Cosmic e^\pm, \bar p, \gamma and neutrino rays in leptocentric dark matter models

Dark matter annihilation is one of the leading explanations for the recently observed $e^\pm$ excesses in cosmic rays by PAMELA, ATIC, FERMI-LAT and HESS. Any dark matter annihilation model proposed to explain these data must also explain the fact that PAMELA data show excesses only in $e^\pm$ spectrum but not in anti-proton. It is interesting to ask whether the annihilation mode into anti-proton is completely disallowed or only suppressed at low energies. Most models proposed have negligible anti-protons in all energy ranges. We show that the leptocentric $U(1)_{B-3L_i}$ dark matter model can explain the $e^\pm$ excesses with suppressed anti-proton mode at low energies, but at higher energies there are sizable anti-proton excesses. Near future data from PAMELA and AMS can provide crucial test for this type of models. Cosmic $\gamma$ ray data can further rule out some of the models. We also show that this model has interesting cosmic neutrino signatures.Comment: Latex 20 pages and five figures. References adde

Connecting Dark Energy to Neutrinos with an Observable Higgs Triplet

To connect the scalar field (acceleron) responsible for dark energy to neutrinos, the usual strategy is to add unnaturally light neutral singlet fermions (right-handed neutrinos) to the Standard Model. A better choice is actually a Higgs triplet, through the coupling of the acceleron to the trilinear Higgs triplet-double-doublet interaction. This hypothesis predicts an easily observable doubly-charged Higgs boson at the forthcoming Large Hadron Collider (LHC).Comment: 9 page

Degeneracy Relations in QCD and the Equivalence of Two Systematic All-Orders Methods for Setting the Renormalization Scale

The Principle of Maximum Conformality (PMC) eliminates QCD renormalization scale-setting uncertainties using fundamental renormalization group methods. The resulting scale-fixed pQCD predictions are independent of the choice of renormalization scheme and show rapid convergence. The coefficients of the scale-fixed couplings are identical to the corresponding conformal series with zero $\beta$-function. Two all-orders methods for systematically implementing the PMC-scale setting procedure for existing high order calculations are discussed in this article. One implementation is based on the PMC-BLM correspondence \mbox{(PMC-I)}; the other, more recent, method \mbox{(PMC-II)} uses the ${\cal R}_\delta$-scheme, a systematic generalization of the minimal subtraction renormalization scheme. Both approaches satisfy all of the principles of the renormalization group and lead to scale-fixed and scheme-independent predictions at each finite order. In this work, we show that PMC-I and PMC-II scale-setting methods are in practice equivalent to each other. We illustrate this equivalence for the four-loop calculations of the annihilation ratio $R_{e^+ e^-}$ and the Higgs partial width $\Gamma(H\to b\bar{b})$. Both methods lead to the same resummed (`conformal') series up to all orders. The small scale differences between the two approaches are reduced as additional renormalization group $\{\beta_i\}$-terms in the pQCD expansion are taken into account. We also show that {\it special degeneracy relations}, which underly the equivalence of the two PMC approaches and the resulting conformal features of the pQCD series, are in fact general properties of non-Abelian gauge theory.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur

The ρ\rho-meson longitudinal leading-twist distribution amplitude

In the present paper, we suggest a convenient model for the vector $\rho$-meson longitudinal leading-twist distribution amplitude $\phi_{2;\rho}^\|$, whose distribution is controlled by a single parameter $B^\|_{2;\rho}$. By choosing proper chiral current in the correlator, we obtain new light-cone sum rules (LCSR) for the $B\to\rho$ TFFs $A_1$, $A_2$ and $V$, in which the $\delta^1$-order $\phi_{2;\rho}^\|$ provides dominant contributions. Then we make a detailed discussion on the $\phi_{2;\rho}^\|$ properties via those $B\to\rho$ TFFs. A proper choice of $B^\|_{2;\rho}$ can make all the TFFs agree with the lattice QCD predictions. A prediction of $|V_{\rm ub}|$ has also been presented by using the extrapolated TFFs, which indicates that a larger $B^{\|}_{2;\rho}$ leads to a larger $|V_{\rm ub}|$. To compare with the BABAR data on $|V_{\rm ub}|$, the longitudinal leading-twist DA $\phi_{2;\rho}^\|$ prefers a doubly-humped behavior.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. Discussions improved and references updated. To be published in Phys.Lett.

Renormalization group improved pQCD prediction for Υ(1S)\Upsilon(1S) leptonic decay

The complete next-to-next-to-next-to-leading order short-distance and bound-state QCD corrections to $\Upsilon(1S)$ leptonic decay rate $\Gamma(\Upsilon(1S)\to \ell^+\ell^-)$ has been finished by Beneke {\it et al.} \cite{Beneke:2014qea}. Based on those improvements, we present a renormalization group (RG) improved pQCD prediction for $\Gamma(\Upsilon(1S)\to \ell^+\ell^-)$ by applying the principle of maximum conformality (PMC). The PMC is based on RG-invariance and is designed to solve the pQCD renormalization scheme and scale ambiguities. After applying the PMC, all known-type of $\beta$-terms at all orders, which are controlled by the RG-equation, are resummed to determine optimal renormalization scale for its strong running coupling at each order. We then achieve a more convergent pQCD series, a scheme- independent and more accurate pQCD prediction for $\Upsilon(1S)$ leptonic decay, i.e. $\Gamma_{\Upsilon(1S) \to e^+ e^-}|_{\rm PMC} = 1.270^{+0.137}_{-0.187}$ keV, where the uncertainty is the squared average of the mentioned pQCD errors. This RG-improved pQCD prediction agrees with the experimental measurement within errors.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures. Numerical results and discussions improved, references updated, to be published in JHE

Effects of Tectona grandis (teak) plantation on soil microorganisms in a ferruginous soil of north central Nigeria

Effects of Tectona grandis age series plantation on soil microorganisms were investigated. Using completely randomised block design (CRBD) soil samples were collected from the rhizosphere, non-rhizosphere and the natural forest for December, 2003, February, 2004, April, 2004, and June, 2004. The collected samples were treated and later plated using different media. Nutrient agar (N/A, oxoid) was used for bacteria isolation while potato dextrose agar (PDA, oxoid) was used for fungi isolation. Colonies of the microorganisms were examined, counted and identified with microscopes and biochemical tests. Results showed significant differences of micro-organisms counts (bacteria, P=0.01) between Tectona grandis plantation and natural forest while no significant difference was observed between the months of sampling for non-rhizosphere soil. There existed no significant difference in the bacteria count between blocks (P=0.006) in the rhizoshere soil while significant count in bacteria was observed (P=0.04) between the treatments. Fungi population did not show any significant difference in the rhizospre for both the blocks and thetreatments (P=0.0001; (P=0.0002) respectively while significant differences exited between the treatments (P=0.66; P=0.42) respectively. The distribution of both the gram positive and gram  negative microorganisms was not significantly different between the plantation and the natural forest. It was concluded that T. grandis plantation hassignificant effects on the microbial populations only during early years of establishment. It was found that T. grandis should be used as an agroforestry species to boost micro-organisms populations