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The cell morphology of rod-shaped bacteria is determined by the rigid net of peptidoglycan forming the cell wall. Alterations to the rod shape, such as the curved rod, occur through manipulating the process of cell wall synthesis. The human pathogenVibrio choleraetypically exists as a curved rod, but straight rods have been observed under certain conditions. While this appears to be a regulated process, the regulatory pathways controlling cell shape transitions inV. choleraeand the benefits of switching between rod and curved shape have not been determined. We demonstrate that cell shape inV. choleraeis regulated by the bacterial second messenger cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP) by posttranscriptionally repressing expression ofcrvA, a gene encoding an intermediate filament-like protein necessary for curvature formation inV. cholerae.This regulation is mediated by the transcriptional cascade that also induces production of biofilm matrix components, indicating that cell shape is coregulated withV. cholerae’s induction of sessility. During microcolony formation, wild-typeV. choleraecells tended to exist as straight rods, while genetically engineering cells to maintain high curvature reduced microcolony formation and biofilm density. Conversely, straightV. choleraemutants have reduced swimming speed when using flagellar motility in liquid. Our results demonstrate regulation of cell shape in bacteria is a mechanism to increase fitness in planktonic and biofilm lifestyles. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> A search for Higgs boson pair (HH) production in association with a vector boson V (W or Z boson) is presented. The search is based on proton-proton collision data at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected with the CMS detector at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb⁻¹. Both hadronic and leptonic decays of V bosons are used. The leptons considered are electrons, muons, and neutrinos. The HH production is searched for in the$$ \textrm{b}\overline{\textrm{b}}\textrm{b}\overline{\textrm{b}} $$ $b\overline{b}b\overline{b}$decay channel. An observed (expected) upper limit at 95% confidence level of VHH production cross section is set at 294 (124) times the standard model prediction. Constraints are also set on the modifiers of the Higgs boson trilinear self-coupling,k_λ, assumingk_2V= 1, and vice versa on the coupling of two Higgs bosons with two vector bosons,k_2V. The observed (expected) 95% confidence intervals of these coupling modifiers are−37.7 <k_λ< 37.2 (−30.1 <k_λ< 28.9) and−12.2 <k_2V< 13.5 (−7.2 <k_2V< 8.9), respectively. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> Diboson production in association with jets is studied in the fully leptonic final states, pp → (Z/γ^*)(Z/γ^*) + jets → 2ℓ2ℓ′ + jets, (ℓ,ℓ′ = e orμ) in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb⁻¹collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. Differential distributions and normalized differential cross sections are measured as a function of jet multiplicity, transverse momentump_T, pseudorapidityη, invariant mass and ∆ηof the highest-p_Tand second-highest-p_Tjets, and as a function of invariant mass of the four-lepton system for events with various jet multiplicities. These differential cross sections are compared with theoretical predictions that mostly agree with the experimental data. However, in a few regions we observe discrepancies between the predicted and measured values. Further improvement of the predictions is required to describe the ZZ+jets production in the whole phase space. 

