Search for a dark photon in e(+)e(-) collisions at BABAR

Dark sectors charged under a new Abelian interaction have recently received much attention in the context of dark matter models. These models introduce a light new mediator, the so-called dark photon (A^{'}), connecting the dark sector to the standard model. We present a search for a dark photon in the reaction e^{+}e^{-}→γA^{'}, A^{'}→e^{+}e^{-}, μ^{+}μ^{-} using 514  fb^{-1} of data collected with the BABAR detector. We observe no statistically significant deviations from the standard model predictions, and we set 90% confidence level upper limits on the mixing strength between the photon and dark photon at the level of 10^{-4}-10^{-3} for dark photon masses in the range 0.02-10.2  GeV. We further constrain the range of the parameter space favored by interpretations of the discrepancy between the calculated and measured anomalous magnetic moment of the muon.

Über die Komplexbildung des Thallium(I) mit einigen organischen Komplexbildnern

Nach der Solventextraktions- und Ionenaustausch-Methode wurden die Stabilitätskonstanten von Tl(I) und α-Thenoyltrifluoraceton (TTA), 8-Hydroxychinolin (Oxin), Äthylendiamintetraessigsäure (ÄDTE) und Nitrilotriessigsäure (ΝΤΕ) unter Verwendung von 204Tl gemessen. Alle Chelate zeigen eine 1: 1-Struktur. Die nichtextrahierbaren Chelate TI-ÄDTE und Tl-NTE wurden nach der Staryschen Extraktionsmethode in dem Extraktionssystem: TTA in Benzol/Wasser untersucht.

Über die Komplexbildung von Thallium (I und III) mit einigen organischen Komplexbildnern

Es werden die Stabilitätskonstanten der Komplexe von Tl (I) und Tl(III) mit Nitrilotriessigsäure (ΝΤΕ), Äthylendiamintetraessigsäure (ÄDTE), Zitronensäure, Oxalsäure und Salzsäure nach der Ionenaustauschmethode und unter Verwendung von 204T1 gemessen. Für Tl (I) ist die große Stabilität der NTE-Chelate charakteristisch, deren 1 : 2-Struktur auf eine Koordinationszahl 6 des Tl (I) hinweist. Die gefundene Selektivität der Adsorption der ΝΤΕ- und ÄDTE-Chelate von Tl (I) am Anionenaustauscher Wof L 165 unterstreicht das.

Tl (III) erweist sich als starker Chelatbildner im schwach sauren Bereich, denn für die Komplexe mit Zitronensäure, Oxalsäure, HCl, ΝΤΕ und ÄDTE wurden Stabilitätskonstanten Kf > 102 gemessen. Dabei sind die Werte für ΝΤΕ und ÄDTE > 105. Die geeignetsten Stabilisatoren für Tl-Lösun-gen sind ΝΤΕ und ÄDTE.

Untersuchungen zur Anwendung von 32P-markiertem Dimefox

Die Markierungssynthese des 32P-markierten Dimefox [Bis- (dimethylamino) -phosphorylfluorid] ausgehend von rotem Phosphor-32 wird beschrieben.

Es wird über den hydrolytischen Abbau bei saurer sowie bei alkalischer Reaktion berichtet.

Über die Aufnahme des Wirkstoffes nach Blatt- bzw. Wurzelbehandlung an Hopfenpflanzen in Hydrokulturen und unter Freilandbedingungen wird berichtet sowie Betrachtungen über das Verhalten des Wirkstoffes in der Pflanze werden dargelegt. Die Dauer der Wirksamkeit des Insektizides in der Pflanze wird verfolgt.

Zur Kenntnis der Umsetzung von 3H-Trichlorphon zu DDVP

Aus 3H-markiertem Chloral wird C1-3H-markiertes Trichlorphon hergestellt und im wäßrigalkalischen Medium zu DDVP umgesetzt, wobei (83 ± 6) Prozent der im Trichlorphon eingesetzten 3H-Aktivität im DDVP wiedergefunden werden. Die Umlagerungsreaktion beginnt daher bevorzugt mit der Ablösung des Protons an der OH-Gruppe des Trichlorphons.

