Using viral vectors as gene transfer tools (Cell Biology and Toxicology Special Issue: ETCS-UK 1 day meeting on genetic manipulation of cells)

In recent years, the development of powerful viral gene transfer techniques has greatly facilitated the study of gene function. This review summarises some of the viral delivery systems routinely used to mediate gene transfer into cell lines, primary cell cultures and in whole animal models. The systems described were originally discussed at a 1-day European Tissue Culture Society (ETCS-UK) workshop that was held at University College London on 1st April 2009. Recombinant-deficient viral vectors (viruses that are no longer able to replicate) are used to transduce dividing and post-mitotic cells, and they have been optimised to mediate regulatable, powerful, long-term and cell-specific expression. Hence, viral systems have become very widely used, especially in the field of neurobiology. This review introduces the main categories of viral vectors, focusing on their initial development and highlighting modifications and improvements made since their introduction. In particular, the use of specific promoters to restrict expression, translational enhancers and regulatory elements to boost expression from a single virion and the development of regulatable systems is described

Study of the doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decays Ds+→K+K+π−D^+_s\to K^+K^+\pi^- and Ds+→K+K+π−π0D^+_s\to K^+K^+\pi^-\pi^0

Based on 7.33 fb$^{-1}$ of $e^+e^-$ collision data collected at center-of-mass energies between 4.128 and 4.226 GeV with the BESIII detector, the experimental studies of the doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decays $D^+_s\to K^+K^+\pi^-$ and $D^+_s\to K^+K^+\pi^-\pi^0$ are reported. We determine the absolute branching fraction of $D^+_s\to K^+K^+\pi^-$ to be (${1.23^{+0.28}_{-0.25}}({\rm stat})\pm0.06({\rm syst})$) $\times 10^{-4}$. No significant signal of $D^+_s\to K^+K^+\pi^-\pi^0$ is observed and the upper limit on its decay branching fraction at 90\% confidence level is set to be $1.7\times10^{-4}$.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figures, 4 table

First Observation of a Three-Resonance Structure in e+e−→e^+e^-\rightarrow{non-open} Charm Hadrons

We report the measurement of the cross sections for $e^+e^-$$\rightarrow${nOCH} (nOCH stands for non-open charm hadrons) with improved precision at center-of-mass energies from 3.645 to 3.871 GeV. We observe for the first time a three-resonance structure in the energy-dependent lineshape of the cross sections, which are $\mathcal R(3760)$, $\mathcal R(3780)$ and $\mathcal R(3810)$ with significances of $9.4\sigma$, $15.7\sigma$, and $9.8\sigma$, respectively. The $\mathcal R(3810)$ is observed for the first time. We found two solutions in analysis of the cross sections. For solution I [solution II], we measure the mass, the total width and the product of electronic width and nOCH decay branching fraction to be $(3805.8 \pm 1.1 \pm 2.7)$ [$(3805.8 \pm 1.1 \pm 2.7)$] MeV/$c^2$, $(11.6 \pm 2.6 \pm 1.9)$ [$(11.5 \pm 2.5 \pm 1.8)$] MeV, and $(10.8\pm 3.2\pm 2.3)$ [$(11.0\pm 2.9\pm 2.4)$] eV for the $\mathcal R(3810)$, respectively. In addition, we measure the branching fractions ${\mathcal B}({\mathcal R}(3760)$$\rightarrow${nOCH}$)=(24.5 \pm 13.4 \pm 27.4)\% [(6.8 \pm 5.4 \pm 7.6)\%]$ for the first time, and ${\mathcal B}(\mathcal R(3780)$$\rightarrow${nOCH}$)=(11.6 \pm 5.8 \pm 7.8)\% [(10.3 \pm 4.5 \pm 6.9)\%]$. Moreover, we determine the open-charm (OC) branching fraction ${\mathcal B}({\mathcal R}$$(3760)\rightarrow${OC}$)=(75.5 \pm 13.4 \pm 27.4)\% [(93.2 \pm 5.4 \pm 7.6)\%]$, which supports the interpretation of $\mathcal R(3760)$ as an OC pair molecular state, but contained a simple four-quark state component. The first uncertainties are from fits to the cross sections, and the second are systematic

