title:
NRQCD Factorization and Velocity-dependence of NNLO Poles in Heavy
  Quarkonium Production

abstract:
  We study the transition of a heavy quark pair from octet to singlet color
configurations at next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) in heavy quarkonium
production. We show that the infrared singularities in this process are
consistent with NRQCD factorization to all orders in the heavy quark relative
velocity v. This factorization requires the gauge-completed matrix elements
that we introduced previously to prove NNLO factorization to order v ^2.


title: Composition-dependent long range forces from varying m_p/m_e

abstract:
  We relate possible cosmological variations in the mass ratio mu \equiv
m_p/m_e and the fine structure constant alpha to long-range
composition-dependent forces mediated by a scalar field. The differential
acceleration eta in Eotvos-type experiments is bounded below by 10^{-14},
except in cases where one or more scalar couplings vanish. We consider what
values for these couplings could arise from unified theories. By considering
the contribution of the scalar field to the cosmological energy density we use
bounds on eta to put upper bounds on the current rate of change of mu and
alpha.


title: A Very Narrow Shadow Extra Z-boson at Colliders

abstract:
  We consider the phenomenological consequences of a hidden Higgs sector
extending the Standard Model (SM), in which the ``shadow Higgs'' are uncharged
under the SM gauge groups. We consider a simple U(1) model with one Higgs
singlet. One mechanism which sheds light on the shadow sector is the mixing
between the neutral gauge boson of the SM and the additional U(1) gauge group.
The mixing happens through the usual mass-mixing and also kinetic-mixing, and
is the only way the ``shadow $Z$'' couples to the SM. We study in detail
modifications to the electroweak precision tests (EWPTs) that the presence of
such a shadow sector would bring, which in turn provide constraints on the
kinetic-mixing parameter, $s_\epsilon$, left free in our model. The shadow $Z$
production rate at the LHC and ILC depends on $s_\epsilon$. We find that
observable event rate at both facilities is possible for a reasonable range of
$s_\epsilon$ allowed by EWPTs.


title: Large Lepton Mixings from Continuous Symmetries

abstract:
  Within the broad context of quark-lepton unification, we investigate the
implications of broken continuous family symmetries which result from requiring
that in the limit of exact symmetry, the Dirac mass matrices yield hierarchical
masses for the quarks and charged leptons, but lead to degenerate light
neutrino masses as a consequence of the seesaw mechanism, without requiring
hierarchical right-handed neutrino mass terms. Quark mixing is then naturally
small and proportional to the size of the perturbation, but lepton mixing is
large as a result of degenerate perturbation theory, shifted from maximal
mixing by the size of the perturbation. Within this approach, we study an
illustrative two-family prototype model with an SO(2) family symmetry, and
discuss extensions to three-family models.


title: Neutrino Flavor States and the Quantum Theory of Neutrino Oscillations

abstract:
  The definition and derivation of flavor neutrino states in the framework of
standard Quantum Field Theory is reviewed, clarifying some subtle points. It is
shown that a flavor neutrino state that describes a neutrino produced or
detected in a charged-current weak interaction process depends on the process
under consideration and is appropriate for the description of neutrino
oscillations as well as for the calculation of neutrino production or detection
rates. Hence, we have a consistent framework for the description of neutrino
oscillations and interactions in neutrino oscillation experiments. The standard
flavor neutrino states are obtained as approximations which describe neutrinos
in experiments that are not sensitive to the dependence of neutrino
interactions on the neutrino mass differences. It is also shown that the
oscillation probability can be derived either through the usual light-ray time
= distance approximation or through an average of the space-time dependent
oscillation probability over the unobserved propagation time.


title: QCD glueball sum rules and vacuum topology

abstract:
  Several key problems of QCD sum rules in the spin-0 glueball channels are
resolved by implementing nonperturbative short-distance physics from direct
instantons and topological charge screening. A lattice-based instanton size
distribution and the IR renormalization of the nonperturbative Wilson
coefficients are also introduced. Results of a comprehensive quantitative sum
rule analysis are reviewed and their implications discussed.


title:
Analytical Description of Hadron-Hadron Scattering via Principle of
  Minimum Distance in Space of States

abstract:
  In this paper an analytical description of the hadron-hadron scattering is
presented by using PMD-SQS-optimum principle in which the differential cross
sections in the forward and backward c.m. angles are considered fixed from the
experimental data. Experimental tests of the PMD-SQS-optimal predictions,
obained by using the available phase shifts, as well as from direct
experimental data, are presented. It is shown that the actual experimental data
for the differential cross sections of all principal hadron-hadron
[nucleon-nucleon, antiproton-proton, mezon-nucleon] scatterings at all energies
higher than 2 GeV, can be well systematized by PMD-SQS predictions.


title:
"I Know She Invented Fire, But What Has She Done Recently?" -- On The
  Future Of Charm Physics

abstract:
  Detailed studies of weak charm decays fill an important {\em future} role in
high energy physics. Chief among them are: (i) validating the theoretical
control achieved over hadronization as a worthwhile goal in its own right; (ii)
calibrating our tools to saturate the discovery potential for New Physics in B
decays; (iii) searching for New Physics in charm decays through
hypothesis-generating research. The most promising area for the last item is a
comprehensive study of \cp violation. Since we need a new \cp paradigm to
implement baryogenesis, this is not an idle goal. Charm decays provide
opportunities unique among {\em up-}type quarks. While items (i) and (ii) will
be addressed in a meaningful way and hopefully completed in the next few years,
item (iii) will presumably require statistics that can be accumulated only by
LHCb and a Super-B factory.


title:
Implications of unitarity and precision measurements on CKM matrix
  elements

abstract:
  Unitarity along with precision measurements of sin2\beta, V_{us} and V_{cb}
allows one to find a lower bound V_{ub}\geq 0.0035 which, on using the recently
measured angle \alpha of the unitarity triangle, translates to V_{ub}=
0.0035\pm 0.0002. This precise value, stable for a good deal of changes in
\alpha, along with CP violating phase \delta found from unitarity allows the
construction of a `precise' CKM matrix. The above unitarity based value of
V_{ub} is in agreement with the latest exclusive value used as input by UTfit,
CKMfitter, HFAG, however underlines the so called `tension' faced by the latest
inclusive V_{ub}=0.00449 \pm 0.00033. Further, using this inclusive value of
V_{ub} along with the latest sin2\beta, one finds \delta=23 ^{\rm o}- 39 ^{\rm
o}, again in conflict with \delta measured in B-decays. The calculated ranges
of the elements of the CKM matrix are in excellent agreement with those
obtained recently by UTfit, CKMfitter and HFAG. Also, the ratio
\frac{V_{ts}}{V_{td}} is in agreement with its latest measured value, whereas
there is some disagreement between the `measured' and the calculated V_{td}
values.


title: Perturbative gauge theory in a background

abstract:
  Motivated by the gluon condensate in QCD we study the perturbative expansion
of a gauge theory in the presence of gauge bosons of vanishing momentum, in the
specific case of an abelian theory. The background is characterised by a
dimensionful parameter $\Lambda$ affecting only the on-shell prescription of
the free (abelian) gluon propagator. When summed to all orders in $g\Lambda$
the modification is equivalent to evaluating standard Green functions in a pure
gauge field with an imaginary gauge parameter $\propto \Lambda$. We show how to
calculate the corresponding dressed Green functions, which are Poincare and
gauge covariant. We evaluate the expressions for the dressed quark and $q \bar
q$ propagators, imposing as boundary condition that they approach the standard
perturbative form in the short-distance limit ($|p^2|\to\infty$). The on-shell
($p^2=m^2$) pole of the free quark propagator is removed for any $\Lambda > 0$,
and replaced by a discontinuity which vanishes exponentially with $p^2$. The
dressing introduces an effective interaction between quarks and antiquarks
which is enhanced at low relative 3-momentum. Further study should allow to
identify the (bound) eigenstates of propagation and determine whether they
define a unitary S-matrix. When the quark mass is zero there is a euclidean
propagator solution which breaks chiral symmetry spontaneously. We study some
aspects of the massless pion contribution to axial vector correlators and
derive the $\pi q \bar q$ form factor.


title:
Measuring the Running of the Electromagnetic Coupling Alpha in Small
  Angle Bhabha Scattering

abstract:
  We propose a method to determine the running of $\alpha_{QED}$ from the
measurement of small-angle Bhabha scattering. The method is suited to high
statistics experiments at $e^{+} e^{-}$ colliders, which are equipped with
luminometers in the appropriate angular region. We present a new simulation
code predicting small-angle Bhabha scattering. A detailed description of this
idea can be found in A.B. Arbuzov, D. Haidt, C. Matteuzzi, M. Paganoni and L.
Trentadue, The running of the electromagnetic coupling alpha in small-angle
Bhabha scattering, Eur. Phys. J. C34, 267 (2004).


title: The Feasibility of Testing LHVTs in Charm Factory

abstract:
  It is commonly believed that the LHVTs can be tested through measuring the
Bell's inequalities. This scheme, for the massive particle system, was
originally set up for the entangled K^0\bar{K^0} pair system from the \phi
factory. In this Letter we show that the J/\Psi -> K^0\bar{K^0} process is even
more realistic for this goal. We analyze the unique properties of J/\Psi in the
detection of basic quantum effects, and find that it is possible to use J/\Psi
decay as a test of LHVTs in the future \tau-Charm factory. Our analyses and
conclusions are generally also true for other heavy Onium decays.


title:
Evading Equivalence Principle Violations, Cosmological and other
  Experimental Constraints in Scalar Field Theories with a Strong Coupling to
  Matter

abstract:
  We show that, as a result of non-linear self-interactions, it is feasible, at
least in light of the bounds coming from terrestrial tests of gravity,
measurements of the Casimir force and those constraints imposed by the physics
of compact objects, big-bang nucleosynthesis and measurements of the cosmic
microwave background, for there to exist, in our Universe, one or more scalar
fields that couple to matter much more strongly than gravity does. These scalar
fields behave like chameleons: changing their properties to fit their
surroundings. As a result these scalar fields can be not only very strongly
coupled to matter, but also remain relatively light over solar system scales.
These fields could also be detected by a number of future experiments provided
they are properly designed to do so. These results open up an altogether new
window, which might lead to a completely different view of the role played by
light scalar fields in particle physics and cosmology.


title: CP Studies and Non-Standard Higgs Physics

abstract:
  There are many possibilities for new physics beyond the Standard Model that
feature non-standard Higgs sectors. These may introduce new sources of CP
violation, and there may be mixing between multiple Higgs bosons or other new
scalar bosons. Alternatively, the Higgs may be a composite state, or there may
even be no Higgs at all. These non-standard Higgs scenarios have important
implications for collider physics as well as for cosmology, and understanding
their phenomenology is essential for a full comprehension of electroweak
symmetry breaking. This report discusses the most relevant theories which go
beyond the Standard Model and its minimal, CP-conserving supersymmetric
extension: two-Higgs-doublet models and minimal supersymmetric models with CP
violation, supersymmetric models with an extra singlet, models with extra gauge
groups or Higgs triplets, Little Higgs models, models in extra dimensions, and
models with technicolour or other new strong dynamics. For each of these
scenarios, this report presents an introduction to the phenomenology, followed
by contributions on more detailed theoretical aspects and studies of possible
experimental signatures at the LHC and other colliders.


title: Gravitational Scattering in the ADD-model at High and Low Energies

abstract:
  Gravitational scattering in the ADD-model is considered at both sub- and
transplanckian energies using a common formalism. By keeping a physical cut-off
in the KK tower associated with virtual KK exchange, such as the cut-off
implied from a finite brane width, troublesome divergences are removed from the
calculations in both energy ranges. The scattering behavior depends on three
different energy scales: the fundamental Planck mass, the collision energy and
the inverse brane width. The result for energies low compared to the effective
cut-off (inverse brane width) is a contact-like interaction. At high energies
the gravitational scattering associated with the extra dimensional version of
Newton's law is recovered.


title: The mass of the sigma pole

abstract:
  BES data on the sigma pole are refitted taking into account new information
on coupling of sigma to KK and eta-eta. The fit also includes Cern-Munich data
on pi-pi elastic phases shifts and Ke4 data, and gives a pole position of 500
+- 30 - i(264 +- 30) MeV. However, there is a clear discrepancy with the sigma
pole position recently predicted by Caprini et al. using the Roy equation. This
discrepancy may be explained naturally by uncertainties arising from
inelasticity in KK and eta-eta channels and mixing between sigma and f0(980).
Adding freedom to accomodate these uncertainties gives an optimum compromise
with a pole position of 472 +- 30 - i(271 +- 30) MeV.


title:
Chiral Symmetry and Diffractive Neutral Pion Photo- and
  Electroproduction

abstract:
  We show that diffractive production of a single neutral pion in
photon-induced reactions at high energy is dynamically suppressed due to the
approximate chiral symmetry of QCD. These reactions have been proposed as a
test of the odderon exchange mechanism. We show that the odderon contribution
to the amplitude for such reactions vanishes exactly in the chiral limit. This
result is obtained in a nonperturbative framework and by using PCAC relations
between the amplitudes for neutral pion and axial vector current production.


title: Probing Relativity using Space-Based Experiments

abstract:
  An overview of space tests searching for small deviations from special
relativity arising at the Planck scale is given. Potential high-sensitivity
space-based experiments include ones with atomic clocks, masers, and
electromagnetic cavities. We show that a significant portion of the coefficient
space in the Standard-Model Extension, a framework that covers the full
spectrum of possible effects, can be accessed using space tests. Some remarks
on Lorentz violation in the gravitational sector are also given.


title: Long-distance radiative corrections to the di-pion tau lepton decay

abstract:
  We evaluate the model-dependent piece of O(alpha) long-distance radiative
corrections to tau^- \to \pi^- \pi^0\nu_{\tau} decays by using a meson
dominance model. We find that these corrections to the di-pion invariant mass
spectrum are smaller than in previous calculations based on chiral perturbation
theory. The corresponding correction to the photon inclusive rate is tiny
(-0.15%) but it can be of relevance when new measurements reach better
precision.


title:
Updated bounds on CP asymmetries in $B^0 \to \eta' K_S$ and $B^0 \to
  \pi^0 K_S$

abstract:
  New rate measurements of $B^0$ decays into $\pi^0\pi^0, \pi^0\eta,
\pi^0\eta', \eta\eta, \eta\eta', \eta'\eta'$ and $K^+ K^-$ are used in
conjunction with flavor SU(3) to constrain the coefficients $S$ and $C$ of
$\sin\Delta mt$ and $\cos\Delta mt$ in the time-dependent CP asymmetries of
$B^0 \to \eta' K_S$ and $B^0 \to \pi^0 K_S$. Experimental values of $S_{\eta'
K}$ are now seen to be closer to the Standard Model expectations, fully
consistent with the new improved bounds.


title: In the Shadow of the Color Glass

abstract:
  I give a brief overview of recent theoretical progress within perturbative
QCD concerning the high-energy dynamics in the vicinity of the unitarity limit.
Special attention is payed to the most recent developments concerning the
relation between high-energy QCD and statistical physics, the role of the
pomeron loops, and the transition from geometric scaling to diffusive scaling
with increasing energy.


title: Radiative $B\to K_1$ decays in the light-cone sum rules

abstract:
  The weak form factor for $B\to K_{1B}$ where $K_{1B}$ is the $^1P_1$ state is
calculated in the light-cone sum rules (LCSR). Combining the quark model result
for the form factor of $B\to K_{1A}$ with $K_{1A}$ being the $^3P_1$ state, we
have larger values for $B\to K_1$ form factors than the previous LCSR results.
The increased form factors reduce the discrepancy between theory and the
experimental data for $B\to K_1 \gamma$. Some phenomenological meanings are
also discussed.


title: Probing new physics in B -> f_0(980) K decays

abstract:
  We study the hadronic decay modes $B^{\pm(0)} \to f_0(980) K^{\pm(0)} $,
involving a scalar and a pseudoscalar meson in the final state. These decay
modes are dominated by the loop induced $ b \to s \bar q q(q=s,u,d)$ penguins
along with a small $ b \to u $ tree level transition (for $B^+ \to f_0 K^+$)
and annihilation diagrams. Therefore, the standard model expectation of direct
CP violation is negligibly small and the mixing induced CP violation parameter
in the mode $B^0 \to f_0 K_S$ is expected to give the same value of
$\sin(2\beta)$, as extracted from $B^0 \to J/\psi K_S$ but with opposite sign.
Using the generalized factorization approach we find the direct CP violation in
the decay mode $B^+ \to f_0 K^+ $ to be of the order of few percent. We then
study the effect of the R-parity violating supersymmetric model and show that
the direct CP violating asymmetry in $B^+ \to f_0(980) K^+ $ could be as large
as $\sim 80 % $ and the mixing induced CP asymmetry in $B^0 \to f_0 K_S$ (i.e.,
$-S_{f_0 K_S}$) could deviate significantly from that of $\sin(2 \beta)_{J/\psi
K_S}$.


title: Modified Zee mass matrix with zero-sum condition

abstract:
  We modify the Zee mass matrix by adding a real one parameter perturbation
which is purely diagonal and trace-less. We show that in this way we can
explain both solar and atmospheric neutrino oscillation data. There is a
correlation between the deviation from strict maximality of $|U_{\mu 3}|=
1/\sqrt{2}$, with the emergence of a small but non-zero $U_{e3}$. We calculate
how big a value can $U_{e3}$ get when we restrict ourselves within the allowed
regions of solar and atmospheric neutrino masses and mixing angles. We also
discuss the impact of a $S_2$ permutation symmetry on our mass matrix and show
how a small $U_{e3} \ne 0$ can emerge when this $S_2$ permutation symmetry
between the second and the third generation is broken.


title: Classes of confining gauge field configurations

abstract:
  We present a numerical method to compute path integrals in effective SU(2)
Yang-Mills theories. The basic idea is to approximate the Yang-Mills path
integral by summing over all gauge field configurations, which can be
represented as a linear superposition of a small number of localized building
blocks. With a suitable choice of building blocks many essential features of
SU(2) Yang-Mills theory can be reproduced, particularly confinement. The
analysis of our results leads to the conclusion that topological charge as well
as extended structures are essential elements of confining gauge field
configurations.


title:
Survival probability of large rapidity gaps in a QCD model with a
  dynamical infrared mass scale

abstract:
  We compute the survival probability $<|S|^{2}>$ of large rapidity gaps (LRG)
in a QCD based eikonal model with a dynamical gluon mass, where this dynamical
infrared mass scale represents the onset of nonperturbative contributions to
the diffractive hadron-hadron scattering. Since rapidity gaps can occur in the
case of Higgs boson production via fusion of electroweak bosons, we focus on
$WW\to H$ fusion processes and show that the resulting $<|S|^{2}>$ decreases
with the increase of the energy of the incoming hadrons, in line with the
available experimental data for LRG. We obtain $<|S|^{2} > = 27.6\pm7.8$ % ($
18.2\pm7.0$ %) at Tevatron (CERN-LHC) energy for a dynamical gluon mass
$m_{g}=400$ MeV.


title:
A solution of a hoary conundrum: the origin and properties of cosmic
  rays

abstract:
  I discuss a theory of non-solar cosmic rays (CRs) based on a single type of
CR source at all energies. All observed properties of CRs are predicted in
terms of very simple and completely `standard' physics. The source of CRs is
extremely `economical': it has only one parameter to be fitted to the enormous
ensemble of all of the data. All other inputs are `priors', that is theoretical
or observational items of information independent of the properties of the
source of CRs and chosen to lie in their pre-established ranges.


title:
Effects of Supersymmetric Threshold Corrections on High-Scale Flavor
  Textures

abstract:
  Integration of superpartners out of the spectrum induces potentially large
contributions to Yukawa couplings. These corrections, the supersymmetric
threshold corrections, therefore influence the CKM matrix prediction in a
non-trivial way. We study effects of threshold corrections on high-scale flavor
structures specified at the gauge coupling unification scale in supersymmetry.
In our analysis, we first consider high-scale Yukawa textures which qualify
phenomenologically viable at tree level, and find that they get completely
disqualified after incorporating the threshold corrections. Next, we consider
Yukawa couplings, such as those with five texture zeroes, which are incapable
of explaining flavor-changing proceses. Incorporation of threshold corrections,
however, makes them phenomenologically viable textures. Therefore,
supersymmetric threshold corrections are found to leave observable impact on
Yukawa couplings of quarks, and any confrontation of high-scale textures with
experiments at the weak scale must take into account such corrections.


title: Limits on Neutron Lorentz Violation from Pulsar Timing

abstract:
  Pulsars are the most accurate naturally occurring clocks, and data about them
can be used to set bounds on neutron-sector Lorentz violations. If SO(3)
rotation symmetry is completely broken for neutrons, then pulsars' rotation
speeds will vary periodically. Pulsar timing data limits the relevant
Lorentz-violating coefficients to be smaller than 1.7 x 10^(-8) at at least 90%
confidence.


title:
O(\alpha_s^2)-corrections to JIMWLK evolution from the classical
  equations of motion

abstract:
  In this work we calculate some O(\alpha_s^2) corrections to the JIMWLK kernel
in the framework of the light-cone wave function approach to the high energy
limit of QCD. The contributions that we consider originate from higher order
corrections in the strong coupling and in the density of the projectile to the
solution of the classical equations of motion that determine the
Weizs\"acker-Williams fields of the projectile. We study the structure of these
corrections in the dipole limit, showing that they are subleading in the
large-N limit and that they cannot be fully recast in the form of dipole
degrees of freedom, but rather present a complicated color structure.


