Measurements of time-dependent CP violation in B^0 -> psi(2S) K_S decays

We report improved measurements of time-dependent CP violation parameters for B^0(\bar{B}^0) -> psi(2S) K_S. This analysis is based on a data sample of 657x10^6 BBbar pairs collected at the Y(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB energy-asymmetric e+e- collider. We fully reconstruct one neutral B meson in the psi(2S) K_S CP-eigenstate decay channel, and the flavor of the accompanying B meson is identified to be either B^0 or \bar{B}^0 from its decay products. CP violation parameters are obtained from the asymmetries in the distributions of the proper-time intervals between the two B decays: S (psi(2S) K_S) = +0.72 +/- 0.09(stat) +/- 0.03(syst), A (psi(2S) K_S) = +0.04 +/- 0.07(stat) +/- 0.05(syst). These results are in agreement with results from measurements of B^0 -> J/psi K^0.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, presented at 2007 Lepton-Photon Symposium (BELLE-CONF-0770). Modified version published in PRD(RC

Improved measurement of time-dependent CP violation in B0 -> J/Psi pi0 decays

We report improved measurements of time-dependent CP violation parameters for $B^0(\bar{B}^0) \to J/\psi \pi^0$ decay. This analysis is based on 535 million $B\bar{B}$ pairs accumulated at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^+e^- collider. From the distribution of proper time intervals between the two B decays, we obtain the following CP violation parameters $\mathcal{S}_{J/\psi \pi^0} = -0.65\pm0.21 (\rm{stat})\pm0.05 (\rm{syst})$ and $\mathcal{A}_{J/\psi \pi^0} = +0.08\pm0.16 (\rm{stat})\pm0.05 (\rm{syst})$, which are consistent with Standard Model expectations.Comment: Resubmitted to PRD(RC), including 4 figures, 6pages Revision has been made according to communication with PRD referee

Measurement of CP Asymmetries and Branching Fractions in a Time-Dependent Dalitz Analysis of B^0-->(rho pi)^0 and a Constraint on the Quark Mixing Angle phi_2

We present the results of a time-dependent Dalitz plot analysis of B0 --> pi+ pi- pi0 decays based on a 414/fb data sample that contains 449 x 10^6 BB pairs. The data was collected on the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy e+e- collider. Combining our analysis with information on charged B decay modes, we perform a full Dalitz and isospin analysis and obtain a constraint on the quark mixing angle phi_2, 68deg. < phi_2 < 95deg. at the 68.3% confidence level for the phi_2 solution consistent with the standard model (SM). A large SM-disfavored region also remains. The branching fractions for the decay processes of B0 --> rho+-(770) pi-+ and B0 --> rho0(770) pi0 are measured to be (22.6 +- 1.1[stat.] +- 4.4 [syst.]) x 10^{-6} and (3.0 +- 0.5 [stat.] +- 0.7 [syst.]) x 10^{-6}, respectively. These are the first branching fraction measurements of the process B0 --> rho(770)pi with the lowest resonance rho(770) explicitly separated from the radial excitations.Comment: 26 pages, 12 figures, to be submitted to Phys. Rev. D; Revision to Phys. Rev. D published versio

Time-Dependent CP Asymmetries in B0 -> Ks pi0 gamma transitions

We report measurements of CP violation parameters in B0->Ks pi0 gamma transitions based on a data sample of 535x10^6 BB pairs collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+ e- collider. One neutral B meson is fully reconstructed in the B0->Ks pi0 gamma mode. The flavor of the accompanying B meson is identified from its decay products. For a Ks pi0 invariant mass up to 1.8 GeV/c^2, we obtain S = -0.10 +- 0.31 +- 0.07 and A = -0.20 +- 0.20 +- 0.06. For a Ks pi0 invariant mass near the K*0(892) resonance, we obtain S = -0.32 +0.36-0.33 +-0.05 and A=-0.20 +-0.24 +-0.05.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, accepted by PR

Observation of B Decays to Two Kaons

Using 449 million BBbar pairs collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^+e^- collider, we observe clear signals for B^+-> \bar{K}^0 K^+ and B^0-> \bar{K}^0 K^0 decays with 5.3 sigma and 6.0 sigma significance, respectively. We measure the branching fractions Br(B^+-> \bar{K}^0 K^+ = (1.22^{+0.32+0.13}_{-0.28-0.16})x10^{-6} and Br(B^0-> \bar{K}^0 K^0) = (0.87^{+0.25}_{-0.20} +- 0.09)x10^{-6}, and partial-rate asymmetries A_{CP}(B^+-> \bar{K}^0 K^+) = 0.13^{+0.23}_{-0.24}+- 0.02 and A_{CP}(B^0-> \bar{K}^0 K^0) = -0.58^{+0.73}_{-0.66}+- 0.04. From a simultaneous fit we also obtain Br(B^+-> K^0\pi^+)= (22.8^{+0.8}_{-0.7} +- 1.3)x 10^{-6} and A_{CP}(B^+-> K^0 \pi^+) = 0.03 +- 0.03 +- 0.01. The first and second error in the branching fractions and the partial-rate asymmetries are statistical and systematic, respectively. No signal is observed for B^0-> K^+ K^- decays, and for this branching fraction we set an upper limit of 4.1x10^{-7} at the 90% confidence level.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Observation of the decay B0→J/ψηB^0 \to J/\psi \eta

We report the first observation of $B^0 \to J/\psi \eta$ decay. These results are obtained from a data sample that contains 449 million $B\bar{B}$ pairs accumulated at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+ e^-$ collider. We observe a signal with a significance of 8.1$\sigma$ and obtain a branching fraction of (9.5 $\pm$ 1.7 (stat) $\pm$ 0.8 (syst))$\times 10^{-6}$.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, submit to PRL (8 pages, 2 figures, ICHEP'06 Conference Paper

Search for new charmonium states in the processes e+ e- --> J/psi D(*) D(*) at sqrt{s} ~ 10.6 GeV

We present a study of the X(3940) state in the process e+e- -> J/psi D* Dbar. The X(3940) mass and width are measured to be (3942 +7 -6 +- 6)MeV/c^2 and Gamma=(37 + 26 - 15 +- 8 MeV. In the process e+e- -> J/psi D* D*bar we have observed another charmonium-like state, which we denote as X(4160), in the spectrum of invariant masses of D*+ D*- combinations. The X(4160) parameters are M= 4156 + 25 - 20 +- 15 MeV/c^2 and Gamma = 139 + 111 -61 +- 21 MeV. The analysis is based on a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 693 /fb recorded near the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+ e- asymmetric-energy collider.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures Contribution paper for conferences EPS2007 and Lepton Photon 2007, Belle-Conference-070

Measurements of CP Violation in B0→D∗−π+B^0 \to D^{*-}\pi^+ and B0→D−π+B^0 \to D^- \pi^+ Decays

We report measurements of time dependent decay rates for $B^0 \to D^{(*)-}\pi^+$ decays and extraction of CP violation parameters that depend on $\phi_3$. Using fully reconstructed $D^{(*)}\pi$ events and partially reconstructed $D^{*}\pi$ events from a data sample that contains 386 million $B\bar{B}$ pairs that was collected near the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance, with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric energy $e^+ e^-$ collider, we obtain the CP violation parameters $S^+ (D^{(*)}\pi)$ and $S^- (D^{(*)}\pi)$. We obtain $S^+ (D^* \pi) = 0.049 \pm 0.020(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.011(\mathrm{sys})$, $S^- (D^* \pi) = 0.031 \pm 0.019(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.011(\mathrm{sys})$, and $S^+ (D \pi) = 0.031 \pm 0.030(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.012(\mathrm{sys})$, $S^- (D \pi) = 0.068 \pm 0.029(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.012(\mathrm{sys})$. These results are an indication of CP violation in $B^0 \to D^{*-}\pi^+$ and $B^0 \to D^- \pi^+$ decays at the $2.5 \sigma$ and $2.2 \sigma$ levels, respectively. If we use the values of $R_{D^{(*)}\pi}$ that are derived using assumptions of factorization and SU(3) symmetry, the branching fraction measurements for the $D_s^{(*)} \pi$ modes, and lattice QCD calculations, we can restrict the allowed region of $|\sin (2\phi_1 + \phi_3)|$ to be above 0.44 and 0.52 at 68% confidence level from the $D^* \pi$ and $D \pi$ modes, respectively.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures, submitted to Physical Review

Observation of Two Resonant Structures in e+e- to pi+ pi- psi(2S) via Initial State Radiation at Belle

The cross section for e+e- to pi+ pi- psi(2S) between threshold and \sqrt{s}=5.5 GeV is measured using 673 fb^{-1} of data on and off the \Upsilon(4S) resonance collected with the Belle detector at KEKB. Two resonant structures are observed in the pi+ pi- psi(2S) invariant mass distribution, one at 4361\pm 9\pm 9 MeV/c2 with a width of 74\pm 15\pm 10 MeV/c2, and another at 4664\pm 11\pm 5 MeV/c2 with a width of 48\pm 15\pm 3 MeV/c2, if the mass spectrum is parameterized with the coherent sum of two Breit-Wigner functions. These values do not match those of any of the known charmonium states.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, 2 tables, version to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Anti-inflammatory effect of bee pollen ethanol extract from Cistus sp. of Spanish on carrageenan-induced rat hind paw edema

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Bee pollen, a honeybee product, is the feed for honeybees prepared themselves by pollens collecting from plants and has been consumed as a perfect food in Europe, because it is nutritionally well balanced. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of bee pollen from <it>Cistus </it>sp. of Spanish origin by a method of carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats, and to investigate the mechanism of anti-inflammatory action and also to elucidate components involved in bee pollen extracted with ethanol.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The bee pollen bulk, its water extract and its ethanol extract were administered orally to rats. One hour later, paw edema was produced by injecting of 1% solution of carrageenan, and paw volume was measured before and after carrageenan injection up to 5 h. The ethanol extract and water extract were measured COX-1 and COX-2 inhibitory activities using COX inhibitor screening assay kit, and were compared for the inhibition of NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The constituents of bee pollen were purified from the ethanol extract subjected to silica gel or LH-20 column chromatography. Each column chromatography fractions were further purified by repeated ODS or silica gel column chromatography.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The bee pollen bulk mildly suppressed the carrageenan-induced paw edema and the water extract showed almost no inhibitory activity, but the ethanol extract showed relatively strong inhibition of paw edema. The ethanol extract inhibited the NO production and COX-2 but not COX-1 activity, but the water extract did not affect the NO production or COX activities. Flavonoids were isolated and purified from the ethanol extract of bee pollen, and identified at least five flavonoids and their glycosides.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>It is suggested that the ethanol extract of bee pollen show a potent anti-inflammatory activity and its effect acts <it>via </it>the inhibition of NO production, besides the inhibitory activity of COX-2. Some flavonoids included in bee pollen may partly participate in some of the anti-inflammatory action. The bee pollen would be beneficial not only as a dietary supplement but also as a functional food.</p