First Measurement of the Branching Fraction of the Decay psi(2S) --> tau tau

The branching fraction of the psi(2S) decay into tau pair has been measured for the first time using the BES detector at the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider. The result is $B_{\tau\tau}=(2.71\pm 0.43 \pm 0.55) \times 10^{-3}$, where the first error is statistical and the second is systematic. This value, along with those for the branching fractions into e+e- and mu+mu of this resonance, satisfy well the relation predicted by the sequential lepton hypothesis. Combining all these values with the leptonic width of the resonance the total width of the psi(2S) is determined to be $(252 \pm 37)$ keV.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

Fractal Reconnection in Solar and Stellar Environments

Recent space based observations of the Sun revealed that magnetic reconnection is ubiquitous in the solar atmosphere, ranging from small scale reconnection (observed as nanoflares) to large scale one (observed as long duration flares or giant arcades). Often the magnetic reconnection events are associated with mass ejections or jets, which seem to be closely related to multiple plasmoid ejections from fractal current sheet. The bursty radio and hard X-ray emissions from flares also suggest the fractal reconnection and associated particle acceleration. We shall discuss recent observations and theories related to the plasmoid-induced-reconnection and the fractal reconnection in solar flares, and their implication to reconnection physics and particle acceleration. Recent findings of many superflares on solar type stars that has extended the applicability of the fractal reconnection model of solar flares to much a wider parameter space suitable for stellar flares are also discussed.Comment: Invited chapter to appear in "Magnetic Reconnection: Concepts and Applications", Springer-Verlag, W. D. Gonzalez and E. N. Parker, eds. (2016), 33 pages, 18 figure

Further Experimental Studies of Two-Body Radiative \Upsilon Decays

Continuing our studies of radiative Upsilon(1S) decays, we report on a search for Upsilon to gamma eta and Upsilon to gamma f_{J}(2220) in 61.3 pb^{-1} of e^{+}e^{-} data taken with the CLEO II detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring. For the gamma eta search the three decays of the eta meson to pi^{+}pi^{-}pi^{0}, pi^{0}pi^{0}pi^{0}, and gamma gamma were investigated. We found no candidate events in the two (3\pi)^{0} modes and no significant excess over expected backgrounds in the gamma gamma mode to set a limit on the branching fraction of B(Upsilon to gamma eta) < 2.1 x 10^{-5} at 90% C.L. The three charged two-body final states h h-bar (h = pi^{+}, K^{+}, p) were investigated for f_{J}(2220) production, with one, one, and two events found, respectively. Limits at 90% C.L. of B(\Upsilon to gamma f_{J}) x B(f_{J} to h h-bar) ~ 1.5 x 10^{-5} have been set for each of these modes. We compare our results to measurements of other radiative Upsilon decays, to measurements of radiative J/psi decays, and to theoretical predictions.Comment: 19 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS, submitted to Physical Review

Study of exclusive two-body B0 meson decays to charmonium

We present a study of three B0 decay modes useful for time-dependent CP asymmetry measurements. From a sample of 9.7 million B meson pairs collected with the CLEO detector, we have reconstructed B0 -> J/psi K0S, B0 -> chi_c1 K0S, and B0 -> J/psi pi0 decays. The latter two decay modes have been observed for the first time. We describe a K0S -> pi0 pi0 detection technique and its application to the reconstruction of the decay B0 -> J/psi K0S. Combining the results obtained using K0S -> pi+ pi- and K0S -> pi0 pi0 decays, we determine Br(B0 -> J/psi K0) = (9.5 +- 0.8 +- 0.6)*10^-4, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second one is systematic. We also obtain Br(B0 -> chi_c1 K0)= (3.9 +1.9/-1.3 +- 0.4)*10^-4 and Br(B0 -> J/psi pi0) = (2.5 +1.1/-0.9 +- 0.2)*10^-5.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

A Search for Charmless B→VVB\to VV Decays

We have studied two-body charmless decays of the $B$ meson into the final states $\rho^0 \rho^0$, $K^{*0} \rho^0$, $K^{*0} K^{*0}$, $K^{*0} \bar{K^{*0}}$, $K^{*+} \rho^0$, $K^{*+} \bar{K^{*0}}$, and $K^{*+} K^{*-}$ using only decay modes with charged daughter particles. Using 9.7 million $B \bar{B}$ pairs collected with the CLEO detector, we place 90% confidence level upper limits on the branching fractions, $(0.46-7.0)\times 10^{-5}$, depending on final state and polarization.Comment: 8 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Update of the Search for the Neutrinoless Decay τ→μγ\tau\to \mu\gamma

We present an update of the search for the lepton family number violating decay $\tau \to \mu\gamma$ using a complete CLEO II data sample of 12.6 million $\tau^+\tau^-$ pairs. No evidence of a signal has been found and the corresponding upper limit is \BR(\tau \to \mu\gamma) < 1.0 \times 10^{-6} at 90% CL, significantly smaller than previous limits. All quoted results are preliminary.Comment: 9 pages postscript, also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Study of Exclusive Radiative B Meson Decays

