6,353 research outputs found
Comparison of a minimally invasive posterior approach and the standard posterior approach for total hip arthroplasty A prospective and comparative study
Single Machine Scheduling with Release Dates
We consider the scheduling problem of minimizing the average weighted completion time of n jobs with release dates on a single machine. We first study two linear programming relaxations of the problem, one based on a time-indexed formulation, the other on a completiontime formulation. We show their equivalence by proving that a O(n log n) greedy algorithm leads to optimal solutions to both relaxations. The proof relies on the notion of mean busy times of jobs, a concept which enhances our understanding of these LP relaxations. Based on the greedy solution, we describe two simple randomized approximation algorithms, which are guaranteed to deliver feasible schedules with expected objective value within factors of 1.7451 and 1.6853, respectively, of the optimum. They are based on the concept of common and independent a-points, respectively. The analysis implies in particular that the worst-case relative error of the LP relaxations is at most 1.6853, and we provide instances showing that it is at least e/(e - 1) 1.5819. Both algorithms may be derandomized, their deterministic versions running in O(n2 ) time. The randomized algorithms also apply to the on-line setting, in which jobs arrive dynamically over time and one must decide which job to process without knowledge of jobs that will be released afterwards
Random-Based Scheduling: New Approximations and LP Lower Bounds
Three characteristics encountered frequently in real-world machine scheduling are jobs released over time, precedence constraints between jobs, and average performance optimization. The general constrained one-machine scheduling problem to minimize the average weighted completion time not only captures these features, but also is an important building block for more complex problems involving multiple machines
The Power of α-Points in Preemptive Single Machine Scheduling
We consider the NP-hard preemptive single machine scheduling problem to minimize the total weighted completion time subject to release dates. A natural extension of Smith's ratio rule is to preempt the currently active job whenever a new job arrives that has higher ratio of weight to processing time. We prove that the competitive ratio of this simple on-line algorithm is precisely~2. We also show that list scheduling in order of random α-points drawn from the same schedule results in an on-line algorithm with competitive ratio~4/3. Since its analysis relies on a well-known integer programming relaxation of the scheduling problem, the relaxation has performance guarantee~4/3 as well. On the other hand, we show that it is at best an~8/7-relaxation
Simulations of Baryon Oscillations
The coupling of photons and baryons by Thomson scattering in the early
universe imprints features in both the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and
matter power spectra. The former have been used to constrain a host of
cosmological parameters, the latter have the potential to strongly constrain
the expansion history of the universe and dark energy. Key to this program is
the means to localize the primordial features in observations of galaxy spectra
which necessarily involve galaxy bias, non-linear evolution and redshift space
distortions. We present calculations, based on mock catalogs produced from
high-resolution N-body simulations, which show the range of behaviors we might
expect of galaxies in the real universe. We investigate physically motivated
fitting forms which include the effects of non-linearity, galaxy bias and
redshift space distortions and discuss methods for analysis of upcoming data.
In agreement with earlier work, we find that a survey of several Gpc^3 would
constrain the sound horizon at z~1 to about 1%.Comment: 33 pages, to appear in Astroparticle Physics. Discussion of Blake &
Glazebrook procedure changed, minor edits to match version accepted by the
journa
Mixed-Spin Ladders and Plaquette Spin Chains
We investigate low-energy properties of a generalized spin ladder model with
both of the spin alternation and the bond alternation, which allows us to
systematically study not only ladder systems but also alternating spin chains.
