Abstract: The framed Standard Model (FSM) predicts a 0(+) boson with mass around 20 MeV in the “hidden sector,” which mixes at tree level with the standard Higgs hW and hence acquires small couplings to quarks and leptons which can be calculated in the FSM apart from the mixing parameter rho Uh. The exchange of this mixed state U will contribute to g – 2 and to the Lamb shift. By adjusting rho Uh alone, it is found that the FSM can satisfy all present experimental bounds on the g – 2 and Lamb shift anomalies for μand e, and for the latter for both hydrogen and deuterium. The FSM predicts also a 1(-) boson in the “hidden sector” with a mass of 17 MeV, that is, right on top of the Atomki anomaly X. This mixes with the photon at 1-loop level and couples thereby like a dark photon to quarks and leptons. It is however a compound state and is thought likely to possess additional compound couplings to hadrons. By adjusting the mixing parameter and the X's compound coupling to nucleons, the FSM can reproduce the production rate of the X in beryllium decay as well as satisfy all the bounds on X listed so far in the literature. The above two results are consistent in that the U, being 0(+), does not contribute to the Atomki anomaly if parity and angular momentum are conserved, while X, though contributing to g – 2 and Lamb shift, has smaller couplings than U and can, at first instance, be neglected there. Thus, despite the tentative nature of the three anomalies in experiment on the one hand and of the FSM as theory on the other, the accommodation of the former in the latter has strengthened the credibility of both. Indeed, if this FSM interpretation were correct, it would change the whole aspect of the anomalies from just curiosities to windows into a vast hitherto hidden sector comprising at least in part the dark matter which makes up the bulk of our universe.

Abstract: A descriptive summary is given of the results to-date from the framed standard model (FSM) which: Assigns geometric meaning to the Higgs field and to fermion generations, hence offering an explanation for the observed mass and mixing patterns of quarks and leptons, reproducing near-quantitatively 17 of SM parameters with only 7. Predicts a new vector boson G which mixes with gamma and Z, leading to deviations from the SM mixing scheme. For m(G) > 1 TeV, these deviations are within present experimental errors but should soon be detectable at LHC when experimental accuracy is further improved. Suggests the existence of a hidden sector of particles as yet unknown to experiment which interact but little with the known particles. The lowest members of the hidden sector of mass around 17 MeV, being electrically neutral and stable, may figure as dark matter constituents. The idea is to retrace the steps leading to the above results unencumbered by details already worked out and reported elsewhere. This has helped to clarify the logic, tighten some arguments and dispense with one major assumption previously thought necessary, thus strengthening earlier results in opening up possibly a new and exciting vista for further exploration.

Abstract: Motivated by the measured large branching ratio of (B) over bar (0) --> pi(0)pi(0) (the so-called pi pi puzzle), we investigate the effects of a family nonuniversal Z' model on the tree-dominated B --> pi pi decays. We find that the Z' coupling parameter zeta(LR)(d) similar to 0.05 with a nontrivial new weak phase phi(L)(d) similar to -50 degrees, which is relevant to the Z' contributions to the QCD penguin sector Delta C-5, is needed to reconcile the observed discrepancy. Combined with the recent fitting results from B --> pi K, pi K* and rho K decays, the Z' parameter spaces are severely reduced but still not excluded entirely, implying that both the “pi pi” and “pi K” puzzles could be accommodated simultaneously within such a family nonuniversal Z' model.

Abstract: We review the current status of the leptogenesis scenario originally proposed by Akhmedov, Rubakov and Smirnov (ARS). It takes place in the parametric regime where the right-handed neutrinos are at the electroweak scale or below and the CP-violating effects are induced by the coherent superposition of different right-handed mass eigenstates. Two main theoretical approaches to derive quantum kinetic equations, the Hamiltonian time evolution as well as the Closed-Time-Path technique are presented, and we discuss their relations. For scenarios with two right-handed neutrinos, we chart the viable parameter space. Both, a Bayesian analysis, that determines the most likely configurations for viable leptogenesis given different variants of flat priors, and a determination of the maximally allowed mixing between the light, mostly left-handed, and heavy, mostly right-handed, neutrino states are discussed. Rephasing invariants are shown to be a useful tool to classify and to understand various distinct contributions to ARS leptogenesis that can dominate in different parametric regimes. While these analyses are carried out for the parametric regime where initial asymmetries are generated predominantly from lepton-number conserving, but flavor violating effects, we also review the contributions from lepton-number violating operators and identify the regions of parameter space where these are relevant.

Abstract: We present updated LHC limits on the minimal universal extra dimensions (MUEDs) model from the Run 2 searches. We scan the parameter space against a number of searches implemented in the public code CheckMATE and derive up-to-date limits on the MUED parameter space from 13TeV searches. The strongest constraints come from a search dedicated to squarks and gluinos with one isolated lepton, jets and missing transverse energy. In the procedure, we take into account initial state radiation and stress its importance in the MUED searches, which is not always appreciated.