Search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson to a pair of pseudoscalars in the μμbb and ττbb final states

A search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson (H ) with a mass of 125Ge V to a pair of light pseudoscalars a 1 is performed in final states where one pseudoscalar decays to two b quarks and the other to a pair of muons or τ leptons. A data sample of proton-proton collisions at s = 13 Te V corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 recorded with the CMS detector is analyzed. No statistically significant excess is observed over the standard model backgrounds. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level (CL ) on the Higgs boson branching fraction to μ μ b b and to τ τ b b , via a pair of a 1 s. The limits depend on the pseudoscalar mass m a 1 and are observed to be in the range (0.17-3.3) × 10 - 4 and (1.7-7.7) × 10 - 2 in the μ μ b b and τ τ b b final states, respectively. In the framework of models with two Higgs doublets and a complex scalar singlet (2HDM+S), the results of the two final states are combined to determine upper limits on the branching fraction B ( H → a 1 a 1 → ℓ ℓ b b ) at 95% CL , with ℓ being a muon or a τ lepton. For different types of 2HDM+S, upper bounds on the branching fraction B ( H → a 1 a 1 ) are extracted from the combination of the two channels. In most of the Type II 2HDM+S parameter space, B ( H → a 1 a 1 ) values above 0.23 are excluded at 95% CL for m a 1 values between 15 and 60Ge V .

Elementary excitations of single-photon emitters in hexagonal boron nitride

Single-photon emitters serve as building blocks for many emerging concepts in quantum photonics. The recent identification of bright, tunable and stable emitters in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has opened the door to quantum platforms operating across the infrared to ultraviolet spectrum. Although it is widely acknowledged that defects are responsible for single-photon emitters in hBN, crucial details regarding their origin, electronic levels and orbital involvement remain unknown. Here we employ a combination of resonant inelastic X-ray scattering and photoluminescence spectroscopy in defective hBN, unveiling an elementary excitation at 285 meV that gives rise to a plethora of harmonics correlated with single-photon emitters. We discuss the importance of N π* anti-bonding orbitals in shaping the electronic states of the emitters. The discovery of elementary excitations in hBN provides fundamental insights into quantum emission in low-dimensional materials, paving the way for future investigations in other platforms.

Observation of WWγ Production and Search for Hγ Production in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The observation of WWγ production in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} is presented. The observed (expected) significance is 5.6 (5.1) standard deviations. Events are selected by requiring exactly two leptons (one electron and one muon) of opposite charge, moderate missing transverse momentum, and a photon. The measured fiducial cross section for WWγ is 5.9±0.8(stat)±0.8(syst)±0.7(modeling)  fb, in agreement with the next-to-leading order quantum chromodynamics prediction. The analysis is extended with a search for the associated production of the Higgs boson and a photon, which is generated by a coupling of the Higgs boson to light quarks. The result is used to constrain the Higgs boson couplings to light quarks.

New Structures in the J/ψJ/ψ Mass Spectrum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search is reported for near-threshold structures in the J/ψJ/ψ invariant mass spectrum produced in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV from data collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 135  fb^{-1}. Three structures are found, and a model with quantum interference among these structures provides a good description of the data. A new structure is observed with a local significance above 5 standard deviations at a mass of 6638_{-38}^{+43}(stat)_{-31}^{+16}(syst)  MeV. Another structure with even higher significance is found at a mass of 6847_{-28}^{+44}(stat)_{-20}^{+48}(syst)  MeV, which is consistent with the X(6900) resonance reported by the LHCb experiment and confirmed by the ATLAS experiment. Evidence for another new structure, with a local significance of 4.7 standard deviations, is found at a mass of 7134_{-25}^{+48}(stat)_{-15}^{+41}(syst)  MeV. Results are also reported for a model without interference, which does not fit the data as well and shows mass shifts up to 150 MeV relative to the model with interference.

Search for Scalar Leptoquarks Produced via τ-Lepton-Quark Scattering in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search for scalar leptoquarks produced in τ-lepton-quark collisions is presented. It is based on a set of proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The reconstructed final state consists of a jet, significant missing transverse momentum, and a τ lepton reconstructed through its hadronic or leptonic decays. Limits are set on the product of the leptoquark production cross section and branching fraction and interpreted as exclusions in the plane of the leptoquark mass and the leptoquark-τ-quark coupling strength.

Smartphone-based six-lead ECG: A new device for electrocardiographic recording in dogs

Smartphone-based technology for electrocardiographic recording is now part of the new concept of mobile health in both human and veterinary medicine. Although smartphone-based ECG for electrocardiographic screening in dogs is reliable, one-lead ECG devices have mainly been evaluated. This prospective study assessed the feasibility and the diagnostic reliability of a new smartphone-based six-lead electrocardiograph (smECG) in dogs, in comparison to a standard six-lead electrocardiograph (stECG). All ECG tracings were blindly reviewed by an expert operator, who judged whether tracings were acceptable for interpretation, performed the electrocardiographic measurements, and assigned a diagnosis. The agreement in the electrocardiographic interpretation and diagnosis between smECG and stECG was assessed using the Bland-Altman test and Cohen's k test. The study included 108 client-owned dogs. The tracings obtained by the smECG were interpretable in 100 % of cases. No clinically relevant differences between smECG and stECG were found in the assessment of heart rate, interval duration, and QRS mean electrical axis. The smECG tended to underestimate the amplitude of the P and R waves. Perfect agreement was found in the detection of sinus rhythm, atrial fibrillation, ventricular arrhythmias, atrioventricular blocks, and bundle branch blocks. Our study suggests that the tested smartphone-based six-lead ECG is a clinically reliable device for the assessment of heart rate and heart rhythm in dogs, and thus could be used in a clinical setting in dogs and for telemedicine.

Search for Inelastic Dark Matter in Events with Two Displaced Muons and Missing Transverse Momentum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for dark matter in events with a displaced nonresonant muon pair and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} of proton-proton (pp) collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV produced by the LHC in 2016-2018. No significant excess over the predicted backgrounds is observed. Upper limits are set on the product of the inelastic dark matter production cross section σ(pp→A^{'}→χ_{1}χ_{2}) and the decay branching fraction B(χ_{2}→χ_{1}μ^{+}μ^{-}), where A^{'} is a dark photon and χ_{1} and χ_{2} are states in the dark sector with near mass degeneracy. This is the first dedicated collider search for inelastic dark matter.

Luminosity determination using Z boson production at the CMS experiment

The measurement of Z boson production is presented as a method to determine the integrated luminosity of CMS data sets. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data, recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in 2017 at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . Events with Z bosons decaying into a pair of muons are selected. The total number of Z bosons produced in a fiducial volume is determined, together with the identification efficiencies and correlations from the same data set, in small intervals of 20pb - 1 of integrated luminosity, thus facilitating the efficiency and rate measurement as a function of time and instantaneous luminosity. Using the ratio of the efficiency-corrected numbers of Z bosons, the precisely measured integrated luminosity of one data set is used to determine the luminosity of another. For the first time, a full quantitative uncertainty analysis of the use of Z  bosons for the integrated luminosity measurement is performed. The uncertainty in the extrapolation between two data sets, recorded in 2017 at low and high instantaneous luminosity, is less than 0.5%. We show that the Z boson rate measurement constitutes a precise method, complementary to traditional methods, with the potential to improve the measurement of the integrated luminosity.

