Time and length scales in spin glasses

We discuss the slow, nonequilibrium, dynamics of spin glasses in their glassy phase. We briefly review the present theoretical understanding of the spectacular phenomena observed in experiments and describe new numerical results obtained in the first large-scale simulation of the nonequilibrium dynamics of the three dimensional Heisenberg spin glass.Comment: Paper presented at "Highly Frustrated Magnetism 2003", Grenoble, August 200

Upregulation of Haploinsufficient Gene Expression in the Brain by Targeting a Long Non-coding RNA Improves Seizure Phenotype in a Model of Dravet Syndrome

AbstractDravet syndrome is a devastating genetic brain disorder caused by heterozygous loss-of-function mutation in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene SCN1A. There are currently no treatments, but the upregulation of SCN1A healthy allele represents an appealing therapeutic strategy. In this study we identified a novel, evolutionary conserved mechanism controlling the expression of SCN1A that is mediated by an antisense non-coding RNA (SCN1ANAT). Using oligonucleotide-based compounds (AntagoNATs) targeting SCN1ANAT we were able to induce specific upregulation of SCN1A both in vitro and in vivo, in the brain of Dravet knock-in mouse model and a non-human primate. AntagoNAT-mediated upregulation of Scn1a in postnatal Dravet mice led to significant improvements in seizure phenotype and excitability of hippocampal interneurons. These results further elucidate the pathophysiology of Dravet syndrome and outline a possible new approach for the treatment of this and other genetic disorders with similar etiology

Nuclear Shell Model Calculations of Neutralino-Nucleus Cross Sections for Silicon 29 and Germanium 73

We present the results of detailed nuclear shell model calculations of the spin-dependent elastic cross section for neutralinos scattering from \si29 and \ge73. The calculations were performed in large model spaces which adequately describe the configuration mixing in these two nuclei. As tests of the computed nuclear wave functions, we have calculated several nuclear observables and compared them with the measured values and found good agreement. In the limit of zero momentum transfer, we find scattering matrix elements in agreement with previous estimates for \si29 but significantly different than previous work for \ge73. A modest quenching, in accord with shell model studies of other heavy nuclei, has been included to bring agreement between the measured and calculated values of the magnetic moment for \ge73. Even with this quenching, the calculated scattering rate is roughly a factor of 2 higher than the best previous estimates; without quenching, the rate is a factor of 4 higher. This implies a higher sensitivity for germanium dark matter detectors. We also investigate the role of finite momentum transfer upon the scattering response for both nuclei and find that this can significantly change the expected rates. We close with a brief discussion of the effects of some of the non-nuclear uncertainties upon the matrix elements.Comment: 31 pages, figures avaiable on request, UCRL-JC-11408

Neutralino Dark Matter in Mirage Mediation

We study the phenomenology of neutralino dark matter (DM) in mirage mediation scenario of supersymmetry breaking which results from the moduli stabilization in some string/brane models. Depending upon the model parameters, especially the anomaly to modulus mediation ratio determined by the moduli stabilization mechanism, the nature of the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) changes from Bino-like neutralino to Higgsino-like one via Bino-Higgsino mixing region. For the Bino-like LSP, the standard thermal production mechanism can give a right amount of relic DM density through the stop/stau-neutralino coannihilation or the pseudo-scalar Higgs resonance process. We also examine the prospect of direct and indirect DM detection in various parameter regions of mirage mediation. Neutralino DM in galactic halo might be detected by near future direct detection experiments in the case of Bino-Higgsino mixed LSP. The gamma ray flux from Galactic Center might be detectable also if the DM density profile takes a cuspy shape.Comment: One reference adde

Chirality scenario of the spin-glass ordering

Detailed account is given of the chirality scenario of experimental spin-glass transitions. In this scenario, the spin glass order of weakly anisotropic Heisenberg-like spin-glass magnets including canonical spin glasses are essentially chirality driven. Recent numerical and experimental results are discussed in conjunction with this scenario.Comment: Submitted to J. Phys. Soc. Japan "Special Issue on Frustration

Discovery of VHE gamma-rays from the high-frequency-peaked BL Lac object RGB J0152+017

Aims: The BL Lac object RGB J0152+017 (z=0.080) was predicted to be a very high-energy (VHE; > 100 GeV) gamma-ray source, due to its high X-ray and radio fluxes. Our aim is to understand the radiative processes by investigating the observed emission and its production mechanism using the High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) experiment. Methods: We report recent observations of the BL Lac source RGB J0152+017 made in late October and November 2007 with the H.E.S.S. array consisting of four imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. Contemporaneous observations were made in X-rays by the Swift and RXTE satellites, in the optical band with the ATOM telescope, and in the radio band with the Nancay Radio Telescope. Results: A signal of 173 gamma-ray photons corresponding to a statistical significance of 6.6 sigma was found in the data. The energy spectrum of the source can be described by a powerlaw with a spectral index of 2.95+/-0.36stat+/-0.20syst. The integral flux above 300 GeV corresponds to ~2% of the flux of the Crab nebula. The source spectral energy distribution (SED) can be described using a two-component non-thermal synchrotron self-Compton (SSC) leptonic model, except in the optical band, which is dominated by a thermal host galaxy component. The parameters that are found are very close to those found in similar SSC studies in TeV blazars. Conclusions: RGB J0152+017 is discovered as a source of VHE gamma-rays by H.E.S.S. The location of its synchrotron peak, as derived from the SED in Swift data, allows clearly classification it as a high-frequency-peaked BL Lac (HBL).Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A Letters (5 pages, 4 figures

