Non-critical open strings beyond the semi-classical approximation

We studied the lowest order quantum corrections to the macroscopic wave functions $\Gamma (A,\ell)$ of non-critical string theory using the semi-classical expansion of Liouville theory. By carefully taking the perimeter constraint into account we obtained a new type of boundary condition for the Liouville field which is compatible with the reparametrization invariance of the boundary and which is not only a mixture of Dirichlet and Neumann types but also involves an integral of an exponential of the Liouville field along the boundary. This condition contains an unknown function of $A/\ell^2$. We determined this function by computing part of the one-loop corrections to $\Gamma (A,\ell)$.Comment: 23 pages, 1 figure, LaTeX file, epsf.st

Low-scale Supersymmetry from Inflation

We investigate an inflation model with the inflaton being identified with a Higgs boson responsible for the breaking of U(1)B-L symmetry. We show that supersymmetry must remain a good symmetry at scales one order of magnitude below the inflation scale, in order for the inflation model to solve the horizon and flatness problems, as well as to account for the observed density perturbation. The upper bound on the soft supersymmetry breaking mass lies between 1TeV and 10^3TeV. Interestingly, our finding opens up a possibility that universes with the low-scale supersymmetry are realized by the inflationary selection. Our inflation model has rich implications; non-thermal leptogenesis naturally works, and the gravitino and moduli problems as well as the moduli destabilization problem can be solved or ameliorated; the standard-model higgs boson receives a sizable radiative correction if the supersymmertry breaking takes a value on the high side ~10^3TeV.Comment: 23pages, 3 figures. v2: references adde

General Analysis of Inflation in the Jordan frame Supergravity

We study various inflation models in the Jordan frame supergravity with a logarithmic Kahler potential. We find that, in a class of inflation models containing an additional singlet in the superpotential, three types of inflation can be realized: the Higgs-type inflation, power-law inflation, and chaotic inflation with/without a running kinetic term. The former two are possible if the holomorphic function dominates over the non-holomorphic one in the frame function, while the chaotic inflation occurs when both are comparable. Interestingly, the fractional-power potential can be realized by the running kinetic term. We also discuss the implication for the Higgs inflation in supergravity.Comment: 16 pages, 1 figur

Spin structure of spin-1/2 baryon and spinless meson production amplitudes in photo and hadronic reactions

The most general spin structures of the spin-1/2 baryon and spinless meson production operator for both photon and nucleon induced reactions are derived from the partial-wave expansions of these reaction amplitudes. The present method provides the coefficients multiplying each spin operator in terms of the partial-wave matrix elements. The result should be useful in studies of these reactions based on partial-wave analyses, especially, when spin observables are considered.Comment: RevTex 34 pages, revised versio

Higgs Chaotic Inflation in Standard Model and NMSSM

We construct a chaotic inflation model in which the Higgs fields play the role of the inflaton in the standard model as well as in the singlet extension of the supersymmetric standard model. The key idea is to allow a non-canonical kinetic term for the Higgs field. The model is a realization of the recently proposed running kinetic inflation, in which the coefficient of the kinetic term grows as the inflaton field. The inflaton potential depends on the structure of the Higgs kinetic term. For instance, the inflaton potential is proportional to phi^2 and phi^{2/3} in the standard model and NMSSM, respectively. It is also possible to have a flatter inflaton potential.Comment: 5 pages. v2:discussion and references adde

Baryon Asymmetry in a Heavy Moduli Scenario

In some models of supersymmetry breaking, modulus fields are heavy enough to decay before BBN. But the large entropy produced via moduli decay significantly dilutes the preexisting baryon asymmetry of the universe. We study whether Affleck-Dine mechanism can provide enough baryon asymmetry which survives the dilution, and find several situations in which desirable amount of baryon number remains after the dilution. The possibility of non-thermal dark matter is also discussed. This provides the realistic cosmological scenario with heavy moduli.Comment: 36 pages, 5 figures; added a reference; v3: minor correction

Refined topological amplitudes in N=1 flux compactification

We study the implication of refined topological string amplitudes in the supersymmetric N=1 flux compactification. They generate higher derivative couplings among the vector multiplets and graviphoton with generically non-holomorphic moduli dependence. For a particular term, we can compute them by assuming the geometric engineering. We claim that the Dijkgraaf-Vafa large N matrix model with the beta-ensemble measure directly computes the higher derivative corrections to the supersymmetric effective action of the supersymmetric N=1$ gauge theory.Comment: 16 pages, v2: reference adde

Functional characteristics of the calcium modulated proteins seen from an evolutionary perspective

We have constructed dendrograms relating 173 EF-hand proteins of known amino acid sequence. We aligned all of these proteins by their EF-hand domains, omitting interdomain regions. Initial dendrograms were computed by minimum mutation distance methods. Using these as starting points, we determined the best dendrogram by the method of maximum parsimony, scored by minimum mutation distance. We identified 14 distinct subfamilies as well as 6 unique proteins that are perhaps the sole representatives of other subfamilies. This information is given in tabular form. Within subfamilies one can easily align interdomain regions. The resulting dendrograms are very similar to those computed using domains only. Dendrograms constructed using pairs of domains show general congruence. However, there are enough exceptions to caution against an overly simple scheme in which one pair of gene duplications leads from one domain precurser to a four domain prototype from which all other forms evolved. The ability to bind calcium was lost and acquired several times during evolution. The distribution of introns does not conform to the dendrogram based on amino acid sequences. The rates of evolution appear to be much slower within subfamilies, especially within calmodulin, than those prior to the definition of subfamily

Solving Cosmological Problems of Supersymmetric Axion Models in an Inflationary Universe

We revisit inflationary cosmology of axion models in the light of recent developments on the inflaton decay in supergravity. We find that all the cosmological difficulties, including gravitino, axino overproduction and axionic isocurvature fluctuation, can be avoided if the saxion field has large initial amplitude during inflation and decays before big-bang nucleosynthesis.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure