A New Probe of the High-z BAO scale: BAO tomography With CMB ×\times LIM-Nulling Convergence

Standard rulers such as the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) scale serve as workhorses for precision tests of cosmology, enabling distance measurements that probe the geometry and expansion history of our Universe. Aside from BAO measurements from the cosmic microwave background (CMB), most standard ruler techniques operate at relatively low redshifts and depend on biased tracers of the matter density field. In a companion paper, we explored the scientific reach of nulling estimators, where CMB lensing convergence maps are cross-correlated with linear combinations of similar maps from line intensity mapping (LIM) to precisely null out the low-redshift contributions to CMB lensing. We showed that nulling estimators can be used to constrain the high redshift matter power spectrum and showed that this spectrum exhibits discernible BAO features. Here we propose using these features as a standard ruler at high redshifts that does not rely on biased tracers. Forecasting such a measurement at $z \sim 5$, we find that next-generation instruments will be able to constrain the BAO scale to percent-level precision at $7.2 \%$, while our futuristic observing scenario can constrain the BAO scale to $4\%$ precision. This constitutes a fundamentally new kind of BAO measurement during early epochs in our cosmic history.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2309.0647

Constraining Cosmology With the CMB ×\times LIM-Nulling Convergence

Lensing reconstruction maps from the cosmic microwave background (CMB) provide direct observations of the matter distribution of the universe without the use of a biased tracer. Such maps, however, constitute projected observables along the line of sight that are dominated by their low-redshift contributions. To cleanly access high-redshift information, Maniyar et al. showed that a linear combination of lensing maps from both CMB and line intensity mapping (LIM) observations can exactly null the low-redshift contribution to CMB lensing convergence. In this paper we explore the scientific returns of this nulling technique. We show that LIM-nulling estimators can place constraints on standard $\Lambda$CDM plus neutrino mass parameters that are competitive with traditional CMB lensing. Additionally, we demonstrate that as a clean probe of the high-redshift universe, LIM-nulling can be used for model-independent tests of cosmology beyond $\Lambda$CDM and as a probe of the high-redshift matter power spectrum.Comment: 20 pages, 14 figure

The population prevalence of solitary confinement

Solitary confinement is a severe form of incarceration closely associated with long-lasting psychological harm and poor post-release outcomes. Estimating the population prevalence, we find that 11% of all black men in Pennsylvania, born 1986 to 1989, were incarcerated in solitary confinement by age 32. Reflecting large racial disparities, the population prevalence is only 3.4% for Latinos and 1.4% for white men. About 9% of black men in the state cohort were held in solitary for more than 15 consecutive days, violating the United Nations standards for minimum treatment of incarcerated people. Nearly 1 in 100 black men experienced solitary for a year or longer by age 32. Racial disparities are similar for women, but rates are lower. A decomposition shows that black men’s high risk of solitary confinement stems primarily from their high imprisonment rate. Findings suggest that harsh conditions of U.S. incarceration have population-level effects on black men’s well-being.Published versio

Remote data collection speech analysis and prediction of the identification of Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in people at risk for Alzheimer’s disease dementia: the Speech on the Phone Assessment (SPeAk) prospective observational study protocol

International audienceIntroduction Identifying cost-effective, non-invasive biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a clinical and research priority. Speech data are easy to collect, and studies suggest it can identify those with AD. We do not know if speech features can predict AD biomarkers in a preclinical population. Methods and analysis The Speech on the Phone Assessment (SPeAk) study is a prospective observational study. SPeAk recruits participants aged 50 years and over who have previously completed studies with AD biomarker collection. Participants complete a baseline telephone assessment, including spontaneous speech and cognitive tests. A 3-month visit will repeat the cognitive tests with a conversational artificial intelligence bot. Participants complete acceptability questionnaires after each visit. Participants are randomised to receive their cognitive test results either after each visit or only after they have completed the study. We will combine SPeAK data with AD biomarker data collected in a previous study and analyse for correlations between extracted speech features and AD biomarkers. The outcome of this analysis will inform the development of an algorithm for prediction of AD risk based on speech features. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Edinburgh Medical School Research Ethics Committee (REC reference 20-EMREC-007). All participants will provide informed consent before completing any study-related procedures, participants must have capacity to consent to participate in this study. Participants may find the tests, or receiving their scores, causes anxiety or stress. Previous exposure to similar tests may make this more familiar and reduce this anxiety. The study information will include signposting in case of distress. Study results will be disseminated to study participants, presented at conferences and published in a peer reviewed journal. No study participants will be identifiable in the study results

2018 Alumni Achievement Awards Presentation

2018 Alumni Achievement Awards presentation

Evidence for an ηc(1S)π−resonance in B0→ηc(1S)K+π−decays

A Dalitz plot analysis of B0→ηc(1S)K+π− decays is performed using data samples of pp collisions collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of s√=7, 8 and 13TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 4.7 fb −1. A satisfactory description of the data is obtained when including a contribution representing an exotic ηc(1S)π− resonant state. The significance of this exotic resonance is more than three standard deviations, while its mass and width are 4096±20 +18−22MeV and 152±58 +60−35MeV, respectively. The spin-parity assignments JP=0+ and JP=1− are both consistent with the data. In addition, the first measurement of the B0→ηc(1S)K+π− branching fraction is performed and gives B(B0→ηc(1S)K+π−)=(5.73±0.24±0.13±0.66)×10−4, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic, and the third is due to limited knowledge of external branching fractions

Study of prompt D 0 meson production in pPb collisions at √sNN=5 TeV

Production of prompt D 0 mesons is studied in proton-lead and lead-proton collisions recorded at the LHCb detector at the LHC. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.58±0.02 nb −1 recorded at a nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy of sNN=5 TeV. Measurements of the differential cross-section, the forward-backward production ratio and the nuclear modification factor are reported using D 0 candidates with transverse momenta less than 10 GeV/c and rapidities in the ranges 1.5 < y ∗ < 4.0 and −5.0 < y ∗ < −2.5 in the nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass system