Search for a low mass particle decaying into μ+ μ- in B0 → K*0 X and B0 → ρ0 X at Belle

We search for dimuon decays of a low mass particle in the decays B0→K*0 X and B0→ρ0 X using a data sample of 657×10(6)BB events collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+ e- collider. We find no evidence for such a particle in the mass range from 212  MeV/c2 to 300  MeV/c2 for lifetimes below 10(-12)  s, and set upper limits on its branching fractions. In particular, we search for a particle with a mass of 214.3  MeV/c2 reported by the HyperCP experiment, and obtain upper limits on the products B(B0→K*0 X)×B(X→μ+ μ- )<2.26(2.27)×10(-8) and B(B0→ρ0 X)×B(X→μ+ μ-)<1.73(1.73)×10(-8) at 90% C.L. for a scalar (vector) X particle.

Eosinophilic cystitis associated with eosinophilic enterocolitis: case reports and review of the literature

We report three cases of eosinophilic cystitis. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed characteristic bladder wall thickening exceeding 10 mm, with preservation of the mucosal lining and intense, progressive contrast enhancement on sequential arterial and delayed scans. Eosinophilic cystitis might have been associated with eosinophilic infiltration in other organs, such as the gastrointestinal tracts and liver.

Effects of TGF-beta3 and preculture period of osteogenic cells on the chondrogenic differentiation of rabbit marrow mesenchymal stem cells encapsulated in a bilayered hydrogel composite

In this work, injectable, biodegradable hydrogel composites of crosslinked oligo(poly(ethylene glycol) fumarate) and gelatin microparticles (MPs) were used to fabricate a bilayered osteochondral construct. Rabbit marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were encapsulated with transforming growth factor-beta3 (TGF-beta3)-loaded MPs in the chondrogenic layer and cocultured with cells of different periods of osteogenic preculture (0, 3, 6 and 12 days) in the osteogenic layer to investigate the effects of TGF-beta3 delivery and coculture on the proliferation and differentiation of cells in both layers. The results showed that, in the chondrogenic layer, TGF-beta3 significantly stimulated chondrogenic differentiation of MSCs. In addition, cells of various osteogenic preculture periods in the osteogenic layer, along with TGF-beta3, enhanced gene expression for MSC chondrogenic markers to different extents. In the osteogenic layer, cells maintained their alkaline phosphatase activity during the coculture; however, mineralization was delayed by the presence of TGF-beta3. Overall, this study demonstrated the fabrication of bilayered hydrogel composites which mimic the structure and function of osteochondral tissue, along with the application of these composites as cell and growth factor carriers, while illustrating that encapsulated cells of different degrees of osteogenic differentiation can significantly influence the chondrogenic differentiation of cocultured progenitor cells in both the presence and absence of chondrogenic growth factors.

Two-year follow-up of contrast stasis within the sac in unruptured aneurysm coil embolization: progressive thrombosis or enlargement?

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The fate of contrast stasis within an aneurysmal sac after coiling has not been established. We followed and evaluated the potential risks of recanalization of unruptured aneurysms embolized with BPCs for 2 years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 301 unruptured aneurysms in 252 patients were treated with BPCs. Contrast stasis was observed on initial postembolization angiograms in 104 (34.6%) of these aneurysms. For follow-up, skull images by an angiographic unit (at 3, 9, 15, and 21 months), CE-MRA including TOF source images (at 6, 12, and 18 months), and DSA (at 24 months) were used.

RESULTS

In 89 (85.6%) of the 104 aneurysms with contrast stasis, the stasis disappeared on 6-month MRAs and occlusions remained unchanged without recanalization for 2 years. In the remaining 15 (14.4%), recanalization occurred during follow-up. The presence of contrast stasis was not found to be associated with the obliteration rate (P = .641) or packing attenuation (aneurysms without contrast stasis 30.7% ± 11.18 versus aneurysms with contrast stasis 33.0% ± 12.11, P = .113). Contrast stasis was not found to be a risk factor for recanalization (15/104 [14.4%] versus 29/197 [14.7%], P = 1.000).

CONCLUSIONS

Contrast stasis is a benign angiographic finding that can disappear within 6 months on follow-up MRA. In addition, contrast stasis was not found to be associated with a low obliteration rate or packing attenuation or to be a risk factor for recanalization. The present study shows that aneurysms with contrast stasis on initial postembolization angiograms are no more likely to recanalize than aneurysms without contrast stasis.

First measurement of Bose-Einstein correlations in proton-proton collisions at √s=0.9 and 2.36 TeV at the LHC

Bose-Einstein correlations have been measured using samples of proton-proton collisions at 0.9 and 2.36 TeV center-of-mass energies, recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider. The signal is observed in the form of an enhancement of pairs of same-sign charged particles with small relative four-momentum. The size of the correlated particle emission region is seen to increase significantly with the particle multiplicity of the event.

Transverse-momentum and pseudorapidity distributions of charged hadrons in pp collisions at square root of s = 7 TeV

Charged-hadron transverse-momentum and pseudorapidity distributions in proton-proton collisions at square root of s = 7  TeV are measured with the inner tracking system of the CMS detector at the LHC. The charged-hadron yield is obtained by counting the number of reconstructed hits, hit pairs, and fully reconstructed charged-particle tracks. The combination of the three methods gives a charged-particle multiplicity per unit of pseudorapidity dN(ch)/dη|(|η|<0.5) = 5.78 ± 0.01(stat) ± 0.23(syst) for non-single-diffractive events, higher than predicted by commonly used models. The relative increase in charged-particle multiplicity from square root of s = 0.9 to 7 TeV is [66.1 ± 1.0(stat) ± 4.2(syst)]%. The mean transverse momentum is measured to be 0.545 ± 0.005(stat) ± 0.015(syst)  GeV/c. The results are compared with similar measurements at lower energies.

Observation of B(s)(0) → D(s)(*-) π+ and B(s)(0) → D(s)(*-) ρ+ and measurement of the B(s)(0) → D(s)(*-) ρ+ longitudinal polarization fraction

First observations of the B(s)(0) → D(s)(*-) π+, B(s)(0) → D(s)(-) ρ+ and B(s)(0) → D(s)(*-) ρ+ decays are reported together with measurements of their branching fractions: B(B(s)(0) → D(s)(*-) π+) = [2.4(-0.4)(+0.5)(stat) ± 0.3(syst) ± 0.4(f(s))]×10(-3), B(B(s)(0) → D(s)(-) ρ+) = [8.5(-1.2)(+1.3)(stat) ± 1.1(syst) ± 1.3(f(s))]×10(-3) and B(B(s)(0) → D(s)(*-) ρ+) = [11.9(-2.0)(+2.2)(stat) ± 1.7(syst) ± 1.8(f(s))]×10(-3) (f(s) = N(B(s)(*) B(s)(*))/N(bb)). From helicity-angle distributions, we measured the longitudinal polarization fraction in B(s)(0) → D(s)(*-) ρ+ decays to be f(L)(B(s)(0) → D(s)(*-) ρ+) = 1.05(-0.10)(+0.08)(stat)(-0.04)(+0.03)(syst). These results are based on a 23.6  fb(-1) data sample collected at the Υ(5S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+ e- collider.

Coronary heart disease risk assessment and characterization of coronary artery disease using coronary CT angiography: comparison of asymptomatic and symptomatic groups

AIM

To evaluate the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) in relation to risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and assess plaque characteristics from coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three hundred and ninety consecutive patients [asymptomatic group, n=138; symptomatic group (atypical or non-anginal chest pain), n=252] were retrospectively enrolled. They were subsequently classified into three CHD risk categories, based on the National Cholesterol Education Program guidelines, and 10 year risks of coronary events were calculated using Framingham risk score. CT was evaluated for stenosis, plaque composition, and coronary calcium scores.

RESULTS

CAD was observed in 42% of the asymptomatic group and 62% of the symptomatic group. In the former, the prevalence of CAD in low-, moderate- and high-risk subgroups was 21.4, 47.4 and 65%, respectively, and was 33.3, 74.4, and 72.4% in the symptomatic group. Framingham 10-year risks of coronary events were significantly higher in patients with CAD than in normal participants, and receiver operating characteristics curves showed that discriminatory power was poor in the asymptomatic group and symptomatic men, and good in symptomatic women. Of the participants in the asymptomatic group, 12% exhibited only non-calcified plaques and of the symptomatic group, 7% exhibited only non-calcified plaques. The coronary calcium score was significantly higher for significant stenosis than for non-significant stenosis in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of CAD was not negligible even in subgroups with low-to-moderate CHD risk. Additionally, the Framingham risk score was effective for predicting CAD only in symptomatic women. Coronary calcium scores correlated with significant stenosis; however, a sizeable percentage of both groups had only non-calcified plaques.

Effect of BMP-9 and its derived peptide on the differentiation of human white preadipocytes

Several studies have shown that bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) can influence adipogenic and osteogenic cell lineages. We have shown that a peptide derived from BMP-9 (pBMP-9) at 400 ng/ml inhibits the proliferation of preosteoblasts and induces differentiation. We have now determined the effects of pBMP-9 (400 ng/ml) and equimolar concentrations of BMP-2 (100 ng/ml), BMP-9 (84.6 ng/ml) and pBMP-9 (9.04 ng/ml) on human white preadipocytes (HWP). pBMP-9 dose dependently reduced the proliferation of HWP without affecting the number of apoptotic cells. Incubation of the cells for 1 h with BMP-2, BMP-9 or pBMP-9 activated the Smad1/5/8 pathway, while incubation for 7 days in adipocyte differentiation (AD) serum-free medium containing ciglitazone and equimolar concentrations of BMP-2, BMP-9 or pBMP-9 enhanced the levels of mRNA of the adipogenic markers aP2 and adipoQ and increased the number of lipid vesicles. Thus, pBMP-9, like BMP-9, can increase the AD of HWP in AD serum-free medium.

Search for CP violation in the decays D(s)+ --> KS0pi+ and D(s)+ --> KS0K+

We have searched for CP violation in the charmed meson decays D((s))(+) --> K(S)(0)pi(+) and D((s))(+) --> K(S)(0)K(+) using 673 fb(-1) of data collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider. No evidence for CP violation is observed. We report the most sensitive CP asymmetry measurements to date for these decays: A(CP)(D(+)-->K(S)(0)pi(+)) = (-0.71 +/- 0.19 +/- 0.20)%, A(CP)(D(s)(+) --> K(S)(0)pi(+)) = (+5.45 +/- 2.50 +/- 0.33)%, A(CP)(D(+) --> K(S)(0)K(+)) = (-0.16 +/- 0.58 +/- 0.25)%, and A(CP)(D(s)(+) --> K(S)(0)K(+)) = (+0.12 +/- 0.36 +/- 0.22)%, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic.