Improved Measurement of ttZ Couplings at the LHC

We consider QCD tt~Z production at the LHC with Z->\bar\nu\nu and all-hadronic tt~ decays, i.e. pp -> p_T(miss)bb~+4 jets, as a tool to measure ttZ couplings. This channel has a significantly larger cross section than those where the Z boson decays leptonically. However, tt~, bb~+4 jet, tt~j and tt~jj production give rise to potentially large backgrounds. We show that these processes can be suppressed to an acceptable level with suitable cuts, and find that adding the p_T(miss)bb~+4 jet channel to the final states used in previous ttZ couplings analyses will improve the sensitivity by 10-60%. We also discuss how the measurement of the ttZ couplings may constrain Little Higgs models.Comment: revtex4, 16 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

Air radon concentration decrease in a waste water treatment plant

Rn-222 is a naturally occurring gas created from the decay of Ra-226. The long-term health risk of breathing radon is lung cancer. One particular place where indoor radon concentrations can exceed national guidelines is in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) where treatment processes may contribute to ambient airborne concentrations. The aim of this paper was to study the radon concentration decrease after the application of corrective measures in a Spanish WWTP. According to first measures, air radon concentration exceeded International Commission Radiologica1 Protection (ICRP) normative (recommends intervention between 400 and 1000 Bq m(-3)). Therefore, the WWTP improved mechanical forced ventilation to lower occupational exposure. This measure allowed to increase the administrative controls, since the limitation of workers access to the plant changed from 2 h d(-1) (considering a maximum permissible dose of 20 mSv y(-1) averaged over 5 y) to 7 h d(-1).Juste Vidal, BJ.; Ortiz Moragón, J.; Verdú Martín, GJ.; Martorell Alsina, SS. (2015). Air radon concentration decrease in a waste water treatment plant. Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/RPD/NCV329

Measuring the W-t-b Interaction at the ILC

The large top quark mass suggests that the top plays a pivotal role in Electroweak symmetry-breaking dynamics and, as a result, may have modified couplings to Electroweak bosons. Hadron colliders can provide measurements of these couplings at the ~10% level, and one of the early expected triumphs of the International Linear Collider is to reduce these uncertainties to the per cent level. In this article, we propose the first direct measurement of the Standard Model W-t-b coupling at the ILC, from measurements of t tbar-like signals below the t tbar production threshold. We estimate that the ILC with 100 fb^{-1} can measure a combination of the coupling and top width to high precision, and when combined with a direct measurement of the top width from the above-threshold scan, results in a model-independent measurement of the W-t-b interaction of the order of ~ 3%

Collider-independent t tbar forward-backward asymmetries

We introduce the forward-backward asymmetries A_u, A_d corresponding to u ubar, d dbar -> t tbar production, respectively, at hadron colliders. These are collider- and center-of-mass-independent observables, directly related to the forward-backward and charge asymmetries measured at the Tevatron and the LHC, respectively. We discuss how to extract these asymmetries from data. Because these asymmetries are collider-independent, their measurement at these two colliders could elucidate the nature of the anomalous forward-backward asymmetry measured at the Tevatron. Our framework also shows in a model-independent fashion that a positive Tevatron asymmetry exceeding the standard model expectation is compatible with the small asymmetry measured at the LHC.Comment: RevTeX 5 pages. Extended discussion about A_FB vs A_C, several clarifications, references added. Version to appear in PR

Evaluating the potential impact of proton carriers on syntrophic propionate oxidation

Anaerobic propionic acid degradation relies on interspecies electron transfer (IET) between propionate oxidisers and electron acceptor microorganisms, via either molecular hydrogen, formate or direct transfers. We evaluated the possibility of stimulating direct IET, hence enhancing propionate oxidation, by increasing availability of proton carriers to decrease solution resistance and reduce pH gradients. Phosphate was used as a proton carrying anion, and chloride as control ion together with potassium as counter ion. Propionic acid consumption in anaerobic granules was assessed in a square factorial design with ratios (1:0, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2 and 0:1) of total phosphate (TP) to Cl-, at 1X, 10X, and 30X native conductivity (1.5 mS.cm(-1)). Maximum specific uptake rate, half saturation, and time delay were estimated using model-based analysis. Community profiles were analysed by fluorescent in situ hybridisation and 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. The strongest performance was at balanced (1:1) ratios at 10X conductivity where presumptive propionate oxidisers namely Syntrophobacter and Candidatus Cloacamonas were more abundant. There was a shift from Methanobacteriales at high phosphate, to Methanosaeta at low TP:Cl ratios and low conductivity. A lack of response to TP, and low percentage of presumptive electroactive organisms suggested that DIET was not favoured under the current experimental conditions

