Three Dimensional N=2 Supersymmetry on the Lattice

We show how 3-dimensional, N=2 supersymmetric theories, including super QCD with matter fields, can be put on the lattice with existing techniques, in a way which will recover supersymmetry in the small lattice spacing limit. Residual supersymmetry breaking effects are suppressed in the small lattice spacing limit by at least one power of the lattice spacing a.Comment: 21 pages, 2 figures, typo corrected, reference adde

Structure of the exotic spin-flop states in BaCu2Si2O7

The unusual 2-stage spin flop transition in BaCu2Si2O7 is studied by single-crystal neutron diffraction. The magnetic structures of the various spin-flop phases are determined. The results appear to be inconsistent with the previously proposed theoretical explanation of the 2-stage transition.Comment: 6 pages 5 figure

Rational bidding using reinforcement learning: an application in automated resource allocation

The application of autonomous agents by the provisioning and usage of computational resources is an attractive research field. Various methods and technologies in the area of artificial intelligence, statistics and economics are playing together to achieve i) autonomic resource provisioning and usage of computational resources, to invent ii) competitive bidding strategies for widely used market mechanisms and to iii) incentivize consumers and providers to use such market-based systems. The contributions of the paper are threefold. First, we present a framework for supporting consumers and providers in technical and economic preference elicitation and the generation of bids. Secondly, we introduce a consumer-side reinforcement learning bidding strategy which enables rational behavior by the generation and selection of bids. Thirdly, we evaluate and compare this bidding strategy against a truth-telling bidding strategy for two kinds of market mechanisms – one centralized and one decentralized

Q-Strategy: A Bidding Strategy for Market-Based Allocation of Grid Services

The application of autonomous agents by the provisioning and usage of computational services is an attractive research field. Various methods and technologies in the area of artificial intelligence, statistics and economics are playing together to achieve i) autonomic service provisioning and usage of Grid services, to invent ii) competitive bidding strategies for widely used market mechanisms and to iii) incentivize consumers and providers to use such market-based systems. The contributions of the paper are threefold. First, we present a bidding agent framework for implementing artificial bidding agents, supporting consumers and providers in technical and economic preference elicitation as well as automated bid generation by the requesting and provisioning of Grid services. Secondly, we introduce a novel consumer-side bidding strategy, which enables a goal-oriented and strategic behavior by the generation and submission of consumer service requests and selection of provider offers. Thirdly, we evaluate and compare the Q-strategy, implemented within the presented framework, against the Truth-Telling bidding strategy in three mechanisms – a centralized CDA, a decentralized on-line machine scheduling and a FIFO-scheduling mechanisms

Running into New Territory in SUSY Parameter Space

The LEP-II bound on the light Higgs mass rules out the vast majority of parameter space left to the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) with weak-scale soft-masses. This suggests the importance of exploring extensions of the MSSM with non-minimal Higgs physics. In this article, we explore a theory with an additional singlet superfield and an extended gauge sector. The theory has a number of novel features compared to both the MSSM and Next-to-MSSM, including easily realizing a light CP-even Higgs mass consistent with LEP-II limits, tan(beta) < 1, and a lightest Higgs which is charged. These features are achieved while remaining consistent with perturbative unification and without large stop-masses. Discovery modes at the Tevatron and LHC are discussed.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures; Typo in equation (4.5) corrected; submitted to JHE

Top quark effects in composite vector pair production at the LHC

In the context of a strongly coupled Electroweak Symmetry Breaking, composite light scalar singlet and composite triplet of heavy vectors may arise from an unspecified strong dynamics and the interactions among themselves and with the Standard Model gauge bosons and fermions can be described by a $SU(2)_L\times SU(2)_R/SU(2)_{L+R}$ Effective Chiral Lagrangian. In this framework, the production of the $V^{+}V^{-}$ and $V^{0}V^{0}$ final states at the LHC by gluon fusion mechanism is studied in the region of parameter space consistent with the unitarity constraints in the elastic channel of longitudinal gauge boson scattering and in the inelastic scattering of two longitudinal Standard Model gauge bosons into Standard Model fermions pairs. The expected rates of same-sign di-lepton and tri-lepton events from the decay of the $V^{0}V^{0}$ final state are computed and their corresponding backgrounds are estimated. It is of remarkable relevance that the $V^{0}V^{0}$ final state can only be produced at the LHC via gluon fusion mechanism since this state is absent in the Drell-Yan process. It is also found that the $V^{+}V^{-}$ final state production cross section via gluon fusion mechanism is comparable with the $V^{+}V^{-}$ Drell-Yan production cross section. The comparison of the $V^{0}V^{0}$ and $V^{+}V^{-}$ total cross sections will be crucial for distinguishing the different models since the vector pair production is sensitive to many couplings. This will also be useful to determine if the heavy vectors are only composite vectors or are gauge vectors of a spontaneously broken gauge symmetry.Comment: 18 pages, 5 tables, 6 figures. Missing figures added. Matches published versio

