Abstract: A measurement of the cross section for the production of an isolated photon in association with jets in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy root s = 7 TeV is presented. Photons are reconstructed in the pseudorapidity range vertical bar eta(gamma)vertical bar < 1.37 and with a transverse energy E-T(gamma) > 25 GeV. Jets are reconstructed in the rapidity range vertical bar y(jet)vertical bar < 4.4 and with a transverse momentum p(T)(jet) > 20 GeV. The differential cross section d sigma/dE(T)(gamma) is measured, as a function of the photon transverse energy, for three different rapidity ranges of the leading-p(T) jet: vertical bar y(jet)vertical bar < 1.2, 1.2 <= vertical bar y(jet)vertical bar < 2.8 and 2.8 <= vertical bar y(jet)vertical bar < 4.4. For each rapidity configuration the same-sign (eta(gamma)y(jet) >= 0) and opposite-sign (eta(gamma) y(jet) < 0) cases are studied separately. The results are based on an integrated luminosity of 37 pb(-1), collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations are found to be in fair agreement with the data, except for E-T(gamma) <= 45 GeV, where the theoretical predictions overestimate the measured cross sections.

Abstract: The results of a search for supersymmetry in events with large missing transverse momentum and heavy-flavor jets using an integrated luminosity corresponding to 2.05 fb(-1) of pp collisions at root s = 7 TeV recorded with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. No significant excess is observed with respect to the prediction for standard model processes. Results are interpreted in a variety of R-parity conserving models in which scalar bottoms and tops are the only scalar quarks to appear in the gluino decay cascade, and in an SO(10) model framework. Gluino masses up to 600-900 GeV are excluded, depending on the model considered.

Abstract: We discuss the possible power counting schemes that can be applied in the effective field theory description of heavy meson molecules, such as the X(3872) or the recently discovered Z(b)(10610) and Z(b)(10650) states. We argue that the effect of coupled channels is suppressed by at least two orders in the effective field theory expansion, meaning that they can be safely ignored at lowest order. The role of the one pion exchange potential between the heavy mesons, and, in particular, the tensor force, is also analyzed. By using techniques developed in atomic physics for handling power-law singular potentials, which have been also successfully employed in nuclear physics, we determine the range of center-of-mass momenta for which the tensor piece of the one pion exchange potential is perturbative. In this momentum range, the one pion exchange potential can be considered a subleading order correction, leaving at lowest order a very simple effective field theory consisting only of contact-range interactions.

Abstract: We explore the consequences of heavy quark spin symmetry for the charmed meson-antimeson system in a contact-range (or pionless) effective field theory. As a trivial consequence, we theorize the existence of a heavy quark spin symmetry partner of the X(3872), with J(PC) = 2(++), which we call X(4012) in reference to its predicted mass. If we additionally assume that the X(3915) is a 0(++) heavy spin symmetry partner of the X(3872), we end up predicting a total of six D-(*())(D) over bar (()*()) molecular states. We also discuss the error induced by higher order effects such as finite heavy quark mass corrections, pion exchanges and coupled channels, allowing us to estimate the expected theoretical uncertainties in the position of these new states.

Abstract: In this article we use the Schwinger-Dyson equations to compute the nonperturbative modifications caused to the infrared finite gluon propagator (in the Landau gauge) by the inclusion of a small number of quark families. Our basic operating assumption is that the main bulk of the effect stems from the "one-loop dressed'' quark loop contributing to the full gluon self-energy. This quark loop is then calculated, using as basic ingredients the full quark propagator and quark-gluon vertex; for the quark propagator we use the solution obtained from the quark-gap equation, while for the vertex we employ suitable Ansatze, which guarantee the transversality of the answer. The resulting effect is included as a correction to the quenched gluon propagator, obtained in recent lattice simulations. Our main finding is that the unquenched propagator displays a considerable suppression in the intermediate momentum region, which becomes more pronounced as we increase the number of active quark families. The influence of the quarks on the saturation point of the propagator cannot be reliably computed within the present scheme; the general tendency appears to be to decrease it, suggesting a corresponding increase in the effective gluon mass. The renormalization properties of our results, and the uncertainties induced by the unspecified transverse part of the quark-gluon vertex, are discussed. Finally, the gluon propagator is compared with the available unquenched lattice data, showing rather good agreement.