Discrete quantum gravity: a mechanism for selecting the value of fundamental constants

Smolin has put forward the proposal that the universe fine tunes the values of its physical constants through a Darwinian selection process. Every time a black hole forms, a new universe is developed inside it that has different values for its physical constants from the ones in its progenitor. The most likely universe is the one which maximizes the number of black holes. Here we present a concrete quantum gravity calculation based on a recently proposed consistent discretization of the Einstein equations that shows that fundamental physical constants change in a random fashion when tunneling through a singularity.Comment: 5 pages, RevTex, 4 figures, honorable mention in the 2003 Gravity Research Foundation Essays, to appear in Int. J. Mod. Phys.

Exotic Low Density Fermion States in the Two Measures Field Theory: Neutrino Dark Energy

We study a new field theory effect in the cosmological context in the Two Measures Field Theory (TMT). TMT is an alternative gravity and matter field theory where the gravitational interaction of fermionic matter is reduced to that of General Relativity when the energy density of the fermion matter is much larger than the dark energy density. In this case also the 5-th force problem is solved automatically. In the opposite limit, where the magnitudes of fermionic energy density and scalar field dark energy density become comparable, nonrelativistic fermions can participate in the cosmological expansion in a very unusual manner. Some of the features of such states in a toy model of the late time universe filled with homogeneous scalar field and uniformly distributed nonrelativistic neutrinos: neutrino mass increases as m ~ a^{3/2}; the neutrino gas equation-of-state approaches w=-1, i.e. neutrinos behave as a sort of dark energy; the total (scalar field + neutrino) equation-of-state also approaches w=-1; the total energy density of such universe is less than it would be in the universe filled with the scalar field alone. An analytic solution is presented. A domain structure of the dark energy seems to be possible. We speculate that decays of the CLEP state neutrinos may be both an origin of cosmic rays and responsible for a late super-acceleration of the universe. In this sense the CLEP states exhibit simultaneously new physics at very low densities and for very high particle masses.Comment: 47 pages, accepted for publication in Int.J.Mod.Phys.

Theoretical correlation between possible evidences of neutrino chiral oscillations and polarization measurements

Reporting about the formalism with the Dirac equation we describe the dynamics of chiral oscillations for a fermionic particle non-minimally coupling with an external magnetic field. For massive particles, the chirality and helicity quantum numbers represent different physical quantities of representative importance in the study of chiral interactions, in particular, in the context of neutrino physics. After solving the interacting Hamiltonian (Dirac) equation for the corresponding {\em fermionic} Dirac-{\em type} particle (neutrino) and quantifying chiral oscillations in the Dirac wave packet framework, we avail the possibility of determining realistic neutrino chirality conversion rates by means of (helicity) polarization measurements. We notice that it can become feasible for some particular magnetic field configurations with large values of {\boldmath$B$} orthogonal to the direction of the propagating particle.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figure

Preparing Children for Social Activity in Preschool Educational Organizations - Pedagogical Need

This article discusses the need to prepare students of the direction of preschool education" for social and pedagogical activities, the essence and priority principles of this process, the content of the training of future educators of the direction "Preschool education" the orientation of the child to social life,  the role of training sessions in preparing future educators for social and pedagogical activities, as well as the possibility of preparing students for the socialization of children in organizations of preschool education outside the auditorium, is highlighted

Diagnostics of regional banking systems stability as an instrument of integration

This paper deals with the problem of increase the efficiency of the integration of regional banking systems. Today, small and medium regional banks are not able to ensure the regional economy banking products and services. In this regard, there is a need of the integration of regional credit institutions and regional banking systems. At the same time there is the inefficiency of joint banks associated with incorrect assessment of candidates for integration. To solve this problem, we tested a methodology of the rating agency «Expert» on the example of regional banking systems of the Volga Federal District. By results of the implementation of this methodological approach we revealed two trends in activity of regional banking systems, namely reduction in efficiency of operation and reduction of capitalization. And the most attractive for integration regional banking systems are the Perm Krai, the Republic of Mari El, Mordovia, Ulyanovsk region, the Chuvash Republic

Study of the Anthropogenic Impact on the Change of Geoecological Conditions of the Khojahasan Lake, Azerbaijan

