How hard is the euro area core? A wavelet analysis of growth cycles in Germany, France and Italy

Using recent advances in time-varying spectral methods, this research analyses the growth cycles of the core of the euro area in terms of frequency content and phasing of cycles. The methodology uses the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) and also Hilbert wavelet pairs in the setting of a non-decimated discrete wavelet transform in order to analyse bivariate time series in terms of conventional frequency domain measures from spectral analysis. The findings are that coherence and phasing between the three core members of the euro area (France, Germany and Italy) have increased since the launch of the euro

Experimental forced vibration responses of test houses during the Edwards Air Force Base phase of the national sonic boom test program

Experimental vibration studies were conducted on two houses to determine some of the dynamic response characteristics, resulting from sonic boom. The primary objectives of the vibration tests were to identify the mode shapes associated with the various frequencies determined from the sonic boom response data, and to obtain some basic information about the vibration behavior of buildings in general. The results are presented of forced sinusoidal vibration studies of some components of the test structures. Included are acceleration response data on selected walls, wall surface modal patterns, and vibration induced noise measurements at various locations in the test structures

Flipped Cryptons and the UHECRs

Cryptons are metastable bound states of fractionally-charged particles that arise generically in the hidden sectors of models derived from heterotic string. We study their properties and decay modes in a specific flipped SU(5) model with long-lived four-particle spin-zero bound states called {\it tetrons}. We show that the neutral tetrons are metastable, and exhibit the tenth-order non-renormalizable superpotential operators responsible for their dominant decays. By analogy with QCD, we expect charged tetrons to be somewhat heavier, and to decay relatively rapidly via lower-order interactions that we also exhibit. The expected masses and lifetimes of the neutral tetrons make them good candidates for cold dark matter (CDM), and a potential source of the ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) which have been observed, whereas the charged tetrons would have decayed in the early Universe.Comment: 8 Pages RevTex. New version with expanded introduction to flipped SU(5). Accepted for publication in PR

The Search for a Realistic String Model at LHC

We survey the low-energy supersymmetry phenomenology of a three-family Pati-Salam model constructed from intersecting D6-branes in Type IIA string theory on the T^6/(Z_2 x Z_2) orientifold which possesses many of the phenomenological properties desired in string model-building. In the model, there is no exotic matter in the low-energy spectrum, the correct mass hierarchies for quarks and leptons may be obtained, and the gauge couplings are automatically unified at the string scale. We calculate the supersymmetry breaking soft terms and the corresponding low-energy supersymmetry particle spectra for the model. We find the WMAP constrained dark matter density can be generated in this model in the stau-neutralino and chargino-neutralino coannihilation regions, with expected final states at LHC consisting of low energy leptons and O(GeV) neutrinos. Moreover, we expect final states in the supercritical string cosmology (SSC) scenario to comprise high energy leptons and O(GeV) neutrinos.Comment: 35 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in PR

Exploring the beliefs about sex and relationships held by sex offenders with an intellectual disability

This thesis aimed to enrich the existing research literature concerning sex offenders with an intellectual disability and to offer direct implications for the treatment of these individuals within the National Offender Management Service1 (NOMS). The thesis concerns the exploration of the beliefs about sex and relationships held by sex offenders who have an intellectual disability. Existing research literature indicates that this is an important and somewhat under-researched area. Indeed, we know that people with intellectual disabilities often experience impoverished or distorted sexual learning experiences and commonly lack knowledge or hold mistaken beliefs about sex and relationships. Additionally, there is evidence to suggest that those who sexually offend often have sex education needs. Yet we know little about the nature of the beliefs about sex and relationships held by sex offenders with an intellectual disability beyond quantitative insights offered by comparative studies. This thesis comprises five empirical studies which aimed to address this research gap. All of the studies employed qualitative methodology and recruited participants from a UK prison. The first study aimed to develop and evaluate a method by which beliefs about sex and relationships held by sex offenders with an intellectual disability could be explored. To do so, an existing sex and relationship beliefs exercise was taken from a NOMS sex offender treatment programme and adapted so that it was suitable for use with individuals who had an intellectual disability

Proton Stability and Dark Matter in a Realistic String MSSM

We demonstrate the existence of an extra nonanomalous U(1) gauge symmetry in a three-generation Pati-Salam model constructed with intersecting D6-branes in Type IIA string theory on a T^6/(Z_2 \times Z_2) orientifold. This extra U(1) forbids all dimension-4, 5, and 6 operators which mediate proton decay in the MSSM. Moreover, this results in the effective promotion of baryon and lepton number to local gauge symmetries, which can potentially result in leptophobic and leptophilic $Z'$ bosons observable at the LHC. Furthermore, it is not necessary to invoke R-parity to forbid the dimension-4 operators which allow rapid proton decay. However, R-parity may arise naturally from a spontaneously broken U(1)_{B-L}. Assuming the presence of R-parity, we then study the direct detection cross-sections for neutralino dark matter, including the latest constraints from the XENON100 experiment. We find that these limits are now within required range necessary to begin testing the model.Comment: Expanded discussion of Z' boson phenomenology. Accepted for publication to Physical Review D. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1103.603

Yukawa Corrections from Four-Point Functions in Intersecting D6-Brane Models

We discuss corrections to the Yukawa matrices of the Standard Model (SM) fermions in intersecting D-brane models due to four-point interactions. Recently, an intersecting D-brane model has been found where it is possible to obtain correct masses and mixings for all quarks as well as the tau lepton. However, the masses for the first two charged leptons come close to the right values but are not quite correct. Since the electron and muon are quite light, it is likely that there are additional corrections to their masses which cannot be neglected. With this in mind, we consider contributions to the SM fermion mass matrices from four-point interactions. In an explicit model, we show that it is indeed possible to obtain the SM fermion masses and mixings which are a better match to those resulting from experimental data extrapolated at the unification scale when these corrections are included. These corrections may have broader application to other models.Comment: 24 pages, 4 figure

Genetic factors in systemic sclerosis

A number of genetic loci have been identified that appear to be associated with systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma). There is mounting evidence suggesting that these genetic associations may in fact be associated with distinct phenotypes in SSc based on autoantibody pattern rather than with SSc as a single disease entity. This may ultimately have implications for approaches to therapy as well as responses to therapy. The most promising candidate genes are those involved in pathways that lead to the vascular damage and fibrosis that are the hallmarks of this disease. There is uncertainty, however, regarding the nature of the key pathological mechanisms that link these two disease processes. Recent studies have focused on Fli1 (friend leukaemia integration 1), a transcription factor that is found in immune cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells that regulates collagen gene function and angiogenesis. Fli1 is dysregulated in SSc skin and dermal blood vessels, and appears to play a pathological role in SSc skin fibrosis and vessel degeneration. Whether this dysregulation is due to genetic polymorphisms in the Fli1 pathway or to epigenetic mechanisms is not clear