In vitro enhancing effects of thymic dendritic cells on apoptotic cell death of thymocytes

Using terminal deoxynucleotide transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay and propidium iodide-DNA staining flow cytometry assay, the effects of mouse thymic dendritic cells (MTSC4) on the process of programmed cell death of thymocytes in vitro were investigated. It was noticed that thymocytes bound to MTSC4 used in this study. That the percentages of apoptotic nuclei of the bound thymocytes on MTSC4 were much higher than those of medium-cultured thymocytes, while the bound thymocytes on mouse thymic epithelial cell (MTEC1) showed much lower percentages of apoptosis. FACS analysis quantitatively confirmed the observation. Phenotype analysis showed that MTSC4 induced the deletion of CD4 + CD8 + cells and CD4 + CD8-.cells in 18 h of coculture. The results suggest that the negative selection of medullary thymocytes may be achieved by thymic dendritic cells through their enhancing effects on apoptosis.

Membrane molecules in induction of apoptosis of thymocytes by mouse thymic dendritic cells which express Fas ligands

Apoptosis of thymocytes is involved in the negative selection of thymus, but it remains unclear how the cell death of thymocytes is regulated by the thymic stromal cells. By using immunohistochemistry, TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and flow cytometry methods, it was found that Fas ligand was expressed in the thymic medulla and a mouse thymic medullary type dendritic cell line (MTSC4). The DNA fragmentation and TUNEL positive staining of thymocytes were detected in 6 h of cocultures with MTSC4. 97 % of the thymocytes which bound to MTSC4 were Fas antigen positive cells. The DNA fragmentation of thymocytes induced by MTSC4 was inhibited by the addition of 20 mmol/L N-acetyl galactosamin monosaccharide and the pretreatment of a monoclonal antibody (PF-18-3) which recognized a putative antigen on MTSC4. These results suggested that the mechanisms of induction of cell death by stromal cells may include the interactions of multiple cell surface molecules, in addition to the Fas/Fas ligand system.

Search for pair production of doubly charged Higgs bosons in the H++H- - -->mu+ mu+ mu- mu- final state

We report the results of a search for pair production of doubly charged Higgs bosons via pp over-->H++H - - X-->mu+ mu+ mu- mu- X at sqrt s=1.96 TeV. We use a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.1 fb(-1) collected from 2002 to 2006 by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. In the absence of an excess above the standard model background, lower mass limits of M(H L +/- +/-) >150 GeV/c2 and M(H R+/- +/-) >127 GeV/c2 at 95% C.L. are set, respectively, for left-handed and right-handed doubly charged Higgs bosons assuming a 100% branching ratio into muons.

Search for Higgs bosons decaying to tau pairs in pp over collisions with the D0 detector

We present a search for the production of neutral Higgs bosons varphi decaying into tau+tau - final states in pp over collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of approximately 1 fb(-1), were collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. Limits on the production cross section times branching ratio are set. The results are interpreted in the minimal supersymmetric standard model yielding limits that are the most stringent to date at hadron colliders.

Measurement of the inclusive jet cross section in pp[over] collisions at square root [s]=1.96 TeV

We report on a measurement of the inclusive jet cross section in pp[over ] collisions at a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV using data collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 0.70 fb;{-1}. The data cover jet transverse momenta from 50 to 600 GeV and jet rapidities in the range -2.4 to 2.4. Detailed studies of correlations between systematic uncertainties in transverse momentum and rapidity are presented, and the cross section measurements are found to be in good agreement with next-to-leading order QCD calculations.

