Exclusive pion electroproduction off nucleons and nuclei

We present our results for the exclusive electroproduction of pions off nucleons and nuclei at high values of $Q^2$. In electroproduction of nuclei $A(e,e'\pi)$ we consider the Color Transparency (CT) effect recently observed at JLAB. It is shown that the description of $\pi$ production off nucleons is mandatory for the proof of the CT signal at JLAB. We further develop the models for exclusive production of $\pi$ off nucleons at JLAB and HERMES. At first we describe a model based on exclusive-inclusive connection. In the second approach we combine a Regge pole approach with the residual effect of nucleon resonances. The nucleon resonances are described using a dual connection between the exclusive form factors and inclusive deep inelastic structure functions. We present the results for the beam spin azimuthal asymmetries measured at JLAB in exclusive electroproduction of charged and neutral pions.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures. Invited talk at the NAPP 2010 - 3rd International Conference on Nuclear and Particle Physics with CEBAF, October 3rd to 8th 2010, Dubrovnik, Croati

NMSSM with a singlino LSP: possible challenges for searches for supersymmetry at the LHC

A light singlino in the NMSSM can reduce considerably the missing transverse energy at the end of sparticle decay cascades; instead, light NMSSM-specific Higgs bosons can be produced. Such scenarios can be consistent with present constraints from the LHC with all sparticle masses below ~1 TeV. We discuss search strategies, which do not rely on missing transverse energy, for such scenarios at the next run of the LHC near 14 TeV.Comment: 20 pages, 9 Figures. References and experimental constraints added; slight change of benchmark point, conclusions unchange

Resolubility of Image-Potential Resonances

A theory of image-potential states is presented for the general case where these surface electronic states are resonant with a bulk continuum. The theory extends the multiple scattering approach of Echenique and Pendry into the strong coupling regime while retaining independence from specific forms of surface and bulk potentials. The theory predicts the existence of a well-resolved series of resonances for arbitrary coupling strengths. Surprisingly, distinct image-potential resonances are thus expected to exist on almost any metal surface, even in the limiting case of jellium

Deep exclusive electroproduction of π+\pi^+ at HERMES

Deeply virtual electroproduction of pion in exclusive reaction $p(e,e'\pi^+)n$ is studied using a two-component model which includes soft hadronic and hard partonic reaction mechanisms. The results are compared with the experimental data measured at HERMES in the deep inelastic region for values of $Q^2>1$ GeV$^2$ and $W^2 > 10$ GeV$^2$. At forward angles the $\pi^+$ cross section is longitudinal and is dominated by exchange of Regge poles, with $\pi$ the dominant trajectory. The off-forward region with $-t>1$ GeV$^2$ is transverse and shows the dominance of partonic subprocesses. An implication of present results for the future JLAB facilities are briefly discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

T cell-specific suppressor factor(s) with regulatory influence on interleukin 2 production and function

In this study we report that alloantigen-activated spleen cells produce both amplifying and suppressive factors under the same conditions. Both types of soluble mediators--as detected in different assay systems-- were present in the supernatants of in vivo sensitized and in vitro restimulated spleen cell populations and were separable by gel filtration. As shown by others, the amplifying factor (IL 2) was eluted in the size range of 30,000 m.w. The suppressive factor(s) (SF) was eluted in the size range of 10,000 m.w. SF was shown to inhibit the proliferative response of T cells to alloantigen, as well as the generation of regulatory T cells and cytotoxic T cells from their precursors when added at the beginning of the in vitro culture. Furthermore, SF inhibited the release of IL 2 from producer T cells but had no detectable effect on the interaction of IL 2 with receptive T cells. In addition it was shown that SF does not affect the generation of PFC from their precursors after activation by T cell-independent antigens. The results indicate that SF selectively acts on T cells and that it is involved in the regulation of the immune response by modulating early events in T cell activation

LHC constraints on M_1/2 and m_0 in the semi-constrained NMSSM

Constraints from searches for squarks and gluinos at the LHC at sqrt{s}=8 TeV are applied to the parameter space of the NMSSM with universal squark/slepton and gaugino masses at the GUT scale, but allowing for non-universal soft Higgs mass parameters (the sNMSSM). We confine ourselves to regions of the parameter space compatible with a 125 GeV Higgs boson with diphoton signal rates at least as large as the Standard Model ones, and a dark matter candidate compatible with WMAP and XENON100 constraints. Following the simulation of numerous points in the m_0-M_{1/2} plane, we compare the constraints on the sNMSSM from 3-5 jets + missing E_T channels as well as from multijet + missing E_T channels with the corresponding cMSSM constraints. Due to the longer squark decay cascades, lower bounds on M_{1/2} are alleviated by up to 50 GeV. For heavy squarks at large m_0, the dominant constraints originate from multijet + missing E_T channels due to gluino decays via stop pairs.Comment: 18 pages, 2 Tables, 3 Figure

Deep exclusive charged π\pi electroproduction above the resonance region

A description of exclusive charged pion electroproduction $(e,e'\pi^{\pm})$ off nucleons at high energies is proposed. The model combines a Regge pole approach with residual effect of nucleon resonances. The exchanges of $\pi$(140), vector $\rho(770)$ and axial-vector $a_1(1260)$ and $b_1(1235)$ Regge trajectories are considered. The contribution of nucleon resonances is described using a dual connection between the exclusive hadronic form factors and inclusive deep inelastic structure functions. The model describes the measured longitudinal, transverse and interference cross sections at JLAB and DESY. The scaling behavior of the cross sections is in agreement with JLAB and deeply virtual HERMES data. The results for a polarized beam-spin azimuthal asymmetry in $(\vec{e},e'\pi^{\pm})$ are presented. Model predictions for JLAB at 12 GeV are given.Comment: 29 page