Inhomogeneous color superconductivity and the cooling of compact stars

In this talk I discuss the inhomogeneous (LOFF) color superconductive phases of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). In particular, I show the effect of a core of LOFF phase on the cooling of a compact star.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figure, uses aiproc style. Talk given at "Quark confinement and the hadron spectrum", Ponta Delgada, Acores, Portugal, 2-7 September 200

Phase diagram and pion modes of the neutral Nambu-Jona Lasinio model with the Polyakov loop

I discuss recent results obtained by our group within the Nambu-Jona Lasinio model with the Polyakov loop. I focus on the two flavor version of the model, discussing the phase diagram in the $\mu-T$ plane in the case in which electrical neutrality is required. One of the results is that pion condensation is not observed in our model when a physical mass for the light quarks is considered.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. Invited talk at the YITP international symposium on ``Fundamental Problems in Hot and/or Dense QCD'', Kyoto, Japan, 3-6 Mar 200

On the critical end point of the QCD and the NJL model phase diagrams

In this talk I compare the knowledge on the critical end point of the QCD phase diagram grasped from lattice calculations, with that obtained from Nambu--Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model computations. The original publication is available at http://www.sif.it/SIF/en/portal/journalsComment: 6 pages, 1 figure. Talk given at IFAE 2009, Bari, 15-17 April 2009. The original publication is available at: http://www.sif.it/SIF/en/portal/journal

Phase diagram of hot quark matter under magnetic field

In this talk, I review the computation of the phase diagram of hot quark matter in strong magnetic field, at zero baryon density, within an effective model of Quantum Chromodynamics.Comment: 5 pages; 2 figures. Talk given at "QCD@Work2010", 2010 June 20-23, Martina Franca, Ital

The marginal cost of public funds in closed and small open economies

The efficiency cost of taxation has become an increasingly important consideration in the evaluation of alternative tax policy options. This paper provides a review of estimates of the efficiency costs of taxation and presents some new estimates for small open economies. The available studies suggest that, in closed economies, the distortions from taxation are highest for corporate taxes and lowest for wage taxes. This efficiency ranking of different taxes does not hold in small open economies. It is shown that, in a small open economy, this ranking is reversed. Personal income taxes are less distortionary than wage taxes primarily because the link between domestic saving and investment is severed. Corporate taxes are also less distortionary for a variety of factors, such as changes in depreciation levels, payments to foreigners and terms of trade.

Rheological Behavior of Microemulsions

We study the stationary and transient behaviors of the microemulsion phase subjected to a shear flow. The system is described by a diffusion-convective equation which generalizes the usual Cahn-Hilliard equation. Non-linear terms are treated in a self-consistent approximation. Shear, first and second normal stresses are calculated as momenta of the structure factor. Shear thinning is observed in stationary conditions. After a newtonian regime at small values of the shear rate, the excess viscosity decreases when the shear rate becomes of the order of the inverse of the relaxation time of the system without flow. In transient regimes, when the flow is applied starting from a quiescent state, we find that the shear stress reaches a maximum before decreasing to a constant value.Comment: 10 figures, 2 of which have format jp