Fractal Inspired Models of Quark and Gluon Distributions and Longitudinal Structure Function FL(x, Q2) at small x

In recent years, Fractal Inspired Models of quark and gluon densities at small x have been proposed. In this paper, we investigate longitudinal structure function F-L (x, Q2) within this approach. We make predictions using the QCD based approximate relation between the longitudinal structure function and the gluon density. As the Altarelli-Martinelli equation for the longitudinal structure function cannot be applied to Model I due to the presence of a singularity in the Bjorken x-space we consider Model II only. The qualitative feature of the prediction of Model II is found to be compatible with the QCD expectation.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, Accepted for publication on 10-07-2010 in Indian Journal of Physic

Immune monitoring-guided vs fixed duration of antiviral prophylaxis against cytomegalovirus in solid-organ transplant recipients. A Multicenter, Randomized Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND The use of assays detecting cytomegalovirus (CMV)-specific T-cell-mediated immunity may individualize the duration of antiviral prophylaxis in transplant recipients. METHODS In this open-label randomized trial, adult kidney and liver transplant recipients from six centers in Switzerland were enrolled if they were CMV-seronegative with seropositive donors or CMV-seropositive receiving anti-thymocyte globulins. Patients were randomized to a duration of antiviral prophylaxis based on immune-monitoring (intervention) or a fixed duration (control). Patients in the control group were planned to receive 180 days (CMV-seronegative) or 90 days (CMV-seropositive) of valganciclovir. Patients were assessed monthly with a CMV-specific interferon gamma release assay (T-Track® CMV); prophylaxis in the intervention group was stopped if the assay was positive. The primary outcomes were the proportion of patients with clinically significant CMV infection and reduction in days of prophylaxis. Between-group differences were adjusted for CMV serostatus. RESULTS Overall, 193 patients were randomized (92 in the immune-monitoring and 101 in the control group) of which 185 had evaluation of the primary endpoint (87 and 98 patients, respectively). Clinically significant CMV infection occurred in 26/87 (adjusted percentage, 30.9%) in the immune-monitoring group and in 32/98 (adjusted percentage, 31.1%) in the control group (adjusted risk difference -0.1, 95%CI -13.0%, 12.7%; p = 0.064). The duration of antiviral prophylaxis was shorter in the immune-monitoring group (adjusted difference -26.0 days, 95%-CI -41.1 to -10.8 days, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Immune monitoring resulted in a significant reduction of antiviral prophylaxis, but we were unable to establish noninferiority of this approach on the co-primary endpoint of CMV infection

The <i>Bal des Ardents</i> (1393), Thomas of Woodstock (1397) and Richard II (1400): Three Medieval Conspiracy Rumours and the Scots’ Mine Play (1608).

Assassination vehicles in Elizabethan and Jacobean tragedies sometimes involve meta-theatrical court festival massacres: court performances embedded within full-length drama, resulting in violent death or trauma to characters in the play. During his career as a playwright (c. 1600–08), John Marston pioneered the masquerade-within as a popular sub-category of court festival massacre. Were such underhand festival appropriations wholly inspired by stage precedents? Or did they also occur in real life? Whether its deaths were accidental or resulted from a botched assassination plot, the 1393 Bal des Ardents was hugely culturally and politically influential. Its continuing cultural afterlives bear witness to the geographical, chronological and social shockwaves of a medieval event whose impact illuminates the persistent collective trauma generated by extreme modern assassinations. My researches identify the conspiracy rumours encouraged in the wake of the 1393 Paris disaster and two English conspiracies of 1397 and 1400 linked to court festivals, as key to a fresh approach to the meta-theatrical court festival massacre, and to interpretation of two plays traditionally discussed together, which refer to these English conspiracies, Shakespeare’s Richard II and the anonymous Thomas of Woodstock. My analysis supports a post-Elizabethan dating of Woodstock, and encourages the hypothesis that it could be the so-called Scots’ Mine Play of 1608, the lost Jacobean play thought by some to have ended Marston’s career as a playwright

Effect of enzyme replacement therapy with alglucosidase alfa (Myozyme (R)) in 12 patients with advanced late-onset Pompe disease

International audienceThe efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in patients at an advanced stage of Pompe disease has only been addressed in a few studies. Our objective was to assess the long term effects of ERT in a cohort of patients with severe Pompe disease.We identified patients from the French Pompe Registry with severe respiratory failure and permanent wheelchair use (assisted walk for a few meters was allowed) when starting ERT. Patients' medical records were collected and reviewed and respiratory and motor functions, before ERT initiation and upon last evaluation were compared.Twelve patients (7 males) were identified. Median age at symptom onset was 24years [IQR=15.5; 36.0]. At baseline ventilation was invasive in 11 patients and noninvasive in one, with a median ventilation time of 24h [IQR=21.88; 24.00] (min 20; max 24). ERT was initiated at a median age of 52.5years [IQR=35.75; 66.50]. Median treatment duration was 55months [IQR=39.5; 81.0]. During observational period no adverse reaction to ERT was recorded, five patients (41.67%) died, three decreased their ventilation time by 30, 60 and 90min and two increased their assisted walking distance, by 80 and 20m.Some patients at a very advanced stage of Pompe disease may show a mild benefit from ERT, in terms of increased time of autonomous ventilation and of enlarged distance in assisted walk. ERT can be initiated in these patients in order to retain their current level of independence and ability to perform daily life activities