Genetic comparison of sickle cell anaemia cohorts from Brazil and the United States reveals high levels of divergence

Genetic analysis of admixed populations raises special concerns with regard to study design and data processing, particularly to avoid population stratification biases. The point mutation responsible for sickle cell anaemia codes for a variant hemoglobin, sickle hemoglobin or HbS, whose presence drives the pathophysiology of disease. Here we propose to explore ancestry and population structure in a genome-wide study with particular emphasis on chromosome 11 in two SCA admixed cohorts obtained from urban populations of Brazil (Pernambuco and Sao Paulo) and the United States (Pennsylvania). Ancestry inference showed different proportions of European, African and American backgrounds in the composition of our samples. Brazilians were more admixed, had a lower African background (43% vs. 78% on the genomic level and 44% vs. 76% on chromosome 11) and presented a signature of positive selection and Iberian introgression in the HbS region, driving a high differentiation of this locus between the two cohorts. The genetic structures of the SCA cohorts from Brazil and US differ considerably on the genome-wide, chromosome 11 and HbS mutation locus levels9CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DE PESSOAL DE NÍVEL SUPERIOR - CAPESFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP8367/2011-1; 150398/2013-1; 304455/2012-1; 310938/2014-7; 305218/2017-48367/2011-1; 150398/2013-1; 304455/2012-1; 310938/2014-7; 305218/2017-42008/57441-0; 2014/00984-3; 2012/06438-5; 2015/13152-9; 2008/10596-

Symmetries and observables in topological gravity

After a brief review of topological gravity, we present a superspace approach to this theory. This formulation allows us to recover in a natural manner various known results and to gain some insight into the precise relationship between different approaches to topological gravity. Though the main focus of our work is on the vielbein formalism, we also discuss the metric approach and its relationship with the former formalism.Comment: 34 pages; a few explanations added in subsection 2.2.1, published version of pape

Precision Measurement of B(D+ -> mu+ nu) and the Pseudoscalar Decay Constant fD+

We measure the branching ratio of the purely leptonic decay of the D+ meson with unprecedented precision as B(D+ -> mu+ nu) = (3.82 +/- 0.32 +/- 0.09)x10^(-4), using 818/pb of data taken on the psi(3770) resonance with the CLEO-c detector at the CESR collider. We use this determination to derive a value for the pseudoscalar decay constant fD+, combining with measurements of the D+ lifetime and assuming |Vcd| = |Vus|. We find fD+ = (205.8 +/- 8.5 +/- 2.5) MeV. The decay rate asymmetry [B(D+ -> mu+ nu)-B(D- -> mu- nu)]/[B(D+ -> mu+ nu)+B(D- -> mu- nu)] = 0.08 +/- 0.08, consistent with no CP violation. We also set 90% confidence level upper limits on B(D+ -> tau+ nu) < 1.2x10^(-3) and B(D+ -> e+ nu) < 8.8x10^(-6).Comment: 24 pages, 11 figures and 6 tables, v2 replaced some figure vertical axis scales, v3 corrections from PRD revie

A Study of the Semileptonic Charm Decays D^0 --> pi^- e^+ nu_e, D^+ --> pi^0 e^+ nu_e, D^0 --> K^- e^+ nu_e, and D^+ --> barK^0 e^+ nu_e

Using a sample of 1.8 million DDbar meson pairs collected at the psi(3770) with the CLEO-c detector, we study the semileptonic decays D^0 -> pi^- e^+ nu_e, D^+ -> pi^0 e^+ \nu_e, D^0 -> K^- e^+ \nu_e, and D^+ -> Kbar^0 e^+ nu_e. For the total branching fractions we find B(D^0 -> pi^- e^+ \nu_e) = 0.299(11)(9)%, B(D^+ -> pi^0 e^+ \nu_e) = 0.373(22)(13)%, B(D^0 -> K^- e^+ nu_e) = 3.56(3)(9)%, and B(D^+ -> Kbar^0 e^+ nu_e) = 8.53(13)(23)%, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. In addition, form factors are studied through fits to the partial branching fractions obtained in five q^2 ranges. By combining our results with recent unquenched lattice calculations, we obtain |Vcd| = 0.217(9)(4)(23) and |Vcs| = 1.015(10)(11)(106), where the final error is theoretical.Comment: 18 pages, postscript also available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/2006/, submitted to PR

Measurement of the Total Hadronic Cross Section in e+e- Annihilations below 10.56 GeV

Using the CLEO III detector, we measure absolute cross sections for e+e- --> hadrons at seven center-of-mass energies between 6.964 and 10.538 GeV. The values of R, the ratio of hadronic and muon pair production cross sections, are determined within 2% total r.m.s. uncertainty.Comment: 17 pages postscript,also available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/2007/, Submitted to PR

A Study of the Decays D^0 --> pi^- e^+ nu_e, D^0 --> K^- e^+ nu_e, D^+ --> pi^0 e^+ nu_e, and D^+ --> barK^0 e^+ nu_e

