Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear understanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5,6,7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8,9,10,11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world's most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepresented in biodiversity databases.13,14,15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may eliminate pieces of the Amazon's biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological communities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple organism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region's vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most neglected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lost

Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK.

BACKGROUND: A safe and efficacious vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), if deployed with high coverage, could contribute to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in a pooled interim analysis of four trials. METHODS: This analysis includes data from four ongoing blinded, randomised, controlled trials done across the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Participants aged 18 years and older were randomly assigned (1:1) to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or control (meningococcal group A, C, W, and Y conjugate vaccine or saline). Participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group received two doses containing 5 × 1010 viral particles (standard dose; SD/SD cohort); a subset in the UK trial received a half dose as their first dose (low dose) and a standard dose as their second dose (LD/SD cohort). The primary efficacy analysis included symptomatic COVID-19 in seronegative participants with a nucleic acid amplification test-positive swab more than 14 days after a second dose of vaccine. Participants were analysed according to treatment received, with data cutoff on Nov 4, 2020. Vaccine efficacy was calculated as 1 - relative risk derived from a robust Poisson regression model adjusted for age. Studies are registered at ISRCTN89951424 and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324606, NCT04400838, and NCT04444674. FINDINGS: Between April 23 and Nov 4, 2020, 23 848 participants were enrolled and 11 636 participants (7548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) were included in the interim primary efficacy analysis. In participants who received two standard doses, vaccine efficacy was 62·1% (95% CI 41·0-75·7; 27 [0·6%] of 4440 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group vs71 [1·6%] of 4455 in the control group) and in participants who received a low dose followed by a standard dose, efficacy was 90·0% (67·4-97·0; three [0·2%] of 1367 vs 30 [2·2%] of 1374; pinteraction=0·010). Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70·4% (95·8% CI 54·8-80·6; 30 [0·5%] of 5807 vs 101 [1·7%] of 5829). From 21 days after the first dose, there were ten cases hospitalised for COVID-19, all in the control arm; two were classified as severe COVID-19, including one death. There were 74 341 person-months of safety follow-up (median 3·4 months, IQR 1·3-4·8): 175 severe adverse events occurred in 168 participants, 84 events in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 91 in the control group. Three events were classified as possibly related to a vaccine: one in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, one in the control group, and one in a participant who remains masked to group allocation. INTERPRETATION: ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has an acceptable safety profile and has been found to be efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19 in this interim analysis of ongoing clinical trials. FUNDING: UK Research and Innovation, National Institutes for Health Research (NIHR), Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lemann Foundation, Rede D'Or, Brava and Telles Foundation, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, Thames Valley and South Midland's NIHR Clinical Research Network, and AstraZeneca

Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK

Background A safe and efficacious vaccine against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), if deployed with high coverage, could contribute to the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine in a pooled interim analysis of four trials. Methods This analysis includes data from four ongoing blinded, randomised, controlled trials done across the UK, Brazil, and South Africa. Participants aged 18 years and older were randomly assigned (1:1) to ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine or control (meningococcal group A, C, W, and Y conjugate vaccine or saline). Participants in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group received two doses containing 5 × 1010 viral particles (standard dose; SD/SD cohort); a subset in the UK trial received a half dose as their first dose (low dose) and a standard dose as their second dose (LD/SD cohort). The primary efficacy analysis included symptomatic COVID-19 in seronegative participants with a nucleic acid amplification test-positive swab more than 14 days after a second dose of vaccine. Participants were analysed according to treatment received, with data cutoff on Nov 4, 2020. Vaccine efficacy was calculated as 1 - relative risk derived from a robust Poisson regression model adjusted for age. Studies are registered at ISRCTN89951424 and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04324606, NCT04400838, and NCT04444674. Findings Between April 23 and Nov 4, 2020, 23 848 participants were enrolled and 11 636 participants (7548 in the UK, 4088 in Brazil) were included in the interim primary efficacy analysis. In participants who received two standard doses, vaccine efficacy was 62·1% (95% CI 41·0–75·7; 27 [0·6%] of 4440 in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group vs71 [1·6%] of 4455 in the control group) and in participants who received a low dose followed by a standard dose, efficacy was 90·0% (67·4–97·0; three [0·2%] of 1367 vs 30 [2·2%] of 1374; pinteraction=0·010). Overall vaccine efficacy across both groups was 70·4% (95·8% CI 54·8–80·6; 30 [0·5%] of 5807 vs 101 [1·7%] of 5829). From 21 days after the first dose, there were ten cases hospitalised for COVID-19, all in the control arm; two were classified as severe COVID-19, including one death. There were 74 341 person-months of safety follow-up (median 3·4 months, IQR 1·3–4·8): 175 severe adverse events occurred in 168 participants, 84 events in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group and 91 in the control group. Three events were classified as possibly related to a vaccine: one in the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 group, one in the control group, and one in a participant who remains masked to group allocation. Interpretation ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 has an acceptable safety profile and has been found to be efficacious against symptomatic COVID-19 in this interim analysis of ongoing clinical trials

