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Study of same-sign W boson scattering and anomalous couplings in events with one tau lepton from pp collisions at √ = 13 TeV
Get PDFData Availability Statement: Release and preservation of data used by the CMS Collaboration as the basis for publications is guided by the CMS data preservation, re-use and open access policy (https://doi.org/10.7483/OPENDATA.CMS.1BNU.8V1W).Code Availability Statement: The CMS core software is publicly available on GitHub (https://github.com/cms-sw/cmssw).A version of the article is available at arXiv:2410.04210v2 [hep-ex] (https://arxiv.org/abs/2410.04210). Comments: Replaced with the published version. Added the journal reference and the DOI. All the figures and tables can be found at https://cms-results.web.cern.ch/cms-results/public-results/publications/SMP-22-008 (CMS Public Pages). Report number: CMS-SMP-22-008, CERN-EP-2024-234. Journal reference: JHEP 10 (2025) 219. Submission history: From: The CMS Collaboration: [v1] Sat, 5 Oct 2024 15:59:11 UTC (682 KB); [v2] Thu, 6 Nov 2025 17:55:47 UTC (644 KB).A first study is presented of the cross section for the scattering of same-sign W boson pairs via the detection of a τ lepton. The data from proton-proton collisions at the center-of-mass energy of 13TeV were collected by the CMS detector at the LHC, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 138fb⁻¹. Events were selected that contain two jets with large pseudorapidity and large invariant mass, one τ lepton, one light lepton (e or µ), and significant missing transverse momentum. The measured cross section for electroweak same-sign WW scattering is 1.44+0.63−0.56 times the standard model prediction. In addition, a search is presented for the indirect effects of processes beyond the standard model via the effective field theory framework, in terms of dimension-6 and dimension-8 operators.SCOAP³
An ethical assessment framework for AI security and ethics in smart grid
Get PDFThe advancement of smart grid, facilitated by the extensive integration of information communication, automated control, and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, signifies a significant transformation of the power system towards holistic perception, intelligent management, and secure operation. This article focuses on the security and ethical compliance of smart grid, intending to offer guiding insights for this new technological domain. This study initially delineates the potential applications, technical attributes, and design of smart grid, followed by a thorough examination of the security threats and ethical dilemmas arising from technological advancements. This study examines the pivotal role of AI in smart grid and its intricate interplay with security and ethical concerns. It performs a comprehensive analysis of the possible technical deficiencies and ethical challenges of AI systems in smart grid and assesses the extensive repercussions that these difficulties may entail. This study presents a security ethics evaluation methodology for smart grid, which thoroughly examines the ethical implications of AI technology in power grid applications and identifies existing obstacles and threats. This paper conducts a thorough policy analysis to evaluate the present security and ethical conditions of smart grid, with the objective of offering substantive theoretical support to enhance their security and ethical advancement, thereby fostering their healthy and sustainable development
Neurofunctional reorganization and memory improvements induced by rivastigmine in Alzheimer's disease are mediated by α4β2 nicotinic receptor density
Get PDFBiomarkers Poster Presentation: Neuroimaging at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC25), Toronto, Canada, 27–31 July 2025.Background:
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors are used to delay cognitive decline due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) by preventing breakdown of acetylcholine. Such treatment appears to be associated with cerebral changes, although the mechanism of action has not been clarified yet. This study aimed at assessing rivastigmine-induced changes in acetylcholine-related functional connectivity (FC) and cognitive performance in patients with prodromal to mild AD.
Method:
Thirty-two patients with prodromal to mild AD recruited consecutively from a memory clinic were randomly assigned either to a 12-week rivastigmine patch treatment (ADt; n = 16) or to an untreated control group (ADu; n = 16). Participants underwent comprehensive neuropsychological and MRI assessments at baseline (T0) and after 12 weeks (T1). Functional MRI scans were pre-processed with the REACT pipeline to extract whole-brain FC maps weighted by the expected distribution of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter, the α4β2 nicotinic and the M1 muscarinic receptors using publicly available atlases. Between-group differences in T0-to-T1changes in cognitive performance and neurotransmitter-related FC were investigated. A regression model was used to assess the association between longitudinal changes (T1-T0) in cognitive performance and FC in the ADt group.
