Holographic space-time from the Big Bang to the de Sitter era
I review the holographic theory of space-time and its applications to cosmology. Much of this has appeared before, but this discussion is more unified and concise. I also include some material on work in progress, whose aim is to understand compactification in terms of finite-dimensional super-algebras.

title: Essay: Supersymmetry, the Cosmological Constant, and a Theory of Quantum Gravity in Our Universe
abstract: There are many theories of quantum gravity, depending on asymptotic boundary conditions, and the amount of supersymmetry. The cosmological constant is one of the fundamental parameters that characterizes different theories. If it is positive, supersymmetry must be broken. A heuristic calculation shows that a cosmological constant of the observed size predicts superpartners in the TeV range. This mechanism for SUSY breaking also puts important constraints on low energy particle physics models.

title: Holographic Space-time and Newton's Law
abstract: We derive Newton's Law from the formalism of Holographic Space-Time (HST). More precisely, we show that for a large class of Hamiltonians of the type proposed previously for the HST description of a geodesic in Minkowski space, the eikonal for scattering of two massless particles at large impact parameter scales as expected with the impact parameter and the energies of the particles in the center of mass (CM) frame. We also discuss the criteria for black hole production in this collision, and find an estimate, purely within the HST framework, for the impact parameter at which it sets in, which coincides with the estimate based on general relativity.

title: String theory, holography and Quantum Gravity

title: HOLOGRAPHIC SPACE–TIME AND ITS PHENOMENOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS
abstract: I briefly review the theory of holographic space–time and its relation to the cosmological constant problem, and the breaking of supersymmetry (SUSY). When combined with some simple phenomenological requirements, these ideas lead to a fairly unique model for Tera-scale physics, which implies direct gauge mediation of SUSY breaking and a model for dark matter as a hidden sector baryon, with nonzero magnetic dipole moment.

title: Cosmological SUSY Breaking and the Pyramid Scheme

title: Improved measurement of the positive-muon lifetime and determination of the Fermi constant.
abstract: The mean life of the positive muon has been measured to a precision of 11 ppm using a low-energy, pulsed muon beam stopped in a ferromagnetic target, which was surrounded by a scintillator detector array. The result, tau(micro)=2.197 013(24) micros, is in excellent agreement with the previous world average. The new world average tau(micro)=2.197 019(21) micros determines the Fermi constant G(F)=1.166 371(6)x10(-5) GeV-2 (5 ppm). Additionally, the precision measurement of the positive-muon lifetime is needed to determine the nucleon pseudoscalar coupling g(P).

title: Initial performance of the CUORE-0 experiment
abstract: CUORE-0 is a cryogenic detector that uses an array of tellurium dioxide bolometers to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay of $$\mathrm {^{130}Te}$$130Te. We present the first data analysis with $$7.1 \,\mathrm {kg\cdot y}$$7.1kg·y of total $$\mathrm {TeO_2}$$TeO2 exposure focusing on background measurements and energy resolution. The background rates in the neutrinoless double-beta decay region of interest (2.47 to $$2.57 \,\mathrm {MeV}$$2.57MeV) and in the $$\alpha $$α background-dominated region (2.70 to $$3.90\,\mathrm {MeV}$$3.90MeV) have been measured to be $${0.071\pm 0.011}$$0.071±0.011 and $${0.019\pm 0.002}\,\mathrm {counts/(keV\cdot kg\cdot y)}$$0.019±0.002counts/(keV·kg·y), respectively. The latter result represents a factor of 6 improvement from a predecessor experiment, Cuoricino. The results verify our understanding of the background sources in CUORE-0, which is the basis of extrapolations to the full CUORE detector. The obtained energy resolution (full width at half maximum) in the region of interest is $$5.7\,\mathrm {keV}$$5.7keV. Based on the measured background rate and energy resolution in the region of interest, CUORE-0 half-life sensitivity is expected to surpass the observed lower bound of Cuoricino with one year of live time.

