Neonatal head and torso vibration exposure during inter-hospital transfer

Inter-hospital transport of premature infants is increasingly common, given the centralisation of neonatal intensive care. However, it is known to be associated with anomalously increased morbidity, most notably brain injury, and with increased mortality from multifactorial causes. Surprisingly, there have been relatively few previous studies investigating the levels of mechanical shock and vibration hazard present during this vehicular transport pathway. Using a custom inertial datalogger, and analysis software, we quantify vibration and linear head acceleration. Mounting multiple inertial sensing units on the forehead and torso of neonatal patients and a preterm manikin, and on the chassis of transport incubators over the duration of inter-site transfers, we find that the resonant frequency of the mattress and harness system currently used to secure neonates inside incubators is ~9Hz. This couples to vehicle chassis vibration, increasing vibration exposure to the neonate. The vibration exposure per journey (A(8) using the ISO 2631 standard) was at least 20% of the action point value of current European Union regulations over all 12 neonatal transports studied, reaching 70% in two cases. Direct injury risk from linear head acceleration (HIC15) was negligible. Although the overall hazard was similar, vibration isolation differed substantially between sponge and air mattresses, with a manikin. Using a Global Positioning System datalogger alongside inertial sensors, vibration increased with vehicle speed only above 60 km/h. These preliminary findings suggest there is scope to engineer better systems for transferring sick infants, thus potentially improving their outcomes

Prospects for Bc+B_c^+ and B+→τ+ντB^+\rightarrow \tau ^+ \nu _\tau at FCC-ee

The prospects are presented for precise measurements of the branching ratios of the purely leptonic $B^+_c → τ^+ν_τ$ and $B^+ → τ^+ν_τ$ decays at the Future Circular Collider (FCC). This work is focused on the hadronic $τ^+ → π^+π^+π^− \bar{ν}_τ$ decay in both $B^+_c → τ^+ν_τ$ and $B^+ →τ^+ν_τ$ processes. Events are selected with two Boosted Decision Tree algorithms to optimise the separation between the two signal processes as well as the generic hadronic $Z$ decay backgrounds. The range of the expected precision for both signals are evaluated in different scenarios of non-ideal background modelling. This paper demonstrates, for the first time, that the $B^+ → τ^+ν_τ$ decay can be well separated from both $B^+_c → τ^+ν_τ$ and generic $Z → b \bar{b}$ processes in the FCC-ee collision environment and proposes the corresponding branching ratio measurement as a novel way to determine the CKM matrix element $|V_{ub}|$. The theoretical impacts of both $B^+ → τ^+ν_τ$ and $B^+_c → τ^+ν_τ$ measurements on New Physics cases are discussed for interpretations in the generic Two-Higgs-doublet model and leptoquark models

Prospects for Bc+B_c^+ and B+→τ+ντB^+\to \tau^+ \nu_\tau at FCC-ee

The prospects are presented for precise measurements of the branching ratios of the purely leptonic $B_c^+ \to \tau^+ \nu_\tau$ and $B^+ \to \tau^+ \nu_\tau$ decays at the Future Circular Collider (FCC). This work is focused on the hadronic $\tau^{+} \to \pi^+ \pi^+ \pi^- \bar{\nu}_\tau$ decay in both $B_c^+ \to \tau^+ \nu_\tau$ and $B^+ \to \tau^+ \nu_\tau$ processes. Events are selected with two Boosted Decision Tree algorithms to optimise the separation between the two signal processes as well as the generic hadronic $Z$ decay backgrounds. The range of the expected precision for both signals are evaluated in different scenarios of non-ideal background modelling. This paper demonstrates, for the first time, that the $B^+ \to \tau^+ \nu_\tau$ decay can be well separated from both $B_c^+ \to \tau^+ \nu_\tau$ and generic $Z\to b\bar{b}$ processes in the FCC-ee collision environment and proposes the corresponding branching ratio measurement as a novel way to determine the CKM matrix element $|V_{ub}|$. The theoretical impacts of both $B^+ \to \tau^+ \nu_\tau$ and $B_c^+ \to \tau^+ \nu_\tau$ measurements on New Physics cases are discussed for interpretations in the generic Two-Higgs-doublet model and leptoquark models.Comment: 39 pages, 19 figures, 5 table

Measurement of the forward Z boson production cross-section in pp collisions at s=13\sqrt{s} = 13 TeV

