Search for new phenomena in high-mass final states with a photon and a jet from pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search is performed for new phenomena in events having a photon with high transverse momentum and a jet collected in 36.7fb-1 of proton–proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s = 13 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The invariant mass distribution of the leading photon and jet is examined to look for the resonant production of new particles or the presence of new high-mass states beyond the Standard Model. No significant deviation from the background-only hypothesis is observed and cross-section limits for generic Gaussian-shaped resonances are extracted. Excited quarks hypothesized in quark compositeness models and high-mass states predicted in quantum black hole models with extra dimensions are also examined in the analysis. The observed data exclude, at 95% confidence level, the mass range below 5.3 TeV for excited quarks and 7.1 TeV (4.4 TeV) for quantum black holes in the Arkani-Hamed–Dimopoulos–Dvali (Randall–Sundrum) model with six (one) extra dimensions

Search for supersymmetry in final states with missing transverse momentum and multiple b-jets in proton-proton collisions at √s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for supersymmetry involving the pair production of gluinos decaying via third-generation squarks into the lightest neutralino χ˜10 $$\left({\tilde{\chi}}_1^0\right)$$ is reported. It uses LHC proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy s=13 $$\sqrt{s}=13$$ TeV with an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb−1 collected with the ATLAS detector in 2015 and 2016. The search is performed in events containing large missing transverse momentum and several energetic jets, at least three of which must be identified as originating from b-quarks. To increase the sensitivity, the sample is divided into subsamples based on the presence or absence of electrons or muons. No excess is found above the predicted background. For χ˜10 $${\tilde{\chi}}_1^0$$ masses below approximately 300 GeV, gluino masses of less than 1.97 (1.92) TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level in simplified models involving the pair production of gluinos that decay via top (bottom) squarks. An interpretation of the limits in terms of the branching ratios of the gluinos into third-generation squarks is also provided. These results improve upon the exclusion limits obtained with the 3.2 fb−1 of data collected in 2015

Search for heavy resonances decaying to a W or Z boson and a Higgs boson in the qq¯(′)bb¯ final state in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for heavy resonances decaying to a W or Z boson and a Higgs boson in the qq¯(′)bb¯ final state is described. The search uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data at s=13 TeV collected by the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016. The data are in agreement with the Standard Model expectations, with the largest excess found at a resonance mass of 3.0 TeV with a local (global) significance of 3.3 (2.1) σ. The results are presented in terms of constraints on a simplified model with a heavy vector triplet. Upper limits are set on the production cross-section times branching ratio for resonances decaying to a W (Z) boson and a Higgs boson, itself decaying to bb¯, in the mass range between 1.1 and 3.8 TeV at 95% confidence level; the limits range between 83 and 1.6 fb (77 and 1.1 fb) at 95% confidence level

Search for new phenomena in dijet events using 37 fb−1 of pp collision data collected at √s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Dijet events are studied in the proton-proton collision data set recorded at s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider in 2015 and 2016, corresponding to integrated luminosities of 3.5 fb-1 and 33.5 fb-1 respectively. Invariant mass and angular distributions are compared to background predictions and no significant deviation is observed. For resonance searches, a new method for fitting the background component of the invariant mass distribution is employed. The data set is then used to set upper limits at a 95% confidence level on a range of new physics scenarios. Excited quarks with masses below 6.0 TeV are excluded, and limits are set on quantum black holes, heavy W′ bosons, W∗ bosons, and a range of masses and couplings in a Z′ dark matter mediator model. Model-independent limits on signals with a Gaussian shape are also set, using a new approach allowing factorization of physics and detector effects. From the angular distributions, a scale of new physics in contact interaction models is excluded for scenarios with either constructive or destructive interference. These results represent a substantial improvement over those obtained previously with lower integrated luminosity

Measurements of top quark spin observables in tt events using dilepton final states in √s=8 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

