K* vector and tensor couplings from Nf = 2 tmQCD

The mass m_K* and vector coupling f_K* of the K*-meson, as well as the ratio of the tensor to vector couplings fT/fV|_K*, are computed in lattice QCD. Our simulations are performed in a partially quenched setup, with two dynamical (sea) Wilson quark flavours, having a maximally twisted mass term. Valence quarks are either of the standard or the Osterwalder-Seiler maximally twisted variety. Results obtained at three values of the lattice spacing are extrapolated to the continuum, giving m_K* = 981(33) MeV, f_K* = 240(18) MeV and fT(2 GeV)/fV|_K* = 0.704(41).Comment: 1+11 page

Dark Matter in Theories of Gauge-Mediated Supersymmetry Breaking

In gauge-mediated theories supersymmetry breaking originates in a strongly interacting sector and is communicated to the ordinary sparticles via SU(3)$\times$SU(2)$\times$U(1) carrying ``messenger'' particles. Stable baryons of the strongly interacting supersymmetry breaking sector naturally weigh $\sim$ 100 TeV and are viable cold dark matter candidates. They interact too weakly to be observed in dark matter detectors. The lightest messenger particle is a viable cold dark matter candidate under particular assumptions. It weighs less than 5 TeV, has zero spin and is easily observable in dark matter detectors.Comment: 10 pages, Late

Improving Mobile Video Streaming with Mobility Prediction and Prefetching in Integrated Cellular-WiFi Networks

We present and evaluate a procedure that utilizes mobility and throughput prediction to prefetch video streaming data in integrated cellular and WiFi networks. The effective integration of such heterogeneous wireless technologies will be significant for supporting high performance and energy efficient video streaming in ubiquitous networking environments. Our evaluation is based on trace-driven simulation considering empirical measurements and shows how various system parameters influence the performance, in terms of the number of paused video frames and the energy consumption; these parameters include the number of video streams, the mobile, WiFi, and ADSL backhaul throughput, and the number of WiFi hotspots. Also, we assess the procedure's robustness to time and throughput variability. Finally, we present our initial prototype that implements the proposed approach.Comment: 7 pages, 15 figure

Layered Higgs Phase as a Possible Field Localisation on a Brane

So far it has been found by using lattice techniques that in the anisotropic five--dimensional Abelian Higgs model, a layered Higgs phase exists in addition to the expected five--dimensional one. The exploration of the phase diagram has shown that the two Higgs phases are separated by a phase transition from the confining phase. This transition is known to be first order. In this paper we explore the possibility of finding a second order transition point in the critical line which separates the first order phase transition from the crossover region. This is shown to be the case only for the four--dimensional Higgs layered phase whilst the phase transition to the five--dimensional broken phase remains first order. The layered phase serves as the possible realisation of four--dimensional spacetime dynamics which is embedded in a five--dimensional spacetime. These results are due to gauge and scalar field localisation by confining interactions along the extra fifth direction.Comment: 1+15 pages, 12 figure

O(a^2) cutoff effects in lattice Wilson fermion simulations

In this paper we propose to interpret the large discretization artifacts affecting the neutral pion mass in maximally twisted lattice QCD simulations as O(a^2) effects whose magnitude is roughly proportional to the modulus square of the (continuum) matrix element of the pseudoscalar density operator between vacuum and one-pion state. The numerical size of this quantity is determined by the dynamical mechanism of spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking and turns out to be substantially larger than its natural magnitude set by the value of Lambda_QCD.Comment: 38 pages, 1 figure, 2 table

Particle Production of Vector Fields: Scale Invariance is Attractive

In a model of an Abelian vector boson with a Maxwell kinetic term and non-negative mass-squared it is demonstrated that, under fairly general conditions during inflation, a scale-invariant spectrum of perturbations for the components of a vector field, massive or not, whose kinetic function (and mass) is modulated by the inflaton field is an attractor solution. If the field is massless, or if it remains light until the end of inflation, this attractor solution also generates anisotropic stress, which can render inflation weakly anisotropic. The above two characteristics of the attractor solution can source (independently or combined together) significant statistical anisotropy in the curvature perturbation, which may well be observable in the near future