title: The Fate of SUSY Flat Directions and their Role in Reheating

abstract:
  We consider the role of supersymmetric flat directions in reheating the
Universe after inflation. One or more flat directions can develop large vevs
during inflation, which can potentially affect reheating by slowing down
scattering processes among inflaton decay products or by coming to dominate the
energy density of the Universe. Both effects occur only if flat directions are
sufficiently long-lived. The computation of their perturbative decay rate, and
a simple estimate of their nonperturbative decay have led to the conclusion
that this is indeed the case. In contrast, we show that flat directions can
decay quickly through nonperturbative channels in realistic models. The mass
matrix for MSSM excitations around flat directions has nondiagonal entries,
which vary with the phase of the (complex) flat directions. The quasi-periodic
motion of the flat directions results in a strong parametric resonance, leading
to the rapid depletion of the flat direction within its first few rotations.
This may preclude any significant role for the flat directions in reheating the
Universe after inflation in models in which the inflaton decays perturbatively.


title:
Nuclear spin structure in dark matter search: The finite momentum
  transfer limit

abstract:
  Spin-dependent elastic scattering of weakly interacting massive dark matter
particles (WIMP) off nuclei is reviewed. All available, within different
nuclear models, structure functions S(q) for finite momentum transfer (q>0) are
presented. These functions describe the recoil energy dependence of the
differential event rate due to the spin-dependent WIMP-nucleon interactions.
This paper, together with the previous paper ``Nuclear spin structure in dark
matter search: The zero momentum transfer limit'', completes our review of the
nuclear spin structure calculations involved in the problem of direct dark
matter search.


title: Phenomenology of the Lambda/Sigma^0 production ratio in pp collisions

abstract:
  We show that the recently measured asymmetry in helicity-angle spectra of the
Lambda-hyperons produced in the reaction pp -> K^+Lambda p reaction and the
energy dependence of the total pp -> K^+Lambda p cross section can be explained
consistently by the same Lambda p final-state interaction. Assuming that there
is no final-state interaction in the Sigma^0 p channel, as suggested by the
available data, we can also reproduce the energy dependence of the
Lambda/Sigma^0 production ratio and, in particular, the rather large ratio
observed near the reaction thresholds. The nominal ratio of the Lambda and
Sigma^0 production amplitudes squared, i.e. when disregarding the final-state
interaction, turns out to be about 3, which is in line with hyperon production
data from proton and nuclear targets available at high energies.


title: Electroweak two-loop corrections to the effective weak mixing angle

abstract:
  Recently exact results for the complete electroweak two-loop contributions to
the effective weak mixing angle were published. This paper illustrates the
techniques used for this computation, in particular the methods for evaluating
the loop diagrams and the proper definition of Z-pole observables at
next-to-next-to-leading order. Numerical results are presented in terms of
simple parametrization formulae and compared in detail with a previous result
of an expansion up to next-to-leading order in the top-quark mass. Finally, an
estimate of the remaining theoretical uncertainties from unknown higher-order
corrections is given.


title:
CP violation and limits on New Physics including recent $B_s$
  measurements

abstract:
  We analyse present constraints on the SM parameter space and derive, in a
model independent way, various bounds on New Physics contributions to
$B_d^0$--$\bar B_d^0$ and $B_s^0$--$\bar B_s^0$ mixings. Our analyses include
information on a large set of asymmetries, leading to the measurement of the
CKM phases $\gamma$ and $\bar\beta$, as well as recent data from D0 and CDF
related to the $B_s^0$--$\bar B_s^0$ system such as the measurement of $\Delta
M_{B_s}$, $A_{SL}$ and $\Delta\Gamma_{s}^{CP}$. We examine in detail several
observables such as the asymmetries $A_{sl}^d$, $A_{SL}$, the width differences
$\Delta\Gamma_{d}$ and $\Delta\Gamma_{s}^{CP}$ and discuss the r\^ole they play
in establishing the limits on New Physics. The present data clearly favour the
SM, with the New Physics favoured region placed around the SM solution. A New
Physics solution significantly different from the SM is still allowed, albeit
quite disfavoured (2.6% probability). We analyse the presently available
indirect knowledge on the phase $\bar\chi$ entering in $B_s^0$--$\bar B_s^0$
mixing and study the impact of a future measurement of $\bar\chi$ to be
achieved at LHC, through the measurement of the time-dependent CP asymmetry in
$B_s\to J/\Psi \Phi$ decays.


title: Neutrino physics overview

abstract:
  Seesaw-type and low-scale models of neutrino masses are reviewed, along with
the corresponding structure of the lepton mixing matrix.
  The status of neutrino oscillation parameters as of June 2006 is given,
including recent fluxes, as well as latest SNO, K2K and MINOS results. Some
prospects for the next generation of experiments are given. This writeup
updates the material presented in my lectures at the Corfu Summer Institute on
Elementary Particle Physics in September 2005.


title: Effects of S-wave thresholds

abstract:
  The opening of a new S-wave threshold is frequently accompanied by an abrupt
dip in the magnitude of an amplitude for an already-open channel. One familiar
example is the behavior of the I=0 S-wave $\pi \pi$ scattering amplitude at $K
\bar K$ threshold. Numerous other examples of this phenomenon in recent data
are noted, and a unified description of the underlying dynamics is sought.


title: The XYZs of Charmonium at BES

abstract:
  This contribution reviews some recent developments in charmonium
spectroscopy, and discusses related theoretical predictions. The spectrum of
states, strong decays of states above open charm threshold, electromagnetic
transitions, and issues related to the recent discoveries of the "XYZ" states
are discussed. Contributions that BES can make to our understanding of
charmonium and related states are stressed in particular.


title: Baryogenesis, Dark Matter and the Pentagon

abstract:
  We present a new mechanism for baryogenesis, which links the baryon asymmetry
of the universe to the dark matter density. The mechanism arises naturally in
the Pentagon model of TeV scale physics. In that context, it forces a
re-evaluation of some of the assumptions of the model, and we detail the
changes that are required in order to fit observations.


title: Hadron Physics at J-PARC

abstract:
  An outline is explained for hadron-physics projects at J-PARC, which is
considered to be one of the flagship facilities in hadron physics from 2008.
The facility provides an intensity frontier with 50 GeV proton beam for nuclear
and particle physics. It could cover a wide range of hadron physics from
strongly interacting many-body systems with an extended hadronic degree of
freedom, strangeness, to new forms of hadrons and hadronic matters. These
studies lead not only to create innovative fields of hadron physics but also,
possibly, to understand fundamental interactions because of recent progress on
AdS/CFT correspondence. At the first stage of the J-PARC operation, hadron
topics are mainly on strangeness nuclear physics such as hypernuclei, kaonic
nuclei, and possible pentaquark hadrons. Then, the studies could be extended to
exotic hadron searches, chiral dynamics in nuclear medium, structure functions,
hard exclusive processes, hadron physics in neutrino scattering, and spin
structure of the nucleon. With major upgrades of the facility, extensive
studies could be done for the nucleon spin, heavy-ion physics, and hadron
physics at a high-energy neutrino factory.


title: Partially composite 2-Higgs-doublet model

abstract:
  In the extra dimensional scenarios with gauge fields in the bulk, the
Kaluza-Klein (KK) gauge bosons can induce Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) type
attractive four-fermion interactions, which can break electroweak symmetry
dynamically with accompanying composite Higgs fields. We consider a possibility
that electroweak symmetry breaking (EWSB) is triggered by both a fundamental
Higgs and a composite Higgs arising in a dynamical symmetry breaking mechanism
induced by a new strong dynamics. The resulting Higgs sector is a partially
composite two-Higgs doublet model with specific boundary conditions on the
coupling and mass parameters originating at a compositeness scale $\Lambda$.
The phenomenology of this model is discussed including the collider
phenomenology at LHC and ILC.


title: Summary of the 'Diffraction and Vector Mesons' working group at DIS06

abstract:
  We survey the contributions presented in the working group ``Diffraction and
Vector Mesons'' at the XIV International Workshop on Deep Inelastic Scattering.


title: Hadron production in Wroclaw neutrino event generator

abstract:
  Results from the Wroclaw Monte Carlo neutrino generator of events are
reported. Predictions for charged hadron multiplicities, neutral pion and
strange particle production are presented and compared with available data.


title:
Meissner screening mass in two-flavor quark matter at nonzero
  temperature

abstract:
  We calculate the Meissner screening mass of gluons 4--7 in two-flavor quark
matter at nonzero temperature. To this end, we study the effective potential of
the 2SC/g2SC phases including a vector condensate $<gA_z^6>$ and calculate the
Meissner mass from the potential curvature with respect to $<gA_z^6>$. We find
that the Meissner mass becomes real at the critical temperature which is about
the half of the chemical potential mismatch. The phase diagram of the neutral
two-flavor color superconductor is presented in the plane of temperature and
coupling strength. We indicate the unstable region for gluons 4--7 on the phase
diagram.


title:
Identifying new physics contributions in the Higgs sector at linear e+e-
  colliders

abstract:
  Loop driven decay modes of the Higgs are sensitive to new physics
contributions because of new particles in the loops. To highlight this we look
at the dilepton-dijet signal in the dominant Higgs production channel at a
linear e+e- collider. We show that by taking a simple ratio between
cross-sections of two different final states such contributions can be very
easily identified.


title: Scaling in the Neutrino Mass Matrix

abstract:
  In an attempt to uncover any underlying structure in the neutrino mass
matrix, we discuss the possibility that the ratios of elements of its Majorana
mass matrix are equal. We call this "strong scaling Ansatz" for neutrino masses
and study its phenomenological implications. Of three possible independent
scale invariant possibilities, only one is allowed by current data, predicting
in a novel way the vanishing of U_{e3} and an inverted hierarchy with the
lightest neutrino having zero mass. The Ansatz has the additional virtue that
it is not affected by renormalization running. We also discuss explicit models
in which the scaling Ansatz is realized.


title:
Associated single photons and doubly charged scalar at linear e-e-
  colliders

abstract:
  Doubly charged scalars, predicted in many models having exotic Higgs
representations, can in general have lepton-number violating (LFV) couplings.
We show that by using an associated monoenergetic final state photon seen at a
future linear e-e- collider, we can have a clear and distinct signature for a
doubly-charged resonance. The strength of the Delta L=2 coupling can also be
probed quite effectively as a function of the recoil mass of the doubly-charged
scalar.


title: Chiral perturbation theory for nucleon generalized parton distributions

abstract:
  We analyze the moments of the isosinglet generalized parton distributions H,
E, H-tilde, E-tilde of the nucleon in one-loop order of heavy-baryon chiral
perturbation theory. We discuss in detail the construction of the operators in
the effective theory that are required to obtain all corrections to a given
order in the chiral power counting. The results will serve to improve the
extrapolation of lattice results to the chiral limit.


title: Statistical Model Predictions for Pb-Pb Collisions at LHC

abstract:
  The systematics of Statistical Model parameters extracted from heavy-ion
collisions at lower energies are exploited to extrapolate in the LHC regime.
Predictions of various particle ratios are presented and particle production in
central Pb-Pb collisions at LHC is discussed in the context of the Statistical
Model. The sensitivity of several ratios on the temperature and the baryon
chemical potential is studied in detail, and some of them, which are
particularly appropriate to determine the chemical freeze-out point
experimentally, are indicated. The impact of feed-down contributions from
resonances, especially to light hadrons, is illustrated.