The  paper  considers  the  results  of  geoecological  and  geophysical  studies  conducted   in   the   Khojahasan Lake basin in the Western part of Baku. The main purpose of the work was to study the anthropogenic impact on geoecological conditions of the lake. To assess the development of exogenous geological processes in the coastal zone of the lake and their impact on the environment, geophysical studies were carried out by the vertical electric sounding (VES). From 1990 to 2014, the physical and chemical characteristics of water and sediments were studied in a representative section of the lake. Metal concentrations, including such toxic elements as Cu, Zn, Cd, Sr, Ba, Pb, Cr, and Ni, were determined in the trace element composition of bottom sediments. It was revealed that since the mid-XIX century and especially since the second half of the XX century the high rate of population growth and urbanization in the territory of the Absheron Peninsula (in the Republic of Azerbaijan the name Apsheron was changed to Absheron) led to intensive use of natural resources and increased anthropogenic load on the environment. Technogenesis actively violates the natural cycle of matter and energy in lakes (limnogenesis), along with other natu- ral media, as lake basins are located in lowlands and often accumulate industrial, municipal, agricultural, and other discharges. Pollutants accumulated in the lake basin affect hydrobiochemical conditions, transform quantitative and qualitative indicators of the aquatic environment and bottom sediments. Factors affecting the lake landscape are ge- netically different, unequal in the degree and nature of the impact, as well as induration

Social-communicative innovations in anti-corruption activities (Regional aspect)

© 2015, Canadian Center of Science and Education. All rights reserved. The essence and character of implementation of social communications technologies in the process of anti-corruption activities of organs of power and civil society have been analyzed. The authors based their research on the social communications approach and the “Corruption formula” determined by R.Klitgaard. Based on the analysis of the results opinion surveys, dissatisfaction of the population with the outcomes of anti-corruption policy carried out by the government, demand for transition from declarativity of the principle of transparency of the government to open data, to expansion of anti-corruption enforcement initiated by citizens have been acknowledged. To solve the problems detected integrative communication technologies have been suggested

Particle and Antiparticle sectors in DSR1 and kappa-Minkowski space-time

In this paper we explore the problem of antiparticles in DSR1 and $\kappa$-Minkowski space-time following three different approaches inspired by the Lorentz invariant case: a) the dispersion relation, b) the Dirac equation in space-time and c) the Dirac equation in momentum space. We find that it is possible to define a map $S_{dsr}$ which gives the antiparticle sector from the negative frequency solutions of the wave equation. In $\kappa$-Poincar\'e, the corresponding map $S_{kp}$ is the antipodal mapping, which is different from $S_{dsr}$. The difference is related to the composition law, which is crucial to define the multiparticle sector of the theory. This discussion permits to show that the energy of the antiparticle in DSR is the positive root of the dispersion relation, which is consistent with phenomenological approaches.Comment: 15 pages, no figures, some references added, typos correcte

Cannabidiol exerts antiepileptic effects by restoring hippocampal interneuron functions in a temporal lobe epilepsy model

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A non-psychoactive phytocannabinoid, cannabidiol (CBD), shows promising results as an effective potential antiepileptic drug in some forms of refractory epilepsy. To elucidate the mechanisms by which CBD exerts its anti-seizure effects, we investigated its effects at synaptic connections and on the intrinsic membrane properties of hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells and two major inhibitory interneurons: fast spiking, parvalbumin (PV)-expressing and adapting, cholecystokinin (CCK)-expressing interneurons. We also investigated whether in vivo treatment with CBD altered the fate of CCK and PV interneurons using immunohistochemistry. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Electrophysiological intracellular whole-cell recordings combined with neuroanatomy were performed in acute brain slices of rat temporal lobe epilepsy in in vivo (induced by kainic acid) and in vitro (induced by Mg2+ -free solution) epileptic seizure models. For immunohistochemistry experiments, CBD was administered in vivo (100 mg·kg-1 ) at zero time and 90 min post status epilepticus, induced with kainic acid. KEY RESULTS: Bath application of CBD (10 μM) dampened excitability at unitary synapses between pyramidal cells but enhanced inhibitory synaptic potentials elicited by fast spiking and adapting interneurons at postsynaptic pyramidal cells. Furthermore, CBD restored impaired membrane excitability of PV, CCK and pyramidal cells in a cell type-specific manner. These neuroprotective effects of CBD were corroborated by immunohistochemistry experiments that revealed a significant reduction in atrophy and death of PV- and CCK-expressing interneurons after CBD treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Our data suggest that CBD restores excitability and morphological impairments in epileptic models to pre-epilepsy control levels through multiple mechanisms to reinstate normal network function

Soft singularity and the fundamental length

It is shown that some regular solutions in 5D Kaluza-Klein gravity may have interesting properties if one from the parameters is in the Planck region. In this case the Kretschman metric invariant runs up to a maximal reachable value in nature, i.e. practically the metric becomes singular. This observation allows us to suppose that in this situation the problems with such soft singularity will be much easier resolved in the future quantum gravity then by the situation with the ordinary hard singularity (Reissner-Nordstr\"om singularity, for example). It is supposed that the analogous consideration can be applied for the avoiding the hard singularities connected with the gauge charges.Comment: 5 page