2,211 research outputs found
System f2lp – computing answer sets of first-order formulas
Abstract. We present an implementation of the general language of stable models proposed by Ferraris, Lee and Lifschitz. Under certain conditions, system f2lp turns a first-order theory under the stable model semantics into an answer set program, so that existing answer set solvers can be used for computing the general language. Quantifiers are first eliminated and then the resulting quantifier-free formulas are turned into rules. Based on the relationship between stable models and circumscription, f2lp can also serve as a reasoning engine for general circumscriptive theories. We illustrate how to use f2lp to compute the circumscriptive event calculus.
Z-Vortex Percolation in the Electroweak Crossover Region
We study the statistical properties of Z-vortices and Nambu monopoles in the
3D SU(2) Higgs model for a Higgs mass M_H \approx 100 GeV near and above the
crossover temperature, where these defects are thermally excited. Although
there is no phase transition at that strong selfcoupling, we observe that the
Z-vortices exhibit the percolation transition that has been found recently to
accompany the first order thermal transition that exists at smaller Higgs mass.
Above the crossover temperature percolating networks of Z-vortex lines are
ubiquitous, whereas vortices form a dilute gas of closed vortex loops and
(Nambu) monopolium states on the low-temperature side of the crossover. The
percolation temperature turns out to be roughly independent of the lattice
spacing. We find that the Higgs modulus is smaller (the gauge action is larger)
inside the vortices, compared to the bulk average. This correlation becomes
very strong on the low-temperature side. The percolation transition is a
prerequisite of some string mediated baryon number generation scenarios.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX, 12 figures, epsf.sty needed; final version to appear
in Phys. Lett.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of the New South Wales adult drug court program
In New South Wales, Australia, a cost-effectiveness evaluation was conducted of an adult drug court (ADC) program as an alternative to jail for criminal offenders addicted to illicit drugs. This article describes the program, the cost-effectiveness analysis, and the results. The results of this study reveal that, for the 23-month period of the evaluation, the ADC was as cost-effective as were conventional sanctions in delaying the time to the first offense and more cost-effective in reducing the frequency of offending for those outcome measures selected. Although the evaluation was conducted using the traditional steps of a cost-effectiveness analysis, because of the complexity of the program and data limitations it was not always possible to adhere to textbook procedures. As such, each step involved in undertaking the cost-effectiveness analysis is discussed, highlighting the key issues faced in the evaluation. © 2004 Sage Publications
SU(3) breaking in hyperon transition vector form factors
We present a calculation of the SU(3)-breaking corrections to the hyperon
transition vector form factors to in heavy baryon chiral
perturbation theory with finite-range regularisation. Both octet and decuplet
degrees of freedom are included. We formulate a chiral expansion at the
kinematic point , which can be conveniently accessed
in lattice QCD. The two unknown low-energy constants at this point are
constrained by lattice QCD simulation results for the
and transition form factors. Hence we determine
lattice-informed values of at the physical point. This work constitutes
progress towards the precise determination of from hyperon
semileptonic decays
The Deformation of an Elastic Substrate by a Three-Phase Contact Line
Young's classic analysis of the equilibrium of a three-phase contact line
ignores the out-of-plane component of the liquid-vapor surface tension. While
it has long been appreciated that this unresolved force must be balanced by
elastic deformation of the solid substrate, a definitive analysis has remained
elusive because conventional idealizations of the substrate imply a divergence
of stress at the contact line. While a number of theories of have been
presented to cut off the divergence, none of them have provided reasonable
agreement with experimental data. We measure surface and bulk deformation of a
thin elastic film near a three-phase contact line using fluorescence confocal
microscopy. The out-of-plane deformation is well fit by a linear elastic theory
incorporating an out-of-plane restoring force due to the surface tension of the
gel. This theory predicts that the deformation profile near the contact line is
scale-free and independent of the substrate elastic modulus.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Affective temperaments and neurocognitive functioning in bipolar disorder
Background: There is evidence that patients with bipolar disorder (BD) score higher on affective temperament ratings compared to healthy controls (HCs). Moreover, unaffected relatives demonstrate similar patterns as BD patients suggesting that such temperaments are related to the genetic risk for BD and may serve as endophenotypes for the disorder, It is unknown whether affective temperaments are associated with other core features of BD, such as impairments in neurocognition. This study examined the relationship between affective temperaments and neurocognition in patients with BD and in HCs. Methods: Temperaments were evaluated using the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego, Auto-questionnaire version (TEMPS-A) in 64 patients with BD and 109 HCs. Neurocognitive functioning was evaluated using the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). Correlational analyses between temperaments and cognition were conducted in BD and HC subjects. Results: Data suggest that affective temperaments and neurocognition are correlated. In BD higher ratings of cyclothymia and irritability were associated with better processing speed, working memory, reasoning and problem-solving. In the HC group, increased irritability was related to worse performance on measures of attention and social cognition. Limitations: Lack of functional outcome measures to evaluate the impact of temperaments and cognition on psychosocial functioning. It would be useful to test these findings on unaffected relatives of BD patients. Conclusions: Cyclothymic and irritable temperaments are correlated with specific aspects of neurocognition in BD. This study is among the few exploring the dimensional relationship between temperaments and cognition in BD, and provides preliminary evidence for future studies investigating the neural and genetic mechanisms underlying the association between these variables. (C) 2014 Elsevier By. All rights reserved
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