2,586 research outputs found
Experimental investigation of the critical magnetic fields of transition metal superconductors
The isothermal magnetic transitions of a type 2 superconductor have been studied by AC susceptibility techniques as a function of the amplitude and frequency of the exciting field. The field variation of the complex susceptibility was used to determine the critical fields. The research was planned to clarify the determination (both experimentally and theoretically) of the maximum field at which the superconductive phase spontaneously nucleates in the bulk and on the surface of the metal
Dementia : towards a perceptual control theory perspective
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore the psychosocial experiences of people living with dementia using a perceptual control theory (PCT) perspective.
Design/methodology/approach:Conceptual paper.
Findings: The paper suggests that people with dementia may control their perceptions by using four modes of control: control, automatic, passive observation and imagination.
Research limitations/implications: The paper highlights how a perceived sense of âtoo littleâ or âtoo muchâ control can create psychological and emotional distress, as people with dementia seek to respond to the changing contextual circumstances of their lives. However, more work needs to be done to develop specific PCT informed strategies that may serve the goal of helping people who are living with dementia to maximise their functioning and alleviate their distress.
Originality/value: The potential benefits of adopting a PCT perspective to understand the experiences of people living with dementia have only been explored in a relatively superficial way. This paper is a first attempt to develop a more considered analysis
Effect of restricted access time to pasture on dairy cow milk production, grazing behavior, and dry matter intake
The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of restricting pasture access time on milk production and composition, body weight and body condition score change, dry matter intake, and grazing behavior of autumn calving dairy cows in midlactation. Fifty-two (19 primiparous and 33 multiparous) Holstein-Friesian dairy cows (mean calving date, August 17 ± 91.2 d) were randomly assigned to a 4-treatment (n = 13) randomized block design grazing study. The 4 grazing treatments were: (i) full-time access to pasture (22H; control), (ii) 9-h access to pasture (9H), (iii) two 4.5-h periods of access to pasture after both milkings (2 Ă 4.5H), and (iv) two 3-h periods of access to pasture after both milkings (2 Ă 3H). Experimental treatments were imposed from March 7 to April 6, 2007 (31 d). The pregrazing herbage mass of swards offered to all treatments was 1,268 kg of dry matter/ha, and sward organic matter digestibility was 86.4%, indicating high-quality swards conducive to high dry matter intake. Swards where animals had 22H and 2 Ă 4.5H access to pasture had the lowest postgrazing sward heights (3.5 cm), reflecting the greatest levels of sward utilization. After the experimental period, there were no differences in milk production; however, the 2 Ă 3H animals tended to have lower milk protein concentration (â0.17%) compared with 22H animals. Furthermore, dry matter intake of the 9H animals was lower than 22H animals. Although restricting access time to pasture decreased grazing time, animals compensated by increasing their intake/minute and intake/bite. Restricting pasture access time resulted in much greater grazing efficiency, because the 9H, 2 Ă 4.5H, and 2 Ă 3H treatments spent a greater proportion of their time at pasture grazing (81, 81, and 96%, respectively) than 22H animals (42%). Results of this study indicate that allocating animals restricted access to pasture does not significantly affect milk production. This study also found that the total access time should be greater than 6 h and that perhaps needs to be divided into 2 periods
Effectiveness of lurasidone in schizophrenia or schizoaffective patients switched from other antipsychotics: a 6-month, open-label, extension study
Objective. To evaluate the long-term safety and tolerability of lurasidone in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder patients switched to lurasidone. Method. Patients in this multicenter, 6-month open-label, flexible-dose, extension study had completed a core 6-week randomized trial in which clinically stable, but symptomatic, outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were switched to lurasidone. Patients started the extension study on treatment with the same dose of lurasidone taken at study endpoint of the 6-week core study; following this, lurasidone was flexibly dosed (40-120 mg/day), if clinically indicated, starting on Day 7 of the extension study. The primary safety endpoints were the proportion of patients with treatment emergent adverse events (AEs), serious AEs, or who discontinued due to AEs. Secondary endpoints included metabolic variables and measures of extrapyramidal symptoms and akathisia, as well as the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impressions-Severity (CGI-S), and the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS). The study was conducted from August 2010 to November 2011. Results. Of the 198 patients who completed the 6-week core study, 149 (75.3%) entered the extension study and 148 received study medication. A total of 98 patients (65.8%) completed the 6-month extension study. Lurasidone 40, 80, and 120 mg were the modal daily doses for 19 (12.8%), 65 (43.9%), and 64 (43.2%) of patients, respectively. Overall mean (SD) daily lurasidone dose was 102.0 mg (77.1). The most commonly reported AEs were insomnia (13 patients [8.8%]), nausea (13 patients [8.8%]), akathisia (12 patients [8.1%]), and anxiety (9 patients [6.1%]). A total of 16 patients (10.8%) had at least one AE leading to discontinuation from the study. Consistent with prior studies of lurasidone, there was no signal for clinically relevant adverse changes in body weight, lipids, glucose, insulin, or prolactin. Movement disorder rating scales did not demonstrate meaningful changes. Treatment failure (defined as any occurrence of discontinuation due to insufficient clinical response, exacerbation of underlying disease, or AE) was observed for 19 patients (12.8% of patients entering) and median time to treatment failure was 58 days (95% CI 22-86). The discontinuation rate due to any cause was 50/148 (33.8%), and median time to discontinuation was 62 days (95% CI 30-75). The mean PANSS total score, mean CGI-S score, and mean CDSS score decreased consistently from core study baseline across extension visits, indicating an improvement in overall condition. Conclusions. In this 6-month, open-label extension study, treatment with lurasidone was generally well-tolerated with sustained improvement in efficacy measures observed in outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who had switched to lurasidone from a broad range of antipsychotic agents
Modularity measure of networks with overlapping communities
In this paper we introduce a non-fuzzy measure which has been designed to
rank the partitions of a network's nodes into overlapping communities. Such a
measure can be useful for both quantifying clusters detected by various methods
and during finding the overlapping community-structure by optimization methods.
