J/psi azimuthal anisotropy relative to the reaction plane in Pb-Pb collisions at 158 GeV per nucleon

The J/$\psi$ azimuthal distribution relative to the reaction plane has been measured by the NA50 experiment in Pb-Pb collisions at 158 GeV/nucleon. Various physical mechanisms related to charmonium dissociation in the medium created in the heavy ion collision are expected to introduce an anisotropy in the azimuthal distribution of the observed J/$\psi$ mesons at SPS energies. Hence, the measurement of J/$\psi$ elliptic anisotropy, quantified by the Fourier coefficient v$_2$ of the J/$\psi$ azimuthal distribution relative to the reaction plane, is an important tool to constrain theoretical models aimed at explaining the anomalous J/$\psi$ suppression observed in Pb-Pb collisions. We present the measured J/$\psi$ yields in different bins of azimuthal angle relative to the reaction plane, as well as the resulting values of the Fourier coefficient v$_{2}$ as a function of the collision centrality and of the J/$\psi$ transverse momentum. The reaction plane has been estimated from the azimuthal distribution of the neutral transverse energy detected in an electromagnetic calorimeter. The analysis has been performed on a data sample of about 100 000 events, distributed in five centrality or p$_{\rm T}$ sub-samples. The extracted v$_{2}$ values are significantly larger than zero for non-central collisions and are seen to increase with p$_{\rm T}$.Comment: proceedings of HP08 conference corrected a typo in one equatio

Electrostatic phase separation: a review

The current understanding and developments in the electrostatic phase separation are reviewed. The literature covers predominantly two immiscible and inter-dispersed liquids following the last review on the topic some 15 years. Electrocoalescence kinetics and governing parameters, such as the applied field, liquid properties, drop shape and flow, are considered. The unfavorable effects, such as chain formation and partial coalescence, are discussed in detail. Moreover, the prospects of microfluidics platforms, non-uniform fields, coalescence on the dielectric surfaces to enhance the electrocoalescence rate are also considered. In addition to the electrocoalescence in water-in-oil emulsions the research in oil-in-oil coalescence is also discussed. Finally the studies in electrocoalescer development and commercial devices are also surveyed. The analysis of the literature reveals that the use of pulsed DC and AC electric fields is preferred over constant DC fields for efficient coalescence; but the selection of the optimum field frequency a priori is still not possible and requires further research. Some recent studies have helped to clarify important aspects of the process such as partial coalescence and drop–drop non-coalescence. On the other hand, some key phenomena such as thin film breakup and chain formation are still unclear. Some designs of inline electrocoalescers have recently been proposed; however with limited success: the inadequate knowledge of the underlying physics still prevents this technology from leaving the realm of empiricism and fully developing in one based on rigorous scientific methodology

A case-only study to identify genetic modifiers of breast cancer risk for BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation carriers

Breast cancer (BC) risk for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers varies by genetic and familial factors. About 50 common variants have been shown to modify BC risk for mutation carriers. All but three, were identified in general population studies. Other mutation carrier-specific susceptibility variants may exist but studies of mutation carriers have so far been underpowered. We conduct a novel case-only genome-wide association study comparing genotype frequencies between 60,212 general population BC cases and 13,007 cases with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. We identify robust novel associations for 2 variants with BC for BRCA1 and 3 for BRCA2 mutation carriers, P < 10−8, at 5 loci, which are not associated with risk in the general population. They include rs60882887 at 11p11.2 where MADD, SP11 and EIF1, genes previously implicated in BC biology, are predicted as potential targets. These findings will contribute towards customising BC polygenic risk scores for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers

Comparison of nephelometric and hemolytic techniques for determination of antistreptolysin O antibodies.

