We report the first search for a nonstandard-model resonance decaying into τ pairs in e^{+}e^{-}→μ^{+}μ^{-}τ^{+}τ^{-} events in the 3.6-10 GeV/c^{2} mass range. We use a 62.8 fb^{-1} sample of ...e^{+}e^{-} collisions collected at a center-of-mass energy of 10.58 GeV by the Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB collider. The analysis probes three different models predicting a spin-1 particle coupling only to the heavier lepton families, a Higgs-like spin-0 particle that couples preferentially to charged leptons (leptophilic scalar), and an axionlike particle, respectively. We observe no evidence for a signal and set exclusion limits at 90% confidence level on the product of cross section and branching fraction into τ pairs, ranging from 0.7 to 24 fb, and on the couplings of these processes. We obtain world-leading constraints on the couplings for the leptophilic scalar model for masses above 6.5 GeV/c^{2} and for the axionlike particle model over the entire mass range.
A
bstract
We report results from a study of
B
±
→ DK
±
decays followed by
D
decaying to the
CP
-even final state
K
+
K
−
and CP-odd final state
K
S
0
π
0
, where
D
is an admixture of
D
0
and
D
¯
0
...states. These decays are sensitive to the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa unitarity-triangle angle
ϕ
3
. The results are based on a combined analysis of the final data set of 772
×
10
6
B
B
¯
pairs collected by the Belle experiment and a data set of 198
×
10
6
B
B
¯
pairs collected by the Belle II experiment, both in electron-positron collisions at the Υ(4
S
) resonance. We measure the CP asymmetries to be
A
CP
+
= (+12.5
±
5.8
±
1.4)% and
A
CP−
= (
−
16.7
±
5.7
±
0.6)%, and the ratios of branching fractions to be
R
CP
+
= 1.164
±
0.081
±
0.036 and
R
CP−
= 1.151
±
0.074
±
0.019. The first contribution to the uncertainties is statistical, and the second is systematic. The asymmetries
A
CP
+
and
A
CP−
have similar magnitudes and opposite signs; their difference corresponds to 3.5 standard deviations. From these values we calculate 68.3% confidence intervals of (8.5
°
<
ϕ
3
< 16.5
°
) or (84.5
°
<
ϕ
3
< 95.5
°
) or (163.3
°
<
ϕ
3
< 171.5
°
) and 0.321 <
r
B
< 0.465.
Accidental dural puncture is a common complication of labour analgesia. It can trigger post-dural puncture headache, with associated morbidity and increased costs. Intrathecal catheter placement is a ...prophylactic procedure which can reduce incidence and severity of post-dural puncture headache.
We conducted a retrospective single-centred study to define incidence and risk factors of accidental dural puncture and post-dural puncture headache in an obstetric population. We also evaluated effectiveness of intrathecal catheter placement compared to epidural catheter replacement in reducing incidence of post-dural puncture headache. We then conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis which included all studies comparing intrathecal catheter placement to epidural catheter replacement in obstetric patients with accidental dural puncture assessing the outcome of reduced incidence of post-dural puncture headache as a dichotomous variable.
Accidental dural puncture had an incidence of 0.25% (60 cases). Of these, 66% developed post-dural puncture headache. A total of 77% (47/60) of patients with accidental dural puncture were treated with an intrathecal catheter placement, while 23% (13/60) had an epidural catheter replacement. Incidence of post-dural puncture headache was lower in the intrathecal catheter group (spinal 26/47, 60.5% epidural 11/13, 84.6%), although not reaching statistical significance (RR 0.71, CI 95%: 0.51-1.00; p = 0.049). The meta-analysis revealed that intrathecal catheter placement significantly reduced incidence of post-dural puncture headache compared to epidural catheter replacement (pooled RR 0.81, 95% CI 0.72-0.91, p < 0.001).
Intrathecal catheter placement is a promising measure to prevent post-dural puncture headache, especially if followed by a pain management protocol and a continuous saline infusion.
A
bstract
We measure
CP
asymmetries and branching-fraction ratios for
B
±
→ DK
±
and
Dπ
±
decays with
D →
K
S
0
K
±
π
∓
, where
D
is a superposition of
D
0
and
D
¯
0
. We use the full data set of the ...Belle experiment, containing 772
×
10
6
B
B
¯
pairs, and data from the Belle II experiment, containing 387 × 10
6
B
B
¯
pairs, both collected in electron-positron collisions at the Υ(4
S
) resonance. Our results provide model-independent information on the unitarity triangle angle
ϕ
3
.
. Siervo M, Ruggiero D, Sorice R, Nutile T, Aversano M, Stephan BCM, Ciullo M. (Address: Human Nutrition and Physiology, Department of Neuroscience, University “Federico II”, Faculty of Medicine, ...Napoli; Institute of Genetics and Biophysics “A. Buzzati‐Traverso”, CNR, Napoli, Italy; and Institute of Public Health, University of Cambridge, UK). Angiogenesis and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in adults with metabolic syndrome. J Intern Med 2010; 268: 338–347.
Objectives. Metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) is associated with an increased risk of atherosclerosis and fatal cardiovascular events. Angiogenesis is thought to contribute to this risk as it might be involved in the progression of atherosclerotic plaques. We investigated the levels of circulating biomarkers of angiogenesis and cardiovascular risk in adults with MetSyn and assessed their association with established metabolic risk factors.
Design. The Genetic Park project is a highly inclusive cross‐sectional survey (about 80% of residents) conducted in three isolated populations in Southern Italy. A total of 1000 men and women (age range: 18–98 years) were included in the analysis. Anthropometric and blood pressure measurements were recorded. Metabolic and cardiovascular biomarkers included glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL, vascular endothelial growth factor, placental growth factor (PlGF), soluble fms‐like tyrosine kinase‐1, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein, high‐sensitivity troponin T (hs‐TnT) and N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP).
Result. Subjects with MetSyn had higher levels of PlGF and NT‐proBNP after adjustment for age, smoking and body mass index. Circulating levels of PlGF, hs‐TnT and NT‐proBNP were directly related to the number of criteria of MetSyn, and this association interacted with gender. There was a strong correlation between ageing and cardiovascular risk.
Conclusions. The increase in circulating levels of biomarkers of angiogenesis and cardiac function in subjects with MetSyn mirrors the pathophysiological changes occurring in the cardiovascular system. Over time, these changes might accelerate the formation and progression of atherosclerotic plaques and contribute significantly to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality risk.
TomatEST is a secondary database integrating expressed sequence tag (EST)/cDNA sequence information from different libraries of multiple tomato species. Redundant EST collections from each species ...are organized into clusters (gene indices). A cluster consists of one or multiple contigs. Multiple contigs in a cluster represent alternatively transcribed forms of a gene. The set of stand-alone EST sequences (singletons) and contigs, representing all the computationally defined 'Transcript Indices', are annotated according to similarity versus protein and RNA family databases. Sequence function description is integrated with the Gene Ontologies and the Enzyme Commission identifiers for a standard classification of gene products and for the mapping of the expressed sequences onto metabolic pathways. Information on the origin of the ESTs, on their structural features, on clusters and contigs, as well as on functional annotations are accessible via a user-friendly web interface. Specific facilities in the database allow Transcript Indices from a query be automatically classified in Enzyme classes and in metabolic pathways. The 'on the fly' mapping onto the metabolic maps is integrated in the analytical tools. The TomatEST database website is freely available at http://biosrv.cab.unina.it/tomatestdb.
Background: The association between chronic idiopathic urticaria (CIU) and autoimmune thyroiditis (AT) is known, as well as major prevalence of antithyroid antibodies in the allergical subjects and ...other autoimmune diseases. We have evaluated the effects of l‐thyroxine on clinical symptoms of CIU in AT patients suggesting the hypothesis of a new thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH) role in immune system.
