title: Probing anomalous Wtb couplings in top pair decays

abstract:
  We investigate several quantities, defined in the decays of top quark pairs,
which can be used to explore non-standard Wtb interactions. Two new angular
asymmetries are introduced in the leptonic decay of top (anti)quarks. Both are
very sensitive to anomalous Wtb couplings, and their measurement allows for a
precise determination of the W helicity fractions. We also examine other
angular and energy asymmetries, the W helicity fractions and their ratios, as
well as spin correlation asymmetries, analysing their dependence on anomalous
Wtb couplings and identifing the quantities which are most sensitive to them.
It is explicitly shown that spin correlation asymmetries are less sensitive to
new interactions in the decay of the top quark; therefore, when combined with
the measurement of other observables, they can be used to determine the t tbar
spin correlation even in the presence of anomalous Wtb couplings. We finally
discuss some asymmetries which can be used to test CP violation in t tbar
production and complex phases in the effective Wtb vertex.


title:
Strong and electromagnetic decays of the light scalar mesons interpreted
  as tetraquark states

abstract:
  The study of two-pseudoscalar and two-photon decays for the scalar meson
nonet below 1 GeV is performed within an effective approach in which the scalar
resonances are described as (Jaffe's) tetraquark states. The dominant (fall
apart decay) and the subdominant (one transverse gluon as intermediate state)
decay amplitudes are systematically taken into account. The latter improves the
agreement with the experimental data. Possible scenarios concerning the
scalar-isoscalar mixing are discussed.


title: Saturation in High-energy QCD

abstract:
  In these proceedings, I shall review the basic concepts of perturbative QCD
in its high-energy limit, emphasising the approach to the unitarity limit,
usually referred to as {\em saturation}. I shall explain the basic framework
showing the need for saturation, first, from a simple picture of the
high-energy behaviour, then, giving a short derivation of the equation driving
this evolution. In the second part, I shall exhibit an analogy with statistical
physics and show how this allows to derive {\em geometric scaling} in QCD with
saturation. I shall finally consider the effects of gluon-number fluctuations
on this picture.


title: Discovering the Higgs Through Highly-Displaced Vertices

abstract:
  We suggest that the Higgs could be discovered at the Tevatron or the LHC
(perhaps at the LHCb detector) through decays with one or more substantially
displaced vertices from the decay of new neutral particles. This signal may
occur with a small but measurable branching fraction in the recently-described
``hidden valley'' models, hep-ph/0604261; weakly-coupled models with multiple
scalars, including those of hep-ph/0511250, can also provide such signals,
potentially with a much larger branching fraction. This decay channel may
extend the Higgs mass reach for the Tevatron. Unusual combinations of b jets,
lepton pairs and/or missing energy may accompany this signal.


title: Has New Physics already been seen in B_d meson decays?

abstract:
  We show using a model independent approach that the deviation in measured
B_d^0-\bar{B}_d^0 mixing phase caused by pollution from another amplitude,
within the Standard Model, is always less in magnitude, and has the same sign
as the weak phase of the polluting amplitude. The exception is to have large
destructive interference between the two amplitudes. We demonstrate that any
deviation larger than a few degrees is only possible if the observed decay rate
results from fine tuned cancellations between significantly larger quark level
amplitudes. These simple observations have very significant consequences for
signals of New Physics.


title:
Testing the Stability of the Solar Neutrino LMA Solution with a Bayesian
  Analysis

abstract:
  We analyze with the Bayesian method the solar and KamLAND neutrino data in
terms of neutrino oscillations. We show that Bayesian credible regions with a
flat prior in the tan^2(theta12)--(Delta m^2)_21 plane strongly support the LMA
solution, in agreement with the usual chi-square analysis. Other reasonable
priors are considered in order to test the stability of the LMA solution. We
show that priors which favor small or large values of the mixing angle lead to
minor changes of the allowed LMA region, affecting mainly its large
tan^2(theta12) part.


title: QCD Factorization and SCET at NLO

abstract:
  In this article we review recent advances in the area of QCD factorization.
We begin with a brief outline of QCD factorization, as well as a description of
some recent results regarding B-->VV decays. We examine what is necessary at
NLO, look at recent advances towards that goal and consider what remains to be
done.


title: Probing the CP nature of Higgs boson through e^-e^+ --> e^-e^+ phi

abstract:
  We study the production of Higgs boson (phi) via the e^{-}e^{+}--> e^{-}e^{+}
phi process at a future International Linear Collider (ILC) with sqrt{S}=1 TeV.
At this energy the ZZ-fusion rate, as predicted by the Standard Model,
dominates over the associated ZH production rate. Here, we consider a class of
theory models based on the effective phi-VV (with V=Z, gamma) couplings
generated by dimension-6 operators. We also show how to use the kinematical
distributions of the final state leptons to discriminate the CP-even and CP-odd
Higgs bosons produced at the ILC, when the phi-gamma-gamma coupling dominates
the Higgs boson production rate.


title: Inclusive semileptonic decays of the B meson

abstract:
  This talk is a short review on the theoretical issues and uncertainties in
the calculation of partial decay rates in inclusive B decays. The main emphasis
is on charmless semileptonic decays, the B -> X(s) gamma photon spectrum, and
the extraction of Vub using model-independent methods.


title: Heavy Quark Diffusion in Strongly Coupled $\N=4$ Yang Mills

abstract:
  We express the heavy quark diffusion coefficient as the temporal variation of
a Wilson line along the Schwinger-Keldysh contour. This generalizes the
classical formula for diffusion as a force-force correlator to a non-abelian
theory. We use this formula to compute the diffusion coefficient in strongly
coupled $\N=4$ Yang-Mills by studying the fluctuations of a string in
$AdS_5\times S_5$. The string solution spans the full Kruskal plane and gives
access to contour correlations. The diffusion coefficient is
$D=2/\sqrt{\lambda} \pi T$ and is therefore parametrically smaller than
momentum diffusion, $\eta/(e+p)=1/4\pi T$. The quark mass must be much greater
than $T\sqrt{\lambda}$ in order to treat the quark as a heavy quasi-particle.
The result is discussed in the context of the RHIC experiments.


title: Open charm tomography of cold nuclear matter

abstract:
  We study the relative contribution of partonic sub-processes to D meson
production and D meson-triggered inclusive di-hadrons to lowest order in
perturbative QCD. While gluon fusion dominates the creation of large angle
DD-bar pairs, charm on light parton scattering determines the yield of single
inclusive D mesons. The distinctly different non-perturbative fragmentation of
c quarks into D mesons versus the fragmentation of quarks and gluons into light
hadrons results in a strong transverse momentum dependence of anticharm content
of the away-side charm-triggered jet. In p+A reactions, we calculate and resum
the coherent nuclear-enhanced power corrections from the final state partonic
scattering in the medium. We find that single and double inclusive open charm
production can be suppressed as much as the yield of neutral pions from
dynamical high-twist shadowing. Effects of energy loss in p+A collisions are
also investigated phenomenologically and may lead to significantly weaker
transverse momentum dependence of the nuclear attenuation.


title: Four-Loop QCD Corrections to the Rho Parameter

abstract:
  The four-loop QCD corrections to the electroweak $\rho$-parameter arising
from top and bottom quark loops are computed. Specifically we evaluate the
missing ``non-singlet'' piece. Using algebraic methods the amplitude is reduced
to a set of around 50 new master integrals which are calculated with various
analytical and numerical methods. Inclusion of the newly completed term halves
the final value of the four-loop correction for the minimally renormalized
top-quark mass. The predictions for the shift of the weak mixing angle and the
W-boson mass is thus stabilized.


title: $B_s-\bar B_s$ Mixing constraints on FCNC and a non-universal $Z^\prime$

abstract:
  $B_s - \bar B_s$ mixing has been measured recently by D0 and CDF. The range
predicted in the standard model is consistent with data. However, the standard
model central values for $\Delta M_{B_s}$ and also $\Delta M_ {B_d}$ are away
from the data which may be indications of new physics. Using the observed
values of $\Delta M_{B_s}$ and $\Delta M_{B_d}$ we study general constraints on
flavor changing $Z^\prime$ interactions. In models with non-universal
$Z^\prime$ couplings we find that significant enhancements over the standard
model are still possible in the rare decay modes $B\to X_s \tau^+ \tau^-$,
$B\to X_s \nu \bar \nu$ and $B_s\to \tau^+ \tau^-$. Tree level $Z^\prime$
contributions to $K\to \pi \nu\bar \nu$ are now constrained to be very small,
but one loop effects can still enhance the standard model rate by a factor of
two.


title: Charm-Quark Contribution to K_L -> mu^+ mu^- at Next-to-Next-to-Leading

abstract:
  We calculate the charm-quark contribution to the decay K_L -> mu^+ mu^- in
next-to-next-to-leading order of QCD. This new contribution reduces the
theoretical uncertainty in the relevant parameter P_c from +/-22% down to
+/-7%, corresponding to scale uncertainties of +/-3% and +/-6% in the
short-distance part of the branching ratio and the determination of the
Wolfenstein parameter rhobar from K_L -> mu^+ mu^-. The error in P_c = 0.115
+/- 0.018 is now in equal shares due to the combined scale uncertainties and
the current uncertainty in the charm-quark mass. We find BR (K_L -> mu^+
mu^-)_SD = (0.79 +/- 0.12) x 10^-9, with the present uncertainty in the
Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element V_td being the dominant individual
source in the quoted error.


title: LFV radiative Decays and Leptogenesis in the SUSY seesaw model

abstract:
  The lepton flavour violating charged lepton decays mu to e + gamma and
thermal leptogenesis are analysed in the minimal supersymmetric standard model
with see-saw mechanism of neutrino mass generation and soft supersymmetry
breaking terms with universal boundary conditions. Hierarchical spectrum of
heavy Majorana neutrino masses, M_1 << M_2 << M_3, is considered. In this
scenario, the requirement of successful thermal leptogenesis implies a lower
bound on M_1. For the natural GUT values of the heaviest right-handed Majorana
neutrino mass, M_3 > 5 times 10^{13} GeV, and supersymmetry particle masses in
the few times 100 GeV range, the predicted mu to e + gamma decay rate exceeds
by few order of magnitude the experimental upper limit. This problem is avoided
if the matrix of neutrino Yukawa couplings has a specific structure. The latter
leads to a correlation between the baryon asymmetry of the Universe predicted
by leptogenesis, BR(mu to e + gamma) and the effective Majorana mass in
neutrinoless double beta decay.


title: Semirelativistic potential model for low-lying three-gluon glueballs

abstract:
  The three-gluon glueball states are studied with the generalization of a
semirelativistic potential model giving good results for two-gluon glueballs.
The Hamiltonian depends only on 3 parameters fixed on two-gluon glueball
spectra: the strong coupling constant, the string tension, and a gluon size
which removes singularities in the potential. The Casimir scaling determines
the structure of the confinement. Low-lying $J^{PC}$ states are computed and
compared with recent lattice calculations. A good agreement is found for
$1^{--}$ and $3^{--}$ states, but our model predicts a $2^{--}$ state much
higher in energy than the lattice result. The $0^{-+}$ mass is also computed.


