Search for rare quark-annihilation decays, B --> Ds(*) Phi

We report on searches for B- --> Ds- Phi and B- --> Ds*- Phi. In the context of the Standard Model, these decays are expected to be highly suppressed since they proceed through annihilation of the b and u-bar quarks in the B- meson. Our results are based on 234 million Upsilon(4S) --> B Bbar decays collected with the BABAR detector at SLAC. We find no evidence for these decays, and we set Bayesian 90% confidence level upper limits on the branching fractions BF(B- --> Ds- Phi) Ds*- Phi)<1.2x10^(-5). These results are consistent with Standard Model expectations.Comment: 8 pages, 3 postscript figues, submitted to Phys. Rev. D (Rapid Communications

Inter- versus intramodal integration in sensorimotor synchronization: a combined behavioral and magnetoencephalographic study

Although the temporal occurrence of the pacing signal is predictable in sensorimotor synchronization tasks, normal subjects perform on-the-beat-tapping to an isochronous auditory metronome with an anticipatory error. This error originates from an intermodal task, that is, subjects have to bring information from the auditory and tactile modality to coincide. The aim of the present study was to illuminate whether the synchronization error is a finding specific to an intermodal timing task and whether the underlying cortical mechanisms are modality-specific or supramodal. We collected behavioral data and cortical evoked responses by magneto-encephalography (MEG) during performance of cross- and unimodal tapping-tasks. As expected, subjects showed negative asynchrony in performing an auditorily paced tapping task. However, no asynchrony emerged during tactile pacing, neither during pacing at the opposite finger nor at the toe. Analysis of cortical signals resulted in a three dipole model best explaining tap-contingent activity in all three conditions. The temporal behavior of the sources was similar between the conditions and, thus, modality independent. The localization of the two earlier activated sources was modality-independent as well whereas location of the third source varied with modality. In the auditory pacing condition it was localized in contralateral primary somatosensory cortex, during tactile pacing it was localized in contralateral posterior parietal cortex. In previous studies with auditory pacing the functional role of this third source was contradictory: A special temporal coupling pattern argued for involvement of the source in evaluating the temporal distance between tap and click whereas subsequent data gave no evidence for such an interpretation. Present data shed new light on this question by demonstrating differences between modalities in the localization of the third source with similar temporal behavior

The relationship between gambling event frequency, motor response inhibition, arousal, and dissociative experience

Speed of play has been identified as a key structural characteristic in gambling behaviour, where games involving higher playing speeds enhance the experience of gambling. Of interest in the present study is the consistent finding that games with higher event frequencies are preferred by problem gamblers and are associated with more negative gambling outcomes, such as difficulty quitting the game and increased monetary loss. The present study investigated the impact of gambling speed of play on executive control functioning, focusing on how increased speeds of play impact motor response inhibition, and the potential mediating role arousal and dissociative experience play in this relationship. Fifty regular non-problem gamblers took part in a repeated-measures experiment where they gambled with real money on a simulated slot machine across five speed of play conditions. Response inhibition was measured using an embedded Go/No-Go task, where participants had to withhold motor responses, rather than operating the spin button on the slot machine when a specific colour cue was present. Results indicated that response inhibition performance was significantly worse during faster speeds of play, and that the role of arousal in this relationship was independent of any motor priming affect. The implications of these findings for gambling legislation and gambling harm-minimisation approaches are discussed

Effects of alirocumab on types of myocardial infarction: insights from the ODYSSEY OUTCOMES trial

Aims  The third Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (MI) Task Force classified MIs into five types: Type 1, spontaneous; Type 2, related to oxygen supply/demand imbalance; Type 3, fatal without ascertainment of cardiac biomarkers; Type 4, related to percutaneous coronary intervention; and Type 5, related to coronary artery bypass surgery. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) reduction with statins and proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin Type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors reduces risk of MI, but less is known about effects on types of MI. ODYSSEY OUTCOMES compared the PCSK9 inhibitor alirocumab with placebo in 18 924 patients with recent acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and elevated LDL-C (≥1.8 mmol/L) despite intensive statin therapy. In a pre-specified analysis, we assessed the effects of alirocumab on types of MI. Methods and results  Median follow-up was 2.8 years. Myocardial infarction types were prospectively adjudicated and classified. Of 1860 total MIs, 1223 (65.8%) were adjudicated as Type 1, 386 (20.8%) as Type 2, and 244 (13.1%) as Type 4. Few events were Type 3 (n = 2) or Type 5 (n = 5). Alirocumab reduced first MIs [hazard ratio (HR) 0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77–0.95; P = 0.003], with reductions in both Type 1 (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77–0.99; P = 0.032) and Type 2 (0.77, 0.61–0.97; P = 0.025), but not Type 4 MI. Conclusion  After ACS, alirocumab added to intensive statin therapy favourably impacted on Type 1 and 2 MIs. The data indicate for the first time that a lipid-lowering therapy can attenuate the risk of Type 2 MI. Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction below levels achievable with statins is an effective preventive strategy for both MI types.For complete list of authors see http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehz299</p

Improved Limits on the Lepton-Flavor Violating Decays τ−→l−l+l−

A search for the neutrinoless, lepton-flavor violating decay of the tau lepton into three charged leptons has been performed using 376     fb − 1 of data collected at an e + e − center-of-mass energy around 10.58 GeV with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II storage rings. In all six decay modes considered, the numbers of events found in data are compatible with the background expectations. Upper limits on the branching fractions are set in the range ( 4 - 8 ) × 10 − 8 at 90% confidence level

Measurement of the branching fraction ratios and CP asymmetries in B-→ D0 CP K-decays

We present a preliminary study of $B^- \to D^0_{CP} \pi^-$ and $B^- \to D^0_{CP} K^-$ decays, with the $D^0_{CP}$ reconstructed in the CP-odd eigenstates $K_s \pi^0$, $K_s \omega$, in the CP-even eigenstates $K^+ K^-$, $\pi^+ \pi^-$, and in the (non-CP) flavor eigenstate $K^\mp \pi^\pm$. Using a sample of about 382 million Y(4S) decays into BBbar pairs, collected with the BABAR detector operating at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B Factory at SLAC, we measure the ratios of the branching fractions R_CP+- and the direct CP asymmetries A_CP+-. The results are: R_CP- = 0.81 \pm 0.10 (stat) \pm 0.05 (syst) R_CP+ = 1.07 \pm 0.10 (stat) \pm 0.04 (syst) A_CP- = -0.19 \pm 0.12 (stat) \pm 0.02 (syst) A_CP+ = 0.35 \pm 0.09 (stat) \pm 0.05 (syst

Middle cretaceous foraminifera and biostratigraphy of Western Siberia

7 pages, 4 postscript figures, submitted to PRLWe present partial branching fractions for inclusive charmless semileptonic B decays Bbar --> X_u ell nubar, and the determination of the CKM matrix element |V_{ub}|. The analysis is based on a sample of 383 million Y(4S) decays into B Bbar pairs collected with the BaBar detector at the PEP-II e+ e- storage rings. We select events using either the invariant mass M_X of the hadronic system, the invariant mass squared, q^2, of the lepton and neutrino pair, the kinematic variable P_+ or one of their combinations. We then determine partial branching fractions in limited regions of phase space: Delta B = (1.18 +- 0.09_{stat.} +- 0.07_{sys.} +- 0.01_{theo.}) x 10^{-3} (M_X 8 GeV^2/c^4). Corresponding values of |V_{ub}| are extracted using several theoretical calculations

Branching fraction measurements of B+->rho(+)gamma, B-0 ->rho(0)gamma, and B-0 ->omega gamma

We present a study of the decays B+->rho(+)gamma, B-0 ->rho(0)gamma, and B-0 ->omega gamma. The analysis is based on data containing 347x10(6) B (B) over bar events recorded with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric B factory. We measure the branching fractions B(B+->rho(+)gamma)=(1.10(-0.33)(+0.37)+/- 0.09)x10(-6) and B(B-0 ->rho(0)gamma)=(0.79(-0.20)(+0.22)+/- 0.06)x10(-6), and set a 90% C.L. upper limit B(B-0 ->omega gamma)(rho/omega)gamma)=(1.25(-0.24)(+0.25)+/- 0.09)x10(-6), from which we determine vertical bar V-td/V-ts vertical bar=0.200(-0.020)(+0.021)+/- 0.015, where the first uncertainty is experimental and the second is theoretical

Measurement of the CP asymmetry and branching fraction of B-0 ->rho K-0(0)

We present a measurement of the branching fraction and time-dependent CP asymmetry of B-0 -> POKO. The results are obtained from a data sample of 227 x 10(6) Y(4S) -> BB decays collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B factory at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. From a time-dependent maximum likelihood fit yielding 111 +/- 19 signal events, we find B(B-0 -> rho K-0(0)) = (4.9 +/- 0.8 +/- 0.9) x 10(-6), where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. We report the measurement of the CP parameters S-rho 0KS0 = 0.20 +/- 0.52 +/- 0.24 and C-rho 0KS0 = 0.64 +/- 0.41 +/- 0.20

Measurement of the CP asymmetry and branching fraction of B-0 ->rho K-0(0)

We present a measurement of the branching fraction and time-dependent CP asymmetry of B-0 -> POKO. The results are obtained from a data sample of 227 x 10(6) Y(4S) -> BB decays collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B factory at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. From a time-dependent maximum likelihood fit yielding 111 +/- 19 signal events, we find B(B-0 -> rho K-0(0)) = (4.9 +/- 0.8 +/- 0.9) x 10(-6), where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. We report the measurement of the CP parameters S-rho 0KS0 = 0.20 +/- 0.52 +/- 0.24 and C-rho 0KS0 = 0.64 +/- 0.41 +/- 0.20