Search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson to a pair of pseudoscalars in the μμbb and ττbb final states

A search for exotic decays of the Higgs boson (H ) with a mass of 125Ge V to a pair of light pseudoscalars a 1 is performed in final states where one pseudoscalar decays to two b quarks and the other to a pair of muons or τ leptons. A data sample of proton-proton collisions at s = 13 Te V corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 recorded with the CMS detector is analyzed. No statistically significant excess is observed over the standard model backgrounds. Upper limits are set at 95% confidence level (CL ) on the Higgs boson branching fraction to μ μ b b and to τ τ b b , via a pair of a 1 s. The limits depend on the pseudoscalar mass m a 1 and are observed to be in the range (0.17-3.3) × 10 - 4 and (1.7-7.7) × 10 - 2 in the μ μ b b and τ τ b b final states, respectively. In the framework of models with two Higgs doublets and a complex scalar singlet (2HDM+S), the results of the two final states are combined to determine upper limits on the branching fraction B ( H → a 1 a 1 → ℓ ℓ b b ) at 95% CL , with ℓ being a muon or a τ lepton. For different types of 2HDM+S, upper bounds on the branching fraction B ( H → a 1 a 1 ) are extracted from the combination of the two channels. In most of the Type II 2HDM+S parameter space, B ( H → a 1 a 1 ) values above 0.23 are excluded at 95% CL for m a 1 values between 15 and 60Ge V .

Polygenic Risk Scores for Glaucoma Onset in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study

Importance

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a highly heritable disease, with 127 identified risk loci to date. Polygenic risk score (PRS) may provide a clinically useful measure of aggregate genetic burden and improve patient risk stratification.

Objective

To assess whether a PRS improves prediction of POAG onset in patients with ocular hypertension.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This was a post hoc analysis of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study. Data were collected from 22 US sites with a mean (SD) follow-up of 14.0 (6.9) years. A total of 1636 participants were followed up from February 1994 to December 2008; 1077 participants were enrolled in an ancillary genetics study, of which 1009 met criteria for this analysis. PRS was calculated using summary statistics from the largest cross-ancestry POAG meta-analysis, with weights trained using 8 813 496 variants from 449 186 cross-ancestry participants in the UK Biobank. Data were analyzed from July 2022 to December 2023.

Exposures

From February 1994 to June 2002, participants were randomized to either topical intraocular pressure-lowering medication or close observation. After June 2002, both groups received medication.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Outcome measures were hazard ratios for POAG onset. Concordance index and time-dependent areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve were used to compare the predictive performance of multivariable Cox proportional hazards models.

Results

Of 1009 included participants, 562 (55.7%) were female, and the mean (SD) age was 55.9 (9.3) years. The mean (SD) PRS was significantly higher for 350 POAG converters (0.24 [0.95]) compared with 659 nonconverters (-0.12 [1.00]) (P < .001). POAG risk increased 1.36% (95% CI, 1.08-1.64) with each higher PRS decile, with conversion ranging from 9.52% (95% CI, 7.09-11.95) in the lowest PRS decile to 21.81% (95% CI, 19.37-24.25) in the highest decile. Comparison of low-risk and high-risk PRS tertiles showed a 2.0-fold increase in 20-year POAG risk for participants of European and African ancestries. In the subgroup randomized to delayed treatment, each increase in PRS decile was associated with a 0.52-year (95% CI, 0.01-1.03) decrease in age at diagnosis (P = .047). No significant linear association between PRS and age at POAG diagnosis was present in the early treatment group. Prediction models significantly improved with the addition of PRS as a covariate (C index = 0.77) compared with the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study baseline model (C index = 0.75) (P < .001). Each 1-SD higher PRS conferred a mean hazard ratio of 1.25 (95% CI, 1.13-1.44) for POAG onset.

Conclusions and Relevance

Higher PRS was associated with increased risk for POAG in patients with ocular hypertension. The inclusion of a PRS improved the prediction of POAG onset.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00000125.

Observation of WWγ Production and Search for Hγ Production in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The observation of WWγ production in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} is presented. The observed (expected) significance is 5.6 (5.1) standard deviations. Events are selected by requiring exactly two leptons (one electron and one muon) of opposite charge, moderate missing transverse momentum, and a photon. The measured fiducial cross section for WWγ is 5.9±0.8(stat)±0.8(syst)±0.7(modeling)  fb, in agreement with the next-to-leading order quantum chromodynamics prediction. The analysis is extended with a search for the associated production of the Higgs boson and a photon, which is generated by a coupling of the Higgs boson to light quarks. The result is used to constrain the Higgs boson couplings to light quarks.

New Structures in the J/ψJ/ψ Mass Spectrum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search is reported for near-threshold structures in the J/ψJ/ψ invariant mass spectrum produced in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV from data collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 135  fb^{-1}. Three structures are found, and a model with quantum interference among these structures provides a good description of the data. A new structure is observed with a local significance above 5 standard deviations at a mass of 6638_{-38}^{+43}(stat)_{-31}^{+16}(syst)  MeV. Another structure with even higher significance is found at a mass of 6847_{-28}^{+44}(stat)_{-20}^{+48}(syst)  MeV, which is consistent with the X(6900) resonance reported by the LHCb experiment and confirmed by the ATLAS experiment. Evidence for another new structure, with a local significance of 4.7 standard deviations, is found at a mass of 7134_{-25}^{+48}(stat)_{-15}^{+41}(syst)  MeV. Results are also reported for a model without interference, which does not fit the data as well and shows mass shifts up to 150 MeV relative to the model with interference.

Search for Scalar Leptoquarks Produced via τ-Lepton-Quark Scattering in pp Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search for scalar leptoquarks produced in τ-lepton-quark collisions is presented. It is based on a set of proton-proton collision data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The reconstructed final state consists of a jet, significant missing transverse momentum, and a τ lepton reconstructed through its hadronic or leptonic decays. Limits are set on the product of the leptoquark production cross section and branching fraction and interpreted as exclusions in the plane of the leptoquark mass and the leptoquark-τ-quark coupling strength.

Machine Learning-Derived Baseline Visual Field Patterns Predict Future Glaucoma Onset in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study

Purpose

The Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) identified risk factors for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in patients with ocular hypertension, including pattern standard deviation (PSD). Archetypal analysis, an unsupervised machine learning method, may offer a more interpretable approach to risk stratification by identifying patterns in baseline visual fields (VFs).

Methods

There were 3272 eyes available in the OHTS. Archetypal analysis was applied using 24-2 baseline VFs, and model selection was performed with cross-validation. Decomposition coefficients for archetypes (ATs) were calculated. A penalized Cox proportional hazards model was implemented to select discriminative ATs. The AT model was compared to the OHTS model. Associations were identified between ATs with both POAG onset and VF progression, defined by mean deviation change per year.

