Generalizing the $$\mathfrak {bms}_{3}$$ and 2D-conformal algebras by expanding the Virasoro algebra

By means of the Lie algebra expansion method, the centrally extended conformal algebra in two dimensions and the \(\mathfrak {bms}_{3}\) algebra are obtained from the Virasoro algebra. We extend this result to construct new families of expanded Virasoro algebras that turn out to be infinite-dimensional lifts of the so-called \(\mathfrak {B}_{k}\), \(\mathfrak {C}_{k}\) and \(\mathfrak {D}_{k}\) algebras recently introduced in the literature in the context of (super)gravity. We also show how some of these new infinite-dimensional symmetries can be obtained from expanded Ka?–Moody algebras using modified Sugawara constructions. Applications in the context of three-dimensional gravity are briefly discussed.     

Fully constrained Majorana neutrino mass matrices using $$\varvec{\varSigma (72\times 3)}$$

In 2002, two neutrino mixing ansatze having trimaximally mixed middle (\(\nu _2\)) columns, namely tri-chi-maximal mixing (\(\text {T}\chi \text {M}\)) and tri-phi-maximal mixing (\(\text {T}\phi \text {M}\)), were proposed. In 2012, it was shown that \(\text {T}\chi \text {M}\) with \(\chi =\pm \,\frac{\pi }{16}\) as well as \(\text {T}\phi \text {M}\) with \(\phi = \pm \,\frac{\pi }{16}\) leads to the solution, \(\sin ^2 \theta _{13} = \frac{2}{3} \sin ^2 \frac{\pi }{16}\), consistent with the latest measurements of the reactor mixing angle, \(\theta _{13}\). To obtain \(\text {T}\chi \text {M}_{(\chi =\pm \,\frac{\pi }{16})}\) and \(\text {T}\phi \text {M}_{(\phi =\pm \,\frac{\pi }{16})}\), the type I see-saw framework with fully constrained Majorana neutrino mass matrices was utilised. These mass matrices also resulted in the neutrino mass ratios, \(m_1:m_2:m_3=\frac{\left( 2+\sqrt{2}\right) }{1+\sqrt{2(2+\sqrt{2})}}:1:\frac{\left( 2+\sqrt{2}\right) }{-1+\sqrt{2(2+\sqrt{2})}}\). In this paper we construct a flavour model based on the discrete group \(\varSigma (72\times 3)\) and obtain the aforementioned results. A Majorana neutrino mass matrix (a symmetric \(3\times 3\) matrix with six complex degrees of freedom) is conveniently mapped into a flavon field transforming as the complex six-dimensional representation of \(\varSigma (72\times 3)\). Specific vacuum alignments of the flavons are used to arrive at the desired mass matrices.     

First-principle calculations of structural,electronic, optical,elastic and thermal properties of $$\hbox {MgXAs}_{2}$$ ($$\hbox {X}=\hbox {Si}, \hbox {Ge}$$X=Si,Ge) compounds

First-principle calculations on the structural, electronic, optical, elastic and thermal properties of the chalcopyrite \(\hbox {MgXAs}_{2}\) (\(\hbox {X}=\hbox {Si}, \hbox {Ge}\)) have been performed within the density functional theory (DFT) using the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method. The obtained equilibrium structural parameters are in good agreement with the available experimental data and theoretical results. The calculated band structures reveal a direct energy band gap for the interested compounds. The predicted band gaps using the modified Becke–Johnson (mBJ) exchange approximation are in fairly good agreement with the experimental data. The optical constants such as the dielectric function, refractive index, and the extinction coefficient are calculated and analysed. The independent elastic parameters namely, \(C_{11}\), \(C_{12}\), \(C_{13}\), \(C_{33}\), \(C_{44}\) and \(C_{66 }\) are evaluated. The effects of temperature and pressure on some macroscopic properties of \(\hbox {MgSiAs}_{2}\) and \(\hbox {MgGeAs}_{2}\) are predicted using the quasiharmonic Debye model in which the lattice vibrations are taken into account.     

