Ligand-dependent Inhibition of CD1d-restricted NKT Cell Development in Mice Transgenic for the Activating Receptor Ly49D

In addition to their CD1d-restricted T cell receptor (TCR), natural killer T (NKT) cells express various receptors normally associated with NK cells thought to act, in part, as modulators of TCR signaling. Immunoreceptor-tyrosine activation (ITAM) and inhibition (ITIM) motifs associated with NK receptors may augment or attenuate perceived TCR signals respectively, potentially influencing NKT cell development and function. ITIM-containing Ly49 family receptors expressed by NKT cells are proposed to play a role in their development and function. We have produced mice transgenic for the ITAM-associated Ly49D and ITIM-containing Ly49A receptors and their common ligand H2-Dd to determine the importance of these signaling interplays in NKT cell development. Ly49D/H2-Dd transgenic mice had selectively and severely reduced numbers of thymic and peripheral NKT cells, whereas both ligand and Ly49D transgenics had normal numbers of NKT cells. CD1d tetramer staining revealed a blockade of NKT cell development at an early precursor stage. Coexpression of a Ly49A transgene partially rescued NKT cell development in Ly49D/H2-Dd transgenics, presumably due to attenuation of ITAM signaling. Thus, Ly49D-induced ITAM signaling is incompatible with the early development of cells expressing semi-invariant CD1d-restricted TCRs and appropriately harmonized ITIM–ITAM signaling is likely to play an important role in the developmental program of NKT cells

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

Measurements of Charmless Hadronic b->s Penguin Decays in the pi+pi-K+pi- Final State and First Observation of B0 -> rho0K+pi-

We report measurements of charmless hadronic B^0 decays into the pi+pi-K+pi+ final state. The analysis uses a sample of 657x10^6 BBbar pairs collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider at the Y(4S) resonance. The decay B^0 -> rho0 Kpi is observed for the first time; the significance is 5.0sigma and the corresponding partial branching fraction for M_Kpi in (0.75,1.20) GeV/c^2 is [2.8 +- 0.5(stat) +-0.5(syst)] x 10^{-6}. We also obtain the first evidence for B^0 -> f0Kpi with 3.5sigma significance and for B^0 -> pi+pi-K*0 with 4.5sigma significance. For the two-body decays B^0 -> rho0K*0 and B^0 -> f0K*0, the significances are 2.7sigma and 2.5sigma, respectively, and the upper limits on the branching fractions are 3.4x10^{-6} and 2.2x10^{-6} at 90% confidence level.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures. accepted by PRD(RC

Study of B meson decays to three-body charmless hadronic final states

We report results of a study of charmless B meson decays to three-body KPiPi, KKPi and KKK final states. Measurements of branching fractions for B decays to K+0Pi+Pi-, K+K+K-, K0K+K-, KsKsK+ and KsKsKs final states are presented. The decays B0=>K0K+K-, B+=>KsKsK+ and B0=>KsKsKs are observed for the first time. We also report evidence for B+=>K+K-Pi+ decay. For the three-body final states K0K+K-, KsKsPi+, K+K+Pi- and K-Pi+Pi+ 90% confidence level upper limits are reported. Finally, we discuss the possibility of using the three-body B0=>KsK+K- decay for CP violation studies. The results are obtained with a 78 fb^-1 data sample collected at the Y(4S) resonance by the Belle detector operating at the KEKB asymmetric energy e+e- collider.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures. To be submitted to PR

Observation of Radiative Decay D0→ϕγD^0 \to \phi \gamma

We report the observation of the decay $D^{0} \to \phi \gamma$ with a statistical significance of $5.4\sigma$ in 78.1 \ifb of data collected by the Belle experiment at the KEKB $e^+ e^-$ collider. This is the first observation of a flavor-changing radiative decay of a charmed meson. The Cabibbo- and color-suppressed decays $D^0 \to \phi \pi^0$, $\phi \eta$ are also observed for the first time. We measure branching fractions \br(D^{0} \to \phi \gamma) = [ 2.60^{+0.70}_{-0.61} \stat {}^{+0.15}_{-0.17} \syst ] \times 10^{-5}, \br(D^{0} \to \phi \pi^{0}) = [ 8.01 \pm 0.26 \stat \pm 0.47 \syst ] \times 10^{-4}, and \br(D^{0} \to \phi \eta) = [ 1.48 \pm 0.47 \stat \pm 0.09 \syst ] \times 10^{-4}.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, Belle Preprint 2003-24, KEK Preprint 2003-75, updated version of BELLE-CONF-0346 (contributed paper to the XXI International Symposium on Lepton and Photon Interactions at High Energies,Fermilab Aug 11-16,2003). to appear in Phys. Rev. Let

