How Should We Modify the High Energy Interaction Models ?

An analysis has been made of the present situation with respect to the high energy hadron-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus interaction models as applied to cosmic rays. As is already known, there are inconsistencies in the interpretation of experimental data on the primary mass composition, which appear when different EAS components are used for the analyses, even for the same experiment. In the absence of obvious experimental defects, there is a clear need for an improvement to the existing models; we argue that the most promising way is to enlist two effects which should be present in nucleus- nucleus collisions but have not been allowed for before. These are: a few percent energy transfer into the EAS electromagnetic component due to electron- positron pair production or electromagnetic radiation of the quark-gluon plasma and a small slow-down of the cascading process in its initial stages associated with the extended lifetime of excited nuclear fragments. The latter process displaces the shower maximum deeper into the atmosphere.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, talk presented at XII International Symposium on Very High Energy Cosmic Ray Interactions, CERN, Geneva, 15-19 July 2002, to be published in Nucl.Phys.B (Proc. Suppl.

Developing a competence framework for cognitive analytic therapy

Objective This paper describes the development and summarizes the content of a competence framework for delivery of cognitive analytic therapy (CAT). Design The framework was developed using the evidence‐based method developed by Roth and Pilling (2008, Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 36, 129). Methods A review of the CAT outcome literature identified where CAT interventions had evidence of efficacy. Standard texts on CAT were primary sources for details of theory and practice. This process was supported by an expert reference group (ERG). The role of the ERG was to provide professional advice on areas where the evidence base was lacking, but where CAT interventions were commonly used by therapists trained in the model. Results A framework was produced and structured in terms of core knowledge, core skills, and meta‐competences (which require therapeutic judgement rather than simple adherence to a treatment protocol). Conclusions The framework enables trainees, service users, service managers, and commissioners to better understand a) the core features of CAT and b) what competences need to be in place for CAT to be skilfully delivered in practice. Practitioner points It is possible to define the core competences of CAT. Whilst generic competences are important, there are five CAT‐specific domains of competence. The CAT‐specific competences reflect the three‐phase structure of the therapy: reformulation, recognition, and revision

Exponential Time Complexity of Weighted Counting of Independent Sets

We consider weighted counting of independent sets using a rational weight x: Given a graph with n vertices, count its independent sets such that each set of size k contributes x^k. This is equivalent to computation of the partition function of the lattice gas with hard-core self-repulsion and hard-core pair interaction. We show the following conditional lower bounds: If counting the satisfying assignments of a 3-CNF formula in n variables (#3SAT) needs time 2^{\Omega(n)} (i.e. there is a c>0 such that no algorithm can solve #3SAT in time 2^{cn}), counting the independent sets of size n/3 of an n-vertex graph needs time 2^{\Omega(n)} and weighted counting of independent sets needs time 2^{\Omega(n/log^3 n)} for all rational weights x\neq 0. We have two technical ingredients: The first is a reduction from 3SAT to independent sets that preserves the number of solutions and increases the instance size only by a constant factor. Second, we devise a combination of vertex cloning and path addition. This graph transformation allows us to adapt a recent technique by Dell, Husfeldt, and Wahlen which enables interpolation by a family of reductions, each of which increases the instance size only polylogarithmically.Comment: Introduction revised, differences between versions of counting independent sets stated more precisely, minor improvements. 14 page

Theory of asymmetric non-additive binary hard-sphere mixtures

We show that the formal procedure of integrating out the degrees of freedom of the small spheres in a binary hard-sphere mixture works equally well for non-additive as it does for additive mixtures. For highly asymmetric mixtures (small size ratios) the resulting effective Hamiltonian of the one-component fluid of big spheres, which consists of an infinite number of many-body interactions, should be accurately approximated by truncating after the term describing the effective pair interaction. Using a density functional treatment developed originally for additive hard-sphere mixtures we determine the zero, one, and two-body contribution to the effective Hamiltonian. We demonstrate that even small degrees of positive or negative non-additivity have significant effect on the shape of the depletion potential. The second virial coefficient $B_2$, corresponding to the effective pair interaction between two big spheres, is found to be a sensitive measure of the effects of non-additivity. The variation of $B_2$ with the density of the small spheres shows significantly different behavior for additive, slightly positive and slightly negative non-additive mixtures. We discuss the possible repercussions of these results for the phase behavior of binary hard-sphere mixtures and suggest that measurements of $B_2$ might provide a means of determining the degree of non-additivity in real colloidal mixtures

Guidelines Manual for Minimizing Water Quality Impacts from Highway Maintenance Practices: Volume IV

DTFH61-82-C-00085This manual, Volume IV in a four-volume series of reports relating to water quality impacts of highway maintenance practices, provides practical guidance to highway agency maintenance personnel for minimizing impacts to water resources from maintenance practices while keeping highway agency costs at a minimum. The manual identifies those maintenance practices most commonly employed by highway agencies throughout the United States and describes each in terms of its potential for causing adverse impacts to water quality. Available mitigation measures for maintenance practices with the potential to impact water quality are identified, and guidance is given for selecting the most cost-effective practices

Context-dependent interpretation of the prognostic value of BRAF and KRAS mutations in colorectal cancer.

The mutation status of the BRAF and KRAS genes has been proposed as prognostic biomarker in colorectal cancer. Of them, only the BRAF V600E mutation has been validated independently as prognostic for overall survival and survival after relapse, while the prognostic value of KRAS mutation is still unclear. We investigated the prognostic value of BRAF and KRAS mutations in various contexts defined by stratifications of the patient population. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of patients with stage II and III colorectal cancer from the PETACC-3 clinical trial (N = 1,423), by assessing the prognostic value of the BRAF and KRAS mutations in subpopulations defined by all possible combinations of the following clinico-pathological variables: T stage, N stage, tumor site, tumor grade and microsatellite instability status. In each such subpopulation, the prognostic value was assessed by log rank test for three endpoints: overall survival, relapse-free survival, and survival after relapse. The significance level was set to 0.01 for Bonferroni-adjusted p-values, and a second threshold for a trend towards statistical significance was set at 0.05 for unadjusted p-values. The significance of the interactions was tested by Wald test, with significance level of 0.05. In stage II-III colorectal cancer, BRAF mutation was confirmed a marker of poor survival only in subpopulations involving microsatellite stable and left-sided tumors, with higher effects than in the whole population. There was no evidence for prognostic value in microsatellite instable or right-sided tumor groups. We found that BRAF was also prognostic for relapse-free survival in some subpopulations. We found no evidence that KRAS mutations had prognostic value, although a trend was observed in some stratifications. We also show evidence of heterogeneity in survival of patients with BRAF V600E mutation. The BRAF mutation represents an additional risk factor only in some subpopulations of colorectal cancers, in others having limited prognostic value. However, in the subpopulations where it is prognostic, it represents a marker of much higher risk than previously considered. KRAS mutation status does not seem to represent a strong prognostic variable

Prognosis of stage II and III colon cancer treated with adjuvant 5-fluorouracil or FOLFIRI in relation to microsatellite status: results of the PETACC-3 trial?.

BACKGROUND: Although colon cancer (CC) with microsatellite instability (MSI) has a more favorable prognosis than microsatellite stable (MSS) CC, the impact varies according to clinicopathological parameters. We studied how MSI status affects prognosis in a trial-based cohort of stage II and III CC patients treated with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/leucovorin or FOLFIRI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tissue specimens of 1254 patients were tested for 10 different loci and were classified as MSI-high (MSI-H) when three or more loci were unstable and MSS otherwise. Study end points were overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). RESULTS: In stage II, RFS and OS were better for patients with MSI-H than with MSS CC [hazard ratio (HR) 0.26, 95% CI 0.10-0.65, P = 0.004 and 0.16, 95% CI 0.04-0.64, P = 0.01). In stage III, RFS was slightly better for patients with MSI-H CC (HR 0.67, 95% CI 0.46-0.99, P = 0.04), but the difference was not statistically significant for OS (HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.44-1.09, P = 0.11). Outcomes for patients with MSI-H CC were not different between the two treatment arms. RFS was better for patients with MSI-H than with MSS CC in the right and left colon, whereas for OS this was significant only in the right colon. For patients with KRAS- and BRAF-mutated CC, but not for double wild-type patients, RFS and OS were significantly better when the tumors were also MSI-H. An interaction test was statistically significant for KRAS and MSI status (P = 0.005), but not for BRAF status (P = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that for patients with stage II CC but less so for those with stage III MSI-H is strongly prognostic for RFS and OS. In the presence of 5-FU treatment, stage II patients with MSI-H tumors maintain their survival advantage in comparison with MSS patients and adding irinotecan has no added benefit. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: NCT00026273

Local influence of boundary conditions on a confined supercooled colloidal liquid

We study confined colloidal suspensions as a model system which approximates the behavior of confined small molecule glass-formers. Dense colloidal suspensions become glassier when confined between parallel glass plates. We use confocal microscopy to study the motion of confined colloidal particles. In particular, we examine the influence particles stuck to the glass plates have on nearby free particles. Confinement appears to be the primary influence slowing free particle motion, and proximity to stuck particles causes a secondary reduction in the mobility of free particles. Overall, particle mobility is fairly constant across the width of the sample chamber, but a strong asymmetry in boundary conditions results in a slight gradient of particle mobility.Comment: For conference proceedings, "Dynamics in Confinement", Grenoble, March 201