Refine
Year of publication
Has Fulltext
- yes (138)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (138)
Keywords
- e +-e − Experiments (11)
- Particle and Resonance Production (7)
- Spectroscopy (6)
- Charm Physics (4)
- BESIII (3)
- Exotics (3)
- Quarkonium (3)
- Branching fraction (2)
- Electroweak Interaction (2)
- Actin (1)
Institute
We measured the Born cross sections for the process e+e− → ωη′ at 22 center-of-mass energies from 2.000 to 3.080 GeV with the BESIII detector at the BEPCII collider. We observed a resonant structure with a statistical significance of 9.6σ. A Breit-Wigner fit determines its mass to be MR = (2153 ± 30 ± 31) MeV/c2 and its width to be ΓR = (167 ± 77 ± 7) MeV, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second are systematic.
We search for an axion-like particle (ALP) a through the process ψ(3686)→π+π−J/ψ, J/ψ→γa, a→γγ in a data sample of (2.71±0.01)×109 ψ(3686) events collected by the BESIII detector. No significant ALP signal is observed over the expected background, and the upper limits on the branching fraction of the decay J/ψ→γa and the ALP-photon coupling constant gaγγ are set at 95% confidence level in the mass range of 0.165≤ma≤2.84GeV/c2. The limits on B(J/ψ→γa) range from 8.3×10−8 to 1.8×10−6 over the search region, and the constraints on the ALP-photon coupling are the most stringent to date for 0.165≤ma≤1.468GeV/c2.
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−→K0SK0Lπ0. The results allow the Born cross sections of the process e+e−→K0SK0Lπ0, as well as its subprocesses e+e−→K∗(892)0K¯ and K∗2(1430)0K¯ to be measured. The Born cross sections for e+e−→K0SK0Lπ0 are consistent with previous measurements by BaBar and SND, but with substantially improved precision. The Born cross section lineshape of the process e+e−→K∗(892)0K¯ is consistent with a vector meson state around 2.2 GeV with a statistical significance of 3.2σ. A Breit-Wigner fit determines its mass as MY=(2164.1±9.6±3.1) MeV/c2 and its width as ΓY=(32.4±21.1±1.5) MeV, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second ones are systematic, respectively.
We search for an axion-like particle (ALP) a through the process ψ(3686)→π+π−J/ψ, J/ψ→γa, a→γγ in a data sample of (2.71±0.01)×109 ψ(3686) events collected by the BESIII detector. No significant ALP signal is observed over the expected background, and the upper limits on the branching fraction of the decay J/ψ→γa and the ALP-photon coupling constant gaγγ are set at 95% confidence level in the mass range of 0.165≤ma≤2.84GeV/c2. The limits on B(J/ψ→γa) range from 8.3×10−8 to 1.8×10−6 over the search region, and the constraints on the ALP-photon coupling are the most stringent to date for 0.165 ≤ ma ≤ 1.468GeV/c2.
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−→K0SK0Lπ0. The results allow the Born cross sections of the process e+e−→K0SK0Lπ0, as well as its subprocesses e+e−→K∗(892)0K¯0 and K∗2(1430)0K¯0 to be measured. The Born cross sections for e+e−→K0SK0Lπ0 are consistent with previous measurements by BaBar, but with substantially improved precision. The Born cross section lineshape of the process e+e−→K∗(892)0K¯0 is consistent with a vector meson state around 2.2 GeV with a significance of 3.2σ. A Breit-Wigner fit determines its mass as MY=(2164.7±9.1±3.1) MeV/c2 and its width as ΓY=(32.4±21.0±1.8) MeV.
Using a data sample of (1.0087±0.0044)×1010 𝐽/𝜓 decay events collected with the BESIII detector at the center-of-mass energy of √𝑠=3.097 GeV, we present a search for the hyperon semileptonic decay Ξ0→Σ−𝑒+𝜈𝑒 which violates the Δ𝑆=Δ𝑄 rule. No significant signal is observed, and the upper limit on the branching fraction ℬ(Ξ0→Σ−𝑒+𝜈𝑒) is determined to be 1.6×10−4 at the 90% confidence level. This result improves the previous upper limit result by about one order of magnitude.
