1,704 research outputs found
Cosmic Strings in Low Mass Higgs Cosmology
A class of grand unified theories with symmetry breaking scale of order
have a Higgs particle with mass in the scale. The cosmology
of such theories is very different from usual. We study the cosmic strings
obtained in such theories. These strings are much fatter than usual and their
mass per unit length is reduced, resulting in a significant reduction in their
cosmological effects. We also study the temperature evolution of such models.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figure
Generation of Pure-State Single-Photon Wavepackets by Conditional Preparation Based on Spontaneous Parametric Downconversion
We study the conditional preparation of single photons based on parametric
downconversion, where the detection of one photon from a given pair heralds the
existence of a single photon in the conjugate mode. We derive conditions on the
modal characteristics of the photon pairs, which ensure that the conditionally
prepared single photons are quantum-mechanically pure. We propose specific
experimental techniques that yield photon pairs ideally suited for
single-photon conditional preparation.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figure
Generic Current-Carrying Strings
We investigate the standard model in a cosmic string background and show that
the electroweak symmetry is partially restored. For a range of parameters the
electroweak Higgs field can wind in this region, producing an electroweak
string stabilised by the cosmic string background. In this case there are quark
and lepton zero modes that result in the string becoming superconducting at the
electroweak scale. If the electroweak Higgs field does not wind, there are no
zero modes, but there are fermion bound states. These bound states can also
carry a current.Comment: 8 pages, TeX, 5 postscript figure
Brane World Cosmology Without the Z_2 Symmetry
The Friedmann equation for a positive tension brane situated between two bulk spacetimes that posses the same 5D cosmological constant, but which does not posses a Z2 symmetry of the metric itself is derived, and the possible effects of dropping the Z2 symmetry on the expansion of our Universe are examined; cosmological constraints are discussed. We show the effect of this is an inflation-like period at very early times. The global solutions for the metric in the infinite extra dimension case are found and comparison with the symmetric case is made. We show that any brane world senario of this type must revert to a Z2 symmetric form at late times, and hence rule out certain proposed scenarios
Recommended from our members
Retrievals of thick cloud optical depth from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) by calibration of solar background signal
Laser beams emitted from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS), as well as other spaceborne laser instruments, can only penetrate clouds to a limit of a few optical depths. As a result, only optical depths of thinner clouds (< about 3 for GLAS) are retrieved from the reflected lidar signal. This paper presents a comprehensive study of possible retrievals of optical depth of thick clouds using solar background light and treating GLAS as a solar radiometer. To do so one must first calibrate the reflected solar radiation received by the photon-counting detectors of the GLAS 532-nm channel, the primary channel for atmospheric products. Solar background radiation is regarded as a noise to be subtracted in the retrieval process of the lidar products. However, once calibrated, it becomes a signal that can be used in studying the properties of optically thick clouds. In this paper, three calibration methods are presented: (i) calibration with coincident airborne and GLAS observations, (ii) calibration with coincident Geostationary Opera- tional Environmental Satellite (GOES) and GLAS observations of deep convective clouds, and (iii) cali- bration from first principles using optical depth of thin water clouds over ocean retrieved by GLAS active remote sensing. Results from the three methods agree well with each other. Cloud optical depth (COD) is retrieved from the calibrated solar background signal using a one-channel retrieval. Comparison with COD retrieved from GOES during GLAS overpasses shows that the average difference between the two retriev- als is 24%. As an example, the COD values retrieved from GLAS solar background are illustrated for a marine stratocumulus cloud field that is too thick to be penetrated by the GLAS laser. Based on this study, optical depths for thick clouds will be provided as a supplementary product to the existing operational GLAS cloud products in future GLAS data releases
Noninvasive Fluorescence Monitoring of Protoporphyrin IX Production and Clinical Outcomes in Actinic Keratoses Following Short-Contact Application of 5-Aminolevulinate
Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is widely used in photodynamic therapy (PDT) of actinic keratoses (AK), a type of premalignant skin lesion. However, the optimal time between ALA application and exposure to light has not been carefully investigated. Our objective is to study the kinetics of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) accumulation in AK after short contact ALA and relate this to erythemal responses. Using a noninvasive dosimeter, PpIX fluorescence measurements (5 replicates) were taken at 20-min intervals for 2 h following ALA application, in 63 AK in 20 patients. Data were analyzed for maximal fluorescent signal obtained, kinetic slope, and changes in erythema. Our results show that PpIX accumulation was linear over time, becoming statistically higher than background in 48% of all lesions by 20 min, 92% of lesions by 1 h, and 100% of lesions by 2 h. PpIX accumulation was roughly correlated with changes in lesional erythema post-PDT. We conclude that significant amounts of PpIX are produced in all AK lesions by 2 h. The linear kinetics of accumulation suggest that shorter ALA application times may be efficacious in many patients. Noninvasive fluorescence monitoring of PpIX may be useful to delineate areas of high PpIX accumulation within precancerous areas of the skin
Recommended from our members
C/EBP Transcription Factors in Human Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Selective Changes in Expression of Isoforms Correlate with the Neoplastic State
The CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Proteins (C/EBPs) are a family of leucine-zipper transcription factors that regulate physiological processes such as energy metabolism, inflammation, cell cycle, and the development and differentiation of several tissues including skin. Recently, a role for C/EBPs in tumor cell proliferation and differentiation has been proposed, but the incomplete characterization in the literature of multiple translational isoforms of these proteins has made interpretation of these roles difficult. Therefore, we have carefully reexamined C/EBP isoform expression in human non-melanoma skin cancers. C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, and C/EBPδ were analyzed histologically in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). The individual isoforms of C/EBPα and C/EBPβ were examined by immunofluorescent digital imaging, western blotting and DNA binding activity (electrophoretic mobility shift analysis). Expression of all C/EBP family proteins was decreased in SCC tumors. Suppression was greatest for C/EBPα, less for C/EBPβ, and least for C/EBPδ. Western analyses confirmed that C/EBPα p42 and p30 isoforms were decreased. For C/EBPβ, only the abundant full-length isoform (C/EBPβ−1, LAP*, 55 kD) was reduced, whereas the smaller isoforms, C/EBPβ−2 (LAP, 48 kD) and C/EBPβ−3 (LIP, 20 kD), which are predominantly nuclear, were significantly increased in well- and moderately-differentiated SCC (up to 14-fold for C/EBPβ−3). These elevations correlated with increases in PCNA, a marker of proliferation. Although C/EBPβ displayed increased post-translational modifications in SCC, phosphorylation of C/EBPβ−1 (Thr 235) was not altered. C/EBP-specific DNA binding activity in nuclear and whole-cell extracts of cultured cells and tumors was predominantly attributable to C/EBPβ. In summary, two short C/EBPβ isoforms, C/EBPβ−2 and C/EBPβ−3, represent strong candidate markers for epithelial skin malignancy, due to their preferential expression in carcinoma versus normal skin, and their strong correlation with tumor proliferation
Luminous Infrared Galaxies with the Submillimeter Array: I. Survey Overview and the Central Gas to Dust Ratio
We present new data obtained with the Submillimeter Array for a sample of
fourteen nearby luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies. The galaxies were
selected to have luminosity distances D < 200 Mpc and far-infrared luminosities
log(L_FIR) > 11.4. The galaxies were observed with spatial resolutions of order
1 kpc in the CO J=3-2, CO J=2-1, 13CO J=2-1, and HCO+ J=4-3 lines as well as
the continuum at 880 microns and 1.3 mm. We have combined our CO and continuum
data to measure an average gas-to-dust mass ratio of 120 +/- 28 (rms deviation
109) in the central regions of these galaxies, very similar to the value of 150
determined for the Milky Way. This similarity is interesting given the more
intense heating from the starburst and possibly accretion activity in the
luminous infrared galaxies compared to the Milky Way. We find that the peak H_2
surface density correlates with the far-infrared luminosity, which suggests
that galaxies with higher gas surface densities inside the central kiloparsec
have a higher star formation rate. The lack of a significant correlation
between total H_2 mass and far-infrared luminosity in our sample suggests that
the increased star formation rate is due to the increased availability of
molecular gas as fuel for star formation in the central regions. In contrast to
previous analyses by other authors, we do not find a significant correlation
between central gas surface density and the star formation efficiency, as trace
by the ratio of far-infrared luminosity to nuclear gas mass. Our data show that
it is the star formation rate, not the star formation efficiency, that
increases with increasing central gas surface density in these galaxies.Comment: 66 pages, 39 figures, aastex preprint format; to be published in ApJ
Supplements. Version of paper with full resolution figures available at
http://www.physics.mcmaster.ca/~wilson/www_xfer/ULIRGS_publi
Dissipating Cosmic Vortons and Baryogenesis
Grand unified theories can admit cosmic strings with fermion zero modes which
result in the string carrying a current and the formation of stable remnants,
vortons. We consider theories in which the zero modes do not survive a
subsequent phase transition, for example the electroweak transition, resulting
in vorton dissipation. The dissipating vortons can create a baryon asymmetry.
We calculate the asymmetry produced, and show that it is maximised if the
vortons decay just before they dominate the energy density of the Universe. We
further bound the asymmetry produced by the late decay of any relic particle.Comment: 8 pages, Te
- …