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CMB B -mode non-Gaussianity
We study the degree to which the cosmic microwave background (CMB) can be used to constrain primordial non-Gaussianity involving one tensor and two scalar fluctuations, focusing on the correlation of one polarization B mode with two temperature modes. In the simplest models of inflation, the tensor-scalar-scalar primordial bispectrum is nonvanishing and is of the same order in slow-roll parameters as the scalar-scalar-scalar bispectrumr. We calculate the {BTT} correlation arising from a primordial tensor-scalar-scalar bispectrum, and show that constraints from an experiment like CMB-Stage IV using this observable are more than an order of magnitude better than those on the same primordial coupling obtained from temperature measurements alone. We argue that B-mode non-Gaussianity opens up an as-yet-unexplored window into the early Universe, demonstrating that significant information on primordial physics remains to be harvested from CMB anisotropies
Reconstructing the primary CMB dipole
The observed dipole anisotropy of the cosmic microwave background (CMB)
temperature is much larger than the fluctuations observed on smaller scales and
is dominated by the kinematic contribution from the Doppler shifting of the
monopole due to our motion with respect to the CMB rest frame. In addition to
this kinematic component, there is expected to be an intrinsic contribution
with an amplitude about two orders of magnitude smaller. Here we explore a
method whereby the intrinsic CMB dipole can be reconstructed through
observation of temperature fluctuations on small scales which result from
gravitational lensing. Though the experimental requirements pose practical
challenges, we show that one can in principle achieve a cosmic variance limited
measurement of the primary dipole using the reconstruction method we describe.
Since the primary CMB dipole is sensitive to the largest observable scales,
such a measurement would have a number of interesting applications for early
universe physics, including testing large-scale anomalies, extending the
lever-arm for measuring local non-Gaussianity, and constraining isocurvature
fluctuations on super-horizon scales
Maximization of Regional probabilities using Optimal Surface Graphs: Application to Carotid Artery Segmentation in MRI
__Purpose__ We present a segmentation method that maximizes regional probabilities enclosed by coupled surfaces using an Optimal Surface Graph (OSG) cut approach. This OSG cut determines the globally optimal solution given a graph constructed around an initial surface. While most methods for vessel wall segmentation only use edge information, we show that maximizing regional probabilities using an OSG improves the segmentation results. We applied this to automatically segment the vessel wall of the carotid artery in magnetic resonance images.
__Methods__ First, voxel-wise regional probability maps were obtained using a Support Vector Machine classifier trained on local image features. Then the OSG segments the regions which maximizes the regional probabilities considering smoothness and topological constraints.
__Results__ The method was evaluated on 49 carotid arteries from 30 subjects. The proposed method shows good accuracy with a Dice wall overlap of 74:1%+-4:3%, and significantly outperforms a published method based on an OSG using only surface information, the obtained segmentations using voxel-wise classification alone, and another published artery wall segmentation method based on a deformable surface model. Intra-class correlations (ICC) with manually measured lumen and wall volumes were similar to those obtained between observers. Finally, we show a good reproducibility of the method with ICC = 0:86 between the volumes measured in scans repeated within a short time interval.
__Conclusions__ In this work a new segmentation method that uses both an OSG and regional probabilities is presented. The method shows good segmentations of the carotid artery in MRI and outperformed another segmentation method that uses OSG and edge information and the voxel-wise segmentation using the probability maps
High Pressure X-Ray Diffraction Study of UMn2Ge2
Uranium manganese germanide, UMn2Ge2, crystallizes in body-centered
tetragonal ThCr2Si2 structure with space group I4/mmm, a = 3.993A and c =
10.809A under ambient conditions. Energy dispersive X-ray diffraction was used
to study the compression behaviour of UMn2Ge2 in a diamond anvil cell. The
sample was studied up to static pressure of 26 GPa and a reversible structural
phase transition was observed at a pressure of ~ 16.1 GPa. Unit cell parameters
were determined up to 12.4 GPa and the calculated cell volumes were found to be
well reproduced by a Murnaghan equation of state with K0 = 73.5 GPa and K' =
11.4. The structure of the high pressure phase above 16.0 GPa is quite
complicated with very broad lines and could not be unambiguously determined
with the available instrument resolution
CMB power spectrum parameter degeneracies in the era of precision cosmology
Cosmological parameter constraints from the CMB power spectra alone suffer
several well-known degeneracies. These degeneracies can be broken by numerical
artefacts and also a variety of physical effects that become quantitatively
important with high-accuracy data e.g. from the Planck satellite. We study
degeneracies in models with flat and non-flat spatial sections, non-trivial
dark energy and massive neutrinos, and investigate the importance of various
physical degeneracy-breaking effects. We test the CAMB power spectrum code for
numerical accuracy, and demonstrate that the numerical calculations are
accurate enough for degeneracies to be broken mainly by true physical effects
(the integrated Sachs-Wolfe effect, CMB lensing and geometrical and other
effects through recombination) rather than numerical artefacts. We quantify the
impact of CMB lensing on the power spectra, which inevitably provides
degeneracy-breaking information even without using information in the
non-Gaussianity. Finally we check the numerical accuracy of sample-based
parameter constraints using CAMB and CosmoMC. In an appendix we document recent
changes to CAMB's numerical treatment of massive neutrino perturbations, which
are tested along with other recent improvements by our degeneracy exploration
results.Comment: 27 pages, 28 figures. Latest CAMB version available from
http://camb.info/. Reduced number of figures, plot legend corrected and minor
edits to match published versio
Noninvasive Home Mechanical Ventilation in Adult Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1:A Systematic Review
Introduction: Chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure induces considerable morbidity and mortality in patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). This study systematically reviews the effects of noninvasive home mechanical ventilation (HMV) on gas exchange, quality of life, survival, and compliance in DM1 patients. Methods: A systematic Medline and Embase search was performed (January 1995 to January 2020). Records were screened for eligibility criteria, data were extracted from included studies, and risk of bias was assessed. We present findings mainly using a narrative synthesis. Results: Twenty-eight relevant full-text articles were screened for eligibility criteria. Nine studies were included. Randomized controlled trials were not found. Studies had either an observational (n = 8) or interventional (n = 1) design. In the pooled data analysis, HMV showed to improve mean oxygen saturation with 4.8% and decreased mean carbon dioxide values with 3 mm Hg. Compliance varied widely between studies, from no use to more than 12 h per day. Quality of life was not studied extensively, but some studies reported positive effects of HMV on symptoms of chronic respiratory failure. HMV may improve survival in DM1 patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure. Conclusion: This review shows that HMV can improve gas exchange and relieve symptoms with a possible survival benefit in DM1 patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure. Future studies should focus on developing strategies to optimize the timing of HMV initiation and to promote compliance
Prototyping the Semantics of a DSL using ASF+SDF: Link to Formal Verification of DSL Models
A formal definition of the semantics of a domain-specific language (DSL) is a
key prerequisite for the verification of the correctness of models specified
using such a DSL and of transformations applied to these models. For this
reason, we implemented a prototype of the semantics of a DSL for the
specification of systems consisting of concurrent, communicating objects. Using
this prototype, models specified in the DSL can be transformed to labeled
transition systems (LTS). This approach of transforming models to LTSs allows
us to apply existing tools for visualization and verification to models with
little or no further effort. The prototype is implemented using the ASF+SDF
Meta-Environment, an IDE for the algebraic specification language ASF+SDF,
which offers efficient execution of the transformation as well as the ability
to read models and produce LTSs without any additional pre or post processing.Comment: In Proceedings AMMSE 2011, arXiv:1106.596
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