Using 1.8 million DDbar pairs and a neutrino reconstruction technique, we have studied the decays D^0 -> K^- e^+ nu_e, D^0 -> pi^- e^+ nu_e, D^+ -> Kbar^0 e^+ nu_e, and D^+ -> pi^0 e^+ nu_e. We find B(D^0 -> pi^- e^+ nu_e) = 0.299(11)(9)%, B(D^+ -> pi^0 e^+ nu_e) = 0.373(22)(13)%, B(D^0 -> K^- e^+ nu_e) = 3.56(3)(9)%, and B(D^+ -> Kbar^0 e^+ nu_e) = 8.53(13)(23)%. In addition, form factors are studied through fits to the partial branching fractions obtained in five q^2 ranges. By combining our results with recent unquenched lattice calculations, we obtain |Vcd| = 0.217(9)(4)(23) and |Vcs| = 1.015(10)(11)(106).Comment: 9 pages, postscript also available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/2006/, submitted to PR

Measurement of B[Y(5S)->Bs(*) anti-Bs(*)] Using phi Mesons

Knowledge of the Bs decay fraction of the Y(5S) resonance, fs, is important for Bs meson studies at the Y(5S) energy. Using a data sample collected by the CLEO III detector at CESR consisting of 0.423/fb on the Y(5S) resonance, 6.34/fb on the Y(4S) and 2.32/fb in the continuum below the Y(4S), we measure B(Y(5S) -> phi X)=(13.8 +/- 0.7 {+2.3}{-1.5})% and B(Y(4S) -> phi X) = (7.1 +/- 0.1 +/-0.6)%; the ratio of the two rates is (1.9 +/- 0.1 {+0.3}{-0.2}). This is the first measurement of the phi meson yield from the Y(5S). Using these rates, and a model dependent estimate of B(Bs -> phi X), we determine fs = (24.6 +/- 2.9 {+11.0}{-5.3})%. We also update our previous independent measurement of fs made using the inclusive Ds yields to now be (16.8 +/- 2.6 {+6.7}{-3.4)%, due to a better estimate of the number of hadronic events. We also report the total Y(5S) hadronic cross section above continuum to be sigma(e^+e^- -> Y(5S))=(0.301 +/- 0.002 +/- 0.039) nb. This allows us to extract the fraction of B mesons as (58.9+/-10.0+/-9.2)%, equal to 1-fs. averaging the three methods gives a model dependent result of fs=(21 {+6}{-3})%.Comment: 23 pages postscript,also available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/2006/, Submitted to PR

Measurement of the eta-Meson Mass using psi(2S) --> eta J/psi

We measure the mass of the eta meson using psi(2S) --> eta J/psi events acquired with the CLEO-c detector operating at the CESR e+e- collider. Using the four decay modes eta --> gamma gamma, 3pi0, pi+pi-pi0, and pi+pi-gamma, we find M(eta)=547.785 +- 0.017 +- 0.057 MeV, in which the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. This result has an uncertainty comparable to the two most precise previous measurements and is consistent with that of NA48, but is inconsistent at the level of 6.5sigma with the much smaller mass obtained by GEM.Comment: 10 pages postscript,also available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/2007/, Submitted to PR

Search for psi(2S)--> eta_c pi^+ pi^- pi^0

Using 5.63 pb^-1 of data accumulated at the psi(2S) resonance with the CLEO III and CLEO-c detectors corresponding to 3.08 million psi(2S) decays, a search is performed for the decay psi(2S) -> eta_c pi^+pi^-pi^0 to test a theoretical prediction based upon the assumption that the c \bar c pair in the psi(2S) does not annihilate directly into three gluons but rather survives before annihilating. No signal is observed, and a combined upper limit from six eta_c decay modes is determined to be B(psi(2S) -> eta_c pi^+pi^-pi^0) < 1.0 x 10^-3 at 90% C.L. This upper limit is about an order of magnitude below the theoretical expectation.Comment: 8 pages postscript,also available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/2006

Suppressed Decays of D_s^+ Mesons to Two Pseudoscalar Mesons

Using data collected near the Ds*+ Ds- peak production energy Ecm = 4170 MeV by the CLEO-c detector, we study the decays of Ds+ mesons to two pseudoscalar mesons. We report on searches for the singly-Cabibbo-suppressed Ds+ decay modes K+ eta, K+ eta', pi+ K0S, K+ pi0, and the isospin-forbidden decay mode Ds+ to pi+ pi0. We normalize with respect to the Cabibbo-favored Ds+ modes pi+ eta, pi+ eta', and K+ K0S, and obtain ratios of branching fractions: Ds+ to K+ eta / Ds+ to pi+ eta = (8.9 +- 1.5 +- 0.4)%, Ds+ to K+ eta' / Ds+ to pi+ eta' = (4.2 +- 1.3 +- 0.3)%, Ds+ to pi+ K0S / Ds+ to K+ K0S = (8.2 +- 0.9 +- 0.2)%, Ds+ to K+ pi0 / Ds+ to K+ K0S = (5.0 +- 1.2 +- 0.6)%, and Ds+ to pi+ pi0 / Ds+ to K+ K0S < 4.1% at 90% CL, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively.Comment: 9 pages postscript,also available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/2007/, Submitted to PR