Higher-order Lorentz-invariance violation, quantum gravity and fine-tuning

The issue of Lorentz fine-tuning in effective theories containing higher-order operators is studied. To this end, we focus on the Myers-Pospelov extension of QED with dimension-five operators in the photon sector and standard fermions. We compute the fermion self-energy at one-loop order considering its even and odd $CPT$ contributions. In the even sector we find small radiative corrections to the usual parameters of QED which also turn to be finite. In the odd sector the axial operator is shown to contain unsuppressed effects of Lorentz violation leading to a possible fine-tuning. We use dimensional regularization to deal with the divergencies and a generic preferred four-vector. Taking the first steps in the renormalization procedure for Lorentz violating theories we arrive to acceptable small corrections allowing to set the bound $\xi<6 \times10^{-3}$.Comment: 11 pages, new version with the correct pole extractio

Effect of temperature and salinity on the hatching of eggs and larval development of sugpo, Penaeus monodon

Abstract only.Incubation of Penaeus monodon eggs and rearing of different larval stages were undertaken at nine temperature-salinity combinations. The eggs, nauplii, zoea and mysis from one spawner kept as stock culture at ambient temperatures of 26-30°C and salinity of 32-33 ppt were exposed to temperature levels of 23, 28 and 33°C and salinity levels of 23, 28 and 33 ppt. Eggs and nauplii survived the sudden change of temperature and salinity (from ambient to experimental) but the zoea and mysis did not. However, salinities of 23 and 28 ppt in combination with any of the temperature levels produced weak larvae. Highest mean hatching rate was obtained at the temperature-salinity combination of 23°C-33 ppt, followed by 28°C-33 ppt and 33°C-33 ppt. Incubation periods for these treatments were 22, 16 and 14 hr, respectively. Survival rate of nauplius (taken from stock cultures) to first zoeal stage was highest at 28°C-33 ppt, followed by 33°C-33 ppt and 23°C-33 ppt with molting time of 50, 45 and 75 hr, respectively. The nauplii exposed to 33°C-33 ppt molted to zoea stage within 38 to 40 hr but later died. Those exposed to 23°C-33 ppt and 28°C-33 ppt reached zoea stage within 57 to 60 hr and 48 to 50 hr, respectively. Similarly, the nauplii taken from the stock cultures and reared until postlarval stage (P1) under experimental conditions completed the zoea and mysis stages in 9 to 11 days at 28°C C-33 ppt, 7 to 9 days at 33°C-33 ppt, and 13 to 15 days at 23°C-33 ppt. Statistical analysis showed that salinity had highly significant effect on rates of hatching of eggs and survival from nauplius to first zoeal stage but not temperature although the latter had an apparent effect. However, both factors affected time of hatching of eggs and time of molting from nauplius to zoea. Interaction effect was significant only on rate and time of hatching. Different sources (spawners) of eggs and nauplii did not have significant effect on time of hatching and molting from nauplius to zoea, but significantly affected the hatching rate of eggs and survival rate of nauplii to zoea stage

Optimal Portfolio Using a Genetic Algorithm

Distributing the amount of money to invest in each stock of a portfolio, while maximizing profit and minimizing risk is key. This project applied the method of a genetic algorithm in order to select an optimal portfolio. A genetic algorithm generates solutions to optimization problems using techniques inspired by natural evolution. A five stock, five years’ portfolio was utilized in order to demonstrate the efficiency of a genetic algorithm. The most important steps of this method were the fitness function and the crossover. The fitness function is a formula that determined the effectiveness of the portfolio distribution; it returned a value for each portfolio distribution and the higher the value the better the distribution. The fitness function allowed us to rank and sort the generated distributions. Then, the crossover was performed in order to see how the genetic algorithm converges towards the optimal solution. The best portfolio distributions, according to the fitness function, were used for the crossover in order to generate even better distributions. Crossover was executed a couple of times by generating new generations of distributions, until the best distribution was produced. The best distribution produced a twenty-five percent average return and its computing time was eleven minutes

[Review of] Juan Flores. Divided Borders: Essays all Puerto Rican Identity

Juan Flores makes an important contribution to the literature on the Puerto Rican experience with his new book, Divided Borders: Essays all Puerto Rican Identity. The essays are exemplary of a serious exploration of the Puerto Rican identity as it has been defined and portrayed by a variety of writers, popular movements, and social movements

How important is adapting regional climatic projections to the local environment? A procedure for microclimatic corrections makes the difference for crop growth in a virtual experiment

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