Bounded solutions of fermions in the background of mixed vector-scalar Poeschl-Teller-like potentials

The problem of a fermion subject to a convenient mixing of vector and scalar potentials in a two-dimensional space-time is mapped into a Sturm-Liouville problem. For a specific case which gives rise to an exactly solvable effective modified Poschl-Teller potential in the Sturm-Liouville problem, bound-state solutions are found. The behaviour of the upper and lower components of the Dirac spinor is discussed in detail and some unusual results are revealed. The Dirac delta potential as a limit of the modified Poschl-Teller potential is also discussed. The problem is also shown to be mapped into that of massless fermions subject to classical topological scalar and pseudoscalar potentials. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2007.

(D)over-barN interaction from meson-exchange and quark-gluon dynamics

We investigate the (D) over barN interaction at low energies using a meson exchange model supplemented with a short-distance contribution from one-gluon exchange. The model is developed in close analogy to the meson-exchange KN interaction of the Julich group utilizing SU(4) symmetry constraints. The main ingredients of the interaction are provided by vector meson (rho, omega) exchange and higher-order box diagrams involving (D) over bar *N , (D) over bar Delta, and (D) over bar*Delta intermediate states. The short-range part is assumed to receive additional contributions from genuine quark-gluon processes. The predicted cross-sections for (D) over barN for excess energies up to 150MeV are of the same order of magnitude as those for KN but with average values of around 20mb, roughly a factor two larger than for the latter system. It is found that the omega-exchange plays a very important role. Its interference pattern with the rho-exchange, which is basically fixed by the assumed SU(4) symmetry, clearly determines the qualitative features of the (D) over barN interaction - very similiar to what happens also for the KN system.

Soft CP violation in K-meson systems

We consider a model with soft CP violation which accommodates the CP violation in the neutral kaons even if we assume that the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa mixing matrix is real and the sources of CP violation are three complex vacuum expectation values and a trilinear coupling in the scalar potential. We show that for some reasonable values of the masses and other parameters the model allows us to explain all the observed CP violation processes in the K-0-(K) over bar (0) system.

Exchange terms in the quark-meson coupling model

In this talk we report on recent progress in implementing exchange terms in the quark-meson coupling model. Exchange effects are related to the Pauli exclusion principle. We discuss exchange effects at the nucleon level and at the quark level. We also address the incorporation of chiral symmetry and Delta degrees of freedom in the model.

Applicability of the linear delta expansion for the lambda phi(4) field theory at finite temperature in the symmetric and broken phases

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Fock terms in the quark-meson coupling model

The mean field description of nuclear matter in the quark-meson coupling model is improved by the inclusion of exchange contributions (Fock terms). The inclusion of Fock terms allows us to explore the momentum dependence of meson-nucleon vertices and the role of pionic degrees of freedom in matter. It is found that the Fock terms maintain the previous predictions of the model for the in-medium properties of the nucleon and for the nuclear incompressibility. The Fock terms significantly increase the absolute values of the single-particle, four-component scalar and vector potentials, a feature that is relevant for the spin-orbit splitting in finite nuclei. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V.

Self-consistent quantum effects in the quark meson coupling model

We derive the equation of state of nuclear matter for the quark-meson coupling model taking into account quantum fluctuations of the σ meson as well as vacuum polarization effects for the nucleons. This model incorporates explicitly quark degrees of freedom with quarks coupled to the scalar and vector mesons. Quantum fluctuations lead to a softer equation of state for nuclear matter giving a lower value of incompressibility than would be reached without quantum effects. The in-medium nucleon and σ-meson masses are also calculated in a self-consistent manner. The spectral function of the σ meson is calculated and the σ mass has the value increased with respect to the purely classical approximation at high densities.