By analyzing e+e− annihilation da ta corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.93 fb−1 collected at a center-of-mass energy of 3.773 GeV with the \text{BESIII} detector, the first observation of the semileptonic decays D0→K0Sπ−π0e+νe and D+→K0Sπ+π−e+νe is reported. With a dominant hadronic contribution from K1(1270), the branching fractions are measured to be B(D0→K1(1270)−(→K0Sπ−π0)e+νe) = (1.69+0.53−0.46±0.15)×10−4 and B(D+→K¯1(1270)0(→K0Sπ+π−)e+νe) = (1.47+0.45−0.40±0.20)×10−4 with statistical significance of 5.4σ and 5.6σ, respectively. When combined with measurements of the K1(1270)→K+π−π decays, the absolute branching fractions are determined to be B(D0→K1(1270)−e+νe) = (1.05+0.33−0.28±0.12±0.12)×10−3 and B(D+→K¯1(1270)0e+νe) = (1.29+0.40−0.35±0.18±0.15)×10−3. The first and second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively, and the third uncertainties originate from the assumed branching fractions of the K1(1270)→Kππ decays.
We report the measurement of the cross sections for e+e−→hadrons at center-of-mass (c.m.) energies from 3.645 to 3.871 GeV. We observe a new resonance R(3810) in the cross sections for the first time, and observe the R(3760) resonance with high significance in the cross sections. The R(3810) has a mass of (3804.5±0.9±0.9) ~MeV/c2, a total width of (5.4±3.5±3.2)~MeV, and an electronic partial width of (19.4±7.4±12.1)~eV. Its significance is 7.7σ. The R(3810) could be interpreted as a hadro-charmonium resonance predicted by Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). In addition, we measure the mass (3751.9±3.8±2.8) ~MeV/c2, the total width (32.8±5.8±8.7)~MeV, and the electronic partial width (184±75±86)~eV with improved precision for the R(3760). Furthermore, for the R(3780) we measure the mass (3778.7±0.5±0.3) ~MeV/c2 and total width (20.3±0.8±1.7)~MeV with improved precision, and the electronic partial width (265±69±83)~eV. The R(3780) can be interpreted as the 13D1 state of charmonium. Its mass and total width differ significantly from the corresponding fitted values given by the Particle Data Group in 2022 by 7.1 and 3.2 times the uncertainties for ψ(3770), respectively. ψ(3770) has been interpreted as the 13D1 state for 45 years.
A search has been performed for the semileptonic decays D0→K0SK−e+νe, D+→K0SK0Se+νe and D+→K+K−e+νe, using 7.9 fb−1 of e+e− annihilation data collected at the center-of-mass energy s√=3.773 GeV by the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII collider. No significant signals are observed, and upper limits are set at the 90\% confidence level of 2.13×10−5, 1.54×10−5 and 2.10×10−5 for the branching fractions of D0→K0SK−e+νe, D+→K0SK0Se+νe and D+→K+K−e+νe, respectively.
Using (10087±44)×106 J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, numerous Ξ− and Λ decay asymmetry parameters are simultaneously determined from the process J/ψ→Ξ−Ξ¯+→Λ(pπ−)π−Λ¯(n¯π0)π+ and its charge-conjugate channel. The precisions of α0 for Λ→nπ0 and α¯0 for Λ¯→n¯π0 compared to world averages are improved by factors of 4 and 1.7, respectively. The ratio of decay asymmetry parameters of Λ→nπ0 to that of Λ→pπ−, ⟨α0⟩/⟨αΛ−⟩, is determined to be 0.873±0.012+0.011−0.010, where the first and the second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The ratio is smaller than unity more than 5σ, which signifies the existence of the ΔI=3/2 transition in Λ for the first time. Beside, we test for CP violation in Ξ−→Λπ− and in Λ→nπ0 with the best precision to date.
Using (10087±44)×106 J/ψ events collected with the BESIII detector, numerous Ξ− and Λ decay asymmetry parameters are simultaneously determined from the process J/ψ→Ξ−Ξ¯+→Λ(pπ−)π−Λ¯(n¯π0)π+ and its charge-conjugate channel. The precisions of α0 for Λ→nπ0 and α¯0 for Λ¯→n¯π0 compared to world averages are improved by factors of 4 and 1.7, respectively. The ratio of decay asymmetry parameters of Λ→nπ0 to that of Λ→pπ−, ⟨α0⟩/⟨αΛ−⟩, is determined to be 0.873±0.012+0.011−0.010, where the first and the second uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The ratio is smaller than unity, which is predicted by the ΔI=1/2 rule, with a statistical significance of more than 5σ. We test for CP violation in Ξ−→Λπ− and in Λ→nπ0 with the best precision to date.
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→𝐾+𝐾+𝜋− and 𝐷+𝑠→𝐾+𝐾+𝜋−𝜋0 are reported. We determine the absolute branching fraction of 𝐷+𝑠→𝐾+𝐾+𝜋− to be (1.24+0.28−0.26(stat)±0.06(syst))×10−4. No significant signal of 𝐷+𝑠→𝐾+𝐾+𝜋−𝜋0 is observed and the upper limit on its decay branching fraction at 90% confidence level is set to be 1.7×10−4.
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→K+K+π− and D+s→K+K+π−π0 are reported. We determine the absolute branching fraction of D+s→K+K+π− to be (1.23+0.28−0.25(stat)±0.06(syst)) ×10−4. No significant signal of D+s→K+K+π−π0 is observed and the upper limit on its decay branching fraction at 90\% confidence level is set to be 1.7×10−4.
Based on 4.5 fb−1 of e+e− collision data accumulated at center-of-mass energies between 4599.53 MeV and 4698.82 MeV with the BESIII detector, the decay Λ+c→nK0Sπ+π0 is observed for the first time with a significance of 9.2σ. The branching fraction is measured to be (0.85±0.13±0.03)%, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic, which differs from the theoretical prediction based on isospin by 4.4σ. This indicates that there may be resonant contributions or some unknown dynamics in this decay.
Using an 𝑒+𝑒− collision data sample with a total integrated luminosity of 3.19 fb−1 collected with the BESIII detector at a center-of-mass energy of 4.178 GeV, the branching fraction of the inclusive decay of the 𝐷+𝑠 meson to final states including at least three charged pions is measured for the first time to be ℬ(𝐷+𝑠→𝜋+𝜋+𝜋−𝑋)=(32.81±0.35stat±0.63syst)%. In this measurement the charged pions from 𝐾0𝑆 meson decays are excluded. The partial branching fractions of 𝐷+𝑠→𝜋+𝜋+𝜋−𝑋 are also measured as a function of the 𝜋+𝜋+𝜋− invariant mass.
Using a data sample of (1.0087±0.0044)×1010 J/ψ decay events collected with the BESIII detector at the center-of-mass energy of s√=3.097 GeV, we present a search for the hyperon semileptonic decay Ξ0→Σ−e+νe which violates the ΔS=ΔQ rule. No significant signal is observed, and the upper limit on the branching fraction B(Ξ0→Σ−e+νe) is determined to be 1.6×10−4 at the 90% confidence level. This result improves the previous upper limit result by about one order of magnitude.
Using a data sample of (1.0087±0.0044)×1010 J/ψ decay events collected with the BESIII detector at the center-of-mass energy of s√=3.097 GeV, we present a search for the hyperon semileptonic decay Ξ0→Σ−e+νe which violates the ΔS=ΔQ rule. No significant signal is observed, and the upper limit on the branching fraction B(Ξ0→Σ−e+νe) is determined to be 1.6×10−4 at the 90% confidence level. This result improves the previous upper limit result by about one order of magnitude.
Continuous blood glucose monitoring reveals enormous circadian variations in pregnant diabetic rats
(2018)
Aim: Diabetes in pregnancy is a major burden with acute and long-term consequences. Its treatment requires adequate diagnosis and monitoring of therapy. Many experimental research on diabetes during pregnancy has been performed in rats. Recently, continuous blood glucose monitoring of non-pregnant diabetic rats revealed an increased circadian variability of blood glucose that made a single blood glucose measurement per day inappropriate to reflect glycemic status. Continuous blood glucose measurement has never been performed in pregnant rats. We wanted to perform continuous blood glucose monitoring in pregnant rats to decipher the influence of pregnancy on blood glucose in diabetic and normoglycemic status.
Methods: We used the transgenic Tet29 diabetes rat model with an inducible knock down of the insulin receptor via RNA interference upon application of doxycycline (DOX) leading to insulin resistant type II diabetes. All Tet29 rats received a HD-XG telemetry implant (Data Sciences International, USA) that measured blood glucose and activity continuously. Rats were divided into four groups and blood glucose was monitored until end of pregnancy or the corresponding period: Tet29 + DOX (diabetic) non-pregnant, Tet29 + DOX (diabetic) pregnant, Tet29 (normoglycemic) non-pregnant, Tet29 (normoglycemic) pregnant.
