Observational Aspects of Symmetries of the Neutral B Meson System

We revisit various results, which have been obtained by the BABAR and Belle Collaborations over the last twelve years, concerning symmetry properties of the Hamiltonian, which governs the time evolution and the decay of neutral B mesons.We find that those measurements, which established CP violation in B meson decay, 12 years ago, had as well established T (time-reversal) symmetry violation. They also confirmed CPT symmetry in the decay (T_CPT = 0) and symmetry with respect to time-reversal (epsilon? = 0) and to CPT (delta? = 0) in the B0 ?B0bar oscillation.Comment: Original arguments and conclusions unchanged. Relation to other work explained in more detail. 2 references adde

Efficient Surface-Aware Semi-Global Matching with Multi-View Plane-Sweep Sampling

Online augmentation of an oblique aerial image sequence with structural information is an essential aspect in the process of 3D scene interpretation and analysis. One key aspect in this is the efficient dense image matching and depth estimation. Here, the Semi-Global Matching (SGM) approach has proven to be one of the most widely used algorithms for efficient depth estimation, providing a good trade-off between accuracy and computational complexity. However, SGM only models a first-order smoothness assumption, thus favoring fronto-parallel surfaces. In this work, we present a hierarchical algorithm that allows for efficient depth and normal map estimation together with confidence measures for each estimate. Our algorithm relies on a plane-sweep multi-image matching followed by an extended SGM optimization that allows to incorporate local surface orientations, thus achieving more consistent and accurate estimates in areasmade up of slanted surfaces, inherent to oblique aerial imagery. We evaluate numerous configurations of our algorithm on two different datasets using an absolute and relative accuracy measure. In our evaluation, we show that the results of our approach are comparable to the ones achieved by refined Structure-from-Motion (SfM) pipelines, such as COLMAP, which are designed for offline processing. In contrast, however, our approach only considers a confined image bundle of an input sequence, thus allowing to perform an online and incremental computation at 1Hz–2Hz

CROSS-DB: a feature-extended multidimensional data model for statistical and scientific databases

Statistical and scientific computing applications exhibit characteristics that are fundamentally different from classical database system application domains. The CROSS-DB data model presented in this paper is optimized for use in such applications by providing advanced data modelling methods and application-oriented query facilities, thus providing a framework for optimized data management procedures. CROSS-DB (which stands for Classification-oriented, Redundancy-based Optimization of Statistical and Scientific DataBases) is based on a multidimensional data view. The model differs from other approaches by o~ering two complementary rnechanisrnsfor structuring qualifying information, classification and feature description. Using these mechanisms results in a normalized, low-dimensional database schema which ensures both, modelling uniqueness and understandability while providing enhanced modelling flexibility

Is an App Better than an Email? Developing Trust in a Mobile Financial Advisory Service - Design and Evaluation of a Prototype

Private banks see great potential in digital technologies for engaging with clients. Both practitioners and researchers believe that digital technologies, such as mobile applications, increase transparency in the advisory process and consequently raise trust, satisfaction and customer loyalty. This study proposes 5 design requirements (DR) for developing trust in a mobile financial advisory service. A first prototype was designed following the proposed DR. In addition, we conduct an experimental evaluation with 34 participants and compare the prototype with email communication. The findings provide mixed results on how a mobile application, designed according to the proposed DR, could increase trust and intention to use. With regard to overall satisfaction, the app was favored over email communication

Seasonal changes in energy expenditure, body temperature and activity patterns in llamas (Lama glama)

The authors thank Knut Salzmann und Arne Oppermann for technical help and for taking care of the animals and Anna Stölzl for help with the administering of the ruminal unit of the telemetry system. The study was supported by a grant from the German Research Foundation (DFG) to A.R. (RI 1796/3-1).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Novel treatment strategies for chronic kidney disease: insights from the animal kingdom

Many of the >2 million animal species that inhabit Earth have developed survival mechanisms that aid in the prevention of obesity, kidney disease, starvation, dehydration and vascular ageing; however, some animals remain susceptible to these complications. Domestic and captive wild felids, for example, show susceptibility to chronic kidney disease (CKD), potentially linked to the high protein intake of these animals. By contrast, naked mole rats are a model of longevity and are protected from extreme environmental conditions through mechanisms that provide resistance to oxidative stress. Biomimetic studies suggest that the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) offers protection in extreme environmental conditions and promotes longevity in the animal kingdom. Similarly, during months of fasting, immobilization and anuria, hibernating bears are protected from muscle wasting, azotaemia, thrombotic complications, organ damage and osteoporosis - features that are often associated with CKD. Improved understanding of the susceptibility and protective mechanisms of these animals and others could provide insights into novel strategies to prevent and treat several human diseases, such as CKD and ageing-associated complications. An integrated collaboration between nephrologists and experts from other fields, such as veterinarians, zoologists, biologists, anthropologists and ecologists, could introduce a novel approach for improving human health and help nephrologists to find novel treatment strategies for CKD