The Dilatonic Dynamics of Baryonic Crystals, Branes and Spheres

We systematically analyze the impact of dilatonic dynamics on Skyrme spheres, crystals and branes. The effects of the dilatonic model parameters, encompassing different underlying near-conformal dynamics, on the macroscopic properties of Skyrmions such as their mass and radius, are discussed. For spheres and crystals we identify special values of the ratio of the decay constants for which the second order differential equations reduce to a solvable first order system. Additionally, in the case of the crystals, the dilaton presence spatially separates the baryon and isospin charge distributions. For branes, we show how the dilaton smooths out their configurations. Our results are expected to have wide implications from the study of near-conformal dynamics stemming from QCD-like theories to phenomenological investigations of nuclear matter in extreme regimes.Comment: 35 pages, 19 figure

Cornering Quantum Gravity

After introducing the covariant phase space calculus, Noether's theorems are discussed, with particular emphasis on Noether's second theorem and the role of gauge symmetries. This is followed by the enunciation of the theory of asymptotic symmetries, and later its application to gravity. Specifically, we review how the BMS group arises as the asymptotic symmetry group of gravity at null infinity. Symmetries are so powerful and constraining that memory effects and soft theorems can be derived from them. The lectures end with more recent developments in the field: the corner proposal as a unified paradigm for symmetries in gravity, the extended phase space as a resolution to the problem of charge integrability, and eventually the implications of the corner proposal on quantum gravity.Comment: V2, PoS published versio

Standard model anomalies: Lepton flavour non-universality and lepton g-2

We critically analyze the body of results that hints to the existence of New Physics from possible violations of lepton universality observed by the LHCb experiment in the $\mu/e$ ratios $R_{K}$ and $R_{K^*}$ to the $g-2$ lepton anomalies. The analysis begins with a theoretical, in depth, study of the $\mu/e$ ratios $R_{K}$ and $R_{K^*}$ as well as the process $B_s \rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^-$. Here we consider the impact of complex Wilson coefficients and derive constraints on their imaginary and real parts. We then move to a comprehensive comparison with experimental results. We show that, by fitting a single Wilson coefficient, the deviations from the Standard Model are at the $4.7\sigma$ level when including only the hadronic insensitive observables while it increases to $6.1\sigma$ when including also the hadronic sensitive ones. When switching on all relevant Wilson coefficients and combining both hadronic sensitive and insensitive data into the fit, the deviation from the Standard Model peaks at 7.2$\sigma$ and decreases at the $4.9\sigma$ level if we assume that the central values of $R_K$ and $R_K^{\ast}$ are taken to be unity. We further estimate the non-perturbative long distance hadronic contributions and show that their inclusion still requires New Physics to fit the data. We then introduce the $g-2$ lepton anomalies results. Different theoretical models are considered that can explain the discrepancies from the Standard Model. In the final part of our work we estimate the impact of the forthcoming data from LHCb (coming from LHC Run3) and Belle II, when it will have accumulated about $5~ab^{-1}$

Il contratto a termine nelle recenti riforme

Tradizionalmente, il modello legale tipico di rapporto di lavoro è rappresentato dal contratto di lavoro subordinato individuato dall'art. 2094 del codice civile, caratterizzato da un impegno a tempo pieno del lavoratore e da una potenziale durata illimitata del rapporto. Tuttavia, i continui progressi dell’organizzazione produttiva e l’accresciuta esigenza di flessibilità nell'impiego di forza lavoro hanno determinato la frammentazione del modello classico di lavoro subordinato e la proliferazione di modelli alternativi come il contratto a termine caratterizzato dalla durata predeterminata delle prestazioni ed attraverso il quale l’esigenza dell’utilizzazione flessibile del lavoro viene soddisfatta mediante l’apposizione di un termine finale alla durata del contratto, contestualmente alla costituzione del rapporto. Diversi sono gli scopi che mi sono prefissata di portata avanti con il mio lavoro, primo fra tutti quello di riassumere, nel primo capitolo, le tappe più significative dell’evoluzione del contratto a termine fino all'attuale disciplina. Nel secondo capitolo ho voluto affrontare l’analisi della riforma del lavoro apportata dal Governo Renzi in materia di contratto a termine. Infine, per concludere il mio lavoro, nel terzo ed ultimo capitolo, ho affrontato il delicato tema riguardante la conformità del diritto nazionale con il diritto comunitario, in particolare con la direttiva sui contratti a termine, la direttiva 1999/70/CE

