Observation of B(+)-->phiphiK(+) and evidence for B(0)-->phiphiK(0) below eta(c) threshold

We report measurements of the decays B(+)-->phiphiK(+) and B(0)-->phiphiK(0) using a sample of 231 x 10(6) BB pairs collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B factory at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. The branching fractions are measured to be B(B(+)-->phiphiK(+))=(7.5+/-1.0(stat)+/-0.7(syst)) x 10(-6) and B(B(0)-->phiphiK(0))=(4.1(-1.4)(+1.7)(stat)+/-0.4(syst)) x 10(-6) for a phiphi invariant mass below 2.85 GeV/c(2).     

Rains of solitons in a figure-of-eight passively mode-locked fiber laser

We report experimental observation of rains of solitons in figure-of-eight fiber laser passively mode-locked through nonlinear optical loop mirror. Soliton pulses are created from an extended noisy background and drift until they reach a condensed phase comprising several tens of aggregated solitons. The observation of this dynamics tends to strengthen the idea of the universality of the collective behavior of solitons.     

Observation of the semileptonic decays B-->D*tau-nutau and evidence for B-->Dtau-nutau

We present measurements of the semileptonic decays B--->D0tau-nutau, B--->D*0tau-nutau, B0-->D+tau-nutau, and B0-->D*+tau-nutau, which are potentially sensitive to non-standard model amplitudes. The data sample comprises 232x10(6) Upsilon(4S)-->BB decays collected with the BABAR detector. From a combined fit to B- and B0 channels, we obtain the branching fractions B(B-->Dtau-nutau)=(0.86+/-0.24+/-0.11+/-0.06)% and B(B-->D*tau-nutau)=(1.62+/-0.31+/-0.10+/-0.05)% (normalized for the B0), where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and normalization-mode-related.     

Biolabeling with nanoparticles based on Y2O3: Nd and luminescence detection in the near-infrared

Neodymium based fluorescence presents several advantages in comparison to conventional rare earth or enzyme-substrate based fluorescence emitting sources (e.g.Tb, HRP) . Based on this fact we have herein explored a Nd-based fluoroimmunoassay. We efficiently detected the presence of an oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) in human plasma a well-known marker for cardiovascular diseases, which causes around 30% of deaths worldwide. Conventional fluoroimmunoassay uses time-resolved luminescence techniques, with detection in the visible range, to eliminate the fluorescence background from the biological specimens. By using an immunoassay based on functionalized Y₂O₃:Nd³⁺ nanoparticles, where the excitation and emission processes in the Nd³⁺ ion occur in the near-infrared (NIR) region, we have succeeded in eliminating the interferences from the biological fluorescence background, avoiding the use of time-resolved techniques. This yields higher emission intensity from the Nd³⁺-nanolabels and efficient detection of anti-oxidized low-density lipoproteins (anti-oxLDL) by Y₂O₃:Nd³⁺-antibody-antigen conjugation, leading to a novel biolabeling method.     

Structural characterization of Pb nanoislands in SiO2/Si interface synthesized by ion implantation through MEIS analysis

Medium energy ion scattering (MEIS) measurements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations are applied to characterize a buried Pb nanoparticle (NP) system synthesized by ion implantation. The NPs are located at the SiO₂/Si film interface, forming a dense two-dimensional array. Full 2D (energy and angle) experimental MEIS spectra are compared with Monte Carlo simulated ones. The results demonstrate that MEIS measurements provide microstructural information (mean NP volume of about 150 nm³ and areal density of about 4 × 10¹¹ NP/cm²), but no accurate information on the NP geometrical shape.     

Hypernuclear physics at overline{mbox{P}} anda

Samples obtained as a result of the valleriite synthesis process under different conditions (temperature and proportion Cu:Fe:Mg in the initial mixture) were investigated by ⁵⁷Fe M?ssbauer spectroscopy with attraction data of X-ray diffraction. Parameters of hyperfine interactions for valleriite were determined and crystal chemical identification of ⁵⁷Fe subspectra was carried out. It was found that valleriite was formed in samples synthesized at 150°C and 180°C and not formed in samples synthesized at 250°C.     

Observation of B-->eta'K* and evidence for B+-->eta'rho+

We present an observation of B-->eta'K*. The data sample corresponds to 232x10(6) BB[over ] pairs collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B factory at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. We measure the branching fractions (in units of 10(-6)) B(B(0)-->eta'K*0)=3.8+/-1.1+/-0.5 and B(B+-->eta'K*+)=4.9(1.7)(+1.9)+/-0.8, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. A simultaneous fit results in the observation of B-->eta'K* with B(B-->eta'K*)=4.1(-0.9)(+1.0)+/-0.5. We also search for B-->eta'rho and eta'f(0)(980)(f(0)-->pi+pi-) with results and 90% confidence level upper limits B(B+-->eta'rho+)=8.7(-2.8-1.3)(+3.1+2.3) (<14), B(B(0)-->eta'rho0)<3.7, and B(B(0)-->eta'f(0)(980)(f(0)-->pi+pi-))<1.5. Charge asymmetries in the channels with significant yields are consistent with zero.     

Determination of organophosphate esters in air samples by dynamic sonication-assisted solvent extraction coupled on-line with large-volume injection gas chromatography utilizing a programmed-temperature vaporizer

An on-line method for the determination of airborne organophosphate esters based on dynamic sonication-assisted solvent extraction and large-volume injection (LVI) gas chromatography with nitrogen-phosphorous detection is introduced. The LVI is performed with a programmed-temperature vaporizer. The entire extracted fraction of 800 microl (hexane-methyl-tert.-butyl ether, 7:3, v/v) is introduced directly into the GC system without any clean-up step following extraction. The extraction and analysis step were completed in less than 15 min. The limit of detection of the investigated organophosphate esters was established to be in the range of 5-32 pg/filter. The correlation coefficients (r2) were investigated in the linear range study of the entire system and established to be approximately 0.9900 for all the investigated organophosphates esters. Applications of the method was demonstrated with the extraction of air samples collected onto glass fiber filters from different indoor environments. Six organophosphate esters were found at the levels 0.4-138 ng/m3.