Study of the B−→Λc+Λˉc−K−B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-} decay

The decay $B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-}$ is studied in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment. In the $\Lambda_{c}^+ K^{-}$ system, the $\Xi_{c}(2930)^{0}$ state observed at the BaBar and Belle experiments is resolved into two narrower states, $\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}$ and $\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}$, whose masses and widths are measured to be $$m(\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}) = 2924.5 \pm 0.4 \pm 1.1 \,\mathrm{MeV}, \\ m(\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}) = 2938.5 \pm 0.9 \pm 2.3 \,\mathrm{MeV}, \\ \Gamma(\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}) = \phantom{000}4.8 \pm 0.9 \pm 1.5 \,\mathrm{MeV},\\ \Gamma(\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}) = \phantom{00}11.0 \pm 1.9 \pm 7.5 \,\mathrm{MeV},$$ where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The results are consistent with a previous LHCb measurement using a prompt $\Lambda_{c}^{+} K^{-}$ sample. Evidence of a new $\Xi_{c}(2880)^{0}$ state is found with a local significance of $3.8\,\sigma$, whose mass and width are measured to be $2881.8 \pm 3.1 \pm 8.5\,\mathrm{MeV}$ and $12.4 \pm 5.3 \pm 5.8 \,\mathrm{MeV}$, respectively. In addition, evidence of a new decay mode $\Xi_{c}(2790)^{0} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} K^{-}$ is found with a significance of $3.7\,\sigma$. The relative branching fraction of $B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-}$ with respect to the $B^{-} \to D^{+} D^{-} K^{-}$ decay is measured to be $2.36 \pm 0.11 \pm 0.22 \pm 0.25$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third originates from the branching fractions of charm hadron decays.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-028.html (LHCb public pages

Measurement of the ratios of branching fractions R(D∗)\mathcal{R}(D^{*}) and R(D0)\mathcal{R}(D^{0})

The ratios of branching fractions $\mathcal{R}(D^{*})\equiv\mathcal{B}(\bar{B}\to D^{*}\tau^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\tau})/\mathcal{B}(\bar{B}\to D^{*}\mu^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\mu})$ and $\mathcal{R}(D^{0})\equiv\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to D^{0}\tau^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\tau})/\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to D^{0}\mu^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\mu})$ are measured, assuming isospin symmetry, using a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to 3.0 fb${ }^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. The tau lepton is identified in the decay mode $\tau^{-}\to\mu^{-}\nu_{\tau}\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$. The measured values are $\mathcal{R}(D^{*})=0.281\pm0.018\pm0.024$ and $\mathcal{R}(D^{0})=0.441\pm0.060\pm0.066$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The correlation between these measurements is $\rho=-0.43$. Results are consistent with the current average of these quantities and are at a combined 1.9 standard deviations from the predictions based on lepton flavor universality in the Standard Model.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-039.html (LHCb public pages

Patient preference for virtual versus in-person visits in neuromuscular clinical practice.

Introduction/aimsIt is unknown if patients with neuromuscular diseases prefer in-person or virtual telemedicine visits. We studied patient opinions and preference on virtual versus in-person visits, and the factors influencing such preferences.MethodsTelephone surveys, consisting of 11 questions, of patients from 10 neuromuscular centers were completed.ResultsFive hundred and twenty surveys were completed. Twenty-six percent of respondents preferred virtual visits, while 50% preferred in-person visits. Sixty-four percent reported physical interaction as "very important." For receiving a new diagnosis, 55% preferred in-person vs 35% reporting no preference. Forty percent were concerned about a lack of physical examination vs 20% who were concerned about evaluating vital signs. Eighty four percent reported virtual visits were sufficiently private. Sixty eight percent did not consider expenses a factor in their preference. Although 92% were comfortable with virtual communication technology, 55% preferred video communications, and 19% preferred phone calls. Visit preference was not significantly associated with gender, diagnosis, disease severity, or symptom management. Patients who were concerned about a lack of physical exam or assessment of vitals had significantly higher odds of selecting in-person visits than no preference.DiscussionAlthough neither technology, privacy, nor finance burdened patients in our study, more patients preferred in-person visits than virtual visits and 40% were concerned about a lack of physical examination. Interactions that occur with in-person encounters had high importance for patients, reflecting differences in the perception of the patient-physician relationship between virtual and in-person visits

