68 research outputs found
Static Interactions of non-Abelian Vortices
Interactions between non-BPS non-Abelian vortices are studied in non-Abelian
U(1) x SU(N) extensions of the Abelian-Higgs model in four dimensions. The
distinctive feature of a non-Abelian vortex is the presence of an internal
CP^{N-1} space of orientational degrees of freedom. For fine-tuned values of
the couplings, the vortices are BPS and there is no net force between two
static parallel vortices at arbitrary distance. On the other hand, for generic
values of the couplings the interactions between two vortices depend
non-trivially on their relative internal orientations. We discuss the problem
both with a numerical approach (valid for small deviations from the BPS limit)
and in a semi-analytical way (valid at large vortex separations). The
interactions can be classified with respect to their asymptotic property at
large vortex separation. In a simpler fine-tuned model, we find two regimes
which are quite similar to the usual type I/II Abelian superconductors. In the
generic model we find other two new regimes: type I*/II*. Unlike the type I
(type II) case, where the interaction is always attractive (repulsive), the
type I* and II* have both attractive and repulsive interactions depending on
the relative orientation. We have found a rich variety of interactions at small
vortex separations. For some values of the couplings, a bound state of two
static vortices at a non-zero distance exists.Comment: 36 pages, 13 figures; v2 a small comment and a reference adde
Solitons in the Higgs phase -- the moduli matrix approach --
We review our recent work on solitons in the Higgs phase. We use U(N_C) gauge
theory with N_F Higgs scalar fields in the fundamental representation, which
can be extended to possess eight supercharges. We propose the moduli matrix as
a fundamental tool to exhaust all BPS solutions, and to characterize all
possible moduli parameters. Moduli spaces of domain walls (kinks) and vortices,
which are the only elementary solitons in the Higgs phase, are found in terms
of the moduli matrix. Stable monopoles and instantons can exist in the Higgs
phase if they are attached by vortices to form composite solitons. The moduli
spaces of these composite solitons are also worked out in terms of the moduli
matrix. Webs of walls can also be formed with characteristic difference between
Abelian and non-Abelian gauge theories. We characterize the total moduli space
of these elementary as well as composite solitons. Effective Lagrangians are
constructed on walls and vortices in a compact form. We also present several
new results on interactions of various solitons, such as monopoles, vortices,
and walls. Review parts contain our works on domain walls (hep-th/0404198,
hep-th/0405194, hep-th/0412024, hep-th/0503033, hep-th/0505136), vortices
(hep-th/0511088, hep-th/0601181), domain wall webs (hep-th/0506135,
hep-th/0508241, hep-th/0509127), monopole-vortex-wall systems (hep-th/0405129,
hep-th/0501207), instanton-vortex systems (hep-th/0412048), effective
Lagrangian on walls and vortices (hep-th/0602289), classification of BPS
equations (hep-th/0506257), and Skyrmions (hep-th/0508130).Comment: 89 pages, 33 figures, invited review article to Journal of Physics A:
Mathematical and General, v3: typos corrected, references added, the
published versio
Dark matter production from cosmic necklaces
Cosmic strings have gained a great interest, since they are formed in a large
class of brane inflationary models. The most interesting story is that cosmic
strings in brane models are distinguished in future cosmological observations.
If the strings in brane models are branes or superstrings that can move along
compactified space, and also if there are degenerated vacua along the
compactified space, kinks interpolate between degenerated vacua become
``beads'' on the strings. In this case, strings turn into necklaces. In the
case that the compact manifold in not simply connected, a string loop that
winds around a nontrivial circle is stable due to the topological reason. Since
the existence of the (quasi-)degenerated vacua and the nontrivial circle is a
common feature of the brane models, it is important to study cosmological
constraints on the cosmic necklaces and the stable winding states. In this
paper, we consider dark matter production from loops of the cosmic necklaces.
