Abstract: We have investigated the ability of AGATA triple clusters to measure the linear polarization of gamma rays, exploiting the azimuthal-angle dependence of the Compton scattering differential cross section. To this aim, partially polarized gamma rays have been produced by Coulomb excitation of the first excited state of Pd-104 and Pd-108, which decay to the ground state by emission of gamma rays of 555.8 keV and 433.9 keV, respectively. Pulse-shape analysis and gamma-ray tracking techniques have been used to determine the position and time sequence of the interaction points inside the germanium crystals. Anisotropies in the detection efficiency have been taken into account using 661.6 keV gammas from a Cs-137 radioactive source. We obtain an average analyzing power of 0.451(34) at 433.9 keV and 0.484(24) at 555.8 keV.

Abstract: An angular analysis of the B-0 -> K(*0)e(+) e(-) decay is performed using a data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb(-1), collected by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV during 2011 and 2012. For the first time several observables are measured in the dielectron mass squared (q(2)) interval between 0.002 and 1.120 GeV2/c(4). The angular observables F-L and A(T)(Re) which are related to the K-*0 polarisation and to the lepton forward-backward asymmetry, are measured to be F-L = 0.16 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.03 and A(T)(Re) = 0.10 +/- 0.18 +/- 0.05, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The angular observables A(T)((2)) and A(T)(Im) which are sensitive to the photon polarisation in this q(2) range, are found to be A(T)((2)) = – 0.23 +/- 0.23 +/- 0.05 and A(T)(Im) = 0.14 +/- 0.22 +/- 0.05. The results are consistent with Standard Model predictions.

Abstract: We have studied the strangeness-changing antineutrino-induced reactions (v) over bar (l)p -> l(+)phi B, with phi B = K(-)p, (K) over bar (0)n, pi(0)Lambda, pi(0)Sigma(0), eta Lambda, eta Sigma(0), pi(+)Sigma(-), pi(-)Sigma(+), K+Xi(-), and K-0 Xi(0), using a chiral unitary approach. These ten coupled channels are allowed to interact strongly, using a kernel derived from the chiral Lagrangians. This interaction generates two Lambda(1405) poles, leading to a clear single peak in the pi Sigma invariant mass distributions. At backward scattering angles in the center-of-mass frame, (nu) over bar (mu)p -> mu(+)pi(0)Sigma(0) is dominated by the Lambda(1405) state at around 1420 MeV while the lighter state becomes relevant as the angle decreases, leading to an asymmetric line shape. In addition, there are substantial differences in the shape of pi Sigma invariant mass distributions for the three charge channels. If observed, these differences would provide valuable information on a claimed isospin I = 1, strangeness S = -1 baryonic state around 1400 MeV. Integrated cross sections have been obtained for the pi Sigma and (K) over barN channels and the impact of unitarization in the results has been investigated. The number of events with Lambda(1405) excitation in (nu) over bar μp collisions in the recent antineutrino run at the Main Injector Experiment for nu-A (MINER nu A) has also been obtained. We find that this reaction channel is relevant enough to be investigated experimentally and to be taken into account in the simulation models of future experiments with antineutrino beams.

Abstract: Purpose: To provide a practical solution that can be adopted in clinical routine to fulfill the AAPM-ESTRO recommendations regarding quality assurance of seeds used in prostate permanent brachytherapy. The aim is to design a new insert for the well-ionization chamber SourceCheck(4 Pi) 33005 (PTW, Germany) that allows evaluating the mean air-kerma strength of up to ten I-125 seeds with one single measurement instead of measuring each seed individually. Material and methods: The material required is: a) the SourceCheck(4 Pi) 33005 well-ionization chamber provided with a PTW insert to measure the air-kerma strength S-K of one single seed at a time; b) a newly designed insert that accommodates ten seeds in one column, which allows measuring the mean S-K of the ten seeds in one single measurement; and c) a container with ten seeds from the same batch and class of the seeds used for the patient implant, and a set of nine non-radioactive seeds.The new insert is characterized by determining its calibration coefficient, used to convert the reading of the well-chamber when ten seeds are measured to their mean S-K. The proposed method is validated by comparing the mean S-K of the ten seeds obtained from the new insert with the individual measurement of S-K of each seed, evaluated with the PTW insert. Results: The ratio between the calibration coefficient of the new insert and the calibration coefficient of the PTW insert for the SourceCheck(4 Pi) 33005 is 1.135 +/- 0.007 (k = 1). The mean S-K of a set of ten seeds evaluated with this new system is in agreement with the mean value obtained from measuring independently the S-K of each seed. Conclusions: The new insert and procedure allow evaluating the mean S-K of ten seeds prior to the implant in a single measurement. The method is faster and more efficient from radiation protection point of view than measuring the individual S-K of each seed.

Abstract: This paper reviews and extends searches for the direct pair production of the scalar supersymmetric partners of the top and bottom quarks in proton-proton collisions collected by the ATLAS collaboration during the LHC Run 1. Most of the analyses use 20 fb(-1) of collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of root s = 8 TeV, although in some case an additional 4.7 fb(-1) of collision data at root s = 7 TeV are used. New analyses are introduced to improve the sensitivity to specific regions of the model parameter space. Since no evidence of third-generation squarks is found, exclusion limits are derived by combining several analyses and are presented in both a simplified model framework, assuming simple decay chains, as well as within the context of more elaborate phenomenological supersymmetric models.