Results: All analyzed rats displayed a circadian variation in blood glucose concentration. Circadian variability was much more pronounced in pregnant diabetic rats than in normoglycemic pregnant rats. Pregnancy ameliorated variation in blood glucose in diabetic situation. Pregnancy continuously decreased blood glucose during normoglycemic pregnancy. Diabetic rats were less active than normoglycemic rats. We performed a calculation showing that application of continuous blood glucose measurement reduces animal numbers needed to detect a given effect in experimental setting by decreasing variability and SD.
Interpretation: Continuous blood glucose monitoring via a telemetry device in pregnant rats provides a more informative picture of the glycemic situation in comparison to single measurements. This could improve diagnosis and therapy of diabetes, decrease animal numbers within experimental settings, and add another physiological parameter (activity) to the analysis that could be helpful in testing therapeutic concepts targeting blood glucose levels and peripheral muscle function. We propose continuous glucose monitoring as a new tool for the evaluation of pregnant diabetic rats.
Die EU verabschiedete am 21. Mai 1992 die Richtlinie zur Erhaltung der natürlichen Lebensräume sowie der wildlebenden Tiere und Pflanzen, die sogenannte Fauna-Flora-Habitat-Richtlinie (FFH-Richtlinie). Die Mitgliedsstaaten sind seitdem verpflichtet, ein europaweites Netz von besonderen Schutzgebieten zur Erhaltung der biologischen Vielfalt und zur Förderung einer nachhaltigen Entwicklung aufzubauen. In dieses Natura 2000 genannte Netz sind auch die auf der Grundlage der seit 1979 geltenden EU-Vogelschutzrichtlinie gemeldeten Europäischen Vogelschutzgebiete (EU SPA) integriert. Die reichhaltige Naturausstattung Sachsen-Anhalts ermöglichte die Auswahl von 265 FFH-Gebieten und 32 Vogelschutzgebieten (EU SPA). Die Gebiete wurden als „Gebiete von gemeinschaftlicher Bedeutung der kontinentalen und der atlantischen biogeographischen Region“ im Amtsblatt der EU vom 15.01.2008 veröffentlicht. Nach den Vorgaben der FFH- und Vogelschutzrichtlinie sind die Natura 2000-Gebiete nun als besondere Schutzgebiete national zu sichern. Darüber hinaus sind in den besonderen Schutzgebieten geeignete Maßnahmen zu treffen, um die Verschlechterung der natürlichen Lebensräume und der Habitate der Arten, für die die Gebiete ausgewiesen worden sind, zu vermeiden (vgl. Art. 6, Abs. 2 FFH Richtlinie). Alle erforderlichen Maßnahmen sind an den Ansprüchen der in den jeweiligen Gebieten vorkommenden Lebensraumtypen und Arten auszurichten.
Mit dem vorliegenden Sonderheft wird beispielhaft der Verfahrensweg der Ausweisung des Naturschutzgebietes Aland-Elbe-Niederung zur Umsetzung von Natura 2000 im Land Sachsen-Anhalt dokumentiert. Neben der Darstellung der naturräumlichen Situation des Gebietes und seiner naturschutzfachlichen Bedeutung werden insbes. Inhalt und Ablauf des Verwaltungsverfahrens sowie die Lösung der vielfältigen Nutzungskonflikte dargestellt. Dem Heft liegt eine beidseitig bedruckte Schutzgebietskarte des Landes Sachsen-Anhalt im Maßstab 1:250.000 bei. Auf einer Seite sind Schutzgebiete nach internationalem Recht dargestellt. Die zweite Seite der Karte liefert eine aktuelle Zusammenstellung (Stand 31.12.2009) der nach Landesnaturschutzrecht geschützten Gebiete und Objekte. Ein Beiheft mit Namen, Bezeichnung und Größe aller Gebiete komplettiert die Ausgabe.
Intensive land use is a driving force for biodiversity decline in many ecosystems. In semi-natural grasslands, land-use activities such as mowing, grazing and fertilization affect the diversity of plants and arthropods, but the combined effects of different drivers and the chain of effects are largely unknown. In this study we used structural equation modelling to analyse how the arthropod communities in managed grasslands respond to land use and whether these responses are mediated through changes in resource diversity or resource quantity (biomass). Plants were considered resources for herbivores which themselves were considered resources for predators. Plant and arthropod (herbivores and predators) communities were sampled on 141 meadows, pastures and mown pastures within three regions in Germany in 2008 and 2009. Increasing land-use intensity generally increased plant biomass and decreased plant diversity, mainly through increasing fertilization. Herbivore diversity decreased together with plant diversity but showed no response to changes in plant biomass. Hence, land-use effects on herbivore diversity were mediated through resource diversity rather than quantity. Land-use effects on predator diversity were mediated by both herbivore diversity (resource diversity) and herbivore quantity (herbivore biomass), but indirect effects through resource quantity were stronger. Our findings highlight the importance of assessing both direct and indirect effects of land-use intensity and mode on different trophic levels. In addition to the overall effects, there were subtle differences between the different regions, pointing to the importance of regional land-use specificities. Our study underlines the commonly observed strong effect of grassland land use on biodiversity. It also highlights that mechanistic approaches help us to understand how different land-use modes affect biodiversity.
Purpose: To determine the value of the 2D multiple-echo data image combination (MEDIC) sequence relative to the short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequence regarding the depiction of chondral lesions in the patellofemoral joint.
Materials and methods: During a period of 6 month patients with acute pain at the anterior aspect of the knee, joint effusion and suspected chondral lesion defect in the patellofemoral joint underwent MRI including axial MEDIC and STIR imaging. Patients with chondral lesions in the patellofemoral joint on at least one sequence were included. The MEDIC and STIR sequence were quantitatively compared regarding the patella cartilage-to-effusion contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and qualitatively regarding the depiction of chondral lesions independently scored by two radiologists on a 3-point scale (1 = not depicted; 2 = blurred depicted; 3 = clearly depicted) using the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney-Test. For the analysis of inter-observer agreement the Cohen's Weighted Kappa test was used.
Results: 30 of 58 patients (male: female, 21:9; age: 44 ± 12 yrs) revealed cartilage lesions (fissures, n = 5 including fibrillation; gaps, n = 15; delamination, n = 7; osteoarthritis, n = 3) and were included in this study. The STIR-sequence was significantly (p < 0.001) superior to the MEDIC-sequence regarding both, the patella cartilage-to-effusion CNR (mean CNR: 232 ± 61 vs. 40 ± 16) as well as the depiction of chondral lesion (mean score: 2.83 ± 0.4 vs. 1.75 ± 0.7) with substantial inter-observer agreement in the rating of both sequences (κ = 0.76–0.89).
Conclusion: For the depiction of chondral lesions in the patellofemoral joint, the axial STIR-sequence should be chosen in preference to the axial MEDIC-sequence.
Phytochrome photoreceptors operate via photoisomerization of a bound bilin chromophore. Their typical architecture consists of GAF, PAS and PHY domains. Knotless phytochromes lack the PAS domain, while retaining photoconversion abilities, with some being able to photoconvert with just the GAF domain. Therefore, we investigated the ultrafast photoisomerization of the Pr state of a knotless phytochrome to reveal the effect of the PHY domain and its “tongue” region on the transduction of the light signal. We show that the PHY domain does not affect the initial conformational dynamics of the chromophore. However, it significantly accelerates the consecutively induced reorganizational dynamics of the protein, necessary for the progression of the photoisomerization. Consequently, the PHY domain keeps the bilin and its binding pocket in a more reactive conformation, which decreases the extent of protein reorganization required for the chromophore isomerization. Thereby, less energy is lost along nonproductive reaction pathways, resulting in increased efficiency.
Two-particle correlation functions of negative hadrons over wide phase space, and transverse mass spectra of negative hadrons and deuterons near mid-rapidity have been measured in central Pb+Pb collisions at 158 GeV per nucleon by the NA49 experiment at the CERN SPS. A novel Coulomb correction procedure for the negative two-particle correlations is employed making use of the measured oppositely charged particle correlation. Within an expanding source scenario these results are used to extract the dynamic characteristics of the hadronic source, resolving the ambiguities between the temperature and transverse expansion velocity of the source, that are unavoidable when single and two particle spectra are analysed separately. The source shape, the total duration of the source expansion, the duration of particle emission, the freeze-out temperature and the longitudinal and transverse expansion velocities are deduced.
