Search for pair production of the scalar top quark in muon+tau final states

We present a search for the pair production of scalar top quarks ($\tilde{t}_{1}$), the lightest supersymmetric partners of the top quarks, in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of {7.3 $fb^{-1}$} collected with the \dzero experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. Each scalar top quark is assumed to decay into a $b$ quark, a charged lepton, and a scalar neutrino ($\tilde{\nu}$). We investigate final states arising from $\tilde{t}_{1} \bar{\tilde{t}_{1}} \rightarrow b\bar{b}\mu\tau \tilde{\nu} \tilde{\nu}$ and $\tilde{t}_{1} \bar{\tilde{t}_{1}} \rightarrow b\bar{b}\tau\tau \tilde{\nu} \tilde{\nu}$. With no significant excess of events observed above the background expected from the standard model, we set exclusion limits on this production process in the ($m_{\tilde{t}_{1}}$,$m_{\tilde{\nu}}$) plane.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Lett.

Search for Higgs bosons of the minimal supersymmetric standard model in p-pbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

We report results from searches for neutral Higgs bosons produced in p-pbar collisions recorded by the Dzero experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We study the production of inclusive neutral Higgs boson in the tautau final state and in association with a b quark in the btautau and bbb final states. These results are combined to improve the sensitivity to the production of neutral Higgs bosons in the context of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM). The data are found to be consistent with expectation from background processes. Upper limits on MSSM Higgs boson production are set for Higgs boson masses ranging from 90 to 300 GeV. We exclude tanBeta>20-30 for Higgs boson masses below 180 GeV. These are the most stringent constraints on MSSM Higgs boson production in p-pbar collisions.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Lett.

A C6orf10/LOC101929163 locus is associated with age of onset in C9orf72 carriers

The G4C2-repeat expansion in C9orf72 is the most common known cause of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. The high phenotypic heterogeneity of C9orf72 patients includes a wide range in age of onset, modifiers of which are largely unknown. Age of onset could be influenced by environmental and genetic factors both of which may trigger DNA methylation changes at CpG sites. We tested the hypothesis that age of onset in C9orf72 patients is associated with some common single nucleotide polymorphisms causing a gain or loss of CpG sites and thus resulting in DNA methylation alterations. Combined analyses of epigenetic and genetic data have the advantage of detecting functional variants with reduced likelihood of false negative results due to excessive correction for multiple testing in genome-wide association studies. First, we estimated the association between age of onset in C9orf72 patients (n = 46) and the DNA methylation levels at all 7603 CpG sites available on the 450 k BeadChip that are mapped to common single nucleotide polymorphisms. This was followed by a genetic association study of the discovery (n = 144) and replication (n = 187) C9orf72 cohorts. We found that age of onset was reproducibly associated with polymorphisms within a 124.7 kb linkage disequilibrium

Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis for Offshore Bangladesh Including Fault Sources

This paper presents a probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) for a site offshore Maheshkhali Island, Bangladesh. The tectonic setting of the area is complex, and the PSHA includes active crustal faults, megathrust and intraplate subduction faults, and a background gridded seismicity areal source zone based on historical and recorded earthquakes. In addition, we model several rupture scenarios for the closest megathrust source. The peak ground acceleration values for return periods of 475 years and 2475 years are 0.33 g and 0.63 g, respectively. These values are higher than previous studies conducted in the area, however, past studies only included areal source zones based on recorded seismicity whereas this study takes advantage of recent research to include more detailed fault data. The deaggregation plots show that the main contributors to the hazard are a magnitude 6.5–7.1 earthquake 15–20 km from the site on the Maheshkhali fault and a magnitude 8.0–8.8 earthquake 120–250 km from the site on the Ramree megathrust.acceptedVersion© 2018. This is the authors' accepted and refereed manuscript to the article. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1061/9780784481462.01

Higgs Boson Studies at the Tevatron

We combine searches by the CDF and D0 Collaborations for the standard model Higgs boson with mass in the range 90--200 GeV$/c^2$ produced in the gluon-gluon fusion, $WH$, $ZH$, $t{\bar{t}}H$, and vector boson fusion processes, and decaying in the $H\rightarrow b{\bar{b}}$, $H\rightarrow W^+W^-$, $H\rightarrow ZZ$, $H\rightarrow\tau^+\tau^-$, and $H\rightarrow \gamma\gamma$ modes. The data correspond to integrated luminosities of up to 10 fb$^{-1}$ and were collected at the Fermilab Tevatron in $p{\bar{p}}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV. The searches are also interpreted in the context of fermiophobic and fourth generation models. We observe a significant excess of events in the mass range between 115 and 140 GeV/$c^2$. The local significance corresponds to 3.0 standard deviations at $m_H=125$ GeV/$c^2$, consistent with the mass of the Higgs boson observed at the LHC, and we expect a local significance of 1.9 standard deviations. We separately combine searches for $H \to b\bar{b}$, $H \to W^+W^-$, $H\rightarrow\tau^+\tau^-$, and $H\rightarrow\gamma\gamma$. The observed signal strengths in all channels are consistent with the presence of a standard model Higgs boson with a mass of 125 GeV/$c^2$