Association of index of welfare and metabolism with the genetic merit of holstein and simmental cows after the peak of lactation

The study investigated the relationship of markers of welfare and metabolism in milk, urine and blood with the genetic merit of Holstein and Simmental cows after the peak of lactation. Cows were selected from 3 Simmental (IS) and 2 Holstein (IH) commercial dairy farms. Within each farm, cows were ranked according to the estimated breeding value for milk protein yield (EBVp) from minus to positive and selected every 5 EBVps from minus to positive values (about 20% lactating cows for each farm). Milk was sampled and analysed for protein, fat, lactose, cortisol contents and somatic cell count (SCC). Blood and urines were analysed for biomarkers of metabolism and welfare. Significantly lower body condition score (BCS) was observed for IH in comparison to IS. Plasma creatinine was higher in IS, whilst Zn, total antioxidant status and glutathione peroxidase was higher in IH. The creatinine N to N ratio in urine was significantly higher for IS, while the purine derivatives (PD) N to creatinine N ratio was higher for IH. The EBVp was negatively related to BCS and glucose for IS and to plasma b-hydroxybutyrate in both breeds. EBVp was negatively Related to urinary PD N to total N ratios for IS and to PD N to creatinine N ratio for IH. These preliminary results would indicate that the selection of cows for milk protein yield had minor effect on plasma and milk biomarkers of welfare. Instead, biomarkers of metabolism were more affected by breed and genetic merit

Search for Invisible Decays of η\eta and η′\eta^\prime in J/ψ→ϕηJ/\psi \to \phi\eta and ϕη′\phi \eta^\prime

Using a data sample of $58\times 10^6$ $J/\psi$ decays collected with the BES II detector at the BEPC, searches for invisible decays of $\eta$ and $\eta^\prime$ in $J/\psi$ to $\phi\eta$ and $\phi\eta^\prime$ are performed. The $\phi$ signals, which are reconstructed in $K^+K^-$ final states, are used to tag the $\eta$ and $\eta^\prime$ decays. No signals are found for the invisible decays of either $\eta$ or $\eta^\prime$, and upper limits at the 90% confidence level are determined to be $1.65 \times 10^{-3}$ for the ratio $\frac{B(\eta\to \text{invisible})}{B(\eta\to\gamma\gamma)}$ and $6.69\times 10^{-2}$ for $\frac{B(\eta^\prime\to \text{invisible})}{B(\eta^\prime\to\gamma\gamma)}$. These are the first searches for $\eta$ and $\eta^\prime$ decays into invisible final states.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures; Added references, Corrected typo

Spin-filtering and charge- and spin-switching effects in a quantum wire with periodically attached stubs

Spin-dependent electron transport in a periodically stubbed quantum wire in the presence of Rashba spin-orbit interaction (SOI) is studied via the nonequilibrium Green's function method combined with the Landauer-Buttiker formalism. The coexistence of spin filtering, charge and spin switching are found in the considered system. The mechanism of these transport properties is revealed by analyzing the total charge density and spin-polarized density distributions in the stubbed quantum wire. Furthermore, periodic spin-density islands with high polarization are also found inside the stubs, owing to the interaction between the charge density islands and the Rashba SOI-induced effective magnetic field. The proposed nanostructure may be utilized to devise an all-electrical multifunctional spintronic device.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Measurements of Cabibbo Suppressed Hadronic Decay Fractions of Charmed D0 and D+ Mesons

Using data collected with the BESII detector at $e^{+}e^{-}$ storage ring Beijing Electron Positron Collider, the measurements of relative branching fractions for seven Cabibbo suppressed hadronic weak decays $D^0 \to K^- K^+$, $\pi^+ \pi^-$, $K^- K^+ \pi^+ \pi^-$ and $\pi^+ \pi^+ \pi^- \pi^-$, $D^+ \to \bar{K^0} K^+$, $K^- K^+ \pi^+$ and $\pi^- \pi^+ \pi^+$ are presented.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Direct Measurements of Absolute Branching Fractions for D0 and D+ Inclusive Semimuonic Decays

