28 research outputs found
Sums and differences of four k-th powers
We prove an upper bound for the number of representations of a positive
integer as the sum of four -th powers of integers of size at most ,
using a new version of the Determinant method developed by Heath-Brown, along
with recent results by Salberger on the density of integral points on affine
surfaces. More generally we consider representations by any integral diagonal
form. The upper bound has the form , whereas earlier
versions of the Determinant method would produce an exponent for of order
in this case. Furthermore, we prove that the number of
representations of a positive integer as a sum of four -th powers of
non-negative integers is at most for
, improving upon bounds by Wisdom.Comment: 18 pages. Mistake corrected in the statement of Theorem 1.2. To
appear in Monatsh. Mat
A generalization of the Bombieri-Pila determinant method
The so-called determinant method was developed by Bombieri and Pila in 1989
for counting integral points of bounded height on affine plane curves. In this
paper we give a generalization of that method to varieties of higher dimension,
yielding a proof of Heath-Brown's 'Theorem 14' by real-analytic considerations
alone.Comment: 13 page
Grasping the changes seen in older adults when reaching for objects of varied texture.
Old age is associated with reduced mobility of the hand. To investigate age related decline when reaching-to-lift an object we used sophisticated kinematic apparatus to record reaches carried out by healthy older and younger participants. Three objects of different widths were placed at three different distances, with objects having either a high or low friction surface (i.e. rough or slippery). Older participants showed quantitative differences to their younger counterparts - movements were slower and peak speed did not scale with object distance. There were also qualitative differences with older adults showing a greater propensity to stop the hand and adjust finger position before lifting objects. The older participants particularly struggled to lift wide slippery objects, apparently due to an inability to manipulate their grasp to provide the level of precision necessary to functionally enclose the object. These data shed light on the nature of age related changes in reaching-to-grasp movements and establish a powerful technique for exploring how different product designs will impact on prehensile behavior