3,302 research outputs found

    Dose-Dependent Prevention of Fibrosis in Aorta of Salt-Loaded Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats by Combined Delapril and Indapamide treatment.

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    Combined treatment with the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor delapril and the diuretic indapamide prevented vascular damage in vital organs of salt-loaded stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRsp). Whether the changes occurring after long-term hypertension could also be modulated in large arteries was investigated. Two-month-old SHRsp were salt loaded and treated with the drug regimen until they reached 50 +/- 10 mortality or around midlife. In a first experiment, delapril (12 mg/kg) and indapamide (1 mg/kg) were administered daily separately or in combination. In the second dose-finding experiment, delapril (6, 3, 1.5 mg/kg) and indapamide (0.5, 0.25, 0.125 mg/kg) in decreasing dose combinations were analyzed. Ultrastructural, histomorphometric, and biochemical studies were performed on the thoracic aorta. When compared with delapril (12 mg/kg) or indapamide (1 mg/kg) administered individually for 5 months, the combination 12 + 1 mg/kg was able to prevent the increase in extracellular matrix deposition observed in other treatment groups, as assessed by histomorphometry or 4-OH-proline biochemical determination. In the second experiment, a half-dose (delapril 6 mg/kg + indapamide 0.5 mg/kg) combination was similarly effective in counteracting fibrosis, but the other doses progressively failed. In the first experiment, the combination had a stabilizing effect on hypertension and stimulated diuresis. In the second experiment, arterial blood pressure values and sodium balance were not consistently affected by the treatments that antagonized fibrosis (i.e., delapril 6 mg/kg + indapamide 0.5 mg/kg and, less efficiently, delapril 3 mg/kg + indapamide 0.25 mg/kg). These results suggest that indapamide interacts with ACE inhibitors to limit aortic fibrosis independent of any well-established mechanism

    Fifty-kDa Hyaluronic Acid Upregulates Some Epidermal Genes without Changing TNF-α Expression in Reconstituted Epidermis

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    Background: Due to its strong water binding potential, hyaluronic acid (HA) is a well-known active ingredient for cosmetic applications. However, based on its varying molecular size, skin penetration of HA may be limited. Recent studies have demonstrated that low-molecular-weight HA (LMW HA) may show a certain proinflammatory activity. We thus aimed to characterize an LMW-sized HA molecule that combines strong anti-aging abilities with efficient skin penetration but lacks potential proinflammatory effects. Methods: Total RNA and total protein were isolated from reconstituted human epidermis following incubation with HAs of various molecular weights (20, 50, 130, 300, 800 and 1,500 kDa). Tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression was determined using quantitative PCR. Genonnic and proteomic expression of various junctional proteins was determined using Affymetrix and common Western blotting techniques. Results: LMW HA of approximately 50 kDa did not significantly alter tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression compared to 20-kDa HA, but revealed significantly higher skin penetration rates than larger sized HA associated with increased expression of genes and proteins known to be involved in tight junction formation and keratinocyte cohesion. Conclusion: LMW HA of approximately 50 kDa shows better penetration abilities than larger-sized HA. In addition, LMW HA influences the expression of various genes including those contributing to keratinocyte differentiation and formation of intercellular tight junction complexes without showing proinflammatory activity. These observations contribute to current knowledge on the effects of LMW HA on keratinocyte biology and cutaneous physiology. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Base

    Measurement of ISR-FSR interference in the processes e+ e- --> mu+ mu- gamma and e+ e- --> pi+ pi- gamma

