Bs Physics at LEP, SLD, and CDF: Delta m_s and Delta Gamma_s

The current status of the experimental knowledge of \Bs meson physics is reviewed. Results from LEP and CDF on the width difference \dgs are presented, the corresponding average is found to be in good agreement with the present theoretical estimation. The \Bs oscillations have not yet been resolved, despite the progress recently achieved by SLD and ALEPH. The world combination, including results from the LEP experiments, SLD and CDF, is presented, together with the expected and observed lower limit on the \Bs oscillation frequency. A tantalizing hint of an oscillation is observed around \dms\sim17 \psin, near future results could increase the significance of this hint.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, submitted to BCP4 conferenc

The Bs oscillation amplitude analysis

The properties of the amplitude method for \Bs oscillation analyses are studied in detail. The world combination of measured amplitudes is converted into a likelihood profile as a function of oscillation frequency. A procedure is proposed to estimate the probability that the minimum observed is due to a statistical fluctuation. This method, applied to the data available at the time of 1999 Winter Conferences, gives $1 - CL \approx 0.03$ .Comment: 27 pages, 16 figur

The BsB_{s} oscillation amplitude analysis

The properties of the amplitude method for \Bs oscillation analyses are studied in detail. The world combination of measured amplitudes is converted into a likelihood profile as a function of oscillation frequency. A procedure is proposed to estimate the probability that the minimum observed is due to a statistical fluctuation. This method, applied to the data available at the time of 1999 Winter Conferences, gives $1 - CL \approx 0.03$ .The properties of the amplitude method for \Bs oscillation analyses are studied in detail. The world combination of measured amplitudes is converted into a likelihood profile as a function of oscillation frequency. A procedure is proposed to estimate the probability that the minimum observed is due to a statistical fluctuation. This method, applied to the data available at the time of 1999 Winter Conferences, gives $1 - CL \approx 0.03$

Study of BsB_{s} oscillations

This document contains two ALEPH Reports on three different analyses of $B_{s}$ oscillations, based on the statistics collected by the ALEPH experiment during 1991-1995. $B_{s}$ mesons are fully reconstructed in several hadronic decay channels, yielding a small sample of candidates with excellent decay length and momentum reconstruction. Semileptonic decays with a fully recontructed $D_{s}$ meson yield larger statistics with equally high $B_{s}$ purity, but somewhat degraded momentum resolution. Inclusive semileptonic decays of b hadrons yield the highest sensitivity to $B_{s}$ oscillations, due to the much higher statistics. The combination of the above three with the other ALEPH analyses gives a limit of $\Delta m_{s} > 10.7$ ps$^{-1}$ at 95% C.L. with a sensitivity equal to $13.1$ ps$^{-1}$

Eco-design actions to improve life cycle environmental performance of face masks in the pandemic era

Face masks are currently considered essential devices that people must wear today and in the near future, until the COVID-19 pandemic will be completely defeated through specific medicines and vaccines. Such devices are generally made of thermoplastic polymers, as polypropylene and polyethylene and are single use products. Even if in this period the sanitary emergency must have the maximum priority, the world society should not completely forget the environmental problem that are causing more and more obvious climate changes with correlated damages to ecosystems and human health. Despite the well-known correlation among anti-COVID protective equipment (or more generally medical devices) and environmental issues, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and eco-design-based studies in this field is very scarce. The present study aims to derive the most important environmental criticalities of such products, by using LCA and product circularity indicators of five different common masks. The final aim is to provide eco-design guidelines, useful to design new face masks by preventing negative impact on the environment

Evaluando los factores que afectan a la tasa de mortalidad en la carretera: el caso de Sapo Común Bufo bufo, cerca de un área de reproducción

The Common Toad Bufo bufo is the amphibian with the highest rates of road mortality in many European countries. This elevated incidence of road kills has frequently been associated with migration to breeding sites. In this study, we analysed the mortality of the Common Toad in the road network in Catalonia (NE Spain), and investigated the related causative factors on four roads near a breeding site in the Pyrenees. Results suggest that the high mortality rate is due to a combination of factors: toad abundance, traffic density and quality of water bodies for breeding. On the road with the highest incidence of road kills we investigated whether deaths occurred at specific spots or in a random manner. The road was divided into 500 m sections and each section was classified according to biotic (type of vegetation) and abiotic (presence of streams, roadside topography) variables. Multiple correspondence analysis showed that sections with streams crossing under the road had the highest mortality rate, suggesting that such water bodies flowing into the breeding pond are the toads’ main migratory pathways for hibernation and breeding. As toads use the same migratory routes each year, it is critical to identify areas with a high potential mortality so that efficient measures can be designed to increase wildlife permeability, and thereby reduce habitat fragmentation. This methodology could be applied in other areas with high amphibian mortality. Key words: Amphibian, Common Toad, Bufo bufo, Landscape fragmentation, Migration, Mortality, Road permeability, Pyrenees.El Sapo Común Bufo bufo, es el anfibio con mayor tasa de mortalidad en la carretera en numerosos países de Europa. Esta elevada mortalidad se debe principalmente a las migraciones que realiza hacia las zonas de reproducción. En este estudio se analiza la mortalidad del Sapo Común en la red de carreteras de Cataluña (NE España) y más específicamente qué factores influyen sobre dicha mortalidad en cuatro carreteras cercanas a un punto de reproducción en los Pirineos. Los resultados sugieren que la alta tasa de mortalidad se debe a la combinación de tres factores: abundancia de sapos, densidad de tráfico y calidad de los puntos de agua para la reproducción. En la carretera con mayor índice de atropellos, se analizó si existía agregación en los animales atropellados o estos se distribuían al azar. Para ello, la carretera se dividió en tramos de 500 m, cada uno de los cuales se caracterizó por el tipo de vegetación circundante, así como otros factores que pudieran influir sobre la migración de los sapos (p.e. inclinación del margen de la carretera, presencia de riachuelos, etc.). El análisis de correspondencias múltiple demostró que los tramos con torrentes cruzando bajo la carretera presentaban mayor mortalidad. Esto sugiere que dichos torrentes son las vías principales usadas por los sapos para acudir a los puntos de reproducción. Dado que los sapos utilizan cada año las mismas vías migratorias, es fundamental identificar dichos puntos para predecir cuáles presentan mayor mortalidad potencial y así diseñar más eficazmente los mecanismos de permeabilidad para la fauna en las vías de comunicación. Esta metodología puede ser aplicada a otras zonas con elevada mortalidad de anfibios en la red de carreteras. Palabras clave: Anfibio, Sapo Común, Bufo bufo, Fragmentación del paisaje, Migración, Mortalidad, Permeabilidad de la carretera, Pirineos

Antibacterial films based on MOF composites that release iodine passively or upon triggering by near-infrared light

This work was supported by the CERCA Program/Generalitat de Catalunya.Multidrug-resistant bacteria have become a global health problem for which new prophylactic strategies are now needed, including surface-coatings for hospital spaces and medical equipment. This work reports the preparation and functional validation of a metal-organic framework (MOF) based composite for the triggered controlled release of iodine, an antimicrobial element that does not generate resistance. It comprises beads of the iodophilic MOF UiO-66 containing encapsulated gold nanorods (AuNRs) coated with a silica shell. Irradiation of the AuNRs with near-infrared light (NIR) provokes a photothermal effect and the resultant heat actively liberates the iodine. After validating the performance of this composite, it is integrated into a polymer for the development of antibacterial films. This work assesses the adsorption of iodine into these composite films, as well as its passive long-term release and active light-triggered. Finally, this work validates the antibacterial activity of the composite films in vitro against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The findings will surely inform the development of new prophylactic treatments