The Effective Lagrangian in the Randall-Sundrum Model and Electroweak Physics

We consider the two-brane Randall-Sundrum (RS) model with bulk gauge fields. We carefully match the bulk theory to a 4D low-energy effective Lagrangian. In addition to the four-fermion operators induced by KK exchange we find that large negative S and T parameters are induced in the effective theory. This is a tree-level effect and is a consequence of the shapes of the W and Z wave functions in the bulk. Such effects are generic in extra dimensional theories where the standard model (SM) gauge bosons have non-uniform wave functions along the extra dimension. The corrections to precision electroweak observables in the RS model are mostly dominated by S. We fit the parameters of the RS model to the experimental data and find somewhat stronger bounds than previously obtained; however, the standard model bound on the Higgs mass from precision measurements can only be slightly relaxed in this theory.Comment: 16 pages, LaTeX, 1 figure included, uses JHEP.cls, extended introduction, added reference

Inflation with improved D3-brane potential and the fine tunings associated with the model

We investigate brane-antibrane inflation in a warped deformed conifold background that includes contributions to the potential arising from imaginary anti-self-dual (IASD) fluxes including the term with irrational scaling dimension discovered recently. We find that the model can give rise to required number of e-foldings; observational constraint on COBE normalization is easily satisfied and low value of the tensor to scalar ratio of perturbations is achieved. We observe that these corrections to the effective potential help in relaxing the severe fine tunings associated with the earlier analysis.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures; typos corrected, minor clarifications and new refs added, to appear in epj

Quintessential Maldacena-Maoz Cosmologies

Maldacena and Maoz have proposed a new approach to holographic cosmology based on Euclidean manifolds with disconnected boundaries. This approach appears, however, to be in conflict with the known geometric results [the Witten-Yau theorem and its extensions] on spaces with boundaries of non-negative scalar curvature. We show precisely how the Maldacena-Maoz approach evades these theorems. We also exhibit Maldacena-Maoz cosmologies with [cosmologically] more natural matter content, namely quintessence instead of Yang-Mills fields, thereby demonstrating that these cosmologies do not depend on a special choice of matter to split the Euclidean boundary. We conclude that if our Universe is fundamentally anti-de Sitter-like [with the current acceleration being only temporary], then this may force us to confront the holography of spaces with a connected bulk but a disconnected boundary.Comment: Much improved exposition, exponent in Cai-Galloway theorem fixed, axionic interpretation of scalar explained, JHEP version. 33 pages, 3 eps figure

An Inflationary Model in String Theory

We construct a model of inflation in string theory after carefully taking into account moduli stabilization. The setting is a warped compactification of Type IIB string theory in the presence of D3 and anti-D3-branes. The inflaton is the position of a D3-brane in the internal space. By suitably adjusting fluxes and the location of symmetrically placed anti-D3-branes, we show that at a point of enhanced symmetry, the inflaton potential V can have a broad maximum, satisfying the condition V''/V << 1 in Planck units. On starting close to the top of this potential the slow-roll conditions can be met. Observational constraints impose significant restrictions. As a first pass we show that these can be satisfied and determine the important scales in the compactification to within an order of magnitude. One robust feature is that the scale of inflation is low, H = O(10^{10}) GeV. Removing the observational constraints makes it much easier to construct a slow-roll inflationary model. Generalizations and consequences including the possibility of eternal inflation are also discussed. A more careful study, including explicit constructions of the model in string theory, is left for the future.Comment: 27 pages, LaTeX, 1 eps figure. v2: references adde

A Better Way to Reconstruct Dark Energy Models ?

To reconstruct dark energy models the redshift $z_{eq}$, marking the end of radiation era and the beginning of matter-dominated era, can play a role as important as $z_{t}$, the redshift at which deceleration parameter experiences a signature flip. To implement the idea we propose a variable equation of state for matter that can bring a smooth transition from radiation to matter-dominated era in a single model. A popular $\Lambda \propto \rho$ dark energy model is chosen for demonstration but found to be unacceptable. An alternative $\Lambda \propto \rho a^{3}$ model is proposed and found to be more close to observation.Comment: 17 pages, 5 figures Accepted for publication in `Astrophysics and Space Science

In silico APC/C substrate discovery reveals cell cycle-dependent degradation of UHRF1 and other chromatin regulators

The anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase and critical regulator of cell cycle progression. Despite its vital role, it has remained challenging to globally map APC/C substrates. By combining orthogonal features of known substrates, we predicted APC/C substrates in silico. This analysis identified many known substrates and suggested numerous candidates. Unexpectedly, chromatin regulatory proteins are enriched among putative substrates, and we show experimentally that several chromatin proteins bind APC/C, oscillate during the cell cycle, and are degraded following APC/C activation, consistent with being direct APC/C substrates. Additional analysis revealed detailed mechanisms of ubiquitylation for UHRF1, a key chromatin regulator involved in histone ubiquitylation and DNA methylation maintenance. Disrupting UHRF1 degradation at mitotic exit accelerates G1-phase cell cycle progression and perturbs global DNA methylation patterning in the genome. We conclude that APC/C coordinates crosstalk between cell cycle and chromatin regulatory proteins. This has potential consequences in normal cell physiology, where the chromatin environment changes depending on proliferative state, as well as in disease

Search for a W' boson decaying to a bottom quark and a top quark in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

Results are presented from a search for a W' boson using a dataset corresponding to 5.0 inverse femtobarns of integrated luminosity collected during 2011 by the CMS experiment at the LHC in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV. The W' boson is modeled as a heavy W boson, but different scenarios for the couplings to fermions are considered, involving both left-handed and right-handed chiral projections of the fermions, as well as an arbitrary mixture of the two. The search is performed in the decay channel W' to t b, leading to a final state signature with a single lepton (e, mu), missing transverse energy, and jets, at least one of which is tagged as a b-jet. A W' boson that couples to fermions with the same coupling constant as the W, but to the right-handed rather than left-handed chiral projections, is excluded for masses below 1.85 TeV at the 95% confidence level. For the first time using LHC data, constraints on the W' gauge coupling for a set of left- and right-handed coupling combinations have been placed. These results represent a significant improvement over previously published limits.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters B. Replaced with version publishe

Search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in pp collisions at sqrt(s)=7 TeV

A search for a Higgs boson decaying into two photons is described. The analysis is performed using a dataset recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC from pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, which corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.8 inverse femtobarns. Limits are set on the cross section of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to two photons. The expected exclusion limit at 95% confidence level is between 1.4 and 2.4 times the standard model cross section in the mass range between 110 and 150 GeV. The analysis of the data excludes, at 95% confidence level, the standard model Higgs boson decaying into two photons in the mass range 128 to 132 GeV. The largest excess of events above the expected standard model background is observed for a Higgs boson mass hypothesis of 124 GeV with a local significance of 3.1 sigma. The global significance of observing an excess with a local significance greater than 3.1 sigma anywhere in the search range 110-150 GeV is estimated to be 1.8 sigma. More data are required to ascertain the origin of this excess.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Measurement of the Lambda(b) cross section and the anti-Lambda(b) to Lambda(b) ratio with Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda decays in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The Lambda(b) differential production cross section and the cross section ratio anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) are measured as functions of transverse momentum pt(Lambda(b)) and rapidity abs(y(Lambda(b))) in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV using data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The measurements are based on Lambda(b) decays reconstructed in the exclusive final state J/Psi Lambda, with the subsequent decays J/Psi to an opposite-sign muon pair and Lambda to proton pion, using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.9 inverse femtobarns. The product of the cross section times the branching ratio for Lambda(b) to J/Psi Lambda versus pt(Lambda(b)) falls faster than that of b mesons. The measured value of the cross section times the branching ratio for pt(Lambda(b)) > 10 GeV and abs(y(Lambda(b))) < 2.0 is 1.06 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.12 nb, and the integrated cross section ratio for anti-Lambda(b)/Lambda(b) is 1.02 +/- 0.07 +/- 0.09, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively.Comment: Submitted to Physics Letters

Search for new physics in events with opposite-sign leptons, jets, and missing transverse energy in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

A search is presented for physics beyond the standard model (BSM) in final states with a pair of opposite-sign isolated leptons accompanied by jets and missing transverse energy. The search uses LHC data recorded at a center-of-mass energy sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the CMS detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 5 inverse femtobarns. Two complementary search strategies are employed. The first probes models with a specific dilepton production mechanism that leads to a characteristic kinematic edge in the dilepton mass distribution. The second strategy probes models of dilepton production with heavy, colored objects that decay to final states including invisible particles, leading to very large hadronic activity and missing transverse energy. No evidence for an event yield in excess of the standard model expectations is found. Upper limits on the BSM contributions to the signal regions are deduced from the results, which are used to exclude a region of the parameter space of the constrained minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model. Additional information related to detector efficiencies and response is provided to allow testing specific models of BSM physics not considered in this paper.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO