936 research outputs found
Body water conservation through selective brain cooling by the carotid rete: a physiological feature for surviving climate change?
Some mammals have the ability to lower their hypothalamic temperature below that of carotid arterial blood temperature, a process termed selective brain cooling. Although the requisite anatomical structure that facilitates this physiological process, the carotid rete, is present in members of the Cetartiodactyla, Felidae and Canidae, the carotid rete is particularly well developed in the artiodactyls, e.g. antelopes, cattle, sheep and goats. First described in the domestic cat, the seemingly obvious function initially attributed to selective brain cooling was that of protecting the brain from thermal damage. However, hyperthermia is not a prerequisite for selective brain cooling, and selective brain cooling can be exhibited at all times of the day, even when carotid arterial blood temperature is relatively low. More recently, it has been shown that selective brain cooling functions primarily as a water-conservation mechanism, allowing artiodactyls to save more than half of their daily water requirements. Here, we argue that the evolutionary success of the artiodactyls may, in part, be attributed to the evolution of the carotid rete and the resulting ability to conserve body water during past environmental conditions, and we suggest that this group of mammals may therefore have a selective advantage in the hotter and drier conditions associated with current anthropogenic climate change. A better understanding of how selective brain cooling provides physiological plasticity to mammals in changing environments will improve our ability to predict their responses and to implement appropriate conservation measures.EM201
Unique Continuation for Schr\"odinger Evolutions, with applications to profiles of concentration and traveling waves
We prove unique continuation properties for solutions of the evolution
Schr\"odinger equation with time dependent potentials. As an application of our
method we also obtain results concerning the possible concentration profiles of
blow up solutions and the possible profiles of the traveling waves solutions of
semi-linear Schr\"odinger equations.Comment: 23 page
A new approach to social behavior simulation: the mask model
This paper proposes a new perspective, based on the concept of social masks, for the simulation of a realistic NPC (Non-Player Character) behavior. The Mask Model goal is to support AI techniques for autonomous agents by encouraging or discouraging behaviors according to the social environment and by providing knowledge about possible reactions to the agent actions. In this approach, the NPC tendencies are controlled by the interactions of three overlapping mask layers: self- perception layer, social layer and interpersonal layer. The masks mould the tendencies, the feelings and the ethics of a NPC. By changing the links between characters and masks, a wide variety of different behaviors and story-lines may arise. The paper present an algorithm for the selection of the actions and an example implementation
Compactness and existence results in weighted Sobolev spaces of radial functions. Part II: Existence
We prove existence and multiplicity results for finite energy solutions to
the nonlinear elliptic equation where is a radial domain (bounded or
unbounded) and satisfies on if and as
if is unbounded. The potential may be vanishing or unbounded at
zero or at infinity and the nonlinearity may be superlinear or sublinear.
If is sublinear, the case with is also considered.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figure
Strichartz estimates on Schwarzschild black hole backgrounds
We study dispersive properties for the wave equation in the Schwarzschild
space-time. The first result we obtain is a local energy estimate. This is then
used, following the spirit of earlier work of Metcalfe-Tataru, in order to
establish global-in-time Strichartz estimates. A considerable part of the paper
is devoted to a precise analysis of solutions near the trapping region, namely
the photon sphere.Comment: 44 pages; typos fixed, minor modifications in several place
Social Network Analysis: Recent Achievements and Current Controversies
Network analysis has grown rapidly over the past two decades, but criticisms of the approach have increased as well This article focuses on several accomplishments and unresolved problems of the network approach In the first section. I illustrate the value of the network model in several substantive areas. focusing on studies of centrahty and power, network subgroups, and interorganizational relations I then discuss three issues over which the approach has provoked controversy the relation between network analysis and rational choice theory; the role of norms and culture, and the question of human agency I conclude with some examples of how network theorists are addressing these problemsPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68023/2/10.1177_000169939403700403.pd
Academic freedom: in justification of a universal ideal
This paper examines the justification for, and benefits of, academic freedom to academics, students, universities and the world at large. The paper surveys the development of the concept of academic freedom within Europe, more especially the impact of the reforms at the University of Berlin instigated by Wilhelm von Humboldt. Following from this, the paper examines the reasons why the various facets of academic freedom are important and why the principle should continue to be supported
Measurement of the Charged Multiplicities in b, c and Light Quark Events from Z0 Decays
Average charged multiplicities have been measured separately in , and
light quark () events from decays measured in the SLD experiment.
Impact parameters of charged tracks were used to select enriched samples of
and light quark events, and reconstructed charmed mesons were used to select
quark events. We measured the charged multiplicities:
,
, from
which we derived the differences between the total average charged
multiplicities of or quark events and light quark events: and . We compared
these measurements with those at lower center-of-mass energies and with
perturbative QCD predictions. These combined results are in agreement with the
QCD expectations and disfavor the hypothesis of flavor-independent
fragmentation.Comment: 19 pages LaTex, 4 EPS figures, to appear in Physics Letters
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