2,478 research outputs found
Holographic Non-Gaussianity
We investigate the non-Gaussianity of primordial cosmological perturbations
within our recently proposed holographic description of inflationary universes.
We derive a holographic formula that determines the bispectrum of cosmological
curvature perturbations in terms of correlation functions of a holographically
dual three-dimensional non-gravitational quantum field theory (QFT). This
allows us to compute the primordial bispectrum for a universe which started in
a non-geometric holographic phase, using perturbative QFT calculations.
Strikingly, for a class of models specified by a three-dimensional
super-renormalisable QFT, the primordial bispectrum is of exactly the
factorisable equilateral form with f_nl^eq=5/36, irrespective of the details of
the dual QFT. A by-product of this investigation is a holographic formula for
the three-point function of the trace of the stress-energy tensor along general
holographic RG flows, which should have applications outside the remit of this
work.Comment: 42 pages, 2 figs, published versio
Probability distribution of the maximum of a smooth temporal signal
We present an approximate calculation for the distribution of the maximum of
a smooth stationary temporal signal X(t). As an application, we compute the
persistence exponent associated to the probability that the process remains
below a non-zero level M. When X(t) is a Gaussian process, our results are
expressed explicitly in terms of the two-time correlation function,
f(t)=.Comment: Final version (1 major typo corrected; better introduction). Accepted
in Phys. Rev. Let
In-vivo longitudinal MRI study: an assessment of melanoma brain metastases in a clinically relevant mouse model.
Brain metastases are an important clinical problem. Few animal models exist for melanoma brain metastases; many of which are not clinically relevant. Longitudinal MRI was implemented to examine the development of tumors in a clinically relevant mouse model of melanoma brain metastases. Fifty thousand human metastatic melanoma (A2058) cells were injected intracardially into nude mice. Three Tesla MRI was performed using a custom-built gradient insert coil and a mouse solenoid head coil. Imaging was performed on consecutive days at four time points. Tumor burden and volumes of metastases were measured from balanced steady-state free precession image data. Metastases with a disrupted blood-tumor barrier were identified from T1-weighted spin echo images acquired after administration of gadopentetic acid (Gd-DTPA). Metastases permeable to Gd-DTPA showed signal enhancement. The number of enhancing metastases was determined by comparing balanced steady-state free precession images with T1-weighted spin echo images. After the final imaging session, ex-vivo permeability and histological analyses were carried out. Imaging showed that both enhancing and nonenhancing brain metastases coexist in the brain, and that most metastases switched from the nonenhancing to the enhancing phenotype. Small numbers of brain metastases were enhancing when first detected by MRI and remained enhancing, whereas other metastases remained nonenhancing to Gd-DTPA throughout the experiment. No clear relationship existed between the permeability of brain metastases and size, brain location and age. Longitudinal in-vivo MRI is key to studying the complex and dynamic processes of metastasis and changes in the blood-tumor barrier permeability, which may lead to a better understanding of the variable responses of brain metastases to treatments
Digital training platform for interpreting radiographic images of the chest
Introduction: Time delays and errors exist which lead to delays in patient care and misdiagnosis. Reporting clinicians follow guidance to form their own search strategy. However, little research has tested these training guides. With the use of eye tracking technology and expert input we developed a digital training platform to be used in chest image interpretation learning.
Methods: Two sections of a digital training platform were planned and developed; A) a search strategy training tool to assist reporters during their interpretation of images, and B) an educational tool to communicate the search strategies of expert viewers to trainees by using eye tracking technology.
Results: A digital training platform for use in chest image interpretation was created based on evidence within the literature, expert input and two search strategies previously used in clinical practice. Images and diagrams, aiding translation of the platform content, were incorporated where possible. The platform is structured to allow the chest image interpretation process to be clear, concise and methodical.
Conclusion: A search strategy was incorporated within the tool to investigate its use, with the possibility that it could be recommended as an evidence based approach for use by reporting clinicians. Eye tracking, a checklist and voice recordings have been combined to form a multi-dimensional learning tool, which has never been used in chest image interpretation learning before. The training platform for use in chest image interpretation learning has been designed, created and digitised. Future work will establish the efficacy of the developed approaches
An insight into the current perceptions of UK radiographers on the future impact of AI on the profession: A cross-sectional survey
On graviton non-Gaussianities during inflation
We consider the most general three point function for gravitational waves
produced during a period of exactly de Sitter expansion. The de Sitter
isometries constrain the possible shapes to only three: two preserving parity
and one violating parity. These isometries imply that these correlation
functions should be conformal invariant. One of the shapes is produced by the
ordinary gravity action. The other shape is produced by a higher derivative
correction and could be as large as the gravity contribution. The parity
violating shape does not contribute to the bispectrum [1106.3228, 1108.0175],
even though it is present in the wavefunction. We also introduce a spinor
helicity formalism to describe de Sitter gravitational waves with circular
polarization. These results also apply to correlation functions in Anti-de
Sitter space. They also describe the general form of stress tensor correlation
functions, in momentum space, in a three dimensional conformal field theory.