title: Effective chiral restoration in the hadronic spectrum and QCD

abstract:
  Effective chiral restoration in the hadronic spectrum has been conjectured as
an explanation of multiplets of nearly degenerate seen in highly excited
hadrons. The conjecture depends on the states being insensitive to the dynamics
of spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking. A key question is whether this concept
is well defined in QCD. This paper shows that it is by means of an explicit
formal construction. This construction allows one to characterize this
sensitivity for any observable calculable in QCD in Euclidean space via a
functional integral. The construction depends on a generalization of the
Banks-Casher theorem. It exploits the fact that {\it all} dynamics sensitive to
spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking observables in correlation functions arise
from fermion modes of zero virtuality (in the infinite volume limit), while
such modes make {\it no} contribution to any of the dynamics which preserves
chiral symmetry. In principle this construction can be implemented in lattice
QCD. The prospect of a practical lattice implementation yielding a direct
numerical test of the concept of effective chiral restoration is discussed.


title:
Precision electroweak constraints on Universal Extra Dimensions
  revisited

abstract:
  We reconsider the constraints on Universal Extra Dimensions (UED) models
arising from precision electroweak data. We take into account the subleading
contributions from new physics (expressed in terms of the X,Y ... variables),
as well as two loop corrections to the Standard Model rho parameter. For the
case of one extra dimension, we obtain a lower bound on the inverse
compactification scale M = R^{-1} of 600 GeV (at 90% confidence level), with a
Higgs mass of 115 GeV. However, in contradiction to recent claims, we find that
this constraint is significantly relaxed with increasing Higgs mass, allowing
for compactification scales as low as 300 GeV. LEP II data does not
significantly affect these results.


title: Topological Defects from First Order Gauge Theory Phase Transitions

abstract:
  We investigate the mechanism by which topological defects form in first order
phase transitions with a charged order parameter. We show how thick
superconductor vortices and heavy cosmic strings form by trapping of magnetic
flux. In an external magnetic field, intermediate objects such as strips and
membranes of magnetic flux and chains of single winding defects are produced.
At non-zero temperature, a variety of spontaneous defects of different winding
numbers arise. In cosmology, our results mean that the magnetic flux thermal
fluctuations get trapped in a primordial multi-tension string network. The
mechanism may also apply to the production of cosmic-like strings in brane
collisions. In a thin type-I superconductor film, flux strips are found to be
meta-stable while thick vortices are stable up to some critical value of the
winding number which increases with the thickness of the film. In addition, a
non-dissipative Josephson-like current is obtained across the strips of
quantized magnetic flux.


title: On the hadronic contribution to sterile neutrino production

abstract:
  Sterile neutrinos with masses in the keV range are considered to be a viable
candidate for warm dark matter. The rate of their production through
active-sterile neutrino transitions peaks, however, at temperatures of the
order of the QCD scale, which makes it difficult to estimate their relic
abundance quantitatively, even if the mass of the sterile neutrino and its
mixing angle were known. We derive here a relation, valid to all orders in the
strong coupling constant, which expresses the production rate in terms of the
spectral function associated with active neutrinos. The latter can in turn be
expressed as a certain convolution of the spectral functions related to various
mesonic current-current correlation functions, which are being actively studied
in other physics contexts. In the naive weak coupling limit, the appropriate
Boltzmann equations can be derived from our general formulae.


title: Lorentz Violation and Superpartner Masses

abstract:
  We consider Lorentz violation in supersymmetric extensions of the standard
model. We perform a spurion analysis to show that, in the simplest natural
constructions, the resulting supersymmetry-breaking masses are tiny. In the
process, we argue that one of the strongest bounds on Lorentz violation in the
photon Lagrangian, which comes from the absence of birefringence from distant
astrophysical sources, does not apply when Lorentz violation is parametrized by
a single vector.


title:
$\Delta t$-dependent equal-sign dilepton asymmetry and CPTV effects in
  the symmetry of the $B^0$--$\bar B^0$ entangled state

abstract:
  In this paper we discuss experimental consequences of a novel kind of CPT
violation which would manifest itself in the symmetry of the entangled initial
state of $B ^0$ and $\bar B ^0$ through their loss of indistinguishability. The
``wrong'' symmetry component is proportional to $\omega$. We focus our
theoretical study on the $\Delta t$-dependence of observables concerning
equal-sign dilepton events for which the intensity vanishes at $\Delta t = 0$
in absence of $\omega$. We find that the charge asymmetry, $A_{sl}$, acquires a
$\Delta t$-dependence linear in $\omega$, whose relative importance appears on
specific regions of time still unexplored. We also do a statistical analysis
for the measurements here proposed and find a high sensitivity to this new
CPT-violating effect in this charge asymmetry. We obtain the first limits on
the $\omega$-effect by re-analyzing existing data on the $A_{sl}$ asymmetry.


title:
Periodogram and likelihood periodicity search in the SNO solar neutrino
  data

abstract:
  In this work a detailed spectral analysis for periodicity search of the time
series of the 8B solar neutrino flux released by the SNO Collaboration is
presented. The data have been publicly released with truncation of the event
times to the unit of day (1 day binning); they are thus suited to undergo the
traditional Lomb-Scargle analysis for periodicity investigation, as well as an
extension of such a method based on a likelihood approach. The results of the
analysis presented here confirm the absence of modulation signatures in the SNO
data. For completeness, a more refined "1 day binned" likelihood is also
illustrated, which approximates the unbinned likelihood methodology, based upon
the availability of the full time information, adopted by the SNO
collaboration. Finally, this work is completed with two different joint
analyses of the SNO and Super-Kamiokande data, respectively, over the common
and the entire data taking periods. While both analyses reinforce the case of
the constancy of the neutrino flux, the latter in addition provides evidence of
the detection at the 99.7% confidence level of the annual modulation spectral
line due to the Earth's orbit eccentricity around the Sun


title: Constraints on new physics from the quark mixing unitarity triangle

abstract:
  The status of the Unitarity Triangle beyond the Standard Model including the
most recent results on Delta m_s, on dilepton asymmetries and on width
differences is presented. Even allowing for general New Physics loop
contributions the Unitarity Triangle must be very close to the Standard Model
result. With the new measurements from the Tevatron, we obtain for the first
time a significant constraint on New Physics in the B_s sector. We present the
allowed ranges of New Physics contributions to Delta F=2 processes, and of the
time-dependent CP asymmetry in B_s to J/Psi phi decays.


title:
Particle-Antiparticle Mixing, epsilon_K, Delta Gamma_q, A_SL^q, A_CP(B_d
  -> psi K_S), A_CP(B_s -> psi phi) and B -> X_{s,d} gamma in the Littlest
  Higgs Model with T-Parity

abstract:
  We calculate a number of observables related to particle-antiparticle mixing
in the Littlest Higgs model with T-parity (LHT). The resulting effective
Hamiltonian for Delta F=2 transitions agrees with the one of Hubisz et al., but
our phenomenological analysis goes far beyond the one of these authors. In
particular, we point out that the presence of mirror fermions with new flavour
and CP-violating interactions allows to remove the possible Standard Model (SM)
discrepancy between the CP asymmetry S_{psi K_S} and large values of |V_ub| and
to obtain for the mass difference Delta M_s < (Delta M_s)_SM as suggested by
the recent result by the CDF collaboration. We also identify a scenario in
which simultaneously significant enhancements of the CP asymmetries S_{phi psi}
and A_SL^q relative to the SM are possible, while satisfying all existing
constraints, in particular from the B -> X_s gamma decay and A_CP(B -> X_s
gamma) that are presented in the LHT model here for the first time. In another
scenario the second, non-SM, value for the angle gamma=-(109+-6) from tree
level decays, although unlikely, can be made consistent with all existing data
with the help of mirror fermions. We present a number of correlations between
the observables in question and study the implications of our results for the
mass spectrum and the weak mixing matrix of mirror fermions. In the most
interesting scenarios, the latter one turns out to have a hierarchical
structure that differs significantly from the CKM one.


title: Particle physics catalysis of thermal Big Bang Nucleosynthesis

abstract:
  We point out that the existence of metastable, tau > 10^3 s, negatively
charged electroweak-scale particles (X^-) alters the predictions for lithium
and other primordial elemental abundances for A>4 via the formation of bound
states with nuclei during BBN. In particular, we show that the bound states of
X^- with helium, formed at temperatures of about T=10^8K, lead to the catalytic
enhancement of Li6 production, which is eight orders of magnitude more
efficient than the standard channel. In particle physics models where
subsequent decay of X^- does not lead to large non-thermal BBN effects, this
directly translates to the level of sensitivity to the number density of
long-lived X^-, particles (\tau>10^5 s) relative to entropy of n_{X^-}/s <
3\times 10^{-17}, which is one of the most stringent probes of electroweak
scale remnants known to date.


title:
Implications from analyticity constraints used in a Landshoff-Donnachie
  fit

abstract:
  Landshoff and Donnachie[hep-ph/0509240, (2005)] parametrize the energy
behavior of pp and p\bar p scattering cross sections with five parameters,
using: \sigma^+=56.08 s^{-0.4525}+21.70s^{0.0808} for pp, \sigma^-=98.39
s^{-0.4525}+21.70s^{0.0808} for p\bar p. Using the 4 analyticity constraints of
Block and Halzen[M. M. Block and F. Halzen, Phys. Rev. D {\bf 72}, 036006
(2005)], we simultaneously fit the Landshoff-Donnachie form to the same
``sieved'' set of pp and p\bar p cross section and \rho data that Block and
Halzen used for a very good fit to a ln^2 s parametrization. We show that the
satisfaction of the analyticity constraints will require complicated
modifications of the Landshoff-Donnachie parametrization for lower energies,
greatly altering its inherent appeal of simplicity and universality.


title: CP violation and the CKM matrix

abstract:
  Our knowledge of quark-flavor physics and CP violation increased tremendously
over the past five years. It is confirmed that the Standard Model correctly
describes the dominant parts of the observed CP-violating and flavor-changing
phenomena. Not only does CP violation provide some of the most precise
constraints on the flavor sector, but several measurements performed at the
B-factories achieved much better precision than had been expected. We review
the present status of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix and CP violation,
recollect the relevant experimental and theoretical inputs, display the results
from the global CKM fit, and discuss their implications for the Standard Model
and some of its extensions.


