551 research outputs found
Distinguishing Various Models of the 125 GeV Boson in Vector Boson Fusion
The hint of a new particle around 125 GeV at the LHC through the decay modes
of diphoton and a number of others may point to quite a number of
possibilities. While at the LHC the dominant production mechanism for the Higgs
boson of the standard model and some other extensions is via the gluon fusion
process, the alternative vector boson fusion is more sensitive to electroweak
symmetry breaking through the gauge-Higgs couplings and therefore can be used
to probe for models beyond the standard model. In this work, using the well
known dijet-tagging technique to single out the vector boson fusion mechanism,
we investigate its capability to discriminate a number of models that have been
suggested to give an enhanced inclusive diphoton production rate, including the
standard model Higgs boson, fermiophobic Higgs boson, Randall-Sundrum radion,
inert-Higgs-doublet model, two-Higgs-doublet model, and the MSSM. The rates in
vector-boson fusion can give more information of the underlying models to help
distinguishing among the models.Comment: 31 pages, 3 figures; in this version some wordings are change
On the role of different Skyrme forces and surface corrections in exotic cluster-decay
We present cluster decay studies of Ni formed in heavy-ion
collisions using different Skyrme forces. Our study reveals that different
Skyrme forces do not alter the transfer structure of fractional yields
significantly. The cluster decay half-lives of different clusters lies within
\pm 10% for PCM and \pm 15% for UFM.Comment: 13 pages,6 figures and 1 table; in press Pramana Journal of Physics
(2010
A ‘quiet revolution’? The impact of Training Schools on initial teacher training partnerships
This paper discusses the impact on initial teacher training of a new policy initiative in England: the introduction of Training Schools. First, the Training School project is set in context by exploring the evolution of a partnership approach to initial teacher training in England. Ways in which Training Schools represent a break with established practice are considered together with their implications for the dominant mode of partnership led by higher education institutions (HEIs). The capacity of Training Schools to achieve their own policy objectives is examined, especially their efficacy as a strategy for managing innovation and the dissemination of innovation. The paper
ends by focusing on a particular Training School project which has adopted an unusual approach to its work and enquires whether this alternative approach could offer a more profitable way forward. During the course of the paper, five different models of partnership are considered:
collaborative, complementary, HEI-led, school-led and partnership within a partnership
The Organizational Account of Function is an Etiological Account of Function
The debate on the notion of function has been historically dominated by dispositional and etiological accounts, but recently a third contender has gained prominence: the organizational account. This original theory of function is intended to offer an alternative account based on the notion of self-maintaining system. However, there is a set of cases where organizational accounts seem to generate counterintuitive results. These cases involve cross-generational traits, that is, traits that do not contribute in any relevant way to the self-maintenance of the organism carrying them, but instead have very important effects on organisms that belong to the next generation. We argue that any plausible solution to the problem of cross-generational traits shows that the organizational account just is a version of the etiological theory and, furthermore, that it does not provide any substantive advantage over standard etiological theories of function
Asteroseismology
Asteroseismology is the determination of the interior structures of stars by
using their oscillations as seismic waves. Simple explanations of the
astrophysical background and some basic theoretical considerations needed in
this rapidly evolving field are followed by introductions to the most important
concepts and methods on the basis of example. Previous and potential
applications of asteroseismology are reviewed and future trends are attempted
to be foreseen.Comment: 38 pages, 13 figures, to appear in: "Planets, Stars and Stellar
Systems", eds. T. D. Oswalt et al., Springer Verla
Asteroseismology and Interferometry
Asteroseismology provides us with a unique opportunity to improve our
understanding of stellar structure and evolution. Recent developments,
including the first systematic studies of solar-like pulsators, have boosted
the impact of this field of research within Astrophysics and have led to a
significant increase in the size of the research community. In the present
paper we start by reviewing the basic observational and theoretical properties
of classical and solar-like pulsators and present results from some of the most
recent and outstanding studies of these stars. We centre our review on those
classes of pulsators for which interferometric studies are expected to provide
a significant input. We discuss current limitations to asteroseismic studies,
including difficulties in mode identification and in the accurate determination
of global parameters of pulsating stars, and, after a brief review of those
aspects of interferometry that are most relevant in this context, anticipate
how interferometric observations may contribute to overcome these limitations.
Moreover, we present results of recent pilot studies of pulsating stars
involving both asteroseismic and interferometric constraints and look into the
future, summarizing ongoing efforts concerning the development of future
instruments and satellite missions which are expected to have an impact in this
field of research.Comment: Version as published in The Astronomy and Astrophysics Review, Volume
14, Issue 3-4, pp. 217-36
Decision Process in Human-Agent Interaction: Extending Jason Reasoning Cycle
The main characteristic of an agent is acting on behalf of humans. Then, agents are employed as modeling paradigms for complex systems and their implementation. Today we are witnessing a growing increase in systems complexity, mainly when the presence of human beings and their interactions with the system introduces a dynamic variable not easily manageable during design phases. Design and implementation of this type of systems highlight the problem of making the system able to decide in autonomy. In this work we propose an implementation, based on Jason, of a cognitive architecture whose modules allow structuring the decision-making process by the internal states of the agents, thus combining aspects of self-modeling and theory of the min
Peak exercise capacity estimated from incremental shuttle walking test in patients with COPD: a methodological study
BACKGROUND: In patients with COPD, both laboratory exercise tests and field walking tests are used to assess physical performance. In laboratory tests, peak exercise capacity in watts (W peak) and/or peak oxygen uptake (VO(2 )peak) are assessed, whereas the performance on walking tests usually is expressed as distance walked. The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship between an incremental shuttle walking test (ISWT) and two laboratory cycle tests in order to assess whether W peak could be estimated from an ISWT. METHODS: Ninety-three patients with moderate or severe COPD performed an ISWT, an incremental cycle test (ICT) to measure W peak and a semi-steady-state cycle test with breath-by-breath gas exchange analysis (CPET) to measure VO(2 )peak. Routine equations for conversion between cycle tests were used to estimate W peak from measured VO(2 )peak (CPET). Conversion equation for estimation of W peak from ISWT was found by univariate regression. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation between W peak and distance walked on ISWT × body weight (r = 0.88, p < 0.0001). The agreement between W peak measured by ICT and estimated from ISWT was similar to the agreement between measured W peak (ICT) and W peak estimated from measured VO(2 )peak by CPET. CONCLUSION: Peak exercise capacity measured by an incremental cycle test could be estimated from an ISWT with similar accuracy as when estimated from peak oxygen uptake in patients with COPD
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