Abstract: We evaluate the partial decay widths for the semileptonic Lambda(b) -> (nu) over bar (l) l Lambda(c)(2595) and Lambda(b) -> (nu) over bar (l)l Lambda(c)(2625) decays from the perspective that these two Lambda(c)* resonances are dynamically generated from the DN and D*N interaction with coupled channels. We find that the ratio of the rates obtained for these two reactions is compatible with present experimental data and is very sensitive to the D*N coupling, which becomes essential to obtain agreement with experiment. Together with the results obtained for the Lambda(b) -> pi(-)Lambda(c)* reactions, it gives strong support to the molecular picture of the two Lambda(c)* resonances arid the important role of the DN component neglected in prior studies of the Lambda(c)(2595) from the molecular perspective.

Abstract: Neutron-rich Ba isotopes are expected to exhibit octupolar correlations, reaching their maximum in isotopes around mass A = 146. The odd-A neutron-rich members of this isotopic chain show typical patterns related to non-axially symmetric shapes, which are however less marked compared to even-A ones, pointing to a major contribution from vibrations. In the present paper we present results from a recent study focused on Cs148-150 beta-decay performed at the ISOLDE Decay Station equipped with fast-timing detectors. A detailed analysis of the measured decay half-lives and decay scheme of Ba-149 is presented, giving a first insight in the structure of this neutron-rich nucleus.

Abstract: In this paper, we study off-shell currents built from the Jacobi identity of the kinematic numerators of gg -> X with X = ss, q (q) over bar, gg. We find that these currents can be schematically written in terms of three-point interaction Feynman rules. This representation allows for a straightforward understanding of the Colour-Kinematics duality as well as for the construction of the building blocks for the generation of higher-multiplicity tree-level and multi-loop numerators. We also provide one-loop integral relations through the Loop-Tree duality formalism with potential applications and advantages for the computation of relevant physical processes at the Large Hadron Collider. We illustrate these integral relations with the explicit examples of QCD one-loop numerators of gg -> ss.

Abstract: We present a lattice calculation of the masses and decay constants of D-(s)* and B-(s)* mesons using the gauge configurations produced by the European Twisted Mass Collaboration (ETMC) with N-f=2+1+1 dynamical quarks at three values of the lattice spacing a similar to(0.06-0.09) fm. Pion masses are simulated in the range M-pi similar or equal to(210-450) MeV, while the strange and charm sea-quark masses are close to their physical values. We compute the ratios of vector to pseudoscalar masses and decay constants for various values of the heavy-quark mass mh in the range 0.7m(c)(phys) less than or similar to m(h) less than or similar to 3m(c)(phys). In order to reach the physical b-quark mass, we exploit the Heavy Quark Effective Theory prediction that, in the static limit of infinite heavy-quark mass, the considered ratios are equal to one. At the physical point our results are: M-D*/M-D=1.0769(79), M-D*(s)/M-Ds=1.0751(56), f(D)*/f(D)=1.078(36), f(D)*s/f(Ds)=1.087(20), M-B*/M-B=1.0078(15), M-B*(s)/M-Bs=1.0083(10), f(B)*/f(B)=0.958(22) and f(B)*s/f(Bs)=0.974(10). Combining them with the experimental values of the pseudoscalar meson masses (used as input to fix the quark masses) and the values of the pseudoscalar decay constants calculated by ETMC, we get: M-D*=2013(14) MeV, M-D*(s)=2116(11) MeV, f(D)*=223.5(8.4) MeV, f(D)*(s)=268.8(6.6) MeV, M-B*=5320.5(7.6) MeV, M-B*(s)=5411.36(5.3) MeV, f(B)*=185.9(7.2) MeV and f(B)*(s)=223.1(5.4) MeV.

Abstract: PurposeA joint working group was created by the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO), and the Australasian Brachytherapy Group (ABG) with the charge, among others, to develop a set of well-defined test case plans and perform calculations and comparisons with model-based dose calculation algorithms (MBDCAs). Its main goal is to facilitate a smooth transition from the AAPM Task Group No. 43 (TG-43) dose calculation formalism, widely being used in clinical practice for brachytherapy, to the one proposed by Task Group No. 186 (TG-186) for MBDCAs. To do so, in this work a hypothetical, generic high-dose rate (HDR) Ir-192 shielded applicator has been designed and benchmarked. MethodsA generic HDR Ir-192 shielded applicator was designed based on three commercially available gynecological applicators as well as a virtual cubic water phantom that can be imported into any DICOM-RT compatible treatment planning system (TPS). The absorbed dose distribution around the applicator with the TG-186 Ir-192 source located at one dwell position at its center was computed using two commercial TPSs incorporating MBDCAs (Oncentra((R)) Brachy with Advanced Collapsed-cone Engine, ACE, and BrachyVision ACUROS) and state-of-the-art Monte Carlo (MC) codes, including ALGEBRA, BrachyDose, egs_brachy, Geant4, MCNP6, and Penelope2008. TPS-based volumetric dose distributions for the previously reported source centered in water and source displaced test cases, and the new source centered in applicator test case, were analyzed here using the MCNP6 dose distribution as a reference. Volumetric dose comparisons of TPS results against results for the other MC codes were also performed. Distributions of local and global dose difference ratios are reported. ResultsThe local dose differences among MC codes are comparable to the statistical uncertainties of the reference datasets for the source centered in water and source displaced test cases and for the clinically relevant part of the unshielded volume in the source centered in applicator case. Larger local differences appear in the shielded volume or at large distances. Considering clinically relevant regions, global dose differences are smaller than the local ones. The most disadvantageous case for the MBDCAs is the one including the shielded applicator. In this case, ACUROS agrees with MC within [-4.2%, +4.2%] for the majority of voxels (95%) while presenting dose differences within [-0.12%, +0.12%] of the dose at a clinically relevant reference point. For ACE, 95% of the total volume presents differences with respect to MC in the range [-1.7%, +0.4%] of the dose at the reference point. ConclusionsThe combination of the generic source and generic shielded applicator, together with the previously developed test cases and reference datasets (available in the Brachytherapy Source Registry), lay a solid foundation in supporting uniform commissioning procedures and direct comparisons among treatment planning systems for HDR Ir-192 brachytherapy.