Searches for Majorana Neutrinos and Direct Searches for Exotics at LHCb

These proceedings present the LHCb results on Majorana neutrino searches and direct production of exotic particles using the data collected during Run I of LHC. For the former, Majorana neutrinos are searched for both on-shell and off-shell in $B$ and $D$ decays to final states with two same-sign muons. For the latter, different types of new particles are studied profiting the unique coverage of LHCb with respect to other detectors.Comment: 9 pages, 27 figures. To be published in the LISHEP 2015 proceeding

Muon Identification in the LHCb experiment

A short summary of the LHCb muon identification procedure is given in this article. First, the muon system of LHCb is presented, together with some examples of physics measurements of the experiment where the muon identification is crucial. Then, the muon identification algorithm is introduced in three single steps. With this, the efficiency vs. misidentification rate is shown for MC simulated data. The way this method will be calibrated with real data is also seen. Finally, some preliminary muon identification results with proton-proton collisions at sqrt(s) = 900 GeV are presented.Comment: Proceedings for the Moriond 2010 E

Novel Hemizygous IL2RG p.(Pro58Ser) Mutation Impairs IL-2 Receptor Complex Expression on Lymphocytes Causing X-Linked Combined Immunodeficiency

Hypomorphic IL2RG mutations may lead to milder phenotypes than X-SCID, named variably as atypical X-SCID or X-CID. We report an 11-year-old boy with a novel c. 172C>T;p.(Pro58Ser) mutation in IL2RG, presenting with atypical X-SCID phenotype. We also review the growing number of hypomorphic IL2RG mutations causing atypical X-SCID. We studied the patient's clinical phenotype, B, T, NK, and dendritic cell phenotypes, IL2RG and CD25 cell surface expression, and IL-2 target gene expression, STAT tyrosine phosphorylation, PBMC proliferation, and blast formation in response to IL-2 stimulation, as well as protein-protein interactions of the mutated IL2RG by BioID proximity labeling. The patient suffered from recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections, bronchiectasis, and reactive arthritis. His total lymphocyte counts have remained normal despite skewed T and B cells subpopulations, with very low numbers of plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Surface expression of IL2RG was reduced on his lymphocytes. This led to impaired STAT tyrosine phosphorylation in response to IL-2 and IL-21, reduced expression of IL-2 target genes in patient CD4+ T cells, and reduced cell proliferation in response to IL-2 stimulation. BioID proximity labeling showed aberrant interactions between mutated IL2RG and ER/Golgi proteins causing mislocalization of the mutated IL2RG to the ER/Golgi interface. In conclusion, IL2RG p.(Pro58Ser) causes X-CID. Failure of IL2RG plasma membrane targeting may lead to atypical X-SCID. We further identified another carrier of this mutation from newborn SCID screening, lost to closer scrutiny.Peer reviewe

The Callias Index Formula Revisited

We revisit the Callias index formula for Dirac-type operators $L$ in odd space dimension $n$, and prove that \begin{align} \text{ind} \, (L) =\bigg(\frac{i}{8\pi}\bigg)^{\frac{n-1}{2}}\frac{1}{2(\frac{n-1}{2})!} \lim_{\Lambda \to\infty}\frac{1}{\Lambda }\sum_{i_{1},\dots,i_{n} = 1}^n \varepsilon_{i_{1}\dots i_{n}} \int_{\Lambda S_{n-1}}\text{tr}_{\mathbb{C}^d}\, (U(x)(\partial_{i_{1}}U)(x)\dots (\partial_{i_{n-1}}U)(x)) x_{i_{n}}\, d^{n-1} \sigma(x), \, (*) \end{align} where $U(x) = \text{sgn} \,(\Phi(x))$ and $L$ in $L^{2}(\mathbb{R}^{n})^{2^{\widehat n}d}$ is of the form $$L= \mathcal{Q} + \Phi,$$ where $$\mathcal{Q} = \bigg(\sum_{j=1}^{n}\gamma_{j,n}\partial_{j}\bigg) I_d,$$ with $\gamma_{j,n}$ elements of the Euclidean Dirac algebra, and $n=2{\widehat n}$ or $n=2{\widehat n}+1$. Here $\Phi$ is assumed to satisfy the following conditions: \begin{align} & \Phi\in C_{b}^{2}\big(\mathbb{R}^{n};\mathbb{C}^{d\times d}\big), \quad d \in \mathbb{N}, \\ & \Phi(x)=\Phi(x)^{*}, \end{align} there exists $c>0$, $R\geq0$ such that $$|\Phi(x)|\geq c I_d, \quad x\in\mathbb{R}^{n}\backslash B(0,R),$$ and there exists $\varepsilon> 1/2$ such that for all $\alpha\in\mathbb{N}_{0}^{n}$, $|\alpha|<3$, there is $\kappa>0$ such that $$\|(\partial^{\alpha}\Phi)(x)\|\leq \begin{cases} \kappa (1+|x|)^{-1}, & |\alpha|=1,\\ \kappa (1+ |x|)^{-1-\varepsilon}, & |\alpha|=2, \end{cases}\quad x\in\mathbb{R}^{n}.$$ These conditions on $\Phi$ render $L$ a Fredholm operator, and appear to be the most general conditions known to date for which Callias' index formula has been derived. Generalizations of the index formula $(*)$ to certain classes of non-Fredholm operators $L$ invoking the (generalized) Witten index are also discussed.Comment: 135 pages, we extended section 3 and removed a number of typos throughout this manuscrip

