137 research outputs found
AMP-Activated Kinase AMPK Is Expressed in Boar Spermatozoa and Regulates Motility
The main functions of spermatozoa required for fertilization are dependent on the energy status and metabolism. AMP-activated kinase, AMPK, acts a sensor and regulator of cell metabolism. As AMPK studies have been focused on somatic cells, our aim was to investigate the expression of AMPK protein in spermatozoa and its possible role in regulating motility. Spermatozoa from boar ejaculates were isolated and incubated under different conditions (38,5°C or 17°C, basal medium TBM or medium with Ca2+ and bicarbonate TCM, time from 1â24 hours) in presence or absence of AMPK inhibitor, compound C (CC, 30 ”M). Western blotting reveals that AMPK is expressed in boar spermatozoa at relatively higher levels than in somatic cells. AMPK phosphorylation (activation) in spermatozoa is temperature-dependent, as it is undetectable at semen preservation temperature (17°C) and increases at 38,5°C in a time-dependent manner. AMPK phosphorylation is independent of the presence of Ca2+ and/or bicarbonate in the medium. We confirm that CC effectively blocks AMPK phosphorylation in boar spermatozoa. Analysis of spermatozoa motility by CASA shows that CC treatment either in TBM or in TCM causes a significant reduction of any spermatozoa motility parameter in a time-dependent manner. Thus, AMPK inhibition significantly decreases the percentages of motile and rapid spermatozoa, significantly reduces spermatozoa velocities VAP, VCL and affects other motility parameters and coefficients. CC treatment does not cause additional side effects in spermatozoa that might lead to a lower viability even at 24 h incubation. Our results show that AMPK is expressed in spermatozoa at high levels and is phosphorylated under physiological conditions. Moreover, our study suggests that AMPK regulates a relevant function of spermatozoa, motility, which is essential for their ultimate role of fertilization
Search for CP violation in D+âÏÏ+ and D+sâK0SÏ+ decays
A search for CP violation in D + â ÏÏ + decays is performed using data collected in 2011 by the LHCb experiment corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fbâ1 at a centre of mass energy of 7 TeV. The CP -violating asymmetry is measured to be (â0.04 ± 0.14 ± 0.14)% for candidates with K â K + mass within 20 MeV/c 2 of the Ï meson mass. A search for a CP -violating asymmetry that varies across the Ï mass region of the D + â K â K + Ï + Dalitz plot is also performed, and no evidence for CP violation is found. In addition, the CP asymmetry in the D+sâK0SÏ+ decay is measured to be (0.61 ± 0.83 ± 0.14)%
Measurement of B meson production cross-sections in proton-proton collisions at âs= 7 TeV
The production cross-sections of B mesons are measured in pp collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV using data collected with the LHCb detector corresponding to a integrated luminosity of 0.36fbâ1. The B+, B0 and B0s mesons are reconstructed in the exclusive decays B+âJ/ÏK+, B0âJ/ÏKâ0 and B0sâJ/ÏÏ, with J/ÏâÎŒ+ÎŒâ, Kâ0âK+Ïâ and ÏâK+Kâ. The differential cross-sections are measured as functions of B meson transverse momentum pT and rapidity y, in the range 0 < pT<40GeV/c2 and 2.0<y<4.5. The integrated cross-sections in the same pT and y ranges, including charge-conjugate states, are measured to be
Ï(ppâB++X)=38.9±0.3(stat.)±2.5(syst.)±1.3(norm.)ÎŒb,
Ï(ppâB0+X)=38.1±0.6(stat.)±3.7(syst.)±4.7(norm.)ÎŒb,
Ï(ppâB0s+X)=10.5±0.2(stat.)±0.8(syst.)±1.0(norm.)ÎŒb,
where the third uncertainty arises from the pre-existing branching fraction measurements
Updated measurements of exclusive J/Ï and Ï(2S) production cross-sections in pp collisions at âs = 7 TeV
The differential cross-section as a function of rapidity has been measured for the exclusive production of J/Ï and Ï(2S) mesons in protonâproton collisions at âs = 7 TeV, using data collected by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 930 pbâ1. The cross-sections times branching fractions to two muons having pseudorapidities between 2.0 and 4.5 are measured to be where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The measurements agree with next-to-leading order QCD predictions as well as with models that include saturation effects
