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DOE OSTI2015

Grade Inflation in Medical Student Radiation Oncology Clerkships: Missed Opportunities for Feedback?

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that medical student radiation oncology elective rotation grades are inflated and cannot be used to distinguish residency applicants. Methods and Materials: The records of 196 applicants to a single radiation oncology residency program in 2011 and 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The grades for each rotation in radiation oncology were collected and converted to a standardized 4-point grading scale (honors, high pass, pass, fail). Pass/fail grades were scored as not applicable. The primary study endpoint was to compare the distribution of applicants' grades in radiation oncology with their grades in medicine, surgery, pediatrics, and obstetrics/gynecology core clerkships. Results: The mean United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 score of the applicants was 237 (range, 188-269), 43% had additional Masters or PhD degrees, and 74% had at least 1 publication. Twenty-nine applicants were graded for radiation oncology rotations on a pass/fail basis and were excluded from the final analysis. Of the remaining applicants (n=167), 80% received the highest possible grade for their radiation oncology rotations. Grades in radiation oncology were significantly higher than each of the other 4 clerkships studied (P<.001). Of all applicants, 195 of 196 matched into a radiation oncology residency. Higher grades in radiation oncology were associated with significantly higher grades in the pediatrics core clerkship (P=.002). However, other medical school performance metrics were not significantly associated with higher grades in radiation oncology. Conclusions: Although our study group consists of a selected group of radiation oncology applicants, their grades in radiation oncology clerkships were highly skewed toward the highest grades when compared with grades in other core clerkships. Student grading in radiation oncology clerkships should be re-evaluated to incorporate more objective and detailed performance metrics to allow for meaningful feedback to trainees and to better evaluate residency applicants to radiation oncology.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Uplift and Seismicity Driven by Magmatic Inflation at Sierra Negra Volcano, Galápagos Islands

Abstract Although episodes of surface uplift and elevated seismicity precede many volcanic eruptions, their temporal evolution is often complex, and apparently in contradiction to simple trends predicted by mechanical deformation models. Here, we use continuous global positioning system and seismic data recorded at Sierra Negra volcano, Galápagos Islands, to show how the edifice responded to stress changes driven by magma accumulation in a shallow sill. The rate of uplift varied during the 13 years and 6.5 m of inflation before the 2018 eruption. The number of earthquakes per unit of uplift increased exponentially with total uplift as the differential stress increased. Accordingly, the temporal seismicity rate varied in time as a function of both the total uplift and the uplift rate. The Gutenberg‐Richter b ‐value decreased as a function of total uplift. In the final six months before the eruption, a sequence of large ( M > 4) earthquakes regulated the state of stress on the fault, each being followed by 2–3 days of postseismic quiescence, and retarding the increase in seismicity rate. These earthquakes did not affect the overall uplift rate. Subsidence of 8.5 m accompanied the 2‐month eruption. On resumption of uplift, the number of earthquakes per unit of uplift was very low, and the b ‐value high, reflecting the relaxed stress state of the fault system. These observations show that crustal deformation becomes increasingly brittle at higher stress states, and supports theoretical models based on elastic‐brittle mechanics. They suggest that joint interpretation of deformation and seismicity is key for forecasting future eruptions in similar volcanic settings.

Bell, Andrew Forbes↗
DOE OSTI2019

Artificial inflation of apparent photocatalytic activity induced by catalyst-mass-normalization and a method to fairly compare heterojunction systems

Despite the possibility of using photocatalysts to sustainably produce fuels and chemicals, overall reaction rates remain prohibitively low, largely limited by recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes. Past research on suppressing this recombination by the addition of co-catalysts or by the formation of heterojunctions has led to claims that rates show enhancement compared to the single-component, junction-free counterparts. Yet, comparing these systems is rendered difficult by the common practice of reporting rates on a catalyst mass basis. Using a model system of TiO 2 and g-C 3 N 4 with Pt, here we show that normalizing photocatalytic rates by mass fails to provide mechanistic insight and can also artificially inflate the apparent performance of heterojunction systems—in our case, overestimating the enhancement by 24 ± 7%. This effect is caused by the nonlinearity of light absorption with respect to the concentration of each light-absorbing component, according to Beer's law. This factor needs to be taken into account to verify if improvements in absolute activity correspond to intrinsic activity. To this end, an approach is introduced for approximating a system quantum yield from measured reaction rates under simulated solar or otherwise polychromatic light. A sensitivity analysis provides guidelines for reducing the artificial enhancement introduced by mass-normalization for any heterojunction system.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Violent mergers can explain the inflated state of some of the fastest stars in the Galaxy

A significant number of hypervelocity stars with velocities between 1500 − 2500 km s −1 have recently been observed. The only plausible explanation so far is that they were produced through thermonuclear supernovae in white dwarf binaries. Since these stars are thought to be surviving donors of Type Ia supernovae, a surprising finding was that these stars are inflated, with radii an order of magnitude higher than expected for Roche-lobe-filling donors. Recent attempts at explaining them have combined 3D hydrodynamical supernova explosion simulations with 1D stellar modelling to explain the impact of supernova shocks on runaway white dwarfs. However, only the hottest and most compact of those runaway stars can so far marginally be reproduced by detailed models of runaways from supernova explosions. In this and a companion paper, we introduce a new AREPO simulation of two massive CO white dwarfs that explode via a violent merger. During the merger, the primary white dwarf ignites when the secondary is on its last orbit and plunging towards the primary. In the corresponding aftermath, the core of the secondary white dwarf of 0.16 M ⊙ remains bound, moving at a velocity of ∼2800 km s −1 . We mapped this object into MESA and show that this runaway star can explain the observations of two hypervelocity stars that were dubbed D6-1 and D6-3 based on their original discovery motivated by the D6 scenario, though the violent merger scenario presented here is somewhat distinct from the D6 scenario.

Astronomy and AstroPhysics↗
DOE OSTI2012

Non-minimal inflation and SUSY GUTs

The Standard Model Higgs boson with the nonminimal coupling to the gravitational curvature can drive cosmological inflation. We study this type of inflationary scenario in the context of supergravity. We first point out that it is naturally implemented in the minimal supersymmetric SU(5) model, and hence virtually in any GUT models. Next we propose another scenario based on the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model supplemented by the right-handed neutrinos. These models can be tested by new observational data from the Planck satellite experiments within a few years.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2015

HAT-P-56b: An INFLATED massive hot jupiter transiting a bright F star followed up with K2 campaign 0 observations

We report the discovery of HAT-P-56b by the HATNet survey, an inflated hot Jupiter transiting a bright F-type star in Field 0 of NASA's K2 mission. We combine ground-based discovery and follow-up light curves with high precision photometry from K2, as well as ground-based radial velocities from the Tillinghast Reflector Echelle Spectrograph on the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory 1.5 m telescope to determine the physical properties of this system. HAT-P-56b has a mass of 2.18 M{sub J}, radius of 1.47 R{sub J}, and transits its host star on a near-grazing orbit with a period of 2.7908 day. The radius of HAT-P-56b is among the largest known for a planet with M{sub p}>2 M{sub J}. The host star has a V-band magnitude of 10.9, mass of 1.30 M{sub ⊙}, and radius of 1.43 R{sub ⊙}. The periodogram of the K2 light curve suggests that the star is a γ Dor variable. HAT-P-56b is an example of a ground-based discovery of a transiting planet, where space-based observations greatly improve the confidence in the confirmation of its planetary nature, and also improve the accuracy of the planetary parameters.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2012

