Probing Extra Dimensions with Neutrino Oscillations

In the braneworld scenario, gravity and neutrino oscillation can both be used to detect the presence of an extra dimension. We argue that neutrino oscillation is particularly suitable if the size of the extra dimension is small, in which case the signature for the extra dimension is the disappearance of active neutrino fluxes into the bulk, caused by the destructive interference from the Kaluza-Klein states. We discuss a class of models to illustrate this general feature.Comment: 16 pages, no figures. A contribution in honor of Hiroshi Ezawa on his 70th birthday. To appear in `Garden of Quanta' (World Scientific

Decomposition of Time-Ordered Products and Path-Ordered Exponentials

We present a decomposition formula for $U_n$, an integral of time-ordered products of operators, in terms of sums of products of the more primitive quantities $C_m$, which are the integrals of time-ordered commutators of the same operators. The resulting factorization enables a summation over $n$ to be carried out to yield an explicit expression for the time-ordered exponential, an expression which turns out to be an exponential function of $C_m$. The Campbell-Baker-Hausdorff formula and the nonabelian eikonal formula obtained previously are both special cases of this result.Comment: 31 pages, Revtex with two postscript figure

Mass Independent Textures and Symmetry

A mass-independent texture is a set of linear relations of the fermion mass-matrix elements which imposes no constraint on the fermionic masses nor the Majorana phases. Magic and 2-3 symmetries are examples. We discuss the general construction and the properties of these textures, as well as their relation to the quark and neutrino mixing matrices. Such a texture may be regarded as a symmetry, whose unitary generators of the symmetry group can be explicitly constructed. In particular, the symmetries connected with the tri-bimaximal neutrino mixing matrix are discussed, together with the physical consequence of breaking one symmetry but preserving another.Comment: Version to be published in PRD. References modified, and a misprint in eq (9) is correcte

A 2-3 Symmetry in Neutrino Oscillations

Maximum mixing in atmospheric neutrino oscillation, as well as vanishing of the MNS matrix element $U_{e3}$, are consequences of a 2-3 symmetry, under which the neutrino mass matrix is invariant under the interchange of second and third generation neutrinos. These predictions of the 2-3 symmetry are consistent with the results of Super-Kamiokande, K2K, and CHOOZ experiments. If the symmetry is exact at a high-energy scale set by right-handed neutrinos, a deviation from these predictions generated by renormalization-group corrections will occur at experimental energies. With an MSSM dynamics, the result can be made to agree with a global fit of the neutrino data, if normal hierarchy is assumed on the neutrino mass spectrum and if the mass of the electron-neutrino is at least about 0.025 eV. The presence of this mass lower bound is a novel and interesting feature of the symmetry that can be falsified by future experiments. Of the three viable solar neutrino solutions, only LMA gives a sizable MNS matrix element $U_{e3}$ that can hopefully be detected in future reactor experiments. Inverted neutrino mass hierarchy is not permitted by this symmetry.Comment: to appear in Phys. Lett.

Frontline Employees’ Informal Learning and Customer Relationship Skills in Macao Casinos: An Empirical Study

This study uses qualitative methods to better understand how the informal learning of frontline employees influenced their customer relationship skills in dealing with patrons at gaming tables, in the hope of achieving positive customer experiences in a competitive environment in Macao. As casino operators need to get their employees to work after limited formal training, they might find that their emphasis on formal training might be insufficient to provide patrons with customized service in Macao. In this context, the concept of informal learning, which is determined and directed by learners themselves to further improve what they have learned from their formal training, is likely to be of special significance in Macao. Based upon a constructivistic framework, this study used semi-structured interviews to gather data from 49 frontline employees. The study relied upon the Miles and Huberman (1994) framework to analyze qualitative data. Data analysis suggested that informal learning among frontline employees would lead to four strategies: (i) to be polite and respect patrons; (ii) to uncover patrons’ emotional status from their body language; (iii) to manage patrons’ emotions in their gaming pursuit; and (iv) to self-regulate emotions to the demands of a service encounter