Measurement of the production cross section for a W boson in association with a charm quark in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The strange quark content of the proton is probed through the measurement of the production cross section for a W boson and a charm (c) quark in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The W bosons are identified through their leptonic decays to an electron or a muon, and a neutrino. Charm jets are tagged using the presence of a muon or a secondary vertex inside the jet. The W + c production cross section and the cross section ratio R c ± = σ ( W + + c ¯ ) / σ ( W - + c ) are measured inclusively and differentially as functions of the transverse momentum and the pseudorapidity of the lepton originating from the W boson decay. The precision of the measurements is improved with respect to previous studies, reaching 1% in R c ± = 0.950 ± 0.005 (stat) ± 0.010 (syst) . The measurements are compared with theoretical predictions up to next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics.

Probing Small Bjorken-x Nuclear Gluonic Structure via Coherent J/ψ Photoproduction in Ultraperipheral Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

Quasireal photons exchanged in relativistic heavy ion interactions are powerful probes of the gluonic structure of nuclei. The coherent J/ψ photoproduction cross section in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions is measured as a function of photon-nucleus center-of-mass energies per nucleon (W_{γN}^{Pb}) over a wide range of 40 Collapse

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Echocardiographic reference intervals of the dimensions of the main pulmonary artery and the right pulmonary artery: a prospective study in 269 healthy dogs

INTRODUCTION

No data are available on the echocardiographic reference intervals (RIs) for the main pulmonary artery (MPA) and right pulmonary artery (RPA) dimensions in a large sample of dogs. Therefore, we aimed to describe the echocardiographic RIs of the MPA and RPA dimensions in normal dogs.

ANIMALS, MATERIALS, AND METHODS

Two hundred and sixty nine healthy dogs of different breeds, age and body weight (BW) were prospectively enrolled in this multicenter, observational study. The MPA diameter, RPA maximum diameter (RPAmax), and RPA minimum diameter (RPAmin) were measured from the right parasternal short axis view. Prediction intervals (PIs) for MPA, RPAmax and RPAmin were generated using allometric scales. Reference intervals (RI) of MPA indexed to the ascending aorta (MPA/AO), and RPAmax and RPAmin indexed to the aortic annulus (RPAmax/Aod and RPAmin/Aod), were defined.

RESULTS

A positive linear relationship between MPA, RPAmax, RPAmin and BW was evident after logarithmic transformation (R2 = 0.859, R2 = 0.787 and R2 = 0.725, respectively; P<0.0001). According to allometric scales, the PI for the MPA normalized for BW (MPA_N) was between 5.50 and 8.07, the PI for the RPAmax normalized for BW (RPAmax_N) was between 3.23 and 5.62, while the PI for the RPAmin normalized for BW (RPAmin_N) was between 1.62 and 3.30. The median MPA/AO was 0.92 (RI, 0.78-1.01), the median RPAmax/Aod was 0.70 (RI, 0.53-0.98) and the median RPAmin/Aod was 0.40 (RI, 0.29-0.61).

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

The reported RIs of the MPA and RPA dimensions in normal dogs could increase the diagnostic accuracy of transthoracic echocardiography in the identification of pulmonary artery enlargement in dogs.

Measurement of the top quark mass using a profile likelihood approach with the lepton + jets final states in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The mass of the top quark is measured in 36.3fb - 1 of LHC proton-proton collision data collected with the CMS detector at s = 13 Te V . The measurement uses a sample of top quark pair candidate events containing one isolated electron or muon and at least four jets in the final state. For each event, the mass is reconstructed from a kinematic fit of the decay products to a top quark pair hypothesis. A profile likelihood method is applied using up to four observables per event to extract the top quark mass. The top quark mass is measured to be 171.77 ± 0.37 Ge V . This approach significantly improves the precision over previous measurements.

A search for decays of the Higgs boson to invisible particles in events with a top-antitop quark pair or a vector boson in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

A search for decays to invisible particles of Higgs bosons produced in association with a top-antitop quark pair or a vector boson, which both decay to a fully hadronic final state, has been performed using proton-proton collision data collected at s = 13 Te V by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 . The 95% confidence level upper limit set on the branching fraction of the 125Ge V Higgs boson to invisible particles, B ( H → inv ) , is 0.54 (0.39 expected), assuming standard model production cross sections. The results of this analysis are combined with previous B ( H → inv ) searches carried out at s = 7 , 8, and 13Te V in complementary production modes. The combined upper limit at 95% confidence level on B ( H → inv ) is 0.15 (0.08 expected).

Observation of τ Lepton Pair Production in Ultraperipheral Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

We present an observation of photon-photon production of τ lepton pairs in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions. The measurement is based on a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 404  μb^{-1} collected by the CMS experiment at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. The γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-} process is observed for τ^{+}τ^{-} events with a muon and three charged hadrons in the final state. The measured fiducial cross section is σ(γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-})=4.8±0.6(stat)±0.5(syst)  μb, where the second (third) term corresponds to the statistical (systematic) uncertainty in σ(γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-}) in agreement with leading-order QED predictions. Using σ(γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-}), we estimate a model-dependent value of the anomalous magnetic moment of the τ lepton of a_{τ}=0.001_{-0.089}^{+0.055}.

Measurement of the Dependence of the Hadron Production Fraction Ratios f_{s}/f_{u} and f_{d}/f_{u} on B Meson Kinematic Variables in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The dependence of the ratio between the B_{s}^{0} and B^{+} hadron production fractions, f_{s}/f_{u}, on the transverse momentum (p_{T}) and rapidity of the B mesons is studied using the decay channels B_{s}^{0}→J/ψϕ and B^{+}→J/ψK^{+}. The analysis uses a data sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected by the CMS experiment in 2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 61.6  fb^{-1}. The f_{s}/f_{u} ratio is observed to depend on the B p_{T} and to be consistent with becoming asymptotically constant at large p_{T}. No rapidity dependence is observed. The ratio of the B^{0} to B^{+} meson production fractions, f_{d}/f_{u}, is also measured, for the first time in proton-proton collisions, using the B^{0}→J/ψK^{*0} decay channel. The result is found to be within 1 standard deviation of unity and independent of p_{T} and rapidity, as expected from isospin invariance.

