We report a study of the processes of e^{+}e^{-}→K^{+}D_{s}^{-}D^{*0} and K^{+}D_{s}^{*-}D^{0} based on e^{+}e^{-} annihilation samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at BEPCII at five ...center-of-mass energies ranging from 4.628 to 4.698 GeV with a total integrated luminosity of 3.7 fb^{-1}. An excess of events over the known contributions of the conventional charmed mesons is observed near the D_{s}^{-}D^{*0} and D_{s}^{*-}D^{0} mass thresholds in the K^{+} recoil-mass spectrum for events collected at sqrts=4.681 GeV. The structure matches a mass-dependent-width Breit-Wigner line shape, whose pole mass and width are determined as (3982.5_{-2.6}^{+1.8}±2.1) MeV/c^{2} and (12.8_{-4.4}^{+5.3}±3.0) MeV, respectively. The first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. The significance of the resonance hypothesis is estimated to be 5.3 σ over the contributions only from the conventional charmed mesons. This is the first candidate for a charged hidden-charm tetraquark with strangeness, decaying into D_{s}^{-}D^{*0} and D_{s}^{*-}D^{0}. However, the properties of the excess need further exploration with more statistics.
The complicated structure of the neutron cannot be calculated using first-principles calculations due to the large colour charge of quarks and the self-interaction of gluons. Its simplest structure ...observables are the electromagnetic form factors1, which probe our understanding of the strong interaction. Until now, a small amount of data has been available for the determination of the neutron structure from the time-like kinematical range. Here we present measurements of the Born cross section of electron–positron annihilation reactions into a neutron and anti-neutron pair, and determine the neutron’s effective form factor. The data were recorded with the BESIII experiment at centre-of-mass energies between 2.00 and 3.08 GeV using an integrated luminosity of 647.9 pb−1. Our results improve the statistics on the neutron form factor by more than a factor of 60 over previous measurements, demonstrating that the neutron form factor data from annihilation in the time-like regime is on par with that from electron scattering experiments. The effective form factor of the neutron shows a periodic behaviour, similar to earlier observations of the proton form factor. Future works—both theoretical and experimental—will help illuminate the origin of this oscillation of the electromagnetic structure observables of the nucleon.Form factors encode the structure of nucleons. Measurements from electron–positron annihilation at BESIII reveal an oscillating behaviour of the neutron electromagnetic form factor, and clarify a long-standing photon–nucleon interaction puzzle.
Abstract Our aim was to differentiate IgG4-related sialadenitis, primary Sjögren syndrome, and chronic obstructive submandibular sialadenitis by analysing clinical, radiographic, and pathological ...features. Fifty-five patients, 50, and 50 were enrolled, respectively and their baseline characteristics and serological, sialographic, and pathological findings compared. The male:female ratio for IgG4-related sialadenitis was 1:1.2 for primary Sjögren syndrome 1:15.7, and for chronic obstructive submandibular sialadenitis1:0.92. Numbers with enlarged salivary glands were 55, 16, and 50; with xerostomia 26, 48, and 0; with a history of allergy 26, 4, and 6, and with coexisting systemic disease 12, 19, and 0 (p = 0.14). Mean (SD) serum IgG4 concentrations were 109.1 (97.9), 4.9. (1.9) g/L, and 5.3 (1.6) g/L, p < 0.001 in all cases. Sialography showed enlargement of the gland, dilatation of the duct, and slightly decreased secretory function in IgG4-related disease; obvious sialectasia and decreased secretory function in Sjögren syndrome; and dilatation of Wharton’s duct and filling defects in obstructive sialadenitis. Histopathological examination showed lymphoplasmacytic infiltration with storiform fibrosis, lymphoplasmacytic inflammation and lymphoepithelial lesions, and dilatation of the duct with epithelial metaplasia in the three groups, respectively. The number of IgG4-positive plasma cells was 123 (45)/HPF, 8 (3)/HPF, and 5 (4)/HPF, while the IgG4-/IgG-positive cell ratio was 71.7 (13.9)%, 4.6 (2.5)%, 18.9 (19.7)%, respectively (p < 0.001). The three conditions have different clinical, radiographic, and pathological features that provide important clues to the differential diagnosis. Serological and histological tests are important, and comprehensive consideration is necessary.
Abstract The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for free flap failure after head and neck reconstructive surgery. The data of 881 consecutive patients who underwent free flap surgery ...at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, between January 2013 and November 2016, were reviewed retrospectively. All surgeries were performed by a single head and neck surgical team. Patient demographic and surgical data that may have an influence on free flap outcomes were recorded. The χ2 test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to identify relevant risk factors. In total, 881 free tissue transfer surgeries were included in this study. Free flap failure occurred in 26 of 881 flaps (2.9%). A history of irradiation (odds ratio 0.205, 95% confidence interval 0.07–0.56; P = 0.002) was a statistically significant risk factor for free flap failure. Age, diabetes mellitus, history of previous neck surgery to the anastomosis side, donor site, choice of recipient vein, use of a coupler device, and postoperative anticoagulation were not associated with free flap outcomes. Thus, it is concluded that when performing head and neck reconstructive surgery, special attention should be paid to patients who have previously undergone irradiation.
Though immensely successful, the standard model of particle physics does not offer any explanation as to why our Universe contains so much more matter than antimatter. A key to a dynamically ...generated matter-antimatter asymmetry is the existence of processes that violate the combined charge conjugation and parity (CP) symmetry
. As such, precision tests of CP symmetry may be used to search for physics beyond the standard model. However, hadrons decay through an interplay of strong and weak processes, quantified in terms of relative phases between the amplitudes. Although previous experiments constructed CP observables that depend on both strong and weak phases, we present an approach where sequential two-body decays of entangled multi-strange baryon-antibaryon pairs provide a separation between these phases. Our method, exploiting spin entanglement between the double-strange Ξ
baryon and its antiparticle
Formula: see text, has enabled a direct determination of the weak-phase difference, (ξ
- ξ
) = (1.2 ± 3.4 ± 0.8) × 10
rad. Furthermore, three independent CP observables can be constructed from our measured parameters. The precision in the estimated parameters for a given data sample size is several orders of magnitude greater than achieved with previous methods
. Finally, we provide an independent measurement of the recently debated Λ decay parameter α
(refs.
). The Formula: see text asymmetry is in agreement with and compatible in precision to the most precise previous measurement
.
The processes X(3872) ... , and γD+D− are searched for in a 9.0 fb−1 data sample collected at center-of-mass energies between 4.178 and 4.278 GeV with the BESIII detector. We observe X(3872) ... . ...and find evidence for X (3872)→γJ/ψ with statistical significances of 7.4 σ and 3.5σ, respectively. No evident signals for X(3872)→γψ(2S) and γD+D− are found, and the upper limit on the relative branching ratio Rγψ ≡ {BX(3872)→γψ(2S)}/{BX(3872)→γJ/ψ} <0.59 is set at 90% confidence level. Measurements of branching ratios relative to decay X(3872)→π+π−J/ψ are also reported for decays ... .,γψ(2S), γJ/ψ, and γD+D−, as well as the non-... three-body decays ... .(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae omitted.)
Domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) fulfill various roles ranging from food and entertainment to religion and ornamentation. To survey its genetic diversity and trace the history of ...domestication, we investigated a total of 4938 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) fragments including 2843 previously published and 2095 de novo units from 2044 domestic chickens and 51 red junglefowl (Gallus gallus). To obtain the highest possible level of molecular resolution, 50 representative samples were further selected for total mtDNA genome sequencing. A fine-gained mtDNA phylogeny was investigated by defining haplogroups A-I and W-Z. Common haplogroups A-G were shared by domestic chickens and red junglefowl. Rare haplogroups H-I and W-Z were specific to domestic chickens and red junglefowl, respectively. We re-evaluated the global mtDNA profiles of chickens. The geographic distribution for each of major haplogroups was examined. Our results revealed new complexities of history in chicken domestication because in the phylogeny lineages from the red junglefowl were mingled with those of the domestic chickens. Several local domestication events in South Asia, Southwest China and Southeast Asia were identified. The assessment of chicken mtDNA data also facilitated our understanding about the Austronesian settlement in the Pacific.
The aim of this study was to introduce a method to evaluate the risk of inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injury following the extraction of impacted lower third molars. Two hundred impacted lower third ...molars adjacent to the IAN were evaluated. These were divided into four classification groups according to preoperative cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) findings: AR, apical region; LT, lateral region of the tapered root; LE, lateral region of the enlarged root; AE, adjacent to the enlarged root. All teeth were dislocated along the long axis or arc of the root by tooth sectioning technique and extracted by a single surgeon. The primary outcome variable was postoperative neurosensory impairment of the IAN. The χ2 test was used to evaluate differences in postoperative IAN injury between the classifications. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the risk factors for postoperative IAN injury. The overall incidence of postoperative IAN injury was 7%. Specifically, most injuries involved classification AE (AE 36%, LE 8.6%, LT 3.6%, AR 0%), and the difference was statistically significant (P< 0.05). Logistic regression showed that classification AE was the only risk factor for postoperative IAN injury (P< 0.001). According to preoperative CBCT, the risk of postoperative IAN injury is higher when the IAN is adjacent to the enlarged part of the root.
A DNA vaccine against the hepatitis B virus (HBV), enhanced by IL‐2/IFN‐γ fusion protein expression from a plasmid construct and mediated by in vivo electroporation, was evaluated in a total of 39 ...HBeAg‐positive patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). The six of 39 patients with a serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) value of 1–2 times upper limit of normal (ULN) were assigned to the open‐label arm (Group01) receiving vaccine monotherapy; the remaining 33 patients with an ALT of more than two times ULN were enroled to the randomized and controlled arm (Group02) receiving lamivudine (LAM) monotherapy (LAM+placebo) or combined therapy (LAM+DNA vaccine) in 1:2 ratio. In Group01, a significant elevation of HBV‐specific IFN‐γ‐secreting T‐cell counts in comparison with baseline was observed. In Group02, the proportion of patients with HBV DNA suppression was higher with LAM+DNA vaccine than with LAM monotherapy at each visit time point after the final injection of DNA vaccine at week 36, revealing a significant difference between the two groups (P = 0.03) at week 60. The incidence of dual‐site mutations of rtM204/I/S+rtL180M was significantly lower (P = 0.03) with an identified lower virological breakthrough (VBT) rate (P = 0.03) in patients receiving LAM+DNA vaccine than LAM monotherapy, accompanied with a significant higher positive T‐cell response rate in patients receiving LAM+DNA vaccine (P = 0.03). In conclusion, this study provides evidence that HBV DNA vaccination is safe and immunologically effective, and that the HBV‐specific T‐cell responses induced by DNA vaccination under LAM chemotherapy showed a correlation with the suppression of viral replication in patients with CHB.