Result:
At T0, the ADt group had worse visual long-term memory and higher α4β2-related FC in frontal and occipito-cerebellar cortices compared with the ADu group. Compared with the ADu group, the ADt group showed a greater longitudinal reduction in frontal α4β2-related FC and a greater improvement in visual memory. Changes in α4β2-related FC were significantly associated with memory improvements.
Conclusion:
Rivastigmine treatment induced FC changes in frontal and occipito-cerebellar areas in patients with prodromal to mild AD that were associated with long-term memory performance improvements over 12 weeks. These rivastigmine-induced effects on resting-state brain activity and the mediating role of the α4β2 nicotinic receptor for acetylcholine are in line with previous findings. Neurotransmitter-related FC can be an MRI biomarker sensitive to test mechanisms of actions and to track neuroplastic changes induced by pharmacological treatments targeting specific neurotransmitter systems in people with A
Search for charged lepton flavor violating and ′ boson decays in proton-proton collisions at √ = 13 TeV
Get PDFA version of the article is available at arXiv:2508.07512 [hep-ex] (https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.07512). Comments: Replaced with the published version. Added the journal reference and the DOI. All the figures and tables can be found at https://cms-results.web.cern.ch/cms-results/public-results/publications/SMP-23-003 (CMS Public Pages). Subjects: High Energy Physics - Experiment (hep-ex). Report number: CMS-SMP-23-003, CERN-EP-2025-130. Journal reference: Phys. Rev. D 112 (2025) 112011. Related DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/8lw4-6lyk . Submission history: From: The CMS Collaboration: [v1] Mon, 11 Aug 2025 00:07:12 UTC (671 KB); [v2] Mon, 15 Dec 2025 18:15:45 UTC (708 KB).A search for flavor violating decays of the boson to charged leptons is performed using data from proton-proton collisions at √ =13 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb⁻¹. Each of the decays →, →, and → is considered. The data are consistent with the backgrounds expected from standard model processes. For the → channel the observed (expected) 95% confidence level upper limit on the branching fraction is 1.9(2.0) ×10⁻⁷, which is the most stringent direct limit to date on this process; the corresponding limits for the → and → channels are 13.8(11.4) ×10⁻⁶ and 12.0(5.3) ×10⁻⁶, respectively. Additionally, the final state is used to search for lepton flavor violating decays of ′ resonances in the mass range from 110 to 500 GeV. No significant excess is observed above the predicted background levels.SCOAP³
A Data-Driven Approach to Labour Market Alignment with Renewable Innovation in the UK and US
Get PDFAs the development of renewable energy technologies accelerates, the need for a highly skilled workforce becomes increasingly critical. However, empirical evidence remains limited regarding whether current labour markets are adequately responding to this growing demand. This paper analyses the demand for skills in electrical engineering as the energy sector transitions to renewables. We focus on the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) markets and employ the enhanced Latent Dirichlet Allocation model with incorporated hierarchical skill relationships and automated variation handling, enabling deeper insights into skill interactions. The findings highlight both shared global priorities, such as practical and technical competencies, and distinct regional differences shaped by national energy transitions, as well as an evident gap between the projected future skill requirements for the renewable energy sector and the current labour market demand. To further investigate the influence of professional skills within a specific occupational group in the energy industry on national innovation output, we used a Bayesian regression model. The results indicate a robust, positive relationship between skills and innovation, with consistent effects across both countries despite differing broader innovation ecosystems. The study contributes to understanding the role of occupational skill development in the national innovation systems
Capacity Building in the Arab Nonprofit Sector: A Scoping Review and Preliminary Bibliometric Insights
Get PDFArab countries are pursuing ambitious development agendas, modernizing while preserving cultural identities. Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) play vital roles across social, economic, and environmental sectors, yet research on capacity building remains limited. Guided by PRISMA-ScR, this bilingual review (English and Arabic) retrieved 219 records (2012–2023), of which only 20 met the inclusion criteria. A small-scale bibliometric analysis identified key concepts involving institutional development, the NPO watchdog function, and Islamic social finance. This review contributes to global capacity-building theories by unveiling region-specific factors, such as localized volunteering and religious endowments, that both enrich and challenge conventional NPO models. While highlighting pressing gaps for empirical and conceptual work, it offers actionable insights for policymakers and nonprofit leaders seeking to strengthen Arab NPO interventions. Ultimately, it reframes capacity-building dialogues, revealing how Arab NPOs can advance broader development agendas. The data sets generated and/or analyzed during this study are available from the corresponding author on request.This research was supported by Qatar University under grant NPRP-14S-0303-210015, funded by the Qatar Research, Development, and Innovation (QRDI) Council
