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Biomedical subjects

G Busetto

Publications and source records attributed to G Busetto.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Production of chi(c1) and chi(c2) in pp collisions at sqrt[S] = 1.8 TeV.

We have measured the ratio of prompt production rates of the charmonium states chi(c1) and chi(c2) in 110 pb(-1) of pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.8 TeV. The photon from their decay into J/psi(gamma) is reconstructed through conversion into e+e- pairs. The energy resolution this technique provides makes the resolution of the two states possible. We find the ratio of production cross sections sigma(chi(c2))/sigma(chi(c1)) = 0.96+/-0.27(stat)+/-0.11(syst) for events with pT(J/psi) > 4.0 GeV/c, /eta(J/psi)/ < 0.6, and pT(gamma) > 1.0 GeV/c.

Journal Article↗

First measurement of the ratio B(t --> Wb)/B(t --> Wq) and associated limit on the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa element /V(tb)/.

We present the first measurement of the ratio of branching fractions R identical withB(t-->Wb)/B(t-->Wq) from p_p collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.8 TeV. The data set corresponds to 109 pb(-1) of data recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab during the 1992-95 Tevatron run. We measure R = 0.94(+0.31)(-0.24)(stat+syst) or R>0.61 (0.56) at 90% (95)% C.L., in agreement with the standard model predictions. This measurement yields a limit on the Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa quark mixing matrix element /V(tb)/ under the assumption of three generations and unitarity.

Journal Article↗

Measurement of J/psi and psi(2S) polarization in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.8 TeV.

We have measured the polarization of J/psi and psi(2S) mesons produced in pp collisions at sqrt[s] = 1.8 TeV, using data collected at the Collider Detector at Fermilab during 1992-1995. The polarization of promptly produced J/psi [psi(2S)] mesons is isolated from those produced in B-hadron decay, and measured over the kinematic range 4 [5.5]<P(T)<20 GeV/c and |y|<0.6. For P(T) greater than or approximately equal 12 GeV/c we do not observe significant polarization in the prompt component.

Journal Article↗

Search for scalar top and scalar bottom quarks in pp collisions at square root s=1.8 TeV.

We have searched for direct pair production of scalar top and scalar bottom quarks in 88 pb-1 of pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.8 TeV with the CDF detector. We looked for events with a pair of heavy flavor jets and missing energy, consistent with scalar top (bottom) quark decays to a charm (bottom) quark and a neutralino. The numbers of events that pass our selections show no significant deviation from standard model expectations. We compare our results to the next-to-leading order scalar quark production cross sections to exclude regions in scalar quark-neutralino mass parameter space.

Journal Article↗

Search for a W' boson via the decay mode W'-->munumu in 1.8 TeV pp collisions.

We report the results of a search for a W' boson produced in pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.8 TeV using a 107 pb-1 data sample recorded by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. We consider the decay channel W'-->&munumu and search for anomalous production of high transverse mass munumu lepton pairs. We observe no excess of events above background and set limits on the rate of W' boson production and decay relative to standard model W boson production and decay using a fit of the transverse mass distribution observed. If we assume standard model strength couplings of the W' boson to quark and lepton pairs, we exclude a W' boson with invariant mass less than 660 GeV/c2 at 95% confidence level.

Journal Article↗

Hebbian mechanisms revealed by electrical stimulation at developing rat neuromuscular junctions.

Synapse competition and elimination are widespread developmental processes, first demonstrated at neonatal neuromuscular junctions. Action potential activity was long shown to exert a powerful influence, but mechanisms and contribution relative to other factors are still not well understood. Here we show that replacement of natural motoneuronal discharge with synchronous activity suppresses elimination of polyneuronal innervation of myofibers. This requires the simultaneous chronic conduction block (tetrodotoxin) and distal electrical stimulation of motor axons during ectopic synaptogenesis in denervated adult soleus muscle. If in fact chronic stimulation is applied without central block of motor axons, the time course of synapse elimination is as fast as in control muscles undergoing natural activity. Our findings follow the prediction of Hebb's postulate and imply that asynchronous activity drives developmental synapse elimination in muscle. They further suggest that motoneurons could become transiently synchronized during development and regeneration, helping to establish the initial polyneuronal innervation.