Search for Exotic Higgs Boson Decays H→AA→4γ with Events Containing Two Merged Diphotons in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

We present the first direct search for exotic Higgs boson decays H→AA, A→γγ in events with two photonlike objects. The hypothetical particle A is a low-mass spin-0 particle decaying promptly to a merged diphoton reconstructed as a single photonlike object. We analyze the data collected by the CMS experiment at sqrt[s]=13  TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 136  fb^{-1}. No excess above the estimated background is found. We set upper limits on the branching fraction B(H→AA→4γ) of (0.9-3.3)×10^{-3} at 95% confidence level for masses of A in the range 0.1-1.2 GeV.

Observation of Same-Sign WW Production from Double Parton Scattering in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first observation of the production of W^{±}W^{±} bosons from double parton scattering processes using same-sign electron-muon and dimuon events in proton-proton collisions is reported. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV using the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. Multivariate discriminants are used to distinguish the signal process from the main backgrounds. A binned maximum likelihood fit is performed to extract the signal cross section. The measured cross section for production of same-sign W bosons decaying leptonically is 80.7±11.2(stat) _{-8.6}^{+9.5}(syst)±12.1(model)  fb, whereas the measured fiducial cross section is 6.28±0.81(stat)±0.69(syst)±0.37(model)  fb. The observed significance of the signal is 6.2 standard deviations above the background-only hypothesis.

Observation of the Rare Decay of the η Meson to Four Muons

A search for the rare η→μ^{+}μ^{-}μ^{+}μ^{-} double-Dalitz decay is performed using a sample of proton-proton collisions, collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC with high-rate muon triggers during 2017 and 2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101  fb^{-1}. A signal having a statistical significance well in excess of 5 standard deviations is observed. Using the η→μ^{+}μ^{-} decay as normalization, the branching fraction B(η→μ^{+}μ^{-}μ^{+}μ^{-})=[5.0±0.8(stat)±0.7(syst)±0.7(B_{2μ})]×10^{-9} is measured, where the last term is the uncertainty in the normalization channel branching fraction. This work achieves an improved precision of over 5 orders of magnitude compared to previous results, leading to the first measurement of this branching fraction, which is found to agree with theoretical predictions.

Measurements of jet multiplicity and jet transverse momentum in multijet events in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

Multijet events at large transverse momentum (p T ) are measured at s = 13 Te V using data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.3 fb - 1 . The multiplicity of jets with p T > 50 Ge V that are produced in association with a high-p T dijet system is measured in various ranges of the p T of the jet with the highest transverse momentum and as a function of the azimuthal angle difference Δ ϕ 1 , 2 between the two highest p T jets in the dijet system. The differential production cross sections are measured as a function of the transverse momenta of the four highest p T jets. The measurements are compared with leading and next-to-leading order matrix element calculations supplemented with simulations of parton shower, hadronization, and multiparton interactions. In addition, the measurements are compared with next-to-leading order matrix element calculations combined with transverse-momentum dependent parton densities and transverse-momentum dependent parton shower.

Azimuthal correlations in Z +jets events in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The production of Z bosons associated with jets is measured in pp collisions at s = 13 Te V with data recorded with the CMS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.3fb - 1 . The multiplicity of jets with transverse momentum p T > 30 Ge V is measured for different regions of the Z boson's p T ( Z ) , from lower than 10Ge V to higher than 100Ge V . The azimuthal correlation Δ ϕ between the Z boson and the leading jet, as well as the correlations between the two leading jets are measured in three regions of p T ( Z ) . The measurements are compared with several predictions at leading and next-to-leading orders, interfaced with parton showers. Predictions based on transverse-momentum dependent parton distributions and corresponding parton showers give a good description of the measurement in the regions where multiple parton interactions and higher jet multiplicities are not important. The effects of multiple parton interactions are shown to be important to correctly describe the measured spectra in the low p T ( Z ) regions.

Search for Higgs Boson Decay to a Charm Quark-Antiquark Pair in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a charm quark-antiquark pair, H→cc[over ¯], produced in association with a leptonically decaying V (W or Z) boson is presented. The search is performed with proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. Novel charm jet identification and analysis methods using machine learning techniques are employed. The analysis is validated by searching for Z→cc[over ¯] in VZ events, leading to its first observation at a hadron collider with a significance of 5.7 standard deviations. The observed (expected) upper limit on σ(VH)B(H→cc[over ¯]) is 0.94 (0.50_{-0.15}^{+0.22})pb at 95% confidence level (C.L.), corresponding to 14 (7.6_{-2.3}^{+3.4}) times the standard model prediction. For the Higgs-charm Yukawa coupling modifier, κ_{c}, the observed (expected) 95% C.L. interval is 1.1<|κ_{c}|<5.5 (|κ_{c}|<3.4), the most stringent constraint to date.

Search for Nonresonant Pair Production of Highly Energetic Higgs Bosons Decaying to Bottom Quarks

A search for nonresonant Higgs boson (H) pair production via gluon and vector boson (V) fusion is performed in the four-bottom-quark final state, using proton-proton collision data at 13 TeV corresponding to 138  fb^{-1} collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analysis targets Lorentz-boosted H pairs identified using a graph neural network. It constrains the strengths relative to the standard model of the H self-coupling and the quartic VVHH couplings, κ_{2V}, excluding κ_{2V}=0 for the first time, with a significance of 6.3 standard deviations when other H couplings are fixed to their standard model values.

Search for Higgs Boson and Observation of Z Boson through Their Decay into a Charm Quark-Antiquark Pair in Boosted Topologies in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for the standard model (SM) Higgs boson (H) produced with transverse momentum (p_{T}) greater than 450 GeV and decaying to a charm quark-antiquark (cc[over ¯]) pair is presented. The search is performed using proton-proton collision data collected at sqrt[s]=13  TeV by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. Boosted H→cc[over ¯] decay products are reconstructed as a single large-radius jet and identified using a deep neural network charm tagging technique. The method is validated by measuring the Z→cc[over ¯] decay process, which is observed in association with jets at high p_{T} for the first time with a signal strength of 1.00_{-0.14}^{+0.17}(syst)±0.08(theo)±0.06(stat), defined as the ratio of the observed process rate to the SM expectation. The observed (expected) upper limit on σ(H)B(H→cc[over ¯]) is set at 47 (39) times the SM prediction at 95% confidence level.

Measurements of the Higgs boson production cross section and couplings in the W boson pair decay channel in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

Production cross sections of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a pair of W bosons are measured in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . The analysis targets Higgs bosons produced via gluon fusion, vector boson fusion, and in association with a W or Z boson. Candidate events are required to have at least two charged leptons and moderate missing transverse momentum, targeting events with at least one leptonically decaying W boson originating from the Higgs boson. Results are presented in the form of inclusive and differential cross sections in the simplified template cross section framework, as well as couplings of the Higgs boson to vector bosons and fermions. The data set collected by the CMS detector during 2016-2018 is used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 . The signal strength modifier μ , defined as the ratio of the observed production rate in a given decay channel to the standard model expectation, is measured to be μ = 0 . 95 - 0.09 + 0.10 . All results are found to be compatible with the standard model within the uncertainties.

