Search for Long-Lived Massive Charged Particles in 1.96 TeV pp̅ Collisions

We performed a signature-based search for long-lived charged massive particles (CHAMPs) produced in 1.0 $\rm{fb}^{-1}$ of $\bar{p}p$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV, collected with the CDF II detector using a high transverse-momentum ($p_T$) muon trigger. The search used time-of-flight to isolate slowly moving, high-$p_T$ particles. One event passed our selection cuts with an expected background of $1.9 \pm 0.2$ events. We set an upper bound on the production cross section, and, interpreting this result within the context of a stable scalar top quark model, set a lower limit on the particle mass of 249 GeV/$c^2$ at 95% C.L.

Measurement of the top quark mass at CDF using the “neutrino ϕ weighting” template method on a lepton plus isolated track sample

We present a measurement of the top quark mass with t-tbar dilepton events produced in p-pbar collisions at the Fermilab Tevatron $\sqrt{s}$=1.96 TeV and collected by the CDF II detector. A sample of 328 events with a charged electron or muon and an isolated track, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 2.9 fb$^{-1}$, are selected as t-tbar candidates. To account for the unconstrained event kinematics, we scan over the phase space of the azimuthal angles ($\phi_{\nu_1},\phi_{\nu_2}$) of neutrinos and reconstruct the top quark mass for each $\phi_{\nu_1},\phi_{\nu_2}$ pair by minimizing a $\chi^2$ function in the t-tbar dilepton hypothesis. We assign $\chi^2$-dependent weights to the solutions in order to build a preferred mass for each event. Preferred mass distributions (templates) are built from simulated t-tbar and background events, and parameterized in order to provide continuous probability density functions. A likelihood fit to the mass distribution in data as a weighted sum of signal and background probability density functions gives a top quark mass of $165.5^{+{3.4}}_{-{3.3}}$(stat.)$\pm 3.1$(syst.) GeV/$c^2$.

Top quark mass measurement in the tt̅ all hadronic channel using a matrix element technique in pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96 TeV

We present a measurement of the top quark mass in the all-hadronic channel (\tt $\to$ \bb$q_{1}\bar{q_{2}}q_{3}\bar{q_{4}}$) using 943 pb$^{-1}$ of \ppbar collisions at $\sqrt {s} = 1.96$ TeV collected at the CDF II detector at Fermilab (CDF). We apply the standard model production and decay matrix-element (ME) to $\ttbar$ candidate events. We calculate per-event probability densities according to the ME calculation and construct template models of signal and background. The scale of the jet energy is calibrated using additional templates formed with the invariant mass of pairs of jets. These templates form an overall likelihood function that depends on the top quark mass and on the jet energy scale (JES). We estimate both by maximizing this function. Given 72 observed events, we measure a top quark mass of 171.1 $\pm$ 3.7 (stat.+JES) $\pm$ 2.1 (syst.) GeV/$c^{2}$. The combined uncertainty on the top quark mass is 4.3 GeV/$c^{2}$.

Measurement of the tt̅ production cross section in 2 fb-1 of pp̅ collisions at √s=1.96 TeV using lepton plus jets events with soft muon b tagging

We present a measurement of the $\ttbar$ production cross section in $\ppbar$ collisions at $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV using events containing a high transverse momentum electron or muon, three or more jets, and missing transverse energy. Events consistent with $\ttbar$ decay are found by identifying jets containing candidate heavy-flavor semileptonic decays to muons. The measurement uses a CDF Run II data sample corresponding to $2 \mathrm{fb^{-1}}$ of integrated luminosity. Based on 248 candidate events with three or more jets and an expected background of $79.5\pm5.3$ events, we measure a production cross section of $9.1\pm 1.6 \mathrm{pb}$.

Measurement of the Top-Quark Mass with Dilepton Events Selected Using Neuroevolution at CDF

We report a measurement of the top quark mass $M_t$ in the dilepton decay channel $t\bar{t}\to b\ell'^{+}\nu'_\ell\bar{b}\ell^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\ell}$. Events are selected with a neural network which has been directly optimized for statistical precision in top quark mass using neuroevolution, a technique modeled on biological evolution. The top quark mass is extracted from per-event probability densities that are formed by the convolution of leading order matrix elements and detector resolution functions. The joint probability is the product of the probability densities from 344 candidate events in 2.0 fb$^{-1}$ of $p\bar{p}$ collisions collected with the CDF II detector, yielding a measurement of $M_t= 171.2\pm 2.7(\textrm{stat.})\pm 2.9(\textrm{syst.})\mathrm{GeV}/c^2$.

