General Solution Of Linear Vector Supersymmetry

We give the general solution of the Ward identity for the linear vector supersymmetry which characterizes all topological models. Such solution, whose expression is quite compact and simple, greatly simplifies the study of theories displaying a supersymmetric algebraic structure, reducing to a few lines the proof of their possible finiteness. In particular, the cohomology technology usually involved for the quantum extension of these theories, is completely bypassed. The case of Chern-Simons theory is taken as an example.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX, no figure

Comparison of helical tomotherapy and mixed beam treatment plans for superficial head and neck cancers

Purpose: To compare helical tomotherapy (HT) with mixed beam therapy (electron and IMRT) plans for superficial parotid gland and nasal cavity tumors. Methods: Mixed beam and HT dose plans were developed for five patients with superficial tumors (planning target volume or PTV \u3c 5.5 cm depth), three with parotid gland tumors and two with nasal cavity tumors. Seven mixed beam plans included a 5 or 7-field photon IMRT plan optimized on top of a single en-face 16 or 20 MeV electron beam dose distribution. The ratio of photon to electron beam weights (at depth R100) were 1:0 (IMRT only), 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, and 0:1 (electrons only). Planning objectives for HT plans were set as closely as possible to those in the mixed beam plans, and were determined using our clinical planning protocol for head and neck cancers. The resulting dose distribution from each plan was evaluated using dose-volume quantities, tumor control probability (TCP), normal tissue complication probability (NTCP), and a clinical evaluation by a radiation oncologist. Results: In general, the HT plans showed better target coverage and dose homogeneity index (DHI) than the mixed beam plans. For the parotid patients, the DHI improved an average of 0.056 and 0.035 for the nasal cavity patients compared to the mixed beam plan. TCP was comparable in all patients. NTCP for the mixed beam plan was generally lower or comparable to HT with the largest improvements seen in the contralateral parotid, eye, and lens. Also, the mixed beam plans yielded more favorable PTV and normal tissue results for a single shallow uniform PTV using a heavier weighted electron to IMRT ratio (1:3 or 1:4 ratio of electron to IMRT). Conclusions: The study showed that while HT plans had better target coverage and dose homogeneity, the mixed beam plans (electron and IMRT) had comparable tumor control probability and have the potential for improving NTCP for distal normal tissue for superficial uniform PTVs

Sharing Ownership via Employee Stock Ownership

Broad-based stock options, Employee ownership, Incentive compensation,

the role of plant sociology in the study and management of european forest ecosystems

Abstract: Forest composition is a faithful indicator of the stressors and disturbances that influence forest ecosystems, and it should be accounted for in Sustainable Forest Management policies. Indeed, the classification of forest ecosystems in forest types is considered as a key tool to improve the assessment and monitoring of forest biological diversity, and for the definition of management guidelines. Accordingly, the Ministerial Conference on the Protection of Forests in Europe has recognized the need of developing a pan-European forest classification in forest types, and has identified indicators of Sustainable Forest Management that should be applied by forest types. The classification of vegetation has always been among the main aims of the plant sociology. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of plant species composition, performed through the plant sociological approach, condenses compositional and structural information within a hierarchical system, and expresses all historical, sociological and habitat factors that influence the actual and potential vegetation. In a modern perspective the integration of plant sociology and ecological analysis represents a key to a hierarchical land classification and to the understanding of vegetation dynamics; furthermore the long history of plant sociology determined the availability of large datasets of vegetation data throughout Europe. Starting from these considerations, in this paper we briefly describe how plant sociology could represent a tool for the assessment of the indicators of SFM that should be applied by forest types, giving insights on how this discipline could contribute to the assessment of each of these indicators

Magic mirror on the wall: Selfie-related behavior as mediator of the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use

Objective: Recent research has suggested that problematic smartphone use is associated with several psychological factors and that mobile apps and smartphone-related behavior (i.e. selfi e behavior) may encourage the development of problematic smartphone use. However, little is known about how the interplay between dysfunctional personality characteristics and selfi e-related behavior can infl uence problematic smartphone use. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use, as well as the mediating role of selfi e-related behavior in this relationship among young men and women. Method: In the current study, a total of 627 undergraduate students (283 males and 344 females) completed a cross-sectional survey. A structural equation model was tested separately for males and females in order to evaluate the associations between narcissism, selfi e-related behavior and problematic smartphone use. Results: The results showed that greater narcissism was related to increased selfi e-related behavior, which in turn were positively associated with problematic smartphone use both for males and females. However, selfi e-related behavior mediated the relationship between narcissism and problematic smartphone use only for females. Conclusions: The study provides fresh insight into our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying problematic smartphone use, which may inform prevention and treatment interventions

On the equipartition of thermal and non-thermal energy in clusters of galaxies

Clusters of galaxies are revealing themselves as powerful sources of non thermal radiation in a wide range of wavelengths. In order to account for these multifrequency observations equipartition of cosmic rays (CRs) with the thermal gas in clusters of galaxies is often invoked. This condition might suggest a dynamical role played by cosmic rays in the virialization of these large scale structures and is now testable through gamma ray observations. We show here, in the specific case of the Coma and Virgo clusters, for which upper limits on the gamma ray emission exist, that equipartition implies gamma ray fluxes that are close or even in excess of the EGRET limit, depending on the adopted model of CR injection. We use this bound to limit the validity of the equipartition condition. We also show that, contrary to what claimed in previous calculations, the equipartition assumption implies gamma ray fluxes in the TeV range which can be detectable even by currently operating gamma ray observatories if the injection cosmic ray spectrum is flatter than $E^{-2.4}$.Comment: 20 pages + 2 figures. To appear in the Astrophysical Journa

L\u2019 Etna: un percorso attraverso l\u2019immaginario, la consapevolezza del rischio e la gestione del territorio\u201d,

anche in, Annali della Facolt\ue0 di Economia, Catania, anno L, 2004

Discovery of diffuse radio emission at the center of the most X-ray-luminous cluster RX J1347.5-1145

We report on new VLA radio observations of the distant cluster RX J1347.5-1145, which is the most luminous in X-rays. We aim at investigating the possible presence of diffuse and extended radio emission in this very peculiar system which shows both a massive cooling flow and merging signatures. New low resolution (~18 arcsec) VLA radio observations of this cluster are combined with higher resolution (~2 arcsec) data available in the VLA archive. We discover the presence of a diffuse and extended (~500 kpc) radio source centered on the cluster, unrelated to the radio emission of the central AGN. The properties of the radio source, in particular a) its occurrence at the center of a massive cooling flow cluster, b) its total size comparable to that of the cooling region, c) its agreement with the observational trend between radio luminosity and cooling flow power, indicate that RX J1347.5-1145 hosts a radio mini-halo. We suggest that the radio emission of this mini-halo, which is the most distant object of its class discovered up to now, is due to electron re-acceleration triggered by the central cooling flow. However, we also note that the morphology of the diffuse radio emission shows an elongation coincident with the position of a hot subclump detected in X-rays, thus suggesting that additional energy for the electron re-acceleration might be provided by the submerger event.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in A&A Letter

Vector Supersymmetry of 2D Yang-Mills Theory

The vector supersymmetry of the 2D topological BF model is extended to 2D Yang-Mills. The consequences of the corresponding Ward identity on the ultraviolet behavior of the theory are analyzed.Comment: Some references adde