965 research outputs found
On an easy transition from operator dynamics to generating functionals by Clifford algebras
Clifford geometric algebras of multivectors are treated in detail. These
algebras are build over a graded space and exhibit a grading or multivector
structure. The careful study of the endomorphisms of this space makes it clear,
that opposite Clifford algebras have to be used also. Based on this
mathematics, we give a fully Clifford algebraic account on generating
functionals, which is thereby geometric. The field operators are shown to be
Clifford and opposite Clifford maps. This picture relying on geometry does not
need positivity in principle. Furthermore, we propose a transition from
operator dynamics to corresponding generating functionals, which is based on
the algebraic techniques. As a calculational benefit, this transition is
considerable short compared to standard ones. The transition is not injective
(unique) and depends additionally on the choice of an ordering. We obtain a
direct and constructive connection between orderings and the explicit form of
the functional Hamiltonian. These orderings depend on the propagator of the
theory and thus on the ground state. This is invisible in path integral
formulations. The method is demonstrated within two examples, a non-linear
spinor field theory and spinor QED. Antisymmetrized and normal-ordered
functional equations are derived in both cases.Comment: 23p., 76kB, plain LaTeX, [email protected]
Maximal sublattices and Frattini sublattices of bounded lattices
We investigate the number and size of the maximal sublattices of a finite lattice. For any positive integer k, there is a finite lattice L with more that ]L]k sublattices. On the other hand, there are arbitrary large finite lattices which contain a maximal sublattice with only 14 elements. It is shown that every bounded lattice is isomorphic to the Frattini sublattice (the intersection of all maximal sublattices) of a finite bounded lattic
Uptake and cytotoxicity of citrate-coated gold nanospheres : comparative studies on human endothelial and epithelial cells
The use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for diagnostic applications and for drug and gene-delivery is currently under intensive investigation. For such applications, biocompatibility and the absence of cytotoxicity of AuNPs is essential. Although generally considered as highly biocompatible, previous in vitro studies have shown that cytotoxicity of AuNPs in certain human epithelial cells was observed. In particular, the degree of purification of AuNPs (presence of sodium citrate residues on the particles) was shown to affect the proliferation and induce cytotoxicity in these cells. To expand these studies, we have examined if the effects are related to nanoparticle size (10, 11 nm, 25 nm), to the presence of sodium citrate on the particles' surface or they are due to a varying degree of internalization of the AuNPs. Since two cell types are present in the major barriers to the outside in the human body, we have also included endothelial cells from the vasculature and blood brain barrier.
Results
Transmission electron microscopy demonstrates that the internalized gold nanoparticles are located within vesicles. Increased cytotoxicity was observed after exposure to AuNPs and was found to be concentration-dependent. In addition, cell viability and the proliferation of both endothelial cells decreased after exposure to gold nanoparticles, especially at high concentrations. Moreover, in contrast to the size of the particles (10 nm, 11 nm, 25 nm), the presence of sodium citrate on the nanoparticle surface appeared to enhance these effects. The effects on microvascular endothelial cells from blood vessels were slightly enhanced compared to the effects on brain-derived endothelial cells. A quantification of AuNPs within cells by ICP-AES showed that epithelial cells internalized a higher quantity of AuNPs compared to endothelial cells and that the quantity of uptake is not correlated with the amount of sodium citrate on the nanoparticles’ surface.
Conclusions
In conclusion the higher amount of citrate on the particle surface resulted in a higher impairment of cell viability, but did not enhance or reduce the uptake behavior in endothelial or epithelial cells. In addition, epithelial and endothelial cells exhibited different uptake behaviors for citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles, which might be related to different interactions occurring at the nanoparticle-cell-surface interface. The different uptake in epithelial cells might explain the higher reduction of proliferation of these cells after exposure to AuNPs treatment although more detailed investigations are necessary to determine subcellular events. Nevertheless an extrinsic effect of sodium-citrate stabilized particles could not be excluded. Thus, the amount of sodium citrate should be reduced to a level on which the stability of the particles and the safety for biomedical applications are guaranteed
Measuring the cosmological lepton asymmetry through the CMB anisotropy
A large lepton asymmetry in the Universe is still a viable possibility and
leads to many interesting phenomena such as gauge symmetry nonrestoration at
high temperature. We show that a large lepton asymmetry changes the predicted
cosmic microwave background (CMB) anisotropy and that any degeneracy in the
relic neutrino sea will be measured to a precision of 1% or better when the CMB
anisotropy is measured at the accuracy expected to result from the planned
satellite missions MAP and Planck. In fact, the current measurements already
put an upper limit on the lepton asymmetry of the Universe which is stronger
than the one coming from considerations of primordial nucleosynthesis and
structure formation.Comment: 4 pagex LaTex, 1 color postscript figure, uses epsf. Version
submitted to PRL. (Bug in code fixed, new figure, conclusions unchanged
Dark Stars and Boosted Dark Matter Annihilation Rates
Dark Stars (DS) may constitute the first phase of stellar evolution, powered
by dark matter (DM) annihilation. We will investigate here the properties of DS
assuming the DM particle has the required properties to explain the excess
positron and elec- tron signals in the cosmic rays detected by the PAMELA and
FERMI satellites. Any possible DM interpretation of these signals requires
exotic DM candidates, with an- nihilation cross sections a few orders of
magnitude higher than the canonical value required for correct thermal relic
abundance for Weakly Interacting Dark Matter can- didates; additionally in most
models the annihilation must be preferentially to lep- tons. Secondly, we study
the dependence of DS properties on the concentration pa- rameter of the initial
DM density profile of the halos where the first stars are formed. We restrict
our study to the DM in the star due to simple (vs. extended) adiabatic
contraction and minimal (vs. extended) capture; this simple study is sufficient
to illustrate dependence on the cross section and concentration parameter. Our
basic results are that the final stellar properties, once the star enters the
main sequence, are always roughly the same, regardless of the value of boosted
annihilation or concentration parameter in the range between c=2 and c=5:
stellar mass ~ 1000M\odot, luminosity ~ 10^7 L\odot, lifetime ~ 10^6 yrs (for
the minimal DM models considered here; additional DM would lead to more massive
dark stars). However, the lifetime, final mass, and final luminosity of the DS
show some dependence on boost factor and concentration parameter as discussed
in the paper.Comment: 37 pages, 11 figure
Baryogenesis from a right-handed neutrino condensate
We show that the baryon asymmetry of the Universe can be generated by a
strongly coupled right handed neutrino condensate which also drives inflation.
The resulting model has only a small number of parameters, which completely
determine not only the baryon asymmetry of the Universe and the mass of the
right handed neutrino but also the inflationary phase. This feature allows us
to make predictions that will be tested by current and planned experiments. As
compared to the usual approach our dynamical framework is both economical and
predictive.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures. Typos corrected and several points clarified.
Results unchanged. New references adde
Tunneling and propagation of vacuum bubbles on dynamical backgrounds
In the context of bubble universes produced by a first-order phase transition
with large nucleation rates compared to the inverse dynamical time scale of the
parent bubble, we extend the usual analysis to non-vacuum backgrounds. In
particular, we provide semi-analytic and numerical results for the modified
nucleation rate in FLRW backgrounds, as well as a parameter study of bubble
walls propagating into inhomogeneous (LTB) or FLRW spacetimes, both in the
thin-wall approximation. We show that in our model, matter in the background
often prevents bubbles from successful expansion and forces them to collapse.
For cases where they do expand, we give arguments why the effects on the
interior spacetime are small for a wide range of reasonable parameters and
discuss the limitations of the employed approximations.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figures, typos corrected, matches published versio
Double Field Inflation
We present an inflationary universe model which utilizes two coupled real
scalar fields. The inflation field experiences a first order phase
transition and its potential dominates the energy density of the Universe
during the inflationary epoch. This field is initially trapped in its
metastable minimum and must tunnel through a potential barrier to reach the
true vacuum. The second auxiliary field couples to the inflaton field
and serves as a catalyst to provide an abrupt end to the inflationary epoch;
i.e., the field produces a time-dependent nucleation rate for bubbles of
true vacuum. In this model, we find that bubbles of true vacuum can
indeed percolate and we argue that thermalization of the interiors can more
easily take place. The required degree of flatness (i.e., the fine tuning) in
the potential of the field is comparable to that of other models which
invoke slowly rolling fields. Pseudo Nambu-Goldstone bosons may naturally
provide the flat potential for the rolling field.Comment: 18 pages, 2 figures, This early paper is being placed on the archive
to make it more easily accessible in light of recent interest in reviving
tunneling inflationary models and as its results are used in an accompanying
submissio
Naturally Large Cosmological Neutrino Asymmetries in the MSSM
A large neutrino asymmetry is an interesting possibility for cosmology, which
can have significant observable consequences for nucleosynthesis and the cosmic
microwave background. However, although it is a possibility, there is no
obvious reason to expect the neutrino asymmetry to be observably large. Here we
note that if the baryon asymmetry originates via the Affleck-Dine mechanism
along a d=4 flat direction of the MSSM scalar potential and if the lepton
asymmetry originates via Affleck-Dine leptogenesis along a d=6 direction,
corresponding to the lowest dimension directions conserving R-parity, then the
ratio n_{L}/n_{B} is naturally in the range 10^{8}-10^{9}. As a result, a
potentially observable neutrino asymmetry is correlated with a baryon asymmetry
of the order of 10^{-10}.Comment: 10 pages LaTeX. Final version to be published in Physical Review
Letter
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