Rapid communication: $$K_{S}^{0}$$ Production from beryllium target using 120 $$\hbox {GeV}/\hbox {c}$$GeV/c protons beam interactions at the MIPP experiment

We have measured the cross-section for the \(K_{S}^{0}\) production from beryllium target using 120 \(\hbox {GeV}/\hbox {c}\) protons beam interactions at the main injector particle production (MIPP) experiment at Fermilab. The data were collected with target having a thickness of 0.94% of the nuclear interaction length. The \(K_{S}^{0}\) inclusive differential cross-section in bins of momenta is presented covering momentum range from \(0.4\,\hbox {GeV}/\hbox {c}\) to \(30\,\hbox {GeV}/\hbox {c}\). The measured inclusive \(K_{S}^{0}\) production cross-section amounts to \(39.54\pm 1.46\delta _{\mathrm {stat}}\pm 6.97\delta _{\mathrm {syst}}\) mb and the value is compared with the prediction of FLUKA hadron production model.     

Ab-initio calculations of structural,phonon and thermal properties of $$\hbox {Al}_x \hbox {Ga}_{1-x} \hbox {As}$$ alloy

We provide the energy spectrum of an electron in a degenerately doped semiconductor of parabolic band. Knowing the energy spectrum, the density-of-states (DOS) functions are obtained, considering the Gaussian distribution of the potential energy of the impurity states, showing a band tail in them e.g., energy spectrum and density-of-states. Therefore, Fermi integrals (FIs) of DOS functions, having band tail, are developed by the exact theoretical calculations of the same. It is noticed that with heavy dopings in semiconductors, the total FI demonstrates complex functions, containing both real and imaginary terms of different FI functions. Their moduli possess an oscillatory function of \(\eta \) (reduced \(\hbox {Fermi energy} = E_{\mathrm{f}}/k_{\mathrm{B}}T\), \(k_{\mathrm{B}}\) is the Boltzmann constant and T is the absolute temperature) and \(\eta _{e}\) (impurity screening potential), having a series solutions of confluent hypergeometric functions, \(\Phi (a, b; z)\), superimposed with natural cosine functions of angle \(\theta \). The variation of \(\theta \) with respect to \(\eta \) indicated a resonance at \(\eta =1.5\). The oscillatory behaviour of FIs show the existence of ‘band-gaps’, both in the real as well as in the forbidden bands as new band gaps in the semiconductor.     

$$\varvec{B^0\rightarrow K^{*0}\mu ^+\mu ^-}$$ decay in the aligned two-Higgs-doublet model

In the aligned two-Higgs-doublet model, we perform a complete one-loop computation of the short-distance Wilson coefficients \(C_{7,9,10}^{(\prime )}\), which are the most relevant ones for \(b\rightarrow s\ell ^+\ell ^-\) transitions. It is found that, when the model parameter \(\left| \varsigma _{u}\right| \) is much smaller than \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| \), the charged scalar contributes mainly to chirality-flipped \(C_{9,10}^\prime \), with the corresponding effects being proportional to \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| ^2\). Numerically, the charged-scalar effects fit into two categories: (A) \(C_{7,9,10}^\mathrm {H^\pm }\) are sizable, but \(C_{9,10}^{\prime \mathrm {H^\pm }}\simeq 0\), corresponding to the (large \(\left| \varsigma _{u}\right| \), small \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| \)) region; (B) \(C_7^\mathrm {H^\pm }\) and \(C_{9,10}^{\prime \mathrm {H^\pm }}\) are sizable, but \(C_{9,10}^\mathrm {H^\pm }\simeq 0\), corresponding to the (small \(\left| \varsigma _{u}\right| \), large \(\left| \varsigma _{d}\right| \)) region. Taking into account phenomenological constraints from the inclusive radiative decay \(B\rightarrow X_{s}{\gamma }\), as well as the latest model-independent global analysis of \(b\rightarrow s\ell ^+\ell ^-\) data, we obtain the much restricted parameter space of the model. We then study the impact of the allowed model parameters on the angular observables \(P_2\) and \(P_5'\) of \(B^0\rightarrow K^{*0}\mu ^+\mu ^-\) decay, and we find that \(P_5'\) could be increased significantly to be consistent with the experimental data in case B.     

