Generalized Chaplygin gas model, supernovae, and cosmic topology
In this work we study to which extent the knowledge of spatial topology may place constraints on the parameters of the generalized Chaplygin gas (GCG) model for unification of dark energy and dark matter. By using both the Poincar\'e dodecahedral and binary octahedral spaces as the observable spatial topologies, we examine the current type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) constraints on the GCG model parameters. We show that the knowledge of spatial topology does provide additional constraints on the ${A}_{s}$ parameter of the GCG model but does not lift the degeneracy of the $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ parameter.

title: Gamma-ray Bursts as Dark Energy Probes
abstract: We discuss the prospects of using Gamma Ray Bursts (GRBs) as high-redshift distance estimators, and consider their use in the study of two dark energy models, the Generalized Chaplygin Gas (GCG), a model for the unification of dark energy and dark matter, and the XCDM model, a model where a generic dark energy fluid like component is described by the equation of state, $p= \omega \rho$. We find that this test yields rather disappointing results for the GCG model, being mainly sensitive to the total amount of matter present in the Universe in the case of the XCDM model. We also find that, within the framework of the XCDM model, a large sample of GRBs ($\geq 200$) may turn out to be quite useful to improve the forthcoming type Ia supernovae data.

title: Latest Supernova data in the framework of Generalized Chaplygin Gas model
abstract: We use the most recent Type-Ia Supernova data in order to study the dark energy - dark matter unification approach in the context of the Generalized Chaplygin Gas (GCG) model. Rather surprisingly, we find that data allow models with $\alpha>1$. We have studied how the GCG adjusts flat and non-flat models, and our results show that GCG is consistent with flat case upto 68% confidence level. Actually this holds even if one relaxes the flat prior assumption. We have also analysed what one should expect from a future experiment such as SNAP. We find that there is a degeneracy between the GCG model and a XCDM model with a phantom-like dark energy component.

title: Expected constraints on the generalized Chaplygin equation of state from future supernova experiments and gravitational lensing statistics.
abstract: This paper aims to study the use of future Supernova/Acceleration Probe data, together with the result of searches for strong gravitational lenses in future large quasar surveys to constrain the generalized Chaplygin gas (GCG) model, with equation of state p = -A/ρα, where A is a positive constant and 0 < α ≤ 1. The GCG is considered a possible unification scheme for dark matter-dark energy. It is found that both experiments should be able to place important constraints on the model, especially when both tests are used together.

title: Fitting BOOMERANG and MAXIMA-1 data with a Einstein–Yang–Mills cosmological model
abstract: We analyse the implications of recent Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data for a specific cosmological model, based on the higher-dimensional Einstein–Yang–Mills system compactified on a R × S 3 × S d topology and conclude that the model parameters are tightly constrained by CMB spectra. Moreover, the model predicts a relationship between the deceleration parameter at present, q 0 , and some characteristic features of CMB spectra, namely, the height of the first peak and the the location of the second peak, that is consistent with the observations and which can be further tested by future CMB and other experiments.

title: Performance of CMS hadron calorimeter timing and synchronization using test beam, cosmic ray, and LHC beam data
abstract: This paper discusses the design and performance of the time measurement technique and of the synchronization systems of the CMS hadron calorimeter. Time measurement performance results are presented from test beam data taken in the years 2004 and 2006. For hadronic showers of energy greater than 100 GeV, the timing resolution is measured to be about 1.2 ns. Time synchronization and out-of-time background rejection results are presented from the Cosmic Run At Four Tesla and LHC beam runs taken in the Autumn of 2008. The inter-channel synchronization is measured to be within ±2 ns.

title: Bounds on the simplest little Higgs model mass spectrum through Z leptonic decay
abstract: We derive the leptonic neutral current in the simplest little Higgs model and compute the contribution of the model to the decay width $Z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. Using the precision electroweak data we obtain a strong lower bound $f\ensuremath{\ge}5.6\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$ at 95% C.L. on the characteristic energy scale of the model. It results in a lower bound for the new gauge bosons ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ and ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ as being ${M}_{{W}^{\ensuremath{'}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}}\ensuremath{\ge}2.6\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$ and ${M}_{{Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}}\ensuremath{\ge}3.1\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$, respectively. We also present the allowed values of the $k={f}_{1}/{f}_{2}$ which is the parameter relating the two vacuum expectation values of the scalar triplets in the model, and the $\ensuremath{\mu}$ parameter of a quadratic term, involving the triplets, necessary to provide an acceptable mass range for the standard Higgs boson.

title: Latest results and prospects of the CERN Axion Solar Telescope
abstract: The CERN Axion Solar Telescope (CAST) experiment searches for axions from the Sun converted into few keV photons via the inverse Primakoff effect in the high magnetic field of a superconducting Large Hadron Collider (LHC) decommissioned test magnet. After results obtained with vacuum in the magnet pipes (phase I of the experiment) as well as with 4He the collaboration is now immersed in the data taking with 3He, to be finished in 2011. The status of the experiment will be presented, including a preliminary exclusion plot of the first 3He data. CAST is currently sensitive to realistic QCD axion models at the sub-eV scale, and with axion-photon couplings down to the ~ 2 × 10−10 GeV−1, compatible with solar life limits. Future plans include revisiting vaccuum and 4He configurations with improved sensitivity, as well as possible additional search for non-standard signals from chamaleons, paraphotons or other WISPs. For the longer term, we study the feasibility of an altogether improved version of the axion helioscope concept, with a jump in sensitivity of about one order of magnitude in gaγ beyond CAST.

title: Search for events with large missing transverse momentum, jets, and at least two tau leptons in 7 TeV proton–proton collision data with the ATLAS detector
abstract: A search for events with large missing transverse momentum, jets, and at least two tau leptons has been performed using 2 fb(-1) of proton-proton collision data at root s = 7 TeV recorded with the ...

title: Discrete symmetries, invisible axion, and lepton number symmetry in an economic 3-3-1 model
abstract: We show that Peccei-Quinn and lepton number symmetries can be a natural outcome in a 3-3-1 model with right-handed neutrinos after imposing a Z11^ Z2 symmetry. This symmetry is suitably accommodated in this model when we augment its spectrum by including merely one singlet scalar field. We work out the breaking of the Peccei-Quinn symmetry, yielding the axion, and study the phenomenological consequences. The main result of this work is that the solution to the strong CP problem can be implemented in a natural way, implying an invisible axion phenomenologically unconstrained, free of domain wall formation, and constituting a good candidate for the cold dark matter.