Angular analysis of the B-0 -> K*(0) e(+) e(-) decay in the low-q(2) region

An angular analysis of the $B^0 \rightarrow K^{*0} e^+ e^-$ decay is performed using a data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 {\mbox{fb}^{-1}}, collected by the LHCb experiment in $pp$ collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV during 2011 and 2012. For the first time several observables are measured in the dielectron mass squared ($q^2$) interval between 0.002 and 1.120${\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V^2\!/}c^4}$. The angular observables $F_{\mathrm{L}}$ and $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{Re}}$ which are related to the $K^{*0}$ polarisation and to the lepton forward-backward asymmetry, are measured to be $F_{\mathrm{L}}= 0.16 \pm 0.06 \pm0.03$ and $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{Re}} = 0.10 \pm 0.18 \pm 0.05$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The angular observables $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{(2)}$ and $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{Im}}$ which are sensitive to the photon polarisation in this $q^2$ range, are found to be $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{(2)} = -0.23 \pm 0.23 \pm 0.05$ and $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{Im}} =0.14 \pm 0.22 \pm 0.05$. The results are consistent with Standard Model predictions.An angular analysis of the B$^{0}$ → K^{*}^{0} e$^{+}$ e$^{−}$ decay is performed using a data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{−1}$, collected by the LHCb experiment in pp collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV during 2011 and 2012. For the first time several observables are measured in the dielectron mass squared (q$^{2}$) interval between 0.002 and 1.120 GeV$^{2}$ /c$^{4}$. The angular observables F$_{L}$ and A$_{T}^{Re}$ which are related to the K^{*}^{0} polarisation and to the lepton forward-backward asymmetry, are measured to be F$_{L}$ = 0.16 ± 0.06 ± 0.03 and A$_{T}^{Re}$  = 0.10 ± 0.18 ± 0.05, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The angular observables A$_{T}^{(2)}$ and A$_{T}^{Im}$ which are sensitive to the photon polarisation in this q$^{2}$ range, are found to be A$_{T}^{(2)}$  = − 0.23 ± 0.23 ± 0.05 and A$_{T}^{Im}$  = 0.14 ± 0.22 ± 0.05. The results are consistent with Standard Model predictions.An angular analysis of the $B^0 \rightarrow K^{*0} e^+ e^-$ decay is performed using a data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 {\mbox{fb}^{-1}}, collected by the LHCb experiment in $pp$ collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV during 2011 and 2012. For the first time several observables are measured in the dielectron mass squared ($q^2$) interval between 0.002 and 1.120${\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V^2\!/}c^4}$. The angular observables $F_{\mathrm{L}}$ and $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{Re}}$ which are related to the $K^{*0}$ polarisation and to the lepton forward-backward asymmetry, are measured to be $F_{\mathrm{L}}= 0.16 \pm 0.06 \pm0.03$ and $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{Re}} = 0.10 \pm 0.18 \pm 0.05$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The angular observables $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{(2)}$ and $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{Im}}$ which are sensitive to the photon polarisation in this $q^2$ range, are found to be $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{(2)} = -0.23 \pm 0.23 \pm 0.05$ and $A_{\mathrm{T}}^{\mathrm{Im}} =0.14 \pm 0.22 \pm 0.05$. The results are consistent with Standard Model predictions

