1,200 research outputs found
Euclidean three-point function in loop and perturbative gravity
We compute the leading order of the three-point function in loop quantum
gravity, using the vertex expansion of the Euclidean version of the new spin
foam dynamics, in the region of gamma<1. We find results consistent with Regge
calculus in the limit gamma->0 and j->infinity. We also compute the tree-level
three-point function of perturbative quantum general relativity in position
space, and discuss the possibility of directly comparing the two results.Comment: 16 page
A shortcut to identifying small molecule signals that regulate behavior and development in Caenorhabditis elegans
Small molecule metabolites play important roles in Caenorhabditis elegans biology, but effective approaches for identifying their chemical structures are lacking. Recent studies revealed that a family of glycosides, the ascarosides, differentially regulate C. elegans development and behavior. Low concentrations of ascarosides attract males and thus appear to be part of the C. elegans sex pheromone, whereas higher concentrations induce developmental arrest at the dauer stage, an alternative, nonaging larval stage. The ascarosides act synergistically, which presented challenges for their identification via traditional activity-guided fractionation. As a result the chemical characterization of the dauer and male attracting pheromones remained incomplete. Here, we describe the identification of several additional pheromone components by using a recently developed NMR-spectroscopic approach, differential analysis by 2D NMR spectroscopy (DANS), which simplifies linking small molecule metabolites with their biological function. DANS-based comparison of wild-type C. elegans and a signaling-deficient mutant, daf-22, enabled identification of 3 known and 4 previously undescribed ascarosides, including a compound that features a p-aminobenzoic acid subunit. Biological testing of synthetic samples of these compounds revealed additional evidence for synergy and provided insights into structure–activity relationships. Using a combination of the three most active ascarosides allowed full reconstitution of the male-attracting activity of wild-type pheromone extract. Our results highlight the efficacy of DANS as a method for identifying small-molecule metabolites and placing them within a specific genetic context. This study further supports the hypothesis that ascarosides represent a structurally diverse set of nematode signaling molecules regulating major life history traits
Geometrical CP violation in multi-Higgs models
We introduce several methods to obtain calculable phases with geometrical
values that are independent of arbitrary parameters in the scalar potential.
These phases depend on the number of scalars and on the order of the discrete
non-Abelian group considered. Using these methods we present new geometrical CP
violation candidates with vacuum expectation values that must violate CP (the
transformation that would make them CP conserving is not a symmetry of the
potential). We also extend to non-renormalisable potentials the proof that more
than two scalars are needed to obtain these geometrical CP violation
candidates.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures. v2: table added, accepted by JHE
Minimal Family Unification
Absract It is proposed that there exist, within a new , a gauged
discrete group (the order 12 double dihedral group) acting as a family
symmetry. This nonabelian finite group can explain hierarchical features of
families, using an assignment for quarks and leptons dictated by the
requirements of anomaly cancellation and of no additional quarks.Comment: 10 pages, IFP-701-UNC;VAND-TH-94-
Comments on the kinematical structure of loop quantum cosmology
We comment on the presence of spurious observables and on a subtle violation
of irreducibility in loop quantum cosmology.Comment: 7 page
Spin foams with timelike surfaces
Spin foams of 4d gravity were recently extended from complexes with purely
spacelike surfaces to complexes that also contain timelike surfaces. In this
article, we express the associated partition function in terms of vertex
amplitudes and integrals over coherent states. The coherent states are
characterized by unit 3--vectors which represent normals to surfaces and lie
either in the 2--sphere or the 2d hyperboloids. In the case of timelike
surfaces, a new type of coherent state is used and the associated completeness
relation is derived. It is also shown that the quantum simplicity constraints
can be deduced by three different methods: by weak imposition of the
constraints, by restriction of coherent state bases and by the master
constraint.Comment: 22 pages, no figures; v2: remarks on operator formalism added in
discussion; correction: the spin 1/2 irrep of the discrete series does not
appear in the Plancherel decompositio
Flavor Unification and Discrete Nonabelian Symmetries
Grand unified theories with fermions transforming as irreducible
representations of a discrete nonabelian flavor symmetry can lead to realistic
fermion masses, without requiring very small fundamental parameters. We
construct a specific example of a supersymmetric GUT based on the flavor
symmetry --- a subgroup of --- which can explain the
observed quark and lepton masses and mixing angles. The model predicts
and gives a neutrino mass eV, with other neutrino masses much lighter. Combined
constraints of light quark masses and perturbative unification place flavor
symmetry breaking near the GUT scale; it may be possible to probe these
extremely high energies by continuing the search for flavor changing neutral
currents.Comment: 24 pages, UCSD-PTH-93-30 (uuencoded file; requires epsf.tex,
available from this bulletin board
Coupled Quintessence and Phantom Based On a Dilaton
Based on dilatonic dark energy model, we consider two cases: dilaton field
with positive kinetic energy(coupled quintessence) and with negative kinetic
energy(phantom). In the two cases, we investigate the existence of attractor
solutions which correspond to an equation of state parameter and a
cosmic density parameter . We find that the coupled term
between matter and dilaton can't affect the existence of attractor solutions.
In the Mexican hat potential, the attractor behaviors, the evolution of state
parameter and cosmic density parameter , are shown
mathematically. Finally, we show the effect of coupling term on the evolution
of and with
respect to numerically.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, some references and Journal-ref adde
A new look at loop quantum gravity
I describe a possible perspective on the current state of loop quantum
gravity, at the light of the developments of the last years. I point out that a
theory is now available, having a well-defined background-independent
kinematics and a dynamics allowing transition amplitudes to be computed
explicitly in different regimes. I underline the fact that the dynamics can be
given in terms of a simple vertex function, largely determined by locality,
diffeomorphism invariance and local Lorentz invariance. I emphasize the
importance of approximations. I list open problems.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figure
Some Aspects of Virtual Black Holes
In this paper we shall consistently third quantize modified gravity. Then we
shall analyse certain aspects of virtual black holes in this third quantized
modified gravity. We will see how a statistical mechanical origin for the
Bekenstein-Hawking entropy naturally arises in this model. Furthermore, in this
model the area and thus the entropy of a real macroscopic black hole is
quantized. Virtual black holes cause loss of quantum coherence and this gives
an intrinsic entropy to all physical systems which can be used to define a
direction of time and hence provide a solution to the problem of time.Comment: 11 pages, 0 figures, accepted for publication in JET
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