Results

We selected 8494 baseline VFs. Optimal AT count was 19. The highest prevalence ATs were AT9, AT11, and AT7. The AT-based prediction model had a C-index of 0.75 for POAG onset. Multivariable models demonstrated that a one-interquartile range increase in the AT5 (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.25), AT8 (HR = 1.22; 95% CI, 1.09-1.37), AT15 (HR = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.12-1.41), and AT17 (HR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.03-1.31) coefficients conferred increased risk of POAG onset. AT5, AT10, and AT14 were significantly associated with rapid VF progression. In a subgroup analysis by high-risk ATs (>95th percentile or <75th percentile coefficients), PSD lost significance as a predictor of POAG in the low-risk group.

Conclusions

Baseline VFs, prior to detectable glaucomatous damage, contain occult patterns representing early changes that may increase the risk of POAG onset and VF progression in patients with ocular hypertension. The relationship between PSD and POAG is modified by the presence of high-risk patterns at baseline. An AT-based prediction model for POAG may provide more interpretable glaucoma-specific information in a clinical setting.

Search for Inelastic Dark Matter in Events with Two Displaced Muons and Missing Transverse Momentum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for dark matter in events with a displaced nonresonant muon pair and missing transverse momentum is presented. The analysis is performed using an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} of proton-proton (pp) collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV produced by the LHC in 2016-2018. No significant excess over the predicted backgrounds is observed. Upper limits are set on the product of the inelastic dark matter production cross section σ(pp→A^{'}→χ_{1}χ_{2}) and the decay branching fraction B(χ_{2}→χ_{1}μ^{+}μ^{-}), where A^{'} is a dark photon and χ_{1} and χ_{2} are states in the dark sector with near mass degeneracy. This is the first dedicated collider search for inelastic dark matter.

Luminosity determination using Z boson production at the CMS experiment

The measurement of Z boson production is presented as a method to determine the integrated luminosity of CMS data sets. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data, recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in 2017 at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . Events with Z bosons decaying into a pair of muons are selected. The total number of Z bosons produced in a fiducial volume is determined, together with the identification efficiencies and correlations from the same data set, in small intervals of 20pb - 1 of integrated luminosity, thus facilitating the efficiency and rate measurement as a function of time and instantaneous luminosity. Using the ratio of the efficiency-corrected numbers of Z bosons, the precisely measured integrated luminosity of one data set is used to determine the luminosity of another. For the first time, a full quantitative uncertainty analysis of the use of Z  bosons for the integrated luminosity measurement is performed. The uncertainty in the extrapolation between two data sets, recorded in 2017 at low and high instantaneous luminosity, is less than 0.5%. We show that the Z boson rate measurement constitutes a precise method, complementary to traditional methods, with the potential to improve the measurement of the integrated luminosity.

Measurement of the production cross section for a W boson in association with a charm quark in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The strange quark content of the proton is probed through the measurement of the production cross section for a W boson and a charm (c) quark in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . The analysis uses a data sample corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The W bosons are identified through their leptonic decays to an electron or a muon, and a neutrino. Charm jets are tagged using the presence of a muon or a secondary vertex inside the jet. The W + c production cross section and the cross section ratio R c ± = σ ( W + + c ¯ ) / σ ( W - + c ) are measured inclusively and differentially as functions of the transverse momentum and the pseudorapidity of the lepton originating from the W boson decay. The precision of the measurements is improved with respect to previous studies, reaching 1% in R c ± = 0.950 ± 0.005 (stat) ± 0.010 (syst) . The measurements are compared with theoretical predictions up to next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics.

Probing Small Bjorken-x Nuclear Gluonic Structure via Coherent J/ψ Photoproduction in Ultraperipheral Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

Quasireal photons exchanged in relativistic heavy ion interactions are powerful probes of the gluonic structure of nuclei. The coherent J/ψ photoproduction cross section in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions is measured as a function of photon-nucleus center-of-mass energies per nucleon (W_{γN}^{Pb}) over a wide range of 40 Collapse

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Risk Calculation in the Medication Arm of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study

PURPOSE

Risk assessment is integral to the management of individuals with ocular hypertension (OHTN). This study aims to determine the predictive accuracy of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study 5-year risk calculator (OHTS calculator) among treated patients with OHTN by applying it to patients randomized to the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) medication arm.

DESIGN

Post hoc secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

SUBJECTS

Individuals participating in the OHTS who were randomized to the medication arm. Only participants with complete baseline data in both eyes were included (n = 726).

METHODS

The hazard ratios (HRs) of the medication group in OHTS were compared to the HR used for the OHTS calculator using the z-test statistic to establish the OHTS calculator's generalizability to the OHTS medication arm. The performance of the OHTS calculator among the OHTS medication group was evaluated twice, using both untreated baseline intraocular pressure (IOP) and average treated IOP during the first 24 months for the IOP variable.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The performance was determined based on the model's accuracy in estimating the risk of reaching an OHTS primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) end point using calibration chi-square and discriminating between participants who did or did not develop POAG.

RESULTS

The HRs for the OHTS medication arm were not significantly different from those used in the OHTS calculator for untreated OHTN derived from observation arm data (P > 0.1). Based on the calibration chi-square test for the medication group, the OHTS calculator prediction model had good predictive accuracy when using the mean treated IOP and poorer predictive accuracy with the untreated baseline IOP (chi-square 10 and 29, respectively). The model had good discrimination with treated IOP (c-statistic = 0.77), comparable to what has been reported for the OHTS calculator in the OHTS observation group.

CONCLUSIONS

The OHTS calculator can be applied to treated patients with OHTN, and repeat risk calculation after initiating IOP reduction may provide useful information that can aid in disease management.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE(S)

Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.

Multi-scale time-resolved electron diffraction: A case study in moiré materials

Ultrafast-optical-pump - structural-probe measurements, including ultrafast electron and x-ray scattering, provide direct experimental access to the fundamental timescales of atomic motion, and are thus foundational techniques for studying matter out of equilibrium. High-performance detectors are needed in scattering experiments to obtain maximum scientific value from every probe particle. We deploy a hybrid pixel array direct electron detector to perform ultrafast electron diffraction experiments on a WSe2/MoSe2 2D heterobilayer, resolving the weak features of diffuse scattering and moiré superlattice structure without saturating the zero order peak. Enabled by the detector's high frame rate, we show that a chopping technique provides diffraction difference images with signal-to-noise at the shot noise limit. Finally, we demonstrate that a fast detector frame rate coupled with a high repetition rate probe can provide continuous time resolution from femtoseconds to seconds, enabling us to perform a scanning ultrafast electron diffraction experiment that maps thermal transport in WSe2/MoSe2 and resolves distinct diffusion mechanisms in space and time.