The θ-angle and axion physics of two-color QCD at fixed baryon charge

We analyze the impact of the θ-angle and axion dynamics for two-color (in fact any Sp(2N )) QCD at nonzero baryon charge and as a function of the number of matter fields on the vacuum properties, the pattern of chiral symmetry breaking as well as the spectrum of the theory. We show that the vacuum acquires a rich structure when the underlying CP violating topological operator is added to the theory. We discover novel phases and analyse the order of their transitions characterizing the dynamics of the odd and even number of flavours. We further determine the critical chemical potential as function of the θ angle separating the normal from the superfluid phase of the theory. Our results will guide numerical simulations and novel tests of the model’s dynamics. The results are also expected to better inform phenomenological applications of the model ranging from composite Higgs physics to strongly interacting massive dark matter models featuring number changing interactions. In the companion work [1] we repurpose and upgrade the approach to determine the impact of the θ-angle and axion physics on non-perturbative near conformal dynamics related to the fixed baryon charge sector.We analyze the impact of the $\theta$-angle and axion dynamics for two-color (in fact any $Sp(2N)$) QCD at nonzero baryon charge and as a function of the number of matter fields on the vacuum properties, the pattern of chiral symmetry breaking as well as the spectrum of the theory. We show that the vacuum acquires a rich structure when the underlying $CP$ violating topological operator is added to the theory. We discover novel phases and analyse the order of their transitions characterizing the dynamics of the odd and even number of flavours. We further determine the critical chemical potential as function of the $\theta$ angle separating the normal from the superfluid phase of the theory. Our results will guide numerical simulations and novel tests of the model's dynamics. The results are also expected to better inform phenomenological applications of the model ranging from composite Higgs physics to strongly interacting massive dark matter models featuring number changing interactions. In the companion work \cite{PartII} we repurpose and upgrade the approach to determine the impact of the $\theta$-angle and axion physics on non-perturbative near conformal dynamics related to the fixed baryon charge sector

Charging the conformal window at nonzero θ\theta angle

We determine the impact of the $\theta$-angle and axion physics on the near conformal dynamics of the large-charge baryon sector of $SU(2)$ gauge theories with $N_f$ fermions in the fundamental representation. We employ an effective approach featuring Goldstone and dilaton degrees of freedom augmented by the topological terms in the theory. We investigate how different dilaton potentials, including the ones for which a systematic counting scheme can be established, affect the results. Via state-operator correspondence we compute the corrections to the would-be conformal dimensions of the lowest large-charge operators as a function of the $\theta$ term and dilaton potential.Comment: LaTeX 24 pages; v2: added new results related to different dilaton potentials, matches the published versio

New Physics Pathways from B Processes

We re-consider recent measures of $R_{K}$ and $R_{K^*}$, now compatible with the Standard Model expectations, as well as the results for the process $\text{BR}(B_s \rightarrow \mu^+ \mu^-)$ alongside earlier determinations of $R_{D^{(\ast)}}$ and $\text{BR}(B_c \rightarrow \tau \nu)$. We provide analytic constraints on the associated Wilson coefficients in both the $b \to s$ and the $b \to c$ sectors. These allow us to estimate the scale of potential New Physics for generic extensions of the Standard Model. We then use the results to constrain the leptoquark landscape.Comment: 39 pages, 5 figure

