Muon g-2 through a flavor structure on soft SUSY terms

In this work we analyze the possibility to explain the muon anomalous magnetic moment discrepancy within theory and experiment through lepton flavor violation processes. We propose a flavor extended MSSM by considering a hierarchical family structure for the trilinear scalar Soft-Supersymmetric terms of the Lagranagian, present at the SUSY breaking scale. We obtain analytical results for the rotation mass matrix, with the consequence of having non-universal slepton masses and the possibility of leptonic flavour mixing. The one-loop supersymmetric contributions to the leptonic flavour violating process $\tau \to \mu\gamma$ are calculated in the physical basis, with slepton flavour mixed states, instead of using the well known Mass Insertion Method. We present the regions in parameter space where the muon g-2 problem is either entirely solved or partially reduced through the contribution of these flavor violating processes.Comment: 21 pages, 7 figures. Changes on version 3: In order to obtain the complete result for muon g-2 in the limit of non-flavor violation we added the terms given in the appendix. We redid the graphics and numerical analysis including these changes. We also corrected some typos and changed the order of figure

The Phase Diagram and Spectrum of Gauge-Fixed Abelian Lattice Gauge Theory

We consider a lattice discretization of a covariantly gauge-fixed abelian gauge theory. The gauge fixing is part of the action defining the theory, and we study the phase diagram in detail. As there is no BRST symmetry on the lattice, counterterms are needed, and we construct those explicitly. We show that the proper adjustment of these counterterms drives the theory to a new type of phase transition, at which we recover a continuum theory of (free) photons. We present both numerical and (one-loop) perturbative results, and show that they are in good agreement near this phase transition. Since perturbation theory plays an important role, it is important to choose a discretization of the gauge-fixing action such that lattice perturbation theory is valid. Indeed, we find numerical evidence that lattice actions not satisfying this requirement do not lead to the desired continuum limit. While we do not consider fermions here, we argue that our results, in combination with previous work, provide very strong evidence that this new phase transition can be used to define abelian lattice chiral gauge theories.Comment: 42 pages, 30 figure

High rate GPS data on active volcanoes: an application to the 2005-2006 Mt. Augustine (Alaska, USA) eruption

Volcanic eruptions are usually preceded by measurable signals of growing unrest, the most evident of which are the increase in seismicity and ground deformation. It is also important to identify precursors of a possible renewal of the volcanic activity and to distinguish between an eruptive activity characterized by an intrusion (with the related destructive power) and a migration of magma stored in the main conduits. The 2005-2006 eruption at Mt. Augustine (Alaska, USA) is a good example of a massive migration of magmatic fluids from depth (about 1 km b.s.l.) under the effect of gas overpressure. The movements, recorded by High Rate GPS (HRGPS) data (15 s of sampling and processing rate) from the stations deployed on the volcano, define the dimensions and the characteristics of the shallow plumbing system. In this study, we propose a model of the different stages preceding the effusive phase (the 'precursory phase'), where gas overpressure in the body of the volcano opens the terminal conduit

A Millimeter-wave Galactic Plane Survey with the BICEP Polarimeter

In order to study inflationary cosmology and the Milky Way Galaxy's composition and magnetic field structure, Stokes I, Q, and U maps of the Galactic plane covering the Galactic longitude range 260° < ℓ < 340° in three atmospheric transmission windows centered on 100, 150, and 220 GHz are presented. The maps sample an optical depth 1 ≾ AV ≾ 30, and are consistent with previous characterizations of the Galactic millimeter-wave frequency spectrum and the large-scale magnetic field structure permeating the interstellar medium. The polarization angles in all three bands are generally perpendicular to those measured by starlight polarimetry as expected and show changes in the structure of the Galactic magnetic field on the scale of 60°. The frequency spectrum of degree-scale Galactic emission is plotted between 23 and 220 GHz (including WMAP data) and is fit to a two-component (synchrotron and dust) model showing that the higher frequency BICEP data are necessary to tightly constrain the amplitude and spectral index of Galactic dust. Polarized emission is detected over the entire region within two degrees of the Galactic plane, indicating the large-scale magnetic field is oriented parallel to the plane of the Galaxy. A trend of decreasing polarization fraction with increasing total intensity is observed, ruling out the simplest model of a constant Galactic magnetic field orientation along the line of sight in the Galactic plane. A generally increasing trend of polarization fraction with electromagnetic frequency is found, varying from 0.5%-1.5% at frequencies below 50 GHz to 2.5%-3.5% above 90 GHz. The effort to extend the capabilities of BICEP by installing 220 GHz band hardware is described along with analysis of the new band

Phase structure of the Higgs-Yukawa systems with chirally invariant lattice fermion actions

We develop analytical technique for examining phase structure of $Z_2$, $U(1)$, and $SU(2)$ lattice Higgs-Yukawa systems with radially frozen Higgs fields and chirally invariant lattice fermion actions. The method is based on variational mean field approximation. We analyse phase diagrams of such systems with different forms of lattice fermion actions and demonstrate that it crucially depends both on the symmetry group and on the form of the action. We discuss location in the diagrams of possible non-trivial fixed points relevant to continuum physics, and argue that the candidates can exist only in $Z_2$ system with SLAC action and $U(1)$ systems with naive and SLAC actions. [Note: By a product, missing term in Eq. (3.5) of hep-lat/9309010 is reconstructed, that, however, affects only the result of Sect. 4.3 (Fig. 3) of that reference (cf. Fig. 2(c) of this paper).]Comment: KEK-TH-390, KYUSHU-HET-17, 34 pages (harvmac) including 17 figures (appended in postscript format with uuencoded tar file).(PostScript Files are fixed.

