Averages of bb-hadron, cc-hadron, and τ\tau-lepton properties as of summer 2014

This article reports world averages of measurements of $b$-hadron, $c$-hadron, and $\tau$-lepton properties obtained by the Heavy Flavor Averaging Group (HFAG) using results available through summer 2014. For the averaging, common input parameters used in the various analyses are adjusted (rescaled) to common values, and known correlations are taken into account. The averages include branching fractions, lifetimes, neutral meson mixing parameters, $CP$ violation parameters, parameters of semileptonic decays and CKM matrix elements.Comment: 436 pages, many figures and tables. Online updates available at http://www.slac.stanford.edu/xorg/hfag

A Hierarchical NeuroBayes-based Algorithm for Full Reconstruction of B Mesons at B Factories

We describe a new B-meson full reconstruction algorithm designed for the Belle experiment at the B-factory KEKB, an asymmetric e+e- collider that collected a data sample of 771.6 x 10^6 BBbar pairs during its running time. To maximize the number of reconstructed B decay channels, it utilizes a hierarchical reconstruction procedure and probabilistic calculus instead of classical selection cuts. The multivariate analysis package NeuroBayes was used extensively to hold the balance between highest possible efficiency, robustness and acceptable consumption of CPU time. In total, 1104 exclusive decay channels were reconstructed, employing 71 neural networks altogether. Overall, we correctly reconstruct one B+/- or B0 candidate in 0.28% or 0.18% of the BBbar events, respectively. Compared to the cut-based classical reconstruction algorithm used at the Belle experiment, this is an improvement in efficiency by roughly a factor of 2, depending on the analysis considered. The new framework also features the ability to choose the desired purity or efficiency of the fully reconstructed sample freely. If the same purity as for the classical full reconstruction code is desired ~25%, the efficiency is still larger by nearly a factor of 2. If, on the other hand, the efficiency is chosen at a similar level as the classical full reconstruction, the purity rises from ~25% to nearly 90%

The UTfit Collaboration Average of D meson mixing data: Spring 2012

We derive constraints on the parameters $M_{12}$, $\Gamma_{12}$ and $\Phi_{12}$ that describe $D$ meson mixing using all available data, allowing for CP violation. We also provide posterior distributions and predictions for observable parameters appearing in $D$ physics.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals: results from the second point prevalence survey (PPS) of healthcare-associated infections and antimicrobial use, 2016 to 2017

Antimicrobial agents used to treat infections are life-saving. Overuse may result in more frequent adverse effects and emergence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms. In 2016-17, we performed the second point-prevalence survey (PPS) of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals. We included 1,209 hospitals and 310,755 patients in 28 of 31 European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) countries. The weighted prevalence of antimicrobial use in the EU/EEA was 30.5% (95% CI: 29.2-31.9%). The most common indication for prescribing antimicrobials was treatment of a community-acquired infection, followed by treatment of HAI and surgical prophylaxis. Over half (54.2%) of antimicrobials for surgical prophylaxis were prescribed for more than 1 day. The most common infections treated by antimicrobials were respiratory tract infections and the most commonly prescribed antimicrobial agents were penicillins with beta-lactamase inhibitors. There was wide variation of patients on antimicrobials, in the selection of antimicrobial agents and in antimicrobial stewardship resources and activities across the participating countries. The results of the PPS provide detailed information on antimicrobial use in European acute care hospitals, enable comparisons between countries and hospitals, and highlight key areas for national and European action that will support efforts towards prudent use of antimicrobials

Observation of D0−Dˉ0D^0-\bar{D}^0 Mixing in e+e−e^+e^- Collisions

We observe $D^0-\bar{D}^0$ mixing in the decay $D^0\rightarrow K^+\pi^-$ using a data sample of integrated luminosity 976 fb$^{-1}$ collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB $e^+e^-$ asymmetric-energy collider. We measure the mixing parameters ${x'}^2 = (0.09\pm0.22)\times 10^{-3}$ and $y' = (4.6\pm3.4)\times 10^{-3}$ and the ratio of doubly Cabibbo-suppressed to Cabibbo-favored decay rates $R_D = (3.53\pm0.13)\times 10^{-3}$, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic combined. Our measurement excludes the no-mixing hypothesis at the 5.1 standard deviation level.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Evidence for Direct CP Violation in B±→ηh±B^\pm \to \eta h^\pm and Observation of B0→ηK0B^0 \to \eta K^0

