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A bstract Using data samples of 983.0 fb − 1 and 427.9 fb − 1 accumulated with the Belle and Belle II detectors operating at the KEKB and SuperKEKB asymmetric-energy e + e − colliders, singly Cabibbo-suppressed decays Ξ c + → p K S 0 , Ξ c + → Λ π + , and Ξ c + → Σ 0 π + are observed for the first time. The ratios of branching fractions of Ξ c + → p K S 0 , Ξ c + → Λ π + , and Ξ c + → Σ 0 π + relative to that of Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + are measured to be B Ξ c + → p K S 0 B Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + = 2.47 ± 0.16 ± 0.07 % , B Ξ c + → Λ π + B Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + = 1.56 ± 0.14 ± 0.09 % , B Ξ c + → Σ 0 π + B Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + = 4.13 ± 0.26 ± 0.22 % . Multiplying these values by the branching fraction of the normalization channel, B Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + = 2.9 ± 1.3 % , the absolute branching fractions are determined to be B Ξ c + → p K S 0 = 7.16 ± 0.46 ± 0.20 ± 3.21 × 10 − 4 , B Ξ c + → Λ π + = 4.52 ± 0.41 ± 0.26 ± 2.03 × 10 − 4 , B Ξ c + → Σ 0 π + = 1.20 ± 0.08 ± 0.07 ± 0.54 × 10 − 3 . The first and second uncertainties above are statistical and systematic, respectively, while the third ones arise from the uncertainty in B Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + .

BackgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV) infection poses a global health threat, with significant morbidity and mortality. This study investigated the evolving landscape of HCV in Tuscany, Italy, from 2015 to 2022, considering demographic shifts, clinical profiles, treatment regimens, and outcomes, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.Material and Methods A multicenter retrospective study was conducted on 6882 HCV patients, with data collected on demographics, clinical history, and HCV risk factors. The analysis encompassed three different temporal eras: the period before and the period after the universal availability of direct-acting antivirals (DAA), and the COVID-19 era. The treatment’s effectiveness was evaluated by the achievement of the Sustained Virological Response (SVR12), which was assessed 12 weeks after the treatment’s conclusion. Outcomes included SVR12, non-SVR12, and cases of lost to follow-up. Statistical analysis was conducted by ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis test, and multinomial logistic regression.ResultsIn the pre-DAA era, people with chronic HCV infection were older than those characterizing the subsequent periods (I: 61.12±12.23, II: 57.61±14.84%, III: 57.71±15.68%; F(2,6876)=48.265, p<0.001). While HBV coinfection rate was stable over time (χ2(2)=3.315, p=0.0191), the pre-DAA era showed higher prevalence of HCV patients with genotype 1 (I: 62.5%, II: 54.7%, III: 48.7%; χ2(2)=66.865, p<0.001), HIV co-infection (I: 5.8%, II: 3.6%, III: 1.8%, χ2(2)=33.957, p<0.001) and cirrhosis (I: 50.8%, II: 14.5%, III: 24.4%; χ2(2)=902.958, p<0.001). During the COVID-19 era, all the HCV patients were treated with HCV therapy of third generation and the loss to follow-up rate reached higher values (I: 0.3%, II: 0.3%, III: 5.6%, χ2(2)=194.383, p<0.001). The overall SVR12 remained stable over time (χ2(2)=0.357, p=0.837), while facilitating factors influenced the non-SVR12 (male gender: Odds Ratio (OR)=2.134, p=0.006; cirrhosis: OR=1.713, p=0.040; HIV co-infection: OR=3.251, p=0.005) or lost to follow-up (DAA treatment, third generation: OR=4.187, p=0.006) outcomes.ConclusionsThe study provides a comprehensive view of the HCV landscape, revealing demographic shifts, treatment patterns, and outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted service delivery, causing delays in diagnosis and treatment, and influencing patient follow-up. Despite challenges, the region maintained high SVR12 rates, emphasizing the importance of sustained efforts in HCV care. This study highlights the dynamic nature of HCV management in Tuscany, emphasizing the need for continuous adaptation to public health challenges. As the region strives to meet WHO elimination targets, ongoing screening efforts and multidisciplinary interventions are crucial. The study underscores the resilience of HCV care during the pandemic and provides insights for future public health strategies.

