Increasing Incidence Within PubMed of the Use of the Misspelling Pruritis (Sic) Instead of Pruritus for Itch

Writers generally benefit from word processing technology, and the use of other forms of formal writing such as typewriters is archaic. The first stand-alone spell checker programs originated in the early 1980s, and by 1995 they were embedded within word processing programs such as Word 95 (1). With the ubiquity of such software, spelling errors in the medical literature should be extinct. Yet, as a reader of the medical literature with an interest in itch, this author is impressed with the numbers of misspellings of the word «pruritus.» The word pruritus is derived from the Latin pruritus, past participle of prurire “to itch” (2) To assess the frequency and characteristics of the misspellings of this word, a PubMed search was undertaken

Calculation of Infrared-Divergent Feynman Diagrams with Zero Mass Threshold

Two-loop vertex Feynman diagrams with infrared and collinear divergences are investigated by two independent methods. On the one hand, a method of calculating Feynman diagrams from their small momentum expansion extended to diagrams with zero mass thresholds is applied. On the other hand, a numerical method based on a two-fold integral representation is used. The application of the latter method is possible by using lightcone coordinates in the parallel space. The numerical data obtained with the two methods are in impressive agreement.Comment: 20 pages, Latex with epsf-figures, References updated, to appear in Z.Phys.

Exploring CP Violation through Correlations in B --> pi K, B_d --> pi^+pi^-, B_s --> K^+K^- Observable Space

We investigate allowed regions in observable space of B --> pi K, B_d --> pi^+pi^- and B_s --> K^+K^- decays, characterizing these modes in the Standard Model. After a discussion of a new kind of contour plots for the $B\to\pi K$ system, we focus on the mixing- induced and direct CP asymmetries of the decays B_d --> pi^+pi^- and B_s--> K^+K^-. Using experimental information on the CP-averaged B_d --> pi^{+/-}K^{+/-} and B_d --> pi^+pi^- branching ratios, the relevant hadronic penguin parameters can be constrained,implying certain allowed regions in observable space. In the case of B_d --> pi^+pi^-, an interesting situation arises now in view of the recent B-factory measurements of CP violation in this channel, allowing us to obtain new constraints on the CKM angle gamma as a function of the B^0_d--\bar{B^0_d} mixing phase phi_d=2beta, which is fixed through A_{CP}^{mix}(B_d --> J/psi K_S) up to a twofold ambiguity. If we assume that A_{CP}^{mix}(B_d --> pi^+pi^-) is positive, as indicated by recent Belle data, and that phi_d is in agreement with the ``indirect'' fits of the unitarity triangle, also the corresponding values for gamma around 60 degrees can be accommodated. On the other hand, for the second solution of phi_d, we obtain a gap around gamma ~ 60 degrees. The allowed region in the space of A_{CP}^{mix}(B_s --> K^+K^-) and A_{CP}^{dir}(B_s --> K^+K^-) is very constrained in the Standard Model, thereby providing a narrow target range for run II of the Tevatron and the experiments of the LHC era.Comment: 34 pages, LaTeX, 12 figures. More detailed introduction and a few Comments added, conclusions unchanged. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Exploring CP Violation with BcB_c Decays

We point out that the pure ``tree'' decays $B_c^\pm\to D^\pm_s D$ are particularly well suited to extract the CKM angle $\gamma$ through amplitude relations. In contrast to conceptually similar strategies using $B^\pm\to K^\pm D$ or $B_d\to K^{\ast0} D$ decays, the advantage of the $B_c$ approach is that the corresponding triangles have three sides of comparable length and do not involve small amplitudes. Decays of the type $B_c^\pm\to D^\pm D$ -- the $U$-spin counterparts of $B_c^\pm\to D^\pm_s D$ -- can be added to the analysis, as well as channels, where the $D^\pm_s$- and $D^\pm$-mesons are replaced by higher resonances.Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX, 3 figures, reference adde

Relativistic description of electron scattering on the deuteron

Within a quasipotential framework a relativistic analysis is presented of the deuteron current. Assuming that the singularities from the nucleon propagators are important, a so-called equal time approximation of the current is constructed. This is applied to both elastic and inelastic electron scattering. As dynamical model the relativistic one boson exchange model is used. Reasonable agreement is found with a previous relativistic calculation of the elastic electromagnetic form factors of the deuteron. For the unpolarized inelastic electron scattering effects of final state interactions and relativistic corrections to the structure functions are considered in the impulse approximation. Two specific kinematic situations are studied as examples.Comment: (19 pages in revtex + 15 figures not included, available upon request.) report THU-93-10

The efficacy of halofantrine in the treatment of acute malaria in nonimmune travelers

A multicenter prospective trial was performed to investigate the efficacy and the tolerability of halofantrine in nonimmune patients with malaria imported from areas with drug-resistant falciparum parasites (mainly Africa). Forty-five of the 74 subjects were treated with a one-day regimen (3 x 500 mg) of halofantrine, and the other 29 received the same regimen with an additional treatment on day 7. In the second group, a 100% efficacy rate was demonstrated, but in the group receiving the one-day regimen, four recrudescences were observed in patients with falciparum malaria. Only five mild adverse reactions were seen, which disappeared spontaneously after the end of the treatment. We conclude that halofantrine is highly effective in curing malaria in nonimmune subjects. The treatment scheme for such persons should include an additional treatment on day 7 for nonimmune individuals. This drug was well tolerated in our patients, indicating that halofantrine will be useful in the treatment of multidrug-resistant malaria in nonimmune persons