Precision searches in dijets at the HL-LHC and HE-LHC

This paper explores the physics reach of the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) for searches of new particles decaying to two jets. We discuss inclusive searches in dijets and b-jets, as well as searches in semi-inclusive events by requiring an additional lepton that increases sensitivity to different aspects of the underlying processes. We discuss the expected exclusion limits for generic models predicting new massive particles that result in resonant structures in the dijet mass. Prospects of the Higher-Energy LHC (HE-LHC) collider are also discussed. The study is based on the Pythia8 Monte Carlo generator using representative event statistics for the HL-LHC and HE-LHC running conditions. The event samples were created using supercomputers at NERSC.Comment: 27 pages, 19 figure

Cervical radiofrequency Neurotomy reduces psychological features in individuals with chronic whiplash symptoms

Background: Individuals with chronic whiplash associated disorder (WAD) demonstrate various psychological features. It has previously been demonstrated that cervical radiofrequency neurotomy (cRFN) resolves psychological distress and anxiety. It is unknown if cRFN also improves or reduces a broader spectrum of psychological substrates now commonly identified in chronic whiplash, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and pain catastrophizing

Effects of an Exercise Program on Mentally Impaired Older Adults in a Long-Term Care Facility

This study is a contradistinction to research which assesses the effects of exercise only on older adults who are in good health. This study examined the effect of an eight-week exercise program on 24 individuals with mental impairments, primarily Alzheimer\u27s disease and dementia. Subjects were volunteers who resided in a long-term care skilled nursing facility (SNF). Group composition was 7 males, mean age 83.29 and 17 females, mean age 88.71; mental and physical function levels varied from supervised to total dependence of care. Six variables were tested: right and left shoulder flexibility, right and left hand grip strength, modified sit and reach flexibility, and life satisfaction. Subjects participated in a low intensity exercise program three days a week, with physical variables measured weekly. The data were analyzed in two stages. Only aggregate data were analyzed each week because group composition was inconsistent at any given point at time of measurement, principally due to participants\u27 handicapping conditions and current physical health, but also due to participants\u27 occasional refusal to participate on a given day. After the analysis of aggregate data is reported, individual subject case studies are presented, a necessity due to the population and participation rates. Results indicate that performance on physical variables using a means and standard deviation comparison to charting weekly progress did not show significant improvement. Pre- and posttests of right and left shoulder flexibility, right and left grip strength, and modified sit and reach were computed using a paired t-test. Significance was reached only for right shoulder flexibility t = 1.92, p = $\u3c$.005. A life satisfaction assessment was administered as a pre- and posttest for the exercise program. Not all subjects were assessed due to cognition limitations; however, all but one of those assessed showed improvement in perceived life satisfaction (t = 8.91, p $\u3c$.001). Results suggest that physical functions of flexibility and strength can improve in people with Alzheimer\u27s disease and dementia; however, more research is needed to determine possible contributions of physical exercise to cognitive functioning in individuals with progressive cognitive impairments. Additionally, longitudinal research may provide information to determine if physical exercise has a preventative or postponing effect on the characteristics of Alzheimer\u27s disease and dementia

Measurement of the cross-section and charge asymmetry of WW bosons produced in proton-proton collisions at s=8\sqrt{s}=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper presents measurements of the $W^+ \rightarrow \mu^+\nu$ and $W^- \rightarrow \mu^-\nu$ cross-sections and the associated charge asymmetry as a function of the absolute pseudorapidity of the decay muon. The data were collected in proton--proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC and correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 20.2~\mbox{fb^{-1}}. The precision of the cross-section measurements varies between 0.8% to 1.5% as a function of the pseudorapidity, excluding the 1.9% uncertainty on the integrated luminosity. The charge asymmetry is measured with an uncertainty between 0.002 and 0.003. The results are compared with predictions based on next-to-next-to-leading-order calculations with various parton distribution functions and have the sensitivity to discriminate between them.Comment: 38 pages in total, author list starting page 22, 5 figures, 4 tables, submitted to EPJC. All figures including auxiliary figures are available at https://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/STDM-2017-13

Search for chargino-neutralino production with mass splittings near the electroweak scale in three-lepton final states in √s=13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for supersymmetry through the pair production of electroweakinos with mass splittings near the electroweak scale and decaying via on-shell W and Z bosons is presented for a three-lepton final state. The analyzed proton-proton collision data taken at a center-of-mass energy of √s=13  TeV were collected between 2015 and 2018 by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139  fb−1. A search, emulating the recursive jigsaw reconstruction technique with easily reproducible laboratory-frame variables, is performed. The two excesses observed in the 2015–2016 data recursive jigsaw analysis in the low-mass three-lepton phase space are reproduced. Results with the full data set are in agreement with the Standard Model expectations. They are interpreted to set exclusion limits at the 95% confidence level on simplified models of chargino-neutralino pair production for masses up to 345 GeV

Search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at √ s = 8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search uses 20.3 fb−1 of √ s = 8 TeV data collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are required to have at least one jet with pT > 120 GeV and no leptons. Nine signal regions are considered with increasing missing transverse momentum requirements between Emiss T > 150 GeV and Emiss T > 700 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model expectations. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with either large extra spatial dimensions, pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates, or production of very light gravitinos in a gauge-mediated supersymmetric model. In addition, limits on the production of an invisibly decaying Higgs-like boson leading to similar topologies in the final state are presente

Does the Department of Defense possess solutions for the Department of Homeland Security’s personnel management issues?

Personnel and management problems are hindering the Department of Homeland Security in its ability to accomplish its mission. Leadership weaknesses, insufficient education and training for employees, and retention problems divide the workforce across many agencies and threaten to undermine the Department’s ability to carry out its objective of protecting the United States. Department of Defense (DOD) practices, however, can serve as a model for change. The DOD has demonstrated a finely tuned system of addressing personnel and management concerns, as developed through the creation of the all-volunteer force and the Goldwater-Nichols Act, which restructured the military chain of command. This research explores how the DOD might offer solutions to DHS through lessons learned from 1973 through the early 1990s—some 20 years of hard-earned experience dealing with issues that are very similar to what the DHS is facing in its infancy.http://archive.org/details/doesdepartmentof1094547947Captain,United States Air ForceApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Thyroid Lymphoma as a Cause of Dysphagia and Dyspnea in a Patient without Palpable Nodules or Goiter

Tumors originating in the neck are well-known causes of progressive dysphagia and dyspnea (including stridor), and thyroid lymphoma is an uncommon example. Physical examination provides an important first step in the evaluation of such complaints, as tumors large enough to produce such symptoms are typically considered to be palpable, if not able to be seen grossly. In this case presentation, the authors describe a nonsubsternal thyroid lymphoma measuring 3 × 4 cm at its largest diameter, producing dysphagia and leading to respiratory emergency, that was entirely nonpalpable to physical exam even after confirmation of its presence by computed tomography

Dietary fibre intake and risk of ischaemic and haemorrhagic stroke in the UK Women’s Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Stroke risk is modifiable through many risk factors, one being healthy dietary habits. Fibre intake was associated with a reduced stroke risk in recent meta-analyses; however, data were contributed by relatively few studies, and few examined different stroke types. METHODS: A total of 27 373 disease-free women were followed up for 14.4 years. Diet was assessed with a 217-item food frequency questionnaire and stroke cases were identified using English Hospital Episode Statistics and mortality records. Survival analysis was applied to assess the risk of total, ischaemic or haemorrhagic stroke in relation to fibre intake. RESULTS: A total of 135 haemorrhagic and 184 ischaemic stroke cases were identified in addition to 138 cases where the stroke type was unknown or not recorded. Greater intake of total fibre, higher fibre density and greater soluble fibre, insoluble fibre and fibre from cereals were associated with a significantly lower risk for total stroke. For total stroke, the hazard ratio per 6 g/day total fibre intake was 0.89 (95% confidence intervals: 0.81–0.99). Different findings were observed for haemorrhagic and ischaemic stroke in healthy-weight or overweight women. Total fibre, insoluble fibre and cereal fibre were inversely associated with haemorrhagic stroke risk in overweight/obese participants, and in healthy-weight women greater cereal fibre was associated with a lower ischaemic stroke risk. In non-hypertensive women, higher fibre density was associated with lower ischaemic stroke risk. CONCLUSIONS: Greater total fibre and fibre from cereals are associated with a lower stroke risk, and associations were more consistent with ischaemic stroke. The different observations by stroke type, body mass index group or hypertensive status indicates potentially different mechanisms