Effective action in a higher-spin background

We consider a free massless scalar field coupled to an infinite tower of background higher-spin gauge fields via minimal coupling to the traceless conserved currents. The set of Abelian gauge transformations is deformed to the non-Abelian group of unitary operators acting on the scalar field. The gauge invariant effective action is computed perturbatively in the external fields. The structure of the various (divergent or finite) terms is determined. In particular, the quadratic part of the logarithmically divergent (or of the finite) term is expressed in terms of curvatures and related to conformal higher-spin gravity. The generalized higher-spin Weyl anomalies are also determined. The relation with the theory of interacting higher-spin gauge fields on anti de Sitter spacetime via the holographic correspondence is discussed.Comment: 40 pages, Some errors and typos corrected, Version published in JHE

The relation between sleep quality, sleep quantity, and gastrointestinal problems among colorectal cancer survivors:Result from the PROFILES registry

PURPOSE: Common residual symptoms among survivors of colorectal cancer (CRC) are sleep difficulties and gastrointestinal symptoms. Among patients with various gastrointestinal (inflammatory) diseases, sleep quality has been related to gastrointestinal symptoms. For CRC survivors, this relation is unclear; therefore, we examined the association between sleep quality and quantity with gastrointestinal symptoms among CRC survivors. METHODS: CRC survivors registered in the Netherlands Cancer Registry—Southern Region diagnosed between 2000 and 2009 received a survey on sleep quality and quantity (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and gastrointestinal symptoms (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer, Quality of Life Questionnaire-Colorectal 38, EORTC QLQ-CR38) in 2014 (≥ 4 years after diagnosis). Secondary cross-sectional data analyses related sleep quality and quantity separately with gastrointestinal symptoms by means of logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: In total, 1233 CRC survivors were included, of which 15% reported poor sleep quality. The least often reported gastrointestinal symptom was pain in the buttocks (15.1%) and most often reported was bloating (29.2%). CRC survivors with poor sleep quality were more likely to report gastrointestinal symptoms (p’s < 0.01). Survivors who slept < 6 h were more likely to report symptoms of bloating or flatulence, whereas survivors who slept 6–7 h reported more problems with indigestion. CONCLUSIONS: Worse sleep quality and short sleep duration were associated with higher occurrence of gastrointestinal symptoms. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: Understanding the interplay between sleep quality and gastrointestinal symptoms and underlying mechanisms adds to better aftercare and perhaps reduction of residual gastrointestinal symptoms in CRC survivors by improving sleep quality

Thermoluminescence of zircon: a kinetic model

The mineral zircon, ZrSiO4, belongs to a class of promising materials for geochronometry by means of thermoluminescence (TL) dating. The development of a reliable and reproducible method for TL dating with zircon requires detailed knowledge of the processes taking place during exposure to ionizing radiation, long-term storage, annealing at moderate temperatures and heating at a constant rate (TL measurements). To understand these processes one needs a kinetic model of TL. This paper is devoted to the construction of such amodel. The goal is to study the qualitative behaviour of the system and to determine the parameters and processes controlling TL phenomena of zircon. The model considers the following processes: (i) Filling of electron and hole traps at the excitation stage as a function of the dose rate and the dose for both (low dose rate) natural and (high dose rate) laboratory irradiation. (ii) Time dependence of TL fading in samples irradiated under laboratory conditions. (iii) Short time annealing at a given temperature. (iv) Heating of the irradiated sample to simulate TL experiments both after laboratory and natural irradiation. The input parameters of the model, such as the types and concentrations of the TL centres and the energy distributions of the hole and electron traps, were obtained by analysing the experimental data on fading of the TL-emission spectra of samples from different geological locations. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) data were used to establish the nature of the TL centres. Glow curves and 3D TL emission spectra are simulated and compared with the experimental data on time-dependent TL fading. The saturation and annealing behaviour of filled trap concentrations has been considered in the framework of the proposed kinetic model and comparedwith the EPR data associated with the rare-earth ions Tb3+ and Dy3+, which play a crucial role as hole traps and recombination centres. Inaddition, the behaviour of some of the SiOmn− centres has been compared with simulation results.

Grande tache pigmentée pileuse révélant une forme familiale de la maladie de Von Recklinghausen

La neurofibromatose de type 1 (NF1) ou maladie de Von Recklinghausen appartient au groupe de maladies appelées phacomatoses. C'est une affection autosomique dominante relativement rare. La NF1 est caractérisée par une extrême variabilité clinique que l'on retrouve également au sein d'une même famille. Le tableau clinique de la NF1 associe, le plus souvent, de multiples taches café au lait, des lentigines axillaires ou inguinales, des neurofibromes cutanés et des nodules de Lisch. Les difficultés d'apprentissage sont fréquentes et peuvent être graves dans certaines formes cliniques. Il est important de détecter précocement les neurofibromes plexiformes, les gliomes intracérébraux, les tumeurs des gaines nerveuses, les anomalies vasculaires et les dysplasies osseuses. L'évolution est imprévisible ce qui rend le pronostic incertain par une éventuelle survenue dedégénérescence malignes. Nous rapportons ici l'observation d'une grande tache cutanée pigmentée pilleuse de découverte fortuite qui nous a révélé deux cas familiaux de neurofibromatose 1 d'expression différente

