A search for the decays B& + yy in 2.95 million hadronic Z decays has been performed using the L3... more A search for the decays B& + yy in 2.95 million hadronic Z decays has been performed using the L3 detector at LEl? No candidates are found in the signal region and upper limits have been set on the branching ratios: Br( B: + yy) < 3.9 x 10m5 and Br(Bf + yy) < 14.8 x lo-' at 90% CL. These are the first limits set on these exclusive rare decays.
We present preliminary results of searches for exclusive charged-B decays to K ± π ∓ π ± from 61.... more We present preliminary results of searches for exclusive charged-B decays to K ± π ∓ π ± from 61.6 million BB pairs collected at the Υ (4S) resonance with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric B Factory. The Dalitz plot is divided into eight regions and, using a maximumlikelihood fit, we measure statistically significant yields in all regions. We interpret the results as the following branching fractions averaged over charged-conjugate states: B(B + → K * 0 (892)π + , K * 0 → K + π − ) = (10.3 ± 1.2 +1.0 −2.7 ) × 10 −6 , B(B + → f 0 (980)K + , f 0 → π + π − ) = (9.2 ± 1.2 +2.1 −2.6 ) × 10 −6 , B(B + → χ c0 K + , χ c0 → π + π − ) = (1.46 ± 0.35 ± 0.12) × 10 −6 and B(B + → D 0 π + , D 0 → K + π − ) = (184.6 ± 3.2 ± 9.7) × 10 −6 . The first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic and includes resonance-model and interference uncertainties. We give 90% confidence-level upper limits on the branching fractions of the following channels: B(B + → ρ 0 (770)K + ) < 6.2 × 10 −6 and B(B + → K + π − π + non-resonant) < 17 × 10 −6 .
We present a measurement of the average multiplicity of φ mesons in B 0 , B 0 and B ± meson decay... more We present a measurement of the average multiplicity of φ mesons in B 0 , B 0 and B ± meson decays. Using 17.6 fb −1 of data taken at the Υ (4S) resonance by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e + e − storage ring at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, we reconstruct φ mesons in the K + K − decay mode and measure B(B → φX) = (3.41 ± 0.06 ± 0.12)%. This is significantly more precise than any previous measurement.
We present the result of a search for the charmless two-body baryonic decay B 0 → pp in a sample ... more We present the result of a search for the charmless two-body baryonic decay B 0 → pp in a sample of 88 million Υ (4S) → BB decays collected by the BaBar detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetricenergy B Factory. We use Cherenkov radiation to identify protons cleanly, and determine the signal
A novel radioguided surgery (RGS) technique for cerebral tumors using β − radiation is being deve... more A novel radioguided surgery (RGS) technique for cerebral tumors using β − radiation is being developed. Checking for a radiotracer that can deliver a β − emitter to the tumor is a fundamental step in the deployment of such a technique. This paper reports a study of the uptake of 90 Y-DOTATOC in meningiomas and high-grade gliomas (HGGs) and a feasibility study of the RGS technique in these types of tumor. Estimates were performed assuming the use of a β − probe under development with a sensitive area 2.55 mm in radius to detect 0.1-mL residuals. Methods: Uptake and background from healthy tissues were estimated on 68 Ga-DOTATOC PET scans of 11 meningioma patients and 12 HGG patients. A dedicated statistical analysis of the DICOM images was developed and validated. The feasibility study was performed using full simulation of emission and detection of the radiation, accounting for the measured uptake and background rate. Results: All meningioma patients but one with an atypical extracranial tumor showed high uptake of DOTATOC. In terms of feasibility of the RGS technique, we estimated that by administering a 3 MBq/kg activity of radiotracer, the time needed to detect a 0.1-mL remnant with 5% false-negative and 1% falsepositive rates is less than 1 s. Actually, to achieve a detection time of 1 s the required activities to administer were as low as 0.2-0.5 MBq/kg in many patients. In HGGs, the uptake was lower than in meningiomas, but the tumor-to-nontumor ratio was higher than 4, which implies that the tracer can still be effective for RGS. It was estimated that by administering 3 mBq/kg of radiotracer, the time needed to detect a 0.1-mL remnant is less than 6 s, with the exception of the only oligodendroma in the sample. Conclusion: Uptake of 90 Y-DOTATOC in meningiomas was high in all studied patients. Uptake in HGGs was significantly worse than in meningiomas but was still acceptable for RGS, particularly if further research and development are done to improve the performance of the β − probe.
A search for the decays B& + yy in 2.95 million hadronic Z decays has been performed using the L3... more A search for the decays B& + yy in 2.95 million hadronic Z decays has been performed using the L3 detector at LEl? No candidates are found in the signal region and upper limits have been set on the branching ratios: Br( B: + yy) < 3.9 x 10m5 and Br(Bf + yy) < 14.8 x lo-' at 90% CL. These are the first limits set on these exclusive rare decays.
We present preliminary results of searches for exclusive charged-B decays to K ± π ∓ π ± from 61.... more We present preliminary results of searches for exclusive charged-B decays to K ± π ∓ π ± from 61.6 million BB pairs collected at the Υ (4S) resonance with the BABAR detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetric B Factory. The Dalitz plot is divided into eight regions and, using a maximumlikelihood fit, we measure statistically significant yields in all regions. We interpret the results as the following branching fractions averaged over charged-conjugate states: B(B + → K * 0 (892)π + , K * 0 → K + π − ) = (10.3 ± 1.2 +1.0 −2.7 ) × 10 −6 , B(B + → f 0 (980)K + , f 0 → π + π − ) = (9.2 ± 1.2 +2.1 −2.6 ) × 10 −6 , B(B + → χ c0 K + , χ c0 → π + π − ) = (1.46 ± 0.35 ± 0.12) × 10 −6 and B(B + → D 0 π + , D 0 → K + π − ) = (184.6 ± 3.2 ± 9.7) × 10 −6 . The first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic and includes resonance-model and interference uncertainties. We give 90% confidence-level upper limits on the branching fractions of the following channels: B(B + → ρ 0 (770)K + ) < 6.2 × 10 −6 and B(B + → K + π − π + non-resonant) < 17 × 10 −6 .
We present a measurement of the average multiplicity of φ mesons in B 0 , B 0 and B ± meson decay... more We present a measurement of the average multiplicity of φ mesons in B 0 , B 0 and B ± meson decays. Using 17.6 fb −1 of data taken at the Υ (4S) resonance by the BABAR detector at the PEP-II e + e − storage ring at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, we reconstruct φ mesons in the K + K − decay mode and measure B(B → φX) = (3.41 ± 0.06 ± 0.12)%. This is significantly more precise than any previous measurement.
We present the result of a search for the charmless two-body baryonic decay B 0 → pp in a sample ... more We present the result of a search for the charmless two-body baryonic decay B 0 → pp in a sample of 88 million Υ (4S) → BB decays collected by the BaBar detector at the SLAC PEP-II asymmetricenergy B Factory. We use Cherenkov radiation to identify protons cleanly, and determine the signal
A novel radioguided surgery (RGS) technique for cerebral tumors using β − radiation is being deve... more A novel radioguided surgery (RGS) technique for cerebral tumors using β − radiation is being developed. Checking for a radiotracer that can deliver a β − emitter to the tumor is a fundamental step in the deployment of such a technique. This paper reports a study of the uptake of 90 Y-DOTATOC in meningiomas and high-grade gliomas (HGGs) and a feasibility study of the RGS technique in these types of tumor. Estimates were performed assuming the use of a β − probe under development with a sensitive area 2.55 mm in radius to detect 0.1-mL residuals. Methods: Uptake and background from healthy tissues were estimated on 68 Ga-DOTATOC PET scans of 11 meningioma patients and 12 HGG patients. A dedicated statistical analysis of the DICOM images was developed and validated. The feasibility study was performed using full simulation of emission and detection of the radiation, accounting for the measured uptake and background rate. Results: All meningioma patients but one with an atypical extracranial tumor showed high uptake of DOTATOC. In terms of feasibility of the RGS technique, we estimated that by administering a 3 MBq/kg activity of radiotracer, the time needed to detect a 0.1-mL remnant with 5% false-negative and 1% falsepositive rates is less than 1 s. Actually, to achieve a detection time of 1 s the required activities to administer were as low as 0.2-0.5 MBq/kg in many patients. In HGGs, the uptake was lower than in meningiomas, but the tumor-to-nontumor ratio was higher than 4, which implies that the tracer can still be effective for RGS. It was estimated that by administering 3 mBq/kg of radiotracer, the time needed to detect a 0.1-mL remnant is less than 6 s, with the exception of the only oligodendroma in the sample. Conclusion: Uptake of 90 Y-DOTATOC in meningiomas was high in all studied patients. Uptake in HGGs was significantly worse than in meningiomas but was still acceptable for RGS, particularly if further research and development are done to improve the performance of the β − probe.
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Papers by S. Morganti