The development of PCR-based markers for the selection of eyespot resistance genes Pch1 and Pch2

Two eyespot resistance genes (Pch1 and Pch2) have been characterised in wheat. The potent resistance gene Pch1, transferred from Aegilops ventricosa, is located on the distal end of the long arm of chromosome 7D (7DL). Pch2 derives from the variety Cappelle Desprez and is located at the distal end of chromosome 7AL. The RFLP marker Xpsr121 and the endopeptidase isozyme allele Ep-D1b, are very closely linked to Pch1, probably due to reduced recombination in the region of the introgressed A. ventricosa segment. Pch2 is less closely linked to these markers but is thought to be closer to Xpsr121 than to Ep-A1b. In the present study simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were integrated into the genetic map of a single chromosome (7D) recombinant (RVPM) population segregating for Pch1. Sequence-tagged-site (STS)-based assays were developed for Xpsp121 and a 7DL wheat EST containing a SSR. SSR markers Xwmc14 and Xbarc97 and the Xpsr121-derived marker co-segregated with Pch1 in the RVPM population. A single chromosome (7A) recombinant population segregating for Pch2 was screened for eyespot resistance and mapped using SSRs. QTL interval mapping closely associated Pch2 with the SSR marker Xwmc525.

Search for decay of a fermiophobic Higgs boson hf-->gammagamma with the D0 detector at sqrt s=1.96 TeV

We report the results of a search for a narrow resonance decaying into two photons in 1.1 fb;{-1} of data collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider during the period 2002-2006. We find no evidence for such a resonance and set a lower limit on the mass of a fermiophobic Higgs boson of m_{h_{f}}>100 GeV at the 95% C.L. This exclusion limit exceeds those obtained in previous searches at the Fermilab Tevatron and covers a significant region of the parameter space B(h_{f}-->gammagamma) vs m_{h_{f}} which was not accessible at the CERN Large Electron-Positron Collider.

Search for large extra dimensions via single photon plus missing energy final states at sqrt s = 1.96 TeV

We report on a search for large extra dimensions in a data sample of approximately 1 fb(-1) of pp[over] collisions at sqrt s=1.96 TeV. We investigate Kaluza-Klein graviton production with a photon and missing transverse energy in the final state. At the 95% C.L. we set limits on the fundamental mass scale M(D) from 884 to 778 GeV for two to eight extra dimensions.

Observation of the Bc meson in the exclusive decay Bc-->J/psipi

A fully reconstructed Bc-->J/psipi signal is observed with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp[over] collider using 1.3 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity. The signal consists of 54+/-12 candidates with a significance that exceeds 5 standard deviations, and confirms earlier observations of this decay. The measured mass of the Bc meson is 6300+/-14(stat)+/-5(syst) MeV/c2.

First study of the radiation-amplitude zero in Wgamma production and limits on anomalous WWgamma couplings at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV

We present results from a study of pp-->Wgamma+X events utilizing data corresponding to 0.7 fb{-1} of integrated luminosity at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We set limits on anomalous WWgamma couplings at the 95% C.L. The one-dimensional 95% C.L. limits are 0.49<kappa{gamma}<1.51 and -0.12<lambda{gamma}<0.13. We make the first study of the charge-signed rapidity difference between the lepton and the photon and find it to be indicative of the standard model radiation-amplitude zero in the Wgamma system.

Search for scalar neutrino superpartners in e+mu final states in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV

We report a search for R-parity-violating production and decay of sneutrino particles in the emu final state with 1.04+/-0.06 fb-1 of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider in 2002-2006. Good agreement between the data and the standard model prediction is observed. With no evidence for new physics, we set limits on the R-parity-violating couplings lambda'311 and lambda312 as a function of the sneutrino mass.

Search for W' boson resonances decaying to a top quark and a bottom quark

We search for the production of a heavy W' gauge boson that decays to third generation quarks in 0.9 fb-1 of pp collisions at square root(s)=1.96 TeV, collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. We find no significant excess in the final-state invariant mass distribution and set upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction. For a left-handed W' boson with SM couplings, we set a lower mass limit of 731 GeV. For right-handed W' bosons, we set lower mass limits of 739 GeV if the W' boson decays to both leptons and quarks and 768 GeV if the W' boson decays only to quarks. We also set limits on the coupling of the W' boson to fermions as a function of its mass.

