Search for heavy resonances decaying to two Higgs bosons in final states containing four b quarks

A search is presented for narrow heavy resonances X decaying into pairs of Higgs bosons (H) in proton-proton collisions collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC at root s = 8 TeV. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 19.7 fb(-1). The search considers HH resonances with masses between 1 and 3 TeV, having final states of two b quark pairs. Each Higgs boson is produced with large momentum, and the hadronization products of the pair of b quarks can usually be reconstructed as single large jets. The background from multijet and t (t) over bar events is significantly reduced by applying requirements related to the flavor of the jet, its mass, and its substructure. The signal would be identified as a peak on top of the dijet invariant mass spectrum of the remaining background events. No evidence is observed for such a signal. Upper limits obtained at 95 confidence level for the product of the production cross section and branching fraction sigma(gg -> X) B(X -> HH -> b (b) over barb (b) over bar) range from 10 to 1.5 fb for the mass of X from 1.15 to 2.0 TeV, significantly extending previous searches. For a warped extra dimension theory with amass scale Lambda(R) = 1 TeV, the data exclude radion scalar masses between 1.15 and 1.55 TeV

Measurement of the top quark mass using charged particles in pp collisions at root s=8 TeV

Peer reviewe

Transporting the Yield: Appropriate Transport for Agricultural Production and Marketing

The conventional approach towards agricultural transport in Sub-Saharan Africa focuses mostly on motorized transport. This approach is too narrow because it does not re¯ect the transport requirements and purchasing power of small-scale farmers. This paper explains why a broader approach that includes not only roads, but also paths and tracks; not only trucks but also intermediate means of transport such as donkeys, bicycles and animal carts can considerably improve agricultural transport. Even though the eOE ects of an appropriate approach on agricultural production, marketing and income can be signi® cant, it is more often rejected by decision-makers as primitive and backward

Tailored Cofactor Traps for the Detection of Hemithioacetal-Forming Pyridoxal Kinases.

Pyridoxal kinases (PLK) are crucial enzymes for the biosynthesis of pyridoxal phosphate, an important cofactor in a plethora of enzymatic reactions. The evolution of these enzymes resulted in different catalytic designs. In addition to the active site, the importance of a cysteine, embedded within a distant flexible lid region, was recently demonstrated. This cysteine forms a hemithioacetal with the pyridoxal aldehyde and is essential for catalysis. Despite the prevalence of these enzymes in various organisms, no tools were yet available to study the relevance of this lid residue. Here, we introduce pyridoxal probes, each equipped with an electrophilic trapping group in place of the aldehyde to target PLK reactive lid cysteines as a mimic of hemithioacetal formation. The addition of alkyne handles placed at two different positions within the pyridoxal structure facilitates enrichment of PLKs from living cells. Interestingly, depending on the position, the probes displayed a preference for either Gram-positive or Gram-negative PLK enrichment. By applying the cofactor traps, we were able to validate not only previously investigated Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis PLKs but also Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PLKs, unravelling a crucial role of the lid cysteine for catalysis. Overall, our tailored probes facilitated a reliable readout of lid cysteine containing PLKs, qualifying them as chemical tools for mining further diverse proteomes for this important enzyme class

Superhydrophobicity from the Inside

The nature of trapped air on submersed ultra-water-repellent interfaces has been investigated. These gaseous layers (plastrons) can last from hours to, in some examples such as the <i>Salvinia molesta</i> fern, months. The interface of submerged superhydrophobic surfaces with carefully controlled micropatterned surface roughness has been probed using synchrotron-based high-resolution X-ray phase tomography. This technique looks in situ, through the aqueous/gas interface in three dimensions. Long-term plastron stability appears to correlate with the appearance of scattered microdroplets <20 μm in diameter that are sandwiched within the 30 μm thick gaseous interfacial layer. These microdroplets are centered on defects or damaged sections within the substrate surface approximately 20–50 μm apart. Such irregularities represent heterogeneous micro/nano-hierarchical structures with varying surface structures and chemistry. The stability of microdroplets is governed by a combination of electrostatic repulsion, contact angle limitations, and a saturated vapor pressure, the latter of which reduces the rate of diffusion of gas out of the air layer, thus increasing underwater longevity. Homogenous surfaces exhibiting purely nano- or micro-regularity do not support such microdroplets, and, as a consequence, plastrons can disappear in <20 h compared with >160 h for surfaces with scattered microdroplets. Such behavior may be a requirement for long-term nonwetting in any system

From local to European low emission freight concepts: Summary report 3 - LowCarb-RFC - European Rail Freight Corridors Going Carbon Neutral

This third and final summary report of the study LowCarb-RFC turns the attention on low carbon emission scenarios from the European perspective to the German region of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). For NRW we developed and assessed specific rail modal shift and road electrification scenarios towards 2050. To achieve profound cuts in GHG emissions we find that planning periods need significant shortening, and system transition has to start immediately. In particular, new technologies to boost rail capacity are needed as shifting all rail freight to electric trucks would require inconceivable road network expansions. Total investment costs between 2015 and 2050 range between 15 billion euros for a lower bound rail investment case to 19 billion euros for motorway electrification and expansion. None of these costs create major disruptions to the NRW economy or labour market and thus do not constitute an excuse for not acting. The NRW case study finds lower GHG reduction potentials, −16 per cent, than the European corridors studies (−28 to −43 per cent) for the railway expansion and modal shift scenarios. For road electrification all cases find a potential of some −60 per cent. Interestingly, also for GHG mitigation costs NRW values are lower in the Pro Rail case (140 euros per ton CO2-eq.) than in the corridor studies (around 600 euros per ton CO2-eq.). Environmental and safety external costs suggest that GHG mitigation shall be prioritised. For profound and fast decarbonisation, all options are needed, including CO2-efficient shipping