A search for the decay modes B+/- to h+/- tau l

We present a search for the lepton flavor violating decay modes B+/- to h+/- tau l (h= K,pi; l= e,mu) using the BaBar data sample, which corresponds to 472 million BBbar pairs. The search uses events where one B meson is fully reconstructed in one of several hadronic final states. Using the momenta of the reconstructed B, h, and l candidates, we are able to fully determine the tau four-momentum. The resulting tau candidate mass is our main discriminant against combinatorial background. We see no evidence for B+/- to h+/- tau l decays and set a 90% confidence level upper limit on each branching fraction at the level of a few times 10^-5.Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Observation and study of baryonic B decays: B -> D(*) p pbar, D(*) p pbar pi, and D(*) p pbar pi pi

We present a study of ten B-meson decays to a D(*), a proton-antiproton pair, and a system of up to two pions using BaBar's data set of 455x10^6 BBbar pairs. Four of the modes (B0bar -> D0 p anti-p, B0bar -> D*0 p anti-p, B0bar -> D+ p anti-p pi-, B0bar -> D*+ p anti-p pi-) are studied with improved statistics compared to previous measurements; six of the modes (B- -> D0 p anti-p pi-, B- -> D*0 p anti-p pi-, B0bar -> D0 p anti-p pi- pi+, B0bar -> D*0 p anti-p pi- pi+, B- -> D+ p anti-p pi- pi-, B- -> D*+ p anti-p pi- pi-) are first observations. The branching fractions for 3- and 5-body decays are suppressed compared to 4-body decays. Kinematic distributions for 3-body decays show non-overlapping threshold enhancements in m(p anti-p) and m(D(*)0 p) in the Dalitz plots. For 4-body decays, m(p pi-) mass projections show a narrow peak with mass and full width of (1497.4 +- 3.0 +- 0.9) MeV/c2, and (47 +- 12 +- 4) MeV/c2, respectively, where the first (second) errors are statistical (systematic). For 5-body decays, mass projections are similar to phase space expectations. All results are preliminary.Comment: 28 pages, 90 postscript figures, submitted to LP0

Evidence for an excess of B -> D(*) Tau Nu decays

Based on the full BaBar data sample, we report improved measurements of the ratios R(D(*)) = B(B -> D(*) Tau Nu)/B(B -> D(*) l Nu), where l is either e or mu. These ratios are sensitive to new physics contributions in the form of a charged Higgs boson. We measure R(D) = 0.440 +- 0.058 +- 0.042 and R(D*) = 0.332 +- 0.024 +- 0.018, which exceed the Standard Model expectations by 2.0 sigma and 2.7 sigma, respectively. Taken together, our results disagree with these expectations at the 3.4 sigma level. This excess cannot be explained by a charged Higgs boson in the type II two-Higgs-doublet model. We also report the observation of the decay B -> D Tau Nu, with a significance of 6.8 sigma.Comment: Expanded section on systematics, text corrections, improved the format of Figure 2 and included the effect of the change of the Tau polarization due to the charged Higg

Search for the decay modes D^0 → e^+e^-, D^0 → μ^+μ^-, and D^0 → e^±μ∓

We present searches for the rare decay modes D^0→e^+e^-, D^0→μ^+μ^-, and D^0→e^±μ^∓ in continuum e^+e^-→cc events recorded by the BABAR detector in a data sample that corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 468  fb^(-1). These decays are highly Glashow–Iliopoulos–Maiani suppressed but may be enhanced in several extensions of the standard model. Our observed event yields are consistent with the expected backgrounds. An excess is seen in the D^0→μ^+μ^- channel, although the observed yield is consistent with an upward background fluctuation at the 5% level. Using the Feldman–Cousins method, we set the following 90% confidence level intervals on the branching fractions: B(D^0→e^+e^-)<1.7×10^(-7), B(D^0→μ^+μ^-) within [0.6,8.1]×10^(-7), and B(D^0→e^±μ^∓)<3.3×10^(-7)

Study of the reaction e^{+}e^{-} -->J/psi\pi^{+}\pi^{-} via initial-state radiation at BaBar

We study the process $e^+e^-\to J/\psi\pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ with initial-state-radiation events produced at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy collider. The data were recorded with the BaBar detector at center-of-mass energies 10.58 and 10.54 GeV, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 454 $\mathrm{fb^{-1}}$. We investigate the $J/\psi \pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ mass distribution in the region from 3.5 to 5.5 $\mathrm{GeV/c^{2}}$. Below 3.7 $\mathrm{GeV/c^{2}}$ the $\psi(2S)$ signal dominates, and above 4 $\mathrm{GeV/c^{2}}$ there is a significant peak due to the Y(4260). A fit to the data in the range 3.74 -- 5.50 $\mathrm{GeV/c^{2}}$ yields a mass value $4244 \pm 5$ (stat) $\pm 4$ (syst)$\mathrm{MeV/c^{2}}$ and a width value $114 ^{+16}_{-15}$ (stat)$\pm 7$(syst)$\mathrm{MeV}$ for this state. We do not confirm the report from the Belle collaboration of a broad structure at 4.01 $\mathrm{GeV/c^{2}}$. In addition, we investigate the $\pi^{+}\pi^{-}$ system which results from Y(4260) decay

Study of Bbar --> Xu l nubar decays in BBbar events tagged by a fully reconstructed B-meson decay and determination of |V_{ub}|

We report measurements of partial branching fractions for inclusive charmless semileptonic B decays Bbar --> Xu l nubar, and the determination of the CKM matrix element |V_{ub}|. The analysis is based on a sample of 467 million Upsilon(4S) --> BBar decays recorded with the BaBar detector at the PEP-II e^+ e^- storage rings. We select events in which the decay of one of the B mesons is fully reconstructed and an electron or a muon signals the semileptonic decay of the other B meson. We measure partial branching fractions DeltaB in several restricted regions of phase space and determine the CKM element |V_{ub}| based on four different QCD predictions. For decays with a charged lepton momentum p_l^* > 1.0 GeV in the B meson rest frame, we obtain DeltaB = (1.80 \pm 0.13 (stat.) \pm 0.15 (sys.) \pm 0.02 (theo.)) \times 10^{-3} from a fit to the two-dimensional mX-q^2 distribution. Here, mX refers to the invariant mass of the final state hadron X and q^2 is the invariant mass squared of the charged lepton and neutrino. From this measurement we extract |V_{ub}| = (4.33\pm 0.24 (exp.) \pm 0.15 (theo.)) \times 10^{-3} as the arithmetic average of four results obtained from four different QCD predictions of the partial rate. We separately determine partial branching fractions for B^0 and B^- decays and derive a limit on the isospin breaking in Bbar --> Xu l nubar decays.Comment: 26 pages, 9 postscript figures, 9 tables, accepted for publication in PR

Search for the decay modes D0 -> e+e-, D0 -> mu+mu-, and D0 -> e mu

We present searches for the rare decay modes D0 to e+e-, D0 to mu+mu- and D0 to e mu in continuum e+e- to cbar c events recorded by the BABAR detector in a data sample that corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 468 f^-1. These decays are highly GIM suppressed but may be enhanced in several extensions of the Standard Model. Our observed event yields are consistent with the expected backgrounds. An excess is seen in the D0 to mu+mu- channel, although the observed yield is consistent with an upward background fluctuation at the 5% level. Using the Feldman-Cousins method, we set the following 90% confidence level intervals on the branching fractions: B(D0 to e+e-)<1.7 x 10^-7, B(D0 to mu+mu-) within [0.6, 8.1] x 10^-7, and B(D0 to e mu)<3.3 x 10^-7.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures, submitted to PR

Search for the Z1(4050)+Z_1(4050)^+ and Z2(4250)+Z_2(4250)^+ states in Bˉ0→χc1K−π+\bar B^0 \to \chi_{c1} K^- \pi^+ and B+→χc1KS0π+B^+ \to \chi_{c1} K^0_S \pi^+

We search for the $Z_1(4050)^+$ and $Z_2(4250)^+$ states, reported by the Belle Collaboration, decaying to $\chi_{c1} \pi^+$ in the decays $\bar B^0 \to \chi_{c1} K^- \pi^+$ and $B^+ \to \chi_{c1} K^0_S \pi^+$ where \chi_{c1} \to \jpsi \gamma. The data were collected with the BaBar detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider operating at center-of-mass energy 10.58 GeV, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 429 fb$^{-1}$. In this analysis, we model the background-subtracted, efficiency-corrected $\chi_{c1}\pi$ mass distribution using the $K \pi$ mass distribution and the corresponding normalized $K \pi$ Legendre polynomial moments, and then test the need for the inclusion of resonant structures in the description of the $\chi_{c1}\pi$ mass distribution. No evidence is found for the $Z_1(4050)^+$ and $Z_2(4250)^+$ resonances, and 90% confidence level upper limits on the branching fractions are reported for the corresponding $B$-meson decay modes.Comment: 15 pages, 12 postscript figures, to be published in Phys. Rev.

Non-invasive assessment of adrenocortical activity as a measure of stress in giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

Additional file 1: Full dataset in Microsoft Excel workbook format.BACKGROUND : Numbers of giraffes are declining rapidly in their native habitat. As giraffe research and conservation efforts increase, the demand for more complete measures of the impact of conservation interventions and the effects of captive environments on animal health and welfare have risen. We compared the ability of six different enzyme immunoassays to quantify changes in fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) resulting from three sources: adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test, transport, and time of day that samples were collected. RESULTS : Two male giraffes underwent ACTH injections; all six assays detected FGM increases following injection for Giraffe 1, while only three assays detected FGM increases following injection for Giraffe 2. Consistent with other ruminant species, the two 11-oxoetiocholanolone assays (one for 11,17-dioxoandrostanes and the other for 3α,11-oxo metabolites) measured the most pronounced and prolonged elevation of FGM, while an assay for 3β,11β-diol detected peaks of smaller magnitude and duration. Both of the 11-oxoetiocholanolone assays detected significant FGM increases after transport in Giraffes 3–7, and preliminary data suggest FGM detected by the assay for 11,17-dioxoandrostanes may differ across time of day. CONCLUSIONS : We conclude the assay for 11,17-dioxoandrostanes is the most sensitive assay tested for FGM in giraffes and the assay for FGM with a 5β-3α-ol-11-one structure is also effective. 11-oxoetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassays have now been demonstrated to be successful in a wide variety of ruminant species, providing indirect evidence that 5β-reduction may be a common metabolic pathway for glucocorticoids in ruminants. As FGM peaks were detected in at least some giraffes using all assays tested, giraffes appear to excrete a wide variety of different FGM. The assays validated here will provide a valuable tool for research on the health, welfare, and conservation of giraffes.The Association of Friends and Supporters of Goethe University Frankfurt provided financial support for F. Sicks to travel to Vienna to analyze fecal samples and von Opel Hessische Zoostiftung supported a studentship for F. Sicks. One commercial funder [Tierpark Berlin] provided support in the form of salary for F. Sicks during data analysis and preparation of this manuscript. The specific role of this author is articulated in the ‘Author Contributions’ section.http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcvetresam2016Anatomy and PhysiologyParaclinical Science