pi+ pi0 Mass Difference in the Hidden Local Symmetry: A Dynamical Origin of Little Higgs

We calculate pi+ pi0 mass difference $\Delta m_\pi^2 \equiv m_{\pi^+}^2 -m_{\pi^0}^2$ in the Hidden Local Symmetry (HLS) model, based on the Wilsonian matching and Wilsonian renormalization-group equations. Even without a1 meson the result agrees well with the experiment in sharp contrast to the conventional approach where the a1 meson plays a crucial role. For large Nf QCD, there arises a large hierarchy between $\Delta m_\pi^2$ and the pi decay constant $F_\pi^2$, $\Delta m_\pi^2/F_\pi^2 \ll 1$, near the critical point where the chiral symmetry gets restored as the vector manifestation and the HLS model becomes a little Higgs model with two sites and two links, with the dynamically generated gauge coupling of the composite rho becoming vanishingly small.Comment: 4 page

Dynamical chiral symmetry breaking in gauge theories with extra dimensions

We investigate dynamical chiral symmetry breaking in vector-like gauge theories in $D$ dimensions with ($D-4$) compactified extra dimensions, based on the gap equation (Schwinger-Dyson equation) and the effective potential for the bulk gauge theories within the improved ladder approximation. The non-local gauge fixing method is adopted so as to keep the ladder approximation consistent with the Ward-Takahashi identities. Using the one-loop $\bar{\rm MS}$ gauge coupling of the truncated KK effective theory which has a nontrivial ultraviolet fixed point (UV-FP) $g_*$ for the (dimensionless) bulk gauge coupling ${\hat g}$, we find that there exists a critical number of flavors, $N_f^{\rm crit}$ ($\simeq 4.2, 1.8$ for $D=6, 8$ for SU(3) gauge theory): For $N_f > N_f^{\rm crit}$, the dynamical chiral symmetry breaking takes place not only in the ``strong-coupling phase'' (${\hat g} >g_*$) but also in the ``weak-coupling phase'' (${\hat g} <g_*$) when the cutoff is large enough. For $N_f < N_f^{\rm crit}$, on the other hand, only the strong-coupling phase is a broken phase and we can formally define a continuum (infinite cutoff) limit, so that the physics is insensitive to the cutoff in this case. We also perform a similar analysis using the one-loop ``effective gauge coupling''. We find the $N_f^{\rm crit}$ turns out to be a value similar to that of the $\bar{\rm MS}$ case, notwithstanding the enhancement of the coupling compared with that of the $\bar{\rm MS}$.Comment: REVTEX4, 38 pages, 18 figures. The abstract is shortened; version to be published in Phys. Rev.

Lung transplantation for lymphangioleiomyomatosis in Japan

Background: Lung transplantation has been established as the definitive treatment option for patients with advanced lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). However, the prognosis after registration and the circumstances of lung transplantation with sirolimus therapy have never been reported. Methods: In this national survey, we analyzed data from 98 LAM patients registered for lung transplantation in the Japan Organ Transplantation Network. Results: Transplantation was performed in 57 patients as of March 2014. Survival rate was 86.7% at 1 year, 82.5% at 3 years, 73.7% at 5 years, and 73.7% at 10 years. Of the 98 patients, 21 had an inactive status and received sirolimus more frequently than those with an active history (67% vs. 5%, p<0.001). Nine of twelve patients who remained inactive as of March 2014 initiated sirolimus before or while on a waiting list, and remained on sirolimus thereafter. Although the statistical analysis showed no statistically significant difference, the survival rate after registration tended to be better for lung transplant recipients than for those who awaited transplantation (p = 0.053). Conclusions: Lung transplantation is a satisfactory therapeutic option for advanced LAM, but the circumstances for pre-transplantation LAM patients are likely to alter with the use of sirolimus

Demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants in the Hisayama study and in the JDOPPS.

<p>Demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants in the Hisayama study and in the JDOPPS.</p

Micronutrient intake stratified by dietary pattern.

<p>Estimated micronutrient intake stratified by dietary pattern. Dotted lines show dietary standards according to Japan’s clinical guidelines (Dietary recommendations for chronic kidney disease, 2007, Japanese Society of Nephrology). </p