The existence of a new force beyond the Standard Model is compelling because it could explain several striking astrophysical observations which fail standard interpretations. We searched for the ...light vector mediator of this dark force, the U boson, with the KLOE detector at the DAΦNE e+e− collider. Using an integrated luminosity of 1.54 fb−1, we studied the process e+e−→Uγ, with U→e+e−, using radiative return to search for a resonant peak in the dielectron invariant-mass distribution. We did not find evidence for a signal, and set a 90% CL upper limit on the mixing strength between the Standard Model photon and the dark photon, ε2, at 10−6–10−4 in the 5–520 MeV/c2 mass range.
We have searched for a light vector boson U, the possible carrier of a “dark force”, with the KLOE detector at the DAΦNE e+e− collider, motivated by astrophysical evidence for the presence of dark ...matter in the Universe. Using e+e− collisions collected with an integrated luminosity of 239.3 pb−1, we look for a dimuon mass peak in the reaction e+e−→μ+μ−γ, corresponding to the decay U→μ+μ−. We find no evidence for a U vector boson signal. We set a 90% CL upper limit for the mixing parameter squared between the photon and the U boson of 1.6×10−5 to 8.6×10−7 for the mass region 520<mU<980 MeV.
We searched for the μ+μ− decay of a light vector gauge boson, also known as dark photon, in the e+e−→μ+μ−γISR process by means of the Initial State Radiation (ISR) method. We used 1.93 fb−1 of data ...collected by the KLOE experiment at the DAΦNE ϕ-factory. No structures have been observed over the irreducible μ+μ− background. A 90% CL limit on the ratio ε2=α′/α between the dark coupling constant and the fine structure constant of 3×10−6–2×10−7 has been set in the dark photon mass region between 519 MeV and 973 MeV. This new limit has been combined with the published result obtained investigating the hypothesis of the dark photon decaying into hadrons in e+e−→π+π−γISR events. The combined 90% CL limit increases the sensitivity especially in the ρ–ω interference region and excludes ε2 greater than (13−2)×10−7. For dark photon masses greater than 600 MeV the combined limit is lower than 8 ×10−7 resulting more stringent than present constraints from other experiments.
Tests of the T, CP and CPT symmetries in the neutral kaon system are performed by the direct comparison of the probabilities of a kaon transition process to its symmetry-conjugate. The exchange of in ...and out states required for a genuine test involving an antiunitary transformation implied by time-reversal is implemented exploiting the entanglement of K0K‾0 pairs produced at a ϕ-factory.
A data sample collected by the KLOE experiment at DAΦNE corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 1.7 fb−1 is analysed to study the Δt distributions of the ϕ→KSKL→π+π−π±e∓ν and ϕ→KSKL→π±e∓ν3π0 processes, with Δt the difference of the kaon decay times. A comparison of the measured Δt distributions in the asymptotic region Δt≫τS allows to test for the first time T and CPT symmetries in kaon transitions with a precision of few percent, and to observe CP violation with this novel method.
We have measured the running of the effective QED coupling constant α(s) in the time-like region 0.6<s<0.975 GeV with the KLOE detector at DAΦNE using the Initial-State Radiation process e+e−→μ+μ−γ. ...It represents the first measurement of the running of α(s) in this energy region. Our results show a more than 5σ significance of the hadronic contribution to the running of α(s), which is the strongest direct evidence both in time- and space-like regions achieved in a single measurement. By using the e+e−→π+π− cross section measured by KLOE, the real and imaginary parts of the shift Δα(s) have been extracted. From a fit of the real part of Δα(s) and assuming the lepton universality the branching ratio BR(ω→μ+μ−)=(6.6±1.4stat±1.7syst)⋅10−5 has been determined.
Based on a sample of 300 million KS mesons produced in ϕ→KLKS decays recorded by the KLOE experiment at the DAΦNE e+e− collider we have measured the branching fraction for the decay KS→πμν. The KS ...mesons are identified by the interaction of KL mesons in the detector. The KS→πμν decays are selected by a boosted decision tree built with kinematic variables and by a time-of-flight measurement. Signal efficiencies are evaluated with data control samples of KL→πμν decays. A fit to the reconstructed muon mass distribution finds 7223±180 signal events. Normalising to the KS→π+π− decay events the result for the branching fraction is B(KS→πμν)=(4.56±0.11stat±0.17syst)×10−4. It is the first measurement of this decay mode and the result allows an independent determination of |Vus| and a test of the lepton-flavour universality.
