Abstract: We measure the time-dependent CP asymmetry in the radiative-penguin decay B-0 -> K-S(0)pi(-)pi(+)gamma, using a sample of 471 x 10(6) Upsilon(4S) -> B (B) over bar events recorded with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e(+)(e) over tilde (-) storage ring at SLAC. Using events with m(K pi pi) < 1.8 GeV/c(2), we measure the branching fractions of B+ -> K+pi(-)pi(+)gamma and B-0 -> K-S(0)pi(-)pi(+)gamma, the branching fractions of the kaonic resonances decaying to K+pi(-)pi(+)gamma, as well as the overall branching fractions of the B+ -> rho K-0(+.)gamma, B+ -> K*(0)pi(+)gamma. and S-wave B+ -> (K pi)(0)(*0) pi(+)gamma components. For events from the rho mass band, we measure the CP-violating parameters SKS0 pi+pi-gamma = 0.14 +/- 0.25 +/- 0.03 and CKS0 pi+pi-gamma = -0.39 +/- 0.20(-0.02)(+0.003), where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. We extract from this measurement the time-dependent CP asymmetry related to the CP eigenstate rho K-0(S)0 and obtain S-KS(0) = -0.18 +/- 0.32(-0.05)(+0.06), which provides information on the photon polarization in the underlying b -> s gamma transition.

Abstract: The nonobservation of new particles at the LHC suggests the existence of a mass gap above the electroweak scale. This situation is adequately described through a general electroweak effective theory with the established fields and Standard Model symmetries. Its couplings contain all information about the unknown short-distance dynamics which is accessible at low energies. We consider a generic strongly coupled scenario of electroweak symmetry breaking, with heavy states above the gap, and analyze the imprints that its lightest bosonic excitations leave on the effective Lagrangian couplings. Different quantum numbers of the heavy states imply different patterns of low-energy couplings, with characteristic correlations which could be identified in future data samples. The predictions can be sharpened with mild assumptions about the ultraviolet behaviour of the underlying fundamental theory.

Abstract: We examine the implication of the 750 GeV diphoton resonance on the two-Higgs-doublet model by imposing various theoretical and experimental constraints. The production rate of the two-Higgs-doublet model is smaller than the cross section observed at the LHC by 2 orders of magnitude. In order to accommodate the 750 GeV diphoton resonance, we extend the two-Higgs-doublet model by introducing additional Higgs fields, and focus on two different extensions: an inert complex Higgs triplet and a real scalar septuplet. As the 125 GeV Higgs is in agreement with the observed data, the production rate for the 750 GeV diphoton resonance can be enhanced to 0.6 fb for the former and 4.5 fb for the latter. The results of the latter are well consistent with the 750 GeV diphoton excess at the LHC.

Abstract: The simplest inflationary models predict a primordial power spectrum (PPS) of the curvature fluctuations that can be described by a power-law function that is nearly scale invariant. It has been shown, however, that the low-multipole spectrum of the cosmic microwave background anisotropies may hint at the presence of some features in the shape of the scalar PPS, which could deviate from its canonical power-law form. We study the possible degeneracies of this nonstandard PPS with the active neutrino masses, the effective number of relativistic species, and a sterile neutrino or a thermal axion mass. The limits on these additional parameters are less constraining in a model with a nonstandard PPS when including only the temperature autocorrelation spectrum measurements in the data analyses. The inclusion of the polarization spectra noticeably helps in reducing the degeneracies, leading to results that typically show no deviation from the Lambda CDM model with a standard power-law PPS. These findings are robust against changes in the function describing the noncanonical PPS. Albeit current cosmological measurements seem to prefer the simple power-law PPS description, the statistical significance to rule out other possible parametrizations is still very poor. Future cosmological measurements are crucial to improve the present PPS uncertainties.

Abstract: We study here the A(b)(0) -> J/psi p pi(-) reaction in analogy to the A(b)(0) -> J/psi pK(-) one, and we note that in both decays there is a sharp structure (dip or peak) in the J/psi p mass distribution around 4450 MeV, which is associated in the A(b)(0) -> J/psi pK(-) experiment to an exotic pentaquark baryonic state, although in J/psi p pi(-) it shows up with relatively low statistics. We analyze the A(b)(0) -> J/psi p pi(-) interaction along the same lines as the A(b)(0) -> J/psi pK(-) one, with the main difference stemming from the reduced Cabibbo strength in the former and the consideration of the pi(-)p final state interaction instead of the K(-)p one. We find that with a minimal input, introducing the pi(-)p and J/psi p interaction in S-wave with realistic interactions, and the empirical P-wave and D-wave contributions, one can accomplish a qualitative description of the pi(-)p and J/psi p mass distributions. More importantly, the peak structure followed by a dip of the experimental J/psi p mass distribution is reproduced with the same input as used to describe the data of A(b)(0) -> J/psi pK(-) reaction. The repercussion for the triangular singularity mechanism, invoked in some works to explain the pentaquark peak, is discussed.