Neutrino CP violating parameters from nontrivial quark-lepton correlation: a S3xGUT model

We investigate the prediction on the lepton phases in theories with a non trivial correlation between quark (CKM) and lepton (PMNS) mixing matrices. We show that the actual evidence, under the only assumption that the correlation matrix $V^M$ product of $CKM$ and $PMNS$ has a zero in the entry $(1,3)$, gives us a prediction for the three CP-violating invariants $J$, $S_1$, and $S_2$. A better determination of the lepton mixing angles will give a strong prediction of the CP-violating invariants in the lepton sector. These will be tested in the next generation experiments. To clarify how our prediction works, we show how a model based on a Grand Unified Theory and the permutation flavor symmetry $S_3$ predicts $V^M_{13}=0$.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. V2: new figure adde

Low energy n-\nuc{3}{H} scattering : a novel testground for nuclear interaction

The low energy n-\nuc{3}{H} elastic cross sections near the resonance peak are calculated by solving the 4-nucleon problem with realistic NN interactions. Three different methods -- Alt, Grassberger and Shandas (AGS), Hyperspherical Harmonics and Faddeev-Yakubovsky -- have been used and their respective results are compared. We conclude on a failure of the existing NN forces to reproduce the n-\nuc{3}{H} total cross section.Comment: To be published in Phys. Rev.

Fractional Laplacian in Bounded Domains

The fractional Laplacian operator, $-(-\triangle)^{\frac{\alpha}{2}}$, appears in a wide class of physical systems, including L\'evy flights and stochastic interfaces. In this paper, we provide a discretized version of this operator which is well suited to deal with boundary conditions on a finite interval. The implementation of boundary conditions is justified by appealing to two physical models, namely hopping particles and elastic springs. The eigenvalues and eigenfunctions in a bounded domain are then obtained numerically for different boundary conditions. Some analytical results concerning the structure of the eigenvalues spectrum are also obtained.Comment: 11 pages, 11 figure

Racetrack inflation and assisted moduli stabilisation

We present a model of inflation based on a racetrack model without flux stabilization. The initial conditions are set automatically through topological inflation. This ensures that the dilaton is not swept to weak coupling through either thermal effects or fast roll. Including the effect of non-dilaton fields we find that moduli provide natural candidates for the inflaton. The resulting potential generates slow-roll inflation without the need to fine tune parameters. The energy scale of inflation must be near the GUT scale and the scalar density perturbation generated has a spectrum consistent with WMAP data.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures (Latex); Error in v.1 eliminated and improved example of modular inflation presente

Solutions of the Faddeev-Yakubovsky equations for the four nucleons scattering states

The Faddeev-Yakubowsky equations in configuration space have been solved for the four nucleon system. The results with an S-wave interaction model in the isospin approximation are presented. They concern the bound and scattering states below the first three-body threshold. The elastic phase-shifts for the N+NNN reaction in different ($S,T$) channels are given and the corresponding low energy expansions are discussed. Particular attention is payed to the n+t elastic cross section. Its resonant structure is well described in terms of a simple NN interaction. First results concerning the S-matrix for the coupled N+NNN-NN+NN channels and the strong deuteron-deuteron scattering length are obtained.Comment: latex.tar.gz, 36 pages, 10 figures, 11 tables. To be published in Physical Review

The Price of WMAP Inflation in Supergravity

The three-year data from WMAP are in stunning agreement with the simplest possible quadratic potential for chaotic inflation, as well as with new or symmetry-breaking inflation. We investigate the possibilities for incorporating these potentials within supergravity, particularly of the no-scale type that is motivated by string theory. Models with inflation driven by the matter sector may be constructed in no-scale supergravity, if the moduli are assumed to be stabilised by some higher-scale dynamics and at the expense of some fine-tuning. We discuss specific scenarios for stabilising the moduli via either D- or F-terms in the effective potential, and survey possible inflationary models in the presence of D-term stabilisation.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, plain Late

Structural rearrangements in the mitochondrial genome of Drosophila melanogaster induced by elevated levels of the replicative DNA helicase

Pathological conditions impairing functions of mitochondria often lead to compensatory upregulation of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replisome machinery, and the replicative DNA helicase appears to be a key factor in regulating mtDNA copy number. Moreover, mtDNA helicase mutations have been associated with structural rearrangements of themitochondrial genome. To evaluate the effects of elevated levels of the mtDNA helicase on the integrity and replication of the mitochondrial genome, we overexpressed the helicase in Drosophila melanogaster Schneider cells and analyzed the mtDNA by two-dimensional neutral agarose gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy. We found that elevation of mtDNA helicase levels increases the quantity of replication intermediates and alleviates pausing at the replication slow zones. Though we did not observe a concomitant alteration in mtDNA copy number, we observed deletions specific to the segment of repeated elements in the immediate vicinity of the origin of replication, and an accumulation of species characteristic of replication fork stalling. We also found elevated levels of RNA that are retained in the replication intermediates. Together, our results suggest that upregulation of mtDNA helicase promotes the process of mtDNA replication but also results in genome destabilization.Peer reviewe

Random walk on the range of random walk

We study the random walk X on the range of a simple random walk on ℤ d in dimensions d≥4. When d≥5 we establish quenched and annealed scaling limits for the process X, which show that the intersections of the original simple random walk path are essentially unimportant. For d=4 our results are less precise, but we are able to show that any scaling limit for X will require logarithmic corrections to the polynomial scaling factors seen in higher dimensions. Furthermore, we demonstrate that when d=4 similar logarithmic corrections are necessary in describing the asymptotic behavior of the return probability of X to the origin

The η\eta-3N problem with separable interactions

The $\eta$-3N-interaction is studied within the four-body Faddeev-Yakubovsky theory adopting purely separable forms for the two- and three-body subamplitudes, limiting the basic two-body interactions to s-waves only. The corresponding separable approximation for the integral kernels is obtained by using the Hilbert-Schmidt procedure. Results are presented for the $\eta$-$^3$H scattering amplitude and for the total elastic cross section for energies below the triton break-up threshold.Comment: revised version accepted for Phys. Rev. C, 16 pages revtex including 6 eps-figures, formal part shortene