Roy-Steiner-equation analysis of pion-nucleon scattering

We review the structure of Roy-Steiner equations for pion-nucleon scattering, the solution for the partial waves of the t-channel process $\pi\pi\to \bar N N$, as well as the high-accuracy extraction of the pion-nucleon S-wave scattering lengths from data on pionic hydrogen and deuterium. We then proceed to construct solutions for the lowest partial waves of the s-channel process $\pi N\to \pi N$ and demonstrate that accurate solutions can be found if the scattering lengths are imposed as constraints. Detailed error estimates of all input quantities in the solution procedure are performed and explicit parameterizations for the resulting low-energy phase shifts as well as results for subthreshold parameters and higher threshold parameters are presented. Furthermore, we discuss the extraction of the pion-nucleon $\sigma$-term via the Cheng-Dashen low-energy theorem, including the role of isospin-breaking corrections, to obtain a precision determination consistent with all constraints from analyticity, unitarity, crossing symmetry, and pionic-atom data. We perform the matching to chiral perturbation theory in the subthreshold region and detail the consequences for the chiral convergence of the threshold parameters and the nucleon mass.Comment: 101 pages, 28 figures; journal versio

Update on the Direct Detection of Dark Matter in MSSM Models with Non-Universal Higgs Masses

We discuss the possibilities for the direct detection of neutralino dark matter via elastic scattering in variants of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the Standard Model (MSSM) with non-universal supersymmetry-breaking contributions to the Higgs masses, which may be either equal (NUHM1) or independent (NUHM2). We compare the ranges found in the NUHM1 and NUHM2 with that found in the MSSM with universal supersymmetry-breaking contributions to all scalar masses, the CMSSM. We find that both the NUHM1 and NUHM2 offer the possibility of larger spin-independent dark matter scattering cross sections than in the CMSSM for larger neutralino masses, since they allow the density of heavier neutralinos with large Higgsino components to fall within the allowed range by astrophysics. The NUHM1 and NUHM2 also offer more possibilities than the CMSSM for small cross sections for lower neutralino masses, since they may be suppressed by scalar and pseudoscalar Higgs masses that are larger than in the CMSSM.Comment: 35 pages, 14 figures, submitted to New Journal of Physics focus issue "Dark Matter and Particle Physics

Probing exotic phenomena at the interface of nuclear and particle physics with the electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms: A unique window to hadronic and semi-leptonic CP violation

The current status of electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms which involves the synergy between atomic experiments and three different theoretical areas -- particle, nuclear and atomic is reviewed. Various models of particle physics that predict CP violation, which is necessary for the existence of such electric dipole moments, are presented. These include the standard model of particle physics and various extensions of it. Effective hadron level combined charge conjugation (C) and parity (P) symmetry violating interactions are derived taking into consideration different ways in which a nucleon interacts with other nucleons as well as with electrons. Nuclear structure calculations of the CP-odd nuclear Schiff moment are discussed using the shell model and other theoretical approaches. Results of the calculations of atomic electric dipole moments due to the interaction of the nuclear Schiff moment with the electrons and the P and time-reversal (T) symmetry violating tensor-pseudotensor electron-nucleus are elucidated using different relativistic many-body theories. The principles of the measurement of the electric dipole moments of diamagnetic atoms are outlined. Upper limits for the nuclear Schiff moment and tensor-pseudotensor coupling constant are obtained combining the results of atomic experiments and relativistic many-body theories. The coefficients for the different sources of CP violation have been estimated at the elementary particle level for all the diamagnetic atoms of current experimental interest and their implications for physics beyond the standard model is discussed. Possible improvements of the current results of the measurements as well as quantum chromodynamics, nuclear and atomic calculations are suggested.Comment: 46 pages, 19 tables and 16 figures. A review article accepted for EPJ

A multi-targeted approach to suppress tumor-promoting inflammation

Cancers harbor significant genetic heterogeneity and patterns of relapse following many therapies are due to evolved resistance to treatment. While efforts have been made to combine targeted therapies, significant levels of toxicity have stymied efforts to effectively treat cancer with multi-drug combinations using currently approved therapeutics. We discuss the relationship between tumor-promoting inflammation and cancer as part of a larger effort to develop a broad-spectrum therapeutic approach aimed at a wide range of targets to address this heterogeneity. Specifically, macrophage migration inhibitory factor, cyclooxygenase-2, transcription factor nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor alpha, inducible nitric oxide synthase, protein kinase B, and CXC chemokines are reviewed as important antiinflammatory targets while curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, lycopene, and anthocyanins are reviewed as low-cost, low toxicity means by which these targets might all be reached simultaneously. Future translational work will need to assess the resulting synergies of rationally designed antiinflammatory mixtures (employing low-toxicity constituents), and then combine this with similar approaches targeting the most important pathways across the range of cancer hallmark phenotypes