KELT-1b: A STRONGLY IRRADIATED, HIGHLY INFLATED, SHORT PERIOD, 27 JUPITER-MASS COMPANION TRANSITING A MID-F STAR

We present the discovery of KELT-1b, the first transiting low-mass companion from the wide-field Kilodegree Extremely Little Telescope-North (KELT-North) transit survey. A joint analysis of the spectroscopic, radial velocity, and photometric data indicates that the V = 10.7 primary is a mildly evolved mid-F star with T{sub eff} = 6516 {+-} 49 K, log g 4.228{sup +0.014}{sub -0.021}, and [Fe/H] = 0.052 {+-} 0.079, with an inferred mass M{sub *} = 1.335 {+-} 0.063 M{sub Sun} and radius R{sub *} 1.471{sup +0.045}{sub -0.035} R{sub Sun }. The companion is a low-mass brown dwarf or a super-massive planet with mass M{sub P} = 27.38 {+-} 0.93 M{sub Jup} and radius R{sub P} = 1.116{sup +0.038}{sub -0.029} R{sub Jup}. The companion is on a very short ({approx}29 hr) period circular orbit, with an ephemeris T{sub c} (BJD{sub TDB}) = 2455909.29280 {+-} 0.00023 and P = 1.217501 {+-} 0.000018 days. KELT-1b receives a large amount of stellar insolation, resulting in an estimated equilibrium temperature assuming zero albedo and perfect redistribution of T{sub eq} = 2423{sup +34}{sub -27} K. Comparison with standard evolutionary models suggests that the radius of KELT-1b is likely to be significantly inflated. Adaptive optics imaging reveals a candidate stellar companion to KELT-1 with a separation of 588 {+-} 1 mas, which is consistent with an M dwarf if it is at the same distance as the primary. Rossiter-McLaughlin measurements during transit imply a projected spin-orbit alignment angle {lambda} = 2 {+-} 16 deg, consistent with a zero obliquity for KELT-1. Finally, the vsin I{sub *} = 56 {+-} 2 km s{sup -1} of the primary is consistent at {approx}2{sigma} with tidal synchronization. Given the extreme parameters of the KELT-1 system, we expect it to provide an important testbed for theories of the emplacement and evolution of short-period companions, as well as theories of tidal dissipation and irradiated brown dwarf atmospheres.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2013

INFLATION OF A DIPOLE FIELD IN LABORATORY EXPERIMENTS: TOWARD AN UNDERSTANDING OF MAGNETODISK FORMATION IN THE MAGNETOSPHERE OF A HOT JUPITER

Giant exoplanets at close orbits, or so-called hot Jupiters, are supposed to have an intensive escape of upper atmospheric material heated and ionized by the radiation of a host star. An interaction between outflowing atmospheric plasma and the intrinsic planetary magnetic dipole field leads to the formation of a crucial feature of a hot Jupiter's magnetosphere-an equatorial current-carrying magnetodisk. The presence of a magnetodisk has been shown to influence the topology of a hot Jupiter's magnetosphere and to change a standoff distance of the magnetopause. In this paper, the basic features of the formation of a hot Jupiter's magnetodisk are studied by means of a laboratory experiment. A localized central source produces plasma that expands outward from the surface of the dipole and inflates the magnetic field. The observed structure of magnetic fields, electric currents, and plasma density indicates the formation of a relatively thin current disk extending beyond the Alfvenic point. At the edge of the current disk, an induced magnetic field was found to be several times larger than the field of the initial dipole.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

A tale of two anomalies: Depletion, dispersion, and the connection between the stellar lithium spread and inflated radii on the pre-main sequence

We investigate lithium depletion in standard stellar models (SSMs) and main sequence (MS) open clusters, and explore the origin of the Li dispersion in young, cool stars of equal mass, age, and composition. We first demonstrate that SSMs accurately predict the Li abundances of solar analogs at the zero-age main sequence (ZAMS) within theoretical uncertainties. We then measure the rate of MS Li depletion by removing the [Fe/H]-dependent ZAMS Li pattern from three well-studied clusters, and comparing the detrended data. MS depletion is found to be mass-dependent, in the sense of more depletion at low mass. A dispersion in Li abundance at fixed T{sub eff} is nearly universal, and sets in by ∼200 Myr. We discuss mass and age dispersion trends, and the pattern is mixed. We argue that metallicity impacts the ZAMS Li pattern, in agreement with theoretical expectations but contrary to the findings of some previous studies, and suggest Li as a test of cluster metallicity. Finally, we argue that a radius dispersion in stars of fixed mass and age, during the epoch of pre-MS Li destruction, is responsible for the spread in Li abundances and the correlation between rotation and Li in young cool stars, most well known in the Pleiades. We calculate stellar models, inflated to match observed radius anomalies in magnetically active systems, and the resulting range of Li abundances reproduces the observed patterns of young clusters. We discuss ramifications for pre-MS evolutionary tracks and age measurements of young clusters, and suggest an observational test.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Fermi bubbles inflated by winds launched from the hot accretion flow in Sgr A*