Action Potentials↗

Use of dexamethasone with TTX block of nerve conduction shows that muscle membrane properties are fully controlled by evoked activity.

This paper provides further evidence that motorneurons control extrajunctional properties of skeletal muscles through the activity evoked in the muscle fibres. The experiments compare the amount of action potential resistance to tetrodotoxin (TTX resistance) in denervated soleus muscle with that in soleus whose nerve was crushed and then allowed to regenerate in the presence of a block of the sciatic impulse conduction. Measurements were taken after about 2-3 weeks to allow full reinnervation and recovery of trophic regulation by the nerve. Blocking sciatic impulse conduction with TTX solutions containing low doses of the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone induced values of extrajunctional TTX resistance identical to those caused by denervation. In contrast lower levels of TTX resistance were obtained with dexamethasone-free solutions or when the drug was administered through the systemic path rather than topically applied to the nerve. These results indicate that physiological neural regulatory signals other than activity do not participate to the regulation of extrajunctional properties of skeletal muscles. Furthermore the low levels of TTX resistance measured with dexamethasone-free blocks confirm our previous experiments indicating that reported differences between denervation and pure inactivity are attributable to incomplete suppression of nerve impulse conduction.

Animals↗

Studies on anterograde trophic interactions based on general muscle properties.

General properties of rat skeletal muscle (extrajunctional membrane and contractile properties) are subjected to tight physiological neural regulation, as indicated by their striking alterations (up- or down-regulation) following denervation. The main contributions of the literature concerning the nature of the neural signals which mediate this regulation, are reviewed. The physiological regulation of these general properties appears to be operated by the action potential activity evoked by motoneurons in the muscle fibres. No need to postulate the participation of nerve-borne chemical substances, acetylcholine or unidentified "trophic factors", arises from the main experimental evidence. The stronger response to denervation of extrajunctional membrane properties with respect to pure paralysis is best explained by actions of factors released during wallerian degeneration of the transected nerves.

Animals↗

Effects of long-term conduction block on membrane properties of reinnervated and normally innervated rat skeletal muscle.

1. Do motoneurons regulate muscle extrajunctional membrane properties through chemical (trophic) factors in addition to evoked activity? We addressed this question by comparing the effects of denervation and nerve conduction block by tetrodotoxin (TTX) on extrajunctional acetylcholine (ACh) sensitivity and action potential resistance to TTX in adult rats. 2. We applied TTX to sciatic or tibial nerves for up to 5 weeks using an improved blocking technique which completely suppresses conduction but avoids nerve damage. 3. Reinnervation by TTX-blocked axons had no effect on the high ACh sensitivity and TTX resistance induced by nerve crush. 4. Long-lasting block of intact nerves (up to 38 days) induced extrajunctional changes as pronounced as after denervation. At shorter times (3 days), however, denervation induced much larger changes than TTX block; such a difference is thus only transiently present in muscle. 5. The effects of long-lasting block were dose dependent. Dose levels (6.6 micrograms day-1) corresponding to those used in the literature to block the rat sciatic nerve induced muscle effects much smaller than those induced by denervation, confirming published data. Our novel finding is that equal effects are obtained using doses substantially higher (up to 10.5 micrograms day-1). For the soleus it was necessary in addition to apply the TTX directly to the smaller tibial nerve. 6. The TTX-blocked nerves were normal in their histological appearance and capacity to transport anterogradely 3H-labelled proteins, to release ACh in quantal and non-quantal form or cluster ACh receptors and induce functional ectopic junctions on denervated soleus muscles. 7. We conclude that muscle evoked activity is the physiological regulator of extrajunctional membrane properties. Chemical factors from the nerve do not appear to participate in this regulation. The stronger response to denervation at short times only is best accounted for by factors produced by degenerating nerves.

Acetylcholine↗