Measurement of the top quark mass using a profile likelihood approach with the lepton + jets final states in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The mass of the top quark is measured in 36.3fb - 1 of LHC proton-proton collision data collected with the CMS detector at s = 13 Te V . The measurement uses a sample of top quark pair candidate events containing one isolated electron or muon and at least four jets in the final state. For each event, the mass is reconstructed from a kinematic fit of the decay products to a top quark pair hypothesis. A profile likelihood method is applied using up to four observables per event to extract the top quark mass. The top quark mass is measured to be 171.77 ± 0.37 Ge V . This approach significantly improves the precision over previous measurements.

A search for decays of the Higgs boson to invisible particles in events with a top-antitop quark pair or a vector boson in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

A search for decays to invisible particles of Higgs bosons produced in association with a top-antitop quark pair or a vector boson, which both decay to a fully hadronic final state, has been performed using proton-proton collision data collected at s = 13 Te V by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 . The 95% confidence level upper limit set on the branching fraction of the 125Ge V Higgs boson to invisible particles, B ( H → inv ) , is 0.54 (0.39 expected), assuming standard model production cross sections. The results of this analysis are combined with previous B ( H → inv ) searches carried out at s = 7 , 8, and 13Te V in complementary production modes. The combined upper limit at 95% confidence level on B ( H → inv ) is 0.15 (0.08 expected).

Observation of τ Lepton Pair Production in Ultraperipheral Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

We present an observation of photon-photon production of τ lepton pairs in ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions. The measurement is based on a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 404  μb^{-1} collected by the CMS experiment at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. The γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-} process is observed for τ^{+}τ^{-} events with a muon and three charged hadrons in the final state. The measured fiducial cross section is σ(γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-})=4.8±0.6(stat)±0.5(syst)  μb, where the second (third) term corresponds to the statistical (systematic) uncertainty in σ(γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-}) in agreement with leading-order QED predictions. Using σ(γγ→τ^{+}τ^{-}), we estimate a model-dependent value of the anomalous magnetic moment of the τ lepton of a_{τ}=0.001_{-0.089}^{+0.055}.

Measurement of the Dependence of the Hadron Production Fraction Ratios f_{s}/f_{u} and f_{d}/f_{u} on B Meson Kinematic Variables in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The dependence of the ratio between the B_{s}^{0} and B^{+} hadron production fractions, f_{s}/f_{u}, on the transverse momentum (p_{T}) and rapidity of the B mesons is studied using the decay channels B_{s}^{0}→J/ψϕ and B^{+}→J/ψK^{+}. The analysis uses a data sample of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected by the CMS experiment in 2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 61.6  fb^{-1}. The f_{s}/f_{u} ratio is observed to depend on the B p_{T} and to be consistent with becoming asymptotically constant at large p_{T}. No rapidity dependence is observed. The ratio of the B^{0} to B^{+} meson production fractions, f_{d}/f_{u}, is also measured, for the first time in proton-proton collisions, using the B^{0}→J/ψK^{*0} decay channel. The result is found to be within 1 standard deviation of unity and independent of p_{T} and rapidity, as expected from isospin invariance.

Search for Exotic Higgs Boson Decays H→AA→4γ with Events Containing Two Merged Diphotons in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

We present the first direct search for exotic Higgs boson decays H→AA, A→γγ in events with two photonlike objects. The hypothetical particle A is a low-mass spin-0 particle decaying promptly to a merged diphoton reconstructed as a single photonlike object. We analyze the data collected by the CMS experiment at sqrt[s]=13  TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 136  fb^{-1}. No excess above the estimated background is found. We set upper limits on the branching fraction B(H→AA→4γ) of (0.9-3.3)×10^{-3} at 95% confidence level for masses of A in the range 0.1-1.2 GeV.

Observation of Same-Sign WW Production from Double Parton Scattering in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first observation of the production of W^{±}W^{±} bosons from double parton scattering processes using same-sign electron-muon and dimuon events in proton-proton collisions is reported. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} recorded at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV using the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. Multivariate discriminants are used to distinguish the signal process from the main backgrounds. A binned maximum likelihood fit is performed to extract the signal cross section. The measured cross section for production of same-sign W bosons decaying leptonically is 80.7±11.2(stat) _{-8.6}^{+9.5}(syst)±12.1(model)  fb, whereas the measured fiducial cross section is 6.28±0.81(stat)±0.69(syst)±0.37(model)  fb. The observed significance of the signal is 6.2 standard deviations above the background-only hypothesis.

Observation of the Rare Decay of the η Meson to Four Muons

A search for the rare η→μ^{+}μ^{-}μ^{+}μ^{-} double-Dalitz decay is performed using a sample of proton-proton collisions, collected by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC with high-rate muon triggers during 2017 and 2018 and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 101  fb^{-1}. A signal having a statistical significance well in excess of 5 standard deviations is observed. Using the η→μ^{+}μ^{-} decay as normalization, the branching fraction B(η→μ^{+}μ^{-}μ^{+}μ^{-})=[5.0±0.8(stat)±0.7(syst)±0.7(B_{2μ})]×10^{-9} is measured, where the last term is the uncertainty in the normalization channel branching fraction. This work achieves an improved precision of over 5 orders of magnitude compared to previous results, leading to the first measurement of this branching fraction, which is found to agree with theoretical predictions.

Measurements of jet multiplicity and jet transverse momentum in multijet events in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

Multijet events at large transverse momentum (p T ) are measured at s = 13 Te V using data recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.3 fb - 1 . The multiplicity of jets with p T > 50 Ge V that are produced in association with a high-p T dijet system is measured in various ranges of the p T of the jet with the highest transverse momentum and as a function of the azimuthal angle difference Δ ϕ 1 , 2 between the two highest p T jets in the dijet system. The differential production cross sections are measured as a function of the transverse momenta of the four highest p T jets. The measurements are compared with leading and next-to-leading order matrix element calculations supplemented with simulations of parton shower, hadronization, and multiparton interactions. In addition, the measurements are compared with next-to-leading order matrix element calculations combined with transverse-momentum dependent parton densities and transverse-momentum dependent parton shower.

Polygenic Risk Score Improves Prediction of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma Onset in the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study

Objective or Purpose

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a highly heritable disease with 127 identified risk loci. Polygenic risks score (PRS) offers a measure of aggregate genetic burden. In this study, we assess whether PRS improves risk stratification in patients with ocular hypertension.

