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The LHCb experiment has been taking data at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN since the end of 2009. One of its key detector components is the Ring-Imaging Cherenkov (RICH) system. This provides charged particle identification over a wide momentum range, from 2–100 GeV/ c . The operation and control, software, and online monitoring of the RICH system are described. The particle identification performance is presented, as measured using data from the LHC. Excellent separation of hadronic particle types ( π , K, p) is achieved.

Metastases from primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) account for the majority of the ∼10,000 non-melanoma skin cancer deaths in the United States annually. We studied lymphangiogenesis in human SCC because of the potential link to metastasis. SCC samples were stained for lymphatic endothelial vessel marker LYVE-1 and positive cells were counted and compared with cells in normal skin. Gene set enrichment analysis and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR were performed on SCC, on adjacent non-tumor-bearing skin, and on normal skin to determine the differential expression of lymphangiogenesis-associated genes. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) was performed to isolate tumor cells and tumor-associated inflammatory cells for further gene expression analysis. Immunofluorescence was performed to determine the source of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) in the tumor microenvironment. We found increased lymphatic density and reorganized lymphatic endothelial vessels in the dermis immediately adjacent to SCC nests. RT-PCR confirmed the presence of VEGF-C in skin immediately adjacent to SCC. LCM confirmed the increased expression of VEGF-C, the SCC inflammatory infiltrate. The presence of CD163+/CD68+/VEGFC+ cells and absence of VEGF-C expression by CD3+ or CD11C+ cells suggested that VEGF-C is derived from tumor-associated macrophages. Clarification of mechanisms governing SCC-mediated lymphangiogenesis may identify potential targets for therapeutic intervention against aggressive or inoperable disease.

The pp collision data collected by the LHCb experiment during Run I provides a great opportunity for heavy flavour studies. The latest results on exotic states and quarkonia production are reported.

Filaggrin (FLG), loricrin (LOR), and involucrin are important epidermal barrier proteins. As psoriasis is characterized by overexpression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and impaired skin barrier, we investigated the expression of skin barrier proteins in psoriasis patients and whether their expression was modulated by TNF-α. The expression of FLG and LOR was found to be decreased in lesional and non-lesional skin of psoriasis patients. A correlation was found between the expression of TNF-α and epidermal barrier proteins in psoriasis. TNF-α was found to modulate the expression of FLG and LOR via a c-Jun N-terminal kinase-dependent pathway. Importantly, we report that clinical treatment of psoriasis patients with a TNF-α antagonist results in significant enhancement of epidermal barrier protein expression. Our current study suggests that TNF inhibits barrier protein expression, and TNF-α antagonists may contribute to clinical improvement in patients with psoriasis by improving barrier protein expression.

A bstract A test of lepton universality, performed by measuring the ratio of the branching fractions of the B 0 → K *0 μ + μ − and B 0 → K *0 e + e − decays, R K * 0 , is presented. The K *0 meson is reconstructed in the final state K + π − , which is required to have an invariant mass within 100 MeV /c 2 of the known K * (892) 0 mass. The analysis is performed using proton-proton collision data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of about 3 fb −1 , collected by the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. The ratio is measured in two regions of the dilepton invariant mass squared, q 2 , to be R K * 0 = 0.66 − + 0.07 0.11 stat ± 0.03 syst f o r 0.045 < q 2 < 1.1 GeV 2 / c 4 , 0.69 − + 0.07 0.11 stat ± 0.05 syst f o r 1.1 < q 2 < 6.0 GeV 2 / c 4 . The corresponding 95.4% confidence level intervals are [0 . 52 , 0 . 89] and [0 . 53 , 0 . 94]. The results, which represent the most precise measurements of R K * 0 to date, are compatible with the Standard Model expectations at the level of 2.1–2.3 and 2.4–2.5 standard deviations in the two q 2 regions, respectively.

Proinflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, and psoriasis have been treated by the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists infliximab and etanercept with different degrees of success. Although these agents are widely used in humans, little is known about their mechanisms of action or why etanercept and infliximab have differences in clinical activity. In this study, we define leukocyte genes that are suppressed by etanercept within 24 hours of exposure. Compared to previous work with infliximab, fewer immune-related genes are suppressed by etanercept. Importantly, the range of genes suppressed by these alternative TNF inhibitors is only partially overlapping, suggesting each has unique immune modulating effects. In sharp contrast to etanercept, infliximab strongly suppresses genes associated with “Type 1” immune responses (IFN-γ and the IL-12-receptor beta 2 subunit), providing a clear mechanism for clinically relevant immune suppression.

A bstract An angular analysis of the B 0 → K *0 (→ K + π − ) μ + μ − decay is presented. The dataset corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb −1 of pp collision data collected at the LHCb experiment. The complete angular information from the decay is used to determine CP -averaged observables and CP asymmetries, taking account of possible contamination from decays with the K + π − system in an S-wave configuration. The angular observables and their correlations are reported in bins of q 2 , the invariant mass squared of the dimuon system. The observables are determined both from an unbinned maximum likelihood fit and by using the principal moments of the angular distribution. In addition, by fitting for q 2 -dependent decay amplitudes in the region 1.1 < q 2 < 6.0 GeV 2 / c 4 , the zero-crossing points of several angular observables are computed. A global fit is performed to the complete set of CP -averaged observables obtained from the maximum likelihood fit. This fit indicates differences with predictions based on the Standard Model at the level of 3.4 standard deviations. These differences could be explained by contributions from physics beyond the Standard Model, or by an unexpectedly large hadronic effect that is not accounted for in the Standard Model predictions.

A bstract The isospin asymmetries of B → Kμ + μ − and B → K * μ + μ − decays and the partial branching fractions of the B 0 → K 0 μ + μ − , B + → K + μ + μ − and B + → K *+ μ + μ − decays are measured as functions of the dimuon mass squared, q 2 . The data used correspond to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb −1 from proton-proton collisions collected with the LHCb detector at centre-of-mass energies of 7 TeV and 8 TeV in 2011 and 2012, respectively. The isospin asymmetries are both consistent with the Standard Model expectations. The three measured branching fractions favour lower values than their respective theoretical predictions, however they are all individually consistent with the Standard Model.

A bstract Production cross-sections of prompt charm mesons are measured with the first data from pp collisions at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 4.98 ± 0.19 pb −1 collected by the LHCb experiment. The production cross-sections of D 0 , D + , D s + , and D *+ mesons are measured in bins of charm meson transverse momentum, p T , and rapidity, y , and cover the range 0 < p T < 15GeV/c and 2.0 < y < 4.5. The inclusive cross-sections for the four mesons, including charge conjugation, within the range of 1 < p T < 8 GeV/c are found to be σ pp → D 0 X = 2460 ± 3 ± 130 μ b σ pp → D + X = 1000 ± 3 ± 110 μ b σ pp → D s + X = 460 ± 13 ± 100 μ b σ pp → D ∗ + X = 880 ± 5 ± 140 μ b where the uncertainties are due to statistical and systematic uncertainties, respectively.

A bstract An angular analysis and a measurement of the differential branching fraction of the decay B s 0  →  ϕμ + μ − are presented, using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 . 0 fb −1 of pp collisions recorded by the LHCb experiment at s = 7 and 8 TeV. Measurements are reported as a function of q 2 , the square of the dimuon invariant mass and results of the angular analysis are found to be consistent with the Standard Model. In the range 1 < q 2 < 6 GeV 2 /c 4 , where precise theoretical calculations are available, the differential branching fraction is found to be more than 3 σ below the Standard Model predictions.