Transverse momentum spectra of charged particles in proton-proton collisions at 1as=900 GeV with ALICE at the LHC

The inclusive charged particle transverse momentum distribution is measured in proton-proton collisions at s=900 GeV at the LHC using the ALICE detector. The measurement is performed in the central pseudorapidity region (|\u3b7|<0.8) over the transverse momentum range 0.15<10 GeV/c. The correlation between transverse momentum and particle multiplicity is also studied. Results are presented for inelastic (INEL) and non-single-diffractive (NSD) events. The average transverse momentum for |\u3b7|<0.8 is \u3008pT\u3009INEL=0.483\ub10.001 (stat.)\ub10.007 (syst.) GeV/c and \u3008pT\u3009NSD=0.489\ub10.001 (stat.)\ub10.007 (syst.) GeV/c, respectively. The data exhibit a slightly larger \u3008pT\u3009 than measurements in wider pseudorapidity intervals. The results are compared to simulations with the Monte Carlo event generators PYTHIA and PHOJET. \ua9 2010

Determination of the quark coupling strength vertical bar V-ub vertical bar using baryonic decays

In the Standard Model of particle physics, the strength of the couplings of the b quark to the u and c quarks, vertical bar V-ub vertical bar and vertical bar V-ub vertical bar, are governed by the coupling of the quarks to the Higgs boson. Using data from the LHCb experiment at the Large Hadron Collider, the probability for the Lambda(0)(b) baryon to decay into the p mu(-)(nu) over bar (mu) final state relative to the Lambda(+)(c)mu(-)(nu) over bar (mu) final state is measured. Combined with theoretical calculations of the strong interaction and a previously measured value of vertical bar V-ub vertical bar, the first vertical bar V-ub vertical bar measurement to use a baryonic decay is performed. This measurement is consistent with previous determinations of vertical bar V-ub vertical bar using B meson decays to specific final states and confirms the existing incompatibility with those using an inclusive sample of final states