Frequentist analysis of the parameter space of minimal supergravity
We make a frequentist analysis of the parameter space of minimal supergravity (mSUGRA), in which, as well as the gaugino and scalar soft supersymmetry-breaking parameters being universal, there is a specific relation between the trilinear, bilinear and scalar supersymmetry-breaking parameters, A0=B0+m0, and the gravitino mass is fixed by m3/2=m0. We also consider a more general model, in which the gravitino mass constraint is relaxed (the VCMSSM). We combine in the global likelihood function the experimental constraints from low-energy electroweak precision data, the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, the lightest Higgs boson mass Mh, B physics and the astrophysical cold dark matter density, assuming that the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) is a neutralino. In the VCMSSM, we find a preference for values of m1/2 and m0 similar to those found previously in frequentist analyses of the constrained MSSM (CMSSM) and a model with common non-universal Higgs masses (NUHM1). On the other hand, in mSUGRA we find two preferred regions: one with larger values of both m1/2 and m0 than in the VCMSSM, and one with large m0 but small m1/2. We compare the probabilities of the frequentist fits in mSUGRA, the VCMSSM, the CMSSM and the NUHM1: the probability that mSUGRA is consistent with the present data is significantly less than in the other models. We also discuss the mSUGRA and VCMSSM predictions for sparticle masses and other observables, identifying potential signatures at the LHC and elsewhere.

title: Search for supersymmetry in events with b-quark jets and missing transverse energy in pp collisions at 7 TeV
abstract: Results are presented from a search for physics beyond the standard model based on events with large missing transverse energy, at least three jets, and at least one, two, or three b-quark jets. The study is performed using a sample of proton-proton collision data collected at sqrt(s)=7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2011, with the missing transverse energy distribution as the principal search variable. The integrated luminosity of the sample is 4.98 inverse femtobarns. The observed number of events is found to be consistent with the standard model expectation, which is evaluated using control samples in the data. The results are used to constrain cross sections for the production of supersymmetric particles decaying to b-quark-enriched final states in the context of simplified model spectra.

title: Performance Study of the CMS Barrel Resistive Plate Chambers with Cosmic Rays
abstract: In October and November 2008, the CMS collaboration conducted a programme of cosmic ray data taking, which has recorded about 270 million events. The Resistive Plate Chamber system, which is part of the CMS muon detection system, was successfully operated in the full barrel. More than 98% of the channels were operational during the exercise with typical detection efficiency of 90%. In this paper, the performance of the detector during these dedicated runs is reported.

title: Performance and operation of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter
abstract: The operation and general performance of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter using cosmic-ray muons are described. These muons were recorded after the closure of the CMS detector in late 2008. The calorimeter is made of lead tungstate crystals and the overall status of the 75 848 channels corresponding to the barrel and endcap detectors is reported. The stability of crucial operational parameters, such as high voltage, temperature and electronic noise, is summarised and the performance of the light monitoring system is presented.

title: Measurement of the differential q**2 spectrum and forward-backward asymmetry for B ---> K* l+ l-

title: PAT: The CMS Physics Analysis Toolkit
abstract: The CMS Physics Analysis Toolkit (PAT) is presented. The PAT is a high-level analysis layer enabling the development of common analysis efforts across and within Physics Analysis Groups. It aims at fulfilling the needs of most CMS analyses, providing both ease-of-use for the beginner and flexibility for the advanced user. The main PAT concepts are described in detail and some examples from physics analyses are given.

title: Matter effects in upward-going muons and sterile neutrino oscillations
abstract: The angular distribution of upward-going muons produced by atmospheric neutrinos in the rock below the MACRO detector shows anomalies in good agreement with two flavor ν μ → ν τ oscillations with maximum mixing and Δm 2 around 0.0024 eV 2 . Exploiting the dependence of magnitude of the matter effect on oscillation channel, and using a set of 809 upward-going muons observed in MACRO, we show that the two flavor ν μ → ν s oscillation is disfavored with 99% C.L. with respect to ν μ → ν τ .

title: Status report of the macro experiment at gran sasso
abstract: The half of the MACRO detector, a large area Monopole, Astrophysics, Cosmic Ray Observatory is nearly completed in Hall B of the Gran Sasso Laboratory. One supermodule is already taken data and the remainder will be activated in few months. A general overview of the MACRO detector, together with its physics capabilities as far as the search for point sources of high energy neutrino is concerned, will be presented.

title: Momentum analysis of kaon and pion pairs produced from time-like photons at 1.6 GeV energy
abstract: We present results for the total cross section of e+e− annihilation into two hadrons at 1.6 GeV: σππ = σKK = (1.8 ± 1.1) × 10-33 cm2.From these values we obtain the time-like electromagnetic form factors these mesons: |Fπ|2 = 0.24 ± 0.14 and |FK|2 = 0.46 ± 0.26.

title: Measurement of mechanical vibrations excited in aluminium resonators by 0.6 GeV electrons
abstract: We present measurements of mechanical vibrations induced by 0.6 GeV electrons impinging on cylindrical and spherical aluminum resonators. To monitor the amplitude of the resonator’s vibrational modes we used piezoelectric ceramic sensors calibrated by standard accelerometers. Calculations using the thermo-acoustic conversion model agree well with the experimental data, as demonstrated by specific variations of the excitation strengths with the absorbed energy, and with the traversing particles’ track positions. For the first longitudinal mode of the cylindrical resonator we measured a conversion factor of 7.4±1.4 nm/J, confirming the model value of 10 nm/J. Also, for the spherical resonator, we found the model values for the L=2 and L=1 mode amplitudes to be consistent with our measurement. We thus have confirmed the applicability of the model, and we note that calculations based on the model have shown that next generation resonant mass gravitational wave detectors can only be expected to reach their int...

title: High statistics measurement of the underground muon pair separation at Gran Sasso
abstract: We present a measurement of the underground decoherence function using multi-muon events observed in the MACRO detector at Gran Sasso at an average depth of 3800 hg/cm**2. Muon pair separations up to 70 m have been measured, corresponding to parent mesons with P_t mu + N + mu- + mu+, can be experimentally studied. The measured decoherence function is compared with the predictions of the hadronic interaction model of the HEMAS Monte Carlo code. Good agreement is obtained. We interpret this agreement to indicate that no anomalous P_t components in soft hadron-Nucleus and Nucleus-Nucleus collisions are required by the MACRO experimental data.