Here all three shapes can arise, including the parity violating one.Comment: 51 pages, v2: Corrected statement about parity violation in the
gravitational wave bispectrum. Some other changes and references adde
Ekpyrotic collapse with multiple fields
A scale invariant spectrum of isocurvature perturbations is generated during
collapse in the scaling solution in models where two or more fields have steep
negative exponential potentials. The scale invariance of the spectrum is
realised by a tachyonic instability in the isocurvature field. We show that
this instability is due to the fact that the scaling solution is a saddle point
in the phase space. The late time attractor is identified with a single field
dominated ekpyrotic collapse in which a steep blue spectrum for isocurvature
perturbations is found. Although quantum fluctuations do not necessarily to
disrupt the classical solution, an additional preceding stage is required to
establish classical homogeneity.Comment: 13 pages, 1 figur
Comparative study of the Martian suprathermal electron depletions based on Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Express and Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN missions observations
Nightside suprathermal electron depletions have been observed at Mars by three spacecraft to date: Mars Global Surveyor, Mars Express, and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission. This spatial and temporal diversity of measurements allows us to propose here a comprehensive view of the Martian electron depletions through the first multispacecraft study of the phenomenon. We have analyzed data recorded by the three spacecraft from 1999 to 2015 in order to better understand the distribution of the electron depletions and their creation mechanisms. Three simple criteria adapted to each mission have been implemented to identify more than 134,500 electron depletions observed between 125 and 900 km altitude. The geographical distribution maps of the electron depletions detected by the three spacecraft confirm the strong link existing between electron depletions and crustal magnetic field at altitudes greater than ~170 km. At these altitudes, the distribution of electron depletions is strongly different in the two hemispheres, with a far greater chance to observe an electron depletion in the Southern Hemisphere, where the strongest crustal magnetic sources are located. However, the unique MAVEN observations reveal that below a transition region near 160–170 km altitude the distribution of electron depletions is the same in both hemispheres, with no particular dependence on crustal magnetic fields. This result supports the suggestion made by previous studies that these low-altitudes events are produced through electron absorption by atmospheric CO2
Scale-invariance in expanding and contracting universes from two-field models
We study cosmological perturbations produced by the most general
two-derivative actions involving two scalar fields, coupled to Einstein
gravity, with an arbitrary field space metric, that admit scaling solutions.
For contracting universes, we show that scale-invariant adiabatic perturbations
can be produced continuously as modes leave the horizon for any equation of
state parameter . The corresponding background solutions are unstable,
which we argue is a universal feature of contracting models that yield
scale-invariant spectra. For expanding universes, we find that nearly
scale-invariant adiabatic perturbation spectra can only be produced for , and that the corresponding scaling solutions are attractors. The
presence of a nontrivial metric on field space is a crucial ingredient in our
results.Comment: 23 pages, oversight in perturbations calculation corrected,
conclusions for expanding models modifie
The holographic fluid dual to vacuum Einstein gravity
We present an algorithm for systematically reconstructing a solution of the
(d+2)-dimensional vacuum Einstein equations from a (d+1)-dimensional fluid,
extending the non-relativistic hydrodynamic expansion of Bredberg et al in
arXiv:1101.2451 to arbitrary order. The fluid satisfies equations of motion
which are the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations, corrected by specific
higher derivative terms. The uniqueness and regularity of this solution is
established to all orders and explicit results are given for the bulk metric
and the stress tensor of the dual fluid through fifth order in the hydrodynamic
expansion. We establish the validity of a relativistic hydrodynamic description
for the dual fluid, which has the unusual property of having a vanishing
equilibrium energy density. The gravitational results are used to identify
transport coefficients of the dual fluid, which also obeys an interesting and
exact constraint on its stress tensor. We propose novel Lagrangian models which
realise key properties of the holographic fluid.Comment: 31 pages; v2: references added and minor improvements, published
versio
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