Measurement of the mass dependence of the transverse momentum of lepton pairs in Drell-Yan production in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The double differential cross sections of the Drell-Yan lepton pair (ℓ + ℓ - , dielectron or dimuon) production are measured as functions of the invariant mass m ℓ ℓ , transverse momentum p T ( ℓ ℓ ) , and φ η ∗ . The φ η ∗ observable, derived from angular measurements of the leptons and highly correlated with p T ( ℓ ℓ ) , is used to probe the low-p T ( ℓ ℓ ) region in a complementary way. Dilepton masses up to 1Te V are investigated. Additionally, a measurement is performed requiring at least one jet in the final state. To benefit from partial cancellation of the systematic uncertainty, the ratios of the differential cross sections for various m ℓ ℓ ranges to those in the Z mass peak interval are presented. The collected data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 36.3fb - 1 of proton-proton collisions recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13Te V . Measurements are compared with predictions based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics, including soft-gluon resummation.

CMS pythia 8 colour reconnection tunes based on underlying-event data

New sets of parameter tunes for two of the colour reconnection models, quantum chromodynamics-inspired and gluon-move, implemented in the pythia  8 event generator, are obtained based on the default CMS pythia  8 underlying-event tune, CP5. Measurements sensitive to the underlying event performed by the CMS experiment at centre-of-mass energies s = 7 and 13Te V , and by the CDF experiment at 1.96Te V are used to constrain the parameters of colour reconnection models and multiple-parton interactions simultaneously. The new colour reconnection tunes are compared with various measurements at 1.96, 7, 8, and 13Te V including measurements of the underlying-event, strange-particle multiplicities, jet substructure observables, jet shapes, and colour flow in top quark pair (t t ¯ ) events. The new tunes are also used to estimate the uncertainty related to colour reconnection modelling in the top quark mass measurement using the decay products of t t ¯ events in the semileptonic channel at 13Te V .

Probing Heavy Majorana Neutrinos and the Weinberg Operator through Vector Boson Fusion Processes in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search exploiting the vector boson fusion process to probe heavy Majorana neutrinos and the Weinberg operator at the LHC is presented. The search is performed in the same-sign dimuon final state using a proton-proton collision dataset recorded at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, collected with the CMS detector and corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The results are found to agree with the predictions of the standard model. For heavy Majorana neutrinos, constraints on the squared mixing element between the muon and the heavy neutrino are derived in the heavy neutrino mass range 50 GeV-25 TeV; for masses above 650 GeV these are the most stringent constraints from searches at the LHC to date. A first test of the Weinberg operator at colliders provides an observed upper limit at 95% confidence level on the effective μμ Majorana neutrino mass of 10.8 GeV.

Search for light Higgs bosons from supersymmetric cascade decays in pp collisions at s=13TeV

A search is reported for pairs of light Higgs bosons (H 1 ) produced in supersymmetric cascade decays in final states with small missing transverse momentum. A data set of LHC pp collisions collected with the CMS detector at s = 13 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 is used. The search targets events where both H 1 bosons decay into pairs that are reconstructed as large-radius jets using substructure techniques. No evidence is found for an excess of events beyond the background expectations of the standard model (SM). Results from the search are interpreted in the next-to-minimal supersymmetric extension of the SM, where a "singlino" of small mass leads to squark and gluino cascade decays that can predominantly end in a highly Lorentz-boosted singlet-like H 1 and a singlino-like neutralino of small transverse momentum. Upper limits are set on the product of the squark or gluino pair production cross section and the square of the branching fraction of the H 1 in a benchmark model containing almost mass-degenerate gluinos and light-flavour squarks. Under the assumption of an SM-like branching fraction, H 1 bosons with masses in the range 40-120GeV arising from the decays of squarks or gluinos with a mass of 1200-2500GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level.

Measurement of the differential tt¯ production cross section as a function of the jet mass and extraction of the top quark mass in hadronic decays of boosted top quarks

A measurement of the jet mass distribution in hadronic decays of Lorentz-boosted top quarks is presented. The measurement is performed in the lepton + jets channel of top quark pair production (t t ¯ ) events, where the lepton is an electron or muon. The products of the hadronic top quark decay are reconstructed using a single large-radius jet with transverse momentum greater than 400Ge V . The data were collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 . The differential t t ¯ production cross section as a function of the jet mass is unfolded to the particle level and is used to extract the top quark mass. The jet mass scale is calibrated using the hadronic W boson decay within the large-radius jet. The uncertainties in the modelling of the final state radiation are reduced by studying angular correlations in the jet substructure. These developments lead to a significant increase in precision, and a top quark mass of 173.06 ± 0.84 Ge V .

Interaction-driven transport of dark excitons in 2D semiconductors with phonon-mediated optical readout

The growing field of quantum information technology requires propagation of information over long distances with efficient readout mechanisms. Excitonic quantum fluids have emerged as a powerful platform for this task due to their straightforward electro-optical conversion. In two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides, the coupling between spin and valley provides exciting opportunities for harnessing, manipulating, and storing bits of information. However, the large inhomogeneity of single layers cannot be overcome by the properties of bright excitons, hindering spin-valley transport. Nonetheless, the rich band structure supports dark excitonic states with strong binding energy and longer lifetime, ideally suited for long-range transport. Here we show that dark excitons can diffuse over several micrometers and prove that this repulsion-driven propagation is robust across non-uniform samples. The long-range propagation of dark states with an optical readout mediated by chiral phonons provides a new concept of excitonic devices for applications in both classical and quantum information technology.

Evaluation of a new smartphone-based digital stethoscope featuring phonocardiography and electrocardiography in dogs and cats

This study assessed a new smartphone-based digital stethoscope (DS) featuring simultaneous phonocardiographic and one-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) recording in dogs and cats. The audio files and ECG traces obtained by the device were compared with conventional auscultation and standard ECG. A total of 99 dogs and nine cats were prospectively included. All cases underwent conventional auscultation using an acoustic stethoscope, standard six-lead ECG, standard echocardiography and recordings with the DS. All the audio recordings, phonocardiographic files and ECG traces were then blind reviewed by an expert operator. The agreement between methods was assessed using Cohen's kappa and the Bland-Altman test. Audio recordings were considered interpretable in 90% animals. Substantial agreement was found in the diagnosis of heart murmur (κ = 0.691) and gallop sound (k = 0.740). In nine animals with an echocardiographic diagnosis of heart disease, only the DS detected a heart murmur or gallop sound. ECG traces recorded with the new device were deemed interpretable in 88 % animals. Diagnosis of heart rhythm showed moderate agreement in the identification of atrial fibrillation (k = 0.596). The detection of ventricular premature complexes and bundle branch blocks revealed an almost perfect agreement (k = 1). Overall, the DS showed a good diagnostic accuracy in detecting heart murmurs, gallop sounds, ventricular premature complexes and bundle branch blocks. A clinically relevant overdiagnosis of atrial fibrillation was found but without evidence of false negatives. The DS could represent a useful screening tool for heart sound abnormalities and cardiac arrhythmias..