title:
Testing the Unitarity of the CKM Matrix with a Space-Based Neutron Decay
  Experiment

abstract:
  If the Standard Model is correct, and fundamental fermions exist only in the
three generations, then the CKM matrix should be unitary. However, there
remains a question over a deviation from unitarity from the value of the
neutron lifetime. We discuss a simple space-based experiment that, at an orbit
height of 500 km above Earth, would measure the kinetic-energy, solid-angle,
flux spectrum of gravitationally bound neutrons (kinetic energy K<0.606 eV at
this altitude). The difference between the energy spectrum of neutrons that
come up from the Earth's atmosphere and that of the undecayed neutrons that
return back down to the Earth would yield a measurement of the neutron
lifetime. This measurement would be free of the systematics of laboratory
experiments. A package of mass $<25$ kg could provide a 10^{-3} precision in
two years.


title: Neutrino Telescopes as a Probe of Broken $\mu$-$\tau$ Symmetry

abstract:
  It is known that neutrino oscillations may map $\phi_e : \phi_\mu : \phi_\tau
= 1 : 2 : 0$, the initial flavor ratios of ultrahigh-energy neutrino fluxes
produced from a distant astrophysical source, into $\phi^D_e : \phi^D_\mu :
\phi^D_\tau = 1 : 1 : 1$ at the detector of a neutrino telescope. We remark
that this naive expectation is only valid in the $\mu$-$\tau$ symmetry limit,
in which two neutrino mixing angles satisfy $\theta_{13} = 0$ and $\theta_{23}
= \pi/4$. Allowing for the slight breaking of $\mu$-$\tau$ symmetry, we find
$\phi^D_e : \phi^D_\mu : \phi^D_\tau = (1 -2 \Delta) : (1 +\Delta) : (1
+\Delta)$ with $\Delta$ characterizing the combined effect of $\theta_{13} \neq
0$ and $\theta_{23} \neq \pi/4$. Current neutrino oscillation data indicate
$-0.1 \lesssim \Delta \lesssim +0.1$. We also look at the possibility to probe
$\Delta$ by detecting the $\bar{\nu}_e$ flux of $E_{\bar{\nu}_e} \approx 6.3
{\rm PeV}$ via the Glashow resonance channel $\bar{\nu}_e e \to W^- \to
anything$.


title:
Annihilation Type Radiative Decays of $B$ Meson in Perturbative QCD
  Approach

abstract:
  With the perturbative QCD approach based on $k_T$ factorization, we study the
pure annihilation type radiative decays $B^0 \to \phi\gamma$ and $B^0\to J/\psi
\gamma$. We find that the branching ratio of $B^0 \to \phi\gamma$ is
$(2.7^{+0.3+1.2}_{-0.6-0.6})\times10^{-11}$, which is too small to be measured
in the current $B$ factories of BaBar and Belle. The branching ratio of $B^0\to
J/\psi \gamma$ is $({4.5^{+0.6+0.7}_{-0.5-0.6}})\times10^{-7}$, which is just
at the corner of being observable in the $B$ factories. A larger branching
ratio $BR(B_s^0 \to J/\psi \gamma) \simeq 5 \times 10^{-6}$ is also predicted.
These decay modes will help us testing the standard model and searching for new
physics signals.


title: Charged and Neutral Current Neutrino Induced Nucleon Emission Reactions

abstract:
  By means of a Monte Carlo cascade method, to account for the rescattering of
the outgoing nucleon, we study the charged and neutral current inclusive one
nucleon knockout reactions off nuclei induced by neutrinos. The nucleon
emission process studied here is a clear signal for neutral--current neutrino
driven reactions, and can be used in the analysis of future neutrino
experiments.


title: Production of Isolated Photons in Deep Inelastic Scattering

abstract:
  We present here the predictions obtained from a calculation of the inclusive
isolated photon production cross section in deep inelastic scattering. The
results are compared with the cross section measurement of the ZEUS
collaboration and found in good agreement with all aspects of it. Furthermore,
a way of measuring the quark-to-photon fragmention function in DIS is also
briefly outlined.


title:
Color superconductivity with determinant interaction in strange quark
  matter

abstract:
  We investigate the effect of six fermion determinant interaction on color
superconductivity as well as on chiral symmetry breaking. Coupled mass gap
equations and the superconducting gap equation are derived through the
minimisation of the thermodynamic potential. The effect of nonzero quark --
antiquark condensates on the superconducting gap is derived. This becomes
particularly relevant for the case of 2-flavor superconducting matter with
unpaired strange quarks in the diquark channel. While the effect of six fermion
interaction leads to an enhancement of u-d superconductivity, due to
nonvanishing strange quark--antiquark condensates, such an enhancement will be
absent at higher densities for u-s or d-s superconductivity due to early
(almost) vanishing of light quark-- antiquark condensates.


title: Propagators, Running Coupling and Condensates in Lattice QCD

abstract:
  We present a review of our numerical studies of the running coupling
constant, gluon and ghost propagators, ghost-gluon vertex and ghost condensate
for the case of pure SU(2) lattice gauge theory in the minimal Landau gauge.
Emphasis is given to the infrared regime, in order to investigate the
confinement mechanisms of QCD. We compare our results to other theoretical and
phenomenological studies.


title: Scalar Top Quark Studies with Various Visible Energies

abstract:
  The precision determination of scalar top quark properties will play an
important role at a future International Linear Collider (ILC). Recent and
ongoing studies are discussed for different experimental topologies in the
detector. First results are presented for small mass differences between the
scalar top and neutralino masses. This corresponds to a small expected visible
energy in the detector. An ILC will be a unique accelerator to explore this
scenario. In addition to finding the existence of light stop quarks, the
precise measurement of their properties is crucial for testing their impact on
the dark matter relic abundance and the mechanism of electroweak baryogenesis.
Significant sensitivity for mass differences down to 5 GeV are obtained. The
simulation is based on a fast and realistic detector simulation. A vertex
detector concept of the Linear Collider Flavor Identification
(LCFI)collaboration, which studies pixel detectors for heavy quark flavour
identification, is implemented in the simulations for c-quark tagging. The
study extends simulations for large mass differences (large visible energy) for
which aspects of different detector simulations, the vertex detector design,
and different methods for the determination of the scalar top mass are
discussed. Based on the detailed simulations we study the uncertainties for the
dark matter density predictions and their estimated uncertainties from various
sources. In the region of parameters where stop-neutralino co-annihilation
leads to a value of the relic density consistent with experimental results, as
precisely determined by the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), the
stop-neutralino mass difference is small and the ILC will be able to explore
this region efficiently.


title: Hadronic B Decays in PQCD

abstract:
  I review recent progress on exclusive hadronic B meson decays in the
perturbative QCD approach, with focus on puzzles in the branching ratios and
the CP asymmetries of the B -> pi K and B -> pi pi modes, and polarization
fractions in B -> VV modes.


title:
Complete Higgs mass dependence of top quark pair threshold production to
  order $\alpha\alpha_s$

abstract:
  In this paper we consider the production of top quark pairs close to
threshold and compute the dependence on the Higgs boson mass to order
$\alpha\alpha_s$. This requires the evaluation of the matching coefficient of
the vector current to two-loop level and the inclusion of Higgs mass dependent
operators in the non-relativistic effective theory. For Higgs boson masses
below 200 GeV moderate contributions to the top quark mass and the peak cross
section are observed. We also provide additional information to the on-shell
wave function renormalization which is relevant for the matching coefficient.


title: Flavor Neutrino Oscillations and Time-Energy Uncertainty Relation

abstract:
  We consider neutrino oscillations as non stationary phenomenon based on
Schrodinger evolution equation and mixed states of neutrinos with definite
flavors. We show that time-energy uncertainty relation plays a crucial role in
neutrino oscillations. We compare neutrino oscillations with
$B_{d}^{0}\leftrightarrows\bar B_{d}^{0}$ oscillations.


title:
Low energy neutrino astronomy with the large liquid scintillation
  detector LENA

abstract:
  The detection of low energy neutrinos in a large scintillation detector may
provide further important information on astrophysical processes as supernova
physics, solar physics and elementary particle physics as well as geophysics.
In this contribution, a new project for Low Energy Neutrino Astronomy (LENA)
consisting of a 50kt scintillation detector is presented.


title:
Relativistic effects in the production of pseudoscalar and vector doubly
  heavy mesons from e^+e^- annihilation

abstract:
  On the basis of the perturbative QCD and the relativistic quark model we
investigate the relativistic and bound state effects in the production
processes of a pair of $S$-wave doubly heavy mesons with opposite charge
conjugation consisting of $b$ and $c$ quarks. All possible relativistic
corrections in the production amplitude including the terms connected with the
transformation law of the bound state wave function to the reference frame of
the moving pseudoscalar ${\cal P}-$ and vector ${\cal V}-$ mesons are taken
into account. We obtain a growth of the cross section for the reaction
$e^++e^-\to J/\Psi+ \eta_c$ due to considered effects by a factor $2\div 2.5$
in the range of the center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}=6\div 12$ GeV.


title:
Breaking of L_mu - L_tau Flavor Symmetry, Lepton Flavor Violation and
  Leptogenesis

abstract:
  A supersymmetric see-saw model obeying the flavor symmetry L_mu - L_tau,
which naturally predicts quasi-degenerate neutrinos, is investigated. Breaking
of the symmetry is introduced in the Dirac mass matrix because it is the most
economic choice in the sense that all interesting low and high energy
phenomenology is made possible: we analyze the predictions for the low energy
neutrino observables, for leptogenesis and for lepton flavor violating decays
such as mu \to e gamma, where the SPS benchmark points for the SUSY parameters
are used. It is outlined how these decays in connection with the requirement of
successful leptogenesis and with correlations between the neutrino observables
depend on the way the symmetry is broken.


title: Lepton Flavour Effects and Resonant Leptogenesis

abstract:
  Minimal models exist in which thermal, resonant leptogenesis occurs at the
electroweak scale. The effects of individual lepton flavours play a crucial
role and allow successful leptogenesis with large couplings between some of the
charged leptons and the heavy Majorana neutrinos. This leads to potentially
observable signals for low energy experiments (such as MEG, MECO and PRIME) and
future linear colliders.


title: ${\bar B_s} \to \mu^+ \mu^-$ decay in the Randall-Sundrum model

abstract:
  We investigate the ${\bar B_s} \to \mu^+ \mu^-$ decay in the presence of a
light stabilized radion in Randall-Sundrum model. The branching ratio $BR({\bar
B_s} \to \mu^+ \mu^-)$ in the standard model is found to be $3.17 \times
10^{-9}$ (two order smaller than the experimental upper bound) and raises the
question whether some new physics can play a crucial role or not. We found that
for a reasonable range of parameters (i.e. radion mass $m_\phi$ and radion vev
$\vphi$), the above deficit between the experimental bound and the standard
model result can well be accomodated. Using this upper bound on $BR({\bar B_s}
\to \mu^+ \mu^-)$, we obtain the lower bound on $\vphi$.


