DNA Methylation of the ABO Promoter Underlies Loss of ABO Allelic Expression in a Significant Proportion of Leukemic Patients

Background: Loss of A, B and H antigens from the red blood cells of patients with myeloid malignancies is a frequent occurrence. Previously, we have reported alterations in ABH antigens on the red blood cells of 55% of patients with myeloid malignancies. Methodology/Principal Findings: To determine the underlying molecular mechanisms of this loss, we assessed ABO allelic expression in 21 patients with ABH antigen loss previously identified by flow cytometric analysis as well as an additional 7 patients detected with ABH antigen changes by serology. When assessing ABO mRNA allelic expression, 6/12 (50%) patients with ABH antigen loss detected by flow cytometry and 5/7 (71%) of the patients with ABH antigen loss detected by serology had a corresponding ABO mRNA allelic loss of expression. We examined the ABO locus for copy number and DNA methylation alterations in 21 patients, 11 with loss of expression of one or both ABO alleles, and 10 patients with no detectable allelic loss of ABO mRNA expression. No loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at the ABO locus was observed in these patients. However in 8/11 (73%) patients with loss of ABO allelic expression, the ABO promoter was methylated compared with 2/10 (20%) of patients with no ABO allelic expression loss (P = 0.03). Conclusions/Significance: We have found that loss of ABH antigens in patients with hematological malignancies is associated with a corresponding loss of ABO allelic expression in a significant proportion of patients. Loss of ABO allelic expression was strongly associated with DNA methylation of the ABO promoter.Tina Bianco-Miotto, Damian J. Hussey, Tanya K. Day, Denise S. O'Keefe and Alexander Dobrovi

Observation of ηc→ωω\eta_c\to\omega\omega in J/ψ→γωωJ/\psi\to\gamma\omega\omega

Using a sample of $(1310.6\pm7.0)\times10^6$ $J/\psi$ events recorded with the BESIII detector at the symmetric electron positron collider BEPCII, we report the observation of the decay of the $(1^1 S_0)$ charmonium state $\eta_c$ into a pair of $\omega$ mesons in the process $J/\psi\to\gamma\omega\omega$. The branching fraction is measured for the first time to be $\mathcal{B}(\eta_c\to\omega\omega)= (2.88\pm0.10\pm0.46\pm0.68)\times10^{-3}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third is from the uncertainty of $\mathcal{B}(J/\psi\to\gamma\eta_c)$. The mass and width of the $\eta_c$ are determined as $M=(2985.9\pm0.7\pm2.1)\,$MeV/$c^2$ and $\Gamma=(33.8\pm1.6\pm4.1)\,$MeV.Comment: 13 pages, 6 figure

Observation and study of the decay J/ψ→ϕηη′J/\psi\rightarrow\phi\eta\eta'

We report the observation and study of the decay $J/\psi\rightarrow\phi\eta\eta'$ using $1.3\times{10^9}$ $J/\psi$ events collected with the BESIII detector. Its branching fraction, including all possible intermediate states, is measured to be $(2.32\pm0.06\pm0.16)\times{10^{-4}}$. We also report evidence for a structure, denoted as $X$, in the $\phi\eta'$ mass spectrum in the $2.0-2.1$ GeV/$c^2$ region. Using two decay modes of the $\eta'$ meson ($\gamma\pi^+\pi^-$ and $\eta\pi^+\pi^-$), a simultaneous fit to the $\phi\eta'$ mass spectra is performed. Assuming the quantum numbers of the $X$ to be $J^P = 1^-$, its significance is found to be 4.4$\sigma$, with a mass and width of $(2002.1 \pm 27.5 \pm 21.4)$ MeV/$c^2$ and $(129 \pm 17 \pm 9)$ MeV, respectively, and a product branching fraction $\mathcal{B}(J/\psi\rightarrow\eta{}X)\times{}\mathcal{B}(X\rightarrow\phi\eta')=(9.8 \pm 1.2 \pm 1.7)\times10^{-5}$. Alternatively, assuming $J^P = 1^+$, the significance is 3.8$\sigma$, with a mass and width of $(2062.8 \pm 13.1 \pm 7.2)$ MeV/$c^2$ and $(177 \pm 36 \pm 35)$ MeV, respectively, and a product branching fraction $\mathcal{B}(J/\psi\rightarrow\eta{}X)\times{}\mathcal{B}(X\rightarrow\phi\eta')=(9.6 \pm 1.4 \pm 2.0)\times10^{-5}$. The angular distribution of $J/\psi\rightarrow\eta{}X$ is studied and the two $J^P$ assumptions of the $X$ cannot be clearly distinguished due to the limited statistics. In all measurements the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures and 4 table