title: Effects of Cosmic Strings on Free Streaming

abstract:
  We study the effect of free streaming in a universe with cosmic strings with
time-varying tension as well as with constant tension. Although current
cosmological observations suggest that fluctuation seeded by cosmic strings
cannot be the primary source of cosmic density fluctuation, some contributions
from them are still allowed. Since cosmic strings actively produce isocurvature
fluctuation, the damping of small scale structure via free streaming by dark
matter particles with large velocity dispersion at the epoch of
radiation-matter equality is less efficient than that in models with
conventional adiabatic fluctuation. We discuss its implications to the
constraints on the properties of particles such as massive neutrinos and warm
dark matter.


title: Testing QCD Sum Rules on the Light-Cone in D->(pi,K) l nu Decays

abstract:
  We compare the predictions for the form factors f_+^{D->pi,K}(0) from QCD sum
rules on the light-cone with recent experimental results. We find
f_+^{D->pi}(0) = 0.63\pm 0.11, f_+^{D->K}(0) = 0.75\pm 0.12 and
f_+^{D->pi}(0)/f_+^{D->K}(0)= 0.84\pm 0.04 in very good agreement with
experiment. Although the uncertainties of the form factors themselves are
larger than the current experimental errors and difficult to reduce, their
ratio is determined much more accurately and with an accuracy that matches that
of experiment.


title:
Particle production and AGK relations in the Color Glass Condensate
  picture

abstract:
  In this talk, we discuss some general properties of particle production in a
field theory coupled to strong time dependent sources, and techniques to
compute the spectrum of the produced particles in such theories. We also
discuss the application of these results to the description of hadron or heavy
ion collisions in the Color Glass Condensate framework.


title: Summary of the Heavy Flavours Working Group

abstract:
  This is a summary of the contributions presented in the Heavy Flavours
Working Group of the DIS2006 Workshop.


title:
Can One Distinguish Tau Neutrinos from Antineutrinos in Neutral-Current
  Pion Production Processes?

abstract:
  A potential way to distinguish tau-neutrinos from antineutrinos, below the
tau-production threshold, but above the pion production one, is presented. It
is based on the different behavior of the neutral current pion production off
the nucleon, depending on whether it is induced by neutrinos or antineutrinos.
This procedure for distinguishing tau-neutrinos from antineutrinos neither
relies on any nuclear model, nor it is affected by any nuclear effect
(distortion of the outgoing nucleon waves, etc...). We show that
neutrino-antineutrino asymmetries occur both in the totally integrated cross
sections and in the pion azimuthal differential distributions. To define the
asymmetries for the latter distributions we just rely on Lorentz-invariance.
All these asymmetries are independent of the lepton family and can be
experimentally measured by using electron or muon neutrinos, due to the lepton
family universality of the neutral current neutrino interaction. Nevertheless
and to estimate their size, we have also used the chiral model of
hep-ph/0701149 at intermediate energies. Results are really significant since
the differences between neutrino and antineutrino induced reactions are always
large in all physical channels.


title:
Reconsidered estimates of the 10th order QED contributions to the muon
  anomaly

abstract:
  The problem of estimating the 10th order QED corrections to the muon
anomalous magnetic moment is reconsidered. The incorporation of the recently
improved contributions to the $\alpha^4$ and $\alpha^5$- corrections to
$a_{\mu}$ within the renormalization-group inspired scheme-invariant approach
leads to the estimate $a_{\mu}^{(10)}\approx 643(\alpha/pi)^5$. It is in good
agreement with the estimate $a_{\mu}^{(10)}= 663(20) (\alpha/\pi)^5$, obtained
by Kinoshita and Nio from the numerical calculations of 2958 10-th order
diagrams, which are considered to be more important than the still uncalculated
6122 10th-order $m_{\mu}/m_e$-dependent vertex graphs, and 12672 5-loop
diagrams, responsible for the mass-independent constant contribution both to
$a_{\mu}$ and $a_e$. This confirms Kinoshita and Nio guess about dominance of
the 10-th order diagrams calculated by them. Comparisons with other estimates
of the $\alpha^5$- contributions to $a_{\mu}$, which exist in the literature,
are presented.


title: Landscape Predictions for the Higgs Boson and Top Quark Masses

abstract:
  If the Standard Model is valid up to scales near the Planck mass, and if the
cosmological constant and Higgs mass parameters scan on a landscape of vacua,
it is well known that the observed orders of magnitude of these quantities can
be understood from environmental selection for large-scale structure and atoms.
If in addition the Higgs quartic coupling scans, with a probability
distribution peaked at low values, environmental selection for a phase having a
scale of electroweak symmetry breaking much less than the Planck scale leads to
a most probable Higgs mass of 106 GeV. While fluctuations below this are
negligible, the upward fluctuation is 25/p GeV, where p measures the strength
of the peaking of the a priori distribution of the quartic coupling. If the top
Yukawa coupling also scans, the most probable top quark mass is predicted to
lie in the range (174--178) GeV, providing the standard model is valid to at
least 10^{17} GeV. The downward fluctuation is 35 GeV/ \sqrt{p}, suggesting
that p is sufficiently large to give a very precise Higgs mass prediction.
While a high reheat temperature after inflation could raise the most probable
value of the Higgs mass to 118 GeV, maintaining the successful top prediction
suggests that reheating is limited to about 10^8 GeV, and that the most
probable value of the Higgs mass remains at 106 GeV. If all Yukawa couplings
scan, then the e,u,d and t masses are understood to be outliers having extreme
values induced by the pressures of strong environmental selection, while the s,
\mu, c, b, \tau Yukawa couplings span only two orders of magnitude, reflecting
an a priori distribution peaked around 10^{-3}. Extensions of these ideas allow
order of magnitude predictions for neutrino masses, the baryon asymmetry and
important parameters of cosmological inflation.


title: D-meson production in the GM-VFN scheme

abstract:
  We study the inclusive hadrodroduction of D^0, D^+, D^{*+}, and D_s^+ mesons
at next-to-leading order in the parton model of quantum chromodynamics endowed
with universal non-perturbative fragmentation functions (FFs) fitted to e^+e^-
annihilation data from CERN LEP1. Working in the general-mass
variable-flavor-number scheme, we resum the large logarithms through the
evolution of the FFs and, at the same time, retain the full dependence on the
charm-quark mass without additional theoretical assumptions. In this way, the
cross section distributions in transverse momentum recently measured by the CDF
Collaboration in run II at the Fermilab Tevatron are described within errors.


title: Grand Unification and the Principle of Minimal Flavor Violation

abstract:
  Minimal Flavor Violation is an attractive approach to suppress unacceptably
large flavor changing neutral currents from beyond the standard model physics
at the TeV scale. It can be used in theories with low energy supersymmetry,
multi Higgs doublet theories and other extensions of the minimal standard
model. We show how minimal flavor violation can be implemented in Grand Unified
theories.


title:
Inclusive hadron electroproduction at HERA at NLO with and without
  transverse-momentum constraint

abstract:
  We study single-hadron inclusive electroproduction in ep scattering at DESY
HERA at next-to-leading order in the parton model of quantum chromodynamics
endowed with non-perturbative fragmentation functions. Specifically, we
consider charged-hadron production, with unspecified transverse momentum p_T,
in the Breit frame and D^{*+-} production as a function of p_T, and perform
comparisons with recent data from the H1 Collaboration.


title: Chemical potential as a source of stability for gravitating Skyrmions

abstract:
  A discussion of the stability of self gravitating Skyrmions, with a large
winding number N, in a Schwarzschild type of metric, is presented for the case
where an isospin chemical potential is introduced. It turns out that the
chemical potential stabilizes the behavior of the Skyrmion discussed previously
in the literature. This analysis is carried on in the framework of a
variational approach using different ansaetze for the radial profile of the
Skyrmion. We found a divergent behavior for the size of the Skyrmion,
associated to a certain critical value $\mu_c$ of the chemical potential. At
this point, the mass of the Skyrmion vanishes. $\mu_c$ is essentialy
independent of gravitating effects. The stability of a large N skyrmion against
decays into single particles is also discussed.


title: Constraining SuperWIMPy and Warm Subhalos with Future Submillilensing

abstract:
  We propose to observe QSO-galaxy strong lens systems to give a new constraint
on the damping scale of the initial fluctuations. We find that the future
observation of submilliarc scale astrometric shifts of the multiple lensed
images of QSOs would find \sim 10^{(3-9)} M_{\odot} subhalos inside the
macrolens halo. The superweakly interacting massive particles (superWIMPs)
produced from a WIMP decay and the warm dark matter (WDM) particles that
predict a comoving damping scale larger than \sim 2 kpc can be constrained if
\sim 10^3 M_{\odot} subhalos are detected.


title: A New Inflation Model with Anomaly-mediated Supersymmetry Breaking

abstract:
  If there are a large number of vacua, multi-inflation may be a more mediocre
phenomenon rather than a single inflation. In the multi-inflation scenario, new
inflation is most likely the last inflation, since its energy scale is
naturally low. Furthermore, it may explain the observed spectral index of the
cosmic microwave background radiations. We show, in this letter, that a new
inflation model proposed in supergravity accounts for all the present
observations assuming anomaly mediation of supersymmetry breaking. As a result,
we find that the relic density of the winos is consistent with the observed
dark matter density in a wide range of the wino mass, 100 GeV lsim m_{tilde{w}}
lsim 2 TeV, albeit for a low reheating temperature T_{R} simeq 10^{6-7},GeV.


title: Can symmetric texture reproduce unitarity triangle and $m_b/m_\tau$ ?

abstract:
  We study the SUSY SO(10) GUT with the symmetric two-zero textures of
quark/lepton mass matrix which realize the Georgei-Jarlskog relations in
down-type quark and charged lepton masses. We show that the important
constraints to such framework come from the bottom-tau unification and the
observed value of $\sin2\beta$, one of the angles in the CKM unitarity
triangle. We investigate the symmetric two-zero textures assumed at the GUT
scale by solving the MSSM renormalization group equations with right-handed
neutrino threshold effects. As a result, the value of $\tan\tilde{\beta}$ is
constrained to be large enough and the representation of Higgs field which
couples to the third generation of left- and right-handed neutrinos is
restricted by the bottom-tau unification condition. The textures with vanishing
1-2 (and 2-1) element for up-type quarks and vanishing 1-3 (and 3-1) element
for down-type quarks are favored by the observation of $\sin2\beta$.


title:
A further analysis of $\Theta^+$ production in $\gamma+D \to
  \Lambda+n+K^{+}$ reaction

abstract:
  We analyse Theta+ production in the gamma+D -> \Lambda+n+K+ reaction and
study the dependence of the gamma+D -> \Lambda+n+K+ differential cross section
on the nK+ invariant mass and on the momentum of the final neutron p_n. We
examine the important role of the interference between the signal and
background contributions to the gamma+D -> \Lambda+n+K+ amplitude in the
extraction of the Theta+ signal from the gamma+D -> \Lambda+n+K+ cross section.
We demonstrate that as a result of the cancellation between the interference
and signal contributions, the Theta+ signal almost completely washes out after
the integration over p_n. This is consistent with the CLAS conclusion that no
statistically significant structures in the analysis of the gamma+D ->
\Lambda+n+K+ reaction were observed. Therefore, there is no disagreement
between the theory and the experiment and the CLAS result does not refute the
existence of the Theta+.


