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We analyze the proton$\text{-}$box contribution to the hadronic light$\text{-}$by$\text{-}$light part of the muon's anomalous magnetic moment, which is the first reported baryonic contribution to this piece. We follow the quark$\text{-}$loop analysis, incorporating the relevant data$\text{-}$driven and lattice proton form factors. Although the heavy mass expansion would yield a contribution of $\mathcal{O}(10^{-10})$, the damping of the form factors in the regions where the kernel peaks, explains our finding $a_{\mu}^{\rm{p-box}}=1.82 (7)\times 10^{-12}$, two orders of magnitude smaller than the forthcoming uncertainty on the $a_{\mu}$ measurement and on its Standard Model prediction., Comment: 18 pages, 4 figures

In a previous work \cite{Buttazzo:2020ibd}, it has been pointed out that heavy new physics (NP) contributions to lepton dipole moments and high-energy cross-sections of lepton pairs into Higgs and $\gamma/Z$ bosons are connected, if the electroweak symmetry breaking is realized linearly. As a consequence, a multi-TeV muon collider would provide a unique test of NP in the muon $g$-2 through the study of high-energy processes such as $\mu^+ \mu^-\to h +\gamma /Z$. Since the analysis involved a SMEFT approach to Higgs-processes, it could also be studied by the more general HEFT formulation. We compute the modification of the high-energy cross-section $\mu^+ \mu^-\to h +\gamma/Z$ and $h\to \mu^{+} \mu^{-} +\gamma /Z$ decay using the dimension six HEFT Lagrangian and compare them with the SMEFT analysis. We find that, in some reasonable cases, the HEFT approach could lead to a higher sensitivity to test the NP contributions in the muon $g$-2, requiring thus a less energetic muon collider for such a purpose., Comment: 26 pages, 11 figures

Mechanically bonded membranes of interlocked ring polymers are a significant generalization of conventional elastic sheets, where connectivity is provided by covalent bonding, and represent a promising class of topological meta-materials. In this context, two open questions regard the large-scale reverberations of the heterogeneous composition of the rings and the inequivalent modes of interlocking neighboring rings. We address these questions with Langevin dynamics simulations of chainmails with honeycomb-lattice connectivity, where the rings are block copolymers with two segments of different rigidity. We considered various combinations of the relative lengths of the two segments and the patterns of the over- and under-passes linking neighboring rings. We find that varying ring composition and linking patterns have independent and complementary effects. While the former sets the overall size of the chainmail, the latter defines the shape, enabling the selection of starkly different conformation types. Notably, one of the considered linking patterns favors saddle-shaped membranes, providing a first example of spontaneous negative Gaussian curvature in mechanically bonded sheets. The results help establish the extent to which mechanically bonded membranes can differ from conventional elastic membranes, particularly for the achievable shape and size tunability., Comment: Main 15 pages, 9 figures

Lateral flow immunoassays (LFIA) are widely used worldwide for the detection of different analytes because they combine multiple advantages such as low production cost, simplicity, and portability, which allows biomarkers detection without requiring infrastructure or highly trained personnel. Here we propose to provide solutions to the manufacturing process of LFIA at laboratory-scale, particularly to the controlled and active dispensing of the reagents in the form the Test Lines (TL) and the Control Lines (CL). To accomplish this task, we adapted a 3D printer to also control Syringe Pumps (SP), since the proposed adaptation of a 3D printer is easy, free and many laboratories already have it in their infrastructure. In turn, the standard function of the 3D printer can be easily restored by disconnecting the SPs and reconnecting the extruder. Additionally, the unified control of the 3D printer enables dual, active, regulable and simultaneous dispensing, four features that are typically found only in certain high-cost commercial equipment. With the proposed setup, the challenge of dispensing simultaneously at least 2 lines (CL and TL) with SPs controlled by a 3D printer was addressed, including regulation in the width of dispensed lines within experimental limits. Also, the construction of a LFIA for the detection of leptospirosis is shown as a practical example of automatized reagent dispensing., Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures

We calculate the neutrino-electron elastic scattering cross section, extending the results previously obtained in arXiv:1702.05721v2, in the presence of generic new interactions that take into account all the effects caused by finite neutrino masses. We address the potential significance of a heavy neutrino sector during precision measurements, particularly for tau neutrinos scattering with masses in the MeV range, for which the existing upper bounds on $|U_{\tau 4}|^2$ would result in conceivably measurable contributions. Finally, we comment on the possibility to distinguish between Dirac and Majorana neutrinos, including the analysis of the new emerging parameters and its application to illustrative model-dependent scenarios., Comment: 24 pages, 1 figure. Minor changes. Comments on neutrino flavor and mass bases were implemented and references added. Matches JHEP version

A novel method to differentiate the effects of Dirac and Majorana (D-M) neutrinos in four-body decays has been discussed in arXiv:2106.11785. There, it is concluded that the back-to-back kinematic scenario seems to avoid the constraint imposed by the "practical Dirac-Majorana confusion theorem", as one does not need to fully integrate over neutrino and antineutrino momenta. In this paper, we propose to analyse radiative leptonic lepton-decays ($\ell\to\ell'\nu\bar{\nu}\gamma$), as an independent alternative process to study the possible Majorana nature of neutrinos. Our approach demonstrates that, in the back-to-back kinematic configuration (for the $\ell'- \gamma$ and $\nu-\bar{\nu}$ systems, respectively), the distinction between Dirac and Majorana cases disappears when the inaccessible neutrino angle is integrated out, which might appear unexpected considering the claims in arXiv:2106.11785. Our results apply in absence of non-standard interactions, which can enhance generally the sensitivity to the neutrino nature., Comment: 30 pages, 7 figures. To match with published version. It replies all points raised in the comments arXiv:2308.08464

The functioning of double-stranded (ds) nucleic acids (NAs) in cellular processes is strongly mediated by their elastic response. These processes involve proteins that interact with dsDNA or dsRNA and distort their structures. The perturbation of the elasticity of NAs arising from these deformations is not properly considered by most theoretical frameworks. In this work, we introduce a novel method to assess the impact of mechanical stress on the elastic response of dsDNA and dsRNA through the analysis of the fluctuations of the double helix. Application of this approach to atomistic simulations reveals qualitative differences in the force dependence of the mechanical properties of dsDNA with respect to those of dsRNA, which we relate to structural features of these molecules by means of physically-sound minimalistic models., Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures

We analyse the effects of Dirac and Majorana neutrinos on leptonic decays of muon and tau leptons using the most general four-lepton effective interaction Hamiltonian of dimension six. We calculate the specific energy and angular distribution of the final charged lepton, including the polarizations of the initial and final charged leptons. We discuss the new generalized Michel parameters and focus on the effects of the heavy neutrino masses that would lead to sizable contributions on scenarios where the new sterile neutrinos have non-negligible mixing. Specifically, the most promising scenario is found for the case of $\tau$ decay with one heavy final-state neutrino with a mass around $10^2 - 10^3$ MeV, where the linear term suppression could be of order $10^{-4}$, low enough to be measured in current and forthcoming experiments., Comment: 37 pages, 6 figures. Matches published version, wording corrections were made and a realistic example was added, (see new Fig. 5)

Using Lifshitz theory we assess the role of van der Waals forces at interfaces of ice and water. The results are combined with measured structural forces from computer simulations to develop a quantitative model of the surface free energy of premelting films. This input is employed within the framework of wetting theory and allows us to predict qualitatively the behavior of quasi-liquid layer thickness as a function of ambient conditions. Our results emphasizes the significance of vapor pressure. The ice vapor interface is shown to exhibit only incomplete premelting, but the situation can shift to a state of complete surface melting above water saturation. The results obtained serve also to assess the role of subsurface freezing at the water-vapor interface, and we show that intermolecular forces favor subsurface ice nucleation only in conditions of water undersaturation. We show ice regelation at ambient pressure may be explained as a process of capillary freezing, without the need to invoke the action of bulk pressure melting. Our results for van der Waals forces are exploited in order to gauge dispersion interactions in empirical point charge models of water., Comment: 27 pages, 15 figures, 7 tables (including supplementary material)

The van der Waals force established between two surfaces plays a central role in many phenomena, such as adhesion or friction. However, the dependence of this forces on the distance of separation between plates is very complex. Two widely different non-retarded and retarded regimes are well known, but these have been traditionally studied separately. Much less is known about the important experimentally accesible cross-over regime. In this study, we provide analytical approximations for the van der Waals forces between two plates that interpolates exactly between the short distance and long distance behavior, and provides new insight into the crossover from London to Casimir forces at finite temperature. At short distance, where the behavior is dominated by non-retarded interactions, we work out a very accurate simplified approximation for the Hamaker constant which adopts analytical form for both the Drude and Lorentz models of dielectric response. We apply our analytical expressions for the study of forces between metallic plates, and observe very good agreement with exact results from numerical calculations. Our results show that contributions of interband transitions remain important in the experimentally accessible regime of decades nm for several metals, including gold., Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, supplementary materials

Hypothesis: As a fluid approaches three phase coexistence, adsorption may take place by the successive formation of two intervening wetting films. The equilibrium thickness of these wetting layers is the result of a delicate balance of intermolecular forces, as dictated by an underlying interface potential. The van der Waals forces for the two variable adsorption layers may be formulated exactly from Dzyaloshinskii-Lifshitz-Pitaevskii theory, and analytical approximations may be derived that extent well beyond the validity of conventional Hamaker theory. Calculations: We consider the adsorption equilibrium of water vapor on Silver Iodide where both ice and a water layers can form simultaneously and compete for the vapor as the triple point is approached. We perform numerical calculations of Lifshitz theory for this complex system and work out analytical approximations which provide quantitative agreement with the numerical results. Findings: At the three phase contact line between AgI/water/air, surface forces promote growth of ice both on the AgI/air and the water/vapor interfaces, lending support to a contact nucleation mode of AgI in the atmosphere. Our approach provides a framework for the description of adsorption at three phase coexistence, and allows for the study of ice nucleation efficiency on atmospheric aerosols., Comment: Accepted Manuscript

We consider a L\'evy process in the plane and we use it to construct a family of complex-valued random fields that we show to converge in law, in the space of continuous functions, to a complex Brownian sheet. We apply this result to obtain weak approximations of the random field solution to a semilinear one-dimensional stochastic heat equation driven by the space-time white noise., Comment: Final accepted version after a major revision

"The Lord made me a very great favor in an imaginary vision" wrote Maria de Agreda in the seventeenth century, "His Majesty put me at the foot of a beautiful Ladder, and showed me I had to climb it." These words refer to the spiritual ascent, present in the Judeo-Christian tradition, and crystallized in the visions of prophets and Catholic saints. Genesis (18: 10-22) narrates that Jacob, going to Haran, slept on some stones and saw a ladder between heaven and earth along which angels were ascending and descending. From this dream, the symbolic union between heaven and earth has been figured with stairs, ascribing to it different meanings over the centuries. On the steps of the ladder people saw a metaphor for the graduality of ascent; Benedict used a ladder of twelve steps of humility in his Regula, and in the seventh century AD John Climacus, Bishop of Sinai, established a thirty-step Scala Paradisi of meditation leading to God. In this work we discuss the historical echoes of the Benedictine rule, together with Climacus' voice in the desert and the visualization of celestial mysteries, in the case of the Cuzco school painting Allegory of the firmament, with the representation of the planets' seven heavens (XVIII century). In this way we try and analyze the intersection between science and mysticism in the representation of the heavenly stairs, in order to show the cultural anchorage of the symbology employed in these cases [abridged]., Comment: Article in Spanish, PDF document including 10 figures. Published version available at http://cms.iafe.uba.ar/gangui/more_difusion.html in Migraciones y Rutas del Barroco, edited by N.Campos, La Paz: Vision Cultural, p. 57-70, 2014