Methods: In 20 female patients with CIU + AT, both hypothyroid and euthyroid, we have investigated the therapeutic effects of l‐thyroxine dosed to suppress the TSH. Free‐T3, Free‐T4, TSH, antithyroperoxidase and antithyroglobulin antibodies, total immunoglobulin (Ig)E, Rheuma test and eritro‐sedimentation rate were monitored during treatment.
Results: In 16 patients a strong decrease of urticaria symptoms has happened after 12 weeks. The TPO Ab and HTG Ab clearly decreased in 14 patients. Furthermore, in two patients with rheumatoid arthritis and in two patients with pollen allergy a strong decrease of rheuma test titer and total IgE has happened.
Conclusion: The reason of AT is associated to CIU and others allergical and autoimmune diseases is poorly known. The exclusive hormonal therapy reduces the symptoms of CIU and inflammatory response in many chronic diseases associated to AT. We suggest a stimulatory effect of TSH able to produce considerable changes of the immune response and immune tolerance in patients with AT causing target organs damage.
The causal mechanism involves immune, nervous and endocrine system, sharing a common set of hormones, cytokines and receptors, in a unique totally integrated loop (the neuro–immuno–endocrine axis).
A method for the prediction of velocity levels of a fuselage plate excited by turbulent boundary layers is described. The aim is to identify a method for the prediction of the relative changes of the ...velocity levels caused by variations of plate geometry and flight conditions. The Corcos, Efimtsov and Chase models are used to characterize the dynamic surface pressure cross-spectra. Predicted results using these models are compared with the result of in-flight measurements of plate velocities. It is found that the Corcos model gives the best agreement with the measured results for three different flight conditions. The Efimtsov extension and Chase models tend to underestimate the plate response in the lower frequency range. It is evident that the velocity level of the plate elements of the fuselage very much depends on the speed of the aircraft. An increase of the speed of the aircraft by 10% is likely to increase the plate velocity level by 3dB and a reduction of the speed by 10% would give a reduction of 3dB.
Recent experiments have shown that pre-trial administrations of nicotine to rats tested in a 16-arm radial maze attenuated the MK-801-induced deficit in both working and reference memory performance. ...Memory consolidation can be influenced in laboratory animals, by post-training administration of drugs.
In the present study we have investigated the effects on memory consolidation of CD1 mice exerted by: a) the non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist MK-801 (+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo-a,dcyclo-hepten-5, 10-imine-maleate b) nicotine, and c) combinations of MK-801 and nicotine.
Different groups of mice were injected intraperitoneally (IP) with the single drugs and with their combinations, immediately after training in a passive avoidance task. Additional groups of animals were also injected 2 h post-training with the highest effective dose of MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg), with the highest effective dose of nicotine (0.5 mg/kg) or with the combination of an otherwise ineffective dose of MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg) with the highest effective dose of nicotine, respectively. Their performances were compared with those of mice injected with saline, with the vehicle of nicotine and with the other treatment combinations, respectively
The results showed that MK-801 exerted deleterious effects, while nicotine exerted facilitatory effects on mice performances. Further, an otherwise ineffective dose of MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg) antagonized the facilitatory effects of nicotine (0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg). In the 2 h post-training injected groups the treatments were ineffective, showing that the immediate post-training drug administrations affected memory consolidation processes.
In conclusion, from the present research, it is evident that NMDA glutamate and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor systems interact in modulating memory consolidation in CD I mice.
We present a measurement of the τ-lepton mass using a sample of about 175 million
$e^+$$e^-$ → ${{\tau}}^+{{\tau}}^-$ events collected with the Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB $e^+$$e^-$ collider ...at a center-of-mass energy of 10.579GeV. This sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of $190$ $\mathrm{fb}$$^{-1}$. We use the kinematic edge of the ${{\tau}}$ pseudomass distribution in the decay ${{\tau}}^-$ → $π^-π^+π^-ν_τ$ and measure the ${{\tau}}$ mass to be $1777.09±0.08±0.11$ $\mathrm{MeV}$ $/{c^2}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This result is the most precise to date.
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