16,283 research outputs found
Fundraising and vote distribution: a non-equilibrium statistical approach
The number of votes correlates strongly with the money spent in a campaign,
but the relation between the two is not straightforward. Among other factors,
the output of a ballot depends on the number of candidates, voters, and
available resources. Here, we develop a conceptual framework based on Shannon
entropy maximization and Superstatistics to establish a relation between the
distributions of money spent by candidates and their votes. By establishing
such a relation, we provide a tool to predict the outcome of a ballot and to
alert for possible misconduct either in the report of fundraising and spending
of campaigns or on vote counting. As an example, we consider real data from a
proportional election with candidates, where a detailed data
verification is virtually impossible, and show that the number of potential
misconducting candidates to audit can be reduced to only nine
Genetic gain in an improvement program of irrigated rice in Minas Gerais.
An evaluation of the genetic improvement programme of irrigated rice of Minas Gerais (Brazil) estimated the genetic gain obtained in the 90s. Grain yield data of the advanced comparative trials of cultivars and lines of continuously flooded rice, conducted from 1990-91 to 2000-01, were used. The estimate of the genetic gain was obtained by the methodology of the adjusted means proposed by Breseghello (1998). The mean annual genetic gain in the 90s was 42.45+or-17.89 kg ha-1 (0.7% per year). The improvement programme proved auspicious for the development of lines that outmatched the controls. The mean of the cultivars released in the 90s did however not outstrip the mean of the elite lines, which were the genotypes with the highest means in this study and will be further evaluated in the ongoing programme
The effects of hospital clowning on physical and emotional states of pediatric patients during chemotherapy treatment
Background: Pediatric cancer treatments interfere with the patientâs life on physical, psychological, and social levels. Hospital Clowns (HCs) use nonpharmacological techniques to reduce the distress that hospital treatments can cause and increase childrenâs wellbeing, but few studies have analyzed their effects. Objective: This study examined the HC effects on the physical and emotional responses of pediatric patients during ambulatory chemotherapy. Given the variability in patientsâ adjustments to cancer treatment, the role of a childâs age and temperament, and caregiver anxiety was considered in explaining the responses over and beyond the HC effects on patient outcomes. Method: Following a quasi-experimental design, 82 pediatric patients were assigned to one of two conditions: HC intervention versus control group (CG) in two separate trials. Pediatric patients self-reported of physical symptoms (pain, nausea, and fatigue) and emotional states (distress, happiness, and calm) were measured at baseline and post-chemotherapy in both trials. Caregivers provided information on childrenâs temperament and reported their own anxiety. Marginal Multilevel Modeling was used to examine the effects of the HC interventions on the outcomes by controlling caregiver anxiety, and child age and emotionality. Results: Compared to the CG, patients receiving the HC visit during chemotherapy reported higher levels of calm and happiness, and less fatigue, pain, and distress. HCs did not affect nausea. Conclusions: This study showed the importance of HCs as agents of supportive pediatric care, whose short-term effects during ambulatory chemotherapy seem to contribute to increasing the well-being of pediatric patients.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio
Association of mid-infrared solar plages with Calcium K line emissions and magnetic structures
Solar mid-IR observations in the 8-15 micrometer band continuum with moderate
angular resolution (18 arcseconds) reveal the presence of bright structures
surrounding sunspots. These plage-like features present good association with
calcium CaII K1v plages and active region magnetograms. We describe a new
optical setup with reflecting mirrors to produce solar images on the focal
plane array of uncooled bolometers of a commercial camera preceded by germanium
optics. First observations of a sunspot on September 11, 2006 show a mid-IR
continuum plage exhibiting spatial distribution closely associated with CaII
K1v line plage and magnetogram structures. The mid-IR continuum bright plage is
about 140 K hotter than the neighboring photospheric regions, consistent with
hot plasma confined by the magnetic spatial structures in and above the active
regionComment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Accepted by PAS
Experimental Observation of Environment-induced Sudden Death of Entanglement
We demonstrate the difference between local, single-particle dynamics and
global dynamics of entangled quantum systems coupled to independent
environments. Using an all-optical experimental setup, we show that, while the
environment-induced decay of each system is asymptotic, quantum entanglement
may suddenly disappear. This "sudden death" constitutes yet another distinct
and counter-intuitive trait of entanglement.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Quantum Non-Demolition Test of Bipartite Complementarity
We present a quantum circuit that implements a non-demolition measurement of
complementary single- and bi-partite properties of a two-qubit system:
entanglement and single-partite visibility and predictability. The system must
be in a pure state with real coefficients in the computational basis, which
allows a direct operational interpretation of those properties. The circuit can
be realized in many systems of interest to quantum information.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Potencial genĂ©tico de famĂlias de feijoeiro-comum obtidas por diferentes mĂ©todos de melhoramento.
O objetivo do trabalho foi comparar o potencial genĂ©tico de famĂlias obtidas por diferentes mĂ©todos de melhoramento para teor de fibra bruta em feijoeiro-comum
Chemical abundances for the transiting planet host stars OGLE-TR-10, 56, 111, 113, 132 and TrES-1. Abundances in different galactic populations
We used the UVES spectrograph (VLT-UT2 telescope) to obtain high-resolution
spectra of 6 stars hosting transiting planets, namely for OGLE-TR-10, 56, 111,
113, 132 and TrES-1. The spectra are now used to derive and discuss the
chemical abundances for C, O, Na, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ca, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni,
Cu and Zn. Abundances were derived in LTE, using 1-D plane-parallel Kurucz
model atmospheres. For S, Zn and Cu we used a spectral synthesis procedure,
while for the remaining cases the abundances were derived from measurements of
line-equivalent widths. The resulting abundances are compared with those found
for stars in the solar neighborhood. Distances and galactic coordinates are
estimated for the stars. We conclude that besides being particularly
metal-rich, with small possible exceptions OGLE-TR-10, 56, 111, 113, 132 and
TrES-1 are chemically undistinguishable from the field (thin disk) stars
regarding their [X/Fe] abundances. This is particularly relevant for the most
distant of the targets, located at up to ~2 Kpc from the Sun. We also did not
find any correlation between the abundances and the condensation temperature of
the elements, an evidence that strong accretion of planetary-like material,
tentatively connected to planetary migration, did not occur.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics (June 2006
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