title: Modelling CC neutrino cross sections in the few GeV energy region

abstract:
  Selected problems in modelling neutrino-nucleon and -nuclei cross sections in
the neutrino energy region of the few GeV are reviewed.


title:
Radiative neutrino decay and CP-violation in R-parity violating
  supersymmetry

abstract:
  We calculate the radiative decay amplitude for Majorana neutrinos in
trilinear R-parity violating supersymmetric framework. Our results make no
assumption regarding the masses and mixings of fermions and sfermions. The
results obtained are exemplary for generic models with loop-generated neutrino
masses. Comparison of this amplitude with the neutrino mass matrix shows that
the two provide independent probes of CP-violating phases.


title: Dissipation and memory effects in pure glue deconfinement

abstract:
  We investigate the effects of dissipation in the deconfining transition for a
pure SU(2) gauge theory. Using an effective model for the order parameter, we
study its Langevin evolution numerically, and compare results from local
additive noise dynamics to those obtained considering an exponential non-local
kernel for early times.


title:
High transverse momentum suppression and surface effects in Cu+Cu and
  Au+Au collisions within the PQM model

abstract:
  We study parton suppression effects in heavy-ion collisions within the Parton
Quenching Model (PQM). After a brief summary of the main features of the model,
we present comparisons of calculations for the nuclear modification and the
away-side suppression factor to data in Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at 200 GeV.
We discuss properties of light hadron probes and their sensitivity to the
medium density within the PQM Monte Carlo framework.


title: Pseudoscalar Meson Temporal Correlation Function in HTL approach

abstract:
  The temporal pseudoscalar meson correlation function in a QCD plasma is
investigated in a range of temperatures exceeding $T_c$ and first time for a
finite momenta which is of the experimental interest. The imaginary time
formalism is employed for the finite temperature calculations. The behavior of
the meson spectral function and of the temporal correlator is studied in the
HTL approximation, where one replaces the free thermal quark propagators with
the HTL resumed ones.


title: Natural Dark Matter from Type I String Theory

abstract:
  We study neutralino dark matter within a semi-realistic type I string model,
where supersymmetry breaking arises from F-terms of moduli fields parameterised
in terms of Goldstino angles, which automatically gives rise to non-universal
soft third sfamily and gaugino masses. We study the fine-tuning sensitivities
for dark matter and electroweak symmetry breaking across the parameter space of
the type I string model, and compare the results to a similar analysis in the
non-universal MSSM. Within the type I string model we find that neutralino dark
matter can be naturally implemented in the $\stau$ bulk region, the $Z^0$
resonance region and the maximally tempered Bino/Wino/Higgsino region, in
agreement with the results of the non-universal MSSM analysis. We also find
that in the type I string model the ``well-tempered'' Bino/Wino region is less
fine-tuned than in the MSSM, whereas the $\stau$ co-annihilation region
exhibits a significantly higher degree of fine-tuning than in the MSSM.


title:
Transient field fluctuations effects in d+Au and Au+Au collisions at
  \sqrt{s_nn} = 200 GeV

abstract:
  The effect of fluctuations of SCF on the baryon production in d+Au and Au+Au
collisions at 200A GeV is studied in the framework of HIJING/BB v2.0 model. An
increase of the string tension from kappa_0= 1 GeV/fm, to in medium mean values
of 1.5 to 2.0 GeV/fm and 2.0 to 3.0 GeV/fm, for d+Au and Au+Au respectively,
results in a consistent description of the observed nuclear modification
factors R_dAu and R_AuAu(that relates (d)Au+Au and p+p colllisions) and point
to the relevance of fluctuations of transient color fields. The differences
between nuclear modification factors R_AuAu and R_CP (that relates central and
peripheral collisions) are also discussed.
  The measurement of multi-strange (anti)hyperons (\Xi, \Omega) yields would
provide a crucial test of the importance of SCF fluctuations at RHIC energies.


title: Model Predictions for Neutrino Oscillation Parameters

abstract:
  We have surveyed leptonic and grand unified models of neutrino masses and
mixings in the literature which are still viable and give numerical predictions
for the reactor angle, $\theta_{13}$. The results are of considerable interest
in anticipation of the next generation reactor experiments and the possible
future need for neutrino factories. Of the 63 models considered which were
published or posted on the Archive before June 2006, half predict values of
$\sin^2 2\theta_{13} \gsim 0.015$, which should yield positive signals for
$\bar{\nu}_e$ disappearance in the reactor experiments planned for the near
future. Depending upon the outcome of those experiments, half of the models can
be eliminated on the basis of the presence or absence of such an observed
$\bar{\nu}_e$ disappearance signal.


title: A-term inflation and the smallness of the neutrino masses

abstract:
  The smallness of the neutrino masses may be related to inflation. The minimal
supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) with small Dirac neutrino masses already
has all the necessary ingredients for a successful inflation. In this model the
inflaton is a gauge-invariant combination of the right-handed sneutrino, the
slepton, and the Higgs field, which generate a flat direction suitable for
inflation if the Yukawa coupling is small enough. In a class of models, the
observed microwave background anisotropy and the tilted power spectrum are
related to the neutrino masses.


title: Canonical Interpretation of the D_{sJ}(2860) and D_{sJ}(2690)

abstract:
  The spectrum and decay properties of radially excited $D_s$ states are
examined in a new model. Good agreement is obtained with the properties of two
recently announced $D_s$ mesons identified as $D_{s0}(2860) = c\bar{s}(2P)$ and
$D^*_{s}(2690) = c\bar{s}$ as a possible mixture of $(2S;{}^3S_1)$ and
$(1D;{}^3D_1)$. Searching for these mesons in B decays is advocated due to
large predicted branching ratios.


title: Gravitons and Dark Matter in Universal Extra Dimensions

abstract:
  Models of Universal Extra Dimensions (UED) at the TeV scale lead to the
presence of Kaluza Klein (KK) excitations of the ordinary fermions and bosons
of the Standard Model that may be observed at hadron and lepton colliders. A
conserved discrete symmetry, KK-parity, ensures the stability of the lightest
KK particle (LKP), which, if neutral, becomes a good dark matter particle. It
has been recently shown that for a certain range of masses of the LKP a relic
density consistent with the experimentally observed one may be obtained. These
works, however, ignore the impact of KK graviton production at early times.
Whether the G^1 is the LKP or not, the G^n tower thus produced can decay to the
LKP, and depending on the reheating temperature, may lead to a modification of
the relic density. In this article, we show that this effect may lead to a
relevant modification of the range of KK masses consistent with the observed
relic density. Additionally, if evidence for UED is observed experimentally, we
find a stringent upper limit on the reheating temperature depending on the mass
of the LKP observed.


title:
Current algebra derivation of temperature dependence of hadron couplings
  with currents

abstract:
  The vector and the axial-vector meson couplings with the vector and the
axial-vector currents respectively at finite temperature have been obtained in
Ref. \cite{Mallik} by calculating all the relevant one-loop Feynman graphs with
vertices obtained from the effective chiral Lagrangian. On the other hand, the
same couplings were also derived in Ref.\cite{Ioffe1} by applying the method of
current algebra and the hypothesis of partial conservation of axial-vector
current (PCAC). The latter method appears to miss certain terms; in the case of
the vector meson coupling with the vector current, for example, a term
containing the $\rho\omega\pi$ coupling is missed. A similar situation would
also appear for the nucleon coupling with the nucleon current. In this note we
resolve these differences.


title: Pion propagation in real time field theory at finite temperature

abstract:
  We describe how the thermal counterpart of a vacuum two-point function may be
obtained in the real time formalism in a simple way by using directly the
$2\times 2$ matrices that different elements acquire in this formalism. Using
this procedure we calculate the analytic (single component) thermal amplitude
for the pion pole term in the ensemble average of two axial-vector currents to
two loops in chiral perturbation theory. The general expressions obtained for
the effective mass and decay constants of the pion are evaluated in the chiral
and the nonrelativistic limits. We also investigate the effect of massive
states on these effective parameters.


title:
Double-lepton polarization asymmetries in (Lambda_b -> Lambda l^+ l^-)
  decay in universal extra dimension model

abstract:
  Double-lepton polarization asymmetries in (Lambda_b -> Lambda l^+ l^-) decay
are calculated in universal extra dimension (UED) model. It is obtained that
numerous double-lepton polarization asymmetries are very sensitive to the UED
model and therefore can be very useful tool for establishing new physics
predicted by the UED model.establishing new physics predicted by the UED model.


title:
New physics upper bound on the branching ratio of B_s--> l+ l- and
  B_s--> l+ l- gamma

abstract:
  We consider the most general new physics effective Lagrangian for b--> s l+
l-. We derive the upper limit on the branching ratio for the processes B_s-->
l^+ l- where l=e, mu, subject to the current experimental bounds on related
processes, B--> (K,K*) l+ l-. If the new physics interactions are of
vector/axial-vector form, the present measured rates for B--> (K,K*) l+ l-
constrain B_s--> l+ l to be of the same order of magnitude as their respective
Standard Model (SM) predictions. On the other hand, if the new physics
interactions are of scalar/pseudoscalar form, B--> (K,K*) l+ l- rates do not
impose any useful constraint on B_s--> l+ l- and the branching ratios of these
decays can be as large as present experimental upper bounds. If future
experiments measure B_s--> l+ l- to be > 10^{-8} then the new physics giving
rise to these decays has to be of the scalar/pseudoscalar form. We also
consider the effect of new physics on B_s--> l+ l- gamma subject to the present
experimental constraints on B--> (K,K*) l+ l- and B--> K* gamma. New physics in
form scalar/pseudoscalar, which makes a very large contribution to B_s--> l+
l-, makes no contribution at all to B_s--> l+ l- gamma due to angular momentum
conservation. New Physics in the form of vector/axial-vector operators is
constrained by the data on B--> (K,K*) l+ l- and new physics in the form of
tensor/pseudo-tensor is constrained by the data on B--> K* gamma. In both
cases, enhancement of B_s--> l+ l- gamma much beyond the SM expectation is
impossible. In conclusion, present data on B-->(K,K*) transitions allow for
large B(B_s--> l+ l-) but do not allow B(B_s--> l+ l- gamma) to be much larger
than its SM expectation.


title: Production of Prompt Photons

abstract:
  After a brief review of the production dynamics of prompt single photons in
hadron collisions, I summarize a new QCD calculation of the transverse momentum
distribution of continuum prompt photon pairs produced by QCD subprocesses,
including all-orders soft-gluon resummation valid at next-to-next-to-leading
logarithmic accuracy. Resummation is necessary to obtain reliable predictions,
as well as good agreement with data from the Fermilab Tevatron, in the range of
transverse momentum where the cross section is largest. Predictions are made
for the Large Hadron Collider where the QCD diphoton continuum is shown to have
a softer spectrum in transverse momentum than the Higgs boson signal.


