How light can the Higgs be?

It is widely believed that, for a given Top mass, the Higgs mass has a lower bound: if m_Higgs is too small, the Higgs vacuum is unstable due to Top dynamics. From vacuum instability, the state-of-the-art calculation of the lower bound is close to the current experimental limit. Using non-perturbative simulations and large N calculations, we show that the vacuum is in fact never unstable. Instead, we investigate the existence of a new lower bound, based on the intrinsic cut-off of this trivial theory.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures, uses espcrc2.sty, Lattice2003(higgs

Image steganography based on DNA sequence translation properties

Digital communication has become a vital part of daily life nowadays, many applications are using internet-based communication and here the importance of security rose to have a secure communication between two parties to prevent authorized access to sensitive data. These requirements led to a number of research in information security that has been done in the past two decades. Cryptography and steganography are the two main methods that are being used for information security. Cryptography refers to techniques that encrypt a message to be sent to a destination using different methods to be done. On the other hand, steganography is the science of hiding information from others using another cover message or media such as image, audio, video, and DNA sequence. This paper proposed a new method to hide information in an image using the least significant bit (LSB) based on Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) sequence. To accomplish this, the proposed scheme used properties of DNA sequence when codons that consist of three nucleotides are translated to proteins. The LSB of two pixels from the image are taken to represent a codon and then translate them to protein. The secret message bits are injected into codons before the translation process which slightly distorts the image and makes the image less suspicious and hard to detect the hidden message. The experimental results indicate the effeteness of the proposed method

Excitons in T-shaped quantum wires

We calculate energies, oscillator strengths for radiative recombination, and two-particle wave functions for the ground state exciton and around 100 excited states in a T-shaped quantum wire. We include the single-particle potential and the Coulomb interaction between the electron and hole on an equal footing, and perform exact diagonalisation of the two-particle problem within a finite basis set. We calculate spectra for all of the experimentally studied cases of T-shaped wires including symmetric and asymmetric GaAs/Al$_{x}$Ga$_{1-x}$As and In$_{y}$Ga$_{1-y}$As/Al$_{x}$Ga$_{1-x}$As structures. We study in detail the shape of the wave functions to gain insight into the nature of the various states for selected symmetric and asymmetric wires in which laser emission has been experimentally observed. We also calculate the binding energy of the ground state exciton and the confinement energy of the 1D quantum-wire-exciton state with respect to the 2D quantum-well exciton for a wide range of structures, varying the well width and the Al molar fraction $x$. We find that the largest binding energy of any wire constructed to date is 16.5 meV. We also notice that in asymmetric structures, the confinement energy is enhanced with respect to the symmetric forms with comparable parameters but the binding energy of the exciton is then lower than in the symmetric structures. For GaAs/Al$_{x}$Ga$_{1-x}$As wires we obtain an upper limit for the binding energy of around 25 meV in a 10 {\AA} wide GaAs/AlAs structure which suggests that other materials must be explored in order to achieve room temperature applications. There are some indications that In$_{y}$Ga$_{1-y}$As/Al$_{x}$Ga$_{1-x}$As might be a good candidate.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, uses RevTeX and psfig, submitted to Physical Review

Investigation of Murine Host Sex as a Biological Variable in Epithelial Barrier Function and Muscle Contractility in Human Intestinal Organoids

Intestinal failure (IF) occurs when intestinal surface area or function is not sufficient to support digestion and nutrient absorption. Human intestinal organoid (HIO)-derived tissue-engineered intestine is a potential cure for IF. Research to date has demonstrated successful HIO transplantation (tHIO) into mice with significant in vivo maturation. An area lacking in the literature is exploration of murine host sex as a biological variable (SABV) in tHIO function. In this study, we investigate murine host SABV in tHIO epithelial barrier function and muscle contractility. HIOs were generated in vitro and transplanted into nonobese diabetic, severe combined immunodeficiency gamma chain deficient male and female mice. tHIOs were harvested after 8-12 weeks in vivo. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry were conducted to compare tight junctions and contractility-related markers in tHIOs. An Ussing chamber and contractility apparatus were used to evaluate tHIO epithelial barrier and muscle contractile function, respectively. The expression and morphology of tight junction and contractility-related markers from tHIOs in male and female murine hosts is not significantly different. Epithelial barrier function as measured by transepithelial resistance, short circuit current, and fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran permeability is no different in tHIOs from male and female hosts, although these results may be limited by HIO epithelial immaturity and a short flux time. Muscle contractility as measured by total contractile activity, amplitude, frequency, and tension is not significantly different in tHIOs from male and female hosts. The data suggest that murine host sex may not be a significant biological variable influencing tHIO function, specifically epithelial barrier maintenance and muscle contractility, though limitations exist in our model

