3,328 research outputs found
Gray-matter volume, midbrain dopamine D2/D3 receptors and drug craving in methamphetamine users.
Dysfunction of the mesocorticolimbic system has a critical role in clinical features of addiction. Despite evidence suggesting that midbrain dopamine receptors influence amphetamine-induced dopamine release and that dopamine is involved in methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity, associations between dopamine receptors and gray-matter volume have been unexplored in methamphetamine users. Here we used magnetic resonance imaging and [(18)F]fallypride positron emission tomography, respectively, to measure gray-matter volume (in 58 methamphetamine users) and dopamine D2/D3 receptor availability (binding potential relative to nondisplaceable uptake of the radiotracer, BPnd) (in 31 methamphetamine users and 37 control participants). Relationships between these measures and self-reported drug craving were examined. Although no difference in midbrain D2/D3 BPnd was detected between methamphetamine and control groups, midbrain D2/D3 BPnd was positively correlated with gray-matter volume in the striatum, prefrontal cortex, insula, hippocampus and temporal cortex in methamphetamine users, but not in control participants (group-by-midbrain D2/D3 BPnd interaction, P<0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons). Craving for methamphetamine was negatively associated with gray-matter volume in the insula, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, temporal cortex, occipital cortex, cerebellum and thalamus (P<0.05 corrected for multiple comparisons). A relationship between midbrain D2/D3 BPnd and methamphetamine craving was not detected. Lower midbrain D2/D3 BPnd may increase vulnerability to deficits in gray-matter volume in mesocorticolimbic circuitry in methamphetamine users, possibly reflecting greater dopamine-induced toxicity. Identifying factors that influence prefrontal and limbic volume, such as midbrain BPnd, may be important for understanding the basis of drug craving, a key factor in the maintenance of substance-use disorders
Inference for bounded parameters
The estimation of signal frequency count in the presence of background noise
has had much discussion in the recent physics literature, and Mandelkern [1]
brings the central issues to the statistical community, leading in turn to
extensive discussion by statisticians. The primary focus however in [1] and the
accompanying discussion is on the construction of a confidence interval. We
argue that the likelihood function and -value function provide a
comprehensive presentation of the information available from the model and the
data. This is illustrated for Gaussian and Poisson models with lower bounds for
the mean parameter
Are there nu_mu or nu_tau in the flux of solar neutrinos on earth?
Using the model independent method of Villante, Fiorentini, Lisi, Fogli,
Palazzo, and the rates measured in the SNO and Super-Kamiokande solar neutrino
experiment, we calculate the amount of active nu_mu or nu_tau present in the
flux of solar neutrinos on Earth. We show that the probability of
nu_e->nu_{mu,tau} transitions is larger than zero at 99.89% CL. We find that
the averaged flux of nu_{mu,tau} on Earth is larger than 0.17 times the 8B nu_e
flux predicted by the BP2000 Standard Solar Model at 99% CL. We discuss also
the consequences of possible nu_e->anti-nu_{mu,tau} or nu_e->anti-nu_e
transitions of solar neutrinos. We derive a model-independent lower limit of
0.52 at 99% CL for the ratio of the 8B nu_e flux produced in the Sun and its
value in the BP2000 Standard Solar Model.Comment: 5 pages. Added discussion on possible nu_e->anti-nu_{mu,tau} or
nu_e->anti-nu_e transition
Including Systematic Uncertainties in Confidence Interval Construction for Poisson Statistics
One way to incorporate systematic uncertainties into the calculation of
confidence intervals is by integrating over probability density functions
parametrizing the uncertainties. In this note we present a development of this
method which takes into account uncertainties in the prediction of background
processes, uncertainties in the signal detection efficiency and background
efficiency and allows for a correlation between the signal and background
detection efficiencies. We implement this method with the Feldman & Cousins
