τ→ μμμ at a rate of one out of 10¹⁴ tau decays?

We present in a full analytic form the partial widths for the lepton flavour violating decays μ±→e±e+e− and τ±→ℓ±ℓ′+ℓ′−, with ℓ,ℓ′=μ,e, mediated by neutrino oscillations in the one-loop diagrams. Compared to the first result by Petcov (Sov J Nucl Phys 25:340, 1977), obtained in the zero momentum limit P≪mν≪MW, we retain full dependence on P, the momenta and masses of external particles, and we determine the branching ratios in the physical limit mν≪P≪MW. We show that the claim presented in Pham (Eur Phys J C8:513, 1999) that the τ→ℓℓ′ℓ′ branching ratios could be as large as 10−14, as a consequence of keeping the P dependence, is flawed. We find rates of order 10−55, even smaller than those obtained in the zero momentum limit, as the latter prediction contains an unphysical logarithmic enhancement

Neurocognitive impairment is associated with lower health literacy among persons living with HIV infection.

This study sought to determine the effects of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) on health literacy, which encompasses the ability to access, understand, appraise, and apply health-related information. Participants included 56 HIV seropositive individuals, 24 of whom met Frascati criteria for HAND, and 24 seronegative subjects who were comparable on age, education, ethnicity, and oral word reading. Each participant was administered a brief battery of well-validated measures of health literacy, including the Expanded Numeracy Scale (ENS), Newest Vital Sign (NVS), Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM), and Brief Health Literacy Screen (BHLS). Results revealed significant omnibus differences on the ENS and NVS, which were driven by poorer performance in the HAND group. There were no significant differences on the REALM or the BHLS by HAND status. Among individuals with HAND, lower scores on the NVS were associated with greater severity of neurocognitive dysfunction (e.g., working memory and verbal fluency) and self-reported dependence in activities of daily living. These preliminary findings suggest that HAND hinders both fundamental (i.e., basic knowledge, such as numeracy) and critical (i.e., comprehension and application of healthcare information) health literacy capacities, and therefore may be an important factor in the prevalence of health illiteracy. Health literacy-focused intervention may play an important role in the treatment and health trajectories among persons living with HIV infection

Automated Data Management Information System (ADMIS)

ADMIS stores and controls data and documents associated with manned space flight effort. System contains all data oriented toward a specific document; it is primary source of reports generated by the system. Each group of records is composed of one document record, one distribution record for each recipient of the document, and one summary record

Redox Signaling in Colonial Hydroids: Many Pathways for Peroxide

Studies of mitochondrial redox signaling predict that the colonial hydroids Eirene viridula and Podocoryna carnea should respond to manipulations of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Both species encrust surfaces with feeding polyps connected by networks of stolons; P. carnea is more ‘sheet-like’ with closely spaced polyps and short stolons, while E. viridula is more ‘runner-like’ with widely spaced polyps and long stolons. Treatment with the chemical antioxidant vitamin C diminishes ROS in mitochondrion-rich epitheliomuscular cells (EMCs) and produces phenotypic effects (sheet-like growth) similar to uncouplers of oxidative phosphorylation. In peripheral stolon tips, treatment with vitamin C triggers a dramatic increase of ROS that is followed by tissue death and stolon regression. The enzymatic anti-oxidant catalase is probably not taken up by the colony but, rather, converts hydrogen peroxide in the medium to water and oxygen. Exogenous catalase does not affect ROS in mitochondrion-rich EMCs, but does increase the amounts of ROS emitted from peripheral stolons, resulting in rapid, runner-like growth. Treatment with exogenous hydrogen peroxide increases ROS levels in stolon tips and results in somewhat faster colony growth. Finally, untreated colonies of E. viridula exhibit higher levels of ROS in stolon tips than untreated colonies of P. carnea. ROS may participate in a number of putative signaling pathways: (1) high levels of ROS may trigger cell and tissue death in peripheral stolon tips; (2) more moderate levels of ROS in stolon tips may trigger outward growth, inhibit branching and, possibly, mediate the redox signaling of mitochondrion-rich EMCs; and (3) ROS may have an extra-colony function, perhaps in suppressing the growth of bacteria

Adverse events during reoperative cardiac surgery: Frequency, characterization, and rescue

ObjectivesTo (1) determine frequency of occurrence and risk factors for intraoperative adverse events (IAE) during reoperative cardiac surgery, (2) characterize them with respect to structure injured, timing, and use of preventive strategies, and (3) identify the impact on outcome in terms of successful and unsuccessful rescue and cost.MethodsOperative notes of 1847 patients undergoing reoperative cardiac surgery were reviewed to identify and characterize documented intraoperative adverse events. Logistic regression modeling was used to identify risk factors for intraoperative adverse events and outcomes. Expected versus observed poor outcomes (stroke, myocardial infarction, death) was used to measure rescue.ResultsAmong 127 patients, 145 (7%) intraoperative adverse events occurred. These included injuries to bypass grafts (n = 47), heart (n = 38), and great vessels (n = 28) and ischemia without graft injury (n = 22). Most occurred on opening (n = 34, 23%) and during prebypass dissection (n = 57, 39%). Risk incremented as reoperations increased. Seventy-seven patients experienced 1 or more lapses in preventive strategies. Patients with intraoperative adverse events had a greater number of poor outcomes (n = 24 [19%] vs n = 107 [6.2%]; P < .0001) and incurred higher direct technical intraoperative and postoperative costs (ratio 1.3). Twelve patients with intraoperative adverse events were predicted to have poor outcomes versus 24 who did (P < .0001), indicating 12 “failures to rescue.”ConclusionsAdverse events still occur regularly during cardiac reoperation, are related to complexity of the procedure, and occur particularly during dissection and often when preventive strategies have not been used. Compensatory rescue measures are not always successful. Adverse events lead to poor patient outcome and higher cost