The cellular building blocks of breathing

Respiratory brainstem neurons fulfill critical roles in controlling breathing: they generate the activity patterns for breathing and contribute to various sensory responses including changes in O2 and CO2. These complex sensorimotor tasks depend on the dynamic interplay between numerous cellular building blocks that consist of voltage-, calcium-, and ATP-dependent ionic conductances, various ionotropic and metabotropic synaptic mechanisms, as well as neuromodulators acting on G-protein coupled receptors and second messenger systems. As described in this review, the sensorimotor responses of the respiratory network emerge through the state-dependent integration of all these building blocks. There is no known respiratory function that involves only a small number of intrinsic, synaptic, or modulatory properties. Because of the complex integration of numerous intrinsic, synaptic, and modulatory mechanisms, the respiratory network is capable of continuously adapting to changes in the external and internal environment, which makes breathing one of the most integrated behaviors. Not surprisingly, inspiration is critical not only in the control of ventilation, but also in the context of "inspiring behaviors" such as arousal of the mind and even creativity. Far-reaching implications apply also to the underlying network mechanisms, as lessons learned from the respiratory network apply to network functions in general.

Classification of iRBD and Parkinson's disease patients based on eye movements during sleep

Patients suffering from the sleep disorder idiopathic rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) have been observed to be in high risk of developing Parkinson's disease (PD). This makes it essential to analyze them in the search for PD biomarkers. This study aims at classifying patients suffering from iRBD or PD based on features reflecting eye movements (EMs) during sleep. A Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) topic model was developed based on features extracted from two electrooculographic (EOG) signals measured as parts in full night polysomnographic (PSG) recordings from ten control subjects. The trained model was tested on ten other control subjects, ten iRBD patients and ten PD patients, obtaining a EM topic mixture diagram for each subject in the test dataset. Three features were extracted from the topic mixture diagrams, reflecting "certainty", "fragmentation" and "stability" in the timely distribution of the EM topics. Using a Naive Bayes (NB) classifier and the features "certainty" and "stability" yielded the best classification result and the subjects were classified with a sensitivity of 95 %, a specificity of 80% and an accuracy of 90 %. This study demonstrates in a data-driven approach, that iRBD and PD patients may exhibit abnorm form and/or timely distribution of EMs during sleep.

Measurement of the D*(2010)+ meson width and the D*(2010)+ - D0 mass difference

We measure the mass difference Δm0 between the D*(2010)+ and the D0 and the natural linewidth Γ of the transition D*(2010)+ → D0π+. The data were recorded with the BABAR detector at center-of-mass energies at and near the Υ(4S) resonance, and correspond to an integrated luminosity of approximately 477  fb(-1). The D0 is reconstructed in the decay modes D0 → K- π+ and D0 → K- π+ π- π+. For the decay mode D0 → K- π+ we obtain Γ = (83.4±1.7±1.5)  keV and Δm0 = (145425.6±0.6±1.7)  keV, [corrected] where the quoted errors are statistical and systematic, respectively. For the D0 → K- π+ π- π+ mode we obtain Γ = (83.2±1.5±2.6)  keV and Δm0 = (145426.6±0.5±1.9)  keV. [corrected] The combined measurements yield Γ = (83.3±1.2±1.4)  keV and Δm0 = (145425.9±0.4±1.7)  keV; the width is a factor of approximately 12 times more precise than the previous value, while the mass difference is a factor of approximately 6 times more precise.

Search for CP violation in B0-B0 mixing using partial reconstruction of B0→D*- Xℓ+ νℓ and a kaon tag

We present results of a search for CP violation in B0- B0 mixing with the BABAR detector. We select a sample of B0→D*- Xℓ+ ν decays with a partial reconstruction method and use kaon tagging to assess the flavor of the other B meson in the event. We determine the CP violating asymmetry ACP≡[N(B0B0)-N(B0B0)]/[N(B0B0)+N(B0B0)]=(0.06±0.17(-0.32)(+0.38))%, corresponding to ΔCP=1-|q/p|=(0.29±0.84(-1.61)(+1.88))×10(-3).

[Prospective Evaluation of Risk Factors Concerning Intraoperative Conversion from Laparoscopic to Open Cholecystectomy]

BACKGROUND

The surgical approach of choice in the treatment of symptomatic cholecystolithiasis is considered to be elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CCE) as the established gold standard. Today, approximately 80-90% of CCE are performed using a laparoscopic approach whereas the remaining portion undergoes primary conventional CCE, however, in 6% conversion is necessary.