Measurement of the Îb0, Îb-, and Ωb- Baryon Masses
Bottom baryons decaying to a J/Ï meson and a hyperon are reconstructed using 1.0ââfb-1 of data collected in 2011 with the LHCb detector. Significant Îb0âJ/ÏÎ, Îb-âJ/ÏÎ- and Ωb-âJ/ÏΩ- signals are observed and the corresponding masses are measured to be M(Îb0)=5619.53±0.13(stat.)±0.45(syst.)ââMeV/c2, M(Îb-)=5795.8±0.9(stat.)±0.4(syst.)ââMeV/c2, M(Ωb-)=6046.0±2.2(stat.)±0.5(syst.)ââMeV/c2, while the differences with respect to the Îb0 mass are M(Îb-)-M(Îb0)=176.2±0.9(stat.)±0.1(syst.)ââMeV/c2, M(Ωb-)-M(Îb0)=426.4±2.2(stat.)±0.4(syst.)ââMeV/c2. These are the most precise mass measurements of the Îb0, Îb- and Ωb- baryons to date. Averaging the above Îb0 mass measurement with that published by LHCb using 35ââpb-1 of data collected in 2010 yields M(Îb0)=5619.44±0.13(stat.)±0.38(syst.)ââMeV/c2
First Measurement of the Charge Asymmetry in Beauty-Quark Pair Production
The difference in the angular distributions between beauty quarks and antiquarks, referred to as the charge asymmetry, is measured for the first time in b (b) over bar pair production at a hadron collider. The data used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb(-1) collected at 7 TeV center-of-mass energy in proton-proton collisions with the LHCb detector. The measurement is performed in three regions of the invariant mass of the b (b) over bar system. The results obtained are A(C)(b (b) over bar) (40 10(5) GeV/c(2)) = 1.6 +/- 1.7 +/- 0.6%,where A(C)(b (b) over bar) is defined as the asymmetry in the difference in rapidity between jets formed from the beauty quark and antiquark, where in each case the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The beauty jets are required to satisfy 2 20 GeV, and have an opening angle in the transverse plane Delta phi > 2.6 rad. These measurements are consistent with the predictions of the standard model
Measurement of the cross-section for Z â e<sup>+</sup>e<sup>-</sup> production in pp collisions at √<span style="text-decoration:overline">s</span>=7 TeV
A measurement of the cross-section for ppâââZâââe+eâ is presented using data at sâ=7 TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.94 fbâ1. The process is measured within the kinematic acceptance p Tâ>â20 GeV/c and 2â<âηâ<â4.5 for the daughter electrons and dielectron invariant mass in the range 60â120 GeV/c 2. The cross-section is determined to be Ï(ppâZâe+eâ)=76.0±0.8±2.0±2.6pb where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic and the third is the uncertainty in the luminosity. The measurement is performed as a function of Z rapidity and as a function of an angular variable which is closely related to the Z transverse momentum. The results are compared with previous LHCb measurements and with theoretical predictions from QCD
Studies of beauty baryon decays to D0phâ and Î+châ final states
Decays of beauty baryons to the D0phâ and Î+châ final states (where h indicates a pion or a kaon) are studied using a data sample of pp collisions, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.0ââfbâ1, collected by the LHCb detector. The Cabibbo-suppressed decays Î0bâD0pKâ and Î0bâÎ+cKâ are observed, and their branching fractions are measured with respect to the decays Î0bâD0pÏâ and Î0bâÎ+cÏâ. In addition, the first observation is reported of the decay of the neutral beauty-strange baryon Î0b to the D0pKâ final state, and a measurement of the Î0b mass is performed. Evidence of the Î0bâÎ+cKâ decay is also reported
Search for long-lived heavy charged particles using a ring imaging Cherenkov technique at LHCb
A search is performed for heavy long-lived charged particles using 3.0
fb of pp collisions collected at = 7 and 8 TeV with the LHCb
detector. The search is mainly based on the response of the ring imaging
Cherenkovdetectors to distinguish the heavy, slow-moving particles from muons.
No evidence is found for the production of such long-lived states. The results
are expressed as limits on the Drell-Yan production of pairs of long-lived
particles, with both particles in the LHCb pseudorapidity acceptance, . The mass-dependent cross-section upper limits are in the range 2-4
fb (at 95\% CL) for masses between 124 and 309 GeV/c
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