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    Charge asymmetry in processes e+ e- --> mu+ mu- gamma and e+ e- --> pi+ pi- gamma is measured using 232 fb-1 of data collected with the BABAR detector at center-of-mass energies near 10.58 GeV. An observable is introduced and shown to be very robust against detector asymmetries while keeping a large sensitivity to the physical charge asymmetry that results from the interference between initial and final state radiation. The asymmetry is determined as afunction of the invariant mass of the final-state tracks from production threshold to a few GeV/c2. It is compared to the expectation from QED for e+ e- --> mu+ mu- gamma and from theoretical models for e+ e- --> pi+ pi- gamma. A clear interference pattern is observed in e+ e- --> pi+ pi- gamma, particularly in the vicinity of the f_2(1270) resonance. The inferred rate of lowest order FSR production is consistent with the QED expectation for e+ e- --> mu+ mu- gamma, and is negligibly small for e+ e- --> pi+ pi- gamma.Comment: 32 pages,29 figures, to be submitted to Phys. Rev.

    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 fb−1{\rm fb}^{-1} recorded at the ΄(4S)\Upsilon(4S) resonance and 3.9 fb−1{\rm fb}^{-1} off-resonance. One of the neutral B mesons, which are produced in pairs at the ΄(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/ψK∗0J/\psi K^{*0} (K∗0→KS0π0K^{*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/ψK∗0J/\psi K^{*0} (K∗0→K+π−K^{*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)ps−1\Delta m_d = 0.516\pm 0.016 {\rm (stat)} \pm 0.010 {\rm (syst)} {\rm ps}^{-1}. The value of the asymmetry amplitude sin⁥2ÎČ\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 sin⁥2ÎČ=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

    Measurement of CP Asymmetries and Branching Fractions in Charmless Two-Body B-Meson Decays to Pions and Kaons

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    We present improved measurements of CP-violation parameters in the decays B0→π+π−B^0 \to \pi^+ \pi^-, B0→K+π−B^0 \to K^+ \pi^-, and B0→π0π0B^0 \to \pi^0 \pi^0, and of the branching fractions for B0→π0π0B^0 \to \pi^0 \pi^0 and B0→K0π0B^0 \to K^0 \pi^0. The results are obtained with the full data set collected at the ΄(4S)\Upsilon(4S) resonance by the BABAR experiment at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy BB factory at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, corresponding to 467±5467 \pm 5 million BBˉB\bar B pairs. We find the CP-violation parameter values and branching fractions Sπ+π−=−0.68±0.10±0.03,Cπ+π−=−0.25±0.08±0.02,AK−π+=−0.107±0.016−0.004+0.006,Cπ0π0=−0.43±0.26±0.05,Br(B0→π0π0)=(1.83±0.21±0.13)×10−6,Br(B0→K0π0)=(10.1±0.6±0.4)×10−6, S_{\pi^+\pi^-} = -0.68 \pm 0.10 \pm 0.03, C_{\pi^+\pi^-} = -0.25 \pm 0.08 \pm 0.02, A_{K^-\pi^+} = -0.107 \pm 0.016 ^{+0.006}_{-0.004}, C_{\pi^0\pi^0} = -0.43 \pm 0.26 \pm 0.05, Br(B^0 \to \pi^0 \pi^0) = (1.83 \pm 0.21 \pm 0.13) \times 10^{-6}, Br(B^0 \to K^0 \pi^0) = (10.1 \pm 0.6 \pm 0.4) \times 10^{-6}, where in each case, the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic. We observe CP violation with a significance of 6.7 standard deviations for B0→π+π−B^0 \to\pi^+\pi^- and 6.1 standard deviations for B0→K+π−B^0 \to K^+ \pi^-, including systematic uncertainties. Constraints on the Unitarity Triangle angle α\alpha are determined from the isospin relations among the B→ππB \to \pi\pi rates and asymmetries. Considering only the solution preferred by the Standard Model, we find α\alpha to be in the range [71∘,109∘][71^\circ,109^\circ] at the 68% confidence level.Comment: 18 pages, 11 postscript figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

    Cross Sections for the Reactions e+e- --> K+ K- pi+pi-, K+ K- pi0pi0, and K+ K- K+ K- Measured Using Initial-State Radiation Events