AIM

Since pathological aspects found intraoperatively and finally requiring conversion are correlated to an increased risk for complications, it appears reasonable to assess the risk factors prior to operation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Through a well defined study period of 9 years, all consecutive patients who underwent CCE for cholecystolithiasis at the Municipal Hospital "HELIOS Klinikum Aue" were enrolled in a registry comparing laparoscopic and conversion CCE. Diverse parameters were tested as to whether they increase significantly the risk for conversion. The intensity of each factor-associated impact on a possible conversion was determined.

RESULTS

From 2001 to 2009 1477 patients underwent CCE at the Municipal Hospital "Helios Klinikum Aue", out of them 131 (8.9%) cases were primarily treated by conventional CCE whereas in the vast majority (1346 subjects [91.1%]), laparoscopic CCE was the initial approach. However, conversion became necessary in 106 individuals resulting in a conversion rate of 7.9%. Comparing data obtained from laparoscopic CCE with those from open procedure after conversion, there were significant differences in operating time, complication rate and postoperative hospital stay (p = 0.01). Over the study period, there were 5 cases (0.37%) with iatrogenic injuries of the biliary system. Hospital mortality was 0.08% in the laparoscopic and 2.8% in the conversion group. The following parameters were found to have a significant impact on the risk for conversion (univariate analysis): elevation of CRP, preoperative ERCP, renal insufficiency, previous laparotomy, histological grade M3 (ulcerous, haemorrhagic necrotising cholecystitis, perforation of the gall bladder) and M4 (carcinoma of the gall bladder). While in the spectrum of preoperative factors former ERCP, elevation of CRP and terminal renal insufficiency were most relevant (2- to 3-fold each), histological grade M3 and M4, 7- and 14-fold, respectively, showed the greatest impact on conversion rate highlighting the profile of postoperative parameters.

CONCLUSION

The main focus is directed to keep the conversion rate low. In case of diagnosing a severely inflamed gall bladder, a primarily open procedure or an early decision for conversion should be considered.

New Detergency Aspects through Visualisation of Soil Release Polymer Films on Textile Surfaces

Soiling degree and cleanability of different polyester textile materials before and after impregnation with a soil release polymer (SRP) has been systematically investigated. The use of an imaging instrument for the optical roughness analysis operating on the principle of chromatic aberration allowed visualisation of a transparent SRP film on impregnated textile surfaces. Through visualisation of the SRP film and quantification of its relative area, a possible mechanism of cleanability due to impregnation with SRP is proposed.

Integrating water resources management in eco-hydrological modelling

In this paper the integration of water resources management with regard to reservoir management in an eco-hydrological model is described. The model was designed to simulate different reservoir management options, such as optimized hydropower production, irrigation intake from the reservoir or optimized provisioning downstream. The integrated model can be used to investigate the impacts of climate variability/change on discharge or to study possible adaptation strategies in terms of reservoir management. The study area, the Upper Niger Basin located in the West African Sahel, is characterized by a monsoon-type climate. Rainfall and discharge regime are subject to strong seasonality. Measured data from a reservoir are used to show that the reservoir model and the integrated management options can be used to simulate the regulation of this reservoir. The inflow into the reservoir and the discharge downstream of the reservoir are quite distinctive, which points out the importance of the inclusion of water resources management.

Classification of iRBD and Parkinson's patients using a general data-driven sleep staging model built on EEG

Sleep analysis is an important diagnostic tool for sleep disorders. However, the current manual sleep scoring is time-consuming as it is a crude discretization in time and stages. This study changes Esbroeck and Westover's [1] latent sleep staging model into a global model. The proposed data-driven method trained a topic mixture model on 10 control subjects and was applied on 10 other control subjects, 10 iRBD patients and 10 Parkinson's patients. In that way 30 topic mixture diagrams were obtained from which features reflecting distinct sleep architectures between control subjects and patients were extracted. Two features calculated on basis of two latent sleep states classified subjects as "control" or "patient" by a simple clustering algorithm. The mean sleep staging accuracy compared to classical AASM scoring was 72.4% for control subjects and a clustering of the derived features resulted in a sensitivity of 95% and a specificity of 80 %. This study demonstrates that frequency analysis of sleep EEG can be used for data-driven global sleep classification and that topic features separates iRBD and Parkinson's patients from control subjects.