We report measurements of the branching fractions and CP asymmetries for B^+- -> eta h^+- (h = K or pi) and the observation of the decay B^0 -> eta K^0 from the final data sample of 772x10^6 BBbar pairs collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^+e^- collider. The measured branching fractions are Br(B^+- -> eta K^+-) = (2.12 +- 0.23 +- 0.11)x10^-6}, Br(B^+- -> eta pi^+-) = (4.07 +- 0.26 +- 0.21)x10^{-6} and Br(B^0 -> eta K^0) = (1.27^{+0.33}_{-0.29} +- 0.08)x10^-6, where the last decay is observed for the first time with a significance of 5.4 standard deviations (\sigma). We also find evidence for CP violation in the charged B modes, A_{CP}(B^+- -> eta K^+-) = -0.38 +- 0.11 +- 0.01 and A_{CP}(B^+- -> eta pi^+- = -0.19 +- 0.06 +- 0.01 with significances of 3.8 sigma and 3.0 sigma, respectively. For all measurements, the first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl

Diversity, phylogeny and pathogenicity of Botryosphaeriaceae on nonnative Eucalyptus grown in an urban environment : a case study

The Botryosphaeriaceae are opportunistic pathogens mostly of woody plants, including Eucalyptus. These fungi can cause cankers and die-back diseases on non-native Eucalyptus trees in South African plantations. Botryosphaeriaceae were isolated from diseased and asymptomatic twigs and leaves from 20 Eucalyptus spp. grown in a Pretoria, South Africa arboretum and its surroundings. The isolates were initially grouped based on conidial morphology and Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) rDNA PCR-RFLP profiles. They were further identified using DNA sequence data for the ITS rDNA and translation elongation factor 1-α (TEF-1α) gene regions and tested for pathogenicity. Five species were identified including Botryosphaeria dothidea and four Neofusicoccum species namely Neofusicoccum parvum; N. cryptoaustrale and N. ursorum that were recently described from plant tissues collected as a part of the current study; and Neofusicoccum eucalypti (Winter) Maleme, Pavlic & Slippers comb. nov. The latter species is recorded for the first time on Eucalyptus in South Africa. Most of the identified species were collected from the leaves of 17 different Eucalyptus spp. Neofusicoccum parvum was most commonly isolated (72% of all isolates) followed by B. dothidea species complex (17%). With exception of N. parvum which was isolated from majority of Eucalyptus spp. the other species were isolated from limited number of Eucalyptus species indicating host-preferences. All the isolated Botryosphaeriaceae species produced lesions on inoculated Eucalyptus grandis plants that were significantly larger than those associated with the controls.The National Research Foundation (NRF), members of the Tree Protection Co-operative Programme (TPCP), Department of Science and technology (DST/NRF Centre of Excellence in Tree Health Biotechnology (CTHB), South Africa, Department of Water affairs and Forestry, South Africa.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/ufug2018-08-30hj2017Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI)GeneticsMicrobiology and Plant Patholog

Search for leptonic decays of D0 mesons

We search for the flavor-changing neutral current decays D0\to mu+mu- and D0\to e+e-, and for the lepton-flavor violating decays D0\to e\pm mu\mp using 660 fb^-1 of data collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. We find no evidence for any of these decays. We obtain significantly improved upper limits on the branching fractions: B(D0\to mu+mu-)<1.4x10-7, B(D0\to e+e-)<7.9x10-8, and B(D0\to e+mu-)+B(D0\to mu+e-)<2.6x10-7 at 90% confidence level.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Global Decay Chain Vertex Fitting at B-Factories

We present a particle vertex fitting method designed for B factories. The presented method uses a Kalman Filter to solve a least squares estimate to globally fit decay chains, as opposed to traditional methods that fit each vertex at a time. It allows for the extraction of particle momenta, energies, vertex positions and flight lengths, as well as the uncertainty estimates of these quantities. Furthermore, it allows for the precise extraction of vertex parameters in complex decay chains containing neutral final state particles, such as ${\gamma}$ or $K^0_L$ , which cannot properly be tracked due to limited spatial resolution of longitudinally segmented single-layer crystal calorimeters like the Belle II ECL. The presented technique can be used to suppress combinatorial background and improve resolutions on measured parameters. We present studies using Monte Carlo simulations of collisions in the Belle II experiment, where modes with neutrals are crucial to the physics analysis program

Search for CP violation in the decays D(s)+→KS0π+D^+_{(s)} \to K_S^0\pi^+ and D(s)+→KS0K+D^+_{(s)} \to K_S^0K^+

We have searched for CP violation in the charmed meson decays $D^{+}_{(s)}\to K^0_S\pi^+$ and $D^{+}_{(s)}\to K^0_S K^+$ using 673 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider. No evidence for CP violation is observed. We report the most sensitive CP asymmetry measurements to date for these decays: $A_{CP}^{D^+\to K^0_S\pi^+}=(-0.71\pm0.19\pm0.20)$, $A_{CP}^{D^+_s\to K^0_S\pi^+}=(+5.45\pm2.50\pm0.33)$, $A_{CP}^{D^+\to K^0_S K^+}=(-0.16\pm0.58\pm0.25)$, and $A_{CP}^{D^+_s\to K^0_S K^+}=(+0.12\pm0.36\pm0.22)$, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic