Abstract: We use (121 +/- 1) million Upsilon(3S) and (98 +/- 1) million Upsilon(2S) mesons recorded by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e(+)e(-) collider at SLAC to perform a study of radiative transitions involving the chi(bJ)(1P, 2P) states in exclusive decays with mu(+)mu(-)gamma gamma final states. We reconstruct twelve channels in four cascades using two complementary methods. In the first we identify both signal photon candidates in the electromagnetic calorimeter (EMC), employ a calorimeter timing-based technique to reduce backgrounds, and determine branching-ratio products and fine mass splittings. These results include the best observational significance yet for the chi(b0)(2P) -> gamma Upsilon(2S) and chi(b0)(1P) -> gamma Upsilon(1S) transitions. In the second method, we identify one photon candidate in the EMC and one which has converted into an e(+)e(-) pair due to interaction with detector material, and we measure absolute product branching fractions. This method is particularly useful for measuring Upsilon(3S) -> gamma chi(b1,2)(1P) decays. Additionally, we provide the most up-to-date derived branching fractions, matrix elements and mass splittings for chi(b) transitions in the bottomonium system. Using a new technique, we also measure the two lowest-order spin-dependent coefficients in the nonrelativistic QCD Hamiltonian.

Abstract: Both the naturalness of the electroweak symmetry breaking and the resolution of the strong CP problem may require a small Higgsino mass μgenerated by a realization of the DFSZ axion model. Assuming the axino is the lightest supersymmetric particle, we study its implications on μand the axion scale. Copiously produced light Higgsinos at collider (effectively only neutral next-to-lightest superparticles pairs) eventually decay to axinos leaving prompt multileptons or displaced vertices which are being looked for at the LHC. We use latest LHC7 + 8 results to derive current limits on μand the axion scale. Various Higgsino-axino phenomenology is illustrated by comparing with a standard case without lightest axinos as well as with a more general case with additional light gauginos in the spectrum.

Abstract: Purpose: In skin high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy, sources are located outside, in contact with, or implanted at some depth below the skin surface. Most treatment planning systems use the TG-43 formalism, which is based on single-source dose superposition within an infinite water medium without accounting for the true geometry in which conditions for scattered radiation are altered by the presence of air. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the dosimetric limitations of the TG-43 formalism in HDR skin brachytherapy and the potential clinical impact. Methods: Dose rate distributions of typical configurations used in skin brachytherapy were obtained: a 5 cm x 5 cm superficial mould; a source inside a catheter located at the skin surface with and without backscatter bolus; and a typical interstitial implant consisting of an HDR source in a catheter located at a depth of 0.5 cm. Commercially available HDR Co-60 and Ir-192 sources and a hypothetical Yb-169 source were considered. The Geant4Monte Carlo radiation transport code was used to estimate dose rate distributions for the configurations considered. These results were then compared to those obtained with the TG-43 dose calculation formalism. In particular, the influence of adding bolus material over the implant was studied. Results: For a 5 cm x 5 cm Ir-192 superficial mould and 0.5 cm prescription depth, dose differences in comparison to the TG-43 method were about -3%. When the source was positioned at the skin surface, dose differences were smaller than -1% for Co-60 and Ir-192, yet -3% for Yb-169. For the interstitial implant, dose differences at the skin surface were -7% for Co-60, -0.6% for Ir-192, and -2.5% for Yb-169. Conclusions: This study indicates the following: (i) for the superficial mould, no bolus is needed; (ii) when the source is in contact with the skin surface, no bolus is needed for either Co-60 and Ir-192. For lower energy radionuclides like Yb-169, bolus may be needed; and (iii) for the interstitial case, at least a 0.1 cm bolus is advised for Co-60 to avoid underdosing superficial target layers. For Ir-192 and Yb-169, no bolus is needed. For those cases where no bolus is needed, its use might be detrimental as the lack of radiation scatter may be beneficial to the patient, although the 2% tolerance for dose calculation accuracy recommended in the AAPM TG-56 report is not fulfilled.

Abstract: This paper concerns the experimental study of the beta decay properties of few proton-rich fp-shell nuclei. The nuclei were produced at GANIL in fragmentation reactions, separated with the LISE spectrometer and stopped in an implantation detector surrounded by Ge detectors. The beta-delayed gammas, beta-delayed protons and the exotic beta-delayed gamma-proton emission have been studied. Preliminary results are presented. The decay of the T-z = -2 nucleus Zn-56 has been studied in detail. Information from the beta-delayed protons and beta-delayed gammas has been used to deduce the decay scheme. The exotic beta-delayed gamma-proton decay has been observed for the first time in the fp-shell. The interpretation of the data was made possible thanks to the detailed knowledge of the mirror Charge Exchange (CE) process and the gamma de-excitation of the states in Co-56, the mirror nucleus of Cu-56.

Abstract: beta-delayed neutron (DN) data, including emission probabilities, P-n, and energy spectrum, play an important role in our understanding of nuclear structure, nuclear astrophysics and nuclear technologies. A MOdular Neutron time-of-flight SpectromeTER (MONSTER) is being built for the measurement of the neutron energy spectra and branching ratios. The TOF spectrometer will consist of one hundred liquid scintillator cells covering a significant solid angle. The MONSTER design has been optimized by using Monte Carlo (MC) techniques. The response function of the MONSTER cell has been characterized with mono-energetic neutron beams and compared to dedicated MC simulations.