Publisher: American Society of Clinical Pathologists,United State

Gas- chromatographic determination of pig plasma malondialdehyde with negative-ion chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry detection

Malondialdehyde (MDA) was estimated in pig plasma by gas chromatography with NICI-MS-MS detection after derivatization with pentafluorobenzyl hydroxylamine. Glutaraldehyde was used as an internal standard. MDA gave two peaks, only the major one was considered for quantitative analysis. In multiple reaction monitoring mode the minimum detectable amount was 40 pmoles per sample. In 9 pig plasma samples, collected at abattoir, the MDA contents found were between 220-1015 pmoles/ml

Pharyngolaryngeal spasm-induced dysphagia in an epileptic patient undergoing vagus nerve stimulation therapy

Vagus nerve stimulation for refractory epilepsy may induce laryngeal side effects such as dysphonia and dysphagia. Careful tuning of the stimulation parameters and collaboration between epileptologists and otolaryngologists can help significantly reduce side effects

Targeting of reporter molecules to mitochondria to measure calcium, ATP, and pH.

The study of isolated mitochondria, dating back to the 60ties, has provided a wealth of information on the biochemical routes allowing these organelles, deriving from the adaptation of primordial symbionts, to couple oxidation of substrates to the production of ATP. In this work, concepts were acquired (such as, to name a few, the chemiosmotic mechanism of energy conservation, the import into mitochondria of most organelle proteins, the existence of a resident genome with a different genetic code encoding the remaining 13 polypeptides) that are now established dogmas of modern biology. At the same time, the availability of highly efficient probes and imaging systems has allowed cell biologists to obtain a deep insight into how extracellular signals are conveyed and translated in living cells. An example of this insight has been the demonstration that a variety of extracellular stimuli cause a rise in intracellular Ca2+ concentration of high spatio-temporal complexity, that in turn is specifically decoded by intracellular effectors. Among these effectors are mitochondria themselves, that, endowed with low-affinity transport system for Ca2+, can however be recruited by microdomains generated in their proximity by the opening of Ca2+ channels

Sonography of the normal lung: Comparison between young and elderly subjects

Background The senile lung undergoes physiologic changes that are well known but have not been investigated with ultrasound (US). Thus, the aim of our study was to compare the US appearances of the lungs in a group of healthy, nonsmoker elderly subjects with those in a group of young subjects. Methods One hundred elderly subjects older than 65 years of age (mean age ± SD, 79 ± 7 years) and 50 younger subjects less than 56 years of age (mean age ± SD, 33 ± 12) underwent US examination of the lungs. We analyzed the anterior, midlateral, and posterobasal surface of each lung to evaluate the presence or absence of A‐lines and B‐lines. Fisher's exact test and Pearson's χ2 test were used to compare the findings in the two groups. Results A‐lines were absent in 94/100 (94%) elderly subjects versus 2/50 (4%) young subjects (p &lt; 0.0001). B‐lines were found in 37/100 (37%) elderly subjects: ≤3 lines per field of view in 27/37 (73%); &gt;3 lines in 2/37 (5%); both ≤3 lines and &gt;3 lines (depending on the region scanned) in 8/37 (22%). In contrast, only in 5/50 (10%) young subjects were B‐lines visible (≤3 lines per field of view in all cases [p &lt; 0.001]). Conclusions The majority of the elderly subjects did not have A‐lines, and B‐lines were observed in a high percentage. The reduction of impedance between lung parenchyma and soft tissues of the chest wall and the increased thickness of interlobular septa might explain these results

Laryngeal motility alteration : a missing link between sleep apnea and vagus nerve stimulation for epilepsy

Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and the relationship of sleep breathing disorders (SBDs) and laryngeal motility alterations in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy after vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) implantation. Twenty-three consecutive patients with medically refractory epilepsy underwent out-of-center sleep testing before and after VNS implantation. Eighteen eligible subjects underwent endoscopic laryngeal examination post-VNS implantation. Statistical analysis was carried out to assess an association between laryngeal motility alterations and the onset/worsening of SBDs. After VNS implantation, 11 patients showed a new-onset mild/moderate SBD. Half of the patients already affected by obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) showed worsening of SBD. All of the patients with a new-onset OSA had a laryngeal pattern with left vocal cord adduction (LVCA) during VNS stimulation. The association between VNS-induced LVCA and SBD was statistically significant. This study suggests an association between VNS and SBD, hinting to a pivotal role of laryngeal motility alterations. The relationship between SBD and VNS-induced LVCA supports the need to routinely investigate sleep respiratory and laryngeal motility patterns before and after VNS implantation