Lovelock terms and BRST cohomology

Lovelock terms are polynomial scalar densities in the Riemann curvature tensor that have the remarkable property that their Euler-Lagrange derivatives contain derivatives of the metric of an order not higher than 2 (while generic polynomial scalar densities lead to Euler-Lagrange derivatives with derivatives of the metric of order 4). A characteristic feature of Lovelock terms is that their first nonvanishing term in the expansion g λμ = η λμ + h λμ of the metric around flat space is a total derivative. In this paper, we investigate generalized Lovelock terms defined as polynomial scalar densities in the Riemann curvature tensor and its covariant derivatives (of arbitrarily high but finite order) such that their first nonvanishing term in the expansion of the metric around flat space is a total derivative. This is done by reformulating the problem as a BRST cohomological one and by using cohomological tools. We determine all the generalized Lovelock terms. We find, in fact, that the class of nontrivial generalized Lovelock terms contains only the usual ones. Allowing covariant derivatives of the Riemann tensor does not lead to a new structure. Our work provides a novel algebraic understanding of the Lovelock terms in the context of BRST cohomology. © 2005 IOP Publishing Ltd.

A higher order Hopfield network for vector quantisation

A higher order version of the Hopfield neural network is presented which will perform a simple vector quantisation or clustering function. This model requires no penalty terms to impose constraints in the Hopfield energy, in contrast to the usual one where the energy involves only terms quadratic in the state vector. The energy function is shown to have no local minima within the unit hypercube of the state vector so the network only converges to valid final states. Optimisation trials show that the network can consistently find optimal clusterings for small, trial problems and near optimal ones for a large data set consisting of the intensity values from the digitised, grey-level image.

Reduced-memory multirate vector quantisation

A new method is proposed which reduces the size of the memory needed to implement multirate vector quantizers. Investigations have shown that the performance of the coders implemented using this approach is comparable to that obtained from standard systems. The proposed method can therefore be used to reduce the hardware required to implement real-time speech coders.

IMPROVED POSTFILTERING TECHNIQUE FOR BLOCK QUANTISATION OF SPEECH.

A modified comb filtering technique is proposed which can be used to reduce framing noise generated when speech signals are transform-coded or vector-quantized. Application of this filter to 9. 6 kbit/s speech in a vector transform coder has been found to improve the perceptual quality of the coded speech.

Systolic VLSI compiler (SVC) for high performance vector quantisation chips

An overview is given of a systolic VLSI compiler (SVC) tool currently under development for the automated design of high performance digital signal processing (DSP) chips. Attention is focused on the design of systolic vector quantization chips for use in both speech and image coding systems. The software in question consists of a cell library, silicon assemblers, simulators, test pattern generators, and a specially designed graphics shell interface which makes it expandable and user friendly. It allows very high performance digital coding systems to be rapidly designed in VLSI.

Bröstcancer: kvinnors upplevelser av diagnos och förlust av bröst samt copingstrategier. : En litteraturstudie

Syftet med denna studie var att beskriva bröstcancerdrabbade kvinnors upplevelser av diagnos och förlust av bröst till följd av bröstcancerkirurgi. Vidare var syftet att beskriva vilka copingstrategier kvinnorna använde.Studien genomfördes som en litteraturstudie. Litteratur söktes i databasen Cinahl samt i informationstjänsten ELIN. Underlaget för denna studie är 19 artiklar av kvalitativ ansats. Resultatet visade att bröstcancerbeskedet var en chockerande upplevelse för kvinnor. Diagnosen framkallade ångest, rädsla och kom oftast som en överraskning. Bröstförlusten orsakade mycket lidande för kvinnorna i form av förlorad kvinnlighet, kroppsbild, förändrad sexualitet och förändrade relationer. Kvinnorna kände sig fula, vanställda och deformerade. Det framkom också att kvinnorna ville skyla sin bröstförlust för sig själv och andra. De isolerade sig från omgivningen. Kvinnor som genomgått rekonstruktion beskrev en känsla av att åter få känna sig normala. De copingstrategier som kvinnorna använde var att acceptera sin situation, viljan att leva, positivt tänkande, leva som vanligt, stöd av närstående, religion samt vara aktiva i sin behandling av sjukdomen. Genom att sjuksköterskan söker evidens och vetenskapligt beprövad information om sjukdom och hur den påverkar kvinnors liv så kan sjuksköterskan på ett bra sätt hjälpa kvinnor att förstå och acceptera det som sker, ge stöd och lindra lidande.

On the N=2 superstring BRST operator

We show that the BRST charge for the N = 2 superstring system can be written as Q = e(-R)(phi dz/2 pi ib gamma(+)gamma(-))e(R), when b and gamma(+/-) are super-reparametrizations ghosts. This provides a trivial proof of the nilpotence of this operator. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved.

Lorentz invariance of the pure spinor BRST cohomology for the superstring

In a previous Letter. The BRST cohomology in the pure spinor formalism of the superstring was shown to coincide with the light-cone Green-Schwarz spectrum by using an SO(8) parameterization of the pure spinor. In this Letter, the SO(9, 1) Lorentz generators are explicitly constructed using this SO(8) parameterization, proving the Lorentz invariance of the pure spinor BRST cohomology. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier B.V. B.V.

BRST-BFV formalism for the generalized Schwinger model

We derive the Wess-Zumino scalar term of the generalized Schwinger model both in the singular and nonsingular cases by using BRST-BFV framework. The photon propagators are also computed in the extended Lorentz gauge.

A note on the superstring BRST operator

We write the BRST operator of the N = 1 superstring as, Q = e-R(1/2πiφdzγ2b)eR where y and b are super-reparameterization ghosts. This provides a trivial proof that Q is nilpotent. © 1999 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.