Mapping trabecular disconnection "hotspots" in aged human spine and hip

Trabecular bone disconnection is an independent factor in age-related skeletal failure where real termini (ReTm; rare in youth) may cause weakness disproportionate to tissue loss, yet their structural contribution at vulnerable locations remains uncertain. ReTm (previously recorded at the iliac crest) were mapped in "normal" aged vertebral bodies (T11-L5 autopsy; 20 females, 10 males) and corresponding proximal femora (autopsy; 10 females). Results were compared with biomechanically failed femora from orthopaedic subjects aged >. 58. yr (osteoporosis OP, 10 females; osteoarthritis OA, 10 females). A novel direct 2D/3D histological method was applied to large, thick (300. μm) slices superficially silver-stained to separate ReTm (unstained) from apparent termini (planar artefacts, brown). Light microscope field co-ordinates enabled ReTm mapping and statistical testing relative to i) sex, ii) tissue sector and iii) slicing plane. In men ReTm populations were small and random while in women they were large and sector-specific. In vertebrae they clustered anterior/superior being rare posterior/inferior; in the femoral head they concentrated distal/superior and also near the fovea, being fewer distal/inferior. A distribution polarity was evident with 100% more ReTm observed transversely (i.e., on tensile-related cross struts) than longitudinally (i.e., on compression-related vertical struts). Their numbers rose in OP (BV/TV. . 14%), remaining polarised and sector-specific in OP only. Comparative experimentation by marrow elution of an OP animal model demonstrated "floating segments" as a possible outcome. Conclusions were supported statistically that trabecular disconnection "hotspots" at vulnerable locations are sex- and sector-specific, mainly transaxial, and subject to disease modulation

Measurement of the Bs0→J/ψKS0B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0 branching fraction

The $B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0$ branching fraction is measured in a data sample corresponding to 0.41$fb^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected with the LHCb detector at the LHC. This channel is sensitive to the penguin contributions affecting the sin2$\beta$ measurement from $B^0\to J/\psi K_S^0$ The time-integrated branching fraction is measured to be $BF(B_s^0\to J/\psi K_S^0)=(1.83\pm0.28)\times10^{-5}$. This is the most precise measurement to date

First observation of the decay Bˉs0→D0K∗0\bar{B}^0_s \to D^0 K^{*0} and a measurement of the ratio of branching fractions B(Bˉs0→D0K∗0)B(Bˉ0→D0ρ0)\frac{{\cal B}(\bar{B}^0_s \to D^0 K^{*0})}{{\cal B}(\bar{B}^0 \to D^0 \rho^0)}

The first observation of the decay $\bar{B}^0_s \to D^0 K^{*0}$ using $pp$ data collected by the LHCb detector at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36 pb$^{-1}$, is reported. A signal of $34.4 \pm 6.8$ events is obtained and the absence of signal is rejected with a statistical significance of more than nine standard deviations. The $\bar{B}^0_s \to D^0 K^{*0}$ branching fraction is measured relative to that of $\bar{B}^0 \to D^0 \rho^0$: $\frac{{\cal B}(\bar{B}^0_s \to D^0 K^{*0})}{{\cal B}(\bar{B}^0 \to D^0 \rho^0)} = 1.48 \pm 0.34 \pm 0.15 \pm 0.12$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third is due to the uncertainty on the ratio of the $B^0$ and $B^0_s$ hadronisation fractions.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Lett. B; ISSN 0370-269

Measurement of the ratio of branching fractions BR(B0 -> K*0 gamma)/BR(Bs0 -> phi gamma) and the direct CP asymmetry in B0 -> K*0 gamma

The ratio of branching fractions of the radiative B decays B0 -> K*0 gamma and Bs0 phi gamma has been measured using an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb-1 of pp collision data collected by the LHCb experiment at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s)=7 TeV. The value obtained is BR(B0 -> K*0 gamma)/BR(Bs0 -> phi gamma) = 1.23 +/- 0.06(stat.) +/- 0.04(syst.) +/- 0.10(fs/fd), where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is the experimental systematic uncertainty and the third is associated with the ratio of fragmentation fractions fs/fd. Using the world average value for BR(B0 -> K*0 gamma), the branching fraction BR(Bs0 -> phi gamma) is measured to be (3.5 +/- 0.4) x 10^{-5}. The direct CP asymmetry in B0 -> K*0 gamma decays has also been measured with the same data and found to be A(CP)(B0 -> K*0 gamma) = (0.8 +/- 1.7(stat.) +/- 0.9(syst.))%. Both measurements are the most precise to date and are in agreement with the previous experimental results and theoretical expectations.Comment: 21 pages, 3 figues, 4 table

Image quality in whole-body MRI using the MY-RADS protocol in a prospective multi-centre multiple myeloma study

Background The Myeloma Response Assessment and Diagnosis System (MY-RADS) guidelines establish a standardised acquisition and analysis pipeline for whole-body MRI (WB-MRI) in patients with myeloma. This is the first study to assess image quality in a multi-centre prospective trial using MY-RADS. Methods The cohort consisted of 121 examinations acquired across ten sites with a range of prior WB-MRI experience, three scanner manufacturers and two field strengths. Image quality was evaluated qualitatively by a radiologist and quantitatively using a semi-automated pipeline to quantify common artefacts and image quality issues. The intra- and inter-rater repeatability of qualitative and quantitative scoring was also assessed. Results Qualitative radiological scoring found that the image quality was generally good, with 94% of examinations rated as good or excellent and only one examination rated as non-diagnostic. There was a significant correlation between radiological and quantitative scoring for most measures, and intra- and inter-rater repeatability were generally good. When the quality of an overall examination was low, this was often due to low quality diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), where signal to noise ratio (SNR), anterior thoracic signal loss and brain geometric distortion were found as significant predictors of examination quality. Conclusions It is possible to successfully deliver a multi-centre WB-MRI study using the MY-RADS protocol involving scanners with a range of manufacturers, models and field strengths. Quantitative measures of image quality were developed and shown to be significantly correlated with radiological assessment. The SNR of DW images was identified as a significant factor affecting overall examination quality

Customer emotions in service failure and recovery encounters

Emotions play a significant role in the workplace, and considerable attention has been given to the study of employee emotions. Customers also play a central function in organizations, but much less is known about customer emotions. This chapter reviews the growing literature on customer emotions in employee–customer interfaces with a focus on service failure and recovery encounters, where emotions are heightened. It highlights emerging themes and key findings, addresses the measurement, modeling, and management of customer emotions, and identifies future research streams. Attention is given to emotional contagion, relationships between affective and cognitive processes, customer anger, customer rage, and individual differences

Observation of CP violation in B+ to DK+ decays

An analysis of B+ to DK+ and B+ to Dpi+ decays is presented where the D meson is reconstructed in the two-body final states: K+pi-, K+K-, pi+pi- and pi+K-. Using 1.0 fb-1 of LHCb data, measurements of several observables are made including the first observation of the suppressed mode B+ to DK+, D to pi+K-. CP violation in B+ to DK+ decays is observed with 5.8 sigma significance

Search for leptophobic Z ' bosons decaying into four-lepton final states in proton-proton collisions at root s=8 TeV

Peer reviewe

Search for black holes and other new phenomena in high-multiplicity final states in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

Peer reviewe

Measurement of the Ds+ - Ds- production asymmetry in 7 TeV pp collisions

Heavy quark production in 7 TeV centre-of-mass energy pp collisions at the LHC is not necessarily flavour symmetric. The production asymmetry, A_P, between Ds+ and Ds- mesons is studied using the \phi\pi(+/-) decay mode in a data sample of 1.0/fb collected with the LHCb detector. The difference between \pi+ and \pi- detection efficiencies is determined using the ratios of fully reconstructed to partially reconstructed D*(+/-) decays. The overall production asymmetry in the Ds rapidity region 2.0 to 4.5 with transverse momentum larger than 2 GeV is measured to be A_P=(-0.33 +/- 0.22 +/- 0.10)%. This result can constrain models of heavy flavour production.Comment: 13 pages, 10 figures, updated to published versio