A novel by JS Harlow. Mattock Corwin, a young man living in the vampire ruled kingdom of Gehenna, discovers that he is a mage and must escape the land of his birth before the rulers of his land destroy him as a potential threat to their power.

This thesis presents searches for evidence for Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) and Extra Dimensions in proton-proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The WIMP is one of the main candidates to constitute the particle content of Dark Matter. Extra Dimensions are introduced in several theories in order to explain the apparent weakness of gravity when compared to the other interactions in Nature. Theories with WIMPs as well as Extra Dimensions can manifest themselves at the LHC, with experimental signatures characterized by an energetic hadronic jet associated with large missing momentum. These signatures are known as monojet signatures, and are investigated in this thesis.  The first analysis is performed using L = 20.3 fb-1 of proton-proton collisions at √s = 8 TeV recorded in the ATLAS Run 1. The second analysis is performed using L = 3.2 fb-1 of proton-proton collisions at √s = 13 TeV recorded in the ATLAS Run 2. No significant excess over the expected background is found in either of the analyses. New exclusion limits are set at 95% confidence level on Dark Matter particle production. New limits are also set on graviton production in the so-called ADD scenario with Extra Dimensions.

Luminous high-redshift quasars can be used to probe of the intergalactic medium in the early universe because their UV light is absorbed by the neutral hydrogen along the line of sight. They help us to measure the neutral hydrogen fraction of the high-z universe, shedding light on the end of reionization epoch. In this paper, we present a discovery of a new quasar (PSO J006.1240+39.2219) at redshift z = 6.61 +/- 0.02 from Panoramic Survey Telescope & Rapid Response System 1.Including this quasar, there are nine quasars above z > 6.5 up to date. The estimated continuum brightness is M-1450 = -25.96 +/- 0.08. PSO J006.1240+39.2219 has a strong Ly alpha emission compared with typical low-redshift quasars, but the measured near-zone region size is R-NZ = 3.2 +/- 1.1 proper megaparsecs, which is consistent with other quasars at z similar to 6.

This thesis is trying to understand and describe fundamental principles of power market which needs to be understood by every investor present on this market. These principles are then challenged based on the observations and everyday power market experience. A special focus is put here on understanding of wholesalemarket price-setting mechanism and its implications for the choice of the power production technology by the investor.

Identifier la nature de la matière sombre est l'un des plus grands problèmes de la physique contemporaine. Si la matière sombre est constituée de particules, on peut espérer la détecter, directement ou indirectement, grâce à des expériences terrestres ou spatiales. Prédire les résultats de ces expériences, ou les interpréter en cas de détection, nécessite une compréhension profonde de la structuration de la matière sombre dans notre Galaxie. En partant de considérations issues de la physique des particules et de la cosmologie, je construits un modèle du halo de matière sombre Galactique contraint dynamiquement qui incorpore une description détaillée des ses inhomogénéités. L'impact des ces inhomogénéités sur les recherches utilisant le rayonnement cosmique est ensuite analysé en détails. J'étudie également une méthode permettant de prédire la distribution dans l'espace des phases des particules de matière sombre, et discute sa possible application aux recherches de matière sombre. Cet outil est ensuite appliqué aux recherches utilisant les électrons et positrons cosmiques, et de nouvelles contraintes très fortes sont obtenues sur les modèles microscopiques de matière sombre. / Understanding the nature of dark matter is one of the greatest challenges of modern physics. If dark matter is made of particles, we can hope to detect it, directly or indirectly, using Earth-based or spatial experiments. Make predictions for the outcome of these experiments, or interpret the results in case of a detection, requires a deep understanding of the structuring of dark matter in our Galaxy. Starting from particle physics and cosmological considerations, I built a dynamically constrained model of the Galactic dark halo including a detailed description of its inhomogeneities. The impact of these inhomogeneities on searches with cosmic rays is then analysed in details. I also study a method allowing to predict the phase-space distribution of dark matter particles, and discuss its possible application to dark matter searches. This method is then applied to searches with cosmic-ray electrons and positrons, and new very stringent constraints are obtained on microscopic models of dark matter.

