Myocardial fibrosis in stroke survivors

Stroke survivors are most likely to die of cardiac death, yet few undergo comprehensive cardiac assessment to look for reversible causes. Myocardial fibrosis (MF) is not only the hallmark of cardiomyopathy, but also a substrate for sudden cardiac death, ventricular tachyarrhythmia and heart failure. Procollagen carboxyl-terminal telopeptide (PICP) was found to be a marker of MF. The relationship between PICP and cardiac abnormalities in stroke survivors is unknown. We recently showed that MF in stroke survivors can be treated by spironolactone and amiloride in a randomised placebo-controlled cross-over study with reduction in PICP levels and QTc [1]

A Mobile App to Aid Smoking Cessation: Preliminary Evaluation of SmokeFree28

Background: Little is known about the effectiveness of mobile apps in aiding smoking cessation or their validity for automated collection of data on smoking cessation outcomes. Objective: We conducted a preliminary evaluation of SF28 (SF28 is the name of the app, short for SmokeFree28)—an app aimed at helping smokers to be smoke-free for 28 days. / Methods: Data on sociodemographic characteristics, smoking history, number of logins, and abstinence at each login were uploaded to a server from SF28 between August 2012 and August 2013. Users were included if they were aged 16 years or over, smoked cigarettes at the time of registration, had set a quit date, and used the app at least once on or after their quit date. Their characteristics were compared with data from a representative sample of smokers trying to stop smoking in England. The percentage of users recording 28 days of abstinence was compared with a value of 15% estimated for unaided quitting. Correlations were assessed between recorded abstinence for 28 days and well-established abstinence predictors. / Results: A total of 1170 users met the inclusion criteria. Compared with smokers trying to quit in England, they had higher consumption, and were younger, more likely to be female, and had a non-manual rather than manual occupation. In total, 18.9% (95% CI 16.7-21.1) were recorded as being abstinent from smoking for 28 days or longer. The mean number of logins was 8.5 (SD 9.0). The proportion recording abstinence for 28 days or longer was higher in users who were older, in a non-manual occupation, and in those using a smoking cessation medication. / Conclusions: The recorded 28-day abstinence rates from the mobile app, SF28, suggest that it may help some smokers to stop smoking. Further evaluation by means of a randomized trial appears to be warranted

Does HBT Measure the Freeze-out Source Distribution?

It is generally assumed that as a result of multiple scattering, the source distribution measured in HBT interferometry corresponds to a chaotic source at freeze-out. This assumption is subject to question as effects of multiple scattering in HBT measurements must be investigated within a quantum-mechanical framework. Applying the Glauber multiple scattering theory at high energies and the optical model at lower energies, we find that multiple scattering leads to an effective HBT density distribution that depends on the initial chaotic source distribution with an absorption.Comment: 4 pages, talk presented at QM2004 Conference, January 11-17, 2004, Oakland, California, USA, to be published in the Proceeding

Electron-spectroscopic investigation of metal-insulator transition in Sr2Ru1-xTixO4 (x=0.0-0.6)

We investigate the nature and origin of the metal-insulator transition in Sr2Ru1-xTixO4 as a function of increasing Ti content (x). Employing detailed core, valence, and conduction band studies with x-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopies along with Bremsstrahlung isochromat spectroscopy, it is shown that a hard gap opens up for Ti content greater than equal to 0.2, while compositions with x<0.2 exhibit finite intensity at the Fermi energy. This establishes that the metal-insulator transition in this homovalent substituted series of compounds is driven by Coulomb interaction leading to the formation of a Mott gap, in contrast to transitions driven by disorder effects or band flling.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Production of large transverse momentum dileptons and photons in pppp, dAdA and AAAA collisions by photoproduction processes

The production of large $P_{T}$ dileptons and photons originating from photoproduction processes in $pp$, $dA$ and $AA$ collisions is calculated. We find that the contribution of dileptons and photons produced by photoproduction processes is not prominent at RHIC energies. However, the numerical results indicate that the modification of photoproduction processes becomes evident in the large $P_{T}$ region for $pp$, $dA$ and $AA$ collisions at LHC energies.Comment: 10 figure

Ignition characterization of LOX/hydrocarbon propellants

The results of an evaluation of the ignition characteristics of the gaseous oxygen (Gox)/Ethanol propellant combination are presented. Ignition characterization was accomplished through the analysis, design, fabrication and testing of a spark initiated torch igniter and prototype 620 lbF thruster/igniter assembly. The igniter was tested over a chamber pressure range of 74 to 197 psia and mixture ratio range of 0.778 to 3.29. Cold (-92 to -165 F) and ambient (44 to 80 F) propellant temperatures were used. Spark igniter ignition limits and thruster steady state and pulse mode, performance, cooling and stability data are presented. Spark igniter ignition limits are presented in terms of cold flow pressure, ignition chamber diameter and mixture ratio. Thruster performance is presented in terms of vacuum specific impulse versus engine mixture ratio. Gox/Ethanol propellants were shown to be ignitable over a wide range of mixture ratios. Cold propellants were shown to have a minor effect on igniter ignition limits. Thruster pulse mode capability was demonstrated with multiple pulses of 0.08 sec duration and less

Inference and Optimization of Real Edges on Sparse Graphs - A Statistical Physics Perspective

Inference and optimization of real-value edge variables in sparse graphs are studied using the Bethe approximation and replica method of statistical physics. Equilibrium states of general energy functions involving a large set of real edge-variables that interact at the network nodes are obtained in various cases. When applied to the representative problem of network resource allocation, efficient distributed algorithms are also devised. Scaling properties with respect to the network connectivity and the resource availability are found, and links to probabilistic Bayesian approximation methods are established. Different cost measures are considered and algorithmic solutions in the various cases are devised and examined numerically. Simulation results are in full agreement with the theory.Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures, major changes: Sections IV to VII updated, Figs. 1 to 3 replace

Electroproduction of the d* dibaryon

The unpolarized cross section for the electroproduction of the isoscalar $J^\pi = 3^+$ di-delta dibaryon $d^*$ is calculated for deuteron target using a simple picture of elastic electron-baryon scattering from the $\Delta \Delta (^7D_1)$ and the $NN (^3S_1)$ components of the deuteron. The calculated differential cross section at the electron lab energy of 1 GeV has the value of about 0.24 (0.05) nb/sr at the lab angle of 10$^\circ$ (30$^\circ$) for the Bonn B potential when the dibaryon mass is taken to be 2.1 GeV. The cross section decreases rapidly with increasing dibaryon mass. A large calculated width of 40 MeV for $d^*(\Delta\Delta ^7S_3)$ combined with a small experimental upper bound of 0.08 MeV for the $d^*$ decay width appears to have excluded any low-mass $d^*$ model containing a significant admixture of the $\Delta\Delta (^7S_3)$ configuration.Comment: 11 journal-style pages, 8 figure

RAMESES publication standards: realist syntheses

PMCID: PMC3558331This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited

Generalized Advanced Propeller Analysis System (GAPAS). Volume 2: Computer program user manual

The Generalized Advanced Propeller Analysis System (GAPAS) computer code is described. GAPAS was developed to analyze advanced technology multi-bladed propellers which operate on aircraft with speeds up to Mach 0.8 and altitudes up to 40,000 feet. GAPAS includes technology for analyzing aerodynamic, structural, and acoustic performance of propellers. The computer code was developed for the CDC 7600 computer and is currently available for industrial use on the NASA Langley computer. A description of all the analytical models incorporated in GAPAS is included. Sample calculations are also described as well as users requirements for modifying the analysis system. Computer system core requirements and running times are also discussed