The theoretical problem referring to the separation of overlapping modules is
discussed, and an example for possible applications is given as well
End of a Perfect Day
They are coming home to the blare of bands,To the proud applause and acclaim,To the wreaths and songs and the yearning handsAnd the hearts that are all aflame;And we\u27re waiting for those who with courage highwent forth to the flaming fray;When their ships come home how our hearts will cry,here\u27s the end of a Perfect Day.They are coming home with vict\u27ry won,With the world made fairer and free,And the lands that are cringed \u27neath the lash and gunThey\u27ve retored to their liberty;And the ones who sleep \u27neath a far off sadWe will not forgetBut prayThat we\u27ll join them all at the Throne of God,At the end of some Perfect Day
Spectral transitions in networks
We study the level spacing distribution p(s) in the spectrum of random
networks. According to our numerical results, the shape of p(s) in the
Erdos-Renyi (E-R) random graph is determined by the average degree , and
p(s) undergoes a dramatic change when is varied around the critical point
of the percolation transition, =1. When > 1, the p(s) is described by
the statistics of the Gaussian Orthogonal Ensemble (GOE), one of the major
statistical ensembles in Random Matrix Theory, whereas at =1 it follows the
Poisson level spacing distribution. Closely above the critical point, p(s) can
be described in terms of an intermediate distribution between Poisson and the
GOE, the Brody-distribution. Furthermore, below the critical point p(s) can be
given with the help of the regularised Gamma-function. Motivated by these
results, we analyse the behaviour of p(s) in real networks such as the
Internet, a word association network and a protein protein interaction network
as well. When the giant component of these networks is destroyed in a node
deletion process simulating the networks subjected to intentional attack, their
level spacing distribution undergoes a similar transition to that of the E-R
graph.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure
The VLT-FLAMES Tarantula Survey X: Evidence for a bimodal distribution of rotational velocities for the single early B-type stars
Aims: Projected rotational velocities (\vsini) have been estimated for 334
targets in the VLT-FLAMES Tarantula survey that do not manifest significant
radial velocity variations and are not supergiants. They have spectral types
from approximately O9.5 to B3. The estimates have been analysed to infer the
underlying rotational velocity distribution, which is critical for
understanding the evolution of massive stars.
Methods: Projected rotational velocities were deduced from the Fourier
transforms of spectral lines, with upper limits also being obtained from
profile fitting. For the narrower lined stars, metal and non-diffuse helium
lines were adopted, and for the broader lined stars, both non-diffuse and
diffuse helium lines; the estimates obtained using the different sets of lines
are in good agreement. The uncertainty in the mean estimates is typically 4%
for most targets. The iterative deconvolution procedure of Lucy has been used
to deduce the probability density distribution of the rotational velocities.
Results: Projected rotational velocities range up to approximately 450 \kms
and show a bi-modal structure. This is also present in the inferred rotational
velocity distribution with 25% of the sample having \ve100\,\kms
and the high velocity component having \ve\,\kms. There is no
evidence from the spatial and radial velocity distributions of the two
components that they represent either field and cluster populations or
different episodes of star formation. Be-type stars have also been identified.
Conclusions: The bi-modal rotational velocity distribution in our sample
resembles that found for late-B and early-A type stars. While magnetic braking
appears to be a possible mechanism for producing the low-velocity component, we
can not rule out alternative explanations.Comment: to be publisged in A&
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