A Gaussian process and image registration based stitching method for high dynamic range measurement of precision surfaces

Optical instruments are widely used for precision surface measurement. However, the dynamic range of optical instruments, in terms of measurement area and resolution, is limited by the characteristics of the imaging and the detection systems. If a large area with a high resolution is required, multiple measurements need to be conducted and the resulting datasets needs to be stitched together. Traditional stitching methods use six degrees of freedom for the registration of the overlapped regions, which can result in high computational complexity. Moreover, measurement error increases with increasing measurement data. In this paper, a stitching method, based on a Gaussian process, image registration and edge intensity data fusion, is presented. Firstly, the stitched datasets are modelled by using a Gaussian process so as to determine the mean of each stitched tile. Secondly, the datasets are projected to a base plane. In this way, the three-dimensional datasets are transformed to two-dimensional (2D) images. The images are registered by using an (x, y) translation to simplify the complexity. By using a high precision linear stage that is integral to the measurement instrument, the rotational error becomes insignificant and the cumulative rotational error can be eliminated. The translational error can be compensated by the image registration process. The z direction registration is performed by a least-squares error algorithm and the (x, y, z) translational information is determined. Finally, the overlapped regions of the measurement datasets are fused together by the edge intensity data fusion method. As a result, a large measurement area with a high resolution is obtained. A simulated and an actual measurement with a coherence scanning interferometer have been conducted to verify the proposed method. The stitching result shows that the proposed method is technically feasible for large area surface measurement

Unparticle physics and lepton flavor violating radion decays in the Randall-Sundrum scenario

We predict the branching ratios of the lepton flavor violating radion decays r -> e^{\pm} \mu^{\pm}, r -> e^{\pm} \tau^{\pm} and r ->\mu^{\pm} \tau^{\pm} in the framework of the Randall-Sundrum scenario that the lepton flavor violation is carried by the scalar unparticle mediation. We observe that their BRs are strongly sensitive to the unparticle scaling dimension and, for its small values, the branching ratios can reach to the values of the order of 10^{-8}, for the heavy lepton flavor case.Comment: 21 pages, 11 Figures, 1 Tabl

Analysis of the vector and axialvector BcB_c mesons with QCD sum rules

In this article, we study the vector and axialvector $B_c$ mesons with the QCD sum rules, and make reasonable predictions for the masses and decay constants, then calculate the leptonic decay widths. The present predictions for the masses and decay constants can be confronted with the experimental data in the future. We can also take the masses and decay constants as basic input parameters and study other phenomenological quantities with the three-point vacuum correlation functions via the QCD sum rules.Comment: 14 pages, 16 figure

Using Heavy Quark Spin Symmetry in Semileptonic BcB_c Decays

The form factors parameterizing the B_c semileptonic matrix elements can be related to a few invariant functions if the decoupling of the spin of the heavy quarks in B_c and in the mesons produced in the semileptonic decays is exploited. We compute the form factors as overlap integral of the meson wave-functions obtained using a QCD relativistic potential model, and give predictions for semileptonic and non-leptonic B_c decay modes. We also discuss possible experimental tests of the heavy quark spin symmetry in B_c decays.Comment: RevTex, 22 pages, 2 figure

Search for Top Quark FCNC Couplings in Z' Models at the LHC and CLIC

The top quark is the heaviest particle to date discovered, with a mass close to the electroweak symmetry breaking scale. It is expected that the top quark would be sensitive to the new physics at the TeV scale. One of the most important aspects of the top quark physics can be the investigation of the possible anomalous couplings. Here, we study the top quark flavor changing neutral current (FCNC) couplings via the extra gauge boson Z' at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) energies. We calculate the total cross sections for the signal and the corresponding Standard Model (SM) background processes. For an FCNC mixing parameter x=0.2 and the sequential Z' mass of 1 TeV, we find the single top quark FCNC production cross sections 0.38(1.76) fb at the LHC with sqrt{s_{pp}}=7(14) TeV, respectively. For the resonance production of sequential Z' boson and decays to single top quark at the Compact Linear Collider (CLIC) energies, including the initial state radiation and beamstrahlung effects, we find the cross section 27.96(0.91) fb at sqrt{s_{e^{+}e^{-}}}=1(3) TeV, respectively. We make the analysis to investigate the parameter space (mixing-mass) through various Z' models. It is shown that the results benefit from the flavor tagging.Comment: 20 pages, 17 figures, 6 table

QCD sum rules analysis of the rare B_c \rar X\nu\bar{\nu} decays

Taking into account the gluon correction contributions to the correlation function, the form factors relevant to the rare B_c \rar X \nu\bar{\nu} decays are calculated in the framework of the three point QCD sum rules, where $X$ stands for axial vector particle, $AV(D_{s1})$, and vector particles, $V(D^*,D^*_s)$. The total decay width as well as the branching ratio of these decays are evaluated using the $q^2$ dependent expressions of the form factors. A comparison of our results with the predictions of the relativistic constituent quark model is presented.Comment: 21 Pages, 2 Figures and 5 Table

Natural history of spinal cord compression stage AFMS3 in infants with achondroplasia: retrospective cohort study