Heavy-light mesons scattering from nucleons: Quark-gluon and meson exchanges

We investigate the scattering of heavy-light K and D mesons by nucleons at low energies. The short-distance part of the interaction is described by quark-gluon interchange and the longdistance part is described by a one-meson-exchange model that includes the contributions of vector (ρ, ω) and scalar (σ) mesons. The microscopic quark model incorporates a confining Coulomb potential extracted from lattice QCD simulations and a transverse hyperfine interaction consistent with a finite gluon propagator in the infrared. The derived effective meson-nucleon potential is used in a Lippmann-Schwinger equation to obtain s-wave phase shifts. Our final aim is to set up a theoretical framework that can be extended to finite temperatures and baryon densities. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Batalin-Fradkin-Vilkovisky quantization of the generalized scalar electrodynamics

This work comprises a study upon the quantization and the renormalizability of the generalized electrodynamics of spinless charged particles (mesons), namely, the generalized scalar electrodynamics (GSQED4). The theory is quantized in the covariant framework of the Batalin-Fradkin-Vilkovisky method. Thereafter, the complete Green's functions are obtained through functional methods and a proper discussion on the theory's renormalizability is also given. Next, we present the computation and further discussion on the radiative correction at α order; and, as it turns out, an unexpected mP-dependent divergence on the mesonic sector of the theory is found. Furthermore, in order to show the effectiveness of the renormalization procedure on the present theory, we also give a diagrammatic discussion on the photon self-energy at α2 order, where we observe contributions from the meson self-energy function. Afterwards, we present the expressions of the counterterms and effective coupling of the theory, obtaining from the latter an energy range where the theory is defined by m2≤k2

Single meson production in proton diffraction at 190 GeV/c at COMPASS

The quark model successfully describes all ground state bary-ons as members of $SU(N)$ flavour multiplets. For excited baryon states the situation is totally different. There are much less states found in the experiment than predicted in most theoretical calculations. This fact has been known for a long time as the 'missing resonance problem'. In addition, many states found in experiments are only poorly measured up to now. Therefore, further experimental efforts are needed to clarify the situation.rnrnAt mbox{COMPASS}, reactions of a $190uskgigaeVperclight$ hadron beam impinging on a liquid hydrogen target are investigated.rnThe hadron beam contains different species of particles ($pi$, $K$, $p$). To distinguish these particles, two Cherenkov detectors are used. In this thesis, a new method for the identification of particles from the detector information is developed. This method is based on statistical approaches and allows a better kaon identification efficiency with a similar purity compared to the method, which was used before.rnrnThe reaction $pprightarrow ppX$ with $X=(pi^0,~eta,~omega,~phi)$ is used to study different production mechanisms. A previous analysis of $omega$ and $phi$ mesons is extended to pseudoscalar mesons. As the resonance contributions in $peta$ are smaller than in $ppi^0$ a different behaviour of these two final states is expected as a function of kinematic variables. The investigation of these differences allows to study different production mechanisms and to estimate the size of the resonant contribution in the different channels.rnrnIn addition, the channel $pprightarrow ppX$ allows to study baryon resonances in the $pX$ system.rnIn the mbox{COMPASS} energy regime, the reaction is dominated by Pomeron exchange. As a Pomeron carries vacuum quantum numbers, no isospin is transferred between the target proton and the beam proton. Therefore, the $pX$ final state has isospin $textstylefrac{1}{2}$ and all baryon resonances in this channel are $N^ast$ baryons. This offers the opportunity to do spectroscopy without taking $Delta$ resonances into account. rnrnTo disentangle the contributions of different resonances a partial wave analysis (PWA) is used. Different resonances have different spin and parity $J^parity$, which results in different angular distributions of the decay particles. These angular distributions can be calculated from models and then be fitted to the data. From the fit the contributions of the single resonances as well as resonance parameters -- namely the mass and the width -- can be extracted. In this thesis, two different approaches for a partial wave analysis of the reaction $pprightarrow pppi^0$ are developed and tested.

Observation Of D0 Meson Nuclear Modifications In Au+au Collisions At Sqrt[s(nn)] = 200 Gev.

