Chiral perturbation theory in a theta vacuum

We consider chiral perturbation theory (ChPT) with a non-zero theta term. Due to the CP violating term, the vacuum of chiral fields is shifted to a non-trivial element on the SU(N_f) group manifold. The CP violation also provides mixing of different CP eigenstates, between scalar and pseudoscalar, or vector and axialvector operators. We investigate upto O(theta^2) effects on the mesonic two point correlators of ChPT to the one-loop order. We also address the effects of fixing topology, by using saddle point integration in the Fourier transform with respect to theta.Comment: 31 pages, references added, minor corrections, version published in PR

The finite temperature QCD using 2+1 flavors of domain wall fermions at N_t = 8

We study the region of the QCD phase transition using 2+1 flavors of domain wall fermions (DWF) and a $16^3 \times 8$ lattice volume with a fifth dimension of $L_s = 32$. The disconnected light quark chiral susceptibility, quark number susceptibility and the Polyakov loop suggest a chiral and deconfining crossover transition lying between 155 and 185 MeV for our choice of quark mass and lattice spacing. In this region the lattice scale deduced from the Sommer parameter $r_0$ is $a^{-1} \approx 1.3$ GeV, the pion mass is $\approx 300$ MeV and the kaon mass is approximately physical. The peak in the chiral susceptibility implies a pseudo critical temperature $T_c = 171(10)(17)$ MeV where the first error is associated with determining the peak location and the second with our unphysical light quark mass and non-zero lattice spacing. The effects of residual chiral symmetry breaking on the chiral condensate and disconnected chiral susceptibility are studied using several values of the valence $L_s$.Comment: 41 pages, 10 tables, 13 figure

Migration Tactics Of A Long-Distance Migratory Songbird From Across A Continental Breeding Range

Migration strategies in the avian world are often compared at the species level and evaluated relative to general ecology and constraints such as molting and breeding timetables. The advancement of tracking technology provides an opportunity to explore variation in more specific migration tactics within species and their populations as it relates to demographic and environmental factors throughout the annual cycle. We compare migration timing among 4 populations of Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) from across the breeding range using data from light-level geolocators. The date of departure from the breeding grounds and the duration of southbound migration differed among breeding populations, and were more variable for eastern breeding populations compared to western populations farther from the main migration corridor. Despite variation in both timing and distance from the corridor among breeding populations, date of arrival at the major southbound stop in the Llanos of South America remained synchronous, but less so than previously described. Weekly flight distances were highly variable and did not differ among populations. Duration of northbound migration did not differ among populations and was half as long as the southbound migration. Our findings show Bobolink populations breeding near the species’ relatively narrow migration corridor in the southeastern United States were more variable in terms of how they reached the first lengthy stop in the Llanos, suggesting more flexibility in migration tactics. Breeding locations were not associated, however, with the timing or duration of the remainder of their migratory schedule. Our findings support the hypothesis that food resources, both historical and present, drive and also modify the endogenous migration schedule of this flocking species with a split migration

Precision Medicine in Lifestyle Medicine: The Way of the Future?

Precision medicine has captured the imagination of the medical community with visions of therapies precisely targeted to the specific individual’s genetic, biological, social, and environmental profile. However, in practice it has become synonymous with genomic medicine. As such its successes have been limited, with poor predictive or clinical value for the majority of people. It adds little to lifestyle medicine, other than in establishing why a healthy lifestyle is effective in combatting chronic disease. The challenge of lifestyle medicine remains getting people to actually adopt, sustain, and naturalize a healthy lifestyle, and this will require an approach that treats the patient as a person with individual needs and providing them with suitable types of support. The future of lifestyle medicine is holistic and person-centered rather than technological

High Energy Physics from High Performance Computing

We discuss Quantum Chromodynamics calculations using the lattice regulator. The theory of the strong force is a cornerstone of the Standard Model of particle physics. We present USQCD collaboration results obtained on Argonne National Lab's Intrepid supercomputer that deepen our understanding of these fundamental theories of Nature and provide critical support to frontier particle physics experiments and phenomenology.Comment: Proceedings of invited plenary talk given at SciDAC 2009, San Diego, June 14-18, 2009, on behalf of the USQCD collaboratio

DNA charge transport over 34 nm

Molecular wires show promise in nanoscale electronics but the synthesis of uniform, long conductive molecules is a significant challenge. DNA of precise length, by contrast, is easily synthesized, but its conductivity has not been explored over the distances required for nanoscale devices. Here we demonstrate DNA charge transport (CT) over 34 nm in 100-mer monolayers on gold. Multiplexed gold electrodes modified with 100-mer DNA yield sizable electrochemical signals from a distal, covalent Nile Blue redox probe. Significant signal attenuation upon incorporation of a single base pair mismatch demonstrates that CT is DNA-mediated. Efficient cleavage of these 100-mers by a restriction enzyme indicates that the DNA adopts a native conformation that is accessible to protein binding. Similar electron transfer rates are measured through 100-mer and 17-mer monolayers, consistent with rate-limiting electron tunneling through the saturated carbon linker. This DNA-mediated CT distance of 34 nm surpasses most reports of molecular wires

Social cognition

Social cognition concerns the various psychological processes that enable individuals to take advantage of being part of a social group. Of major importance to social cognition are the various social signals that enable us to learn about the world. Such signals include facial expressions, such as fear and disgust, which warn us of danger, and eye gaze direction, which indicate where interesting things can be found. Such signals are particularly important in infant development. Social referencing, for example, refers to the phenomenon in which infants refer to their mothers' facial expressions to determine whether or not to approach a novel object. We can learn a great deal simply by observing others. Much of this signalling seems to happen automatically and unconsciously on the part of both the sender and the receiver. We can learn to fear a stimulus by observing the response of another, in the absence of awareness of that stimulus. By contrast, learning by instruction, rather than observation, does seem to depend upon awareness of the stimulus, since such learning does not generalize to situations where the stimulus is presented subliminally. Learning by instruction depends upon a meta-cognitive process through which both the sender and the receiver recognize that signals are intended to be signals. An example would be the ‘ostensive’ signals that indicate that what follows are intentional communications. Infants learn more from signals that they recognize to be instructive. I speculate that it is this ability to recognize and learn from instructions rather than mere observation which permitted that advanced ability to benefit from cultural learning that seems to be unique to the human race

Indicator based multi-criteria decision support systems for wastewater treatment plants

Data availability: Data will be made available on request.Wastewater treatment plant decision makers face stricter regulations regarding human health protection, environmental preservation, and emissions reduction, meaning they must improve process sustainability and circularity, whilst maintaining economic performance. This creates complex multi-objective problems when operating and selecting technologies to meet these demands, resulting in the development of many decision support systems for the water sector. European Commission publications highlight their ambition for greater levels of sustainability, circularity, and environmental and human health protection, which decision support system implementation should align with to be successful in this region. Following the review of 57 wastewater treatment plant decision support systems, the main function of multi-criteria decision-making tools are technology selection and the optimisation of process operation. A large contrast regarding their aims is found, as process optimisation tools clearly define their goals and indicators used, whilst technology selection procedures often use vague language making it difficult for decision makers to connect selected indicators and resultant outcomes. Several recommendations are made to improve decision support system usage, such as more rigorous indicator selection protocols including participatory selection approaches and expansion of indicators sets, as well as more structured investigation of results including the use of sensitivity or uncertainty analysis, and error quantification.Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme DEEP PURPLE. The H2020 DEEP PURPLE project has received funding from the Bio-based Industries Joint Undertaking (JU) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 837998. The JU receives support from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the Bio-based Industries Consortium