Enhancement of metabolite production in high-altitude microalgal strains by optimized C/N/P ratio

This study evaluated the role of C/N/P in the increase in the synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids in two high-mountain strains of algae (Chlorella sp. UFPS019 and Desmodesmus sp. UFPS021). Three carbon sources (sodium acetate, sodium carbonate, and sodium bicarbonate), and the sources of nitrogen (NaNO3) and phosphate (KH2PO4 and K2HPO4) were analyzed using a surface response (3 factors, 2 levels). In Chlorella sp. UFPS019, the optimal conditions to enhance the synthesis of carbohydrates were high sodium carbonate content (3.53 g/L), high KH2PO4 and K2HPO4 content (0.06 and 0.14 g/L, respectively), and medium-high NaNO3 (0.1875 g/L). In the case of lipids, a high concentration of sodium acetate (1.19 g/L) coupled with high KH2PO4 and K2HPO4 content (0.056 and 0.131 g/L, respectively) and a low concentration of NaNO3 (0.075 g/L) drastically induced the synthesis of lipids. In the case of Desmodesmus sp. UFPS021, the protein content was increased using high sodium acetate (2 g/L), high KH2PO4 and K2HPO4 content (0.056 and 0.131 g/L, respectively), and high NaNO3 concentration (0.25 g/L). These results demonstrate that the correct adjustment of the C/N/P ratio can enhance the capacity of high-mountain strains of algae to produce high concentrations of carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids

Observation of an Excited Bc+ State

Using pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 8.5 fb-1 recorded by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of s=7, 8, and 13 TeV, the observation of an excited Bc+ state in the Bc+π+π- invariant-mass spectrum is reported. The observed peak has a mass of 6841.2±0.6(stat)±0.1(syst)±0.8(Bc+) MeV/c2, where the last uncertainty is due to the limited knowledge of the Bc+ mass. It is consistent with expectations of the Bc∗(2S31)+ state reconstructed without the low-energy photon from the Bc∗(1S31)+→Bc+γ decay following Bc∗(2S31)+→Bc∗(1S31)+π+π-. A second state is seen with a global (local) statistical significance of 2.2σ (3.2σ) and a mass of 6872.1±1.3(stat)±0.1(syst)±0.8(Bc+) MeV/c2, and is consistent with the Bc(2S10)+ state. These mass measurements are the most precise to date

Diminishing benefits of urban living for children and adolescents’ growth and development

Optimal growth and development in childhood and adolescence is crucial for lifelong health and well-being1–6. Here we used data from 2,325 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight from 71 million participants, to report the height and body-mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents aged 5–19 years on the basis of rural and urban place of residence in 200 countries and territories from 1990 to 2020. In 1990, children and adolescents residing in cities were taller than their rural counterparts in all but a few high-income countries. By 2020, the urban height advantage became smaller in most countries, and in many high-income western countries it reversed into a small urban-based disadvantage. The exception was for boys in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and in some countries in Oceania, south Asia and the region of central Asia, Middle East and north Africa. In these countries, successive cohorts of boys from rural places either did not gain height or possibly became shorter, and hence fell further behind their urban peers. The difference between the age-standardized mean BMI of children in urban and rural areas was <1.1 kg m–2 in the vast majority of countries. Within this small range, BMI increased slightly more in cities than in rural areas, except in south Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and some countries in central and eastern Europe. Our results show that in much of the world, the growth and developmental advantages of living in cities have diminished in the twenty-first century, whereas in much of sub-Saharan Africa they have amplified

Measurement of CP -violating and mixing-induced observables in Bs0→ϕγ decays

A time-dependent analysis of the B 0 s → ϕ γ decay rate is performed to determine the C P -violating observables S ϕ γ and C ϕ γ and the mixing-induced observable A Δ ϕ γ . The measurement is based on a sample of p p collision data recorded with the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3     fb − 1 at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. The measured values are S ϕ γ = 0.43 ± 0.30 ± 0.11 , C ϕ γ = 0.11 ± 0.29 ± 0.11 , and A Δ ϕ γ = − 0.67 + 0.37 − 0.41 ± 0.17 , where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This is the first measurement of the observables S and C in radiative B 0 s decays. The results are consistent with the standard model predictions

Observation of CP Violation in Charm Decays

A search for charge-parity (CP) violation in D-0 -> K-K+ and D-0 -> pi(-)pi(+) decays is reported, using pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.9 fb(-1) collected at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV with the LHCb detector. The flavor of the charm meson is inferred from the charge of the pion in D* (2010)(+) -> D-0 pi(+) decays or from the charge of the muon in (B) over bar -> D-0 mu(-)(nu) over bar X-mu decays. The difference between the CP asymmetries in D-0 -> K-K+ and D-0 -> pi(-)pi(+) decays is measured to be Delta A(CP) = [-18.2 +/- 3.2(stat) +/- 0.9(syst)] x 10(-4) for pi-tagged and Delta A(CP) = [-9 +/- 8(stat) +/- 5(syst)] x 10(-4) for mu-tagged D-0 mesons. Combining these with previous LHCb results leads to Delta A(CP) = (-15.4 +/- 2.9) x 10(-4), where the uncertainty includes both statistical and systematic contributions. The measured value differs from zero by more than 5 standard deviations. This is the first observation of CP violation in the decay of charm hadrons

