350 research outputs found
Universality and Critical Phenomena in String Defect Statistics
The idea of biased symmetries to avoid or alleviate cosmological problems
caused by the appearance of some topological defects is familiar in the context
of domain walls, where the defect statistics lend themselves naturally to a
percolation theory description, and for cosmic strings, where the proportion of
infinite strings can be varied or disappear entirely depending on the bias in
the symmetry. In this paper we measure the initial configurational statistics
of a network of string defects after a symmetry-breaking phase transition with
initial bias in the symmetry of the ground state. Using an improved algorithm,
which is useful for a more general class of self-interacting walks on an
infinite lattice, we extend the work in \cite{MHKS} to better statistics and a
different ground state manifold, namely , and explore various different
discretisations. Within the statistical errors, the critical exponents of the
Hagedorn transition are found to be quite possibly universal and identical to
the critical exponents of three-dimensional bond or site percolation. This
improves our understanding of the percolation theory description of defect
statistics after a biased phase transition, as proposed in \cite{MHKS}. We also
find strong evidence that the existence of infinite strings in the Vachaspati
Vilenkin algorithm is generic to all (string-bearing) vacuum manifolds, all
discretisations thereof, and all regular three-dimensional lattices.Comment: 62 pages, plain LaTeX, macro mathsymb.sty included, figures included.
also available on
http://starsky.pcss.maps.susx.ac.uk/groups/pt/preprints/96/96011.ps.g
The evolution of a network of cosmic string loops
We set up and analyse a model for the non-equilibrium evolution of a network
of cosmic strings initially containing only loops and no infinite strings. Due
to this particular initial condition, our analytical approach differs
significantly from existing ones. We describe the average properties of the
network in terms of the distribution function n(l,t) dl, the average number of
loops per unit volume with physical length between l and l + dl at time t. The
dynamical processes which change the length of loops are then estimated and an
equation, which we call the `rate equation', is derived for (dn/dt). In a
non-expanding universe, the loops should reach the equilibrium distribution
predicted by string statistical mechanics. Analysis of the rate equation gives
results consistent with this. We then study the rate equation in an expanding
universe and suggest that three different final states are possible for the
evolving loop network, each of which may well be realised for some initial
conditions. If the initial energy density in loops in the radiation era is low,
then the loops rapidly disappear. For large initial energy densities, we expect
that either infinite strings are formed or that the loops tend towards a
scaling solution in the radiation era and then rapidly disappear in the matter
era. Such a scenario may be relevant given recent work highlighting the
problems with structure formation from the standard cosmic string scenario.Comment: LaTeX, 27 pages, 10 figures included as .eps file
The Ginzburg regime and its effects on topological defect formation
The Ginzburg temperature has historically been proposed as the energy scale
of formation of topological defects at a second order symmetry breaking phase
transition. More recently alternative proposals which compute the time of
formation of defects from the critical dynamics of the system, have been
gaining both theoretical and experimental support. We investigate, using a
canonical model for string formation, how these two pictures compare. In
particular we show that prolonged exposure of a critical field configuration to
the Ginzburg regime results in no substantial suppression of the final density
of defects formed. These results dismiss the recently proposed role of the
Ginzburg regime in explaining the absence of topological defects in 4He
pressure quench experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 5 ps figure
Highly excited strings I: Generating function
This is the first of a series of detailed papers on string amplitudes with highly excited strings (HES). In the present paper we construct a generating function for string amplitudes with generic HES vertex operators using a fixed-loop momentum formalism. We generalise the proof of the chiral splitting theorem of D'Hoker and Phong to string amplitudes with arbitrary HES vertex operators (with generic KK and winding charges, polarisation tensors and oscillators) in general toroidal compactifications E=RD−1,1×TDcr−DE=RD−1,1×TDcr−D (with generic constant Kähler and complex structure target space moduli, background Kaluza-Klein (KK) gauge fields and torsion). We adopt a novel approach that does not rely on a “reverse engineering” method to make explicit the loop momenta, thus avoiding a certain ambiguity pointed out in a recent paper by Sen, while also keeping the genus of the worldsheet generic. This approach will also be useful in discussions of quantum gravity and in particular in relation to black holes in string theory, non-locality and breakdown of local effective field theory, as well as in discussions of cosmic superstrings and their phenomenological relevance. We also discuss the manifestation of wave/particle (or rather wave/string) duality in string theory
Black Hole Lasers Revisited
The production of Hawking radiation by a single horizon is not dependent on
the high-frequency dispersion relation of the radiated field. When there are
two horizons, however, Corley and Jacobson have shown that superluminal
dispersion leads to an amplification of the particle production in the case of
bosons. The analytic theory of this "black hole laser" process is quite
complicated, so we provide some numerical results in the hope of aiding
understanding of this interesting phenomenon. Specifically, we consider sonic
horizons in a moving fluid. The theory of elementary excitations in a
Bose-Einstein condensate provides an example of "superluminal" (Bogoliubov)
dispersion, so we add Bogoliubov dispersion to Unruh's equation for sound in
the fluid. A white-hole/black-hole horizon pair will then display black hole
lasing. Numerical analysis of the evolution of a wave packet gives a clear
picture of the amplification process. By utilizing the similarity of a
radiating horizon to a parametric amplifier in quantum optics we also analyze
the black hole laser as a quantum-optical network.Comment: 16 page
Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial
Background
Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy
Patterns of initiation of second generation antipsychotics for bipolar disorder: a month-by-month analysis of provider behavior
Impact of housing on the survival of persons with AIDS
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Homeless persons with HIV/AIDS have greater morbidity and mortality, more hospitalizations, less use of antiretroviral therapy, and worse medication adherence than HIV-infected persons who are stably housed. We examined the effect of homelessness on the mortality of persons with AIDS and measured the effect of supportive housing on AIDS survival.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The San Francisco AIDS registry was used to identify homeless and housed persons who were diagnosed with AIDS between 1996 and 2006. The registry was computer-matched with a housing database of homeless persons who received housing after their AIDS diagnosis. The Kaplan-Meier product limit method was used to compare survival between persons who were homeless at AIDS diagnosis and those who were housed. Proportional hazards models were used to estimate the independent effects of homelessness and supportive housing on survival after AIDS diagnosis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 6,558 AIDS cases, 9.8% were homeless at diagnosis. Sixty-seven percent of the persons who were homeless survived five years compared with 81% of those who were housed (p < 0.0001). Homelessness increased the risk of death (adjusted relative hazard [RH] 1.20; 95% confidence limits [CL] 1.03, 1.41). Homeless persons with AIDS who obtained supportive housing had a lower risk of death than those who did not (adjusted RH 0.20; 95% CL 0.05, 0.81).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Supportive housing ameliorates the negative effect of homelessness on survival with AIDS.</p
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