Prognostic relevance of left cardiac enlargement in dogs with preclinical myxomatous mitral valve disease

INTRODUCTION

According to the most recent consensus guidelines on canine myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD), dogs with only left atrial enlargement (LAE) or left ventricular enlargement are classified as stage B1. The concomitant presence of LAE and left ventricular enlargement is needed to be classified as stage B2. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the prognosis in stage B1 and stage B2 according to the revised definition. The secondary aim was to assess the prognostic relevance of LAE in stage B1.

ANIMALS

A total of 440 dogs with MMVD, 276 in stage B1 and 164 in stage B2.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Retrospective and observational study. The left atrium-to-aorta ratio and the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter normalized were used to define cardiac dimensions. The long-term outcome was assessed by telephone interviews with owners and referring vets. Both cardiac-related and all-cause mortality were evaluated.

RESULTS

Stage B1 dogs had a longer median survival time than stage B2, considering both cardiac-related death (2344 vs. 1341 days; P<0.001) and all-cause mortality (1832 vs. 855 days; P<0.001). Age, left atrium-to-aorta ratio, and the left ventricular end-diastolic diameter normalized were independent predictors of cardiac-related death and all-cause mortality. Among stage B1, dogs with LAE lived shorter than those without LAE (1183 vs. 1882 days; P=0.005) considering all-cause mortality.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Stage B1 dogs lived longer than stage B2 dogs. Among stage B1, LAE had prognostic relevance considering all-cause mortality. This finding could add useful prognostic information in the management of preclinical MMVD.

Conceptual design of a GEM (gas electron multiplier) based gas Cherenkov detector for measurement of 17 MeV gamma rays from T(D, γ)5He in magnetic confinement fusion plasmas

The only method for assessing the fusion power throughput of a deuterium-tritium (DT) reactor presently relies on determining the absolute number of 14 MeV neutrons produced in the DT plasma. An independent method, developed and investigated during the recent DT campaign at the Joint European Torus, is based on the absolute counting of 17 MeV gamma rays produced by the competing T(D, γ)⁵He reaction that features a very weak branching ratio (about 3-6 × 10^-6) when compared to the main T(D, n)⁴He reaction. The state-of-the-art spectrometer used for gamma-ray measurements in magnetic confinement fusion plasmas is LaBr₃(Ce) scintillator detectors, although they require significant neutron shielding to extract a relatively weak gamma-ray signal from a much more abundant neutron field. A better approach relies on a gamma-ray detector that is intrinsically insensitive to neutrons. We have advanced the design of a gamma-ray counter based on the Cherenkov effect for gamma-rays whose energy exceeds 11 MeV, optimized to work in the neutron-rich environment of a steady-state, magnetically confined fusion plasma device. The gamma-rays interact with an aluminum window and extract electrons that move into the radiator emitting photons via the Cherenkov effect. Since the Cherenkov light consists of few photons (25 on average) in the far UV band (100-200 nm), a pre-amplifier is required to transport the photons to the neutron-shielded location, which may be a few meters away, where the readout elements of the detector, either a silicon or standard photomultiplier tube, are placed. The present work focuses on the development of a scintillating GEM (Gas Electron Multiplier) based pre-amplifier that acts as a Cherenkov photon pre-amplifier and wavelength shifter. This paper presents the result of a set of Garfield++ simulations developed to find the optimal GEM working parameters. A photon gain of 100 is obtained by biasing a single GEM foil to 1 kV.

A high-resolution neutron spectroscopic camera for the SPARC tokamak based on the Jet European Torus deuterium-tritium experience

Dedicated nuclear diagnostics have been designed, developed, and built within EUROFUSION enhancement programs in the last ten years for installation at the Joint European Torus and capable of operation in high power Deuterium-Tritium (DT) plasmas. The recent DT Experiment campaign, called DTE2, has been successfully carried out in the second half of 2021 and provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the performance of the new nuclear diagnostics and for an understanding of their behavior in the record high 14 MeV neutron yields (up to 4.7 × 10¹⁸ n/s) and total number of neutrons (up to 2 × 10¹⁹ n) achieved on a tokamak. In this work, we will focus on the 14 MeV high resolution neutron spectrometers based on artificial diamonds which, for the first time, have extensively been used to measure 14 MeV DT neutron spectra with unprecedented energy resolution (Full Width at Half Maximum of ≈1% at 14 MeV). The work will describe their long-term stability and operation over the DTE2 campaign as well as their performance as neutron spectrometers in terms of achieved energy resolution and high rate capability. This important experience will be used to outline the concept of a spectroscopic neutron camera for the SPARC tokamak. The proposed neutron camera will be the first one to feature the dual capability to measure (i) the 2.5 and 14 MeV neutron emissivity profile via the conventional neutron detectors based on liquid or plastics scintillators and (ii) the 14 MeV neutron spectral emission via the use of high-resolution diamond-based spectrometers. The new opportunities opened by the spectroscopic neutron camera to measure plasma parameters will be discussed.

Ultra-processed food intake is associated with worse mental health in Southern Italian individuals

Background

A growing body of literature suggests that inclusion of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) in the diet may be associated with various non-communicable diseases, including obesity, cardiometabolic diseases, and increased mortality. However, one of the most underrated research topics is represented by the potential role of diet for mental disorders. The aim of this study was to explore whether there was an association between UPF consumption and mental health outcomes in a cohort of southern Italian individuals.

Methods

Demographic and dietary data from 1572 adults living in southern Italy was collected. Food items were categorized by the level of processing according to the NOVA classification. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between UPF intake and mental health outcomes, including sleep quality and depressive symptoms.

Results

Individuals in the highest quintile of UPF intake were more likely to have low sleep quality compared to those with the least intake (OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.02-2.34). Among the main component of sleep quality, high UPF intake was associated with sleep latency and efficacy individually. No apparent associations were found between UPF intake and depressive symptoms. However, when considering different age groups, younger individuals (age &lt;40 y) consuming more UPF were more likely to have depressive symptoms than low consumers (OR = 3.50, 95% CI: 1.53-7.99).

Conclusions

These findings show a potential association between UPF consumption and mental health outcomes. Further studies are needed to understand whether the retrieved relation depends on alteration of the physiological feeding patterns leading to food-anticipatory and binge-type behaviors or on nutritional (i.e., high sugars and unhealthy fats) and non-nutritional factors (i.e., additives) triggering pro-inflammatory pathways.

Key messages

• Ultra-processed food consumption is associated with worse sleep quality and depressive symptoms in Italian adults.

• The detrimental associations between ultra-processed food consumption and depressive symptoms seem stronger among younger individuals.