We have investigated exclusive, radiative B meson decays to charmless mesons (\rho, \omega, \phi, K^*(892), K^*_2(1430)) in 9.7\times 10^6 BBbar decays accumulated with the CLEO detector. The B -> K^*(892)\gamma branching fractions are determined to be Br(B^0 -> K^{*0}(892)\gamma) = (4.55 +0.72-0.68 +-0.34)\times 10^-5 and Br(B^+ -> K^{*+}(892)\gamma) = (3.76 +0.89-0.83 +-0.28)\times 10^-5. We have searched for CP asymmetry in B -> K^*(892)\gamma decays and measure Acp = +0.08 +-0.13 +-0.03. We also report the first observation of the decay B -> K^*_2(1430)\gamma with a branching fraction of (1.66 +0.59-0.53 +-0.13)\times 10^-5 and determine $Br(B -> K^*_2(1430)\gamma)/Br(B -> K^*(892)\gamma) = 0.39 +0.15-0.13 consistent with only one of two available theoretical models. No significant evidence for the decays B -> \rho\gamma and B^0 -> \omega\gamma is found and we limit Br(B -> (\rho/\omega)\gamma)/Br(B -> K^{*}(892)\gamma) < 0.32 at 90% CL. We also find no evidence for the exotic decay B^0 -> \phi\gamma.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Letter

Constitutive Overexpression of Muscarinic Receptors Leads to Vagal Hyperreactivity

BACKGROUND: Alterations in muscarinic receptor expression and acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity have been observed in tissues from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Vagal overactivity has been proposed as a possible cause of SIDS as well as of vasovagal syncopes. The aim of the present study was to seek whether muscarinic receptor overexpression may be the underlying mechanism of vagal hyperreactivity. Rabbits with marked vagal pauses following injection of phenylephrine were selected and crossed to obtain a vagal hyperreactive strain. The density of cardiac muscarinic receptors and acetylcholinesterase (AchE) gene expression were assessed. Blood markers of the observed cardiac abnormalities were also sought. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Cardiac muscarinic M(2) and M(3) receptors were overexpressed in hyperreactive rabbits compared to control animals (2.3-fold and 2.5-fold, respectively) and the severity of the phenylephrine-induced bradycardia was correlated with their densities. A similar overexpression of M(2) receptors was observed in peripheral mononuclear white blood cells, suggesting that cardiac M(2) receptor expression can be inferred with high confidence from measurements in blood cells. Sequencing of the coding fragment of the M(2) receptor gene revealed a single nucleotide mutation in 83% of hyperreactive animals, possibly contributing for the transcript overexpression. Significant increases in AchE expression and activity were also assessed (AchE mRNA amplification ratio of 3.6 versus normal rabbits). This phenomenon might represent a compensatory consequence of muscarinic receptors overexpression. Alterations in M(2) receptor and AchE expression occurred between the 5th and the 7th week of age, a critical period also characterized by a higher mortality rate of hyperreactive rabbits (52% in H rabbits versus 13% in normal rabbits) and preceeded the appearance of functional disorders. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results suggest that cardiac muscarinic receptor overexpression plays a critical role in the development of vagal hyperreactivity, whereas AchE hyperactivity appears as a compensatory consequence of it. Since similar vagal disorders were observed recently by us in SIDS, muscarinic receptor overexpression could become a marker of risk of vasovagal syncopes and SIDS

Study of B0(s)→K0Sh+h′− decays with first observation of B0s→K0SK±π∓ and B0s→K0Sπ+π−

A search for charmless three-body decays of B 0 and B0s mesons with a K0S meson in the final state is performed using the pp collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb−1, collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV recorded by the LHCb experiment. Branching fractions of the B0(s)→K0Sh+h′− decay modes (h (′) = π, K), relative to the well measured B0→K0Sπ+π− decay, are obtained. First observation of the decay modes B0s→K0SK±π∓ and B0s→K0Sπ+π− and confirmation of the decay B0→K0SK±π∓ are reported. The following relative branching fraction measurements or limits are obtained B(B0→K0SK±π∓)B(B0→K0Sπ+π−)=0.128±0.017(stat.)±0.009(syst.), B(B0→K0SK+K−)B(B0→K0Sπ+π−)=0.385±0.031(stat.)±0.023(syst.), B(B0s→K0Sπ+π−)B(B0→K0Sπ+π−)=0.29±0.06(stat.)±0.03(syst.)±0.02(fs/fd), B(B0s→K0SK±π∓)B(B0→K0Sπ+π−)=1.48±0.12(stat.)±0.08(syst.)±0.12(fs/fd)B(B0s→K0SK+K−)B(B0→K0Sπ+π−)∈[0.004;0.068]at90%CL

Branching fraction and CP asymmetry of the decays B+→K0Sπ+ and B+→K0SK+

An analysis of B+ → K0 Sπ+ and B+ → K0 S K+ decays is performed with the LHCb experiment. The pp collision data used correspond to integrated luminosities of 1 fb−1 and 2 fb−1 collected at centre-ofmass energies of √ s = 7 TeV and √ s = 8 TeV, respectively. The ratio of branching fractions and the direct CP asymmetries are measured to be B(B+ → K0 S K+ )/B(B+ → K0 Sπ+ ) = 0.064 ± 0.009 (stat.) ± 0.004 (syst.), ACP(B+ → K0 Sπ+ ) = −0.022 ± 0.025 (stat.) ± 0.010 (syst.) and ACP(B+ → K0 S K+ ) = −0.21 ± 0.14 (stat.) ± 0.01 (syst.). The data sample taken at √ s = 7 TeV is used to search for B+ c → K0 S K+ decays and results in the upper limit ( fc · B(B+ c → K0 S K+ ))/( fu · B(B+ → K0 Sπ+ )) < 5.8 × 10−2 at 90% confidence level, where fc and fu denote the hadronisation fractions of a ¯b quark into a B+ c or a B+ meson, respectively