title: QCD Effective action at high temperature and small chemical potential

abstract:
  We present a construction of an effective Yang-Mills action for QCD, from the
expansion of the fermionic determinant in terms of powers of the chemical
potential at high temperature, for the case of massless quarks. We analyze this
expansion in the perturbative region and find that it gives extra spurious
information. We propose for the non-perturbative sector a simplified effective
action which, in principle, contains only the relevant information.


title: Neutrino Phenomenology of Very Low-Energy Seesaws

abstract:
  The Standard Model augmented by the presence of gauge-singlet right-handed
neutrinos proves to be an ideal scenario for accommodating nonzero neutrino
masses. Among the new parameters of this ``New Standard Model'' are
right-handed neutrino Majorana masses M. Theoretical prejudice points to M much
larger than the electroweak symmetry breaking scale, but it has recently been
emphasized that all M values are technically natural and should be explored.
Indeed, M around 1-10 eV can accommodate an elegant oscillation solution to the
LSND anomaly, while other M values lead to several observable consequences. We
consider the phenomenology of low energy seesaw scenarios with M less than and
equal to approximately 1 keV. By exploring such a framework with three
right-handed neutrinos, we can consistently fit all oscillation data --
including those from LSND -- while partially addressing several astrophysical
puzzles, including anomalous pulsar kicks, heavy element nucleosynthesis in
supernovae, and the existence of warm dark matter. Furthermore, low-energy
seesaws -- regardless of their relation to the LSND anomaly -- can also be
tested by future tritium beta-decay experiments, neutrinoless double-beta decay
searches, and other observables. We estimate the sensitivity of such probes to
M.


title: Conformal Symmetry and Pion Form Factor: Soft and Hard Contributions

abstract:
  We discuss a constraint of conformal symmetry in the analysis of the pion
form factor. The usual power-law behavior of the form factor obtained in the
perturbative QCD analysis can also be attained by taking negligible quark
masses in the nonperturbative quark model analysis, confirming the recent
AdS/CFT correspondence. We analyze the transition from soft to hard
contributions in the pion form factor considering a momentum-dependent
dynamical quark mass from a nonnegligible constituent quark mass at low
momentum region to a negligible current quark mass at high momentum region. We
find a correlation between the shape of nonperturbative quark distribution
amplitude and the amount of soft and hard contributions to the pion form
factor.


title: On the Mass Eigenstate Composition of the 8B Neutrinos from the Sun

abstract:
  The present data of gallium experiments provide indirectly the only
experimental limit on the fraction of $\nu_2$ mass eigenstate for the $^8$B
neutrinos from the Sun. However, if to use the experimental data alone, the
fraction of $\nu_2$ and, consequently, $sin^2\theta_{sol}$ still is allowed to
be varied within a rather broad range. The further experimental efforts are
needed to clear this point.


title:
An empirical mass formula for mu and tau leptons and some remarks on
  trident production

abstract:
  For integer values of its free parameter, an empirical formula reproduces
fairly well the mass values of the $\mu$ and $\tau$ leptons as if they were
excited states of the electron. Trident production might possibly be due to
constituent collisions.


title: Cherenkov gluons as a probe of nuclear matter

abstract:
  Some properties of the nuclear matter as revealed by Cherenkov gluons are
discussed.


title: Spectral patterns in the nonstrange baryon spectrum

abstract:
  We extract, from a quark model potential that reproduces the number and
ordering of nonstrange baryonic resonances up to 2.3 GeV, the quantum numbers
for the dominant configurations in the ground and first non-radial excited
states. From the pattern of quantum numbers we identify, from data, spectral
regularities that allow us to predict the expected high spin low-lying spectrum
from 2.3 to 3.0 GeV. $N-\Delta$ degeneracies and $N$ parity doublets showing up
can be interpreted in terms of a simple dynamics.


title:
Dilaton and off-shell (non-critical string) effects in Boltzmann
  equation for species abundances

abstract:
  In this work we derive the modifications to the Boltzmann equation governing
the cosmic evolution of relic abundances induced by dilaton dissipative-source
and non-critical-string terms in dilaton-driven non-equilibrium string
Cosmologies. We also discuss briefly the most important phenomenological
consequences, including modifications of the constraints on the available
parameter space of cosmologically appealing particle physics models, imposed by
recent precision data of astrophysical measurements.


title: NLO inclusive jet production in $k_T$--factorization

abstract:
  The inclusive production of jets in the central region of rapidity is studied
in $k_T$-factorization at next-to-leading order (NLO) in QCD perturbation
theory. Calculations are performed in the Regge limit making use of the NLO
BFKL results. A jet cone definition is introduced and a proper phase--space
separation into multi-Regge and quasi-multi-Regge kinematic regions is carried
out. Two situations are discussed: scattering of highly virtual photons, which
requires a symmetric energy scale to separate the impact factors from the gluon
Green's function, and hadron-hadron collisions, where a non--symmetric scale
choice is needed.


title: Probing the Noncommutative Standard Model at Hadron Colliders

abstract:
  We study collider signals for the noncommutative extension of the standard
model using the Seiberg-Witten maps for SU(3)_C x SU(2)_L x U(1)_Y to first
order in the noncommutativity parameters theta_munu. In particular, we
investigate the ensitivity of Z-gamma-production at the Tevatron and the LHC to
the components of theta_munu. We discuss the range of validity of this
approximation and estimate exclusion limits from a Monte Carlo simulation.


title:
On the forward cone quantization of the Dirac field in "longitudinal
  boost-invariant" coordinates with cylindrical symmetry

abstract:
  We obtain a complete set of free-field solutions of the Dirac equation in a
(longitudinal) boost-invariant geometry with azimuthal symmetry and use these
solutions to perform the canonical quantization of a free Dirac field of mass
$M$. This coordinate system which uses the 1+1 dimensional fluid rapidity $\eta
= 1/2 \ln [(t-z)/(t+z)]$ and the fluid proper time $\tau = (t^2-z^2)^{1/2}$ is
relevant for understanding particle production of quarks and antiquarks
following an ultrarelativistic collision of heavy ions, as it incorporates the
(approximate) longitudinal "boost invariance" of the distribution of outgoing
particles. We compare two approaches to solving the Dirac equation in
curvilinear coordinates, one directly using Vierbeins, and one using a
"diagonal" Vierbein representation.


title:
Supersymmetric contributions to B --> K pi in the view of recent
  experimental result

abstract:
  Supersymmetric contributions to the branching ratios and CP asymmetries of
B--> K pi decays are analyzed in the view of recent experimental measurements.
We show that supersymmetry can still provide a natural solution to the apparent
discrepancy between theses results and the standard model expectations. We
emphasize that chargino contributions may enhance the electroweak penguin
effects that can resolve to the B--> K pi puzzle. We also point out that a
non-universal $A$-terms is an essential requirement for this solution.


title: Monte Carlo studies of the jet activity in Higgs + 2 jet events

abstract:
  Tree-level studies have shown in the past that kinematical correlations
between the two jets in Higgs+2-jet events are direct probes of the Higgs
couplings, e.g. of their CP nature. In this paper we explore the impact of
higher-order corrections on the azimuthal angle correlation of the two leading
jets and on the rapidity distribution of extra jets. Our study includes
matrix-element and shower MC effects, for the two leading sources of Higgs plus
two jet events at the CERN LHC, namely vector-boson and gluon fusion. We show
that the discriminating features present in the previous leading-order matrix
element studies survive.


title: Pair production by boost-invariant fields in comoving coordinates

abstract:
  We derive the pair-production probability in a constant electric field in
Rindler coordinates in a quasi-classical approximation. Our result is different
from the pair-production probability in an inertial frame (Schwinger formula).
In particular, it exhibits non-trivial dependence on rapidity and deviation
from Gaussian behavior at small transverse momenta. Our results can be
important for analysis of particle production in heavy-ion collisions.


title:
Charged Higgs boson contribution to $\nu_{\tau} {\cal N} \to \tau^- X$
  for very large $\tan\beta$ in the two Higgs doublet model with UHE-neutrinos

abstract:
  We study the deep inelastic process $\nu_{\tau} + {\cal N} \to \tau^{-} + X$
(with ${\cal N} \equiv (n+p)/2$ an isoscalar nucleon), in the context of the
two Higgs doublet model {\it type two} (2HDM(II)). In particular, we discuss
the contribution to the total cross section of diagrams, in which a charged
Higgs boson is exchanged. We show that for large values of $\tan\beta$ such
contribution for an inclusive dispersion generated through the collision of an
ultrahigh energy tau-neutrino on a target nucleon can reach up to 57% of the
value of the contribution of the $W^+$ exchange diagrams (i.e. can reach up to
57% of the standard model (SM) prediction) and could permit to distinguish
between the SM and the 2HDM(II) predictions at the Pierre Auger Observatory.


title: Further success of the colour dipole model

abstract:
  We confront a very wide body of HERA diffractive electroproduction data with
the predictions of the colour dipole model. We focus upon three different
parameterisations of the dipole scattering cross-section and find good
agreement for all observables. There can be no doubting the success of the
dipole scattering approach and more precise observations are needed in order to
expose its limitations.


title: Z(3)-symmetric effective theory for pure gauge QCD at high temperature

abstract:
  We review the construction and basic properties of a three-dimensional
effective field theory for high-temperature SU(3) Yang-Mills theory, which
respects its center symmetry and was introduced in hep-ph/0604100. We explain
why the phase diagram of the new theory is expected to closely resemble the one
of the full theory and argue that this implies that it is applicable down to
considerably lower temperatures than the usual non-Z(3)-symmetric 3d effective
theory EQCD.


title: Constraints on Muon Decay Parameters from Neutrino Mass

abstract:
  We derive model-independent constraints on chirality-changing terms in the
muon decay Lagrangian using limits on neutrino mass. We consider all
dimension-six operators invariant under the gauge symmetry of the Standard
Model which contribute to either a Dirac neutrino mass or muon decay. Taking an
upper limit on neutrino mass of 1 eV, we derive limits on the contributions of
chirality-changing operators to the Michel parameters four orders of magnitude
tighter than the current experimental constraints. We also identify two
operators which, due to their flavor structure, are not constrained by neutrino
mass. If near-future experiments find contributions to muon decay from these
operators, it could indicate interesting flavor structure in physics beyond the
SM.


title:
Analysis of the vector form factors $f^+_{K\pi}(Q^2)$ and
  $f^-_{K\pi}(Q^2)$ with light-cone QCD sum rules

abstract:
  In this article, we calculate the vector form factors $f^+_{K\pi}(Q^2)$ and
$f^-_{K\pi}(Q^2)$ within the framework of the light-cone QCD sum rules
approach. The numerical values of the $f^+_{K\pi}(Q^2)$ are compatible with the
existing theoretical calculations, the central value of the $f^+_{K\pi}(0)$,
$f^+_{K\pi}(0)=0.97$, is in excellent agreement with the values from the chiral
perturbation theory and lattice QCD. The values of the $|f^-_{K\pi}(0)|$ are
very large comparing with the theoretical calculations and experimental data,
and can not give any reliable predictions. At large momentum transfers with
$Q^2> 5GeV^2$, the form factors $f^+_{K\pi}(Q^2)$ and $|f^-_{K\pi}(Q^2)|$ can
either take up the asymptotic behavior of $\frac{1}{Q^2}$ or decrease more
quickly than $\frac{1}{Q^2}$, more experimental data are needed to select the
ideal sum rules.


