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ObjectivesAnti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a rare systemic autoimmune disease characterised by inflammation and destruction of small blood vessels. With research into the disease suffering from small sample sizes, this thesis aims to (1) address research data fragmentation in AAV through the integration of real-world observational registries, (2) stratify
The ratio of branching fractions between B0 → J/ψπ0 and B+ → J/ψK*+ decays is measured with proton-proton collision data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb−1. The measured value is (Formula presented.) where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The branching fraction for B0 → J/ψπ0 decays is determined using the branchi
A search for radiative decay of Bs0 mesons to orbitally excited K+K− states is performed using proton proton collisions recorded by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 fb−1. The dikaon spectrum in the mass range mKK < 2400 MeV/c2 is dominated by the ϕ(1020) resonance that accounts for almost 70% of the decay rate. Considering the possible contributions of f2(1270),
A sport-related concussion (SRC) is caused by a force transmitted to the brain during sports, and may lead to long-term disabilities and neurodegeneration. The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms causing persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS) lasting beyond the normal four-week period, have not been established. The aim of this thesis was to investigate mechanisms of persistent symptoms i
The make-or-buy decision is analyzed in a simple two-task principal-agent model. There is a cost-saving-vs.-quality trade-off in effort provision, both effort and outcome having these two dimensions. The principal faces a dichotomous choice between make/in-house, coming with weak cost-saving incentives for the agent, and buy/outsourcing, coming with strong incentives; the dichotomy is due to an in
Sports-related concussions may cause white matter injuries and persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS). We hypothesized that athletes with PPCS would have neurocognitive impairments and white matter abnormalities that could be revealed by advanced neuroimaging using ultra-high field strength diffusion tensor (DTI) and diffusion kurtosis (DKI) imaging metrics and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarSports-related concussions may cause white matter injuries and persistent post-concussive symptoms (PPCS). We hypothesized that athletes with PPCS would have neurocognitive impairments and white matter abnormalities that could be revealed by advanced neuroimaging using ultra-high field strength diffusion tensor (DTI) and diffusion kurtosis (DKI) imaging metrics and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomar
The ratio of production cross-sections of ψ(2S) over J/ψ mesons as a function of charged-particle multiplicity in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy s = 13 TeV is measured with a data sample collected by the LHCb detector, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 658 pb−1. The ratio is measured for both prompt and non-prompt ψ(2S) and J/ψ mesons. When there is an overlap betwe
Using a dataset corresponding to 9 fb−1 of integrated luminosity collected with the LHCb detector between 2011 and 2018 in proton-proton collisions, the decay-time distributions of the decay modes Bs 0→J/ψη′ and Bs 0→J/ψπ+π− are studied. The decay-width difference between the light and heavy mass eigenstates of the Bs 0 meson is measured to be ∆Γs = 0.087 ± 0.012 ± 0.009 ps−1, where the first unce
The covid-19 pandemic was characterized by a series of variants of concern, different strains of SARS-CoV-2 which had a serious impact on transmission. One of these, denoted Omicron, dominated in early 2022 and caused covid-19 cases to soar. The increased transmission during the Omicron wave triggered hospitals to further strengthen airborne precautions. The reason for this surge in cases during O
The cross-section of associated J/ψ-ψ(2S) production in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of (Formula presented.) TeV is measured using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 4.2 fb−1, collected by the LHCb experiment. The measurement is performed for both J/ψ and ψ(2S) mesons having transverse momentum pT< 14 GeV/c and rapidity 2.0 < y < 4.5, assuming negligi