title: Instantons in Lepton Pair Production

abstract:
  We consider QCD instanton-induced contributions to lepton pair production in
hadron-hadron collisions. We relate these contributions to those known from
deep inelastic scattering and demonstrate that they can be calculated reliably
for sufficiently large momentum transfer. We observe that the instanton
contribution to the angular distribution of the lepton pairs at finite momentum
transfer strongly violates the Lam-Tung relation - a relation between
coefficient functions of the angular distribution which is valid within the
framework of ordinary perturbation theory. The drastic violation of this
relation, as seen in experimental data, might be related to such
instanton-induced effects.


title: Polarization and Resummation in Slepton Production at Hadron Colliders

abstract:
  In R-parity conserving supersymmetric (SUSY) models, sleptons are produced in
pairs at hadron colliders through neutral and charged electroweak currents. We
demonstrate that the polarization of the initial hadron beams allows for a
direct extraction of the slepton mixing angle and thus for a determination of
the underlying SUSY-breaking mechanism. We also perform a first precision
calculation of the transverse-momentum (q_T) spectrum of the slepton pairs by
resumming soft multiple-gluon emission at next-to-leading logarithmic order.
The results show a relevant contribution of resummation both in the small and
intermediate q_T-regions, which strongly influences the extraction of the
missing transverse-momentum signal and the subsequent slepton
mass-determination, and little dependence on unphysical scales and
non-perturbative contributions.


title: New Physics Searches at the Tevatron and the LHC

abstract:
  The Tevatron Run-II started data-taking in spring 2001 and several searches
for new particles have been performed. The preliminary 2005 results are
concisely reviewed for the experiments CDF and D0. Model-independent and
model-dependent limits on Higgs boson and Supersymmetric particle production
are set and interpretations are given. Several limits from the LEP era have
been extended. The outlook for the Tevatron and the prospects for the ATLAS and
CMS experiments at the LHC for selected searches are briefly addressed.


title:
Deeply virtual Compton scattering beyond next-to-leading order: the
  flavor singlet case

abstract:
  We study radiative corrections to deeply virtual Compton scattering in the
kinematics of HERA collider experiments to next--to--leading and
next--to--next--to--leading order. In the latter case the radiative corrections
are evaluated in a special scheme that allows us to employ the predictive power
of conformal symmetry. As observed before, the size of next--to--leading order
corrections strongly depends on the gluonic input, as gluons start to
contribute at this order. Beyond next--to--leading order we find, in contrast,
that the corrections for an input scale of few GeV^2 are small enough to
justify the uses of perturbation theory. For $\xi > 5 10^{-3}$ the modification
of the scale dependence is also small. However, with decreasing $\xi$ it
becomes moderate or even large, in particular for the phase.


title:
Color Bosonization, Chiral Parametrization of Gluonic Field and QCD
  Effective Action

abstract:
  We develop a color bosonization approach to treatment of QCD gauge field
(''gluons'') at low energies in order to derive an effective color action of
QCD taking into account the quark chiral anomaly in the case of SU(2) color..
We have found that there exists such a region in the chiral sector of color
space, where a gauge field coincides with of chirally rotated vector field,
while an induced axial vector field disappears. In this region, the unit color
vector of chiral field plays a defining role, and a gauge field is parametrized
in terms of chiral parameters, so that no additional degrees of freedom are
introduced by the chiral field. A QCD gauge field decomposition in color
bosonization is a sum of a chirally rotated gauge field and an induced
axial-vector field expressed in terms of gluonic variables. An induced
axial-vector field defines the chiral color anomaly and an effective color
action of QCD. This action admits existence of a gauge invariant d=2 condensate
of induced axial-vector field and mass.


title: The Neutron as an Alternative Explanation for the Trans GZK Cosmic Rays

abstract:
  We consider the possibility that the particles in the Ultra High Energy
Cosmic Rays arriving to Earth might be neutrons instead of protons. We stress
that in such case the argument for the GZK cutoff is weaker and that it is
conceivable that neutrons would not be affected by it. This scenario would
require the neutron to start with an energy larger than the observed one, in
order to be able to travel the distances involved, within its proper life-time.
It must then loose most of the extra energy through interaction with the
galactic dark matter or some other matter in the intergalactic medium.


title: LHAPDF: PDF Use from the Tevatron to the LHC

abstract:
  Parton Density Functions (PDFs) and their uncertainties are extremely
important topics for both the Tevatron and the LHC. Experiments at the Tevatron
can enhance this knowledge not only by constraining the PDF fits, but also by
developing and refining the available PDF tools through feed-back from the
experiments that are currently analyzing the highest energy hadron collider
data available. It is important that the community has standardized tools and
methods at its disposal. In this note we summarize briefly the most recent
developments of the The Les Houches Accord PDF (LHAPDF), which is the modern
replacement for PDFLIB. We also outline and compare the methods of quantifying
the impact of PDF uncertainties on physical observables. The PDF weighting
method for propagating errors from PDFs to event generator observables is
outlined in detail, and example code for using this method with PYTHIA is also
included.


title: QCD at hadron colliders and in Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays

abstract:
  In the first part of my thesis I am concerned with the phenomenology of DGLAP
equations, and in particular I propose an algorithm to solve them numerically
and discuss its implementation in a computer program. I also illustrate some
applications of these studies, including a prediction for the total cross
section for Higgs detection at the LHC and for study of the Drell-Yan process
for the PAX experiment. In the second part of my thesis I analyze some
characteristic patterns of cosmic ray showers in the atmosphere through
theoretical modeling and computer simulations, with the main idea of looking
for some signatures to discriminate between exotic and standard events. In
particular my attention has been focused on decay events of mini black holes,
the formation of which is predicted by theories with extra dimensions.


title: Baryogenesis in the Two-Higgs Doublet Model

abstract:
  We consider the generation of the baryon asymmetry in the two-Higgs doublet
model. Investigating the thermal potential in the presence of CP violation, as
relevant for baryogenesis, we find a strong first-order phase transition if the
extra Higgs states are heavier than about 300 GeV. The mass of the lightest
Higgs can be as large as about 200 GeV. We compute the bubble wall properties,
including the profile of the relative complex phase between the two Higgs vevs.
The baryon asymmetry is generated by top transport, which we treat in the WKB
approximation. We find a baryon asymmetry consistent with observations. The
neutron electric dipole moment is predicted to be larger than about 10^{-27}ecm
and can reach the current experimental bound. Low values of tan\beta are
favored.


title: Big Bang Nucleosynthesis with Long Lived Charged Massive Particles

abstract:
  We consider Big Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN) with long lived charged massive
particles. Before decaying, the long lived charged particle recombines with a
light element to form a bound state like a hydrogen atom. This effect modifies
the nuclear reaction rates during the BBN epoch through the modifications of
the Coulomb field and the kinematics of the captured light elements, which can
change the light element abundances. It is possible that the heavier nuclei
abundances such as $^7$Li and $^7$Be decrease sizably, while the ratios $Y_p$,
D/H, and $^3$He/H remain unchanged. This may solve the current discrepancy
between the BBN prediction and the observed abundance of $^7$Li. If future
collider experiments found signals of a long-lived charged particle inside the
detector, the information of its lifetime and decay properties could provide
insights to understand not only the particle physics models but also the
phenomena in the early universe in turn.


title:
Test of FSR in the process $e^+e^-\to\pi^+\pi^-\gamma$ at DA$\Phi$NE and
  extraction of the pion form factor at threshold

abstract:
  Effects due to non-pointlike behaviour of pions in the process
$e^+e^-\to\pi^+\pi^-\gamma$ can arise for hard photons in the final state. By
means of a Monte Carlo event generator, which also includes the contribution of
the direct decay $\phi\to\pi^+\pi^-\gamma$, we estimate these effects in the
framework of Resonance Perturbation Theory. We consider angular cuts used in
the KLOE analysis of the pion form factor at threshold. A method to reveal the
effects of non-pointlike behaviour of pions in a model-independent way is
proposed.


title: Photon helicity in Lambda_b --> p K gamma decays

abstract:
  Radiative decays of polarized Lambda_b baryons represent an attractive
possibility to measure the helicity of the photon emitted in the b --> s gamma
quark transition and thus to subject the Standard Model to a stringent test at
existing and future hadron colliders. The most abundant mode, Lambda(1116)
gamma, is experimentally very challenging because of the long decay length of
the Lambda(1116). We show that the experimentally more accessible Lambda_b -->
p K gamma decays proceeding via Lambda resonances may be used to extract the
photon helicity for sufficient Lambda_b polarization, if the resonance spin
does not exceed 3/2. A direct comparison of the potential of such resonance
decays to assess the photon polarization at a hadron collider with respect to
the decay to Lambda(1116) is given.


title:
Particle production in field theories coupled to strong external
  sources. II: Generating functions

abstract:
  We discuss a method for computing the generating function for the
multiplicity distribution in field theories with strong time dependent external
sources. At leading order, the computation of the generating function reduces
to finding a pair of solutions of the classical equations of motion, with
non-standard temporal boundary conditions.


title: Effective restoration of chiral symmetry in excited mesons

abstract:
  A fast restoration of chiral symmetry in excited mesons is demonstrated. A
minimal "realistic" chirally symmetric confining model is used, where the only
interaction between quarks is the linear instantaneous Lorentz-vector confining
potential. Chiral symmetry breaking is generated via the nonperturbative
resummation of valence quarks self-energy loops and the meson bound states are
obtained from the Bethe-Salpeter equation. The excited mesons fall into
approximate chiral multiplets and lie on the approximately linear radial and
angular Regge trajectories, though a significant deviation from the linearity
of the angular trajectory is observed.


title:
Heavy meson semileptonic differential decay rate in two dimensions in
  the large Nc

abstract:
  We study QCD in 1+1 dimensions in the large $N_c$ limit using light-front
Hamiltonian perturbation theory in the $1/N_c$ expansion. We use this formalism
to exactly compute hadronic transition matrix elements for arbitrary currents
at leading order in $1/N_c$. We compute the semileptonic differential decay
rate of a heavy meson, $d\Gamma/dx$, and its moments, $M_N$, using the hadronic
matrix elements obtained previously. We put some emphasis in trying to
understand parity invariance. We also study with special care the kinematic
region where the operator product expansion ($1/N \sim 1-x \sim 1$) or
non-local effective field theories ($1/N \sim 1-x \sim \Lambda_{QCD}/m_Q$) can
be applied. We then compare with the results obtained using an effective field
theory approach based on perturbative factorization, with the focus to better
understand quark-hadron duality. At the end of the day, using effective field
theories, we have been able to obtain expressions for the moments with relative
accuracy of $O(\Lambda_{QCD}^2/m_Q^2)$ in the kinematic region where the
operator product expansion can be applied, and with relative accuracy of
$O(\Lambda_{QCD}/m_Q)$ in the kinematic region where non-local effective field
theories can be applied. These expressions agree, within this precision, with
those obtained from the hadronic result using the layer-function approximation
plus Euler-McLaurin expansion. Very good numerical agreement for the moments is
obtained between the exact result and the result using effective field
theories.


title:
Neutrino masses and mixing parameters in a left-right model with mirror
  fermions

abstract:
  In this work we consider a left-right model containing mirror fermions with
gauge group SU(3)$_{C} \otimes SU(2)_{L} \otimes SU(2)_{R} \otimes
U(1)_{Y^\prime}$. The model has several free parameters which here we have
calculated by using the recent values for the squared-neutrino mass
differences. Lower bound for the mirror vacuum expectation value helped us to
obtain crude estimations for some of these parameters. Also we estimate the
order of magnitude of the masses of the standard and mirror neutrinos.


title:
Production and detection of very light spin-zero bosons at optical
  frequencies

abstract:
  The PVLAS collaboration has observed rotation of the plane of polarization of
light passing through a magnetic field in vacuum and has proposed that the
effect is due to interaction of photons with very light spin-zero bosons. This
would represent new physics beyond the Standard Model, and hence it is of high
interest to test this hypothesis. We describe a proposed test of the PVLAS
result, and ways of producing, detecting, and studying such bosons with light
in the optical frequency range. Novel features include methods for measurements
of boson mass, interaction strengths, and decay- or oscillation-lengths with
techniques not available in the x-ray region.


title: Towards understanding Regge trajectories in holographic QCD

abstract:
  We reassess a work done by Migdal on the spectrum of low-energy vector mesons
in QCD in the light of the AdS-QCD correspondence. Recently, a tantalizing
parallelism was suggested between Migdal's work and a family of holographic
duals of QCD. Despite the intriguing similarities, both approaches face a major
drawback: the spectrum is in conflict with well-tested Regge scaling. However,
it has recently been shown that holographic duals can be modified to accomodate
Regge behavior. Therefore, it is interesting to understand whether Regge
behavior can also be achieved in Migdal's approach. In this paper we
investigate this issue. We find that Migdal's approach, which is based on a
modified Pade approximant, is closely related to the issue of quark-hadron
duality breakdown in QCD.


title: The Polonyi Problem and Upper bound on Inflation Scale in Supergravity

abstract:
  We reconsider the Polonyi problem in gravity-mediation models for
supersymmetry (SUSY) breaking. It has been argued that there is no problem in
the dynamical SUSY breaking scenarios, since the Polonyi field acquires a
sufficiently large mass of the order of the dynamical SUSY-breaking scale
Lamada_{SUSY}. However, we find that a linear term of the Polonyi field in the
Kahler potential brings us back to the Polonyi problem, unless the inflation
scale is sufficiently low, H_{inf} < 10^{8} GeV, or the reheating temperature
is extremely low, T_{R} < 100 GeV. Here, this Polonyi problem is more serious
than the original one, since the Polonyi field mainly decays into a pair of
gravitinos.


title: Energy and decay width of the pi-K atom

abstract:
  The energy and decay width of the pi-K atom are evaluated in the framework of
the quasipotential-constraint theory approach. The main electromagnetic and
isospin symmetry breaking corrections to the lowest-order formulas for the
energy shift from the Coulomb binding energy and for the decay width are
calculated. They are estimated to be of the order of a few per cent. We display
formulas to extract the strong interaction S-wave pi-K scattering lengths from
future experimental data concerning the pi-K atom.


title:
Lattice QCD Results on Strangeness and Quasi-Quarks in Heavy-Ion
  Collisions

abstract:
  Fluctuations of conserved quantities in heavy-ion collisions have been argued
to be diagnostic tools for the nature of the produced phase. These can be
related to the predictions of quark number susceptibilities (QNS) from lattice
QCD. Using the diagonal QNS, we extracted the Wroblewski parameter in a
dynamical QCD computation. Our results on the cross correlations \chi_{BQ},
\chi_{BY}, \chi_{BS} and \chi_{QY} allow us to explore the charge and baryon
number of objects that carry flavour. We present evidence that in the high
temperature phase of QCD the different flavour quantum numbers are excited in
linkages which are exactly the same as one expects from quarks.


title:
Probing neutrino oscillations from supernovae shock waves via the
  IceCube detector

abstract:
  The time dependent neutrino oscillation signals due to the passage of a shock
wave through the supernovae are analyzed for the case of three active neutrinos
and also for the case that there are two additional sterile neutrinos. It is
shown that, even without flavour identification and energy measurement,
detailed information about the masses and mixing angles of the neutrinos may be
obtained with a detector with excellent time resolution such as IceCube. Such a
signal would also give important information about the nature of the shock wave
within the supernovae.


title:
Exploring the Chiral Regime of QCD in the Interacting Instanton Liquid
  Model

abstract:
  The Interacting Instanton Liquid Model is used to explore the role of
instanton induced dynamics in hadron structure. To support the validity of this
model in the chiral regime, the quark mass dependencies of several properties
are shown to agree with chiral perturbation theory, including the density of
eigenmodes of the Dirac operator and the masses of the pion and nucleon. A
quark mass m* = 80 MeV emerging naturally from the model is shown to specify
the mass scale above which the fermion determinant is suppressed, the zero
modes become subdominant, and the density of quasi-zero modes become
independent of the quark mass.


title: Detecting metastable staus and gravitinos at the ILC

abstract:
  A study of various SUSY scenarios is presented in which the lightest
supersymmetric particle is the gravitino $\sG$ and the next-to-lightest
supersymmetric particle is a scalar tau $\stau$ with lifetimes ranging from
seconds to years. Gravitinos are interesting dark matter candidates which can
be produced in decays of heavier sparticles at the International Linear
Collider (ILC), but remain undetected in direct searches of astrophysical
experiments. We investigate the detection and measurement of metastable staus,
which may be copiously produced at the ILC either directly or via cascade
decays. A proper choice of the experimental conditions will allow one to stop
large samples of staus in the calorimeters of the ILC detector and to study the
subsequent decays $\stau\to\tau\sG$. Detailed simulations show that the
properties of the stau and the gravitino, such as stau mass and lifetime and
gravitino mass, can be accurately determined at a future ILC and may provide
direct access to the gravitational coupling, respectively Planck scale.


title: Nuclear Medium Effects in $J/\Psi$ Production at HERA-B

abstract:
  In this paper we estimate the influence of the shadowing effect and initial
state parton energy loss in the quarkonium production at HERA-B. We analyze the
$x_F$ behavior of the effective exponent $\alpha (x_F)$ and present a
comparison with the preliminary HERA-B data for $J/\Psi$ production. Moreover,
we estimate the magnitude of these effects in the $J/\Psi$ production at RHIC.


title:
The leading-twist pion and kaon distribution amplitudes from the QCD
  instanton vacuum

abstract:
  We investigate the leading-twist light-cone distribution amplitudes for the
pion and kaon, based on the nonlocal chiral quark model from the instanton
vacuum. Effects of explicit flavor SU(3)-symmetry breaking are taken into
account. The Gegenbauer moments are computed, analyzed and compared with those
of other models. The one-loop QCD evolution of the moments is briefly
discussed. The transverse momentum distributions are also discussed for the
pion and kaon light-cone wave functions.


title: b to d d s bar transition and constraints on new physics in B^- decays

abstract:
  The b to d d s bar transition gives extremely small branching ratios within
the standard model, thus providing an appropriate ground for testing new
physics. Using renormalization group technique we determine the Wilson
coefficients and the mixing of the operators which contribute to the b to d d s
bar transition. We consider contributions to this decay mode from the
supersymmetric standard model with and without R-parity, as well as from a
model with an additional neutral Z' gauge boson. Using Belle and BaBar upper
bounds for the B^- to pi^- pi^- K^+ branching ratio we constrain contributions
of these new physics scenarios. Then we calculate branching ratios for two- and
three-body nonleptonic B^- meson decays driven by the b to d d s transition,
which might be experimentally accessible.


title: Triangular mass matrices for quarks and leptons

abstract:
  We assume that all quark and lepton $3 \times 3$ mass matrices which appear
in the standard model lagrangian (after spontaneous symmetry breaking) with
neutrinos treated as Dirac patricles have the triangular form. Such matrices
have not only less non-zero elements (three of them are equal to zero) but also
lead to very asymmetrical decomposition into one diagonal and two unitary
matrices for quarks and leptons. We also assume that unitary matrices which
transform flavor into definite mass states for right handed components (weakly
non-interacting) in the same weak isodoublet are equal. Using all available
experimental data on quark and lepton masses and mixing angles, treating in the
universal way quarks and leptons, we determine the triangular mass matrices for
up and down type quarks, neutrinos and charged leptons and as a consequence
mixing matrices for left-handed and right handed components. As the result of
the fit we get predictions for the neutrino masses including smallest neutrino
mass. The calculations without CP violation and with inclusion of this effect
in quark sector are also presented.


title: Relating small Feynman and Bjoken $x$

abstract:
  This is a working progress report on the attempt by Yuri Dokshitzer, Gavin
Salam and myself to relate the small-$x$ behaviour of the anomalous dimensions
in the time- and space-like cases. This relation is based on a ``reciprocity
respecting equation'' we propose


title:
Baryogenesis by R-parity violating top quark decays and
  neutron-antineutron oscillations

abstract:
  Generation of the cosmological baryon asymmetry in SUSY based model with
broken R-parity and low scale gravity is considered. The model allows for a
long-life time or even stable proton and observable neutron-antineutron
oscillations.


title: Anatomy of F_D-Term Hybrid Inflation

abstract:
  We analyze the cosmological implications of F-term hybrid inflation with a
subdominant Fayet--Iliopoulos D-term whose presence explicitly breaks a
D-parity in the inflaton-waterfall sector. This scenario of inflation, which is
called F_D-term hybrid model for brevity, can naturally predict lepton number
violation at the electroweak scale, by tying the mu-parameter of the MSSM to an
SO(3)-symmetric Majorana mass m_N, via the vacuum expectation value of the
inflaton field. We show how a negative Hubble-induced mass term in a
next-to-minimal extension of supergravity helps to accommodate the present CMB
data and considerably weaken the strict constraints on the theoretical
parameters, resulting from cosmic string effects on the power spectrum P_R. The
usual gravitino overabundance constraint may be significantly relaxed in this
model, once the enormous entropy release from the late decays of the ultraheavy
waterfall gauge particles is properly considered. As the Universe enters a
second thermalization phase involving a very low reheat temperature, which
might be as low as about 0.3 TeV, thermal electroweak-scale resonant
leptogenesis provides a viable mechanism for successful baryogenesis, while
thermal right-handed sneutrinos emerge as new possible candidates for solving
the cold dark matter problem. In addition, we discuss grand unified theory
realizations of F_D-term hybrid inflation devoid of cosmic strings and
monopoles, based on the complete breaking of an SU(2) subgroup. The F_D-term
hybrid model offers rich particle-physics phenomenology, which could be probed
at high-energy colliders, as well as in low-energy experiments of lepton
flavour or number violation.


