New Regularization in Extra Dimensional Model and Renormalization Group Flow of the Cosmological Constant

Casimir energy is calculated for 5D scalar theory in the {\it warped} geometry. A new regularization, called {\it sphere lattice regularization}, is taken. The regularized configuration is {\it closed-string like}. We numerically evaluate \La(4D UV-cutoff), \om(5D bulk curvature, warp parameter) and $T$(extra space IR parameter) dependence of Casimir energy. 5D Casimir energy is {\it finitely} obtained after the {\it proper renormalization procedure.} The {\it warp parameter} \om suffers from the {\it renormalization effect}. We examine the cosmological constant problem.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, Proceedings of SCGT0

A Study of the Relationship Between Health and Subjective Well-being in Parkinson’s Disease Patients

Objectives: In light of the apparent disconnect between traditional measures of societal well-being such as GDP and reported levels of happiness, governments globally are turning their attention to alternative subjective measures of well-being (SWB) to aid policy decisions. In the context of health, there is therefore growing interest in understanding how measures of health-related quality of life (HRQoL), widely used in health technology appraisal, relates to SWB, and whether SWB could provide a sound basis for resource allocation decisions in health and other sectors in the future. This study investigates the relationship between HRQoL, as measured by EQ-5D, and SWB in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and the extent to which patients’ self-reported health can explain (part of) their SWB. Methods: A paper questionnaire including EQ-5D, four key SWB questions taken from the Office for National Statistics Integrated Household Survey in England and other demographic details was distributed to people with PD in the UK. Responses were used to estimate multiple regression models explaining SWB using each of the EQ-5D Index (UK weights), EQ-5D dimensions and EQ-VAS and patient socio-demographic characteristics. Results: 276 questionnaires were distributed and 183 responses received. The EQ-5D Index was a moderate predictor of SWB (adjusted R2 range 0.19-0.38 in OLS models), but EQ-VAS performed better (adjusted R2 range 0.32-0.49). Combining EQ-VAS and EQ-5D dimensions, especially anxiety/depression and mobility, and household status in some cases, yielded the best-fitting models (adjusted R2 range 0.40-0.52). Conclusions: The findings imply that EQ-VAS and some dimensions of the EQ-5D, together with key demographic data, could potentially be used to predict SWB, e.g. via mapping. However, further empirical research into the relationship between SWB and EQ-5D longitudinally, and in different disease areas, is required to corroborate these findings, and further standardisation of SWB measures is recommended

Multidimensional Geometrical Model of the Renormalized Electrical Charge with Splitting off the Extra Coordinates

A geometrical model of electric charge is proposed. This model has ``naked'' charge screened with a ``fur - coat'' consisting of virtual wormholes. The 5D wormhole solution in the Kaluza - Klein theory is the ``naked'' charge. The splitting off of the 5D dimension happens on the two spheres (null surfaces) bounding this 5D wormhole. This allows one to sew two Reissner - Nordstr\"om black holes onto it on both sides. The virtual wormholes entrap a part of the electrical flux lines coming into the ``naked'' charge. This effect essentially changes the charge visible at infinity so that it satisfies the real relation $m^2<e^2$.Comment: 10 pages, 1 figure, awarded Honorable Mention by Grav.Res.Found., 199

On the 5D differential calculus and translation transformations in 4D kappa-Minkowski noncommutative spacetime

We perform a Noether analysis for a description of translation transformations in 4D $\kappa$-Minkowski noncommutative spacetime which is based on the structure of a 5D differential calculus. The techniques that some of us had previously developed (hep-th/0607221) for a description of translation transformations based on a 4D differential calculus turn out to be applicable without any modification, and they allow us to show that the basis usually adopted for the 5D calculus does not take into account certain aspects of the structure of time translations in $\kappa$-Minkowski. We propose a change of basis for the 5D calculus which leads to a more intuitive description of time translations.Comment: 15 page

Stochastic emergence of inflaton fluctuations in a SdS primordial universe with large-scale repulsive gravity from a 5D vacuum

We develop a stochastic approach to study scalar field fluctuations of the inflaton field in an early inflationary universe with a black-hole (BH), which is described by an effective 4D SdS metric. Considering a 5D Ricci-flat SdS static metric, we implement a planar coordinate transformation, in order to obtain a 5D cosmological metric, from which the effective 4D SdS metric can be induced on a 4D hypersurface. We found that at the end of inflation, the squared fluctuations of the inflaton field are not exactly scale independent and becomes sensitive with the mass of the BH.Comment: version accepted in European Physical Journal Plu

A Grassmann representation of the Hubble parameter

The Riccati equation for the Hubble parameter H of barotropic FRW cosmologies in conformal time for \kappa \neq 0 spatial geometries and in comoving time for the \kappa =0 geometry, respectively, is generalized to odd Grassmannian time parameters. We obtain a system of simple differential equations for the four supercomponents (two of even type and two of odd type) of the Hubble superfield function {\cal H} that is explicitly solved. The second even Hubble component does not have an evolution governed by general relativity although there are effects of the latter upon itComment: 4 pages, no figure

Laparoscopic versus open colorectal resection for cancer and polyps: A cost-effectiveness study

Methods: Participants were recruited in 2006-2007 in a district general hospital in the south of England; those with a diagnosis of cancer or polyps were included in the analysis. Quality of life data were collected using EQ-5D, on alternate days after surgery for 4 weeks. Costs per patient, from a National Health Service perspective (in British pounds, 2006) comprised the sum of operative, hospital, and community costs. Missing data were filled using multiple imputation methods. The difference in mean quality adjusted life years and costs between surgery groups were estimated simultaneously using a multivariate regression model applied to 20 imputed datasets. The probability that laparoscopic surgery is cost-effective compared to open surgery for a given societal willingness-to-pay threshold is illustrated using a cost-effectiveness acceptability curve