1,285 research outputs found
Nonlocal spectral properties of disordered alloys
A general method is proposed for calculating a fully k-dependent, continuous,
and causal spectral function A(k,E) within the recently introduced nonlocal
version of the coherent-potential approximation (NLCPA). The method involves
the combination of both periodic and anti-periodic solutions to the associated
cluster problem and also leads to correct bulk quantities for small cluster
sizes. We illustrate the method by investigating the Fermi surface of a
two-dimensional alloy. Dramatically, we find a smeared electronic topological
transition not predicted by the conventional CPA.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures, Submitted to: J. Phys.: Condens. Matter
Editorial receipt 25 May 200
Global existence of classical solutions to the Vlasov-Poisson system in a three dimensional, cosmological setting
The initial value problem for the Vlasov-Poisson system is by now well
understood in the case of an isolated system where, by definition, the
distribution function of the particles as well as the gravitational potential
vanish at spatial infinity. Here we start with homogeneous solutions, which
have a spatially constant, non-zero mass density and which describe the mass
distribution in a Newtonian model of the universe. These homogeneous states can
be constructed explicitly, and we consider deviations from such homogeneous
states, which then satisfy a modified version of the Vlasov-Poisson system. We
prove global existence and uniqueness of classical solutions to the
corresponding initial value problem for initial data which represent spatially
periodic deviations from homogeneous states.Comment: 23 pages, Latex, report #
The Adoption of Quality Management Systems in the Fresh Produce Industry in Western Australia
In an examination of 37 fresh fruit and vegetable processing businesses in Perth, Western Australia, comparisons are drawn between those firms which have adopted a third party certified quality assurance (QA) system and those which have chosen not to adopt. Seven firms chose not to implement a QA system, citing high cost, lack of time, company structure and lack of statutory requirement for QA. Of those companies implementing QA, the deciding factor was a desire to meet the customers’ requirements. Firms held the belief that QA would enable them to better meet customer needs, provide greater customer assurance, improve communication, gain new customers, improve supplier relationships and ultimately to increase market share. The largest obstacle for the adoption of QA initially was the reluctance of employees to engage in the process. Subsequent obstacles were increased paperwork, high cost, lack of time, lack of suitably qualified staff and the need for more knowledgeable staff. Conversely, firms choosing not to use QA perceived themselves to be too small and to be constrained by the lack of capital and lack of incentives for adoption, such as customer requirements for QA
Existence of axially symmetric static solutions of the Einstein-Vlasov system
We prove the existence of static, asymptotically flat non-vacuum spacetimes
with axial symmetry where the matter is modeled as a collisionless gas. The
axially symmetric solutions of the resulting Einstein-Vlasov system are
obtained via the implicit function theorem by perturbing off a suitable
spherically symmetric steady state of the Vlasov-Poisson system.Comment: 32 page
ECT seizure duration: Database information
Aim: In this naturalistic study the aim was to examine the impact on seizure duration of stimulus intensity, previous treatments (during the first course of ECT), age, gender, and electrode placement.
Method: The database of the ECT Service of the Royal Hobart Hospital was examined for the 15 years ending in 2010. First courses of ECT were identified in which the stimulus intensity was not altered and at least 5 treatments were provided. Seizure duration was determined by cessation of clonic movements.
Result: 383 patients (164 males) met selection criteria. A multiple regression analysis revealed that previous treatments, age, gender, and electrode placement had non-significant regression coefficient on the seizure length. The stimulus intensity, however, showed significant regression coefficient (-.267, p <.001), indicating that higher stimulus intensity induced shorter seizure duration.
Conclusion: It was suggested that electrode placement and the number of treatments had negligible influence on seizure duration, while high stimulus intensity reduced seizure duration. If fixed high dose ECT is being provided, and there is concern due to the brevity of seizures, rather than taking steps to increase the output of the machine, a modest reduction of dose (perhaps to < 428.4 mC, or < 85% of machine output) may increase seizure duration (German J Psychiatry 2011; 14: 35–39)
Spherically symmetric steady states of galactic dynamics in scalar gravity
The kinetic motion of the stars of a galaxy is considered within the
framework of a relativistic scalar theory of gravitation. This model, even
though unphysical, may represent a good laboratory where to study in a
rigorous, mathematical way those problems, like the influence of the
gravitational radiation on the dynamics, which are still beyond our present
understanding of the physical model represented by the Einstein--Vlasov system.
