Exploring the science of thinking independently together: Faraday Discussion Volume 204-Complex Molecular Surfaces and Interfaces, Sheffield, UK, July 2017

This Faraday Discussion meeting brought together theoreticians and experimentalists from both physical and chemical backgrounds to discuss the relevant applied and fundamental research topics within the broader field of chemical surface analysis and characterization.</p

Evolution, and functional analysis of Natural Resistance-Associated Macrophage proteins (NRAMPs) from Theobroma cacao and their role in cadmium accumulation

The presence of the toxic metal cadmium (Cd2+) in certain foodstuffs is recognised as a global problem, and there is increasing legislative pressure to reduce the content of Cd in food. The present study was conducted on cacao (Theobroma cacao), the source of chocolate, and one of the crops known to accumulate Cd in certain conditions. There are a range of possible genetic and agronomic methods being tested as a route to such reduction. As part of a gene-based approach, we focused on the Natural Resistance-Associated Macrophage Proteins (NRAMPS), a family of proton/metal transporter proteins that are evolutionarily conserved across all species from bacteria to humans. The plant NRAMP gene family are of particular importance as they are responsible for uptake of the nutritionally vital divalent cations Fe2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, as well as Cd2+. We identified the five NRAMP genes in cacao, sequenced these genes and studied their expression in various organs. We then confirmed the expression patterns in response to variation in nutrient cation availability and addition of Cd2+. Functional analysis by expression in yeast provided evidence that NRAMP5 encoded a protein capable of Cd2+ transport, and suggested this gene as a target for genetic selection/modification

Electroweak Corrections to the Deacy H+→W+hH^+\to W^+h in the Minimal Supersymmetric Model

We calculate the $O(\alpha_{ew}m_{t(b)}^{2}/m_{W}^{2})$ and $O(\alpha_{ew} m_{t(b)}^4/m_W^4)$ supersymmetric electroweak corrections to the process $H^+\to W^+h$ in the Minimal Supersymmetric Model. These corrections arise from the virtual effects of the third family quaurks (top and bottom) and squarks (top-squark and bottom-squark). We find that for $m_{H^+}>200$GeV at low $\tan\beta(\leq 3)$, the corrections can increase the tree-level decay widths and the branching radios more than 20% and 40%, respectively.Comment: 20 pages, including 7 ps figure

Investigation of Zero-Sound Dispersion Equation in the Complex Plane of Frequency

The known solutions to the zero-sound dispersion equation are considered as placed on the physical and unphysical sheets in the complex plane of frequency.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figure

Fermion Pairing Dynamics in the Relativistic Scalar Plasma

Using many-body techniques we obtain the time-dependent Gaussian approximation for interacting fermion-scalar field models. This method is applied to an uniform system of relativistic spin-1/2 fermion field coupled, through a Yukawa term, to a scalar field in 3+1 dimensions, the so-called quantum scalar plasma model. The renormalization for the resulting Gaussian mean-field equations, both static and dynamical, are examined and initial conditions discussed. We also investigate solutions for the gap equation and show that the energy density has a single minimum.Comment: 21 pages, latex, 4 postscript figures, new sections, some literary changes, notation corrections, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev

Neutrino Masses in the Supersymmetric Standard Model with Right-Handed Neutrinos and Spontaneous R-Parity Violation

We propose an extension of the supersymmetric standard model with right-handed neutrinos and a singlet Higgs field, and study the neutrino masses in this model. The Majorana masses for the right-handed neutrinos are generated around the supersymmetry breaking scale through the vacuum expectation value of the singlet Higgs field. This model may induce spontaneous R-parity violation via the vacuum expectation value of the right-handed sneutrino. In the case, the effective theory is similar to a bilinear R-parity violating model. There are two sources for the neutrino masses: one is this bilinear R-parity breaking effect, and the other is the ordinary seesaw effect between left- and right-handed neutrinos. Combining these two effects, the hierarchical neutrino mass pattern arises even when the neutrino Yukawa matrices are not hierarchical. We acquire appropriate masses and mixings to explain both the solar and atmospheric neutrino oscillations.Comment: 22pages, RevTeX, 3 ps figures; a reference adde

Modular approach for bimodal antibacterial surfaces combining photo-switchable activity and sustained biocidal release

Photo-responsive antibacterial surfaces combining both on-demand photo-switchable activity and sustained biocidal release were prepared using sequential chemical grafting of nano-objects with different geometries and functions. The multi-layered coating developed incorporates a monolayer of near-infrared active silica-coated gold nanostars (GNS) decorated by silver nanoparticles (AgNP). This modular approach also enables us to unravel static and photo-activated contributions to the overall antibacterial performance of the surfaces, demonstrating a remarkable synergy between these two mechanisms. Complementary microbiological and imaging evaluations on both planktonic and surface-attached bacteria provided new insights on these distinct but cooperative effects

Modified gravity and its reconstruction from the universe expansion history

We develop the reconstruction program for the number of modified gravities: scalar-tensor theory, $f(R)$, $F(G)$ and string-inspired, scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity. The known (classical) universe expansion history is used for the explicit and successful reconstruction of some versions (of special form or with specific potentials) from all above modified gravities. It is demonstrated that cosmological sequence of matter dominance, decceleration-acceleration transition and acceleration era may always emerge as cosmological solutions of such theory. Moreover, the late-time dark energy FRW universe may have the approximate or exact $\Lambda$CDM form consistent with three years WMAP data. The principal possibility to extend this reconstruction scheme to include the radiation dominated era and inflation is briefly mentioned. Finally, it is indicated how even modified gravity which does not describe the matter-dominated epoch may have such a solution before acceleration era at the price of the introduction of compensating dark energy.Comment: LaTeX file, 24 pages, no figure, prepared for the proceedings of ERE 2006, minor correction

Anomalous tqγtq\gamma coupling effects in exclusive radiative B-meson decays

The top-quark FCNC processes will be searched for at the CERN LHC, which are correlated with the B-meson decays. In this paper, we study the effects of top-quark anomalous interactions $tq\gamma$ in the exclusive radiative $B\to K^*\gamma$ and $B\to\rho\gamma$ decays. With the current experimental data of the branching ratios, the direct CP and the isospin asymmetries, bounds on the coupling $\kappa_{tcR}^{\gamma}$ from $B\to K^*\gamma$ and $\kappa_{tuR}^{\gamma}$ from $B\to \rho\gamma$ decays are derived, respectively. The bound on $|\kappa_{tcR}^{\gamma}|$ from ${\mathcal B}(B\to K^{*}\gamma)$ is generally compatible with that from ${\mathcal B}(B\to X_{s}\gamma)$. However, the isospin asymmetry $\Delta(K^{*}\gamma)$ further restrict the phase of $\kappa_{tcR}^{\gamma}$, and the combined bound results in the upper limit, $\mathcal B(t\to c\gamma)<0.21$, which is lower than the CDF result. For real $\kappa_{tcR}^{\gamma}$, the upper bound on $\mathcal B(t\to c\gamma)$ is about of the same order as the $5\sigma$ discovery potential of ATLAS with an integrated luminosity of $10 {\rm fb}^{-1}$. For $B\to\rho\gamma$ decays, the NP contribution is enhanced by a large CKM factor $|V_{ud}/V_{td}|$, and the constraint on $tu\gamma$ coupling is rather restrictive, $\mathcal B(t\to u\gamma)<1.44\times 10^{-5}$. With refined measurements to be available at the LHCb and the future super-B factories, we can get close correlations between $B\to V \gamma$ and the rare $t\to q\gamma$ decays, which will be studied directly at the LHC ATLAS and CMS.Comment: 25 pages, 15 figures, pdflate