A pair of giant gamma-ray Bubbles has been revealed by Fermi-LAT. In this paper we investigate their formation mechanism. Observations have indicated that the activity of the supermassive black hole located at the Galactic center, Sgr A*, was much stronger than at the present time. Specifically, one possibility is that while Sgr A* was also in the hot accretion regime, the accretion rate should be 10{sup 3}-10{sup 4} times higher during the past ∼10{sup 7} yr. On the other hand, recent magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulations of hot accretion flows have unambiguously shown the existence and obtained the properties of strong winds. Based on this knowledge, by performing three-dimensional hydrodynamical simulations, we show in this paper that the Fermi Bubbles could be inflated by winds launched from the 'past' hot accretion flow in Sgr A*. In our model, the active phase of Sgr A* is required to last for about 10 million years and it was quenched no more than 0.2 million years ago. The central molecular zone (CMZ) is included and it collimates the wind orientation toward the Galactic poles. Viscosity suppresses the Rayleigh-Taylor and Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities and results in the smoothness of the Bubbles edge. The main observational features of the Bubbles can be well explained. Specifically, the ROSAT X-ray features are interpreted by the shocked interstellar medium and the interaction region between the wind and CMZ gas. The thermal pressure and temperature obtained in our model are consistent with recent Suzaku observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Non-gaussianity in the strong regime of warm inflation

The bispectrum of scalar mode density perturbations is analysed for the strong regime of warm inflationary models. This analysis generalises previous results by allowing damping terms in the inflaton equation of motion that are dependent on temperature. A significant amount of non-gaussianity emerges with constant (or local) non-linearity parameter f{sub NL} ∼ 20, in addition to the terms with non-constant f{sub NL} which are characteristic of warm inflation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Chaotic inflation in modified gravitational theories

We study chaotic inflation in the context of modified gravitational theories. Our analysis covers models based on (i) a field coupling ω(φ) with the kinetic energy X = −(1/2)g{sup μν}∂{sub μ}φ∂{sub ν}φ and a nonmimimal coupling ζφ{sup 2}R/2 with a Ricci scalar R, (ii) Brans-Dicke (BD) theories, (iii) Gauss-Bonnet (GB) gravity, and (iv) gravity with a Galileon correction. Dilatonic coupling with the kinetic energy and/or negative nonminimal coupling are shown to lead to compatibility with observations of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) temperature anisotropies for the self-coupling inflaton potential V(φ) = λφ{sup 4}/4. BD theory with a quadratic inflaton potential, which covers Starobinsky's f(R) model f(R) = R+R{sup 2}/(6M{sup 2}) with the BD parameter ω{sub BD} = 0, gives rise to a smaller tensor-to-scalar ratio for decreasing ω{sub BD}. In the presence of a GB term coupled to the field φ, we express the scalar/tensor spectral indices n{sub s} and n{sub t} as well as the tensor-to-scalar ratio r in terms of two slow-roll parameters and place bounds on the strength of the GB coupling from the joint data analysis of WMAP 7yr combined with other observations. We also study the Galileon-like self-interaction Φ(φ)X□φ with exponential coupling Φ(φ)∝e{sup μφ}. Using a CMB likelihood analysis we put bounds on the strength of the Galileon coupling and show that the self coupling potential can in fact be made compatible with observations in the presence of the exponential coupling with μ > 0.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Constraining holographic inflation with WMAP

In a class of recently proposed models, the early universe is strongly coupled and described holographically by a three-dimensional, weakly coupled, super-renormalizable quantum field theory. This scenario leads to a power spectrum of scalar perturbations that differs from the usual empirical ΛCDM form and the predictions of generic models of single field, slow roll inflation. This spectrum is characterized by two parameters: an amplitude, and a parameter g related to the coupling constant of the dual theory. We estimate these parameters, using WMAP and other astrophysical data. We compute Bayesian evidence for both the holographic model and standard ΛCDM and find that their difference is not significant, although ΛCDM provides a somewhat better fit to the data. However, it appears that Planck will permit a definitive test of this holographic scenario.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Higher order corrections to the primordial gravitational wave spectrum and its impact on parameter estimates for inflation

We study the impact of the use of the power series expression for the primordial tensor spectrum on parameter estimation from future direct detection gravitational wave experiments. The spectrum approximated by the power series expansion may give large deviation from the true (fiducial) value when it is normalized at CMB scale because of the large separation between CMB and direct detection scales. We derive the coefficients of the higher order terms of the expansion up to the sixth order within the framework of the slow-roll approximation and investigate how well the inclusion of higher order terms improves the analytic prediction of the spectrum amplitude by comparing with numerical results. Using the power series expression, we consider future constraints on inflationary parameters expected from direct detection experiments of the inflationary gravitational wave background and show that the truncation of the higher order terms can lead to incorrect evaluation of the parameters. We present two example models; a quadratic chaotic inflation model and mixed inflaton and curvaton model with a quartic inflaton potential.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Decoding the bispectrum of single-field inflation