By exploiting non-linear model techniques we study the model with
particular emphasis on the competition between gapful and gapless states. Our
approach turns out to provide a more consistent semi-classical description of
alternating spin chains than that in the previous work. We also study a closely
related model, i.e., a spin chain with plaquette structure, and show that
frustration causes little effect on its low-energy properties so far as the
strength of frustration is weaker than a certain critical value.Comment: 7 pages, REVTeX, 3 figures, submitted to JPS
Spin- and charge-density waves in the Hartree-Fock ground state of the two-dimensional Hubbard model
The ground states of the two-dimensional repulsive Hubbard model are studied
within the unrestricted Hartree-Fock (UHF) theory. Magnetic and charge
properties are determined by systematic, large-scale, exact numerical
calculations, and quantified as a function of electron doping . In the
solution of the self-consistent UHF equations, multiple initial configurations
and simulated annealing are used to facilitate convergence to the global
minimum. New approaches are employed to minimize finite-size effects in order
to reach the thermodynamic limit. At low to moderate interacting strengths and
low doping, the UHF ground state is a linear spin-density wave (l-SDW), with
antiferromagnetic order and a modulating wave. The wavelength of the modulating
wave is . Corresponding charge order exists but is substantially weaker
than the spin order, hence holes are mobile. As the interaction is increased,
the l-SDW states evolves into several different phases, with the holes
eventually becoming localized. A simple pairing model is presented with
analytic calculations for low interaction strength and small doping, to help
understand the numerical results and provide a physical picture for the
properties of the SDW ground state. By comparison with recent many-body
calculations, it is shown that, for intermediate interactions, the UHF solution
provides a good description of the magnetic correlations in the true ground
state of the Hubbard model.Comment: 13 pages, 17 figure, 0 table
Comparison of absolute gain photometric calibration between Planck/HFI and Herschel/SPIRE at 545 and 857 GHz
We compare the absolute gain photometric calibration of the Planck/HFI and
Herschel/SPIRE instruments on diffuse emission. The absolute calibration of HFI
and SPIRE each relies on planet flux measurements and comparison with
theoretical far-infrared emission models of planetary atmospheres. We measure
the photometric cross calibration between the instruments at two overlapping
bands, 545 GHz / 500 m and 857 GHz / 350 m. The SPIRE maps used have
been processed in the Herschel Interactive Processing Environment (Version 12)
and the HFI data are from the 2015 Public Data Release 2. For our study we used
15 large fields observed with SPIRE, which cover a total of about 120 deg^2. We
have selected these fields carefully to provide high signal-to-noise ratio,
avoid residual systematics in the SPIRE maps, and span a wide range of surface
brightness. The HFI maps are bandpass-corrected to match the emission observed
by the SPIRE bandpasses. The SPIRE maps are convolved to match the HFI beam and
put on a common pixel grid. We measure the cross-calibration relative gain
between the instruments using two methods in each field, pixel-to-pixel
correlation and angular power spectrum measurements. The SPIRE / HFI relative
gains are 1.047 ( 0.0069) and 1.003 ( 0.0080) at 545 and 857 GHz,
respectively, indicating very good agreement between the instruments. These
relative gains deviate from unity by much less than the uncertainty of the
absolute extended emission calibration, which is about 6.4% and 9.5% for HFI
and SPIRE, respectively, but the deviations are comparable to the values 1.4%
and 5.5% for HFI and SPIRE if the uncertainty from models of the common
calibrator can be discounted. Of the 5.5% uncertainty for SPIRE, 4% arises from
the uncertainty of the effective beam solid angle, which impacts the adopted
SPIRE point source to extended source unit conversion factor (Abridged)Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures; Incorporates revisions in response to referee
comments; cross calibration factors unchange
Magnetic excitation spectrum of dimerized antiferromagnetic chains
Motivated by recent measurements on CuGeO the spectrum of magnetic
excitations of an antiferromagnetic chain with alternating
coupling strength is investigated. Wave vector dependent magnons and a
continuum with square root behavior at the band edges are found. The spectral
density of the continua is calculated. Spin rotation symmetry fixes the gap of
the continuum to be twice the elementary magnon gap. This is in excellent
agreement with experimental results. In addition, the existence of bound states
of two magnons is predicted: below the continuum a singlet and a triplet, above
the continuum an ``anti-bound'' quintuplet. The results are based on field
theoretic arguments, RPA calculations, and consideration of the limit of strong
alternation.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures included, Revte
The effects of ram-pressure stripping on the internal kinematics of simulated spiral galaxies
We investigate the influence of ram-pressure stripping on the internal gas
kinematics of simulated spiral galaxies. Additional emphasis is put on the
question of how the resulting distortions of the gaseous disc are visible in
the rotation curve and/or the full 2D velocity field of galaxies at different
redshifts. A Milky-Way type disc galaxy is modelled in combined
N-body/hydrodynamic simulations with prescriptions for cooling, star formation,
stellar feedback, and galactic winds. This model galaxy moves through a
constant density and temperature gas, which has parameters similar to the
intra-cluster medium (ICM). Rotation curves (RCs) and 2D velocity fields of the
gas are extracted from these simulations in a way that follows the procedure
applied to observations of distant, small, and faint galaxies as closely as
possible. We find that the appearance of distortions of the gaseous disc due to
ram-pressure stripping depends on the direction of the acting ram pressure. In
the case of face-on ram pressure, the distortions mainly appear in the outer
parts of the galaxy in a very symmetric way. In contrast, in the case of
edge-on ram pressure we find stronger distortions. The 2D velocity field also
shows signatures of the interaction in the inner part of the disc. At angles
smaller than 45 degrees between the ICM wind direction and the disc, the
velocity field asymmetry increases significantly compared to larger angles.
Compared to distortions caused by tidal interactions, the effects of
ram-pressure stripping on the velocity field are relatively low in all cases
and difficult to observe at intermediate redshift in seeing-limited
observations. (abridged)Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, accepted for publication in A&
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