On the numerical closeness of the effective phenomenological electroweak mixing angle θ\theta and the \MS parameter θ^\hat\theta

It happens that $s^2$ and $\hat s^2$ are equal with 0.1% accuracy, though they are split by radiative corrections and a natural estimate for their difference is 1%. This degeneracy occurs only for $m_t$ value close to 170\GeV, so no deep physical reason can be attributed to it. However, another puzzle of the Standard Model, the degeneracy of s_\Eff^2 and $s^2$, is not independent of the previous one since a good physical reason exists for s_\Eff^2 and $\hat s^2$ degeneracy. We present explicit formulas which relate these three angles.Comment: 10 pages, latex, 3 figures included; published on MPLA. A few numerical estimates are improved; journal-ref is adde

Perturbative corrections to semileptonic b decay distributions

We compute O(alpha_s) and O(alpha_s^n beta_0^{n-1}) (BLM) corrections to the five structure functions relevant for b->q l nu decays and apply the results to the moments of a few distributions of phenomenological importance. We present compact analytic one-loop formulae for the structure functions, with proper subtraction of the soft divergence.Comment: 23 pages, LaTex. A number of textual changes are added for clarity, a missing definition is provide

Turing pattern formation in the Brusselator system with nonlinear diffusion

In this work we investigate the effect of density dependent nonlinear diffusion on pattern formation in the Brusselator system. Through linear stability analysis of the basic solution we determine the Turing and the oscillatory instability boundaries. A comparison with the classical linear diffusion shows how nonlinear diffusion favors the occurrence of Turing pattern formation. We study the process of pattern formation both in 1D and 2D spatial domains. Through a weakly nonlinear multiple scales analysis we derive the equations for the amplitude of the stationary patterns. The analysis of the amplitude equations shows the occurrence of a number of different phenomena, including stable supercritical and subcritical Turing patterns with multiple branches of stable solutions leading to hysteresis. Moreover we consider traveling patterning waves: when the domain size is large, the pattern forms sequentially and traveling wavefronts are the precursors to patterning. We derive the Ginzburg-Landau equation and describe the traveling front enveloping a pattern which invades the domain. We show the emergence of radially symmetric target patterns, and through a matching procedure we construct the outer amplitude equation and the inner core solution.Comment: Physical Review E, 201

Physics at the Linear Collider

The physics at the planned $e^+e^-$ colliders is discussed around three main topics corresponding to different manifestations of symmetry breaking: $W$ physics in the no Higgs scenario, studies of the properties of the Higgs and precision tests of SUSY. A comparison with the LHC is made for all these cases. The $\gamma \gamma$ mode of the linear collider will also be reviewed.Comment: 31 pages, 12 figures. Invited talk given at the Fifth Workshop on High Energy Physics Phenomenology, Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, India, January 12 - 26, 199

NNLL QCD Contribution of the Electromagnetic Dipole Operator to Gamma(anti-B -> X(s) gamma)

We present an independent calculation of that part of the O(\alpha_s^2) contribution to the decay width \Gamma(\bar B -> X_s \gamma) which arises from the self-interference term of the electromagnetic dipole operator O_7. Using a different method, we find complete agreement with a previous calculation. This NNLL contribution is an important ingredient for the complete NNLL prediction of \Gamma(\bar B -> X_s \gamma) which will resolve the charm quark mass ambiguity appearing at NLL accuracy.Comment: 15 pages, uses axodraw.st

QCD Corrections to the Radiative Decay B -> X_s gamma

In this short review, the calculation of the next-to-next-to-leading order QCD corrections to the inclusive radiative decay B -> X_s gamma is described. I summarize the salient features of the calculational framework adopted, discuss the results obtained in the last few years, and indicate the technical tools that made the NNLO calculations possible. I conclude by comparing the current NNLO theoretical estimate for the branching ratio with the experimental measurement and by briefly discussing the size and origin of the residual theoretical uncertainty.Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures. Invited review for Modern Physics Letters

Rational drug design of metal complexes for cancer therapy

Funding Information: This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, IP/MCTES through national funds—UIDB/00100/2020 (CQE), LA/P/0056/2020 (IMS), UIDP/04378/2020 and UIDB/04378/2020 (UCIBIO), LA/P/0140/2020 (i4HB), and project PTDC/QUI-QIN/0146/2020. TM thanks FCT for Scientific Employment Stimulus (CEECIND) Initiative for the project CEECIND/00630/2017 (acknowledging FCT, as well as POPH and FSE-European Social Fund).publishersversionpublishe

Long-term impact of chemical and alternative fungicides applied to grapevine CV nebbiolo on berry transcriptome

Viticulture is one of the horticultural systems in which antifungal treatments can be extremely frequent, with substantial economic and environmental costs. New products, such as biofungicides, resistance inducers and biostimulants, may represent alternative crop protection strategies respectful of the environmental sustainability and food safety. Here, the main purpose was to evaluate the systemic molecular modifications induced by biocontrol products as laminarin, resistance inducers (i.e., fosetyl-Al and potassium phosphonate), electrolyzed water and a standard chemical fungicide (i.e., metiram), on the transcriptomic profile of ‘Nebbiolo’ grape berries at harvest. In addition to a validation of the sequencing data through real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), for the first-time the expression of some candidate genes in different cell-types of berry skin (i.e., epidermal and hypodermal layers) was evaluated using the laser microdissection approach. Results showed that several considered antifungal treatments do not strongly affect the berry transcriptome profile at the end of season. Although some treatments do not activate long lasting molecular defense priming features in berry, some compounds appear to be more active in long-term responses. In addition, genes differentially expressed in the two-cell type populations forming the berry skin were found, suggesting a different function for the two-cell type populations

Factor structure and psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Homosexuality scale of the Trueblood Sexual Attitudes Questionnaire

The aim of the present study was to translate the Homosexuality scale of the Trueblood Sexual Attitudes Questionnaire into the Italian language and to assess its factor structure and psychometric properties in Italian psychology students. The questionnaire was originally developed and validated in U.S. college students, and later in Turkish social work students, showing high internal consistency. It measures attitudes toward several sexual practices and behaviors, regarding self and others. Particularly, the Homosexuality scale measures attitudes toward different sexual and romantic practices with people of the same sex. A total of 199 Italian psychology students participated to the study, and they were administered the Italian translation of the scale. We applied exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Results showed that the scale has high internal consistency, and that the original two-factor model accounting for attitudes toward self and others fits the data well. Implications for education and assessment in student populations are discussed