The Drinfel'd twisted XYZ model

We construct a factorizing Drinfel'd twist for a face type model equivalent to the XYZ model. Completely symmetric expressions for the operators of the monodromy matrix are obtained.Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures, second preprint no. added, reference [14] added, typos correcte

Observational Evidence for Young Radio Galaxies are Triggered by Accretion Disk Instability

The bolometric luminosities and black hole (BH) masses are estimated by various methods for a sample of young radio galaxies with known ages. We find that the ages are positively correlated with the bolometric luminosities in these young radio galaxies, which is consistent with theoretical prediction based on radiation pressure instability of accretion disk in Czerny et al. The ages of young radio galaxies are also found to be consistent with the theoretical durations of outbursts in BH mass and accretion rate (in Eddington unit) plane, where the outbursts are assumed to be triggered by the radiation pressure instabilities. Our results provide the observational evidence for the radiation pressure instability, which causes limit-cycle behavior, as a physical mechanism that may be responsible for these short-lived young radio galaxies.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted by ApJ Letter, emulateapj styl

Knowledge regarding and patterns of genetic testing in patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer participating in the iCanDecide trial

BackgroundThe current study reports rates of knowledge regarding the probability of a BRCA1 and/or S pathogenic variant and genetic testing in patients with breast cancer, collected as part of a randomized controlled trial of a tailored, comprehensive, and interactive decision tool (iCanDecide).MethodsA total of 537 patients newly diagnosed with early‐stage breast cancer were enrolled at the time of their first visit in 22 surgical practices, and were surveyed 5 weeks (496 patients; Response Rate [RR], 92%) after enrollment after treatment decision making. Primary outcomes included knowledge regarding the probability of carrying a BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 pathogenic variant and genetic testing after diagnosis.ResultsOverall knowledge regarding the probability of having a BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 pathogenic variant was low (29.8%). Significantly more patients in the intervention group compared with the control group had knowledge regarding the probability of a BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 pathogenic variant (35.8% vs 24.4%; P <.006). In multivariable logistic regression, the intervention arm remained significantly associated with knowledge regarding the probability of having a BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 pathogenic variant (odds ratio, 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.18‐2.70).ConclusionsThe results of the current study suggest that although knowledge concerning the probability of having a BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 pathogenic variant remains low in this patient population, the interactive decision tool improved rates compared with a static Web site. As interest in genetic testing continues to rise, so will the need to integrate tools into the treatment decision process to improve informed decision making.As interest in genetic testing increases, so will the need to integrate tools into the treatment decision process. Results from the current study suggest that although knowledge regarding the probability of a BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 pathogenic variant remains low in this patient population, the interactive decision tool improved rates compared with a static Web site.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146553/1/cncr31731.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/146553/2/cncr31731_am.pd

The prevalence of cubital tunnel syndrome: A cross-sectional study in a U.S. metropolitan cohort

BACKGROUND: Although cubital tunnel syndrome is the second most common peripheral mononeuropathy (after carpal tunnel syndrome) encountered in clinical practice, its prevalence in the population is unknown. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of cubital tunnel syndrome in the general population. METHODS: We surveyed a cohort of adult residents of the St. Louis metropolitan area to assess for the severity and localization of hand symptoms using the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire Symptom Severity Scale (BCTQ-SSS) and the Katz hand diagram. We identified subjects who met our case definitions for cubital tunnel syndrome and carpal tunnel syndrome: self-reported hand symptoms associated with a BCTQ-SSS score of >2 and localization of symptoms to the ulnar nerve or median nerve distributions. RESULTS: Of 1,001 individuals who participated in the cross-sectional survey, 75% were women and 79% of the cohort was white; the mean age (and standard deviation) was 46 ± 15.7 years. Using a more sensitive case definition (lax criteria), we identified 59 subjects (5.9%) with cubital tunnel syndrome and 68 subjects (6.8%) with carpal tunnel syndrome. Using a more specific case definition (strict criteria), we identified 18 subjects (1.8%) with cubital tunnel syndrome and 27 subjects (2.7%) with carpal tunnel syndrome. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of cubital tunnel syndrome in the general population may be higher than that reported previously. When compared with previous estimates of disease burden, the active surveillance technique used in this study may account for the higher reported prevalence. This finding suggests that a proportion of symptomatic subjects may not self-identify and may not seek medical treatment. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This baseline estimate of prevalence for cubital tunnel syndrome provides a valuable reference for future diagnostic and prognostic study research and for the development of clinical practice guidelines

