13 research outputs found
Scaling of Self-Avoiding Walks in High Dimensions
We examine self-avoiding walks in dimensions 4 to 8 using high-precision
Monte-Carlo simulations up to length N=16384, providing the first such results
in dimensions on which we concentrate our analysis. We analyse the
scaling behaviour of the partition function and the statistics of
nearest-neighbour contacts, as well as the average geometric size of the walks,
and compare our results to -expansions and to excellent rigorous bounds
that exist. In particular, we obtain precise values for the connective
constants, , , ,
and give a revised estimate of . All of
these are by at least one order of magnitude more accurate than those
previously given (from other approaches in and all approaches in ).
Our results are consistent with most theoretical predictions, though in
we find clear evidence of anomalous -corrections for the scaling of
the geometric size of the walks, which we understand as a non-analytic
correction to scaling of the general form (not present in pure
Gaussian random walks).Comment: 14 pages, 2 figure
Aerosol backscatter profiles from ceilometers: validation of water vapor correction in the framework of CeiLinEx2015
With the rapidly growing number of automated single-wavelength backscatter
lidars (ceilometers), their potential benefit for aerosol remote sensing
received considerable scientific attention. When studying the accuracy of
retrieved particle backscatter coefficients, it must be considered that most
of the ceilometers are influenced by water vapor absorption in the spectral
range around 910 nm. In the literature methodologies have been proposed to correct for this
effect; however, a validation was not yet performed. In
the framework of the ceilometer intercomparison campaign CeiLinEx2015 in
Lindenberg, Germany, hosted by the German Weather Service, it was possible to
tackle this open issue. Ceilometers from Lufft (CHM15k and CHM15kx, operating
at 1064 nm), from Vaisala (CL51 and CL31) and from Campbell Scientific
(CS135), all operating at a wavelength of approximately 910 nm, were
deployed together with a multi-wavelength research lidar (RALPH) that served
as a reference. In this paper the validation of the water vapor correction is
performed by comparing ceilometer backscatter signals with measurements of
the reference system extrapolated to the water vapor regime. One inherent
problem of the validation is the spectral extrapolation of particle optical
properties. For this purpose AERONET measurements and inversions of RALPH
signals were used. Another issue is that the vertical range where validation
is possible is limited to the upper part of the mixing layer due to incomplete
overlap and the generally low signal-to-noise ratio and signal artifacts
above that layer. Our intercomparisons show that the water vapor correction
leads to quite a good agreement between the extrapolated reference signal and
the measurements in the case of CL51 ceilometers at one or more wavelengths
in the specified range of the laser diode's emission. This ambiguity is due
to the similar effective water vapor transmission at several wavelengths. In
the case of CL31 and CS135 ceilometers the validation was not always
successful. That suggests that error sources beyond the water vapor
absorption might be dominant. For future applications we recommend monitoring
the emitted wavelength and providing âdarkâ measurements on a regular
basis.</p
Approximale Attrition der FrontzÀhne bei Erwachsenen
Aufbauend auf der Arbeit von Geim, welche die Inzisivi und PrÀmolaren bei Kindern und Jugendlichen im Alter von 7 bis 20 Jahren auf ihre approximale Attrition hin untersuchte, wurde in dieser Arbeit die approximale Attrition der unteren FrontzÀhne bei Erwachsenen bestimmt. Zu diesem zweck wurden bei 620 Gipsmodellen von Patienten mitteleuropÀischer Herkunft die mesiodistalen Breiten der Incisivi des Unterkiefers gemessen und ausgewertet. Die Gipsmodelle stammten aus den keiferorthopÀdischen und endodontischen Arichen der zahnklinik der Philipps UniversitÀt Marburg von Patienten im Alter zwischen 20 und 60 Jahren
B-type natriuretic peptide is a long-term predictor of all-cause mortality, whereas high-sensitive C-reactive protein predicts recurrent short-term troponin T positive cardiac events in chest pain patients: a prognostic study
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Few studies have addressed whether the combined use of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) improves risk stratification for mortality and cardiovascular events in a population with chest pain and suspected acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Therefore, we wanted to assess the incremental prognostic value of these biomarkers with respect to long-term all-cause mortality and recurrent troponin T (TnT) positive cardiac events in 871 patients admitted to the emergency department.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Blood samples were obtained immediately following admission.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After a follow-up period of 24 months, 129 patients had died. The BNP levels were significantly higher among patients dying than in long-term survivors (401 (145â736) versus 75 (29â235) pq/mL [median, 25 and 75% percentiles], p = 0.000). In a multivariable Cox regression model for death within 2 years, the hazard ratio (HR) for BNP in the highest quartile (Q4) was 5.13 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.97â13.38) compared to the lowest quartile (Q1) and was associated with all-cause mortality above and beyond age, congestive heart failure and the index diagnosis ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. HsCRP rendered no prognostic information for all-cause mortality. However, within 30 days, the adjusted HR for patients with recurrent TnT cardiac positive events hsCRP in Q4 was 14.79 (95% CI, 1.89â115.63) compared with Q1 and was associated with recurrent ischemic events above and beyond age, hypercholesterolemia and TnT values at admission.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>BNP may act as a clinically useful biomarker when obtained at admission in an unselected patient population following hospitalization with chest pain and potential ACS, and may provide complementary prognostic information to established risk determinants at long-term follow-up. Our data do not support the hypothesis that the additional assessment of hsCRP will lead to better risk stratification for survival than BNP alone.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>NCT00521976</p