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

Search for supersymmetry in events with one lepton and multiple jets in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

Peer reviewe

Measurement of nuclear modification factors of gamma(1S)), gamma(2S), and gamma(3S) mesons in PbPb collisions at root s(NN)=5.02 TeV

The cross sections for ϒ(1S), ϒ(2S), and ϒ(3S) production in lead-lead (PbPb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions at √sNN = 5.02 TeV have been measured using the CMS detector at the LHC. The nuclear modification factors, RAA, derived from the PbPb-to-pp ratio of yields for each state, are studied as functions of meson rapidity and transverse momentum, as well as PbPb collision centrality. The yields of all three states are found to be significantly suppressed, and compatible with a sequential ordering of the suppression, RAA(ϒ(1S)) > RAA(ϒ(2S)) > RAA(ϒ(3S)). The suppression of ϒ(1S) is larger than that seen at √sNN = 2.76 TeV, although the two are compatible within uncertainties. The upper limit on the RAA of ϒ(3S) integrated over pT, rapidity and centrality is 0.096 at 95% confidence level, which is the strongest suppression observed for a quarkonium state in heavy ion collisions to date. © 2019 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Funded by SCOAP3.Peer reviewe

Measurement of the Splitting Function in &ITpp &ITand Pb-Pb Collisions at root&ITsNN&IT=5.02 TeV

Data from heavy ion collisions suggest that the evolution of a parton shower is modified by interactions with the color charges in the dense partonic medium created in these collisions, but it is not known where in the shower evolution the modifications occur. The momentum ratio of the two leading partons, resolved as subjets, provides information about the parton shower evolution. This substructure observable, known as the splitting function, reflects the process of a parton splitting into two other partons and has been measured for jets with transverse momentum between 140 and 500 GeV, in pp and PbPb collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 5.02 TeV per nucleon pair. In central PbPb collisions, the splitting function indicates a more unbalanced momentum ratio, compared to peripheral PbPb and pp collisions.. The measurements are compared to various predictions from event generators and analytical calculations.Peer reviewe

THE TRAINING OF HIGHLY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL IN THE DISCOURSE OF THE BOLOGNA PROCESS: HIGHWAY VERSUS ROADSIDE

Introduction: in the conditions of post-reform Russia the questions of training personnel of higher qualification has been repeatedly raised in the scientific community and one of the main issues was the question about graduate school. Especially this question became more urgent after Russia’s accession to the Bologna agreement in 2003. Materials and Methods: the article examines the problematic aspects of the scientific, organizational and pedagogical factors, procedures and criteria. In the conditions of post-reform Russia the questions of training personnel of higher qualification has been repeatedly raised in the scientific community and one of the main issues was the question about graduate school. Especially this question became more urgent after Russia’s accession to the Bologna agreement in 2003. The article explores the meaningful aspects of the scientific, organizational and pedagogical factors, procedures and criteria for the development and efficiency of the Institute of doctoral (Ph.D. in Russia) compared with similar – in the European Union (doctorate) on the example of its functioning in Latvia. Results: discusses specific aspects of individual factors, procedures and criteria for the development of the Institute of postgraduate studies in Russia. On the example of the European experience, it becomes better understood form of innovation, and in fact, largely a destructive program (in relation to the preservation and development of schools in the reproduction of scientific-pedagogical personnel of higher qualification) have been actively conducted for 2015-the year of the reform of the Institute of postgraduate studies in Russia. Discussion and Conclusions: according to the research results the conclusions about the directions of improvement of training of highly qualified personnel in Russia, taking into account the European experience in this field. To revert to the old functionality targeted Russian postgraduate – training of the teaching and research staff of higher qualification with doctoral degree, with the prospect of official recognition of this degree at the Ph.D. level (branches of science). “Unload” the educational program of the graduate school, primarily through the disciplines which were studied in master’s and specialist degrees. In preparation for the thesis and the procedure of its protection to use foreign experience and promotion of scientific promotion in the spirit of the Bologna process while maintaining the best national traditions and stimulate the reproduction of the leading Russian scientific schools to address major fundamental and applied problems of achieving the world’s priorities

