Extra-osseous osteochondroma-like soft tissue mass of the patello-femoral space

BACKGROUND: Extraskeletal cartilaginous tumors are uncommon. Osteochondromas usually arise from the metaphyseal region of the growing skeleton. CASE PRESENTATION: A 53 year old man presented with a three years history of anterior knee pain and inability to flex his knee more than 90°. Clinical examination and imaging studies revealed a nodular calcific mass in the anterior portion of the knee, displacing the medial portion of the patellar tendon. Following excision, histopathology confirmed the diagnosis of extra-osseous osteochondroma-like soft tissue mass, with no recurrence 24 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: An integrated clinical-pathologic diagnosis helps to clarify the nature of extraskeletal cartilaginous tumors that can arise at unusual anatomic site. Complete local surgical excision is the management of choice

Transverse phase-locking in fully frustrated Josephson junction arrays: a new type of fractional giant steps

We study, analytically and numerically, phase locking of driven vortex lattices in fully-frustrated Josephson junction arrays at zero temperature. We consider the case when an ac current is applied {\it perpendicular} to a dc current. We observe phase locking, steps in the current-voltage characteristics, with a dependence on external ac-drive amplitude and frequency qualitatively different from the Shapiro steps, observed when the ac and dc currents are applied in parallel. Further, the critical current increases with increasing transverse ac-drive amplitude, while it decreases for longitudinal ac-drive. The critical current and the phase-locked current step width, increase quadratically with (small) amplitudes of the ac-drive. For larger amplitudes of the transverse ac-signal, we find windows where the critical current is hysteretic, and windows where phase locking is suppressed due to dynamical instabilities. We characterize the dynamical states around the phase-locking interference condition in the $IV$ curve with voltage noise, Lyapunov exponents and Poincar\'e sections. We find that zero temperature phase-locking behavior in large fully frustrated arrays is well described by an effective four plaquette model.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figure

The effects of integrated care: a systematic review of UK and international evidence

BACKGROUND: Healthcare systems around the world have been responding to the demand for better integrated models of service delivery. However, there is a need for further clarity regarding the effects of these new models of integration, and exploration regarding whether models introduced in other care systems may achieve similar outcomes in a UK national health service context. METHODS: The study aimed to carry out a systematic review of the effects of integration or co-ordination between healthcare services, or between health and social care on service delivery outcomes including effectiveness, efficiency and quality of care. Electronic databases including MEDLINE; Embase; PsycINFO; CINAHL; Science and Social Science Citation Indices; and the Cochrane Library were searched for relevant literature published between 2006 to March 2017. Online sources were searched for UK grey literature, and citation searching, and manual reference list screening were also carried out. Quantitative primary studies and systematic reviews, reporting actual or perceived effects on service delivery following the introduction of models of integration or co-ordination, in healthcare or health and social care settings in developed countries were eligible for inclusion. Strength of evidence for each outcome reported was analysed and synthesised using a four point comparative rating system of stronger, weaker, inconsistent or limited evidence. RESULTS: One hundred sixty seven studies were eligible for inclusion. Analysis indicated evidence of perceived improved quality of care, evidence of increased patient satisfaction, and evidence of improved access to care. Evidence was rated as either inconsistent or limited regarding all other outcomes reported, including system-wide impacts on primary care, secondary care, and health care costs. There were limited differences between outcomes reported by UK and international studies, and overall the literature had a limited consideration of effects on service users. CONCLUSIONS: Models of integrated care may enhance patient satisfaction, increase perceived quality of care, and enable access to services, although the evidence for other outcomes including service costs remains unclear. Indications of improved access may have important implications for services struggling to cope with increasing demand. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Prospero registration number: 42016037725

Measurement of the Λb0→Λ(1520)μ+μ−\Lambda_{b}^{0}\to \Lambda(1520) \mu^{+}\mu^{-} differential branching fraction

The branching fraction of the rare decay $\Lambda_{b}^{0}\to \Lambda(1520) \mu^{+}\mu^{-}$ is measured for the first time, in the squared dimuon mass intervals, $q^2$, excluding the $J/\psi$ and $\psi(2S)$ regions. The data sample analyzed was collected by the LHCb experiment at center-of-mass energies of 7, 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of $9\ \mathrm{fb}^{-1}$. The result in the highest$q^{2}$interval,$q^{2} >15.0\ \mathrm{GeV}^2/c^4$, where theoretical predictions have the smallest model dependence, agrees with the predictions.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-050.html (LHCb public pages

Search for rare decays of D0 mesons into two muons

A search for the very rare D 0 → μ + μ − decay is performed using data collected by the LHCb experiment in proton-proton collisions at √ s = 7 , 8, and 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9     fb − 1 . The search is optimized for D 0 mesons from D * + → D 0 π + decays but is also sensitive to D 0 mesons from other sources. No evidence for an excess of events over the expected background is observed. An upper limit on the branching fraction of this decay is set at B ( D 0 → μ + μ − ) < 3.1 × 10 − 9 at a 90% C.L. This represents the world’s most stringent limit, constraining models of physics beyond the standard model

Measurement of the ratios of branching fractions R(D*) and R(D0)

The ratios of branching fractions R ( D ∗ ) ≡ B ( ¯ B → D ∗ τ − ¯ ν τ ) / B ( ¯ B → D ∗ μ − ¯ ν μ ) and R ( D 0 ) ≡ B ( B − → D 0 τ − ¯ ν τ ) / B ( B − → D 0 μ − ¯ ν μ ) are measured, assuming isospin symmetry, using a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to 3.0     fb − 1 of integrated luminosity recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. The tau lepton is identified in the decay mode τ − → μ − ν τ ¯ ν μ . The measured values are R ( D ∗ ) = 0.281 ± 0.018 ± 0.024 and R ( D 0 ) = 0.441 ± 0.060 ± 0.066 , where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The correlation between these measurements is ρ = − 0.43 . The results are consistent with the current average of these quantities and are at a combined 1.9 standard deviations from the predictions based on lepton flavor universality in the standard model

Searches for rare B-s(0) and B-0 decays into four muons

Searches for rare $B_s^0$ and $B^0$ decays into four muons are performed using proton-proton collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9 $\text{fb}^{-1}$. Direct decays and decays via light scalar and $J/\psi$ resonances are considered. No evidence for the six decays searched for is found and upper limits at the 95% confidence level on their branching fractions ranging between $1.8\times10^{-10}$ and $2.6\times10^{-9}$ are set

First measurement of the Z→μ+μ− angular coefficients in the forward region of pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV

The first study of the angular distribution of μ + μ − pairs produced in the forward rapidity region via the Drell-Yan reaction p p → γ ∗ / Z + X → ℓ + ℓ − + X is presented, using data collected with the LHCb detector at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5.1     fb − 1 . The coefficients of the five leading terms in the angular distribution are determined as a function of the dimuon transverse momentum and rapidity. The results are compared to various theoretical predictions of the Z -boson production mechanism and can also be used to probe transverse-momentum-dependent parton distributions within the proton

Test of lepton universality in b→sℓ+ℓ− decays

The first simultaneous test of muon-electron universality using B + → K + ℓ + ℓ − and B 0 → K * 0 ℓ + ℓ − decays is performed, in two ranges of the dilepton invariant-mass squared, q 2 . The analysis uses beauty mesons produced in proton-proton collisions collected with the LHCb detector between 2011 and 2018, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 9     fb − 1 . Each of the four lepton universality measurements reported is either the first in the given q 2 interval or supersedes previous LHCb measurements. The results are compatible with the predictions of the Standard Model