Abstract: This paper describes a search for the single production of an up-type vector-like quark (T) decaying as T -> Ht or T -> Zt. The search utilises a dataset of pp collisions at root s = 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector during the 2015-2018 data-taking period of the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb(-1). Data are analysed in final states containing a single lepton with multiple jets and b-jets. The presence of boosted heavy resonances in the event is exploited to discriminate the signal from the Standard Model background. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed, and 95% CL upper limits are set on the production cross section of T quarks in different decay channels. The results are interpreted in several benchmark scenarios to set limits on the mass and universal coupling strength (kappa) of the vector-like quark. For singlet T quarks, kappa values above 0.53 are excluded for all masses below 2.3 TeV. At a mass of 1.6 TeV, kappa values as low as 0.35 are excluded. For T quarks in the doublet scenario, where the production cross section is much lower, kappa values above 0.72 are excluded for all masses below 1.7 TeV, and this exclusion is extended to kappa above 0.55 for low masses around 1.0 TeV.

Abstract: The energies and widths of several D-0 meson bound states for different nuclei are obtained using a D-meson selfenergy in the nuclear medium, which is evaluated in a selfconsistent manner using techniques of unitarized coupled-channel theory. The kernel of the meson-baryon interaction is based on a model that treats heavy pseudoscalar and heavy vector mesons on equal footing, as required by heavy quark symmetry. We find D-0 bound states in all studied nuclei, from C-12 up to Pb-208. The inclusion of vector mesons is the keystone for obtaining an attractive D-nucleus interaction that leads to the existence of D-0-nucleus bound states, as compared to previous studies based on SU(4) flavor symmetry. In some cases, the half widths are smaller than the separation of the levels, what makes possible their experimental observation by means of a nuclear reaction. This can be of particular interest for the future PANDA@FAIR physics program. We also find a D+ bound state in C-12, but it is too broad and will have a significant overlap with the energies of the continuum.

Abstract: Strong decays of X(3915) are analyzed from two quark model descriptions of X(3915), a conventional one in terms of the Cornell potential and an unconventional one from a generalized screened potential. We conclude that the experimental suppression of the OZI allowed decay X(3915) -> D (D) over bar might be explained in both cases due to the momentum dependence of the decay amplitude. However, the experimental significance of the OZI forbidden decay X(3915) -> omega J/psi could favor an unconventional description.

Abstract: We study the effect of squark generation mixing on squark production and decays at LHC in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM). We show that the effect can be very large despite the very strong constraints on quark-flavour violation (QFV) from experimental data on B mesons. We find that the two lightest up-type squarks (u) over bar (1.2) can have large branching ratios for the decays into c (chi) over bar (0)(1) and t (chi) over bar (0)(1) at the same time due to squark generation mixing, leading to QFV signals 'pp -> c (t) over bar (t (c) over bar) + missing-E-T + X' with a significant rate. The observation of this remarkable signature would provide a powerful test of supersymmetric QFV at LHC. This could have a significant impact on the search for squarks and the determination of the underlying MSSM parameters.

Abstract: We determine the bottom quark mass from non-relativistic large-n gamma sum rules with renormalization group improvement at next-to-next-to-leading logarithmic order. We compute the theoretical moments within the vNRQCD formalism and account for the summation of powers of the Coulomb singularities as well as of logarithmic terms proportional to powers of alpha(s) ln(n). The renormalization group improvement leads to a substantial stabilization of the theoretical moments compared to previous fixed-order analyses, which did not account for the systematic treatment of the logarithmic alpha(s) ln(n) terms, and allows for reliable single moment fits. For the current world average of the strong coupling (alpha(s) (M-Z) = 0.1183 +/- 0.0010) we obtain M-b(1S) = 4.755 +/- 0.057(pert) +/- 0.009 alpha(s) +/- 0.003(exp) GeV for the bottom 1S mass and (m) over bar (b) ((m) over bar (b)) = 4.235 +/- 0.055(pert) +/- 0.003(exp) GeV for the bottom (MS) over bar mass, where we have quoted the perturbative error and the uncertainties from the strong coupling and the experimental data.