We report measurements of Xi and Xi-bar hyperon absolute yields as a function of rapidity in 158 GeV/c Pb+Pb collisions. At midrapidity, dN/dy = 2.29 +/- 0.12 for Xi, and 0.52 +/- 0.05 for Xi-bar, leading to the ratio of Xi-bar/Xi = 0.23 +/- 0.03. Inverse slope parameters fitted to the measured transverse mass spectra are of the order of 300 MeV near mid-rapidity. The estimated total yield of Xi particles in Pb+Pb central interactions amounts to 7.4 +/- 1.0 per collision. Comparison to Xi production in properly scaled p+p reactions at the same energy reveals a dramatic enhancement (about one order of magnitude) of Xi production in Pb+Pb central collisions over elementary hadron interactions.
The directed and elliptic flow of protons and charged pions has been observed from the semi-central collisions of a 158 GeV/nucleon Pb beam with a Pb target. The rapidity and transverse momentum dependence of the flow has been measured. The directed flow of the pions is opposite to that of the protons but both exhibit negative flow at low pt. The elliptic flow of both is fairly independent of rapidity but rises with pt. PACS numbers: 25.75.-q, 25.75.Ld
Using the NA49 main TPC, the central production of hyperons has been measured in CERN SPS Pb - Pb collisions at 158 GeV c-1. The preliminary ratio, studied at 2.0 < y < 2.6 and 1 < pT < 3 GeV c-1, equals ~ (13 ± 4)% (systematic error only). It is compatible, within errors, with the previously obtained ratios for central S + S [1], S + W [2], and S + Au [3] collisions. The fit to the transverse momentum distribution resulted in an inverse slope parameter T of 297 MeV. At this level of statistics we do not see any noticeable enhancement of hyperon production with the increased volume (and, possibly, degree of equilibration) of the system from S + S to Pb + Pb. This result is unexpected and counterintuitive, and should be further investigated. If confirmed, it will have a significant impact on our understanding of mechanisms leading to the enhanced strangeness production in heavy-ion collisions.
Preliminary data on phi production in central Pb + Pb collisions at 158 GeV per nucleon are presented, measured by the NA49 experiment in the hadronic decay channel phi - K+K-. At mid-rapidity, the kaons were separated from pions and protons by combining dE/dx and time-of-flight information; in the forward rapidity range only dE/dx identification was used to obtain the rapidity distribution and a rapidity-integrated mt-spectrum. The mid-rapidity yield obtained was dN/dy = 1.85 ± 0.3 per event; the total phi multiplicity was estimated to be 5.0 ± 0.7 per event. Comparison with published pp data shows a slight, but not very significant strangeness enhancement.
The large acceptance TPCs of the NA49 spectrometer allow for a systematic multidimensional study of two-particle correlations in different part of phase space. Results from Bertsch-Pratt and Yano-Koonin-Podgoretskii parametrizations are presented differentially in transverse pair momentum and pair rapidity. These studies give an insight into the dynamical space-time evolution of relativistic Pb+Pb collisions, which is dominated by longitudinal expansion.
Lambda and Antilambda reconstruction in central Pb+Pb collisions using a time projection chamber
(1997)
The large acceptance time projection chambers of the NA49 experiment are used to record the trajectory of charged particles from Pb + Pb collisions at 158 GeV per nucleon. Neutral strange hadrons have been reconstructed from their charged decay products. To obtain distributions of Λ, and Ks0 in discrete bins of rapidity, y, and transverse momentum, pT, calculations have been performed to determine the acceptance of the detector and the efficiency of the reconstruction software as a function of both variables. The lifetime distributions obtained give values of cτ = 7.8 ± 0.6 cm for Λ and cτ = 2.5 ± 0.3 cm for Ks0, consistent with data book values.
Background: While recent data show that crizotinib is highly effective in patients with ROS1 rearrangement, few data is available about the prognostic impact, the predictive value for different treatments, and the genetic heterogeneity of ROS1- positive patients.
Patients and methods: 1137 patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung were analyzed regarding their ROS1 status. In positive cases, next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed. Clinical characteristics, treatments and outcome of these patients were assessed. Overall survival (OS) was compared with genetically defined subgroups of ROS1-negative patients.
Results: 19 patients of 1035 evaluable (1.8%) had ROS1-rearrangement. The median OS has not been reached. Stage IV patients with ROS1-rearrangement had the best OS of all subgroups (36.7 months, p < 0.001). 9 of 14 (64.2%) patients had at least one response to chemotherapy. Estimated mean OS for patients receiving chemotherapy and crizotinib was 5.3 years. Ten patients with ROS1-rearrangement (52.6%) harbored additional aberrations.