Design

A post-hoc analysis of the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) data.

Setting Participants and/or Controls

1636 participants were followed from 1994 to 2020 across 22 sites. The PRS was computed for 1009 OHTS participants using summary statistics from largest cross-ancestry POAG metanalysis with weights trained using 8,813,496 variants from 488,395 participants in the UK Biobank.

Methods Interventions or Testing

Survival regression analysis, with endpoint as development of POAG, predicted disease onset from PRS incorporating baseline covariates.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Outcome measures were hazard ratios for POAG onset. Concordance index and time-dependent AUC were used to compare the predictive performance of multivariable Cox-Proportional Hazards models.

Results

Mean PRS was significantly higher for POAG-converters (0.24 ± 0.95) than for non-converters (-0.12 ± 1.00) (p < 0.01). POAG risk increased 1.36% with each higher PRS decile, with conversion ranging from 9.5% in the lowest PRS decile to 21.8% in the highest decile. Comparison of low- and high-risk PRS tertiles showed a 1.8-fold increase in 20-year POAG risk for participants of European and African ancestries (p<0.01). In the subgroup randomized to delayed treatment, each increase in PRS decile was associated with a 0.52-year decrease in age at diagnosis, (p=0.05). No significant linear relationship between PRS and age at POAG diagnosis was present in the early treatment group. Prediction models significantly improved with the addition of PRS as a covariate (C-index = 0.77) compared to OHTS baseline model (C-index=0.75) (p<0.01). One standard deviation higher PRS conferred a mean hazard ratio of 1.25 (CI=[1.13, 1.44]) for POAG onset.

Conclusions

Higher PRS is associated with increased risk for, and earlier development of POAG in patients with ocular hypertension. Early treatment may mitigate the risk from high genetic burden, delaying clinically detectable disease by up to 5.2 years. The inclusion of a PRS improves the prediction of POAG onset.

Azimuthal correlations in Z +jets events in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The production of Z bosons associated with jets is measured in pp collisions at s = 13 Te V with data recorded with the CMS experiment at the LHC corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.3fb - 1 . The multiplicity of jets with transverse momentum p T > 30 Ge V is measured for different regions of the Z boson's p T ( Z ) , from lower than 10Ge V to higher than 100Ge V . The azimuthal correlation Δ ϕ between the Z boson and the leading jet, as well as the correlations between the two leading jets are measured in three regions of p T ( Z ) . The measurements are compared with several predictions at leading and next-to-leading orders, interfaced with parton showers. Predictions based on transverse-momentum dependent parton distributions and corresponding parton showers give a good description of the measurement in the regions where multiple parton interactions and higher jet multiplicities are not important. The effects of multiple parton interactions are shown to be important to correctly describe the measured spectra in the low p T ( Z ) regions.

Search for Higgs Boson Decay to a Charm Quark-Antiquark Pair in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a charm quark-antiquark pair, H→cc[over ¯], produced in association with a leptonically decaying V (W or Z) boson is presented. The search is performed with proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. Novel charm jet identification and analysis methods using machine learning techniques are employed. The analysis is validated by searching for Z→cc[over ¯] in VZ events, leading to its first observation at a hadron collider with a significance of 5.7 standard deviations. The observed (expected) upper limit on σ(VH)B(H→cc[over ¯]) is 0.94 (0.50_{-0.15}^{+0.22})pb at 95% confidence level (C.L.), corresponding to 14 (7.6_{-2.3}^{+3.4}) times the standard model prediction. For the Higgs-charm Yukawa coupling modifier, κ_{c}, the observed (expected) 95% C.L. interval is 1.1<|κ_{c}|<5.5 (|κ_{c}|<3.4), the most stringent constraint to date.

Characterization of vision in pediatric retinoblastoma survivors beyond visual acuity

BACKGROUND

Retinoblastoma (RB) and its associated treatments can significantly impact visual acuity. However, little is known regarding other measures of vision, such as contrast sensitivity or saccades. The aim of this study was to describe contrast sensitivity and saccades in children treated for retinoblastoma.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included children aged 5-17 years who had completed treatment for RB. Visual acuity, saccades via fixation analysis, and contrast sensitivity by Cardiff contrast sensitivity were assessed, and multivariable linear regression was performed.

RESULTS

Eleven children were enrolled (mean age, 10.7 ± 3.9 years). Treatment included enucleation (8 children [73%]) and chemotherapy (10 [91%]). Of the 11, one participant was unable to complete testing of saccades, and another was unable to complete contrast sensitivity testing. Decreased saccade parameters (velocity, latency, or accuracy) and impaired contrast sensitivity were observed in all 10 participants who underwent visual testing. Multivariable analysis revealed that worse logMAR visual acuity (B, -4.54 [-6.8, -2.2]; P = 0.004) and bilateral disease (B, -3.9 [-6.4, -1.4]; P = 0.009) were associated with worse contrast sensitivity. Germline disease was associated with decreased vertical saccade accuracy (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Decreased contrast sensitivity and impaired saccades were universally observed in this cohort of RB survivors. Comprehensive visual evaluation should be considered for all RB survivors to provide optimal rehabilitative services for these patients.

Search for Nonresonant Pair Production of Highly Energetic Higgs Bosons Decaying to Bottom Quarks

A search for nonresonant Higgs boson (H) pair production via gluon and vector boson (V) fusion is performed in the four-bottom-quark final state, using proton-proton collision data at 13 TeV corresponding to 138  fb^{-1} collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The analysis targets Lorentz-boosted H pairs identified using a graph neural network. It constrains the strengths relative to the standard model of the H self-coupling and the quartic VVHH couplings, κ_{2V}, excluding κ_{2V}=0 for the first time, with a significance of 6.3 standard deviations when other H couplings are fixed to their standard model values.

Search for Higgs Boson and Observation of Z Boson through Their Decay into a Charm Quark-Antiquark Pair in Boosted Topologies in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for the standard model (SM) Higgs boson (H) produced with transverse momentum (p_{T}) greater than 450 GeV and decaying to a charm quark-antiquark (cc[over ¯]) pair is presented. The search is performed using proton-proton collision data collected at sqrt[s]=13  TeV by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. Boosted H→cc[over ¯] decay products are reconstructed as a single large-radius jet and identified using a deep neural network charm tagging technique. The method is validated by measuring the Z→cc[over ¯] decay process, which is observed in association with jets at high p_{T} for the first time with a signal strength of 1.00_{-0.14}^{+0.17}(syst)±0.08(theo)±0.06(stat), defined as the ratio of the observed process rate to the SM expectation. The observed (expected) upper limit on σ(H)B(H→cc[over ¯]) is set at 47 (39) times the SM prediction at 95% confidence level.

