Covariant equations for the three-body bound state

The covariant spectator (or Gross) equations for the bound state of three identical spin 1/2 particles, in which two of the three interacting particles are always on shell, are developed and reduced to a form suitable for numerical solution. The equations are first written in operator form and compared to the Bethe-Salpeter equation, then expanded into plane wave momentum states, and finally expanded into partial waves using the three-body helicity formalism first introduced by Wick. In order to solve the equations, the two-body scattering amplitudes must be boosted from the overall three-body rest frame to their individual two-body rest frames, and all effects which arise from these boosts, including the Wigner rotations and rho-spin decomposition of the off-shell particle, are treated exactly. In their final form, the equations reduce to a coupled set of Faddeev-like double integral equations with additional channels arising from the negative rho-spin states of the off-shell particle.Comment: 57 pages, RevTeX, 6 figures, uses epsf.st

Relativistic Effect on Low-Energy Nucleon-Deuteron Scattering

The relativistic effect on differential cross sections, nucleon-to-nucleon and nucleon-to-deuteron polarization transfer coefficients, and the spin correlation function, of nucleon-deuteron elastic scattering is investigated employing several three-dimensional relativistic three-body equations and several nucleon-nucleon potentials. The polarization transfer coefficients are found to be sensitive to the details of the nucleon-nucleon potentials and the relativistic dynamics employed, and prefer trinucleon models with the correct triton binding energy. (To appear in Phys. Rev. C)Comment: pages: 21, LaTex text + 7 ps-figures at the en

Ξ−d→nΛΛ\Xi^{-} d\to n\Lambda\Lambda and the ΛΛ\Lambda\Lambda final state interaction

The reaction $\Xi^-d\to n\Lambda\Lambda$ is studied within the framework of the Faddeev equations as a possible tool to gain insight into the final state $\Lambda$--$\Lambda$ interaction. The neutron differential energy spectrum gives a final state interaction that is sensitive to both the $\Lambda$--$\Lambda$ amplitude at threshold, and the coupling between the $\Lambda$--$\Lambda$ and $\Xi$--$N$ channels. The latter is a result of interference between two mechanisms for the production of the final state, which suggests that this reaction could give a measure of flavor SU(3) violation in the two-baryon system.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Physical Reviw

Multi-marker immunofluorescent staining and pd-l1 detection on circulating tumour cells from ovarian cancer patients

Detection of ovarian cancer (OC) circulating tumour cells (CTCs) is primarily based on targeting epithelial markers, thus failing to detect mesenchymal tumour cells. More importantly, the immune checkpoint inhibitor marker PD-L1 has not been demonstrated on CTCs from OC patients. An antibody staining protocol was developed and tested using SKOV-3 and OVCA432 OC cell lines. We targeted epithelial (cytokeratin (CK) and EpCAM), mesenchymal (vimentin), and OC-specific (PAX8) markers for detection of CTCs, and CD45/16 and CD31 were used for the exclusion of white blood and vascular endothelial cells, respectively. PD-L1 was used for CTC characterisation. CTCs were enriched using the Parsortix™ system from 16 OC patients. Results revealed the presence of CTCs in 10 (63%) cases. CTCs were heterogeneous, with 113/157 (72%) cells positive for CK/EpCAM (epithelial marker), 58/157 (37%) positive for vimentin (mesenchymal marker), and 17/157 (11%) for both (hybrid). PAX8 was only found in 11/157 (7%) CTCs. In addition, 62/157 (39%) CTCs were positive for PD-L1. Positivity for PD-L1 was significantly associated with the hybrid phenotype when compared with the epithelial (p = 0.007) and mesenchymal (p = 0.0009) expressing CTCs. Characterisation of CTC phenotypes in relation to clinical outcomes is needed to provide insight into the role that epithelial to mesenchymal plasticity plays in OC and its relationship with PD-L1

If these data could talk

In the last few decades, data-driven methods have come to dominate many fields of scientific inquiry. Open data and open-source software have enabled the rapid implementation of novel methods to manage and analyze the growing flood of data. However, it has become apparent that many scientfic fields exhibit distressingly low rates of repeatability and reproducibility. Although there are many dimensions to this issue, we believe that there is a lack of formalism used when describing end-to-end published results, from the data source to the analysis to the final published results. Even when authors do their best to make their research and data accessible, this lack of formalism reduces the clarity and effciency of reporting, which contributes to issues of reproducibility. Data provenance aids both repeatability and reproducibility through systematic and formal records of the relationships among data sources, processes, datasets, publications and researchers.Engineering and Applied SciencesOrganismic and Evolutionary Biolog

Intradialytic hyperalimentation as adjuvant support in pregnant hemodialysis patients: case report and review of the literature

Pregnancy in chronic dialysis patients is unusual and associated with many complications. Infants are often born both prematurely and small for gestational age. We report a case of a 36-year-old diabetic hemodialysis patient G4P3 who had prolonged hyperemesis gravidarum, for whom intradialytic parenteral nutrition (IDPN) was started at week 14 and continued throughout her pregnancy. She delivered a 3.5-kg baby girl at the 36th week of gestation by cesarean section. We discuss the use of IDPN as adjunct therapy for pregnant dialysis patients