3 research outputs found
Hepatic abnormalities in patients with chronic granulomatous disease
Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a rare congenital disorder characterized
by repeated bacterial and fungal infections. Aside from a high incidence of liver
abscess, little is known about hepatic involvement in CGD. The aim of this study
was to describe the spectrum of liver abnormalities seen in CGD. The charts of
194 patients with CGD followed at the NIH were reviewed, with a focus on liver
abnormalities. Liver enzyme elevations occurred on at least one occasion in 73%
of patients during a mean of 8.9 years of follow-up. ALT elevations were
generally transient. Although transient alkaline phosphatase (ALP) elevations
were also common, persistent ALP elevations lasting up to 17.6 years were seen in
25% of patients. Liver abscess occurred in 35% of patients. Drug-induced
hepatotoxicity was documented in 15% of patients but likely occurred more
frequently. Hepatomegaly was found in 34% and splenomegaly in 56% of patients.
Liver histology showed granulomata in 75% and lobular hepatitis in 90% of
specimens. Venopathy of the portal vein was common (80%) and associated with
splenomegaly. Venopathy of the central vein was also common (63%) and was
associated with the number of abscess episodes. Nodular regenerative hyperplasia
(NRH) was seen in 9 patients, including 6 of 12 autopsy specimens. CONCLUSION:
Liver enzyme abnormalities occur frequently in patients with CGD. In addition to
liver abscesses and granulomata, drug hepatotoxicity is likely underappreciated.
Vascular lesions such as venopathy and--to a lesser extent--NRH are common. The
cause and clinical consequences of venopathy await prospective evaluation
Search for an axion-like particle in radiative J/ψ decays
We search for an axion-like particle (ALP) a through the process ψ(3686)→π+π−J/ψ, J/ψ→γa, a→γγ in a data sample of (2.71±0.01)×109 ψ(3686) events collected by the BESIII detector. No significant ALP signal is observed over the expected background, and the upper limits on the branching fraction of the decay J/ψ→γa and the ALP-photon coupling constant gaγγ are set at 95% confidence level in the mass range of 0.165≤ma≤2.84GeV/c2. The limits on B(J/ψ→γa) range from 8.3×10−8 to 1.8×10−6 over the search region, and the constraints on the ALP-photon coupling are the most stringent to date for 0.165≤ma≤1.468GeV/c2
Measurement of singly Cabibbo-suppressed decays D0 → π0π0π0, π0π0η, π0ηη and ηηη
Using a data sample of e+e− collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93 fb−1 collected with the BESIII detector at a center-of-mass energy of s=3.773GeV, we search for the singly Cabibbo-suppressed decays D0→π0π0π0, π0π0η, π0ηη and ηηη using the double tag method. The absolute branching fractions are measured to be B(D0→π0π0π0)=(2.0±0.4±0.3)×10−4, B(D0→π0π0η)=(3.8±1.1±0.7)×10−4 and B(D0→π0ηη)=(7.3±1.6±1.5)×10−4 with the statistical significances of 4.8σ, 3.8σ and 5.5σ, respectively, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second ones systematic. No significant signal of D0→ηηη is found, and the upper limit on its decay branching fraction is set to be B(D0→ηηη)<1.3×10−4 at the 90% confidence level