Abstract: Using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb(-1) collected with the LHCb detector, seven decay modes of the B-C(+) meson into a J/psi or psi(2S) meson and three charged hadrons, kaons or pions, are studied. The decays B-C (+)-> (psi(2S) -> J/psi pi(+)pi(-))pi(+), B+C -> (psi(2S)pi(+)pi(-)pi(+), B+C -> J/psi K+pi(-)pi(+) and B+C -> J/K+K-K+ are observed for the first time, and evidence for the B-C (+)-> (psi(2S)K+K-pi(+), decay is found, where J/psi and psi(2S) mesons are reconstructed in their dimuon decay modes. The ratios of branching fractions between the different B-C(+) decays are reported as well as the fractions of the decays proceeding via intermediate resonances. The results largely support the factorisation approach used for a theoretical description of the studied decays.

Abstract: In this manuscript we reassess the potential of interacting dark matter-dark energy models in solving the Hubble constant tension. These models have been proposed but also questioned as possible solutions to the H0 problem. Here we examine several interacting scenarios against cosmological observations, focusing on the important role played by the calibration of supernovae data. In order to reassess the ability of interacting dark matter-dark energy scenarios in easing the Hubble constant tension, we systematically confront their theoretical predictions using a prior on the supernovae Ia absolute magnitude MB, which has been argued to be more robust and certainly less controversial than using a prior on the Hubble constant H0. While some data combinations do not show any preference for interacting dark sectors and in some of these scenarios the clustering sigma 8 tension worsens, interacting cosmologies with a dark energy equation of state w < -1 are preferred over the canonical lambda CDM picture even with cosmic microwave background data alone and also provide values of sigma 8 in perfect agreement with those from weak lensing surveys. Future cosmological surveys will test these exotic dark energy cosmologies by accurately measuring the dark energy equation of state and its putative redshift evolution.

Abstract: We investigate the constraints on the leptoquark Yukawa couplings and the Higgs-leptoquark quartic couplings for scalar doublet leptoquark (R) over tilde (2), scalar triplet leptoquark S-3 and their combination with both three generations and one generation with respect to perturbative unitarity and vacuum stability. The perturbative unitarity of all the dimensionless couplings is studied via one- and two-loop beta functions. New SU(2)(L) multiplets in terms of these leptoquarks are introduced to fabricate Landau poles at the two-loop level in the gauge coupling g(2) at 10(19.7) GeV and 10(14.4) GeV, respectively, for the S-3 and (R) over tilde (2) + S-3 models with three generations. However, such Landau poles cease to exist for (R) over tilde (2) and any of these extensions with both one and two generations up to Planck scale. The Higgs-leptoquark quartic couplings acquire severe constraints to protect Planck scale perturbativity, whereas leptoquark Yukawa couplings acquire some upper bound in order to respect Planck scale stability of Higgs vacuum. The Higgs quartic coupling at the two-loop level constrains the leptoquark Yukawa couplings for (R) over tilde (2), S-3, (R) over tilde (2) + S-3 with values less than or similar to 1.30, 3.90, 1.00 with three generations. In the effective potential approach, the presence of any of these leptoquarks with any number of generations pushes the metastable vacuum of the Standard Model to the stable region.