Universality in short-range Ising spin glasses

The role of the distribution of coupling constants on the critical exponents of the short-range Ising spin-glass model is investigated via real space renormalization group. A saddle-point spin glass critical point characterized by a fixed-point distribution is found in an appropriated parameter space. The critical exponents $\beta$ and $\nu$ are directly estimated from the data of the local Edwards-Anderson order parameters for the model defined on a diamond hierarchical lattice of fractal dimension $d_{f}=3$. Four distinct initial distributions of coupling constants (Gaussian, bimodal, uniform and exponential) are considered; the results clearly indicate a universal behavior.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, to published in Physica A 199

A profile of occupational tasks performed by mounted police officers

BACKGROUND:Within individual policing organisations, there are a wide variety of units and job roles. OBJECTIVE:To profile the occupational tasks performed by Australian mounted police officers, aiming to offer conditioning insight into this unique job role. METHODS: Thirteen fully qualified and operational mounted police officers (n = 11 females), who served in the mounted police unit for ∼3.3 (±2.3) years, participated in this observational cohort study. Participants completed a survey outlining common occupational tasks and were monitored throughout four consecutive shifts. Participants’ heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and skin temperature (ST) data were collected via wearable monitoring (Equivital EQ-02, Hidalgo, UK) and body position, physical activity undertaken, task effort, and load carriage were recorded by researchers. A one-way ANOVA was used to assess mean differences in physiological measures between the three most reported tasks. RESULTS: Survey identified 130 tasks, with 38 listed as most common. The three most reported mounted police tasks were: ‘horse riding’ (n = 13, 34%), ‘mounted patrols’ (n = 10, 26%), and ‘horse care’ (n = 10, 26%). These were also reported as the most physically demanding. HR during ‘horse care’ and ‘horse riding’ were significantly higher than when ‘mounted patrolling’ (27 ± 7bpm, p = 0.001 and 33 ± 8bpm; p = 0.001, respectively). Mean RR was higher when ‘horse riding’ when compared to ‘horse care’ (5.3 ± 1.6brpm) and ‘mounted patrol’ (8.5 ± 1.9brpm). CONCLUSION: Mounted police officers experience unique physiological challenges throughout their routine occupational tasks. This study highlights the significance of understanding occupation-specific tasks and stressors undertaken by mounted police to develop relevant conditioning, rehabilitation, and monitoring procedures.</p

Doppler-Free Spectroscopy of Weak Transitions: An Analytical Model Applied to Formaldehyde

Experimental observation of Doppler-free signals for weak transitions can be greatly facilitated by an estimate for their expected amplitudes. We derive an analytical model which allows the Doppler-free amplitude to be estimated for small Doppler-free signals. Application of this model to formaldehyde allows the amplitude of experimentally observed Doppler-free signals to be reproduced to within the experimental error.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures, 1 table, v2: many small improvements + corrected line assignmen

Mental health correlates of autism spectrum disorder in gender diverse young people: Evidence from a specialised child and adolescent gender clinic in Australia

Research suggests an overrepresentation of autism spectrum diagnoses (ASD) or autistic traits in gender diverse samples, particularly in children and adolescents. Using data from the GENTLE (GENder identiTy Longitudinal Experience) Cohort at the Gender Diversity Service at the Perth Children’s Hospital, the primary objective of the current retrospective chart review was to explore psychopathology and quality of life in gender diverse children with co-occurring ASD relative to gender diverse children and adolescents without ASD. The Social Responsiveness Scale (Second Edition) generates a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) score indicating a likely clinical ASD diagnosis, which was used to partition participants into two groups (indicated ASD, n = 19) (no ASD indicated, n = 60). Indicated ASD was far higher than would be expected compared to general population estimates. Indicated ASD on the Social Responsiveness Scale 2 (SRS 2) was also a significant predictor of Internalising behaviours (Anxious/Depressed, Withdrawn/Depressed, Somatic Complaints, Thought Problems subscales) on the Youth Self Report. Indicated ASD was also a significant predictor of scores on all subscales of the Paediatric Quality of Life Inventory. The current findings indicate that gender diverse children and adolescents with indicated ASD comprise an especially vulnerable group that are at marked risk of mental health difficulties, particularly internalising disorders, and poor quality of life outcomes. Services working with gender diverse young people should screen for ASD, and also provide pathways to appropriate care for the commonly associated mental health difficulties

