110 research outputs found
Statistical mechanics of Fofonoff flows in an oceanic basin
We study the minimization of potential enstrophy at fixed circulation and
energy in an oceanic basin with arbitrary topography. For illustration, we
consider a rectangular basin and a linear topography h=by which represents
either a real bottom topography or the beta-effect appropriate to oceanic
situations. Our minimum enstrophy principle is motivated by different arguments
of statistical mechanics reviewed in the article. It leads to steady states of
the quasigeostrophic (QG) equations characterized by a linear relationship
between potential vorticity q and stream function psi. For low values of the
energy, we recover Fofonoff flows [J. Mar. Res. 13, 254 (1954)] that display a
strong westward jet. For large values of the energy, we obtain geometry induced
phase transitions between monopoles and dipoles similar to those found by
Chavanis and Sommeria [J. Fluid Mech. 314, 267 (1996)] in the absence of
topography. In the presence of topography, we recover and confirm the results
obtained by Venaille and Bouchet [Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 104501 (2009)] using a
different formalism. In addition, we introduce relaxation equations towards
minimum potential enstrophy states and perform numerical simulations to
illustrate the phase transitions in a rectangular oceanic basin with linear
topography (or beta-effect).Comment: 26 pages, 28 figure
Review Section : Nature/Nurture Revisited I
Biologically oriented approaches to the study of human conflict have thus far been limited largely to the study of aggression. A sample of the literature on this topic is reviewed, drawing upon four major approaches: comparative psychology, ethology (including some popularized accounts), evolutionary-based theories, and several areas of human physiology. More sophisticated relationships between so-called "innate" and "acquired" determinants of behavior are discussed, along with the proper relevance of animal behavior studies for human behavior. Unless contained in a comprehensive theory which includes social and psychological variables, biolog ically oriented theories (although often valid within their domain) offer at best severely limited and at worst highly misleading explanations of complex social conflicts. The review concludes with a list of several positive contributions of these biological approaches and suggests that social scientists must become more knowledgeable about them.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68270/2/10.1177_002200277401800206.pd
Interactive simulated annealing for solving imprecise discrete multiattribute problems under risk
Measurement of the ttbar Production Cross Section in ppbar collisions at sqrt s = 1.96 TeV in the All Hadronic Decay Mode
We report a measurement of the ttbar production cross section using the
CDF-II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. The analysis is performed using 311
pb-1 of ppbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. The data consist of events
selected with six or more hadronic jets with additional kinematic requirements.
At least one of these jets must be identified as a b-quark jet by the
reconstruction of a secondary vertex. The cross section is measured to be
sigma(tbart)=7.5+-2.1(stat.)+3.3-2.2(syst.)+0.5-0.4(lumi.) pb, which is
consistent with the standard model prediction.Comment: By CDF collaboratio
Energy referencing of Auger electron spectra from charging samples by implanted inert gas spectra
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The role of gallium sulfide in SrS:Ce grain growth
Whereas efficient red (ZnS:Mn) and green (ZnS:Tb) phosphors are available for full-color flat-panel display technology, efficient blue phosphors are still under development. SrS:Ce is being investigated as a suitable material. As part of a larger study, annealed SrS:Ce films produced from sputter targets incorporating Ga{sub 2}S{sub 3} were found to be five times brighter than films produced from targets containing no Ga{sub 2}S{sub 3}. Consequently, the significance of added gallium sulfide to the morphology of SrS:Ce films during annealing is being investigated. Following deposition, plan view specimens of films were prepared for transmission electron microscopy by mechanical grinding, dimpling, and Ar{sup +} milling. Films were examined in a Philips CM12, and a JEOL 200CX. Additionally, EDS line scans were obtained in the scanning-transmission mode of a Philips CM200FEG, integrated with an EMiSPEC Vision acquisition system. The EDS line scans were defined as a series of 40 points along a line, spaced approximately 3.6 nm apart. The dwell time for EDS acquisition at each point was 10 sec. It was found that the addition of Ga{sub 2}S{sub 3} increases the brightness of SrS:Ce films by enhancing grain growth during annealing. Also being investigated is the possibility that Ga{sub 2}S{sub 3}, either as a sub-sulfide or as a source of Ga, is involved in a liquid-phase sintering mechanism, which would account for the increased grain growth observed after annealing
Local genetic and environmental factors in asthma disease pathogenesis: chronicity and persistence mechanisms
While asthma is an inflammatory disorder of the airways usually associated with atopy, an important additional component is involvement of the epithelium and underlying mesenchyme acting as a trophic unit (EMTU). In addition to allergens, a wide range of environmental factors interact with the EMTU, such as virus infections, environmental tobacco smoke and pollutants, to initiate tissue damage and aberrant repair responses that are translated into remodelling of the airways. While candidate gene association studies have revealed polymorphic variants that influence asthmatic inflammation, positional cloning of previously unknown genes is identifying a high proportion of novel genes in the EMTU. Dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP) 10 and disintegrin and metalloproteinase (ADAM)33 are newly identified genes strongly associated with asthma that are preferentially expressed in the airway epithelium and underlying mesenchyme, respectively. Also of increasing importance is the recognition that genes associated with asthma and atopy have important interactions with the environment through epigenetic mechanisms that influence their expression. This type of research will not only identify biomarkers of different types of asthma across the full range of phenotypic expression, but will also identify novel therapeutic targets that could influence the natural history of the heterogenes lung disease
Variant LTC<sub>4</sub> synthase allele modifies cysteinyl leukotriene synthesis in eosinophils and predicts clinical response to zafirlukast
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