Neutrino oscillation probabilities: Sensitivity to parameters

We study in detail the sensitivity of neutrino oscillation probabilities to the fundamental neutrino parameters and their possible determination through experiments. The first part of the paper is devoted to the broad theme of isolating regions in the neutrino (and anti-neutrino) energy and propagation length that are sensitive to the oscillation parameters. Such a study is relevant to neutrinos both from the Earth's atmosphere or from a neutrino factory. For completeness we discuss the sensitivity, however small, to the parameters involved in a three-generation framework, and to the Earth matter density profile. We then study processes relevant to atmospheric neutrinos which are sensitive to and allow precision measurements of the mixing angle theta_23 and mass-squared difference delta_32 apart from the mixing angle theta_13. Crucial to this analysis is charge identification; detectors having this capability can isolate these matter effects. In particular, we address the issue of using matter effects to determine whether the mixing angle theta_23 is maximal, and, if not, to explore how well its octant can be determined. When realistic detector resolutions are included, we find that deviations of about 15% (20%) from a maximal value of sin^2 theta_23=1/2 can be measured at 95% (99%) CL provided theta_13 is non-zero, sin^2 theta_13 >= 0.015, and the neutrino mass ordering is normal, with fairly large exposures of 1000 kton-years.Comment: 37 pages Latex file, 30 eps figure files; minor typos fixe

Scaling of fluctuation for Directed polymers with random interaction

Using a finite size scaling form for reunion probability, we show numerically the existence of a binding-unbinding transition for Directed polymers with random interaction. The cases studied are (A1) two chains in 1+1 dimensions, (A2) two chains in 2+1 dimensions and (B) three chains in 1+1 dimensions. A similar finite size scaling form for fluctuation establishes a disorder induced transition with identical exponents for cases A2 and B. The length scale exponents in all the three cases are in agreement with previous exact renormalization group results.Comment: Revtex, 4 postscript figures available on request (email: [email protected]); To appear in J. Phys. A Letter

Theory of tricriticality for miscut surfaces

We propose a theory for the observed tricriticality in the orientational phase diagram of Si(113) misoriented towards [001]. The systems seems to be at or close to a very special point for long range interactions.Comment: Revtex, 1 ps figur

Antimicrobial silver coating using PVD-PECVD system

Physical Vapor Deposition - Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PVD-PECVD) systems are used exclusively for deposition and doping of carbonaceous films. However, this technique presents promising characteristics for the deposition of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on textiles, which meet the industrial demand for a more versatile and efficient methodology than the Magnetron Sputtering (MS) technique. In this regard, cotton textiles were coated with Ag-NP films produced by PVD-PECVD, and compared in terms of technical Physical vapor deposition - plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PVD-PECVD) system has been used exclusively for deposition and doping of carbonaceous films [silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs)] on cotton fabrics and the findings are compared, in terms of technical efficiency and microbial inhibition, with those of the magnetron sputtering (MS) technique. It is found that the proposed technique presents promising characteristics for the deposition of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) on textiles, which meet the industrial demand.efficiency and microbial inhibition, with findings in the literature for the MS technique

New Criticality of 1D Fermions

One-dimensional massive quantum particles (or 1+1-dimensional random walks) with short-ranged multi-particle interactions are studied by exact renormalization group methods. With repulsive pair forces, such particles are known to scale as free fermions. With finite $m$-body forces (m = 3,4,...), a critical instability is found, indicating the transition to a fermionic bound state. These unbinding transitions represent new universality classes of interacting fermions relevant to polymer and membrane systems. Implications for massless fermions, e.g. in the Hubbard model, are also noted. (to appear in Phys. Rev. Lett.)Comment: 10 pages (latex), with 2 figures (not included

Small molecule inhibitors of Late SV40 Factor (LSF) abrogate hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC): evaluation using an endogenous HCC model

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal malignancy with high mortality and poor prognosis. Oncogenic transcription factor Late SV40 Factor (LSF) plays an important role in promoting HCC. A small molecule inhibitor of LSF, Factor Quinolinone Inhibitor 1 (FQI1), significantly inhibited human HCC xenografts in nude mice without harming normal cells. Here we evaluated the efficacy of FQI1 and another inhibitor, FQI2, in inhibiting endogenous hepatocarcinogenesis. HCC was induced in a transgenic mouse with hepatocyte-specific overexpression of c-myc (Alb/c-myc) by injecting N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) followed by FQI1 or FQI2 treatment after tumor development. LSF inhibitors markedly decreased tumor burden in Alb/c-myc mice with a corresponding decrease in proliferation and angiogenesis. Interestingly, in vitro treatment of human HCC cells with LSF inhibitors resulted in mitotic arrest with an accompanying increase in CyclinB1. Inhibition of CyclinB1 induction by Cycloheximide or CDK1 activity by Roscovitine significantly prevented FQI-induced mitotic arrest. A significant induction of apoptosis was also observed upon treatment with FQI. These effects of LSF inhibition, mitotic arrest and induction of apoptosis by FQI1s provide multiple avenues by which these inhibitors eliminate HCC cells. LSF inhibitors might be highly potent and effective therapeutics for HCC either alone or in combination with currently existing therapies.The present study was supported in part by grants from The James S. McDonnell Foundation, National Cancer Institute Grant R01 CA138540-01A1 (DS), National Institutes of Health Grant R01 CA134721 (PBF), the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF) (DS and PBF), National Institutes of Health Grants R01 GM078240 and P50 GM67041 (SES), the Johnson and Johnson Clinical Innovation Award (UH), and the Boston University Ignition Award (UH). JLSW was supported by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. DS is the Harrison Endowed Scholar in Cancer Research and Blick scholar. PBF holds the Thelma Newmeyer Corman Chair in Cancer Research. The authors acknowledge Dr. Lauren E. Brown (Dept. Chemistry, Boston University) for the synthesis of FQI1 and FQI2, and Lucy Flynn (Dept. Biology, Boston University) for initially identifying G2/M effects caused by FQI1. (James S. McDonnell Foundation; R01 CA138540-01A1 - National Cancer Institute; R01 CA134721 - National Institutes of Health; R01 GM078240 - National Institutes of Health; P50 GM67041 - National Institutes of Health; Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation (SWCRF); Johnson and Johnson Clinical Innovation Award; Boston University Ignition Award; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)Published versio

Directed Polymers with Random Interaction : An Exactly Solvable Case -

We propose a model for two $(d+1)$-dimensional directed polymers subjected to a mutual $\delta$-function interaction with a random coupling constant, and present an exact renormalization group study for this system. The exact $\beta$-function, evaluated through an $\epsilon(=1-d)$ expansion for second and third moments of the partition function, exhibits the marginal relevance of the disorder at $d=1$, and the presence of a phase transition from a weak to strong disorder regime for $d>1$. The lengthscale exponent for the critical point is $\nu=1/2\mid\epsilon\mid$. We give details of the renormalization. We show that higher moments do not require any new interaction, and hence the $\beta$ function remains the same for all moments. The method is extended to multicritical systems involving an $m$ chain interaction. The corresponding disorder induced phase transition for $d>d_m=1/(m-1)$ has the critical exponent ${\nu}_m=[2d(m-1)-2]^{-1}$. For both the cases, an essential singularity appears for the lengthscale right at the upper critical dimension $d_m$. We also discuss the strange behavior of an annealed system with more than two chains with pairwise random interactions among each other.Comment: No of pages: 36, 7figures on request, Revtex3, Report No:IP/BBSR/929

TeV Scale Implications of Non Commutative Space time in Laboratory Frame with Polarized Beams

We analyze $e^{+}e^{-}\rightarrow \gamma\gamma$, $e^{-}\gamma \rightarrow e^{-}\gamma$ and $\gamma\gamma \rightarrow e^{+}e^{-}$ processes within the Seiberg-Witten expanded noncommutative scenario using polarized beams. With unpolarized beams the leading order effects of non commutativity starts from second order in non commutative(NC) parameter i.e. $O(\Theta^2)$, while with polarized beams these corrections appear at first order ($O(\Theta)$) in cross section. The corrections in Compton case can probe the magnetic component($\vec{\Theta}_B$) while in Pair production and Pair annihilation probe the electric component($\vec{\Theta}_E$) of NC parameter. We include the effects of earth rotation in our analysis. This study is done by investigating the effects of non commutativity on different time averaged cross section observables. The results which also depends on the position of the collider, can provide clear and distinct signatures of the model testable at the International Linear Collider(ILC).Comment: 22 pages, 19 figures, new comments and references added, few typos corrected, Published in JHE

Constraints on mixing angles of Majorana neutrinos

By combining the inputs from the neutrinoless double beta decay and the fits of cosmological models of dark matter with solar and atmospheric neutrino data, we obtain constraints on two of the mixing angles of Majorana neutrinos, which become stronger when coupled with the reactor neutrino data. These constraints are strong enough to rule out Majorana neutrinos if the small angle solution of solar neutrino puzzle is borne out.Comment: Some corrections and clarifications adde

Phenomenology of Neutrino Oscillations

The phenomenology of solar, atmospheric, supernova and laboratory neutrino oscillations is described. Analytical formulae for matter effects are reviewed. The results from oscillations are confronted with neutrinoless double beta decay.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, latex, Plenary talk given at Workshop in High Energy Particle Physics-6, Chennai, Indi