Cosmic ray spectral hardening due to dispersion in the source injection spectra

Recent cosmic ray (CR) experiments discovered that the CR spectra experience a remarkable hardening for rigidity above several hundred GV. We propose that this is caused by the superposition of the CR energy spectra of many sources that have a dispersion in the injection spectral indices. Adopting similar parameters as those of supernova remnants derived from the Fermi $\gamma$-ray observations, we can reproduce the observational CR spectra of different species well. This may be interpreted as evidence to support the supernova remnant origin of CRs below the knee. We further propose that the same mechanism may explain the "ankle" of the ultra high energy CR spectrum.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures and 1 table. Updated with the diffusion propagation model, accepted by Phys. Rev.

SUSY-QCD Corrections to W±H∓W^{\pm}H^{\mp} Associated Production at the CERN Large Hadron Collider

We calculate the SUSY-QCD corrections to the inclusive total cross sections of the associated production processes $pp\to W^{\pm}H^{\mp}+X$ in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model(MSSM) at the CERN Large Hadron Collider(LHC). The SUSY-QCD corrections can increase and decrease the total cross sections depending on the choice of the SUSY parameters. When $\mu<0$ the SUSY-QCD corrections increase the leading-order (LO) total cross sections significantly for large tan$\beta$ ($\sim 40$), which can exceed 10% and have the opposite sign with respect to the QCD and the SUSY-EW corrections, and thus cancel with them to some extent. Moreover, we also investigate the effects of the SUSY-QCD on the differential distribution of cross sections in transverse momentum $p_T$ and rapidity Y of W-boson, and the invariant mass $M_{W^+H^-}$.Comment: 24 pages, 10 figures; minor changes in references; two figures and the corresponding disccusions added; a version to appear in PR

A size of ~1 AU for the radio source Sgr A* at the centre of the Milky Way

Although it is widely accepted that most galaxies have supermassive black holes (SMBHs) at their centers^{1-3}, concrete proof has proved elusive. Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*)^4, an extremely compact radio source at the center of our Galaxy, is the best candidate for proof^{5-7}, because it is the closest. Previous Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations (at 7mm) have detected that Sgr A* is ~2 astronomical unit (AU) in size^8, but this is still larger than the "shadow" (a remarkably dim inner region encircled by a bright ring) arising from general relativistic effects near the event horizon^9. Moreover, the measured size is wavelength dependent^{10}. Here we report a radio image of Sgr A* at a wavelength of 3.5mm, demonstrating that its size is \~1 AU. When combined with the lower limit on its mass^{11}, the lower limit on the mass density is 6.5x10^{21} Msun pc^{-3}, which provides the most stringent evidence to date that Sgr A* is an SMBH. The power-law relationship between wavelength and intrinsic size (The size is proportional to wavelength^{1.09}), explicitly rules out explanations other than those emission models with stratified structure, which predict a smaller emitting region observed at a shorter radio wavelength.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figure

Scaling and memory in the return intervals of energy dissipation rate in three-dimensional fully developed turbulence

We study the statistical properties of return intervals $r$ between successive energy dissipation rates above a certain threshold $Q$ in three-dimensional fully developed turbulence. We find that the distribution function $P_Q(r)$ scales with the mean return interval $R_Q$ as $P_Q(r)=R_Q^{-1}f(r/R_Q)$ except for $r=1$, where the scaling function $f(x)$ has two power-law regimes. The return intervals are short-term and long-term correlated and possess multifractal nature. The Hurst index of the return intervals decays exponentially against $R_Q$, predicting that rare extreme events with $R_Q\to\infty$ are also long-term correlated with the Hurst index $H_\infty=0.639$.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Observational Constraints on Exponential Gravity

We study the observational constraints on the exponential gravity model of f(R)=-beta*Rs(1-e^(-R/Rs)). We use the latest observational data including Supernova Cosmology Project (SCP) Union2 compilation, Two-Degree Field Galaxy Redshift Survey (2dFGRS), Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 (SDSS DR7) and Seven-Year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP7) in our analysis. From these observations, we obtain a lower bound on the model parameter beta at 1.27 (95% CL) but no appreciable upper bound. The constraint on the present matter density parameter is 0.245< Omega_m^0<0.311 (95% CL). We also find out the best-fit value of model parameters on several cases.Comment: 14pages, 3 figures, accepted by PR

Bound states in d-density-wave phases

We investigate the quasiparticle spectrum near surfaces in a two-dimensional system with d-density-wave order within a mean-field theory. For Fermi surfaces with perfect nesting for the ordering wave vector of the d-density-wave, a zero energy bound state occurs at [110] surfaces, in close analogy with the known effect in d-wave superconducting states or graphite. When the shape of the Fermi surface is changed by doping, the bound state energy moves away from the Fermi level. Furthermore, away from half-filling we find inhomogeneous phases with domain walls of the d-density-wave order parameter. The domain walls also support low energy bound states. These phenomena might provide an experimental test for hidden d-density-wave order in the high-Tc cuprates.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Monoclonal Antibodies Capable of Binding SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Receptor Binding Motif Specifically Prevent GM-CSF Induction.

A severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has recently caused a pandemic COVID-19 disease that infected more than 25.6 million and killed 852,000 people worldwide. Like the SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 also employs a receptor-binding motif (RBM) of its envelope spike protein for binding the host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) to gain viral entry. Currently, extensive efforts are being made to produce vaccines against a surface fragment of a SARS-CoV-2, such as the spike protein, in order to boost protective antibody responses. It was previously unknown how spike protein-targeting antibodies would affect innate inflammatory responses to SARS-CoV-2 infections. Here we generated a highly purified recombinant protein corresponding to the RBM of SARS-CoV-2, and used it to screen for cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We found two RBM-binding mAbs that competitively inhibited its interaction with human ACE2, and specifically blocked the RBM-induced GM-CSF secretion in both human monocyte and murine macrophage cultures. Our findings have suggested a possible strategy to prevent SARS-CoV-2-elicited cytokine storm , and provided a potentially useful criteria for future assessment of innate immune-modulating properties of various SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. One Sentence Summary: RBM-binding Antibodies Inhibit GM-CSF Induction