A bstract We present a measurement of the time-dependent CP asymmetry in decays using a data set of 365 fb − 1 recorded by the Belle II experiment and the final data set of 711 fb − 1 recorded by the Belle experiment at the Υ(4S) resonance. The direct and mixing-induced time-dependent CP violation parameters C and S are determined along with two additional quantities, S + and S − , defined in the two halves of the plane. The measured values are C = − 0 . 17 ± 0 . 09 ± 0 . 04, S = − 0 . 29 ± 0 . 11 ± 0 . 05, S + = −0 . 57 ± 0 . 23 ± 0 . 10 and S − = 0 . 31 ± 0 . 24 ± 0 . 05, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic.

We perform the first search for CP violation in$$ {D}_{(s)}^{+}\\to {K}_S^0{K}^{-}{\\pi}^{+}{\\pi}^{+} $$D s + → K S 0 K − π + π + decays. We use a combined data set from the Belle and Belle II experiments, which study e + e − collisions at center-of-mass energies at or near the Υ(4 S ) resonance. We use 980 fb − 1 of data from Belle and 428 fb − 1 of data from Belle II. We measure six CP -violating asymmetries that are based on triple products and quadruple products of the momenta of final-state particles, and also the particles’ helicity angles. We obtain a precision at the level of 0.5% for$$ {D}^{+}\\to {K}_S^0{K}^{-}{\\pi}^{+}{\\pi}^{+} $$D + → K S 0 K − π + π + decays, and better than 0.3% for$$ {D}_s^{+}\\to {K}_S^0{K}^{-}{\\pi}^{+}{\\pi}^{+} $$D s + → K S 0 K − π + π + decays. No evidence of CP violation is found. Our results for the triple-product asymmetries are the most precise to date for singly-Cabibbo-suppressed D + decays. Our results for the other asymmetries are the first such measurements performed for charm decays.

A bstract We perform the first search for CP violation in D s + → K S 0 K − π + π + decays. We use a combined data set from the Belle and Belle II experiments, which study e + e − collisions at center-of-mass energies at or near the Υ(4 S ) resonance. We use 980 fb − 1 of data from Belle and 428 fb − 1 of data from Belle II. We measure six CP -violating asymmetries that are based on triple products and quadruple products of the momenta of final-state particles, and also the particles’ helicity angles. We obtain a precision at the level of 0.5% for D + → K S 0 K − π + π + decays, and better than 0.3% for D s + → K S 0 K − π + π + decays. No evidence of CP violation is found. Our results for the triple-product asymmetries are the most precise to date for singly-Cabibbo-suppressed D + decays. Our results for the other asymmetries are the first such measurements performed for charm decays.

Using data samples of 983.0 fb − 1 and 427.9 fb − 1 accumulated with the Belle and Belle II detectors operating at the KEKB and SuperKEKB asymmetric-energy e + e − colliders, singly Cabibbo-suppressed decays$$ {\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to p{K}_S^0 $$Ξ c + → p K S 0 ,$$ {\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to \\Lambda {\\pi}^{+} $$Ξ c + → Λ π + , and$$ {\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to {\\Sigma}^0{\\pi}^{+} $$Ξ c + → Σ 0 π + are observed for the first time. The ratios of branching fractions of$$ {\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to p{K}_S^0 $$Ξ c + → p K S 0 ,$$ {\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to \\Lambda {\\pi}^{+} $$Ξ c + → Λ π + , and$$ {\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to {\\Sigma}^0{\\pi}^{+} $$Ξ c + → Σ 0 π + relative to that of$$ {\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to {\\Xi}^{-}{\\pi}^{+}{\\pi}^{+} $$Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + are measured to be$$ {\\displaystyle \\begin{array}{c}\\frac{\\mathcal{B}\\left({\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to p{K}_S^0\\right)}{\\mathcal{B}\\left({\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to {\\Xi}^{-}{\\pi}^{+}{\\pi}^{+}\\right)}=\\left(2.47\\pm 0.16\\pm 0.07\\right)\\%,\\\ {}\\frac{\\mathcal{B}\\left({\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to \\Lambda {\\pi}^{+}\\right)}{\\mathcal{B}\\left({\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to {\\Xi}^{-}{\\pi}^{+}{\\pi}^{+}\\right)}=\\left(1.56\\pm 0.14\\pm 0.09\\right)\\%,\\\ {}\\frac{\\mathcal{B}\\left({\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to {\\Sigma}^0{\\pi}^{+}\\right)}{\\mathcal{B}\\left({\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to {\\Xi}^{-}{\\pi}^{+}{\\pi}^{+}\\right)}=\\left(4.13\\pm 0.26\\pm 0.22\\right)\\%.\\end{array}} $$B Ξ c + → p K S 0 B Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + = 2.47 ± 0.16 ± 0.07 % , B Ξ c + → Λ π + B Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + = 1.56 ± 0.14 ± 0.09 % , B Ξ c + → Σ 0 π + B Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + = 4.13 ± 0.26 ± 0.22 % . Multiplying these values by the branching fraction of the normalization channel,$$ \\mathcal{B}\\left({\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to {\\Xi}^{-}{\\pi}^{+}{\\pi}^{+}\\right)=\\left(2.9\\pm 1.3\\right)\\% $$B Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + = 2.9 ± 1.3 % , the absolute branching fractions are determined to be$$ {\\displaystyle \\begin{array}{c}\\mathcal{B}\\left({\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to p{K}_S^0\\right)=\\left(7.16\\pm 0.46\\pm 0.20\\pm 3.21\\right)\\times {10}^{-4},\\\ {}\\mathcal{B}\\left({\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to \\Lambda {\\pi}^{+}\\right)=\\left(4.52\\pm 0.41\\pm 0.26\\pm 2.03\\right)\\times {10}^{-4},\\\ {}\\mathcal{B}\\left({\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to {\\Sigma}^0{\\pi}^{+}\\right)=\\left(1.20\\pm 0.08\\pm 0.07\\pm 0.54\\right)\\times {10}^{-3}.\\end{array}} $$B Ξ c + → p K S 0 = 7.16 ± 0.46 ± 0.20 ± 3.21 × 10 − 4 , B Ξ c + → Λ π + = 4.52 ± 0.41 ± 0.26 ± 2.03 × 10 − 4 , B Ξ c + → Σ 0 π + = 1.20 ± 0.08 ± 0.07 ± 0.54 × 10 − 3 . The first and second uncertainties above are statistical and systematic, respectively, while the third ones arise from the uncertainty in$$ \\mathcal{B}\\left({\\Xi}_c^{+}\\to {\\Xi}^{-}{\\pi}^{+}{\\pi}^{+}\\right) $$B Ξ c + → Ξ − π + π + .

We present the study of a fuzzy clustering algorithm for the Belle II electromagnetic calorimeter using Graph Neural Networks. We use a realistic detector simulation including simulated beam backgrounds and focus on the reconstruction of both isolated and overlapping photons. We find significant improvements of the energy resolution compared to the currently used reconstruction algorithm for both isolated and overlapping photons of more than 30% for photons with energies E < 0.5 GeV and high levels of beam backgrounds. Overall, the GNN reconstruction improves the resolution and reduces the tails of the reconstructed energy distribution and therefore is a promising option for the upcoming high luminosity running of Belle II.

A torus is oriented if the processes have assigned their communication links North-East-South-West labels in a globally consistent manner. This paper presents an orientation protocol that is self-stabilizing, i.e., resilient to corruption of data stored in working memories and communication links. The protocol is randomized, uses constant memory space, and orients tori where the processes do not know the network size and have no identifiers; probabilistic stabilization is proved under a restricted form of asynchrony and composite atomicity.

We report on the separation of Cherenkov and scintillation light in BGO and BSO crystals read out with silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). The two light components are disentangled on an event-by-event basis by combining optical filtering with waveform template fitting, exploiting their distinct spectral and temporal characteristics. Measurements were carried out using high-energy muon and positron beams at the CERN SPS North Area, demonstrating Cherenkov yields of up to \\(\\)150 ph.e./GeV in electromagnetic showers. This work provides the first demonstration of Cherenkov-scintillation separation in BGO and BSO crystals with SiPM readout, supporting the use of this technology as a building block for a dual-readout electromagnetic calorimeter, as foreseen in the IDEA detector concept for a future \\(e^+e^-\\) Higgs factory.