Competition between quantum-liquid and electron-solid phases in intermediate Landau levels

On the basis of energy calculations we investigate the competition between quantum-liquid and electron-solid phases in the Landau levels n=1,2, and 3 as a function of their partial filling factor. Whereas the quantum-liquid phases are stable only in the vicinity of quantized values 1/(2s+1) of the partial filling factor, an electron solid in the form of a triangular lattice of clusters with a few number of electrons (bubble phase) is energetically favorable between these fillings. This alternation of electron-solid phases, which are insulating because they are pinned by the residual impurities in the sample, and quantum liquids displaying the fractional quantum Hall effect explains a recently observed reentrance of the integral quantum Hall effect in the Landau levels n=1 and 2. Around half-filling of the last Landau level, a uni-directional charge density wave (stripe phase) has a lower energy than the bubble phase.Comment: 12 pages, 9 figures; calculation of exact exchange potential for n=1,2,3 included, energies of electron-solid phases now calculated with the help of the exact potential, and discussion of approximation include

Acceptance and Use of E-Learning Based on Cloud Computing: The Role of Consumer Innovativeness

Cloud computing and E-learning are the inevitable trend of computational science in general, and information systems and technologies in specific.However, there are not many studies on the adoption of cloud-based E-learning systems. Moreover, while there are many papers on information system adoption as well as customer innovativeness, the innovativeness and adoption in the same model seems to be rare in the literature. The study combines the extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) and consumer innovativeness on the adoption of E-learning systems based on cloud computing. A survey was conducted among 282 cloud-based E-learning participants and analyzed by structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings indicate that the adoption of cloud-based E-learning is influenced by performance expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, and habit. Interestingly, although innovativeness is not significant to use intention, it has a positive effect on E-learning usage which is relatively new in Vietnam

What Drives Fitness Apps Usage? An Empirical Evaluation

Part 3: Creating Value through ApplicationsInternational audienceThe increased health problems associated with lack of physical activity is of great concern around the world. Mobile phone based fitness applications appear to be a cost effective promising solution for this problem. The aim of this study is to develop a research model that can broaden understanding of the factors that influence the user acceptance of mobile fitness apps. Drawing from Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), we conceptualize the antecedents and moderating factors of fitness app use. We validate our model using field survey. Implications for research and practice are discussed

HI in the Outskirts of Nearby Galaxies

The HI in disk galaxies frequently extends beyond the optical image, and can trace the dark matter there. I briefly highlight the history of high spatial resolution HI imaging, the contribution it made to the dark matter problem, and the current tension between several dynamical methods to break the disk-halo degeneracy. I then turn to the flaring problem, which could in principle probe the shape of the dark halo. Instead, however, a lot of attention is now devoted to understanding the role of gas accretion via galactic fountains. The current $\rm \Lambda$ cold dark matter theory has problems on galactic scales, such as the core-cusp problem, which can be addressed with HI observations of dwarf galaxies. For a similar range in rotation velocities, galaxies of type Sd have thin disks, while those of type Im are much thicker. After a few comments on modified Newtonian dynamics and on irregular galaxies, I close with statistics on the HI extent of galaxies.Comment: 38 pages, 17 figures, invited review, book chapter in "Outskirts of Galaxies", Eds. J. H. Knapen, J. C. Lee and A. Gil de Paz, Astrophysics and Space Science Library, Springer, in pres

Fluctuations, dissipation and the dynamical Casimir effect

Vacuum fluctuations provide a fundamental source of dissipation for systems coupled to quantum fields by radiation pressure. In the dynamical Casimir effect, accelerating neutral bodies in free space give rise to the emission of real photons while experiencing a damping force which plays the role of a radiation reaction force. Analog models where non-stationary conditions for the electromagnetic field simulate the presence of moving plates are currently under experimental investigation. A dissipative force might also appear in the case of uniform relative motion between two bodies, thus leading to a new kind of friction mechanism without mechanical contact. In this paper, we review recent advances on the dynamical Casimir and non-contact friction effects, highlighting their common physical origin.Comment: 39 pages, 4 figures. Review paper to appear in Lecture Notes in Physics, Volume on Casimir Physics, edited by Diego Dalvit, Peter Milonni, David Roberts, and Felipe da Rosa. Minor changes, a reference adde