An Abelian two-Higgs model of strongly correlated electrons: phase structure, strengthening of phase transition and QCD at finite density

We investigate non-perturbative features of a three-dimensional Abelian Higgs model with singly- and doubly-charged scalar fields coupled to a single compact Abelian gauge field. The model is pretending to describe various planar systems of strongly correlated electrons such as high-Tc superconductivity in the overdoped regime and exotic materials possessing excitations with fractionalized quantum numbers. The complicated phase structure of the model is studied thoroughly using numerical tools and analytical arguments. In the three-dimensional space of coupling parameters we identify the Fermi liquid, the spin gap, the superconductor and the strange metallic phases. The behavior of three kinds of topological defects -- holon and spinon vortices and monopoles - is explored in various phases. We also observe a new effect, the strong enhancement of the phase transition strength reflected in a lower order of the transition: at sufficiently strong gauge coupling the two second order phase transitions -- corresponding to spinon-pair and holon condensation lines - join partially in the phase diagram and become a first order phase transition in that region. The last observation may have an analogue in Quantum Chromodynamics at non-zero temperature and finite baryon density. We argue that at sufficiently large baryon density the finite-temperature transition between the (3-flavor paired) color superconducting phase and the quark-gluon plasma phases should be much stronger compared with the transition between 2-flavor paired and 3-flavor paired superconducting phases.Comment: 21 pages, 40 figures, RevTeX 4.

Study of the interaction of the Ig2 module of the fibroblast growth factor receptor, FGFR Ig2, with the fibroblast growth factor 1, FGF1, by means of NMR spectroscopy

AbstractFibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor (FGFR) consists extracellularly of three immunoglobulin (Ig) modules (Ig1–3). Currently, there are two competing models (symmetric and asymmetric) of the FGF–FGFR–heparin complex based on crystal structures. Indirect evidence exists in support of both models. However, it is not clear which model is physiologically relevant. Our aim was to obtain direct, non-crystallographic evidence in support of them. We found by nuclear magnetic resonance that Ig2 could bind to FGF1 not only via the primary site (present in both models), but also via the secondary site (present only in the symmetric model). Thus, our data support the symmetric model

Is metabolic flexibility altered in multiple sclerosis patients?

OBJECTIVES: Metabolic flexibility is defined as ability to adjust fuel oxidation to fuel availability. Multiple sclerosis (MS) results in reduced muscle strength and exercise intolerance. We tested the hypothesis that altered metabolic flexibility contributes to exercise intolerance in MS patients. METHODS: We studied 16 patients (all on glatiramer) and 16 matched healthy controls. Energy expenditure (EE), and carbohydrate (COX) and lipid oxidation (LOX) rates were determined by calorimetry, before and after an oral glucose load. We made measurements either at rest (canopy device) or during 40 min low-grade (0.5 W/kg) exercise (metabolic chamber). We also obtained plasma, and adipose tissue and skeletal muscle dialysate samples by microdialysis to study tissue-level metabolism under resting conditions. RESULTS: At rest, fasting and postprandial plasma glucose, insulin, and free fatty acid levels did not differ between patients and controls. Fasting and postprandial COX was higher and LOX lower in patients. In adipose, fasting and postprandial dialysate glucose, lactate, and glycerol levels were higher in patients vs. controls. In muscle, fasting and postprandial dialysate metabolite levels did not differ significantly between the groups. During exercise, EE did not differ between the groups. However, COX increased sharply over 20 min in patients, without reaching a steady state, followed by an immediate decrease within the next 20 min and fell even below basal levels after exercise in patients, compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Glucose tolerance is not impaired in MS patients. At rest, there is no indication for metabolic inflexibility or mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle. The increased adipose tissue lipolytic activity might result from glatiramer treatment. Autonomic dysfunction might cause dysregulation of postprandial thermogenesis at rest and lipid mobilization during exercise

Linking the X-ray and infrared properties of star-forming galaxies at z < 1.5

We present the most complete study to date of the X-ray emission from star formation in high-redshift (median z = 0.7; z −3 in both hard and soft X-ray bands. From the sources which are star formation dominated, only a small fraction are individually X-ray detected and for the bulk of the sample we calculate average X-ray luminosities through stacking. We find an average soft X-ray to infrared ratio of log ?L SX /L IR ? = −4.3 and an average hard X-ray to infrared ratio of log?L HX /L IR ?=−3.8.WereportthattheX-ray/IRcorrelationisapproximatelylinearthrough the entire range of L IR and z probed and, although broadly consistent with the local (z < 0.1) one, it does display some discrepancies. We suggest that these discrepancies are unlikely to be physical, i.e. due to an intrinsic change in the X-ray properties of star-forming galaxies with cosmic time, as there is no significant evidence for evolution of the L X /L IR ratio with redshift. Instead, they are possibly due to selection effects and remaining AGN contamination. We also examine whether dust obscuration in the galaxy plays a role in attenuating X-rays from star formation, by investigating changes in the L X /L IR ratio as a function of the average dust temperature. We conclude that X-rays do not suffer any measurable attenuation in the host galaxy