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    We study the processes e+e- --> K+ K- pi+pi-gamma, K+ K- pi0pi0gamma, and K+ K- K+ K-gamma, where the photon is radiated from the initial state. About 84000, 8000, and 4200 fully reconstructed events, respectively, are selected from 454 fb-1 of BaBar data. The invariant mass of the hadronic final state defines the \epem center-of-mass energy, so that the K+ K- pi+pi- data can be compared with direct measurements of the e+e- --> K+ K- pi+pi- reaction. No direct measurements exist for the e+e- --> K+ K-pi0pi0 or e+e- --> K+ K-K+ K- reactions, and we present an update of our previous result with doubled statistics. Studying the structure of these events, we find contributions from a number of intermediate states, and extract their cross sections. In particular, we perform a more detailed study of the e+e- --> phi(1020)pipigamma reaction, and confirm the presence of the Y(2175) resonance in the phi(1020) f0(980) and K+K-f0(980) modes. In the charmonium region, we observe the J/psi in all three final states and in several intermediate states, as well as the psi(2S) in some modes, and measure the corresponding product of branching fraction and electron width.Comment: 35 pages, 42 figure

    Measurement of Branching Fractions and Rate Asymmetries in the Rare Decays B -> K(*) l+ l-

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    In a sample of 471 million BB events collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e+e- collider we study the rare decays B -> K(*) l+ l-, where l+ l- is either e+e- or mu+mu-. We report results on partial branching fractions and isospin asymmetries in seven bins of di-lepton mass-squared. We further present CP and lepton-flavor asymmetries for di-lepton masses below and above the J/psi resonance. We find no evidence for CP or lepton-flavor violation. The partial branching fractions and isospin asymmetries are consistent with the Standard Model predictions and with results from other experiments.Comment: 16 pages, 14 figures, accepted by Phys. Rev.

    Branching fraction and form-factor shape measurements of exclusive charmless semileptonic B decays, and determination of |V_{ub}|

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    We report the results of a study of the exclusive charmless semileptonic decays, B^0 --> pi^- l^+ nu, B^+ --> pi^0 l^+ nu, B^+ --> omega l^+ nu, B^+ --> eta l^+ nu and B^+ --> eta^' l^+ nu, (l = e or mu) undertaken with approximately 462x10^6 B\bar{B} pairs collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the BABAR detector. The analysis uses events in which the signal B decays are reconstructed with a loose neutrino reconstruction technique. We obtain partial branching fractions in several bins of q^2, the square of the momentum transferred to the lepton-neutrino pair, for B^0 --> pi^- l^+ nu, B^+ --> pi^0 l^+ nu, B^+ --> omega l^+ nu and B^+ --> eta l^+ nu. From these distributions, we extract the form-factor shapes f_+(q^2) and the total branching fractions BF(B^0 --> pi^- l^+ nu) = (1.45 +/- 0.04_{stat} +/- 0.06_{syst})x10^-4 (combined pi^- and pi^0 decay channels assuming isospin symmetry), BF(B^+ --> omega l^+ nu) = (1.19 +/- 0.16_{stat} +/- 0.09_{syst})x10^-4 and BF(B^+ --> eta l^+ nu) = (0.38 +/- 0.05_{stat} +/- 0.05_{syst})x10^-4. We also measure BF(B^+ --> eta^' l^+ nu) = (0.24 +/- 0.08_{stat} +/- 0.03_{syst})x10^-4. We obtain values for the magnitude of the CKM matrix element V_{ub} by direct comparison with three different QCD calculations in restricted q^2 ranges of B --> pi l^+ nu decays. From a simultaneous fit to the experimental data over the full q^2 range and the FNAL/MILC lattice QCD predictions, we obtain |V_{ub}| = (3.25 +/- 0.31)x10^-3, where the error is the combined experimental and theoretical uncertainty.Comment: 35 pages, 14 figures, submitted to PR
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