X-ray spectra and valence states of cations in nanostructured half-doped $$\hbox {La}_{0.5}\hbox {Ca}_{0.5}\hbox {MnO}_{3}$$ manganite

Soft X-ray absorption (XAS) and emission (XES) spectroscopies were applied to determine valence states of manganese ions in nanostructured powder of half-doped \(\hbox {La}_{0.5}\hbox {Ca}_{0.5}\hbox {MnO}_{3}\) manganite obtained by milling in a ball mill. XAS spectra were measured both in surface-sensitivity total electron-yield and in bulk-sensitivity total fluorescence-yield modes. O K\(_{\upalpha }\) XES and O 1s XAS spectra characterized the occupied and unoccupied partial O 2p densities of states are compared with band-structure calculations made using the TB-LMTO-ASA codes. Experimental Mn 2p, Ca 2p, and La 3\(d\) XAS spectra are compared with results of crystal field atomic multiplet calculations. For the nanostructured system of \(\hbox {La}_{0.5}\hbox {Ca}_{0.5}\hbox {MnO}_{3}\), concentrations of Mn\(^{4+}\) ions are found to be increased with increasing the time of milling.     

Study of the weak annihilation contributions in charmless $$\varvec{B_s\rightarrow VV}$$ decays

In this paper, in order to probe the spectator-scattering and weak annihilation contributions in charmless \(B_s\rightarrow VV\) (where V stands for a light vector meson) decays, we perform the \(\chi ^2\)-analyses for the endpoint parameters within the QCD factorization framework, under the constraints from the measured \(\bar{B}_{s}\rightarrow \) \(\rho ^0\phi \), \(\phi K^{*0}\), \(\phi \phi \) and \(K^{*0}\bar{K}^{*0}\) decays. The fitted results indicate that the endpoint parameters in the factorizable and nonfactorizable annihilation topologies are non-universal, which is also favored by the charmless \(B\rightarrow PP\) and PV (where P stands for a light pseudo-scalar meson) decays observed in previous work. Moreover, the abnormal polarization fractions \(f_{L,\bot }(\bar{B}_{s}\rightarrow K^{*0}\bar{K}^{*0})=(20.1\pm 7.0)\%,(58.4\pm 8.5)\%\) measured by the LHCb collaboration can be reconciled through the weak annihilation corrections. However, the branching ratio of \(\bar{B}_{s}\rightarrow \phi K^{*0}\) decay exhibits a tension between the data and theoretical result, which dominates the contributions to \(\chi _\mathrm{min}^2\) in the fits. Using the fitted endpoint parameters, we update the theoretical results for the charmless \(B_s\rightarrow VV\) decays, which will be further tested by the LHCb and Belle-II experiments in the near future.     

New feature of low $$p_{T}$$ charm quark hadronization in pp collisions at $$\sqrt{s}=7$$s=7 TeV

Treating the light-flavor constituent quarks and antiquarks whose momentum information is extracted from the data of soft light-flavor hadrons in pp collisions at \(\sqrt{s}=7\) TeV as the underlying source of chromatically neutralizing the charm quarks of low transverse momenta (\(p_{T}\)), we show that the experimental data of \(p_{T}\) spectra of single-charm hadrons \(D^{0,+}\), \(D^{*+}\) \(D_{s}^{+}\), \(\varLambda _{c}^{+}\) and \(\varXi _{c}^{0}\) at mid-rapidity in the low \(p_{T}\) range (\(2\lesssim p_{T}\lesssim 7\) GeV/c) in pp collisions at \(\sqrt{s}=7\) TeV can be well understood by the equal-velocity combination of perturbatively created charm quarks and those light-flavor constituent quarks and antiquarks. This suggests a possible new scenario of low \(p_{T}\) charm quark hadronization, in contrast to the traditional fragmentation mechanism, in pp collisions at LHC energies. This is also another support for the exhibition of the soft constituent quark degrees of freedom for the small parton system created in pp collisions at LHC energies.     

Star product on complex sphere $$\mathbb {S}^{2n}$$

We construct a \(U_q\bigl (\mathfrak {s}\mathfrak {o}(2n+1)\bigr )\)-equivariant local star product on the complex sphere \(\mathbb {S}^{2n}\) as a non-Levi conjugacy class \(SO(2n+1)/SO(2n)\).     

Synthesis,characterization and molecular docking studies of thiouracil derivatives as potent thymidylate synthase inhibitors and potential anticancer agents

Thymidylate synthase (TS), one of folate-dependent enzymes, is a key and well-recognized target for anticancer agents. In this study, a series of 6-aryl-5-cyano thiouracil derivatives were designed and synthesized in accordance with essential pharmacophoric features of known TS inhibitors. Nineteen compounds were screened in vitro for their anti-proliferative activities toward HePG-2, MCF-7, HCT-116, and PC-3 cell lines. Compounds \(\mathbf{21}_{\mathbf{c}}\), \(\mathbf{21}_{\mathbf{d}}\), and 24 exhibited high anti-proliferative activity, comparable to that of 5-fluorouracil. Additionally, ten compounds with potent anti-proliferative activities were further evaluated for their ability to inhibit TS enzyme. Six compounds (\(\mathbf{21}_{\mathbf{b}}\), \(\mathbf{21}_{\mathbf{c}}\), \(\mathbf{21}_{\mathbf{d}}\), 22, 23 and 24) demonstrated potent dose-related TS inhibition with \(\hbox {IC}_{50}\) values ranging from 1.57 to \(3.89\,\upmu \hbox {M}\). The in vitro TS activity results were consistent with those of the cytotoxicity assay where the most potent anti-proliferative compounds of the series showed good TS inhibitory activity comparable to that of 5-fluorouracil. Furthermore, molecular docking studies were carried out to investigate the binding pattern of the designed compounds with the prospective target, TS (PDB-code: 1JU6).     

Mutually Unbiased Unextendible Maximally Entangled Bases in $\mathbb {C}^{d}\otimes \mathbb {C}^{d + 1}$

We study mutually unbiased unextendible maximally entangled bases (MUUMEBs) in bipartite stystem \(\mathbb {C}^{d}\otimes \mathbb {C}^{d + 1}\). By deriving the sufficient and necessary conditions that two MUUMEBs in \(\mathbb {C}^{3}\otimes \mathbb {C}^{4}\) need to satisfy, we first establish two pairs of MUUMEBs in \(\mathbb {C}^{3}\otimes \mathbb {C}^{4}\). Then we present the sufficient and necessary conditions that two MUUMEBs in bipartite system \(\mathbb {C}^{d}\otimes \mathbb {C}^{d + 1}\) need to satisfy, thus generalize the main results of Halqem et al. (Int. J. Theor. Phys. 54(1), 326, 2015).     

Excited state mass spectra of doubly heavy $$\Xi $$ baryons

In this paper, the mass spectra are obtained for doubly heavy \(\Xi \) baryons, namely, \(\Xi _{cc}^{+}\), \(\Xi _{cc}^{++}\), \(\Xi _{bb}^{-}\), \(\Xi _{bb}^{0}\), \(\Xi _{bc}^{0}\) and \(\Xi _{bc}^{+}\). These baryons consist of two heavy quarks (cc, bb, and bc) with a light (d or u) quark. The ground, radial, and orbital states are calculated in the framework of the hypercentral constituent quark model with Coulomb plus linear potential. Our results are also compared with other predictions, thus, the average possible range of excited states masses of these \(\Xi \) baryons can be determined. The study of the Regge trajectories is performed in (n, \(M^{2}\)) and (J, \(M^{2}\)) planes and their slopes and intercepts are also determined. Lastly, the ground state magnetic moments of these doubly heavy baryons are also calculated.     

Noncommutative products of Euclidean spaces

We present natural families of coordinate algebras on noncommutative products of Euclidean spaces \({\mathbb {R}}^{N_1} \times _{\mathcal {R}} {\mathbb {R}}^{N_2}\). These coordinate algebras are quadratic ones associated with an \(\mathcal {R}\)-matrix which is involutive and satisfies the Yang–Baxter equations. As a consequence, they enjoy a list of nice properties, being regular of finite global dimension. Notably, we have eight-dimensional noncommutative euclidean spaces \({\mathbb {R}}^{4} \times _{\mathcal {R}} {\mathbb {R}}^{4}\). Among these, particularly well behaved ones have deformation parameter \(\mathbf{u} \in {\mathbb {S}}^2\). Quotients include seven spheres \({\mathbb {S}}^{7}_\mathbf{u}\) as well as noncommutative quaternionic tori \({\mathbb {T}}^{{\mathbb {H}}}_\mathbf{u} = {\mathbb {S}}^3 \times _\mathbf{u} {\mathbb {S}}^3\). There is invariance for an action of \({{\mathrm{SU}}}(2) \times {{\mathrm{SU}}}(2)\) on the torus \({\mathbb {T}}^{{\mathbb {H}}}_\mathbf{u}\) in parallel with the action of \(\mathrm{U}(1) \times \mathrm{U}(1)\) on a ‘complex’ noncommutative torus \({\mathbb {T}}^2_\theta \) which allows one to construct quaternionic toric noncommutative manifolds. Additional classes of solutions are disjoint from the classical case.     

Scattering of kinks of the sinh-deformed $$\varphi ^4$$ model

We consider the scattering of kinks of the sinh-deformed \(\varphi ^4\) model, which is obtained from the well-known \(\varphi ^4\) model by means of the deformation procedure. Depending on the initial velocity \(v_\mathrm {in}\) of the colliding kinks, different collision scenarios are realized. There is a critical value \(v_\mathrm {cr}\) of the initial velocity, which separates the regime of reflection (at \(v_\mathrm {in}>v_\mathrm {cr}\)) and that of a complicated interaction (at \(v_\mathrm {in}<v_\mathrm {cr}\)) with kinks’ capture and escape windows. Besides that, at \(v_\mathrm {in}\) below \(v_\mathrm {cr}\) we observe the formation of a bound state of two oscillons, as well as their escape at some values of \(v_\mathrm {in}\).     

Pseudo-Hermitian Systems with $\mathcal {P}\mathcal {T}$-Symmetry: Degeneracy and Krein Space

We show in the present paper that pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian systems with even \(\mathcal {P}\mathcal {T}\)-symmetry \((\mathcal {P}^{2}=1,\mathcal {T}^{2}=1)\) admit a degeneracy structure. This kind of degeneracy is expected traditionally in the odd \(\mathcal {P}\mathcal {T}\)-symmetric systems \((\mathcal {P}^{2}=1,\mathcal {T}^{2}=-1)\) which is appropriate to the fermions (Scolarici and Solombrino, Phys. Lett. A 303, 239 2002; Jones-Smith and Mathur, Phys. Rev. A 82, 042101 2010). We establish that the pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians with even \(\mathcal {P}\mathcal {T}\)-symmetry admit a degeneracy structure if the operator \(\mathcal {PT}\) anticommutes with the metric operator η _σ which is necessarily indefinite. We also show that the Krein space formulation of the Hilbert space is the convenient framework for the implementation of unbroken \(\mathcal {P}\mathcal {T}\)-symmetry. These general results are illustrated with great details for four-level pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian with even \(\mathcal {P}\mathcal {T}\) -symmetry.     

Fluctuations for the Ginzburg-Landau $${\nabla \phi}$$ Interface Model on a Bounded Domain

We study the massless field on \({D_n = D \cap \tfrac{1}{n} \mathbf{Z}^2}\), where \({D \subseteq \mathbf{R}^2}\) is a bounded domain with smooth boundary, with Hamiltonian \({\mathcal {H}(h) = \sum_{x \sim y} \mathcal {V}(h(x) - h(y))}\). The interaction \({\mathcal {V}}\) is assumed to be symmetric and uniformly convex. This is a general model for a (2 + 1)-dimensional effective interface where h represents the height. We take our boundary conditions to be a continuous perturbation of a macroscopic tilt: h(x) = n x · u + f(x) for \({x \in \partial D_n,\,u \in \mathbf{R}^2}\), and f : R ² → R continuous. We prove that the fluctuations of linear functionals of h(x) about the tilt converge in the limit to a Gaussian free field on D, the standard Gaussian with respect to the weighted Dirichlet inner product \({(f,g)_\nabla^\beta = \int_D \sum_i \beta_i \partial_i f_i \partial_i g_i}\) for some explicit β = β(u). In a subsequent article, we will employ the tools developed here to resolve a conjecture of Sheffield that the zero contour lines of h are asymptotically described by SLE(4), a conformally invariant random curve.     

Degeneration of Bethe subalgebras in the Yangian of $$\mathfrak {gl}_n$$

We study degenerations of Bethe subalgebras B(C) in the Yangian \(Y(\mathfrak {gl}_n)\), where C is a regular diagonal matrix. We show that closure of the parameter space of the family of Bethe subalgebras, which parameterizes all possible degenerations, is the Deligne–Mumford moduli space of stable rational curves \(\overline{M_{0,n+2}}\). All subalgebras corresponding to the points of \(\overline{M_{0,n+2}}\) are free and maximal commutative. We describe explicitly the “simplest” degenerations and show that every degeneration is the composition of the simplest ones. The Deligne–Mumford space \(\overline{M_{0,n+2}}\) generalizes to other root systems as some De Concini–Procesi resolution of some toric variety. We state a conjecture generalizing our results to Bethe subalgebras in the Yangian of arbitrary simple Lie algebra in terms of this De Concini–Procesi resolution.     

Searching for cosmological preferred axis using cosmographic approach

Recent released Planck data and other astronomical observations show that the universe may be anisotropic on large scales. This hints a cosmological privileged axis in our anisotropic expanding universe. This paper proceeds a modified redshift in anisotropic cosmological model as \( 1+\tilde{z}(t,\hat{\mathbf{p }})=\frac{a(t_{0)}}{a(t)}(1-A(\hat{\mathbf{n }}.\hat{\mathbf{p }}))\) (where A is the magnitude of anisotropy, \(\hat{\mathbf{n }}\) is the direction of privileged axis, and \(\hat{\mathbf{p }}\) is the direction of each SNe Ia sample to galactic coordinates) along with anisotropic parameter \(\delta =\frac{A(\hat{\mathbf{n }}.\hat{\mathbf{p }})}{1+A(\hat{\mathbf{n }}.\hat{\mathbf{p }})}\). The luminosity distance is expanded with model-independent cosmographic parameters as a function of modified redshift \(\tilde{z}\). As the transformation matrix \(M(n\times n)\) is obtained to convert the Taylor series coefficients of isotropic luminosity distance to corresponding anisotropic parameters. These results culminate the magnitude of anisotropy about \(\mid A\mid \simeq 10^{-3}\) and the direction of preferred axis as \((l,b)=\left( 297^{-34}_{+34},3^{-28}_{+28}\right) \), which are consistent with other studies in \(1-\sigma \) confidence level.