232 research outputs found
Spectral Classification; Old and Contemporary
Beginning with a historical account of the spectral classification, its
refinement through additional criteria is presented. The line strengths and
ratios used in two dimensional classifications of each spectral class are
described. A parallel classification scheme for metal-poor stars and the
standards used for classification are presented. The extension of spectral
classification beyond M to L and T and spectroscopic classification criteria
relevant to these classes are described. Contemporary methods of
classifications based upon different automated approaches are introduced.Comment: To be published in "Principles and Perspectives in Cosmochemistry"
Lecture Notes on Kodai School on Synthesis of Elements in Stars: Ed Aruna
Goswami & Eswar Reddy, Springer Verlag, 2009, 17 pages, 10 figure
Global Search for New Physics with 2.0/fb at CDF
Data collected in Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron are searched for
indications of new electroweak-scale physics. Rather than focusing on
particular new physics scenarios, CDF data are analyzed for discrepancies with
the standard model prediction. A model-independent approach (Vista) considers
gross features of the data, and is sensitive to new large cross-section
physics. Further sensitivity to new physics is provided by two additional
algorithms: a Bump Hunter searches invariant mass distributions for "bumps"
that could indicate resonant production of new particles; and the Sleuth
procedure scans for data excesses at large summed transverse momentum. This
combined global search for new physics in 2.0/fb of ppbar collisions at
sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV reveals no indication of physics beyond the standard model.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures. Final version which appeared in Physical Review D
Rapid Communication
Observation of Orbitally Excited B_s Mesons
We report the first observation of two narrow resonances consistent with
states of orbitally excited (L=1) B_s mesons using 1 fb^{-1} of ppbar
collisions at sqrt{s} = 1.96 TeV collected with the CDF II detector at the
Fermilab Tevatron. We use two-body decays into K^- and B^+ mesons reconstructed
as B^+ \to J/\psi K^+, J/\psi \to \mu^+ \mu^- or B^+ \to \bar{D}^0 \pi^+,
\bar{D}^0 \to K^+ \pi^-. We deduce the masses of the two states to be m(B_{s1})
= 5829.4 +- 0.7 MeV/c^2 and m(B_{s2}^*) = 5839.7 +- 0.7 MeV/c^2.Comment: Version accepted and published by Phys. Rev. Let
Measurement of the ttbar Production Cross Section in ppbar collisions at sqrt s = 1.96 TeV in the All Hadronic Decay Mode
We report a measurement of the ttbar production cross section using the
CDF-II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. The analysis is performed using 311
pb-1 of ppbar collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV. The data consist of events
selected with six or more hadronic jets with additional kinematic requirements.
At least one of these jets must be identified as a b-quark jet by the
reconstruction of a secondary vertex. The cross section is measured to be
sigma(tbart)=7.5+-2.1(stat.)+3.3-2.2(syst.)+0.5-0.4(lumi.) pb, which is
consistent with the standard model prediction.Comment: By CDF collaboratio
Search for long-lived doubly charged Higgs bosons in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV
We present a search for long-lived doubly charged Higgs bosons (H+/-+/-), with signatures of high ionization energy loss and muonlike penetration. We use 292 pb(-1) of data collected in p (p) over bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV by the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. Observing no evidence of long-lived doubly charged particle production, we exclude H-L(+/-+/-) and H-R(+/-+/-) bosons with masses below 133 GeV/c(2) and 109 GeV/c(2), respectively. In the degenerate case we exclude H+/-+/- mass below 146 GeV/c(2). All limits are quoted at the 95% confidence level
Search for chargino-neutralino production in ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV
We present the results of a search for associated production of the chargino
and neutralino supersymmetric particles using up to 1.1 fb-1 of integrated
luminosity collected by the CDF II experiment at the Tevatron ppbar collider at
a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The search is conducted by analyzing
events with a large transverse momentum imbalance and either three charged
leptons or two charged leptons of the same electric charge. The numbers of
observed events are found to be consistent with standard model expectations.