Conclusion: ROS1-rearangement is not only a predictive marker for response to crizotinib, but also seems to be the one of the best prognostic molecular markers in NSCLC reported so far. In stage IV patients, response to chemotherapy was remarkable high and overall survival was significantly better compared to other subgroups including EGFR-mutated and ALK-fusion-positive NSCLC.
Bücherschau
(2005)
Der Beitrag umfaßt eigene floristische Beobachtungen aus dem Havelberger Gebiet, überwiegend der Jahre 1989 bis 1999. Fundangaben des Beitrages von BURKART, KUMMER & FISCHER (1995) werden hier nur ausnahmsweise aufgenommen.
Über die früheren Verhältnisse des Havelberger Florengebietes sind wir durch viele Publikationen seit JOACHIMI (1794) unterrichtet. Das umfangreichste Material finden wir bei ASCHERSON (1864), WARNSTORF (1879), POTONIE (1882) und ASCHERSON & POTONIE (1885). Der Botanische Verein der Provinz Brandenburg tagte 1911 und 1934 in Havelberg. Von den Ergebnissen der Exkursionen anläßlich der Tagungen liegen Berichte (HOFFMANN 1911, ULBRICH 1934) vor.
In den Flußauen von Havel und Elbe ist eine artenreiche Flora erhalten geblieben. Rückgang und Schwund betrifft hier nur eine beschränkte Anzahl von Arten. Als verschwunden gelten z.B. Clematis recta, Hypericum hirsutum (von mir zuletzt 1951 im Mühlenholz beobachtet), Iris sibirica (von mir 1967 noch in großen Mengen am alten Jederitzer Weg zwischen dem Glien und dem Jederitzer Holz beobachtet in der nassen Ausbildungsform der Auwiese [Cnidio-Deschampsietum]), Nymphoides peltata und Peucedanum officinale.
BACKGROUND: In the heart, cytoplasmic actin networks are thought to have important roles in mechanical support, myofibrillogenesis, and ion channel function. However, subcellular localization of cytoplasmic actin isoforms and proteins involved in the modulation of the cytoplasmic actin networks are elusive. Mena and VASP are important regulators of actin dynamics. Due to the lethal phenotype of mice with combined deficiency in Mena and VASP, however, distinct cardiac roles of the proteins remain speculative. In the present study, we analyzed the physiological functions of Mena and VASP in the heart and also investigated the role of the proteins in the organization of cytoplasmic actin networks.
RESULTS: We generated a mouse model, which simultaneously lacks Mena and VASP in the heart. Mena/VASP double-deficiency induced dilated cardiomyopathy and conduction abnormalities. In wild-type mice, Mena and VASP specifically interacted with a distinct αII-Spectrin splice variant (SH3i), which is in cardiomyocytes exclusively localized at Z- and intercalated discs. At Z- and intercalated discs, Mena and β-actin localized to the edges of the sarcomeres, where the thin filaments are anchored. In Mena/VASP double-deficient mice, β-actin networks were disrupted and the integrity of Z- and intercalated discs was markedly impaired.
CONCLUSIONS: Together, our data suggest that Mena, VASP, and αII-Spectrin assemble cardiac multi-protein complexes, which regulate cytoplasmic actin networks. Conversely, Mena/VASP deficiency results in disrupted β-actin assembly, Z- and intercalated disc malformation, and induces dilated cardiomyopathy and conduction abnormalities.
Bipolar disorder (BD) is a highly heritable neuropsychiatric disease characterized by recurrent episodes of mania and depression. BD shows substantial clinical and genetic overlap with other psychiatric disorders, in particular schizophrenia (SCZ). The genes underlying this etiological overlap remain largely unknown. A recent SCZ genome wide association study (GWAS) by the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium identified 128 independent genome-wide significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The present study investigated whether these SCZ-associated SNPs also contribute to BD development through the performance of association testing in a large BD GWAS dataset (9747 patients, 14278 controls). After re-imputation and correction for sample overlap, 22 of 107 investigated SCZ SNPs showed nominal association with BD. The number of shared SCZ-BD SNPs was significantly higher than expected (p = 1.46x10-8). This provides further evidence that SCZ-associated loci contribute to the development of BD. Two SNPs remained significant after Bonferroni correction. The most strongly associated SNP was located near TRANK1, which is a reported genome-wide significant risk gene for BD. Pathway analyses for all shared SCZ-BD SNPs revealed 25 nominally enriched gene-sets, which showed partial overlap in terms of the underlying genes. The enriched gene-sets included calcium- and glutamate signaling, neuropathic pain signaling in dorsal horn neurons, and calmodulin binding. The present data provide further insights into shared risk loci and disease-associated pathways for BD and SCZ. This may suggest new research directions for the treatment and prevention of these two major psychiatric disorders.
