Abstract: We study lepton violating Higgs (HLFV) decays, first from the effective field theory (EFT) point of view, and then analysing the different high-energy realizations of the operators of the EFT, highlighting the most promising models. We argue why two Higgs doublet models can have a BR(h -> tau mu) similar to 0:01, and why this rate is suppressed in all other realizations including vector-like leptons. We further discuss HLFV in the context of neutrino mass models: in most cases it is generated at one loop giving always BR (h -> tau mu) < 10(-4) and typically much less, which is beyond experimental reach. However, both the Zee model and extended left-right symmetric models contain extra SU(2) doublets coupled to leptons and could in principle account for the observed excess, with interesting connections between HLFV and neutrino parameters.

Abstract: We present global fits of an effective field theory description of real, and complex scalar dark matter candidates. We simultaneously take into account all possible dimension 6 operators consisting of dark matter bilinears and gauge invariant combinations of quark and gluon fields. We derive constraints on the free model parameters for both the real (five parameters) and complex (seven) scalar dark matter models obtained by combining Planck data on the cosmic microwave background, direct detection limits from LUX, and indirect detection limits from the Fermi Large Area Telescope. We find that for real scalars indirect dark matter searches disfavour a dark matter particle mass below 100 GeV. For the complex scalar dark matter particle current data have a limited impact due to the presence of operators that lead to p-wave annihilation, and also do not contribute to the spin-independent scattering cross-section. Although current data are not informative enough to strongly constrain the theory parameter space, we demonstrate the power of our formalism to reconstruct the theoretical parameters compatible with an actual dark matter detection, by assuming that the excess of gamma rays observed by the Fermi Large Area Telescope towards the Galactic centre is entirely due to dark matter annihilations. Please note that the excess can very well be due to astrophysical sources such as millisecond pulsars. We find that scalar dark matter interacting via effective field theory operators can in principle explain the Galactic centre excess, but that such interpretation is in strong tension with the non-detection of gamma rays from dwarf galaxies in the real scalar case. In the complex scalar case there is enough freedom to relieve the tension.

Abstract: A measurement of the differential branching fraction of the decay B-0 -> K* (892)(0) mu(+)mu(-) is presented together with a determination of the S-wave fraction of the K+ pi(-) system in the decay B-0 -> K+ pi-mu(+)mu(-). The analysis is based on pp-collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1) collected with the LHCb experiment. The measurements are made in bins of the invariant mass squared of the dimuon system, q(2). Precise theoretical predictions for the differential branching fraction of B-0 -> K* (892)(0) mu(+) mu(-) decays are available for the q(2) region 1.1 < q(2) < 6.0 GeV2/c(4). In this q(2) region, for the K+pi(-) invariant mass range 796 < m(K pi) < 996MeV/c(2), the S-wave fraction of the K+pi(-) system in B-0 -> K+pi(-)mu(+)mu(-) decays is found to be F-S – 0.101 +/- 0.017(stat) +/- 0: 009(syst), and the differential branching fraction of B-0 -> K* (892)(0) mu(+)mu(-) decays is determined to be dB/dq(2) = (0.392(-0.019)(+ 0.020)(stat) +/- 0.010(syst) +/- 0.027(norm)) x 10(-7) c(4)/GeV2. The differential branching fraction measurements presented are the most precise to date and are found to be in agreement with Standard Model predictions.

Abstract: The O(alpha) electromagnetic radiative corrections to the B- -> V(0)l(-)(nu) over bar (l) (V is a vector meson and l a charged lepton) decay rates are evaluated using the cutoff method to regularize virtual corrections and incorporating intermediate resonance states in the real-photon amplitude to extend the region of validity of the soft-photon approximation. The electromagnetic and weak form factors of hadrons are assumed to vary smoothly over the energies of virtual and real photons under consideration. The cutoff dependence of radiative corrections upon the scale Lambda that separates the long-and short-distance regimes is found to be mild and is considered as an uncertainty of the calculation. Owing to partial cancellations of electromagnetic corrections evaluated over the three-and four-body regions of phase space, the photoninclusive corrected rates are found to be dominated by the short-distance contribution. These corrections will be relevant for a precise determination of the b quark mixing angles by testing isospin symmetrywhen measurements of semileptonic rates of charged and neutral B mesons at the fewpercent level become available. For completeness, we also provide numerical values of radiative corrections in the three-body region of the Dalitz plot distributions of these decays.

Abstract: The dijet production cross section for jets containing a b-hadron (b-jets) has been measured in protonproton collisions with a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 7 TeV, using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The data used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 4.2 fb(-1). The cross section is measured for events with two identified b-jets with a transverse momentum pT > 20 GeV and a minimum separation in the eta-phi plane of Delta R = 0.4. At least one of the jets in the event is required to have p(T) > 270 GeV. The cross section is measured differentially as a function of dijet invariant mass, dijet transverse momentum, boost of the dijet system, and the rapidity difference, azimuthal angle and angular distance between the b-jets. The results are compared to different predictions of leading order and next-to-leading order perturbative quantum chromodynamics matrix elements supplemented with models for parton-showers and hadronization.