Measurements of the Higgs boson production cross section and couplings in the W boson pair decay channel in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

Production cross sections of the standard model Higgs boson decaying to a pair of W bosons are measured in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13Te V . The analysis targets Higgs bosons produced via gluon fusion, vector boson fusion, and in association with a W or Z boson. Candidate events are required to have at least two charged leptons and moderate missing transverse momentum, targeting events with at least one leptonically decaying W boson originating from the Higgs boson. Results are presented in the form of inclusive and differential cross sections in the simplified template cross section framework, as well as couplings of the Higgs boson to vector bosons and fermions. The data set collected by the CMS detector during 2016-2018 is used, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 . The signal strength modifier μ , defined as the ratio of the observed production rate in a given decay channel to the standard model expectation, is measured to be μ = 0 . 95 - 0.09 + 0.10 . All results are found to be compatible with the standard model within the uncertainties.

Measurement of the mass dependence of the transverse momentum of lepton pairs in Drell-Yan production in proton-proton collisions at s=13TeV

The double differential cross sections of the Drell-Yan lepton pair (ℓ + ℓ - , dielectron or dimuon) production are measured as functions of the invariant mass m ℓ ℓ , transverse momentum p T ( ℓ ℓ ) , and φ η ∗ . The φ η ∗ observable, derived from angular measurements of the leptons and highly correlated with p T ( ℓ ℓ ) , is used to probe the low-p T ( ℓ ℓ ) region in a complementary way. Dilepton masses up to 1Te V are investigated. Additionally, a measurement is performed requiring at least one jet in the final state. To benefit from partial cancellation of the systematic uncertainty, the ratios of the differential cross sections for various m ℓ ℓ ranges to those in the Z mass peak interval are presented. The collected data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 36.3fb - 1 of proton-proton collisions recorded with the CMS detector at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13Te V . Measurements are compared with predictions based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics, including soft-gluon resummation.

CMS pythia 8 colour reconnection tunes based on underlying-event data

New sets of parameter tunes for two of the colour reconnection models, quantum chromodynamics-inspired and gluon-move, implemented in the pythia  8 event generator, are obtained based on the default CMS pythia  8 underlying-event tune, CP5. Measurements sensitive to the underlying event performed by the CMS experiment at centre-of-mass energies s = 7 and 13Te V , and by the CDF experiment at 1.96Te V are used to constrain the parameters of colour reconnection models and multiple-parton interactions simultaneously. The new colour reconnection tunes are compared with various measurements at 1.96, 7, 8, and 13Te V including measurements of the underlying-event, strange-particle multiplicities, jet substructure observables, jet shapes, and colour flow in top quark pair (t t ¯ ) events. The new tunes are also used to estimate the uncertainty related to colour reconnection modelling in the top quark mass measurement using the decay products of t t ¯ events in the semileptonic channel at 13Te V .

Probing Heavy Majorana Neutrinos and the Weinberg Operator through Vector Boson Fusion Processes in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

The first search exploiting the vector boson fusion process to probe heavy Majorana neutrinos and the Weinberg operator at the LHC is presented. The search is performed in the same-sign dimuon final state using a proton-proton collision dataset recorded at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, collected with the CMS detector and corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. The results are found to agree with the predictions of the standard model. For heavy Majorana neutrinos, constraints on the squared mixing element between the muon and the heavy neutrino are derived in the heavy neutrino mass range 50 GeV-25 TeV; for masses above 650 GeV these are the most stringent constraints from searches at the LHC to date. A first test of the Weinberg operator at colliders provides an observed upper limit at 95% confidence level on the effective μμ Majorana neutrino mass of 10.8 GeV.

Search for light Higgs bosons from supersymmetric cascade decays in pp collisions at s=13TeV

A search is reported for pairs of light Higgs bosons (H 1 ) produced in supersymmetric cascade decays in final states with small missing transverse momentum. A data set of LHC pp collisions collected with the CMS detector at s = 13 TeV and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 is used. The search targets events where both H 1 bosons decay into pairs that are reconstructed as large-radius jets using substructure techniques. No evidence is found for an excess of events beyond the background expectations of the standard model (SM). Results from the search are interpreted in the next-to-minimal supersymmetric extension of the SM, where a "singlino" of small mass leads to squark and gluino cascade decays that can predominantly end in a highly Lorentz-boosted singlet-like H 1 and a singlino-like neutralino of small transverse momentum. Upper limits are set on the product of the squark or gluino pair production cross section and the square of the branching fraction of the H 1 in a benchmark model containing almost mass-degenerate gluinos and light-flavour squarks. Under the assumption of an SM-like branching fraction, H 1 bosons with masses in the range 40-120GeV arising from the decays of squarks or gluinos with a mass of 1200-2500GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level.

Measurement of the differential tt¯ production cross section as a function of the jet mass and extraction of the top quark mass in hadronic decays of boosted top quarks

A measurement of the jet mass distribution in hadronic decays of Lorentz-boosted top quarks is presented. The measurement is performed in the lepton + jets channel of top quark pair production (t t ¯ ) events, where the lepton is an electron or muon. The products of the hadronic top quark decay are reconstructed using a single large-radius jet with transverse momentum greater than 400Ge V . The data were collected with the CMS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collisions and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138fb - 1 . The differential t t ¯ production cross section as a function of the jet mass is unfolded to the particle level and is used to extract the top quark mass. The jet mass scale is calibrated using the hadronic W boson decay within the large-radius jet. The uncertainties in the modelling of the final state radiation are reduced by studying angular correlations in the jet substructure. These developments lead to a significant increase in precision, and a top quark mass of 173.06 ± 0.84 Ge V .

Eye-related quality of life and activities of daily living in pediatric retinoblastoma patients: A single-center, non-controlled, cross-sectional analysis

INTRODUCTION

Childhood retinoblastoma (RB) survivors are known to experience long-term morbidity; however, eye-related quality of life (QoL), which may significantly impact activities of daily living (ADL), has not been extensively studied in this population. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess QoL and ADL morbidity among school-age RB survivors.

METHODS

The Pediatric Eye Questionnaire (PedEyeQ) and Roll Evaluation Activities of Life (REAL) were administered to childhood RB survivors between ages 5 and 17 followed at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Visual outcomes and demographic predictors of ADL and QoL were examined.