Background and objective Foramen magnum stenosis (FMS) is a common, serious complication of achondroplasia in infancy and associated with sudden infant death. The Achondroplasia Foramen Magnum Score (AFMS; 0–4) is used to classify the severity of stenosis to inform appropriate neurosurgical management. Infants with AFMS4 are referred for neurosurgery, while well children with AFMS3 undergo repeat MRI routinely after 12 months. As the natural history of children with AFMS3 is currently unclear, the objective was to review follow-up MRI scans of infants initially classified as AFMS3 to define more clearly the evolution of this degree of stenosis. Design This retrospective cohort study, from two tertiary centres, included infants with a confirmed diagnosis of achondroplasia and AFMS3 on initial MRI who subsequently underwent repeat MRI or proceeded straight to neurosurgery. Results Twenty-two cases satisfied the inclusion criteria. Mean age in months was 6.23 (SD±3.82) and 17.95 (SD±7.68) at baseline and follow-up scans, respectively. Follow-up MRI showed no change in 23% (N=5), improvement in 36% (N=8) to either AFMS1 (N=5) or AFMS2 (N=3). There was progression in 41% to AFMS4 (N=8). One case had neurosurgey without follow-up MRI (N=1). Conclusions These results support MRI screening for FMS in infants with achondroplasia. Furthermore, infants with AFMS3 should undergo follow-up MRI as over 40% progress prompting neurosurgical intervention. There is currently no consensus on frequency or timing of screening for AFMS3 in achondroplasia; however, we suggest that guidance for follow-up imaging is modified to 6 months to detect progression earlier in this at-risk cohort

The interplay between tamoxifen and endoxifen plasma concentrations and coagulation parameters in patients with primary breast cancer

Background: Tamoxifen is an effective treatment for primary breast cancer but increases the risk for venous thromboembolism. Tamoxifen decreases anticoagulant proteins, including antithrombin (AT), protein C (PC) and tissue factor (TF) pathway inhibitor, and enhances thrombin generation (TG). However, the relation between plasma concentrations of both tamoxifen and its active metabolite endoxifen and coagulation remains unknown. Methods: Tamoxifen and endoxifen were measured in 141 patients from the prospective open-label intervention TOTAM-study after 3 months (m) and 6 m of tamoxifen treatment. Levels of AT and PC, the procoagulant TF, and TG parameters were determined at both timepoints if samples were available (n = 53–135 per analysis). Levels of coagulation proteins and TG parameters were correlated and compared between: 1) quartiles of tamoxifen and endoxifen levels, and 2) 3 m and 6 m of treatment. Results: At 3 m, levels of AT, PC, TF and TG parameters were not associated with tamoxifen nor endoxifen levels. At 6 m, median TF levels were lower in patients in the 3rd (56.6 [33] pg/mL), and 4th (50.1 [19] pg/mL) endoxifen quartiles compared to the 1st (lowest) quartile (76 [69] pg/mL) (P=0.027 and P=0.018, respectively), but no differences in anticoagulant proteins or TG parameters were observed. An increase in circulating TF levels (3 m: 46.0 [15] versus 6 m: 54.4 [39] pg/mL, P &lt; 0.001) and TG parameters was observed at the 6 m treatment timepoint, while AT and PC levels remained stable.Conclusions: Our results indicate that higher tamoxifen and endoxifen levels are not correlated with an increased procoagulant state, suggesting tamoxifen dose escalation does not further promote hypercoagulability.</p

Study of Hadronic Five-Body Decays of Charmed Mesons

We study the decay of D+ and Ds+ mesons into charged five body final states, and report the discovery of the decay mode D+ -> K+K-Pi+Pi+Pi-, as well as measurements of the decay modes D+ -> K-Pi+Pi+Pi+Pi-, Ds+ -> K+K-Pi+Pi+Pi-, Ds+ -> PhiPi+Pi+Pi- and D+/Ds+ -> Pi+Pi+Pi+Pi-Pi-. An analysis of the resonant substructure is also included, with evidence suggesting that both decays proceed primarily through an a1 vector resonance.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figure

Observation of a 1750 MeV/c^2 Enhancement in the Diffractive Photoproduction of K^+K^-

Using the FOCUS spectrometer with photon beam energies between 20 and 160 \gev, we confirm the existence of a diffractively photoproduced enhancement in $K^+K^-$ at 1750 \mevcc with nearly 100 times the statistics of previous experiments. Assuming this enhancement to be a single resonance with a Breit-Wigner mass shape, we determine its mass to be $1753.5\pm 1.5\pm 2.3$ \mevcc and its width to be $122.2\pm 6.2\pm 8.0$ \mevcc. We find no corresponding enhancement at 1750 \mevcc in $K^*K$, and again neglecting any possible interference effects we place limits on the ratio $\Gamma (X(1750) \to K^*K)/\Gamma (X(1750) \to K^+K^-)$. Our results are consistent with previous photoproduction experiments, but, because of the much greater statistics, challenge the common interpretation of this enhancement as the $\phi (1680)$ seen in $e^+e^-$ annihilation experiments.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure