We report the first measurements of inclusive W and Z boson cross sections times the corresponding leptonic branching ratios for pp collisions at √ s = 1.96 TeV based on the decays of the W and Z bosons into electrons and muons. The data were recorded with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab 4Tevatron and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 72.0 ± 4.3 pb −1 . We test e-µ lepton universality in W decays by measuring the ratio of the W → µν to W → eν cross sections and determine a value of 0.991 ± 0.004(stat.) ± 0.011(syst.) for the ratio of W −ℓ−ν couplings (gµ/ge). Since there is no sign of non-universality, we combine our cross section measurements in the different lepton decay modes and obtain σW ×Br(pp → W → ℓν) = 2.749 ± 0.010(stat.) ± 0.053(syst.) ± 0.165(lum.) nb and σ γ * /Z × Br(pp → γ * /Z → ℓℓ) = 254.9 ± 3.3(stat.) ± 4.6(syst.) ± 15.2(lum.) pb for dilepton pairs in the mass range between 66 GeV/c 2 and 116 GeV/c 2 . We compute the ratio R of the W → ℓν to Z → ℓℓ cross sections taking all correlations among channels into account and obtain R = 10.84 ± 0.15(stat.) ± 0.14(syst.) including a correction for the virtual photon exchange component in our measured γ * /Z → ℓℓ cross section. Based on the measured value of R, we extract values for the W leptonic branching ratio, Br(W → ℓν) = 0.1082 ± 0.0022; the total width of the W boson, Γ(W ) = 2092 ± 42 MeV; and the ratio of W and Z boson total widths, Γ(W )/Γ(Z) = 0.838 ± 0.017. In addition, we use our extracted value of Γ(W ) whose value depends on various electroweak parameters and certain CKM matrix elements to constrain the Vcs CKM matrix element, |Vcs| = 0.976± 0.030.

In this paper we develop an approach to soft scattering processes at high energies, which is based on two mechanisms: Good-Walker mechanism for low mass diffraction and multi-Pomeron interactions for high mass diffraction. The pricipal idea, that allows us to specify the theory for Pomeron interactions, is that the so called soft processes occur at rather short distances (r 2 ∝ 1/ < p t > 2 ∝ α ′ IP ≈ 0.01 GeV −2 ), where perturbative QCD is valid. The value of the Pomeron slope α ′ IP was obtained from the fit to experimental data. Using this theoretical approach we suggest a model that fits all soft data in the ISR-Tevatron energy range, the total, elastic, single and double diffractive cross sections, including t dependence of the differential elastic cross section, and the mass dependence of single diffraction. In this model we calculate the survival probability of diffractive Higgs production, and obtained a value for this observable, which is smaller than 1% at the LHC energy range.

We studied cancer mortality in a cohort of 5,573 women with scoliosis and other spine disorders diagnosed between 1912 and 1965, and who were exposed to frequent diagnostic X-ray procedures. Patients were identified from medical records in 14 orthopedic medical centers in the United States and followed for vital status and address through Dec 31, 2004, using publicly available regional, state, and nation-wide databases. Causes of death were obtained from death certificates or through linkage with the National Death Index (NDI). Statistical analyses included standardized mortality ratios (SMR=observed/expected) based on death rates for U.S. females, and internal comparisons using Cox regression models with attained age as the time scale. Diagnostic radiation exposure was estimated from radiology files for over 137,000 procedures; estimated average cumulative radiation doses to the breast, lung, thyroid and bone marrow were 10.9, 4.1, 7.4, and 1.0 cGy, respectively. After a median follow-up period of 47 years, 1527 women died including 355 from cancer. Cancer mortality was 8% higher than expected (95% CI=0.97–1.20). Mortality from breast cancer was significantly elevated (SMR=1.68; 95% CI: 1.38–2.02), whereas death rates from several other cancers were below expectation, in particular lung (SMR=0.77), cervical (SMR=0.31), and liver (SMR=0.17). The excess relative risk (ERR) for breast cancer mortality increased significantly with 10-yr lagged radiation dose to the breast (ERR/Gy=3.9; 95% CI: 1.0–9.3).

The classification and grading of papillary urothelial neoplasms has been a long-standing subject of controversy. Previously, numerous diverse grading schemes for bladder tumor, including the 1973 World Health Organization (WHO) classification, existed whereby one of the major limitations was poor inter-observer reproducibility among pathologists. The WHO/International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) consensus classification system of urothelial neoplasms of the urinary bladder was developed in 1998 and was revised most recently in 2003 (published in 2004). Importantly, the current classification system provides detailed histological criteria for papillary urothelial lesions and allows for designation of a lesion (papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential) with a negligible risk of progression. Thus, the latest system is designed to be a universally acceptable one for bladder tumors that not only could be effectively used by pathologists, urologists, and oncologists, but also stratifies the tumors into prognostically significant categories. This article outlines the 2004 WHO/ISUP classification system regarding the specific histological criteria for non-invasive papillary urothelial neoplasms and the clinical significance of each category.