2,681 research outputs found
Allelic variation in the TNF-beta gene does not explain the low TNF-beta response in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis
Asymmetric WIMP dark matter
In existing dark matter models with global symmetries the relic abundance of
dark matter is either equal to that of anti-dark matter (thermal WIMP), or
vastly larger, with essentially no remaining anti-dark matter (asymmetric dark
matter). By exploring the consequences of a primordial asymmetry on the coupled
dark matter and anti-dark matter Boltzmann equations we find large regions of
parameter space that interpolate between these two extremes. Interestingly,
this new asymmetric WIMP framework can accommodate a wide range of dark matter
masses and annihilation cross sections. The present-day dark matter population
is typically asymmetric, but only weakly so, such that indirect signals of dark
matter annihilation are not completely suppressed. We apply our results to
existing models, noting that upcoming direct detection experiments will
constrain a large region of the relevant parameter space.Comment: 32 pages, 6 figures, updated references, updated XENON100 bounds,
typo in figure caption correcte
Electroweak Baryogenesis and Dark Matter with an approximate R-symmetry
It is well known that R-symmetric models dramatically alleviate the SUSY
flavor and CP problems. We study particular modifications of existing
R-symmetric models which share the solution to the above problems, and have
interesting consequences for electroweak baryogenesis and the Dark Matter (DM)
content of the universe. In particular, we find that it is naturally possible
to have a strongly first-order electroweak phase transition while
simultaneously relaxing the tension with EDM experiments. The R-symmetry (and
its small breaking) implies that the gauginos (and the neutralino LSP) are
pseudo-Dirac fermions, which is relevant for both baryogenesis and DM. The
singlet superpartner of the U(1)_Y pseudo-Dirac gaugino plays a prominent role
in making the electroweak phase transition strongly first-order. The
pseudo-Dirac nature of the LSP allows it to behave similarly to a Dirac
particle during freeze-out, but like a Majorana particle for annihilation today
and in scattering against nuclei, thus being consistent with current
constraints. Assuming a standard cosmology, it is possible to simultaneously
have a strongly first-order phase transition conducive to baryogenesis and have
the LSP provide the full DM relic abundance, in part of the allowed parameter
space. However, other possibilities for DM also exist, which are discussed. It
is expected that upcoming direct DM searches as well as neutrino signals from
DM annihilation in the Sun will be sensitive to this class of models.
Interesting collider and Gravity-wave signals are also briefly discussed.Comment: 50 pages, 10 figure
Anatomy of quantum chaotic eigenstates
The eigenfunctions of quantized chaotic systems cannot be described by
explicit formulas, even approximate ones. This survey summarizes (selected)
analytical approaches used to describe these eigenstates, in the semiclassical
limit. The levels of description are macroscopic (one wants to understand the
quantum averages of smooth observables), and microscopic (one wants
informations on maxima of eigenfunctions, "scars" of periodic orbits, structure
of the nodal sets and domains, local correlations), and often focusses on
statistical results. Various models of "random wavefunctions" have been
introduced to understand these statistical properties, with usually good
agreement with the numerical data. We also discuss some specific systems (like
arithmetic ones) which depart from these random models.Comment: Corrected typos, added a few references and updated some result
Asymmetric Dark Matter from Leptogenesis
We present a new realization of asymmetric dark matter in which the dark
matter and lepton asymmetries are generated simultaneously through two-sector
leptogenesis. The right-handed neutrinos couple both to the Standard Model and
to a hidden sector where the dark matter resides. This framework explains the
lepton asymmetry, dark matter abundance and neutrino masses all at once. In
contrast to previous realizations of asymmetric dark matter, the model allows
for a wide range of dark matter masses, from keV to 10 TeV. In particular, very
light dark matter can be accommodated without violating experimental
constraints. We discuss several variants of our model that highlight
interesting phenomenological possibilities. In one, late decays repopulate the
symmetric dark matter component, providing a new mechanism for generating a
large annihilation rate at the present epoch and allowing for mixed warm/cold
dark matter. In a second scenario, dark matter mixes with the active neutrinos,
thus presenting a distinct method to populate sterile neutrino dark matter
through leptogenesis. At late times, oscillations and dark matter decays lead
to interesting indirect detection signals.Comment: 32 pages + appendix, references added, minor change
Closing in on Asymmetric Dark Matter I: Model independent limits for interactions with quarks
It is argued that experimental constraints on theories of asymmetric dark
matter (ADM) almost certainly require that the DM be part of a richer hidden
sector of interacting states of comparable mass or lighter. A general requisite
of models of ADM is that the vast majority of the symmetric component of the DM
number density must be removed in order to explain the observed relationship
via the DM asymmetry. Demanding the efficient
annihilation of the symmetric component leads to a tension with experimental
limits if the annihilation is directly to Standard Model (SM) degrees of
freedom. A comprehensive effective operator analysis of the model independent
constraints on ADM from direct detection experiments and LHC monojet searches
is presented. Notably, the limits obtained essentially exclude models of ADM
with mass 1GeV 100GeV annihilating to SM quarks via
heavy mediator states. This motivates the study of portal interactions between
the dark and SM sectors mediated by light states. Resonances and threshold
effects involving the new light states are shown to be important for
determining the exclusion limits.Comment: 18+6 pages, 18 figures. v2: version accepted for publicatio
Thermal phases of D1-branes on a circle from lattice super Yang-Mills
We report on the results of numerical simulations of 1+1 dimensional SU(N)
Yang-Mills theory with maximal supersymmetry at finite temperature and
compactified on a circle. For large N this system is thought to provide a dual
description of the decoupling limit of N coincident D1-branes on a circle. It
has been proposed that at large N there is a phase transition at strong
coupling related to the Gregory-Laflamme (GL) phase transition in the
holographic gravity dual. In a high temperature limit there was argued to be a
deconfinement transition associated to the spatial Polyakov loop, and it has
been proposed that this is the continuation of the strong coupling GL
transition. Investigating the theory on the lattice for SU(3) and SU(4) and
studying the time and space Polyakov loops we find evidence supporting this. In
particular at strong coupling we see the transition has the parametric
dependence on coupling predicted by gravity. We estimate the GL phase
transition temperature from the lattice data which, interestingly, is not yet
known directly in the gravity dual. Fine tuning in the lattice theory is
avoided by the use of a lattice action with exact supersymmetry.Comment: 21 pages, 8 figures. v2: References added, two figures were modified
for clarity. v3: Normalisation of lattice coupling corrected by factor of two
resulting in change of estimate for c_cri
QCD axion and quintessential axion
The axion solution of the strong CP problem is reviewed together with the
other strong CP solutions. We also point out the quintessential
axion(quintaxion) whose potential can be extremely flat due to the tiny ratio
of the hidden sector quark mass and the intermediate hidden sector scale. The
quintaxion candidates are supposed to be the string theory axions, the model
independent or the model dependent axions.Comment: 15 pages. Talk presented at Castle Ringberg, June 9-14, 200
Evidence for the role of EPHX2 gene variants in anorexia nervosa.
Anorexia nervosa (AN) and related eating disorders are complex, multifactorial neuropsychiatric conditions with likely rare and common genetic and environmental determinants. To identify genetic variants associated with AN, we pursued a series of sequencing and genotyping studies focusing on the coding regions and upstream sequence of 152 candidate genes in a total of 1205 AN cases and 1948 controls. We identified individual variant associations in the Estrogen Receptor-ß (ESR2) gene, as well as a set of rare and common variants in the Epoxide Hydrolase 2 (EPHX2) gene, in an initial sequencing study of 261 early-onset severe AN cases and 73 controls (P=0.0004). The association of EPHX2 variants was further delineated in: (1) a pooling-based replication study involving an additional 500 AN patients and 500 controls (replication set P=0.00000016); (2) single-locus studies in a cohort of 386 previously genotyped broadly defined AN cases and 295 female population controls from the Bogalusa Heart Study (BHS) and a cohort of 58 individuals with self-reported eating disturbances and 851 controls (combined smallest single locus P<0.01). As EPHX2 is known to influence cholesterol metabolism, and AN is often associated with elevated cholesterol levels, we also investigated the association of EPHX2 variants and longitudinal body mass index (BMI) and cholesterol in BHS female and male subjects (N=229) and found evidence for a modifying effect of a subset of variants on the relationship between cholesterol and BMI (P<0.01). These findings suggest a novel association of gene variants within EPHX2 to susceptibility to AN and provide a foundation for future study of this important yet poorly understood condition
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