Key messages of the WHO European Regional Obesity Report

Obesity is a complex multifactorial disease defined by excessive adiposity and is linked to an increased risk for many noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Overweight and obesity affect almost 60% of adults and nearly one in three children in the WHO European Region. Recent estimates suggest that overweight and obesity is the fourth most common risk factor for NCDs in the Region, after high blood pressure, dietary risks and tobacco. It is also the leading risk factor for disability and obesity is linked to greater morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. And obesity is considered a cause of at least 13 different types of cancer including cancers of the breast, colorectum, kidney, liver and ovary, multiple myeloma and meningioma. None of the countries in the Region are on track to achieve the obesity related target set in 2013. Early studies from a number of countries in the Region indicate that the prevalence of overweight and obesity and/or mean body mass index has increased in children and adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. This latest WHO European report on obesity examines the growing challenge and impact of obesity in the Region, building on past publications and aligning with initiatives to tackle cancer. The report focuses on managing obesity throughout the life course and tackling obesogenic environments; it also considers more recent challenges, including problematic digital marketing to children and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on obesity prevalence. Policy options to prevent obesity are outlined for consideration by Member States together with a suite of population-level approaches. The report highlights the importance of including prevention and control of obesity within measures to build back better in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst highlighting that single intervention will not be sufficient in any country, it examines the challenges faced by countries to implement known interventions to tackle obesity.

Nutritional and non-nutritional dietary factors affecting obesity and chronic related disorders

There is convincing evidence that diet quality represents one of the most important public health targets to prevent non-communicable diseases. Dietary risks alone have been estimated to be responsible for about 10 million deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and certain cancers worldwide, with trends not expected to decrease. Results from meta-reviews and expert assessments are quite in line with robust key messages to deliver to the general public. From a nutritional point of view, lack of fibre, vitamins and antioxidants, and unsaturated fatty acids together with high content in free added sugars, sodium, and saturated/trans fats represent key features for unhealthy dietary patterns and are responsible for most diet-related non-communicable diseases. While the role of animal-derived foods is still controversial due to the registered excess consumption and the environmental impact, a general low intake of plant-derived foods remains a major detrimental factor for health. The concept of diet quality should thus overcome the over simplistic calorie-count when coming to prevent obesity and related non-communicable diseases, while an adequate communication on this matter to the public is highly warrant. Together with these general dietary recommendations relying on nutritional aspects affecting human health, emerging evidence is now also exploring the role of non-nutritional dietary factors. The level of processing, the alteration of the food matrix, the presence of additives (such as flavor enhancers, colorants, emulsifiers, artificial sweeteners, thickeners, foaming/anti-foaming agents, and preservatives) have been demonstrated to play a role in metabolic health and inflammatory-related disorders. These aspects are currently under investigation, but they might represent an underrated concern for public health due to the food market drive and a perfect fit into the obesogenic modern society.

A new dedicated signal processing system for gamma-ray spectrometers in high power deuterium-tritium plasma scenarios in tokamaks

The most performant deuterium-tritium (DT) plasma discharges realized by the Joint European Torus (JET) tokamak in the recent DT campaign have produced neutron yields on the order of 10¹⁸ n/s. At such high neutron yields, gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements with scintillators are challenging as events from the neutron-induced background often dominate over the signal, leading to a significant fraction of pileup events and instability of the photodetector gain along with the consequent degradation of the reconstructed spectrum. Here, we describe the solutions adopted for the tangential lanthanum bromide spectrometer installed at JET. A data acquisition system with free streaming mode digitization capabilities for the entire duration of the discharge has been used to solve dead-time related issues and a data reconstruction code with pileup recovery and photodetector gain drift restoration has been implemented for off-line analysis of the data. This work focuses on the acquired data storage and parsing, with a detailed explanation of the pileup recovery and gain drift restoration algorithms.

Search for Higgs Boson Pair Production in the Four b Quark Final State in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for pairs of Higgs bosons produced via gluon and vector boson fusion is presented, focusing on the four b quark final state. The data sample consists of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. No deviation from the background-only hypothesis is observed. A 95% confidence level upper limit on the Higgs boson pair production cross section is observed at 3.9 times the standard model prediction for an expected value of 7.8. Constraints are also set on the modifiers of the Higgs field self-coupling, κ_{λ}, and of the coupling of two Higgs bosons to two vector bosons, κ_{2 V}. The observed (expected) allowed intervals at the 95% confidence level are -2.3<κ_{λ}<9.4 (-5.0<κ_{λ}<12.0) and -0.1<κ_{2 V}<2.2 (-0.4<κ_{2 V}<2.5). These are the most stringent observed constraints to date on the HH production cross section and on the κ_{2 V } coupling.

Search for Flavor-Changing Neutral Current Interactions of the Top Quark and Higgs Boson in Final States with Two Photons in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

Proton-proton interactions resulting in final states with two photons are studied in a search for the signature of flavor-changing neutral current interactions of top quarks (t) and Higgs bosons (H). The analysis is based on data collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137  fb^{-1}. No significant excess above the background prediction is observed. Upper limits on the branching fractions (B) of the top quark decaying to a Higgs boson and an up (u) or charm (c) quark are derived through a binned fit to the diphoton invariant mass spectrum. The observed (expected) 95% confidence level upper limits are found to be 0.019% (0.031%) for B(t→Hu) and 0.073% (0.051%) for B(t→Hc). These are the strictest upper limits yet determined.

A portrait of the Higgs boson by the CMS experiment ten years after the discovery

In July 2012, the ATLAS and CMS collaborations at the CERN Large Hadron Collider announced the observation of a Higgs boson at a mass of around 125 gigaelectronvolts. Ten years later, and with the data corresponding to the production of a 30-times larger number of Higgs bosons, we have learnt much more about the properties of the Higgs boson. The CMS experiment has observed the Higgs boson in numerous fermionic and bosonic decay channels, established its spin-parity quantum numbers, determined its mass and measured its production cross-sections in various modes. Here the CMS Collaboration reports the most up-to-date combination of results on the properties of the Higgs boson, including the most stringent limit on the cross-section for the production of a pair of Higgs bosons, on the basis of data from proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 teraelectronvolts. Within the uncertainties, all these observations are compatible with the predictions of the standard model of elementary particle physics. Much evidence points to the fact that the standard model is a low-energy approximation of a more comprehensive theory. Several of the standard model issues originate in the sector of Higgs boson physics. An order of magnitude larger number of Higgs bosons, expected to be examined over the next 15 years, will help deepen our understanding of this crucial sector.

Observation of the B_{c}^{+} Meson in Pb-Pb and pp Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV and Measurement of its Nuclear Modification Factor

The B_{c}^{+} meson is observed for the first time in heavy ion collisions. Data from the CMS detector are used to study the production of the B_{c}^{+} meson in lead-lead (Pb-Pb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, via the B_{c}^{+}→(J/ψ→μ^{+}μ^{-})μ^{+}ν_{μ} decay. The B_{c}^{+} nuclear modification factor, derived from the Pb-Pb-to-pp ratio of production cross sections, is measured in two bins of the trimuon transverse momentum and of the Pb-Pb collision centrality. The B_{c}^{+} meson is shown to be less suppressed than quarkonia and most of the open heavy-flavor mesons, suggesting that effects of the hot and dense nuclear matter created in heavy ion collisions contribute to its production. This measurement sets forth a promising new probe of the interplay of suppression and enhancement mechanisms in the production of heavy-flavor mesons in the quark-gluon plasma.

POS0747 ANTI-PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE/PROTHROMBIN ANTIBODIES AND VASCULAR EVENTS ASSOCIATE POSITIVELY WITH HLA-DRB1*13 AND NEGATIVELY WITH HLA-DRB1*03 IN SLE

Background

Anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies (anti-PS/PT) associate with thrombotic events (1). HLA-DRB1 alleles contribute to the occurrence of conventional antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), including anti-beta2glycoprotein-I (beta2GPI) and anti-cardiolipin (CL) (2).

Objectives

We investigated associations between anti-PS/PT and HLA-DRB1 alleles and thrombosis in patients with SLE. Conventional aPL were included for comparison.

Methods

We included 341 consecutive Swedish SLE patients, with information on general cardiovascular risk factors, including blood lipids, lupus anticoagulant (LAC) and thrombotic events. Anti-PS/PT, anti-beta2GPI and anti-CL of IgA/G/M isotypes were quantified in parallel using particle-based multi-analyte technology. The 99th percentiles among 162 age- and sex-matched populations controls were used as cutoffs. HLA-DRB1 typing was performed using sequence-specific primer PCR.

Results

Anti-PS/PT antibodies associated positively with HLA-DRB1*13 (odds ratio [OR] 2.7, P=0.002), whereas anti-beta2GPI and anti-CL antibodies associated primarily with HLA-DRB1*04 (OR 2.5, P=0.0005; Table 1). These associations remained after adjustment for other significant HLA-DRB1 alleles identified in Table 1 (Figure 1a and b) also for LAC (Figure 1c), and also after adjustment for age and gender (not shown). HLA-DRB1*13, but not DRB1*04, remained as an independent risk factor for thrombosis after adjustment for significant HLA alleles (Figure 1d), and also after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors in stepwise regression (not shown). Mediation analysis showed that 31.3% of the HLA-DRB1*13-related risk for thrombosis was mediated by anti-PS/PT positivity. HLA-DRB1*03, on the other hand, associated negatively with thrombotic events (Figure 1d) as well as with all aPL (Figure 1a-c). HLA-DRB1*03 had thrombo-protective effect in aPL positive patients (Figure 1d). Additionally, HLA-DRB1*03 positivity was associated with a favourable lipid profile regarding high-density lipoprotein (median 1.4 vs. 1.2 mmol/L, p=0.02) and triglycerides (median 0.9 vs 1.1 mmol/L, p=0.04); whereas no other HLA-DRB1 alleles showed any associations to lipid levels.

Table 1.

Frequency of individual HLA DRB1 and associations with antibody phenotypes. Odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI) for being antibody positive given a specific HLA allele and corresponding p values were calculated using Chi2 tests, with significant associations underlined.

HLA DRB1HLA-DRB1 n (%) total patientsAnti-PS/PT positive (any isotype) n=48OR (95%CI); PAnti-β2GPI or anti-CL positive (any isotype) n=96OR (95%CI); P*0141 (12.9%)4 (8.3%)0.6 (0.2-1.7); 0.311 (11.4%)0.8 (0.4-1.7); 0.6*03147 (46.5%)13 (27.1%)0.4 (0.2-0.7); 0.00433 (34.4%)0.5 (0.3-0.8); 0.006*0494 (29.7%)18 (37.5%)1.6 (0.8-2.9); 0.241 (42.7%)2.5 (1.5-4.1); 0.0005*0728 (8.9%)6 (12.5%)1.5 (0.6-4); 0.49 (9.4%)1 (0.4-2.4); 0.9*0828 (8.9%)6 (12.5%)1.6 (0.6-4.3); 0.39 (9.4%)1.2 (0.5-2.7); 0.7*099 (2.8%)1 (2.1%)0.7 (0.1-5.5); 0.72 (2.1%)0.6 (0.1-3.0); 0.5*107 (2.2%)0 (0)NA2 (2.1%)0.9 (0.2-4.6); 0.9*1127 (8.5%)6 (12.5%)1.6 (0.6-4.3); 0.38 (8.3%)0.9 (0.4-2.2); 0.8*127 (2.2%)0 (0)NA1 (1%)0.4 (0.05-3.7); 0.4*1379 (25%)21 (43.7%)2.7 (1.4-5.2); 0.00233 (34.3%)2 (1.2-3.4%); 0.01*146 (1.9%)2 (4.2%)3.7 (0.6-23); 0.12 (2.1%)1.4 (0.2-8.9); 0.8*15118 (37.3%)12 (48%)0.5 (0.2-0.9); 0.04527 (28.1%)0.5 (0.3-0.9); 0.01*168 (2.5%)1 (2.1%)0.8 (0.09-6.4); 0.84 (4.2%)2.2 (0.5-9.2); 0.2

Conclusion

HLA-DRB1*13 confers risk for both anti-PS/PT and thrombotic events in SLE. The association between HLA-DRB1*13 and thrombosis is largely, but not entirely, mediated through anti-PS/PT. Due to the negative association of HLA-DRB1*03 with aPL and the positive association with favourable lipid levels, HLA-DRB1*03 seems to identify a subgroup of SLE patients with reduced vascular risk.

References

[1]Elbagir S et al. Lupus 2021;30(8):1289.

[2]Lundström E et al. Ann Rheum Dis 2013;72:1018.

Disclosure of Interests

Sahwa Elbagir: None declared, Lina M. Diaz-Gallo: None declared, Giorgia Grosso: None declared, Agneta Zickert: None declared, Iva Gunnarsson: None declared, Michael Mahler Employee of: Dr Mahler is employee of Werfen., Elisabet Svenungsson Speakers bureau: Dr Svennungson has obtained speaker’s fees from Janssen., Grant/research support from: Dr Svennungson has obtained research grant from Merck., Johan Rönnelid Speakers bureau: Dr Rönnelid has given paid lectures for Thermo Fisher Scientific., Consultant of: Dr Rönnelid has been a member of the Scientific Advisory Board for Thermo Fisher Scientific.

AB0286 BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF OLIVES AND OLIVE OIL CONSUMPTION ON RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DISEASE ACTIVITY

Background

The main goal for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is to control symptoms to reach clinical remission or low disease activity as the best possible alternative [1]. Although the number of available therapeutic options, a substantial proportion of patients remain symptomatic. Recent EULAR recommendations [2] shift focus to lifestyle interventions whose concurrent approach could help in controlling potential inflammatory triggers. In this context, olives and olive oil have beneficial properties on health mainly attributed to their high monounsaturated fatty acid content, and to the presence of phenolic compounds. To our knowledge, very few studies addressed the anti-inflammatory effects related to olives and olive oil consumption on RA disease activity.

