Evolution of cosmic string configurations

We extend and develop our previous work on the evolution of a network of cosmic strings. The new treatment is based on an analysis of the probability distribution of the end-to-end distance of a randomly chosen segment of left-moving string of given length. The description involves three distinct length scales: $\xi$, related to the overall string density, $\bar\xi$, the persistence length along the string, and $\zeta$, describing the small-scale structure, which is an important feature of the numerical simulations that have been done of this problem. An evolution equation is derived describing how the distribution develops in time due to the combined effects of the universal expansion, of intercommuting and loop formation, and of gravitational radiation. With plausible assumptions about the unknown parameters in the model, we confirm the conclusions of our previous study, that if gravitational radiation and small-scale structure effects are neglected, the two dominant length scales both scale in proportion to the horizon size. When the extra effects are included, we find that while $\xi$ and $\bar\xi$ grow, $\zeta$ initially does not. Eventually, however, it does appear to scale, at a much lower level, due to the effects of gravitational back-reaction.Comment: 61 pages, requires RevTex v3.0, SUSSEX-TH-93/3-4, IMPERIAL/TP/92-93/4

The local structure of SO2 and SO3 on Ni(1 1 1): a scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction study

O 1s and S 2p scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction (PhD) data, combined with multiple-scattering simulations, have been used to determine the local adsorption geometry of the SO2 and SO3 species on a Ni(1 1 1) surface. For SO2, the application of reasonable constraints on the molecular conformation used in the simulations leads to the conclusion that the molecule is centred over hollow sites on the surface, with the molecular plane essentially parallel to the surface, and with both S and O atoms offset from atop sites by almost the same distance of 0.65 Å. For SO3, the results are consistent with earlier work which concluded that surface bonding is through the O atoms, with the S atom higher above the surface and the molecular symmetry axis almost perpendicular to the surface. Based on the O 1s PhD data alone, three local adsorption geometries are comparably acceptable, but only one of these is consistent with the results of an earlier normal-incidence X-ray standing wave (NIXSW) study. This optimised structural model differs somewhat from that originally proposed in the NIXSW investigation

The local structure of OH species on the V2O3(0 0 0 1) surface: a scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction study

Scanned-energy mode photoelectron diffraction (PhD), using O 1s photoemission, together with multiple-scattering simulations, have been used to investigate the structure of the hydroxyl species, OH, adsorbed on a V2O3(0 0 0 1) surface. Surface OH species were obtained by two alternative methods; reaction with molecular water and exposure to atomic H resulted in closely similar PhD spectra. Both qualitative assessment and the results of multiple-scattering calculations are consistent with a model in which only the O atoms of outermost layer of the oxide surface are hydroxylated. These results specifically exclude significant coverage of OH species atop the outermost V atoms, i.e. in vanadyl O atom sites. Ab initio density-functional theory cluster calculations provide partial rationalisation of this result, which is discussed the context of the general understanding of this system

Gravitational Lensing by Cosmic Strings in the Era of Wide-Field Surveys

Motivated by the recent claim for gravitational lensing by a cosmic string, we reinvestigate the probability of finding such an event with upcoming wide-field surveys. If an observed lensing event is suspected to be due to a string, observations of the vicinity of the event in a circle of diameter L centered on the observed lens should reveal several additional lensing events. For a string located nearby (z\lesssim 0.5), we find that observations in a region of size \approx 1 arcmin^2 will see \sim 100 objects, of which \sim 5 would be lensed by the string, compared to \sim 0.1 lensed by conventional sources.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, to be submitted to PRD Rapid

Sensitivity of LHC experiments to exotic highly ionising particles

The experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are able to discover or set limits on the production of exotic particles with TeV-scale masses possessing values of electric and/or magnetic charge such that they behave as highly ionising particles (HIPs). In this paper the sensitivity of the LHC experiments to HIP production is discussed in detail. It is shown that a number of different detection methods are required to investigate as fully as possible the charge-mass range. These include direct detection as the HIPs pass through either passive or active detectors and, in the case of magnetically charged objects, the so-called induction method with which magnetic monopoles which stop in accelerator and detector material could be observed. The benefit of using complementary approaches to HIP detection is discussed.Comment: 20 pages, 52 figure

Blood-based kinase activity profiling: A potential predictor of response to immune checkpoint inhibition in metastatic cancer

Background Many cancer patients do not obtain clinical benefit from immune checkpoint inhibition. Checkpoint blockade targets T cells, suggesting that tyrosine kinase activity profiling of baseline peripheral blood mononuclear cells may predict clinical outcome. Methods Here a total of 160 patients with advanced melanoma or non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), treated with anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (anti-CTLA-4) or anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD-1), were divided into five discovery and cross-validation cohorts. The kinase activity profile was generated by analyzing phosphorylation of peripheral blood mononuclear cell lysates in a microarray comprising of 144 peptides derived from sites that are substrates for protein tyrosine kinases. Binary grouping into patients with or without clinical benefit was based on Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors V.1.1. Predictive models were trained using partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), performance of the models was evaluated by estimating the correct classification rate (CCR) using cross-validation. Results The kinase phosphorylation signatures segregated responders from non-responders by differences in canonical pathways governing T-cell migration, infiltration and co-stimulation. PLS-DA resulted in a CCR of 100% and 93% in the anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD1 melanoma discovery cohorts, respectively. Cross-validation cohorts to estimate the accuracy of the predictive models showed CCRs of 83% for anti-CTLA-

Search for annual and diurnal rate modulations in the LUX experiment

Various dark matter models predict annual and diurnal modulations of dark matter interaction rates in Earth-based experiments as a result of the Earth’s motion in the halo. Observation of such features can provide generic evidence for detection of dark matter interactions. This paper reports a search for both annual and diurnal rate modulations in the LUX dark matter experiment using over 20 calendar months of data acquired between 2013 and 2016. This search focuses on electron recoil events at low energies, where leptophilic dark matter interactions are expected to occur and where the DAMA experiment has observed a strong rate modulation for over two decades. By using the innermost volume of the LUX detector and developing robust cuts and corrections, we obtained a stable event rate of 2.3±0.2  cpd/keVee/tonne, which is among the lowest in all dark matter experiments. No statistically significant annual modulation was observed in energy windows up to 26  keVee. Between 2 and 6  keVee, this analysis demonstrates the most sensitive annual modulation search up to date, with 9.2σ tension with the DAMA/LIBRA result. We also report no observation of diurnal modulations above 0.2  cpd/keVee/tonne amplitude between 2 and 6  keVee.Various dark matter models predict annual and diurnal modulations of dark matter interaction rates in Earth-based experiments as a result of the Earth's motion in the halo. Observation of such features can provide generic evidence for detection of dark matter interactions. This paper reports a search for both annual and diurnal rate modulations in the LUX dark matter experiment using over 20 calendar months of data acquired between 2013 and 2016. This search focuses on electron recoil events at low energies, where leptophilic dark matter interactions are expected to occur and where the DAMA experiment has observed a strong rate modulation for over two decades. By using the innermost volume of the LUX detector and developing robust cuts and corrections, we obtained a stable event rate of 2.3$\pm$0.2~cpd/keV$_{\text{ee}}$/tonne, which is among the lowest in all dark matter experiments. No statistically significant annual modulation was observed in energy windows up to 26~keV$_{\text{ee}}$. Between 2 and 6~keV$_{\text{ee}}$, this analysis demonstrates the most sensitive annual modulation search up to date, with 9.2$\sigma$ tension with the DAMA/LIBRA result. We also report no observation of diurnal modulations above 0.2~cpd/keV$_{\text{ee}}$/tonne amplitude between 2 and 6~keV$_{\text{ee}}$

The Expected Impact of Multiple Scattering on ATLID Signals

ATLID stands for “ATmospheric LIDar” and is the lidar to be flown on the Earth Clouds and Radiation Explorer (EarthCARE) platform in 2018. ATLID is a High-Spectral Resolution (HSRL) system operating at 355nm with a narrower field-of-view and lower orbit than the CALIPSO lidar. In spite of the smaller footprint multiple-scattering (MS) will have an important impact on ATLID cloud signals and, in some aspects, the accurate treatment of MS will be more important for ATLID than CALIPSO. On the other hand, the relationship between integrated backscatter and integrated MS induced depolarization in water clouds will be similar between ATLID and CALIPSO indicating that a CALIPSO-like strategy for cloud-phase identification can be successfully applied to ATLID