Abstract Using proton–proton collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of$$140\hbox { fb}^{-1}$$ $140{\text{fb}}^{-1}$collected by the CMS experiment at$$\sqrt{s}= 13\,\text {Te}\hspace{-.08em}\text {V} $$ $\sqrt{s}=13\text{Te}\text{V}$, the$${{{\Lambda }} _{\text {b}}^{{0}}} \rightarrow {{\text {J}/\uppsi }} {{{\Xi }} ^{{-}}} {{\text {K}} ^{{+}}} $$ ${\Lambda }_{\text{b}}^0\to \text{J}/\psi {\Xi }^{-}{\text{K}}^{+}$decay is observed for the first time, with a statistical significance exceeding 5 standard deviations. The relative branching fraction, with respect to the$${{{\Lambda }} _{\text {b}}^{{0}}} \rightarrow {{{\uppsi }} ({2\textrm{S}})} {{\Lambda }} $$ ${\Lambda }_{\text{b}}^0\to \psi \left(2\text{S}\right)\Lambda$decay, is measured to be$$\mathcal {B}({{{\Lambda }} _{\text {b}}^{{0}}} \rightarrow {{\text {J}/\uppsi }} {{{\Xi }} ^{{-}}} {{\text {K}} ^{{+}}} )/\mathcal {B}({{{\Lambda }} _{\text {b}}^{{0}}} \rightarrow {{{\uppsi }} ({2\textrm{S}})} {{\Lambda }} ) = [3.38\pm 1.02\pm 0.61\pm 0.03]\%$$ $B({\Lambda }_{\text{b}}^0\to \text{J}/\psi {\Xi }^{-}{\text{K}}^{+})/B({\Lambda }_{\text{b}}^0\to \psi \left(2\text{S}\right)\Lambda )=[3.38\pm 1.02\pm 0.61\pm 0.03]\%$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third is related to the uncertainties in$$\mathcal {B}({{{\uppsi }} ({2\textrm{S}})} \rightarrow {{\text {J}/\uppsi }} {{{\uppi }} ^{{+}}} {{{\uppi }} ^{{-}}} )$$ $B(\psi \left(2\text{S}\right)\to \text{J}/\psi {\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-})$and$$\mathcal {B}({{{\Xi }} ^{{-}}} \rightarrow {{\Lambda }} {{{\uppi }} ^{{-}}} )$$ $B({\Xi }^{-}\to \Lambda {\pi }^{-})$. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> Measurements of the charge-dependent two-particle angular correlation function in proton-lead (pPb) collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of$$ \sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}} $$ $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$= 8.16 TeV and lead-lead (PbPb) collisions at$$ \sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}} $$ $\sqrt{s_{\mathrm{NN}}}$= 5.02 TeV are reported. The pPb and PbPb data sets correspond to integrated luminosities of 186 nb⁻¹and 0.607 nb⁻¹, respectively, and were collected using the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The charge-dependent correlations are characterized by balance functions of same- and opposite-sign particle pairs. The balance functions, which contain information about the creation time of charged particle pairs and the development of collectivity, are studied as functions of relative pseudorapidity (∆η) and relative azimuthal angle (∆ϕ), for various multiplicity and transverse momentum (p_T) intervals. A multiplicity dependence of the balance function is observed in ∆ηand ∆ϕfor both systems. The width of the balance functions decreases towards high-multiplicity collisions in the momentum region<2 GeV, for pPb and PbPb results. Integrals of the balance functions are presented in both systems, and a mild dependence of the charge-balancing fractions on multiplicity is observed. No multiplicity dependence is observed at higher transverse momentum. The data are compared withhydjet,hijing, andamptgenerator predictions, none of which capture completely the multiplicity dependence seen in the data. The comparison of results with different center-of-mass energies suggests that the balance functions become narrower at higher energies, which is consistent with the idea of delayed hadronization and the effect of radial flow. 

A<sc>bstract</sc> A search for Higgs boson pair (HH) production with one Higgs boson decaying to two bottom quarks and the other to two W bosons are presented. The search is done using proton-proton collisions data at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138 fb⁻¹recorded by the CMS detector at the LHC from 2016 to 2018. The final states considered include at least one leptonically decaying W boson. No evidence for the presence of a signal is observed and corresponding upper limits on the HH production cross section are derived. The limit on the inclusive cross section of the nonresonant HH production, assuming that the distributions of kinematic observables are as expected in the standard model (SM), is observed (expected) to be 14 (18) times the value predicted by the SM, at 95% confidence level. The limits on the cross section are also presented as functions of various Higgs boson coupling modifiers, and anomalous Higgs boson coupling scenarios. In addition, limits are set on the resonant HH production via spin-0 and spin-2 resonances within the mass range 250–900 GeV. 