Search for an invisible muon philic scalar X0X_{0} or vector X1X_{1} via J/ψ→μ+μ−+invisibleJ/\psi\to\mu^+\mu^-+\rm{invisible} decay at BESIII

A light scalar $X_{0}$ or vector $X_{1}$ particles have been introduced as a possible explanation for the $(g-2)_{\mu}$ anomaly and dark matter phenomena. Using $(8.998\pm 0.039)\times10^9$ \jpsi events collected by the BESIII detector, we search for a light muon philic scalar $X_{0}$ or vector $X_{1}$ in the processes $J/\psi\to\mu^+\mu^- X_{0,1}$ with $X_{0,1}$ invisible decays. No obvious signal is found, and the upper limits on the coupling $g_{0,1}'$ between the muon and the $X_{0,1}$ particles are set to be between $1.1\times10^{-3}$ and $1.0\times10^{-2}$ for the $X_{0,1}$ mass in the range of $1<M(X_{0,1})<1000$~MeV$/c^2$ at 90$\%$ confidence level.Comment: 9 pages 7 figure

Study of the decay J/ψ→ϕπ0ηJ/\psi \to \phi \pi^{0}\eta

Based on $(10.09 \pm 0.04) \times 10^9$ $J/\psi$ events collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII collider, a partial wave analysis of the decay $J/\psi \to \phi \pi^{0}\eta$ is performed. We observe for the first time two new structures on the $\phi\eta$ invariant mass distribution, with statistical significances of $24.0\sigma$ and $16.9\sigma$; the first with $J^{\rm PC}$ = $1^{+-}$, mass M = (1911 $\pm$ 6 (stat.) $\pm$ 14 (sys.))~MeV/$c^{2}$, and width $\Gamma =$ (149 $\pm$ 12 (stat.) $\pm$ 23 (sys.))~MeV, the second with $J^{\rm PC}$ = $1^{--}$, mass M = (1996 $\pm$ 11 (stat.) $\pm$ 30 (sys.))~MeV/$c^{2}$, and width $\Gamma$ = (148 $\pm$ 16 (stat.) $\pm$ 66 (sys.))~MeV. These measurements provide important input for the strangeonium spectrum. In addition, the $f_0(980)-a_0(980)^0$ mixing signal in $J/\psi \to \phi f_0(980) \to \phi a_0(980)^0$ and the corresponding electromagnetic decay $J/\psi \to \phi a_0(980)^0$ are measured with improved precision, providing crucial information to understand the nature of $a_0(980)^0$ and $f_0(980)$

Updated measurements of the M1 transition ψ(3686)→γηc(2S)\psi(3686) \to \gamma \eta_{c}(2S) with ηc(2S)→KKˉπ\eta_{c}(2S) \to K \bar{K} \pi

Based on a data sample of $(27.08 \pm 0.14 ) \times 10^8~\psi(3686)$ events collected with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, the M1 transition $\psi(3686) \to \gamma \eta_{c}(2S)$ with $\eta_{c}(2S) \to K\bar{K}\pi$ is studied, where $K\bar{K}\pi$ is $K^{+} K^{-} \pi^{0}$ or $K_{S}^{0}K^{\pm}\pi^{\mp}$. The mass and width of the $\eta_{c}(2S)$ are measured to be $(3637.8 \pm 0.8 (\rm {stat}) \pm 0.2 (\rm {syst}))$ MeV/$c^{2}$ and $(10.5 \pm 1.7 (\rm {stat}) \pm 3.5 (\rm {syst}))$ MeV, respectively. The product branching fraction $\mathcal{B}\left(\psi(3686) \rightarrow \gamma \eta_{c}(2 S)\right) \times \mathcal{B}(\eta_{c}(2 S) \rightarrow K \bar{K} \pi)$ is determined to be $(0.97 \pm 0.06 (\rm {stat}) \pm 0.09 (\rm {syst})) \times 10^{-5}$. Using $\mathcal{BR}(\eta_{c}(2S)\to K\bar{K}\pi)=(1.86^{+0.68}_{-0.49})\%$, we obtain the branching fraction of the radiative transition to be $\mathcal{BR}(\psi(3686) \to \gamma \eta_{c}(2S)) = (5.2 \pm 0.3 (\rm {stat}) \pm 0.5 (\rm {syst}) ^{+1.9}_{-1.4} (extr)) \times 10^{-4}$, where the third uncertainty is due to the quoted $\mathcal{BR}(\eta_{c}(2S) \to K\bar{K}\pi)$