A
bstract
The ratio
R
= Γ(
K
S
→ πeν
)
/
Γ(
K
S
→ π
+
π
−
) has been measured with a sample of 300 million
K
S
mesons produced in
ϕ → K
L
K
S
decays recorded by the KLOE experiment at the DAΦNE
e
+
e
...−
collider.
K
S
→ πeν
events are selected by a boosted decision tree built with kinematic variables and time-of-flight measurements. Data control samples of
K
L
→ πeν
decays are used to evaluate signal selection efficiencies. With 49647
±
316 signal events we measure
R
= (1
.
0421
±
0
.
0066
stat
±
0
.
0075
syst
)
×
10
−
3
. The combination with our previous measurement gives
R
= (1
.
0338
±
0
.
0054
stat
±
0
.
0064
syst
)
×
10
−
3
. From this value we derive the branching fraction
B
(
K
S
→ πeν
) = (7
.
153
±
0
.
037
stat
±
0
.
044
syst
)
×
10
−
4
and
f
+
(0)
|V
us
|
= 0
.
2170
±
0
.
009.
Aim
To develop a patient‐reported outcome measure (PROM) assessing upper limb function related to activities of daily living (ADL) that cannot be observed in a clinical setting, specifically for ...patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) across a wide age range, applicable in the different stages of the disease.
Method
The developmental process was based on US Food and Drug Administration guidelines. This included item generation from a systematic review of existing tools and expert opinion on task difficulty and relevance, involving individuals with DMD. Cultural aspects affecting ADL were taken into consideration to make this tool applicable to the broad DMD community. Items were selected in relation to a conceptual framework reflecting disease progression covering the full range of upper limb function across different ADL domains.
Results
After pilot testing and iterative Rasch analyses, redundant or clinically irrelevant items were removed. The final questionnaire consists of 32 items covering four domains of ADL (food, self‐care, household and environment, leisure and communication). Test–retest reliability was excellent.
Interpretation
A DMD‐specific upper limb PROM was developed on the basis of clinical relevance and psychometric robustness. Its main purpose is to document the patient self‐reported natural history of DMD and assess the efficacy of interventions.
What this paper adds
A new patient‐reported outcome measure (PROM) for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) has been developed.
The DMD Upper Limb PROM targets upper limb function in daily life.
Psychometric techniques confirmed its unidimensionality, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability.
Involvement of different stakeholders guaranteed the clinical relevance of the tool.
This article is commented on by Pangalila on pages 123–124 of this issue.
Part One: https://youtu.be/Xllfkotw7Dg
Part Two: https://youtu.be/BuEwCLG_l1E
A
bstract
Using 1.63 fb
−1
of integrated luminosity collected by the KLOE experiment about 7 × 10
4
K
S
→
π
±
e
∓
ν
decays have been reconstructed. The measured value of the charge asymmetry for this ...decay is
A
S
= (−4.9 ± 5.7
stat
± 2.6
syst
) × 10
−3
, which is almost twice more precise than the previous KLOE result. The combination of these two measurements gives
A
S
= (−3.8 ± 5.0
stat
± 2.6
syst
) × 10
−3
and, together with the asymmetry of the
K
L
semileptonic decay, provides significant tests of the
CPT
symmetry. The obtained results are in agreement with
CPT
invariance.
A
bstract
Based on an integrated luminosity of 1.61 fb
−
1
e
+
e
−
collision data collected with the KLOE detector at DAΦNE, the Frascati
ϕ
-factory, a search for the
P
- and
CP
-violating decay
η → ...π
+
π
−
has been performed. Radiative
ϕ → ηγ
decay is exploited to access the
η
mesons. No signal is observed in the
π
+
π
−
invariant mass spectrum, and the upper limit on the branching fraction at 90% confidence level is determined to be ℬ(
η → π
+
π
−
)
<
4
.
9
×
10
−
6
, which is approximately three times smaller than the previous KLOE result. From the combination of these two measurements we get ℬ(
η → π
+
π
−
)
<
4
.
4
×
10
−
6
at 90% confidence level.