Search for associated production of Upsilon and vector boson in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.8 TeV

We present a search for associated production of the Upsilon(1S) and a vector boson in 83 pb(-1) of ppmacr; collisions at sqrt[s]=1.8 TeV collected by the CDF experiment in 1994-1995. We find no evidence of the searched signal in the data, and set upper limits to the production cross sections.

Search for long-lived charged massive particles in pp collisions at square root s = 1.8 TeV

We report a search for the production of long-lived charged massive particles in a data sample of 90 pb(-1) of square root[s]=1.8 TeV pp collisions recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. The search uses the muonlike penetration and anomalously high ionization energy loss signature expected for such a particle to discriminate it from backgrounds. The data are found to agree with background expectations, and cross section limits of O(1) pb are derived using two reference models, a stable quark and a stable scalar lepton.

Search for a W' boson decaying to a top and bottom quark pair in 1.8 TeV pp collisions

We report the results of a search for a W' boson produced in pp; collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.8 TeV using a 106 pb(-1) data sample recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We observe no significant excess of events above background for a W' boson decaying to a top and bottom quark pair. In a model where this boson would mediate interactions involving a massive right-handed neutrino (nu(R)) and have standard model strength couplings, we use these data to exclude a W' boson with mass between 225 and 536 GeV/c(2) at 95% confidence level for M(W')>>M(nu(R)) and between 225 and 566 GeV/c(2) at 95% confidence level for M(W')<M(nu(R)).

eThrombosis: the 21st century variant of venous thromboembolism associated with immobility

The association between immobility with prolonged sitting and venous thromboembolism has been recognised for > 60 yrs, most recently with long distance air travel. The case of a 32-yr-old male, in whom immobility associated with sitting for long periods at a computer represented the major provoking risk factor for his life-threatening venous thromboembolism, is presented. The authors propose the term "eThrombosis" to describe this 21st Century variant of venous thromboembolism associated with immobility from prolonged sitting. In view of the widespread use of computers in relation to work, recreation and personal communication, the potential burden of eThrombosis may be considerable.

Limits on extra dimensions and new particle production in the exclusive photon and missing energy signature in pp collisions at square root [s]=1.8 TeV

The exclusive gammaE(T) signal has a small standard model cross section and is thus a channel sensitive to new physics. This signature is predicted by models with a superlight gravitino or with large extra spatial dimensions. We search for such signals at the Collider Detector at Fermilab, using 87 pb(-1) of data at square root [s]=1.8 TeV, and extract 95% C.L. limits on these processes. A limit of 221 GeV is set on the scale |F|(1/2) in supersymmetric models. For 4, 6, and 8 extra dimensions, model-dependent limits on the fundamental mass scale M(D) of 0.55, 0.58, and 0.60 TeV, respectively, are found. We also specify a "pseudo-model-independent" method of comparing the results to theoretical predictions.

Mycophenolate in treatment-resistant inflammatory neuropathies

There has been an increasing interest in the use of mycophenolate as an immunomodulatory drug in neuromuscular diseases. We report five consecutive patients with treatment-resistant chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy or multifocal motor neuropathy who were treated with mycophenolate. None showed clinically significant benefit. The use of mycophenolate did not result in the reduction in the dose of corticosteroid or other immunosuppressive agents in any patient. Side-effects, although not serious, were troubling enough for two patients to stop mycophenolate.

Search for new physics in photon-lepton events in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.8 TeV

We present the results of a search in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.8 TeV for anomalous production of events containing a photon and a lepton (e or mu), both with large transverse energy, using 86 pb(-1) of data collected with the Collider Detector at Fermilab during the 1994-1995 collider run at the Fermilab Tevatron. The presence of large missing transverse energy (E(T)), additional photons, or additional leptons in these events is also analyzed. The results are consistent with standard model expectations, with the possible exception of photon-lepton events with large E(T), for which the observed total is 16 events and the expected mean total is 7.6+/-0.7 events.

Upsilon production and polarization in p p macro collisions at square root of s = 1.8 TeV

We report on measurements of the Upsilon(1S), Upsilon(2S), and Upsilon(3S) differential cross sections (d(2)sigma/dp(T)dy)(/y/<0.4), as well as on the Upsilon(1S) polarization in p p macro collisions at square root of s = 1.8 TeV using a sample of 77+/-3 pb(-1) collected by the collider detector at Fermilab. The three resonances were reconstructed through the decay Upsilon-->mu(+)mu(-). The measured angular distribution of the muons in the Upsilon(1S) rest frame is consistent with unpolarized meson production.

Diffractive dijet production at sqrt[s] = 630 and 1800 GeV at the Fermilab Tevatron

We report a measurement of the diffractive structure function F(D)(jj) of the antiproton obtained from a study of dijet events produced in association with a leading antiproton in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 630 GeV at the Fermilab Tevatron. The ratio of F(D)(jj) at sqrt[s] = 630 GeV to F(D)(jj) obtained from a similar measurement at sqrt[s] = 1800 GeV is compared with expectations from QCD factorization and other theoretical predictions. We also report a measurement of the xi ( x-Pomeron) and beta ( x of parton in Pomeron) dependence of F(D)(jj) at sqrt[s] = 1800 GeV. In the region 0.035<xi<0.095, /t/<1 GeV2, and beta<0.5, F(D)(jj)(beta,xi) is found to be of the form beta(-1.0+/-0.1)xi(-0.9+/-0.1), which obeys beta-xi factorization.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of glucosamine sulphate as an analgesic in osteoarthritis of the knee

OBJECTIVES

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of the relative effectiveness of glucosamine sulphate and placebo in managing pain in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee.