Dimensional Crossover driven by Magnetic Ordering in Optical Conductivity of Pr_{1/2}Sr_{1/2}MnO_3

We investigated optical properties of Pr_{0.5}Sr_{0.5}MnO_3, which has the A-type antiferromagnetic ordering at a low temperature. We found that T- dependence of spectral weight transfer shows a clear correlation with the magnetic phase transition. In comparison with the optical conductivity results of Nd_{0.5}Sr_{0.5}MnO_3, which has the CE-type antiferromagnetic charge ordering, we showed that optical properties of Pr_{0.5}Sr_{0.5}MnO_3 near the Neel temperature could be explained by a crossover from 3D to 2D metals. Details of spectral weight changes are consistent with the polaron picture.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PRL at June

Theoretical study of the (3x2) reconstruction of beta-SiC(001)

By means of ab initio molecular dynamics and band structure calculations, as well as using calculated STM images, we have singled out one structural model for the (3x2) reconstruction of the Si-terminated (001) surface of cubic SiC, amongst several proposed in the literature. This is an alternate dimer-row model, with an excess Si coverage of 1/3, yielding STM images in good accord with recent measurements [F.Semond et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 77, 2013 (1996)].Comment: To be published in PRB Rapid. Com

Melting of Charge/Orbital Ordered States in Nd1/2_{1/2}Sr1/2_{1/2}MnO3_3: Temperature and Magnetic Field Dependent Optical Studies

We investigated the temperature ($T=$ 15 $\sim$ 290 K) and the magnetic field ($H=$ 0 $\sim$ 17 T) dependent optical conductivity spectra of a charge/orbital ordered manganite, Nd$_{1/2}$Sr$_{1/2}$MnO$_3$. With variation of $T$ and $H$, large spectral weight changes were observed up to 4.0 eV. These spectral weight changes could be explained using the polaron picture. Interestingly, our results suggested that some local ordered state might remain above the charge ordering temperature, and that the charge/orbital melted state at a high magnetic field (i.e. at $H=$ 17 T and $$ 4.2 K) should be a three dimensional ferromagnetic metal. We also investigated the first order phase transition from the charge/orbital ordered state to ferromagnetic metallic state using the $T$- and $H$% -dependent dielectric constants $\epsilon_1$. In the charge/orbital ordered insulating state, $\epsilon_1$ was positive and $d\epsilon_1/d\omega \approx 0$. With increasing $T$ and $H$, $\epsilon_1$ was increased up to the insulator-metal phase boundaries. And then, $\epsilon_1$ abruptly changed into negative and $d\epsilon_1/d\omega >0$, which was consistent with typical responses of a metal. Through the analysis of $\epsilon_1$ using an effective medium approximation, we found that the melting of charge/orbital ordered states should occur through the percolation of ferromagnetic metal domains.Comment: submitted to Phys. Rev.

Large-scale pharmacogenomic study of sulfonylureas and the QT, JT and QRS intervals: CHARGE Pharmacogenomics Working Group

Sulfonylureas, a commonly used class of medication used to treat type 2 diabetes, have been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Their effects on QT interval duration and related electrocardiographic phenotypes are potential mechanisms for this adverse effect. In 11 ethnically diverse cohorts that included 71 857 European, African-American and Hispanic/Latino ancestry individuals with repeated measures of medication use and electrocardiogram (ECG) measurements, we conducted a pharmacogenomic genome-wide association study of sulfonylurea use and three ECG phenotypes: QT, JT and QRS intervals. In ancestry-specific meta-analyses, eight novel pharmacogenomic loci met the threshold for genome-wide significance (P&lt;5 × 10−8), and a pharmacokinetic variant in CYP2C9 (rs1057910) that has been associated with sulfonylurea-related treatment effects and other adverse drug reactions in previous studies was replicated. Additional research is needed to replicate the novel findings and to understand their biological basis