Study of direct CP violation in B(+/-)-->J/psiK(+/-)(pi(+/-)) decays

We present a search for direct CP violation in B(+/-)-->J/psiK(+/-)(pi(+/-)) decays. The event sample is selected from 2.8 fb(-1) of pp collisions recorded by D0 experiment in run II of the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The charge asymmetry A_(CP)(B(+)-->J/psiK(+))= + 0.0075 +/- 0.0061(stat)+/-0.0030(syst) is obtained using a sample of approximately 40, 000 B(+/-)-->J/psiK(+/-) decays. The achieved precision is of the same level as the expected deviation predicted by some extensions of the standard model. We also measured the charge asymmetry A(CP)(B(+)-->J/psipi(+))=-0.09+/-0.08(stat)+/-0.03(syst).

Simultaneous measurement of the ratio R=B(t --> Wb)/B(t --> Wq) and the top-quark pair production cross section with the D0 detector at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

We present the first simultaneous measurement of the ratio of branching fractions, R=B(t --> Wb)/B(t --> Wq), with q being a d, s, or b quark, and the top-quark pair production cross section sigma(tt[over]) in the lepton plus jets channel using 0.9 fb(-1) of pp[over] collision data at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV collected with the D0 detector. We extract R and sigma(tt[over]) by analyzing samples of events with 0, 1, and > or =2 identified b jets. We measure R=0.97(+0.09)/(-0.08)(stat+syst) and sigma(tt[over])=8.18(+0.09)(-0.84)(stat+syst) +/- 0.50(lumi) pb, in agreement with the standard model prediction.

Measurement of the tt[over] production cross section in pp[over] collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

We measure the tt[over] production cross section in pp[over] collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV in the lepton + jets channel. Two complementary methods discriminate between signal and background: b tagging and a kinematic likelihood discriminant. Based on 0.9 fb(-1) of data collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, we measure sigma(tt[over])=7.62+/-0.85 pb, assuming the current world average m(t)=172.6 GeV. We compare our cross section measurement with theory predictions to determine a value for the top-quark mass of 170+/-7 GeV.

Crystal structure and dielectric properties of Ca(0.85)Nd(0.1)TiO(3) - LnAlO(3) ceramics

The microwave dielectric properties of Ca(0.85)Nd(0.1)TiO(3) - LnAlO(3) (Ln = Sm, Gd, Dy, Er) ceramics are investigated in this paper. The structural characteristics of the specimens were evaluated by Rietveld refinement of Xray diffraction (XRD) patterns and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Solid solution limits were dependent on the ionic radius of Ln(3+) ions. With the decrease of the ionic radius of the Ln(3+) ions, the thermal stability of the resonant frequency decreases. This can be attributed to the increased level of oxygen octahedral distortion caused by the increase in the B-site bond valence in the ABO(3) perovskite structure. The dielectric constant (K) and the quality factor (Qf) of the specimens were dependent on the polarizability and grain size, respectively.

Measurement of the forward-backward charge asymmetry in top-quark pair production

We present the first measurement of the integrated forward-backward charge asymmetry in top-quark-top-antiquark pair (tt) production in proton-antiproton (pp) collisions in the lepton+jets final state. Using a b-jet tagging algorithm and kinematic reconstruction assuming tt + X production and decay, a sample of 0.9 fb(-1) of data, collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, is used to measure the asymmetry for different jet multiplicities. The result is also used to set upper limits on tt+X production via a Z' resonance.

