5,470 research outputs found
Field-theoretical approach to a dense polymer with an ideal binary mixture of clustering centers
We propose a field-theoretical approach to a polymer system immersed in an
ideal mixture of clustering centers. The system contains several species of
these clustering centers with different functionality, each of which connects a
fixed number segments of the chain to each other. The field-theory is solved
using the saddle point approximation and evaluated for dense polymer melts
using the Random Phase Approximation. We find a short-ranged effective
inter-segment interaction with strength dependent on the average segment
density and discuss the structure factor within this approximation. We also
determine the fractions of linkers of the different functionalities.Comment: 27 pages, 9 figures, accepted on Phys. Rev.
A solution to the hierarchy problem from an almost decoupled hidden sector within a classically scale invariant theory
If scale invariance is a classical symmetry then both the Planck scale and
the weak scale should emerge as quantum effects. We show that this can be
realized in simple scale invariant theories with a hidden sector. The
weak/Planck scale hierarchy emerges in the (technically natural) limit where
the hidden sector decouples from the ordinary sector. The weak scale is
protected from quadratic divergences because of classical scale invariance, so
there is no hierarchy problem.Comment: 10 page
Joint perceptual decision-making: a case study in explanatory pluralism.
Traditionally different approaches to the study of cognition have been viewed as competing explanatory frameworks. An alternative view, explanatory pluralism, regards different approaches to the study of cognition as complementary ways of studying the same phenomenon, at specific temporal and spatial scales, using appropriate methodological tools. Explanatory pluralism has been often described abstractly, but has rarely been applied to concrete cases. We present a case study of explanatory pluralism. We discuss three separate ways of studying the same phenomenon: a perceptual decision-making task (Bahrami et al., 2010), where pairs of subjects share information to jointly individuate an oddball stimulus among a set of distractors. Each approach analyzed the same corpus but targeted different units of analysis at different levels of description: decision-making at the behavioral level, confidence sharing at the linguistic level, and acoustic energy at the physical level. We discuss the utility of explanatory pluralism for describing this complex, multiscale phenomenon, show ways in which this case study sheds new light on the concept of pluralism, and highlight good practices to critically assess and complement approaches
Collective Dynamics of Random Polyampholytes
We consider the Langevin dynamics of a semi-dilute system of chains which are
random polyampholytes of average monomer charge and with a fluctuations in
this charge of the size and with freely floating counter-ions in the
surrounding. We cast the dynamics into the functional integral formalism and
average over the quenched charge distribution in order to compute the dynamic
structure factor and the effective collective potential matrix. The results are
given for small charge fluctuations. In the limit of finite we then find
that the scattering approaches the limit of polyelectrolyte solutions.Comment: 13 pages including 6 figures, submitted J. Chem. Phy
Real-time Assessment of Right and Left Ventricular Volumes and Function in Children Using High Spatiotemporal Resolution Spiral bSSFP with Compressed Sensing
Background: Real-time (RT) assessment of ventricular volumes and function
enables data acquisition during free-breathing. However, in children the
requirement for high spatiotemporal resolution requires accelerated imaging
techniques. In this study, we implemented a novel RT bSSFP spiral sequence
reconstructed using Compressed Sensing (CS) and validated it against the
breath-hold (BH) reference standard for assessment of ventricular volumes in
children with heart disease.
Methods: Data was acquired in 60 children. Qualitative image scoring and
evaluation of ventricular volumes was performed by 3 clinical cardiac MR
specialists. 30 cases were reassessed for intra-observer variability, and the
other 30 cases for inter-observer variability.
Results: Spiral RT images were of good quality, however qualitative scores
reflected more residual artefact than standard BH images and slightly lower
edge definition. Quantification of Left Ventricular (LV) and Right Ventricular
(RV) metrics showed excellent correlation between the techniques with narrow
limits of agreement. However, we observed small but statistically significant
overestimation of LV end-diastolic volume, underestimation of LV end-systolic
volume, as well as a small overestimation of RV stroke volume and ejection
fraction using the RT imaging technique. No difference in inter-observer or
intra-observer variability were observed between the BH and RT sequences.
Conclusions: Real-time bSSFP imaging using spiral trajectories combined with
a compressed sensing reconstruction is feasible. The main benefit is that it
can be acquired during free breathing. However, another important secondary
benefit is that a whole ventricular stack can be acquired in ~20 seconds, as
opposed to ~6 minutes for standard BH imaging. Thus, this technique holds the
potential to significantly shorten MR scan times in children
Weak Gravitational Lensing by a Sample of X-ray Luminous Clusters of Galaxies -- III. Serendipitous Weak Lensing Detections of Dark and Luminous Mass Concentrations
In the course of a weak gravitational lensing survey of 39 clusters of
galaxies,covering a total sky area of ~1 square degree, we have serendipitously
discovered mass concentrations in the fields of A1705 and A1722 which are most
probably not associated with the main cluster target. By combining weak lensing
information with two-color galaxy photometry in fields centered on our sample
clusters, we identify a new cluster candidate at z~0.5 in the field of A1705.
This cluster candidate also displays strong lensing in the form of a giant
luminous arc. The new mass concentration in the field of A1722 also seems to be
associated with an optically luminous cluster of galaxies at z~0.5, but in this
case there is some evidence for additional structures along the line of sight
that may contribute to the lensing signal. A third cluster, A959, has a dark
sub-clump which shows interesting morphological evidence in the mass map for
being associated with the main cluster. This is the first case where there is
any significant evidence for a physical association between a dark sub-clump
(discovered from weak lensing) and a normal cluster. Analysis of archival X-ray
data shows that the three new mass concentrations are not firmly detected in
X-rays and that they are X-ray underluminous.Comment: 14 pages, 10 figures, version accepted by ApJ. See
http://www.nordita.dk/~dahle/paper3.ps.gz for a version with high-resolution
figures and Fig.5 in colo
Probing speciesâ information initially obtained with citizen science: implications for ecological management
Due to the natural engagements of citizen scientists, they have the advantage of species encounters, thus leveraging their significance in biodiversity studies. When a citizen scientist reports a suspected new species, an investigation may first require studies on taxonomy and biological analysis. There are cases, however, when their reports pertain to already known species that may still need investigations (speciesâ occurrence and distributions), considering different ecological viewpoints. With this premise, we conducted a field survey (station-based visual data collection) to probe the extent of the distribution of two species described with citizen science engagements. We also explored the species-associated cultural practices in the community. Our results reveal the presence of the two species with distributions varying in spatiotemporal contexts, validating the contribution of citizen science to the distribution record. With ecological management perspectives, we provide the following notions: conservation plans for the ârareâ species and eradication programs for the invasive species on the island
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