Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology with Gravitational Waves

Gravitational wave detectors are already operating at interesting sensitivity levels, and they have an upgrade path that should result in secure detections by 2014. We review the physics of gravitational waves, how they interact with detectors (bars and interferometers), and how these detectors operate. We study the most likely sources of gravitational waves and review the data analysis methods that are used to extract their signals from detector noise. Then we consider the consequences of gravitational wave detections and observations for physics, astrophysics, and cosmology.Comment: 137 pages, 16 figures, Published version <http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2009-2

Planck 2015 results I. Overview of products and scientific results

The European Space Agency's Planck satellite, which is dedicated to studying the early Universe and its subsequent evolution, was launched on 14 May 2009. It scanned the microwave and submillimetre sky continuously between 12 August 2009 and 23 October 2013. In February 2015, ESA and the Planck Collaboration released the second set of cosmology products based on data from the entire Planck mission, including both temperature and polarization, along with a set of scientific and technical papers and a web-based explanatory supplement. This paper gives an overview of the main characteristics of the data and the data products in the release, as well as the associated cosmological and astrophysical science results and papers. The data products include maps of the cosmic microwave background (CMB), the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect, diffuse foregrounds in temperature and polarization, catalogues of compact Galactic and extragalactic sources (including separate catalogues of Sunyaev-Zeldovich clusters and Galactic cold clumps), and extensive simulations of signals and noise used in assessing uncertainties and the performance of the analysis methods. The likelihood code used to assess cosmological models against the Planck data is described, along with a CMB lensing likelihood. Scientific results include cosmological parameters derived from CMB power spectra, gravitational lensing, and cluster counts, as well as constraints on inflation, non-Gaussianity, primordial magnetic fields, dark energy, and modified gravity, and new results on low-frequency Galactic foregrounds

Posterior epidural migration of sequestered lumbar disc fragments. Report of two cases.

The posterior epidural migration of sequestered lumbar disc fragments is an uncommon event. The authors report two such cases in which patients presented with either intense radicular pain or cauda equina syndrome. The radiological characteristics were the posterior epidural location and the ring enhancement of the mass after injection of contrast material. The major diagnostic pitfalls are discussed

Computed tomographic findings in 35 dogs with nasal aspergillosis

peer reviewedaudience: researcher, professionalThe purpose of this study was to describe the computed tomographic (CT) features of nasal aspergillosis in dogs. Initial (n = 35) and follow-up (n = 12) CT images were available from 35 dogs. The most commonly encountered CT findings were (1) moderate to severe cavitary destruction of the turbinates with presence of a variable amount of abnormal soft tissue in the nasal passages, (2) non-specific thickening of the mucosa adjacent to the inner surface of bones of the frontal sinus, maxillary recess and nasal cavity and, (3) thickened reactive bone. The findings were consistent with a disease initially affecting one nasal cavity then progressing into the ipsilateral frontal sinus, the contralateral nasal cavity and the contralateral frontal sinus. Two dogs with associated nasal foreign body had a more localized invasion of the nasal cavity. Attenuation values and contrast enhancement were not specific. With follow-up examinations, a reduction in the amount of abnormal soft tissue was observed in all dogs except one, but this reduction could not be quantified