arXiv subjects

E. Franco

Publications and source records attributed to E. Franco.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Flux solutions for stochastic chemical systems with sources and sinks

In this paper we study a class of stochastic chemical systems that, in general, do not satisfy the property of detailed balance nor the property of complex balance. These systems are obtained by adding sources and sinks to conservative chemical systems. This procedure is a way to define rigorously stochastic chemical systems in contact with reservoirs. We prove that these systems are non-explosive Markov chains and we prove that they converge to a steady state as time tends to infinity. The stationary solution are out of equilibrium solutions. We conclude the paper by applying our results in order to describe fluxes of molecules through some membrane channels.

math.PR↗

arXiv2025

Critical lack of equilibrium in stochastic kinetic proofreading

In this paper we study the relation between the property of detailed balance and the ability of discriminating between different ligands for a class of stochastic models of kinetic proofreading. We prove the existence of a critical amount of lack of detailed balance that the kinetic proofreading models must have in order to have strong specificity for a value of the binding energy $\sigma$. We also prove that the fact that a kinetic proofreading model has a lack of detailed balance that is larger than the critical one does not necessarily yield strong discrimination properties. Indeed, there exist different sets of chemical rates, leading to the same amount of lack of detailed balance, that have strong discrimination property in some cases and not in others.

math.PR↗

arXiv2025

The adaptation property in non-equilibrium chemical systems

The goal of this paper is to understand if the property of adaptation, which is a typical property of many biochemical systems, can be achieved only by biological systems that actively consume energy or if it can be achieved also by passive systems. We prove that, unless the conserved quantities of a signalling system satisfy a very specific factorization assumption, adaptation cannot be achieved in a robust manner (i.e. in a stable manner under perturbations of the chemical reaction rates) by systems that satisfy the detailed balance property, hence that are passive, and that do not exchange substances or energy with the environment. We also prove that robust adaptation can be achieved by systems that satisfy the detailed balance property, but exchange substances with the environment.

math.CA↗

arXiv2025

The detailed balance property and chemical systems out of equilibrium

The detailed balance property is a fundamental property that must be satisfied in all the macroscopic systems with a well defined temperature at each point. On the other hand, many biochemical networks work in non-equilibrium conditions and they can be effectively modelled using sets of equations in which the detailed balance condition fails. In this paper we study a class of "out of equilibrium" chemical networks that can be obtained freezing the concentration of some substances in chemical networks for which the detailed balance property holds. In particular, we prove that any chemical system with bidirectional chemical reactions can be extended to a system having additional substances and for which the detailed balance property holds.

math.CA↗

arXiv2023

Description of Chemical Systems by means of Response Functions

In this paper we introduce a formalism that allows to describe the response of a part of a biochemical system in terms of renewal equations. In particular, we examine under which conditions the interactions between the different parts of a chemical system, described by means of linear ODEs, can be represented in terms of renewal equations. We show also how to apply the formalism developed in this paper to some particular types of linear and non-linear ODEs, modelling some biochemical systems of interest in biology (for instance, some time-dependent versions of the classical Hopfield model of kinetic proofreading). We also analyse some of the properties of the renewal equations that we are interested in, as the long-time behaviour of their solution. Furthermore, we prove that the kernels characterising the renewal equations derived by biochemical system with reactions that satisfy the detail balance condition belong to the class of completely monotone functions.

math.AP↗

arXiv2021

Global analysis of electroweak data in the Standard Model

We perform a global fit of electroweak data within the Standard Model, using state-of-the art experimental and theoretical results, including a determination of the electromagnetic coupling at the electroweak scale based on recent lattice calculations. In addition to the posteriors for all parameters and observables obtained from the global fit, we present indirect determinations for all parameters and predictions for all observables. Furthermore, we present full predictions, obtained using only the experimental information on Standard Model parameters, and a fully indirect determination of Standard Model parameters using only experimental information on electroweak data. Finally, we discuss in detail the compatibility of experimental data with the Standard Model and find a global p-value of 0.5.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Power corrections to the CP-violation parameter $\varepsilon_K$