From Mechanosensitivity to Inflammatory Responses: New Players in the Pathology of Glaucoma

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: Many blinding diseases of the inner retina are associated with degeneration and loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). Recent evidence implicates several new signaling mechanisms as causal agents associated with RGC injury and remodeling of the optic nerve head. Ion channels such as Transient receptor potential vanilloid isoform 4 (TRPV4), pannexin-1 (Panx1) and P2X7 receptor are localized to RGCs and act as potential sensors and effectors of mechanical strain, ischemia and inflammatory responses. Under normal conditions, TRPV4 may function as an osmosensor and a polymodal molecular integrator of diverse mechanical and chemical stimuli, whereas P2X7R and Panx1 respond to stretch- and/or swelling-induced adenosine triphosphate release from neurons and glia. Ca(2+) influx, induced by stimulation of mechanosensitive ion channels in glaucoma, is proposed to influence dendritic and axonal remodeling that may lead to RGC death while (at least initially) sparing other classes of retinal neuron. The secondary phase of the retinal glaucoma response is associated with microglial activation and an inflammatory response involving Toll-like receptors (TLRs), cluster of differentiation 3 (CD3) immune recognition molecules associated with the T-cell antigen receptor, complement molecules and cell type-specific release of neuroactive cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). The retinal response to mechanical stress thus involves a diversity of signaling pathways that sense and transduce mechanical strain and orchestrate both protective and destructive secondary responses. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanistic understanding of the interaction between pressure-dependent and independent pathways is only beginning to emerge. This review focuses on the molecular basis of mechanical strain transduction as a primary mechanism that can damage RGCs. The damage occurs through Ca(2+)-dependent cellular remodeling and is associated with parallel activation of secondary ischemic and inflammatory signaling pathways. Molecules that mediate these mechanosensory and immune responses represent plausible targets for protecting ganglion cells in glaucoma, optic neuritis and retinal ischemia

Measurements of the associated production of a Z boson and b jets in pp collisions at s=8 TeV{\sqrt{s}} = 8\,\text {TeV}

Measurements of the associated production of a Z boson with at least one jet originating from a b quark in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s} =$ 8 TeV are presented. Differential cross sections are measured with data collected by the CMS experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.8 inverse femtobarns. Z bosons are reconstructed through their decays to electrons and muons. Cross sections are measured as a function of observables characterizing the kinematics of the b jet and the Z boson. Ratios of differential cross sections for the associated production with at least one b jet to the associated production with any jet are also presented. The production of a Z boson with two b jets is investigated, and differential cross sections are measured for the dijet system. Results are compared to theoretical predictions, testing two different flavour schemes for the choice of initial-state partons

Measurement of the Zγ∗→ττ\mathrm{Z}\gamma^{*} \to \tau\tau cross section in pp collisions at s=\sqrt{s} = 13 TeV and validation of τ\tau lepton analysis techniques

International audienceA measurement is presented of the $\mathrm {Z}/\gamma ^{*} \rightarrow \tau \tau$ cross section in $\text {pp}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13\hbox { TeV}$ , using data recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $2.3\hbox { fb}^{-1}$ . The product of the inclusive cross section and branching fraction is measured to be $\sigma (\text {pp} \rightarrow \mathrm {Z}/\gamma ^{*}\text {+X}) \, \mathcal {B}(\mathrm {Z}/\gamma ^{*} \rightarrow \tau \tau ) = 1848 \pm 12\,(\text {stat}) \pm 67\text { (syst \,+\,lumi)}\text { pb}$ , in agreement with the standard model expectation, computed at next-to-next-to-leading order accuracy in perturbative quantum chromodynamics. The measurement is used to validate new analysis techniques relevant for future measurements of $\tau$ lepton production. The measurement also provides the reconstruction efficiency and energy scale for $\tau$ decays to hadrons $\,+\,\nu _{\tau }$ final states, determined with respective relative uncertainties of 2.2 and 0.9%