Search for gravitational-lensing signatures in the full third observing run of the LIGO-Virgo network

Gravitational lensing by massive objects along the line of sight to the source causes distortions of gravitational wave-signals; such distortions may reveal information about fundamental physics, cosmology and astrophysics. In this work, we have extended the search for lensing signatures to all binary black hole events from the third observing run of the LIGO--Virgo network. We search for repeated signals from strong lensing by 1) performing targeted searches for subthreshold signals, 2) calculating the degree of overlap amongst the intrinsic parameters and sky location of pairs of signals, 3) comparing the similarities of the spectrograms amongst pairs of signals, and 4) performing dual-signal Bayesian analysis that takes into account selection effects and astrophysical knowledge. We also search for distortions to the gravitational waveform caused by 1) frequency-independent phase shifts in strongly lensed images, and 2) frequency-dependent modulation of the amplitude and phase due to point masses. None of these searches yields significant evidence for lensing. Finally, we use the non-detection of gravitational-wave lensing to constrain the lensing rate based on the latest merger-rate estimates and the fraction of dark matter composed of compact objects

Search for eccentric black hole coalescences during the third observing run of LIGO and Virgo

Despite the growing number of confident binary black hole coalescences observed through gravitational waves so far, the astrophysical origin of these binaries remains uncertain. Orbital eccentricity is one of the clearest tracers of binary formation channels. Identifying binary eccentricity, however, remains challenging due to the limited availability of gravitational waveforms that include effects of eccentricity. Here, we present observational results for a waveform-independent search sensitive to eccentric black hole coalescences, covering the third observing run (O3) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors. We identified no new high-significance candidates beyond those that were already identified with searches focusing on quasi-circular binaries. We determine the sensitivity of our search to high-mass (total mass M>70 M⊙) binaries covering eccentricities up to 0.3 at 15 Hz orbital frequency, and use this to compare model predictions to search results. Assuming all detections are indeed quasi-circular, for our fiducial population model, we place an upper limit for the merger rate density of high-mass binaries with eccentricities 0<e≤0.3 at 0.33 Gpc−3 yr−1 at 90\% confidence level

Ultralight vector dark matter search using data from the KAGRA O3GK run

Among the various candidates for dark matter (DM), ultralight vector DM can be probed by laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors through the measurement of oscillating length changes in the arm cavities. In this context, KAGRA has a unique feature due to differing compositions of its mirrors, enhancing the signal of vector DM in the length change in the auxiliary channels. Here we present the result of a search for U(1)B−L gauge boson DM using the KAGRA data from auxiliary length channels during the first joint observation run together with GEO600. By applying our search pipeline, which takes into account the stochastic nature of ultralight DM, upper bounds on the coupling strength between the U(1)B−L gauge boson and ordinary matter are obtained for a range of DM masses. While our constraints are less stringent than those derived from previous experiments, this study demonstrates the applicability of our method to the lower-mass vector DM search, which is made difficult in this measurement by the short observation time compared to the auto-correlation time scale of DM

Responsiveness to the Portuguese version of the international consultation on incontinence questionnaire - short form (ICIQ-SF) after stress urinary incontinence surgery

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the reliability and responsiveness (internal and external) of the Portuguese version of the ICIQ-SF. We assessed the responsiveness of the ICIQ-SF after surgical procedures for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective open label study in 2 tertiary referral centers. Sixty-one patients of both genders (54 female and 7 male) were enrolled. Patients were treated using surgical procedures, mostly with synthetic sling (82%). Patients were assessed before surgery and at least 1 month postoperatively using the ICIQ-SF in its translated and validated Portuguese version. Patients also underwent pre-operative urodynamic tests, Stamey incontinence grading and pad usage assessments. After surgery, patients underwent stress tests, Stamey incontinence grading and pad usage assessments. RESULTS: The mean age was 57.2 (&plusmn; 11.6) years and the mean duration of follow-up was 7.2 months (&plusmn; 4.5). Objective parameters such as urodynamic tests (by means of VLPP) and pad usage had significant correlation with changes in post-treatment scores on the ICIQ-SF (p = 0.0062 and p < 0.0001 respectively). The responsiveness expressed in terms of standardized effect sizes (SES) and standardized response means (SRM) was large for both questionnaires (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The results showed high responsiveness (large effect sizes I and II) for the Portuguese version of the ICIQ-SF, indicating that this instrument is suitable for measuring outcomes in clinical trials for Brazilian patients with stress urinary incontinence

Concurrent validity, internal consistency and responsiveness of the portuguese version of the king's health questionnaire (KHQ) in women after stress urinary incontinence surgery

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the concurrent validity, internal consistency and responsiveness of King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) in patients who underwent sling procedures for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective open label multicenter study in 4 tertiary referral centers. Sixty-eight female patients were enrolled with urodynamically diagnosed urinary stress incontinence. Patients were treated using surgical procedures, mostly (73%) with the synthetic sling procedure, which has been considered one of the gold standard methods for the treatment of urinary incontinence. The patients were assessed before and after one month of postoperative follow up, using the KHQ in its validated Portuguese version. Patients also underwent preoperative urodynamic test, Stamey incontinence grading, pad usage and the assessment of number of pads used per day. After surgery, patients underwent stress test, Stamey incontinence grading pad usage and the assessment of number of pads used per day. RESULTS: The concurrent validity showed good correlations in some domains of KHQ to clinical parameters. The internal consistency was higher after treatment compared to preoperative values. Objective parameters, such as pad usage and the assessment of number of pads used per day, had significant correlation with changes in post-treatment scores on KHQ. The responsiveness expressed in terms of standardized effect size (SES) and standardized response mean (SRM) was large. CONCLUSION: The results showed moderate concurrent validity, strong internal consistency and high responsiveness for KHQ, indicating that it is suitable for measuring outcomes in clinical trials among female patients with stress urinary incontinence

Cosmology with the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) has two scientific objectives of cosmological focus: to probe the expansion rate of the universe, and to understand stochastic gravitational-wave backgrounds and their implications for early universe and particle physics, from the MeV to the Planck scale. However, the range of potential cosmological applications of gravitational wave observations extends well beyond these two objectives. This publication presents a summary of the state of the art in LISA cosmology, theory and methods, and identifies new opportunities to use gravitational wave observations by LISA to probe the universe