Observation of an Excited Bc⁺ state

Using p p collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 8.5     fb − 1 recorded by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of √ s = 7 , 8, and 13 TeV, the observation of an excited B + c state in the B + c π + π − invariant-mass spectrum is reported. The observed peak has a mass of 6841.2 ± 0.6 ( stat ) ± 0.1 ( syst ) ± 0.8 ( B + c )     MeV / c 2 , where the last uncertainty is due to the limited knowledge of the B + c mass. It is consistent with expectations of the B ∗ c ( 2 3 S 1 ) + state reconstructed without the low-energy photon from the B ∗ c ( 1 3 S 1 ) + → B + c γ decay following B ∗ c ( 2 3 S 1 ) + → B ∗ c ( 1 3 S 1 ) + π + π − . A second state is seen with a global (local) statistical significance of 2.2 σ ( 3.2 σ ) and a mass of 6872.1 ± 1.3 ( stat ) ± 0.1 ( syst ) ± 0.8 ( B + c )     MeV / c 2 , and is consistent with the B c ( 2 1 S 0 ) + state. These mass measurements are the most precise to date

Measurement of fs /fu Variation with Proton-Proton Collision Energy and B -Meson Kinematics

The ratio of the Bs0 and B+ fragmentation fractions fs and fu is studied with Bs0→J/ψφ and B+→J/ψK+ decays using data collected by the LHCb experiment in proton-proton collisions at 7, 8, and 13 TeV center-of-mass energies. The analysis is performed in bins of B-meson momentum, longitudinal momentum, transverse momentum, pseudorapidity, and rapidity. The fragmentation-fraction ratio fs/fu is observed to depend on the B-meson transverse momentum with a significance of 6.0σ. This dependency is driven by the 13 TeV sample (8.7σ), while the results for the other collision energies are not significant when considered separately. Furthermore, the results show a 4.8σ evidence for an increase of fs/fu as a function of collision energy

Observation of a narrow pentaquark state, P-c(4312)(+), and of the two-peak structure of the P-c(4450)(+)

A narrow pentaquark state, P-c(4312)(+), decaying to J/psi p, is discovered with a statistical significance of 7.3 sigma in a data sample of Lambda(0)(b) -> J/psi pK(-) decays, which is an order of magnitude larger than that previously analyzed by the LHCb Collaboration. The P-c(4450)(+) pentaquark structure formerly reported by LHCb is confirmed and observed to consist of two narrow overlapping peaks, P-c(4440)(+) and P-c(4457)(+), where the statistical significance of this two-peak interpretation is 5.4 sigma. The proximity of the Sigma(+)(c)(D) over bar (0) and Sigma(+)(c)(D) over bar (*0) thresholds to the observed narrow peaks suggests that they play an important role in the dynamics of these states

Measurement of B+, B0 and Λb0 production in pPb collisions at √sNN=8.16 TeV

The production of B + , B 0 and Λ 0 b hadrons is studied in proton-lead collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of √ s NN = 8.16     TeV recorded with the LHCb detector at the LHC. The measurement uses a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 12.2 ± 0.3     nb − 1 for the case where the proton beam is projected into the LHCb detector (corresponding to measuring hadron production at positive rapidity) and 18.6 ± 0.5     nb − 1 for the lead beam projected into the LHCb detector (corresponding to measuring hadron production at negative rapidity). Double-differential cross sections are measured and used to determine forward-backward ratios and nuclear modification factors, which directly probe nuclear effects in the production of beauty hadrons. The double-differential cross sections are measured as a function of the beauty-hadron transverse momentum and rapidity in the nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass frame. Forward-to-backward cross section ratios and nuclear modification factors indicate a significant nuclear suppression at positive rapidity. The ratio of Λ 0 b over B 0 production cross sections is reported and is consistent with the corresponding measurement in p p collisions

Measurement of the mass and production rate of Ξb− baryons

The first measurement of the production rate of Ξ − b baryons in p p collisions relative to that of Λ 0 b baryons is reported, using data samples collected by the LHCb experiment, and corresponding to integrated luminosities of 1, 2 and 1.6     fb − 1 at √ s = 7 , 8 and 13 TeV, respectively. In the kinematic region 2 < η < 6 and p T < 20     GeV / c , we measure f Ξ − b f Λ 0 b B ( Ξ − b → J / ψ Ξ − ) B ( Λ 0 b → J / ψ Λ ) = ( 10.8 ± 0.9 ± 0.8 ) × 10 − 2 [ √ s = 7 , 8     TeV ], f Ξ − b f Λ 0 b B ( Ξ − b → J / ψ Ξ − ) B ( Λ 0 b → J / ψ Λ ) = ( 13.1 ± 1.1 ± 1.0 ) × 10 − 2 [ √ s = 13     TeV ], where f Ξ − b and f Λ 0 b are the fragmentation fractions of b quarks into Ξ − b and Λ 0 b baryons, respectively; B represents branching fractions; and the uncertainties are due to statistical and experimental systematic sources. The values of f Ξ − b / f Λ 0 b are obtained by invoking SU(3) symmetry in the Ξ − b → J / ψ Ξ − and Λ 0 b → J / ψ Λ decays. Production asymmetries between Ξ − b and ¯ Ξ + b baryons are also reported. The mass of the Ξ − b baryon is also measured relative to that of the Λ 0 b baryon, from which it is found that m ( Ξ − b ) = 5796.70 ± 0.39 ± 0.15 ± 0.17     MeV / c 2 , where the last uncertainty is due to the precision on the known Λ 0 b mass. This result represents the most precise determination of the Ξ − b mass