Bs,d→ππ,πK,KKB_{s,d} \to \pi\pi,\pi K, KK: Status and Prospects

Several years ago, it was pointed out that the U-spin-related decays $B_d\to\pi^+\pi^-$, $B_s\to K^+K^-$ and $B_d\to\pi^\mp K^\pm$, $B_s\to \pi^\pm K^\mp$ offer interesting strategies for the extraction of the angle gamma of the unitarity triangle. Using the first results from the Tevatron on the $B_s$ decays and the B-factory data on $B_{u,d}$ modes, we compare the determinations of gamma from both strategies, study the sensitivity on U-spin-breaking effects, discuss the resolution of discrete ambiguities, predict observables that were not yet measured but will be accessible at LHCb, explore the extraction of the width difference $\Delta\Gamma_s$ from untagged $B_s\to K^+K^-$ rates, and address the impact of new physics. The data for the $B_d\to\pi^+\pi^-$, $B_s\to K^+K^-$ system favour the BaBar measurement of direct CP violation in $B_d\to\pi^+\pi^-$, which will be used in the numerical analysis, and result in a fortunate situation, yielding $\gamma=(66.6^{+4.3+4.0}_{-5.0-3.0})^\circ$, where the latter errors correspond to a generous estimate of U-spin-breaking effects. On the other hand, the $B_d\to\pi^\mp K^\pm$, $B_s\to \pi^\pm K^\mp$ analysis leaves us with $26^\circ\leq\gamma\leq70^\circ$, and points to a value of the $B_s\to \pi^\pm K^\mp$ branching ratio that is larger than the current Tevatron result. An important further step will be the measurement of mixing-induced CP violation in $B_s\to K^+K^-$, which will also allow us to extract the $B^0_s$--$\bar B^0_s$ mixing phase unambiguously with the help of $B_s\to J/\psi \phi$ at the LHC. Finally, the measurement of direct CP violation in $B_s\to K^+K^-$ will make the full exploitation of the physics potential of the $B_{s,d}\to \pi\pi, \pi K, KK$ modes possible.Comment: 28 pages, 10 figure

Multiwavelength studies of MHD waves in the solar chromosphere: An overview of recent results

The chromosphere is a thin layer of the solar atmosphere that bridges the relatively cool photosphere and the intensely heated transition region and corona. Compressible and incompressible waves propagating through the chromosphere can supply significant amounts of energy to the interface region and corona. In recent years an abundance of high-resolution observations from state-of-the-art facilities have provided new and exciting ways of disentangling the characteristics of oscillatory phenomena propagating through the dynamic chromosphere. Coupled with rapid advancements in magnetohydrodynamic wave theory, we are now in an ideal position to thoroughly investigate the role waves play in supplying energy to sustain chromospheric and coronal heating. Here, we review the recent progress made in characterising, categorising and interpreting oscillations manifesting in the solar chromosphere, with an impetus placed on their intrinsic energetics.Comment: 48 pages, 25 figures, accepted into Space Science Review

Search for leptophobic Z ' bosons decaying into four-lepton final states in proton-proton collisions at root s=8 TeV

Peer reviewe

Search for black holes and other new phenomena in high-multiplicity final states in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

Peer reviewe

Measurements of differential production cross sections for a Z boson in association with jets in pp collisions at root s=8 TeV

Peer reviewe

Search for high-mass diphoton resonances in proton-proton collisions at 13 TeV and combination with 8 TeV search

Peer reviewe

Search for heavy resonances decaying into a vector boson and a Higgs boson in final states with charged leptons, neutrinos, and b quarks

Peer reviewe

New insights into the genetic etiology of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Characterization of the genetic landscape of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADD) provides a unique opportunity for a better understanding of the associated pathophysiological processes. We performed a two-stage genome-wide association study totaling 111,326 clinically diagnosed/'proxy' AD cases and 677,663 controls. We found 75 risk loci, of which 42 were new at the time of analysis. Pathway enrichment analyses confirmed the involvement of amyloid/tau pathways and highlighted microglia implication. Gene prioritization in the new loci identified 31 genes that were suggestive of new genetically associated processes, including the tumor necrosis factor alpha pathway through the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex. We also built a new genetic risk score associated with the risk of future AD/dementia or progression from mild cognitive impairment to AD/dementia. The improvement in prediction led to a 1.6- to 1.9-fold increase in AD risk from the lowest to the highest decile, in addition to effects of age and the APOE ε4 allele

Search for neutral resonances decaying into a Z boson and a pair of b jets or τ leptons

A search is performed for a new resonance decaying into a lighter resonance and a Z boson. Two channels are studied, targeting the decay of the lighter resonance into either a pair of oppositely charged τ leptons or a bb‾ pair. The Z boson is identified via its decays to electrons or muons. The search exploits data collected by the CMS experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.8 fb −1 . No significant deviations are observed from the standard model expectation and limits are set on production cross sections and parameters of two-Higgs-doublet models