8,906 research outputs found
Exact metric around a wiggly cosmic string
The exact metric around a wiggly cosmic string is found by modifying the
energy momentum-tensor of a straight infinitely thin cosmic string to include
an electric current along the symmetry axis.Comment: 5 page
Black hole formation from massive scalar fields
It is shown that there exists a range of parameters in which gravitational
collapse with a spherically symmetric massive scalar field can be treated as if
it were collapsing dust. This implies a criterion for the formation of black
holes depending on the size and mass of the initial field configuration and the
mass of the scalar field.Comment: 11 pages, RevTeX, 3 eps figures. Submitted to Class. Quantum Gra
Incorporating parent, former patient, and clinician perspectives in the design of a national UK double-cluster, randomised controlled trial addressing uncertainties in preterm nutrition
Background: Comparative effectiveness randomised controlled trials are powerful tools to resolve uncertainties in existing treatments and care processes. We sought parent and patient perspectives on the design of a planned national, double-cluster randomised controlled trial (COLLABORATE) to resolve two longstanding uncertainties in preterm nutrition. Methods: We used qualitative focus groups and interviews with parents, former patients and clinicians. We followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist and conducted framework analysis, a specific methodology within thematic analysis. Results: We identified support for the trialâs methodology and vision, and elicited themes illustrating parentsâ emotional needs in relation to clinical research. These were: relieving the pressure on mothers to breastfeed; opt-out consent as reducing parent stress; the desire for research to be a partnership between clinicians, parents and researchers; the value of presenting trial information in a collaborative tone; and in a format that allows assimilation by parents at their own pace. We identified anxiety and cognitive dissonance among some clinicians in which they recognised the uncertainties that justify the trial but felt unable to participate because of their strongly held views. Conclusions: The early involvement of parents and former patients identified the centrality of parentsâ emotional needs in the design of comparative effectiveness research. These insights have been incorporated into trial enrolment processes and information provided to participants. Specific outputs were a two-sided leaflet providing very brief as well as more detailed information, and use of language that parents perceive as inclusive and participatory. Further work is warranted to support clinicians to address personal biases that inhibit trial participation
Modulation of cognitive performance and mood by aromas of peppermint and ylang-ylang
This study provides further evidence for the impact of the aromas of plant essential oils on aspects of cognition and mood in healthy participants. One hundred and forty-four volunteers were randomly assigned to conditions of ylang-ylang aroma, peppermint aroma, or no aroma control. Cognitive performance was assessed using the Cognitive Drug Research computerized assessment battery, with mood scales completed before and after cognitive testing. The analysis of the data revealed significant differences between conditions on a number of the factors underpinning the tests that constitute the battery. Peppermint was found to enhance memory whereas ylang-ylang impaired it, and lengthened processing speed. In terms of subjective mood peppermint increased alertness and ylang-ylang decreased it, but significantly increased calmness. These results provide support for the contention that the aromas of essential oils can produce significant and idiosyncratic effects on both subjective and objective assessments of aspects of human behavior. They are discussed with reference to possible pharmacological and psychological modes of influence
Memory Effects in Turbulent Dynamo: Generation and Propagation of Large Scale Magnetic Field
We are concerned with large scale magnetic field dynamo generation and
propagation of magnetic fronts in turbulent electrically conducting fluids. An
effective equation for the large scale magnetic field is developed here that
takes into account the finite correlation times of the turbulent flow. This
equation involves the memory integrals corresponding to the dynamo source term
describing the alpha-effect and turbulent transport of magnetic field. We find
that the memory effects can drastically change the dynamo growth rate, in
particular, non-local turbulent transport might increase the growth rate
several times compared to the conventional gradient transport expression.
Moreover, the integral turbulent transport term leads to a large decrease of
the speed of magnetic front propagation.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figure
Cosmological Sphaleron from Real Tunneling and Its Fate
We show that the cosmological sphaleron of Einstein-Yang-Mills system can be
produced from real tunneling geometries. The sphaleron will tend to roll down
to the vacuum or pure gauge field configuration, when the universe evolves in
the Lorentzian signature region with the sphaleron and the corresponding
hypersurface being the initial data for the Yang-Mills field and the universe,
respectively. However, we can also show that the sphaleron, although unstable,
can be regarded as a pseudo-stable solution because its lifetime is even much
greater than those of the universe.Comment: 20 pages, LaTex, article 12pt style, TIT/HEP-242/COSMO-3
Physics of brain dynamics: Fokker-Planck analysis reveals changes in EEG delta-theta interactions in anaesthesia
We use drift and diffusion coefficients to reveal interactions between different oscillatory processes underlying a complex signal and apply the method to EEG delta and theta frequencies in the brain. By analysis of data recorded from rats during anaesthesia, we consider the stability and basins of attraction of fixed points in the phase portrait of the deterministic part of the retrieved stochastic process. We show that different classes of dynamics are associated with deep and light anaesthesia, and we demonstrate that the predominant directionality of the interaction is such that theta drives delt
Boundary conditions and the entropy bound
The entropy-to-energy bound is examined for a quantum scalar field confined
to a cavity and satisfying Robin condition on the boundary of the cavity. It is
found that near certain points in the space of the parameter defining the
boundary condition the lowest eigenfrequency (while non-zero) becomes
arbitrarily small. Estimating, according to Bekenstein and Schiffer, the ratio
by the -function, , we compute
explicitly and find that it is not bounded near those points that signals
violation of the bound. We interpret our results as imposing certain
constraints on the value of the boundary interaction and estimate the forbidden
region in the parameter space of the boundary conditions.Comment: 16 pages, latex, v2: typos corrected, to appear in Phys.Rev.
Elephants classify human ethnic groups by odor and garment color
Animals can benefit from classifying predators or other dangers into categories, tailoring their escape strategies to the type and nature of the risk. Studies of alarm vocalizations have revealed various levels of sophistication in classification [1-5]. In many taxa, reactions to danger are inflexible, but some species can learn the level of threat presented by the local population of a predator [6-8] or by specific, recognizable individuals [9-10]. Some species distinguish several species of predator, giving differentiated warning calls and escape reactions; here we explore an animalâs classification of sub-groups within a species. We show that elephants distinguish at least two Kenyan ethnic groups, and can identify them by olfactory and color cues independently. In the Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya, Maasai warriors demonstrate virility by spearing elephants (Loxodonta africana), but Kamba agriculturalists pose little threat. Elephants showed greater fear when they detected the scent of garments previously worn by Maasai than by Kamba men, and reacted aggressively to the color associated with Maasai warriors. Elephants are therefore able to classify members of a single species into sub-groups that pose different degrees of danger
A useful form of the recurrence relation between relativistic atomic matrix elements of radial powers
Recently obtained recurrence formulae for relativistic hydrogenic radial
matrix elements are cast in a simpler and perhaps more useful form. This is
achieved with the help of a new relation between the and the
terms ( is a Dirac matrix and are constants) in the
atomic matrix elements.Comment: 7 pages, no figure
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