Our result suggests that necklaces can put stringent bound on certain kinds of
brane models.Comment: 27 pages, 5 figures, added many comments and 3 figures, accepted for
publication in JCA
Spin battery operated by ferromagnetic resonance
Precessing ferromagnets are predicted to inject a spin current into adjacent
conductors via Ohmic contacts, irrespective of a conductance mismatch with, for
example, doped semiconductors. This opens the way to create a pure spin source
spin battery by the ferromagnetic resonance. We estimate the spin current and
spin bias for different material combinations.Comment: The estimate for the magnitude of the spin bias is improved. We find
that it is feasible to get a measurable signal of the order of the microwave
frequency already for moderate rf intensitie
Search for Dark Matter WIMPs using Upward Through-going Muons in Super-Kamiokande
We present the results of indirect searches for Weakly Interacting Massive
Particles (WIMPs) with 1679.6 live days of data from the Super-Kamiokande
detector using neutrino-induced upward through-going muons. The search is
performed by looking for an excess of high energy muon neutrinos from WIMP
annihilations in the Sun, the core of the Earth, and the Galactic Center, as
compared to the number expected from the atmospheric neutrino background. No
statistically significant excess was seen. We calculate flux limits in various
angular cones around each of the above celestial objects. We obtain
conservative model-independent upper limits on WIMP-nucleon cross-section as a
function of WIMP mass and compare these results with the corresponding results
from direct dark matter detection experiments.Comment: 10 pages, 14 figures, Submitted to Phys. Rev.
Limit On the Neutrino Magnetic Moment Using 1496 Days of Super-Kamiokande-i Solar Neutrino Data
A search for a non-zero neutrino magnetic moment has been conducted using
1496 live days of solar neutrino data from {\SK}. Specifically, we searched for
distortions to the energy spectrum of recoil electrons arising from magnetic
scattering due to a non-zero neutrino magnetic moment. In the absence of clear
signal, we found at 90% C.L. by
fitting to the Super-Kamiokande day/night spectra. The fitting took into
account the effect of neutrino oscillation on the shapes of energy spectra.
With additional information from other solar neutrino and KamLAND experiments
constraining the oscillation region, a limit of at 90% C.L. was obtained.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Vortices and Monopoles in Mass-deformed SO and USp Gauge Theories
Effects of mass deformations on 1/2 Bogomol'nyi-Prasad-Sommerfield (BPS)
non-Abelian vortices are studied in 4d N=2 supersymmetric U(1) \times SO(2n)
and U(1) \times USp(2n) gauge theories, with Nf=2n quark multiplets. The 2d
N=(2,2) effective worldsheet sigma models on the Hermitian symmetric spaces
SO(2n)/U(n) and USp(2n)/U(n) found recently which describe the low-energy
excitations of the orientational moduli of the vortices, are generalized to the
respective massive sigma models. The continuous vortex moduli spaces are
replaced by a finite number (2^{n-1} or 2^{n}) of vortex solutions. The 1/2 BPS
kinks connecting different vortex vacua are magnetic monopoles in the 4d
theory, trapped inside the vortex core, with total configurations being 1/4 BPS
composite states. These configurations are systematically studied within the
semi-classical regime.Comment: 55 pages, 7 figure
Non-Abelian Vortices in SO(N) and USp(N) Gauge Theories
Non-Abelian BPS vortices in SO(N) x U(1) and USp(2N) x U(1) gauge theories
are constructed in maximally color-flavor locked vacua. We study in detail
their moduli and transformation properties under the exact symmetry of the
system. Our results generalize non-trivially those found earlier in
supersymmetric U(N) gauge theories. The structure of the moduli spaces turns
out in fact to be considerably richer here than what was found in the U(N)
theories. We find that vortices are generally of the semi-local type, with
power-like tails of profile functions.Comment: Latex, 69 pages, 13 figure
The Transcription Factor SOX18 Regulates the Expression of Matrix Metalloproteinase 7 and Guidance Molecules in Human Endothelial Cells
Mutations in the transcription factor SOX18 are responsible for specific cardiovascular defects in humans and mice. In order to gain insight into the molecular basis of its action, we identified target genes of SOX18 and analyzed one, MMP7, in detail.SOX18 was expressed in HUVEC using a recombinant adenoviral vector and the altered gene expression profile was analyzed using microarrays. Expression of several regulated candidate SOX18 target genes was verified by real-time PCR. Knock-down of SOX18 using RNA interference was then used to confirm the effect of the transcription factor on selected genes that included the guidance molecules ephrin B2 and semaphorin 3G. One gene, MMP7, was chosen for further analysis, including detailed promoter studies using reporter gene assays, electrophoretic mobility shift analysis and chromatin-immunoprecipitation, revealing that it responds directly to SOX18. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated the co-expression of SOX18 and MMP7 in blood vessels of human skin.The identification of MMP7 as a direct SOX18 target gene as well as other potential candidates including guidance molecules provides a molecular basis for the proposed function of this transcription factor in the regulation of vessel formation
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