2,456 research outputs found
Cosmologies with Null Singularities and their Gauge Theory Duals
We investigate backgrounds of Type IIB string theory with null singularities
and their duals proposed in hep-th/0602107. The dual theory is a deformed N=4
Yang-Mills theory in 3+1 dimensions with couplings dependent on a light-like
direction. We concentrate on backgrounds which become AdS_5 x S^5 at early and
late times and where the string coupling is bounded, vanishing at the
singularity. Our main conclusion is that in these cases the dual gauge theory
is nonsingular. We show this by arguing that there exists a complete set of
gauge invariant observables in the dual gauge theory whose correlation
functions are nonsingular at all times. The two-point correlator for some
operators calculated in the gauge theory does not agree with the result from
the bulk supergravity solution. However, the bulk calculation is invalid near
the singularity where corrections to the supergravity approximation become
important. We also obtain pp-waves which are suitable Penrose limits of this
general class of solutions, and construct the Matrix Membrane theory which
describes these pp-wave backgrounds.Comment: 43 pages REVTeX and AMSLaTeX. v2: references adde
Experiences of parenting and clinical intervention for mothers affected by personality disorder: a pilot qualitative study combining parent and clinician perspectives
Background: Evidence-based parenting programmes are recommended for the treatment of child mental health difficulties. Families with complex psychosocial needs show poorer retention and outcomes when participating in standard parenting programmes. The Helping Families Programme (HFP) is a 16-week community-based parenting intervention designed to meet the needs of these families, including families with parental personality disorder. This study aimed to explore the help seeking and participatory experiences of parents with a diagnosis of personality disorder. It further aimed to examine the acceptability of referral and intervention processes for the HFP from the perspectives of (i) clinicians referring into the programme; and (ii) referred parents.
Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents recruited to receive HFP (n = 5) as part of a research case series and the referring NHS child and adolescent mental health service (CAMHS) clinicians (n = 5). Transcripts were analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis.
Results: Four themes were identified for parents: (i) the experience of parenthood, (ii) being a parent affected by personality disorder, (iii) experience of the intervention, and (iv) qualities of helping. Three themes emerged for clinicians: (i) challenges of addressing parental need, (ii) experience of engaging parents with personality disorders and (iii) limited involvement during HFP. Comparison of parent and clinician themes led to the identification of two key interlinked themes: (i) concerns prior to receiving the intervention, and (ii) the challenges of working together without a mutual understanding.
Conclusions: This pilot study identifies potentially significant challenges of working with parents affected by personality disorder and engaging them in HFP and other similar interventions. Results have important wider clinical implications by highlighting potential barriers to engagement and participation and providing insights on how these barriers might be overcome. Findings have been used to inform the referral and intervention processes of a pilot RCT and further intervention development
Studying the High-Energy Gamma-Ray Sky with Glast
Building on the success of the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope
(EGRET) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the Gamma-ray Large Area Space
Telescope (GLAST) will make a major step in the study of such subjects as
blazars, gamma-ray bursts, the search for dark matter, supernova remnants,
pulsars, diffuse radiation, and unidentified high-energy sources. The
instrument will be built on new and mature detector technologies such as
silicon strip detectors, low-power low-noise LSI, and a multilevel data
acquisition system. GLAST is in the research and development phase, and one
full tower (of 25 total) is now being built in collaborating institutes. The
prototype tower will be tested thoroughly at SLAC in the fall of 1999.Comment: 6 pages with 2 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the COSPAR 98
Symposium E 1.1, postscript file also available at
http://glast.gsfc.nasa.gov/COSPAR
Time Dependent Cosmologies and Their Duals
We construct a family of solutions in IIB supergravity theory. These are time
dependent or depend on a light-like coordinate and can be thought of as
deformations of AdS_5 x S^5. Several of the solutions have singularities. The
light-like solutions preserve 8 supersymmetries. We argue that these solutions
are dual to the N=4 gauge theory in a 3+1 dimensional spacetime with a metric
and a gauge coupling that is varying with time or the light-like direction
respectively. This identification allows us to map the question of singularity
resolution to the dual gauge theory.Comment: 13 pages REVTeX and AMSLaTeX. v2: corrected typos and made some
clarifications; reference added; v3: more clarifications, references adde
Stochastic Gravitational Wave Measurements with Bar Detectors: Dependence of Response on Detector Orientation
The response of a cross-correlation measurement to an isotropic stochastic
gravitational-wave background depends on the observing geometry via the overlap
reduction function. If one of the detectors being correlated is a resonant bar
whose orientation can be changed, the response to stochastic gravitational
waves can be modulated. I derive the general form of this modulation as a
function of azimuth, both in the zero-frequency limit and at arbitrary
frequencies. Comparisons are made between pairs of nearby detectors, such as
LIGO Livingston-ALLEGRO, Virgo-AURIGA, Virgo-NAUTILUS, and EXPLORER-AURIGA,
with which stochastic cross-correlation measurements are currently being
performed, planned, or considered.Comment: 17 pages, REVTeX (uses rcs, amsmath, hyperref, and graphicx style
files), 4 figures (8 eps image files
Dimensional Reduction without Extra Continuous Dimensions
We describe a novel approach to dimensional reduction in classical field
theory. Inspired by ideas from noncommutative geometry, we introduce extended
algebras of differential forms over space-time, generalized exterior
derivatives and generalized connections associated with the "geometry" of
space-times with discrete extra dimensions. We apply our formalism to theories
of gauge- and gravitational fields and find natural geometrical origins for an
axion- and a dilaton field, as well as a Higgs field.Comment: 23 page
On the origin of quantum mechanics
Action at distance in Newtonian physics is replaced by finite propagation
speeds in classical post--Newtonian physics. As a result, the differential
equations of motion in Newtonian physics are replaced by functional
differential equations, where the delay associated with the finite propagation
speed is taken into account. Newtonian equations of motion, with
post--Newtonian corrections, are often used to approximate the functional
differential equations. Are the finite propagation speeds the origin of the
quantum mechanics? In this work a simple atomic model based on a functional
differential equation which reproduces the quantized Bohr atomic model is
presented. As straightforward application of the result the fine structure of
the hydrogen atom is approached.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figure in EPS forma
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