RESULTS

Total 23 patients (mean age 9.6 years) consented for participation in this study. All children experienced at least one domain on the PedEyeQ ≤ 80%. Subjects and parents marked functional vision to be the most impacted domain with a median score of 82.5 and 83.4, respectively. Only 10.5% of participants scored above 75% on the ADL percentile rank. On multivariable analysis, decreased visual acuity (VA) was associated with worse "Child Functional" (odds ratio [OR] -59.2, p = .004) and "Parent Worry Function" (OR -66.5, p = .03) metrics. Decreased contrast sensitivity was associated with worse "Parent Impact" (OR 21.0, p = .02) and "Parent Worry Function" (OR 3.70, p = .04) metrics. Longer saccade horizontal latency was associated with a worse "Parent Worry Function" metric (OR 43.0, p = .009). On multivariable analysis, no variable was significantly associated with ADL.

CONCLUSION

RB survivors have impaired QoL and ADL. Screening for such difficulties should strongly be considered for all RB patients. Additional studies may help predict morbidity based on visual metrics and demographic data.

Anti-endotoxin antibodies consumption in cardiovascular collapse: Pathophysiological concerns

OBJECTIVE

Abnormal endotoxin activity in critically ill patients has been described in the absence of Gram-negative bacterial (GNB) infection. As disease severity seems to be crucial in the detection of this phenomenon, we decided to assess and compare endotoxin exposure in those patients representing the critical situation: septic shock and cardiogenic shock.

DESIGN

Prospective, observational non intervention study.

SETTING

Critical Care Department of a University tertiary hospital.

PATIENTS

Cardiogenic shock (CS) and septic shock (SS) patients.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Follow-up was performed for the first three days. Inflammatory biomarkers (C-reactive protein, procalcitonin and interleuquin-6) and IgM antiendotoxin-core antibodies titter (IgM EndoCAb) were daily analyzed. Sixty-two patients were included; twenty-five patients with SS and thirty-seven with CS. Microbial etiology was established in 23 SS patients (92%) and GNB were present in 13 cases (52%). Although infection was suspected and even treated in 30 CS patients (81%), any episode could be finally confirmed. EndoCAb consumption was more intense in SS patients, although twenty-two CS patients (59.5%) had IgM anti-endotoxin value below 10th percentile range for healthy people. No statistically significant difference in endotoxin exposure was detected between Gram-positive and Gram-negative infections in the SS group. Endotoxin exposure ability to distinguish between SS and CS was moderate (AUC 0.7892, 95% IC: 0.6564-0.9218).

CONCLUSIONS

In the severely ill patient some mechanisms take place allowing endotoxin incursion and therefore blurring the limits of diseases pathophysiology. Our work representatively shows how exposure to endotoxin was not fully capable of distinguishing between CS and SS.

Comparing statistical methods in assessing the prognostic effect of biomarker variability on time-to-event clinical outcomes

Background

In recent years there is increasing interest in modeling the effect of early longitudinal biomarker data on future time-to-event or other outcomes. Sometimes investigators are also interested in knowing whether the variability of biomarkers is independently predictive of clinical outcomes. This question in most applications is addressed via a two-stage approach where summary statistics such as variance are calculated in the first stage and then used in models as covariates to predict clinical outcome in the second stage. The objective of this study is to compare the relative performance of various methods in estimating the effect of biomarker variability.

Methods

A joint model and 4 different two-stage approaches (naïve, landmark analysis, time-dependent Cox model, and regression calibration) were illustrated using data from a large multi-center randomized phase III trial, the Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS), regarding the association between the variability of intraocular pressure (IOP) and the development of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). The model performance was also evaluated in terms of bias using simulated data from the joint model of longitudinal IOP and time to POAG. The parameters for simulation were chosen after OHTS data, and the association between longitudinal and survival data was introduced via underlying, unobserved, and error-free parameters including subject-specific variance.

Results

In the OHTS data, joint modeling and two-stage methods reached consistent conclusion that IOP variability showed no significant association with the risk of POAG. In the simulated data with no association between IOP variability and time-to-POAG, all the two-stage methods (except the naïve approach) provided a reliable estimation. When a moderate effect of IOP variability on POAG was imposed, all the two-stage methods underestimated the true association as compared with the joint modeling while the model-based two-stage method (regression calibration) resulted in the least bias.

Conclusion

Regression calibration and joint modelling are the preferred methods in assessing the effect of biomarker variability. Two-stage methods with sample-based measures should be used with caution unless there exists a relatively long series of longitudinal measurements and/or strong effect size (NCT00000125).

Chronic amiodarone therapy and mortality among atrial fibrillation patients; insights from a real-life contemporary population

Background

Although associated with potentially serious side effects, amiodarone is the most effective pharmacotherapy to achieve rhythm control among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Recent clinical trials advocate early rhythm control in AF. The effect of amiodarone treatment on mortality among patients with AF in real-life remains largely debatable. The primary aim of this analysis was to compare all-cause mortality rates across amiodarone treatment status

Methods

This is a retrospective study among patients from the Southern district of Clalit Health Services in Israel between January 1st, 1999 and July 1st, 2021 including all prevalent atrial fibrillation cases, hospitalized with AF as a primary diagnosis. Patients treated with amiodarone were matched in a 1:1 manner with controls not exposed to amiodarone based on age, sex, living area, and atrial fibrillation diagnosis duration. To avoid immortal time bias, follow-up times of the matched controls were left adjudicated to truncate the amiodarone-free period of their matched cases. We performed survival analyses using multivariable Cox regression controlling for potential confounders.

Results

During the study period, 7,048 patients who initiated amiodarone treatment were identified, of whom 6,449 were matched with controls. The mean age was 71.5 years, and 46.4% were women among the matched population. At baseline, the amiodarone-treatment group had higher rates of diabetes (38.3% vs. 32.6%, chronic renal failure (17.2% vs. 10.8%), coronary heart disease (31.6% vs. 19.6%) peripheral vascular disease (13.1% vs. 9.8%), and congestive heart failure (33.8% vs. 20.7%; p&lt;0.001 for all). The amiodarone-treatment group had higher rates of oral-anticoagulant therapy (82.0% vs. 59.4%, p&lt;0.001). During a mean follow-up time of 5.7 years, 2849 (44.2%) patients died in the amiodarone group and 3072 (47.6%) patients in the control group [adjusted-hazard-ratio: 0.85 (confidence-interval 95%: 0.80,0.91), p&lt;0.001].

