2,006 research outputs found

    Ambient air pollution and health in Sub-Saharan Africa : current evidence, perspectives and a call to action

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    CITATION: Katoto, P. D. M. C., et al. 2019. Ambient air pollution and health in Sub-Saharan Africa : current evidence, perspectives and a call to action. Environmental Research, 173:174-188, doi:10.1016/j.envres.2019.03.029.The original publication is available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/Background: People from low- and middle-income countries are disproportionately affected by the global burden of adverse health effects caused by ambient air pollution (AAP). However, data from Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are still scarce. We systematically reviewed the literature to describe the existing knowledge on AAP and health outcomes in SSA. Methods: We searched PubMed, Medline-OVID, EMBASE and Scopus databases to identify studies of AAP and health outcomes published up to November 15, 2017. We used a systematic review approach to critically analyze and summarize levels of outdoor air pollutants, and data on health effects associated with AAP. We excluded occupational and indoor exposure studies. Results: We identified 60 articles, with 37 only describing levels of AAP and 23 assessing the association between air pollution and health outcomes. Most studies (75%) addressing the relation between AAP and disease were cross-sectional. In general, exposure data were only obtained for selected cities in the framework of temporary international collaborative research initiatives without structural long-term continuation. Measurements of AAP revealed 10–20 fold higher levels than WHO standards. Of the 23 studies reporting health effects, 14 originated from South Africa, and most countries within SSA contributed no data at all. No studies, except from South Africa, were based on reliable morbidity or mortality statistics at regional or country level. The majority of studies investigated self-reported respiratory symptoms. Children and the elderly were found to be more susceptible to AAP. Conclusion: AAP and its negative health effects have been understudied in SSA compared with other continents. The limited direct measurements of air pollutants indicate that AAP in SAA cities is high compared with international standards. Efforts are needed to monitor AAP in African cities, to identify its main sources, and to reduce adverse health effects by enforcing legislation.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0013935119301574?via%3DihubPublisher's versio

    Evidence for the decay B0→J/ψω and measurement of the relative branching fractions of meson decays to J/ψη and J/ψη′

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    First evidence of the B 0 → J / ψ ω decay is found and the B s 0 → J / ψ η and B s 0 → J / ψ η ′ decays are studied using a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb -1 collected by the LHCb experiment in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV. The branching fractions of these decays are measured relative to that of the B 0 → J / ψ ρ 0 decay:frac(B (B 0 → J / ψ ω), B (B 0 → J / ψ ρ 0)) = 0.89 ± 0.19 (stat) - 0.13 + 0.07 (syst),frac(B (B s 0 → J / ψ η), B (B 0 → J / ψ ρ 0)) = 14.0 ± 1.2 (stat) - 1.5 + 1.1 (syst) - 1.0 + 1.1 (frac(f d, f s)),frac(B (B s 0 → J / ψ η ′), B (B 0 → J / ψ ρ 0)) = 12.7 ± 1.1 (stat) - 1.3 + 0.5 (syst) - 0.9 + 1.0 (frac(f d, f s)), where the last uncertainty is due to the knowledge of f d / f s, the ratio of b-quark hadronization factors that accounts for the different production rate of B 0 and B s 0 mesons. The ratio of the branching fractions of B s 0 → J / ψ η ′ and B s 0 → J / ψ η decays is measured to befrac(B (B s 0 → J / ψ η ′), B (B s 0 → J / ψ η)) = 0.90 ± 0.09 (stat) - 0.02 + 0.06 (syst)

    Prompt charm production in pp collisions at &#8730;<span style="text-decoration:overline">s</span>=7 TeV

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    Charm production at the LHC in pp collisions at s√=7 TeV is studied with the LHCb detector. The decays D0→K−π+, D+→K−π+π+, D⁎+→D0(K−π+)π+, D+s→ϕ(K−K+)π+, Λ+c→pK−π+, and their charge conjugates are analysed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 15 nb−1. Differential cross-sections dσ/dpT are measured for prompt production of the five charmed hadron species in bins of transverse momentum and rapidity in the region 0&#60;pT&#60;8 GeV/c and 2.0&#60;y&#60;4.5. Theoretical predictions are compared to the measured differential cross-sections. The integrated cross-sections of the charm hadrons are computed in the above pT-y range, and their ratios are reported. A combination of the five integrated cross-section measurements gives σ(cc¯)pT&#60;8 GeV/c,2.0&#60;y&#60;4.5=1419±12(stat)±116(syst)±65(frag) μb, where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and due to the fragmentation functions

