Abstract: In early 2010. the Large Hadron Collider forward (LHCf) experiment measured very forward neutral particle spectra in LHC proton-proton collisions. From a limited data set taken under the best beam conditions (low beam-gas background and low occurrence of pile-up events), the single photon spectra at root s = 7 TeV and pseudo-rapidity (eta) ranges from 8.81 to 8.99 and from 10.94 to infinity were obtained for the first time and are reported in this Letter. The spectra from two independent LHCf detectors are consistent with one another and serve as a cross check of the data. The photon spectra are also compared with the predictions of several hadron interaction models that are used extensively for modeling ultra-high energy cosmic-ray showers. Despite conservative estimates for the systematic errors, none of the models agree perfectly with the measurements. A notable difference is found between the data and the DPMJET 3.04 and PYTHIA 8.145 hadron interaction models above 2 TeV where the models predict higher photon yield than the data. The QGSJET II-03 model predicts overall lower photon yield than the data, especially above 2 TeV in the rapidity range 8.81 < eta < 8.99.

Abstract: We reconstruct the rare decays B+ -> K+ mu(+)mu(-), B-0 -> K*(892)(0) mu(+)mu(-), and B-s(0) -> phi(1020) mu(+)mu(-) in a data sample corresponding to 4.4 fb(-1) collected in p (p) over bar collisions at root s = 1.96 TeV by the CDF II detector at the Tevatron Collider. Using 121 +/- 16 B+ -> K+ mu(+)mu(-) and 101 +/- 12 B-0 -> K-*0 mu(+)mu(-) decays we report the branching ratios. In addition, we report the differential branching ratio and the muon forwardbackward asymmetry in the B+ and B-0 decay modes, and the K-*0 longitudinal polarization fraction in the B-0 decay mode with respect to the squared dimuon mass. These are consistent with the predictions, and most recent determinations from other experiments and of comparable accuracy. We also report the first observation of the B-s(0) -> phi mu(+)mu(-) decay and measure its branching ratio BR(B-s(0) -> phi mu(+)mu(-)) = [1.44 +/- 0.33 +/- 0.46] x 10(-6) using 27 +/- 6 signal events. This is currently the most rare B-s(0) decay observed.

Abstract: The idea of a rank-one rotating mass matrix (R2M2) is reviewed detailing how it leads to ready explanations both for the fermion mass hierarchy and for the distinctive mixing patterns between up and down fermion states, which can be and have been tested against experiment and shown to be fully consistent with existing data. Further, R2M2 is seen to offer, as by-products: (i) a new solution to the strong CP problem in QCD by linking the theta-angle there to the Kobayashi-Maskawa CP-violating phase in the CKM matrix, and (ii) some novel predictions of possible anomalies in Higgs decay observable in principle at the LHC. A special effort is made to answer some questions raised.