Leptogenesis, Yukawa Textures and Weak Basis Invariants

We show that a large class of sets of leptonic texture zeros considered in the literature imply the vanishing of certain CP-odd weak-basis invariants. These invariant conditions enable one to recognize a flavour model corresponding to a set of texture zeros, when written in an arbitrary weak-basis where the zeros are not manifest. We also analyse the r\^ ole of texture zeros in allowing for a connection between leptogenesis and low-energy leptonic masses, mixing and CP violation. For some of the textures the variables relevant for leptogenesis can be fully determined in terms of low energy parameters and heavy neutrino masses.Comment: 16 pages, no figures. One reference added, version submitted for publicatio

An Atom Laser Based on Raman Transitions

In this paper we present an atom laser scheme using a Raman transition for the output coupling of atoms. A beam of thermal atoms (bosons) in a metastable atomic state $|1 >$ are pumped into a multimode atomic cavity. This cavity is coupled through spontaneous emission to a single mode of another cavity for the ground atomic state, $|2 >$. Above a certain threshold pumping rate a large number of atoms, $N_2$, builds up in this single quantum state and transitions to the ground state of the cavity become enhanced by a factor $(N_2 + 1)$. Atoms in this state are then coupled to the outside of the cavity with a Raman transition. This changes the internal state of the atom and imparts a momentum kick, allowing the atoms to leave the system.Comment: 8 pages, 4 postscript figures, uses RevTex, home page at http://online.anu.edu.au/Physics/Welcome.html (Some aspects of the exact physical model have changed from original version. Other general improvements included

CP-odd invariants in models with several Higgs doublets

We present CP-odd Higgs-basis invariants, which can be used to signal CP violation in a multi-Higgs system, written in an arbitrary Higgs basis. It is shown through specific examples how these CP-odd invariants can also be useful to determine the character of CP breaking (i.e. whether it is hard or soft CP breaking) in a given Higgs Lagrangian. We analyse in detail the cases of two and three Higgs doublets

Universality of Yukawa Couplings Confronts Recent Neutrino Data

We propose a flavour structure for the leptonic sector of the Standard Model, based on the idea of universality of Yukawa couplings, which accommodates all the experimental data on neutrino masses and mixing, at the same time predicting specific correlations between low energy measurable quantities, such as the ratio of neutrino squared mass differences, $|U_{13}|$, the leptonic Dirac phase, and the double-beta decay mass parameter. We also point out that it is possible, in this framework, to generate a sufficient amount of baryon asymmetry of the Universe through leptogenesis.Comment: 22 Pages, 5 Figure

Invariants, Alignment and the Pattern of Fermion Masses and Mixing

We show that the main features of the pattern of fermion masses and mixing can be expressed in terms of simple relations among weak-basis invariants. In the quark sector, we identify the weak-basis invariants which signal the observed alignment of the up and down quark mass matrices in flavour space. In the lepton sector, we indicate how a set of conditions on weak-basis invariants can lead to an approximate tribimaximal lepton mixing matrix. We also show the usefulness of these invariants in the study of specific ans\"atze for the flavour structure of fermion mass matrices.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figur

Gauge and Scheme Dependence of Mixing Matrix Renormalization

We revisit the issue of mixing matrix renormalization in theories that include Dirac or Majorana fermions. We show how a gauge-variant on-shell renormalized mixing matrix can be related to a manifestly gauge-independent one within a generalized ${\bar {\rm MS}}$ scheme of renormalization. This scheme-dependent relation is a consequence of the fact that in any scheme of renormalization, the gauge-dependent part of the mixing-matrix counterterm is ultra-violet safe and has a pure dispersive form. Employing the unitarity properties of the theory, we can successfully utilize the afore-mentioned scheme-dependent relation to preserve basic global or local symmetries of the bare Lagrangian through the entire process of renormalization. As an immediate application of our study, we derive the gauge-independent renormalization-group equations of mixing matrices in a minimal extension of the Standard Model with isosinglet neutrinos.Comment: 31 pages, LaTeX, uses axodraw.st

A Model for the Development of the Rhizobial and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbioses in Legumes and Its Use to Understand the Roles of Ethylene in the Establishment of these two Symbioses