Oral health and menopause

Hormone therapy (HT) is widely used to relieve climacteric symptoms in order to increase the well-being of the women. The benefits as well as side-effects of HT are well documented. The principal menopausal oral symptoms are dry mouth (DM) and sensation of painful mouth (PM) due to various causes. Profile studies have indicated that HT users are more health-conscious than non-users. The hypothesis of the present study was that there are differences in oral health between woman using HT and those not using HT. A questionnaire study of 3173 women of menopausal age (50-58 years old) was done to investigate the prevalence of self-assessed sensations of PM and DM. Of those women participating in the questionnaire study, a random sample of 400 (200 using, 200 not using HT) was examined clinically in a 2-year follow-up study. Oral status was recorded according to WHO methods using DMFT and CPITN indices. The saliva flows were measured, salivary total protein, albumin and immunoglobulin concentrations and selected periodontal micro-organisms were analysed, and panoramic tomography of the jaws was taken. The patients filled in a structured questionnaire on their systemic health, medication and health habits. According to our questionnaire study there was no significant difference in the occurrence of self- assessed PM or DM between the HT users and non-users. According to logistic regression analyses, climacteric complaints significantly correlated with the occurrence of PM (p=0.000) and DM (p=0.000) irrespective of the use of HT, indicating that PM and DM are associated with climacteric symptoms in general. There was no difference between the groups in DMFT index values at follow up. The number of filled teeth (FT) showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in the HT group at follow-up. Periodontitis was diagnosed in 79% of HT users at baseline and in 71% at the follow-up. The values for non-HT users were 80% vs. 76%, respectively (Ns.). The mean numbers of ≥ 6 mm deep periodontal pockets were 0.9 ± 1.7 at baseline vs. 1.1 ± 2.1 two years later in the HT group, and 1.0 ± 1.7 vs. 1.2 ± 1.9, respectively, in the non-HT group. In a large Finnish national health survey, the prevalence of peridontitis of women of this age group was lower, but the prevalence of severe periodontitis seemed to be higher than in our study. Salivary albumin, IgG and IgM concentrations decreased in the HT group during the 2-year follow up (p<0.05), possibly indicating an improvement in epithelial integrity. No difference was found in any other salivary parameters or in the prevalence of the periodontal bacteria between or within the groups. In conclusion, the present findings showed that 50 to 58 year old women living in Helsinki have fairly good oral and dental health. The occurrence of PM and DM seemed to be associated with climacteric symptoms in general, and the use of HT did not affect the oral symptoms studied.

Kelan opintoetuustilasto 2009/10

Kelan opintoetuustilasto 2009/10 -julkaisu sisältää keskeiset tiedot Kelan maksamista opintotuista ja koulumatkatuista sekä Kelan myöntämästä aikuiskoulutustukeen liittyvästä opintolainan valtiontakauksesta. Julkaisu tarjoaa tilastoja näiden etuuksien saajista ja maksetuista euromääristä. Opintotuesta esitetään myös opintolainoja, korkeakouluopiskelijoiden ateriatukea ja opintolainavähennystä koskevia tietoja.

Silva Fennica Vol. 10, 1976.

Julkaistu Silva Fennica Vol. 10(4) -numeron liitteenä.