Study of the rare B-s(0) and B-0 decays into the pi(+) pi(-) mu(+) mu(-) final state

A search for the rare decays $B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ and $B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb detector in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5-1.3 GeV/$c^2$ and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay $B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ and the first evidence of the decay $B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ are obtained and the branching fractions are measured to be $\mathcal{B}(B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-)=(8.6\pm 1.5\,({\rm stat}) \pm 0.7\,({\rm syst})\pm 0.7\,({\rm norm}))\times 10^{-8}$ and $\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-)=(2.11\pm 0.51\,({\rm stat}) \pm 0.15\,({\rm syst})\pm 0.16\,({\rm norm}) )\times 10^{-8}$, where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay $B^0\to J/\psi(\to \mu^+\mu^-)K^*(890)^0(\to K^+\pi^-)$, used as a normalisation.A search for the rare decays Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and B0→π+π−μ+μ− is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb−1 collected by the LHCb detector in proton–proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV . Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5–1.3 GeV/c2 and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and the first evidence of the decay B0→π+π−μ+μ− are obtained and the branching fractions, restricted to the dipion-mass range considered, are measured to be B(Bs0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(8.6±1.5 (stat)±0.7 (syst)±0.7(norm))×10−8 and B(B0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(2.11±0.51(stat)±0.15(syst)±0.16(norm))×10−8 , where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay B0→J/ψ(→μ+μ−)K⁎(892)0(→K+π−) , used as a normalisation.A search for the rare decays Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and B0→π+π−μ+μ− is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb−1 collected by the LHCb detector in proton–proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV . Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5–1.3 GeV/c2 and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and the first evidence of the decay B0→π+π−μ+μ− are obtained and the branching fractions, restricted to the dipion-mass range considered, are measured to be B(Bs0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(8.6±1.5 (stat)±0.7 (syst)±0.7(norm))×10−8 and B(B0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(2.11±0.51(stat)±0.15(syst)±0.16(norm))×10−8 , where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay B0→J/ψ(→μ+μ−)K⁎(892)0(→K+π−) , used as a normalisation.A search for the rare decays $B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ and $B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb detector in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5-1.3 GeV/$c^2$ and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay $B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ and the first evidence of the decay $B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ are obtained and the branching fractions, restricted to the dipion-mass range considered, are measured to be $\mathcal{B}(B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-)=(8.6\pm 1.5\,({\rm stat}) \pm 0.7\,({\rm syst})\pm 0.7\,({\rm norm}))\times 10^{-8}$ and $\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-)=(2.11\pm 0.51\,({\rm stat}) \pm 0.15\,({\rm syst})\pm 0.16\,({\rm norm}) )\times 10^{-8}$, where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay $B^0\to J/\psi(\to \mu^+\mu^-)K^*(890)^0(\to K^+\pi^-)$, used as a normalisation

Observation of the B0 → ρ0ρ0 decay from an amplitude analysis of B0 → (π+π−)(π+π−) decays

