Relativistic Meson Spectroscopy and In-Medium Effects

We extend our earlier model of $q\bar q$ mesons using relativistic quasipotential (QP) wave equations to include open-flavor states and running quark-gluon coupling effects. Global fits to meson spectra are achieved with rms deviations from experiment of 43-50 MeV. We examine in-medium effects through their influence on the confining interaction and predict the confining strength at which the masses of certain mesons fall below the threshold of their dominant decay channel.Comment: 12 Pages, 2 Postscript figures (appended at the end with instructions, available also from [email protected]

Decay constants, semi-leptonic and non-leptonic decays in a Bethe-Salpeter Model

We evaluate the decay constants for the B and $D$ mesons and the form factors for the semileptonic decays of the B meson to $D$ and $D^*$ mesons in a Bethe-Salpeter model. From data we extract $V_{cb}=0.039 \pm 0.002$ from ${\bar B} \to D^* l {\bar{\nu}}$ and $V_{cb}=0.037 \pm 0.004$ from ${\bar B} \to D l {\bar{\nu}}$ decays. The form factors are then used to obtain non-leptonic decay partial widths for $B\to D \pi (K)$ and $B \to D D (D_s)$ in the factorization approximation.Comment: 15 Pages, 3 Postscript figures (available also from [email protected]

Isospin Multiplet Structure in Ultra--Heavy Fermion Bound States

The coupled Bethe--Salpeter bound state equations for a $Q\bar Q$ system, where $Q=(U,D)$ is a degenerate, fourth generation, super--heavy quark doublet, are solved in several ladder approximation models. The exchanges of gluon, Higgs and Goldstone modes in the standard model are calculated in the ultra--heavy quark limit where weak $\gamma, W^\pm$ and $Z^0$ contributions are negligible. A natural $I=0$ and $I=1$ multiplet pattern is found, with large splittings occuring between the different weak iso--spin states when $M_Q$, the quark masses, are larger than values in the range $0.4 TeV<M_Q<0.8 TeV$, depending on which model is used. Consideration of ultra--heavy quark lifetime constraints and $U-D$ mass splitting constraints are reviewed to establish the plausibility of lifetime and mass degeneracy requirements assumed for this paper.Comment: 20 pages, 7 figures (hard copy available upon request), report# KU-HEP-93-2

B --> D(D^*) Form Factors in a Bethe-Salpeter model

We calculate the form factors for the semileptonic decays of the $B$ meson to $D$ and $D^*$ mesons in a Bethe-Salpeter model. We show that our model is consistent with the constraints of Heavy Quark Effective Theory (HQET) and we extract the matrix elements that represent the $1/m_Q$ corrections to the form factors in HQET. With available data, we obtain $V_{cb}$=$(31.9 \pm 1.4)\times10^{-3}$.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figure

Safety of Everolimus With Reduced Calcineurin Inhibitor Exposure in De Novo Kidney Transplants: An Analysis From the Randomized TRANSFORM Study

BACKGROUND: The safety profiles of standard therapy versus everolimus with reduced-exposure calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) therapy using contemporary protocols in de novo kidney transplant recipients have not been compared in detail. METHODS: TRANSFORM was a randomized, international trial in which de novo kidney transplant patients were randomized to everolimus with reduced-exposure CNI (N = 1014) or mycophenolic acid (MPA) with standard-exposure CNI (N = 1012), both with induction and corticosteroids. RESULTS: Within the safety population (everolimus 1014, MPA 1012), adverse events with a suspected relation to study drug occurred in 62.9% versus 59.2% of patients given everolimus or MPA, respectively (P = 0.085). Hyperlipidemia, interstitial lung disease, peripheral edema, proteinuria, stomatitis/mouth ulceration, thrombocytopenia, and wound healing complications were more frequent with everolimus, whereas diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, leukopenia, tremor, and insomnia were more frequent in the MPA group. The incidence of viral infections (17.2% versus 29.2%; P < 0.001), cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections (8.1% versus 20.1%; P < 0.001), CMV syndrome (13.6% versus 23.0%, P = 0.044), and BK virus (BKV) infections (4.3% versus 8.0%, P < 0.001) were less frequent with everolimus. CMV infection was less common with everolimus versus MPA after adjusting for prophylaxis therapy in the D+/R- subgroup (P < 0.001). Study drug was discontinued more frequently due to rejection or impaired healing with everolimus, and more often due to BKV infection or BKV nephropathy with MPA. CONCLUSIONS: De novo everolimus with reduced-exposure CNI yielded a comparable incidence, though a distinctly different pattern, of adverse events versus current standard of care. Both regimens are safe and effective, yet their distinct profiles may enable tailoring for individual kidney transplant recipients.status: publishe