Bound state nature of the exotic Z_b states

The assumption that the newly observed charged bottomonia states Z_b(10610) and Z_b(10650) are of molecular nature is confronted with the measured invariant mass distributions for the transitions of the Upsilon(5S) to the final states h_b pi^+ pi^- and h_b(2P) pi^+ pi^-. It is shown that the assumption that the Z_b(10610) and Z_b(10650) are B\bar B^*+{\rm c.c.} and B^*\bar B^* bound states, respectively, with very small binding energies is consistent with the data. The calculation is based on a power counting for bottom meson loops, which is explicitly given up to two-loop in the framework of a nonrelativistic effective field theory. We also show that if the Z_b states are of molecular nature, then the data should not be analyzed by using a Breit-Wigner parametrization.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures. Typos corrected, version appeared in Eur. Phys. J.

Employing spin symmetry to disentangle different models for the XYZ states

In order to test different models proposed for some states discovered recently in the charmonium mass range that do not fit into the pattern predicted by the conventional quark model, we derive predictions for the spectrum within the hadro-charmonium picture, the tetraquark picture as well as the hadronic molecular approach. We exploit heavy quark spin symmetry for the hadro-charmonium and hadronic molecule scenarios. The patterns that emerge from the different models turn out to be quite distinct. For example, only within the hadro-charmonium picture a pseudoscalar state emerges that is lighter than the Y(4260). Possible discovery channels of these additional states are discussed.Comment: 22 pages, 4 figures, version accepted by PR

Strong and radiative decays of the Ds0∗(2317)D_{s0}^*(2317) and Ds1(2460)D_{s1}(2460)

Since their discovery in 2003, the open charm states $D_{s0}^*(2317)$ and $D_{s1}(2460)$ provide a challenge to the conventional quark model. In recent years, theoretical evidence has been accumulated for both states in favor of a predominantly $DK$ and $D^*K$ molecular nature, respectively. However, a direct experimental proof of this hypothesis still needs to be found. Since radiative decays are generally believed to be sensitive to the inner structure of the decaying particles, we study in this work the radiative and strong decays of both the $D_{s0}^*(2317)$ and $D_{s1}(2460)$, as well as of their counterparts in the bottom sector. While the strong decays are indeed strongly enhanced for molecular states, the radiative decays are of similar order of magnitude in different pictures. Thus, the experimental observable that allows one to conclusively quantify the molecular components of the $D_{s0}^*(2317)$ and $D_{s1}(2460)$ is the hadronic width, and not the radiative one, in contradistinction to common belief. We also find that radiative decays of the sibling states in the bottom sector are significantly more frequent than the hadronic ones. Based on this, we identify their most promising discovery channels

Confirming the molecular nature of the Zb(10610)Z_b(10610) and the Zb(10650)Z_b(10650)

The decays of the $Z_b(10610)$ and the $Z_b(10650)$ to $\Upsilon(nS)\pi$, $h_b(mP)\pi$ and $\chi_{bJ}(mP)\gamma$ ($n=1,2,3$, $m=1,2$ and $J=0,1,2$) are investigated within a nonrelativistic effective field theory. It is argued that, while the decays to $\Upsilon(nS) \pi$ suffer from potentially large higher order corrections, the $P$-wave transitions of the $Z_b$ states offer the best possibility to confirm the nature of the $Z_b$ states as molecular states and to further study their properties. We give nontrivial and parameter-free predictions for the ratios of various partial widths for final states with $h_b(mP)\pi$ and $\chi_{bJ}(mP)\gamma$. In addition, the branching fractions for the neutral $Z_b$-states to $\chi_{bJ}\gamma$ are predicted to be of order $10^{-4}$--$10^{-3}$. This provides a fine test of the molecular nature in future high-luminosity experiments.Comment: 18 pages, 2 figure

Effects of ZbZ_b states and bottom meson loops on Υ(4S)→Υ(1S,2S)π+π−\Upsilon(4S) \to \Upsilon(1S,2S) \pi^+\pi^- transitions

