Constraints on Low-Mass WIMP Interactions on 19F from PICASSO

Recent results from the PICASSO dark matter search experiment at SNOLAB are reported. These results were obtained using a subset of 10 detectors with a total target mass of 0.72 kg of 19F and an exposure of 114 kgd. The low backgrounds in PICASSO allow recoil energy thresholds as low as 1.7 keV to be obtained which results in an increased sensitivity to interactions from Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) with masses below 10 GeV/c^2. No dark matter signal was found. Best exclusion limits in the spin dependent sector were obtained for WIMP masses of 20 GeV/c^2 with a cross section on protons of sigma_p^SD = 0.032 pb (90% C.L.). In the spin independent sector close to the low mass region of 7 GeV/c2 favoured by CoGeNT and DAMA/LIBRA, cross sections larger than sigma_p^SI = 1.41x10^-4 pb (90% C.L.) are excluded.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures, to be published in Phys. Lett.

W boson polarization measurement in the ttbar dilepton channel using the CDF II Detector

We present a measurement of $W$ boson polarization in top-quark decays in $t\bar{t}$ events with decays to dilepton final states using $5.1 {\rm fb^{-1}}$ of integrated luminosity in $p\bar{p}$ collisions collected by the CDF II detector at the Tevatron. A simultaneous measurement of the fractions of longitudinal ($f_0$) and right-handed ($f_+$) $W$ bosons yields the results $f_0 = 0.71 ^{+0.18}_{-0.17} {\rm (stat)} \pm 0.06 {\rm (syst)}$ and $f_+ = -0.07 \pm 0.09 {\rm (stat)} \pm 0.03 {\rm (syst)}$. Combining this measurement with our previous result based on single lepton final states, we obtain $f_0 = 0.84 \pm 0.09 {\rm (stat)} \pm 0.05 {\rm (syst)}$ and $f_{+} = -0.16 \pm 0.05 {\rm (stat)} \pm 0.04 {\rm (syst)}$. The results are consistent with standard model expectation.Comment: Published in Phys. Lett.

A Novel Macabre Ritual of the Italian Mafia ('Ndrangheta): Covering Hands With Gloves and Burying the Corpse With Burnt Lime After Execution.

‘Ndrangheta is one of the famous B4 mafias,[ which typically insists in Southern Italy. A particular case of ‘Ndrangheta-related homicide double execution by means of multiple gunshots is presented. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of ‘Ndrangheta_s homicidal modality (covering hands with gloves and burying) as a macabre ritual. In homicides committed by criminal organization, the method used as well as the posi- tioning of the body follow a macabre ritual laden with significance and intending to be an admonition to other persons

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to human papillomavirus vaccination among college students in a state university

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and disproportionately affects adolescents and young adults. Although a safe and efficacious vaccine is available, many college students are unimmunized against HPV. Most students presenting to college health centers are within the age range for catch-up immunization, giving nurse practitioners (NPs) in this setting an opportunity to increase vaccination rates. More information is needed about college students\u27 HPV knowledge, attitudes, and vaccination uptake so that NPs can make effective vaccine recommendations to this population.Purpose: To examine (a) Knowledge and attitudes about HPV and its vaccine; (b) HPV immunization practices; and (c) factors associated with HPV knowledge, attitudes, and vaccination among college students in a US university.Methods: This cross-sectional quantitative study collected data from participants in a state university student health center. Data collected included knowledge, attitudes, and practices about HPV and its vaccine from 627 students.Results: Participants had a moderately low HPV knowledge but positive attitudes toward HPV and its vaccine. Participants with a higher level of HPV knowledge were US born, health-related majors, married or divorced, and had positive attitudes. Higher HPV knowledge, vaccine uptake, and a family history of cervical cancer were associated with positive attitudes. Predictors for vaccine uptake include being a health-related major and positive vaccine attitudes.Implications for practice: The results of this study help NPs, registered nurses, and other health care providers make effective HPV vaccine recommendations to college students. Students with positive HPV attitudes can serve as peer educators to increase HPV vaccination awareness in this population

A Novel Macabre Ritual of the Italian Mafia ('Ndrangheta): Covering Hands With Gloves and Burying the Corpse With Burnt Lime After Execution.

‘Ndrangheta is one of the famous B4 mafias,[ which typically insists in Southern Italy. A particular case of ‘Ndrangheta-related homicide double execution by means of multiple gunshots is presented. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of ‘Ndrangheta_s homicidal modality (covering hands with gloves and burying) as a macabre ritual. In homicides committed by criminal organization, the method used as well as the posi- tioning of the body follow a macabre ritual laden with significance and intending to be an admonition to other persons

EUS-guided endoscopic internal drainage with lumen-apposing metal stent for symptomatic hepatic cysts: a case series (with video)

: Background and study aims  Simple hepatic cysts (SHCs) are usually asymptomatic and detected incidentally. However, larger cysts may present with clinical signs and require treatment such as percutaneous aspiration or surgery with non negligeable rate of recurrence. We report a series of 13 consecutive patients who underwent EUS-guided lumen-apposing metal stent (LAMS) drainage of SHCs of the right and left liver. Patients and methods  Nine men and four women, average age 71.9 years, underwent EUS-guided LAMS cyst drainage because of significant symptoms. At 1 month, LAMS was exchanged for a double pigtail stent (DPS), which was left in place for 3 months. Nine of the SHCs were located in the right liver and four in the left. The average diameter was 22.2 cm. Results  Thirteen LAMS were successful delivered in all patients. However only 12 of 13 (92.3 %) remained in place. In one case, the LAMS slipped out immediately and was promptly removed and the cyst treated percutaneously. One of 12 patients experienced bleeding, which was treated conservatively. In seven patients, the LAMS was exchanged for a DPS; in the other five, it was successfully left in place until the patients died, given their comorbidities. At 10.5 months of follow-up, none of the SHCs had recurred. Conclusions  EUS-guided LAMS drainage permits treatment of symptomatic SHCs without recurrence and with few adverse events. Comparative studies are needed to consider this approach as first intention

Galileo-based space–airborne bistatic SAR for UAS navigation

This paper presents the idea of a hybrid bistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) formed by a constellation of spaceborne illuminators and receiving-only airborne SARs. The study aims at identifying and developing new remote sensing techniques, able to produce forward-looking, real-time, any-weather, day and night, high geometric and radiometric resolution data for Unmanned Airborne Systems (UAS) autonomous navigation, namely obstacle detection and landing. Special emphasis is devoted to potentials and limitations of using Galileo or a Galileo improved constellation as illuminator. Preliminary feasibility assessment and definition of strawman concepts conducted under ESA contract in the framework of future integrated aerospace systems are reported, consisting in performance and trade-off studies of two configurations of the space segment and of two operating modes of the space–airborne bistatic SAR