We have implemented the Tsallis statistics in a Blast-Wave model and applied it to mid-rapidity transverse-momentum spectra of identified particles measured at RHIC. This new Tsallis Blast-Wave function fits the RHIC data very well for pT <3 GeV/c. We observed that the collective flow velocity starts from zero in p+p and peripheral Au+Au collisions growing to 0.470 ± 0.009(c) in central Au+Au collisions. The (q − 1) parameter, which characterizes the degree of non-equilibrium in a system, changes from 0.100 ± 0.003 in p+p to 0.015 ± 0.005 in central Au+Au collisions, indicating an evolution from a highly non-equilibrated system in p+p collisions toward an almost thermalized system in central Au+Au collisions. The temperature and collective velocity are well described by a quadratic dependence on (q − 1). Two sets of parameters in our Tsallis Blast-Wave model are required to describe the meson and baryon groups separately in p+p collisions while one set of parameters appears to fit all spectra in central Au+Au collisions.

Global polarization of Λ hyperons has been measured to be of the order of a few tenths of a percent in Au+Au collisions at √ s N N = 200 GeV, with no significant difference between Λ andΛ.These new results reveal the collision energy dependence of the global polarization together with the results previously observed at √ s N N = 7.7 -62.4 GeV and indicate noticeable vorticity of the medium created in non-central heavy-ion collisions at the highest RHIC collision energy. The signal is in rough quantitative agreement with the theoretical predictions from a hydrodynamic model and from the AMPT (A Multi-Phase Transport) model. The polarization is larger in more peripheral collisions, and depends weakly on the hyperon's transverse momentum and pseudorapidity η H within |η H | < 1. An indication of the polarization dependence on the event-by-event charge asymmetry 3 is observed at the 2σ level, suggesting a possible contribution to the polarization from the axial current induced by the initial magnetic field. PACS numbers: 25.75.-q, 25.75.Ld

2016-11-02T18:49:00

We derive analytical forms for nonflow contributions from cluster correlation to the measurement of twoparticle elliptic flow (v 2 {2}). We estimate nonflow contribution from ρ → π + π − decays and find it is negative but not a major contributor to the nonflow effect in v 2 {2}. We also estimate nonflow contribution from the recent STAR measurement of two-particle angular correlations.

A search for neutral Higgs bosons in the minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model (MSSM) decaying to tau-lepton pairs in pp collisions is performed, using events recorded by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 24.6 fb −1 , with 4.9 fb −1 at 7 TeV and 19.7 fb −1 at 8 TeV. To enhance the sensitivity to neutral MSSM Higgs bosons, the search includes the case where the Higgs boson is produced in association with a b-quark jet. No excess is observed in the tau-lepton-pair invariant mass spectrum. Exclusion limits are presented in the MSSM parameter space for different benchmark scenarios, m max h , m mod+ h , m mod− h , light-stop, lightstau, τ -phobic, and low-m H . Upper limits on the cross section times branching fraction for gluon fusion and b-quark associated Higgs boson production are also given. A Exclusion limits 23The CMS collaboration 37 IntroductionA broad variety of precision measurements have shown the overwhelming success of the standard model (SM) [1][2][3] of fundamental interactions, which includes an explanation for the origin of the mass of the weak force carriers, as well as for the quark and lepton masses. In the SM, this is achieved via the Brout-Englert-Higgs mechanism [4][5][6][7][8][9], which predicts the existence of a scalar boson, the Higgs boson. However, the Higgs boson mass in the SM is not protected against quadratically divergent quantum-loop corrections at high energy, known as the hierarchy problem. In the model of supersymmetry (SUSY) [10,11], which postulates a symmetry between the fundamental bosons and fermions, a cancellation of these divergences occurs naturally. The Higgs sector of the minimal supersymmetric extension of the standard model (MSSM) [12,13] The dominant neutral MSSM Higgs boson production mechanism is the gluon fusion process for small and moderate values of tan β. At large values of tan β b-quark associated production is the dominant contribution, due to the enhanced Higgs boson Yukawa coupling to b quarks. Figure 1 shows the leading-order diagrams for the gluon fusion and b-quark associated Higgs boson production, in the four-flavor and in the five-flavor scheme. In the region of large tan β the branching fraction to tau leptons is also enhanced, making the search for neutral MSSM Higgs bosons in the τ τ final state particularly interesting. This paper reports a search for neutral MSSM Higgs bosons in pp collisions at √ s = 7 TeV and 8 TeV in the τ τ decay channel. The data were recorded with the CMS detector [14] at the CERN LHC and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 24.6 fb −1 , with 4.9 fb −1 at 7 TeV and 19.7 fb −1 at 8 TeV. Five different τ τ signatures are studied, eτ h , µτ h , eµ, µµ, and τ h τ h , where τ h denotes a hadronically decaying τ . These results are an extension of previous searches by the The results are interpreted in the context of the MSSM with different benchmark scenarios described in section 1.1 and also in a model independent way, in terms of upper...

Background:Following chemo-radiotherapy (CCRT) for human papilloma virus positive (HPV+) locally advanced head and neck cancer, patients frequently undergo unnecessary neck dissection (ND) and/or repeated biopsies for abnormal PET-CT, which causes significant morbidity. We assessed the role of circulating HPV DNA in identifying ‘true’ residual disease.Methods:We prospectively recruited test (n=55) and validation (n=33) cohorts. HPV status was confirmed by E7 RT-PCR. We developed a novel amplicon-based next generation sequencing assay (HPV16-detect) to detect circulating HPV DNA. Circulating HPV DNA levels post-CCRT were correlated to disease response (PET-CT).Results:In pre-CCRT plasma, HPV-detect demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 93% specificity, and 90% sensitivity and 100% specificity for the test (27 HPV+) and validation (20 HPV+) cohorts, respectively. Thirty-six out of 37 patients (test and validation cohort) with complete samples-set had negative HPV-detect at end of treatment. Six patients underwent ND (3) and repeat primary site biopsies (3) for positive PET-CT but had no viable tumour. One patient had positive HPV-detect and positive PET-CT and liver biopsy, indicating 100% agreement for HPV-detect and residual cancer.Conclusions:We demonstrate that HPV16-detect is a highly sensitive and specific test for identification of HPV DNA in plasma at diagnosis. HPV DNA post-treatment correlates with clinical response.

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Charged hadrons (0.15 < p ⊥ < 4 GeV/c) associated with a large p ⊥ trigger particle 4 < p trig ⊥ < 6 GeV/c are statistically reconstructed in the large acceptance STAR TPC for p+p and Au+Au collisions at √ s NN = 200 GeV. Preliminary results on transverse momentum distributions of these hadrons are presented, separately on the near and the away side from the trigger particle. An increase in the multiplicity and total scalar p ⊥ of these hadrons from p+p to central Au+Au collisions is observed. The away-side distribution is found to be significantly softened in central Au+Au with respect to p+p collisions. The results are consistent with modification of jets in heavy-ion collisions at RHIC.