The origin of biological macromolecules on the earth. The hypothesis of inorganic template

Studies about the origin of life are reviewed. The nonrandom organization of organelles is discussed from a structural and functional point of view. After postulating that the origin of biomacromolecules was not a random event, the paper develops the hypothesis that polypeptides and polynucleotides were formed on an inorganic template. Only information-containing structures can pass natural selection and develop through evolution

Flat lens without optical axis: Theory of imaging

We derive a general theory for imaging by a flat lens without optical axis. We show that the condition for imaging requires a material having elliptic dispersion relations with negative group refraction, equivalent to an effective anisotropic refractive index n(theta). Imaging can be achieved with both negative (n0) refractive indices. The Veselago-Pendry lens is a special case with isotropic negative refractive index of n(theta)=-1. Realizations of the imaging conditions using anisotropic media and inhomogeneous media, particularly photonic crystals, are discussed. Numerical examples of imaging and requirements for sub-wavelength imaging are also presented.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Phenomenological Analysis of pppp and pˉp\bar{p}p Elastic Scattering Data in the Impact Parameter Space

We use an almost model-independent analytical parameterization for $pp$ and $\bar{p}p$ elastic scattering data to analyze the eikonal, profile, and inelastic overlap functions in the impact parameter space. Error propagation in the fit parameters allows estimations of uncertainty regions, improving the geometrical description of the hadron-hadron interaction. Several predictions are shown and, in particular, the prediction for $pp$ inelastic overlap function at $\sqrt{s}=14$ TeV shows the saturation of the Froissart-Martin bound at LHC energies.Comment: 15 pages, 16 figure

Ricci-flat graphs with girth at least five

A graph is called Ricci-flat if its Ricci-curvatures vanish on all edges. Here we use the definition of Ricci-cruvature on graphs given in [Lin-Lu-Yau, Tohoku Math., 2011], which is a variation of [Ollivier, J. Funct. Math., 2009]. In this paper, we classified all Ricci-flat connected graphs with girth at least five: they are the infinite path, cycle $C_n$ ($n\geq 6$), the dodecahedral graph, the Petersen graph, and the half-dodecahedral graph. We also construct many Ricci-flat graphs with girth 3 or 4 by using the root systems of simple Lie algebras.Comment: 14 pages, 15 figure

GRB afterglows: deep Newtonian phase and its application

Gamma-ray burst afterglows have been observed for months or even years in a few cases. It deserves noting that at such late stages, the remnants should have entered the deep Newtonian phase, during which the majority of shock-accelerated electrons will no longer be highly relativistic. To calculate the afterglows, we must assume that the electrons obey a power-law distribution according to their kinetic energy, not simply the Lorentz factor.Comment: Poster at the 4th workshop "Gamma-Ray Bursts in the Afterglow Era" (Rome, 2004), accepted for publication in the proceedings. 4 pages, with 3 figures inserte

Beaming effects in GRBs and orphan afterglows

The overall dynamical evolution and radiation mechanism of $\gamma$-ray burst jets are briefly introduced. Various interesting topics concerning beaming in $\gamma$-ray bursts are discussed, including jet structures, orphan afterglows and cylindrical jets. The possible connection between $\gamma$-ray bursts and neutron star kicks is also addressed.Comment: 10 Pages, 4 figures, to appear in a special issue of ApSS. Oral report presented at "The Multiwavelength Approach to Unidentified Gamma-Ray Sources" (Hong Kong, June 1 - 4, 2004; Conference organizers: K.S. Cheng and G.E. Romero