piggyBac transformation of the New World screwworm, \u3ci\u3eCochliomyia hominivorax\u3c/i\u3e, produces multiple distinct mutant strains

Sterile insect technique (SIT) programs are designed to eradicate pest species by releasing mass-reared, sterile insects into an infested area. The first major implementation of SIT was the New World Screwworm Eradication Program, which successfully eliminated the New World screwworm (NWS), Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), from the Continental US, Mexico and much of Central America. Ionizing radiation is currently used for sterilization, but transgenic insect techniques could replace this method, providing a safer, more cost-effective alternative. Genetic transformation methods have been demonstrated in NWS, and verified by Southern blot hybridization, PCR and sequencing of element insertion junctions. A lethal insertional mutation and enhancer detection-like phenotypic expression variations are presented and discussed. In addition to supporting the eradication efforts, transformation methods offer potential means to identify genes and examine gene function in NWS

Mucoadhesive electrospun patch delivery of lidocaine to the oral mucosa and investigation of spatial distribution in tissue using MALDI-mass spectrometry imaging

Many oral mucosal conditions cause considerable and prolonged pain that to date has been difficult to alleviate via topical delivery, and the use of injection causes many patients dental anxiety and needle-prick pain. Therefore, developing a non-injectable drug delivery system as an alternative administration procedure may vastly improve the health and wellbeing of these patients. Recent advances in the development of mucoadhesive electrospun patches for the direct delivery of therapeutics to the oral mucosa offer a potential solution, but as yet, the release of local anaesthetics from this system and their uptake by oral tissue has not been demonstrated. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of lidocaine-loaded electrospun fibre patches, drug release, and subsequent uptake and permeation through porcine buccal mucosa. Lidocaine HCl and lidocaine base were incorporated into the electrospun patches to evaluate the difference in drug permeation for the two drug compositions. Lidocaine released from the lidocaine HCl-containing electrospun patches was significantly quicker than from the lidocaine base patches, with double the amount of drug released from the lidocaine HCl patches in the first 15 minutes (0.16 ± 0.04 mg) compared to from the lidocaine base patches (0.07 ± 0.01 mg). The permeation of lidocaine from the lidocaine HCl electrospun patches through ex vivo porcine buccal mucosa was also detected in 15 minutes, whereas permeation of lidocaine from the lidocaine base patch was not detected. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation – mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) was used to investigate localisation of lidocaine within oral tissue. Lidocaine in solution as well as from the mucoadhesive patch penetrated into buccal mucosal tissue in a time-dependent manner and was detectable in the lamina propria after only 15 minutes. Moreover, the lidocaine released from lidocaine HCl electrospun patches retained biological activity, inhibiting veratridine-mediated opening of voltage-gated sodium channels in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. These data suggest that a mucoadhesive electrospun patch may be used as a vehicle for rapid uptake and sustained anaesthetic drug delivery and may reduce the need for injection

Search for Λc+→pK+π−\Lambda_c^+ \to p K^+ \pi^- and Ds+→K+K+π−D_s^+ \to K^+ K^+ \pi^- Using Genetic Programming Event Selection

We apply a genetic programming technique to search for the double Cabibbo suppressed decays $\Lambda_c^+ \to p K^+ \pi^-$ and $D_s^+ \to K^+ K^+ \pi^-$. We normalize these decays to their Cabibbo favored partners and find $\text{BR}($\Lambda_c^+ \to p K^+ \pi^-$)/\text{BR}($\Lambda_c^+ \to p K^- \pi^+$) = (0.05 \pm 0.26 \pm 0.02)$ and $\text{BR}($D_s^+ \to K^+ K^+ \pi^-$)/\text{BR}($D_s^+ \to K^+ K^- \pi^+$) = (0.52\pm 0.17\pm 0.11)$ where the first errors are statistical and the second are systematic. Expressed as 90% confidence levels (CL), we find $< 0.46$ and $< 0.78$ respectively. This is the first successful use of genetic programming in a high energy physics data analysis.Comment: 10 page

Measurement of the D+ and Ds+ decays into K+K-K+

We present the first clear observation of the doubly Cabibbo suppressed decay D+ --> K-K+K+ and the first observation of the singly Cabibbo suppressed decay Ds+ --> K-K+K+. These signals have been obtained by analyzing the high statistics sample of photoproduced charm particles of the FOCUS(E831) experiment at Fermilab. We measure the following relative branching ratios: Gamma(D+ --> K-K+K+)/Gamma(D+ --> K-pi+pi+) = (9.49 +/- 2.17(statistical) +/- 0.22(systematic))x10^-4 and Gamma(Ds+ --> K-K+K+)/Gamma(Ds+ --> K-K+pi+) = (8.95 +/- 2.12(statistical) +2.24(syst.) -2.31(syst.))x10^-3.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

A Non-parametric Approach to the D+ to K*0bar mu+ nu Form Factors

Using a large sample of D+ -> K- pi+ mu+ nu decays collected by the FOCUS photoproduction experiment at Fermilab, we present the first measurements of the helicity basis form factors free from the assumption of spectroscopic pole dominance. We also present the first information on the form factor that controls the s-wave interference discussed in a previous paper by the FOCUS collaboration. We find reasonable agreement with the usual assumption of spectroscopic pole dominance and measured form factor ratios.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, and 2 tables. We updated the previous version by changing some words, removing one plot, and adding two tables. These changes are mostly stylisti