unified approach with and without conditioning. We present studies of coverage
for the Feldman & Cousins and Neyman ordering schemes. In particular, we
present two different types of coverage tests for the case where systematic
uncertainties are included. To illustrate the method we show the relative
effect of including systematic uncertainties the case of dark matter search as
performed by modern neutrino tel escopes.Comment: 23 pages, 10 figures, replaced to match published versio
E835 at FNAL: Charmonium Spectroscopy in Annihilations
I present preliminary results on the search for in its
and decay modes. We observe an excess of \eta_c\gamma{\cal P} \sim 0.001M=3525.8 \pm 0.2 \pm 0.2
\Gamma\leq10.6\pm 3.7\pm3.4(br) <
\Gamma_{\bar{p}p}B_{\eta_c\gamma} < 12.8\pm 4.8\pm4.5(br) J/\psi\pi^0$ mode.Comment: Presented at the 6th International Conference on Hyperons, Charm and
Beauty Hadrons (BEACH 2004), Chicago(Il), June 27-July 3,200
Interference Study of the chi_c0 (1^3P_0) in the Reaction Proton-Antiproton -> pi^0 pi^0
Fermilab experiment E835 has observed proton-antiproton annihilation
production of the charmonium state chi_c0 and its subsequent decay into pi^0
pi^0. Although the resonant amplitude is an order of magnitude smaller than
that of the non-resonant continuum production of pi^0 pi^0, an enhanced
interference signal is evident. A partial wave expansion is used to extract
physics parameters. The amplitudes J=0 and 2, of comparable strength, dominate
the expansion. Both are accessed by L=1 in the entrance proton-antiproton
channel. The product of the input and output branching fractions is determined
to be B(pbar p -> chi_c0) x B(chi_c0 -> pi^0 pi^0)= (5.09 +- 0.81 +- 0.25) x
10^-7.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, Accepted by PRL (July 2003
Precision measurements of the total and partial widths of the psi(2S) charmonium meson with a new complementary-scan technique in antiproton-proton annihilations
We present new precision measurements of the psi(2S) total and partial widths
from excitation curves obtained in antiproton-proton annihilations by Fermilab
experiment E835 at the Antiproton Accumulator in the year 2000. A new technique
of complementary scans was developed to study narrow resonances with
stochastically cooled antiproton beams. The technique relies on precise
revolution-frequency and orbit-length measurements, while making the analysis
of the excitation curve almost independent of machine lattice parameters. We
study the psi(2S) meson through the processes pbar p -> e+ e- and pbar p ->
J/psi + X -> e+ e- + X. We measure the width to be Gamma = 290 +- 25(sta) +-
4(sys) keV and the combination of partial widths Gamma_e+e- * Gamma_pbarp /
Gamma = 579 +- 38(sta) +- 36(sys) meV, which represent the most precise
measurements to date.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, 3 tables. Final manuscript accepted for
publication in Phys. Lett. B. Parts of the text slightly expanded or
rearranged; results are unchange
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Phase Behavior of Blends of Linear and Branched Polyethylenes on Micron-Length Scales via Ultra-Small-Angle Neutron Scattering (USANS)
SANS experiments on blends of linear, high density (HD) and long chain branched, low density (LD) polyethylenes indicate that these systems form a one-phase mixture in the melt. However, the maximum spatial resolution of pinhole cameras is approximately equal to 103Å and it has therefore been suggested that data might also be interpreted as arising from a bi-phasic melt with large a particle size (~ 1 µm), because most of the scattering from the different phases would not be resolved. We have addressed this hypothesis by means of USANS experiments, which confirm that HDPEILDPE blends are homogenous in the melt on length scales up to 20 µm. We have also studied blends of HDPE and short-chain branched linear low density polyethylenes (LLDPEs), which phase separate when the branch content is sufficiently high. LLDPEs prepared with Ziegler-Natta catalysts exhibit a wide distribution of compositions, and may therefore be thought of as a �blend� of different species. When the composition distribution is broad enough, a fraction of highly branched chains may phase separate on µm-length scales, and USANS has also been used to quantify this phenomenon
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