Measurements of top quark spin observables in tt events are presented based on 20.2 fb(-1) of root s = 8TeV proton-proton collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The analysis is performed in the dilepton final state, characterised by the presence of two isolated leptons ( electrons or muons). There are 15 observables, each sensitive to a different coefficient of the spin density matrix of tt production, which are measured independently. Ten of these observables are measured for the first time. All of them are corrected for detector resolution and acceptance effects back to the parton and stable-particle levels. The measured values of the observables at parton level are compared to Standard Model predictions at next-to-leading order in QCD. The corrected distributions at stable-particle level are presented and the means of the distributions are compared to Monte Carlo predictions. No significant deviation from the Standard Model is observed for any observable

Probing lepton flavour violation via neutrinoless τ⟶3μ decays with the ATLAS detector

This article presents the sensitivity of theATLAS experiment to the lepton-flavour-violating decays of τ → 3μ. A method utilising the production of τ leptons via W → τν decays is used. This method is applied to the sample of 20.3 fb−1 of pp collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2012. No event is observed passing the selection criteria,and the observed (expected) upper limit on the τ lepton branching fraction into three muons,Br(τ → 3μ),is 3.76 × 10−7 (3.94 × 10−7) at 90 % confidence level

Specific Visualization of Glioma Cells in Living Low-Grade Tumor Tissue

BACKGROUND: The current therapy of malignant gliomas is based on surgical resection, radio-chemotherapy and chemotherapy. Recent retrospective case-series have highlighted the significance of the extent of resection as a prognostic factor predicting the course of the disease. Complete resection in low-grade gliomas that show no MRI-enhanced images are especially difficult. The aim in this study was to develop a robust, specific, new fluorescent probe for glioma cells that is easy to apply to live tumor biopsies and could identify tumor cells from normal brain cells at all levels of magnification. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this investigation we employed brightly fluorescent, photostable quantum dots (QDs) to specifically target epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) that is upregulated in many gliomas. Living glioma and normal cells or tissue biopsies were incubated with QDs coupled to EGF and/or monoclonal antibodies against EGFR for 30 minutes, washed and imaged. The data include results from cell-culture, animal model and ex vivo human tumor biopsies of both low-grade and high-grade gliomas and show high probe specificity. Tumor cells could be visualized from the macroscopic to single cell level with contrast ratios as high as 1000: 1 compared to normal brain tissue. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The ability of the targeted probes to clearly distinguish tumor cells in low-grade tumor biopsies, where no enhanced MRI image was obtained, demonstrates the great potential of the method. We propose that future application of specifically targeted fluorescent particles during surgery could allow intraoperative guidance for the removal of residual tumor cells from the resection cavity and thus increase patient survival

Evidence for a nuclear compartment of transcription and splicing located at chromosome domain boundaries

The nuclear topography of splicing snRNPs, mRNA transcripts and chromosome domains in various mammalian cell types are described. The visualization of splicing snRNPs, defined by the Sm antigen, and coiled bodies, revealed distinctly different distribution patterns in these cell types. Heat shock experiments confirmed that the distribution patterns also depend on physiological parameters. Using a combination of fluorescencein situ hybridization and immunodetection protocols, individual chromosome domains were visualized simultaneously with the Sm antigen or the transcript of an integrated human papilloma virus genome. Three-dimensional analysis of fluorescence-stained target regions was performed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. RNA transcripts and components of the splicing machinery were found to be generally excluded from the interior of the territories occupied by the individual chromosomes. Based on these findings we present a model for the functional compartmentalization of the cell nucleus. According to this model the space between chromosome domains, including the surface areas of these domains, defines a three-dimensional network-like compartment, termed the interchromosome domain (ICD) compartment, in which transcription and splicing of mRNA occurs

Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s=13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive dark-matter particles produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and missing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1fb-1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at s=13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are interpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour-neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross-section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour-charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

Search for dark matter and other new phenomena in events with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum using 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 proton-proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.1 fb−1 at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV collected in 2015 and 2016 with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Events are required to have at least one jet with a transverse momentum above 250 GeV and no leptons (e or μ). Several signal regions are considered with increasing requirements on the missing transverse momentum above 250 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model predictions. The results are translated into exclusion limits in models with pair-produced weakly interacting dark-matter candidates, large extra spatial dimensions, and supersymmetric particles in several compressed scenarios