METHODS

Eighty patients with OA of the knee were recruited from a rheumatology out-patient clinic and received either glucosamine sulphate 1500 mg daily for 6 months or dummy placebo. The primary outcome measure was patients' global assessment of pain in the affected knee.

RESULTS

Area under the curve analysis for the primary outcome measure showed no difference between placebo and glucosamine [mean difference 0.15 mm, 95% confidence interval (CI) -8.78 to 9.07]. The placebo response was 33%. There was a statistically significant difference between groups in knee flexion (mean difference 13 degrees, 95% CI -23.13 to -1.97), but this difference was small and could have been due to measurement error.

CONCLUSIONS

As a symptom modifier in OA patients with a wide range of pain severities, glucosamine sulphate was no more effective than placebo.

Search for new heavy particles in the WZ0 final state in pp collisions at square root[s] = 1.8 TeV

We present the first general search for new heavy particles, X, which decay via X --> WZ0 --> e(nu)+jj as a function of M(X) and Gamma(X) in pp collisions at square root[s] = 1.8 TeV. No evidence is found for production of X in 110 pb(-1) of data collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. General cross section limits are set at the 95% C.L. as a function of mass and width of the new particle. The results are further interpreted as mass limits on the production of new heavy charged vector bosons which decay via W' --> WZ0 in an extended gauge model as a function of the width, Gamma(W'), and mixing factor between the W' and the standard model W bosons.

Study of B0 --> J/psiK(*)0pi(+)pi(-) decays with the collider detector at Fermilab

We report a study of the decays B0 --> J/psiK(*)0pi(+)pi(-), which involve the creation of a uu or dd quark pair in addition to a b -->c(cs) decay. The data sample consists of 110 pb(-1) of pp collisions at square root[s] = 1.8 TeV collected by the CDF detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider during 1992-1995. We measure the branching fractions to be B(B0 --> J/psiK(*0)pi(+)pi(-)) = (6.6 +/- 1.9 +/- 1.1)x10(-4) and B(B0 --> J/psiK0pi(+)pi(-)) = (10.3 +/- 3.3 +/- 1.5)x10(-4). Evidence is seen for contributions from psi(2S)K(*)0, J/psiK0rho(0), J/psiK(*+)pi(-), and J/psiK1(1270).

Evaluation of the effects of controlled autolysis on the immunodetection of PrP(Sc) by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry from natural cases of scrapie and BSE

Seventeen clinically suspect scrapie sheep, and twelve suspected BSE-affected cattle were confirmed using routine histopathological examination by the detection of characteristic spongiform change in the medulla brain region taken at the level of the obex. Three sheep and four cows acquired as controls showed no spongiform change. Five aliquots of brain tissue from each of four brain regions were taken (cerebellum, medulla, frontal cerebral cortex and occipital cerebral cortex) from each of the 36 animals. One aliquot was frozen at -70 degrees C, the others were subjected to one of four autolysis regimes at 3 or 7 days at 25 degrees C or 37 degrees C. All samples were tested by Western immunoblotting for detection of PrP(Sc) using the Prionics - Check test (Prionics AG, Zurich, Switzerland). Further samples of medulla from 15 suspect scrapie cases, 10 healthy sheep, 13 suspect BSE cows and 5 healthy cows, were taken adjacent to the obex, and subjected to autolysis at 37 degrees C for 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours before being fixed in 10 per cent formal saline and subsequently examined by a routine immunohistochemical technique for detection of PrP(Sc) protein. The abnormal protein could not be detected in any of the control animals by either technique. PrP(Sc) could be detected by Western immunoblotting in at least one brain area from all the positive animals after autolysis for 7 days at 37 degrees C. The protein could be detected by immunohistochemistry in all cases which were positive by histopathological examination using all autolysis conditions. From the results of this study it is concluded that autolysis does not significantly compromise the diagnosis of scrapie or BSE by either of these diagnostic methods.

Search for gluinos and scalar quarks in pp collisions at square root[s] = 1.8 TeV using the missing energy plus multijets signature

We have performed a search for gluinos (g) and scalar quarks (q) in a data sample of 84 pb(-1) of pp collisions at square root[s] = 1.8 TeV, recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We investigate the final state of large missing transverse energy and three or more jets, a characteristic signature in R-parity-conserving supersymmetric models. The analysis has been performed "blind," in that the inspection of the signal region is made only after the predictions from standard model backgrounds have been calculated. Comparing the data with predictions of constrained supersymmetric models, we exclude gluino masses below 195 GeV/c2 (95% C.L.), independent of the squark mass. For the case m(q) approximately m(g), gluino masses below 300 GeV/c2 are excluded.

Measurement of the strong coupling constant from inclusive jet production at the Tevatron pp collider

We report a measurement of the strong coupling constant, alpha(s)(MZ), extracted from inclusive jet production in pp collisions at square root[s] = 1800 GeV. The QCD prediction for the evolution of alpha(s) with jet transverse energy ET is tested over the range 40<ET<450 GeV using ET for the renormalization scale. The data show good agreement with QCD in the region below 250 GeV. The value of alpha(s) at the mass of the Z0 boson averaged over the range 40<ET<250 GeV is found to be alpha(s)(MZ) = 0.1178+/-0.0001(stat)+0.0081(-0.0095)(expt. syst). The associated theoretical uncertainties are mainly due to the choice of renormalization scale ((+6%)(-4%)) and input parton distribution functions (5%).