Graded cluster expansion for lattice systems

In this paper we develop a general theory which provides a unified treatment of two apparently different problems. The weak Gibbs property of measures arising from the application of Renormalization Group maps and the mixing properties of disordered lattice systems in the Griffiths' phase. We suppose that the system satisfies a mixing condition in a subset of the lattice whose complement is sparse enough namely, large regions are widely separated. We then show how it is possible to construct a convergent multi-scale cluster expansion

Lattice Study of the Decay B^0-bar -> rho^+ l^- nu_l-bar: Model-Independent Determination of |V_{ub}|

We present results of a lattice computation of the vector and axial-vector current matrix elements relevant for the semileptonic decay B^0-bar -> rho^+ l^- nu_l-bar. The computations are performed in the quenched approximation of lattice QCD on a 24^3 x 48 lattice at beta = 6.2, using an O(a) improved fermionic action. Our principal result is for the differential decay rate, dGamma/dq^2, for the decay B^0-bar -> rho^+ l^- nu_l-bar in a region beyond the charm threshold, allowing a model-independent extraction of |V_{ub}| from experimental measurements. Heavy quark symmetry relations between radiative and semileptonic decays of B-bar mesons into light vector mesons are also discussed.Comment: 22 pages LaTeX-209 (dependent on settings in a4.sty), 23 PostScript figures included with epsf.sty. Complete PostScript file including figures available at http://wwwhep.phys.soton.ac.uk/hepwww/papers/shep9518

Longitudinal study of computerised cardiotocography in early fetal growth restriction.

OBJECTIVES: To explore if in early fetal growth restriction (FGR) the longitudinal pattern of short-term fetal heart rate (FHR) variation (STV) can be used for identifying imminent fetal distress and if abnormalities of FHR registration associate with two-year infant outcome. METHODS: The original TRUFFLE study assessed if in early FGR the use of ductus venosus Doppler pulsatility index (DVPI), in combination with a safety-net of very low STV and / or recurrent decelerations, could improve two-year infant survival without neurological impairment in comparison to computerised cardiotocography (cCTG) with STV calculation only. For this secondary analysis we selected women, who delivered before 32 weeks, and who had consecutive STV data for more than 3 days before delivery, and known infant two-year outcome data. Women who received corticosteroids within 3 days of delivery were excluded. Individual regression line algorithms of all STV values except the last one were calculated. Life table analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to calculate the day by day risk for a low STV or very low STV and / or FHR decelerations (DVPI group safety-net) and to assess which parameters were associated to this risk. Furthermore, it was assessed if STV pattern, lowest STV value or recurrent FHR decelerations were associated with two-year infant outcome. RESULTS: One hundred and fourty-nine women matched the inclusion criteria. Using the individual STV regression lines prediction of a last STV below the cCTG-group cut-off had a sensitivity of 0.42 and specificity of 0.91. For each day after inclusion the median risk for a low STV(cCTG criteria) was 4% (Interquartile range (IQR) 2% to 7%) and for a very low STV and / or recurrent decelerations (DVPI safety-net criteria) 5% (IQR 4 to 7%). Measures of STV pattern, fetal Doppler (arterial or venous), birthweight MoM or gestational age did not improve daily risk prediction usefully. There was no association of STV regression coefficients, a last low STV or /and recurrent decelerations with short or long term infant outcomes. CONCLUSION: The TRUFFLE study showed that a strategy of DVPI monitoring with a safety-net delivery indication of very low STV and / or recurrent decelerations could increase infant survival without neurological impairment at two years. This post-hoc analysis demonstrates that in early FGR the day by day risk of an abnormal cCTG as defined by the DVPI protocol safety-net criteria is 5%, and that prediction of this is not possible. This supports the rationale for cCTG monitoring more often than daily in these high-risk fetuses. Low STV and/or recurrent decelerations were not associated with adverse infant outcome and it appears safe to delay intervention until such abnormalities occur, as long as DVPI is in the normal range

Searches for lepton-flavour-violating decays of the Higgs boson in s=13\sqrt{s}=13 TeV pp\mathit{pp} collisions with the ATLAS detector

This Letter presents direct searches for lepton flavour violation in Higgs boson decays, H → eτ and H → μτ , performed with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The searches are based on a data sample of proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy √s = 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb−1. No significant excess is observed above the expected background from Standard Model processes. The observed (median expected) 95% confidence-level upper limits on the leptonflavour-violating branching ratios are 0.47% (0.34+0.13−0.10%) and 0.28% (0.37+0.14−0.10%) for H → eτ and H → μτ , respectively.publishedVersio