Engineering topics
Liu, F.
Publications and source records attributed to Liu, F..
A hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis-associated neuroendocrine metabolic programmed alteration in offspring rats of IUGR induced by prenatal caffeine ingestion
Caffeine is a definite factor of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Previously, we have confirmed that prenatal caffeine ingestion inhibits the development of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, and alters the glucose and lipid metabolism in IUGR fetal rats. In this study, we aimed to verify a programmed alteration of neuroendocrine metabolism in prenatal caffeine ingested-offspring rats. The results showed that prenatal caffeine (120 mg/kg.day) ingestion caused low body weight and high IUGR rate of pups; the concentrations of blood adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone in caffeine group were significantly increased in the early postnatal period followed by falling in late stage; the level of blood glucose was unchanged, while blood total cholesterol (TCH) and triglyceride (TG) were markedly enhanced in adult. After chronic stress, the concentrations and the gain rates of blood ACTH and corticosterone were obviously increased, meanwhile, the blood glucose increased while the TCH and TG decreased in caffeine group. Further, the hippocampal mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) expression in caffeine group was initially decreased and subsequently increased after birth. After chronic stress, the 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1, glucocorticoid receptor (GR), MR as well as the MR/GR ratio were all significantly decreased. These results suggested that prenatal caffeine ingestion induced the dysfunction of HPA axis and associated neuroendocrine metabolic programmed alteration in IUGR offspring rats, which might be related with the functional injury of hippocampus. These observations provide a valuable experimental basis for explaining the susceptibility of IUGR offspring to metabolic syndrome and associated diseases. -- Highlights: ► Prenatal caffeine ingestion induced HPA axis dysfunction in IUGR offspring rats. ► Caffeine induced a neuroendocrine metabolic programmed alteration in offspring rats. ► Caffeine induced a functional injury of hippocampus in IUGR offspring rats.
Evidence for an excess of B to D(*) Tau Nu decays
Based on the full BABAR data sample, we report improved measurements of the ratios R(D{sup (*)}) = {Beta}({bar B} {yields} D{sup (*)} {tau}{sup -}{bar {nu}}{sub {tau}})/{Beta}({bar B} {yields} D{sup (*)} {ell}{sup -}{bar {nu}}{sub {ell}}), where {ell} is either e or {mu}. These ratios are sensitive to new physics contributions in the form of a charged Higgs boson. We measure R(D) = 0.440 {+-} 0.058 {+-} 0.042 and R(D*) = 0.332 {+-} 0.024 {+-} 0.018, which exceed the Standard Model expectations by 2.0{sigma} and 2.7{sigma}, respectively. Taken together, our results disagree with these expectations at the 3.4{sigma} level. This excess cannot be explained by a charged Higgs boson in the type II two-Higgs-doublet model. We also report the observation of the decay {bar B} {yields} D{tau}{sup -} {bar {nu}}{sub {tau}}, with a significance of 6.8{sigma}.
Exclusive measurements of b → s γ transition rate and photon energy spectrum
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Study of the reaction e + e - →J/ψπ + π - →via initial-state radiation at BABAR
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Measurement of branching fractions and rate asymmetries in the rare decays B→K (*) l⁺l⁻
In a sample of 471×10⁶ BB¯¯¯ events collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e⁺e⁻ collider we study the rare decays B→K (*) l⁺l⁻, where l⁺l⁻ is either e⁺e⁻ or μ⁺μ⁻. We report results on partial branching fractions and isospin asymmetries in seven bins of dilepton mass-squared. We further present CP and lepton-flavor asymmetries for dilepton masses below and above the J/ψ resonance. We find no evidence for CP or lepton-flavor violation. The partial branching fractions and isospin asymmetries are consistent with the Standard Model predictions and with results from other experiments.
Study of B̄→X u lν̄ decays in BB̄ events tagged by a fully reconstructed B-meson decay and determination of |V ub |
We report measurements of partial branching fractions for inclusive charmless semileptonic B decays B¯¯¯→X u lν¯ and the determination of the Cabibbo–Kobayashi–Maskawa (CKM) matrix element |V ub |. The analysis is based on a sample of 467×10⁶ Υ(4S)→BB¯¯¯ decays recorded with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e⁺e⁻ storage rings. We select events in which the decay of one of the B mesons is fully reconstructed and an electron or a muon signals the semileptonic decay of the other B meson. We measure partial branching fractions ΔB in several restricted regions of phase space and determine the CKM element |V ub | based on different QCD predictions. For decays with a charged lepton momentum p * l >1.0 GeV in the B meson rest frame, we obtain ΔB=(1.80±0.13stat±0.15sys±0.02theo)×10⁻³ from a fit to the two-dimensional M X -q² distribution. Here, M X refers to the invariant mass of the final state hadron X and q² is the invariant mass squared of the charged lepton and neutrino. From this measurement we extract |V ub |=(4.33±0.24 exp ±0.15 theo )×10⁻³ as the arithmetic average of four results obtained from four different QCD predictions of the partial rate. We separately determine partial branching fractions for B¯¯¯0 and B⁻ decays and derive a limit on the isospin breaking in B¯¯¯→X u lν¯ decays.
Search for the decay modes D⁰→e⁺e⁻, D⁰→μ⁺μ⁻, and D⁰→e ± μ∓
We present searches for the rare decay modes D⁰→e⁺e⁻, D0→μ⁺μ⁻, and D⁰→e ± μ ∓ in continuum e⁺e⁻→cc¯ events recorded by the BABAR detector in a data sample that corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 468 fb⁻¹. These decays are highly Glashow–Iliopoulos–Maiani suppressed but may be enhanced in several extensions of the standard model. Our observed event yields are consistent with the expected backgrounds. An excess is seen in the D⁰→μ⁺μ⁻ channel, although the observed yield is consistent with an upward background fluctuation at the 5% level. Using the Feldman–Cousins method, we set the following 90% confidence level intervals on the branching fractions: B(D⁰→e⁺e⁻)<1.7×10⁻⁷, B(D⁰→μ⁺μ⁻) within [0.6,8.1]×10⁻⁷, and B(D⁰→e ± μ ∓ )<3.3×10⁻⁷.
A Search for the Decay Modes B +/- to h +/- tau l
We present a search for the lepton flavor violating decay modes B{sup {+-}} {yields} h{sup {+-}} {tau}{ell} (h = K, {pi}; {ell} = e, {mu}) using the BABAR data sample, which corresponds to 472 million B{bar B} pairs. The search uses events where one B meson is fully reconstructed in one of several hadronic final states. Using the momenta of the reconstructed B, h, and {ell} candidates, we are able to fully determine the {tau} four-momentum. The resulting {tau} candidate mass is our main discriminant against combinatorial background. We see no evidence for B{sup {+-}} {yields} h{sup {+-}} {tau}{ell} decays and set a 90% confidence level upper limit on each branching fraction at the level of a few times 10{sup -5}.
The ISS as a Testbed for Future Large Astronomical Observatories: The OpTIIX Demonstration Program
No abstract available