A measurement of the production cross-section of Z bosons in pp collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 13$ TeV is presented using dimuon and dielectron final states in LHCb data. The cross-section is measured for leptons with pseudorapidities in the range $2.0 \eta 4.5$, transverse momenta $p_\text{T} 20$ GeV and dilepton invariant mass in the range $60 m(\ell\ell) 120$ GeV. The integrated cross-section from averaging the two final states is \begin{equation*}\sigma_{\text{Z}}^{\ell\ell} = 194.3 \pm 0.9 \pm 3.3 \pm 7.6\text{ pb,}\end{equation*} where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is due to systematic effects, and the third is due to the luminosity determination. In addition, differential cross-sections are measured as functions of the Z boson rapidity, transverse momentum and the angular variable $\phi^*_\eta$

Les droits disciplinaires des fonctions publiques : « unification », « harmonisation » ou « distanciation ». A propos de la loi du 26 avril 2016 relative à la déontologie et aux droits et obligations des fonctionnaires

The production of tt‾ , W+bb‾ and W+cc‾ is studied in the forward region of proton–proton collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.98±0.02 fb−1 . The W bosons are reconstructed in the decays W→ℓν , where ℓ denotes muon or electron, while the b and c quarks are reconstructed as jets. All measured cross-sections are in agreement with next-to-leading-order Standard Model predictions.The production of $t\overline{t}$, $W+b\overline{b}$ and $W+c\overline{c}$ is studied in the forward region of proton-proton collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.98 $\pm$ 0.02 \mbox{fb}^{-1}. The $W$ bosons are reconstructed in the decays $W\rightarrow\ell\nu$, where $\ell$ denotes muon or electron, while the $b$ and $c$ quarks are reconstructed as jets. All measured cross-sections are in agreement with next-to-leading-order Standard Model predictions

Studies of inherent lubricity coatings for low surface roughness galvanised steel for automotive applications

Surface lubricity on TiO2-coated galvanised steels can be controlled by solution depositing perfluorooctanoic (C8), lauric (C12) or stearic (C18) acids to avoid lubricating oils/emulsions or substrate pre-etching to remove surface oxide that add cost and waste. Water contact angles reveal increased surface hydrophobicity on coated samples that correlate with linear friction testing, suggesting water contact angle can be used to screen lubricity compounds. Linear friction testing shows that C12 and C18 lower the coefficient of friction (μ) by 50–60% compared with uncoated substrates whilst C8 drops μ from 0.31 to 0.22. Surfaces have been characterised by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, whilst infrared confirms that as-deposited coatings contain physisorbed and deprotonated acids chemisorbed through esters and thermal gravimetric analysis confirms increasing loadings from C8 to C12 to C18. Surface washing removes physisorbed material and lowers μ by increasing surface organisation and alkyl chain packing that enhances frictional energy dissipation through steric quenching

A new algorithm for identifying the flavour of B0s mesons at LHCb

A new algorithm for the determination of the initial flavour of $B_s^0$ mesons is presented. The algorithm is based on two neural networks and exploits the $b$ hadron production mechanism at a hadron collider. The first network is trained to select charged kaons produced in association with the $B_s^0$ meson. The second network combines the kaon charges to assign the $B_s^0$ flavour and estimates the probability of a wrong assignment. The algorithm is calibrated using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment in proton-proton collisions at 7 and 8 TeV centre-of-mass energies. The calibration is performed in two ways: by resolving the $B_s^0$-$\bar{B}_s^0$ flavour oscillations in $B_s^0 \to D_s^- \pi^+$ decays, and by analysing flavour-specific $B_{s 2}^{*}(5840)^0 \to B^+ K^-$ decays. The tagging power measured in $B_s^0 \to D_s^- \pi^+$ decays is found to be $(1.80 \pm 0.19({\rm stat}) \pm 0.18({\rm syst}))$\%, which is an improvement of about 50\% compared to a similar algorithm previously used in the LHCb experiment

Measurement of the B0s→D(*)+sD(*)− branching fractions

The branching fraction of the decay Bs0 → Ds(∗)+ Ds(∗)- is measured using pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb^-1, collected using the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass energy of 7 TeV. It is found to be B(Bs0 → Ds(∗)+ Ds(∗)-) = (3.05 ± 0.10 ± 0.20 ± 0.34)%, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the normalization channel, respectively. The branching fractions of the individual decays corresponding to the presence of one or two Ds∗± are also measured. The individual branching fractions are found to be B(Bs0 → Ds∗± Ds∓) = (1.35 ± 0.06 ± 0.09 ± 0.15)%, B(Bs0 → Ds∗+ Ds∗-) = (1.27 ± 0.08 ± 0.10 ± 0.14)%. All three results are the most precise determinations to date