Treatment of illicit opioid and γ-hydroxybutyrate overdose by Helsinki emergency medical services

Aims: To examine the characteristics, incidence, treatment and outcome of presumed opioid, γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and γ-butyrolactone (GBL) overdoses involving users of illicit drugs in Helsinki. GHB/GBL were included in this study, despite not being opioids, due to the relative ease with which they can cause potentially fatal respiratory depression. The incidence and time interval of recurrent opioid toxicity after prehospital administration of naloxone, an opioid antagonist, was studied in presumed heroin overdose patients. Naloxone has been reported to have many adverse effects and the effects of naloxone administered during an opioid overdose on the cardiovascular system and catecholamine levels in piglets were studied. Materials and methods: Patients included in these published retrospective studies were from the following time periods: Study I: 1995-2002, II: 1997-2000, III: 1995-2000, V: 2006-2007. Presumed opioid overdose patients were examined in studies I, II and III. GHB/GBL overdoses among injecting drug users was examined in study V. Recurrent opioid toxicity after prehospital naloxone administration in heroin overdose patients was examined in study III. The effects of naloxone (80 μg/kg i.v.) on the cardiovascular system and catecholamine levels administered during morphine overdose (8mg/kg i.v.) and under propofol anesthesia with spontaneous breathing were studied in eight piglets (IV). In this thesis, previously unpublished data on the incidence of opioid overdose between 2001-2007 and comparison of the characteristics of buprenorphine and heroin overdose patients encountered in 1995-2005 are also included. Results: Helsinki Emergency Medical Service (EMS) ambulances were dispatched annually to 34,153- 45,118 calls from 1995 to 2007. Of them, 7-8% were coded as intoxications or overdoses. During this time, 436 patients were treated by the EMS for presumed opioid overdose. The peak incidence of opioid overdoses was in the year 2000 (113 cases), after which they declined to 6-26 cases annually. The annual incidence of buprenorphine related overdoses increased from 4 (4% of opioid overdoses) in the year 2000 to 8 (30% of opioid overdoses) in 2007. The annual number of GHB related overdose patients treated by Helsinki EMS increased from 21 to 73 between 2004-2007. There appeared to be a peak in the incidence of both GHB/GBL and opioid related overdoses on Saturdays. Characteristics of opioid overdose patients The median age of opioid overdose patients was 28 years (22;33, 25- and 75-percentiles), and 84% were male. Buprenorphine overdose patients had more polydrug, such as alcohol and/or benzodiazepines, use in comparison with heroin overdose patients, 70% versus 33%, respectively. Severe respiratory depression was reported less often with buprenorphine overdoses compared to heroin overdoses, in 67.0% versus 85.4%, respectively. Outcome of heroin overdose patients with cardiac arrest Ninety four patients suffered cardiac arrest due to acute drug poisoning/overdose and were thus considered for resuscitation. Resuscitation was attempted in 72 cases. Cardiac arrest was caused by heroin overdose for 19 patients of which three (16%) were discharged alive. Other agents also induced cardiac arrest in 53 patients, of which six (11%) were discharged alive. The arrest was either EMS witnessed or occurring after the emergency call for all survivors of heroin induced cardiac arrest. Characteristics of GHB/GBL overdose patients The records of 100 GHB/GBL related overdose patients from 2006-2007 were retrieved. The median age of GHB/GBL overdose patients encountered on weekend nights was 24 years (22;27, 25- and 75-percentiles) and 49% were male. Polydrug use was reported in 62-80% of the cases. Thirty nine patients were encountered on Friday-Saturday or Saturday-Sunday night between 11 pm-6 am. The remaining sixty one patients were outside this time frame. There was a statistically significant difference between these two groups in history of chronic injecting drug use (33% vs. 59%, respectively, p=0.012). Recurrent heroin toxicity after prehospital naloxone administration Study III included 145 presumed heroin overdose patients. After prehospital care, 84 patients refused further care and were not transported to an Emergency Department (ED). Seventy one (85%) of them were administered naloxone by the EMS. During a 12-h follow up period, none of these patients developed severe recurrent opioid toxicity. The remaining 61 patients were transported to an ED. Prior to transportation, 52 (85%) patients were administered naloxone by the EMS. Fifteen of them were administered naloxone also in the ED and recurrent opioid toxicity was evident either on arrival at the ED or shortly thereafter. Prehospital naloxone was administered either intravenously, intramuscularly (i.m.) or subcutaneously (s.c.). There was a tendency for more frequent recurrent heroin toxicity among the patients with only intravenous administration of prehospital naloxone (13/36) compared with the patients with intramuscular or subcutaneous prehospital naloxone (2/16), p=0.106. The effects of naloxone on the cardiovascular system and catecholamine levels in piglets The administration of morphine to piglets resulted in an obvious respiratory depression, which was reversed by naloxone. Two severely hypoxemic piglets developed cardiac arrest after naloxone administration. In the other six animals, the administration of naloxone did not provoke arrhythmias, cardiac ischemia or visible evidence of pulmonary edema. There was a statistically significant (p=0.012) increase in norepinephrine levels after morphine administration and before naloxone administration: from 1.9 (1.3-2.3) ng/ml at baseline, to 31.7 (8.3-83.0) ng/ml (median, 25 and 75 percentiles parentheses) after morphine administration. After the administration of naloxone, the catecholamine levels continued to increase in only one of the animals. Conclusions: The incidence of buprenorphine related overdoses increased during the study period, but was still lower in comparison to those involving heroin. Injecting drug users have also started to use GHB/GBL. While recreational drug users use GHB/GBL during weekend nights, a GHB/GBL overdose patient encounter during weekdays has a more probable history of injecting drug use. Patients with cardiac arrest after heroin overdose have a poor prognosis. It appears to be safe to leave heroin overdose patients on scene after prehospital treatment with naloxone. Although no statistically significant difference was observed, it seems prudent to administer part of the total naloxone dose s.c. or i.m. to reduce the risk of recurrent respiratory depression. If transported to an ED, an observation period of one to two hours after the last naloxone dose seems adequate. The treating physician must be vigilant, however, due to the high prevalence of polydrug use and high morbidity after non fatal heroin overdose. Furthermore, care should be taken regarding possible chronic disorders and drug rehabilitation should be addressed. In the experimental animal study, two animals developed cardiac arrest after receiving naloxone while in hypoxemia and bradycardia. Further studies are required to assess the effect of naloxone during opioid-induced hypercapnia and hypoxemia in animals addicted to opioids.