title: ElectroWeak precision data: the minimal set of parameters

abstract:
  We show how precision electroweak data, assuming CP conservation and flavor
universality, despite being sensitive to 20 dimension 6 operators, constrain
severely only 9 combinations of them. We define a set of 7 oblique parameters
$\hat S, \hat T, \hat U, V, X,W,Y$ which fully describe corrections to the
leptonic observables. We add two additional parameters $\delta \epsilon_q,
\delta C_q$ to take into account the most precise hadronic observables. Another
parameter $\delta \epsilon_b$ is considered for the bottom quark if flavor
universality is not assumed for the third generation of quarks. We show that
the approximation is extremely satisfactory testing it on a set of random new
physics models and on some famous $Z'$ gauge bosons.


title: Constraints on gluon polarization in the nucleon at NLO accuracy

abstract:
  We compare constraints on the gluon polarization in the nucleon obtained in
next to leading order global QCD fits to polarized deep inelastic scattering
data with those coming from observables more directly linked to the gluon
polarization, such as the double spin asymmetry measured by Phenix at RHIC, and
high-pT hadron production studied by COMPASS


title: New Universal Flavor-Electroweak Physical Constant and Neutrino Type

abstract:
  By analogy with the solution of the classical physics problems achieved not
by an extension of the established dynamic and symmetry knowledge but by the
emergence of a fundamentally new empirical physical constant h leading to
quantum mechanics, I address in this paper the known basic problems of lepton
mass ratios, neutrino type and electroweak charges in terms of an emerging new
dimensionless flavor-electroweak physical constant of a new sort. A special
value of that new universal constant is suggested av0 = exp(-5). Like the Plank
constant h, initially closely related to suggested discrete radiation energy,
the new constant a_o is related here to the problem of discrete electric
charge. With known data, it is observed that the constant a_o determines the
mass ratios of charged leptons, the mass ratios and absolute mass scale and
oscillation mass squared differences of quasidegenerate neutrinos on the one
hand, and the low energy fine structure constant and the second electroweak
constant on the other hand. I gathered, organized and commented here an
interesting system of primary observations made on particle mass and
electroweak experimental data. As a result, the new physical constant a_o
describes a fundamental aspect of low energy phenomenology uniting the
electroweak theory with the necessary idea of anthropic selection of the free
interaction constant values and particle flavor freedom mass values.


title: Maximum Significance at the LHC and Higgs Decays to Muons

abstract:
  We present a new way to define and compute the maximum significance
achievable for signal and background processes at the LHC, using all available
phase space information. As an example, we show that a light Higgs boson
produced in weak--boson fusion with a subsequent decay into muons can be
extracted from the backgrounds. The method, aimed at phenomenological studies,
can be incorporated in parton--level event generators and accommodate
parametric descriptions of detector effects for selected observables.


title:
On Statistical Mechanics Developments of Clan Concept in Multiparticle
  Production

abstract:
  Clan concept has been introduced in multiparticle dynamics in order to
interpret the wide occurrence of negative binomial (NB) regularity in n-charged
particle multiplicity distributions (MDs) in various high energy collisions.
The centrality of clan concept led to the attempt to justify its occurrence
within a statistical model of clan formation and evolution. In this framework
all thermodynamical potentials have been explicitly calculated in terms of NB
parameters. Interestingly it was found that NB parameter k corresponds to the
one particle canonical partition function. The goal of this paper is to explore
a possible temperature and volume dependence of parameter k in various classes
of events in high energy hadron-hadron collisions. It is shown that the
existence of a phase transition at parton level from the ideal clan gas
associated to the semihard component with k>1 to the ideal clan gas of the hard
component with k<1 implies a discontinuity in the average number of particles
at hadron level.


title: Infrared safe definition of jet flavour

abstract:
  Though it is widely taken for granted that it makes sense to separately
discuss quark and gluon jets, normal jet algorithms lead to a net parton-level
jet flavour that is infrared (IR) unsafe. This writeup illustrates the problem
and explains how the kt algorithm can be modified to provide an IR safe
parton-level flavour. As well as being of use in theoretical calculations that
require a projection of higher-order contributions onto a flavour-channel of
the lowest order, jet-flavour algorithms also open up the prospect of
significant improvements in the accuracy of heavy-quark jet predictions.


title:
Power Spectrum of the Density Perturbations From Smooth Hybrid New
  Inflation Model

abstract:
  We numerically investigate density perturbations generated in the smooth
hybrid new inflation model, a kind of double inflation model that is designed
to reproduce the running spectral index suggested by the WMAP results. We
confirm that this model provides the running spectral index within 1sigma range
of the three year WMAP result. In addition, we find a sharp and strong peak on
the spectrum of primordial curvature perturbation at small scales. This
originates from amplification of fluctuation in the first inflaton fields due
to parametric resonance, which takes place in the oscillatory phase between two
inflationary regime. Formation probability of primordial black holes (PBHs) is
discussed as a consequence of such peak.


title:
Reconciling large CP-violating phases with bounds on the electric dipole
  moments in the MSSM

abstract:
  The possibility of cancelation between different contributions to d_e, d_n
and d_{Hg} has been reconsidered with special emphasis on the region that is
phenomenologically interesting (intermediate values of \tan \beta and sub-TeV
sfermion masses). It is found that in the range favored by electroweak
baryogenesis (\it i.e., |\mu|\simeq M_1 or |\mu|\simeq M_2), \sin
[\theta_\mu+\theta_{M_1}]\sim 1 can be compatible with the EDM bounds even for
slepton masses below 500 GeV. Such large values of the phases promise a
successful electroweak baryogenesis. The possibility of large CP-odd effects at
linear collider has also been discussed.


title:
Addendum to ``Threshold corrections to $m_b$ and the $\bar{b}b \to
  H^0_i$ production in CP-violating SUSY scenarios''

abstract:
  In hep-ph/0401024: ``Threshold corrections to $m_b$ and the $\bar{b}b\to
H^0_i$ production in CP-violating SUSY scenarios'', we have pointed out that
the production cross sections of the three neutral Higgs bosons through
$\bar{b}b$ fusion can deviate substantially from those obtained in CP
conserving scenarios, thanks to the nontrivial role played by the threshold
corrections to $m_b$ combined with the CP-violating mixing in the
neutral-Higgs-boson sector. The deviations are largest for values of the
CP-violating phases that maximize the mixing among at least two of the three
neutral Higgs bosons. We complement our previous work focussing explicitly on
the values of masses and widths of the three neutral Higgs bosons in this
region of parameter space. We then address the issue of whether the three
different peaks in the invariant mass distribution of the Higgs-decay products
can be experimentally disentangled at the LHC.


title: Equation of state for distributed mass quark matter

abstract:
  We investigate how the QCD equation of state can be reconstructed by a
continous mass distribution of non-interacting ideal components. We find that
adjusting the mass scale as a function of the temperature leads to results
which are conform to the quasiparticle model, but a temperature independent
distribution also may fit lattice results. The fitted mass distribution tends
to show a mass gap, supporting the physical picture of the quark coalescence in
hadronization.


title:
Exclusive J/psi production in pp and ppbar collisions and the QCD
  odderon

abstract:
  We briefly present the QCD based calculation of exclusive J/psi production
via pomeron-odderon fusion in proton-antiproton collisions. For the Tevatron
energy the differential cross section dsigma/dy(y=0) is estimated to be around
1 nb.


title:
Self-consistent variational approach to the minimal left-right symmetric
  model of electroweak interactions

abstract:
  The problem of mass generation is addressed by a Gaussian variational method
for the minimal left-right symmetric model of electroweak interactions. Without
any scalar bidoublet, the Gaussian effective potential is shown to have a
minimum for a broken symmetry vacuum with a finite expectation value for both
the scalar Higgs doublets. The symmetry is broken by the fermionic coupling
that destabilizes the symmetric vacuum, yielding a self consistent fermionic
mass. In this framework a light Higgs is only compatible with the existence of
a new high energy mass scale below 2 TeV.


title:
Bounding the magnetic and electric dipole moments of tau nu from the
  process e+e- --> nu bar nu gamma in E6 Superstring Models

abstract:
  We obtain bounds on the anomalous magnetic and electric dipole moments of the
tau-neutrino through the reaction $e^{+}e^{-}\to \nu \bar \nu \gamma$ at the
$Z_1$-pole in the framework of a Left-Right symmetric model and a class of
$E_6$ inspired models with an additional neutral vector boson $Z_\theta$. We
use the data collected by the L3 Collaboration at LEP. For the parameters of
the $E_6$ model we consider the mixing angle $\theta_{E_6}=37.8^o$ and
$M_{Z_\theta}=7M_{Z_1}$. We find that our bounds are of the same order of
magnitude as those obtained in other extensions of the Standard Model.


title:
Unification and fermion mass relations in low string scale D-brane
  models

abstract:
  In this talk, gauge coupling evolution is analyzed in D-brane inspired models
with two Higgs doublets and a U(3)xU(2)xU(1)^N gauge symmetry. In particular,
we focus on D-brane configurations with two or three abelian factors. We find
that the correct hypercharge assignment of the Standard Model particles is
reproduced for six viable models distinguished by different brane
configurations. We also investigate the bottom tau quark mass relation and find
that the correct low energy m_b / m_\tau ratio is obtained for equal b-\tau
Yukawa couplings at a string scale around 10^3 TeV.


title:
Generalized form factors, generalized parton distributions and the spin
  contents of the nucleon

abstract:
  With a special intention of clarifying the underlying spin contents of the
nucleon, we investigate the generalized form factors of the nucleon, which are
defined as the $n$-th $x$-moments of the generalized parton distribution
functions, within the framework of the chiral quark soliton model. A particular
emphasis is put on the pion mass dependence of final predictions, which we
shall compare with the predictions of lattice QCD simulations carried out in
the so-called heavy pion region around $m_\pi \simeq (700 \sim 900)
  {MeV}$. We find that some observables are very sensitive to the variation of
the pion mass. It will be argued that the negligible importance of the quark
orbital angular momentum indicated by the LHPC and QCDSF lattice collaborations
might be true in the unrealistic heavy pion world, but it is not necessarily
the case in our real world close to the chiral limit.


title:
Relic abundance of dark matter in the minimal universal extra dimension
  model

abstract:
  We investigate the relic abundance of dark matter in the minimal universal
extra dimension model including resonance processes by second Kaluza-Klein (KK)
particles in all coannihilation processes. After including second KK resonance
processes, the relic abundance of dark matter is reduced by about 30%. Thus,
the compactification scale 1/R of the extra dimension consistent with the WMAP
observation is increased by a few hundred GeV. As a result, the cosmologically
allowed compactification scale is 600 GeV < 1/R < 1400 GeV for Lambda R = 20.