Joking, joke telling and the making of mutuality in the South African Lowveld
Get PDFIn this article I endorse the contention that humour presents a window onto the complicated social relationships and consciousness of speakers and listeners. Drawing on long-term ethnographic research in Bushbuckridge, South Africa, I observe that improvised joking and the telling of standard jokes have proliferated over the past three decades. I suggest that we can understand both forms of humour as bids to construct intimate interpersonal relations, based on mutuality, in times of increased precarity. There are, nonetheless, important differences between these forms of humour. In Bushbuckridge, a long tradition of spontaneous and improvised joking between certain categories of persons stood at the very heart of kinship. The association of such joking with intimacy was evident in the general rule that one was only allowed to joke, particularly about sexual matters, with persons one was allowed to see naked. By engaging in such joking, villagers reinforced mutuality with kin, upon whom they relied for social security. By contrast, the (re)telling of standard jokes is a fairly recent practice. Unlike in joking between kin, the original composers of the jokes are anonymous and the butt of the jokes are fictitious third persons. This insulates listeners from direct embarrassment and the teller from retaliation. These jokes were told between male peers, and commented on the diminished status of men in contemporary times. By telling standard jokes, men provoked ‘laugher out of place’, in a bid to re-establish sociality in moments of distress and extend mutuality beyond the domains of kinship networks.Résumé:
Dans cet article, l’auteur soutient l’idée que l’humour offre une fenêtre sur les relations sociales compliquées et la conscience des locuteurs et des auditeurs. En s’appuyant sur des recherches ethnographiques menées à Bushbuckridge, en Afrique du Sud, il observe une prolifération des plaisanteries improvisées et des blagues classiques au cours des trois dernières décennies. Il suggère que ces deux formes d’humour peuvent être interprétées comme des tentatives de construire des relations interpersonnelles intimes, fondées sur la mutualité, en période de précarité accrue. Il existe néanmoins d’importantes différences entre ces formes d’humour. À Bushbuckridge, une longue tradition de plaisanteries spontanées et improvisées entre certaines catégories de personnes était au coeur même de la parenté. L’association de ces plaisanteries à l’intimité était évidente dans la règle générale selon laquelle il n’était permis de plaisanter, notamment sur des sujets sexuels, qu’avec des personnes que l’on était autorisé à voir nues. En se livrant à de telles plaisanteries, les villageois renforçaient la mutualité avec la parenté dont ils dépendaient pour leur protection sociale. En revanche, le fait de (re)raconter des blagues classiques est une pratique relativement récente. Contrairement aux plaisanteries de parenté, les auteurs des blagues sont anonymes et les cibles sont des tiers fictifs. Cela protège les auditeurs d’une gêne directe et le narrateur de représailles. Ces blagues étaient racontées entre pairs masculins et commentaient la perte de statut des hommes à l’époque contemporaine. En racontant des blagues classiques, les hommes provoquaient des « rires incongrus », dans l’espoir de rétablir la sociabilité dans des moments de détresse, et d’étendre la mutualité au-delà des réseaux de parenté.Resumo:
Neste artigo, defendo a ideia de que o humor é uma janela para as complexas relações sociais e a consciência de quem fala e de quem ouve. Com base numa pesquisa etnográfica de longo prazo em Bushbuckridge, na África do Sul, observo que as piadas improvisadas e as piadas tradicionais se proliferaram nas últimas três décadas. Sugiro que podemos entender ambas as formas de humor como tentativas de construir relações interpessoais íntimas, baseadas na reciprocidade, em tempos de crescente precariedade. No entanto, existem diferenças importantes entre estas formas de humor. Em Bushbuckridge, uma longa tradição de piadas espontâneas e improvisadas entre certas categorias de pessoas estava no cerne do parentesco. A associação entre essas brincadeiras e a intimidade era evidente na regra geral de que só era permitido brincar, especialmente sobre assuntos sexuais, com pessoas que se podia ver nuas. Ao participar nessas brincadeiras, os aldeões reforçavam a mutualidade com os parentes, de quem dependiam para a segurança social. Em contrapartida, o (re)contar piadas padrão é uma prática bastante recente. Ao contrário das piadas entre parentes, os autores originais das piadas são anónimos e os alvos das piadas são terceiros fictícios. Isto isola os ouvintes do embaraço direto e o contador da retaliação. Estas piadas eram contadas entre pares do sexo masculino e comentavam o estatuto diminuído dos homens na contemporaneidade. Ao contar piadas padrão, os homens provocavam ‘risos fora de lugar’, numa tentativa de restabelecer a sociabilidade em momentos de angústia e estender a mutualidade para além dos domínios das redes de parentesco
