Digital Commons Network^™

Measurement Of Differential Branching Fractions Of Inclusive B →Xuℓ+Νℓ Decays, L. Cao, W. Sutcliffe, R. Van Tonder, F. U. Bernlochner, I. Adachi, H. Aihara, D. M. Asner, T. Aushev, R. Ayad, V. Babu, S. Bahinipati, P. Behera, K. Belous, J. Bennett, M. Bessner, T. Bilka, J. Biswal, A. Bobrov, M. Bračko

Faculty and Student Publications

The first measurements of differential branching fractions of inclusive semileptonic B→Xuℓ+νℓ decays are performed using the full Belle data set of 711 fb-1 of integrated luminosity at the (4S) resonance and for ℓ=e, μ. With the availability of these measurements, new avenues for future shape-function model-independent determinations of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element |Vub| can be pursued to gain new insights in the existing tension with respect to exclusive determinations. The differential branching fractions are reported as a function of the lepton energy, the four-momentum-transfer squared, light-cone momenta, the hadronic mass, and the hadronic mass squared. They are obtained by subtracting …

Tooth Position Determination By Automatic Cutting And Marking Of Dental Panoramic X-Ray Film In Medical Image Processing, Yen-Cheng Huang, Chiung-An Chen, Tsung-Yi Chen, He-Sheng Chou, Wei-Chi Lin, Tzu-Chien Li, Jia-Jun Yuan, Szu-Yin Lin, Chun-Wei Li, Shih-Lun Chen, Yi-Cheng Mao, Patricia Angela R. Abu, Wei-Yuan Chiang, Wen-Shen Lo

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

This paper presents a novel method for automatic segmentation of dental X-ray images into single tooth sections and for placing every segmented tooth onto a precise corresponding position table. Moreover, the proposed method automatically determines the tooth’s position in a panoramic X-ray film. The image-processing step incorporates a variety of image-enhancement techniques, including sharpening, histogram equalization, and flat-field correction. Moreover, image processing was implemented iteratively to achieve higher pixel value contrast between the teeth and cavity. The next image-enhancement step is aimed at detecting the teeth cavity and involves determining the segment and points separating the upper and lower jaw, …

Metal Release From A Biomedical Cocrmo Alloy In Mixed Protein Solutions Under Static And Sliding Conditions: Effects Of Protein Aggregation And Metal Precipitation, Zheng Wei, Valentine Romanovski, Luimar Filho, Cecilia Persson, Yolanda S. Hedberg

Chemistry Publications

Biomedical materials made of cobalt-chromium-molybdenum (CoCrMo) alloys are commonly used in artificial prostheses and dental implants, which are exposed to friction and load. The release of Co, Cr, and Mo from these surfaces is governed by physical and chemical processes. The extent of measured metal release from biomedical CoCrMo alloys into mixed protein solutions may be influenced by protein aggregation and metal precipitation effects. Metal release from, and the surface composition of, a CoCrMo alloy was investigated in physiological relevant solutions (phosphate buffered saline, PBS, with varying concentrations of fibrinogen from bovine plasma and/or bovine serum albumin) at pH 7.3 …

Butte-Silver Bow Medical Monitoring Program Plan, Mike Mcanulty, Eric Hassler

Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund Site

No abstract provided.

Study Of E+E- → D (1 S,2 S)Η And E+E- → D (1s)Η′ At S =10.866 Gev With The Belle Detector, E. Kovalenko, A. Garmash, P. Krokovny, I. Adachi, H. Aihara, D. M. Asner, V. Aulchenko, T. Aushev, R. Ayad, V. Babu, S. Bahinipati, P. Behera, J. Bennett, M. Bessner, T. Bilka, J. Biswal, A. Bobrov, A. Bondar, G. Bonvicini

Faculty and Student Publications

We report the first observation of the processes e+e-→D(1S,2S)η at s=10.866 GeV, with significance exceeding 10σ for both processes. The measured Born cross sections are σ(e+e-→D(2S)η)=2.07±0.21±0.19 pb, and σ(e+e-→D(1S)η)=0.42±0.08±0.04 pb. We also set the upper limit on the cross section of the process e+e-→D(1S)η′ to be σ(e+e-→D(1S)η′)<0.037 pb at 90% C.L. The results are obtained with the data sample collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider in the energy range from 10.63 to 11.02 GeV.

