Fast quadrature techniques for retarded potentials based on TT/QTT tensor approximation

We consider the Galerkin approach for the numerical solution of retarded boundary integral formulations of the three dimensional wave equation in unbounded domains. Recently smooth and compactly supported basis functions in time were introduced which allow the use of standard quadrature rules in order to compute the entries of the boundary element matrix. In this paper we use TT and QTT tensor approximations to increase the effciency of these quadrature rules. Various numerical experiments show the substantial reduction of the computational cost that is needed to obtain accurate approximations for the arising integrals

Adversity, emotion, and resilience among Syrian refugees in the Netherlands

BACKGROUND: Syrian refugees comprise the vast majority of refugees in the Netherlands. Although some research has been carried out on factors promoting refugee resilience, there have been few empirical studies on the resilience of Syrian refugees. METHOD: We used a qualitative method to understand adversity, emotion, and the factors contributing to resilience in Syrian refugees. We interviewed eighteen adult Syrian refugees residing in the Netherlands and used thematic analysis to identify the themes. RESULTS: We identified themes and organized them into three main parts describing the challenges (pre and post-resettlement), key emotions pertaining to those experiences, and resilience factors. We found six primary protective factors internally and externally promoting participants' resilience: future orientation, coping strategies, social support, opportunities, religiosity, and cultural identity. In addition, positive emotions constituted a key feature of refugees’ resilience. CONCLUSION: The results highlight the challenges and emotions in each stage of the Syrian refugees’ journey and the multitude of factors affecting their resilience. Our findings on religiosity and maintaining cultural identity suggest that resilience can be enhanced on a cultural level. So it is worth noting these aspects when designing prevention or intervention programs for Syrian refugees. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-022-00963-w

Gluon propagator in diffractive scattering

In this work, we perform a comparison of the employ of distinct gluon propagators with the experimental data in diffractive processes, $pp$ elastic scattering and light meson photo-production. The gluon propagators are calculated through non-perturbative methods, being justified their use in this class of events, due to the smallness of the momentum transfer. Our results are not able to select the best choice for the modified gluon propagator among the analyzed ones, showing that the application of this procedure in this class of high energy processes, although giving a reasonable fit to the experimental data, should be taken with same caution.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Int. J. Mod. Phys. A (uses ws-ijmpa.cls). Authors correcte

Older persons' perceptions of general practitioner or specialist primary care physicians : same point of view?

BACKGROUND: Identification of a Primary Care Physician (PCP) by older patients is considered as essential for the coordination of care, but the extent to which identified PCPs are general practitioners or specialists is unknown. This study described older patients' experiences with their PCP and tested the hypothesis of differences between patients who identify a specialist as their PCP (SP PCP) and those who turn to a general practitioner (GP PCP). METHODS: In 2012, a cross-sectional postal survey on care was conducted in the 68+ year old population of the canton of Vaud. Data was provided by 2,276 participants in the ongoing Lausanne cohort 65+ (Lc65+), a study of those born between 1934 and 1943, and by 998 persons from an additional sample drawn to include the population outside of Lausanne or born before 1934. RESULTS: Participants expressed favourable perceptions, at rates exceeding 75% for most items. However, only 38% to 51% responded positively for out-of-hours availability, easy access and at home visits, likelihood of prescribing expensive medication if needed, and doctors' awareness of over-the-counter drugs. 12.0% had an SP PCP, in 95.9% specialised in a discipline implying training in internal medicine. Bivariate and multivariate analyses did not result in significant differences between GP and SP PCPs regarding perceptions of accessibility/availability, doctor-patient relationship, information and continuity of care, prevention, spontaneous use of the emergency department or ambulatory care utilisation. CONCLUSIONS: Experiences of old patients were mostly positive despite some lack in reported hearing, memory testing, and colorectal cancer screening. We found no differences between GP and SP PCP groups

Radion production in exclusive processes at CERN LHC

In the Randall-Sundrum (RS) scenario the compactification radius of the extra dimension is stabilized by the radion, which is a scalar field lighter than the graviton Kaluza-Klein states. It implies that the detection of the radion will be the first signature of the stabilized RS model. In this paper we study the exclusive production of the radion in electromagnetic and diffractive hadron - hadron collisions at the LHC. Our results demonstrate that the diffractive production of radion is dominant and should be feasible of study at CERN LHC.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Damping of electromagnetic waves due to electron-positron pair production

The problem of the backreaction during the process of electron-positron pair production by a circularly polarized electromagnetic wave propagating in a plasma is investigated. A model based on the relativistic Boltzmann-Vlasov equation with a source term corresponding to the Schwinger formula for the pair creation rate is used. The damping of the wave, the nonlinear up-shift of its frequency due to the plasma density increase and the effect of the damping on the wave polarization and on the background plasma acceleration are investigated as a function of the wave amplitude.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures; revtex

The ontogeny of human laughter

Human adult laughter is characterized by vocal bursts produced predominantly during exhalation, yet apes laugh while exhaling and inhaling. The current study investigated our hypothesis that laughter of human infants changes from laughter similar to that of apes to increasingly resemble that of human adults over early development. We further hypothesized that the more laughter is produced on the exhale, the more positively it is perceived. To test these predictions, novice (n = 102) and expert (phonetician, n = 15) listeners judged the extent to which human infant laughter (n = 44) was produced during inhalation or exhalation, and the extent to which they found the laughs pleasant and contagious. Support was found for both hypotheses, which were further confirmed in two pre-registered replication studies. Likely through social learning and the anatomical development of the vocal production system, infants' initial ape-like laughter transforms into laughter similar to that of adult humans over the course of ontogeny

Quantum simulator for the Schwinger effect with atoms in bi-chromatic optical lattices

Ultra-cold atoms in specifically designed optical lattices can be used to mimic the many-particle Hamiltonian describing electrons and positrons in an external electric field. This facilitates the experimental simulation of (so far unobserved) fundamental quantum phenomena such as the Schwinger effect, i.e., spontaneous electron-positron pair creation out of the vacuum by a strong electric field.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; minor corrections and improvements in text and in figures; references adde