Controlled Clustering of Superparamagnetic Nanoparticles using Block Copolymers : Design of New Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

When polyelectrolyte-neutral block copolymers are mixed in aqueous solutions with oppositely charged species, stable complexes are found to form spontaneously. The mechanism is based on electrostatics, and on the compensation between the opposite charges. Electrostatic complexes exhibit a core-shell microstructure. In the core, the polyelectrolyte blocks and the oppositely charged species are tightly bound and form a dense coacervate microphase. The shell is made of the neutral chains and surrounds the core. In this paper, we report on the structural and magnetic properties of such complexes made from 6.3 nm diameter superparamagnetic nanoparticles (maghemite gamma-Fe2O3) and cationic-neutral copolymers. The copolymers investigated are poly(trimethylammonium ethylacrylate methylsulfate)-b-poly(acrylamide), with molecular weights 5000-b-30000 gmol-1 and 110000-b-30000 gmol-1. The mixed copolymer-nanoparticle aggregates were characterized by a combination of light scattering and cryo-transmission electron microscopy. Their hydrodynamic diameters were found in the range 70 - 150 nm and their aggregation numbers (number of nanoparticles per aggregate) between several tens to several hundreds. In addition, Magnetic Resonance Spin-Echo measurements show that the complexes have a better contrast in Magnetic Resonance Imaging than single nanoparticles, and that these complexes could be used for biomedical applications.Comment: 7 figures, 7 pages, 52 reference

Observation of γγ → ττ in proton-proton collisions and limits on the anomalous electromagnetic moments of the τ lepton

The production of a pair of τ leptons via photon–photon fusion, γγ → ττ, is observed for the f irst time in proton–proton collisions, with a significance of 5.3 standard deviations. This observation is based on a data set recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb−1. Events with a pair of τ leptons produced via photon–photon fusion are selected by requiring them to be back-to-back in the azimuthal direction and to have a minimum number of charged hadrons associated with their production vertex. The τ leptons are reconstructed in their leptonic and hadronic decay modes. The measured fiducial cross section of γγ → ττ is σfid obs = 12.4+3.8 −3.1 fb. Constraints are set on the contributions to the anomalous magnetic moment (aτ) and electric dipole moments (dτ) of the τ lepton originating from potential effects of new physics on the γττ vertex: aτ = 0.0009+0.0032 −0.0031 and |dτ| < 2.9×10−17ecm (95% confidence level), consistent with the standard model

Operation and performance of the CMS silicon strip tracker with proton-proton collisions at the CERN LHC

International audienceSalient aspects of the commissioning, calibration, and performance of the CMS silicon strip tracker are discussed, drawing on experience during operation with proton-proton collisions delivered by the CERN LHC. The data were obtained with a variety of luminosities. The operating temperature of the strip tracker was changed several times during this period and results are shown as a function of temperature in several cases. Details of the system performance are presented, including occupancy, signal-to-noise ratio, Lorentz angle, and single-hit spatial resolution. Saturation effects in the APV25 readout chip preamplifier observed during early Run 2 are presented, showing the effect on various observables and the subsequent remedy. Studies of radiation effects on the strip tracker are presented both for the optical readout links and the silicon sensors. The observed effects are compared to simulation, where available, and they generally agree well with expectations

Measurements of the azimuthal anisotropy of prompt and nonprompt charmonia in PbPb collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}} = 5.02 TeV

The second-order ($v_2$) and third-order ($v_3$) Fourier coefficients describing the azimuthal anisotropy of prompt and nonprompt (from b-hadron decays) J/$\psi$, as well as prompt $\psi$(2S) mesons are measured in lead-lead collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of $\sqrt{s_\mathrm{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV. The analysis uses a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.61 nb$^{-1}$ recorded with the CMS detector. The J/$\psi$ and $\psi$(2S) mesons are reconstructed using their dimuon decay channel. The $v_2$ and $v_3$ coefficients are extracted using the scalar product method and studied as functions of meson transverse momentum and collision centrality. The measured $v_2$ values for prompt J/$\psi$ mesons are found to be larger than those for nonprompt J/$\psi$ mesons. The prompt J/$\psi$$v_2$ values at high $p_\mathrm{T}$ are found to be underpredicted by a model incorporating only parton energy loss effects in a quark-gluon plasma medium. Prompt and nonprompt J/$\psi$ meson $v_3$ and prompt $\psi$(2S) $v_2$ and $v_3$ values are also reported for the first time, providing new information about heavy quark interactions in the hot and dense medium created in heavy ion collisions

Search for high-mass exclusive diphoton production with tagged protons in proton-proton collisions at s\sqrt{s} = 13 TeV

International audienceA search is presented for high-mass exclusive diphoton production via photon-photon fusion in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}$ = 13 TeV in events where both protons survive the interaction. The analysis utilizes data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 103 fb$^{-1}$ collected in 2016-2018 with the central CMS detector and the CMS and TOTEM precision proton spectrometer (PPS). Events that have two photons with high transverse momenta ($p_\mathrm{T}^\gamma >$ 100 GeV), back-to-back in azimuth, and with a large diphoton invariant mass ($m_{\gamma\gamma} \gt$ 350 GeV) are selected. To remove the dominant inclusive diphoton backgrounds, the kinematic properties of the protons detected in PPS are required to match those of the central diphoton system. Only events having opposite-side forward protons detected with a fractional momentum loss between 0.035 and 0.15 (0.18) for the detectors on the negative (positive) side of CMS are considered. One exclusive diphoton candidate is observed for an expected background of 1.1 events. Limits at 95% confidence level are derived for the four-photon anomalous coupling parameters $\lvert\zeta_1\rvert \lt$ 0.073 TeV$^{-4}$ and $\lvert\zeta_2\rvert \lt$ 0.15 TeV$^{-4}$, using an effective field theory. Additionally, upper limits are placed on the production of axion-like particles with coupling strength to photons $f^{-1}$ that varies from 0.03 TeV$^{-1}$ to 1 TeV$^{-1}$ over the mass range from 500 to 2000 GeV

Measurement of inclusive and differential cross sections for single top quark production in association with a W boson in proton-proton collisions at s \sqrt{s} = 13 TeV

Measurements of the inclusive and normalised differential cross sections are presented for the production of single top quarks in association with a W boson in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The data used were recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC during 2016–2018, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb$^{−1}$. Events containing one electron and one muon in the final state are analysed. For the inclusive measurement, a multivariate discriminant, exploiting the kinematic properties of the events is used to separate the signal from the dominant $\textrm{t}\overline{\textrm{t}}$ background. A cross section of $79.2\pm 0.9{\left(\textrm{stat}\right)}_{-8.0}^{+7.7}\left(\textrm{syst}\right)\pm 1.2\left(\textrm{lumi}\right)$ pb is obtained, consistent with the predictions of the standard model. For the differential measurements, a fiducial region is defined according to the detector acceptance, and the requirement of exactly one jet coming from the fragmentation of a bottom quark. The resulting distributions are unfolded to particle level and agree with the predictions at next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics.[graphic not available: see fulltext