The Intentional Behavior of Divorce Decision According to the Theory of Planned Behavior, and Its Relation with the Emotional Stability and Some Cognitive Distortion Types

ملخص: تسعى الدراسة الحالية إلى دراسة النية السلوكية لاتخاذ قرار الطلاق من خلال إعداد قائمة وفقاً لمحددات نظرية السلوك المخطط له، والنظر إلى دور كل من الاتزان الانفعالي وبعض من أنماط التشويه المعرفي (نمط أفكار الحرمان العاطفي، نمط الذات والأفكار البدائية، نمط الاغتراب) في قرار الطلاق، وقد شملت العينة 195 مشاركاً من المتزوجين المراجعين لإدارة الاستشارات الأسرية التابعة لوزارة العدل في دولة الكويت ذكوراً وإناثاً بمختلف فئاتهم العمرية ومدة علاقتهم الزوجية ومستوياتهم التعليمية ووجود الأبناء ونوع إجراء الطلاق المتخذ.    وقد طُبق على المشاركين ثلاثة مقاييس، وهي قائمة جامعة الكويت لاتخاذ قرار الطلاق من تصميم الباحثين، ومقياس الاتزان الانفعالي، وثلاثة مقاييس فرعية من بطارية اختبارات أنماط التشويه المعرفية. أشارت نتائج الدراسة إلى قدرة نظرية السلوك المخطط له على التنبؤ وتفسير النية السلوكية لمتخذي قرار الطلاق، كذلك كشفت نتائج الدراسة وجود علاقة موجبة بين النية السلوكية لاتخاذ قرار الطلاق والاتزان الانفعالي، وعلاقة سالبة بين النية السلوكية وأنماط التشويه المعرفي. وبتفصيل أكثر، قام الباحثون بدراسة العلاقة بين الاتزان الانفعالي بكل محدد من محددات النظرية وجاء الارتباط موجباً بكل المحددات، بينما كشفت نتائج الدراسة بالارتباط السالب بين محدد المعايير الشخصية وأنماط التشويه المعرفي جميعها، كما كشفت النتائج أن النية السلوكية لدى الإناث في قرار الطلاق أعلى من الذكور، ولم تكن هناك فروق في النية السلوكية ترجع إلى الفئة العمرية، ومدة الزواج، والمستوى التعليمي، ووجود الأبناء. أما ما يخص نوع إجراء الطلاق المتخذ فقد كشفت النتائج أن هناك فروقاً في النية السلوكية وفقاً لنوع الإجراء المتخذ للطلاق في اتجاه المراجعين لإدارة خبراء المنازعة. وأخيراً، تبين من خلال نتائج الدراسة قدرة متغير الاتزان الانفعالي على التنبؤ بالنية السلوكية لقرار الطلاق، كما أن له قدرة على التنبؤ بالاتجاهات (كأحد محددات النية السلوكية لقرار الطلاق)، وفي السياق نفسه، أظهرت النتائج أن نمط أفكار الحرمان العاطفي (كأحد أنماط التشويه المعرفي) فقط لديه القدرة على التنبؤ بالمعايير الشخصية (كأحد محددات النية السلوكية لقرار الطلاق).Abstract: This study aims at investigating the intentional behavior of divorce decision according to the determents of the theory of planned behavior, and its relation to the emotional stability and some of cognitive distortion types (emotional deprivation thought – undeveloped self-thought – alienation) on divorce decision. The sample includes 195 marriage’s participants, clients of family counseling department, Ministry of Justice, from all Kuwait governorates. Three scales were applied, questionnaires of Kuwait university for divorce decision, emotional stability checklist, and three subscales of cognitive distortions battery. The result showed that the ability of the theory of planned behavior to predict and explain the intention of divorce decision.  The results showed a positive correlation between the intentional behavior of divorce decision and the emotional stability, and a negative correlation between the intentional behavior of divorce decision and types of cognitive distortion. On the other hand, the result showed that there was a positive correlation between all determinants of the theory of planned behavior and emotional stability. Also, there was a negative correlation between the subjective norm determinant and cognitive distortion types (emotional deprivation, undeveloped self, alienation). The results also showed that women had intentional behavior of divorce more than men. There were not statistical differences of intention behavior according to, educational levels, age, marriage duration, children. Those with emotional stability had an ability to predict the intentional behavior of divorce decision, also they had the ability to predict attitude determinate, as one of the intentional behavior determents. last of all, the results showed that the emotional deprivation thought, as one of the cognitive distortions, had an ability to predict of subjective norm, as a determent of intentional behavior

Local Optical Spectroscopy in Quantum Confined Systems: A Theoretical Description

A theoretical description of local absorption is proposed in order to investigate spectral variations on a length scale comparable with the extension of the relevant quantum states. A general formulation is derived within the density-matrix formalism including Coulomb correlation, and applied to the prototypical case of coupled quantum wires. The results show that excitonic effects may have a crucial impact on the local absorption with implications for the spatial resolution and the interpretation of near-field optical spectra.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett. - 11 pages, 3 PostScript figures (1 figure in colors) embedded. Uses RevTex, and psfig style

On the stability of 2 \sqrt{2} x 2 \sqrt{2} oxygen ordered superstructures in YBa2Cu3O6+x

We have compared the ground-state energy of several observed or proposed " 2 \sqrt{2} x 2 \sqrt{2} oxygen (O) ordered superstructures " (from now on HS), with those of "chain superstructures" (CS) (in which the O atoms of the basal plane are ordered in chains), for different compositions x in YBa2Cu3O6+x. The model Hamiltonian contains i) the Madelung energy, ii) a term linear in the difference between Cu and O hole occupancies which controls charge transfer, and iii) covalency effects based on known results for $t-J$ models in one and two dimensions. The optimum distribution of charge is determined minimizing the total energy, and depends on two parameters which are determined from known results for x=1 and x=0.5. We obtain that on the O lean side, only CS are stable, while for x=7/8, a HS with regularly spaced O vacancies added to the x=1 structure is more stable than the corresponding CS for the same x. We find that the detailed positions of the atoms in the structure, and long-range Coulomb interactions, are crucial for the electronic structure, the mechanism of charge transfer, the stability of the different phases, and the possibility of phase separation.Comment: 24 text pages, Latex, one fig. included as ps file, to be publisheb in Phys. Rev.

An Intersection of Laws: Citizens United v. FEC

The Georgia State University College of Law will hold a one-day symposium on Friday, November 12, 2010, to discuss the controversial Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC. In Citizens United, the Court overruled Austin v. Michigan Chamber of Commerce and portions of McConnell v. FEC, holding bans on corporate independent campaign expenditures are unconstitutional under the First Amendment. Specifically, the Georgia State Law Review symposium will focus on how this case reflects the intersection of First Amendment Law, Corporate Law, and Election Law. The symposium itself will feature three 90-minute panel discussions focusing on each of these discreet areas. In addition, we will have a lunch time presentation by Heather Gerken of Yale Law School and a 60-minute panel discussion focusing on the impact of the decision on the Midterm Elections

Local optical spectroscopy of semiconductor nanostructures in the linear regime

We present a theoretical approach to calculate the local absorption spectrum of excitons confined in a semiconductor nanostructure. Using the density-matrix formalism, we derive a microscopic expression for the nonlocal susceptibility, both in the linear and nonlinear regimes, which includes a three-dimensional description of electronic quantum states and their Coulomb interaction. The knowledge of the nonlocal susceptibility allows us to calculate a properly defined local absorbed power, which depends on the electromagnetic field distribution. We report on explicit calculations of the local linear response of excitons confined in single and coupled T-shaped quantum wires with realistic geometry and composition. We show that significant interference effects in the interacting electron-hole wave function induce new features in the space-resolved optical spectra, particularly in coupled nanostructures. When the spatial extension of the electromagnetic field is comparable to the exciton Bohr radius, Coulomb effects on the local spectra must be taken into account for a correct assignment of the observed features

The K^{+}--->\pi^{+}\nu\bar{nu} Rare Decay in Two Higgs Doublet Model

The rare k+--->pi+ \nu \bar{\nu} decay is investigated in the context of type II two-Higgs-doublet model (2HDM). By using the existing experimental data of the branching ratio, restrictions on the free parameters of the model m_H, and tan\beta are obtained: tan\beta belong to the range 0.7- o.8, and m_H belong to the range 500- 700 GeV.Comment: 12 pages, latex file, 3 figures, postscript file