title: Search for 14.4 keV solar axions from M1 transition of Fe-57 with CUORE crystals
abstract: We report the results of a search for axions from the 14.4 keV M1 transition from Fe-57 in the core of the sun using the axio-electric effect in TeO2 bolometers. The detectors are 5x5x5 cm(3) crystals operated at about 10 mK in a facility used to test bolometers for the CUORE experiment at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso in Italy. An analysis of 43.65 kg.d of data was made using a newly developed low energy trigger which was optimized to reduce the energy threshold of the detector. An upper limit of 0.58 c.kg(-1).d(-1) is established at 95% C.L., which translates into lower bounds f(A) >= 3.12 x 10(5) GeV 95% C.L. (DFSZ model) and f(A) >= 2.41 x 10(4) GeV 95% C.L. (KSVZ model) on the Peccei-Quinn symmetry-breaking scale, for a value of S = 0.5 of the flavor-singlet axial vector matrix element. These bounds can be expressed in terms of axion masses as m(A) <= 19.2 eV and m(A) <= 250 eV at 95% C.L. in the DFSZ and KSVZ models respectively. Bounds are given also for the interval 0.35 <= S <= 0.55.

title: CUORE crystal validation runs: Results on radioactive contamination and extrapolation to CUORE background
abstract: The CUORE Crystal Validation Runs (CCVRs) have been carried out since the end of 2008 at the Gran Sasso National Laboratories, in order to test the performance and the radiopurity of the TeO2 crystals produced at SICCAS (Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences) for the CUORE experiment. In this work the results of the first 5 validation runs are presented. Results have been obtained for bulk contaminations and surface contaminations from several nuclides. An extrapolation to the CUORE background has been performed.

title: White paper: CeLAND - Investigation of the reactor antineutrino anomaly with an intense $^{144}Ce-^{144}Pr$ antineutrino source in KamLAND
abstract: Author(s): Gando, A; Gando, Y; Hayashida, S; Ikeda, H; Inoue, K; Ishidoshiro, K; Ishikawa, H; Koga, M; Matsuda, R; Matsuda, S; Mitsui, T; Motoki, D; Nakamura, K; Oki, Y; Otani, M; Shimizu, I; Shirai, J; Suekane, F; Suzuki, A; Takemoto, Y; Tamae, K; Ueshima, K; Watanabe, H; Xu, BD; Yamada, S; Yamauchi, Y; Yoshida, H; Banks, T; Berger, BE; Cribier, M; Decowski, P; Detwiler, JA; Durero, M; Dwyer, D; Efremenko, Y; Enomoto, S; Fischer, V; Fujikawa, BK; Gaffiot, J; Gelis, VM; Karwowski, HJ; Kolomensky, YG; Kozlov, A; Kornoukhov, VN; Lasserre, T; Learned, JG; Letourneau, A; Lhuillier, D; Maricic, J; Markoff, DM; Matsuno, S; Mention, G; Milincic, R; ODonnell, T; Saldikov, IS; Scola, L; Tikhomirov, GV; Veyssiere, C; Vivier, M; Yoshida, S |  We propose to test for short baseline neutrino oscillations, implied by the recent reevaluation of the reactor antineutrino flux and by anomalous results from the gallium solar neutrino detectors. The test will consist of producing a 75 kCi 144Ce - 144Pr antineutrino source to be deployed in the Kamioka Liquid Scintillator Anti-Neutrino Detector (KamLAND). KamLAND's 13m diameter target volume provides a suitable environment to measure energy and position dependence of the detected neutrino flux. A characteristic oscillation pattern would be visible for a baseline of about 10 m or less, providing a very clean signal of neutrino disappearance into a yet-unknown, "sterile" state. Such a measurement will be free of any reactor-related uncertainties. After 1.5 years of data taking the Reactor Antineutrino Anomaly parameter space will be tested at g 95% C.L.