Molecular detection of parasites (Trematoda, Digenea: Bucephalidae and Monorchiidae) in the European flat oyster Ostrea edulis (Mollusca: Bivalvia)

Members of the globally distributed bivalve family Ostreidae (oysters) have a significant role in marine ecosystems and include species of high economic importance. In this work, we report the occurrence of digenean parasites of the families Bucephalidae (Prosorhynchoides sp.) and Monorchiidae (Postmonorchis sp.) in Mediterranean native populations of Ostrea edulis (but not in the introduced Magallana gigas). Molecular detection was based on DNA sequencing of the ribosomal intergenic spacer 2 (ITS2) marker. The importance of detecting the presence of overlooked digenean parasites in Mediterranean oysters is discussed. © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Which support is provided in which country? Patterns among older adults in Europe

This paper proposes comparative research on support provided outside the household by older adults in Europe. In studying social support, the network perspective is widely used, investigating, in particular, the ego-centered support networks of individuals. The analysis is based on data from Wave 7 of the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). It examines the characteristics of ego-support networks of individuals aged 65 and over in 12 European countries, which are grouped into a novel welfare regime typology. Through Multiple Correspondence Analysis, we jointly looked into the categorical variables describing the recipients (alters) of the support provided by older adults and the welfare regime classification. As a main result, countries grouped in "High degree of familialism by default" category specialized in supporting family-related alters, particularly with childcare or personal care. In contrast, the elders in countries belonging to "High degree of de-familialisation" typology provided a more varied but less demanding support, to non-relatives alters and less oriented to care. The analyses show that the SHARE provides a solid opportunity to face the topic

Measurement of the front-end dead-time of the LHCb muon detector and evaluation of its contribution to the muon detection inefficiency

A method is described which allows to deduce the dead-time of the front-end electronics of the LHCb muon detector from a series of measurements performed at different luminosities at a bunch-crossing rate of 20 MHz. The measured values of the dead-time range from 70 ns to 100 ns. These results allow to estimate the performance of the muon detector at the future bunch-crossing rate of 40 MHz and at higher luminosity

Aliens in changing seascapes: a newly reported non-native sacoglossan (Mollusca, Heterobranchia) in the western Mediterranean Sea

We report the discovery of the Indo-Pacific sacoglossan Elysia nealae Ostergaard, 1955 from northeastern Sardinia (Central Tyrrhenian Sea). This is the first record of this species in the western Mediterranean Sea and only the second for the whole of the Mediterranean Sea following a report from Cape Epanomi, Greece. We discuss the identification of this species as well as the expansion of its geographical range. Data on the ecology and behavior of E. nealae leads us to hypothesize that the increase in the Mediterranean’s water temperature due to climate change has favored this non-native species and contributed to its expanded distribution

Performance of the Muon Identification at LHCb

The performance of the muon identification in LHCb is extracted from data using muons and hadrons produced in J/\psi->\mu\mu, \Lambda->p\pi and D^{\star}->\pi D0(K\pi) decays. The muon identification procedure is based on the pattern of hits in the muon chambers. A momentum dependent binary requirement is used to reduce the probability of hadrons to be misidentified as muons to the level of 1%, keeping the muon efficiency in the range of 95-98%. As further refinement, a likelihood is built for the muon and non-muon hypotheses. Adding a requirement on this likelihood that provides a total muon efficiency at the level of 93%, the hadron misidentification rates are below 0.6%.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figure

Which support is provided in which country? Patterns among older adults in Europe

This paper proposes comparative research on support provided outside the household by older adults in Europe. In studying social support, the network perspective is widely used, investigating, in particular, the ego-centered support networks of individuals. The analysis is based on data from Wave 7 of the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). It examines the characteristics of ego-support networks of individuals aged 65 and over in 12 European countries, which are grouped into a novel welfare regime typology. Through Multiple Correspondence Analysis, we jointly looked into the categorical variables describing the recipients (alters) of the support provided by older adults and the welfare regime classification. As a main result, countries grouped in "High degree of familialism by default" category specialized in supporting family-related alters, particularly with childcare or personal care. In contrast, the elders in countries belonging to "High degree of de-familialisation" typology provided a more varied but less demanding support, to non-relatives alters and less oriented to care. The analyses show that the SHARE provides a solid opportunity to face the topic

Measurements of the branching fractions of B+→ppK+ decays

The branching fractions of the decay B+ → pp̄K+ for different intermediate states are measured using data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb-1, collected by the LHCb experiment. The total branching fraction, its charmless component Mpp̄ < 2.85 GeV/c2 and the branching fractions via the resonant cc̄ states η c(1S) and ψ(2S) relative to the decay via a J/ψ intermediate state are [Equation not available: see fulltext.] Upper limits on the B + branching fractions into the η c(2S) meson and into the charmonium-like states X(3872) and X(3915) are also obtained

Measurement of the mass and lifetime of the Ωb−\Omega_b^- baryon

A proton-proton collision data sample, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb$^{-1}$ collected by LHCb at $\sqrt{s}=7$ and 8 TeV, is used to reconstruct $63\pm9$ $\Omega_b^-\to\Omega_c^0\pi^-$, $\Omega_c^0\to pK^-K^-\pi^+$ decays. Using the $\Xi_b^-\to\Xi_c^0\pi^-$, $\Xi_c^0\to pK^-K^-\pi^+$ decay mode for calibration, the lifetime ratio and absolute lifetime of the $\Omega_b^-$ baryon are measured to be \begin{align*} \frac{\tau_{\Omega_b^-}}{\tau_{\Xi_b^-}} &= 1.11\pm0.16\pm0.03, \\ \tau_{\Omega_b^-} &= 1.78\pm0.26\pm0.05\pm0.06~{\rm ps}, \end{align*} where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic and from the calibration mode (for $\tau_{\Omega_b^-}$ only). A measurement is also made of the mass difference, $m_{\Omega_b^-}-m_{\Xi_b^-}$, and the corresponding $\Omega_b^-$ mass, which yields \begin{align*} m_{\Omega_b^-}-m_{\Xi_b^-} &= 247.4\pm3.2\pm0.5~{\rm MeV}/c^2, \\ m_{\Omega_b^-} &= 6045.1\pm3.2\pm 0.5\pm0.6~{\rm MeV}/c^2. \end{align*} These results are consistent with previous measurements.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://lhcbproject.web.cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/LHCbProjectPublic/LHCb-PAPER-2016-008.htm

Model-independent evidence for J/ψpJ/\psi p contributions to Λb0→J/ψpK−\Lambda_b^0\to J/\psi p K^- decays

The data sample of $\Lambda_b^0\to J/\psi p K^-$ decays acquired with the LHCb detector from 7 and 8~TeV $pp$ collisions, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb$^{-1}$, is inspected for the presence of $J/\psi p$ or $J/\psi K^-$ contributions with minimal assumptions about $K^- p$ contributions. It is demonstrated at more than 9 standard deviations that $\Lambda_b^0\to J/\psi p K^-$ decays cannot be described with $K^- p$ contributions alone, and that $J/\psi p$ contributions play a dominant role in this incompatibility. These model-independent results support the previously obtained model-dependent evidence for $P_c^+\to J/\psi p$ charmonium-pentaquark states in the same data sample.Comment: 21 pages, 12 figures (including the supplemental section added at the end