Yang-Yang thermodynamics on an atom chip

We investigate the behavior of a weakly interacting nearly one-dimensional (1D) trapped Bose gas at finite temperature. We perform in situ measurements of spatial density profiles and show that they are very well described by a model based on exact solutions obtained using the Yang-Yang thermodynamic formalism, in a regime where other, approximate theoretical approaches fail. We use Bose-gas focusing [Shvarchuck etal., Phys. Rev. Lett. 89, 270404 (2002)] to probe the axial momentum distribution of the gas, and find good agreement with the in situ results.Comment: extended introduction and conclusions, and minor changes throughout; accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Let

Temperature and Magnetic Field Effects on the Transport Controlled Charge State of a Single Quantum Dot

Individual InAs/GaAs quantum dots are studied by micro-photoluminescence. By varying the strength of an applied external magnetic field and/or the temperature, it is demonstrated that the charge state of a single quantum dot can be tuned. This tuning effect is shown to be related to the in-plane electron and hole transport, prior to capture into the quantum dot, since the photo-excited carriers are primarily generated in the barrier

Realization of GHZ States and the GHZ Test via Cavity QED

In this article we discuss the realization of atomic GHZ states involving three-level atoms and we show explicitly how to use this state to perform the GHZ test in which it is possible to decide between local realism theories and quantum mechanics. The experimental realizations proposed makes use of the interaction of Rydberg atoms with a cavity prepared in a coherent state.Comment: 16 pages and 3 figures. submitted to J. Mod. Op

Perturbative quantum gravity with the Immirzi parameter

We study perturbative quantum gravity in the first-order tetrad formalism. The lowest order action corresponds to Einstein-Cartan plus a parity-odd term, and is known in the literature as the Holst action. The coupling constant of the parity-odd term can be identified with the Immirzi parameter of loop quantum gravity. We compute the quantum effective action in the one-loop expansion. As in the metric second-order formulation, we find that in the case of pure gravity the theory is on-shell finite, and the running of Newton's constant and the Immirzi parameter is inessential. In the presence of fermions, the situation changes in two fundamental aspects. First, non-renormalizable logarithmic divergences appear, as usual. Second, the Immirzi parameter becomes a priori observable, and we find that it is renormalized by a four-fermion interaction generated by radiative corrections. We compute its beta function and discuss possible implications. The sign of the beta function depends on whether the Immirzi parameter is larger or smaller than one in absolute value, and the values plus or minus one are UV fixed-points (we work in Euclidean signature). Finally, we find that the Holst action is stable with respect to radiative corrections in the case of minimal coupling, up to higher order non-renormalizable interactions.Comment: v2 minor amendment

A Primary Care Nurse-Delivered Walking Intervention in Older Adults: PACE (Pedometer Accelerometer Consultation Evaluation)-Lift Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial.

Background: Brisk walking in older people can increase step-counts and moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) in ≥10-minute bouts, as advised in World Health Organization guidelines. Previous interventions have reported step-count increases, but not change in objectively measured MVPA in older people. We assessed whether a primary care nurse-delivered complex intervention increased objectively measured step-counts and MVPA. Methods and Findings: A total of 988 60–75 year olds, able to increase walking and randomly selected from three UK family practices, were invited to participate in a parallel two-arm cluster randomised trial; randomisation was by household. Two-hundred-ninety-eight people from 250 households were randomised between 2011 and 2012; 150 individuals to the intervention group, 148 to the usual care control group. Intervention participants received four primary care nurse physical activity (PA) consultations over 3 months, incorporating behaviour change techniques, pedometer step-count and accelerometer PA intensity feedback, and an individual PA diary and plan. Assessors were not blinded to group status, but statistical analyses were conducted blind. The primary outcome was change in accelerometry assessed average daily step-counts between baseline and 3 months, with change at 12 months a secondary outcome. Other secondary outcomes were change from baseline in time in MVPA weekly in ≥10-minute bouts, accelerometer counts, and counts/minute at 3 months and 12 months. Other outcomes were adverse events, anthropometric measures, mood, and pain. Qualitative evaluations of intervention participants and practice nurses assessed the intervention’s acceptability. At 3 months, eight participants had withdrawn or were lost to follow-up, 280 (94%) individuals provided primary outcome data. At 3 months changes in both average daily step-counts and weekly MVPA in ≥10-minute bouts were significantly higher in the intervention than control group: by 1,037 (95% CI 513–1,560) steps/day and 63 (95% CI 40–87) minutes/week, respectively. At 12 months corresponding differences were 609 (95% CI 104–1,115) steps/day and 40 (95% CI 17–63) minutes/week. Counts and counts/minute showed similar effects to steps and MVPA. Adverse events, anthropometry, mood, and pain were similar in the two groups. Participants and practice nurses found the intervention acceptable and enjoyable. Conclusions : The PACE-Lift trial increased both step-counts and objectively measured MVPA in ≥10-minute bouts in 60–75 year olds at 3 and 12 months, with no effect on adverse events. To our knowledge, this is the first trial in this age group to demonstrate objective MVPA increases and highlights the value of individualised support incorporating objective PA assessment in a primary care setting. Trial Registration: Controlled-Trials.com ISRCTN4212256