Fixation of a double-coated titanium-hydroxyapatite focal knee resurfacing implant A 12-month study in sheep

SummaryObjectiveFocal cartilage lesions according to International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grade 3–4 in the medial femoral condyle may progress to osteoarthritis. When treating such focal lesions with metallic implants a sound fixation to the underlying bone is mandatory. We developed a monobloc unipolar cobalt-chrome (Co-Cr) implant with a double coating; first a layer of commercially pure titanium (c.p.Ti) on top of which a layer of hydroxyapatite (HA) was applied. We hypothesised that such a double coating would provide long-lasting and adequate osseointegration.Design (materials and methods)Unilateral medial femoral condyles of 10 sheep were operated. The implants were inserted in the weight-bearing surface and immediate weight-bearing was allowed. Euthanasia was performed at 6 (three animals) or 12 months (six animals). Osseointegration was analysed with micro-computer tomography (CT), light microscopy and histomorphometric analyses using backscatter scanning electron microscopy (B-SEM) technique.ResultsAt 6 months one specimen out of three showed small osteolytic areas at the hat and at 12 months two specimens out of six showed small osteolytic areas at the hat, no osteolytical areas were seen around the peg at any time point. At both time points, a high total bone-to-implant contact was measured with a mean (95% confidence interval – CI) of 90.6 (79–102) at 6 months and 92.3 (89–95) at 12 months, respectively.ConclusionsA double coating (Ti + HA) of a focal knee resurfacing Co-Cr implant was presented in a sheep animal model. A firm and consistent bond to bone under weight-bearing conditions was shown up to 1 year

Measuring the Photon Helicity in Radiative B Decays

We propose a way of measuring the photon polarization in radiative B decays into K resonance states decaying to K\pi\pi, which can test the Standard Model and probe new physics. The photon polarization is shown to be measured by the up-down asymmetry of the photon direction relative to the K\pi\pi decay plane in the K resonance rest frame. The integrated asymmetry in K_1(1400)\to K\pi\pi, calculated to be 0.34\pm 0.05 in the Standard Model, is measurable at currently operating B factories.Comment: 4 pages, final version to appear in Physical Review Letter

A consistent picture for large penguins in D -> pi+ pi-, K+ K-

A long-standing puzzle in charm physics is the large difference between the D0 -> K+ K- and D0 -> pi+ pi- decay rates. Recently, the LHCb and CDF collaborations reported a surprisingly large difference between the direct CP asymmetries, Delta A_CP, in these two modes. We show that the two puzzles are naturally related in the Standard Model via s- and d-quark "penguin contractions". Their sum gives rise to Delta A_CP, while their difference contributes to the two branching ratios with opposite sign. Assuming nominal SU(3) breaking, a U-spin fit to the D0 -> K+ pi-, pi+ K-, pi+ pi-, K+ K- decay rates yields large penguin contractions that naturally explain Delta A_CP. Expectations for the individual CP asymmetries are also discussed.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figure

Snowmass CF1 Summary: WIMP Dark Matter Direct Detection

As part of the Snowmass process, the Cosmic Frontier WIMP Direct Detection subgroup (CF1) has drawn on input from the Cosmic Frontier and the broader Particle Physics community to produce this document. The charge to CF1 was (a) to summarize the current status and projected sensitivity of WIMP direct detection experiments worldwide, (b) motivate WIMP dark matter searches over a broad parameter space by examining a spectrum of WIMP models, (c) establish a community consensus on the type of experimental program required to explore that parameter space, and (d) identify the common infrastructure required to practically meet those goals.Comment: Snowmass CF1 Final Summary Report: 47 pages and 28 figures with a 5 page appendix on instrumentation R&

The accuracy and precision of radiostereometric analysis in monitoring tibial plateau fractures

Background and purpose: The application of radiostereometric analysis (RSA) to monitor stability of tibial plateau fractures during healing is both limited and yet to be validated. We therefore evaluated the accuracy and precision of RSA in a tibial plateau fracture model. Methods: Combinations of 3, 6, and 9 markers in a lateral condyle fracture were evaluated with reference to 6 proximal tibial arrangements. Translation and rotation accuracy was assessed with displacement-controlled stages, while precision was assessed with dynamic double examinations. A comparison of error according to marker number and arrangement was completed with 2-way ANOVA models. Results: The results were improved using more tantalum markers in each segment. In the fracture fragment, marker scatter in all axes was achieved by a circumferential arrangement (medial, anterior, and lateral) of the tantalum markers above the fixation devices. Markers placed on either side of the tibial tuberosity and in the medial aspect of the fracture split represented the proximal tibial reference segment best. Using 6 markers with this distribution in each segment, the translation accuracy (root mean square error) was less than 37 μm in all axes. The precision (95% confidence interval) was less than ± 16 μm in all axes in vitro. Rotation, tested around the x-axis, had an accuracy of less than 0.123° and a precision of ± 0.024°. Interpretation: RSA is highly accurate and precise in the assessment of lateral tibial plateau fracture fragment movement. The validation of our center's RSA system provides evidence to support future clinical RSA fracture studies.Lucian B Solomon, Aaron W Stevenson, Stuart A Callary, Thomas R Sullivan, Donald W Howie, and Mellick J Chehad

