Smooth supergravity solutions and string states

In this thesis we study smooth supergravity solutions and their relation to string theory in two different contexts; quotient spaces and asymptotically flat solitonic solutions. We classify discrete cyclic quotients of р + l-dimensional anti-de Sitter space. These provide interesting models for string propagation where a non-perturbative description is available. We establish which quotients have well-behaved causal structures, and of those containing closed timelike curves, which have interpretations as black holes. We explain the relation to previous investigations of quotients of asymptotically flat spacetimes and plane waves, and of black holes in AdS. We construct smooth non-supersymmetric soliton solutions with Dl-brane, D5- brane and momentum charges in type IIB supergravity compactified on T(^4) X S(^1). Such solutions have been conjectured to be related to black hole microstates. The solutions are obtained by considering a known family of U(1) X U(1) invariant metrics, and studying the conditions imposed by requiring smoothness. We discuss the relation of our solutions to states in the CFT describing the D1-D5 system, and describe various interesting features of the geometry. We show that the solutions describing charged rotating black holes in rive- dimensional gauged supergravities found recently by Cvetic, Lü and Pope [1, 2] are completely specified by the mass, charges and angular momentum, demonstrating that an apparent non-uniqueness is a coordinate artefact

Brain Scans as Evidence: Truths, Proofs, Lies, and Lessons

This contribution to the Brain Sciences in the Courtroom Symposium identifies and discusses issues important to admissibility determinations when courts confront brain-scan evidence. Through the vehicle of the landmark 2010 federal criminal trial U.S. v. Semrau (which considered, for the first time, the admissibility of brain scans for lie detection purposes) this article highlights critical evidentiary issues involving: 1) experimental design; 2) ecological and external validity; 3) subject compliance with researcher instructions; 4) false positives; and 5) drawing inferences about individuals from group data. The article’s lessons are broadly applicable to the new wave of neurolaw cases now being seen in U.S. courts

Probing the Dynamic Nature of Mycobacterial Heme Homeostasis

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is responsible for more human deaths every year than any other bacterium. In order to establish an infection and cause disease, M. tuberculosis requires the nutrient heme. Heme is essential for numerous processes within the cell but is also cytotoxic, so its synthesis, uptake, and utilization must be tightly regulated by the bacterium. Despite the important role of this nutrient, relatively little is known about the regulation of its abundance and bioavailability. To better understand heme dynamics in mycobacteria, a total heme fluorescence assay and genetically encoded exchange labile heme sensors were used to observe changes in the abundance and bioavailability of heme in Mycobacterium smegmatis under various conditions. These experiments demonstrate that heme abundance and bioavailability in mycobacteria can change in response to physiologically relevant stresses and environmental cues.Undergraduat

Key Determinants of Team Success in Elite Men’s Wheelchair Basketball

Performance Analysis has become an integral part of the coaching process within elite wheelchair basketball, assisting staff with the delivery of augmented feedback (Fliess-Douer et al. 2016). Whilst previous attempts to explore the key determinants of success within wheelchair basketball have identified that stronger teams accumulate a greater number of assists, turnovers, free-throw and field goal shooting attempts (Gómez et al. 2015; Molik et al. 2009), the use of secondary box score data in such studies has been questioned for both its validity and reliability (Ziv et al. 2010). The purpose of this study, therefore, was to explore the key determinants of team success within elite men’s wheelchair basketball using a valid and reliable wheelchair basketball data collection system using primary data collected from match notation (see Francis et al., 2015). Following University ethical approval, footage from 31 men’s games at the 2015 European Wheelchair Basketball Championships was coded using a developed template in SportsCode (V10, SportsTec Inc.) that included 108 action variables grouped into 19 categorical variables: Time, Home Team, Away Team, Offensive Unit (3.0/3.5), Offensive Unit (4.0/4.5), Defensive Unit (3.0/3.5), Defensive Unit (4.0/4.5), Match Status, Start of Possession, Man Out Offence, Shot Taken, Shot Point, Shot Outcome, Shot Location, Shot Clock Remaining, End of Possession, Defensive System, Defensive Outcome and Possession. The template’s reliability had been assessed by Francis et al. (2015) (inter-observer reliability: 0-5% error; intra-observer reliability 0-5% error). The data was subjected to a two-stage statistical analysis procedure in R (R Core Team 2015). Stage 1: Chi-squared tests highlighted 15 categorical variables that were significantly (p<0.05) associated with final game outcome (winning versus losing). The category with the highest level of statistical significance was Match Status (p<0.001). Stage 2: The multicollinearity between explanatory categories were explored. Categories that demonstrated perfect collinearity were removed. Using a 70% sample of the data (4,288 possessions), a forward and backwards stepwise elimination approach was used to build a final model, which included seven categories comprising of 37 action variables: Match Status, Defensive Unit (3.0/3.5), Offensive Unit (3.0/3.5), Offensive Unit (4.0/4.5), Stage, Defensive System and Start of Possession. When tested against the remaining 30% data set an area under the curve value of 0.749 was achieved which suggests the model has ‘fair’ predictive qualities. The final model indicates the importance of maintaining a winning state throughout the game, selecting a unit which predominately comprises of three point players and countering when the defence are pressing. Coaches, players and support staff can utilise the findings from the study to assist with the planning of offensive and defensive game strategies by identifying areas for development within training sessions, supporting selection and line-up combinations and informing the decision-making process of coaches and players during performances

In Liverpool

iD Magazine issue 359 Icons and Idols: Eye | In Liverpool. An Observational Portrait project which captures the unique codes surrounding fashion, beauty and style found in Liverpool. A Love letter to Liverpool records the beauty codes deeply rooted in the fabric of everyday life. But, what has remained untold is the sense of pride and self worth found in this visual language. Love letter to Liverpool is not stereotyping and it does not intend to fuel the talk about Prins, Queens or Wags. Instead it celebrates these women, their power, strength, routines and obsessions for individuality in one of the beauty industry’s capital cities

The leadership of the Indian national movement 1914-20

In 1914 two tendencies existed in the Indian national movement - on the one hand, the Moderate tendency, inclined to caution, seeking a rational solution to Indian political problems, desirous of building a secular, democratic state on the British model, and of preparing thoroughly for this by the spread of education, by social reform and by the gradual introduction of the institutions of self-government; on the other, the Extremist tendency, based on the rise in Hindu selfconfidence associated with the Hindu revival, asserting India’s fitness for self-government, and moved by emotional appeals to patriotism and to rejection of Western innovations in favour of a return to indigenous institutions and traditions. Pew members of the national movement can be identified as belonging entirely to one of these types: in most, elements of both were combined

A framework for post-project evaluation of multicriteria decision aiding processes from the stakeholders’ perspective : design and application

Numerous multicriteria decision aiding (MCDA) methods have been developed over the last decades and are now applied in various domains, sometimes using facilitated group workshops to create models. These models are all designed to improve decision processes. However, the lack of follow-up and post-project evaluations limit the understanding of how the participants experienced the group workshops and how the results were subsequently used within the organization. This is in contrast with the public participation research field, where a rich literature was developed for a posteriori evaluation of projects. Based on this literature, our research proposes a framework to evaluate, ex-post, MCDA projects. In order to illustrate this framework, we apply it to an MCDA project in Quebec City where a spatial decision support system to prioritize the redesign of streets as Complete Streets was built. Individual interviews were conducted with the Quebec City professionals that currently use, were leaders of the project, or have participated in the development of the decision support system. This research has identified that the need for change of practices within the workplace, communication problems, and the requirement for multidisciplinary work were at the root of the various challenges encountered during the workshops. Based on our experience, we propose some lessons learned and potential solutions that can enhance the body of literature in MCDA

A review of cost–benefit analysis and multicriteria decision analysis from the perspective of sustainable transport in project evaluation

Transport decision processes have traditionally applied cost-benefit analysis (CBA) with benefits mainly relating to time savings, and costs relating to infrastructure and maintenance costs. However, a shift toward more sustainable practices was initiated over the last decades to remedy the many negative impacts of automobility. As a result, decision processes related to transport projects have become more complex due to the multidimensional aspects and to the variety of stakeholders involved, often with conflicting points of view. To support rigorous decision making, multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) is, in addition to CBA, often used by governments and cities. However, there is still no consensus in the transport field regarding a preferred method that can integrate sustainability principles. This paper presents a descriptive literature review related to MCDA and CBA in the field of transport. Among the 66 considered papers, we identified the perceived strengths and weaknesses of CBA and MCDA, the different ways to combine them and the ability of each method to support sustainable transport decision processes. We further analysed the results based on four types of rationality (objectivist, conformist, adjustive and reflexive). Our results show that both methods can help improve the decision processes and that, depending on the rationality adopted, the perceived strengths and weaknesses of MCDA and CBA can vary. Nonetheless, we observe that by adopting a more global and holistic perspective and by facilitating the inclusion of a participative process, MCDA, or a combination of both methods, emerge as the more promising appraisal methods for sustainable transport