A solution to the hierarchy problem from an almost decoupled hidden sector within a classically scale invariant theory

If scale invariance is a classical symmetry then both the Planck scale and the weak scale should emerge as quantum effects. We show that this can be realized in simple scale invariant theories with a hidden sector. The weak/Planck scale hierarchy emerges in the (technically natural) limit where the hidden sector decouples from the ordinary sector. The weak scale is protected from quadratic divergences because of classical scale invariance, so there is no hierarchy problem.Comment: 10 page

Open String Amplitudes in Various Gauges

Recently, Schnabl constructed the analytic solution of the open string tachyon. Subsequently, the absence of the physical states at the vacuum was proved. The development relies heavily on the use of the gauge condition different from the ordinary one. It was shown that the choice of gauge simplifies the analysis drastically. When we perform the calculation of the amplitudes in Schnabl gauge, we find that the off-shell amplitudes of the Schnabl gauge is still very complicated. In this paper, we propose the use of the propagator in the modified Schnabl gauge and show that this modified use of the Schnabl gauge simplifies the computation of the off-shell amplitudes drastically. We also compute the amplitudes of open superstring in this gauge.Comment: 23 pages, minor correction

The off-shell Veneziano amplitude in Schnabl gauge

We give a careful definition of the open string propagator in Schnabl gauge and present its worldsheet interpretation. The propagator requires two Schwinger parameters and contains the BRST operator. It builds surfaces by gluing strips of variable width to the left and to the right of off-shell states with contracted or expanded local frames. We evaluate explicitly the four-point amplitude of off-shell tachyons. The computation involves a subtle boundary term, crucial to enforce the correct exchange symmetries. Interestingly, the familiar on-shell physics emerges even though string diagrams produce Riemann surfaces more than once. Off-shell, the amplitudes do not factorize over intermediate on-shell states.Comment: 48 pages, 10 figures. v2:acknowledgments adde

Note on Matrix Model with Massless Flavors

In this note, following the work of Seiberg in hep-th/0211234 for the conjecture between the field theory and matrix model in the case with massive fundamental flavors, we generalize it to the case with massless fundamental flavors. We show that with a little modifications, the analysis given by Seiberg can be used directly to the case of massless flavors. Furthermore, this new method explains the insertion of delta functions in the matrix model given by Demasure and Janik in hep-th/0211082.Comment: 10 pages. Type fixed. Remarks adde

Exact Superpotentials for Theories with Flavors via a Matrix Integral

We extend and test the method of Dijkgraaf and Vafa for computing the superpotential of N=1 theories to include flavors in the fundamental representation of the gauge group. This amounts to computing the contribution to the superpotential from surfaces with one boundary in the matrix integral. We compute exactly the effective superpotential for the case of gauge group U(N_c), N_f massive flavor chiral multiplets in the fundamental and one massive chiral multiplet in the adjoint, together with a Yukawa coupling. We compare up to sixth-order with the result obtained by standard field theory techniques in the already non trivial case of N_c=2 and N_f=1. The agreement is perfect.Comment: 7 pages, v2: typos involving signs fixed; v3: version to appear in Phys.Rev.

Hearing the voices of older adult patients: processes and findings to inform health services research

Background Clinical academic research and service improvement is planned using Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) but older PPIE participants are consulted less often due to the perception that they are vulnerable or hard to engage. Objectives To consult frail older adults about a recently adopted service, discharge to assess (D2A), and to prioritise services improvements and research topics associated with the design and delivery of discharge from hospital. To use successive PPIE processes to enable a permanent PPIE panel to be established. Participants Following guidance from an established hospital PPI panel 27 older adult participants were recruited. Participants from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities, affluent and non-affluent areas and varied social circumstances were included. Methods Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted in participants own homes or nearby social venues. Results Priorities for discharge included remaining independent despite often feeling lonely at home; to remain in hospital if needed; and for services to ensure effective communication with families. The main research priority identified was facilitating independence, whilst establishing a permanent PPIE panel involving older adults was viewed favourably. Conclusions Taking a structured approach to PPIE enabled varied older peoples’ voices to express their priorities and concerns into early discharge from hospital, as well as enabling the development of health services research into hospital discharge planning and management. Older people as participants identified research priorities after reflecting on their experiences. Listening and reflection enabled researchers to develop a new “Community PPIE Elders Panel” to create an enduring PPIE infrastructure for frail older housebound people to engage in research design, development and dissemination

Fluctuations around the Tachyon Vacuum in Open String Field Theory

We consider quadratic fluctuations around the tachyon vacuum numerically in open string field theory. We work on a space ${\cal H}_N^{{\rm vac}}$ spanned by basis string states used in the Schnabl's vacuum solution. We show that the truncated form of the Schnabl's vacuum solution on ${\cal H}_N^{{\rm vac}}$ is well-behaved in numerical work. The orthogonal basis for the new BRST operator $\tilde Q$ on ${\cal H}_N^{{\rm vac}}$ and the quadratic forms of potentials for independent fields around the vacuum are obtained. Our numerical results support that the Schnabl's vacuum solution represents the minimum energy solution for arbitrary fluctuations also in open string field theory.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures, some comments and one table added, version to appear in JHE

Marginal deformations in string field theory

We describe a method for obtaining analytic solutions corresponding to exact marginal deformations in open bosonic string field theory. For the photon marginal deformation we have an explicit analytic solution to all orders. Our construction is based on a pure gauge solution where the gauge field is not in the Hilbert space. We show that the solution itself is nevertheless perfectly regular. We study its gauge transformations and calculate some coefficients explicitly. Finally, we discuss how our method can be implemented for other marginal deformations.Comment: 23 pages. v2: Some paragraphs improved, typos corrected, ref adde

Multipole analysis of pion photoproduction based on fixed t dispersion relations and unitarity

We have analysed pion photoproduction imposing constraints from fixed t dispersion relations and unitarity. Coupled integral equations for the S and P wave multipoles were derived from the dispersion relations and solved by the method of Omnes and Muskhelishvili. The free parameters were determined by a fit to the most recent data for \pi^{+} and \pi^{0} production on the proton as well as \pi^{-} production on the neutron, in the energy We have analysed pion photoproduction imposing constraints from fixed t dispersion relations and unitarity. Coupled integral equations for the S and P wave multipoles were derived from the dispersion relations and solved by the method of Omnes and Muskhelishvili. The free parameters were determined by a fit to the most recent data for \pi^{+} and \pi^{0} production on the proton as well as \pi^{-} production on the neutron, in the energy range 160 MeV \leq E_{\gamma} \leq 420 MeV. The lack of high precision data on the neutron and of polarization observables leads to some limitations of our results. Especially the multipole M_{1-} connected with the Roper resonance P_{11}(1440) cannot be determined to the required precision. Our predictions for the threshold amplitudes are in good agreement with both the data and chiral perturbation theory. In the region of the \Delta(1232) we have determined the ratio of electric quadrupole and magnetic dipole excitation. The position of the resonance pole is obtained in excellent agreement with pion-nucleon scattering, and the complex residues of the multipoles are determined with the speed-plot technique.Comment: 46 pages LATEX including 29 postscript figure