Curse of dimensionality reduction in max-plus based approximation methods: theoretical estimates and improved pruning algorithms

Max-plus based methods have been recently developed to approximate the value function of possibly high dimensional optimal control problems. A critical step of these methods consists in approximating a function by a supremum of a small number of functions (max-plus "basis functions") taken from a prescribed dictionary. We study several variants of this approximation problem, which we show to be continuous versions of the facility location and $k$-center combinatorial optimization problems, in which the connection costs arise from a Bregman distance. We give theoretical error estimates, quantifying the number of basis functions needed to reach a prescribed accuracy. We derive from our approach a refinement of the curse of dimensionality free method introduced previously by McEneaney, with a higher accuracy for a comparable computational cost.Comment: 8pages 5 figure

Global existence for defocusing cubic NLS and Gross-Pitaevskii equations in three dimensional exterior domains

We prove global wellposedness in the energy space of the defocusing cubic nonlinear Schroedinger and Gross-Pitaevskii equations on the exterior of a non-trapping domain in dimension 3. The main ingredient is a Strichartz estimate obtained combining a semi-classical Strichartz estimate with a smoothing effect on exterior domains

Measurement of resonant and CP components in B0s→J/ψπ+π− decays

Structure of the decay B̄s0→J/ψπ+π- is studied using data corresponding to 3fb-1 of integrated luminosity from pp collisions produced by the LHC and collected by the LHCb detector. Five interfering π+π- states are required to describe the decay: f0(980),f0(1500),f0(1790),f2(1270), and f2′(1525). An alternative model including these states and a nonresonant J/ψπ+π- component also provides a good description of the data. Based on the different transversity components measured for the spin-2 intermediate states, the final state is found to be compatible with being entirely CP odd. The CP-even part is found to be <2.3% at a 95% confidence level. The f0(500) state is not observed, allowing a limit to be set on the absolute value of the mixing angle with the f0(980) of <7.7° at a 90% confidence level, consistent with a tetraquark interpretation of the f0(980) substructure

Novel Hemizygous IL2RG p.(Pro58Ser) Mutation Impairs IL-2 Receptor Complex Expression on Lymphocytes Causing X-Linked Combined Immunodeficiency

Hypomorphic IL2RG mutations may lead to milder phenotypes than X-SCID, named variably as atypical X-SCID or X-CID. We report an 11-year-old boy with a novel c. 172C>T;p.(Pro58Ser) mutation in IL2RG, presenting with atypical X-SCID phenotype. We also review the growing number of hypomorphic IL2RG mutations causing atypical X-SCID. We studied the patient's clinical phenotype, B, T, NK, and dendritic cell phenotypes, IL2RG and CD25 cell surface expression, and IL-2 target gene expression, STAT tyrosine phosphorylation, PBMC proliferation, and blast formation in response to IL-2 stimulation, as well as protein-protein interactions of the mutated IL2RG by BioID proximity labeling. The patient suffered from recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections, bronchiectasis, and reactive arthritis. His total lymphocyte counts have remained normal despite skewed T and B cells subpopulations, with very low numbers of plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Surface expression of IL2RG was reduced on his lymphocytes. This led to impaired STAT tyrosine phosphorylation in response to IL-2 and IL-21, reduced expression of IL-2 target genes in patient CD4+ T cells, and reduced cell proliferation in response to IL-2 stimulation. BioID proximity labeling showed aberrant interactions between mutated IL2RG and ER/Golgi proteins causing mislocalization of the mutated IL2RG to the ER/Golgi interface. In conclusion, IL2RG p.(Pro58Ser) causes X-CID. Failure of IL2RG plasma membrane targeting may lead to atypical X-SCID. We further identified another carrier of this mutation from newborn SCID screening, lost to closer scrutiny

Investigation of Combined Effects of Xanthan Gum,Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate, and Salt on Some Physicochemical Properties of Their Mixtures Using a Response Surface Method

Aqueous solutions containing sodium dodecyl sulphate, xanthan gum, and salt were characterized by ionic conductivity, viscosity, and surface tension methods. A preliminary experimental study was performed to evaluate the effect of the mixture compositions on the surface behavior of the mixed polymer/surfactant systems under different solution conditions. An experimental design using response surface method (RSM) was then applied to assess factors interactions and empirical models regarding the physicochemical responses variables (i.e., conductivity, surface tension and viscosity). The main effects of the three independent factors: SDS concentration (x1), NaCl concentration (x2) and xanthan concentration (x3) were determined using in particular a D-optimal design. The results show an important effect of the factors on responses; they also indicate that the synergetic action of surfactant, electrolyte and biopolymer greatly influences these properties. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed high variance coefficient (R 2 ) values, thus, ensuring a satisfactory adjustment of the second-order regression model with the experimental data