1,735 research outputs found

    A Study of Time-Dependent CP-Violating Asymmetries and Flavor Oscillations in Neutral B Decays at the Upsilon(4S)

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    We present a measurement of time-dependent CP-violating asymmetries in neutral B meson decays collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B Factory at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. The data sample consists of 29.7 fb1{\rm fb}^{-1} recorded at the Υ(4S)\Upsilon(4S) resonance and 3.9 fb1{\rm fb}^{-1} off-resonance. One of the neutral B mesons, which are produced in pairs at the Υ(4S)\Upsilon(4S), is fully reconstructed in the CP decay modes J/ψKS0J/\psi K^0_S, ψ(2S)KS0\psi(2S) K^0_S, χc1KS0\chi_{c1} K^0_S, J/ψK0J/\psi K^{*0} (K0KS0π0K^{*0}\to K^0_S\pi^0) and J/ψKL0J/\psi K^0_L, or in flavor-eigenstate modes involving D()π/ρ/a1D^{(*)}\pi/\rho/a_1 and J/ψK0J/\psi K^{*0} (K0K+πK^{*0}\to K^+\pi^-). The flavor of the other neutral B meson is tagged at the time of its decay, mainly with the charge of identified leptons and kaons. The proper time elapsed between the decays is determined by measuring the distance between the decay vertices. A maximum-likelihood fit to this flavor eigenstate sample finds Δmd=0.516±0.016(stat)±0.010(syst)ps1\Delta m_d = 0.516\pm 0.016 {\rm (stat)} \pm 0.010 {\rm (syst)} {\rm ps}^{-1}. The value of the asymmetry amplitude sin2β\sin2\beta is determined from a simultaneous maximum-likelihood fit to the time-difference distribution of the flavor-eigenstate sample and about 642 tagged B0B^0 decays in the CP-eigenstate modes. We find sin2β=0.59±0.14(stat)±0.05(syst)\sin2\beta=0.59\pm 0.14 {\rm (stat)} \pm 0.05 {\rm (syst)}, demonstrating that CP violation exists in the neutral B meson system. (abridged)Comment: 58 pages, 35 figures, submitted to Physical Review

    Fasudil improves survival and promotes skeletal muscle development in a mouse model of spinal muscular atrophy

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    <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is the leading genetic cause of infant death. It is caused by mutations/deletions of the survival motor neuron 1 (<it>SMN1</it>) gene and is typified by the loss of spinal cord motor neurons, muscular atrophy, and in severe cases, death. The SMN protein is ubiquitously expressed and various cellular- and tissue-specific functions have been investigated to explain the specific motor neuron loss in SMA. We have previously shown that the RhoA/Rho kinase (ROCK) pathway is misregulated in cellular and animal SMA models, and that inhibition of ROCK with the chemical Y-27632 significantly increased the lifespan of a mouse model of SMA. In the present study, we evaluated the therapeutic potential of the clinically approved ROCK inhibitor fasudil.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Fasudil was administered by oral gavage from post-natal day 3 to 21 at a concentration of 30 mg/kg twice daily. The effects of fasudil on lifespan and SMA pathological hallmarks of the SMA mice were assessed and compared to vehicle-treated mice. For the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the log-rank test was used and survival curves were considered significantly different at <it>P </it>< 0.05. For the remaining analyses, the Student's two-tail <it>t </it>test for paired variables and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to test for differences between samples and data were considered significantly different at <it>P </it>< 0.05.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fasudil significantly improves survival of SMA mice. This dramatic phenotypic improvement is not mediated by an up-regulation of Smn protein or via preservation of motor neurons. However, fasudil administration results in a significant increase in muscle fiber and postsynaptic endplate size, and restores normal expression of markers of skeletal muscle development, suggesting that the beneficial effects of fasudil could be muscle-specific.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our work underscores the importance of muscle as a therapeutic target in SMA and highlights the beneficial potential of ROCK inhibitors as a therapeutic strategy for SMA and for other degenerative diseases characterized by muscular atrophy and postsynaptic immaturity.</p

    Measurement of the Branching Fraction for B- --> D0 K*-

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    We present a measurement of the branching fraction for the decay B- --> D0 K*- using a sample of approximately 86 million BBbar pairs collected by the BaBar detector from e+e- collisions near the Y(4S) resonance. The D0 is detected through its decays to K- pi+, K- pi+ pi0 and K- pi+ pi- pi+, and the K*- through its decay to K0S pi-. We measure the branching fraction to be B.F.(B- --> D0 K*-)= (6.3 +/- 0.7(stat.) +/- 0.5(syst.)) x 10^{-4}.Comment: 7 pages, 1 postscript figure, submitted to Phys. Rev. D (Rapid Communications

    Study of e+e- --> pi+ pi- pi0 process using initial state radiation with BABAR

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    The process e+e- --> pi+ pi- pi0 gamma has been studied at a center-of-mass energy near the Y(4S) resonance using a 89.3 fb-1 data sample collected with the BaBar detector at the PEP-II collider. From the measured 3pi mass spectrum we have obtained the products of branching fractions for the omega and phi mesons, B(omega --> e+e-)B(omega --> 3pi)=(6.70 +/- 0.06 +/- 0.27)10-5 and B(phi --> e+e-)B(phi --> 3pi)=(4.30 +/- 0.08 +/- 0.21)10-5, and evaluated the e+e- --> pi+ pi- pi0 cross section for the e+e- center-of-mass energy range 1.05 to 3.00 GeV. About 900 e+e- --> J/psi gamma --> pi+ pi- pi0 gamma events have been selected and the branching fraction B(J/psi --> pi+ pi- pi0)=(2.18 +/- 0.19)% has been measured.Comment: 21 pages, 37 postscript figues, submitted to Phys. Rev.