We report the first measurement of charmed-hadron (D(0)) production via the hadronic decay channel (D(0) → K(-) + π(+)) in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)] = 200 GeV with the STAR experiment. The charm production cross section per nucleon-nucleon collision at midrapidity scales with the number of binary collisions, N(bin), from p+p to central Au+Au collisions. The D(0) meson yields in central Au + Au collisions are strongly suppressed compared to those in p+p scaled by N(bin), for transverse momenta p(T) > 3 GeV/c, demonstrating significant energy loss of charm quarks in the hot and dense medium. An enhancement at intermediate p(T) is also observed. Model calculations including strong charm-medium interactions and coalescence hadronization describe our measurements.

Hepatitis B (HBV), Hepatitis C (HCV) and Hepatitis Delta (HDV) Viruses in the Colombian Population-How Is the Epidemiological Situation?

Background: Viral hepatitis B, C and delta still remain a serious problem worldwide. In Colombia, data from 1980s described that HBV and HDV infection are important causes of hepatitis, but little is known about HCV infection. The aim of this study was to determine the currently frequency of HBV, HCV and HDV in four different Colombian regions. Methodology/Principal Findings: This study was conducted in 697 habitants from 4 Colombian departments: Amazonas, Choco, Magdalena and San Andres Islands. Epidemiological data were obtained from an interview applied to each individual aiming to evaluate risk factors related to HBV, HCV or HDV infections. All samples were tested for HBsAg, anti-HBc, anti-HBs and anti-HCV markers. Samples that were positive to HBsAg and/or anti-HBc were tested to anti-HDV. Concerning the geographical origin of the samples, the three HBV markers showed a statistically significant difference: HBsAg (p = 0.033) and anti-HBc (p < 0.001) were more frequent in Amazonas and Magdalena departments. Isolated anti-HBs (a marker of previous vaccination) frequencies were: Choco (53.26%), Amazonas (32.88%), Magdalena (17.0%) and San Andres (15.33%) p < 0.001. Prevalence of anti-HBc increased with age; HBsAg varied from 1.97 to 8.39% (p = 0.033). Amazonas department showed the highest frequency for anti-HCV marker (5.68%), while the lowest frequency was found in San Andres Island (0.66%). Anti-HDV was found in 9 (5.20%) out of 173 anti-HBc and/or HBsAg positive samples, 8 of them from the Amazonas region and 1 from them Magdalena department. Conclusions/Significance: In conclusion, HBV, HCV and HDV infections are detected throughout Colombia in frequency levels that would place some areas as hyperendemic for HBV, especially those found in Amazonas and Magdalena departments. Novel strategies to increase HBV immunization in the rural population and to strengthen HCV surveillance are reinforced by these results.

Dispersive analysis of KL mu 3 and KLe3 scalar and vector form factors using KTeV data

Using the published KTeV samples of K(L) -> pi(+/-)e(-/+)nu and K(L) -> pi(+/-)mu(-/+)nu decays, we perform a reanalysis of the scalar and vector form factors based on the dispersive parametrization. We obtain phase-space integrals I(K)(e) = 0.15446 +/- 0.00025 and I(K)(mu) = 0.10219 +/- 0.00025. For the scalar form factor parametrization, the only free parameter is the normalized form factor value at the Callan-Treiman point (C); our best-fit results in InC = 0.1915 +/- 0.0122. We also study the sensitivity of C to different parametrizations of the vector form factor. The results for the phase-space integrals and C are then used to make tests of the standard model. Finally, we compare our results with lattice QCD calculations of F(K)/F(pi) and f(+)(0).

Exclusive vector meson production in electron-ion collisions

We calculate the nuclear cross section for coherent and incoherent vector meson production within the QCD color dipole picture, including saturation effects. Theoretical estimates for scattering on both light and heavy nuclei are given over a wide range of energy.

Thermal instability in a gravity-like scalar theory

We study the question of stability of the ground state of a scalar theory which is a generalization of the phi(3) theory and has some similarity to gravity with a cosmological constant. We show that the ground state of the theory at zero temperature becomes unstable above a certain critical temperature, which is evaluated in closed form at high temperature.