Some Low Dimensional Evidence for the Weak Gravity Conjecture

We discuss a few examples in 2+1 dimensions and 1+1 dimensions supporting a recent conjecture concerning the relation between the Planck scale and the coupling strength of a non-gravitional interaction, unlike those examples in 3+1 dimensions, we do not have to resort to exotic physics such as small black holes. However, the result concerning these low dimensional examples is a direct consequence of the 3+1 dimensional conjecture.Comment: 7 pages, harvma

A Weak Gravity Conjecture for Scalar Field Theories

We show that the recently proposed weak gravity conjecture\cite{AMNV0601} can be extended to a class of scalar field theories. Taking gravity into account, we find an upper bound on the gravity interaction strength, expressed in terms of scalar coupling parameters. This conjecture is supported by some two-dimensional models and noncommutative field theories.Comment: version published in JHE

Evaluating a hybrid soil temperature model in a corn-soybean agroecosystem and a tallgrass prairie in the Great plains

Simulation models of soil-related biological processes usually require soil temperature data. Frequently these soil temperatures are simulated, and the soil temperature algorithms cannot be more complicated than the original process model. This situation has led to the use of semi-empirical-type relationships in these process models. The objective of this study was to evaluate a hybrid soil temperature model, which combines empirical and mechanistic approaches, in an agroecosystem and a tallgrass prairie in the Great Plains. The original hybrid soil temperature model was developed and verified for a temperate forest system. This model simulated soil temperatures on a daily basis from meteorological inputs (maximum and minimum air temperatures) and soil and plant properties. This model was modified using different extinction coefficients for the plant canopy and ground litter. The agroecosystem consisted of a no-till rotation system of corn (Zea mays L.) and soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Merr.). Soil temperatures were measured at different depths in multiple years (three years and two-and-a-half years in the agroecosystem and tallgrass prairie, respectively). In the agroecosystem, the root mean square error of the modified model simulation varied from 1.41º to 2.05ºC for the four depths (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5 m). The mean absolute error varied from 1.06º to 1.53ºC. The root mean square error and mean absolute error of the modified model were about 0.1º–0.3ºC less than the original model at the 0.2–0.5 m depths. For the tallgrass prairie, the mean absolute errors of the simulated soil temperatures were slightly greater than the agroecosystem, varying from 1.48º to 1.7ºC for all years and from 1.09º to 1.37ºC during the active growing seasons for all years.EEA OliverosFil: Song, Feng. University of Nebraska–Lincoln. School of Natural Resources; Estados UnidosFil: Salvagiotti, Fernando. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Departamento de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Schmer, M.R. University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Department of Agronomy and Horticulture; Estados UnidosFil: Wingeyer, Ana Beatriz. University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Department of Agronomy and Horticulture; Estados UnidosFil: Weiss, Albert. University of Nebraska–Lincoln. School of Natural Resources; Estados Unido

Resting vs. active: a meta-analysis of the intra- and inter-specific associations between minimum, sustained, and maximum metabolic rates in vertebrates

Variation in aerobic capacity has far reaching consequences for the physiology, ecology, and evolution of vertebrates. Whether at rest or active, animals are constrained to operate within the energetic bounds determined by their minimum (minMR) and sustained or maximum metabolic rates (upperMR). MinMR and upperMR can differ considerably among individuals and species but are often presumed to be mechanistically linked to one another. Specifically, minMR is thought to reflect the idling cost of the machinery needed to support upperMR. However, previous analyses based on limited datasets have come to conflicting conclusions regarding the generality and strength of their association. Here we conduct the first comprehensive assessment of their relationship, based on a large number of published estimates of both the intra-specific (n = 176) and inter-specific (n = 41) phenotypic correlations between minMR and upperMR, estimated as either exercise-induced maximum metabolic rate (VO2max), cold-induced summit metabolic rate (Msum), or daily energy expenditure (DEE). Our meta-analysis shows that there is a general positive association between minMR and upperMR that is shared among vertebrate taxonomic classes. However, there was stronger evidence for intra-specific correlations between minMR and Msum and between minMR and DEE than there was for a correlation between minMR and VO2max across different taxa. As expected, inter-specific correlation estimates were consistently higher than intra-specific estimates across all traits and vertebrate classes. An interesting exception to this general trend was observed in mammals, which contrast with birds and exhibit no correlation between minMR and Msum. We speculate that this is due to the evolution and recruitment of brown fat as a thermogenic tissue, which illustrates how some species and lineages might circumvent this seemingly general association. We conclude that, in spite of some variability across taxa and traits, the contention that minMR and upperMR are positively correlated generally holds true both within and across vertebrate species. Ecological and comparative studies should therefore take into consideration the possibility that variation in any one of these traits might partly reflect correlated responses to selection on other metabolic parameters

