Measurement and interpretation of same-sign W boson pair production in association with two jets in pp collisions at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper presents the measurement of fducial and diferential cross sections for both the inclusive and electroweak production of a same-sign W-boson pair in association with two jets (W±W±jj) using 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data recorded at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 13 TeV by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The analysis is performed by selecting two same-charge leptons, electron or muon, and at least two jets with large invariant mass and a large rapidity diference. The measured fducial cross sections for electroweak and inclusive W±W±jj production are 2.92 ± 0.22 (stat.) ± 0.19 (syst.)fb and 3.38±0.22 (stat.)±0.19 (syst.)fb, respectively, in agreement with Standard Model predictions. The measurements are used to constrain anomalous quartic gauge couplings by extracting 95% confdence level intervals on dimension-8 operators. A search for doubly charged Higgs bosons H±± that are produced in vector-boson fusion processes and decay into a same-sign W boson pair is performed. The largest deviation from the Standard Model occurs for an H±± mass near 450 GeV, with a global signifcance of 2.5 standard deviations

Combination of searches for heavy spin-1 resonances using 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collision data at s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A combination of searches for new heavy spin-1 resonances decaying into different pairings of W, Z, or Higgs bosons, as well as directly into leptons or quarks, is presented. The data sample used corresponds to 139 fb−1 of proton-proton collisions at = 13 TeV collected during 2015–2018 with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. Analyses selecting quark pairs (qq, bb, , and tb) or third-generation leptons (τν and ττ) are included in this kind of combination for the first time. A simplified model predicting a spin-1 heavy vector-boson triplet is used. Cross-section limits are set at the 95% confidence level and are compared with predictions for the benchmark model. These limits are also expressed in terms of constraints on couplings of the heavy vector-boson triplet to quarks, leptons, and the Higgs boson. The complementarity of the various analyses increases the sensitivity to new physics, and the resulting constraints are stronger than those from any individual analysis considered. The data exclude a heavy vector-boson triplet with mass below 5.8 TeV in a weakly coupled scenario, below 4.4 TeV in a strongly coupled scenario, and up to 1.5 TeV in the case of production via vector-boson fusion

Search for dark photons in rare Z boson decays with the ATLAS detector

A search for events with a dark photon produced in association with a dark Higgs boson via rare decays of the standard model Z boson is presented, using 139     fb − 1 of √ s = 13     TeV proton-proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The dark boson decays into a pair of dark photons, and at least two of the three dark photons must each decay into a pair of electrons or muons, resulting in at least two same-flavor opposite-charge lepton pairs in the final state. The data are found to be consistent with the background prediction, and upper limits are set on the dark photon’s coupling to the dark Higgs boson times the kinetic mixing between the standard model photon and the dark photon, α D ϵ 2 , in the dark photon mass range of [5, 40] GeV except for the Υ mass window [8.8, 11.1] GeV. This search explores new parameter space not previously excluded by other experiments

Combined measurement of the Higgs boson mass from the H → γγ and H → ZZ∗ → 4ℓ decay channels with the ATLAS detector using √s = 7, 8, and 13 TeV pp collision data

A measurement of the mass of the Higgs boson combining the H → Z Z ∗ → 4 ℓ and H → γ γ decay channels is presented. The result is based on 140     fb − 1 of proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector during LHC run 2 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV combined with the run 1 ATLAS mass measurement, performed at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, yielding a Higgs boson mass of 125.11 ± 0.09 ( stat ) ± 0.06 ( syst ) = 125.11 ± 0.11     GeV . This corresponds to a 0.09% precision achieved on this fundamental parameter of the Standard Model of particle physics

Does malocclusion influence the adolescent's satisfaction with appearance? A cross-sectional study nested in a Brazilian birth cohort

OBJECTIVES: To test whether malocclusion had an impact on adolescents’ appearance satisfaction regardless of other physical aspects. METHODS: A cross-sectional study nested in a birth cohort study was carried out in Pelotas, Brazil. A random sample of 900 15-year-old adolescents was selected. WHO criteria were used to define malocclusion and a questionnaire was administered including self-reported skin colour and appearance satisfaction. Dental caries were assessed. Height and weight were measured and body mass index calculated. Data concerning gender and socioeconomic characteristics were obtained from the cohort’s perinatal study. Adjusted analyses including all confounding variables investigated were performed using Poisson regression with robust variance in order to identify the potential risk factors for appearance dissatisfaction. All analyses were carried out separately by gender. RESULTS: The sample included 867 individuals, 54.1% men. The prevalence of moderate or severe malocclusion was 30.6% (95% CI: 26.5–34.7) among boys, and 32.8% (95% CI: 28.2–37.4) among girls (P ¼ 0.524). Dissatisfaction with appearance was reported by 29.8% of the boys and by 46.5% of the girls (P < 0.001). A positive association between malocclusion and appearance dissatisfaction, controlling for other physical, dental caries and socioeconomic characteristics was observed only in girls [prevalence ratio ¼ 1.4 (1.3–1.7)]. CONCLUSIONS: Malocclusion is a common condition and is positively associated with appearance dissatisfaction in adolescent girls. The effect of different types of malocclusion on appearance dissatisfaction should be the focus of further investigation.Karen Glazer Peres, Aluísio J. D. Barros, Luciana Anselmi, Marco Aurélio Peres and Fernando C. Barro

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) expression in the femoral heads of patients with avascular necrosis

Avascular necrosis (AVN) is a disorder of the bone repair process which usually results in femoral head (FH) destruction. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are the key proteins regulating bone remodelling and healing. BMPs gene expression levels were analyzed in the normal and necrotic sites of osteonecrotic FHs. Quantitative RT-PCR for BMP-2, -4, -6, -7 genes was performed in bone tissue samples from 47 osteonecrotic FHs. Protein levels of BMP-2, -4, -6 were estimated by Western Blot. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. BMP-2 and BMP-6 mRNA levels were higher in the normal than the necrotic site (normal/necrotic: 16.8/6.8 and 1.75/1.64, respectively). On the contrary, BMP-4 mRNA levels were higher in the necrotic (0.75) than the normal (0.62), while BMP-7 mRNA levels were extremely low. At the protein level, BMP-2 continued to have a higher expression in the normal region (normal/necrotic: 0.67/0.64). BMP-4 and -6 were detected at higher levels in the necrotic site (normal/necrotic: 0.51/0.61 for BMP-4, 0.51/0.56 for BMP-6), while BMP-7 was not detectable. Different BMP levels between the normal and necrotic site, as well as discrepancies between the gene and protein expression pattern suggest a different regulation mechanism for BMPs between the two regions of FHs. The understanding of the expression pattern and the correlation of BMPs could lead to a more successful use in the prevention and treatment of AVN