The impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of radiography staff and managers in Northern Ireland, UK: The radiography managers' perspective

INTRODUCTION: Increasing evidence suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the mental health of health professionals, including radiographers. Less is known about the effect of the pandemic on the mental health of radiography managers. Radiography managers have led their teams through the pandemic, making unpopular decisions to safeguard staff and patients. This study explores radiography managers’ perceptions regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of themselves and their staff. METHODS: Ethical approval was obtained from the NHS Research Ethics Committee (ID 287032). Eleven interviews were conducted with therapeutic and diagnostic radiography managers between March–April 2021. Written information was also included from a paediatric diagnostic radiography manager. Data was analysed independently by 2 researchers using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three central themes emerged: 1) Factors perceived to have negatively influenced mental health, which included changing PPE guidance, restructuring of work conditions, social isolation, challenges to patient care and lack of quality vacation leave. 2) Factors perceived to have positively influenced mental health, which included witnessing staff resilience and team camaraderie. 3) Support provided for mental health. CONCLUSION: Managers felt that they had implemented appropriate strategies to support their staff throughout the first year of the pandemic and expressed feeling responsible for the wellbeing of their staff. Strong empathy was evident towards staff and their experiences. Despite the availability of mental health support services, managers felt that resources were underutilised by radiography teams. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Managers should be proactive in communicating their appreciation for their staff in an era where remote working can add to disconnect between staff and management. Mental health support services should be promoted and continually reviewed, to ensure that appropriate support services are maintained

Measurement of the semileptonic branching fraction of the B_s meson

We report a measurement of the inclusive semileptonic branching fraction of the B_s meson using data collected with the BABAR detector in the center-of-mass energy region above the Υ(4S) resonance. We use the inclusive yield of ϕ mesons and the ϕ yield in association with a high-momentum lepton to perform a simultaneous measurement of the semileptonic branching fraction and the production rate of B_s mesons relative to all B mesons as a function of center-of-mass energy. The inclusive semileptonic branching fraction of the B_s meson is determined to be B(B_s→ℓνX)=9.5_(-2.0)^(+2.5)(stat)_(-1.9)^(+1.1)(syst)%, where ℓ indicates the average of e and μ

B^0 meson decays to ρ^0K^(*0), f_0K^(*0), and ρ^-K^(*+), including higher K^* resonances

We present branching fraction measurements for the decays B^0→ρ^0K^(*0), B^0→f_0K^(*0), and B^0→ρ^-K^(*+), where K^* is an S-wave (Kπ)_0^* or a K^*(892) meson; we also measure B^0→f_0K_2^*(1430)^0. For the K^*(892) channels, we report measurements of longitudinal polarization fractions (for ρ final states) and direct CP violation asymmetries. These results are obtained from a sample of (471.0±2.8)×10^6 BB̅ pairs collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e^+e^- collider at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. We observe ρ^0K^*(892)^0, ρ^0(Kπ)_0^(*0), f_0K^*(892)^0, and ρ^-K^*(892)^+ with greater than 5σ significance, including systematics. We report first evidence for f_0(Kπ)_0^(*0) and f_0K_2^*(1430)^0, and place an upper limit on ρ^-(Kπ)_0^(*+). Our results in the K^*(892) channels are consistent with no direct CP violation

Observation of the baryonic B decay B̅^0→Λ_c^+Λ̅ K^-

We report the observation of the baryonic B decay B̅ ^0→Λ_c^+Λ̅ K^- with a significance larger than 7 standard deviations based on 471×10^6 BB̅ pairs collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II storage ring at SLAC. We measure the branching fraction for the decay B̅ ^0→Λ_c^+Λ̅ K^- to be (3.8±0.8_(stat)±0.2_(sys)±1.0_(Λc)^+)×10^(-5). The uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the uncertainty in the Λc+ branching fraction. We find that the Λ_c^+K^- invariant-mass distribution shows an enhancement above 3.5  GeV/c^2

Measurement of the mass and width of the D_(s1)(2536)^+ meson

The decay width and mass of the D_(s1)(2536)^+ meson are measured via the decay channel D_(s1) + →D^(*+)K_(S)^0 using 385 fb^(-1) of data recorded with the BABAR detector in the vicinity of the Υ(4S) resonance at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy electron-positron collider. The result for the decay width is Γ(D_(s1)^+) = 0.92 ± 0.03(stat.) ± 0.04(syst.) MeV. For the mass, a value of m(D_(s1)^+) = 2535.08±0.01(stat.) ± 0.15(syst.) MeV/c^2 is obtained. The mass difference between the D_(s1)^+ and the D^(*+) is measured to be m(D_(s1)^+) - m(D^(*+)) = 524.83 ± 0.01(stat.) ± 0.04(syst.)  MeV/c^2, representing a significant improvement compared to the current world average. The unnatural spin-parity assignment for the D_(s1)^+ meson is confirmed

Study of Y(3S,2S) → ηY(1S) and Y(3S,2S) → π^+π^-Y(1S) hadronic transitions

We study the Υ(3S,2S)→ηΥ(1S) and Υ(3S,2S)→π^+π^-Υ(1S) transitions with 122×10^6Υ(3S) and 100×10^6Υ(2S) mesons collected by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e^+e^- collider. We measure B[Υ(2S)→ηΥ(1S)]=(2.39±0.31(stat.)±0.14(syst.))×10^(-4) and Γ[Υ(2S)→ηΥ(1S)]/Γ[Υ(2S)→π^+π^-Υ(1S)]=(1.35±0.17(stat.)±0.08(syst.))×10^(-3). We find no evidence for Υ(3S)→ηΥ(1S) and obtain B[Υ(3S)→ηΥ(1S)]<1.0×10^(-4) and Γ[Υ(3S)→ηΥ(1S)]/ Γ[Υ(3S)→π^+π^-Υ(1S)]<2.3×10^(-3) as upper limits at the 90% confidence level. We also provide improved measurements of the Υ(2S)-Υ(1S) and Υ(3S)-Υ(1S) mass differences, 562.170±0.007(stat.)±0.088(syst.)  MeV/c^2 and 893.813±0.015(stat.)±0.107(syst.)  MeV/c^2, respectively

Search for CP violation in the decay τ-→π-K_S^0(≥0π^0)ν_τ

We report a search for CP violation in the decay τ-→π-KS^0(≥0π^0)ντ using a data set of 437×10^6 τ-lepton pairs, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 476  fb^(-1), collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e^+e^- storage rings. The CP-violating decay-rate asymmetry is determined to be (-0.36±0.23±0.11)% approximately 2.8 standard deviations from the standard model prediction of (0.36±0.01)%

Study of radiative bottomonium transitions using converted photons

We use (111±1) million Υ(3S) and (89±1) million Υ(2S) events recorded by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II B-factory at SLAC to perform a study of radiative transitions between bottomonium states using photons that have been converted to e^+e^- pairs by the detector material. We observe Υ(3S)→γ_(χb0,2)(1P) decay, make precise measurements of the branching fractions for χ_(b1,2)(1P,2P)→γΥ(1S) and χ_(b1,2)(2P)→γΥ(2S) decays, and search for radiative decay to the η_b(1S) and η_b(2S) states

Search for the decay D^0 → γγ and measurement of the branching fraction for D^0 → π^0π^0

We search for the rare decay of the D^0 meson to two photons, D^0→γγ, and present a measurement of the branching fraction for a D^0 meson decaying to two neutral pions, B(D^0→π^0π^0). The data sample analyzed corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 470.5  fb^(-1) collected by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e^+e^- collider at SLAC. We place an upper limit on the branching fraction, B(D^0→γγ)<2.2×10^(-6), at 90% confidence level. This limit improves on the existing limit by an order of magnitude. We also find B(D^0→π^0π^0)=(8.4±0.1±0.4±0.3)×10^(-4)