Galileon fields arise naturally from the decoupling limit of massive gravities, and possess special self-interactions which are protected by a spacetime generalization of Galilean symmetry. We briefly revisit the inflationary phenomenology of Galileon theories. Working from recent computations of the fluctuation Lagrangian to cubic order in the most general model with second-order equations of motion, we show that a distinct shape is present but with suppressed amplitude. A similar shape has been found in other higher-derivative models. It may be visible in a theory tuned to suppress the leading-order shapes, or if the overall bispectrum has large amplitude. Using a partial-wave expansion of the bispectrum, we suggest a possible origin for the frequent appearance of this shape. It follows that models with very disparate microphysics can produce very similar bispectra. We argue that it may be more profitable to distinguish these models by searching for relations between the amplitudes of these common shapes. We illustrate this method using the examples of DBI and k-inflation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Observational test of inflation in loop quantum cosmology

We study in detail the power spectra of scalar and tensor perturbations generated during inflation in loop quantum cosmology (LQC). After clarifying in a novel quantitative way how inverse-volume corrections arise in inhomogeneous settings, we show that they can generate large running spectral indices, which generally lead to an enhancement of power at large scales. We provide explicit formulæ for the scalar/tensor power spectra under the slow-roll approximation, by taking into account corrections of order higher than the runnings. Via a standard analysis, we place observational bounds on the inverse-volume quantum correction δ∝a{sup −σ} (σ > 0, a is the scale factor) and the slow-roll parameter ε{sub V} for power-law potentials as well as exponential potentials by using the data of WMAP 7yr combined with other observations. We derive the constraints on δ for two pivot wavenumbers k{sub 0} for several values of δ. The quadratic potential can be compatible with the data even in the presence of the LQC corrections, but the quartic potential is in tension with observations. We also find that the upper bounds on δ(k{sub 0}) for given σ and k{sub 0} are insensitive to the choice of the inflaton potentials.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

DBI potential, DBI inflation action and general Lagrangian relative to phantom, K-essence and quintessence

We derive a Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) potential and DBI inflation action by rescaling the metric. The determinant of the induced metric naturally includes the kinetic energy and the potential energy. In particular, the potential energy and kinetic energy can convert into each other in any order, which is in agreement with the limit of classical physics. This is quite different from the usual DBI action. We show that the Taylor expansion of the DBI action can be reduced into the form in the non-linear classical physics. These investigations are the support for the statement that the results of string theory are consistent with quantum mechanics and classical physics. We deduce the Phantom, K-essence, Quintessence and Generalized Klein-Gordon Equation from the DBI model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Non-minimal Higgs inflation and non-thermal leptogenesis in a supersymmetric Pati-Salam model

We consider a supersymmetric (SUSY) Grand Unified Theory (GUT) based on the gauge group G{sub PS} = SU(4){sub C} × SU(2){sub L} × SU(2){sub R}, which incorporates non-minimal chaotic inflation, driven by a quartic potential associated with the Higgs fields involved in the spontaneous breaking of G{sub PS}. The inflationary model relies on renormalizable superpotential terms and does not lead to overproduction of magnetic monopoles. It is largely independent of the one-loop radiative corrections and can become consistent with the current observational data on the inflationary observables, with the symmetry breaking scale of G{sub PS} assuming its SUSY value. Within our model, the strong CP and the μ problems of the minimal SUSY standard model can be resolved via a Peccei-Quinn symmetry. Moreover baryogenesis occurs via non-thermal leptogenesis realized by the out-of-equilibrium decay of the right-handed neutrinos, which are produced by the inflaton's decay. We consider two versions of such a scenario, assuming that the inflaton decays to the lightest or to the next-to-lightest right-handed neutrino. Both scenaria can become compatible with the constraints arising from the baryon asymmetry of the universe, the gravitino limit on the reheating temperature and the upper bound on the light neutrino masses, provided that the gravitino is somehow heavy. In the second scenario, extra restrictions from the SU(4){sub C} GUT symmetry on the heaviest Dirac neutrino mass and the data on the atmospheric neutrino oscillations can be also met.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