Factors influencing early and late outcome of the arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries

AbstractBetween January 1983 and January 1992, 470 patients underwent an arterial switch operation at our institution. An intact (or virtually intact) ventricular septum was present in 278 of 470 (59%); a ventricular septal defect was closed in the remaining 192. Survivals at 1 month and 1, 5, and 8 years among the 470 patients were 93%, 92%, 91%, and 91%, respectively. The hazard function for death (at any time) had a rapidly declining single phase that approached zero by one year after the operation. Risk factors for death included coronary artery patterns with a retropulmonary course of the left coronary artery (two types) and a pattern in which the right coronary artery and left anterior descending arose from the anterior sinus with a posterior course of the circumflex coronary. The only procedural risk factor identified was augmentation of the aortic arch; longer duration of circulatory arrest was also a risk factor for death. Earlier date of operation was a risk factor for death, but only in the case of the senior surgeon. Reinterventions were performed to relieve right ventricular and/or pulmonary artery stenoses alone in 28 patients. The hazard function for reintervention for pulmonary artery or valve stenosis revealed an early phase that peaked at 9 months after the operation and a constant phase for the duration of follow-up. Incremental risk factors for the early phase included multiple ventricular septal defects, the rapid two-stage arterial switch, and a coronary pattern with a single ostium supplying the right coronary and left anterior descending, with a retropulmonary course of the circumflex. The need for reintervention has decreased with time. The arterial switch operation can currently be performed early in life with a low mortality risk (<5%) and a low incidence of reintervention (<10%) for supravalvular pulmonary stenosis. The analyses indicate that both the mortality and reintervention risks are lower in patients with less complex anatomy. (J THORAC CARDIOVASC SURG 1995; 109: 289-302

Risk factors associated with mortality and interventions in 472 neonates with interrupted aortic arch: A Congenital Heart Surgeons Society study

ObjectiveWe sought to determine the prevalence of outcomes and associated patient and management factors for neonates with interrupted aortic arch.MethodsFrom 1987 to 1997, a total of 472 neonates were enrolled prospectively from 33 institutions. Competing risks methodology was used to determine simultaneous risk and associated incremental risk factors for death, initial and subsequent left ventricular outflow tract procedures, and arch reinterventions.ResultsOverall survival was 59% at 16 years after study entry but improved with successive birth cohort. In general, risk factors for death in each of the competing risks analyses included lower birth weight, younger age at study entry, type B interrupted aortic arch, and major associated cardiac anomalies. Of 453 patients who had interrupted aortic arch repair, after 16 years 33% had died and 28% had undergone an arch reintervention. Reintervention was more likely for those who had truncus arteriosus repair, interrupted aortic arch repair by a method other than direct anastomosis with patch augmentation, and the use of polytetrafluoroethylene as either an interposition graft or a patch. From study entry, competing risks after 16 years showed that 28% had died and 34% had undergone an initial left ventricular outflow tract procedure. Initial left ventricular outflow tract procedure was more likely for those with single ventricle, type B interrupted aortic arch, bicuspid aortic valve, or anomalous right subclavian artery. Among those who had undergone an initial left ventricular outflow tract procedure, after 16 years 37% had died and 28% had undergone a second procedure.ConclusionAnatomic features affect mortality and initial left ventricular outflow tract procedures, whereas characteristics of the arch repair affect arch reintervention

An improved constraint satisfaction adaptive neural network for job-shop scheduling

Copyright @ Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2009This paper presents an improved constraint satisfaction adaptive neural network for job-shop scheduling problems. The neural network is constructed based on the constraint conditions of a job-shop scheduling problem. Its structure and neuron connections can change adaptively according to the real-time constraint satisfaction situations that arise during the solving process. Several heuristics are also integrated within the neural network to enhance its convergence, accelerate its convergence, and improve the quality of the solutions produced. An experimental study based on a set of benchmark job-shop scheduling problems shows that the improved constraint satisfaction adaptive neural network outperforms the original constraint satisfaction adaptive neural network in terms of computational time and the quality of schedules it produces. The neural network approach is also experimentally validated to outperform three classical heuristic algorithms that are widely used as the basis of many state-of-the-art scheduling systems. Hence, it may also be used to construct advanced job-shop scheduling systems.This work was supported in part by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of UK under Grant EP/E060722/01 and in part by the National Nature Science Fundation of China under Grant 60821063 and National Basic Research Program of China under Grant 2009CB320601