Search for the pair production of scalar top quarks in the acoplanar charm jet final state in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

A search for the pair production of scalar top quarks, (t) over tilde, has been performed in 360 pb(-1) of data from pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV, collected by the D phi detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The (t) over tilde decay mode considered is (t) over tilde -> c (chi) over tilde (0)(1), where (chi) over tilde (0)(1) is the lightest supersymmetric particle. The topology analyzed therefore consists of a pair of acoplanar heavy-flavor jets with missing transverse energy. The data and standard model expectation are in agreement, anda 95% C.L. exclusion domain in the (m((t) over tilde), m((chi) over tilde1)(0)) plane has been determined, extending the domain excluded by previous experiments. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Measurement of the shape of the boson rapidity distribution for p(p)over-bar -> Z/gamma(*)-> e(+)e(-)+X events produced at root s of 1.96 TeV

We present a measurement of the shape of the boson rapidity distribution for p (p) over bar -> Z/gamma(*)-> e(+)e(-)+X events at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The measurement is made for events with electron-positron mass 71 < M-ee < 111 GeV and uses 0.4 fb(-1) of data collected at the Fermilab Tevatron collider with the D0 detector. This measurement significantly reduces the uncertainties on the rapidity distribution in the forward region compared with previous measurements. Predictions of next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) QCD are found to agree well with the data over the full rapidity range.

Search for the Higgs boson in H -> WW(*) decays in p(p)over-bar collisions at root(s)=1.96 TeV

We present a search for the standard model Higgs boson in H -> WW(*) decays with e(+)e(-), e(+/-)mu(-/+), and mu(+)mu(-) final states in p (p) over bar collisions at a center-of-mass-energy of root s = 1.96 TeV. The data, collected from April 2002 to june 2004 with the D0 detector, correspond to an integrated luminosity of 300-325 pb(-1), depending on the final state. The number of events observed is consistent with the expectation from backgrounds. Limits from the combination of all three channels on the Higgs boson production cross section times branching ratio sigma x BR(H -> WW(*)) are presented.

Search for the standard model Higgs boson in the p(p)over-bar -> ZH -> v(v)over-barb(b)over-bar channel

We report a search for the standard model (SM) Higgs boson based on data collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 260 pb(-1). We study events with missing transverse energy and two acoplanar b jets, which provide sensitivity to the ZH production cross section in the nu nu bb channel, and to WH production when the lepton from the W ->center dot nu decay is undetected. The data are consistent with the SM background expectation, and we set 95% C.L. upper limits on sigma(pp -> ZH/WH) x B(H -> bb) from 3.4/8.3 to 2.5/6.3 pb, for Higgs-boson masses between 105 and 135 GeV.

Search for W ' boson production in the W ' -> t(b)over-bar decay channel

We present a search for the production of a new heavy gauge boson W' that decays to a top quark and a bottom quark. We have analyzed 230 pb(-1) of data collected with the DO detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. No significant excess of events above the standard model expectation is found in any region of the final state invariant mass distribution. We set upper limits on the production cross section of W' bosons times branching ratio to top quarks at the 95% confidence level for several different W, boson masses. We exclude masses between 200 and 610 GeV for a W' boson with standard-model-like couplings, between 200 and 630 GeV for a W, boson with right-handed couplings that is allowed to decay to both leptons and quarks, and between 200 and 670 GeV for a W' boson with right-handed couplings that is only allowed to decay to quarks. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measurement of the CP-violation parameter of B-0 mixing and decay with p(p)over-bar ->mu mu X data

We measure the dimuon charge asymmetry A in p (p) over bar collisions at a center of mass energy root s=1960 GeV. The data was recorded with the D0 detector and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of approximately 1.0 fb(-1). Assuming that the asymmetry A is due to asymmetric B-0 <->(B) over bar (0) mixing and decay, we extract the CP-violation parameter of B-0 mixing and decay: ((epsilon B0))/(1+vertical bar epsilon B0 vertical bar 2)=(AB0)/(4)= -0.0023 +/- 0.0011(stat)+/- 0.0008(syst).A(B)(0) is the dimuon charge asymmetry from decays of B-0(B) over bar (0) pairs. The general case, with CP violation in both B-0 and B-s(0) systems, is also considered. Finally we obtain the forward-backward asymmetry that quantifies the tendency of mu(+) to go in the proton direction and mu(-) to go in the antiproton direction. The results are consistent with the standard model and constrain new physics.

Direct limits on the B-s(0) oscillation frequency

We report results of a study of the B-s(0) oscillation frequency using a large sample of B-s(0) semileptonic decays corresponding to approximately 1 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider in 2002-2006. The amplitude method gives a lower limit on the B-s(0) oscillation frequency at 14.8 ps(-1) at the 95% C.L. At Delta m(s)=19 ps(-1), the amplitude deviates from the hypothesis A=0 (1) by 2.5 (1.6) standard deviations, corresponding to a two-sided C.L. of 1% (10%). A likelihood scan over the oscillation frequency, Delta m(s), gives a most probable value of 19 ps(-1) and a range of 17 the 90% C.L., assuming Gaussian uncertainties. This is the first direct two-sided bound measured by a single experiment. If Delta m(s) lies above 22 ps(-1), then the probability that it would produce a likelihood minimum similar to the one observed in the interval 16-22 ps(-1) is (5.0 +/- 0.3)%.

Measurement of the charge asymmetry in semileptonic B-s(0) decays

We have performed the first direct measurement of the time-integrated flavor untagged charge asymmetry in semileptonic B-s(0) decays A(SL)(s,unt) by comparing the decay rate of B-s(0) -> mu(+) D-s(-) nu X, where D-s(-) -> phi pi(-) and phi -> K+K-, with the charge-conjugate (B) over bar (0)(s) decay rate. This sample was selected from 1: 3 fb(-1) of data collected by the D0 experiment in run II of the Fermilab Tevatron collider. We obtain A(SL)(s,unt) = [1.23 +/- 0.97(stat) +/- 0.17(syst)] x 10(-2). Assuming that Delta m(s)/(Gamma) over bar (s) >> 1, this result can be translated into a measurement of the CP-violating phase in B-s(0) mixing: Delta Gamma(s)/Delta m(s) tan phi(s) = [2.45 +/- 1.93(stat) +/- 0.35(syst)] x 10(-2).

Lifetime difference and CP-violating phase in the B-s(0) system

From an analysis of the decay B-s(0)-> J/psi phi, we obtain the width difference between the light and heavy mass eigenstates Delta Gamma equivalent to(Gamma(L)-Gamma(H))=0.17 +/- 0.09(stat)+/- 0.02(syst) ps(-1) and the CP-violating phase phi(s)=-0.79 +/- 0.56(stat)(-0.01)(+0.14)(syst). Under the hypothesis of no CP violation (phi(s)equivalent to 0), we obtain 1/Gamma=tau/(B-s(0))=1.52 +/- 0.08(stat)(-0.03)(+0.01)(syst) ps and Delta Gamma=0.12(-0.10)(+0.08)(stat)+/- 0.02(syst) ps(-1). The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of about 1.1 fb(-1) accumulated with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. This is the first direct measurement of the CP-violating mixing phase in the B-s(0) system.

Measurement of the ratios of the Z/gamma*+ >= n jet production cross sections to the total inclusive Z/gamma* cross section in p(p)over-bar collisions at root s=1.96 TeV

We present a study of events with Z bosons and associated jets produced at the Fermilab Tevatron collider in p p collisions at a center of mass energy of 1.96 TeV The data sample consists of nearly 14000 Z/gamma* -> e(+)e(-) candidates corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.4 fb(-1) collected with the D circle divide detector. Ratios of the Z/gamma*+ >= n jet cross sections to the total inclusive Z/gamma* cross section have been measured for n = 1-4 jets, and found to be in good agreement with a next-to-leading order QCD calculation and with a tree-level QCD prediction with parton shower simulation and hadronization. Published by Elsevier B.V

RELATIVE GROWTH OF THE SPECKLED SWIMMING CRAB ARENAEUS-CRIBRARIUS (LAMARCK, 1818) (BRACHYURA, PORTUNIDAE), NEAR UBATUBA, STATE OF SAO-PAULO, BRAZIL

Arenaeus cribrarius is a mainly tropical crab that occurs in the Western Atlantic Ocean, Brazil being its type-locality. The species ranges from Vinevard Sound, Massachusetts, USA to La Paloma, Uruguay. Information about this species is scarce. The relative growth of A. cribrarius was analyzed, based on some morphometric relations, where the carapace width, excluding lateral spines (CW), was used as an independent variable. A total of 403 specimens (189 males and 214 females), was collected in Ubatuba, State of São Paulo, Brazil, with otter-trawls. The animals were sexed and sorted to maturation phase (juvenile or adult). Some measurements were made: carapace (length and width excluding lateral spines), abdomen (greatest width of the fifth somite in females and the sixth in males) and major chela (greatest length, width and height, dactylus length). This study was made by the application of the power function (y=a.x(b)) which was fitted to the data and the pattern of growth established for each parameter by the ''b''-value (constant of allometry), as positive allometry (b>1), negative allometry (b<1) or isometry (b=1). The morphometric relations of the carapace showed a tendency to isometry. In females, the abdominal width grew in positive allometry, higher in juveniles (b=1.33) than in adults (b=1.18). In this case, an overlap and discontinuity was noticed between the phases over a carapace width range of 55 to 70 mm, where the puberty molt occurs. The majority of relationships showed that the major chela of the males grew in positive allometry, however, the greatest allometric difference between the phases was observed towards the propodus length with 1.09 as juvenile and 1.26 as adult ''b''values. In the males, this variable showed an inflection between the CW range of 45' to 55 mm, where the transition to the maturation phase occurs. The relative growth of this species is similar to those of previously studied species. This indicates, that the propodus length and the abdominal width are the morphometric variables most appropriate to estimate the size of the beginning of the sexual maturity for males and females of this species, respectively.

Biometric relationship analysis of the wet weight by carapace width to the swimming crab Arenaeus-cribrarius (Lamarck, 1818) (Crustacea, Brachyura, Portunidae)

The biometric relationship between the weigth and the carapace width in the swimming crab A. cribrarius was compared with the results from other portunid crabs studied previously. During November/1988 to October/1989, a total of 403 specimens (189 males and 214 females) were collected with otter-trawl nets in north coast of the São Paulo State, Brazil. The animals were measured (carapace width excluding lateral spines = LC! and weighed (wet weight = PE). The empiric points of this relation were fit according to the power function (Y = a.X(b)) for each sex, maturation phases and total of individuals. The relation PE x LC indicates that the mole's growth changes during the ontogenesys from isometric (in juvenile phase) to allometric positive (in adult phase). For the females the growth is isometric in the two phases. The weight grows in a higher proportion than the carapace width variable (allometric positive growth). The data can be grouped in a single equation (PE = 7.85.10(-5).LC(3.14)) for the convertion between the variables there was a greater similarity between the equations obtained far each sex. In spite of this, the males present the fattening grade value (''a'') slightly higher than that of the females, possibly because of the greater size reached in its devellopment. The mean weight of the males is greater than the females one (p < 0.01). In the range 80 proves 90mm the males were more abundant, probably due to the females terminal ecdysis is near this size. The females only have the mean weight greater than the males in the 60 proves 70mm range (p < 0.01) when the puberty molt occurs and they present morphological changes in their reproductive system.

Amazon fisheries. I. - Variations in the relative abundance of tambaqui ( Colossoma macropomum Cuvier, 1818) based on catch and effort data of the gill-net fisheries.

Adjusted mean catches which are calculated discounting the effect of average fishing effort increase the further the lake is from Manaus, Brazil. -from Author

ABO, Lewis, secretor and non-secretor phenotypes in patients infected or uninfected by the Helicobacter pylori bacillus

CONTEXT: Epidemiological studies have demonstrated higher frequencies of the O blood group and the non-secretor phenotype of ABH antigens among patients suffering from peptic ulcers. Since Helicobacter pylori has been established as the main etiological factor in this disease, controversies about the associations of the ABO and Lewis blood group phenotypes and secretor and non-secretor phenotypes in relation to susceptibility towards infection by this bacillus have been presented. OBJECTIVE: To verify the frequencies of ABO, Lewis blood group phenotypes, secretor and non-secretor phenotypes in patients infected or uninfected by H. pylori. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Outpatient clinic. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and twenty patients with dyspeptic symptoms who underwent endoscopy. MAIN MEASUREMENTS: ABO and Lewis blood group phenotypes were determined by a standard hemagglutination test and the secretor and non-secretor phenotypes were evaluated by saliva samples using the inhibitor hemagglutination test. RESULTS: The diagnosis of infection, made via breath and urea tests and confirmed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in gastric biopsy fragments, showed the presence of H. pylori in 61.7% of the patients and absence in 38.3%. The differences between the frequencies of the ABO blood group phenotypes among infected (A 27.0%; B 12.2%; AB 4.0% and O 56.8%) and uninfected patients (A 58.7%; B 13.0%; AB 4.3% and O 24.0%) were significant. The Lewis blood type, secretor and non-secretor phenotypes showed homogeneous distribution between the groups of patients analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the infection of H. pylori can be related to ABO blood groups but not to the Lewis blood group nor to secretor and non-secretor phenotypes. Copyright©2002, Associação Paulista de Medicina.