Alternative therapies for GERD : a way to personalized antireflux surgery

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a commondisorder, known to affect about20%of theWestern population. Although conventional medical or surgical treatment has proven effective, there is certainly room for improvements. As only 10% of GERD patients are finally treated by antireflux surgery, a large therapeutic window exists. This treatment gap consists of patients who are not effectively treated with proton pump inhibitor but do not want to run the potential risks of conventional surgery. During the last two decades, several novel and intriguing options for the surgical treatment of GERD have been introduced and found their way into clinical use. The following summary will give an update of certain alternative therapeutic options to treat GERD or its pathological consequences

Measurement of the ttˉproductioncrosssectionint\bar{t} production cross section in p\bar{p}collisionsat collisions at \sqrt{s}$ = 1.8 TeV

We update the measurement of the top production cross section using the CDF detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. This measurement uses $t\bar{t}$ decays to the final states $e+\nu$+jets and $\mu+\nu$+jets. We search for $b$ quarks from $t$ decays via secondary-vertex identification or the identification of semileptonic decays of the $b$ and cascade $c$ quarks. The background to the $t\bar{t}$ production is determined primarily through a Monte Carlo simulation. However, we calibrate the simulation and evaluate its uncertainty using several independent data samples. For a top mass of 175 $GeV/c^2$, we measure $\sigma_{t\bar{t}}=5.1 \pm 1.5$ pb and $\sigma_{t\bar{t}}=9.2 \pm 4.3$ pb using the secondary vertex and the lepton tagging algorithms, respectively. Finally, we combine these results with those from other $t\bar{t}$ decay channels and obtain $\sigma_{t\bar{t}} = 6.5^{+1.7}_{-1.4}$ pb.Comment: The manuscript consists of 130 pages, 35 figures and 42 tables in RevTex. The manuscript is submitted to Physical Review D. Fixed typo in author lis

Search for a Fourth-Generation Quark More Massive than the Z0 Boson in ppbar Collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV

We present the results of a search for pair production of a fourth-generation charge -1/3 quark (b') in sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV ppbar collisions using 88 pb^(-1) of data obtained with the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We assume that both quarks decay via the flavor-changing neutral current process b' -> bZ and that the b' mass is greater than m_Z + m_b. We studied the decay mode b'b'bar -> ZZ b bbar where one Z0 decays into e^+e^- or mu^+ mu^- and the other decays hadronically, giving a signature of two leptons plus jets. An upper limit on the cross section of ppbar -> b'b'bar times [BR (b' -> bZ)]^2 is established as a function of the b' mass. We exclude at 95% confidence level a b' quark with mass between 100 and 199 GeV/c^2 for BR(b' -> bZ) = 100%.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Letters on 9/12/9

Search for Narrow Diphoton Resonances and for gamma-gamma+W/Z Signatures in p\bar p Collisions at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV

We present results of searches for diphoton resonances produced both inclusively and also in association with a vector boson (W or Z) using 100 pb^{-1} of p\bar p collisions using the CDF detector. We set upper limits on the product of cross section times branching ratio for both p\bar p\to\gamma\gamma + X and p\bar p\to\gamma\gamma + W/Z. Comparing the inclusive production to the expectations from heavy sgoldstinos we derive limits on the supersymmetry-breaking scale sqrt{F} in the TeV range, depending on the sgoldstino mass and the choice of other parameters. Also, using a NLO prediction for the associated production of a Higgs boson with a W or Z boson, we set an upper limit on the branching ratio for H\to\gamma\gamma. Finally, we set a lower limit on the mass of a `bosophilic' Higgs boson (e.g. one which couples only to \gamma, W, and Z$ bosons with standard model couplings) of 82 GeV/c^2 at 95% confidence level.Comment: 30 pages, 11 figure

Limits on Gravitino Production and New Processes with Large Missing Transverse Energy in p-pbar Collisions at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV

Events collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab (CDF) with an energetic jet plus large missing transverse energy can be used to search for physics beyond the Standard Model. We see no deviations from the expected background and set upper limits on the production of new processes. We consider in addition the production of light gravitinos within the framework of the Gauge Mediated Supersymmetry Breaking models and set a limit at 95% confidence level on the breaking scale sqrt(F) >= 217 GeV, which excludes gravitino masses smaller than 1.1x10^-5 eV/c^2.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures. Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Measurement of the Strong Coupling Constant from Inclusive Jet Production at the Tevatron pˉp\bar pp Collider

We report a measurement of the strong coupling constant, $\alpha_s(M_Z)$, extracted from inclusive jet production in $p\bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=$1800 GeV. The QCD prediction for the evolution of $\alpha_s$ with jet transverse energy $E_T$ is tested over the range 40<$E_T$<450 GeV using $E_T$ for the renormalization scale. The data show good agreement with QCD in the region below 250 GeV. In the text we discuss the data-theory comparison in the region from 250 to 450 GeV. The value of $\alpha_s$ at the mass of the $Z^0$ boson averaged over the range 40<$E_T$<250 GeV is found to be $\alpha_s(M_{Z})= 0.1178 \pm 0.0001{(\rm stat)}^{+0.0081}_{-0.0095}{\rm (exp. syst)}$. The associated theoretical uncertainties are mainly due to the choice of renormalization scale (^{+6%}_{-4%}) and input parton distribution functions (5%).Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, using RevTeX. Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Production of Y(1S) Mesons from chib Decays in pp(bar) Collisions at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV

We have reconstructed the radiative decays $\chi_{b}(1P) \to \Upsilon(1S) \gamma$ and $\chi_{b}(2P) \to \Upsilon(1S) \gamma$ in $p \bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 1.8$ TeV, and measured the fraction of $\Upsilon(1S)$ mesons that originate from these decays. For $\Upsilon(1S)$ mesons with $p^{\Upsilon}_{T}>8.0$ GeV/$c$, the fractions that come from $\chi_{b}(1P)$ and $\chi_{b}(2P)$ decays are $(27.1\pm6.9(stat)\pm4.4(sys))$ and $(10.5\pm4.4(stat)\pm1.4(sys))$, respectively. We have derived the fraction of directly produced $\Upsilon(1S)$ mesons to be $(50.9\pm8.2(stat)\pm9.0(sys))$.Comment: 13 Pages, 2 figure

Search for the Supersymmetric Partner of the Top-Quark in ppˉp \bar{p} Collisions at s=1.8TeV\sqrt{s} = 1.8 {\rm TeV}

We report on a search for the supersymmetric partner of the top quark (stop) produced in $t \bar{t}$ events using $110 {\rm pb}^{-1}$ of $p \bar{p}$ collisions at $\sqrt{s} = 1.8 {\rm TeV}$ recorded with the Collider Detector at Fermilab. In the case of a light stop squark, the decay of the top quark into stop plus the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) could have a significant branching ratio. The observed events are consistent with Standard Model $t \bar{t}$ production and decay. Hence, we set limits on the branching ratio of the top quark decaying into stop plus LSP, excluding branching ratios above 45% for a LSP mass up to 40 {\rm GeV/c}$^{2}$.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Measurement of the Decay Amplitudes of B0 --> J/psi K* and B0s --> J/psi phi Decays

A full angular analysis has been performed for the pseudo-scalar to vector-vector decays, B0 --> J/psi K* and B_s --> J/psi phi, to determine the amplitudes for decays with parity-even longitudinal and transverse polarization and parity-odd transverse polarization. The measurements are based on 190 B0 candidates and 40 B_s candidates collected from a data set corresponding to 89 inverse pb of pbarp collisions at root(s) = 1.8 TeV at the Fermilab Tevatron. In both decays the decay amplitude for longitudinal polarization dominates and the parity-odd amplitude is found to be small.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, 1 tabl