DBI Galileons in the Einstein Frame: Local Gravity and Cosmology

It is shown that a disformally coupled theory in which the gravitational sector has the Einstein-Hilbert form is equivalent to a quartic DBI Galileon Lagrangian, possessing non-linear higher derivative interactions, and hence allowing for the Vainshtein effect. This Einstein Frame description considerably simplifies the dynamical equations and highlights the role of the different terms. The study of highly dense, non-relativistic environments within this description unravels the existence of a disformal screening mechanism, while the study of static vacuum configurations reveals the existence of a Vainshtein radius, at which the asymptotic solution breaks down. Disformal couplings to matter also allow the construction of Dark Energy models, which behave differently than conformally coupled ones and introduce new effects on the growth of Large Scale Structure over cosmological scales, on which the scalar force is not screened. We consider a simple Disformally Coupled Dark Matter model in detail, in which standard model particles follow geodesics of the gravitational metric and only Dark Matter is affected by the disformal scalar field. This particular model is not compatible with observations in the linearly perturbed regime. Nonetheless, disformally coupled theories offer enough freedom to construct realistic cosmological scenarios, which can be distinguished from the standard model through characteristic signatures.Comment: Discussion on the Vainshtein effect added. 25 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables. Accepted for publication in PR

Nuclear Receptors as Therapeutic Targets for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Lost in Translation

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by a progressive loss of neurons that leads to a broad range of disabilities, including severe cognitive decline and motor impairment, for which there are no effective therapies. Several lines of evidence support a putative therapeutic role of nuclear receptors (NRs) in these types of disorders. NRs are ligand-activated transcription factors that regulate the expression of a wide range of genes linked to metabolism and inflammation. Although the activation of NRs in animal models of neurodegenerative disease exhibits promising results, the translation of this strategy to clinical practice has been unsuccessful. In this review we discuss the role of NRs in neurodegenerative diseases in light of preclinical and clinical studies, as well as new findings derived from the analysis of transcriptomic databases from humans and animal models. We discuss the failure in the translation of NR-based therapeutic approaches and consider alternative and novel research avenues in the development of effective therapies for neurodegenerative diseases

Confocal Laser Induced Fluorescence with Comparable Spatial Localization to the Conventional Method

We present measurements of ion velocity distributions obtained by laser induced fluorescence (LIF) using a single viewport in an argon plasma. A patent pending design, which we refer to as the confocal fluorescence telescope, combines large objective lenses with a large central obscuration and a spatial filter to achieve high spatial localization along the laser injection direction. Models of the injection and collection optics of the two assemblies are used to provide a theoretical estimate of the spatial localization of the confocal arrangement, which is taken to be the full width at half maximum of the spatial optical response. The new design achieves approximately 1.4 mm localization at a focal length of 148.7 mm, improving on previously published designs by an order of magnitude and approaching the localization achieved by the conventional method. The confocal method, however, does so without requiring a pair of separated, perpendicular optical paths. The confocal technique therefore eases the two window access requirement of the conventional method, extending the application of LIF to experiments where conventional LIF measurements have been impossible or difficult, or where multiple viewports are scarce

Neutrino mass from M Theory SO(10)

We study the origin of neutrino mass from $SO(10)$ arising from $M$ Theory compactified on a $G_2$-manifold. This is linked to the problem of the breaking of the extra $U(1)$ gauge group, in the $SU(5)\times U(1)$ subgroup of $SO(10)$, which we show can achieved via a (generalised) Kolda-Martin mechanism. The resulting neutrino masses arise from a combination of the seesaw mechanism and induced R-parity breaking contributions. The rather complicated neutrino mass matrix is analysed for one neutrino family and it is shown how phenomenologically acceptable neutrino masses can emerge.Comment: 32 pages, 12 figure

SO(10) Grand Unification in M theory on a G2 manifold

We consider Grand Unified Theories based on $SO(10)$ which originate from string/$M$ theory on $G_2$ manifolds or Calabi-Yau spaces with discrete symmetries. In this framework we are naturally led to a novel solution of the doublet-triplet splitting problem previously considered by Dvali which involves an extra vector-like Standard Model family and light, but weakly coupled colour triplets. These additional states are predicted to be accessible at the LHC and also induce R-parity violation. Gauge coupling unification occurs with a larger GUT coupling.Comment: 5 pages, added references, revised argument on equation 18, results unchanged, a new example is given in equation 24, agrees with published version in Physical Review