Conclusion

In a large contemporary real-life population with AF, amiodarone treatment was associated with a lower risk for death, despite a higher burden of comorbidities among patients treated with amiodarone. These results support findings from randomized clinical trials advocating aggressive rhythm control therapy to reduce mortality and suggest that amiodarone is a potentially effective treatment to achieve this aim.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Amiodarone and lung toxicity in a real-life contemporary population

Background

Amiodarone-induced lung toxicity (ALT) is severe and potentially fatal. Most data on ALT are derived from previous decades when amiodarone was administrated chronically in higher doses, while currently, low-dose amiodarone 200 mg is routinely used. Whether low-dose amiodarone treatment is associated with ALT remains untested.

Methods

This is a retrospective study among patients from the Southern district of Clalit Health Services (CHS) in Israel between 1st January 1999 and 1st July 2021. The study population comprised solely of patients with atrial fibrillation since this is the most prevalent condition for prescribing amiodarone. Patients treated with amiodarone were matched in a 1:1 manner with controls not exposed to amiodarone based on age, sex, living area, and atrial fibrillation diagnosis duration. To avoid immortal time bias, follow-up times of the matched controls were left adjudicated to truncate the amiodarone-free period of their matched cases. Patients with prior interstitial lung disease (ILD) were excluded. The primary outcome was the incidence of any ILD. We performed survival analyses using multivariable Cox regression controlling for potential confounders.

Results

During the study period, 7,048 patients who initiated amiodarone treatment were identified, of whom 6,449 were matched with controls. The mean age was 71.5 years, and 46.4% were women among the matched population. The amiodarone-treatment group had higher rates of smoking (30.3% vs. 26.8%, p&lt;0.001), rheumatic disease (4.5% vs. 3.5%, p=0.003), background myocardial infarction (31.6% vs. 19.6%), renal failure (17.2% vs. 10.8%) and congestive heart failure (33.8% vs. 20.7%; p&lt;0.05 for all). During the study, with a mean follow-up time of 5.6 years, ILD occurred in 357 (5.5%) patients in the amiodarone group and 289 (4.5%) patients in the control group [adjusted hazard ratio: 1.09 (confidence interval 95%: 0.91, 1.3), p=0.4].

Conclusion

In a large contemporary real-life population, the incidence of ILD during 5.6 years was relatively low, and treatment with low-dose amiodarone was not associated with an increased risk of ILD. These results, if confirmed by other cohorts, may call for a change in the surveillance policy of patients treated with amiodarone

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Amiodarone therapy and risk of primary lung cancer; insights from a real-life contemporary population study

Background

Amiodarone is the most effective antiarrhythmic therapy to maintain sinus rhythm in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. There is a controversy regarding the association of amiodarone therapy with an increased risk of lung cancer. We aimed to assess the relationship between amiodarone treatment and primary lung cancer (PLC) incidence in a contemporary population of AF patients.

Methods

This is a retrospective study among patients from the Southern district of Clalit Health Services in Israel between 1st January 1999 and 1st July 2021. The study population comprised solely of patients with atrial fibrillation since this is the most prevalent condition for prescribing amiodarone. Patients treated with amiodarone were matched in a 1:1 manner with controls not exposed to amiodarone based on age, sex, living area, and atrial fibrillation diagnosis duration. To avoid immortal time bias, follow-up times of the matched controls were left adjudicated to truncate the amiodarone-free period of their matched cases. Patients with prior PLC were excluded. The primary outcome was the incidence of any PLC. We performed survival analyses using multivariable Cox regression controlling for potential confounders.

Results

During the study period, 7,048 patients who initiated amiodarone treatment were identified, of whom 6,449 were matched with controls. The mean age was 71.5 years, and 46.4% were women among the matched population. The amiodarone-treatment group had higher rates of smoking (30.3% vs. 26.8%), prior non-lung-related malignancy (14.9% vs. 13.5%), rheumatic disease (4.5% vs. 3.5%), diabetes (38.3% vs. 32.6%), history of myocardial infarction (316% vs. 19.6%), renal failure (17.2% vs. 10.8%) and congestive heart failure (33.8% vs. 20.7%); p&lt;0.05 for all. During the study, with a mean follow-up time of 5.7 years, PLC occurred in 94 (1.5%) patients in the amiodarone group and 79 (1.2%) patients in the control group [adjusted-hazard-ratio (aHR) 1.10 (confidence-interval 95% (CI95%, 0.78,1.55), p=0.6]. Factors independently associated with increased PLC risk were smoking [aHR 4.25 CI95% (3.01,5.99), p&lt;0.001], non-lung-related malignancy [aHR 1.56, CI95% (1.00,2.42), p=0.050], and peripheral vascular disease [aHR 1.77, CI95% (1.16,2.71), p=0.008]

Conclusion

Chronic amiodarone treatment is not associated with increased risk for PLC. Smoking and prior non-lung-related malignancy and peripheral vascular disease were independently associated with increased PLC risk, suggesting that such patients should undergo closer surveillance for early detection of PLC.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Self-Reported Driving Difficulty, Avoidance, and Negative Emotion With On-Road Driving Performance in Older Adults With Glaucoma

PURPOSE

To investigate the relationship between self-perceived driving difficulty, driving avoidance, and negative emotion about driving with glaucoma severity and on-road driving performance.

DESIGN

Cohort study.

METHODS

Glaucoma patients (n = 111), aged 55 to 90 years, with mild, moderate, and advanced glaucoma in the better-eye based on the Glaucoma Staging System, and age-matched controls (n = 47) were recruited from a large tertiary academic center. Self-reported questionnaires were administered by a trained occupational therapist followed by a standardized on-road driving evaluation (pass vs "at-risk" score) with a masked and certified driving rehabilitation specialist.

RESULTS

Compared to controls, glaucoma participants reported greater driving difficulty with as early as mild glaucoma (P = .0391) and negative emotion about driving starting with moderate glaucoma (P = .0042). Glaucoma participants reporting at least 1 driving difficulty and negative emotion had a 3.3-fold (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 3.3; 95% CI = 1.24-8.52; P = .0163) and 4.2-fold (adjusted OR = 4.2; 95% CI = 1.5-12.2; P = .0078) greater odds, respectively, of an at-risk score on the on-road test. Self-reported driving difficulty in "difficult" conditions (P = .0019), rain (P = .0096), interstates (P = .0378), and high traffic (P = .0076), driving avoidance on sunny (P = .0065) and cloudy (P = .0043) days, and driving fewer days per week (P = .0329) were also associated with at-risk driving.

CONCLUSIONS

Screening tools that assess self-perceived driving difficulty and driving avoidance in specific conditions, negative emotion about driving, and driving exposure may help identify unsafe drivers with glaucoma. Some of these drivers, particularly those with modest glaucoma, may benefit from a driving evaluation and early referral to resources that could enable them to continue driving safely and confidently.