Improved measurement of CPCP violation parameters in Bs0→J/ψK+K−B_s^0\to J/\psi K^+K^- decays in the vicinity of the ϕ(1020)\phi(1020) resonance

The decay-time-dependent $CP$ asymmetry in $B_s^0\to J/\psi(\to \mu^+\mu^-) K^+ K^-$ decays is measured using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $6 {\rm fb}^{-1}$, collected with the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Using a sample of approximately 349 000 $B_s^0$ signal decays with an invariant $K^+ K^-$ mass in the vicinity of the $\phi(1020)$ resonance, the $CP$-violating phase $\phi_s$ is measured, along with the difference in decay widths of the light and heavy mass eigenstates of the $B_s^0$-$\overline{B}_s^0$ system, $\Delta\Gamma_s$, and the difference of the average $B_s^0$ and $B^0$ meson decay widths, $\Gamma_s-\Gamma_d$. The values obtained are $\phi_s = -0.039 \pm 0.022 \pm 0.006$ rad, $\Delta\Gamma_s = 0.0845 \pm 0.0044 \pm 0.0024 ~{\rm ps}^{-1}$ and $\Gamma_s-\Gamma_d = -0.056^{\:+\:0.0013}_{\:-\:0.0015} \pm 0.0014 ~{\rm ps}^{-1}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. These are the most precise single measurements to date and are consistent with expectations based on the Standard Model and with the previous LHCb analyses of this decay. These results are combined with previous independent LHCb measurements. The phase $\phi_s$ is also measured independently for each polarization state of the $K^+K^-$ system and shows no evidence for polarization dependence.The decay-time-dependent $CP$ asymmetry in $B^0_s\to J/\psi(\to \mu^{+}\mu^{-}) K^{+}K^{-}$ decays is measured using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6 $fb^{-1}$, collected with the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. Using a sample of approximately 349 000 $B^{0}_{s}$ signal decays with an invariant $K^{+}K^{-}$ mass in the vicinity of the $\phi(1020)$ resonance, the $CP$-violating phase $\phi_s$ is measured, along with the difference in decay widths of the light and heavy mass eigenstates of the $B^0_s$-$\bar{B}^0_s$ system, $\Delta\Gamma_s$, and the difference of the average $B^0_s$ and $B^0$ meson decay widths, $\Gamma_s-\Gamma_d$. The values obtained are $\phi_s = \ -0.039 \pm 0.022 \pm 0.006$ rad, $\Delta\Gamma_s = 0.0845 \pm 0.0044 \pm 0.0024$ ps$^{-1}$ and $\Gamma_s-\Gamma_d = -0.0056 ^{+ 0.0013}_{-0.0015} \pm 0.0014$ ps$^{-1}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. These are the most precise single measurements to date and are consistent with expectations based on the Standard Model and with the previous LHCb analyses of this decay. These results are combined with previous independent LHCb measurements. The phase $\phi_s$ is also measured independently for each polarization state of the $K^{+}K^{-}$ system and shows no evidence for polarization dependence

Search for Bc+→π+μ+μ−B_c^+\to\pi^+\mu^+\mu^- decays and measurement of the branching fraction ratio B(Bc+→ψ(2S)π+)/B(Bc+→J/ψπ+){\cal B}(B_c^+\to\psi(2S)\pi^+)/{\cal B}(B_c^+\to J/\psi \pi^+)

International audienceThe first search for nonresonant $B_c^+\to\pi^+\mu^+\mu^-$ decays is reported. The analysis uses proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector between 2011 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb$^{-1}$. No evidence for an excess of signal events over background is observed and an upper limit is set on the branching fraction ratio ${\cal B}(B_c^+\to\pi^+\mu^+\mu^-)/{\cal B}(B_c^+\to J/\psi \pi^+) < 2.1\times 10^{-4}$ at $90\%$ confidence level. Additionally, an updated measurement of the ratio of the $B_c^+\to\psi(2S)\pi^+$ and $B_c^+\to J/\psi \pi^+$ branching fractions is reported. The ratio ${\cal B}(B_c^+\to\psi(2S)\pi^+)/{\cal B}(B_c^+\to J/\psi \pi^+)$ is measured to be $0.254\pm 0.018 \pm 0.003 \pm 0.005$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic, and the third is due to the uncertainties on the branching fractions of the leptonic $J/\psi$ and $\psi(2S)$ decays. This measurement is the most precise to date and is consistent with previous LHCb results

