Discrete symmetries, invisible axion, and lepton number symmetry in an economic 3-3-1 model
We show that Peccei-Quinn and lepton number symmetries can be a natural outcome in a 3-3-1 model with right-handed neutrinos after imposing a Z11^ Z2 symmetry. This symmetry is suitably accommodated in this model when we augment its spectrum by including merely one singlet scalar field. We work out the breaking of the Peccei-Quinn symmetry, yielding the axion, and study the phenomenological consequences. The main result of this work is that the solution to the strong CP problem can be implemented in a natural way, implying an invisible axion phenomenologically unconstrained, free of domain wall formation, and constituting a good candidate for the cold dark matter.

title: Spontaneous CP violation in the 3-3-1 model with right-handed neutrinos
abstract: complex VEV's in the respective model. Obtain the con- straint equations on the phases which come from the minimum condition of the scalar potential. Check how many phases the gauge transformation can eliminate. Finally, wherever it is possible, redefine the fields as to absorb the remaining phases. If, in the end, at least one phase survives, then the SCPV mechanism works in the model considered. In this work we implement the SCPV mechanism in the SU� 3� CSU� 3� LU� 1� N (3-3-1) gauge model for the electroweak and strong interactions that possess right- handed neutrinos composing the fundamental representa- tion (6). The SCPV was already considered in other ver- sions of the 3-3-1 models (7,8). In general all the 3-3-1 models require at least three scalar triplets in order to generate the correct particle masses of the model. Considering that each scalar triplet involves at least one neutral scalar, we are going to have at least three phases when no complex coupling is assumed. Nevertheless, the SU� 3� LU� 1� N symmetry allows us to eliminate two of these phases and, certainly, the minimum condition of the scalar potential of the model will provide an additional constraint over the phases. Thus, it is expected that, in the case of three triplets and three phases, the gauge symmetry and the minimum constraint lead to a trivial solution, i.e., that these three phases can be washed out of the model. It was shown in Ref. (7) that this kind of 3-3-1 model requires three triplets and one scalar sextet in order for SCPV to be implemented. The minimal 3-3-1 model with right-handed neutrinos also requires only three scalar triplets to generate the needed masses. What motivates our investigation of the SCPV in this model is that its scalar sector differs from the other models in a subtle aspect. Two of its three scalar triplets possess each one two neutral scalars. Thus, in this model, we dispose from the beginning of a total of five neutral scalars. When we assume that all of them develop complex VEV's, five phases appear in the model. We will show that in this scenario one phase still survives the gauge transformation, the constraints for the minimum of the

title: Scalar Bilepton Dark Matter
abstract: In this work we show that 3-3-1 model with right-handed neutrinos has a natural weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) dark matter candidate. It is a complex scalar with mass of order of some hundreds of GeV which carries two units of lepton number, a scalar bilepton. This makes it a very peculiar WIMP, very distinct from supersymmetric or extra-dimension candidates. Besides, although we have to make some reasonable assumptions concerning the several parameters in the model, no fine tuning is required in order to get the correct dark matter abundance. We also analyze the prospects for WIMP direct detection by considering recent and projected sensitivities for WIMP–nucleon elastic cross section from CDMS and XENON collaborations.

title: Bounds on the simplest little Higgs model mass spectrum through Z leptonic decay
abstract: We derive the leptonic neutral current in the simplest little Higgs model and compute the contribution of the model to the decay width $Z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. Using the precision electroweak data we obtain a strong lower bound $f\ensuremath{\ge}5.6\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$ at 95% C.L. on the characteristic energy scale of the model. It results in a lower bound for the new gauge bosons ${W}^{\ensuremath{'}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ and ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ as being ${M}_{{W}^{\ensuremath{'}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}}\ensuremath{\ge}2.6\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$ and ${M}_{{Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}}\ensuremath{\ge}3.1\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{TeV}$, respectively. We also present the allowed values of the $k={f}_{1}/{f}_{2}$ which is the parameter relating the two vacuum expectation values of the scalar triplets in the model, and the $\ensuremath{\mu}$ parameter of a quadratic term, involving the triplets, necessary to provide an acceptable mass range for the standard Higgs boson.

title: Singlet Majorana fermion dark matter, DAMA, CoGeNT, and CDMS-II
abstract: We propose a model where a sterile Majorana fermion with mass in the range of 10 GeV-1 TeV can account for the whole amount of dark matter in the Universe. The model involves a right-handed singlet Majorana fermion as a weakly interacting massive particle, a charged and a neutral scalar, and all singlets by the standard model symmetry and makes use of a discrete symmetry in order to guarantee the singlet fermion stability. Also, motivated by the recent results reported by CoGeNT and CDMS-II experiments concerning excess events of the expected background, and the intriguing annual modulation observed by DAMA, we look for a possible explanation to some of these experiments. Our results show that there is a lot of room in the parameter space to make this sterile Majorana fermion a viable dark matter candidate, and, if it is realized in nature, it is also capable of explaining DAMA annual modulation signal and/or CoGeNT excess events or CDMS-II excess event candidates. Besides, a light Higgs boson is preferred in this scenario.

title: Fixed points and vacuum energy of dynamically broken gauge theories
abstract: We show that if a gauge theory with dynamical symmetry breaking has nontrivial fixed points, they will correspond to extrema of the vacuum energy. This relationship provides a different method to determine fixed points.

title: Commissioning and performance of the CMS pixel tracker with cosmic ray muons
abstract: The pixel detector of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment consists of three barrel layers and two disks for each endcap. The detector was installed in summer 2008, commissioned with charge injections, and operated in the 3.8 T magnetic field during cosmic ray data taking. This paper reports on the first running experience and presents results on the pixel tracker performance, which are found to be in line with the design specifications of this detector. The transverse impact parameter resolution measured in a sample of high momentum muons is 18 microns.

title: Search for baryon number violation in top-quark decays
abstract: A search for baryon number violation (BNV) in top-quark decays is performed using pp collisions produced by the LHC at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV. The top-quark decay considered in this search results in one light lepton (muon or electron), two jets, but no neutrino in the final state. Data used for the analysis were collected by the CMS detector and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 inverse femtobarns. The event selection is optimized for top quarks produced in pairs, with one undergoing the BNV decay and the other the standard model hadronic decay to three jets. No significant excess of events over the expected yield from standard model processes is observed. The upper limits at 95% confidence level on the branching fraction of the BNV top-quark decay are calculated to be 0.0016 and 0.0017 for the muon and the electron channels, respectively. Assuming lepton universality, an upper limit of 0.0015 results from the combination of the two channels. These limits are the first that have been obtained on a BNV process involving the top quark.

title: Beyond the Standard Model searches with the top quark at the Large Hadron Collider
abstract: Top quark events resulting from proton-proton collisions at high energies in the new Large Hadron Collider will be collected by the ATLAS and CMS experiments and have the potential to probe New Physics beyond the Standard Model. The study of the production and decay of the Top quarks might reveal high-mass resonances, extra-dimensions, new flavor dynamics, and evidence for a 4 th generation, among other possibilities. Specific experimental techniques for event reconstruction and for the control of the background are required to increase the reach for New Physics. An overview of some of these techniques is given along with the expected sensitivity of the ATLAS and CMS experiments for some scenarios.

title: An updated analysis on the rise of the hadronic total cross-section at the LHC energy region
abstract: pp elastic scattering above 5 GeV is presented. The dataset includes the recent high-precision TOTEM measurements of the pp total and elastic (integrated) cross-sections at 7 TeV and 8 TeV. Following previous works, the leading high-energy contribution for the total cross-section (�tot) is parametrized as ln(s/sh), where and sh are free real fit parameters. Singly-subtracted derivative dispersion relations are used to connecttot and the rho parameter (�) in an analytical way. Different fit procedures are considered, including individual fits totot data, global fits totot anddata, constrained and unconstrained data reductions. The results favor a rise of thetot faster than the log-squared bound by Froissart and Martin at the LHC energy region. The parametrization fortot is extended to fit the elastic cross-section (�el) data with satisfactory results. The analysis indicates an asymptotic ratioel/�tot consistent with 1/3 (as already obtained in a previous work). A critical discussion on the correlation, practical role and physical implications of the parameters and sh is presented. The discussion confronts the 2002 prediction oftot by the COMPETE Collaboration and the recent result by the Particle Data Group (2012 edition of the Review of Particle Physics). Some conjectures on possible implications of a fast rise of the proton-proton total cross-section at the highest energies are also presented.

title: What does low energy physics tell us about the zero momentum gluon propagator
abstract: The connection between QCD, a nonlocal Nambu–Jona-Lasinio type model and the Landau gauge gluon propagator is explored. This two point function is parameterized by a functional form which is compatible with Dyson–Schwinger and lattice QCD results. Demanding the nonlocal model to reproduce the experimental values for the pion mass, the pion decay constant, Γ π → γ γ and the light quark condensate we conclude that low energy physics does not distinguish between the so-called decoupling and scaling solutions of the Dyson–Schwinger equations. This result means that, provided that the model parameters are chosen appropriately, one is free to choose any of the above scenarios. Furthermore, the nonlocal Nambu–Jona-Lasinio quark model considered here is chiral invariant and satisfies the GMOR relation at the 1% level of precision.