Composite particle production in relativistic Au+Au collisions at AGS: First results from the E866 forward spectrometer @ 2, 4, and 10.8 A{center_dot}GeV

Particle spectra were measured for Au + Au collisions at 2, 4, and 10. 8 A{center_dot}GeV using the E866 spectrometers. Recent results on proton emission and composite particle production form the E866 forward spectrometer data taken in 1994 together with the first results from the 1995/6 AGS running period are presented. Preliminary results indicate a decrease in the coalescence scaling coefficient with increasing projectile energy and centrality

Neutron Decay from Giant Resonances and the Isobaric Analog State in 120-Sb Populated in 120-Sn(3-He,t)120-Sb(n)119-Sb Charge Exchange

This research was sponsored by the National Science Foundation Grant NSF PHY-931478

Microbiome Analysis of Stool Samples from African Americans with Colon Polyps

Background: Colonic polyps are common tumors occurring in similar to 50% of Western populations with similar to 10% risk of malignant progression. Dietary agents have been considered the primary environmental exposure to promote colorectal cancer (CRC) development. However, the colonic mucosa is permanently in contact with the microbiota and its metabolic products including toxins that also have the potential to trigger oncogenic transformation. Aim: To analyze fecal DNA for microbiota composition and functional potential in African Americans with pre-neoplastic lesions. Materials & Methods: We analyzed the bacterial composition of stool samples from 6 healthy individuals and 6 patients with colon polyps using 16S ribosomal RNA-based phylogenetic microarray; the Human intestinal Tract Chip (HITChip) and 16S rRNA gene barcoded 454 pyrosequencing. The functional potential was determined by sequence-based metagenomics using 454 pyrosequencing. Results: Fecal microbiota profiling of samples from the healthy and polyp patients using both a phylogenetic microarraying (HITChip) and barcoded 454 pyrosequencing generated similar results. A distinction between both sets of samples was only obtained when the analysis was performed at the sub-genus level. Most of the species leading to the dissociation were from the Bacteroides group. The metagenomic analysis did not reveal major differences in bacterial gene prevalence/abundances between the two groups even when the analysis and comparisons were restricted to available Bacteroides genomes. Conclusion: This study reveals that at the pre-neoplastic stages, there is a trend showing microbiota changes between healthy and colon polyp patients at the sub-genus level. These differences were not reflected at the genome/functions levels. Bacteria and associated functions within the Bacteroides group need to be further analyzed and dissected to pinpoint potential actors in the early colon oncogenic transformation in a large sample size

Semiempirical Shell Model Masses with Magic Number Z=126 for Translead Elements with N smaller or equal to 126

A semiempirical shell model mass equation based on magic number Z=126 and applicable to translead elements with N smaller or equal to 126 is presented. For alpha decay energies the equation is shown to have a high predictive power and an rms deviation from the data of about 100 keV. The rms deviations for masses and other mass differences are between about 200 and 300 keV.Comment: 8 pages including 3 figures and 3 table

Au+Au Reactions at the AGS: Experiments E866 and E917

Particle production and correlation functions from Au+Au reactions have been measured as a function of both beam energy (2-10.7AGeV) and impact parameter. These results are used to probe the dynamics of heavy-ion reactions, confront hadronic models over a wide range of conditions and to search for the onset of new phenomena.Comment: 12 pages, 14 figures, Talk presented at Quark Matter '9

Production and use of 6He, 7Be, 8Li, 12B and metastable nuclear beams

A low energy (few MeV/nucleon), modest flux (104-107/s) radioactive nuclear beam (RNB) facility has been in operation for approximately three years at the University of Notre Dame Van de Graaff accelerator. This facility utilizes a compact superconducting solenoid lens, designed at the University of Michigan, with adjustable apertures to produce momentum-analyzed secondary beams via the direct transfer and other methods. Useable beams of 6He, 7Be, 8Li, 12B, 18F and to our knowledge the first isomeric beam, 18mF, have been produced and a first generation of RNB experiments has been successfully completed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/29368/1/0000438.pd

Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome in Iranian Professional Drivers: Results from a Population Based Study of 12,138 Men

It is evident that professional driving is associated with substantial changes in lifestyle habits. Professional drivers are prone to metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its complications because their working environment is characterized by numerous stress factors such as lack of physical activity due to working in a fixed position, disruption in diet, and irregular sleep habits. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of MetS among long distance drivers residing in West Azerbaijan province in Iran.To assess the prevalence of metabolic syndrome among professional long distance drivers, 12138 participants were enrolled in this cross sectional study. The MetS was defined using International Diabetes Federation criteria.Among12138 participants, 3697 subjects found to be MetS. The crude and age-adjusted rates of MetS were 30.5% and 32.4% respectively. Based on Body mass index (BMI), 5027 subjects (41.4%) were overweight (BMI ≥25.01–30 kg/m2), and 2592 (21.3%) were obese (BMI ≥30.01 kg/m2). The presence of central obesity was more common than other components. The associations of MetS with BMI, pack-year smoking, age, weekly driving duration and driving experiences were significant in the logistic regression. By increasing BMI, pack-year smoking, age, weekly driving duration and driving experiences, odds ratio of MetS was increased.The study suggests that MetS has become a noteworthy health problem among Iranian long distance drivers. This might be due to the following facts: sitting in a fixed position for long hours while working, cigarette smoking, job stress, unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity. Educational programs should be established for promoting healthy lifestyle and also for early detection and appropriate intervention

Social media and disasters: human security, environmental racism, and crisis communication in Hurricane Irma response

Social media has been widely recognized as key communication channel in disaster situations. However, there is limited empirical investigation on how the intersecting issues of social order, environmental impacts, and crisis communication unfold from the perspective of a social media user. This study examines 60,449 tweets to and from the news media in Florida during and immediately after Hurricane Irma in September, 2017. Based on a critical review of the literature coupled with an eight-category coding scheme (including second-hand reporting, reporting on self-experience, requesting help, coordinating relief efforts, and expressing well wishes), the article assesses the content and timing of tweets before, during, and after the storm. It finds that thematically, twitter coverage not only covers the storm itself but pressing social issues such as looting, price gouging, the privileging of elites in rebuilding efforts, environmental vulnerability, and abandoning pets. Temporally, the volume of different tweets peaked and dropped at different stages; for example, tweets about personal experience peaked when the hurricane hit the ground while requests for help peaked in the days after the hurricane. The study allows for a better understanding of the sociological, environmental, and even social justice impacts and related disaster response through the use of social media

IGF-I activates caspases 3/7, 8 and 9 but does not induce cell death in colorectal cancer cells

Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the western world. Chemotherapy is often ineffective to treat the advanced colorectal cancers due to the chemoresistance. A major contributor to chemo-resistance is tumour-derived inhibition or avoidance of apoptosis. Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) has been known to play a prominent role in colorectal cancer development and progression. The role of IGF-I in cancer cell apoptosis is not completely understood.Methods: Using three colorectal cancer cell lines and one muscle cell line, associations between IGF-I and activities of caspase 3/7, 8 and 9 have been examined; the role of insulin-like growth factor I receptor (IGF-IR) in the caspase activation has been investigated.Results: The results show that exogenous IGF-I significantly increases activity of caspases 3/7, 8 and 9 in all cell lines used; blocking IGF-I receptor reduce IGF-I-induced caspase activation. Further studies demonstrate that IGF-I induced caspase activation does not result in cell death. This is the first report to show that while IGF-I activates caspases 3/7, 8 and 9 it does not cause colorectal cancer cell death.Conclusion: The study suggests that caspase activation is not synonymous with apoptosis and that activation of caspases may not necessarily induce cell death