Effects of Exogenous Cellulase Source on In Vitro Fermentation Characteristics and Methane Production of Crop Straws and Grasses

In vitro fermentation experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of 3 sources of exogenous cellulase products (EC) at 4 dose rates (DR) (0, 12, 37 and 62 IU/g of DM) on degradation of forage and methane production by mixed rumen micro-organisms of goats. The maximum gas production (Vf) of grasses was higher (P<0.001) in Neocallimastix patriciarum (NP) group than those in Trichoderma reesei (TR) and Trichoderma longibrachiatum (TL) groups. Quadratic increases in dry matter degradation (DMD) of forage and neutral detergent fiber (NDFD) of straw were observed for all EC, with optimum DR in the low range. Supplementation of EC originated from TR and NP increased (P<0.001) DMD of forage compared to that from TL. Addition of EC originated from TR and NP also decreased pH value, ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and methane (CH4) production compared to that from TL. Quadratic decreases in pH value, NH3-N and CH4 of forage were noted for EC of TR and NP, and with optimum DR in the low range. For short chain fatty acid, the EC of NP increased total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) and acetate concentration and the ratio of acetate to propionate of forage compared with EC of TL and TR, and with optimum DR in the low to medium range. It was concluded that the source of EC differed in fiber degradation and methane emission, and with optimum DR of TR in the low range (from 12 to 37 U/g DM) in improving fiber degradation and decreasing methane emission

Studies of Prototype CsI(Tl) Crystal Scintillators for Low-Energy Neutrino Experiments

Crystal scintillators provide potential merits for the pursuit of low-energy low-background experiments. A CsI(Tl) scintillating crystal detector is being constructed to study low-energy neutrino physics at a nuclear reactor, while projects are underway to adopt this technique for dark matter searches. The choice of the geometrical parameters of the crystal modules, as well as the optimization of the read-out scheme, are the results of an R&D program. Crystals with 40 cm in length were developed. The detector requirements and the achieved performance of the prototypes are presented. Future prospects for this technique are discussed.Comment: 32 pages, 14 figure

ACTIVATION OF DIFFERENT CEREBRAL FUNCTIONAL REGIONS FOLLOWING ACUPUNCTURE AT BOT H TAIXI AND TAICHONG ACUPOINTS AND TAIXI ACUPOINTALONE: AN FMRI STUDY

Background: To explore the brain function regions characteristics of the acupoint combination, this study observed activity changes in the brain regions of healthy volunteers after acupuncture at both Taixi (KI3) and Taichong (LR3) (KI3 + LR3) and KI3 alone using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods and Materials: 30 healthy volunteers were randomly allocated into two groups, one group received acupuncture at KI3 and LR3, the other only acupuncture at KI3, 15 cases in each group. All volunteers underwent resting-state fMRI of the brain 15 minutes before acupuncture, and which the needle was retained in place for 30 minutes; 15 minutes after withdrawing the needle underwent a further session of resting-state fMRI. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were used to analyze the changes in brain regions. Results: The KI3+LR3 group compared with the KI3 group, the ALFF analysis indicated that the brain changes relatively concentrated in BA 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 18, 19, 20, 31, 32, 40, 46 and the cerebellum posterior lobe, the ReHo analysis indicated that the brain changes relatively concentrated in BA 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 31, 40 and the cerebellum posterior lobe. Conclusion: Based on this study, compared with acupuncture at KI3, acupuncture at KI3 + LR3 which could specifically influence BA 7, 10, 18, 19, 20, 31, 40 and cerebellum posterior lobe, which may be related to synergy mechanism of two acupoints combination treatment

Partial Wave Analysis of J/ψ→γ(K+K−π+π−)J/\psi \to \gamma (K^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-)

BES data on $J/\psi \to \gamma (K^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-)$ are presented. The $K^*\bar K^*$ contribution peaks strongly near threshold. It is fitted with a broad $0^{-+}$ resonance with mass $M = 1800 \pm 100$ MeV, width $\Gamma = 500 \pm 200$ MeV. A broad $2^{++}$ resonance peaking at 2020 MeV is also required with width $\sim 500$ MeV. There is further evidence for a $2^{-+}$ component peaking at 2.55 GeV. The non-$K^*\bar K^*$ contribution is close to phase space; it peaks at 2.6 GeV and is very different from $K^{*}\bar{K^{*}}$.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, 1 table, Submitted to PL

Measurements of the Mass and Full-Width of the ηc\eta_c Meson

In a sample of 58 million $J/\psi$ events collected with the BES II detector, the process J/$\psi\to\gamma\eta_c$ is observed in five different decay channels: $\gamma K^+K^-\pi^+\pi^-$, $\gamma\pi^+\pi^-\pi^+\pi^-$, $\gamma K^\pm K^0_S \pi^\mp$ (with $K^0_S\to\pi^+\pi^-$), $\gamma \phi\phi$ (with $\phi\to K^+K^-$) and $\gamma p\bar{p}$. From a combined fit of all five channels, we determine the mass and full-width of $\eta_c$ to be $m_{\eta_c}=2977.5\pm1.0 ({stat.})\pm1.2 ({syst.})$ MeV/$c^2$ and $\Gamma_{\eta_c} = 17.0\pm3.7 ({stat.})\pm7.4 ({syst.})$ MeV/$c^2$.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures and 4 table. Submitted to Phys. Lett.

Direct Measurements of the Branching Fractions for D0→K−e+νeD^0 \to K^-e^+\nu_e and D0→π−e+νeD^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e and Determinations of the Form Factors f+K(0)f_{+}^{K}(0) and f+π(0)f^{\pi}_{+}(0)

The absolute branching fractions for the decays $D^0 \to K^-e ^+\nu_e$ and $D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e$ are determined using $7584\pm 198 \pm 341$ singly tagged $\bar D^0$ sample from the data collected around 3.773 GeV with the BES-II detector at the BEPC. In the system recoiling against the singly tagged $\bar D^0$ meson, $104.0\pm 10.9$ events for $D^0 \to K^-e ^+\nu_e$ and $9.0 \pm 3.6$ events for $D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e$ decays are observed. Those yield the absolute branching fractions to be $BF(D^0 \to K^-e^+\nu_e)=(3.82 \pm 0.40\pm 0.27)$ and $BF(D^0 \to \pi^-e^+\nu_e)=(0.33 \pm 0.13\pm 0.03)$. The vector form factors are determined to be $|f^K_+(0)| = 0.78 \pm 0.04 \pm 0.03$ and $|f^{\pi}_+(0)| = 0.73 \pm 0.14 \pm 0.06$. The ratio of the two form factors is measured to be $|f^{\pi}_+(0)/f^K_+(0)|= 0.93 \pm 0.19 \pm 0.07$.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Measurements of J/psi Decays into 2(pi+pi-)eta and 3(pi+pi-)eta

Based on a sample of 5.8X 10^7 J/psi events taken with the BESII detector, the branching fractions of J/psi--> 2(pi+pi-)eta and J/psi-->3(pi+pi-)eta are measured for the first time to be (2.26+-0.08+-0.27)X10^{-3} and (7.24+-0.96+-1.11)X10^{-4}, respectively.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure

BESII Detector Simulation

A Monte Carlo program based on Geant3 has been developed for BESII detector simulation. The organization of the program is outlined, and the digitization procedure for simulating the response of various sub-detectors is described. Comparisons with data show that the performance of the program is generally satisfactory.Comment: 17 pages, 14 figures, uses elsart.cls, to be submitted to NIM