Results on CP Violation from the NA48 experiment at CERN

In this article the current status and latest results of the NA48 experiment at CERN are given. We present in more details the analysis performed for the Re(e'/e) measurement with the combined statistics accumulated during the 1998 and 1999 data periods. Reviewing the NA48 rare decay program, we select to underline the new results on the branching ratio and the A_v factor for the decay KL->pi0gg and the KL->pi+pi-e+e- CP violating decay. This article is the contribution to the Proceedings of the Lepton-Photon Conference held in Roma, July 23-29 2001.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, contribution to the Lepton-Photon 2001 Conference Proceedings -ne

Faddeev-chiral unitary approach to the K(-)d scattering length

Our earlier Faddeev three-body study in the K--deuteron scattering length, AK-d, is revisited here in light of the recent developments on two fronts: (i) the improved chiral unitary approach to the theoretical description of the coupled K̄N related channels at low energies, and (ii) the new and improved measurement from SIDDHARTA Collaboration of the strong interaction energy shift and width in the lowest K --hydrogen atomic level. Those two, in combination, have allowed us to produce a reliable two-body input to the three-body calculation. All available low-energy K-p observables are well reproduced and predictions for the K̄N scattering lengths and amplitudes, (πΣ)â̂̃ invariant-mass spectra, as well as for AK-d are put forward and compared with results from other sources. The findings of the present work are expected to be useful in interpreting the forthcoming data from CLAS, HADES, LEPS, and SIDDHARTA Collaborations. © 2013 American Physical Society.T. Mizutani, C. Fayard, B. Saghai, K. Tsushim

Salivary gland-specific <i>P. berghei</i> reporter lines enable rapid evaluation of tissue-specific sporozoite loads in mosquitoes

Malaria is a life-threatening human infectious disease transmitted by mosquitoes. Levels of the salivary gland sporozoites (sgs), the only mosquito stage infectious to a mammalian host, represent an important cumulative index of &lt;i&gt;Plasmodium&lt;/i&gt; development within a mosquito. However, current techniques of sgs quantification are laborious and imprecise. Here, transgenic &lt;i&gt;P. berghei&lt;/i&gt; reporter lines that produce the green fluorescent protein fused to luciferase (GFP-LUC) specifically in sgs were generated, verified and characterised. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed the sgs stage specificity of expression of the reporter gene. The luciferase activity of the reporter lines was then exploited to establish a simple and fast biochemical assay to evaluate sgs loads in whole mosquitoes. Using this assay we successfully identified differences in sgs loads in mosquitoes silenced for genes that display opposing effects on &lt;i&gt;P. berghei&lt;/i&gt; ookinete/oocyst development. It offers a new powerful tool to study infectivity of &lt;i&gt;P. berghei&lt;/i&gt; to the mosquito, including analysis of vector-parasite interactions and evaluation of transmission-blocking vaccines

Bearing area curve based partitioning for the verification of theoretical supplemental geometry on additively manufactured lattice structures

The geometrical qualification of additively manufactured lattice structures has largely focused on the mea-surement of strut diameter, form variations, and surface texture. However, the exterior surfaces of the lattice structure, defined through theoretical supplemental geometry, are critical surfaces that dictate the contact area of the structure on other components within assemblies. Form variations on these surfaces complicate the measurement process by adding ambiguity into what surfaces of the component belong to the controlled ge-ometry. Previous works have developed novel methods to improve data extraction for the measurement of these surfaces using computer aided design (CAD) data for various lattice structures. This work presents an adaptation of these methods to work with additively manufactured (AM) geometries, specifically designing the methodology to account for the form variations between lattice struts. The presented results show the applicability of these methods to AM lattice structures for the measurement of form defined by a theoretical supplemental surface

Three-Body approach to the K^- d Scattering Length in Particle Basis

We report on the first calculation of the scattering length A_{K^-d} based on a relativistic three-body approach where the two-body input amplitudes coupled to the Kbar N channels have been obtained with the chiral SU(3) constraint, but with isospin symmetry breaking effects taken into account. Results are compared with a recent calculation applying a similar set of two-body amplitudes,based on the fixed center approximation, considered as a good approximation for a loosely bound target, and for which we find significant deviations from the exact three-body results. Effects of the hyperon-nucleon interaction, and deuteron $D$-wave component are also evaluated.Comment: 5 pages, Submitted to Phys. Rev.

