Electroweak precision observables and effective four-fermion interactions in warped extra dimensions

In this thesis, we study the phenomenology of selected observables in the context of the Randall-Sundrum scenario of a compactified warpedrnextra dimension. Gauge and matter fields are assumed to live in the whole five-dimensional space-time, while the Higgs sector is rnlocalized on the infrared boundary. An effective four-dimensional description is obtained via Kaluza-Klein decomposition of the five dimensionalrnquantum fields. The symmetry breaking effects due to the Higgs sector are treated exactly, and the decomposition of the theory is performedrnin a covariant way. We develop a formalism, which allows for a straight-forward generalization to scenarios with an extended gauge group comparedrnto the Standard Model of elementary particle physics. As an application, we study the so-called custodial Randall-Sundrum model and compare the resultsrnto that of the original formulation. rnWe present predictions for electroweak precision observables, the Higgs production cross section at the LHC, the forward-backward asymmetryrnin top-antitop production at the Tevatron, as well as the width difference, the CP-violating phase, and the semileptonic CP asymmetry in B_s decays.

Warped extra dimensions: flavor, precision tests and Higgs physics

In this thesis, the phenomenology of the Randall-Sundrum setup is investigated. In this context models with and without an enlarged SU(2)_L x SU(2)_R x U(1)_X x P_{LR} gauge symmetry, which removes corrections to the T parameter and to the Z b_L \bar b_L coupling, are compared with each other. The Kaluza-Klein decomposition is formulated within the mass basis, which allows for a clear understanding of various model-specific features. A complete discussion of tree-level flavor-changing effects is presented. Exact expressions for five dimensional propagators are derived, including Yukawa interactions that mediate flavor-off-diagonal transitions. The symmetry that reduces the corrections to the left-handed Z b \bar b coupling is analyzed in detail. In the literature, Randall-Sundrum models have been used to address the measured anomaly in the t \bar t forward-backward asymmetry. However, it will be shown that this is not possible within a natural approach to flavor. The rare decays t \to cZ and t \to ch are investigated, where in particular the latter could be observed at the LHC. A calculation of \Gamma_{12}^{B_s} in the presence of new physics is presented. It is shown that the Randall-Sundrum setup allows for an improved agreement with measurements of A_{SL}^s, S_{\psi\phi}, and \Delta\Gamma_s. For the first time, a complete one-loop calculation of all relevant Higgs-boson production and decay channels in the custodial Randall-Sundrum setup is performed, revealing a sensitivity to large new-physics scales at the LHC.

Advantages and Applications of Transforming Empirical Model Input Space with Dimensional Models

Model-based calibration of steady-state engine operation is commonly performed with highly parameterized empirical models that are accurate but not very robust, particularly when predicting highly nonlinear responses such as diesel smoke emissions. To address this problem, and to boost the accuracy of more robust non-parametric methods to the same level, GT-Power was used to transform the empirical model input space into multiple input spaces that simplified the input-output relationship and improved the accuracy and robustness of smoke predictions made by three commonly used empirical modeling methods: Multivariate Regression, Neural Networks and the k-Nearest Neighbor method. The availability of multiple input spaces allowed the development of two committee techniques: a 'Simple Committee' technique that used averaged predictions from a set of 10 pre-selected input spaces chosen by the training data and the "Minimum Variance Committee" technique where the input spaces for each prediction were chosen on the basis of disagreement between the three modeling methods. This latter technique equalized the performance of the three modeling methods. The successively increasing improvements resulting from the use of a single best transformed input space (Best Combination Technique), Simple Committee Technique and Minimum Variance Committee Technique were verified with hypothesis testing. The transformed input spaces were also shown to improve outlier detection and to improve k-Nearest Neighbor performance when predicting dynamic emissions with steady-state training data. An unexpected finding was that the benefits of input space transformation were unaffected by changes in the hardware or the calibration of the underlying GT-Power model.

The FReedom from Ischemic Events-New Dimensions for Survival (FRIENDS) registry: design of a prospective cohort study of patients with advanced peripheral artery disease.

