Scrutinizing the Cosmological Constant Problem and a possible resolution
We suggest a new perspective on the Cosmological Constant Problem by scrutinizing its standard formulation. In classical and quantum mechanics without gravity, there is no definition of the zero point of energy. Furthermore, the Casimir effect only measures how the vacuum energy {\it changes} as one varies a geometric modulus. This leads us to propose that the physical vacuum energy in a Friedman-Lema\^itre-Robertson-Walker expanding universe only depends on the time variation of the scale factor $a(t)$. Equivalently, requiring that empty Minkowski space is gravitationally stable is a principle that fixes the ambiguity in the zero point energy. On the other hand, if there is a meaningful bare cosmological constant, this prescription should be viewed as a fine-tuning. 
We describe two different choices of vacuum, one of which is consistent with the current universe consisting only of matter and vacuum energy. The resulting vacuum energy density $\rhovac$ is constant in time and approximately $k_c^2 H_0^2$, where $k_c$ is a momentum cut-off and $H_0$ is the current Hubble constant; for a cut-off close to the Planck scale, values of $\rhovac$ in agreement with astrophysical measurements are obtained. Another choice of vacuum is more relevant to the early universe consisting of only radiation and vacuum energy, and we suggest it as a possible model of inflation.

title: An Introduction to Yangian Symmetries
abstract: We review some aspects of the quantum Yangians as symmetry algebras of two-dimensional quantum field theories. The plan of these notes is the following: 
 
1 
 
The classical Heisenberg model: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Non-Abelian symmetries; 
 
 
The generators of the symmetries and the semi-classical Yangians; 
 
 
An alternative presentation of the semi-classical Yangians; 
 
 
Digression on Poisson-Lie groups. 
 
 
Non-Abelian symmetries and the quantum Yangians; 
 
 
The transfer matrix and an alternative presentation of the Yangians; 
 
 
Digression on the double Yangians. 
 
 
 
 
 
2 
 
The quantum Heisenberg chain: 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Non-Abelian symmetries and the quantum Yangians; 
 
 
The transfer matrix and an alternative presentation of the Yangians; 
 
 
Digression on the double Yangians.

title: Anomalous scaling in the N-point functions of a passive scalar.
abstract: A recent analysis of the 4-point correlation function of the passive scalar advected by a time-decorrelated random flow is extended to the N-point case. It is shown that all stationary-state inertial-range correlations are dominated by homogeneous zero modes of singular operators describing their evolution. We compute analytically the zero modes governing the N-point structure functions and the anomalous dimensions corresponding to them to the linear order in the scaling exponent of the 2-point function of the advecting velocity field. The implications of these calculations for the dissipation correlations are discussed.

title: On Root Multiplicities of Some Hyperbolic Kac–Moody Algebras
abstract: Using the coset construction, we compute the root multiplicities at level-3 for some hyperbolic Kac–Moody algebras including the basic hyperbolic extension of A11 and E10.

title: Logarithmic Yangians in WZW Models
abstract: A new action of the Yangians in the WZW models is displayed. Its structure is generic and level-independent. This Yangian is the natural extension at the conformal point of the one unraveled in massive theories with current algebras. Hopefully, this new symmetry of WZW models will lead to a deeper understanding of the integrable structure of conformal field theories and their deformations.

title: Spin-Charge Separation and the Spin Quantum Hall Effect
abstract: We use quantum field theory methods to study the network model for the spin quantum hall transition. When the couplings are fine tuned in a certain way, the spin and charge degrees of freedom, corresponding to the su-percurrent algebras su(2) 0 and osp(2|2) −2 respectively, completely decouple. This simpler theory is exactly solvable and some critical exponents are computed and shown to agree with the recent predictions based on percolation. The general network model is shown to be in a different universality class by identifying the attractive direction of the renormalization group flow.

title: Measurement of $\sin(2\beta)$ using hadronic $J/\psi$ decays
abstract: The authors report a measurement of the CP-violation parameter sin2{beta} with B{sup 0} {yields} J/{phi}K{sub S}{sup 0} decays in which the J/{psi} decays to hadrons. With a sample of 88 million B{bar B} events collected by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B factory at SLAC, they reconstruct 100 {+-} 17 such events, with J/{psi} {yields}  being the most prevalent, and measure sin 2{beta} = 1.56 {+-} 0.42(stat.) {+-} 0.21(syst.).

title: Measurement of CP-violating asymmetries in B0 decays to CP eigenstates.
abstract: We present measurements of time-dependent CP-violating asymmetries in neutral B decays to several CP eigenstates. The measurement uses a data sample of 23x10(6) Upsilon(4S)-->BbarB decays collected by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric B Factory at SLAC. In this sample, we find events in which one neutral B meson is fully reconstructed in a CP eigenstate containing charmonium and the flavor of the other neutral B meson is determined from its decay products. The amplitude of the CP-violating asymmetry, which in the standard model is proportional to sin2beta, is derived from the decay time distributions in such events. The result is sin2beta = 0.34+/-0.20 (stat)+/-0.05 (syst).

title: Search for charged lepton flavor violation in narrow upsilon decays.
abstract: Charged-lepton flavor-violating processes are unobservable in the standard model, but they are predicted to be enhanced in several extensions to the standard model, including supersymmetry and models with leptoquarks or compositeness. We present a search for such processes in a sample of 99x10(6)Upsilon(2S) decays and 117x10(6)Upsilon(3S) decays collected with the BABAR detector. We place upper limits on the branching fractions B(Upsilon(nS)-->e(+/-)tau(-/+)) and B(Upsilon(nS)-->mu(+/-)tau(-/+)) (n=2,3) at the 10(-6) level and use these results to place lower limits of order 1 TeV on the mass scale of charged-lepton flavor-violating effective operators.

title: Particle identification using the DIRC in BaBar
abstract: The Ba B ar DIRC runs extremely well at design luminosities, providing excellent PID in both ring and veto modes. Machine backgrounds expected as PEP-II goes to much higher luminosities (10 34 cm 2 ·s −1 or more) in the next 5 years will require faster data acquisition electronics and further shielding of the SOB from low energy machine produced gamma rays.

title: Search for low (eV) energy photon-photon scattering in vacuum
abstract: We have searched for stimulated photon scattering in vacuum at a center of mass photon energy of 0.8 eV. The QED contribution to this process is equivalent to four wave mixing in vacuum. No evidence for γγ scattering was observed. The corresponding upper limit of the cross section is σ Lim = 1.5 10 −48 cm 2 .