Dental identification and aspects of medico-legal investigations of the Finnish victims of the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake on 26 December 2004

Tsunami waves of the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake on 26 December 2004 claimed approximately 230 000 lives and started the biggest identification operation in Interpol's history. The aim of this study was to resolve methods of the identification and results received. The viewpoint is mainly that of forensic odontology, but also includes other means of identification and results of the medico-legal examination performed in Finland. Of the 5395 victims in Thailand, approximately 2 400 were foreigners from 36 nations including 177 Finnish nationals. Additionally, a Finnish woman perished in Sri Lanka and a severely injured man after the evacuation in a hospital. The final numbers of missing persons and dead bodies registered in the Information Management Centre in Phuket,Thailand, were 3 574 ante-mortem (AM) and 3 681 post-mortem (PM) files. The number of identifications by December 2006 was 3 271 or 89% of the victims registered. Of Finnish victims, 172 have been identified in Thailand and 163 repatriated to Finland. One adult and four children are still missing. For AM data, a list of Finnish missing persons including 178 names was published on 30 December 2004. By February 2005 all useful dental AM data were available. Five persons on the list living in Finland lacked records. Based on the AM database, for the children under age 18 years (n=60) dental identification could be established for 12 (20%). The estimated number for adults (n=112) was 96 (86%). The final identification rate, based on PM examinations in Finland, was 14 (25%) for children (n= 56) and 98 (90%) for adults (n= 109). The number of Finnish victims identified by dental methods, 112 (68%), was high compared to all examined in Thailand (43%). DNA was applied for 26 Finnish children and for 6 adults, fingerprints for 24 and 7, respectively. In 12 cases two methods were applied. Every victim (n=165) underwent in Finland a medico-legal investigation including an autopsy with sampling specimens for DNA, the toxicological and histological investigation. Digital radiographs and computed tomography were taken of the whole body to verify autopsy findings and bring out changes caused by trauma, autolysis, and sampling for DNA in Thailand. Data for identification purposes were also noted. Submersion was the cause of death for 101 of 109 adults (92.7%), and trauma for 8 (7.3%). Injuries were 33 times contributing factors for submersion and 3 times for trauma-based death. Submersion was the cause of death for 51 (92.7%) children and trauma for 4 (7.3%). Injuries were in 3 cases contributing factors in submersion and once in trauma-based death. The success of the dental identification of Finnish victims is mainly based on careful registration of dental records, and on an education program from 1999 in forensic odontology.