We present the calculation of the short-distance power corrections to the CP-violation parameter $\varepsilon_K$ coming from dimension-8 operators in the $\Delta S=2$ effective Hamiltonian. A first estimate of this contribution, obtained for large-$N_c$ and in the chiral limit, was provided in ref. [arXiv:hep-ph/0406094]. Here we evaluate and include the $\mathcal{O}(m_K^2/m_c^2)$ and $\mathcal{O}(\Lambda_{QCD}^2/m_c^2)$ contributions that, a priori, could induce $\mathcal{O}(1)$ corrections to previous estimates, as $m_K$ is numerically of order $\Lambda_{QCD}$. Our computation shows that there are several dimension-8 operators besides the one considered before. Their effect on $\varepsilon_K$, however, accidentally cancels out to a large extent, leaving the final correction at the level of 1%.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2019

Standard Model Physics at the HL-LHC and HE-LHC

The successful operation of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and the excellent performance of the ATLAS, CMS, LHCb and ALICE detectors in Run-1 and Run-2 with $pp$ collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8 and 13 TeV as well as the giant leap in precision calculations and modeling of fundamental interactions at hadron colliders have allowed an extraordinary breadth of physics studies including precision measurements of a variety physics processes. The LHC results have so far confirmed the validity of the Standard Model of particle physics up to unprecedented energy scales and with great precision in the sectors of strong and electroweak interactions as well as flavour physics, for instance in top quark physics. The upgrade of the LHC to a High Luminosity phase (HL-LHC) at 14 TeV center-of-mass energy with 3 ab$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity will probe the Standard Model with even greater precision and will extend the sensitivity to possible anomalies in the Standard Model, thanks to a ten-fold larger data set, upgraded detectors and expected improvements in the theoretical understanding. This document summarises the physics reach of the HL-LHC in the realm of strong and electroweak interactions and top quark physics, and provides a glimpse of the potential of a possible further upgrade of the LHC to a 27 TeV $pp$ collider, the High-Energy LHC (HE-LHC), assumed to accumulate an integrated luminosity of 15 ab$^{-1}$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2014

The UTfit Collaboration Average of $D$ meson mixing data: Winter 2014

We update the analysis of $D$ meson mixing including the latest experimental results as of January 2014. We derive constraints on the parameters $M_{12}$, $Γ_{12}$ and $Φ_{12}$ that describe $D$ meson mixing using all available data, allowing for CP violation. We also provide posterior distributions for observable parameters appearing in $D$ physics.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

Testing the Standard Model and searching for New Physics with $B_d \to ππ$ and $B_s \to K K$ decays

We propose to perform a combined analysis of $B \to ππ$ and $B_s \to K^+ K^-$ modes, in the framework of a global CKM fit. The method optimizes the constraining power of these decays and allows to derive constraints on NP contributions to penguin amplitudes or on the $B_s$ mixing phase. We illustrate these capabilities with a simplified analysis using the recent measurements by the LHCb Collaboration, neglecting correlations with other SM observables.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2012

The UTfit Collaboration Average of D meson mixing data: Spring 2012

We derive constraints on the parameters $M_{12}$, $Γ_{12}$ and $Φ_{12}$ that describe $D$ meson mixing using all available data, allowing for CP violation. We also provide posterior distributions and predictions for observable parameters appearing in $D$ physics.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Update of the Unitarity Triangle Analysis

We present the status of the Unitarity Triangle Analysis (UTA), within the Standard Model (SM) and beyond, with experimental and theoretical inputs updated for the ICHEP 2010 conference. Within the SM, we find that the general consistency among all the constraints leaves space only to some tension (between the UTA prediction and the experimental measurement) in BR(B -> tau nu), sin(2 beta) and epsilon_K. In the UTA beyond the SM, we allow for New Physics (NP) effects in (Delta F)=2 processes. The hint of NP at the 2.9 sigma level in the B_s-\bar B_s mixing turns out to be confirmed by the present update, which includes the new D0 result on the dimuon charge asymmetry but not the new CDF measurement of phi_s, being the likelihood not yet released.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

Flavor Physics in the Quark Sector

One of the major challenges of particle physics has been to gain an in-depth understanding of the role of quark flavor and measurements and theoretical interpretations of their results have advanced tremendously: apart from masses and quantum numbers of flavor particles, there now exist detailed measurements of the characteristics of their interactions allowing stringent tests of Standard Model predictions. Among the most interesting phenomena of flavor physics is the violation of the CP symmetry that has been subtle and difficult to explore. Till early 1990s observations of CP violation were confined to neutral $K$ mesons, but since then a large number of CP-violating processes have been studied in detail in neutral $B$ mesons. In parallel, measurements of the couplings of the heavy quarks and the dynamics for their decays in large samples of $K, D$, and $B$ mesons have been greatly improved in accuracy and the results are being used as probes in the search for deviations from the Standard Model. In the near future, there will be a transition from the current to a new generation of experiments, thus a review of the status of quark flavor physics is timely. This report summarizes the results of the current generation of experiments that is about to be completed and it confronts these results with the theoretical understanding of the field.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2010

An Improved Standard Model Prediction Of BR(B -> tau nu) And Its Implications For New Physics

The recently measured B -> tau nu branching ratio allows to test the Standard Model by probing virtual effects of new heavy particles, such as a charged Higgs boson. The accuracy of the test is currently limited by the experimental error on BR(B -> tau nu) and by the uncertainty on the parameters fB and |Vub|. The redundancy of the Unitarity Triangle fit allows to reduce the error on these parameters and thus to perform a more precise test of the Standard Model. Using the current experimental inputs, we obtain BR(B -> tau nu)_SM = (0.84 +- 0.11)x10^{-4}, to be compared with BR(B -> tau nu)_exp = (1.73 +- 0.34)x10^{-4}. The Standard Model prediction can be modified by New Physics effects in the decay amplitude as well as in the Unitarity Triangle fit. We discuss how to disentangle the two possible contributions in the case of minimal flavour violation at large tan beta and generic loop-mediated New Physics. We also consider two specific models with minimal flavour violation: the Type-II Two Higgs Doublet Model and the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

First Evidence of New Physics in b <--> s Transitions

We combine all the available experimental information on Bs mixing, including the very recent tagged analyses of Bs to J/Psi phi by the CDF and D0 collaborations. We find that the phase of the Bs mixing amplitude deviates more than 3 sigma from the Standard Model prediction. While no single measurement has a 3 sigma significance yet, all the constraints show a remarkable agreement with the combined result. This is a first evidence of physics beyond the Standard Model. This result disfavours New Physics models with Minimal Flavour Violation with the same significance.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Status of the Unitarity Triangle Analysis

We present an update of the Unitarity Triangle (UT) analysis, within the Standard Model (SM) and beyond. Within the SM the main novelties are the inclusion in epsilon_K of the contributions of xi and phi_epsilon \neq π/4 pointed out by A.J. Buras and D. Guadagnoli, and an accurate prediction of BR(B -> tau nu), by using the indirect determination of |V_ub| from the UT fit, which can be compared to the present experimental result. In the generalization of the UT analysis to investigate New Physics (NP) effects, the estimate of xi is more delicate and only the effect of phi_epsilon \neq π/4 has been included. We confirm an hint of NP in the B_s-\bar B_s mixing at the 2.9 sigma level, which makes a comparison with new experimental data certainly desired.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

New Physics from Flavour

The UT{\it{fit}} Collaboration has produced several analyses in the context of flavour physics both within and beyond the Standard Model. In this paper we present updated results for the Standard Model analysis of the Unitarity Triangle using the latest experimental and lattice QCD inputs, as well as an update of the Unitarity Triangle analysis in a scenario beyond the Standard Model. Combining all available experimental and theoretical information on $ΔF=2$ processes and using a model-independent parameterization, we extract the allowed New Physics contributions in the $K^0$, $D^0$, $B_d$, and $B_s$ sectors. We observe a departure of the $B_s$ mixing phase from the Standard Model expectation with a significance of about $3σ$.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2009

Searching For New Physics With B to K pi Decays

We propose a method to quantify the Standard Model uncertainty in B to K pi decays using the experimental data, assuming that power counting provides a reasonable estimate of the subleading terms in the 1/mb expansion. Using this method, we show that present B to K pi data are compatible with the Standard Model. We analyze the pattern of subleading terms required to reproduce the B to K pi data and argue that anomalously large subleading terms are not needed. Finally, we find that S(KS pi0) is fairly insensitive to hadronic uncertainties and obtain the Standard Model estimate S(KS pi0)=0.74 +- 0.04.

hep-ph↗