The present paper is devoted to derive the equations of the model and to prove
the existence of spherically symmetric equilibria with finite radius.Comment: 13 pages, mistypos correcte
STL-based Analysis of TRAIL-induced Apoptosis Challenges the Notion of Type I/Type II Cell Line Classification
Extrinsic apoptosis is a programmed cell death triggered by external ligands, such as the TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL). Depending on the cell line, the specific molecular mechanisms leading to cell death may significantly differ. Precise characterization of these differences is crucial for understanding and exploiting extrinsic apoptosis. Cells show distinct behaviors on several aspects of apoptosis, including (i) the relative order of caspases activation, (ii) the necessity of mitochondria outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) for effector caspase activation, and (iii) the survival of cell lines overexpressing Bcl2. These differences are attributed to the activation of one of two pathways, leading to classification of cell lines into two groups: type I and type II. In this work we challenge this type I/type II cell line classification. We encode the three aforementioned distinguishing behaviors in a formal language, called signal temporal logic (STL), and use it to extensively test the validity of a previously-proposed model of TRAIL-induced apoptosis with respect to experimental observations made on different cell lines. After having solved a few inconsistencies using STL-guided parameter search, we show that these three criteria do not define consistent cell line classifications in type I or type II, and suggest mutants that are predicted to exhibit ambivalent behaviors. In particular, this finding sheds light on the role of a feedback loop between caspases, and reconciliates two apparently-conflicting views regarding the importance of either upstream or downstream processes for cell-type determination. More generally, our work suggests that these three distinguishing behaviors should be merely considered as type I/II features rather than cell-type defining criteria. On the methodological side, this work illustrates the biological relevance of STL-diagrams, STL population data, and STL-guided parameter search implemented in the tool Breach. Such tools are well-adapted to the ever-increasing availability of heterogeneous knowledge on complex signal transduction pathways
On static shells and the Buchdahl inequality for the spherically symmetric Einstein-Vlasov system
In a previous work \cite{An1} matter models such that the energy density
and the radial- and tangential pressures and
satisfy were considered in the context of
Buchdahl's inequality. It was proved that static shell solutions of the
spherically symmetric Einstein equations obey a Buchdahl type inequality
whenever the support of the shell, satisfies
Moreover, given a sequence of solutions such that then the
limit supremum of was shown to be bounded by
In this paper we show that the hypothesis
that can be realized for Vlasov matter, by constructing a
sequence of static shells of the spherically symmetric Einstein-Vlasov system
with this property. We also prove that for this sequence not only the limit
supremum of is bounded, but that the limit is
since for Vlasov matter.
Thus, static shells of Vlasov matter can have arbitrary close to
which is interesting in view of \cite{AR2}, where numerical evidence is
presented that 8/9 is an upper bound of of any static solution of the
spherically symmetric Einstein-Vlasov system.Comment: 20 pages, Late
Hybrid modeling of biological networks: mixing temporal and qualitative biological properties
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Modeling a dynamical biological system is often a difficult task since the a <it>priori </it>unknown parameters of such models are not always directly given by the experiments. Despite the lack of experimental quantitative knowledge, one can see a dynamical biological system as (i) the combined evolution tendencies (increase or decrease) of the biological compound concentrations, and: (ii) the temporal features, such as delays between two concentration peaks (i.e. the times when one of the components completes an increase (resp. decrease) phase and starts a decrease (resp. increase) phase).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We propose herein a new hybrid modeling framework that follows such biological assumptions. This hybrid approach deals with both a qualitative structure of the system and a quantitative structure. From a theoretical viewpoint, temporal specifications are expressed as equality or inequality constraints between delay parameters, while the qualitative specifications are expressed as an ordered pattern of the concentrations peaks of the components. Using this new hybrid framework, the temporal specifications of a biological system can be obtained from incomplete experimental data. The model may be processed by a hybrid model-checker (e.g. Phaver) which is able to give some new constraints on the delay parameters (e.g. the delay for a given transition is exactly 5 hours after the later peak of a gene product concentration). Furthermore, by using a constraint solver on the previous results, it becomes possible to get the set of parameters settings which are consistent with given specifications. Such a modeling approach is particularly accurate for modeling oscillatory biological behaviors like those observed in the Drosophila circadian cycles. The achieved results concerning the parameters of this oscillatory system formally confirm the several previous studies made by numerical simulations. Moreover, our analysis makes it possible to propose an automatic investigation of the respective impact of per and tim on the circadian cycle.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A new hybrid technique for an automatic formal analysis of biological systems is developed with a special emphasis on their oscillatory behaviors. It allows the use of incomplete and empirical biological data.</p
Regularity results for the spherically symmetric Einstein-Vlasov system
The spherically symmetric Einstein-Vlasov system is considered in
Schwarzschild coordinates and in maximal-isotropic coordinates. An open problem
is the issue of global existence for initial data without size restrictions.
The main purpose of the present work is to propose a method of approach for
general initial data, which improves the regularity of the terms that need to
be estimated compared to previous methods. We prove that global existence holds
outside the centre in both these coordinate systems. In the Schwarzschild case
we improve the bound on the momentum support obtained in \cite{RRS} for compact
initial data. The improvement implies that we can admit non-compact data with
both ingoing and outgoing matter. This extends one of the results in
\cite{AR1}. In particular our method avoids the difficult task of treating the
pointwise matter terms. Furthermore, we show that singularities never form in
Schwarzschild time for ingoing matter as long as This removes an
additional assumption made in \cite{A1}. Our result in maximal-isotropic
coordinates is analogous to the result in \cite{R1}, but our method is
different and it improves the regularity of the terms that need to be estimated
for proving global existence in general.Comment: 25 pages. To appear in Ann. Henri Poincar\'
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