title: Flavour Matters in Leptogenesis

abstract:
  We give analytic approximations to the baryon asymmetry produced by thermal
leptogenesis with hierarchical right-handed neutrinos. Our calculation includes
flavour-dependent washout processes and CP violation in scattering, and
neglects gauge interactions and finite temperature corrections. Our approximate
formulae depend upon the three CP asymmetries in the individual lepton flavours
as well as on three flavour-dependent efficiency factors. We show that the
commonly used expressions for the lepton asymmetry, which depend on the total
CP asymmetry and one single efficiency factor, may fail to reproduce the
correct lepton asymmetry in a number of cases. We illustrate the importance of
using the flavour-dependent formulae in the context of a two right-handed
neutrino model.


title:
Diffractive dissociation including pomeron loops in zero transverse
  dimensions

abstract:
  We have recently studied the QCD pomeron loop evolution equations in zero
transverse dimensions [Shoshi:2005pf]. Using the techniques developed in
[Shoshi:2005pf] together with the AGK cutting rules, we present a calculation
of single, double and central diffractive cross sections (for large diffractive
masses and large rapidity gaps) in zero transverse dimensions in which all
dominant pomeron loop graphs are consistently summed. We find that the
diffractive cross sections unitarise at asymptotic energies and that they are
suppressed by powers of alpha_s. Our calculation is expected to expose some of
the diffractive physics in hadron-hadron collisions at high energy.


title: MSSM inflation

abstract:
  Variants of the $A$-term model of hep-ph/0605035 are considered. They are
equally successful, indicating that the model is quite robust once the relation
between $A$ and the soft mass is regarded as tunable.
  Alternatively a flat direction might support modular inflation.


title: The Cosmology - Particle Physics Connection

abstract:
  Modern cosmology poses deep and unavoidable questions for fundamental
physics. In this plenary talk, delivered in slightly different forms at the
{\it Particles and Nuclei International Conference} (PANIC05) in Santa Fe, in
October 2005, and at the {\it CMB and Physics of the Early Universe
International Conference}, on the island of Ischia, Italy, in April 2006, I
discuss the broad connections between cosmology and particle physics, focusing
on physics at the TeV scale, accessible at the next and future generations of
colliders


title: Neutrino Masses in Split Supersymmetry

abstract:
  We investigate the possibility to generate neutrino masses in the context of
Split supersymmetric scenarios where all sfermions are very heavy. All relevant
contributions coming from the R-parity violating terms to the neutrino mass
matrix up to one-loop level are computed, showing the importance of the Higgs
one-loop corrections. We conclude that it is not possible to generate all
neutrino masses and mixings in Split SUSY with bilinear R-Parity violating
interactions. In the case of Partial Split SUSY the one-loop Higgs
contributions are enough to generate the neutrino masses and mixings in
agreement with the experiment. In the context of minimal SUSY SU(5) we find new
contributions which help us to generate neutrino masses in the case of Split
SUSY.


title: Distinguishing Spins in Decay Chains at the Large Hadron Collider

abstract:
  If new particles are discovered at the LHC, it will be important to determine
their spins in as model-independent a way as possible. We consider the case,
commonly encountered in models of physics beyond the Standard Model, of a new
scalar or fermion $D$ decaying sequentially into other new particles $C,B,A$
via the decay chain $D\to C q$, $C\to B l^{near}$, $B\to A l^{far}$, $l^{near}$
and $l^{far}$ being opposite-sign same-flavour charged leptons and $A$ being
invisible. We compute the observable 2- and 3-particle invariant mass
distributions for all possible spin assignments of the new particles, and
discuss their distinguishability using a quantitative measure known as the
Kullback-Leibler distance.


title:
Constraining pre Big-Bang-Nucleosynthesis Expansion using Cosmic
  Antiprotons

abstract:
  A host of dark energy models and non-standard cosmologies predict an enhanced
Hubble rate in the early Universe: perfectly viable models, which satisfy Big
Bang Nucleosynthesis (BBN), cosmic microwave background and general relativity
tests, may nevertheless lead to enhancements of the Hubble rate up to many
orders of magnitude. In this paper we show that strong bounds on the pre-BBN
evolution of the Universe may be derived, under the assumption that dark matter
is a thermal relic, by combining the dark matter relic density bound with
constraints coming from the production of cosmic-ray antiprotons by dark matter
annihilation in the Galaxy. The limits we derive can be sizable and apply to
the Hubble rate around the temperature of dark matter decoupling. For dark
matter masses lighter than 100 GeV, the bound on the Hubble-rate enhancement
ranges from a factor of a few to a factor of 30, depending on the actual
cosmological model, while for a mass of 500 GeV the bound falls in the range
50-500. Uncertainties in the derivation of the bounds and situations where the
bounds become looser are discussed. We finally discuss how these limits apply
to some specific realizations of non-standard cosmologies: a scalar-tensor
gravity model, kination models and a Randall-Sundrum D-brane model.


title: Higgs Phenomenology with CPsuperH

abstract:
  The MSSM contains CP-violating phases that may have important observable
effects in Higgs physics. We review recent highlights in Higgs phenomenology
obtained with the code CPsuperH, a useful tool for studies of the production,
mixing and decay of a coupled system of the neutral Higgs bosons at future high
energy colliders such as the LHC, ILC ($\gamma$LC), and a muon collider (MC).
CPsuperH implements the constraints from upper limits on electric dipole
moments, and may be extended to include other related low-energy observables,
such as b -> s \gamma and B -> K l l, and to compute the relic abundance of the
lightest neutralino.


title:
Observable Neutron-Anti-Neutron Oscillation, Baryogenesis and High Scale
  Seesaw

abstract:
  Seesaw mechanism has been a dominant paradigm in the discussion of neutrino
masses. I discuss how this idea can be tested via a baryon number violating
process such as $N-\bar{N}$ oscillation. Since the expected seesaw scale is
high and the $N-\bar{N}$ amplitude goes like $M^{-5}_{R}$, one might think that
this process is not observable in realistic seesaw models for neutrino masses.
In this talk I show that in supersymmetric models, the above conclusion is
circumvented leading to an enhanced and observable rate for $N-\bar{N}$
oscillation. I also discuss a new mechanism for baryogenesis in generic models
for neutron-anti-neutron oscillation and show how the requirement of adequate
baryogenesis can put an upper limit on the neutron-anti-neutron oscillation
time.


title:
Study of the Change from Walking to Non-Walking Behavior in a Vectorial
  Gauge Theory as a Function of Nf

abstract:
  We study a vectorial gauge theory with gauge group SU(Nc) and a variable
number, Nf, of massless fermions in the fundamental representation of this
group. Using approximate solutions of Schwinger-Dyson and Bethe-Salpeter
equations, we calculate meson masses and investigate how these depend on Nf. We
focus on the range of Nf extending from near the boundary with a non-Abelian
Coulomb phase, where the theory exhibits a slowly running ("walking") gauge
coupling, toward smaller values where the theory has non-walking behavior. Our
results include determinations of the masses of the lowest-lying flavor-adjoint
mesons with J^{PC} = 0^{-+}, 1^{--}, 0^{++}, and 1^{++} (the generalized \pi,
\rho, a0, and a1). Related results are given for flavor-singlet mesons and for
the generalization of f_\pi. These results give insight into the change from
walking to non-walking behavior in a gauge theory, as a function of Nf .


title: Seven parton amplitudes from recursion relations

abstract:
  We present the first calculation of two-quark and five-gluon tree amplitudes
using on-shell recursion relations. These amplitudes are needed for tree level
5-jet cross-section and an essential ingredient for next-to-leading order 4-jet
and next-to-next-to-leading order 3-jet production at hadronic colliders. Very
compact expressions for all possible helicity configurations are provided,
allowing for direct implementation in Monte-Carlo codes.


title: Electroweak Symmetry Breaking and Precision Tests with a Fifth Dimension

abstract:
  We perform a complete study of flavour and CP conserving electroweak
observables in a slight refinement of a recently proposed five--dimensional
model on R^4XS^1/Z_2, where the Higgs is the internal component of a gauge
field and the Lorentz symmetry is broken in the fifth dimension.
  Interestingly enough, the relevant corrections to the electroweak observables
turn out to be of universal type and essentially depend only on the value of
the Higgs mass and on the scale of new physics, in our case the
compactification scale 1/R. The model passes all constraints for 1/R > 4.7 TeV
at 90% C.L., with a moderate fine--tuning in the parameters. The Higgs mass
turns out to be always smaller than 200 GeV although higher values would be
allowed, due to a large correction to the T parameter. The lightest non-SM
states in the model are typically colored fermions with a mass of order 1-2
TeV.


title: Dimension-Five Operators in Grand Unified Theories

abstract:
  Extensions of the standard model with low-energy supersymmetry generically
allow baryon- and lepton-number violating operators of dimension four and five,
yielding rapid proton decay. The dimension-four operators are usually forbidden
by matter parity. We investigate to what extent the appearance of
dimension-five operators at the Planck scale may be constrained by the
different grand-unified gauge groups. Dimension-five operators are suppressed
in models based on E_6 and SU(3)_C x SU(3)_L x SU(3)_R, where four matter
fields do not form a gauge singlet. An intermediate scale offers the
possibility to sufficiently suppress these dimension-five operators.


title: The QCD collisional energy loss revised

abstract:
  It is shown that to leading order the QCD collisional energy loss reads
$dE/dx \sim \alpha(m_D^2)T^2$. Compared to prevalent expressions, $dE^B/dx \sim
\alpha^2 T^2 \ln(ET/m_D^2)$, which could be considered adaptions of the (QED)
Bethe-Bloch formula, the rectified result takes into account the running
coupling, as dictated by renormalization. As one significant consequence, due
to asymptotic freedom, the collisional energy loss becomes independent of the
jet energy $E$. Some implications with regard to heavy ion collisions are
pointed out.


title: Electromagnetic structure functions and neutrino nucleon scattering

abstract:
  Electromagnetic structure functions for electron-proton scattering are used
as a test of the QCD improved parton model at low and moderate Q. Two
parameterizations which work well in ep scattering at low Q are used to
evaluate the inelastic muon neutrino-nucleon and muon antineutrino-nucleon
cross sections for energies between 1-10 GeV, of interest in long baseline
neutrino oscillation experiments. Cross sections are reduced when these low-Q
extrapolations are used.


title: Spin Measurements in Cascade Decays at the LHC

abstract:
  We systematically study the possibility of determining the spin of new
particles after their discovery at the LHC. We concentrate on angular
correlations in cascade decays. Motivated by constraints of electroweak
precision tests and the potential of providing a Cold Dark Matter candidate, we
focus on scenarios of new physics in which some discrete symmetry guarantees
the existence of stable neutral particles which escape the detector. More
specifically, we compare supersymmetry with another generic scenario in which
new physics particles have the same spin as their Standard Model partners. A
survey of possibilities of observing spin correlations in a broad range of
decay channels is carried out, with interesting ones identified. Rather than
confining ourselves to one "collider friendly" benchmark point (such as SPS1a),
we describe the parameter region in which any particular decay channel is
effective. We conduct a more detailed study of chargino's spin determination in
the decay channel $\tilde{q}\to q + \tilde{C}^\pm \to q + W^\pm + LSP$. A scan
over the chargino and neutralino masses is performed. We find that as long as
the spectrum is not too degenerate the prospects for spin determination in this
channel are rather good.