Na última década, o extraordinário progresso nas observações astronômicas (distâncias com supernovas (SNe Ia), espectros de potência da matéria e da radiação cósmica de fundo (RCF), determinação do brilho de aglomerados de galáxias, etc.) aliado com importantes desenvolvimentos teóricos, transformaram a Cosmologia numa das fronteiras mais excitantes da ciência contemporânea. Nesta tese, diferentes testes observacionais são utilizados para vincular alguns cenários cosmológicos acelerados (com e sem energia escura), todos eles definidos no contexto teórico da Relatividade Geral. Inicialmente, para uma grande classe de modelos com decaimento do vácuo, investigamos os vínculos provenientes da existência de objetos velhos em altos redshifts. No modelo de Chen e Wu generalizado, encontramos que o limite para o parâmetro livre descrevendo a taxa do decaimento do vácuo é 0,21 < n < 0,81. Este resultado descarta o modelo de Chen e Wu original (n=2) e também o modelo de concordância cósmica, LCDM (n=0). Além disso, quando incluímos o fluido bariônico em nossa análise do modelo de Wang e Meng, obtemos para seu parâmetro livre um limite inferior, epsilon > 0,231, um valor em desacordo com estimativas independentes baseadas em SNe Ia, RCF e o brilho de Raios-X de aglomerados. Propusemos também um teste estatístico com base nas idades estimadas para uma amostra de 13 galáxias velhas em altos redshifts. Através de uma análise conjunta envolvendo as idades das galáxias e as oscilações acústicas dos bárions (BAO), vinculamos o valor da constante de Hubble no contexto do modelo LCDM plano. Considerando um tempo de incubação adotado por diferentes autores, obtemos h=0,71±0,04 (1 sigma), um resultado de acordo com observações independentes baseadas em Cefeidas (obtidas com o Hubble Space Telescope) e outras estimativas mais recentes. Outro resultado interessante foi obtido através de uma análise termodinâmica para uma classe de modelos com interação no setor escuro (matéria escura-energia escura). Contrariamente ao que se pensava até então, encontramos que a termodinâmica permite que a matéria escura decaia em energia escura, contanto que ao menos uma das componentes possua um potencial químico não-nulo. Como complemento, mostramos que, para um termo de interação específico, dados de SNe Ia, BAO e RCF favorecem o decaimento da matéria escura com ~ 93% de confiança estatística. Investigamos também o comportamento do redshift de transição em diferentes cosmologias, com e sem energia escura, e mostramos que essa quantidade pode ter uma variação extrema dependendo do modelo cosmológico subjacente. Finalmente, discutimos também um novo modelo cosmológico cuja aceleração em baixos redshifts é determinada pela criação de partículas da matéria escura fria. O modelo representa uma redução do setor escuro, isto é, não tem energia escura, contém apenas um parâmetro livre e satisfaz os vínculos de Supernovas do tipo Ia tão bem quanto o modelo LCDM padrão. / In the last decade, the extraordinary progress of the astronomical observations (distances with supernovas, matter and cosmic background radiation (CBR) power spectrum, X-ray surface brightness of galaxy clusters, etc) associated with important theoretical developments turned Cosmology one of the most exciting frontiers of contemporary science. In this thesis, different observational tests are used to constrain several cosmological accelerating scenarios (with and without dark energy), all of them defined in the theoretical framework of General Relativity. Initially, for a large class of decaying vacuum models, we investigate the constraints provided by the existence of old high redshift objects. In the model proposed by Chen and Wu, we find that the limit for the free parameter describing the decay rate of the vacuum fluid is 0.21 < n < 0.81. This result ruled out the original Chen and Wu model (n = 2) and also the cosmic concordance model, LCDM (n = 0). Further, when we include the baryonic fluid in our analysis of the Wang and Meng model, we find for its free parameter a lower bound, epsilon > 0.231, a value in disagreement with independent estimates based on SNe Ia, CMB (shift parameter) and the X-ray surface brightness of galaxy clusters. We also propose a new cosmological statistical test based on the estimated ages of 13 old high redshift galaxies. By performing a joint analysis involving the ages of the galaxies and the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) probe, we constrain the value of the Hubble parameter in the context of the flat LCDM model. For an incubation time adopted by different authors, we find h = 0.71 ± 0.04 (1 sigma), a result in agreement with independent observations based on Cepheids (obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope) and other recent estimations. Another interesting result has been derived from a thermodynamic analysis for a class of models endowed with interaction in the dark sector (dark matter and dark energy). In contrast with some results appearing in the literature, we show that the decaying of cold dark matter into dark energy is not forbidden by thermodynamics, provided that the chemical potential of one component is different from zero. As a complement, we also show (for a specific term describing the interaction) that this kind of decaying is favored by SNe Ia, BAO and CMB data with ~ 93% of statistical confidence. We also investigate in detail the behavior of the transition redshift for different cosmologies (with and without dark energy). It is found that such a quantity may have an extreme variation that depends on the underlying cosmological model. Finally, we also discuss a new cosmological model whose acceleration at low redshifts is determined by the creation of cold dark matter particles. The model represents a reduction of the dark sector, that is, it has no dark energy, contains only one free parameter and satisfies the Supernovae type Ia constraints with the same precision of the standard LCDM model.

Thesis advisor: John Michalczyk / Despite a long affiliation with film dating back to the French New Wave, existentialism has remained a fascination reserved for art film producers and intellectual viewers for decades. In the early twenty-first century, director Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy marked the first time existentialism bubbled over from niche art films into the most blatant form of popular culture: the summer blockbuster. This analysis explores Batman Begins and The Dark Knight as up-to-date pictures of modern existentialism, embodied by Bruce Wayne’s journey through fear, chaos and rebirth, mirroring the existentialist advancement through uncertainty to freedom and self-creation. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2012. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: College Honors Program. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

Culturas de células primárias diferem de acordo com as condições ambientais nas quais se encontra o doador. Recentemente demonstramos que o ciclo claro/escuro impõe um programa molecular hereditário em cultura celular. Com o intuito de investigar os mecanismos moleculares da memória celular, no presente trabalho isolamos células progenitoras CD133+ de explante de músculo cremaster e investigamos se a expressão de microRNAs (miRNAs), resulta em fenótipos diferentes de acordo com o ciclo claro/escuro. O sequenciamento global de miRNAs utilizando a plataforma SOLiD 4 e analisado pelos programas EdgeR, TargetScan e Metacore resultou na identificação de 541 miRNAs maduros, os quais apresentam dois perfis de expressão distintos de acordo com a hora de obtenção das culturas. miR-1249 e miR-129-2-3p são mais expressos em células obtidas durante o dia e favorecem a manutenção da pluri/multipotência celular. Já células obtidas à noite expressam maior conteúdo dos miR-182, miR-96-5p, miR-223-3p, miR-146a-3p e miR-146a-5p resultando na inibição da resposta inflamatória e no favorecimento da maturação celular quando comparadas às células obtidas de dia. A análise funcional da inibição da resposta inflamatória em células obtidas à noite foi confirmada por PCR array que revelou na menor expressão de genes relacionados à via de sinalização TLR/NF-&kappa;B, incluindo Traf6, um alvo do miR-146a. Além disso, a translocação nuclear de NF-&kappa;B é reduzida à noite e é inversamente proporcional ao nível de melatonina plasmática. Demonstramos ainda que a melatonina in vitro favorece o estado de pluripotência celular por aumentar a expressão de CD133, miR-1249 e miR-129-2-3p. No entanto, esse efeito depende do contexto celular visto que a expressão de receptores de melatonina também varia de acordo com a hora de obtenção da cultura. Em conjunto, nossos dados sugerem que o ciclo claro/escuro interfere no perfil de expressão de miRNAs e impõe uma variação no fenótipo de células progenitoras CD133+ / The phenotype of primary cells in culture varies according to the donor environmental condition. We have recently shown that the light/dark cycle impose a molecular program that is hereditable in culture. In order to evaluate the molecular mechanisms of cellular memory, here we isolated CD133+ progenitor cells from cremaster muscle explants and investigated whether the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), could result in different phenotypes according the phase of ligh/dark cycle when cells were obtained. The global miRNA sequencing using SOLiD4 Platform, and analyzed by EdgeR, TargetScan and MetaCore, revealed the expression of a total of 541 mature miRNAs, and two distinct miRNAs signatures according to the hour when cells were obtained. miR-1249 and miR-129-2-3p are more expressed during daytime and favor the maintenance of cellular pluri/multipotency. Nighttime cells express higher amounts of miR-182, miR96-5p, miR-223-3p, miR-146a-3p and miR-146a-5p that inhibit the inflammatory response and favor the cellular maturation when compared to daytime cells. The functional analysis of the inflammatory response inhibition during nighttime was confirmed by PCR array and revealed lower expression level of genes related to TLR/NF-&kappa;B pathway, including Traf6, a putative target mRNA of miR-146a. Additionally, the nuclear translocation of NF-&kappa;B is reduced in nighttime cells and it is inversely correlated to the nocturnal the plasma level of melatonin. We also showed that melatonin in vitro favors the cellular pluri/multipotency, increasing CD133, miR-1249 and miR-129-2-3p expression. However, this effect depends on cellular context, as the expression of melatonin receptors also shows a daily variation. Altogether, our data suggest that the light/dark cycle interferes on miRNAs expression profile and imposes a rhythmic phenotype variation in CD133+ cells

Li Baojiu = 宇宙学和新物理学的交叉领域 / 李宝九. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-99). / Text in English; abstracts in English and Chinese. / Li Baojiu = Yu zhou xue he xin wu li xue de jiao cha ling yu / Li Baojiu. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Some Basic Conceptions in Cosmology --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- "The Big Bang, Hubble's Law" --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- The Cosmological Principle and Robertson-Walker Metric --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- The Cosmological Redshift --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- The Friedmann Equations --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2 --- Big Bang Nucleosynthesis --- p.5 / Chapter 1.3 --- Dark Energy --- p.9 / Chapter 2 --- "Branes, Varying Constants and BBN" --- p.16 / Chapter 2.1 --- A Brief Introduction to Theories Involving Extra Dimensions --- p.17 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- The Kaluza-Klein Theory --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Large Extra Dimensions --- p.19 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Warped Extra Dimensions --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Universal Extra Dimensions --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Cosmology in a Brane World --- p.27 / Chapter 2.2 --- BBN and Varying Constants in Brane Models --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- The Low Energy Effective Action in Brane Models --- p.30 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- BBN with a Varying Higgs VEV --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3 --- Numerical Results --- p.38 / Chapter 2.4 --- Discussion and Conclusions --- p.47 / Chapter 3 --- "Universal Extra Dimensions, Varying Constants and BBN" --- p.49 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.50 / Chapter 3.2 --- The Low Energy 4-Dimensional Effective Actions --- p.50 / Chapter 3.3 --- Radion Dependence of Fundamental Constants --- p.54 / Chapter 3.4 --- Variations of Quantities Relevant For BBN Calculation --- p.57 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Neutron-proton Mass Difference --- p.57 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Weak Interaction Rates --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Expansion Rate of the Universe --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Nuclear Reaction Rates --- p.59 / Chapter 3.5 --- Numerical Results --- p.64 / Chapter 3.6 --- Discussion and Conclusions --- p.70 / Chapter 4 --- Dark Energy as a Signature of Extra Dimensions --- p.74 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.75 / Chapter 4.2 --- The Underlying Higher Dimensional Theory --- p.75 / Chapter 4.3 --- The Cosmic Evolution in Different Eras --- p.79 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- The Blazing Era --- p.79 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- The Radiation Dominated Era --- p.83 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- The Matter Dominated Era --- p.84 / Chapter 4.4 --- A Realistic Cosmology --- p.85 / Chapter 4.5 --- Discussions and Conclusions --- p.92 / Bibliography --- p.93

In this Thesis, I explore the formation and evolution of stellar spiral structures embedded in realistic dark matter haloes with very high resolution simulations. I first study the impact of the shape of the dark matter haloes. I find that non-adiabatic changes to the dark matter halo shape, commonly found in cosmological simulations due to the assembly history of haloes, can trigger strong two-armed grand-design spiral structures extending from the inner disc to the outer region. The nature of the spiral structures is found to be consistent with kinematic density waves based on the study of their power spectra. Such grand-design spiral structures may help the formation of transient multi-armed spiral structures if the self-gravity in disc is strong enough. Evolution of spiral structures is similar when the disc and the halo are misaligned, although warps develop additionally. I further find a strong correlation between the torque strength from the halo and the strength of the corresponding spiral structures. In the second part of my Thesis I then study the influence of subhaloes by including them from realistic cosmological simulations. I identify five different massive subhaloes that hit the central region of the disc, two out of which hit the disc twice. Aside from disc heating, three distinct generations of spiral structures are found in the stellar disc, which can be related to different subhaloes. For each generation, counter-rotating single-armed spiral structures develop first. They wind up very quickly before two-armed spiral structures become prominent. These spiral structures are again identified as kinematic density waves. We find that rather than interacting with the disc through resonances, subhaloes preferentially trigger spiral structures impulsively, due to their relatively short impact time with the disc. The strength of spiral structures can be related to the integrated strength of the torque generated by subhaloes. The correlation between the torque strength exerted by a triaxial dark matter halo and by subhaloes and the spiral strength may provide constraints on the distribution of dark matter.