Observation of the Singly Cabibbo-Suppressed Decay Λc+→Σ−K+π+\Lambda_{c}^{+}\to \Sigma^{-}K^{+}\pi^{+}

The singly Cabibbo-suppressed decay $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\to \Sigma^{-}K^{+}\pi^{+}$ is observed for the first time with a statistical significance of $6.4\sigma$ by using 4.5 fb$^{-1}$ of $e^+e^-$ collision data collected at center-of-mass energies between 4.600 and 4.699 GeV with the BESIII detector at BEPCII. The absolute branching fraction of $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\to \Sigma^{-}K^{+}\pi^{+}$ is measured to be $(3.8\pm1.3_{\rm stat}\pm0.2_{\rm syst})\times 10^{-4}$ in a model-independent approach. This is the first observation of a Cabibbo-suppressed $\Lambda_{c}^{+}$ decay involving $\Sigma^-$ in the final state. The ratio of branching fractions between $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\to \Sigma^{-}K^{+}\pi^{+}$ and the Cabibbo-favored decay $\Lambda_{c}^{+}\to \Sigma^- \pi^+\pi^+$ is calculated to be $(0.4 \pm 0.1)s_{c}^{2}$, where $s_{c} \equiv \sin\theta_c = 0.2248$ with $\theta_c$ the Cabibbo mixing angle. This ratio significantly deviates from $1.0s_{c}^{2}$ and provides important information for the understanding of nonfactorization contributions in $\Lambda_{c}^{+}$ decays.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figure

Measurement of the e+e−→KS0KL0π0e^{+}e^{-} \to K_{S}^{0} K_{L}^{0} \pi^{0} cross sections from s=\sqrt{s}= 2.000 to 3.080 GeV

Based on $e^{+}e^{-}$ collision data collected at center-of-mass energies from 2.000 to 3.080 GeV by the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider, a partial wave analysis is performed for the process $e^{+}e^{-}\to K_{S}^{0} K_{L}^{0} \pi^{0}$. The results allow the Born cross sections of the process $e^{+}e^{-}\to K_{S}^{0} K_{L}^{0} \pi^{0}$, as well as its subprocesses $e^{+}e^{-}\to K^{*}(892)^{0}\bar{K}$ and $K^{*}_{2}(1430)^{0}\bar{K}$ to be measured. The Born cross sections for $e^{+}e^{-}\to K_{S}^{0} K_{L}^{0}\pi^{0}$ are consistent with previous measurements by BaBar and SND, but with substantially improved precision. The Born cross section lineshape of the process $e^{+}e^{-}\to K^{*}(892)^{0}\bar{K}$ is consistent with a vector meson state around 2.2 GeV with a statistical significance of 3.2$\sigma$. A Breit-Wigner fit determines its mass as $M_Y=(2164.1\pm9.6\pm3.1)~{\rm{MeV}}/c^{2}$ and its width as $\Gamma_{Y}=(32.4\pm21.1\pm1.5)~\rm{MeV}$, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second ones are systematic, respectively

Measurement of e+e−→ϕη′e^{+}e^{-}\to\phi\eta' cross sections at center-of-mass energies from 3.508 to 4.951 GeV and search for the decay ψ(3770)→ϕη′\psi(3770)\to\phi\eta'

The cross sections of the $e^{+}e^{-}\to\phi\eta'$ process at center-of-mass energies from 3.508 to 4.951 GeV are measured with high precision using 26.1 fb$^{-1}$ data collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII storage ring. The cross sections are of the order of a few picobarn, and decrease as the center-of-mass energy increases as $s^{-n/2}$ with $n=4.35\pm 0.14$. This result is in agreement with the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model prediction of $n=3.5\pm 0.9$. In addition, the charmless decay $\psi(3770)\to\phi\eta'$ is searched for by fitting the measured cross sections, yet no significant signal is observed. The upper limit of ${\cal B}(\psi(3770)\to\phi\eta')$ at the 90\% confidence level is determined to be $2.3\times 10^{-5}$