Search for ZZ and Zgamma* production in pp[over ] collisions at square root s=1.96 TeV and limits on anomalous ZZZ and ZZgamma* couplings

We present a study of micro micro micro micro, eeee, and micro micro ee events using 1 fb(-1) of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp[over ] Collider at square root s=1.96 TeV. Requiring the lepton pair masses to be greater than 30 GeV, we observe one event, consistent with the expected background of 0.13+/-0.03 events and with the predicted standard model ZZ and Zgamma* production of 1.71+/-0.15 events. We set an upper limit on the ZZ and Zgamma* cross section of 4.4 pb at the 95% C.L. We also derive limits on anomalous neutral trilinear ZZZ and ZZgamma* gauge couplings. The one-parameter 95% C.L. coupling limits with a form-factor scale Lambda=1.2 TeV are -0.28<f(40)(Z)<0.28, -0.31<f(50)(Z)<0.29, -0.26<f(40)(gamma)<0.26, and -0.30<f(50)(gamma)<0.28.

Search for flavor-changing-neutral-current d meson decays

We study the flavor-changing-neutral-current process c-->u micro(+) micro(-) using 1.3 fb(-1) of pp[over ] collisions at square root s = 1.96 TeV recorded by the D0 detector operating at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We see clear indications of the charged-current mediated D(s)(+) and D(+)-->phipi(+) --> micro(+)micro(-)pi(+) final states with significance greater than 4 standard deviations above background for the D(+) state. We search for the continuum neutral-current decay of D(+)-->pi(+) micro(+) micro(-) in the dimuon invariant mass spectrum away from the phi resonance. We see no evidence of signal above background and set a limit of B(D(+) --> pi(+) micro(+) micro(-))<3.9 x 10(-6) at the 90% C.L. This limit places the most stringent constraint on new phenomena in the c--> u micro(+) micro(-) transition.

Measurement of the shape of the boson-transverse momentum distribution in pp --> Z/gamma* --> e+e- + X events produced at square root s = 1.96 TeV

We present a measurement of the shape of the Z/gamma* boson transverse momentum (q(T)) distribution in pp --> Z/gamma* --> e(+)e(-) + X events at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV using 0.98 fb(-1) of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. The data are found to be consistent with the resummation prediction at low q(T), but above the perturbative QCD calculation in the region of q(T)>30 GeV/c. Using events with q(T)<30 GeV/c, we extract the value of g(2), one of the nonperturbative parameters for the resummation calculation. Data at large boson rapidity y are compared with the prediction of resummation and with alternative models that employ a resummed form factor with modifications in the small Bjorken x region of the proton wave function.

Search for Randall-Sundrum gravitons with 1 fb(-1) of data from pp collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV

We search for decays of Kaluza-Klein excitations of the graviton in the Randall-Sundrum model of extra dimensions to e+ e(-) and gamma gamma in 1 fb(-1) of pp collisions at sqrt(s)=1.96 TeV collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron. We set 95% confidence level upper limits on the production cross section times branching fraction, which translate into lower limits on the mass of the lightest excitation between 300 and 900 GeV for values of the coupling k/MPl between 0.01 and 0.1.

Observation and properties of the orbitally excited B_(s2)(*) meson

We report the direct observation of the excited L=1 state B_(s2)(*) in fully reconstructed decays to B+K-. The mass of the B_(s2)(*) meson is measured to be 5839.6+/-1.1(stat)+/-0.7(syst) MeV/c(2), and its production rate relative to the B+ meson is measured to be [1.15+/-0.23(stat)+/-0.13(syst)]%.

Model-independent measurement of the W-boson helicity in top-quark decays at D0

We present the first model-independent measurement of the helicity of W bosons produced in top quark decays, based on a 1 fb(-1) sample of candidate tt events in the dilepton and lepton plus jets channels collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp Collider. We reconstruct the angle theta(*) between the momenta of the down-type fermion and the top quark in the W boson rest frame for each top quark decay. A fit of the resulting costheta(*) distribution finds that the fraction of longitudinal W bosons f(0)=0.425+/-0.166(stat)+/-0.102(syst) and the fraction of right-handed W bosons f(+)=0.119+/-0.090(stat)+/-0.053(syst), which is consistent at the 30% C.L. with the standard model.