4,482 research outputs found
Computer simulations of cosmic-ray diffusion near supernova remnant shock waves
A plasma simulation model was used to study the resonant interactions between streaming cosmic-ray ions and a self-consistent spectrum of Alfven waves, such as might exist in the interstellar medium upstream of a supernova remnant shock wave. The computational model is a hybrid one, in which the background interstellar medium is an MHD fluid and the cosmic-rays are discrete kinetic particles. The particle sources for the electromagnetic fields are obtained by averaging over the fast cyclotron motions. When the perturbed magnetic field is larger than 10 percent of the background field, the macro- and microphysics are no longer correctly predicted by quasi-linear theory. The particles are trapped by the waves and show sharp jumps in their pitch-angles relative to the background magnetic field, and the effective ninety-degree scattering time for diffusion parallel to the background magnetic field is reduced to between 5 and 30 cyclotron periods. Simulation results suggest that Type 1 supernova remnants may be the principal sites of cosmic ray acceleration
Generating Polarization-Entangled Photon Pairs with Arbitrary Joint Spectrum
We present a scheme for generating polarization-entangled photons pairs with
arbitrary joint spectrum. Specifically, we describe a technique for spontaneous
parametric down-conversion in which both the center frequencies and the
bandwidths of the down-converted photons may be controlled by appropriate
manipulation of the pump pulse. The spectral control offered by this technique
permits one to choose the operating wavelengths for each photon of a pair based
on optimizations of other system parameters (loss in optical fiber, photon
counter performance, etc.). The combination of spectral control, polarization
control, and lack of group-velocity matching conditions makes this technique
particularly well-suited for a distributed quantum information processing
architecture in which integrated optical circuits are connected by spans of
optical fiber.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
Symmetric Autocompensating Quantum Key Distribution
We present quantum key distribution schemes which are autocompensating
(require no alignment) and symmetric (Alice and Bob receive photons from a
central source) for both polarization and time-bin qubits. The primary benefit
of the symmetric configuration is that both Alice and Bob may have passive
setups (neither Alice nor Bob is required to make active changes for each run
of the protocol). We show that both the polarization and the time-bin schemes
may be implemented with existing technology. The new schemes are related to
previously described schemes by the concept of advanced waves.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figur
Force of Beauty or Object of Desire? The Priming Effects of Makeup Video Advertisements on Self-Objectification in College Women
Women are too often valued for their beauty and have shifted their focus from character to body improvement (Brumberg, 1998). Objectification theory (Frederickson & Roberts, 1997) posits that sexual objectification socializes females to evaluate themselves based on looks. Self-objectification is the attempt to control this external perception by monitoring one’s physical appearance. Women are more likely to think “How do I look?” than “What am I capable of?”
The priming effects of positive and negative body-focused makeup advertisements on college-aged women’s level of self-objectification were examined in two separate studies. In study one, 87 participants viewing positive vs. negative advertisements reported more traits and abilities; this was especially true for high self-objectifiers. Participants viewing positive advertisements reported more positive emotions, suggesting the salutary role that positive messaging may play. Results were replicated in study two, with 172 participants who viewed positive vs. negative advertisements reporting significantly fewer body shape statements, more trait and abilities, as well as more physical competence statements. In addition, individuals who viewed advertisements with non-objectifying content responded with a significantly greater number of positively valenced statements and significantly fewer negative statements about themselves in comparison to women who viewed objectifying advertisements. These results suggest that marketers should eschew advertising that sexually objectifies women and promotes unattainable beauty goals. Future research should evaluate cumulative and long-term effects of advertisement and examine whether exposure that leads to lower levels of objectification also minimizes negative consequences associated with objectifying media influences (e.g., body shame, depression, eating disorder)
Magnetically-controlled velocity selection in a cold atom sample using stimulated Raman transitions
We observe velocity-selective two-photon resonances in a cold atom cloud in
the presence of a magnetic field. We use these resonances to demonstrate a
simple magnetometer with sub-mG resolution. The technique is particularly
useful for zeroing the magnetic field and does not require any additional laser
frequencies than are already used for standard magneto-optical traps. We verify
the effects using Faraday rotation spectroscopy.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure
Map equation for link community
Community structure exists in many real-world networks and has been reported
being related to several functional properties of the networks. The
conventional approach was partitioning nodes into communities, while some
recent studies start partitioning links instead of nodes to find overlapping
communities of nodes efficiently. We extended the map equation method, which
was originally developed for node communities, to find link communities in
networks. This method is tested on various kinds of networks and compared with
the metadata of the networks, and the results show that our method can identify
the overlapping role of nodes effectively. The advantage of this method is that
the node community scheme and link community scheme can be compared
quantitatively by measuring the unknown information left in the networks
besides the community structure. It can be used to decide quantitatively
whether or not the link community scheme should be used instead of the node
community scheme. Furthermore, this method can be easily extended to the
directed and weighted networks since it is based on the random walk.Comment: 9 pages,5 figure
A Defined Network of Fast-Spiking Interneurons in Orbitofrontal Cortex: Responses to Behavioral Contingencies and Ketamine Administration
Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is a region of prefrontal cortex implicated in the motivational control of behavior and in related abnormalities seen in psychosis and depression. It has been hypothesized that a critical mechanism in these disorders is the dysfunction of GABAergic interneurons that normally regulate prefrontal information processing. Here, we studied a subclass of interneurons isolated in rat OFC using extracellular waveform and spike train analysis. During performance of a goal-directed behavioral task, the firing of this class of putative fast-spiking (FS) interneurons showed robust temporal correlations indicative of a functionally coherent network. FS cell activity also co-varied with behavioral response latency, a key indicator of motivational state. Systemic administration of ketamine, a drug that can mimic psychosis, preferentially inhibited this cell class. Together, these results support the idea that OFC–FS interneurons form a critical link in the regulation of motivation by prefrontal circuits during normal and abnormal brain and behavioral states
The Effects of Deep Oscillation Therapy for Individuals with Lower-Leg Pain
Purpose: Lower extremity (LE) pain accounts for 13-20% of injuries in the active population. LE pain has been contributed to inflexibility and fascial restrictions. Deep oscillation therapy (DOT) has been proposed to improve range of motion and reduce pain following musculoskeletal injuries. Therefore, our objective was to determine the effectiveness of DOT on ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (ROM) and pain in individuals with and without lower-leg pain. Methods: We used a single blind, pre-post experimental study in a research laboratory. Thirty-two active participants completed this study. Sixteen individuals reporting lower-leg pain and sixteen non-painful individuals completed the study. Participants received a single session of DOT performed by one researcher to their affected limb or matched limb. The intervention parameters included a 1:1 mode and 70-80% dosage. The intervention began by stimulating the lymphatic channels at the cisterna chyli, the inguinal lymph node, and the popliteal lymph node at a frequency of 150 Hz all for a minute each. Next, the researcher treated the triceps surae complex for 11 minutes at three different frequencies. Finally, the participant was treated distal to the popliteal lymph node at 25 Hz for 5 minutes. The main outcome measures included pain using the VAS and ankle dorsiflexion ROM with the weight-bearing lunge test (WBLT). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and F-test comparisons between and within groups. Results: The average WBLT measures for all participants increased 0.6 cm, which not to the minimal detectable change for passive ankle dorsiflexion ROM. Significant differences from pre-post measures were identified for pain on the VAS. Conclusion: While increases in ROM were identified, the difference was not clinically important. DOT was successful in decreasing lower-leg pain
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