High-Dimensional Menger-Type Curvatures-Part II: d-Separation and a Menagerie of Curvatures

This is the second of two papers wherein we estimate multiscale least squares approximations of certain measures by Menger-type curvatures. More specifically, we study an arbitrary d-regular measure on a real separable Hilbert space. The main result of the paper bounds the least squares error of approximation at any ball by an average of the discrete Menger-type curvature over certain simplices in in the ball. A consequent result bounds the Jones-type flatness by an integral of the discrete curvature over all simplices. The preceding paper provided the opposite inequalities. Furthermore, we demonstrate some other discrete curvatures for characterizing uniform rectifiability and additional continuous curvatures for characterizing special instances of the (p, q)-geometric property. We also show that a curvature suggested by Leger (Annals of Math, 149(3), p. 831-869, 1999) does not fit within our framework.Comment: 32 pages, no figure

Shaping electron wave functions in a carbon nanotube with a parallel magnetic field

A magnetic field, through its vector potential, usually causes measurable changes in the electron wave function only in the direction transverse to the field. Here we demonstrate experimentally and theoretically that in carbon nanotube quantum dots, combining cylindrical topology and bipartite hexagonal lattice, a magnetic field along the nanotube axis impacts also the longitudinal profile of the electronic states. With the high (up to 17T) magnetic fields in our experiment the wave functions can be tuned all the way from "half-wave resonator" shape, with nodes at both ends, to "quarter-wave resonator" shape, with an antinode at one end. This in turn causes a distinct dependence of the conductance on the magnetic field. Our results demonstrate a new strategy for the control of wave functions using magnetic fields in quantum systems with nontrivial lattice and topology.Comment: 5 figure

Johne\u27s Disease, mycoplasma and BVD in Utah - bulk tank milk testing and comparison to previous regional prevalence and individual herd results over time

Dairy herd-level prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), causative agent of Johne’s disease (JD), Mycoplasma spp., and Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) virus were estimated in Utah and surrounding states and compared to previous surveillance results. Milk was collected at 3-4 day intervals on 5 dates (duplicate samples) from each bulk tank on participating farms, samples analyzed separately. One frozen sample was shipped to a laboratory for JD/MAP testing with ELISA and real-time PCR, the other paired sample was shipped to another laboratory for mycoplasma and BVD testing. Mycoplasma was cultured on modified Hayflick medium, standard methods; BVD testing was real-time, RT-PCR. 151/209 (72%) eligible dairy farms participated. Farms detected positive (some had multiple diseases) were: 58 JD (38%); 4 mycoplasma (3%); 14 BVD (9%). Sensitivity of testing was: 284/528 milks = 54% for JD, 17/61 = 28% for mycoplasma (lower than previous reports), 41/117 = 35% for BVD. Of 67 herds positive for JD in 2009, 28 (42%) remained positive, 14 (21%) became test-negative, and 25 (37%) were lost to follow up. Of 16 herds positive for mycoplasma in 2007, one (6%) remained positive, 8 (50%) became testnegative, and 7 (44%) were lost to follow up. Bulk milk remains a practical way to screen dairy herds for presence of JD, mycoplasma and BVD, provided that repeated sampling is used. Mycoplasma-positive herds were more likely to become test-negative in bulk milk in subsequent years than were JD-positive herds. Prevalence of BVD was similar to but slightly lower than previously reported

British Lung Foundation/United Kingdom primary immunodeficiency network consensus statement on the definition, diagnosis, and management of granulomatous-lymphocytic interstitial lung disease in common variable immunodeficiency disorders

A proportion of people living with common variable immunodeficiency disorders develop granulomatous-lymphocytic interstitial lung disease (GLILD). We aimed to develop a consensus statement on the definition, diagnosis, and management of GLILD. All UK specialist centers were contacted and relevant physicians were invited to take part in a 3-round online Delphi process. Responses were graded as Strongly Agree, Tend to Agree, Neither Agree nor Disagree, Tend to Disagree, and Strongly Disagree, scored +1, +0.5, 0, −0.5, and −1, respectively. Agreement was defined as greater than or equal to 80% consensus. Scores are reported as mean ± SD. There was 100% agreement (score, 0.92 ± 0.19) for the following definition: “GLILD is a distinct clinico-radio-pathological ILD occurring in patients with [common variable immunodeficiency disorders], associated with a lymphocytic infiltrate and/or granuloma in the lung, and in whom other conditions have been considered and where possible excluded.” There was consensus that the workup of suspected GLILD requires chest computed tomography (CT) (0.98 ± 0.01), lung function tests (eg, gas transfer, 0.94 ± 0.17), bronchoscopy to exclude infection (0.63 ± 0.50), and lung biopsy (0.58 ± 0.40). There was no consensus on whether expectant management following optimization of immunoglobulin therapy was acceptable: 67% agreed, 25% disagreed, score 0.38 ± 0.59; 90% agreed that when treatment was required, first-line treatment should be with corticosteroids alone (score, 0.55 ± 0.51)

Homozygous microdeletion of exon 5 in ZNF277 in a girl with specific language impairment

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Multiple recombination events between two cytochrome P450 loci contribute to global pyrethroid resistance in Helicoverpa armigera

The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) is one of the most serious insect pest species to evolve resistance against many insecticides from different chemical classes. This species has evolved resistance to the pyrethroid insecticides across its native range and is becoming a truly global pest after establishing in South America and having been recently recorded in North America. A chimeric cytochrome P450 gene, CYP337B3, has been identified as a resistance mechanism for resistance to fenvalerate and cypermethrin. Here we show that this resistance mechanism is common around the world with at least eight different alleles. It is present in South America and has probably introgressed into its closely related native sibling species, Helicoverpa zea. The different alleles of CYP337B3 are likely to have arisen independently in different geographic locations from selection on existing diversity. The alleles found in Brazil are those most commonly found in Asia, suggesting a potential origin for the incursion of H. armigera into the Americas

Adverse reactions to metal debris occur with all types of hip replacement not just metal-on-metal hips: a retrospective observational study of 3340 revisions for adverse reactions to metal debris from the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man.

BACKGROUND: Adverse reactions to metal debris (ARMD) have resulted in the high short-term failure rates observed with metal-on-metal hip replacements. ARMD has recently been reported in non-metal-on-metal total hip replacements (non-MoM THRs) in a number of small cohort studies. However the true magnitude of this complication in non-MoM THRs remains unknown. We used a nationwide database to determine the risk of ARMD revision in all non-MoM THRs, and compared patient and surgical factors associated with ARMD revision between non-MoM and MoM hips. METHODS: We performed a retrospective observational study using data from the National Joint Registry for England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. All primary hip replacements undergoing revision surgery for ARMD were included (n = 3,340). ARMD revision risk in non-MoM THRs was compared between different commonly implanted bearing surfaces and femoral head sizes (Chi-squared test). Differences in patient and surgical factors between non-MoM hips and MoM hips revised for ARMD were also analysed (Chi-squared test and unpaired t-test). RESULTS: Of all ARMD revisions, 7.5% (n = 249) had non-MoM bearing surfaces. The relative risk of ARMD revision was 2.35 times (95% CI 1.76-3.11) higher in ceramic-on-ceramic bearings compared with hard-on-soft bearings (0.055 vs. 0.024%; p < 0.001), and 2.80 times (95% CI 1.74-4.36) higher in 36 mm metal-on-polyethylene bearings compared to 28 mm and 32 mm metal-on-polyethylene bearings (0.058 vs. 0.021%; p < 0.001). ARMD revisions were performed earlier in non-MoM hips compared to MoM hips (mean 3.6-years vs. 5.6-years; p < 0.0001). Non-MoM hips had more abnormal findings at revision (63.1 vs. 35.7%; p < 0.001), and more intra-operative adverse events (6.4 vs. 1.6%; p < 0.001) compared to MoM hips. CONCLUSIONS: Although the overall risk of ARMD revision surgery in non-MoM THRs appears low, this risk is increasing, and is significantly higher in ceramic-on-ceramic THRs and 36 mm metal-on-polyethylene THRs. ARMD may therefore represent a significant clinical problem in non-MoM THRs

Precise measurement of the W-boson mass with the CDF II detector

We have measured the W-boson mass MW using data corresponding to 2.2/fb of integrated luminosity collected in proton-antiproton collisions at 1.96 TeV with the CDF II detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider. Samples consisting of 470126 W->enu candidates and 624708 W->munu candidates yield the measurement MW = 80387 +- 12 (stat) +- 15 (syst) = 80387 +- 19 MeV. This is the most precise measurement of the W-boson mass to date and significantly exceeds the precision of all previous measurements combined