title: The rocket equations for decays of elementary particles

abstract:
  The decay of elementary particles is described nonrelativistically and using
the method of the special theory of relativity. Then the Tsiolkovskii rocket
equation is applied to the one photon decay of the excited nucleus of the
M\"ossbauer effect. The formation time of photons during decay is supposed
nonzero. The Me\v{s}\v{c}erskii equation is possible to identify with the
bremsstrahlung equation. All decays described in the ``Review of Particle
physics properties'' can be investigated from the viewpoint of the rocket
equations


title:
Charged Higgs on $B^{-} \to \tau \bar\nu_{\tau}$ and $\bar B\to P(V)
  \ell \bar\nu_{\ell}$

abstract:
  We study the charged Higgs effects on the decays of $B^{-} \to \tau
\bar\nu_{\tau}$ and $\bar B\to P(V) \ell \bar\nu_{\ell}$ with $P=\pi^{+},D^{+}$
and $V=\rho^{+},D^{*+}$. We concentrate on the minimal supersymmetric standard
model with nonholomorphic terms at a large $\tan\beta$. To extract new physics
contributions, we define several physical quantities related to the decay rate
and angular distributions to reduce uncertainties from the QCD as well as the
CKM elements. With the constraints from the recent measurement on the decay
branching ratio of $B^{-} \to \tau \bar\nu_{\tau}$, we find that the charged
Higgs effects could be large and measurable.


title: Simulations of Cold Electroweak Baryogenesis

abstract:
  We present real-time lattice simulations of Cold Electroweak Baryogenesis, in
which the baryon asymmetry of the Universe is generated during tachyonic
electroweak symmetry breaking at the end of inflation. In the minimal
realisation of the model, only three parameters remain undetermined: the
strength of CP-violation, the Higgs mass and the speed of the symmetry breaking
quench. The dependence of the asymmetry on these parameters is studied.


title:
Production of Charged and Neutral Higgs Bosons with Charginos and
  Neutralinos through different Propagators in the MSSM

abstract:
  In this work, the following reactions have been studied: $e^- e^+ \to H^-
\widetilde{\chi}_{1}^+ \widetilde{\chi}_{1}^o$, $e^{-}e^{+}\to
h\widetilde{\chi}_{1}^{+}\widetilde{\chi}_{1}^{-}$, $e^{-}e^{+}\to
h\widetilde{\chi}_{1}^{o}\widetilde{\chi}_{1}^{o}$, $e^{-}e^{+}\to h H^{+}
H^{-}$, where $\widetilde{\chi}_{1}^{\pm}$ is the chargino and
$\widetilde{\chi}_{1}^{0}$ is the neutralino. $h$ represent the lightest
neutral Higgs boson, and $H_3$ (sometimes refered to as $A$) is the
pseudoscalar Higgs boson. The work went to calculate the differential cross
section due to each Feynman diagram, then, the total cross section for each
reaction is calculated according to a carefully used set of parameters. Results
are graphed and tabulated. Comparisons between the obtained results are also
given.


title: Patterns of New Physics in B Decays

abstract:
  We show that any new physics (NP) which affects B decays with penguin
contributions can be absorbed by redefinitions of the standard-model (SM)
diagrammatic amplitudes. Hence, there are no clean signals of NP in such decays
unless there is an accurate theoretical estimate of parameters or a justifiable
approximation can be made. In all decays with penguin contributions, NP
simultaneously affects pairs of diagrams. The evidence for a large C' from fits
to B-> pi K data is naturally explained if NP contributes to P_EW, since NP
affects the P_EW and C' diagrams as a pair. The weak phase gamma measured in
B-> pi K decays will always agree with its SM value even in the presence of NP,
if the NP contributes in such a way that the amplitudes retain the SM form
after suitable redefinitions.


title:
Semileptonic decay Lambda_c-->Lambda \ell^+ \nu from QCD light-cone sum
  rules

abstract:
  We present the study of the semileptonic decay \Lambda_c to \Lambda\ell^+\nu
by using the light-cone sum rule approach. Distribution amplitudes (DAs) for
the \Lambda baryon are discussed to the leading order conformal spin, and QCD
sum rule estimate for the corresponding parameters is presented. The form
factors describing the decay are calculated and used to predict the decay width
and the decay asymmetry parameter \alpha. With the inclusion of twist-3
contributions the calculated decay width \Gamma=(7.2+/-2.0)X10^{-14} GeV as
well as asymmetry \alpha=-(0.88+/-0.03) is found in good agreement with the
experimental data, while there are appreciable deviations from experiment
values when the higher twist contributions are included.


title: Do Instantons Like a Colorful Background?

abstract:
  We investigate chiral symmetry breaking and color symmetry breaking in QCD.
The effective potential of the corresponding scalar condensates is discussed in
the presence of non-perturbative contributions from the semiclassical
one-instanton sector. We concentrate on a color singlet scalar background which
can describe chiral condensation, as well as a color octet scalar background
which can generate mass for the gluons. Whereas a non-vanishing singlet chiral
field is favored by the instantons, we have found no indication for a
preference of color octet backgrounds.


title: Discovery and Measurement of Sleptons, Binos, and Winos with a Z'

abstract:
  Extensions of the MSSM could significantly alter its phenomenology at the
LHC. We study the case in which the MSSM is extended by an additional U(1)
gauge symmetry, which is spontaneously broken at a few TeV. The production
cross-section of sleptons is enhanced over that of the MSSM by the process
$pp\to Z' \to \tilde{\ell} \tilde{\ell}^*$, so the discovery potential for
sleptons is greatly increased. The flavor and charge information in the
resulting decay, $\tilde{\ell} \to \ell + {LSP}$, provides a useful handle on
the identity of the LSP. With the help of the additional kinematical constraint
of an on-shell Z', we implement a novel method to measure all of the
superpartner masses involved in this channel. For certain final states with two
invisible particles, one can construct kinematic observables bounded above by
parent particle masses. We demonstrate how output from one such observable,
m_T2, can become input to a second, increasing the number of measurements one
can make with a single decay chain. The method presented here represents a new
class of observables which could have a much wider range of applicability.


title: Thermalization and plasma instabilities

abstract:
  I review recent analytical and numerical advances in the study of
non-equilibrium quark-gluon plasma physics. I concentrate on studies of the
dynamics of plasmas which are locally anisotropic in momentum space. In
contrast to locally isotropic plasmas such anisotropic plasmas have a spectrum
of soft unstable modes which are characterized by exponential growth of
transverse (chromo)-magnetic fields at short times. Parametrically the
instabilities provide the fastest method for generation of soft background
fields and dominate the short-time dynamics of the system.


title: Higgs Boson Decay into a Pair of Leptons

abstract:
  The decay of a Higgs boson into a pair of W bosons h --> W^+W^-, is a
dominant mode for Higgs boson masses above 135 GeV. At hadron colliders,
searches for this decay focus on channels in which both W bosons decay
leptonically into charged leptons, h --> W^+ W^- --> l^+ l^- plus missing
energy. We show that semileptonic decays of heavy flavors are an important
background to this signal. Lepton isolation provides too little suppression of
heavy flavor contributions, and an additional 4 to 8 orders-of-magnitude
suppression must come from physics cuts. An increase of the cut on the the
minimum transverse momentum of non-leading leptons in multilepton events is one
effective way to achieve the needed suppression, without appreciable loss of
the Higgs boson signal.


title: Meson2006 Summary: Theory

abstract:
  This is a summary of theoretical plenary contributions to the biennial hadron
physics conference Meson2006, which was the ninth in this series. The topics
covered in the meeting include low energy pion-pion and pion-nucleon
interactions, photoproduction and hadronic production of light mesons and
baryons,in-medium effects, recent developments in charmed mesons, charmonia and
B mesons, the status of exotica, and some related topics such as final state
interactions. In this contribution we review and summarize the plenary talks
presented by theorists at the meeting, and emphasize some of the main points of
their presentations. Where appropriate we will add brief comments on some
aspects of QCD spectroscopy. Finally, following tradition, we conclude with a
new Feynman story.


title:
Using the e^{+/-} mu^{-/+} + E^{miss}_T signature in the search for
  supersymmetry and lepton flavour violation in neutralino decays

abstract:
  The LHC (CMS) discovery potential of the $e^{\pm}\mu^{\mp} + E^{miss}_T$
signature in the search for supersymmetry and lepton flavour violation in
neutralino decays is studied. A detailed study is done for the CMS test points
LM1-LM9. It is shown that for the point LM1 it is possible to detect lepton
flavour violation in neutralino decays with lepton flavour violating branching
$Br(\tilde{\chi}^0_2 \to \mu^{\pm}e^{\mp}\tilde{\chi}^0_1) \geq 0.04
Br(\tilde{\chi}^0_2 \to e^{+}e^{-}\tilde{\chi}^0_1, \mu^{+}\mu^{-}
\tilde{\chi}^0_1)$ for an integral luminosity $10 fb^{-1}$. A discovery
potential in the mSUGRA-SUSY scenario with $\tan \beta = 10, ~sign(\mu) = +$ in
the $(m_0, m_{1/2})$ plane using the $e^{\pm}\mu^{\mp} + E^{miss}_T$ signature
is determined.


title: Strongly Coupled Quark-Gluon Plasma: The Status Report

abstract:
  RHIC data have shown robust collective flows, strong jet and charm quenching,
and charm flow.
  Recently ``conical flows'' from damped jets were seen. Non-Abelian classical
strongly coupled plasmas were introduced and studied via molecular dynamics,
with first results for its transport (diffusion and viscosity) reported.
  Quantum-mechanical studies reveal the survival for $T>T_c$ of the lowest
binary states, including colored ones, and also of some manybody ones such as
baryons. ``Polymeric chains'' $\bar q.g.g... q$ are also bound in some range of
$T$, perhaps the progenitors of the QCD strings.
  AdS/CFT applications advanced to a completely new level of detail: they now
include studies of thermal heavy quark motion, jet quenching and even conical
flow. Confinement is however still beyond simply strong coupling: its de-facto
inclusion the so called AdS/QCD approach is so far added as a model, while true
understanding may probably only come from further insights into the monopole
dynamics.


title:
Theoretical overview of atomic parity violation. Recent developments and
  challenges

abstract:
  Recent advances in interpreting the most accurate to-date measurement of
atomic parity violation in Cs are reviewed. The inferred nuclear weak charge,
Q_W = - 72.65(28)_expt (36)_theor, agrees with the prediction of the standard
model at 1 sigma level. Further improved interpretation is limited by an
accuracy of solving basic correlation problem of atomic structure. We report on
our progress in solving this problem within the relativistic coupled-cluster
formalism. We include single-, double- and triple- electronic excitations in
the coupled-cluster expansion. Numerical results for energies, electric-dipole
matrix elements, and hyperfine-structure constants of Cs are presented.