Objectives

To study the attitude of consumption of olives and olive oil in RA patients from northern Italy, and to assess the effect on disease activity.

Methods

In this observational cross-sectional study, all consecutive adult RA with disease duration ≥ 3 months were enrolled. Disease Activity Score on 28 joints (DAS28-CRP), Simple Disease Activity Index (SDAI) were recorded. Dietary habits in the previous six months were collected with a with a 110-item food frequency questionnaire. In this analysis, we focus on olive oil consumption with original response categories ranging from “never” to “more than 2 times per day” (in spoon units). We created a food group composed by olive oil, black and green olives (frequencies/day). Olive oil consumption was entered as the independent variable into multiple regression models. When disease activity was entered in continuous in the regression models, we estimated the effect on a 1-point increment/decrease in RA disease activity. When disease activity was modeled as a dichotomous variable, we estimated the odds ratios (ORs) of disease activity and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) within unconditional multiple logistic regression models. We included in each model the potential confounding variables: age, sex, education, body mass index (BMI), cigarette smoking status, alcohol drinking intensity, disease duration, rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), and therapies.

Results

365 RA patients (median age: 58.46 years, 78.63% females) were included. Most of the patients (60.55%) finished the high school and/or the university. The median BMI was 23.63 (IQR: 21.00-26.78) Kg/m2; never smokers or drinkers were 51.64% and 29.04%, respectively. The median disease duration was 12.81 (IQR: 8.08-20.72) years, with RF positivity being 53.70% and ACPA positivity 50.96%. Disease activity measures DAS28-CRP and SDAI showed medians of 2.21 (IQR: 1.613.02) and 6.30 (IQR: 3.01-11.81), with high disease activity present in 3.84% and 5.75% of the sample, respectively. Major comorbidities included arterial hypertension (33.42%), gastro-esophageal reflux (19.18%), and gastritis (8.77%). After adjustment for the mentioned confounding factors, the ORs (and the corresponding 95% confidence interval) of RA disease activity was equal to 0.78 (95% CI: 0.76-1.31) for DAS28-CRP and to 0.76 (95% CI: 0.75-1.34) for SDAI, suggesting significant protection of about ~20% for both outcomes. Similarly, robust regression models for estimating the increment in the mean outcome disease activity scores, DAS28-CRP and SDAI in continuous, provided beta coefficients equal to -0.17 (Standard Error, SE: 0.06) with a p-value equal to 0.06 for DAS28-CRP and a beta coefficient of -1.13 (SE: 0.37) with a p-value equal to 0.04.

Conclusion

Increasing frequency of consumption of a food group composed by olive oil, black and green olives is significantly associated to a lower risk of disease activity, as measured by both DAS28-CRP and SDAI, after adjustment for socio-demographic factors, therapy, disease duration and severity. Robust regression models allowed to quantify the mean reduction of DAS28-CRP in 0.17 points and that of SDAI in 1.13 points.

References

[1]Ann Rheum Dis 2020;79:685–699.

[2]Ann Rheum Dis 2021;80:1278-1285

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the RANDIE study group

Disclosure of Interests

Francesca Ingegnoli: None declared, Roberta De Vito: None declared, Roberto Caporali Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Amgen, BMS, Celltrion, Galapagos, Lilly, Pfizer, Fresenius-Kabi, MSD, UCB, Roche,Janssen, Novartis, Sandoz, Consultant of: Abbvie, Amgen, BMS, Celltrion, Galapagos, Lilly, Pfizer, MSD, UCB, Janssen, Novartis, Sandoz, Maria Parpinel: None declared, Giuseppe Grosso: None declared, Monica Ferraroni: None declared, Valeria Edefonti: None declared

Observation of B 0 → ψ (2S)K S 0 π + π - and B s 0 → ψ (2S)K S 0 decays

Using a data sample of s = 13 TeV proton-proton collisions collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2017 and 2018 with an integrated luminosity of 103 fb - 1 , the B s 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 and B 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 π + π - decays are observed with significances exceeding 5 standard deviations. The resulting branching fraction ratios, measured for the first time, correspond to B ( B s 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 ) / B ( B 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 ) = ( 3.33 ± 0.69 ( stat ) ± 0.11 ( syst ) ± 0.34 ( f s / f d ) ) × 10 - 2 and B ( B 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 π + π - ) / B ( B 0 → ψ ( 2S ) K S 0 ) = 0.480 ± 0.013 ( stat ) ± 0.032 ( syst ) , where the last uncertainty in the first ratio is related to the uncertainty in the ratio of production cross sections of B s 0 and B 0 mesons, f s / f d .

Visualization of Dark Excitons in Semiconductor Monolayers for High-Sensitivity Strain Sensing

Transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are layered materials that have a semiconducting phase with many advantageous optoelectronic properties, including tightly bound excitons and spin-valley locking. In tungsten-based TMDs, spin- and momentum-forbidden transitions give rise to dark excitons that typically are optically inaccessible but represent the lowest excitonic states of the system. Dark excitons can deeply affect the transport, dynamics, and coherence of bright excitons, hampering device performance. Therefore, it is crucial to create conditions in which these excitonic states can be visualized and controlled. Here, we show that compressive strain in WS₂ enables phonon scattering of photoexcited electrons between momentum valleys, enhancing the formation of dark intervalley excitons. We show that the emission and spectral properties of momentum-forbidden excitons are accessible and strongly depend on the local strain environment that modifies the band alignment. This mechanism is further exploited for strain sensing in two-dimensional semiconductors, revealing a gauge factor exceeding 10⁴.

Measurement of the Inclusive and Differential Higgs Boson Production Cross Sections in the Decay Mode to a Pair of τ Leptons in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

Measurements of the inclusive and differential fiducial cross sections of the Higgs boson are presented, using the τ lepton decay channel. The differential cross sections are measured as functions of the Higgs boson transverse momentum, jet multiplicity, and transverse momentum of the leading jet in the event, if any. The analysis is performed using proton-proton collision data collected with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13  TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. These are the first differential measurements of the Higgs boson cross section in the final state of two τ leptons. In final states with a large jet multiplicity or with a Lorentz-boosted Higgs boson, these measurements constitute a significant improvement over measurements performed in other final states.

Search for long-lived particles decaying to leptons with large impact parameter in proton-proton collisions at s = 13 Te

A search for new long-lived particles decaying to leptons using proton-proton collision data produced by the CERN LHC at s = 13 Te is presented. Events are selected with two leptons (an electron and a muon, two electrons, or two muons) that both have transverse impact parameter values between 0.01 and 10 cm and are not required to form a common vertex. Data used for the analysis were collected with the CMS detector in 2016, 2017, and 2018, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 118 (113) fb - 1 in the e e channel ( e μ and μ μ channels). The search is designed to be sensitive to a wide range of models with displaced e μ , e e , and μ μ final states. The results constrain several well-motivated models involving new long-lived particles that decay to displaced leptons. For some areas of the available phase space, these are the most stringent constraints to date.