Hidden constants: The θ parameter of QCD and the cosmological constant of N = 8 supergravity

For field theories that include the abelian gauge field A_μν? the field equations allow an arbitrary integration constant, which does not appear in the lagrangian but which does affect the physics. We present two applications: (i) the θ parameter of effective lagrangians for chiral symmetry breaking in QCD, and (ii) the cosmological constant in N = 8 supergravity, which does not require a gauging of the O(8) symmetry, but is rather due to a spontaneous breakdown of supersymmetry.