Standard model anomalies: lepton flavour non-universality, g − 2 and W-mass

International audienceWe critically analyze the body of results that hints to the existence of New Physics from possible violations of lepton universality observed by the LHCb experiment in the μ/e ratios R$_{K}$ and ${R}_{K^{\ast }}$ to the g − 2 lepton anomalies. The analysis begins with a theoretical, in depth, study of the μ/e ratios R$_{K}$ and ${R}_{K^{\ast }}$ as well as the process B$_{s}$→ μ$^{+}$μ$^{−}$. Here we consider the impact of complex Wilson coefficients and derive constraints on their imaginary and real parts. We then move to a comprehensive comparison with experimental results. We show that, by fitting a single Wilson coefficient, the deviations from the Standard Model are at the 4.7σ level when including only the hadronic insensitive observables while it increases to 6.1σ when including also the hadronic sensitive ones. When switching on all relevant Wilson coefficients and combining both hadronic sensitive and insensitive data into the fit, the deviation from the Standard Model peaks at 7.2σ and decreases at the 4.9σ level if we assume that the central values of R$_{K}$ and ${R}_K^{\ast }$ are taken to be unity. We further estimate other unaccounted for SM contributions and show that their inclusion still requires New Physics to fit the data. We then introduce the g − 2 lepton anomalies as well as the most recent W-mass results. Different theoretical models are considered that can explain the discrepancies from the Standard Model. In the final part of our work we estimate the impact of the forthcoming data from LHCb (coming from LHC Run3) and Belle II, when it will have accumulated about 5 ab$^{−1}$

Fusion of HCV nonstructural antigen to MHC class II-associated invariant chain enhances T-cell responses induced by vectored vaccines in nonhuman primates

Despite viral vectors being potent inducers of antigen-specific T cells, strategies to further improve their immunogenicity are actively pursued. Of the numerous approaches investigated, fusion of the encoded antigen to major histocompatibility complex class II–associated invariant chain (Ii) has been reported to enhance CD8(+) T-cell responses. We have previously shown that adenovirus vaccine encoding nonstructural (NS) hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins induces potent T-cell responses in humans. However, even higher T-cell responses might be required to achieve efficacy against different HCV genotypes or therapeutic effect in chronically infected HCV patients. In this study, we assessed fusion of the HCV NS antigen to murine and human Ii expressed by the chimpanzee adenovirus vector ChAd3 or recombinant modified vaccinia Ankara in mice and nonhuman primates (NHPs). A dramatic increase was observed in outbred mice in which vaccination with ChAd3 expressing the fusion antigen resulted in a 10-fold increase in interferon-γ(+) CD8(+) T cells. In NHPs, CD8(+) T-cell responses were enhanced and accelerated with vectors encoding the Ii-fused antigen. These data show for the first time that the enhancement induced by vector vaccines encoding li-fused antigen was not species specific and can be translated from mice to NHPs, opening the way for testing in humans

Mucosal delivery of a vectored RSV vaccine is safe and elicits protective immunity in rodents and nonhuman primates

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a leading cause of severe respiratory disease in infants and the elderly. No vaccine is presently available to address this major unmet medical need. We generated a new genetic vaccine based on chimpanzee Adenovirus (PanAd3-RSV) and Modified Vaccinia Ankara RSV (MVA-RSV) encoding the F, N, and M2-1 proteins of RSV, for the induction of neutralizing antibodies and broad cellular immunity. Because RSV infection is restricted to the respiratory tract, we compared intranasal (IN) and intramuscular (M) administration for safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy in different species. A single IN or IM vaccination completely protected BALB/c mice and cotton rats against RSV replication in the lungs. However, only IN administration could prevent infection in the upper respiratory tract. IM vaccination with MVA-RSV also protected cotton rats from lower respiratory tract infection in the absence of detectable neutralizing antibodies. Heterologous prime boost with PanAd3-RSV and MVA-RSV elicited high neutralizing antibody titers and broad T-cell responses in nonhuman primates. In addition, animals primed in the nose developed mucosal IgA against the F protein. In conclusion, we have shown that our vectored RSV vaccine induces potent cellular and humoral responses in a primate model, providing strong support for clinical testing