Conclusions from CDF Results on CP Violation in D^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-, K^+K^- and Future Tasks

Within the Standard Model (SM) one predicts both direct and indirect CP violation in D^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-, K^+K^- transitions, although the effects are tiny: Indirect CP asymmetry cannot exceed O(10^{-4}), probably even O(10^{-5}); direct effects are estimated at not larger than 10^{-4}. At B factories direct and indirect asymmetries have been studied with /\tau_{D^0} ~ 1; no CP asymmetry was found with an upper bound of about 1%. CDF has shown intriguing data on CP violation in D^0 \to \pi^+\pi^- [K^+K^-] with /\tau_{D^0} ~ 2.4 [2.65]. Also, CDF has not seen any CP violation. For direct CP asymmetry, CDF has a sensitivity similar to the combination of the B factories, yet for indirect CP violation it yields a significantly smaller sensitivity of a_{cp}^{ind}=(-0.01 +- 0.06_{stat} +- 0.05_{syst})% due to it being based on longer decay times. New Physics models (NP) like Little Higgs Models with T-Parity (LHT) can produce an indirect CP asymmetry up to 1%; CDF's findings thus cover the upper range of realistic NP predictions ~ 0.1 - 1%. One hopes that LHCb and a Super-Flavour Factory will probe the lower range down to ~0.01%. Such non-ad-hoc NP like LHT cannot enhance direct CP violation significantly over the SM level in D^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-, K^+K^- and D^{\pm} \to \pi^{\pm}K^+K^- transitions, but others might well do so.Comment: 11 pages, 1 figure. V2 has minor corrections and corresponds to the published versio

On CP Asymmetries in Two-, Three- and Four-Body D Decays

Indirect and direct CP violations have been established in K_L and B_d decays. They have been found in two-body decay channels -- with the exception of K_L to pi^+ pi^- e^+ e^- transitions. Evidence for direct CP asymmetry has just appeared in LHCb data on A_{CP}(D^0 to K^+ K^-) - A_{CP}(D^0 to pi^+ pi^-) with 3.5 sigma significance. Manifestations of New Dynamics (ND) can appear in CP asymmetries just below experimental bounds. We discuss D^{\pm}_{(s)}, D^0/\bar D^0 and D_L/D_S transitions to 2-, 3- and 4-body final states with a comment on predictions for inclusive vs. exclusive CP asymmetries. In particular we discuss T asymmetries in D to h_1 h_2 l^+ l^- in analogy with K_L to pi^+ pi^- e^+ e^- transitions due to interference between M1, internal bremsstrahlung and possible E1 amplitudes. Such an effect depends on the strength of CP violation originating from the ND -- as discussed here for Little Higgs Models with T parity and non-minimal Higgs sectors -- but also in the interferences between these amplitudes even in the Standard Model (SM). More general lessons can be learnt for T asymmetries in non-leptonic D decays like D to h_1h_2 h_3 h_4. Such manifestations of ND can be tested at LHCb and other Super-Flavour Factories like the projects at KEK near Tokyo and at Tor Vergata/Frascati near Rome.Comment: 27 pages, 6 figures. Revised with current results from LHCb and HFAG and further interpretation

Sex differences of vascular brain lesions in patients with atrial fibrillation.

OBJECTIVE To examine sex differences in prevalence, volume and distribution of vascular brain lesions on MRI among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). METHODS In this cross-sectional analysis, we included 1743 patients with AF (27% women) from the multicentre Swiss Atrial Fibrillation study (SWISS-AF) with available baseline brain MRI. We compared presence and total volume of large non-cortical or cortical infarcts (LNCCIs), small non-cortical infarcts, microbleeds (MB) and white matter hyperintensities (WMH, Fazekas score ≥2 for moderate or severe degree) between men and women with multivariable logistic regression. We generated voxel-based probability maps to assess the anatomical distribution of lesions. RESULTS We found no strong evidence for an association of female sex with the prevalence of all ischaemic infarcts (LNCCI and SNCI combined; adjusted OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.09, p=0.22), MB (adjusted OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.21, p=0.52) and moderate or severe WMH (adjusted OR 1.15, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.48, p=0.27). However, total WMH volume was 17% larger among women than men (multivariable adjusted multiplicative effect 1.17, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.35; p=0.04). Lesion probability maps showed a right hemispheric preponderance of ischaemic infarcts in both men and women, while WMH were distributed symmetrically. CONCLUSION Women had higher white matter disease burden than men, while volume and prevalence of other lesions did not differ. Our findings highlight the importance of controlling risk factors for cerebral small vessel disease in patients with AF, especially among women

A consistent picture for large penguins in D -> pi+ pi-, K+ K-

A long-standing puzzle in charm physics is the large difference between the D0 -> K+ K- and D0 -> pi+ pi- decay rates. Recently, the LHCb and CDF collaborations reported a surprisingly large difference between the direct CP asymmetries, Delta A_CP, in these two modes. We show that the two puzzles are naturally related in the Standard Model via s- and d-quark "penguin contractions". Their sum gives rise to Delta A_CP, while their difference contributes to the two branching ratios with opposite sign. Assuming nominal SU(3) breaking, a U-spin fit to the D0 -> K+ pi-, pi+ K-, pi+ pi-, K+ K- decay rates yields large penguin contractions that naturally explain Delta A_CP. Expectations for the individual CP asymmetries are also discussed.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figure

The Initial Phase of the Argumentative Discussions Between Parents and Children

This chapter examines the initial phase of parent\u2013child argumentative discussions during mealtime. The conceptual tool adopted for the analysis is based on the pragma-dialectical ideal model of a critical discussion (van Eemeren & Grootendorst\u201a 2004). The types of issues leading parents and children to engage in argumentative discussions during mealtime as well as the contribution that parents and children provide to the inception of argumentation are described and discussed. The analysis of the initial phase of parent\u2013child argumentative discussions also considers the role played by the specificity of the parent\u2013child relationship and the distinctive features of the activity of family mealtime for the beginning of an argumentative discussion. Exemplary argumentative sequences that bring to light the results obtained through the qualitative analysis of a larger corpus of argumentative discussions between parents and children are presented and discussed

Long-term risk of adverse outcomes according to atrial fibrillation type

Sustained forms of atrial fibrillation (AF) may be associated with a higher risk of adverse outcomes, but few if any long-term studies took into account changes of AF type and co-morbidities over time. We prospectively followed 3843 AF patients and collected information on AF type and co-morbidities during yearly follow-ups. The primary outcome was a composite of stroke or systemic embolism (SE). Secondary outcomes included myocardial infarction, hospitalization for congestive heart failure (CHF), bleeding and all-cause mortality. Multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazards models with time-varying covariates were used to compare hazard ratios (HR) according to AF type. At baseline 1895 (49%), 1046 (27%) and 902 (24%) patients had paroxysmal, persistent and permanent AF and 3234 (84%) were anticoagulated. After a median (IQR) follow-up of 3.0 (1.9; 4.2) years, the incidence of stroke/SE was 1.0 per 100 patient-years. The incidence of myocardial infarction, CHF, bleeding and all-cause mortality was 0.7, 3.0, 2.9 and 2.7 per 100 patient-years, respectively. The multivariable adjusted (a) HRs (95% confidence interval) for stroke/SE were 1.13 (0.69; 1.85) and 1.27 (0.83; 1.95) for time-updated persistent and permanent AF, respectively. The corresponding aHRs were 1.23 (0.89, 1.69) and 1.45 (1.12; 1.87) for all-cause mortality, 1.34 (1.00; 1.80) and 1.30 (1.01; 1.67) for CHF, 0.91 (0.48; 1.72) and 0.95 (0.56; 1.59) for myocardial infarction, and 0.89 (0.70; 1.14) and 1.00 (0.81; 1.24) for bleeding. In this large prospective cohort of AF patients, time-updated AF type was not associated with incident stroke/SE

Perceived barriers and enablers of physical activity in postpartum women: A qualitative approach

© 2016 Saligheh et al.Background: Postpartum women's recovery from birth can be assisted through increased physical activity (PA). However, women face substantial barriers to participating in exercise and require support to enable them to benefit from increased PA. Methods: This study sought to explore women's beliefs about and experiences of PA and exercise during the 6 weeks to 12 months postpartum period. A cohort of 14 postpartum women from a survey study of the barriers and enablers to exercise participation agreed to take part in interview sessions to provide an in-depth understanding of the women's perceptions of the postpartum period and their physical activity during this time. Results: Findings are presented with reference to the social ecological framework and indicate postpartum women face substantial personal and environmental barriers to PA and exercise participation: fatigue, a lack of motivation and confidence, substantial time constraints, lack of access to affordable and appropriate activities and poor access to public transport. In contrast, enablers such as possessing greater social support, in particular partner support, improved PA and exercise participation. Conclusions: The findings encourage facilitation of exercise through mothers' groups, mothers' exercise clubs or postnatal classes suggesting behavioral and social change is needed. Interaction between individuals, community, organizations and policy makers is required. In addition, the provision of specifically tailored and appropriate exercise programs could potentially enable increased PA in postpartum women, thereby improving their health

The hypomethylating agent Decitabine causes a paradoxical increase in 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in human leukemia cells

The USFDA approved "epigenetic drug", Decitabine, exerts its effect by hypomethylating DNA, demonstrating the pivotal role aberrant genome-wide DNA methylation patterns play in cancer ontology. Using sensitive technologies in a cellular model of Acute Myeloid Leukemia, we demonstrate that while Decitabine reduces the global levels of 5-methylcytosine (5mC), it results in paradoxical increase of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC) and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC) levels. Hitherto, the only biological mechanism known to generate 5hmC, 5fC and 5caC, involving oxidation of 5mC by members of Ten-Eleven-Translocation (TET) dioxygenase family, was not observed to undergo any alteration during DAC treatment. Using a multi-compartmental model of DNA methylation, we show that partial selectivity of TET enzymes for hemi-methylated CpG dinucleotides could lead to such alterations in 5hmC content. Furthermore, we investigated the binding of TET1-catalytic domain (CD)-GFP to DNA by Fluorescent Correlation Spectroscopy in live cells and detected the gradual increase of the DNA bound fraction of TET1-CD-GFP after treatment with Decitabine. Our study provides novel insights on the therapeutic activity of DAC in the backdrop of the newly discovered derivatives of 5mC and suggests that 5hmC has the potential to serve as a biomarker for monitoring the clinical success of patients receiving DAC