Search for Higgs Boson Pair Production in the Four b Quark Final State in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for pairs of Higgs bosons produced via gluon and vector boson fusion is presented, focusing on the four b quark final state. The data sample consists of proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1}. No deviation from the background-only hypothesis is observed. A 95% confidence level upper limit on the Higgs boson pair production cross section is observed at 3.9 times the standard model prediction for an expected value of 7.8. Constraints are also set on the modifiers of the Higgs field self-coupling, κ_{λ}, and of the coupling of two Higgs bosons to two vector bosons, κ_{2 V}. The observed (expected) allowed intervals at the 95% confidence level are -2.3<κ_{λ}<9.4 (-5.0<κ_{λ}<12.0) and -0.1<κ_{2 V}<2.2 (-0.4<κ_{2 V}<2.5). These are the most stringent observed constraints to date on the HH production cross section and on the κ_{2 V } coupling.

Automated diagnosing primary open-angle glaucoma from fundus image by simulating human's grading with deep learning

Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Although deep learning methods have been proposed to diagnose POAG, it remains challenging to develop a robust and explainable algorithm to automatically facilitate the downstream diagnostic tasks. In this study, we present an automated classification algorithm, GlaucomaNet, to identify POAG using variable fundus photographs from different populations and settings. GlaucomaNet consists of two convolutional neural networks to simulate the human grading process: learning the discriminative features and fusing the features for grading. We evaluated GlaucomaNet on two datasets: Ocular Hypertension Treatment Study (OHTS) participants and the Large-scale Attention-based Glaucoma (LAG) dataset. GlaucomaNet achieved the highest AUC of 0.904 and 0.997 for POAG diagnosis on OHTS and LAG datasets. An ensemble of network architectures further improved diagnostic accuracy. By simulating the human grading process, GlaucomaNet demonstrated high accuracy with increased transparency in POAG diagnosis (comprehensiveness scores of 97% and 36%). These methods also address two well-known challenges in the field: the need for increased image data diversity and relying heavily on perimetry for POAG diagnosis. These results highlight the potential of deep learning to assist and enhance clinical POAG diagnosis. GlaucomaNet is publicly available on https://github.com/bionlplab/GlaucomaNet .

Search for Flavor-Changing Neutral Current Interactions of the Top Quark and Higgs Boson in Final States with Two Photons in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

Proton-proton interactions resulting in final states with two photons are studied in a search for the signature of flavor-changing neutral current interactions of top quarks (t) and Higgs bosons (H). The analysis is based on data collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 137  fb^{-1}. No significant excess above the background prediction is observed. Upper limits on the branching fractions (B) of the top quark decaying to a Higgs boson and an up (u) or charm (c) quark are derived through a binned fit to the diphoton invariant mass spectrum. The observed (expected) 95% confidence level upper limits are found to be 0.019% (0.031%) for B(t→Hu) and 0.073% (0.051%) for B(t→Hc). These are the strictest upper limits yet determined.

Search for Resonances Decaying to Three W Bosons in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search for resonances decaying into a W boson and a radion, where the radion decays into two W bosons, is presented. The data analyzed correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} recorded in proton-proton collisions with the CMS detector at sqrt[s]=13  TeV. One isolated charged lepton is required, together with missing transverse momentum and one or two massive large-radius jets, containing the decay products of either two or one W bosons, respectively. No excess over the background estimation is observed. The results are combined with those from a complementary channel with an all-hadronic final state, described in an accompanying paper. Limits are set on parameters of an extended warped extra-dimensional model. These searches are the first of their kind at the LHC.

Probing Charm Quark Dynamics via Multiparticle Correlations in Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV

Multiparticle azimuthal correlations of prompt D^{0} mesons are measured in Pb-Pb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV. For the first time, a four-particle cumulant method is used to extract the second Fourier coefficient of the azimuthal distribution (v_{2}) of D^{0} mesons as a function of event centrality and the D^{0} transverse momentum. The ratios of the four-particle v_{2} values to previously measured two-particle cumulant results provide direct experimental access to event-by-event fluctuations of charm quark azimuthal anisotropies. These ratios are also found to be comparable to those of inclusive charged particles in the event. However, hints of deviations are seen in the most central and peripheral collisions. To investigate the origin of flow fluctuations in the charm sector, these measurements are compared to a model implementing fluctuations of charm quark energy loss via collisional or radiative processes in the quark-gluon plasma. These models cannot quantitatively describe the data over the full transverse momentum and centrality ranges, although the calculations with collisional energy loss provide a better description of the data.

A portrait of the Higgs boson by the CMS experiment ten years after the discovery

In July 2012, the ATLAS and CMS collaborations at the CERN Large Hadron Collider announced the observation of a Higgs boson at a mass of around 125 gigaelectronvolts. Ten years later, and with the data corresponding to the production of a 30-times larger number of Higgs bosons, we have learnt much more about the properties of the Higgs boson. The CMS experiment has observed the Higgs boson in numerous fermionic and bosonic decay channels, established its spin-parity quantum numbers, determined its mass and measured its production cross-sections in various modes. Here the CMS Collaboration reports the most up-to-date combination of results on the properties of the Higgs boson, including the most stringent limit on the cross-section for the production of a pair of Higgs bosons, on the basis of data from proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 teraelectronvolts. Within the uncertainties, all these observations are compatible with the predictions of the standard model of elementary particle physics. Much evidence points to the fact that the standard model is a low-energy approximation of a more comprehensive theory. Several of the standard model issues originate in the sector of Higgs boson physics. An order of magnitude larger number of Higgs bosons, expected to be examined over the next 15 years, will help deepen our understanding of this crucial sector.

Observation of the B_{c}^{+} Meson in Pb-Pb and pp Collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02 TeV and Measurement of its Nuclear Modification Factor

The B_{c}^{+} meson is observed for the first time in heavy ion collisions. Data from the CMS detector are used to study the production of the B_{c}^{+} meson in lead-lead (Pb-Pb) and proton-proton (pp) collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, via the B_{c}^{+}→(J/ψ→μ^{+}μ^{-})μ^{+}ν_{μ} decay. The B_{c}^{+} nuclear modification factor, derived from the Pb-Pb-to-pp ratio of production cross sections, is measured in two bins of the trimuon transverse momentum and of the Pb-Pb collision centrality. The B_{c}^{+} meson is shown to be less suppressed than quarkonia and most of the open heavy-flavor mesons, suggesting that effects of the hot and dense nuclear matter created in heavy ion collisions contribute to its production. This measurement sets forth a promising new probe of the interplay of suppression and enhancement mechanisms in the production of heavy-flavor mesons in the quark-gluon plasma.