Solution spectroelectrochemical cell for in situ X-ray absorption fine structure

A purpose-built spectroelectrochemical cell for in situ fluorescence XAFS (X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) measurements of bulk solution species during constant-potential electrolysis is described. The cell performance was demonstrated by the collection of europium L{sub 3}-edge XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) throughout the course of electrolysis of an aqueous solution of EuCl{sub 3}{center_dot}6H{sub 2}O in 1 M H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}. The europium L{sub 3}-edge resonances reported here for the Eu{sup III} and Eu{sup II} ions demonstrate that their 2p{sub 3/2} {yields} 5d electronic transition probabilities are not the same

Influence of nonlocal electrodynamics on the anisotropic vortex pinning in YNi2B2CYNi_2B_2C

We have studied the pinning force density Fp of YNi_2B_2C superconductors for various field orientations. We observe anisotropies both between the c-axis and the basal plane and within the plane, that cannot be explained by usual mass anisotropy. For magnetic field $H \parallel c$, the reorientation structural transition in the vortex lattice due to nonlocality, which occurs at a field $H_1 \sim 1kOe$, manifests itself as a kink in Fp(H). When $H \bot c$, Fp is much larger and has a quite different H dependence, indicating that other pinning mechanisms are present. In this case the signature of nonlocal effects is the presence of a fourfold periodicity of Fp within the basal plane.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

Assisted Tachyonic Inflation

The model of inflation with a single tachyon field generates larger anisotropy and has difficulties in describing the formation of the Universe . In this paper we consider a model with multi tachyon fields and study the assisted inflationary solution. Our results show that this model satisfies the observation.Comment: 5 pages, no figures, a revised version and reference adde

Comment on “Dynamic treatment regimes: Technical challenges and applications”

Inference for parameters associated with optimal dynamic treatment regimes is challenging as these estimators are nonregular when there are non-responders to treatments. In this discussion, we comment on three aspects of alleviating this nonregularity. We first discuss an alternative approach for smoothing the quality functions. We then discuss some further details on our existing work to identify non-responders through penalization. Third, we propose a clinically meaningful value assessment whose estimator does not suffer from nonregularity

Effect of an Electron-phonon Interaction on the One-electron Spectral Weight of a d-wave Superconductor

We analyze the effects of an electron-phonon interaction on the one-electron spectral weight A(k,omega) of a d_{x^2-y^2} superconductor. We study the case of an Einstein phonon mode with various momentum-dependent electron-phonon couplings and compare the structure produced in A(k,omega) with that obtained from coupling to the magnetic pi-resonant mode. We find that if the strength of the interactions are adjusted to give the same renormalization at the nodal point, the differences in A(k,omega) are generally small but possibly observable near k=(pi,0).Comment: 10 pages, 14 figures (color versions of Figs. 2,4,10,11,12 available upon request

Cosmological Evolution of a Tachyon-Quintom Model of Dark Energy

In this work we study the cosmological evolution of a dark energy model with two scalar fields, i.e. the tachyon and the phantom tachyon. This model enables the equation of state $w$ to change from $w>-1$ to $w<-1$ in the evolution of the universe. The phase-space analysis for such a system with inverse square potentials shows that there exists a unique stable critical point, which has power-law solutions. In this paper, we also study another form of tachyon-quintom model with two fields, which voluntarily involves the interactions between both fields.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure