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R. Barate,
D. Buskulic,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
J.-P. Lees,
A. Lucotte,
E. Merle,
M.-N. Minard,
J.-Y. Nief, [......],
J.M. Nachtman,
J. Nielsen,
W. Orejudos,
Y.B. Pan,
Y. Saadi,
I.J. Scott,
J. Walsh,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: An improved measurement of the forward-backward asymmetry in decays is presented, based on a sample of 4.1 million hadronic Z decays collected by ALEPH between 1991 and 1995. Data are analysed as a function of polar angle of the event axis and b purity. The event tagging efficiency and mean b-jet hemisphere charge are measured directly from data. From the measured forward-backward jet charge asymmetry, the b quark asymmetry at is determined to be: AbFB=0.1017±0.0038(stat.)±0.0032(syst.). In the context of the Standard Model this corresponds to a value of the effective weak mixing angle of sin2θWeff=0.23109±0.00096.
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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R. Barate,
D. Buskulic,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
J.-P. Lees,
A. Lucotte,
E. Merle,
M.-N. Minard,
J.-Y. Nief, [......],
J.M. Nachtman,
J. Nielsen,
W. Orejudos,
Y.B. Pan,
Y. Saadi,
I.J. Scott,
J. Walsh,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The flavour changing neutral current decay b→sγ has been detected in hadronic Z decays collected by ALEPH at LEP. The signal is isolated in lifetime-tagged events by the presence of a hard photon associated with a system of high momentum and high rapidity hadrons. The background processes are normalised from the data themselves. The inclusive branching ratio is measured to beconsistent with the Standard Model expectation via penguin processes.
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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R. Barate,
D. Buskulic,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
J.-P. Lees,
A. Lucotte,
E. Merle,
M.-N. Minard,
J.-Y. Nief, [......],
J.M. Nachtman,
J. Nielsen,
W. Orejudos,
Y.B. Pan,
Y. Saadi,
I.J. Scott,
J. Walsh,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Starting from a sample of four million hadronic Z decays collected with the ALEPH detector at LEP, 404 charged and neutral B mesons are fully reconstructed and used to look for resonant structure in the Bπ system. An excess of events is observed above the expected background in the Bπ mass spectrum at a mass ≈5.7 GeV/c2, consistent with the production and decay to B(∗)π of the B∗∗ states predicted by Heavy Quark Symmetry (HQS). In the framework of HQS, it is found that the mass of the state is MeV/c2 and the relative production rate of the B∗∗ system is . In the same sample of B mesons, significant Bπ± charge-flavour correlations are observed, which may prove important for tagging the initial B state in future CP violation studies.
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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R. Barate,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
S. Jezequel,
J.-P. Lees,
F. Martin,
E. Merle,
M.-N. Minard,
B. Pietrzyk, [......],
J. Nielsen,
W. Orejudos,
Y.B. Pan,
Y. Saadi,
I.J. Scott,
J. Walsh,
J. Wu,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The data collected at centre-of-mass energies of 188.6 GeV by ALEPH at LEP, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 176.2 pb−1, are analysed in a search for pair-produced charged Higgs bosons H±. Three analyses are employed to select the , and final states. No evidence for a signal is found. Upper limits are set on the production cross section as a function of the branching fraction and of the mass mH±, assuming that the sum of the branching ratios is equal to one. In the framework of a two-Higgs-doublet model, charged Higgs bosons with masses below 65.4 GeV/c2 are excluded at 95% confidence level independently of the decay mode.
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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R. Barate,
D. Buskulic,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
S. Jezequel,
J.-P. Lees,
A. Lucotte,
M.-N. Minard,
J.-Y. Nief, [......],
J. Nielsen,
W. Orejudos,
Y.B. Pan,
Y. Saadi,
I.J. Scott,
J. Walsh,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
J.M. Yamartino,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The mass of the W boson is obtained from reconstructed invariant mass distributions in W-pair events. The sample of W pairs is selected from 10.65 pb−1 collected with the ALEPH detector at a mean centre-of-mass energy of 172.09 GeV. The invariant mass distribution of simulated events are fitted to the experimental distributions and the following W masses are obtained:The statistical errors are the expected errors for Monte Carlo samples of the same integrated luminosity as the data. The combination of these three measurements gives:
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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R. Barate,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
S. Jezequel,
J.-P. Lees,
F. Martin,
E. Merle,
M.-N. Minard,
B. Pietrzyk, [......],
J. Nielsen,
W. Orejudos,
Y.B. Pan,
Y. Saadi,
I.J. Scott,
J. Walsh,
J. Wu,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: A search for γγ decays of a Higgs boson is performed in the data sample collected at LEP with the ALEPH detector between 1991 and 1999. This corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 672 pb−1 at centre-of-mass energies ranging from 88 to 202 GeV. The search is based on topologies arising from a Higgs boson produced in association with a fermion pair via the Higgs-strahlung process , with or . Twenty-two events are selected in the data, while 28 events are expected from standard model processes. An upper limit is derived, as a function of the Higgs boson mass, on the product of the cross section and the H→γγ branching fraction. In particular, a fermiophobic Higgs boson produced with the standard model cross section is excluded at 95% confidence level for all masses below .
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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D. Buskulic,
I. De Bonis,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
J.-P. Lees,
A. Lucotte,
M.-N. Minard,
P. Odier,
B. Pietrzyk, [......],
M. Schmitt,
I.J. Scott,
V. Sharma,
J.D. Turk,
A.M. Walsh,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
J.M. Yamartino,
M. Zheng,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Searches for supersymmetric particles produced in e+e− collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV have been performed in a data sample of 5.7 pb−1 collected in the autumn of 1995 by the ALEPH detector at LEP. No candidate events were found, allowing limits to be set on the masses and production cross-sections of scalar leptons, scalar tops, charginos and neutralinos. The domains previously excluded at LEP1 are substantially extended. For instance, masses of gaugino-like charginos smaller than 67.8 GeV/c2 are excluded at the 95% C.L. for scalar neutrino masses larger than 200 GeV/c2.
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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D. Buskulic,
I. De Bonis,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
J.-P. Lees,
A. Lucotte,
M.-N. Minard,
J.-Y. Nief,
P. Odier, [......],
W. Orejudos,
Y.B. Pan,
Y. Saadi,
I.J. Scott,
A.M. Walsh,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
J.M. Yamartino,
M. Zheng,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: A search for pair production of new heavy leptons has been performed assuming different scenarios for the mixing of the new particles with Standard Model leptons. No candidate events were found in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.6 pb−1 collected by the ALEPH detector at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV. New limits on production cross-sections and on masses of sequential leptons were obtained which significantly extend the mass regions excluded at LEP1. For instance, charged heavy leptons with masses below 63.5 GeV/c2 are excluded at 95% C.L. for mass differences to the associated neutral lepton of more than 7 GeV/c2.
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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D. Buskulic,
I. De Bonis,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
J.-P. Lees,
A. Lucotte,
M.-N. Minard,
P. Odier,
B. Pietrzyk, [......],
Y. Saadi,
M. Schmitt,
I.J. Scott,
V. Sharma,
A.M. Walsh,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
J.M. Yamartino,
M. Zheng,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Searches for charginos and neutralinos produced in e+e− collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 130 and 136 GeV have been performed under the assumptions that R-parity is not conserved, that the dominant R-parity violating coupling involves only leptonic fields, and that the lifetime of the lightest supersymmetric particle can be neglected. In the 5.7 pb−1 data sample collected by ALEPH, no candidate events were found. As a result, chargino and neutralino masses and couplings are constrained and the domains previously excluded at LEP1 are extended.
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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R. Barate,
D. Buskulic,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
S. Jezequel,
J.-P. Lees,
A. Lucotte,
F. Martin,
E. Merle, [......],
J.M. Nachtman,
J. Nielsen,
W. Orejudos,
Y.B. Pan,
Y. Saadi,
I.J. Scott,
J. Walsh,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: A study of events with photons and missing energy has been performed with the data sample obtained with the ALEPH detector at centre-of-mass energies from 161 to 184 GeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of about 80 pb−1. The measured distributions are in agreement with Standard Model predictions, leading to constraints on WWγ gauge coupling parameters Δκγ and λγ. The results from the fit to the cross sections and to the energy and angular distributions of the photons are: Δκγ=0.05+1.15−1.10(stat)±0.25(syst), λγ=−0.05+1.55−1.45(stat)±0.30(syst).
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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R. Barate,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
S. Jezequel,
J.-P. Lees,
F. Martin,
E. Merle,
M.-N. Minard,
B. Pietrzyk, [......],
J.M. Nachtman,
J. Nielsen,
W. Orejudos,
Y.B. Pan,
Y. Saadi,
I.J. Scott,
J. Walsh,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The mass of the W boson is obtained from reconstructed invariant mass distributions in W-pair events. The sample of W pairs is selected from 57 pb−1 collected with the ALEPH detector in 1997 at a centre-of-mass energy of 183 GeV. The invariant mass distributions of reweighted Monte Carlo events are fitted separately to the experimental distributions in the and all channels to give the following W masses:where the theory error represents the possible effects of final state interactions. The combination of these two measurements, including the LEP energy calibration uncertainty, gives
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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R. Barate,
D. Buskulic,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
S. Jezequel,
J.-P. Lees,
A. Lucotte,
M.-N. Minard,
J.-Y. Nief, [......],
J. Nielsen,
W. Orejudos,
Y.B. Pan,
Y. Saadi,
I.J. Scott,
J. Walsh,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
J.M. Yamartino,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The triple gauge-boson couplings, αWΦ, αW and αBΦ, have been measured using 34 semileptonically and 54 hadronically decaying W+W− candidate events. The events were selected in the data recorded during 1996 with the ALEPH detector at 172 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 10.65 pb−1. The triple gauge-boson couplings have been measured using optimal observables constructed from kinematic information of W+W− events. The results are in agreement with the Standard Model expectation.
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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R. Barate,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
S. Jezequel,
J.-P. Lees,
F. Martin,
E. Merle,
M.-N. Minard,
B. Pietrzyk, [......],
J. Nielsen,
W. Orejudos,
Y.B. Pan,
Y. Saadi,
I.J. Scott,
J. Walsh,
J. Wu,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Data collected at centre-of-mass energies from 189 GeV to 202 GeV by the ALEPH detector at LEP corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 411 pb−1, are analysed in a search for the scalar top in the decay channels for small mass differences between the stop and the lightest neutralino. No evidence for deviations from the Standard Model expectation is found and a lower limit of 59 GeV/c2 is set for the stop mass, independent of the stop to neutralino mass difference and of the stop lifetime.
Physics Letters B 03/2013; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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D. Buskulic,
I. De Bonis,
D. Decamp,
P. Ghez,
C. Goy,
J.-P. Lees,
A. Lucotte,
M.-N. Minard,
P. Odier,
B. Pietrzyk, [......],
Y. Saadi,
M. Schmitt,
I.J. Scott,
V. Sharma,
A.M. Walsh,
Sau Lan Wu,
X. Wu,
J.M. Yamartino,
M. Zheng,
G. Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: The B0 - B̄0 average mixing parameter and b forward-backward asymmetry AFB0(b) are measured from a sample of about 4 200 000 Z → qq̄ events recorded with the ALEPH detector at LEP in the years 1990–1995. High transverse momentum electrons and muons produced in b semileptonic decays provide the tag of the quark flavour and of its charge.The average mixing parameter and the pole b asymmetry are measured to be = 0.1246 ± 0.0051stat ± 0.0052syst, AFB0(b) = 0.1008 ± 0.0043stat ± 0.0028syst. The value of sin2θweff = 0.23198 ± 0.00092 is extracted from the asymmetry measurement.
Physics Letters B 12/2012; · 3.95 Impact Factor
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Damir Buskulic,
I De Bonis,
D Décamp,
P Ghez,
C Goy,
J P Lees,
A Lucotte,
M N Minard,
J Y Nief,
P Odier, [......],
W Orejudos,
Y B Pan,
Y Saadi,
I J Scott,
A M Walsh,
Wu Sau Lan,
X Wu,
J M Yamartino,
M Zheng,
G Zobernig
[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Using data obtained with the ALEPH detector at the Z resonance, a measure based on transverse momentum is shown to exhibit a correlation between the two halves of a hadronic event which cannot be explained by energy-momentum conservation, flavour conservation, the imposition of an event axis or imperfect event reconstruction. Two possible explanations based on Monte Carlo models are examined: a) ARIADNE, with the correlation forming early in the parton shower and with the transition from partons to hadrons playing only a minor part; b) JETSET, with the correlation forming at the fragmentation stage. A correlation technique based on a jet cluster analysis is used to make a comparison of the models with the data. It is concluded that both non-perturbative and perturbative effects make important contributions to the observed correlation.
Zeitschrift für Physik C 12/2012; 73(3):421.
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[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: Background We investigated the efficacy of irinotecan/cisplatin (IP) versus irinotecan/capecitabine (IX) with or without isosorbide-5-mononitrate (ISMN) in chemo-naïve advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Patients and methods Initially, 74 patients were randomly assigned to either IP or IX. Given the potential benefits of ISMN on chemotherapy, the protocol was amended during the study. Subsequently, 72 patients were randomly assigned to either IP + ISMN or IX + ISMN. Patients were treated with predefined second-line therapies (docetaxel/capecitabine for IP or IP + ISMN, docetaxel/cisplatin for IX or IX + ISMN) when disease progressed. Results A total of 146 received treatment. Response rate (RR), median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 49%, 5.5 months, 14.5 months in IP; 33%, 3.3 months, 13.0 months in IP + ISMN; 30%, 4.3 months, 16.1 months in IX; and 25%, 3.4 months, 13.6 months in IX + ISMN, respectively. While IP arm showed a trend toward higher RR and longer PFS than IX arm, IX arm showed a trend toward longer OS than IP arm. No significant differences were observed between IP + ISMN and IX + ISMN. Conclusion IP showed better RR and PFS but no OS benefit when compared with IX. The addition of ISMN to IP or IX chemotherapy did not seem to improve the treatment outcome.
Annals of Oncology 07/2012; 23(11):2925-30. · 6.43 Impact Factor
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[show abstract]
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ABSTRACT: Aims: To identify the microbiota in meju, fermented cooked soya beans, that may directly affect the microbial communities of Korean fermented soya bean foods.Methods and Results: Using conventional bacterial 16S rDNA, bacilli-specific 16S rDNA or fungi 18S rDNA-specific primers, PCR products were amplified through a series of PCRs using the DNA extracted from ten meju samples. The amplicons were analysed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), which showed that Enterococcus durans was commonly detected in nine of ten meju samples. Bacillus subtilis was shown to be the major strain of bacilli in the samples tested. Based on the DGGE analysis of fungi in meju, we determined that Absidia corymbifera, Aspergillus sp. and Candida rugosa were the main fungi in the tested samples.Conclusions: A variety of bacterial and fungal micro-organisms were identified in meju samples, in addition to the micro-organisms already known to be present.Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first report showing the differences and similarities in the populations of micro-organisms in meju samples using nested PCR-DGGE, a culture-independent method. The results may be applicable to the development of improved meju, in which the indigenous micro-organisms required for fermentation can be standardized.
Letters in Applied Microbiology 09/2010; 51(4):388 - 394. · 1.62 Impact Factor
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[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Prohexadione calcium (Pro-Ca) is a novel plant growth regulator that inhibits the late stages of gibberellins (GAs) biosynthesis in plants, thus reducing the vegetative growth of the plant. Pro-Ca was applied to field-grown rice cultivar Ilpumbyeo to evaluate its effect on growth and yield components and endogenous GAs, when applied at different rates and timings. This study illustrated that Pro-Ca application decreased the internode length, stem length, panicle length, shoots fresh weight and stem lodging index, while stem breaking force was increased in all treatments. The effect of Pro-Ca was more pronounced in 20 ppm concentration than 10 ppm. The number of panicles m−2, ripened grain ratio and 1000 grain weight and milled rice yield parameters, increased with the application of Pro-Ca, though the number of grains per panicle decreased insignificantly. The endogenous bioactive GA1 contents significantly decreased with the application of Pro-Ca, as the GA biosynthesis was interrupted at later stages, when GA20 conversion to GA1 was blocked, thus drastically reducing GA1 and GA8 levels, but only insignificant changes were observed for intermediates from GA12 to GA20. The levels of the endogenous GAs in rice shoots were measured by GC-MS-SIM using 2H2-labelled GAs as internal standards. Present results also illustrated that early application of Pro-Ca was more effective than its late application for effective control of different growth parameters and thus reducing lodging in rice plants.
Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 11/2007; 193(6):445 - 451. · 2.43 Impact Factor
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[show abstract]
[hide abstract]
ABSTRACT: Probiotics are usually defined as microbial food supplements with beneficial effects on the consumers. Most probiotics fall into the group of organisms' known as lactic acid-producing bacteria and are normally consumed in the form of yogurt, fermented milks or other fermented foods. Some of the beneficial effect of lactic acid bacteria consumption include: (i) improving intestinal tract health; (ii) enhancing the immune system, synthesizing and enhancing the bioavailability of nutrients; (iii) reducing symptoms of lactose intolerance, decreasing the prevalence of allergy in susceptible individuals; and (iv) reducing risk of certain cancers. The mechanisms by which probiotics exert their effects are largely unknown, but may involve modifying gut pH, antagonizing pathogens through production of antimicrobial compounds, competing for pathogen binding and receptor sites as well as for available nutrients and growth factors, stimulating immunomodulatory cells, and producing lactase. Selection criteria, efficacy, food and supplement sources and safety issues around probiotics are reviewed. Recent scientific investigation has supported the important role of probiotics as a part of a healthy diet for human as well as for animals and may be an avenue to provide a safe, cost effective, and 'natural' approach that adds a barrier against microbial infection. This paper presents a review of probiotics in health maintenance and disease prevention.
Journal of Applied Microbiology 07/2006; 100(6):1171-85. · 2.34 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Metallothionein is a low molecular weight, cysteine-rich, stress response protein that can act as an antioxidant and as an immunosuppressive agent in instances of antigen-dependent adaptive immunity. In this context, we assessed the therapeutic potential and mechanisms of action of metallothionein in a collagen-induced arthritis model. Repeated administration of metallothionein-I + II during the course of disease dramatically reduced the incidence and severity of the disease. Joint tissues isolated from boostered paws of metallothionein-I + II-treated mice expressed significantly reduced levels of proinflammatory mediators, such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)- and cyclooxygenase-2, when compared with those of control-treated mice. Lymph node cells obtained from metallothionein-I + II -injected mice exhibited a significant decrease in the proliferative response and a remarkable increase in tumour growth factor (TGF)-β production in response to type II collagen. Taken together, these results suggest that metallothionein-I + II promote the development of type II collagen-specific, TGF-β-producing cells to antagonize the expansion of arthritogenic cells. This could lead to local suppression of inflammatory responses by inhibiting the expression of proinflammatory molecules. Thus, this study demonstrates the suppressive effects of metallothionein on collagen-induced arthritis, and indicates that there may be a potential therapeutic application for manipulation of metallothionein during the treatment of autoimmune disorders.
Clinical & Experimental Immunology 08/2002; 129(2):232 - 239. · 3.36 Impact Factor
