Recent developments in radiative B decays

We report on recent theoretical progress in radiative B decays. We focus on a calculation of logarithmically enhanced QED corrections to the branching ratio and forward-backward asymmetry in the inclusive rare decay anti-B --> X(s) l+ l-, and present the results of a detailed phenomenological analysis. We also report on the calculation of NNLO QCD corrections to the inclusive decay anti-B --> X(s) gamma. As far as exclusive modes are concerned we consider transversity amplitudes and the impact of right-handed currents in the exclusive anti-B --> K^* l+ l- decay. Finally, we state results for exclusive B --> V gamma decays, notably the time-dependent CP-asymmetry in the exclusive B --> K^* gamma decay and its potential to serve as a so-called ``null test'' of the Standard Model, and the extraction of CKM and unitarity triangle parameters from B --> (rho,omega) gamma and B --> K^* gamma decays.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures. Accepted for publication in the proceedings of International Europhysics Conference on High Energy Physics (EPS-HEP2007), Manchester, England, 19-25 Jul 200

I Quaderni di Careggi- Fifth issue- Landscape Observatories

Having regard to Recommendation CM/Rec (2008)3 on the Guidelines for the implementation of the European Landscape Convention, “landscape observatories, centers and institutes” are one of the main instruments for the implementation of landscape policies (II.3.3). They facilitate the collection and exchange of information and study protocols between states and local communities. This issue of the Quaderni di Careggi presents an international overview of the activities of landscape observatories, a reflection on their mission and effectiveness with regard to the ELC objectives, and a reflection on the relationships between the different subjects, thanks to the participation of institutional bodies, public officials as well as researchers and representatives of civil society. It reflects part of the scientific contributions which will be presented during the V Careggi Seminar (Florence, 27-28th June 2013)

Excitable FitzHugh-Nagumo model with cross-diffusion: long-range activation instabilities

In this paper, we shall study a spatially extended version of the FitzHugh-Nagumo model, where one describes the motion of the species through cross-diffusion. The motivation comes from modeling biological species where reciprocal interaction influences spatial movement. We shall focus our analysis on the excitable regime of the system. In this case, we shall see how cross-diffusion terms can destabilize uniform equilibrium, allowing for the formation of close-to-equilibrium patterns; the species are out-of-phase spatially distributed, namely high concentration areas of one species correspond to a low density of the other (cross-Turing patterns). Moreover, depending on the magnitude of the inhibitor’s cross-diffusion, the pattern’s development can proceed in either case of the inhibitor/activator diffusivity ratio being higher or smaller than unity. This allows for spatial segregation of the species in both cases of short-range activation/long-range inhibition or long-range activation/short-range inhibition

Excitable FitzHugh-Nagumo model with cross-diffusion: close and far-from-equilibrium coherent structures

In this paper, we shall study the formation of stationary patterns for a reaction-diffusion system in which the FitzHugh-Nagumo (FHN) kinetics, in its excitable regime, is coupled to linear cross-diffusion terms. In (Gambino et al. in Excitable Fitzhugh-Nagumo model with cross-diffusion: long-range activation instabilities, 2023), we proved that the model supports the emergence of cross-Turing patterns, i.e., close-to-equilibrium structures occurring as an effect of cross-diffusion. Here, we shall construct the crossTuring patterns close to equilibrium on 1-D and 2-D rectangular domains. Through this analysis, we shall show that the species are out-of-phase spatially distributed and derivethe amplitude equations that govern the pattern dynamics close to criticality. Moreover, we shall classify the bifurcation in the parameter space, distinguishing between super-and sub-critical transitions. In the final part of the paper, we shall numerically investigate the impact of the cross-diffusion terms on large-amplitude pulse-like solutions existing outside the cross-Turing regime, showing their emergence also in the case of lateral activation and short-range inhibition

Landscape Observatories in Europe from the ELC Recommendations to Local Initiatives. Rationale and Issues of the Seminar

Having regard to Recommendation CM/Rec (2008)3 on the Guidelines for the implementation of the European Landscape Convention, “landscape observatories, centers and institutes” are one of the main instruments for the implementation of landscape policies (II.3.3). They facilitate the collection and exchange of information and study protocols between states and local communities. This issue of the Quaderni di Careggi presents an international overview of the activities of landscape observatories, a reflection on their mission and effectiveness with regard to the ELC objectives, and a reflection on the relationships between the different subjects, thanks to the participation of institutional bodies, public officials as well as researchers and representatives of civil society. It reflects part of the scientific contributions which will be presented during the V Careggi Seminar (Florence, 27-28th June 2013

Recombinant factorVIII Fc fusion protein for the prevention and treatment of bleeding in children with severe hemophilia A

This work was supported by funding from Biogen, including funding for the editorial and writing support in the the development of this paper

Evidence for Bosonic Electroweak Corrections in the Standard Model

We present strong indirect evidence for the contribution of bosonic electroweak corrections in the Standard Model. Although important conceptually, these corrections give subleading contributions in current high energy experiments, and it was previously thought that they are difficult to detect. We also discuss the separate contribution of the Higgs boson.Comment: 9 pages (LaTeX + 3 PS figures, needs psfig

Physical renormalization condition for the quark-mixing matrix

We investigate the renormalization of the quark-mixing matrix in the Electroweak Standard Model. We show that the corresponding counterterms must be gauge independent as a consequence of extended BRS invariance. Using rigid SU(2)_L symmetry, we proof that the ultraviolet-divergent parts of the invariant counterterms are related to the field renormalization constants of the quark fields. We point out that for a general class of renormalization schemes rigid SU(2)_L symmetry cannot be preserved in its classical form, but is renormalized by finite counterterms. Finally, we discuss a genuine physical renormalization condition for the quark-mixing matrix that is gauge independent and does not destroy the symmetry between quark generations.Comment: 20 pages, LaTeX, minor changes, references adde

Brief review on semileptonic B decays

We concisely review semileptonic B decays, focussing on recent progress on both theoretical and experimental sides.Comment: 18 pages, 2 figures; version to be published in Mod. Phys. Lett.