Men and women differ substantially regarding height, weight, and body fat. Interestingly, previous work detecting genetic effects for waist-to-hip ratio, to assess body fat distribution, has found that many of these showed sex-differences. However, systematic searches for sex-differences in genetic effects have not yet been conducted. Therefore, we undertook a genome-wide search for sexually dimorphic genetic effects for anthropometric traits including 133,723 individuals in a large meta-analysis and followed promising variants in further 137,052 individuals, including a total of 94 studies. We identified seven loci with significant sex-difference including four previously established (near GRB14/COBLL1, LYPLAL1/SLC30A10, VEGFA, ADAMTS9) and three novel anthropometric trait loci (near MAP3K1, HSD17B4, PPARG), all of which were significant in women, but not in men. Of interest is that sex-difference was only observed for waist phenotypes, but not for height or body-mass-index. We found no evidence for sex-differences with opposite effect direction for men and women. The PPARG locus is of specific interest due to its link to diabetes genetics and therapy. Our findings demonstrate the importance of investigating sex differences, which may lead to a better understanding of disease mechanisms with a potential relevance to treatment options.
Forest fragmentation and selective logging are two main drivers of global environmental change and modify biodiversity and environmental conditions in many tropical forests. The consequences of these changes for the functioning of tropical forest ecosystems have rarely been explored in a comprehensive approach. In a Kenyan rainforest, we studied six animal-mediated ecosystem processes and recorded species richness and community composition of all animal taxa involved in these processes. We used linear models and a formal meta-analysis to test whether forest fragmentation and selective logging affected ecosystem processes and biodiversity and used structural equation models to disentangle direct from biodiversity-related indirect effects of human disturbance on multiple ecosystem processes. Fragmentation increased decomposition and reduced antbird predation, while selective logging consistently increased pollination, seed dispersal and army-ant raiding. Fragmentation modified species richness or community composition of five taxa, whereas selective logging did not affect any component of biodiversity. Changes in the abundance of functionally important species were related to lower predation by antbirds and higher decomposition rates in small forest fragments. The positive effects of selective logging on bee pollination, bird seed dispersal and army-ant raiding were direct, i.e. not related to changes in biodiversity, and were probably due to behavioural changes of these highly mobile animal taxa. We conclude that animal-mediated ecosystem processes respond in distinct ways to different types of human disturbance in Kakamega Forest. Our findings suggest that forest fragmentation affects ecosystem processes indirectly by changes in biodiversity, whereas selective logging influences processes directly by modifying local environmental conditions and resource distributions. The positive to neutral effects of selective logging on ecosystem processes show that the functionality of tropical forests can be maintained in moderately disturbed forest fragments. Conservation concepts for tropical forests should thus include not only remaining pristine forests but also functionally viable forest remnants.
In Eurotransplant kidney allocation system (ETKAS), candidates can be considered unlimitedly for repeated re‐transplantation. Data on outcome and benefit are indeterminate. We performed a retrospective 15‐year patient and graft outcome data analysis from 1464 recipients of a third or fourth or higher sequential deceased donor renal transplantation (DDRT) from 42 transplant centers. Repeated re‐DDRT recipients were younger (mean 43.0 vs. 50.2 years) compared to first DDRT recipients. They received grafts with more favorable HLA matches (89.0% vs. 84.5%) but thereby no statistically significant improvement of patient and graft outcome was found as comparatively demonstrated in 1st DDRT. In the multivariate modeling accounting for confounding factors, mortality and graft loss after 3rd and ≥4th DDRT (P < 0.001 each) and death with functioning graft (DwFG) after 3rd DDRT (P = 0.001) were higher as compared to 1st DDRT. The incidence of primary nonfunction (PNF) was also significantly higher in re‐DDRT (12.7%) than in 1st DDRT (7.1%; P < 0.001). Facing organ shortage, increasing waiting time, and considerable mortality on dialysis, we question the current policy of repeated re‐DDRT. The data from this survey propose better HLA matching in first DDRT and second DDRT and careful selection of candidates, especially for ≥4th DDRT.