Gravitational trapping potential with arbitrary extra dimensions

We extend a recently discovered, non-singular 6 dimensional brane, solution to D=4+n dimensions. As with the previous 6D solution the present solution provides a gravitational trapping mechanism for fields of spin 0, 1/2, 1 and 2. There is an important distinction between 2 extra dimensions and $n$ extra dimensions that makes this more than a trivial extension. In contrast to gravity in n >2 dimensions, gravity in n=2 dimensions is conformally flat. The stress-energy tensor required by this solution has reasonable physically properties, and for n=2 and n=3 can be made to asymptotically go to zero as one moves away from the brane.Comment: 7 pages revtex. No figures. References added some discussions change

Anisotropic In-Plane Strain and Transport in Epitaxial Nd(0.2)Sr(0.8)MnO(3) Thin Films

The structure, morphology, and electrical properties of epitaxial a-axis oriented thin films of Nd(0.2)Sr(0.8)MnO(3) are reported for thicknesses 10 nm <= t <= 150 nm. Films were grown with both tensile and compressive strain on various substrates. It is found that the elongated crystallographic c-axes of the films remain fully strained to the substrates for all thicknesses in both strain states. Relaxation of the a and b axes is observed for t>= 65 nm with films grown under tensile strain developing uniaxial crack arrays (running along the c axis) due to a highly anisotropic thermal expansion. For the latter films, the room-temperature in-plane electrical resistivity anisotropy, rho_b/rho_c, increases approximately exponentially with increasing film thickness to values of ~1000 in the thickest films studied. Films under tension have their Neel temperatures enhanced by ~25 K independent of thickness, consistent with an enhancement of ferromagnetic exchange along their expanded c axes.Comment: 14 pp., 9 Fig.

Development of a New High-Resolution Neutron Detector and Beta-delayed Neutron Spectroscopy of 24O.

An efficient neutron detection system with good energy resolution is needed to correctly characterize the decays of neutron-rich nuclei where beta-delayed neutron emission is a dominant decay mode. Precision neutron spectroscopy probes nuclear structure effects in neutron-rich nuclei and is essential to exploit the opportunities in new-generation radioactive beam facilities. A new high-resolution neutron detector, Neutron dEtector with Xn Tracking (NEXT), has been constructed, characterized, and tested in decay and reaction experiments. Its essential capability is the neutron interaction position localization, which enables improvement in energy resolution without compromising detection efficiency in the time-of-flight measurements. Neutron-gamma discrimination capability of NEXT allows for performing experiments even in high background conditions. First measurements were performed with beta-delayed neutron emitters using NEXT at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), focussing on fission fragments. At National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL), NEXT was used alongside the Versatile Array of Neutron Detectors at Low Energy (VANDLE) to study light drip-line nuclei at and below the island of inversion with first-ever neutron spectroscopy performed for several isotopes. The neutron energy spectrum measurement of the beta-delayed neutron precursor 24O was performed for the first time at NSCL using two different neutron detector arrays: VANDLE and NEXT, accompanied by gamma spectroscopy. The beta-gamma and beta- delayed neutron measurements following the decay of 24O provided the beta decay strength distribution extending to neutron unbound states in 24F, serving as an excellent case to test the nuclear model calculations near the neutron drip line. The experimental results are compared with the shell model calculations using the standard USDA and USDB interactions and IMSRG

Warped compactification on curved manifolds

The characterization of a six- (or seven)-dimensional internal manifold with metric as having positive, zero or negative curvature is expected to be an important aspect of warped compactifications in supergravity. In this context, Douglas and Kallosh recently pointed out that a compact internal space with negative curvature could help to construct four-dimensional de Sitter solutions only if the extra dimensions are strongly warped or there are large stringy corrections. That is, the problem of finding 4-dimensional de Sitter solutions is well posed, if all extra dimensions are physically compact, which is called a no-go theorem. Here, we show that the above conclusion does not extend to a general class of warped compactifications in classical supergravity that allow a non-compact direction or cosmological solutions for which the internal space is asymptotic to a cone over a product of compact Einstein spaces or spheres. For clarity, we present classical solutions that compactify higher-dimensional spacetime to produce a Robertson--Walker universe with de Sitter-type expansion plus one extra non-compact direction. Such models are found to admit both an effective four-dimensional Newton constant that remains finite and a normalizable zero-mode graviton wavefunction. We also exhibit the possibility of obtaining 4D de Sitter solutions by including the effect of fluxes (p-form field strengths).Comment: 24 pages, 1 figure; v5 significant changes in the presentation, published (journal) versio

Completely localized gravity with higher curvature terms

In the intersecting braneworld models, higher curvature corrections to the Einstein action are necessary to provide a non-trivial geometry (brane tension) at the brane junctions. By introducing such terms in a Gauss-Bonnet form, we give an effective description of localized gravity on the singular delta-function branes. There exists a non-vanishing brane tension at the four-dimensional brane intersection of two 4-branes. Importantly, we give explicit expressions of the graviton propagator and show that the Randall-Sundrum single-brane model with a Gauss-Bonnet term in the bulk correctly gives a massless graviton on the brane as for the RS model. We explore some crucial features of completely localized gravity in the solitonic braneworld solutions obtained with a choice (\xi=1) of solutions. The no-go theorem known for Einstein's theory may not apply to the \xi=1 solution. As complementary discussions, we provide an effective description of the power-law corrections to Newtonian gravity on the branes or at the common intersection thereof.Comment: 19 pages, LaTeX, Revised/Published Versio

A study investigating the relationships between consumers' cultural values, their functional food perception and behaviour

The study is designed to investigate the relationships between consumers’ cultural values and their perceptions of functional foods. The Australian Dietary Guidelines have recommended the amount and kinds of foods that Australians need to eat to reduce the risk of chronic health problems. A reasonable number of foods in the guidelines fall under the functional foods category; for example, whole grain food products, legumes/lentils and non-starchy vegetables. Most Australian consumers are not eating foods as recommended by the dietary guidelines. One of the underlying reasons for such noncompliance could be the multicultural nature of the population in Australia. Consumers from different ethnic backgrounds have cultural values inherited from their tradition, family or parents, which can influence their decisions on how or whether they should choose foods recommended by the guidelines. There are very few studies specifically focusing on the relationship between consumers’ cultural values and their perception of functional food products, and most of the studies are either exploratory in nature or have been carried out under different cultural contexts than Australia, or they did not specifically study cultural values that affect functional food perceptions. There is a need for a rigorous study to confirm whether and how culture affects functional food perception and the cultural values that specifically influence the perception of functional foods. This research will follow a sequential research design, “qual-QUAN”. The study will include participants from Anglo-Australia, Indian and Chinese origin living in Australia. The research is aiming to recruit at least 20 consumers for a qualitative study and 600 participants for a quantitative study. The qualitative data will be collected through in-depth interviews and will be analysed using the Grounded Theory method. The quantitative data will be collected by questionnaire survey and will be analysed using the Exploratory Factor Analysis method

Prescribing patterns in patients with chronic liver and kidney disease in a tertiary care hospital

Background: Liver diseases are major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. It is the 12th leading cause of death liver diseases can be classified as acute if the onset of symptom does not exceed six months or chronic if symptoms persist beyond this period. According to the recently available World Health Organization. The aim of study is to facilitate rational use of medicines. Methods: This study is a prospective, observational, single center study which include patients aged ≥18 years, diagnosis of liver diseases with or without co-morbidities and is conducted at out-patient of Medicine department, Rajindra Medical College and Hospital, Patiala. Results: In this study, total of 97 prescriptions of patients with liver disease were analyzed. Out of 97 patients, the majority of patients were male. In ALD, males were 32 (78%) whereas female were 9 (22%) while in CLD males were 47 (84%) and females were 9 (16%).While observing the LFT profile of patients with ALD common tests were observed which includes total bilirubin (1.82±2.42), SGOT (96.81±117.49) and SGPT (94.78±142.94) and in patients with CLD common tests were observed which includes total bilirubin (2.50±3.63), SGOT (67.50±43.04), SGPT (47.10±33.12), blood urea (46.92±24.14) and alkaline phosphatase (147.02±63.14). Conclusions: The study interprets the prescribing pattern of drugs used in patients with ALD and CLD and observed that vitamins and minerals and antibiotics were the most prescribed in order to avoid further complications followed by hepatoprotective agents, antiulcer drugs, antihypertensives and laxatives.

Late-time Cosmic Dynamics from M-theory

We consider the behaviour of the cosmological acceleration for time-dependent hyperbolic and flux compactifications of M-theory, with an exponential potential. For flat and closed cosmologies it is seen that a positive acceleration is always transient for both compactifications. For open cosmologies, both compactifications can give at late times periods of positive acceleration. As a function of proper time this acceleration has a power law decay and can be either positive, negative or oscillatory.Comment: 10 pages, LaTeX, 2 figure