Measurements Of Q2 Moments Of Inclusive B →Xcℓ+Νℓ Decays With Hadronic Tagging, R. Van Tonder, L. Cao, W. Sutcliffe, M. Welsch, F. U. Bernlochner, I. Adachi, H. Aihara, D. M. Asner, T. Aushev, R. Ayad, V. Babu, P. Behera, K. Belous, J. Bennett, M. Bessner, V. Bhardwaj, B. Bhuyan, T. Bilka, J. Biswal

Faculty and Student Publications

We present the measurement of the first to fourth order moments of the four-momentum transfer squared, q2, of inclusive B→Xcℓ+νℓ decays using the full Belle dataset of 711 fb-1 of integrated luminosity at the (4S) resonance where ℓ=e, μ. The determination of these moments and their systematic uncertainties open new pathways to determine the absolute value of the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa matrix element Vcb using a reduced set of matrix elements of the heavy quark expansion. In order to identify and reconstruct the Xc system, we reconstruct one of the two B-mesons using machine learning techniques in fully hadronic decay modes. The …

Piezoelectric Signals In Vascularized Bone Regeneration, Delfo D’Alessandro, Claudio Ricci, Mario Milazzo, Giovanna Strangis, Francesca Forli, Gabriele Buda, Mario Petrini, Stefano Berrettini, M. Jasim Uddin, Serena Danti, Paolo Parchi

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

The demand for bone substitutes is increasing in Western countries. Bone graft substitutes aim to provide reconstructive surgeons with off-the-shelf alternatives to the natural bone taken from humans or animal species. Under the tissue engineering paradigm, biomaterial scaffolds can be designed by incorporating bone stem cells to decrease the disadvantages of traditional tissue grafts. However, the effective clinical application of tissue-engineered bone is limited by insufficient neovascularization. As bone is a highly vascularized tissue, new strategies to promote both osteogenesis and vasculogenesis within the scaffolds need to be considered for a successful regeneration. It has been demonstrated that bone and …

Premade Nanoparticle Films For The Synthesis Of Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes, Abdul Hoque, Ahamed Ullah, Beth S. Guiton, Noe T. Alvarez

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) offer unique properties that have the potential to address multiple issues in industry and material sciences. Although many synthesis methods have been developed, it remains difficult to control CNT characteristics. Here, with the goal of achieving such control, we report a bottom-up process for CNT synthesis in which monolayers of premade aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) and iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) nanoparticles were anchored on a flat silicon oxide (SiO₂) substrate. The nanoparticle dispersion and monolayer assembly of the oleic-acid-stabilized Al₂O₃ nanoparticles were achieved using 11-phosphonoundecanoic acid …

Ligands For Complexation, Extraction, And Sensing Of Mercury(Ii) For Application To High-Level Waste (Hlw) At The Savannah River Site (Srs), Adenike O. Fasiku

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mercury (Hg) separation and sensing is of high significance due to Hg^(II) environmental mobility and toxicity. Furthermore, the use of Hg in nuclear applications has resulted in its accumulation in several DOE sites, such as in Oak Ridge and Savannah River reservations. Organic mercury species have been found in low activity waste (LAW) streams resulting from high-level waste (HLW) processing at the Savannah River Site (SRS), therefore posing a threat to humans and the environment. Mercury, being a soft Lewis acid, has a strong affinity for softer Lewis bases, such as S- or N-donor ligands. Therefore, we focus on …

Communicating And Co-Producing Information With Stakeholders: Examples Of Participatory Mapping Approaches Related To Sea Level Rise Risks And Impacts, Pragati Rawat, Khairul A. Anua, Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Jon Derek Loftis, Ren-Neasha Blake

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

This chapter discusses practical approaches for using participatory mapping as a tool to visualize and communicate sea level rise (SLR) and climate change risks, to share information about the vulnerability to, and threats of, climate change, and to co-produce knowledge with stakeholders. The examples presented in this chapter are from demonstrated applications in communities in Virginia (USA) that involve participatory mapping and that utilize a web-Geographic Information System (GIS). The web-GIS is innovatively combined with other technologies and participatory processes to create low-cost high-tech approaches so that even people with little to no knowledge of GIS can interact with maps …

Search For B0 →Τ±∓ (ℓ=E, Μ) With A Hadronic Tagging Method At Belle Search For B0 →Τ±∓ (ℓ=E, Μ) With A ... H. Atmacan Et Al., H. Atmacan, A. J. Schwartz, K. Kinoshita, I. Adachi, K. Adamczyk, H. Aihara, S. Al Said, D. M. Asner, V. Aulchenko, T. Aushev, R. Ayad, V. Babu, S. Bahinipati, M. Bauer, P. Behera, K. Belous, J. Bennett, F. Bernlochner, M. Bessner

Faculty and Student Publications

We present a search for the lepton-flavor-violating decays B0→τ±∓, where ℓ=(e,μ), using the full data sample of 772×106 BB¯ pairs recorded by the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. We use events in which one B meson is fully reconstructed in a hadronic decay mode. The τ± lepton is reconstructed indirectly using the momentum of the reconstructed B and that of the ∓ from the signal decay. We find no evidence for B0→τ±∓ decays and set upper limits on their branching fractions at 90% confidence level of B(B0→τ±μ∓)<1.5×10-5 and B(B0→τ±e∓)<1.6×10-5.

Shape-Based Classification Of Partially Observed Curves, With Applications To Anthropology, Gregory J. Matthews, Karthik Bharath, Sebastian Kurtek, Juliet K. Brophy, George K. Thiruvathukal, Ofer Harel

Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works

We consider the problem of classifying curves when they are observed only partially on their parameter domains. We propose computational methods for (i) completion of partially observed curves; (ii) assessment of completion variability through a nonparametric multiple imputation procedure; (iii) development of nearest neighbor classifiers compatible with the completion techniques. Our contributions are founded on exploiting the geometric notion of shape of a curve, defined as those aspects of a curve that remain unchanged under translations, rotations and reparameterizations. Explicit incorporation of shape information into the computational methods plays the dual role of limiting the set of all possible completions …

Detection Of Dental Apical Lesions Using Cnns On Periapical Radiograph, Chun-Wei Li, Szu-Yin Lin, He-Sheng Chou, Tsung-Yi Chen, Yu-An Chen, Sheng-Yu Liu, Yu-Lin Liu, Chiung-An Chen, Yen-Cheng Huang, Shih-Lun Chen, Yi-Cheng Mao, Patricia Angela R. Abu, Wei-Yuan Chiang, Wen-Shen Lo

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

Apical lesions, the general term for chronic infectious diseases, are very common dental diseases in modern life, and are caused by various factors. The current prevailing endodontic treatment makes use of X-ray photography taken from patients where the lesion area is marked manually, which is therefore time consuming. Additionally, for some images the significant details might not be recognizable due to the different shooting angles or doses. To make the diagnosis process shorter and efficient, repetitive tasks should be performed automatically to allow the dentists to focus more on the technical and medical diagnosis, such as treatment, tooth cleaning, or …

A Roadmap For Building Data Science Capacity For Health Discovery And Innovation In Africa, Joseph Beyene, Solomon W. Harrar, Mekibib Altaye, Tessema Astatkie, Tadesse Awoke, Ziv Shkedy, Tesfaye B. Mersha

Statistics Faculty Publications

Technological advances now make it possible to generate diverse, complex and varying sizes of data in a wide range of applications from business to engineering to medicine. In the health sciences, in particular, data are being produced at an unprecedented rate across the full spectrum of scientific inquiry spanning basic biology, clinical medicine, public health and health care systems. Leveraging these data can accelerate scientific advances, health discovery and innovations. However, data are just the raw material required to generate new knowledge, not knowledge on its own, as a pile of bricks would not be mistaken for a building. In …

Faculty Versus Student Repeatability On Evaluating Translucency Of The Anterior Dentition, James L. Sheets, David B. Marx, Nina Ariani, Valentim A. R. Barão, Alvin G. Wee

Department of Statistics: Faculty Publications

The objective was to compare the repeatability between dental faculty, whose clinical practice was primarily restorative dentistry, and final year dental students in categorizing the inherent translucency of images selected at random using either a 3- or 7-point scale (translucent to opaque). Digital images of anterior dentition were randomly selected based on inherent translucency. Thirty images (five were repeated) were randomized and categorized by 20 dental students and 20 faculty on their inherent translucency. Statistical analysis was performed using an F test for analysis of variance at 95% confidence interval. A covariance parameter estimate (CPE) was accomplished to compare the …

Synthesis, Characterization And Stress-Testing Of A Robust Quillaja Saponin Stabilized Oil-In-Water Phytocannabinoid Nanoemulsion, Abhinandan Banerjee, Justin Binder, Rayan Salama, John F. Trant

Chemistry and Biochemistry Publications

Background

This study describes the design, optimization, and stress-testing of a novel phytocannabinoid nanoemulsion generated using high-pressure homogenization.QNaturale®" role="presentation">QNaturale®, a plant-derived commercial emulsifier containing quillaja saponin, was used to stabilize the lipid phase droplets in water. Stress-testing was performed on this nanoemulsion in order to evaluate its chemical and colloidal stability under the influence of different environmental factors, encompassing both physical and chemical stressors.

Methods

Extensive optimization studies were conducted to arrive at an ideal nanoemulsion formulation. A coarse emulsion containing 16.6 wt% CBD-enriched cannabis distillate and 83.4 wt% carrier (soybean) oil dispersed in 10 wt%QNaturale®" role="presentation">QNaturale®

(1.5 …

Genetic Analysis Of Endometriosis And Depression Identifies Shared Loci And Implicates Causal Links With Gastric Mucosa Abnormality, Emmanuel Adewuyi, Divya Mehta, Yadav Sapkota, Asa Auta, Kosuke Yoshihara, Mette Nyegaard, Lyn R. Griffiths, Grant W. Montgomery, Daniel I. Chasman, Dale R. Nyholt

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Evidence from observational studies indicates that endometriosis and depression often co-occur. However, conflicting evidence exists, and the etiology as well as biological mechanisms underlying their comorbidity remain unknown. Utilizing genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, we comprehensively assessed the relationship between endometriosis and depression. Single nucleotide polymorphism effect concordance analysis (SECA) found a significant genetic overlap between endometriosis and depression (PFsig-permuted = 9.99 × 10−4). Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) analysis estimated a positive and highly significant genetic correlation between the two traits (rG = 0.27, P = 8.85 × 10−27). A meta-analysis of endometriosis and depression GWAS (sample size = …

Measurements Of The Branching Fractions Of The Semileptonic Decays Ξc0 → Ξ-ℓ+Νℓ And The Asymmetry Parameter Of Ξc0 → Ξ-Π+, Y. B. Li, C. P. Shen, I. Adachi, K. Adamczyk, H. Aihara, S. Al Said, D. M. Asner, T. Aushev, R. Ayad, V. Babu, P. Behera, J. Bennett, M. Bessner, V. Bhardwaj, B. Bhuyan, T. Bilka, J. Biswal, G. Bonvicini, A. Bozek

Faculty and Student Publications

Using data samples of 89.5 and 711 fb-1 recorded at energies of s=10.52 and 10.58 GeV, respectively, with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+e- collider, we report measurements of branching fractions of semileptonic decays Ξc0→Ξ-ℓ+νℓ (ℓ=e or μ) and the CP-asymmetry parameter of Ξc0→Ξ-π+ decay. The branching fractions are measured to be B(Ξc0→Ξ-e+νe)=(1.31±0.04±0.07±0.38)% and B(Ξc0→Ξ-μ+νμ)=(1.27±0.06±0.10±0.37)%, and the decay parameter αΞπ is measured to be 0.63±0.03±0.01 with much improved precision compared with the current world average. The corresponding ratio B(Ξc0→Ξ-e+νe)/B(Ξc0→Ξ-μ+νμ) is 1.03±0.05±0.07, which is consistent with the expectation of lepton flavor universality. The first measured asymmetry parameter ACP=(αΞ-π++αΞ¯+π-)/(αΞ-π+-αΞ¯+π-)=0.024±0.052±0.014 is found …

Measurement Of The Masses And Widths Of The Σc (2455)+ And Σc (2520)+ Baryons, J. Yelton, I. Adachi, J. K. Ahn, H. Aihara, S. Al Said, D. M. Asner, H. Atmacan, V. Aulchenko, T. Aushev, R. Ayad, V. Babu, S. Bahinipati, P. Behera, K. Belous, J. Bennett, M. Bessner, V. Bhardwaj, B. Bhuyan, T. Bilka

Faculty and Student Publications

Using 980 fb-1 of data collected with the Belle detector operating at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider, we report the measurements of the masses, and the first measurements of the instrinsic widths, of the ςc(2455)+ and ςc(2520)+ charmed baryons. We find M(ςc(2455)+)-M(Λc+)=166.17±0.05-0.07+0.16 MeV/c2, Γ(ςc(2455)+)=2.3±0.3±0.3 MeV/c2, M(ςc(2520)+)-M(Λc+)=230.9±0.5-0.1+0.5 MeV/c2, and Γ(ςc(2520)+)=17.2-2.1-0.7+2.3+3.1 MeV/c2, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. These measurements can be used to test models of the underlying quark structure of the ςc states.

Measurement Of Branching Fractions And Search For Cp Violation In D 0 → Π + Π − Η, D 0 → K + K − Η, And D 0 → Φη At Belle, L. K. Li, A. J. Schwartz, K. Kinoshita, I. Adachi, H. Aihara, S. Al Said, D. M. Asner, H. Atmacan, V. Aulchenko, T. Aushev, R. Ayad, V. Babu, S. Bahinipati, P. Behera, J. Bennett, M. Bessner, T. Bilka, J. Biswal, A. Bobrov

Faculty and Student Publications

We measure the branching fractions and CP asymmetries for the singly Cabibbo-suppressed decays D0 → π+π−η, D0 → K+K−η, and D0 → ϕη, using 980 fb−1 of data from the Belle experiment at the KEKB e+e− collider. We obtainB(D0→π+π−η)=[1.22±0.02(stat)±0.02(syst)±0.03(Bref)]×10−3,B(D0→K+K−η)=[1.80−0.06+0.07(stat)±0.04(syst)±0.05(Bref)]×10−4,B(D0→ϕη)=[1.84±0.09(stat)±0.06(syst)±0.05(Bref)]×10−4, where the third uncertainty (Bref) is from the uncertainty in the branching fraction of the reference mode D0 → K−π+η. The color-suppressed decay D0 → ϕη is observed for the first time, with very high significance. The results for the CP asymmetries areACP(D0π+π−η)=[0.9±1.2(stat)±0.5(syst)]%,ACP(D0→K+K−η)=[−1.4±3.3(stat)±1.1(syst)]%,ACP(D0→ϕη)=[−1.9±4.4(stat)±0.6(syst)]%. The results for D0 → π+π−η are a significant improvement over previous results. The branching fraction and ACP …

Search For The Decay Bs0 →Η′Η, N. K. Nisar, V. Savinov, I. Adachi, H. Aihara, S. Al Said, D. M. Asner, H. Atmacan, T. Aushev, R. Ayad, V. Babu, S. Bahinipati, P. Behera, J. Bennett, M. Bessner, V. Bhardwaj, B. Bhuyan, T. Bilka, J. Biswal, G. Bonvicini

Faculty and Student Publications

We report the results of the first search for the decay Bs0→η′η using 121.4 fb-1 of data collected at the I (5S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e-collider. We observe no significant signal and set a 90% confidence-level upper limit of 6.5×10-5 on the branching fraction of this decay.

Case 3847 – Simopithecus Oswaldi Andrews, 1916 (Currently Theropithecus Oswaldi; Mammalia, Primates, Cercopithecidae), Proposed Conservation By Reversal Of Precedence With Cynocephalus Atlanticus Thomas, 1884., Eric Delson, David M. Alba, Stephen R. Frost, Dagmawit Abebe Getahun, Christopher C. Gilbert

Publications and Research

The purpose of this application, under Articles 23.9.3 and 81.1 of the Code, is to conserve the usage of the species-group name Simopithecus oswaldi Andrews, 1916 by giving it precedence over its senior subjective synonym Cynocephalus atlanticus Thomas, 1884. Theropithecus is a common to dominant member of the extinct primate community across Africa after 4 million years ago (Jablonski & Frost, 2010) and often co-occurred with extinct humans (Hominini); fossils are also known rarely across Eurasia (Roberts et al., 2014). Most fossil samples are currently included in Theropithecus oswaldi (Andrews, 1916), which is often divided into chrono-geographic subspecies. Cynocephalus atlanticus …

Incorporating The 10th Edition Institute Of Traffic Engineers (Ite) Trip Generation Rates Into Virginia Department Of Transportation Guidelines, Kun Xie, Mecit Cetin, Hong Yang, Xiaomeng Dong

Civil & Environmental Engineering Faculty Publications

The Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE) released the Trip Generation (TG) 10th edition in 2017, which significantly updated its database, and some of its trip generation rates were substantially lower than those of earlier editions. This study aims to investigate the applicability of the TG 10th edition in various Virginia contexts and to recommend how to incorporate the TG 10th edition into state guidelines. The research team surveyed 31 state transportation agencies to obtain a clear understanding of current practices in the adoption of trip rates and trip estimation approaches. We systematically compared trip rates of TG 9th and 10th …

Covid-19 And The Impact On Rural And Black Church Congregants: Results Of The C-M-C Project, Lovoria B. Williams, Anita F. Fernander, Tofial Azam, Maria L. Gomez, Junghee Kang, Cassidy L. Moody, Hannah Bowman, Nancy E. Schoenberg

Nursing Faculty Publications

The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on Black and rural populations with a mortality rate among Blacks three times that of Whites and both rural and Black populations experiencing limited access to COVID-19 resources. The primary purpose of this study was to explore the health, financial, and psychological impact of COVID-19 among rural White Appalachian and Black nonrural central Kentucky church congregants. Secondarily we sought to examine the association between sociodemographics and behaviors, attitudes, and beliefs regarding COVID-19 and intent to vaccinate. We used a cross sectional survey design developed with the constructs of the Health Belief and Theory …

Caries And Restoration Detection Using Bitewing Film Based On Transfer Learning With Cnns, Yi-Cheng Mao, Tsung-Yi Chen, He-Sheng Jhou, Szu-Yin Lin, Sheng-Yu Liu, Yu-An Chen, Yu-Lin Liu, Chiung-An Chen, Yen-Cheng Huang, Shih-Lun Chen, Chun-Wei Li, Patricia Angela R. Abu, Wei-Yuan Chiang

Department of Information Systems & Computer Science Faculty Publications

Caries is a dental disease caused by bacterial infection. If the cause of the caries is detected early; the treatment will be relatively easy; which in turn prevents caries from spreading. The current common procedure of dentists is to first perform radiographic examination on the patient and mark the lesions manually. However; the work of judging lesions and markings requires professional experience and is very time-consuming and repetitive. Taking advantage of the rapid development of artificial intelligence imaging research and technical methods will help dentists make accurate markings and improve medical treatments. It can also shorten the judgment time of …

Measurements Of Partial Branching Fractions Of Inclusive B →Xuℓ+Νℓ Decays With Hadronic Tagging, L. Cao, W. Sutcliffe, R. Van Tonder, F. U. Bernlochner, I. Adachi, H. Aihara, S. Al Said, D. M. Asner, H. Atmacan, T. Aushev, R. Ayad, V. Babu, M. Bauer, P. Behera, K. Belous, J. Bennett, M. Bessner, V. Bhardwaj, T. Bilka

