Abstract: We propose a new motivation for the stability of dark matter (DM). We suggest that the same non-Abelian discrete flavor symmetry which accounts for the observed pattern of neutrino oscillations, spontaneously breaks to a Z(2) subgroup which renders DM stable. The simplest scheme leads to a scalar doublet DM potentially detectable in nuclear recoil experiments, inverse neutrino mass hierarchy, hence a neutrinoless double beta decay rate accessible to upcoming searches, while theta(13) = 0 gives no CP violation in neutrino oscillations.

Abstract: We present a search for the rare decays B+ -> K+ v (v) over bar and B-0 -> K-0 v (v) over bar using 459 x 10(6) B (B) over bar pairs collected with the BABAR detector at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. Flavor-changing neutral-current decays such as these are forbidden at tree level but can occur through one-loop diagrams in the standard model (SM), with possible contributions from new physics at the same order. The presence of two neutrinos in the final state makes identification of signal events challenging, so reconstruction in the semileptonic decay channels B -> D-(*) lv of the B meson recoiling from the signal B is used to suppress backgrounds. We set an upper limit at the 90% confidence level (CL) of 1.3 x 10(-5) on the total branching fraction for B+ -> K+ v (v) over bar, and 5.6 x 10(-5) for B-0 -> K-0 v (v) over bar. We additionally report 90% CL upper limits on partial branching fractions in two ranges of dineutrino mass squared for B+ -> K+ v (v) over bar.

Abstract: The running charm-quark mass in the scheme is determined from weighted finite energy QCD sum rules involving the vector current correlator. Only the short distance expansion of this correlator is used, together with integration kernels (weights) involving positive powers of s, the squared energy. The optimal kernels are found to be a simple pinched kernel and polynomials of the Legendre type. The former kernel reduces potential duality violations near the real axis in the complex s plane, and the latter allows us to extend the analysis to energy regions beyond the end point of the data. These kernels, together with the high energy expansion of the correlator, weigh the experimental and theoretical information differently from e. g. inverse moments finite energy sum rules. Current, state of the art results for the vector correlator up to four-loop order in perturbative QCD are used in the finite energy sum rules, together with the latest experimental data. The integration in the complex s plane is performed using three different methods: fixed order perturbation theory, contour improved perturbation theory, and a fixed renormalization scale mu. The final result is (m) over bar (c)(3 GeV) = 1008 +/- 26 MeV, in a wide region of stability against changes in the integration radius s(0) in the complex s plane.

Abstract: We study a coupled quintessence model in which the interaction with the dark-matter sector is a function of the quintessence potential. Such a coupling can arise from a field dependent mass term for the dark-matter field. The dynamical analysis of a standard quintessence potential coupled with the interaction explored here shows that the system possesses a late-time accelerated attractor. In light of these results, we perform a fit to the most recent Supernovae Ia, Cosmic Microwave Background, and Baryon Acoustic Oscillation data sets. Constraints arising from weak equivalence principle violation arguments are also discussed.

Abstract: Semiclassical gravity is investigated in a large class of asymptotically flat, static, spherically symmetric spacetimes including those containing static stars, black holes, and wormholes. Specifically the stress-energy tensors of massless free spin 0 and spin 1/2 fields are computed to leading order in the asymptotic regions of these spacetimes. This is done for spin 0 fields in Schwarzschild spacetime using a WKB approximation. It is done numerically for the spin 1/2 field in Schwarzschild, extreme Reissner-Nordstrom, and various wormhole spacetimes. And it is done by finding analytic solutions to the leading order mode equations in a large class of asymptotically flat static spherically symmetric spacetimes. Agreement is shown between these various computational methods. It is found that, for all of the spacetimes considered, the energy density and pressure in the asymptotic region are proportional to r(-5) to leading order. Furthermore, for the spin 1/2 field and the conformally coupled scalar field, the stress-energy tensor depends only on the leading order geometry in the far field limit. This is also true for the minimally coupled scalar field for spacetimes containing either a static star or a black hole, but not for spacetimes containing a wormhole.