G. Marini

The production of beauty particles in π−-U interactions at 320 GeV energy

Abstract B B production in π − -uranium interactions has been observed at 320 GeV beam energy looking at events with three muons in the final state. The cross section is found to be σ B B = 4.5±1.4±1.4 nb per nucleon (for a linear A -dependence) or σ B B = 17.6±5.5±5.5 nb per nucleon (assuming A 0.75 dependence). An estimate of x F distribution is given.

Experimental study of BB production π-U interactions at 320 GeV energy

Abstract A sample of 29 gu + υ + 35 υ − υ − coming from B B decay have been observed in π -U interactions at 320 GeV energy. The experimental distributions and the total cross section are found to be in good agreement with QCD predictions. The effect of B 0 B 0 mixing is discussed.

BB inclusive cross section in 320 GeV π−-uranium interactions

Abstract The inclusive cross section for B B production by 320 GeV π− on uranium has been measured, assuming different production models and a variable amount of B0− B 0 mixing. A comparison of our results with those of the NA10 Collaboration is performed. The J/Ψ inclusive production cross section has also been measured in our experiment and agrees well with existing data, thus confirming the accuracy of our overall normalization.

A Muon Spectrometer With Calorimeter Dump Used for the Beauty Search at the {CERN} Super Proton Synchrotron

Abstract A detailed description is given of the WA78 apparatus, which combines a dump calorimeter and a muon spectrometer and is used to measure the cross-section for B B production by a high-intensity 320 GeV π − beam. The performance of the various parts of the equipment is discussed. In particular, we consider all the problems related to the calorimetric measurement in high-rate conditions.

Is Health Care Expenditure Really a Luxury Good? Re-Assessment and New Evidence Based on OECD Data

The aim of the paper is to present new evidence on the relationship between income and health expenditure allowing for (i) substitution and complementary relationships between private and public health expenditure, (ii) presence of structural breaks in the dependent variables, and (iii) presence of heterogeneous institutional setting (country-specific health systems). Our results show that income elasticity is quite sensitive to the inclusion of technology variables and to health system heterogeneity, that complementary and substitution relationships play an important role in determining public and private health expenditure and, finally, that public and private health expenditures are both related with a cyclical indicator of economic activity.

Experimental search for associated gluino production and decay in 350 GeV/cπ− emulsion interactions

Abstract A search for direct evidence of the production and subsequent decay of gluinos has been performed in nuclear emulsions. The emulsion stacks were exposed, as part of a large hybrid apparatus, to a beam of 350GeV/ c π t- mesons, and events were selected on the basis of a “missing-energy” trigger. The missing-energy signature is expected to be a characteristic feature of events in which gluinos are produced and subsequently decay into hadrons and almost non-interacting photinos. The negative result of this search sets an upper limit to the production cross section of light gluinos.

Cost-Containment Policies and Hospital Efficiency: Evidence from a Panel of Italian Hospitals

The main objective of this article is to evaluate to which extent the set of national and regional cost control policies implemented in recent years in Italy have affected hospital activity. Our contribution is mainly empirical as we focus our attention on the impact that policies like hospital mergers and regional bailout plans had on inefficiency. We use a rich longitudinal sample of Italian hospitals over the period 1999-2007 and perform a Bayesian analysis of the random-effects stochastic frontier model proposed by Greene (2005), allowing for a one-step estimation of both production frontier parameters and inefficiency effects. Results show that hospital inefficiency has changed over time and that part of this change could be ascribed to the mentioned policies.

A-dependence of low-mass muon pair production in 300 GeV/c p and 320 GeV/cπ− interactions

Abstract The A-dependence of inclusive μ+μ− production is measured in the kinematical region 2mμ⩽m(μ+μ−) ⪅1.5 GeV/c2, 0.1≲xF(μ+μ−) ≲0.6, using a 300 GeV/cp beam and a 320 GeV/cπ− beam, on Al, Fe, and U targets. Assuming that the production cross section varies as Aα, we obtain α=0.68±0.03−0.05+0.02 for the beam and α=0.8+-0.02−0.05+0.02 for the the π− beam.

Hadroproduction of BB pairs in π− U interactions at 320 GeV energy

Abstract A signal from B B associated production in π − Uranium interactions at 320 GeV, has been observed looking at events with three muons and two like-sign muons in the final state. The experimental energy and p T distributions of muons as well as the total cross section are in good agreement with QCD predictions.