Functional group selection and topological effects in concrete transport inhibitors: Nano-mechanisms and design principles
Get PDFData availability:
The authors do not have permission to share data.Chloride ion (Cl⁻) ingress significantly reduces the durability of reinforced concrete, particularly in marine environments, due to the high permeability of concrete pores. Concrete transportation inhibitors (CTIs) have emerged as a potential solution, yet their inhibition mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations and quantum chemical analyses are employed to elucidate the performance of surfactant-like CTIs. Results show that the enhancement of nanoscale interfacial tension (IFT) is central to reducing fluid transport. Among the tested structures, the Bola-type molecule with phosphonic acid head groups (B-PO₃²⁻) demonstrates the strongest adsorption to calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H), low self-aggregation, and an enlarged interaction area with water. These properties allow B-PO₃²⁻ to act as an effective nanoscale barrier to chloride penetration. This work provides a molecular-level framework for evaluating CTIs and offers design principles for next-generation concrete additives aimed at improving durability in aggressive environments.M. W. and D. H. financial support from the National key research and development project 2022YFE0133800, the National Natural science foundation of China under Grant U2006224, 52308263, Shandong Province Natural Science Foundation under Grant ZR2022YQ55, Shandong Provincial Education Department under Grant 2023KJ320, Qingdao Research Program 16–5–1–96-jch, 111 Project TMduracon20220022. Newton International Fellowship NIF\R1\242498
Dynamic graph representation of EEG signals for speech imagery recognition
Get PDFData availability statement:
No new data were created or analysed in this study.Objective. Speech imagery recognition from electroencephalography (EEG) signals is an emerging challenge in brain-computer interfaces, and has important applications, such as in the interaction with locked-in patients. In this work, we use graph signal processing for developing a more effective representation of EEG signals in speech imagery recognition.Approach. We propose a dynamic graph representation that uses multiple graphs constructed based on the time-varying correlations between EEG channels. Our methodology is particularly suitable for signals that exhibit fluctuating correlations, which cannot be adequately modeled through a static (single graph) model. The resultant representation provides graph frequency features that compactly capture the spatial patterns of the underlying multidimensional EEG signal as well as the evolution of spatial relationships over time. These dynamic graph features are fed into an attention-based long short-term memory network for speech imagery recognition. A novel EEG data augmentation method is also proposed for improving training robustness.Main results. Experimental evaluation using a range of experiments shows that the proposed dynamic graph features are more effective than conventional time-frequency features for speech imagery recognition. The overall system outperforms current state-of-the-art approaches, yielding accuracy gains of up to 10%.Significance. The dynamic graph representation captures time-varying spatial relationships in EEG signals, overcoming limitations of static graph models and conventional feature extraction. Combined with data augmentation and attention-based classification, it demonstrates substantial improvements over existing methods in speech imagery recognition
Brexit and the Death of Centrist Liberalism
Get PDFThis paper makes the argument that Brexit is one of a series of challenges to centrist liberalism taking place across the core nation-states of the modern world-system. Offering a world-systems analysis on Brexit it draws upon two key themes from it to analyse the meaning of Brexit for the geocultural ideology which has dominated the modern world-system since the French revolution, what Wallerstein called centrist liberalism. First it situates Brexit in the longue durée regarding the manufacture of the United Kingdom and the development of its unifying national culture. The colonial and imperialist history of the United Kingdom are foundational to its national culture and have generated an uneven and increasingly contested support for popular imperialism. Brexit is, therefore, presented as a reaction to the abandonment of the social compact that underpinned British national culture over the course of the late C19 and C20, driven by the transformation of British political economy through powerful neoliberal policies. Second, whilst acknowledging the unique nature of Brexit, the paper situates the UK as a part of the core of the modern world-system to argue that the meaning of Brexit has to be situated in the context of the ongoing transformation of the political economy of the core since 1979–80, and the political responses that this has generated
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