title:
Possible new resonance at the $D^* {\bar D^*}$ threshold in $e^+e^-$
  annihilation

abstract:
  We argue that the recent CLEO-c data on $e^+e^-$ annihilation into pairs of
charmed mesons at c.m. energy around 4.0 GeV are not well described by a single
resonance $\psi(4040)$, but can be better understood if there is an additional
narrow resonance with mass within few MeV from the $D^* {\bar D}^*$ threshold.


title:
Recursive Construction of Higgs-Plus-Multiparton Loop Amplitudes: The
  Last of the Phi-nite Loop Amplitudes

abstract:
  We consider a scalar field, such as the Higgs boson H, coupled to gluons via
the effective operator H tr G_{mu nu} G^{mu nu} induced by a heavy-quark loop.
We treat H as the real part of a complex field phi which couples to the
self-dual part of the gluon field-strength, via the operator phi tr G_{SD mu
nu} G_{SD}^{mu nu}, whereas the conjugate field phi^dagger couples to the
anti-self-dual part. There are three infinite sequences of amplitudes coupling
phi to quarks and gluons that vanish at tree level, and hence are finite at one
loop, in the QCD coupling. Using on-shell recursion relations, we find compact
expressions for these three sequences of amplitudes and discuss their analytic
properties.


title: Non-Canonical MSSM, Unification, And New Particles At The LHC

abstract:
  We consider non-canonical embeddings of the MSSM in high-dimensional orbifold
GUTs based on the gauge symmetry SU(N), N=5,6,7,8. The hypercharge
normalization factor k_Y can either have unique non-canonical values, such as
23/21 in a six-dimensional SU(7) model, or may lie in a (continuous) interval.
Gauge coupling unification and gauge-Yukawa unification can be realized in
these models by introducing new particles with masses in the TeV range which
may be found at the LHC. In one such example there exist color singlet
fractionally charged states.


title: Brane World Cosmic String Interaction

abstract:
  It is shown that brane world gravity produces an attractive force between
cosmic strings, in contrast to conventional Einstein gravity. This force is
sufficient for stable bound states of Type II strings (which normally repel
each other) to form. There is a small separation between the strings, giving
them a rope-like structure. At astronomical scales these `cosmic ropes'
resemble higher winding number strings, and so all brane world cosmic strings
are effectively Type I.


title: Grand Unified Theories

abstract:
  In this talk I briefly review the status of SUSY GUTs in 4, 5, 6 and 10
dimensions, focusing on the issue of gauge coupling unification and proton
decay. I then discuss the predictions of the minimal SO(10) SUSY model
[MSO$_{10}$SM].


title:
Semi-analytical solution for Bogolubov's angle $\theta(p)$ in the 't
  Hooft model

abstract:
  The analytical ansatz was found for Bogolubov's angle theta(p) in the 't
Hooft model at N->infinity. The appropriate calculations were done and final
numeric approximation was found for this angle theta(p).


title:
Quasiparticle picture of quarks near chiral transition at finite
  temperature

abstract:
  We investigate, using a chiral effective model, the quark spectrum in the
critical region of the chiral transition focusing on the effect of the possible
mesonic excitations in the quark-gluon plasma phase. We find that there appears
a novel three-peak structure in the quark spectra. We elucidate the mechanism
of the appearance of the multi-peak structure with the help of a Yukawa model
with an elementary boson.


title: Unveiling Chameleons in Tests of Gravitational Inverse-Square Law

abstract:
  Scalar self interactions are known to weaken considerably the current
constraints on scalar-mediated fifth forces. We consider a scalar field with a
quartic self interaction and gravitation-strength Yukawa couplings to matter
particles. After discussing the phenomenology of this scalar field, we assess
the ability of ongoing and planned experiments to detect the fifth force
mediated by such a field. Assuming that the quartic and matter couplings are of
order unity, the current-generation Eot-Wash experiment at the University of
Washington will be able to explore an interesting subset of parameter space.
The next-generation Eot-Wash experiment is expected to be able to detect, or to
rule out, the fifth force due to such a scalar with unit quartic and matter
couplings at the 3 sigma confidence level.


title:
Quark number scaling of $v_2$ in transverse kinetic energy and it's
  implications for coalescence models

abstract:
  We find that a simple extension of the coalescence model is sufficient to
incorporate the perfect quark number scaling behavior of the elliptic flow in
transverse kinetic energy, recently discovered by the PHENIX Collaboration. The
flavor dependence of the elliptic flow can be consistently described in the low
and intermediate $p_T$ if the transverse kinetic energy is conserved in the
$2\to1$ or $3\to1$ parton coalescence process at the hadronization. Thus
suggesting the quark coalescence as a possible hadronization mechanism at low
$p_T$ as well.


title: Instanton interpolating current for $\sigma$--tetraquark

abstract:
  We perform a QCD sum rule analysis for the light scalar meson $\sigma$
($f_0(600)$) with a tetraquark current related to the instanton picture for QCD
vacuum. We demonstrate that instanton current, including equal weights of
scalar and pseudoscalar diquark-antidiquarks, leads to a strong cancelation
between the contributions of high dimension operators in the operator product
expansion (OPE). Furthermore, in the case of this current direct instanton
contributions do not spoil the sum rules. Our calculation, obtained from the
OPE up to dimension 10 operators, gives the mass of $\sigma$--meson around
780MeV.


title:
Directed and elliptic flow in heavy ion collisions from $E_{\rm
  beam}=90$ MeV/nucleon to $E_{\rm c.m.}=200$ GeV/nucleon

abstract:
  Recent data from the NA49 experiment on directed and elliptic flow for Pb+Pb
reactions at CERN-SPS are compared to calculations with a hadron-string
transport model, the Ultra-relativistic Quantum Molecular Dynamics (UrQMD)
model.
  The rapidity and transverse momentum dependence of the directed and elliptic
flow, i.e. $v_1$ and $v_2$, are investigated. The flow results are compared to
data at three different centrality bins. Generally, a reasonable agreement
between the data and the calculations is found. Furthermore, the energy
excitation functions of $v_1$ and $v_2$ from $E_{\rm beam}=90A$ MeV to $E_{\rm
cm}=200A$ GeV are explored within the UrQMD framework and discussed in the
context of the available data. It is found that, in the energy regime below
$E_{\rm beam}\leq 10A$ GeV, the inclusion of nuclear potentials is necessary to
describe the data. Above $40A$ GeV beam energy, the UrQMD model starts to
underestimate the elliptic flow. Around the same energy the slope of the
rapidity spectra of the proton directed flow develops negative values. This
effect is known as the third flow component ("antiflow") and cannot be
reproduced by the transport model. These differences can possibly be explained
by assuming a phase transition from hadron gas to quark gluon plasma at about
$40A$ GeV.


title:
Direct Photon Production in $pp$ and $p \bar p$ Collisions at High
  Energies

abstract:
  The invariant cross sections for direct photon production in hadron-hadron
collisions are calculated for several initial energies (SPS, ISR, S$p \bar p$S,
RHIC, Tevatron, LHC) including initial parton transverse momenta within the
formalism of unintegrated parton distributions (UPDF). Kwieci\'nski UPDFs
provide very good description of all world data, especially at SPS and ISR
energies. Inclusion of the QCD evolution effects and especially their effect on
initial parton transverse momenta allowed to solve the long-standing problem of
understanding the low energy and low transverse momentum data.


title:
Comment on ``Once more about the $\kk$ molecule approach to the light
  scalars''

abstract:
  In this manuscript we reply to the criticisms of our paper [Eur. Phys. J. A
24, 437 (2005)] raised in a recent preprint by Achasov and Kiselev
[hep-ph/0606268] and demonstrate that all their criticisms are completely
irrelevant and misleading.


title: B/s0 anti-B/s0 mixing in the MSSM with large tan beta

abstract:
  The Bs-Bsbar mixing parameter Delta Ms is studied in the MSSM with large tan
beta. The recent Tevatron measurement of Delta Ms is used to constrain the MSSM
parameter space. From this analysis the often neglected contribution to Delta
Ms from the operator Q^SLL is found to be significant.


title:
Measurement of the Stau Minus Neutralino Mass Difference and Mgluino in
  the Co-Annihilation Region at the LHC

abstract:
  We study the prospects for the measurement of the stau - lightest neutralino
mass difference (dM) and the gluino mass (Mg) in the supersymmetric
co-annihilation region at the LHC using tau leptons. Recent WMAP measurements
of the amount of cold dark matter and previous accelerator experiments indicate
that the coannihilation region of mSUGRA is characterized by a small dM (5-15
GeV). Focusing on taus from N2 -> tau stau -> tau tau N1 decays in gluino and
squark production, we consider inclusive 3 tau+jet+missing Et production, with
two taus above a high Et threshold and a third tau above a lower threshold. Two
observables, the number of opposite-signed tau pairs minus the number of
like-signed tau pairs and the peak of the ditau invariant mass distribution,
allow for the simultaneous determination of dM and Mg for dM >5 GeV. For
example, for dM = 9 GeV and Mg =850 GeV and with 30 fb^-1 of data, we can
measure dM to 15% and Mg to 6%.


title: Next-to-Leading order Higgs + 2 jet production via gluon fusion

abstract:
  We present phenomenological results for the production of a Higgs boson in
association with two jets at the LHC. The calculation is performed in the limit
of large top mass and is accurate to next-to-leading order in the strong
coupling, i.e. ${\cal O}(\alpha_s^6)$


title:
Ordinary muon capture on a proton in manifestly Lorentz invariant baryon
  chiral perturbation theory

abstract:
  The amplitude for ordinary muon capture on the proton is evaluated, through
the first four orders in the expansion parameter, in a manifestly Lorentz
invariant form of baryon chiral perturbation theory. Expressions for the low
energy constants in terms of physical quantities are obtained in each of the
several renormalization schemes which have been proposed for forcing the
relativistic approach to obey the same counting rules as obtained in heavy
baryon chiral perturbation theory. The advantages and disadvantages of these
schemes are discussed, using the muon capture results as an example, with the
aim of gaining insight as to which scheme is preferable for practical
calculations.


title: Towards more reliable perturbative QCD predictions at moderate energies

abstract:
  The problem of improving the reliability of perturbative QCD predictions at
moderate energies is considered. These predictions suffer from substantial
renormalization scheme dependence, which is illustrated using as an example the
QCD effective charge appearing in the static interquark potential and the QCD
corrections to the Gross-Llewellyn-Smith sum rule in the deep inelastic
neutrino-nucleon scattering. To reduce this scheme dependence, it is proposed
to use a modified perturbation expansion, based on a modified couplant, which
is perturbatively consistent with the conventional running coupling parameter,
but is free from Landau singularity and has smaller renormalization scheme
dependence. The modified couplant is obtained by integrating the
renormalization group equation with an appropriately constructed nonpolynomial
generator. The renormalization scheme dependence of the perturbative
predictions in the modified expansion is discussed in detail, including the
predictions selected by the Principle of Minimal Sensitivity. It is shown that
the modified predictions are much more stable with respect to change of the
renormalization scheme parameters than the predictions obtained in the
conventional approach. It is also found that the modified predictions display
somewhat weaker energy dependence than the predictions obtained with the
conventional expansion, which may be interesting from the point of view of
comparing the low energy and high energy determinations of the strong coupling
parameter.