General Brane Dynamics with R_{4} term in the Bulk

A general analysis of the induced brane dynamics is performed when the intrinsic curvature term is included in the action. Such a term is known to cause dramatic changes and is generically induced by quantum corrections coming from the bulk gravity and its coupling with matter living on the brane. The induced brane dynamics is shown to be the usual Einstein dynamics coupled to a well defined modified energy-momentum tensor. In cosmology, conventional general relativity revives for an initial era whose duration depends on the value of the five-dimensional Planck mass. Violations of energy conditions may be possible, as well as matter inhomogeneities on the brane in (A)dS_{5} or Minkowski backgrounds. A new anisotropic cosmological solution is given in the above context. This solution, for a fine-tuned five-dimensional cosmological constant, exhibits an intermediate accelerating phase which is followed by an era corresponding to a 4D perfect fluid solution with no future horizons.Comment: 23 pages; one minor chang

New Perspectives on Moving Domain Walls in (A)dS_(5) Space

A new moving domain wall solution is obtained for a flat 3-universe. This consists of a bulk metric depending on both time and the extra coordinate, plus a dynamically interacting domain wall, admitted by the metric and inhabited by the three-universe. The matter contents are cosmological constants on the domain wall and the bulk. The bulk space is shown to be (A)dS_(5). A remarkable fact concerning the three-universe is that its scale factor never vanishes, even though the corresponding scale factor of the bulk metric vanishes. The inclusion of a bulk scalar field is discussed, neglecting back-reaction. Its normalizability and the existence of a positive frequency or adiabatic bulk vacuum are shown.Comment: 22 pages, LaTeX, 3 figures, few clarifications and references adde

Gamification of research methods: an exploratory case

This work investigates the benefits of gamification in the taught research methods unit within the Business Management course. It utilises an exploratory design where the team attempted to use a gamified approach to teaching research methods. Two consecutive cohorts were chosen; both cohorts were studying research methods and had the same assessment, in the same format, and were taught and marked by the same teaching team. The first cohort studied the subject without any attempts in gamifying delivery, the second cohort engaged with a gamified curriculum. The latter cohort exhibited stronger final results and a higher level of engagement thus suggesting that a gamified approach to curriculum delivery enhanced the grade results. This first pilot then led to the development of a bespoke software that is imbued with the philosophical streaks from educational pedagogy and the learning literature to support a gamified approach to education

Avoidance of singularities in asymptotically safe Quantum Einstein Gravity

New general spherically symmetric solutions have been derived with a cosmological "constant" \Lambda as a source. This \Lambda field is not constant but it satisfies the properties of the asymptotically safe gravity at the ultraviolet fixed point. The importance of these solutions comes from the fact that they describe the near to the centre region of black hole spacetimes as this is modified by the Renormalization Group scaling behaviour of the fields. The consistent set of field equations which respect the Bianchi identities is derived and solved. One of the solutions (with conventional sign of temporal-radial metric components) is timelike geodesically complete, and although there is still a curvature divergent origin, this is never approachable by an infalling massive particle which is reflected at a finite distance due to the repulsive origin. Another family of solutions (of both signatures) range from a finite radius outwards, they cannot be extended to the centre of spherical symmetry, and the curvature invariants are finite at the minimum radius.Comment: 15 page