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Abstract Bonding in the ground state of C $${}_{2}$$ 2 is still a matter of controversy, as reasonable arguments may be made for a dicarbon bond order of $$2$$ 2 , $$3$$ 3 , or $$4$$ 4 . Here we report on photoelectron spectra of the C $${}_{2}^{-}$$ 2 − anion, measured at a range of wavelengths using a high-resolution photoelectron imaging spectrometer, which reveal both the ground $${X}^{1}{\Sigma}_{\mathrm{g}}^{+}$$ X 1 Σ g + and first-excited $${a}^{3}{\Pi}_{{\mathrm{u}}}$$ a 3 Π u electronic states. These measurements yield electron angular anisotropies that identify the character of two orbitals: the diffuse detachment orbital of the anion and the highest occupied molecular orbital of the neutral. This work indicates that electron detachment occurs from predominantly $$s$$ s -like ( $$3{\sigma}_{\mathrm{g}}$$ 3 σ g ) and $$p$$ p -like ( $$1{\pi }_{{\mathrm{u}}}$$ 1 π u ) orbitals, respectively, which is inconsistent with the predictions required for the high bond-order models of strongly $$sp$$ s p -mixed orbitals. This result suggests that the dominant contribution to the dicarbon bonding involves a double-bonded configuration, with 2 $$\pi$$ π bonds and no accompanying $$\sigma$$ σ bond. 

Neonicotinoid insecticides are widely used in both urban and agricultural settings around the world. Historically, neonicotinoid insecticides have been viewed as ideal replacements for more toxic compounds, like organophosphates, due in part to their perceived limited potential to affect the environment and human health. This critical review investigates the environmental fate and toxicity of neonicotinoids and their metabolites and the potential risks associated with exposure. Neonicotinoids are found to be ubiquitous in the environment, drinking water, and food, with low-level exposure commonly documented below acceptable daily intake standards. Available toxicological data from animal studies indicate possible genotoxicity, cytotoxicity, impaired immune function, and reduced growth and reproductive success at low concentrations, while limited data from ecological or cross-sectional epidemiological studies have identified acute and chronic health effects ranging from acute respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological symptoms to oxidative genetic damage and birth defects. Due to the heavy use of neonicotinoids and potential for cumulative chronic exposure, these insecticides represent novel risks and necessitate further study to fully understand their risks to humans. 

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$${\sqrt{s}=13\,\text {Te}\hspace{-.08em}\text {V}}$$$\sqrt{s}=13\text{Te}\text{V}$by the CMS experiment at the LHC, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 138$$\,\text {fb}^{-1}$$${\text{fb}}^{-1}$. The 95% confidence level upper limit set on the branching fraction of the 125$$\,\text {Ge}\hspace{-.08em}\text {V}$$$\text{Ge}\text{V}$Higgs boson to invisible particles,$${\mathcal {B}({\textrm{H}} \rightarrow \text {inv})}$$$B(\text{H}\to \text{inv})$, is 0.54 (0.39 expected), assuming standard model production cross sections. The results of this analysis are combined with previous$${\mathcal {B}({\textrm{H}} \rightarrow \text {inv})}$$$B(\text{H}\to \text{inv})$searches carried out at$${\sqrt{s}=7}$$$\sqrt{s}=7$, 8, and 13$$\,\text {Te}\hspace{-.08em}\text {V}$$$\text{Te}\text{V}$in complementary production modes. The combined upper limit at 95% confidence level on$${\mathcal {B}({\textrm{H}} \rightarrow \text {inv})}$$$B(\text{H}\to \text{inv})$is 0.15 (0.08 expected).

 

A search for new physics in final states consisting of at least one photon, multiple jets, and large missing transverse momentum is presented, using proton-proton collision events at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 137 fb⁻¹, recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC from 2016 to 2018. The events are divided into mutually exclusive bins characterized by the missing transverse momentum, the number of jets, the number of b-tagged jets, and jets consistent with the presence of hadronically decaying W, Z, or Higgs bosons. The observed data are found to be consistent with the prediction from standard model processes. The results are interpreted in the context of simplified models of pair production of supersymmetric particles via strong and electroweak interactions. Depending on the details of the signal models, gluinos and squarks of masses up to 2.35 and 1.43 TeV, respectively, and electroweakinos of masses up to 1.23 TeV are excluded at 95% confidence level.