Measurements of Ξc+\Xi_c^{+} Branching Ratios

Using data collected by the fixed target Fermilab experiment FOCUS, we measure the branching ratios of the Cabibbo favored decays $\Xi_c^+ \to \Sigma^+K^-\pi^+$, $\Xi_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \bar{K}^{*}(892)^0$, and $\Xi_c^+ \to \Lambda^0K^-\pi^+\pi^+$ relative to $\Xi_c^+ \to \Xi^-\pi^+\pi^+$ to be $0.91\pm0.11\pm0.04$, $0.78\pm0.16\pm0.06$, and $0.28\pm0.06\pm0.06$, respectively. We report the first observation of the Cabibbo suppressed decay $\Xi_c^+ \to \Sigma^+K^+K^-$ and we measure the branching ratio relative to $\Xi_c^+ \to \Sigma^+K^-\pi^+$ to be $0.16\pm0.06\pm0.01$. We also set 90% confidence level upper limits for $\Xi_c^+ \to \Sigma^+ \phi$ and $\Xi_c^+ \to \Xi^*(1690)^0(\Sigma^+ K^-) K^+$ relative to $\Xi_c^+ \to \Sigma^+K^-\pi^+$ to be 0.12 and 0.05, respectively. We find an indication of the decays $\Xi_c^+ \to \Omega^-K^{+}\pi^+$ and $\Xi_c^+ \to \Sigma^{*}(1385)^+ \bar{K}^0$ and set 90% confidence level upper limits for the branching ratios with respect to $\Xi_c^+ \to \Xi^-\pi^+\pi^+$ to be 0.12 and 1.72, respectively. Finally, we determine the 90% C.L. upper limit for the resonant contribution $\Xi_c^+ \to \Xi^{*}(1530)^0 \pi^+$ relative to $\Xi_c^+ \to \Xi^-\pi^+\pi^+$ to be 0.10.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figure

Dalitz plot analysis of D_s+ and D+ decay to pi+pi-pi+ using the K-matrix formalism

FOCUS results from Dalitz plot analysis of D_s+ and D+ to pi+pi-pi+ are presented. The K-matrix formalism is applied to charm decays for the first time to fully exploit the already existing knowledge coming from the light-meson spectroscopy experiments. In particular all the measured dynamics of the S-wave pipi scattering, characterized by broad/overlapping resonances and large non-resonant background, can be properly included. This paper studies the extent to which the K-matrix approach is able to reproduce the observed Dalitz plot and thus help us to understand the underlying dynamics. The results are discussed, along with their possible implications on the controversial nature of the sigma meson.Comment: To be submitted to Phys.Lett.B A misprint corrected in formula

Measurement of the branching ratio of the decay D^0 -> \pi^-\mu^+\nu relative to D^0 -> K^-\mu^+\nu

We present a new measurement of the branching ratio of the Cabibbo suppressed decay D^0\to \pi^-\mu^+\nu relative to the Cabibbo favored decay D^0\to K^-\mu^+\nu and an improved measurement of the ratio |\frac{f_+^{\pi}(0)}{f_+^{K}(0)}|. Our results are 0.074 \pm 0.008 \pm 0.007 for the branching ratio and 0.85 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.01 for the form factor ratio, respectively.Comment: 13pages, 3 figure

New Measurements of the D+ to K* mu nu Form Factor Ratios

Using a large sample of D+ to K- pi+ mu+ nu decays collected by the FOCUS photoproduction experiment at Fermilab, we present new measurements of two semileptonic form factor ratios: rv and r2. We find rv = 1.504 \pm 0.057 \pm 0.039 and r2 = 0.875 \pm 0.049 \pm 0.064. Our form factor results include the effects of the s-wave interference discussed in a previous paper.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Study of the D^0 \to pi^-pi^+pi^-pi^+ decay

Using data from the FOCUS (E831) experiment at Fermilab, we present new measurements for the Cabibbo-suppressed decay mode $D^0 \to \pi^-\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+$. We measure the branching ratio $\Gamma(D^0 \to\pi^+\pi^- \pi^+\pi^-)/\Gamma(D^0 \to K^-\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+) = 0.0914 \pm 0.0018 \pm 0.0022$. An amplitude analysis has been performed, a first for this channel, in order to determine the resonant substructure of this decay mode. The dominant component is the decay $D^0 \to a_1(1260)^+ \pi^-$, accounting for 60% of the decay rate. The second most dominant contribution comes from the decay $D^0 \to \rho(770)^0\rho(770)^0$, with a fraction of 25%. We also study the $a_1(1260)$ line shape and resonant substructure. Using the helicity formalism for the angular distribution of the decay $D^0 \to \rho(770)^0\rho(770)^0$, we measure a longitudinal polarization of $P_L = (71 \pm 4\pm 2)$%.Comment: 38 pages, 8 figures. accepted for publication in Physical Review