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

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    The asymmetry in the production cross-section \sigma of D+/- mesons, A_P = (\sigma(D+) - \sigma(D-))/(\sigma(D+) + \sigma(D-)), is measured in bins of pseudorapidity \eta and transverse momentum p_T within the acceptance of the LHCb detector. The result is obtained with a sample of D+ -> K_S pi+ decays corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb^-1, collected in pp collisions at a centre of mass energy of 7 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider. When integrated over the kinematic range 2.0 K_S pi+ decay is negligible. No significant dependence on \eta or p_T is observed

    Measurement of the ratio of prompt χ c to J / ψ production in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV

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    The prompt production of charmonium χ c and J / ψ states is studied in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider. The χ c and J / ψ mesons are identified through their decays χ c → J / ψ γ and J / ψ → μ + μ - using 36 pb - 1 of data collected by the LHCb detector in 2010. The ratio of the prompt production cross-sections for χ c and J / ψ, σ (χ c → J / ψ γ) / σ (J / ψ), is determined as a function of the J / ψ transverse momentum in the range 2 < p T J / ψ < 15 GeV / c. The results are in excellent agreement with next-to-leading order non-relativistic expectations and show a significant discrepancy compared with the colour singlet model prediction at leading order, especially in the low p T J / ψ region

    A Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Scans Identifies IL18RAP, PTPN2, TAGAP, and PUS10 As Shared Risk Loci for Crohn's Disease and Celiac Disease

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    This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

    Measurement of the ratio of branching fractions B(B0→K∗0γ )/B(B0s→φγ ) and the directCP asymmetry inB 0→K∗0γ

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    The ratio of branching fractions of the radiative B decays B0→K⁎0γ and B0s→ϕγ 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 s√=7TeV. The value obtained is B(B0→K⁎0γ)B(B0s→ϕγ)=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 B(B0→K⁎0γ), the branching fraction B(B0s→ϕγ) is measured to be (3.5±0.4)×10−5. The direct CP asymmetry in B0→K⁎0γ decays has also been measured with the same data and found to be ACP(B0→K⁎0γ)=(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

    Measurement of the B0–B0 oscillation frequency &#916;md with the decays B0→D−π+ and B0→ J/ψK∗0

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    The B 0 –B 0 oscillation frequency &#916;md is measured by the LHCb experiment using a dataset corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1 of proton–proton collisions at √ s = 7 TeV, and is found to be &#916;md =0.5156±0.0051 (stat.)±0.0033 (syst.) ps−1 . The measurement is based on results from analyses of the decays B 0 → D −π + (D − → K +π −π −) and B 0 → J/ψK ∗0 (J/ψ →μ +μ −,K ∗0 → K +π −) and their charge conjugated modes

    HIGH-RESOLUTION ROTATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY OF THE CARBON CHAIN ANIONS C3_3N^-, C4_4H^-, AND C4_4D^-

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    Author Institution: Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden St.; Cambridge, MA 02138, and School of Engineering \&amp; Applied Sciences, Harvard University, 29 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA 02138}The rotational spectra of C3_3N^-, C4_4H^-, and C4_4D^- have been observed at high spectral resolution by Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. For both C3_3N^-and C4_4D^-, frequencies of the hyperfine components in the lowest-JJ transitions have been determined to better than 0.1 ppm. The derived quadrapole coupling constants eQqeQq for both anions are in good agreement with theoretical predictions. A number of other properties of these anions, including linewidths and rotational temperatures, have been systematically studied with respect to similar-sized neutral molecules. The production of C4_4H^- using different hydrocarbon precursor and buffer gases has also been investigated

    Measurement of the polarization amplitudes and triple product asymmetries in the B0s → Φ Φ decay

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    &lt;p&gt;Using 1.0 fb−1 of pp collision data collected at a centre-of-mass energy of s√=7 TeV with the LHCb detector, measurements of the polarization amplitudes, strong phase difference and triple product asymmetries in the B0s→ϕϕ decay mode are presented. The measured values are&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;|A0|2=0.365±0.022(stat)±0.012(syst),|A⊥|2=0.291±0.024(stat)±0.010(syst),cos(δ∥)=−0.844±0.068(stat)±0.029(syst),AU=−0.055±0.036(stat)±0.018(syst),AV=0.010±0.036(stat)±0.018(syst).&lt;/p&gt
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