La resolución de problemas, mucho más que un eslogan

En el saco de las metodologías activas, participativas y sociales se introduce, normalmente, todo lo que no sea clase tradicional, sea lo que sea a lo que se refiera ese término. Especialmente, se meten acrónimos, términos anglosajones y, últimamente, cualquier cosa con el adjetivo emocional o el prefijo «neuro». Un clásico de las metodologías activas es el flipped learning. ¿Es realmente tan innovadora esta metodología? Como señalan Arce, Conejo y Muñoz-Escolano (2019), al margen del elemento tecnológico, la clase invertida asume algunas de las prácticas habituales de la enseñanza tradicional. Por ejemplo, tal como señalan estos autores, que el contenido tiene que ser explicitado antes de que el alumnado aborde la tarea, sin reservar momentos a su construcción, exploración o aparición como solución óptima ante un problema que le sirva como razón de ser. ¿Enseñar para después aplicar a problemas o enseñar a través de la resolución de problemas? Para nosotros, este segundo enfoque sería la auténtica revolución en la clase de matemáticas. Esto sí que invertiría las clases «tradicionales»..

MCNP6 unstructured mesh application to estimate the photoneutron distribution and induced activity inside a linac bunker

[EN] Unwanted neutrons in radiation therapy treatments are typically generated by photonuclear reactions. High-energy beams emitted by medical Linear Accelerators (LinAcs) interact with high atomic number materials situated in the accelerator head and release neutrons. Since neutrons have a high relative biological effectiveness, even low neutron doses may imply significant exposure of patients. It is also important to study radioactivity induced by these photoneutrons when interacting with the different materials and components of the treatment head facility and the shielding room walls, since persons not present during irradiation (e.g. medical staff) may be exposed to them even when the accelerator is not operating.These problems are studied in this work in order to contribute to challenge the radiation protection in these treatment locations. The work has been performed by simulation using the latest state of the art of Monte-Carlo computer code MCNP6. To that, a detailed model of particles transport inside the bunker and treatment head has been carried out using a meshed geometry model. The LinAc studied is an Elekta Precise accelerator with a treatment photon energy of 15. MeV used at the Hospital Clinic Universitari de Valencia, Spain.We would like to thank the "Hospital Clinic Universitari de Valencia" for the given help. This work has received support via "Programa para la innovacion e incentivacion" from Universitat Politecnica de Valencia "INNOVA 2012".Juste Vidal, BJ.; Morató Rafet, S.; Miró Herrero, R.; Verdú Martín, GJ.; Diez Domingo, S. (2015). MCNP6 unstructured mesh application to estimate the photoneutron distribution and induced activity inside a linac bunker. Radiation Physics and Chemistry. 1-5. doi:10.1016/j.radphyschem.2016.03.016S1

Creation and luminescence of size-selected gold nanorods

Fluorescent metal nanoparticles have attracted great interest in recent years for their unique properties and potential applications. Their optical behaviour depends not only on size but also on shape, and will only be useful if the morphology is stable. In this work, we produce stable size-selected gold nanorods (aspect ratio 1-2) using a size-selected cluster source and correlate their luminescence behaviour with the particle shape. Thermodynamic modelling is used to predict the preferred aspect ratio of 1.5, in agreement with the observations, and confirms that the double-icosahedron observed in experiments is significantly lower in energy than the alternatives. Using these samples a fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy study observed two photon luminescence from nanoparticle arrays and a fast decay process (<100 ps luminescence lifetime), which are similar to those found from ligand stabilized gold nanorods under the same measurement conditions, indicating that a surface plasmon enhanced two-photon excitation process is still active at these small sizes. By further reducing the nanoparticle size, this approach has the potential to investigate size-dependent luminescence behaviour at smaller sizes than has been possible before

Complete Genome Sequences of Mycobacterium smegmatis Phages Chewbacca, Reptar3000, and Riparian, Isolated in Las Vegas, Nevada

Here, we present the complete genome sequences of Mycobacterium smegmatis phages Chewbacca, Reptar3000, and Riparian, isolated from soil in Las Vegas, NV. The phages were isolated and annotated by undergraduate students enrolled in the Phage Discovery course offered by the School of Life Sciences at the University of Nevada, Las Vega