We study the dipion transitions $\Upsilon(4S) \rightarrow \Upsilon(nS) \pi^+\pi^-$ $(n=1,2)$. In particular, we consider the effects of the two intermediate bottomoniumlike exotic states $Z_b(10610)$ and $Z_b(10650)$ as well as bottom meson loops. The strong pion-pion final-state interactions, especially including channel coupling to $K\bar{K}$ in the $S$-wave, are taken into account model-independently by using dispersion theory. Based on a nonrelativistic effective field theory we find that the contribution from the bottom meson loops is comparable to those from the chiral contact terms and the $Z_b$-exchange terms. For the $\Upsilon(4S) \rightarrow \Upsilon(2S) \pi^+\pi^-$ decay, the result shows that including the effects of the $Z_b$-exchange and the bottom meson loops can naturally reproduce the two-hump behavior of the $\pi\pi$ mass spectra. Future angular distribution data are decisive for the identification of different production mechanisms. For the $\Upsilon(4S) \rightarrow \Upsilon(1S) \pi^+\pi^-$ decay, we show that there is a narrow dip around 1 GeV in the $\pi\pi$ invariant mass distribution, caused by the final-state interactions. The distribution is clearly different from that in similar transitions from lower $\Upsilon$ states, and needs to be verified by future data with high statistics. Also we predict the decay width and the dikaon mass distribution of the $\Upsilon(4S) \rightarrow \Upsilon(1S) K^+ K^-$ process.Comment: 25 pages, 8 figures, predictions of the decay width and the dikaon mass distribution of the $\Upsilon(4S) \rightarrow \Upsilon(1S) K^+ K^-$ process added, more discussions adde

Large scale multiplex PCR improves pathogen detection by DNA microarrays

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Medium density DNA microchips that carry a collection of probes for a broad spectrum of pathogens, have the potential to be powerful tools for simultaneous species identification, detection of virulence factors and antimicrobial resistance determinants. However, their widespread use in microbiological diagnostics is limited by the problem of low pathogen numbers in clinical specimens revealing relatively low amounts of pathogen DNA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To increase the detection power of a fluorescence-based prototype-microarray designed to identify pathogenic microorganisms involved in sepsis, we propose a large scale multiplex PCR (LSplex PCR) for amplification of several dozens of gene-segments of 9 pathogenic species. This protocol employs a large set of primer pairs, potentially able to amplify 800 different gene segments that correspond to the capture probes spotted on the microarray. The LSplex protocol is shown to selectively amplify only the gene segments corresponding to the specific pathogen present in the analyte. Application of LSplex increases the microarray detection of target templates by a factor of 100 to 1000.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data provide a proof of principle for the improvement of detection of pathogen DNA by microarray hybridization by using LSplex PCR.</p

Acceleration of the direct identification of Staphylococcus aureus versus coagulase-negative staphylococci from blood culture material: a comparison of six bacterial DNA extraction methods

To accelerate differentiation between Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS), this study aimed to compare six different DNA extraction methods from two commonly used blood culture materials, i.e. BACTEC and BacT/ALERT. Furthermore, we analysed the effect of reduced blood culture incubation for the detection of staphylococci directly from blood culture material. A real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) duplex assay was used to compare the six different DNA isolation protocols on two different blood culture systems. Negative blood culture material was spiked with methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Bacterial DNA was isolated with automated extractor easyMAG (three protocols), automated extractor MagNA Pure LC (LC Microbiology Kit MGrade), a manual kit MolYsis Plus and a combination of MolYsis Plus and the easyMAG. The most optimal isolation method was used to evaluate reduced bacterial incubation times. Bacterial DNA isolation with the MolYsis Plus kit in combination with the specific B protocol on the easyMAG resulted in the most sensitive detection of S. aureus, with a detection limit of 10 CFU/ml, in BacT/ALERT material, whereas using BACTEC resulted in a detection limit of 100 CFU/ml. An initial S. aureus or CNS load of 1 CFU/ml blood can be detected after 5 h of incubation in BacT/ALERT 3D by combining the sensitive isolation method and the tuf LightCycler assay

Systematic Study of Hadronic Molecules in the Heavy-Quark Sector

In this work we study the properties of hadronic molecules in the heavy-quark sector. These have become increasingly important since from the beginning of this century a large number of states have been measured that for different reasons do not fit the predictions of simple quark models. In particular we discuss two candidates in the open charm sector, $D_{s0}^*(2317)$ and $D_{s1}(2460)$, and two candidates in the bottomonium sector, $Z_b(10610)$ and $Z_b(10650)$. Theorists have proposed different explanations for these states including tetraquarks, hybrids, hadro-quarkonia and, subject of this work, hadronic molecules. The study of these new states promises to provide insights in an important field of modern physics, the formation of matter by the strong force. Hadronic molecules are bound systems of hadrons in the same way two nucleons form the deuteron. For this the molecular states need to be located close to $S$-wave thresholds of their constituents. The dynamics of their constituents will have a significant impact on the molecules which allows us to make predictions that are unique features of the molecular assignment