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From a sample of 1172 +/- 61 D(+)-->pi(-)pi(+)pi(+) decays, we find gamma(D(+)-->pi(-)pi(+)pi(+))/gamma(D(+)-->K-pi(+)pi(+)) = 0.0311 +/- 0.0018(+0.0016)(-0.0026). Using a coherent amplitude analysis to fit the Dalitz plot of these decays, we find strong evidence that a scalar resonance of mass 478(+24)(-23) +/- 17 MeV/c(2) and width 324(+42)(-40) +/- 21 MeV/c(2) accounts for approximately half of all decays.

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Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a small molecule with polar, aprotic and amphiphilic properties. It serves as a solvent for many polar and nonpolar molecules and continues to be one of the most used solvents (vehicle) in medical applications and scientific research. To better understand the cellular effects of DMSO within the concentration range commonly used as a vehicle (0.1–1.5%, v/v) for cellular treatments, we applied Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to DMSO treated and untreated epithelial colon cancer cells. Both unsupervised (Principal Component Analysis-PCA) and supervised (Linear Discriminant Analysis-LDA) pattern recognition/modelling algorithms applied to the IR data revealed total segregation and prominent differences between DMSO treated and untreated cells at whole, lipid and nucleic acid regions. Several of these data were supported by other independent techniques. Further IR data analyses of macromolecular profile indicated comprehensive alterations especially in proteins and nucleic acids. Protein secondary structure analysis showed predominance of β-sheet over α-helix in DMSO treated cells. We also observed for the first time, a reduction in nucleic acid level upon DMSO treatment accompanied by the formation of Z-DNA. Molecular docking and binding free energy studies indicated a stabilization of Z-DNA in the presence of DMSO. This alternate DNA form may be related with the specific actions of DMSO on gene expression, differentiation, and epigenetic alterations. Using analytical tools combined with molecular and cellular biology techniques, our data indicate that even at very low concentrations, DMSO induces a number of changes in all macromolecules, which may affect experimental outcomes where DMSO is used as a solvent.

From a sample of 848+/-44 D(+)(s)-->pi(-)pi(+)pi(+) decays, we find gamma(D(+)(s)-->pi(-)pi(+)pi(+))/gamma(D(+)(s)-->straight phipi(+)) = 0.245+/-0.028(+0.019)(-0.012). Using a Dalitz plot analysis of this three body decay, we find significant contributions from the channels rho(0)(770)pi(+), rho(0)(1450)pi(+), f(0)(980)pi(+), f(2)(1270)pi(+), and f(0)(1370)pi(+). We also present the values obtained for masses and widths of the resonances f(0)(980) and f(0)(1370).