A Model-independent Description of New Physics effects in e+e- to t tbar

We study the potential of a future $e^+e^-$ collider for the search of anomalous gamma t t bar and Z t t bar couplings, assuming that CP-invariance holds. This is done in a model-independent way, considering that all six possible couplings do appear. Two experimental situations are envisaged, with and without electron beam polarization. Observability limits in the form of domains in the 6-dimensional parameter space are established. Illustrations for specific constrained models are also presented and implications for new physics searches are discussed.Comment: 26 pages and 5 figures. e-mail: [email protected]

Flavor changing t -> c l_1^- l_2^+ decay in the general two Higgs doublet model

We study the flavor changing t-> c l_1^- l_2^+ decay in the framework of the general two Higgs doublet model, the so called model III. We predict the branching ratio for l_1=\tau, l_2=\mu at the order of magnitude of BR \sim 10^{-8}.Comment: 12 Pages, 5 Figure

CP Violation in B Decays from Anomalous tbW Interactions

We calculate the effect of new CP violating interactions parameterized by an anomalous $tbW$ coupling on CP-odd observables in B decays. We find that couplings consistent with current bounds induce observable effects in some CP asymmetries that will be measured in B-factories. The new effects are sufficiently large that they can actually test specific models that give rise to these $tbW$ interactions.Comment: We have added a new section showing that the new effects are sufficiently large that they can be measured at a B-factor

Probing Topcolor-Assisted Technicolor from Top-Charm Associated Production at LHC

We propose to probe the topcolor-assisted technicolor (TC2) model from the top-charm associated productions at the LHC, which are highly suppressed in the Standard Model. Due to the flavor-changing couplings of the top quark with the scalars (top-pions and top-Higgs) in TC2 model, the top-charm associated productions can occur via both the s-channel and t-channel parton processes by exchanging a scalar field at the LHC. We examined these processes through Monte Carlo simulation and found that they can reach the observable level at the LHC in quite a large part of the parameter space of the TC2 model.Comment: Version to appear in PRD (Rapid Communication

Single Top Quark Production via FCNC Couplings at Hadron Colliders

We calculate single top-quark production at hadron colliders via the chromo-magnetic flavor-changing neutral current couplings $\bar tcg$ and $\bar tug$. We find that the strength for the anomalous $\bar tcg$ ($\bar tug$) coupling may be probed to $\kappa_c / \Lambda = 0.092 {TeV}^{-1}$ ($\kappa_u / \Lambda = 0.026 {TeV}^{-1}$) at the Tevatron with $2 {fb}^{-1}$ of data and $\kappa_c / \Lambda = 0.013 {TeV}^{-1}$ ($\kappa_u / \Lambda = 0.0061 {TeV}^{-1}$) at the LHC with $10 {fb}^{-1}$ of data. The two couplings may be distinguished by a comparision of the single top signal with the direct top and top decay signals for these couplings.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, 3 table

Single top production at the LHC as a probe of R parity violation

We investigate the potential of the LHC to probe the R parity violating couplings involving the third generation by considering single top production. This study is based on particle level event generation for both signal and background, interfaced to a simplified simulation of the ATLAS detector.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables (LaTeX, style revtex), few references adde

Dimension-six CP-conserving operators of the third-family quarks and their effects on collider observables

We list all possible dimension-six CP-conserving $SU_c(3)\times SU_L(2) \times U_Y(1)$ invariant operators involving the third-family quarks which could be generated by new physics at a higher scale. Expressions for these operators after electroweak gauge symmetry breaking and the induced effective couplings $Wt\bar b$, $Xb\bar b$ and $Xt\bar t$ $( X=Z,\gamma,g,H)$ are presented. Analytic expressions for the tree level contributions of all these operators to the observables $R_b$ and $A^b_{FB}$ at LEP I, $\sigma(e^+e^-\rightarrow b\bar b)$ and $A^b_{FB}$ at LEP II, $\sigma(e^+e^-\rightarrow t\bar t)$ and $A_{FB}^t$ at the NLC, as well as $\sigma(p\bar p\rightarrow t\bar b+X)$ at the Tevatron upgrade, are provided. The effects of these operators on different electroweak observables are discussed and numerical examples presented. Numerical analyses show that in the coupling region allowed by $R_b$ and $A^b_{FB}$ at LEP I, some of the new physics operators can still have significant contributions at LEP II, the Tevatron and the NLC.Comment: 25 page

Ep-CAM expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus: a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the expression and test the clinical significance of the epithelial cellular adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) to check the suitability of esophageal SCC patients for Ep-CAM directed targeted therapies. METHODS: The Ep-CAM expression was immunohistochemically investigated in 70 primary esophageal SCCs using the monoclonal antibody Ber-EP4. For the interpretation of the staining results, we used a standardized scoring system ranging from 0 to 3+. The survival analysis was calculated from 53 patients without distant metastasis, with R0 resection and at least 2 months of clinical follow-up. RESULTS: Ep-CAM neo-expression was observed in 79% of the tumors with three expression levels, 1+ (26%), 2+ (11%) and 3+ (41%). Heterogeneous expression was observed at all expression levels. Interestingly, tumors with 3+ Ep-CAM expression conferred a significantly decreased median relapse-free survival period (log rank, p = 0.0001) and median overall survival (log rank, p = 0.0003). Multivariate survival analysis disclosed Ep-CAM 3+ expression as independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest Ep-CAM as an attractive molecule for targeted therapy in esophageal SCC. Considering the discontenting results of the current adjuvant concepts for esophageal SCC patients, Ep-CAM might provide a promising target for an adjuvant immunotherapeutic intervention

Characterising co-infections with Plasmodium spp., Mansonella perstans or Loa loa in asymptomatic children, adults and elderly people living on Bioko Island using nucleic acids extracted from malaria rapid diagnostic tests

BACKGROUND: Regular and comprehensive epidemiological surveys of the filarial nematodes Mansonella perstans and Loa loa in children, adolescents and adults living across Bioko Island, Equatorial Guinea are lacking. We aimed to demonstrate that blood retained on malaria rapid diagnostic tests, commonly deployed for malaria surveys, could be used as a source of nucleic acids for molecular based detection of M. perstans and L. loa. We wanted to determine the positivity rate and distribution of filarial nematodes across different age groups and geographical areas as well as to understand level of co-infections with malaria in an asymptomatic population. METHODOLOGY: M. perstans, L. loa and Plasmodium spp. parasites were monitored by qPCR in a cross-sectional study using DNA extracted from a subset malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) collected during the annual malaria indicator survey conducted on Bioko Island in 2018. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We identified DNA specific for the two filarial nematodes investigated among 8.2% (263) of the 3214 RDTs screened. Positivity rates of M. perstans and L. loa were 6.6% and 1.5%, respectively. M. perstans infection were more prominent in male (10.5%) compared to female (3.9%) survey participants. M. perstans parasite density and positivity rate was higher among older people and the population living in rural areas. The socio-economic status of participants strongly influenced the infection rate with people belonging to the lowest socio-economic quintile more than 3 and 5 times more likely to be L. loa and M. perstans infected, respectively. No increased risk of being co-infected with Plasmodium spp. parasites was observed among the different age groups. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We found otherwise asymptomatic individuals were infected with M. perstans and L. loa. Our study demonstrates that employing mRDTs probed with blood for malaria testing represents a promising, future tool to preserve and ship NAs at room temperature to laboratories for molecular, high-throughput diagnosis and genotyping of blood-dwelling nematode filarial infections. Using this approach, asymptomatic populations can be reached and surveyed for infectious diseases beyond malaria

First International Consensus Conference on lesions of uncertain malignant potential in the breast (B3 lesions).

The purpose of this study is to obtain a consensus for the therapy of B3 lesions. The first International Consensus Conference on lesions of uncertain malignant potential in the breast (B3 lesions) including atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), flat epithelial atypia (FEA), classical lobular neoplasia (LN), papillary lesions (PL), benign phyllodes tumors (PT), and radial scars (RS) took place in January 2016 in Zurich, Switzerland organized by the International Breast Ultrasound School and the Swiss Minimally Invasive Breast Biopsy group-a subgroup of the Swiss Society of Senology. Consensus recommendations for the management and follow-up surveillance of these B3 lesions were developed and areas of research priorities were identified. The consensus recommendation for FEA, LN, PL, and RS diagnosed on core needle biopsy or vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) is to therapeutically excise the lesion seen on imaging by VAB and no longer by open surgery, with follow-up surveillance imaging for 5 years. The consensus recommendation for ADH and PT is, with some exceptions, therapeutic first-line open surgical excision. Minimally invasive management of selected B3 lesions with therapeutic VAB is acceptable as an alternative to first-line surgical excision