219,550 research outputs found
Branching in the landscape of possibilities
The metaphor of a branching tree of future possibilities has a number of important philosophical and logical uses. In this paper we trace this metaphor through some of its uses and argue that the metaphor works the same way in physics as in philosophy. We then give an overview of formal systems for branching possibilities, viz., branching time and (briefly) branching space-times. In a next step we describe a number of different notions of possibility, thereby sketching a landscape of possibilities. In the final section of the paper we look at the place of branching-based possibilities in that larger landscape of possibilities. Our main message is that far from being an outlandish metaphysical extravagancy, branching-based possibilities are epistemically as well as metaphysically basic
Measurement of the branching fraction
The B
0
s
→ J/ψK
0
S
branching fraction is measured in a data sample corresponding to 0.41 fb−1
of integrated luminosity collected with the LHCb detector at the LHC. This channel is sensitive to
the penguin contributions affecting the sin 2β measurement from B
0
→ J/ψK
0
S
. The time-integrated
branching fraction is measured to be B(B
0
s
→ J/ψK
0
S
) = (1.83±0.28)×10−5
. This is the most precise
measurement to date
Genotype By Environment Interaction in Shoot Branching
Plant development is highly plastic, allowing plants to adapt to constant changes in environmental conditions. An excellent example of developmental plasticity is shoot branching. The final architecture of the shoot system is determined by the integration of environmental cues such as light and nutrients with endogenous cues. In this thesis the effect of Nitrogen (N) availability on Arabidopsis shoot branching was used as a model to investigate plant developmental plasticity. In particular, natural variation in shoot branching response to N supply was investigated using a set of multi parent advanced generation inter cross (MAGIC) lines (Kover et al., 2009).
Correlations between traits in a selected group of MAGIC lines revealed several interesting correlations, characterising two strategies for N response. One strategy involved flowering early, maintaining branch numbers of low N, and minimal shift in resource allocation to roots. This was associated with good seed yield and yield retention on low N. An alternative strategy involves late flowering, high branching on high N but low branching on low N, (i.e. high branching plasticity), and a substantial increase in root fraction on Low N. This was associated with high seed yields on high N, but poor yield retention on low N.
The molecular basis for these different strategies are currently unknown, but it seems likely that plant hormones are involved. Analysis of bud activation on isolated nodal stem segments provided strong evidence that the regulation of branching by N availability requires strigolactone (SL), and that strigolactone acts by increasing the competition between buds. There was some evidence of strigolatone resistance in a low plasticity MAGIC line.
Shoot system architecture is a key factor underlying crop yield, and yield stability under low N input is an agricultural priority. Therefore, in parallel the branching responses of a set of Brassica rapa lines to N limitation were determined. Results highlight many conserved features between Arabidopsis and Brassica, as well as some differences. These comparisons should aid breeding for shoot system architectures that can deliver improved yield under low N
Wally axiomatics of Branching Continuations
We give a brief introduction to the axiomatization of temporal logics. Branching continuations are shortly presented thereafter and the possibility of their clear syntactical axiomatization in a Hilbert-style system is investigated as last. Some basic preliminary observations and suggestions, how such axiomatization could start, are presented
3D modelling of branching in plants
Shoot branching is a key determinant of overall aboveground plant form. During plant development, the number of branches formed strongly influences the amount of light absorbed by the plant, and thus the plant’s competitive strength in terms of light capture in relation to neighbouring plants. Branching is regulated by multiple internal factors which are modulated by different environmental signals. A key environmental signal in the context of a plant population is a low red / far-red intensity ratio (R:FR) of the light reflected by neighbouring plants. For instance, low R:FR results in suppression of branching in favour of elongation growth, which is a key aspect of shade avoidance. Shade avoidance enables plants to anticipate future competition by preventing being shaded, rather than to react to prevailing shade conditions. Internally, branching is regulated by a finely tuned plant hormone network. The interactions within this network are modified by environmental cues such as R:FR which is perceived by specific photoreceptors. Combined, internal and external