Proton–proton collision data recorded in 2011 and 2012 by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb−1 , are analysed to search for the charmless B0→ρ0ρ0 decay. More than 600 B0→(π+π−)(π+π−) signal decays are selected and used to perform an amplitude analysis, under the assumption of no CP violation in the decay, from which the B0→ρ0ρ0 decay is observed for the first time with 7.1 standard deviations significance. The fraction of B0→ρ0ρ0 decays yielding a longitudinally polarised final state is measured to be fL=0.745−0.058+0.048(stat)±0.034(syst) . The B0→ρ0ρ0 branching fraction, using the B0→ϕK⁎(892)0 decay as reference, is also reported as B(B0→ρ0ρ0)=(0.94±0.17(stat)±0.09(syst)±0.06(BF))×10−6

Measurement of the Z plus b-jet cross-section in pp collisions at root s=7 TeV in the forward region

The associated production of a Z boson or an off-shell photon $\gamma^*$ with a bottom quark in the forward region is studied using proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $7{\mathrm{\,Te\kern -0.1em V}}$. The Z bosons are reconstructed in the ${\text{Z}/\gamma^*}\rightarrow{\mu^{+}\mu^{-}}$ final state from muons with a transverse momentum larger than $20{\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V}}$, while two transverse momentum thresholds are considered for jets ($10{\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V}}$ and $20{\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V}}$). Both muons and jets are reconstructed in the pseudorapidity range $2.0 10{\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V}}$, and \sigma(\text{\text{Z}/\gamma^*(\mu^{+}\mu^{-})+b-jet}) = 167 \pm 47 (\text{stat}) \pm 29 (\text{syst}) \pm 6 (\text{lumi}) {\,{fb}} for {p_{\rm T}}(jet)$>20{\mathrm{\,Ge\kern -0.1em V}}$

Precise measurements of the properties of the B-1(5721)(0,+) and B-2*(5747)(0,+) states and observation of B-+,B-0 pi(-,+) mass structures

Invariant mass distributions of $B^+\pi^-$ and $B^0\pi^+$ combinations are investigated in order to study excited B mesons. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to $3.0 fb^{-1}$ of $pp$ collision data, recorded by the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. Precise measurements of the masses and widths of the $B_1(5721)^{0,+}$ and $B_2^*(5747)^{0,+}$ states are reported. Clear enhancements, particularly prominent at high pion transverse momentum, are seen over background in the mass range $5850$-$6000$ MeV in both $B^+\pi^-$ and $B^0\pi^+$ combinations. The structures are consistent with the presence of four excited B mesons, labelled $B_J(5840)^{0,+}$ and $B_J(5960)^{0,+}$, whose masses and widths are obtained under different hypotheses for their quantum numbers.Invariant mass distributions of B$^{+}$ π$^{−}$ and B$^{0}$ π$^{+}$ combinations are investigated in order to study excited B mesons. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to 3.0 fb$^{−1}$ of pp collision data, recorded by the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. Precise measurements of the masses and widths of the B$_{1}$(5721)$^{0,+}$ and B$^{2}$(5747)$^{0,+}$ states are reported. Clear enhancements, particularly prominent at high pion transverse momentum, are seen over background in the mass range 5850-6000 MeV in both B$^{+}$ π$^{−}$ and B$^{0}$ π$^{+}$ combinations. The structures are consistent with the presence of four excited B mesons, labelled B$_{J}$ (5840)$^{0,+}$ and B$_{J}$ (5960)$^{0,+}$, whose masses and widths are obtained under different hypotheses for their quantum numbers.Invariant mass distributions of B+pi- and B0pi+ combinations are investigated in order to study excited B mesons. The analysis is based on a data sample corresponding to 3.0 fb-1 of pp collision data, recorded by the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. Precise measurements of the masses and widths of the B_1(5721)^(0,+) and B_2*(5747)^(0,+) states are reported. Clear enhancements, particularly prominent at high pion transverse momentum, are seen over background in the mass range 5850--6000 MeV in both B+pi- and B0pi+ combinations. The structures are consistent with the presence of four excited B mesons, labelled B_J(5840)^(0,+) and B_J(5960)^(0,+), whose masses and widths are obtained under different hypotheses for their quantum numbers