title: The Gravitino-Overproduction Problem in Inflationary Universe

abstract:
  We show that the gravitino-overproduction problem is prevalent among
inflation models in supergravity. An inflaton field \phi generically acquires
(effective) non-vanishing auxiliary field G_\phi, if the K\"ahler potential is
non-minimal. The inflaton field then decays into a pair of the gravitinos. We
extensively study the cosmological constraints on G_\phi for a wide range of
the gravitino mass. For many inflation models we explicitly estimate G_\phi,
and show that the gravitino-overproduction problem severely constrains the
inflation models, unless such an interaction as K = \kappa/2 |\phi|^2 z^2 +
h.c. is suppressed (here z is the field responsible for the supersymmetry
breaking). We find that many of them are already excluded or on the verge of,
if \kappa \sim O(1).


title:
Probing CP-violating contact interactions in e+e- --> HZ with polarized
  beams

abstract:
  We examine very general four-point interactions arising due to new physics
contributing to the Higgs production process e+e- --> HZ. We write all possible
forms for these interactions consistent with Lorentz invariance. We allow the
possibility of CP violation. Contributions to the process from anomalous ZZH
and gammaZH interactions studied earlier arise as a special case of our
four-point amplitude. Expressions for polar and azimuthal angular distributions
of Z arising from the interference of the four-point contribution with the
standard-model contribution in the presence of longitudinal and transverse beam
polarization are obtained. An interesting CP-odd and T-odd contribution is
found to be present only when both electron and positron beams are transversely
polarized. Such a contribution is absent when only anomalous ZZH and gammaZH
interactions are considered. We show how angular asymmetries can be used to
constrain CP-odd interactions at a linear collider operating at a
centre-of-mass energy of 500 GeV with transverse beam polarization.


title: Lepton flavor violation in $\tau$ decays

abstract:
  We study the lepton flavor violation (LFV) in tau decays in the framework of
the supersymmetric seesaw mechanism with nonholomorphic terms for the lepton
sector at a large $\tan\beta$. In particular, we analyze two new decay modes
$\tau\to \ell f_0(980)$ and $\tau\to \ell K^{+} K^{-}$ arising from the scalar
boson exchanges contrast to $\tau\to \ell\eta^{(\prime)}$ from the pseudoscalar
ones. We find that the decay branching ratios of the two new modes could be not
only as large as the current upper limits of $O(10^{-7})$, but also larger than
those of $\tau\to \ell \eta^{(\prime)}$. Experimental searches for the two
modes are important for the LFV induced by the scalar-mediated mechanism. In
addition, we show that the decay branching ratios of $\tau\to \ell \mu^{+}
\mu^{-}$ are related to those of $\tau\to \ell \eta$ and $\tau\to \ell
f_0(980)$.


title:
Solutions of Coupled DGLAP Evolution Equations for Singlet and Gluon
  Structure Functions in leading order at low-x

abstract:
  In this paper, we solved the coupled
Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi (DGLAP) evolution equations for
singlet and gluon structure functions in leading order (LO) at low-x assuming
the Regge behaviour of quark and gluon structure functions at this limit, and t
and x-evolutions of singlet and gluon structure functions are presented. We
have compared our results of gluon structure function with global MRST 2004 and
GRV 1998 gluon parameterizations and the results of deuteron structure function
with New Muon Collaboration (NMC) data. We have shown that the solutions of
coupled equations give accurate results for the structure functions and also
the compatibility of Regge behaviour of quark and gluon structure functions
with perturbative quantum chromodynamics (PQCD) at low-x.


title: Standard Model expectations on sin2beta(phi_1) from b to s penguins

abstract:
  Recent results of the standard model expectations on sin2beta(phi_1) from
penguin-dominated b to s decays are briefly reviewed.


title: (Non)decoupling of the Higgs triplet effects

abstract:
  We consider the electroweak theory with an additional Higgs triplet at one
loop using the hybrid renormalization scheme based on $\alpha_{\rm EM}$, $G_F$
and $M_Z$ as input observables. We show that in this scheme loop corrections
can be naturally split into the Standard Model part and corrections due to
``new physics''. The latter, however do not decouple in the limit of infinite
triplet mass parameter, if the triplet trilinear coupling to SM Higgs doublets
grows along with the the triplet mass. In electroweak observables computed at
one loop this effect can be attributed to radiative generation in this limit of
a nonvanishing vacuum expectation value of the triplet. We also point out that
whenever tree level expressions for the electroweak observables depend on
vacuum expectation values of scalar fields other than the Standard Model Higgs
doublet, tadpole contribution to the ``oblique'' parameter $T$ should in
principle be included. In the Appendix the origin of nondecoupling is discussed
on the basis of symmetry principles in a simple scalar field theory.


title: X(1835) as Proton-Antiproton Bound State in Skyrme Model

abstract:
  We present a review to the recent works related to interpreting the exotic
particle X(1835) reported by BES as a $N\bar{N}$-baryonium in the Skyrme model.
  There are two evidences that support this interpretation: 1) There exist a
classical $N\bar{N}$-Skyrmion solution with about $\sim 10$MeV binding energies
in the model; 2) The decay of this Skymion-baryonium is caused by annihilation
of $p-\bar{p}$ inside X(1835) through the quantum tunneling effect, and hence
the most favorable decay channels are $X\to \eta 4\pi$ or $X\to \eta' 2\pi$.
These lead to reasonable interpreting the data of BES, and especially to useful
prediction on the decay mode of X(1835) for the experiment.


title:
Dipole model for double meson production in two-photon interactions at
  high energies

abstract:
  In this work the double vector meson production in two-photon interactions at
high energies is investigated considering saturation physics. We extend the
color dipole picture for this process and study the energy and virtuality
dependence of the forward differential cross section. Comparison with previous
results is presented and the contribution of the different photon polarizations
is estimated.


title: Skyrmions, Hadrons and isospin chemical potential

abstract:
  Using the Hamiltonian formulation, in terms of collective variables, we
explore the evolution of different skyrmionic parameters as function of the
isospin chemical potential ($\mu$), such as the energy density, the charge
density, the isoscalar radius and the isoscalar magnetic radius. We found that
the radii start to grow very fast for $\mu \gtrsim 140$ MeV, suggesting the
occurrence of a phase transition.


title: Gravitino Dark Matter and Cosmological Constraints

abstract:
  The gravitino is a promising candidate for cold dark matter. We study
cosmological constraints on scenarios in which the gravitino is the lightest
supersymmetric particle and a charged slepton the next-to-lightest
supersymmetric particle (NLSP). We obtain new results for the hadronic
nucleosynthesis bounds by computing the 4-body decay of the NLSP slepton into
the gravitino, the associated lepton, and a quark-antiquark pair. The bounds
from the observed dark matter density are refined by taking into account
gravitinos from both late NLSP decays and thermal scattering in the early
Universe. We examine the present free-streaming velocity of gravitino dark
matter and the limits from observations and simulations of cosmic structures.
Assuming that the NLSP sleptons freeze out with a thermal abundance before
their decay, we derive new bounds on the slepton and gravitino masses. The
implications of the constraints for cosmology and collider phenomenology are
discussed and the potential insights from future experiments are outlined. We
propose a set of benchmark scenarios with gravitino dark matter and long-lived
charged NLSP sleptons and describe prospects for the Large Hadron Collider and
the International Linear Collider.


title: Charmed Hadrons from Strangeness-rich QGP

abstract:
  The yields of charmed hadrons emitted by strangeness rich QGP are evaluated
within chemical non-equilibrium statistical hadronization model, conserving
strangeness, charm, and entropy yields at hadronization.


title:
Measuring the Leptonic CP Phase in $\nu_{\mu} \to \nu_{\mu}$
  Oscillations

abstract:
  In $\nu_{\mu} \to \nu_{\mu}$ oscillations, we find that the effect of the CP
phase $\delta$ becomes large in the region $E<2$ GeV and $L>2000$ km. In this
region, the change of the probability in this channel reaches about 0.4 due to
the CP phase effect beyond our expectation in the case of large 1-3 mixing
angle. Furthermore, the CP phase effect have almost same sign over the region
$E>0.5$ GeV so that one may find the signal of CP violation by measuring the
total rate only. As an example, we use an experimental setup and demonstrate
that the allowed region is limited to one by combined analysis of $\nu_e$ and
$\nu_{\mu}$ events although there remain three allowed regions by the analysis
of $\nu_e$ events alone.


title: Heavy quark production in Color Glass Condensate

abstract:
  We discuss heavy quark production in High Parton Density QCD in
quasi-classical approximation and including low-$x$ quantum evolution. We also
consider an alternative approach based on the effect of pair production in
external fields.


title:
Target mass and finite momentum transfer corrections to unpolarized and
  polarized diffractive scatterin

abstract:
  A quantum field theoretic treatment of inclusive deep--inelastic diffractive
scattering is given. The process can be described in the general framework of
non--forward scattering processes using the light--cone expansion in the
generalized Bjorken region. Target mass and finite $t$ corrections of the
diffractive hadronic tensor are derived at the level of the twist--2
contributions both for the unpolarized and the polarized case. They modify the
expressions contributing in the limit $t, M^2 \to 0$ for larger values of
$\beta$ or/and $t$ in the region of low $Q^2$. The different diffractive
structure functions are expressed through integrals over the relative momentum
of non--perturbative $t$--dependent 2--particle distribution functions. In the
limit $t, M^2 \to 0$ these distribution functions are the diffractive parton
distribution. Relations between the different diffractive structure functions
are derived.


title: Spin polarization and chiral symmetry breaking at finite density

abstract:
  We investigate the possibility of the spin polarization of quark matter at
zero temperature and moderate baryon density.The Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model
including interactions in vector and axial-vector channel (coupling constant
$G_2$) as well as scalar and pseudoscalar channel (coupling constant $G_1$) is
used, and the self consistent equations for the spin polarization and chiral
condensate are solved numerically in the framework of the Hartree
approximation. Numerical calculations show that in the one flavor model the
spin polarization is possible at finite density if the ratio $G_2/G_1$ is
larger than O(1).We find that the interplay between the spin polarization and
the chiral symmetry plays an important role.If the chemical potential of quarks
reaches a certain finite value, the spin polarization begins to occur because
the quark still has relatively large dynamical mass, which is generated by
spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking.On the other hand, when the spin
polarization occurs, it operates to lower the dynamical quark mass a little.If
one increases the chemical potential furthermore, the spin polarization becomes
weaker and finally disappears because the dynamical quark mass is reduced by
restoring gradually the chiral symmetry.