BACKGROUND Advanced lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD), whether presenting as acute limb ischemia (ALI) or chronic critical limb ischemia (CLI), is associated with high rates of cardiovascular ischemic events, amputation, and death. Past research has focused on strategies of revascularization, but few data are available that prospectively evaluate the impact of key process of care factors (spanning pre-admission, acute hospitalization, and post-discharge) that might contribute to improving short and long-term health outcomes. METHODS/DESIGN The FRIENDS registry is designed to prospectively evaluate a range of patient and health system care delivery factors that might serve as future targets for efforts to improve limb and systemic outcomes for patients with ALI or CLI. This hypothesis-driven registry was designed to evaluate the contributions of: (i) pre-hospital limb ischemia symptom duration, (ii) use of leg revascularization strategies, and (iii) use of risk-reduction pharmacotherapies, as pre-specified factors that may affect amputation-free survival. Sequential patients would be included at an index "vascular specialist-defined" ALI or CLI episode, and patients excluded only for non-vascular etiologies of limb threat. Data including baseline demographics, functional status, co-morbidities, pre-hospital time segments, and use of medical therapies; hospital-based use of revascularization strategies, time segments, and pharmacotherapies; and rates of systemic ischemic events (e.g., myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization, and death) and limb ischemic events (e.g., hospitalization for revascularization or amputation) will be recorded during a minimum of one year follow-up. DISCUSSION The FRIENDS registry is designed to evaluate the potential impact of key factors that may contribute to adverse outcomes for patients with ALI or CLI. Definition of new "health system-based" therapeutic targets could then become the focus of future interventional clinical trials for individuals with advanced PAD.

Search for contact interactions and large extra dimensions in the dilepton channel using proton-proton collisions at s√ = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search is conducted for non-resonant new phenomena in dielectron and dimuon final states, originating from either contact interactions or large extra spatial dimensions. The LHC 2012 proton–proton collision dataset recorded by the ATLAS detector is used, corresponding to 20 fb−1 at √ s = 8 TeV. The dilepton invariant mass spectrum is a discriminating variable in both searches, with the contact interaction search additionally utilizing the dilepton forward-backward asymmetry. No significant deviations from the Standard Model expectation are observed. Lower limits are set on the ℓℓqq contact interaction scale ʌ between 15.4 TeVand 26.3 TeV, at the 95%credibility level. For large extra spatial dimensions, lower limits are set on the string scale MS between 3.2 TeV to 5.0 TeV.

The public health applications of law enforcement medical direction: A practical experience with the Dallas Police Department

In 2008, 132 law enforcement officers were killed in the line of duty in The United States. Additionally, some have explored both the public health implications of interactions with law enforcement as well as the potential benefits of the use of law enforcement officers as public health and emergency healthcare providers. By virtue of these novel analyses and techniques, professional medical direction of the emerging specialty of law enforcement medicine is needed. This paper, an analysis of law enforcement medical direction through a look at the Dallas Police Medical Direction Program, seeks to examine origins of law enforcement medicine through a comprehensive literature review, as well as begin to define to core competencies of law enforcement medical direction. ^ The unique intersection of public health, medicine and law enforcement, and the subsequent specialty that is developing to manage this interface, is in its relative infancy. An analysis of this nature is in order to begin to lay down the foundations necessary for future study and improvements in the field. ^

New applications of cork in building

Several types of prefabricated elements for partitions and extrados, which improve the similar systems presently in the market, are presented in this research. These elements, manufactured with cork and lightened plaster, can be classified in two well defined groups. The first group is formed by lightened plaster panels for partitions of dimensions 60 x 265 cm (width, height) and of 7cm and 10 cm thickness. In the second group, panels for extrados with the same dimensions are included but with a thickness of 9.5 and 5 cm, including the 3 cm thickness of the incorporated high density expanded polystyrene sheet.

Data-Flow analysis of prolog programs with extra-logical features

Abstract interpretation-based data-flow analysis of logic programs is at this point relatively well understood from the point of view of general frameworks and abstract domains. On the other hand, comparatively little attention has been given to the problems which arise when analysis of a full, practical dialect of the Prolog language is attempted, and only few solutions to these problems have been proposed to date. Such problems relate to dealing correctly with all builtins, including meta-logical and extra-logical predicates, with dynamic predicates (where the program is modified during execution), and with the absence of certain program text during compilation. Existing proposals for dealing with such issues generally restrict in one way or another the classes of programs which can be analyzed if the information from analysis is to be used for program optimization. This paper attempts to fill this gap by considering a full dialect of Prolog, essentially following the recently proposed ISO standard, pointing out the problems that may arise in the analysis of such a dialect, and proposing a combination of known and novel solutions that together allow the correct analysis of arbitrary programs using the full power of the language.

A toolbox with DERIVE: calculus on several variables, Applications of Computer Algebra

A toolbox is a set of procedures taking advantage of the computing power and graphical capacities of a CAS. With these procedures the students can solve math problems, apply mathematics to engineering or simply reinforce the learning of certain mathematical concepts. From the point of view of their construction, we can consider two types of toolboxes: (i) the closed box, built by the teacher, in which the utility files are provided to the students together with the respective tutorials and several worksheets with proposed exercises and problems,