Anaysis of high energy K+K- photoproduction on hydrogen

We have analyzed the K+K- photoproduction on hydrogen in the effective mass region around the mass of the phi(1020) meson. The interference of the S-wave contribution with the P-wave has been studied. Both scalar resonances f0(980) and a0(980) have been taken into account. We have obtained a good description of the available experimental data, in particular the mass distributions and the moments of the kaon angular distribution. Our calculations give values of the integrated S-wave total photoproduction cross section between 4 and 7 nb for the K+K- effective mass range around the phi(1020) mass and at the laboratory photon energy near 5 GeV. These numbers favor lower experimental estimates obtained at DESY.Comment: 3 pages, 3 eps figures, needs ws-ijmpa.cls style, talk given by Lukasz Bibrzycki at 8th International Workshop on Meson Production, Properties and Interaction, MESON 2004, Krakow, Poland, 4-8 June 2004, to appear in Int. Journal of Modern Physics

Final state interactions in B+- to K+ K- K+- decays

Charged B decays to three charged kaons are analysed in the framework of the QCD factorization approach. The strong final state K+K-interactions are described using the kaon scalar and vector form factors. The scalar non-strange and strange form factors at low K+K- effective masses are constrained by chiral perturbation theory and satisfy the two-body unitarity conditions. The latter stem from the properties of the meson-meson amplitudes which describe all possible S-wave transitions between three coupled channels consisting of two kaons, two pions and four pions. The vector form factors are fitted to the data on the electromagnetic kaon interactions. The model results are compared with the Belle and BaBar data. Away from phi(1020) resonance, in the S-wave dominated K+K- mass spectra, a possibility for a large CP asymmetry is identified.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, modified version published in Physics Letters

K Kbar photoproduction and S-P wave interference

Results of a new analysis of the $K^+K^-$ photoproduction at two photon energies $E_\gamma = 4{GeV}$ and $5.65{GeV}$ with a particular emphasis on the $S$-wave production are presented. We show that the proper treatment of all the helicity components of the $S$- and $P$-waves enables one to eliminate the reported discrepancies in extraction of the $S$-wave photoproduction cross section from experimental data.Comment: 25 pages, 5 figures, new predictions at 8 GeV added in Fig.

Interference between f0(980) and rho(770) resonances in B --> pion-pion-kaon decays

We study the contribution of the strong interaction between the two pions in S- and P-waves to the weak B --> pion pion kaon decay amplitudes. The interference between these two waves is analyzed in the pion-pion effective mass range of the rho(770) and f0(980) resonances. We use a unitary pion-pion and antikaon-kaon coupled-channel model to describe the S-wave interactions and a Breit-Wigner function for the P-wave amplitude. The weak B-decay amplitudes, obtained from QCD factorization, are supplemented with charming penguin contributions in both waves. The four complex parameters of these long distance terms are determined by fitting the model to the BaBar and Belle data on B^{+,-,0} --> pi+ pi- K^{+,-,0} branching fractions, CP asymmetries, pion-pion effective mass and helicity-angle distributions. This set of data, and in particular the large direct CP-asymmetry for B^{+,-} --> rho0(770) K^{+,-} decays, is well reproduced. The interplay of charming penguin amplitudes and the interference of S- and P-waves describes rather successfully the experimental S and A values of the CP-violating asymmetry for both B0 --> f0(980) K0S and B0 --> rho0(770) K0S decays.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, subsection VD, Appendix A and one reference adde

Strong and Weak Interactions in B to pi+ pi- K Decays

To describe the weak three-body B decays into pi+ pi- K, we recently derived amplitudes based on two-body QCD factorization followed by pi+ pi- final state interactions in isoscalar S- and isovector P-waves. We study here the sensitivity of the results to the values of the B to f0(980) transition form factor and to the effective decay constant of the f0(980).Comment: Contribution to the Few Body 18 conference in Santos, Brazil, August 21-26, 2006, 5 pages, to be published in Nuclear Physics

Exploring the use of pulsed erbium lasers to retrieve a zirconia crown from a zirconia implant abutment

Background Removal of cement-retained implant fixed restorations when needed, can be challenging. Conventional methods of crown removal are time consuming and costly for patients and practitioners. This research explored the use of two different types of pulsed erbium lasers as a non-invasive tool to retrieve cemented zirconia crowns from zirconia implant abutments. Materials and methods Twenty identical zirconia crowns were cemented onto 20 identical zirconia prefabricated abutments using self-adhesive resin cement. The specimens were divided into two groups for laser assisted crown removal; G1 for erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser (Er:YAG), and G2 for erbium, chromium-doped yttrium, scandium, gallium and garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG). For the G1, after the first crown removal, the specimens were re-cemented and removed again using the Er:YAG laser. Times needed to remove the crowns were recorded and analyzed using ANOVA (α = 0.05). The surfaces of the crown and the abutment were further examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses. Results The average times of zirconia crown removal from zirconia abutments were 5 min 20 sec and 5 min 15 sec for the Er:YAG laser of first and second experiments (G1), and 5 min 55 sec for the Er,Cr:YSGG laser experiment (G2). No statistical differences were observed among the groups. SEM and EDS examinations of the materials showed no visual surface damaging or material alteration from the two pulsed erbium lasers. Conclusions Both types of pulsed erbium lasers can be viable alternatives for retrieving a zirconia crown from a zirconia implant abutment. Despite operating at different wavelengths, the Er:YAG and Er,Cr:YSGG lasers, perform similarly in removing a zirconia crown from a zirconia implant abutment with similar parameters. There are no visual and elemental composition damages as a result of irradiation with pulsed erbium lasers

Analysis of filtration processes in small experimental embankment based on numerical modeling and temperature measurements

Abstract This paper presents analysis of filtration processes in small experimental embankment. The analysis is based on field measurements and numerical modeling. The measurements were performed on experimental embankment, which size is in scale 1:5 comparing to typical river embankments in Poland. The measurements are made during flooding experiment. Two parameters during experiment ware measured: pore pressure and temperature. Additionally, the thermograpical observation of air side of embankment was conducted. The FLAC 7.0 software was used in 2D numerical modeling. Modification the parameters of the model allowed to fit the modelled data to the measured data

Spectroscopic properties of erbium-doped oxyfluoride phospho-tellurite glass and transparent glass-ceramic containing BaF2 nanocrystals

The ErF3-doped oxyfluoride phospho-tellurite glasses in the (40-x) TeO2-10P2O5-45 (BaF2-ZnF2) -5Na2O-xErF3 system (where x = 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, and 1.25 mol%) have been prepared by the conventional melt-quenching method. The effect of erbium trifluoride addition on thermal, structure, and spectroscopic properties of oxyfluoride phospho-tellurite precursor glass was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy as well as emission measurements, respectively. The DSC curves were used to investigate characteristic temperatures and thermal stability of the precursor glass doped with varying content of ErF3. FTIR and Raman spectra were introduced to characterize the evolution of structure and phonon energy of the glasses. It was found that the addition of ErF3 up to 1.25 mol% into the chemical composition of phospho-tellurite precursor glass enhanced 2.7 µm emission and upconversion. By controlled heat-treatment process of the host glass doped with the highest content of erbium trifluoride (1.25 mol%), transparent erbium-doped phospho-tellurite glass-ceramic (GC) was obtained. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the presence of BaF2 nanocrystals with the average 16 nm diameter in a glass matrix. Moreover, MIR, NIR, and UC emissions of the glass-ceramic were discussed in detail and compared to the spectroscopic properties of the glass doped with 1.25 mol% of ErF3 (the base glass)

Relationship between mitral leaflets angles, left ventricular geometry and mitral deformation indices in patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation: imaging by echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance

Chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is associated with a markedly worse prognosis after myocardial infarction (MI).The study aimed to evaluate the relationship between anterior and posterior mitral leaflet angle (MLA) values, left ventricle remodeling and severity of ischaemic mitral regurgitation (IMR). Methods: Forty-two patients (age 63.5 ± 9.7 years, 36 men) with chronic IMR (regurgitant volume, RV > 20 ml; >6 months after MI) underwent transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging. Anterior and posterior MLA, determined by echocardiography, were correlated with indices of LV remodeling, mitral apparatus deformation and IMR severity by CMR. The anterior and posterior MLA was 25.41 ± 4.28 and 38.37 ± 8.89° (mean ± SD). In 5 patients (11.9%) the posterior MLA was ≥45°. There was a significant correlation between anterior MLA and RV (r = 0.74, P = 0.01). For patients with RV > 30 ml this correlation was stronger (r = 0.97, P = 0.005) and, in addition, there was a correlation between the RV and posterior MLA (r = 0.90, P = 0.037), between tenting area and posterior MLA (r = 0.90, P = 0.04), and between tenting area and anterior MLA (r = 0.82, P = 0.08). With regard to LV remodeling parameters, there was weaker but significant correlation between posterior MLA and LV end-diastolic volume index (r = 0.35, P = 0.031), LV end-systolic volume index (r = 0.37, P = 0.021), stroke volume (r = 0.35, P = 0.03), sphericity index (r = 0.33, P = 0.041). Anterior MLA correlated with wall motion score index (r = 0.41, P = 0.019). Besides, there was a correlation between posterior MLA and left atrial volume (r = 0.41, P = 0.012). Measurement of anterior and posterior MLA may play an important role in evaluating patients with IMR