-based therapeutics in patients of advanced age.
We examined cell isolation, viability, and growth in adipose-derived stem cells harvested from whole adipose tissue subject to different cryopreservation lengths (2-1159 days) from patients of varying ages (26-62 years). Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue was excised during abdominoplasties and was cryopreserved. The viability and number of adipose-derived stem cells isolated were measured after initial isolation and after 9, 18, and 28 days of growth. Data were analyzed with respect to cryopreservation duration and patient age. Significantly more viable cells were initially isolated from tissue cryopreserved2 years, irrespective of patient age. However, this difference did not persist with continued growth and there were no significant differences in cell viability or growth at subsequent time points with respect to cryopreservation duration or patient age. Mesenchymal stem cell markers were maintained in all cohorts tested throughout the duration of the study. Consequently, longer cryopreservation negatively impacts initial live adipose-derived stem cell isolation; however, this effect is neutralized with continued cell growth. Patient age does not significantly impact stem cell isolation, viability, or growth. Cryopreservation of adipose tissue is an effective long-term banking method for isolation of adipose-derived stem cells in patients of varying ages
Theoretical aspects of the CEBAF 89-009 experiment on inclusive scattering of 4.05 GeV electrons from nuclei
We compare recent CEBAF data on inclusive electron scattering on nuclei with
predictions, based on a relation between structure functions (SF) of a nucleus,
a nucleon and a nucleus of point-nucleons. The latter contains nuclear
dynamics, e.g. binary collision contributions in addition to the asymptotic
limit. The agreement with the data is good, except in low-intensity regions.
Computed ternary collsion contributions appear too small for an explanation. We
perform scaling analyses in Gurvitz's scaling variable and found that for
, ratios of scaling functions for pairs of nuclei differ by less
than 15-20% from 1. Scaling functions for are, for increasing ,
shown to approach a plateau from above. We observe only weak -dependence
in FSI, which in the relevant kinematic region is ascribed to the diffractive
nature of the NN amplitudes appearing in FSI. This renders it difficult to
separate asymptotic from FSI parts and seriously hampers the extraction of
from scaling analyses in a model-independnent fashion.Comment: 11 p. Latex file, 2 ps fig
Beyond the binary collision approximation for the large- response of liquid He
We discuss corrections to the linear response of a many-body system beyond
the binary collision approximation. We first derive for smooth pair
interactions an exact expression of the response , considerably
simplifying existing forms and present also the generalization for interactions
with a strong, short-range repulsion. We then apply the latter to the case of
liquid He. We display the numerical influence of the correction
around the quasi-elastic peak and in the low-intensity wings of the response,
far from that peak. Finally we resolve an apparent contradiction in previous
discussions around the fourth order cumulant expansion coefficient. Our results
prove that the large- response of liquid He can be accurately understood
on the basis of a dynamical theory.Comment: 19 p. Figs. available on reques
Recommended from our members
The programming of sequences of saccades
Saccadic eye movements move the high-resolution fovea to point at regions of interest. Saccades can only be generated serially (i.e., one at a time). However, what remains unclear is the extent to which saccades are programmed in parallel (i.e., a series of such moments can be planned together) and how far ahead such planning occurs. In the current experiment, we investigate this issue with a saccade contingent preview paradigm. Participants were asked to execute saccadic eye movements in response to seven small circles presented on a screen. The extent to which participants were given prior information about target locations was varied on a trial-by-trial basis: participants were aware of the location of the next target only, the next three, five, or all seven targets. The addition of new targets to the display was made during the saccade to the next target in the sequence. The overall time taken to complete the sequence was decreased as more targets were available up to all seven targets. This was a result of a reduction in the number of saccades being executed and a reduction in their saccade latencies. Surprisingly, these results suggest that, when faced with a demand to saccade to a large number of target locations, saccade preparation about all target locations is carried out in paralle
Bose-Einstein condensation in the presence of a uniform field and a point-like impurity
The behavior of an ideal -dimensional boson gas in the presence of a
uniform gravitational field is analyzed. It is explicitly shown that,
contrarily to an old standing folklore, the three-dimensional gas does not
undergo Bose-Einstein condensation at finite temperature. On the other hand,
Bose-Einstein condensation occurs at for if there is a
point-like impurity at the bottom of the vessel containing the gas.Comment: 14 pages, REVTEX. Revised version, accepted for publication in Phys.
Rev.
Uncorrelated Volatile Behavior during the 2011 Apparition of Comet C/2009 P1 Garradd
The High Resolution Instrument Infrared Spectrometer (HRI-IR) on board the Deep Impact Flyby spacecraft detected H2O, CO2, and CO in the coma of the dynamically young Oort Cloud comet C/2009 P1 (Garradd) post-perihelion at a heliocentric distance of 2 AU. Production rates were derived for the parent volatiles, Q_(H2O) = 4.6 ± 0.8 × 10^(28), Q_(CO2) = 3.9 ± 0.7 × 10^(27), and Q_(CO) = 2.9 ± 0.8 × 10^(28) molecules s^(–1), and are consistent with the trends seen by other observers and within the error bars of measurements acquired during a similar time period. When compiled with other observations of Garradd's dominant volatiles, unexpected behavior was seen in the release of CO. Garradd's H_2O outgassing, increasing and peaking pre-perihelion and then steadily decreasing, is more typical than that of CO, which monotonically increased throughout the entire apparition. Due to the temporal asymmetry in volatile release, Garradd exhibited the highest CO to H_2O abundance ratio ever observed for any comet inside the water snow line at ~60% during the HRI-IR observations. Also, the HRI-IR made the only direct measurement of CO_2, giving a typical cometary abundance ratio of CO_2 to H_2O of 8% but, with only one measurement, no sense of how it varied with orbital position
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