Abstract: We study here the interaction of D (D) over bar* in the isospin I = 1 channel in light of recent theoretical advances that allow us to combine elements of the local hidden gauge approach with heavy quark spin symmetry. We find that the exchange of light q (q) over bar is Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka (OZI) suppressed and thus we concentrate on the exchange of heavy vectors and of two pion exchange. The latter is found to be small compared to the exchange of heavy vectors, which then determines the strength of the interaction. A barely D (D) over bar* bound state decaying into eta(c)rho and pi J/psi is found. At the same time we reanalyze the data of the BESIII experiment on e(+)e(-) -> pi(+/-)(D (D) over bar*)(-/+), from where a Z(c)(3885) state was claimed, associated to a peak in the (D (D) over bar*)(-/+) invariant mass distribution close to threshold, and we find the data compatible with a resonance with mass around 3875 MeV and width around 30 MeV. We discuss the possibility that this and the Z(c)(3900) state found at BESIII, reconfirmed at 3894 MeV at Belle, or 3885 MeV at CLEO, could all be the same state and correspond to the one that we find theoretically.

Abstract: Precise measurements of the lepton properties provide stringent tests of the Standard Model and accurate determinations of its parameters. We overview the present status of tau physics, highlighting the most recent developments, and discuss the prospects for future improvements. The leptonic decays of the tau lepton probe the structure of the weak currents and the universality of their couplings to the W boson. The universality of the leptonic Z couplings has also been tested through Z -> l(+)l(-) decays. The hadronic tau decay modes constitute an ideal tool for studying low-energy effects of the strong interaction in very clean conditions. Accurate determinations of the QCD coupling and the Cabibbo mixing V-us have been obtained with tau data. The large mass of the tau opens the possibility to study many kinematically-allowed exclusive decay modes and extract relevant dynamical information. Violations of flavour and CP conservation laws can also be searched for with tau decays. Related subjects such as μdecays, the electron and muon anomalous magnetic moments, neutrino mixing and B-meson decays into tau leptons are briefly covered. Being one the fermions most strongly coupled to the scalar sector, the tau lepton is playing now a very important role at the LHC as a tool to test the Higgs properties and search for new physics at higher scales.

Abstract: Using a proton-proton collision data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb(-1) collected by LHCb at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, about 3800 Xi(0)(b) -> Xi(+)(c)pi(-), Xi(+)(c) -> pK(-)pi(+) signal decays are reconstructed. From this sample, the first measurement of the Xi(0)(b) baryon lifetime is made, relative to that of the Lambda(0)(b) baryon. The mass differences M(Xi(0)(b)) – M(Lambda(0)(b)) and M(Xi(+)(c)) – M(Lambda(+)(c)) are also measured with precision more than 4 times better than the current world averages. The resulting values are tau(Xi b0)/tau(Lambda b0) = 1.006 +/- 0.018 +/- 0.010, M(Xi(0)(b)) – M(Lambda(0)(b)) = 172.44 +/- 0.39 +/- 0.17 MeV/c(2), M(Xi(+)(c)) – M(Lambda(+)(c)) = 181.51 +/- 0.14 +/- 0.10 MeV/c(2), where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The relative rate of Xi(0)(b) to Lambda(0)(b) baryon production is measured to be f(Xi b0) B(Xi(0)(b) -> Xi(+)(c)pi(-)) B(Xi(+)(c) -> pK(-)pi(+))/f(Lambda b0) B(Lambda(0)(b) -> Lambda(+)(c)pi(-)) B(Lambda(+)(c) -> pK(-)pi(+)) = (1.88 +/- 0.04 +/- 0.03) x 10(-2), where the first factor is the ratio of fragmentation fractions, b -> Xi(0)(b) relative to b -> Lambda(0)(b). Relative production rates as functions of transverse momentum and pseudorapidity are also presented.

Abstract: Measuring cross-sections at the LHC requires the luminosity to be determined accurately at each centre-of-mass energy root s. In this paper results are reported from the luminosity calibrations carried out at the LHC interaction point 8 with the LHCb detector for root s = 2.76, 7 and 8TeV (proton-proton collisions) and for root s(NN) = 5TeV (proton-lead collisions). Both the “van der Meer scan” and “beam-gas imaging” luminosity calibration methods were employed. It is observed that the beam density profile cannot always be described by a function that is factorizable in the two transverse coordinates. The introduction of a two-dimensional description of the beams improves significantly the consistency of the results. For proton-proton interactions at root s = 8TeV a relative precision of the luminosity calibration of 1.47% is obtained using van der Meer scans and 1.43% using beam-gas imaging, resulting in a combined precision of 1.12%. Applying the calibration to the full data set determines the luminosity with a precision of 1.16%. This represents the most precise luminosity measurement achieved so far at a bunched-beam hadron collider.

Abstract: We consider the collapse of a charged radiation fluid in a Planck-suppressed quadratic extension of General Relativity (GR) formulated A la Palatini. We obtain exact analytical solutions that extend the charged Vaidya-type solution of GR, which allows to explore in detail new physics at the Planck scale. Starting from Minkowski space, we find that the collapsing fluid generates wormholes supported by the electric field. We discuss the relevance of our findings in relation to the quantum foam structure of space-time and the meaning of curvature divergences in this theory.