    Measurement of Branching Fraction and Dalitz Distribution for B0->D(*)+/- K0 pi-/+ Decays

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    We present measurements of the branching fractions for the three-body decays B0 -> D(*)-/+ K0 pi^+/-andtheirresonantsubmodes and their resonant submodes B0 -> D(*)-/+ K*+/- using a sample of approximately 88 million BBbar pairs collected by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric energy storage ring. We measure: B(B0->D-/+ K0 pi+/-)=(4.9 +/- 0.7(stat) +/- 0.5 (syst)) 10^{-4} B(B0->D*-/+ K0 pi+/-)=(3.0 +/- 0.7(stat) +/- 0.3 (syst)) 10^{-4} B(B0->D-/+ K*+/-)=(4.6 +/- 0.6(stat) +/- 0.5 (syst)) 10^{-4} B(B0->D*-/+ K*+/-)=(3.2 +/- 0.6(stat) +/- 0.3 (syst)) 10^{-4} From these measurements we determine the fractions of resonant events to be : f(B0-> D-/+ K*+/-) = 0.63 +/- 0.08(stat) +/- 0.04(syst) f(B0-> D*-/+ K*+/-) = 0.72 +/- 0.14(stat) +/- 0.05(syst)Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

    Evidence for the Rare Decay B -> K*ll and Measurement of the B -> Kll Branching Fraction

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    We present evidence for the flavor-changing neutral current decay BK+B\to K^*\ell^+\ell^- and a measurement of the branching fraction for the related process BK+B\to K\ell^+\ell^-, where +\ell^+\ell^- is either an e+ee^+e^- or μ+μ\mu^+\mu^- pair. These decays are highly suppressed in the Standard Model, and they are sensitive to contributions from new particles in the intermediate state. The data sample comprises 123×106123\times 10^6 Υ(4S)BBˉ\Upsilon(4S)\to B\bar{B} decays collected with the Babar detector at the PEP-II e+ee^+e^- storage ring. Averaging over K()K^{(*)} isospin and lepton flavor, we obtain the branching fractions B(BK+)=(0.650.13+0.14±0.04)×106{\mathcal B}(B\to K\ell^+\ell^-)=(0.65^{+0.14}_{-0.13}\pm 0.04)\times 10^{-6} and B(BK+)=(0.880.29+0.33±0.10)×106{\mathcal B}(B\to K^*\ell^+\ell^-)=(0.88^{+0.33}_{-0.29}\pm 0.10)\times 10^{-6}, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The significance of the BK+B\to K\ell^+\ell^- signal is over 8σ8\sigma, while for BK+B\to K^*\ell^+\ell^- it is 3.3σ3.3\sigma.Comment: 7 pages, 2 postscript figues, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let

    Measurement of the B+ --> p pbar K+ Branching Fraction and Study of the Decay Dynamics

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    With a sample of 232x10^6 Upsilon(4S) --> BBbar events collected with the BaBar detector, we study the decay B+ --> p pbar K+ excluding charmonium decays to ppbar. We measure a branching fraction Br(B+ --> p pbar K+)=(6.7+/-0.5+/-0.4)x10^{-6}. An enhancement at low ppbar mass is observed and the Dalitz plot asymmetry suggests dominance of the penguin amplitude in this B decay. We search for a pentaquark candidate Theta*++ decaying into pK+ in the mass range 1.43 to 2.00 GeV/c2 and set limits on Br(B+ --> Theta*++pbar)xBr(Theta*++ --> pK+) at the 10^{-7} level.Comment: 8 pages, 7 postscript figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. D (Rapid Communications

    Search for the W-exchange decays B0 --> Ds(*)- Ds(*)+

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    We report a search for the decays B0DsDs+B^{0} \to D_{s}^{-} D_{s}^{+}, B0DsDs+B^{0} \to D_{s}^{*-} D_{s}^{+}, B0DsDs+B^{0} \to D_{s}^{*-} D_{s}^{*+} in a sample of 232 million Υ(4S)\Upsilon(4S) decays to \BBb ~pairs collected with the \babar detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy e+ee^+ e^- storage ring. We find no significant signal and set upper bounds for the branching fractions: B(B0DsDs+)<1.0×104,B(B0DsDs+)<1.3×104{\cal B}(B^{0} \to D_{s}^{-} D_{s}^{+}) < 1.0 \times 10^{-4}, {\cal B}(B^{0} \to D_{s}^{*-} D_{s}^{+}) < 1.3 \times 10^{-4} and B(B0DsDs+)<2.4×104{\cal B}(B^{0} \to D_{s}^{*-} D_{s}^{*+}) < 2.4 \times 10^{-4} at 90% confidence level.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, submitted to PRD-R
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