Streamlining Sporozoite Isolation From Mosquitoes by Leveraging the Dynamics of Migration to the Salivary Glands

Background: Sporozoites isolated from the salivary glands of Plasmodium-infected mosquitoes are a prerequisite for several basic and pre-clinical applications. Although salivary glands are pooled to maximize sporozoite recovery, insufficient yields pose logistical and analytical hurdles; thus, predicting yields prior to isolation would be valuable. Preceding oocyst densities in the midgut is an obvious candidate. However, it is unclear whether current understanding of its relationship with sporozoite densities can be used to maximize yields, or whether it can capture the potential density-dependence in rates of sporozoite invasion of the salivary glands. Methods: This study presents a retrospective analysis of Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes infected with two strains of the rodent-specific Plasmodium berghei. Mean oocyst densities were estimated in the midguts earlier in the infection (11-15 days post-blood meal), with sporozoites pooled from the salivary glands later in the infection (17-29 days). Generalized linear mixed effects models were used to determine if (1) mean oocyst densities can predict sporozoite yields from pooled salivary glands, (2) whether these densities can capture differences in rates of sporozoite invasion of salivary glands, and (3), if the interaction between oocyst densities and time could be leveraged to boost overall yields. Results: The non-linear effect of mean oocyst densities confirmed the role of density-dependent constraints in limiting yields beyond certain oocyst densities. Irrespective of oocyst densities however, the continued invasion of salivary glands by the sporozoites boosted recoveries over time (17-29 days post-blood meal) for either parasite strain. Conclusions: Sporozoite invasion of the salivary glands over time can be leveraged to maximize yields for P. berghei. In general, however, invasion of the salivary glands over time is a critical fitness determinant for all Plasmodium species (extrinsic incubation period, EIP). Thus, delaying sporozoite collection could, in principle, substantially reduce dissection effort for any parasite within the genus, with the results also alluding to the potential for changes in sporozoites densities over time to modify infectivity for the next host

Return to sport and re-tears after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in children and adolescents

BACKGROUND: The primary objective of this study was to determine the time to and level of return to sports after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in children and adolescents. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the risk of early ACL re-tear after return to sports and the risk of ACL tear in the contralateral knee. HYPOTHESIS: The time to return to sports in young patients is considerably longer than in adults. METHODS: A prospective multicentre study was conducted at 12 centres specialised in knee ligament surgery, in children and adolescents younger than 18 years, between 1 January 2015 and 31 October 2015. The patients were divided into a paediatric group with open physes and a skeletally mature group with closed physes. We recorded the time to return to sport, the type of sport resumed, and the occurrence of early re-tears on the same side. A poor outcome was defined as a re-tear or an objective IKDC score of C or D. A contralateral ACL tear was not considered a poor outcome. RESULTS: Of 278 included patients, 100 had open physes and 178 closed physes. In the open physes group, return to running occurred after 10.4±4.7 months, return to pivoting/contact sport training after 13.1±3.9 months, and return to pivoting/contact sport competitions after 13.8±3.8 months. Of the 100 patients, 80% returned to the same sport and 63.5% to pivoting/contact sport competitions. Re-tears occurred in 9% of patients, after 11.8±4.1 months, and contralateral tears in 6% of patients, after 17.2±4.4 months. In all, 19.4% of patients had a poor outcome, including 10.4% with an IKDC score of C or D and 9% with re-tears. In the group with closed physes, return to running occurred after 8.8±5.1 months, return to pivoting/contact sport training after 11.7±4.7 months, and return to pivoting/contact sport competitions after 12.3±4.2 months. Of the 178 patients, 76.9% returned to the same sport and 55.6% to pivoting/contact sport competitions. The re-tear rate was only 2.8% and the contralateral tear rate 5%. In all, 14.7% of patients had poor outcome, including 11.9% with an IKDC score of C or D and 2.8% with re-tears. No risk factors for re-tears were identified; the quadruple-bundle semitendinosus technique showed a non-significant association with re-tears. CONCLUSION: In young children, the return to sport time after ACL reconstruction is considerably longer than 1 year and the return to competitions occurs later and is more difficult. The results of this study indicate that reservations are in order when informing the family about return to sports prospects after ACL reconstruction. The return to pivoting/contact sport competitions should not be allowed until 14 months after surgery in young skeletally immature patients, and the risk of re-injury is high within the first 2 years. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV, retrospective study

Is nasal carriage of the main acquisition pathway for surgical-site infection in orthopaedic surgery?

International audienceThe endogenous or exogenous origin of , responsible for orthopaedic surgical-site infections (SSI), remains debated. We conducted a multicentre prospective cohort study to analyse the respective part of exogenous contamination and endogenous self-inoculation by during elective orthopaedic surgery. The nose of each consecutive patient was sampled before surgery. Strains of isolated from the nose and the wound, in the case of SSI, were compared by antibiotypes or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). A total of 3,908 consecutive patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery were included. Seventy-seven patients developed an SSI (2%), including 22 related to (0.6%). was isolated from the nose of 790 patients (20.2%) at the time of surgery. In the multivariate analysis, nasal carriage was found to be a risk factor for SSI in orthopaedic surgery. However, only nine subjects exhibiting SSI had been found to be carriers before surgery: when compared, three pairs of strains were considered to be different and six similar. In most cases of SSI, either an endogenous origin could not be demonstrated or pre-operative nasal colonisation retrieved a strain that was different from the one recovered from the surgical sit