The production of $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(2S\right)$and $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(3S\right)$mesons in lead-lead (Pb-Pb) and proton-proton ( $pp$) collisions is studied in their dimuon decay channel using the CMS detector at the LHC. The $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(3S\right)$meson is observed for the first time in Pb-Pb collisions, with a significance above 5 standard deviations. The ratios of yields measured in Pb-Pb and $pp$collisions are reported for both the $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(2S\right)$and $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(3S\right)$mesons, as functions of transverse momentum and Pb-Pb collision centrality. These ratios, when appropriately scaled, are significantly less than unity, indicating a suppression of $\mathrm{\Upsilon }$yields in Pb-Pb collisions. This suppression increases from peripheral to central Pb-Pb collisions. Furthermore, the suppression is stronger for $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(3S\right)$mesons compared to $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(2S\right)$mesons, extending the pattern of sequential suppression of quarkonium states in nuclear collisions previously seen for the $J/\psi$, $\psi \left(2S\right)$, $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(1S\right)$, and $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(2S\right)$mesons. © 2024 CERN, for the CMS Collaboration2024CERN 

A search for beyond the standard model spin-0 bosons, $\varphi$, that decay into pairs of electrons, muons, or tau leptons is presented. The search targets the associated production of such bosons with a $W$or $Z$gauge boson, or a top quark-antiquark pair, and uses events with three or four charged leptons, including hadronically decaying tau leptons. The proton-proton collision data set used in the analysis was collected at the LHC from 2016 to 2018 at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of $138{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The observations are consistent with the predictions from standard model processes. Upper limits are placed on the product of cross sections and branching fractions of such new particles over the mass range of 15 to 350 GeV with scalar, pseudoscalar, or Higgs-boson-like couplings, as well as on the product of coupling parameters and branching fractions. Several model-dependent exclusion limits are also presented. For a Higgs-boson-like $\varphi$model, limits are set on the mixing angle of the Higgs boson with the $\varphi$boson. For the associated production of a $\varphi$boson with a top quark-antiquark pair, limits are set on the coupling to top quarks. Finally, limits are set for the first time on a fermiophilic dilaton-like model with scalar couplings and a fermiophilic axion-like model with pseudoscalar couplings. © 2024 CERN, for the CMS Collaboration2024CERN 

A search is presented for high-mass exclusive diphoton production via photon-photon fusion in proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13\mathrm{TeV}$in events where both protons survive the interaction. The analysis utilizes data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $103{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$collected in 2016–2018 with the central CMS detector and the CMS and TOTEM precision proton spectrometer (PPS). Events that have two photons with high transverse momenta ( $p_{\mathrm{T}}^{\gamma }>100\mathrm{GeV}$), back-to-back in azimuth, and with a large diphoton invariant mass ( $m_{\gamma \gamma }>350\mathrm{GeV}$) are selected. To remove the dominant inclusive diphoton backgrounds, the kinematic properties of the protons detected in PPS are required to match those of the central diphoton system. Only events having opposite-side forward protons detected with a fractional momentum loss between 0.035 and 0.15 (0.18) for the detectors on the negative (positive) side of CMS are considered. One exclusive diphoton candidate is observed for an expected background of 1.1 events. Limits at 95% confidence level are derived for the four-photon anomalous coupling parameters $\left|{\zeta }_1\right|<0.073{\mathrm{TeV}}^{-4}$and $\left|{\zeta }_2\right|<0.15{\mathrm{TeV}}^{-4}$, using an effective field theory. Additionally, upper limits are placed on the production of axionlike particles with coupling strength to photons $f^{-1}$that varies from $0.03{\mathrm{TeV}}^{-1}$to $1{\mathrm{TeV}}^{-1}$over the mass range from 500 to 2000 GeV. © 2024 CERN, for the CMS and TOTEMs Collaboration2024CERN 

The results of a search for stealth supersymmetry in final states with two photons and jets, targeting a phase space region with low missing transverse momentum ( $p_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{miss}}$), are reported. The study is based on a sample of proton-proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13\mathrm{TeV}$collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $138{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. As LHC results continue to constrain the parameter space of the minimal supersymmetric standard model, the low $p_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{miss}}$regime is increasingly valuable to explore. To estimate the backgrounds due to standard model processes in such events, we apply corrections derived from simulation to an estimate based on a control selection in data. The results are interpreted in the context of simplified stealth supersymmetry models with gluino and squark pair production. The observed data are consistent with the standard model predictions, and gluino (squark) masses of up to 2150 (1850) GeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level. © 2024 CERN, for the CMS Collaboration2024CERN