Here, we present a search for the standard model Higgs boson in final states with a charged lepton (electron or muon), missing transverse energy, and two or three jets, at least one of which is ...identified as a $b$-quark jet. The search is primarily sensitive to $WH\to\ell\nu b\bar{b}$ production and uses data corresponding to 9.7 fb$^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron $p\bar{p}$ Collider at $\sqrt{s}=1.96$ TeV. We observe agreement between data and the expected background. For a Higgs boson mass of 125 GeV, we set a 95% C.L. upper limit on the production of a standard model Higgs boson of 5.2$\times\sigma_{\rm SM}$, where $\sigma_{\rm SM}$ is the standard model Higgs boson production cross section, while the expected limit is 4.7$\times\sigma_{\rm SM}$.
Titanium dioxide (TiO sub(2)) thin films have generated considerable interest over recent years, because they are functional materials suitable for a wide range of applications. The efficient use of ...the outstanding functional properties of these films relies strongly on their basic characteristics, such as structure and morphology, which are affected by deposition parameters. Here, we report on the influence of plasma power and precursor chemistry on the growth kinetics, structure and morphology of TiO sub(2) thin films grown on Si(100) by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD). For this, remote capacitively coupled 13.56 MHz oxygen plasma was used to act as a co-reactant during the ALD process using two different metal precursors: titanium tetrachloride (TiCl sub(4)) and titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP). Furthermore, we investigate the effect of direct plasma exposure during the co-reactant pulse on the aforementioned material properties. The extensive characterization of TiO sub(2) films using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, ellipsometry, x-ray diffraction (XRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) have revealed how the investigated process parameters affect their growth per cycle (GPC), crystallization and morphology. The GPC tends to increase with plasma power for both precursors, however, for the TTIP precursor, it starts decreasing when the plasma power is greater than 100 W. From XRD analysis, we found a good correlation between film crystallinity and GPC behavior, mainly for the TTIP process. The AFM images indicated the formation of films with grain size higher than film thickness (grain size/film thickness ratio approximately 20) for both precursors, and plasma power analysis allows us to infer that this phenomenon can be directly related to the increase of the flux of energetic oxygen species on the substrate/growing film surface. Finally, the effect of direct plasma exposure on film structure and morphology was evidenced showing that the grid removal causes a drastic reduction in the grain size, particularly for TiO sub(2) synthesized using TiCl sub(4).
BACKGROUND: The immunomodulatory effects of allogeneic blood transfusions have been attributed to the white cells (WBCs) present in the cellular blood components transfused to patients.
STUDY DESIGN ...AND METHODS: The effect of the transfusion of allogeneic red cells (RBCs) or allogeneic prestorage WBC‐reduced RBCs (WBC‐reduced RBCs) on host immune responsiveness was evaluated by measuring the lymphocyte subsets and the in‐vitro cytokine production in response to phytohemagglutinin stimulation of WBCs of orthopedic surgery patients. Forty‐seven patients undergoing hip replacement surgery were randomly assigned to receive allogeneic RBCs (n = 17) or WBC‐reduced RBCs (n = 14; 99.95% WBC removal). Sixteen patients were not transfused. Patient blood samples taken before surgery and on Days 1 and 4 after surgery were tested for complete blood count, lymphocyte subset analysis, and measurement of cytokine levels.
RESULTS: After surgery, the lymphocyte count was significantly decreased in patients transfused with ≥3 units of allogeneic RBCs (2.0 ± 0.5 vs. 1.3 ± 0.3 × 109/L; p = 0.017), but not in patients transfused with ≥3 units of WBC‐reduced RBCs (2.0 ± 0.9 vs. 1.7 ± 0.8 × 109/L). Compared with preoperative levels, on Day 4 after surgery, patients transfused with ≥3 units of allogeneic RBCs also had a decrease in the number of natural killer cells (0.07 ± 0.05 vs. 0.04 ± 0.03 × 109/L; p = 0.018). Postoperatively, interleukin‐2 was decreased in one patient who received WBC‐reduced RBCs compared with that in four patients transfused with allogeneic RBCs (p = 0.32), and eight untransfused patients (p = 0.01). On Day 4, about 70 percent of patients transfused with allogeneic RBCs showed a 20‐percent decrease in the interferon gamma level.
CONCLUSION: Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that transfusion of ≥3 units of allogeneic RBCs is associated with early postoperative lymphopenia in otherwise healthy individuals undergoing surgery. These findings were not observed in those individuals transfused with RBCs that had undergone prestorage WBC reduction.
We present a search for the standard model (SM) Higgs boson produced in association with a Z boson in 9.7 fb(-1) of p (p) over bar collisions collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron ...Collider at root s = 1.96 TeV. Selected events contain one reconstructed Z -> e(+) e(-) or Z -> mu(+) mu(-)candidate and at least two jets, including at least one jet identified as likely to contain a b quark. To validate the search procedure, we also measure the cross section for ZZ production in the same final state. It is found to be consistent with its SM prediction. We set upper limits on the ZH production cross section times branching ratio for H -> b (b) over bar at the 95% C.L. for Higgs boson masses 90 <= M-H <= 150 GeV. The observed (expected) limit for M-H = 125 GeV is 7.1 (5.1) times the SM cross section.
We report results from searches for neutral Higgs bosons produced in p{bar p} collisions recorded by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We study the production of inclusive neutral ...Higgs boson in the {tau}{tau} final state and in association with a b quark in the b{tau}{tau} and bbb final states. These results are combined to improve the sensitivity to the production of neutral Higgs bosons in the context of the minimal supersymmetric standard model (MSSM). The data are found to be consistent with expectation from background processes. Upper limits on MSSM Higgs boson production are set for Higgs boson masses ranging from 90 to 300 GeV. We exclude tan {beta} > 20-30 for Higgs boson masses below 180 GeV. These are the most stringent constraints on MSSM Higgs boson production in p{bar p} collisions.
ObjectiveThe currently available data concerning the influence of subclinical thyroid disease (STD) on morbidity and mortality are conflicting. Our objective was to investigate the relationships ...between STD and cardiometabolic profile and cardiovascular disease at baseline, as well as with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a 7.5-year follow-up.DesignProspective, observational study.MethodsAn overall of 1110 Japanese–Brazilians aged above 30 years, free of thyroid disease, and not taking thyroid medication at baseline were studied. In a cross-sectional analysis, we investigated the prevalence of STD and its relationship with cardiometabolic profile and cardiovascular disease. All-cause and cardiovascular mortality rates were assessed for participants followed for up to 7.5 years. Association between STD and mortality was drawn using multivariate analysis, adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsA total of 913 (82.3%) participants had euthyroidism, 99 (8.7%) had subclinical hypothyroidism, and 69 (6.2%) had subclinical hyperthyroidism. At baseline, no association was found between STD and cardiometabolic profile or cardiovascular disease. Multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs (95% confidence interval)) for all-cause mortality were significantly higher for individuals with both subclinical hyperthyroidism (HR, 3.0 (1.5–5.9); n=14) and subclinical hypothyroidism (HR, 2.3 (1.2–4.4); n=13) than for euthyroid subjects. Cardiovascular mortality was significantly associated with subclinical hyperthyroidism (HR, 3.3 (1.4–7.5); n=8), but not with subclinical hypothyroidism (HR, 1.6 (0.6–4.2); n=5).ConclusionIn the Japanese–Brazilian population, subclinical hyperthyroidism is an independent risk factor for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, while subclinical hypothyroidism is associated with all-cause mortality.
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