Measurement of the Bottom-Strange Meson Mixing Phase in the Full CDF Data Set

We report a measurement of the bottom-strange meson mixing phase \beta_s using the time evolution of B0_s -> J/\psi (->\mu+\mu-) \phi (-> K+ K-) decays in which the quark-flavor content of the bottom-strange meson is identified at production. This measurement uses the full data set of proton-antiproton collisions at sqrt(s)= 1.96 TeV collected by the Collider Detector experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron, corresponding to 9.6 fb-1 of integrated luminosity. We report confidence regions in the two-dimensional space of \beta_s and the B0_s decay-width difference \Delta\Gamma_s, and measure \beta_s in [-\pi/2, -1.51] U [-0.06, 0.30] U [1.26, \pi/2] at the 68% confidence level, in agreement with the standard model expectation. Assuming the standard model value of \beta_s, we also determine \Delta\Gamma_s = 0.068 +- 0.026 (stat) +- 0.009 (syst) ps-1 and the mean B0_s lifetime, \tau_s = 1.528 +- 0.019 (stat) +- 0.009 (syst) ps, which are consistent and competitive with determinations by other experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Phys. Rev. Lett 109, 171802 (2012

Burden of community-acquired and nosocomial rotavirus gastroenteritis in the pediatric population of Western Europe: a scoping review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Rotavirus affects 95% of children worldwide by age 5 years and is the leading cause of severe dehydrating diarrhea. The objective of this review was to estimate the burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) in the Western European pediatric population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A comprehensive literature search (1999-2010) was conducted in PubMed and other sources (CDC; WHO, others). Data on the epidemiology and burden of RVGE among children < 5 years-old in Western Europe --including hospital-acquired disease--were extracted.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>76 studies from 16 countries were identified. The mean percentage of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) cases caused by rotavirus ranged from 25.3%-63.5% in children < 5 years of age, peaking during winter. Incidence rates of RVGE ranged from 1.33-4.96 cases/100 person- years. Hospitalization rates for RVGE ranged from 7% to 81% among infected children, depending on the country. Nosocomial RVGE accounted for 47%-69% of all hospital-acquired AGE and prolonged hospital stays by 4-12 days. Each year, RVGE incurred $0.54-$53.6 million in direct medical costs and $1.7-$22.4 million in indirect costs in the 16 countries studied. Full serotyping data was available for 8 countries. G1P[8], G2P[4], G9P[8], and G3P[8] were the most prevalent serotypes (cumulative frequency: 57.2%- 98.7%). Serotype distribution in nosocomial RVGE was similar.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This review confirms that RVGE is a common disease associated with significant morbidity and costs across Western Europe. A vaccine protecting against multiple serotypes may decrease the epidemiological and cost burden of RVGE in Western Europe.</p

Renal and Hepatic Functions after A Week of Controlled Ovarian Hyperstimulation during In Vitro Fertilization Cycles

BACKGROUND: One the main aspects of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle is to avoid any possible systemic damage on women undergoing a controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). The aim of this work is to evaluate renal and hepatic function blood tests in patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation during IVF cycles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort analysis. All patients received a long stimulation protocol with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues by daily administration, since the twenty-first day of the previous ovarian cycle followed by COH with recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). The daily dose of exogenous gonadotropins for every single patient was modified according to her follicular growth. The oocytes were retrieved during the oocyte pick up and fertilized by standard procedures of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The blood samples to evaluate renal and hepatic functions were taken at the 7th day of ovarian stimulation. RESULTS: We enrolled 426 women aged between 19 and 44 years, with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 24.68 Kg/m2. The mean value of blood urea nitrogen was 14 ± 3.16 mg/ dl, creatinine: 1 ± 0.45 mg/dl, uric acid: 4 ± 1.95 mg/dl, total proteins: 7 ± 3.93 mg/dl, aspartate aminotransferase: 18 ± 6.29 mU/ml, alanine aminotransferase: 19 ± 10.41 mU/ ml, alkaline phosphatase: 81 ± 45.25 mU/ml, total bilirubin 1 ± 0.35 mg/dL. All of the results were considered as a normal range following the Medical Council of Canada. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that, unlike ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), COH patients did not show any alteration to renal and hepatic functions

The Management of Membranous Glomerulopathy in Allogeneic Stem Cells Transplantation: Updated Literature

Background: membranous glomerulopathy (MG) is an immunomediated disorder which accounts for the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome (NS) following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Objective and methods: to provide an update on the issue by reviewing pertinent literature on the MEDLINE database. Results: sixty-nine post allogenic HSCT patients (42 male) with MG were identified. The median age was 43 (5 to 68) years. Time interval from allogenic HSCT to MG diagnosis ranged from 3 to 134 months (median 17). Most MG patients had a history of acute (70%) or chronic (84%) graft versus host disease (GVHD). Corticosteroids and cyclosporine were the most common therapeutic agents used in this setting; alternative therapies, including rituximab, were given to a lower number of patients. Outcome data were available in 64 out of 69 MG patients; 38 (59%) and 18 (28%) patients achieved a complete and a partial response respectively, whereas treatment failure was recorded in the remaining 8 (13%). Conclusion: MG after allogenic HSCT appears to be associated with a sub clinical or overt cGVHD, which follows the discontinuation of immunosuppressive prophylaxis. Although a standard therapeutic approach has not been established, the application of available measures can induce favorable response in more than 80% of affected patients, but treatment-failure and progressive deterioration of the renal function may occur in about one fifth of cases