We propose a model depicting the development of nodulation and arbuscular mycorrhizae. Both processes are dissected into many steps, using Pisum sativum L. nodulation mutants as a guideline. For nodulation, we distinguish two main developmental programs, one epidermal and one cortical. Whereas Nod factors alone affect the cortical program, bacteria are required to trigger the epidermal events. We propose that the two programs of the rhizobial symbiosis evolved separately and that, over time, they came to function together. The distinction between these two programs does not exist for arbuscular mycorrhizae development despite events occurring in both root tissues. Mutations that affect both symbioses are restricted to the epidermal program. We propose here sites of action and potential roles for ethylene during the formation of the two symbioses with a specific hypothesis for nodule organogenesis. Assuming the epidermis does not make ethylene, the microsymbionts probably first encounter a regulatory level of ethylene at the epidermis–outermost cortical cell layer interface. Depending on the hormone concentrations there, infection will either progress or be blocked. In the former case, ethylene affects the cortex cytoskeleton, allowing reorganization that facilitates infection; in the latter case, ethylene acts on several enzymes that interfere with infection thread growth, causing it to abort. Throughout this review, the difficulty of generalizing the roles of ethylene is emphasized and numerous examples are given to demonstrate the diversity that exists in plants

Dynamics of Two Higgs Doublet CP Violation and Baryogenesis at the Electroweak Phase Transition

We quantitatively study the charge transport mechanism of electroweak baryogenesis in a realistic two-Higgs-doublet model, comparing the contributions from quarks and leptons reflecting from electroweak domain walls, and comparing the exact profile of the CP-violating phase with a commonly used ansatz. We note that the phenomenon of spontaneous CP violation at high temperature can occur in this model, even when there is no CP violation at zero temperature. We include all known effects which are likely to influence the baryon production rate, including strong sphalerons, the nontrivial dispersion relations of the quasiparticles in the plasma, and Debye screening of gauged charges. We confirm the claim of Joyce, Prokopec and Turok that the reflection of tau leptons from the wall gives the dominant effect. We conclude that this mechanism is marginally strong enough to produce the observed baryon asymmetry of the universe.Comment: 49 pp. latex, 6 figures; section on diffusion expanded and corrected, published versio

Refined histopathological predictors of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation status: A large-scale analysis of breast cancer characteristics from the BCAC, CIMBA, and ENIGMA consortia

Introduction: The distribution of histopathological features of invasive breast tumors in BRCA1 or BRCA2 germline mutation carriers differs from that of individuals with no known mutation. Histopathological features thus have utility for mutation prediction, including statistical modeling to assess pathogenicity of BRCA1 or BRCA2 variants of uncertain clinical significance. We analyzed large pathology datasets accrued by the Consortium of Investigators of Modifiers of BRCA1/2 (CIMBA) and the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC) to reassess histopathological predictors of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation status, and provide robust likelihood ratio (LR) estimates for statistical modeling. Methods: Selection criteria for study/center inclusion were estrogen receptor (ER) status or grade data available for invasive breast cancer diagnosed younger than 70 years. The dataset included 4,477 BRCA1 mutation carriers, 2,565 BRCA2 mutation carriers, and 47,565 BCAC breast cancer cases. Country-stratified estimates of the

Age at first birth in women is genetically associated with increased risk of schizophrenia

Prof. Paunio on PGC:n jäsenPrevious studies have shown an increased risk for mental health problems in children born to both younger and older parents compared to children of average-aged parents. We previously used a novel design to reveal a latent mechanism of genetic association between schizophrenia and age at first birth in women (AFB). Here, we use independent data from the UK Biobank (N = 38,892) to replicate the finding of an association between predicted genetic risk of schizophrenia and AFB in women, and to estimate the genetic correlation between schizophrenia and AFB in women stratified into younger and older groups. We find evidence for an association between predicted genetic risk of schizophrenia and AFB in women (P-value = 1.12E-05), and we show genetic heterogeneity between younger and older AFB groups (P-value = 3.45E-03). The genetic correlation between schizophrenia and AFB in the younger AFB group is -0.16 (SE = 0.04) while that between schizophrenia and AFB in the older AFB group is 0.14 (SE = 0.08). Our results suggest that early, and perhaps also late, age at first birth in women is associated with increased genetic risk for schizophrenia in the UK Biobank sample. These findings contribute new insights into factors contributing to the complex bio-social risk architecture underpinning the association between parental age and offspring mental health.Peer reviewe