1,772 research outputs found
Facial Cosmetics Have Little Effect on Attractiveness Judgments Compared with Identity
The vast majority of women in modern societies use facial cosmetics, which modify facial cues to attractiveness. However, the size of this increase remains unclear - how much more attractive are individuals after an application of cosmetics? Here, we utilised a 'new statistics' approach, calculating the effect size of cosmetics on attractiveness using a within-subjects design, and compared this with the effect size due to identity - that is, the inherent differences in attractiveness between people. Women were photographed with and without cosmetics, and these images were rated for attractiveness by a second group of participants. The proportion of variance in attractiveness explained by identity was much greater than the variance within models due to cosmetics. This result was unchanged after statistically controlling for the perceived amount of cosmetics that each model used. Although cosmetics increase attractiveness, the effect is small, and the benefits of cosmetics may be inflated in everyday thinking. © 2015, Pion Limited. All rights reserved
Structural network heterogeneities and network dynamics: a possible dynamical mechanism for hippocampal memory reactivation
The hippocampus has the capacity for reactivating recently acquired memories
[1-3] and it is hypothesized that one of the functions of sleep reactivation is
the facilitation of consolidation of novel memory traces [4-11]. The dynamic
and network processes underlying such a reactivation remain, however, unknown.
We show that such a reactivation characterized by local, self-sustained
activity of a network region may be an inherent property of the recurrent
excitatory-inhibitory network with a heterogeneous structure. The entry into
the reactivation phase is mediated through a physiologically feasible
regulation of global excitability and external input sources, while the
reactivated component of the network is formed through induced network
heterogeneities during learning. We show that structural changes needed for
robust reactivation of a given network region are well within known
physiological parameters [12,13].Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure
The Effect of N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) on Bax and Mcl-1 Expression in Human Neutrophils
In the present study we examined a role of pro-apoptotic Bax and anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 proteins, participating in the regulation of intrinsic apoptosis pathway in human neutrophils (PMNs) exposed to N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), the environmental xenobiotic. For the purpose comparison, the same studies were conducted in autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The production of cytochrome c by PMNs was also determined. A deficit of anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 and overexpression of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax suggest that the apoptosis process in human neutrophils exposed to NDMA is dependent on changes in the expression of these proteins. PMNs were more sensitive to NDMA than PBMCs
Beyond Control-Flow: Extending Business Process Configuration to Roles and Objects
A configurable process model is an integrated representation of multiple variants of a business process. It is designed to be individualized to meet a particular set of requirements. As such, configurable process models promote systematic reuse of proven or common practices. Existing notations for configurable process modeling focus on capturing tasks and control-flow dependencies, neglecting equally important aspects of business processes such as data flow, material flow and resource management. This paper fills this gap by proposing an integrated meta-model for configurable processes with advanced features for capturing resources involved in the performance of tasks (through task-role associations) as well as flow of data and physical artifacts (through task-object associations). Although embodied as an extension of a popular process modeling notation, namely EPC, the meta-model is defined in an abstract and formal manner to make it applicable to other notations
Climate of Earth-Like Planets With and Without Ocean Heat Transport Orbiting a Range of M and K Stars
The mean surface temperature of a planet is now acknowledged as insufficient to surmise its full potential habitability. Advancing our understanding requires exploration with 3D general circulation models (GCMs), which can take into account how gradients and fluxes across a planet's surface influence the distribution of heat, clouds, and the potential for heterogeneous distribution of liquid water. Here we present 3D GCM simulations of the effects of alternative stellar spectra, instellation, model resolution, and ocean heat transport, on the simulated distribution of heat and moisture of an Earth-like planet (ELP)
New Insights into Time Series Analysis III:Setting constraints on period analysis
E-science of photometric data requires automatic procedures and a precise
recognition of periodic patterns to perform science as well as possible on
large data. Analytical equations that enable us to set the best constraints to
properly reduce processing time and hence optimize signal searches play a
crucial role in this matter. These are increasingly important because the
production of unbiased samples from variability indices and statistical
parameters has not been achievable so far. We discuss the constraints used in
periodic signals detection methods as well as the uncertainties in the
estimation of periods and amplitudes. The frequency resolution necessary to
investigate a time series is assessed with a new approach that estimates the
necessary sampling resolution from shifts on the phase diagrams for successive
frequency grid points.We demonstrate the underlying meaning of the oversampling
factor. We reassess the frequency resolutions required to find the variability
periods of EA stars and use the new resolutions to analyse a small sample of EA
up Catalina stars, i.e. EA stars previously classified as having insufficient
number of observations at the eclipses. As a result, the variability periods of
four EA up stars were determined. Moreover, we have a new approach to estimate
the amplitude and period variations. From these estimations information about
the intrinsic variations of the sources are obtained. For a complete
characterization of the light curve signal the period uncertainty and period
variation must be determined. Constraints on periodic signal searches were
analysed and delimited.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figure
Revised ephemeris and orbital period derivative of the supersoft X-ray source CAL 87 based on 34 years of observations
In this study, we present an analysis of over 34 years of observational data
from CAL 87, an eclipsing supersoft X-ray source. The primary aim of our study,
which combines previously analysed measurements as well as unexplored publicly
available datasets, is to examine the orbital period evolution of CAL 87. After
meticulously and consistently determining the eclipse timings, we constructed
an OC (observed minus calculated) diagram using a total of 38 data points.
Our results provide confirmation of a positive derivative in the system's
orbital period, with a determined value of s/s. We observe a noticeable jitter in the eclipse
timings and additionally identify a systematic delay in the X-ray eclipses
compared to those observed in longer wavelengths. We discuss the interplay of
the pertinent factors that could contribute to a positive period derivative and
the inherent variability in the eclipses.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. Accepted to MNRA
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