Measurement of prompt D+D^+ and Ds+D^+_{s} production in pPbp\mathrm{Pb} collisions at sNN=5.02 \sqrt {s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02\,TeV

International audienceThe production of prompt $D^+$ and $D^+_{s}$ mesons is studied in proton-lead collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt {s_{\mathrm{NN}}}=5.02\,$TeV. The data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $(1.58\pm0.02)\mathrm{nb}^{-1}$ is collected by the LHCb experiment at the LHC. The differential production cross-sections are measured using $D^+$ and $D^+_{s}$ candidates with transverse momentum in the range of $0<p_{\mathrm{T}} <14\,\mathrm{GeV}/c$ and rapidities in the ranges of $1.5<y^*<4.0$ and $-5.0<y^*<-2.5$ in the nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass system. For both particles, the nuclear modification factor and the forward-backward production ratio are determined. These results are compared with theoretical models that include initial-state nuclear effects. In addition, measurements of the cross-section ratios between $D^+$, $D^+_{s}$ and $D^0$ mesons are presented, providing a baseline for studying the charm hadronization in lead-lead collisions at LHC energies

Measurement of CP violation in B0→ψ(→ℓ+ℓ−)KS0(→π+π−)B^0\to\psi(\to\ell^+\ell^-)K^0_S(\to\pi^+\pi^-) decays

International audienceA measurement of time-dependent CP violation in the decays of $B^0$ and $\overline{B}^0$ mesons to the final states $J/\psi(\to\mu^+\mu^-)K^0_S$, $\psi(2S)(\to\mu^+\mu^-)K^0_S$ and $J/\psi(\to e^+e^-)K^0_S$ with $K^0_S\to\pi^+\pi^-$ is presented. The data correspond to an integrated luminosity of 6 fb${}^{-1}$ collected at a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV with the LHCb detector. The CP-violation parameters are measured to be \begin{align*} S_{\psi K^0_S} &= 0.717 \pm 0.013 (\text{stat}) \pm 0.008 (\text{syst}), \\ C_{\psi K^0_S} &= 0.008 \pm 0.012 (\text{stat}) \pm 0.003 (\text{syst}). \end{align*} This measurement of $S_{\psi K^0_S}$ represents the most precise single measurement of the CKM angle $\beta$ to date and is more precise than the current world average. In addition, measurements of the CP-violation parameters of the individual channels are reported and a combination with the LHCb Run 1 measurements is performed

Search for CPCP violation in the phase space of D0→π−π+π0D^0 \to \pi^-\pi^+\pi^0 decays with the energy test

International audienceA search for $CP$ violation in $D^0 \to \pi^-\pi^+\pi^0$ decays is reported, using $pp$ collision data collected by the LHCb experiment from 2015 to 2018 corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 6$fb^{-1}$. An unbinned model-independent approach provides sensitivity to local $CP$ violation within the two-dimensional phase space of the decay. The method is validated using the Cabibbo-favoured channel \D^0 \to \K^-\pi^+\pi^0 and background regions of the signal mode. The results are consistent with $CP$ symmetry in this decay

Helium identification with LHCb

The identification of helium nuclei at LHCb is achieved using a method based on measurements of ionisation losses in the silicon sensors and timing measurements in the Outer Tracker drift tubes. The background from photon conversions is reduced using the RICH detectors and an isolation requirement. The method is developed using $pp$ collision data at $\sqrt{s}=13\,{\rm TeV}$ recorded by the LHCb experiment in the years 2016 to 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.5\,{\rm fb}^{-1}$. A total of around $10^5$ helium and antihelium candidates are identified with negligible background contamination. The helium identification efficiency is estimated to be approximately $50\%$ with a corresponding background rejection rate of up to $\mathcal O(10^{12})$. These results demonstrate the feasibility of a rich programme of measurements of QCD and astrophysics interest involving light nuclei