signals enable regulation of branch formation under the influence of environmental conditions. The different aspects of branching control act at different levels of biological organization (organ, whole plant, plant community). These aspects can be integrated in one modelling approach, called functional-structural plant modelling (FSPM), explicitly considering spatial 3D plant development. An FSP model typically contains detailed information at any moment in development of the plant on the number, size, location and orientation of all organs that make up the plant. In FSP models, physiological and physical processes occur within the plant (e.g. photosynthesis and transport of assimilates), and interaction with the environment occurs at the interface of organ and environment (e.g. light absorption by a leaf). Explicit simulation of absorption and scattering of light at the level of the plant organ is an important aspect of FSPM. In combination with dedicated experiments, this modelling tool can be used to analyse the response of plants to (imminent) competition, simulate the competitive advantage of shade avoidance for plants of different architecture, and predict plant form in various light environments. To assess the effect of plant population density through R:FR signalling on tillering (branching) in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), an FSPM study was conducted (Figure 1). A simple descriptive relationship was used to link R:FR as perceived by the plant to extension growth of tiller buds and probability of a bud to form a tiller. A further study included a complete sub-model of branching regulation, aiming at simulating branching as an emergent property in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) under the influence of R:FR. These and other studies show that FSPM is a promising tool to simulate aspects of plant development, such as branching, under the influence of environmental factors. In close combination with dedicated experiments, FSPM can shape our ideas of the mechanisms controlling plant development, can integrate existing knowledge on plant development, and can predict plant development in untested conditions
On A- and B-Theoretic Elements of Branching Spacetimes
This paper assesses branching spacetime theories in light of metaphysical considerations concerning time. I present the A, B, and C series in terms of the temporal structure they impose on sets of events, and raise problems for two elements of extant branching spacetime theories—McCall’s ‘branch attrition’, and the ‘no backward branching’ feature of Belnap’s ‘branching space-time’—in terms of their respective A- and B-theoretic nature. I argue that McCall’s presentation of branch attrition can only be coherently formulated on a model with at least two temporal dimensions, and that this results in severing the link between branch attrition and the flow of time. I argue that ‘no backward branching’ prohibits Belnap’s theory from capturing the modal content of indeterministic physical theories, and results in it ascribing to the world a time-asymmetric modal structure that lacks physical justification
A branching space-times view on quantum error correction
In this paper we describe some first steps for bringing the framework of branching space-times to bear on quantum information theory. Our main application is quantum error correction. It is shown that branching space-times offers a new perspective on quantum error correction: as a supplement to the orthodox slogan, ``fight entanglement with entanglement'', we offer the new slogan, ``fight indeterminism with indeterminism''
What Branching Spacetime Might Do for Physics
In recent years, the branching spacetime (BST) interpretation of quantum mechanics has come under study by a number of philosophers, physicists and mathematicians. This paper points out some implications of the BST interpretation for two areas of quantum physics: (1) quantum gravity, and (2) stochastic interpretations of quantum mechanics
jldimond/Branching-Porites: Branching Porites RADseq
<p>This is a repository to accompany a manuscript on genetic and epigenetic variation in branching Porites corals from Belize, "Genetic and epigenetic insight into morphospecies in a reef coral".</p>
Observations of Bºs→ψ(2S)η and Bº(s)→ψ(2S)π+π- decays
First observations of the B0s
→ψ(2S)η, B0 →ψ(2S)π
+
π
− and B0s
→ψ(2S)π
+
π
− decays are made
using a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1 collected by the LHCb experiment in
proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of
√
s = 7 TeV. The ratios of the branching fractions
of each of the ψ(2S) modes with respect to the corresponding J/ψ decays are
B(B0s
→ψ(2S)η)
÷
B(B0s
→J/ψη)
= 0.83± 0.14 (stat)±0.12 (syst) ±0.02 (B),
;
B(B0→ψ(2S)π
+
π
−
)
÷
B(B0→J/ψπ
+
π
−
)
= 0.56± 0.07 (stat)±0.05 (syst)± 0.01 (B),
;
B(B0s
→ψ(2S)π
+
π
−
)
÷
B(B0s
→J/ψπ
+
π
−
)
= 0.34± 0.04 (stat)±0.03 (syst)± 0.01 (B),
where the third uncertainty corresponds to the uncertainties of the dilepton branching fractions of the J/ψ
and ψ(2S) meson decays
- …