Preoperative Exercise during Neoadjuvant Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer: A Pilot Study

Exercise improves cancer treatment outcomes including health-related quality of life and physical functioning. Patients with pancreatic cancer are generally older adults, and frailty and cachexia are prevalent. Chemotherapy and chemoradiation are increasingly administered prior to pancreatic cancer surgery, and sarcopenia has been shown to accompany these therapies. Preoperative exercise may improve health, well-being, and perioperative outcomes among patients undergoing preoperative therapy for pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the feasibility of exercise in this context. Feasibility was defined as patients completing, on average, 60% of recommended weekly exercise minutes. Twenty patients (M=64 years old, SD=9.9; 42% female) enrolled in a home-based exercise program during preoperative therapy (chemotherapy and/or chemoradiation and preoperative “rest”, M=21.2 weeks total, SD=16.4). Exercise recommendations included moderate-intensity walking for 20-30 minutes/day on ≥3 days/week and moderate-intensity resistance exercises for 30-45 minutes/day on ≥2 days/week. Exercise recommendations (120 minutes of moderate-intensity activity/week) were based on American College of Sports Medicine and American Cancer Society recommendations (150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity/week), but reduced due to patients’ older age and concurrent preoperative therapy. Resistance exercises targeted upper body, lower body, and abdominal muscles, and patients were instructed to perform 3 sets of 8-12 repetitions of multiple exercises for each region during each session. Patients received Yamax Digiwalker pedometers, graded resistance tube sets, and booklets and DVDs with instructions and safety tips. Research staff provided detailed instructions and resistance exercise demonstrations at enrollment and monitored and encouraged adherence with biweekly phone calls. Patients recorded minutes of walking and resistance exercise in daily logs. On average, patients reported 73.9 minutes of walking (\u3e100% of recommendation, SD=72.4) and 43.1 minutes of resistance exercise per week (71.8% of recommendation, SD=39.0). Patients reported the most walking during chemoradiation (M=94.7 minutes/week, SD=104.3), followed by preoperative “rest” (M=77.4 minutes/week, SD=80.4), and chemotherapy (M=70.8 minutes/week, SD=75.2). Patients reported the most resistance exercise during the preoperative “rest” period (M=51.6 minutes/week, SD=52.3), followed by chemoradiation (M=38.0 minutes/week, SD=36.8), and chemotherapy (M=31.1 minutes/week, SD=38.1). Walking and resistance exercise are feasible for patients undergoing preoperative therapy for pancreatic cancer. Varying levels of fatigue and treatment-related side effects may affect exercise during different treatment phases

Macroscopic transport by synthetic molecular machines

Nature uses molecular motors and machines in virtually every significant biological process, but demonstrating that simpler artificial structures operating through the same gross mechanisms can be interfaced with—and perform physical tasks in—the macroscopic world represents a significant hurdle for molecular nanotechnology. Here we describe a wholly synthetic molecular system that converts an external energy source (light) into biased brownian motion to transport a macroscopic cargo and do measurable work. The millimetre-scale directional transport of a liquid on a surface is achieved by using the biased brownian motion of stimuli-responsive rotaxanes (‘molecular shuttles’) to expose or conceal fluoroalkane residues and thereby modify surface tension. The collective operation of a monolayer of the molecular shuttles is sufficient to power the movement of a microlitre droplet of diiodomethane up a twelve-degree incline.

Nonlinear damping in mechanical resonators based on graphene and carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes and graphene allow fabricating outstanding nanomechanical resonators. They hold promise for various scientific and technological applications, including sensing of mass, force, and charge, as well as the study of quantum phenomena at the mesoscopic scale. Here, we have discovered that the dynamics of nanotube and graphene resonators is in fact highly exotic. We propose an unprecedented scenario where mechanical dissipation is entirely determined by nonlinear damping. As a striking consequence, the quality factor Q strongly depends on the amplitude of the motion. This scenario is radically different from that of other resonators, whose dissipation is dominated by a linear damping term. We believe that the difference stems from the reduced dimensionality of carbon nanotubes and graphene. Besides, we exploit the nonlinear nature of the damping to improve the figure of merit of nanotube/graphene resonators.Comment: main text with 4 figures, supplementary informatio

Decision‐support networks of women newly diagnosed with breast cancer

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138904/1/cncr30848_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138904/2/cncr30848.pd