Observation of Ds+→pnˉD^+_s\rightarrow p\bar{n} and confirmation of its large branching fraction

The baryonic decay $D^+_s\rightarrow p\bar{n}$ is observed, and the corresponding branching fraction is measured to be $(1.21\pm0.10\pm0.05)\times10^{-3}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and second systematic. The data sample used in this analysis was collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII $e^+e^-$ double-ring collider with a center-of-mass energy of 4.178~GeV and an integrated luminosity of 3.19~fb$^{-1}$. The result confirms the previous measurement by the CLEO Collaboration and is of greatly improved precision, which may deepen our understanding of the dynamical enhancement of the W-annihilation topology in the charmed meson decays

Measurement of proton electromagnetic form factors in e+e−→ppˉe^+e^- \to p\bar{p} in the energy region 2.00-3.08 GeV

The process of $e^+e^- \rightarrow p\bar{p}$ is studied at 22 center-of-mass energy points ($\sqrt{s}$) from 2.00 to 3.08 GeV, exploiting 688.5~pb$^{-1}$ of data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII collider. The Born cross section~($\sigma_{p\bar{p}}$) of $e^+e^- \rightarrow p\bar{p}$ is measured with the energy-scan technique and it is found to be consistent with previously published data, but with much improved accuracy. In addition, the electromagnetic form-factor ratio ($|G_{E}/G_{M}|$) and the value of the effective ($|G_{\rm{eff}}|$), electric ($|G_E|$) and magnetic ($|G_M|$) form factors are measured by studying the helicity angle of the proton at 16 center-of-mass energy points. $|G_{E}/G_{M}|$ and $|G_M|$ are determined with high accuracy, providing uncertainties comparable to data in the space-like region, and $|G_E|$ is measured for the first time. We reach unprecedented accuracy, and precision results in the time-like region provide information to improve our understanding of the proton inner structure and to test theoretical models which depend on non-perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics

Observation of the WW-Annihilation Decay Ds+→ωπ+D^{+}_{s} \rightarrow \omega \pi^{+} and Evidence for Ds+→ωK+D^{+}_{s} \rightarrow \omega K^{+}

We report on the observation of the $W$-annihilation decay $D^{+}_{s} \rightarrow \omega \pi^{+}$ and the evidence for $D_{s}^{+} \rightarrow \omega K^{+}$ with a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.19 fb$^{-1}$ collected with the BESIII detector at the center-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s} = 4.178$ GeV. We obtain the branching fractions $\mathcal{B}(D^{+}_{s} \rightarrow \omega \pi^{+}) = (1.77\pm0.32_{{\rm stat.}}\pm0.11_{{\rm sys.}}) \times 10^{-3}$ and $\mathcal{B}(D^{+}_{s} \rightarrow \omega K^{+}) = (0.87\pm0.24_{{\rm stat.}}\pm0.07_{{\rm sys.}}) \times 10^{-3}$, respectively

Evidence of a resonant structure in the e+e−→π+D0D∗−e^+e^-\to \pi^+D^0D^{*-} cross section between 4.05 and 4.60 GeV

The cross section of the process $e^+e^-\to \pi^+D^0D^{*-}$ for center-of-mass energies from 4.05 to 4.60~GeV is measured precisely using data samples collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. Two enhancements are clearly visible in the cross section around 4.23 and 4.40~GeV. Using several models to describe the dressed cross section yields stable parameters for the first enhancement, which has a mass of 4228.6 \pm 4.1 \pm 6.3 \un{MeV}/c^2 and a width of 77.0 \pm 6.8 \pm 6.3 \un{MeV}, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second ones are systematic. Our resonant mass is consistent with previous observations of the $Y(4220)$ state and the theoretical prediction of a $D\bar{D}_1(2420)$ molecule. This result is the first observation of $Y(4220)$ associated with an open-charm final state. Fits with three resonance functions with additional $Y(4260)$, $Y(4320)$, $Y(4360)$, $\psi(4415)$, or a new resonance, do not show significant contributions from either of these resonances. The second enhancement is not from a single known resonance. It could contain contributions from $\psi(4415)$ and other resonances, and a detailed amplitude analysis is required to better understand this enhancement

First observations of hc→h_c \to hadrons

Based on $(4.48 \pm 0.03) \times 10^{8}$ $\psi(3686)$ events collected with the BESIII detector, five $h_c$ hadronic decays are searched for via process $\psi(3686) \to \pi^0 h_c$. Three of them, $h_c \to p \bar{p} \pi^+ \pi^-$, $\pi^+ \pi^- \pi^0$, and $2(\pi^+ \pi^-) \pi^0$ are observed for the first time, with statistical significances of 7.4$\sigma$, $4.9\sigma$, and 9.1$\sigma$, and branching fractions of $(2.89\pm0.32\pm0.55)\times10^{-3}$, $(1.60\pm0.40\pm0.32)\times10^{-3}$, and $(7.44\pm0.94\pm1.56)\times10^{-3}$, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. No significant signal is observed for the other two decay modes, and the corresponding upper limits of the branching fractions are determined to be $B(h_c \to 3(\pi^+ \pi^-) \pi^0)<8.7\times10^{-3}$ and $B(h_c \to K^+ K^- \pi^+ \pi^-)<5.8\times10^{-4}$ at 90% confidence level.Comment: 17 pages, 16 figure

Search for the decay J/ψ→γ+invisibleJ/\psi\to\gamma + \rm {invisible}

We search for $J/\psi$ radiative decays into a weakly interacting neutral particle, namely an invisible particle, using the $J/\psi$ produced through the process $\psi(3686)\to\pi^+\pi^-J/\psi$ in a data sample of $(448.1\pm2.9)\times 10^6$ $\psi(3686)$ decays collected by the BESIII detector at BEPCII. No significant signal is observed. Using a modified frequentist method, upper limits on the branching fractions are set under different assumptions of invisible particle masses up to 1.2 $\mathrm{\ Ge\kern -0.1em V}/c^2$. The upper limit corresponding to an invisible particle with zero mass is 7.0$\times 10^{-7}$ at the 90\% confidence level

Observation of D+→f0(500)e+νeD^+ \to f_0(500) e^+\nu_e and Improved Measurements of D→ρe+νeD \to\rho e^+\nu_e

Using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93~fb$^{-1}$ recorded by the BESIII detector at a center-of-mass energy of $3.773$ GeV, we present an analysis of the decays $\bar{D}^0\to\pi^+\pi^0 e^-\bar{\nu}_e$ and $D^+\to\pi^-\pi^+ e^+\nu_e$. By performing a partial wave analysis, the $\pi^+\pi^-$ $S$-wave contribution to $D^+\to\pi^-\pi^+ e^+\nu_e$ is observed to be $(25.7\pm1.6\pm1.1)$% with a statistical significance greater than 10$\sigma$, besides the dominant $P$-wave contribution. This is the first observation of the $S$-wave contribution. We measure the branching fractions $\mathcal{B}(D^{0} \to \rho^- e^+ \nu_e) = (1.445\pm 0.058 \pm 0.039) \times10^{-3}$, $\mathcal{B}(D^{+} \to \rho^0 e^+ \nu_e) = (1.860\pm 0.070 \pm 0.061) \times10^{-3}$, and $\mathcal{B}(D^{+} \to f_0(500) e^+ \nu_e, f_0(500)\to\pi^+\pi^-) = (6.30\pm 0.43 \pm 0.32) \times10^{-4}$. An upper limit of $\mathcal{B}(D^{+} \to f_0(980) e^+ \nu_e, f_0(980)\to\pi^+\pi^-) < 2.8 \times10^{-5}$ is set at the 90% confidence level. We also obtain the hadronic form factor ratios of $D\to \rho e^+\nu_e$ at $q^{2}=0$ assuming the single-pole dominance parameterization: $r_{V}=\frac{V(0)}{A_{1}(0)}=1.695\pm0.083\pm0.051$, $r_{2}=\frac{A_{2}(0)}{A_{1}(0)}=0.845\pm0.056\pm0.039$