Faculty and Student Publications

We present measurements of partial branching fractions of inclusive semileptonic B→Xuℓ+νℓ decays using the full Belle dataset of 711 fb-1 of integrated luminosity at the ϒ(4S) resonance and for ℓ=e, μ. Inclusive semileptonic B→Xuℓ+νℓ decays are Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) suppressed and measurements are complicated by the large background from CKM favored B→Xcℓ+νℓ transitions, which have a similar signature. Using machine learning techniques, we reduce this and other backgrounds effectively, while retaining access to a large fraction of the B→Xuℓ+νℓ phase space and high signal efficiency. We measure partial branching fractions in three phase-space regions covering about 31% to 86% of the …

Search For Bs0 →Η′Xs S ¯ At Belle Using A Semi-Inclusive Method Search For Bs0 →Η′Xs S ¯ ... Dubey Et Al., S. Dubey, T. E. Browder, H. Aihara, S. Al Said, D. M. Asner, T. Aushev, R. Ayad, V. Babu, S. Bahinipati, P. Behera, J. Bennett, M. Bessner, B. Bhuyan, S. Bilokin, J. Biswal, A. Bobrov, G. Bonvicini, A. Bozek, M. Bračko

Faculty and Student Publications

We report the first search for the penguin-dominated process Bs0→η′Xss¯ using a semi-inclusive method. A 121.4 fb-1 integrated luminosity ϒ(5S) data set collected by the Belle experiment, at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider, is used. We observe no statistically significant signal and, including all uncertainties, we set a 90% confidence level upper limit on the partial branching fraction at 1.4×10-3 for M(Xss¯)≤2.4 GeV/c2.

Covid-19 Impact On Radiology Students’ Distance Learning (Summer 2021), Mary Lee, Jason Chan, Cheryann Jackson-Holmes, Renzo Marmolejo, Zoya Vinokur

Publications and Research

The Radiological Technology students have adjusted from the urgent distance learning that was enacted in the Spring of 2020, to the hybrid distance learning that is currently in place. This hybrid distance learning is the same way the incoming class of radiological technology students were taught. Both cohorts of students were tracked over the year by online anonymous surveys. We wanted to know how students were adapting to distance learning, if their focus and motivation varied over the course of the year due to changing pandemic conditions. For the students that were working, what impact did it have on their …

Tocilizumab And Covid-19: A Meta-Analysis Of 2120 Patients With Severe Disease And Implications For Clinical Trial Methodologies, Azza Sarfraz, Zouina Sarfraz, Muzna Sarfraz, Hinna Aftab, Zainab Pervaiz

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background/aim: Since the outbreak of the COVID-19, numerous therapies to counteract this severe disease have emerged. The benefits of Tocilizumab for severely infected COVID-19 patients and the methodologies of ongoing clinical trials are explored.
Materials and methods: A systematic search adhering to PRISMA guidelines was conducted in PubMed, Cochrane Central, medRxiv, and bioRxiv using the following keywords: “Tocilizumab,” “Actemra,” “COVID-19.” An additional subsearch was conducted on Clinicaltrials.gov to locate ongoing tocilizumab trials.
Results: A total of 13 studies were included in the meta-analysis comprising 2120 patients. The treatment group had lower mortality compared to the control group (OR = 0.42, …

Evaluation Of Log P, Pka, And Log D Predictions From The Sampl7 Blind Challenge, Teresa Danielle Bergazin, Nicolas Tielker, Yingying Zhang, Junjun Mao, M. R. Gunner, Karol Francisco, Carlo Ballatore, Stefan M. Kast, David L. Mobley

Publications and Research

The Statistical Assessment of Modeling of Proteins and Ligands (SAMPL) challenges focuses the computational modeling community on areas in need of improvement for rational drug design. The SAMPL7 physical property challenge dealt with prediction of octanol-water partition coefficients and pK_a for 22 compounds. The dataset was composed of a series of N-acylsulfonamides and related bioisosteres. 17 research groups participated in the log P challenge, submitting 33 blind submissions total. For the pK_a challenge, 7 different groups participated, submitting 9 blind submissions in total. Overall, the accuracy of octanol-water log P predictions in the SAMPL7 challenge was …