Measurement of B[Y(5S)->Bs(*) anti-Bs(*)] Using phi Mesons

Knowledge of the Bs decay fraction of the Y(5S) resonance, fs, is important for Bs meson studies at the Y(5S) energy. Using a data sample collected by the CLEO III detector at CESR consisting of 0.423/fb on the Y(5S) resonance, 6.34/fb on the Y(4S) and 2.32/fb in the continuum below the Y(4S), we measure B(Y(5S) -> phi X)=(13.8 +/- 0.7 {+2.3}{-1.5})% and B(Y(4S) -> phi X) = (7.1 +/- 0.1 +/-0.6)%; the ratio of the two rates is (1.9 +/- 0.1 {+0.3}{-0.2}). This is the first measurement of the phi meson yield from the Y(5S). Using these rates, and a model dependent estimate of B(Bs -> phi X), we determine fs = (24.6 +/- 2.9 {+11.0}{-5.3})%. We also update our previous independent measurement of fs made using the inclusive Ds yields to now be (16.8 +/- 2.6 {+6.7}{-3.4)%, due to a better estimate of the number of hadronic events. We also report the total Y(5S) hadronic cross section above continuum to be sigma(e^+e^- -> Y(5S))=(0.301 +/- 0.002 +/- 0.039) nb. This allows us to extract the fraction of B mesons as (58.9+/-10.0+/-9.2)%, equal to 1-fs. averaging the three methods gives a model dependent result of fs=(21 {+6}{-3})%.Comment: 23 pages postscript,also available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/2006/, Submitted to PR

Updated Measurement of the Strong Phase in D0 --> K+pi- Decay Using Quantum Correlations in e+e- --> D0 D0bar at CLEO

We analyze a sample of 3 million quantum-correlated D0 D0bar pairs from 818 pb^-1 of e+e- collision data collected with the CLEO-c detector at E_cm = 3.77 GeV, to give an updated measurement of \cos\delta and a first determination of \sin\delta, where \delta is the relative strong phase between doubly Cabibbo-suppressed D0 --> K+pi- and Cabibbo-favored D0bar --> K+pi- decay amplitudes. With no inputs from other experiments, we find \cos\delta = 0.81 +0.22+0.07 -0.18-0.05, \sin\delta = -0.01 +- 0.41 +- 0.04, and |\delta| = 10 +28+13 -53-0 degrees. By including external measurements of mixing parameters, we find alternative values of \cos\delta = 1.15 +0.19+0.00 -0.17-0.08, \sin\delta = 0.56 +0.32+0.21 -0.31-0.20, and \delta = (18 +11-17) degrees. Our results can be used to improve the world average uncertainty on the mixing parameter y by approximately 10%.Comment: Minor revisions, version accepted by PR

Search for Exclusive Charmless Hadronic B Decays

We have searched for two-body charmless hadronic decays of $B$ mesons. Final states include $\pi\pi$, $K \pi$, and $KK$ with both charged and neutral kaons and pions; $\pi\rho$, $K \rho$, and $K^*\pi$; and $K\phi$, $K^*\phi$, and $\phi\phi$. The data used in this analysis consist of 2.6~million $B\bar{B}$~pairs produced at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ taken with the CLEO-II detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring (CESR). We measure the branching fraction of the sum of $B^0 \rightarrow \pi^+\pi^-$ and $B^0 \rightarrow K^+\pi^-$ to be $(1.8^{+0.6+0.2}_{-0.5-0.3}\pm0.2) \times 10^{-5}$. In addition, we place upper limits on individual branching fractions in the range from $10^{-4}$ to $10^{-6}$.Comment: 33 page LATEX file, uses REVTEX and psfig, 14 figures in a separate uuencoded postscript file, postscript version also available through http://w4.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLN

Precision Measurement of B(D+ -> mu+ nu) and the Pseudoscalar Decay Constant fD+

We measure the branching ratio of the purely leptonic decay of the D+ meson with unprecedented precision as B(D+ -> mu+ nu) = (3.82 +/- 0.32 +/- 0.09)x10^(-4), using 818/pb of data taken on the psi(3770) resonance with the CLEO-c detector at the CESR collider. We use this determination to derive a value for the pseudoscalar decay constant fD+, combining with measurements of the D+ lifetime and assuming |Vcd| = |Vus|. We find fD+ = (205.8 +/- 8.5 +/- 2.5) MeV. The decay rate asymmetry [B(D+ -> mu+ nu)-B(D- -> mu- nu)]/[B(D+ -> mu+ nu)+B(D- -> mu- nu)] = 0.08 +/- 0.08, consistent with no CP violation. We also set 90% confidence level upper limits on B(D+ -> tau+ nu) < 1.2x10^(-3) and B(D+ -> e+ nu) < 8.8x10^(-6).Comment: 24 pages, 11 figures and 6 tables, v2 replaced some figure vertical axis scales, v3 corrections from PRD revie

Search for Lepton Flavor Violation in Upsilon Decays

In this Letter we describe a search for lepton flavor violation (LFV) in the bottomonium system. We search for leptonic decays of Upsilon(nS)(n=1,2, and 3) into muon and tau using the data collected with the CLEO III detector. We identify the tau lepton using its leptonic decay into electron and utilize multidimensional likelihood fitting with PDF shapes measured from independent data samples. We report our estimates of 95% CL upper limits on LFV branching fractions of Upsilon mesons. We interpret our results in terms of the exclusion plot for the energy scale of a hypothetical new interaction versus its effective LFV coupling in the framework of effective field theory.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, available through http://www.lns.cornell.edu/public/CLNS/, submitted to PR