Is a Miracle-less WIMP Ruled out?

We examine a real electroweak triplet scalar field as dark matter, abandoning the requirement that its relic abundance is determined through freeze out in a standard cosmological history (a situation which we refer to as `miracle-less WIMP’). We extract the bounds on such a particle from collider searches, searches for direct scattering with terrestrial targets, and searches for the indirect products of annihilation. Each type of search provides complementary information, and each is most effective in a different region of parameter space. LHC searches tend to be highly dependent on the mass of the SU(2) charged partner state, and are effective for very large or very tiny mass splitting between it and the neutral dark matter component. Direct searches are very effective at bounding the Higgs portal coupling, but ineffective once it falls below \lambda_{\text{eff}} \lesssim 10^{-3}λeff≲10−3. Indirect searches suffer from large astrophysical uncertainties due to the backgrounds and JJ-factors, but do provide key information for \sim∼ 100 GeV to TeV masses. Synthesizing the allowed parameter space, this example of WIMP dark matter remains viable, but only in miracle-less regimes.

Mass spectrum and strong decays of tetraquark $${\bar{c}}{\bar{s}} qq$$ states

We systematically study the mass spectrum and strong decays of the S-wave $${\bar{c}}{\bar{s}} q q$$ c ¯ s ¯ q q states in the compact tetraquark scenario with the quark model. The key ingredients of the model are the Coulomb, the linear confinement, and the hyperfine interactions. The hyperfine potential leads to the mixing between different color configurations, and to the large mass splitting between the two ground states with $$I(J^P)=0(0^+)$$ I ( J P ) = 0 ( 0 + ) and $$I(J^P)=1(0^+)$$ I ( J P ) = 1 ( 0 + ) . We calculate their strong decay amplitudes into the $${\bar{D}}^{(*)}K^{(*)}$$ D ¯ ( ∗ ) K ( ∗ ) channels with the wave functions from the mass spectrum calculation and the quark-interchange method. We examine the interpretation of the recently observed $$X_0(2900)$$ X 0 ( 2900 ) as a tetraquark state. The mass and decay width of the $$I(J^P)=1(0^+)$$ I ( J P ) = 1 ( 0 + ) state are $$M=2941$$ M = 2941 MeV and $$\Gamma _X=26.6$$ Γ X = 26.6 MeV, respectively, which indicates that it might be a good candidate for $$X_0(2900)$$ X 0 ( 2900 ) . Meanwhile, we also obtain an isospin partner state $$I(J^P)=0(0^+)$$ I ( J P ) = 0 ( 0 + ) with $$M=2649$$ M = 2649 MeV and $$\Gamma _{X\rightarrow {\bar{D}} K}=48.1$$ Γ X → D ¯ K = 48.1 MeV, respectively. Future experimental search for X(2649) will be very helpful.

To Disclose or Deceive? Sharing Secret Information between Aligned States

Why do aligned states sometimes disclose secret information about their miitary plans to use force, whereas other times they choose to deceive their partners? The state initiating these plans may choose among four information-sharing strategies: collusion, compartmentalization, concealment, and lying. Three main considerations shape its decision: the state's assessment of whether it needs its partner's capabilities to succeed at the military mission, the state's perception of whether the partner will be willing to support the state in the requested role, and the state's anticipated deception costs for not fully informing its partner state. Several cases illustrate how these strategies are chosen: Israel, Britain, and France's decision to use force against Egypt during the Suez Crisis (collusion between France and Israel, and concealment vis-à-vis the United States); Israel's 2007 bombing of Syria's al Kibar reactor (compartmentalization); and Israel's deliberations whether to attack Iran's nuclear reactor (lying). These strategies have implications for intra-alliance restraint and contribute to understanding deception and secrecy between allies.

Corona and the commons

The article addresses an important stage that the pandemic brought to the transition of the transition from the “old” to the “new” ways of organising Society. Points to an attitude emerging from changes. The Corona crisis, despite weaknesses and errors, has shown what can be done and how quickly institutions can adapt and change their choices, since life is at stake and, therefore, its legitimacy. This process towards ‘partner state’ practices and public-commons protocols will not be automatic, and will be an alternative to a coercive and authoritarian state-centric model, which could be one of the negative outcomes of this crisis.

Decay properties of P-wave bottom baryons within light-cone sum rules

We use the method of light-cone sum rules to study decay properties of P-wave bottom baryons belonging to the SU(3) flavor $$\mathbf {6}_F$$6F representation. In Cui et al. (Phys Rev D 99:094021, 2019) we have studied their mass spectrum and pionic decays, and found that the $$\varSigma _{b}(6097)$$Σb(6097) and $$\varXi _{b}(6227)$$Ξb(6227) can be well interpreted as P-wave bottom baryons of $$J^P = 3/2^-$$JP=3/2-. In this paper we further study their decays into ground-state bottom baryons and vector mesons. We propose to search for a new state $$\varXi _b({5/2}^-)$$Ξb(5/2-), that is the $$J^P = 5/2^-$$JP=5/2- partner state of the $$\varXi _{b}(6227)$$Ξb(6227), in the $$\varXi _b({5/2}^-) \rightarrow \varXi _b^{*}\rho \rightarrow \varXi _b^{*}\pi \pi $$Ξb(5/2-)→Ξb∗ρ→Ξb∗ππ decay process. Its mass is $$12 \pm 5$$12±5 MeV larger than that of the $$\varXi _{b}(6227)$$Ξb(6227).

Local industrial production in EAC & Uganda (reflecting on the AfCFTA and the emergence of COVID-19): legal framework

This paper analyses the state of local industrial production in Uganda and how the emergence of COVID-19 has impacted it. This analysis bears in mind the regional context of Uganda as Partner State of the East African Community and a member of the African Union. Both of these institutions have mechanisms that impact on trade and relatedly on local industrial production, most notably the newly established African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Overall, the paper makes a case for furthering local industrial production drawing on the lessons from the economic and developmental impact that the pandemic has wrought on the country.

PUBLIC-PRIVATE AGREEMENT AS A MANAGEMENT PROCESS: A STEP-BY-STEP MODEL OF EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT

The aim of the study: to develop recommendations for the comprehensive improvement of the practice of concluding and implementing a PPP agreement. Research methods: analysis, synthesis, logical modeling.In the article the authors substantiate the analysis of the characteristic features of PPP agreements and identified four stages of this process: The first step. The process of initiation (start) of the project; Second step. The processes of execution (implementation) of the project; Third step. Monitoring processes (monitoring) of the project; Fourth step. The process of closing (completion) of the project. There are at least two participants in this process: a "public" partner (state) and a "private partner " - a business with different legal status and resources, as well as having different goals. Each of the four selected stages presents "inputs" (initial action) and "outputs" (final action) separately for each of the participants. In the paper the authors reveal the content of each stage of the process and give step-by-step recommendations to improve efficiency. From the point of view of the authors, consistent implementation of the recommendations presented in the practice of PPP will allow you to get away from the formalism and, in general, to increase the percentage of effective PPP projects.