Lattice QCD calculation of form factors describing the rare decays B→K∗ℓ+ℓ−B \to K^* \ell^+ \ell^- and Bs→ϕℓ+ℓ−B_s \to \phi \ell^+ \ell^-

The rare decays $B^0 \to K^{*0} \mu^+ \mu^-$ and $B_s \to \phi \mu^+ \mu^-$ are now being observed with enough precision to test Standard Model predictions. A full understanding of these decays requires accurate determinations of the corresponding hadronic form factors. Here we present results of lattice QCD calculations of the $B \to K^*$ and $B_s \to \phi$ form factors; we also determine the form factors relevant for the tree-level decays $B_s \to K^* \ell \nu$. We use full-QCD configurations including 2+1 flavors of sea quarks using an improved staggered action, and we employ lattice non-relativistic QCD to describe the bottom quark.Comment: 23 pages. Version 3 (accepted to Phys. Rev. D) includes interpolations to the physical strange quark mass. Central values shift by less than 1 sigma. Tables and figures updated accordingl

Calculation of B0→K∗0μ+μ−B^0 \to K^{*0} \mu^+ \mu^- and Bs0→ϕμ+μ−B_s^0 \to \phi \mu^+ \mu^- observables using form factors from lattice QCD

We calculate the differential branching fractions and angular distributions of the rare decays $B^0 \to K^{*0} \mu^+ \mu^-$ and $B_s^0 \to \phi \mu^+ \mu^-$, using for the first time form factors from unquenched lattice QCD. We focus on the kinematic region where the $K^*$ or $\phi$ recoils softly; there the newly available form factors are most precise and the nonlocal matrix elements can be included via an operator product expansion. Our results for the differential branching fractions calculated in the Standard Model are higher than the experimental data. We consider the possibility that the deviations are caused by new physics, and perform a fit of the Wilson coefficients $C_9$ and $C_9^\prime$ to the experimental data for multiple $B^0 \to K^{*0} \mu^+ \mu^-$ and $B_s^0 \to \phi \mu^+ \mu^-$ observables. In agreement with recent results from complementary studies, we obtain $C_9-C_9^{SM} = -1.0 \pm 0.6$ and $C_9^\prime = 1.2 \pm 1.0$, whose deviations from zero would indicate the presence of non-standard fundamental interactions.Comment: 6 pages. Updated form factors according to arXiv:1310.3722v3. New discussion of charmonium resonances. Accepted by PR

Wrapping Transition and Wrapping-Mediated Interactions for Discrete Binding along an Elastic Filament: An Exact Solution

The wrapping equilibria of one and two adsorbing cylinders are studied along a semi-flexible filament (polymer) due to the interplay between elastic rigidity and short-range adhesive energy between the cylinder and the filament. We show that statistical mechanics of the system can be solved exactly using a path integral formalism which gives access to the full effect of thermal fluctuations, going thus beyond the usual Gaussian approximations which take into account only the contributions from the minimal energy configuration and small fluctuations about this minimal energy solution. We obtain the free energy of the wrapping-unwrapping transition of the filament around the cylinders as well as the effective interaction between two wrapped cylinders due to thermal fluctuations of the elastic filament. A change of entropy due to wrapping of the filament around the adsorbing cylinders as they move closer together is identified as an additional source of interactions between them. Such entropic wrapping effects should be distinguished from the usual entropic configuration effects in semi-flexible polymers. Our results may be applicable to the problem of adsorption of proteins as well as synthetic nano-particles on semi-flexible polymers such as DNA.Comment: 24 pages, 12 figure

The one dimensional Coulomb lattice fluid capacitor

22 pages, 18 figures, RevTexInternational audienceThe one dimensional Coulomb lattice fluid in a capacitor configuration is studied. The model is formally exactly soluble via a transfer operator method within a field theoretic representation of the model. The only interactions present in the model are the one dimensional Coulomb interaction between cations and anions and the steric interaction imposed by restricting the maximal occupancy at any lattice site to one particle. Despite the simplicity of the model, a wide range of intriguing physical phenomena arise, some of which are strongly reminiscent of those seen in experiments and numerical simulations of three dimensional ionic liquid based capacitors. Notably we find regimes where over-screening and density oscillations are seen near the capacitor plates. The capacitance is also shown to exhibit strong oscillations as a function of applied voltage. It is also shown that the corresponding mean field theory misses most of these effects. The analytical results are confirmed by extensive numerical simulations

Rab11-FIP1C and Rab14 Direct Plasma Membrane Sorting and Particle Incorporation of the HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein Complex

The incorporation of the envelope glycoprotein complex (Env) onto the developing particle is a crucial step in the HIV-1 lifecycle. The long cytoplasmic tail (CT) of Env is required for the incorporation of Env onto HIV particles in T cells and macrophages. Here we identify the Rab11a-FIP1C/RCP protein as an essential cofactor for HIV-1 Env incorporation onto particles in relevant human cells. Depletion of FIP1C reduced Env incorporation in a cytoplasmic tail-dependent manner, and was rescued by replenishment of FIP1C. FIP1C was redistributed out of the endosomal recycling complex to the plasma membrane by wild type Env protein but not by CT-truncated Env. Rab14 was required for HIV-1 Env incorporation, and FIP1C mutants incapable of binding Rab14 failed to rescue Env incorporation. Expression of FIP1C and Rab14 led to an enhancement of Env incorporation, indicating that these trafficking factors are normally limiting for CT-dependent Env incorporation onto particles. These findings support a model for HIV-1 Env incorporation in which specific targeting to the particle assembly microdomain on the plasma membrane is mediated by FIP1C and Rab14. © 2013 Qi et al.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Wrapping Transition and Wrapping-Mediated Interactions for Discrete Binding along an Elastic Filament: An Exact Solution

The wrapping equilibria of one and two adsorbing cylinders are studied along a semi-flexible filament (polymer) due to the interplay between elastic rigidity and short-range adhesive energy between the cylinder and the filament. We show that statistical mechanics of the system can be solved exactly using a path integral formalism which gives access to the full effect of thermal fluctuations, going thus beyond the usual Gaussian approximations which take into account only the contributions from the minimal energy configuration and small fluctuations about this minimal energy solution. We obtain the free energy of the wrapping-unwrapping transition of the filament around the cylinders as well as the effective interaction between two wrapped cylinders due to thermal fluctuations of the elastic filament. A change of entropy due to wrapping of the filament around the adsorbing cylinders as they move closer together is identified as an additional source of interactions between them. Such entropic wrapping effects should be distinguished from the usual entropic configuration effects in semi-flexible polymers. Our results may be applicable to the problem of adsorption of proteins as well as synthetic nano-particles on semi-flexible polymers such as DNA