Vector Correlators in Lattice QCD: methods and applications

We discuss the calculation of the leading hadronic vacuum polarization in lattice QCD. Exploiting the excellent quality of the compiled experimental data for the e^+e^- --> hadrons cross-section, we predict the outcome of large-volume lattice calculations at the physical pion mass, and design computational strategies for the lattice to have an impact on important phenomenological quantities such as the leading hadronic contribution to (g-2)mu and the running of the electromagnetic coupling constant. First, the R(s) ratio can be calculated directly on the lattice in the threshold region, and we provide the formulae to do so with twisted boundary conditions. Second, the current correlator projected onto zero spatial momentum, in a Euclidean time interval where it can be calculated accurately, provides a potentially critical test of the experimental R(s) ratio in the region that is most relevant for (g-2)mu. This observation can also be turned around: the vector correlator at intermediate distances can be used to determine the lattice spacing in fm, and we make a concrete proposal in this direction. Finally, we quantify the finite-size effects on the current correlator coming from low-energy two-pion states and provide a general parametrization of the vacuum polarization on the torus.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figure files; corrected a factor 2 in Eq. (7) over the published versio

Electrical probing of the spin conductance of mesoscopic cavities

We investigate spin-dependent transport in three--terminal mesoscopic cavities with spin--orbit coupling. Focusing on the inverse spin Hall effect, we show how injecting a pure spin current or a polarized current from one terminal generates additional charge current and/or voltage across the two output terminals. This allows to extract the spin conductance of the cavity from two purely electrical measurements on the output. We use random matrix theory to show that the spin conductance of chaotic ballistic cavities fluctuates universally about zero mesoscopic average and describe experimental implementations of mesoscopic spin to charge current converters.Comment: 5 Pages, 1 figure, RevTe

Anomalous Scale Dimensions from Timelike Braiding

Using the previously gained insight about the particle/field relation in conformal quantum field theories which required interactions to be related to the existence of particle-like states associated with fields of anomalous scaling dimensions, we set out to construct a classification theory for the spectra of anomalous dimensions. Starting from the old observations on conformal superselection sectors related to the anomalous dimensions via the phases which appear in the spectral decomposition of the center of the conformal covering group $Z(\widetilde{SO(d,2)}),$ we explore the possibility of a timelike braiding structure consistent with the timelike ordering which refines and explains the central decomposition. We regard this as a preparatory step in a new construction attempt of interacting conformal quantum field theories in D=4 spacetime dimensions. Other ideas of constructions based on the $AdS_{5}$-$CQFT_{4}$ or the perturbative SYM approach in their relation to the present idea are briefly mentioned.Comment: completely revised, updated and shortened replacement, 24 pages tcilatex, 3 latexcad figure

Limits on the Majorana neutrino mass in the 0.1 eV range

The Heidelberg-Moscow experiment gives the most stringent limit on the Majorana neutrino mass. After 24 kg yr of data with pulse shape measurements, we set a lower limit on the half-life of the neutrinoless double beta decay in 76Ge of T_1/2 > 5.7 * 10^{25} yr at 90% C.L., thus excluding an effective Majorana neutrino mass greater than 0.2 eV. This allows to set strong constraints on degenerate neutrino mass models.Comment: 6 pages (latex) including 3 postscript figures and 2 table

Limits on different Majoron decay modes of 100^{100}Mo and 82^{82}Se for neutrinoless double beta decays in the NEMO-3 experiment

The NEMO-3 tracking detector is located in the Fr\'ejus Underground Laboratory. It was designed to study double beta decay in a number of different isotopes. Presented here are the experimental half-life limits on the double beta decay process for the isotopes $^{100}$Mo and $^{82}$Se for different Majoron emission modes and limits on the effective neutrino-Majoron coupling constants. In particular, new limits on "ordinary" Majoron (spectral index 1) decay of $^{100}$Mo ($T_{1/2} > 2.7\cdot10^{22}$ y) and $^{82}$Se ($T_{1/2} > 1.5\cdot10^{22}$ y) have been obtained. Corresponding bounds on the Majoron-neutrino coupling constant are $< (0.4-1.9) \cdot 10^{-4}$ and $< (0.66-1.7) \cdot 10^{-4}$.Comment: 23 pages includind 4 figures, to be published in Nuclear Physics

Vaccination with LAG-3Ig (IMP321) and Peptides Induces Specific CD4 and CD8 T-Cell Responses in Metastatic Melanoma Patients-Report of a Phase I/IIa Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: Cancer vaccines aim to generate and maintain antitumor immune responses. We designed a phase I/IIa clinical trial to test a vaccine formulation composed of Montanide ISA-51 (Incomplete Freund's Adjuvant), LAG-3Ig (IMP321, a non-Toll like Receptor agonist with adjuvant properties), and five synthetic peptides derived from tumor-associated antigens (four short 9/10-mers targeting CD8 T-cells, and one longer 15-mer targeting CD4 T-cells). Primary endpoints were safety and T-cell responses. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Sixteen metastatic melanoma patients received serial vaccinations. Up to nine injections were subcutaneously administered in three cycles, each with three vaccinations every 3 weeks, with 6 to 14 weeks interval between cycles. Blood samples were collected at baseline, 1-week after the third, sixth and ninth vaccination, and 6 months after the last vaccination. Circulating T-cells were monitored by tetramer staining directly ex vivo, and by combinatorial tetramer and cytokine staining on in vitro stimulated cells. RESULTS: Side effects were mild to moderate, comparable to vaccines with Montanide alone. Specific CD8 T-cell responses to at least one peptide formulated in the vaccine preparation were found in 13 of 16 patients. However, two of the four short peptides of the vaccine formulation did not elicit CD8 T-cell responses. Specific CD4 T-cell responses were found in all 16 patients. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that vaccination with IMP321 is a promising and safe strategy for inducing sustained immune responses, encouraging further development for cancer vaccines as components of combination therapies. Clin Cancer Res; 22(6); 1330-40. ©2015 AACR

New extended high temperature series for the N-vector spin models on three-dimensional bipartite lattices

High temperature expansions for the susceptibility and the second correlation moment of the classical N-vector model (O(N) symmetric Heisenberg model) on the sc and the bcc lattices are extended to order $\beta^{19}$ for arbitrary N. For N= 2,3,4.. we present revised estimates of the critical parameters from the newly computed coefficients.Comment: 11 pages, latex, no figures, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Recent advances in neutrinoless double beta decay search

Even after the discovery of neutrino flavour oscillations, based on data from atmospheric, solar, reactor, and accelerator experiments, many characteristics of the neutrino remain unknown. Only the neutrino square-mass differences and the mixing angle values have been estimated, while the value of each mass eigenstate still hasn't. Its nature (massive Majorana or Dirac particle) is still escaping. Neutrinoless double beta decay ($0\nu$-DBD) experimental discovery could be the ultimate answer to some delicate questions of elementary particle and nuclear physics. The Majorana description of neutrinos allows the $0\nu$-DBD process, and consequently either a mass value could be measured or the existence of physics beyond the standard should be confirmed without any doubt. As expected, the $0\nu$-DBD measurement is a very difficult field of application for experimentalists. In this paper, after a short summary of the latest results in neutrino physics, the experimental status, the R&D projects, and perspectives in $0\nu$-DBD sector are reviewed.Comment: 36 pages, 7 figures, To be publish in Czech Journal of Physic

Double Beta Decay: Historical Review of 75 Years of Research

Main achievements during 75 years of research on double beta decay have been reviewed. The existing experimental data have been presented and the capabilities of the next-generation detectors have been demonstrated.Comment: 25 pages, typos adde

New results of 116Cd double beta decay study with 116CdWO4 scintillators

A new phase of 116Cd double beta decay experiment is in progress in the Solotvina Underground Laboratory. Four enriched 116CdWO4 scintillators with total mass 339 g are used in a set up, whose active shield is made of 15 natural CdWO4 crystals (20.6 kg). The background rate in the energy interval 2.5-3.2 MeV is 0.03 counts/y*kg*keV. The half-life for 2-neutrino 2-beta decay of 116Cd is measured as T{1/2}(2-neutrino) = [2.6+-0.1(stat)-0.4+0.7}(syst)]*10**19 y. The T{1/2} limits for neutrinoless 2-beta decay of 116Cd are set as T{1/2} >= 0.7(2.5)*10**23 y at 90%(68%) C.L. for transition to ground state of 116Sn, while for decays to the first 2+ and second 0+ excited levels of 116Sn as T{1/2}>=1.3(4.8)*10**22 y and >=0.7(2.4)*10**22 y with 90%(68%) C.L., respectively. For 0-neutrino 2-beta decay with emission of one or two Majorons, the limits are T{1/2}(0-neutrino M1) >=3.7(5.8)*10**21 y and T{1/2}(0-neutrino M2)>=5.9(9.4)*10**20 y at 90%(68%) C.L. Restrictions on the value of the neutrino mass, right-handed admixtures in the weak interaction, and the neutrino-Majoron coupling constant are derived as: m(neutrino)<=2.6(1.4) eV, eta <=3.9*10**-8, lambda <=3.4*10**-6, and g{M}<= 12(9.5)*10**-5 at 90%(68%) C.L., respectively.Comment: 28 pages, 9 figures (LaTeX). Phys. Rev. C (in press