Upper limits on the production cross section are derived in different
theoretical models. In one of these models a lower limit on the mass of the
chargino is set at 129 GeV/c^2 at the 95% confidence level.Comment: To be submitted to Phys.Rev.Let
Search for charged Higgs bosons in decays of top quarks in p-pbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV
7 pages, 2 figuresWe report the recent charged Higgs search in top quark decays in 2.2/fb CDF data. This is the first attempt to search for charged Higgs using fully reconstructed mass assuming H->c-sbar in small tan beta region. No evidence of a charged Higgs is observed in the CDF data, hence 95% upper limits are placed at B(t->H+b)We report on the first direct search for charged Higgs bosons decaying into cs̅ in tt̅ events produced by pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96 TeV. The search uses a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.2 fb-1 collected by the CDF II detector at Fermilab and looks for a resonance in the invariant mass distribution of two jets in the lepton+jets sample of tt̅ candidates. We observe no evidence of charged Higgs bosons in top quark decays. Hence, 95% upper limits on the top quark decay branching ratio are placed at B(t→H+b)< 0.1 to 0.3 for charged Higgs boson masses of 60 to 150 GeV/c2 assuming B(H+→cs̅ )=1.0. The upper limits on B(t→H+b) are also used as model-independent limits on the decay branching ratio of top quarks to generic scalar charged bosons beyond the standard model.Peer reviewe
Measurement of the W+W- Production Cross Section in ppbar Collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV using Dilepton Events
We present a measurement of the W+W- production cross section using 184/pb of
ppbar collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV collected with the
Collider Detector at Fermilab. Using the dilepton decay channel W+W- ->
l+l-vvbar, where the charged leptons can be either electrons or muons, we find
17 candidate events compared to an expected background of 5.0+2.2-0.8 events.
The resulting W+W- production cross section measurement of sigma(ppbar -> W+W-)
= 14.6 +5.8 -5.1 (stat) +1.8 -3.0 (syst) +-0.9 (lum) pb agrees well with the
Standard Model expectation.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, 2 tables. To be submitted to Physical Review
Letter
Activity-dependent degeneration of axotomized neuromuscular synapses in Wld(S) mice
AbstractActivity and disuse of synapses are thought to influence progression of several neurodegenerative diseases in which synaptic degeneration is an early sign. Here we tested whether stimulation or disuse renders neuromuscular synapses more or less vulnerable to degeneration, using axotomy as a robust trigger. We took advantage of the slow synaptic degeneration phenotype of axotomized neuromuscular junctions in flexor digitorum brevis (FDB) and deep lumbrical (DL) muscles of Wallerian degeneration-Slow (WldS) mutant mice. First, we maintained ex vivo FDB and DL nerve-muscle explants at 32°C for up to 48h. About 90% of fibers from WldS mice remained innervated, compared with about 36% in wild-type muscles at the 24-h checkpoint. Periodic high-frequency nerve stimulation (100Hz: 1s/100s) reduced synaptic protection in WldS preparations by about 50%. This effect was abolished in reduced Ca2+ solutions. Next, we assayed FDB and DL innervation after 7days of complete tetrodotoxin (TTX)-block of sciatic nerve conduction in vivo, followed by tibial nerve axotomy. Five days later, only about 9% of motor endplates remained innervated in the paralyzed muscles, compared with about 50% in 5day-axotomized muscles from saline-control-treated WldS mice with no conditioning nerve block. Finally, we gave mice access to running wheels for up to 4weeks prior to axotomy. Surprisingly, exercising WldS mice ad libitum for 4weeks increased about twofold the amount of subsequent axotomy-induced synaptic degeneration. Together, the data suggest that vulnerability of mature neuromuscular synapses to axotomy, a potent neurodegenerative trigger, may be enhanced bimodally, either by disuse or by hyperactivity
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