A family of pseudo-Anosov braids with large conjugacy invariant sets

We show that there is a family of pseudo-Anosov braids independently parameterized by the braid index and the (canonical) length whose smallest conjugacy invariant sets grow exponentially in the braid index and linearly in the length and conclude that the conjugacy problem remains exponential in the braid index under the current knowledge.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure

Signatures of links in rational homology spheres

A theory of signatures for odd-dimensional links in rational homology spheres is studied via their generalized Seifert surfaces. The jump functions of signatures are shown invariant under appropriately generalized concordance and a special care is given to accommodate 1-dimensional links with mutual linking. Furthermore our concordance theory of links in rational homology spheres remains highly nontrivial after factoring out the contribution from links in integral homology spheres.Comment: 21 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Topology; references and pictures update

Sequestering in models of F-term uplifting

We discuss the nature of sequestering supersymmetry breaking sectors in a certain class of moduli stabilization in supergravity/string models, where a negative vacuum energy of the nonperturbative moduli potential is canceled by dynamically generated F-terms. Two illustrating examples are shown to sketch the issues around the supersymmetry breaking, flavors and sequestering within such a framework.Comment: 6 pages, no figure; Talks given at PASCOS08 (the 14th International Symposium on Particles, Strings and Cosmology, Waterloo, Canada, June 2-6, 2008) and SUSY08 (the 16th International Conference on Supersymmetry and the Unification of Fundamental Interactions, Seoul, Korea, June 16-21, 2008

Aspects of Unparticle Physics

We review some theoretical and experimental issues in unparticle physics, focusing mainly on collider signatures.Comment: 4 pages, latex. Based on talk at ICHEP0