By analyzing about 33 $\rm pb^{-1}$ data sample collected at and around 3.773 GeV with the BES-II detector at the BEPC collider, we directly measure the branching fractions for the neutral and charged $D$ inclusive semimuonic decays to be $BF(D^0 \to \mu^+ X) =(6.8\pm 1.5\pm 0.7)$ and $BF(D^+ \to \mu^+ X) =(17.6 \pm 2.7 \pm 1.8)$, and determine the ratio of the two branching fractions to be $\frac{BF(D^+ \to \mu^+ X)}{BF(D^0 \to \mu^+ X)}=2.59\pm 0.70 \pm 0.25$

A study of charged kappa in J/ψ→K±Ksπ∓π0J/\psi \to K^{\pm} K_s \pi^{\mp} \pi^0

Based on $58 \times 10^6$ $J/\psi$ events collected by BESII, the decay $J/\psi \to K^{\pm} K_s \pi^{\mp} \pi^0$ is studied. In the invariant mass spectrum recoiling against the charged $K^*(892)^{\pm}$, the charged $\kappa$ particle is found as a low mass enhancement. If a Breit-Wigner function of constant width is used to parameterize the kappa, its pole locates at $(849 \pm 77 ^{+18}_{-14}) -i (256 \pm 40 ^{+46}_{-22})$ MeV/$c^2$. Also in this channel, the decay $J/\psi \to K^*(892)^+ K^*(892)^-$ is observed for the first time. Its branching ratio is $(1.00 \pm 0.19 ^{+0.11}_{-0.32}) \times 10^{-3}$.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figure

The σ\sigma pole in J/ψ→ωπ+π−J/\psi \to \omega \pi^+ \pi^-

Using a sample of 58 million $J/\psi$ events recorded in the BESII detector, the decay $J/\psi \to \omega \pi^+ \pi^-$ is studied. There are conspicuous $\omega f_2(1270)$ and $b_1(1235)\pi$ signals. At low $\pi \pi$ mass, a large broad peak due to the $\sigma$ is observed, and its pole position is determined to be $(541 \pm 39)$ - $i$ $(252 \pm 42)$ MeV from the mean of six analyses. The errors are dominated by the systematic errors.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, submitted to PL

The ARGO-YBJ Experiment Progresses and Future Extension

Gamma ray source detection above 30TeV is an encouraging approach for finding galactic cosmic ray origins. All sky survey for gamma ray sources using wide field of view detector is essential for population accumulation for various types of sources above 100GeV. To target the goals, the ARGO-YBJ experiment has been established. Significant progresses have been made in the experiment. A large air shower detector array in an area of 1km2 is proposed to boost the sensitivity. Hybrid detection with multi-techniques will allow a good discrimination between different types of primary particles, including photons and protons, thus enable an energy spectrum measurement for individual specie. Fluorescence light detector array will extend the spectrum measurement above 100PeV where the second knee is located. An energy scale determined by balloon experiments at 10TeV will be propagated to ultra high energy cosmic ray experiments

Measurements of the observed cross sections for exclusive light hadron production in e^+e^- annihilation at \sqrt{s}= 3.773 and 3.650 GeV

By analyzing the data sets of 17.3 pb$^{-1}$ taken at $\sqrt{s}=3.773$ GeV and 6.5 pb$^{-1}$ taken at $\sqrt{s}=3.650$ GeV with the BESII detector at the BEPC collider, we have measured the observed cross sections for 12 exclusive light hadron final states produced in $e^+e^-$ annihilation at the two energy points. We have also set the upper limits on the observed cross sections and the branching fractions for $\psi(3770)$ decay to these final states at 90% C.L.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figur

A Novel Method for 3D-Segmentation of Vascular Images

Constructing the accurate digital model of vessel networks is critical to vascular tissue engineering, in which the segmentation of vessel plays an important role. However, the existing segmentation methods are not able to achieve the goal of accurate segmentation of vessel networks. This paper presents the development of a method for vessel segmentation based on a data structure of octree and 3D region growing. Firstly, the volume data of vessel images are divided into different data groups according to the predetermined depth value of octree, and then the optimal slices sequence is defined by analyzing the octree’s nodes which contain the vessel region. Then, the vessel segmentation is conducted from the vessels images of octree nodes based on 3D region growing. Finally, the treated data blocks are reset and the segmentation results of the whole volume data are obtained. By applying this method to the volume data of vascular images from MRA, accurate vessel segmentation results are achieved. This work would represent a significant advance for digital modeling of vessel networks. Key Words: Vascular tissue engineering; Image segmentation; Region growing; Octre