Phenomenological study of the atypical heavy flavor production observed at the Fermilab Tevatron

We address known discrepancies between the heavy flavor properties of jets produced at the Tevatron collider and the prediction of conventional-QCD simulations. In this study, we entertain the possibility that these effects are real and due to new physics. We show that all anomalies can be simultaneously fitted by postulating the additional pair production of light bottom squarks with a 100% semileptonic branching fraction.Comment: 30 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables. Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Study of sequential semileptonic decays of b hadrons produced at the Tevatron

We present a study of rates and kinematical properties of lepton pairs contained in central jets with transverse energy E_T > 15 GeV that are produced at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. We compare the data to a QCD prediction based on the HERWIG and QQ Monte Carlo generator programs.We find that the data are poorly described by the simulation, in which sequential semileptonic decays of single b quarks (b --> l c X with c --> l s X) are the major source of such lepton pairs.Comment: 25 pages, 8 figures. Some typos were fixed in the text and bibliography. Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Osteopontin plasma levels and accelerated atherosclerosis in patients with CAD undergoing PCI: a prospective clinical study.

OBJECTIVES: Growing evidence supports the role played by inflammation in atherosclerosis. Identifying sensitive biomarkers is useful in predicting accelerated atherosclerosis. We investigated prospectively the relationship between plasma levels of inflammatory biomarkers [osteopontin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6)] and instent restenosis, and rapid coronary plaque progression in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: We studied 77 patients with CAD: 45 affected by unstable angina/non-ST elevation myocardial infarction [acute coronary syndrome (ACS)], and 32 by chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). Plasma osteopontin, IL-6, and CRP levels were measured before intervention in all patients; measurements were carried out on the basis of the following time course at 1,15, 30, 90, and 180 days follow-up in a subgroup of 39 consenting patients. Clinical and biohumoral data were correlated with baseline and 6-month PCI follow-up angiography. RESULTS: Osteopontin, IL-6, and CRP were higher in patients with ACS than in those with CCS (analysis of variance: P<0.001, 0.05, and 0.05, respectively). Baseline osteopontin levels proved to be associated with rapid coronary plaque progression (P=0.005) and instent restenosis (P=0.05). The highest osteopontin levels were found in patients with CAD with both rapid plaque progression and instent restenosis (P=0.003). PCI increased inflammatory markers acutely, and osteopontin remained elevated in patients with ACS. Patients with ACS showed a higher percentage (74%) of rapid plaque progression than those with CCS (26%) (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The study prospectively shows the link between inflammatory status and accelerated atherosclerosis in patients with CAD undergoing PCI. The baseline and persistent rise of osteopontin is an expression of its contribution to the accelerated plaque progression, and therefore osteopontin may be a useful prognostic biomarker

Laboratory data integration into medical record

Laboratory Information System, integrated with the Hospital Information System, has been developed at the G.Pasquinucci Hospital, section of Institute of Clinical Physiology of National Research Council (CNR), specialized in adult and paediatric cardiac surgery. The aim was to automate the testing process from clinical departments to laboratory and back into medical record. Laboratory workflow consists of three parts: (a) test ordering by clinical staff, printing bar-coded ID labels and transmitting orders by network to laboratory; (b) processing test requests and controlling identified specimens by laboratory staff, providing work orders to analytical instruments and validation of results authorizing delivery into the hospital clinical repository; (c) consulting test results in clinical departments by referring physicians through the electronic medical record. This year the system has been used on adult patients processing 135000 laboratory tests concerning chemistry, haematology, coagulation and immunology

Measurement of the Associated γ+μ±\gamma + \mu^\pm Production Cross Section in ppˉp \bar p Collisions at s=1.8\sqrt{s} = 1.8 TeV

We present the first measurement of associated direct photon + muon production in hadronic collisions, from a sample of 1.8 TeV $p \bar p$ collisions recorded with the Collider Detector at Fermilab. Quantum chromodynamics (QCD) predicts that these events are primarily from the Compton scattering process $cg \to c\gamma$, with the final state charm quark producing a muon. Hence this measurement is sensitive to the charm quark content of the proton. The measured cross section of $29\pm 9 pb^{-1}$ is compared to a leading-order QCD parton shower model as well as a next-to-leading-order QCD calculation.Comment: 12 pages, 4 figures Added more detailed description of muon background estimat

Inclusive jet cross section in pˉp{\bar p p} collisions at s=1.8\sqrt{s}=1.8 TeV

The inclusive jet differential cross section has been measured for jet transverse energies, $E_T$, from 15 to 440 GeV, in the pseudorapidity region 0.1$\leq | \eta| \leq$0.7. The results are based on 19.5 pb$^{-1}$ of data collected by the CDF collaboration at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The data are compared with QCD predictions for various sets of parton distribution functions. The cross section for jets with $E_T>200$ GeV is significantly higher than current predictions based on O($\alpha_s^3$) perturbative QCD calculations. Various possible explanations for the high-$E_T$ excess are discussed.Comment: 8 pages with 2 eps uu-encoded figures Submitted to Physical Review Letter

Measurement of the B0 anti-B0 oscillation frequency using l- D*+ pairs and lepton flavor tags

The oscillation frequency Delta-md of B0 anti-B0 mixing is measured using the partially reconstructed semileptonic decay anti-B0 -> l- nubar D*+ X. The data sample was collected with the CDF detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider during 1992 - 1995 by triggering on the existence of two lepton candidates in an event, and corresponds to about 110 pb-1 of pbar p collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV. We estimate the proper decay time of the anti-B0 meson from the measured decay length and reconstructed momentum of the l- D*+ system. The charge of the lepton in the final state identifies the flavor of the anti-B0 meson at its decay. The second lepton in the event is used to infer the flavor of the anti-B0 meson at production. We measure the oscillation frequency to be Delta-md = 0.516 +/- 0.099 +0.029 -0.035 ps-1, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic.Comment: 30 pages, 7 figures. Submitted to Physical Review

Towards Master Data Management for Cultural Heritage: the Sacri Monti web platform

This paper focuses on managing the Cultural Heritage maintenance process through web platforms, exploring a data-driven new approach that relies on the framework of Master Data Management (MDM). The MDM framework is based on data quality, revisioning and auditing of information, and the Microsoft SQL Server Master Data Services (MDS) was used. It is a highly customizable commercial tool that proved to be effective and able to manage extended and articulated databases and provide stability and long-term software support. MDS provides powerful tools to avoid duplicates, ensure data quality, and record all the modifications that occurred on the dataset over time. These are key features to build a reliable platform for information management of complex CH assets. The paper presents some first tests applied for the Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy case of study. It is a UNESCO wide religious architectural complex site in northern Italy’s mountainous part. The paper compares approaches and previous experiences of Sacri Monti management using web platform information systems, such as the BIM3DSG, Chimera, and Main10ance, to support Sacri Monti management activity