Early growth performances of various seed sources of black (Prunus serotina Erhr.) and wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) seedlings on low and high elevation sites in the western Black Sea Region of Turkey

The growth performances of one-year old seedlings of various black cherry (BC) and wild cherry (WC) seed sources (SSs) that were planted on low elevation sites (LES) and high elevation sites (HES) in the western Black Sea Region (BSR) of Turkey were assessed one and five years after planting (YAP). Significance between and within-species variations were found for seedling growth. On species basis, WC was superior to BC for seedling groundline diameter and height growth for the low elevation sites(LES) of one and five years after planting (YAP), whereas no substantial survival and growth differences were found between the species for the high elevation sites (HES) of five YAP. Generally, seedlings averaged a greater survival on the LES, when compared with those on the HES. Local WC SSs (Tefen, Yayla and Dirgine) demonstrated an enhanced seedling survival and growth on LES than the other SSs. Unlike the LES results, a collection of BC (Michigan 1 and Ukraine) and WC SSs (Dirgine, Germany, and Tefen) displayed the best seedling growth over five years. The HES seedlings frequently experienced diebacks and forking due to heavy snow fall and wildlife browsing. Selection of the local WC SSs was vital for the LES. However, BC SSs may present a potential for planting on the HES with harsher environmental conditions.Keywords: Black cherry, provenance test, seedling growth and survival, wild cherry

Ion source and LEBT of KAHVELab proton beamline

The KAHVE Laboratory, at Bo\u{g}azi\c{c}i University, Istanbul, Turkey is home to an educational proton linac project. The proton beam will originate from a 20 keV H+ source and will be delivered to a two module Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) operating at 800 MHz via a low energy beam transport (LEBT) line. Currently, the design phase being over, commissioning and stability tests are ongoing for the proton beamline which is already produced and installed except the RFQ which is being manufactured. This work summarizes the design, production and test phases of the ion source and LEBT line components

Prognostic value of fractional flow reserve: Linking physiologic severity to clinical outcomes

BACKGROUND: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) has become an established tool for guiding treatment, but its graded relationship to clinical outcomes as modulated by medical therapy versus revascularization remains unclear.OBJECTIVES: The study hypothesized that FFR displays a continuous relationship between its numeric value and prognosis, such that lower FFR values confer a higher risk and therefore receive larger absolute benefits from revascularization.METHODS: Meta-analysis of study- and patient-level data investigated prognosis after FFR measurement. An interaction term between FFR and revascularization status allowed for an outcomes-based threshold.RESULTS: A total of 9,173 (study-level) and 6,961 (patient-level) lesions were included with a median follow-up of 16 and 14 months, respectively. Clinical events increased as FFR decreased, and revascularization showed larger net benefit for lower baseline FFR values. Outcomes-derived FFR thresholds generally occurred around the range 0.75 to 0.80, although limited due to confounding by indication. FFR measured immediately after stenting also showed an inverse relationship with prognosis (hazard ratio: 0.86, 95% confidence interval: 0.80 to 0.93; p < 0.001). An FFR-assisted strategy led to revascularization roughly half as often as an anatomy-based strategy, but with 20% fewer adverse events and 10% better angina relief.CONCLUSIONS: FFR demonstrates a continuous and independent relationship with subsequent outcomes, modulated by medical therapy versus revascularization. Lesions with lower FFR values receive larger absolute benefits from revascularization. Measurement of FFR immediately after stenting also shows an inverse gradient of risk, likely from residual diffuse disease. An FFR-guided revascularization strategy significantly reduces events and increases freedom from angina with fewer procedures than an anatomy-based strategy

Measurement of D+→KS0K+D^+ \to K_S^0 K^+ and Ds+→KS0π+D^+_s \to K_S^0 \pi^+ branching ratios

We report an improved measurement of $D^+ \to K_S^0 K^+$ and $D^+_s\to K_S^0 \pi^+$ branching ratios using 605 fb$^{-1}$ of data collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+ e^-$ collider. The measured branching ratios with respect to the Cabibbo-favored modes are $\mathcal{B}(D^+ \to K_S^0 K^+)/\mathcal{B}(D^+ \to K_S^0 \pi^+)$ = 0.1899$\pm0.0011\pm$0.0022 and $\mathcal{B}(D^+_s \to K_S^0 \pi^+)/\mathcal{B}(D^+_s \to K_S^0 K^+)$ = 0.0803$\pm0.0024\pm$0.0019 where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic

Observation of Bs0→J/ψf0(980)B_s^0\to J/\psi f_0(980) and Evidence for Bs0→J/ψf0(1370)B_s^0\to J/\psi f_0(1370)

We report the first observation of $B_s^0\to J/\psi f_0(980)$ and first evidence for $B_s^0\to J/\psi f_0(1370)$, which are CP eigenstate decay modes. These results are obtained from $121.4\;\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ of data collected at the $\Upsilon(5S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB $e^+e^-$ collider. We measure the branching fractions $\mathcal{B}(B_s^0\to J/\psi f_0(980);f_0(980)\to\pi^+\pi^-)=(1.16^{+0.31}_{-0.19}(\mathrm{stat.})^{+0.15}_{-0.17}(\mathrm{syst.})^{+0.26}_{-0.18}(N_{B_s^{(*)}\bar B_s^{(*)}})) \times 10^{-4}$ with a significance of $8.4\sigma$, and $\mathcal{B}(B_s^0\to J/\psi f_0(1370);f_0(1370)\to\pi^+\pi^-)=(0.34^{+0.11}_{-0.14}(\mathrm{stat.})^{+0.03}_{-0.02}(\mathrm{syst.})^{+0.08}_{-0.05}(N_{B_s^{(*)}\bar B_s^{(*)}})) \times 10^{-4}$ with a significance of $4.2\sigma$. The last error listed is due to uncertainty in the number of produced $B_s^{(*)}\bar B_s^{(*)}$ pairs.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables, published in PR

Observation of Bs->Ds(*)+Ds(*)- using e+e- collisions and a determination of the Bs-Bsbar width difference \Delta\Gamma_s

We have made the first observation of Bs->Ds(*)+Ds(*)- decays using 23.6 fb-1 of data recorded by the Belle experiment running on the Upsilon(5S) resonance. The branching fractions are measured to be B(B^0_s\ra D^+_s D^-_s) = (1.0\,^{+0.4}_{-0.3}\,^{+0.3}_{-0.2})%, B(B^0_s\ra D^{*\pm}_s D^{\mp}_s) = (2.8\,^{+0.8}_{-0.7}\,\pm 0.7)%, and B(B^0_s\ra D^{*+}_s D^{*-}_s) = (3.1\,^{+1.2}_{-1.0}\,\pm 0.8)%; the sum is B(B^0_s\ra D^{(*)+}_s D^{(*)-}_s) = (6.9\,^{+1.5}_{-1.3}\,\pm 1.9)%. Assuming Bs->Ds(*)+Ds(*)- saturates decays to CP-even final states, the branching fraction determines the ratio \Delta\Gamma_s/cos(\phi), where \Delta\Gamma_s is the difference in widths between the two Bs-Bsbar mass eigenstates, and \phi is a CP-violating weak phase. Taking CP violation to be negligibly small, we obtain \Delta\Gamma_s/\Gamma_s = 0.147^{+0.036}_{-0.030}(stat.)^{+0.044}_{-0.042}(syst.), where \Gamma_s is the mean decay width.Comment: 13 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables. v2: text added for clarification, version published in Phys. Rev. Letter

First observation of the P-wave spin-singlet bottomonium states h_b(1P) and h_b(2P)

We report the first observation of the spin-singlet bottomonium states h_b(1P) and h_b(2P) produced in the reaction e+e- --> hb(nP)pi+pi- using a 121.4fb-1 data sample collected at energies near the Upsilon(5S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. We determine M[h_b(1P)]=(9898.3+/-1.1+1.0-1.1) MeV/c^2 and M[h_b(2P)]=(10259.8+/-0.6+1.4-1.0) MeV/c^2,which correspond to P-wave hyperfine splittings Delta(M_HF) = (+1.6+/-1.5) MeV/c^2 and (+0.5+1.6-1.2) MeV/c^2, respectively. The h_b(1P) and h_b(2P) are observed with significances of 5.5sigma and 11.2sigma, respectively. We also report measurements of the cross sections for e+e- \rightarrow h_b(nP)pi+pi- relative to that for e+e- --> Upsilon(2S)pi+pi-.Comment: v2: Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett., August 2, 2011. v1: Contributed to Les Rencontres de Physique de la Vallee d'Aoste (LaThuile 2011), La Thuile, Aosta Valley, Italy, February 27 - March 5, 201