The various motivations for improving the perturbative prediction to next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) for basic scattering processes in proton-(anti)proton, electron-proton and electron-positron scattering are discussed in detail. Recent progress in the field of next-to-next-to-leading order calculations is reviewed.

A two-parameter semiempirical theory of positron scattering and annihilation is developed and used to investigate the behavior of positrons interacting with the rare gases and metal vapors. The two-parameter theory is able to do a reasonable job of reproducing existing cross section and annihilation data for the rare gases. A model-potential calculation that correctly predicts the behavior of t...