Observation of B_s to phi gamma and Search for B_s to gamma gamma Decays at Belle

We search for the radiative penguin decays B_s to phi gamma and B_s to gamma gamma in a 23.6 fb-1 data sample collected at the Upsilon(5S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+e- asymmetric-energy collider. We observe for the first time a radiative penguin decay of the B_s meson in the B_s to phi gamma mode. No significant B_s to gamma gamma signal is observed.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted by Physics Review Letter

Measurement of branching fraction ratios and CP asymmetries in B±→DCPK±B^{\pm} \to D_{CP}K^{\pm}

We report results on the decay $B^{-} \to D_{CP}K^{-}$ and its charge conjugate using a data sample of 85.4 million $B\bar{B}$ pairs recorded at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric $e^{+}e^{-}$ storage ring. Ratios of branching fractions of Cabibbo-suppressed to Cabibbo-favored processes are determined to be ${\cal B}(B^- \to D^0 K^-)/{\cal B}(B^- \to D^0 \pi^-)= 0.077 \pm 0.005(stat) \pm 0.006(sys)$, ${\cal B}(B^- \to D_1 K^-)/{\cal B}(B^- \to D_1 \pi^-) = 0.093 \pm 0.018(stat) \pm 0.008(sys)$ and ${\cal B}(B^- \to D_2 K^-)/{\cal B}(B^- \to D_2 \pi^-) = 0.108 \pm 0.019(stat) \pm 0.007(sys)$ where the indices 1 and 2 represent the CP=+1 and CP=$-$1 eigenstates of the $D^{0}-\bar{D^{0}}$ system, respectively. We find the partial-rate charge asymmetries for $B^{-} \to D_{CP}K^{-}$ to be ${\cal{A}}_1 = 0.06 \pm 0.19(stat) \pm 0.04(sys)$ and ${\cal{A}}_2 = -0.19 \pm 0.17(stat) \pm 0.05(sys)$.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Physical Review

Evidence for CP-Violating Asymmetries in B0->pi+pi- Decays and Constraints on the CKM Angle phi2

We present an improved measurement of CP-violating asymmetries in B0 -> pi+ pi- decays based on a 78 fb^-1 data sample collected at the Y(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. We reconstruct one neutral B meson as a B0 -> pi+ pi- CP eigenstate and identify the flavor of the accompanying B meson from inclusive properties of its decay products. We apply an unbinned maximum likelihood fit to the distribution of the time intervals between the two B meson decay points. The fit yields the CP-violating asymmetry amplitudes Apipi = +0.77+/-0.27(stat)+/-0.08(syst) and Spipi = -1.23+/-0.41(stat)+0.08/-0.07(syst), where the statistical uncertainties are determined from Monte Carlo pseudo-experiments. We obtain confidence intervals for CP-violating asymmetry parameters Apipi and Spipi based on a frequentist approach. We rule out the CP-conserving case, Apipi=Spipi=0, at the 99.93% confidence level. We discuss how these results constrain the value of the CKM angle phi2.Comment: 26 pages, 13 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Study of CP Violating Effects in Time Dependent B0(B0ˉ)→D(∗)∓π±B^0(\bar{B^0}) \to D^{(*)\mp}\pi^{\pm} Decays

We report measurements of time dependent decay rates for $B^0(\bar{B}^0) \to D^{(*)\mp}\pi^{\pm}$ decays and extraction of CP violation parameters containing $\phi_3$. Using fully reconstructed $D^{(*)}\pi$ events from a $140 {\rm fb}^{-1}$ data sample collected at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance, we obtain the CP violation parameters for $D^* \pi$ and $D \pi$ decays, $2R_{D^{(*)} \pi} \sin (2\phi_1 + \phi_3 \pm \delta_{D^{(*)} \pi})$, where $R_{D^{(*)} \pi}$ is the ratio of the magnitudes of the doubly-Cabibbo-suppressed and Cabibbo-favoured amplitudes, and $\delta_{D^{(*)} \pi}$ is the strong phase difference between them. Under the assumption of $\delta_{D^{(*)} \pi}$ being close to either 0 or $180^{\circ}$, we obtain $|2R_{D^* \pi} \sin (2\phi_1 + \phi_3)| = 0.060 \pm 0.040(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.019(\mathrm{sys})$ and $|2R_{D \pi} \sin (2\phi_1 + \phi_3)| = 0.061 \pm 0.037(\mathrm{stat}) \pm 0.018(\mathrm{sys})$.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, Submitted to Physical Review Letter