1,364 research outputs found
Dynamical patterns of human postural responses to emotional stimuli
Postural displacements in response to emotional activation have recently been proposed as a direct and objective index
of approachâavoidance behavior in humans. Here, we present the results of an experiment designed to assess spontaneous
postural responses to discrete affective pictures, brieïŹy presented in random order of valence. Our ïŹndings question the
interpretation of phasic postural responses to emotional stimuli as approachâavoidance behavior. Further, we identify a
robust dynamical pattern, characterized by speciïŹc features indicating that attentional processes may play a role in human
postural responses to emotional stimul
Boxy/peanut/X bulges, barlenses and the thick part of galactic bars: What are they and how did they form?
Bars have a complex three-dimensional shape. In particular their inner part
is vertically much thicker than the parts further out. Viewed edge-on, the
thick part of the bar is what is commonly known as a boxy-, peanut- or X- bulge
and viewed face-on it is referred to as a barlens. These components are due to
disc and bar instabilities and are composed of disc material. I review here
their formation, evolution and dynamics, using simulations, orbital structure
theory and comparisons to observations.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures, invited review to appear in "Galactic Bulges",
E. Laurikainen, R. Peletier, D. Gadotti, (eds.), Springe
EFSA NDA Panel (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies), 2013 . Scientific opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fluoride
Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) derived Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for fluoride, which are provided as Adequate Intake (AI) from all sources, including non-dietary sources. Fluoride is not an essential nutrient. Therefore, no Average Requirement for the performance of essential physiological functions can be defined. Nevertheless, the Panel considered that the setting of an AI is appropriate because of the beneficial effects of dietary fluoride on prevention of dental caries. The AI is based on epidemiological studies (performed before the 1970s) showing an inverse relationship between the fluoride concentration of water and caries prevalence. As the basis for defining the AI, estimates of mean fluoride intakes of children via diet and drinking water with fluoride concentrations at which the caries preventive effect approached its maximum whilst the risk of dental fluorosis approached its minimum were chosen. Except for one confirmatory longitudinal study in US children, more recent studies were not taken into account as they did not provide information on total dietary fluoride intake, were potentially confounded by the use of fluoride-containing dental hygiene products, and did not permit a conclusion to be drawn on a dose-response relationship between fluoride intake and caries risk. The AI of fluoride from all sources (including non-dietary sources) is 0.05 mg/kg body weight per day for both children and adults, including pregnant and lactating women. For pregnant and lactating women, the AI is based on the body weight before pregnancy and lactation. Reliable and representative data on the total fluoride intake of the European population are not available
Twenty Years of SUGRA
A brief review is given of the developments of mSUGRA and its extensions
since the formulation of these models in 1982. Future directions and prospects
are also discussed.Comment: Invited talk at the International Conference BEYOND-2003, Schloss
Ringberg, Germany, June 10-14, 2003; 21 pages, Late
Search for CP violation in the decay B0->D*+-D-+
We report a search for CP-violating asymmetry in B0 -> D*+- D-+ decays. The
analysis employs two methods of B0 reconstruction: full and partial. In the
full reconstruction method all daughter particles of the B0 are required to be
detected; the partial reconstruction technique requires a fully reconstructed
D- and only a slow pion from the D*+ -> D0 pi_slow+ decay. From a fit to the
distribution of the time interval corresponding to the distance between two B
meson decay points we calculate the CP-violating parameters and find the
significance of nonzero CP asymmetry to be 2.7 standard deviations.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Rates of Viral Evolution Are Linked to Host Geography in Bat Rabies
Rates of evolution span orders of magnitude among RNA viruses with important implications for viral transmission and emergence. Although the tempo of viral evolution is often ascribed to viral features such as mutation rates and transmission mode, these factors alone cannot explain variation among closely related viruses, where host biology might operate more strongly on viral evolution. Here, we analyzed sequence data from hundreds of rabies viruses collected from bats throughout the Americas to describe dramatic variation in the speed of rabies virus evolution when circulating in ecologically distinct reservoir species. Integration of ecological and genetic data through a comparative Bayesian analysis revealed that viral evolutionary rates were labile following historical jumps between bat species and nearly four times faster in tropical and subtropical bats compared to temperate species. The association between geography and viral evolution could not be explained by host metabolism, phylogeny or variable selection pressures, and instead appeared to be a consequence of reduced seasonality in bat activity and virus transmission associated with climate. Our results demonstrate a key role for host ecology in shaping the tempo of evolution in multi-host viruses and highlight the power of comparative phylogenetic methods to identify the host and environmental features that influence transmission dynamics
Measurement of the Atmospheric Muon Spectrum from 20 to 3000 GeV
The absolute muon flux between 20 GeV and 3000 GeV is measured with the L3
magnetic muon spectrometer for zenith angles ranging from 0 degree to 58
degree. Due to the large exposure of about 150 m2 sr d, and the excellent
momentum resolution of the L3 muon chambers, a precision of 2.3 % at 150 GeV in
the vertical direction is achieved.
The ratio of positive to negative muons is studied between 20 GeV and 500
GeV, and the average vertical muon charge ratio is found to be 1.285 +- 0.003
(stat.) +- 0.019 (syst.).Comment: Total 32 pages, 9Figure
Search for Charged Higgs Bosons in e+e- Collisions at \sqrt{s} = 189 GeV
A search for pair-produced charged Higgs bosons is performed with the L3
detector at LEP using data collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 188.6 GeV,
corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 176.4 pb^-1. Higgs decays into a
charm and a strange quark or into a tau lepton and its associated neutrino are
considered. The observed events are consistent with the expectations from
Standard Model background processes. A lower limit of 65.5 GeV on the charged
Higgs mass is derived at 95 % confidence level, independent of the decay
branching ratio Br(H^{+/-} -> tau nu)
In Situ Investigation of the Evolution of Lattice Strain and Stresses in Austenite and Martensite During Quenching and Tempering of Steel
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