Calculation of the photoionization with de-excitation cross sections of He and helium-like ions

We discuss the results of the calculation of the photoionization with de-excitation of excited He and helium-like ions Li$^{+}$ and B$^{3+}$ at high but non-relativistic photon energies $\omega$. Several lower $^{1}S$ and $^{3}S$ states are considered. We present and analyze the ratios $R_{d}^{+\ast}$ of the cross sections of photoionization with de-excitation, $\sigma_{(d)}^{+\ast}(\omega)$, and of the photo-ionization with excitation, $\sigma ^{+\ast}(\omega)$. The dependence of $R_{d}^{+\ast}$ on the excitation of the target object and the charge of its nucleus is presented. Apart to theoretical interest, results obtained can be verified using such long living excited state as $2^{3}S$ of He.Comment: 10 pages, 6 table

Triple coalescence singularity in a dynamical atomic process

We show that the high energy limit for the amplitude of the double electron capture to the bound state of the Coulomb field of a nucleus with emission of a single photon is determined by behavior of the wave function in the vicinity of the singular triple coalescence point.Comment: 3 page

BMP2 commitment to the osteogenic lineage involves activation of Runx2 by DLX3 and a homeodomain transcriptional network

Several homeodomain (HD) proteins are critical for skeletal patterning and respond directly to BMP2 as an early step in bone formation. RUNX2, the earliest transcription factor proven essential for commitment to osteoblastogenesis, is also expressed in response to BMP2. However, there is a gap in our knowledge of the regulatory cascade from BMP2 signaling to the onset of osteogenesis. Here we show that BMP2 induces DLX3, a homeodomain protein that activates Runx2 gene transcription. Small interfering RNA knockdown studies in osteoblasts validate that DLX3 is a potent regulator of Runx2. Furthermore in Runx2 null cells, DLX3 forced expression suffices to induce transcription of Runx2, osteocalcin, and alkaline phosphatase genes, thus defining DLX3 as an osteogenic regulator independent of RUNX2. Our studies further show regulation of the Runx2 gene by several homeodomain proteins: MSX2 and CDP/cut repress whereas DLX3 and DLX5 activate endogenous Runx2 expression and promoter activity in non-osseous cells and osteoblasts. These HD proteins exhibit distinct temporal expression profiles during osteoblast differentiation as well as selective association with Runx2 chromatin that is related to Runx2 transcriptional activity and recruitment of RNA polymerase II. Runx2 promoter mutagenesis shows that multiple HD elements control expression of Runx2 in relation to the stages of osteoblast maturation. Our studies establish mechanisms for commitment to the osteogenic lineage directly through BMP2 induction of HD proteins DLX3 and DLX5 that activate Runx2, thus delineating a transcriptional regulatory pathway mediating osteoblast differentiation. We propose that the three homeodomain proteins MSX2, DLX3, and DLX5 provide a key series of molecular switches that regulate expression of Runx2 throughout bone formation. <br/

Cluster Interpretation of Properties of Alternating Parity Bands in Heavy Nuclei

The properties of the states of the alternating parity bands in actinides, Ba, Ce and Nd isotopes are analyzed within a cluster model. The model is based on the assumption that cluster type shapes are produced by the collective motion of the nuclear system in the mass asymmetry coordinate. The calculated spin dependences of the parity splitting and of the electric multipole transition moments are in agreement with the experimental data.Comment: 29 pages, 10 figure

Trust and ambivalence in midwives' views towards women developing pelvic pain during pregnancy: a qualitative study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Swedish midwife plays a significant role in the antenatal care (ANC) system, and a majority of pregnant women are satisfied with their ANC. Pelvic pain during pregnancy (PP) is prevalent. The study investigated the views, perceptions and attitudes of midwives currently working in ANC regarding PP during pregnancy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The informants were ten midwives between the ages of 35 to 64 years, with a combined experience of 250 years of midwifery. In-depth interviews (n = 4) and one focus group discussion (n = 6) were conducted. The data were interpreted using a qualitative content analysis design.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>PP was considered a common, clinical problem that had most likely increased in prevalence in recent decades and could feature prominently in a woman's experience of pregnancy. The informants had developed a strategy for supporting pregnant women affected by PP. The pregnant woman's fear of not being believed concerning her symptoms and the risk of being regarded as a malingerer were acknowledged. Mistrust between a midwife and a woman might occur when the patient's symptoms were vague and ill defined. PP was not considered as something that complicated delivery, and women experiencing it were advised to await 'the natural course of the pregnancy'.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>PP was considered a common, clinical problem and the informants had developed a strategy for supporting pregnant women affected by PP. However, the woman's fear of not being believed concerning her symptoms of PP was acknowledged and mistrust might occur between a midwife and a woman if vague symptoms were reported.</p

Highly sensitive feature detection for high resolution LC/MS

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (LC/MS) is an important analytical technology for e.g. metabolomics experiments. Determining the boundaries, centres and intensities of the two-dimensional signals in the LC/MS raw data is called feature detection. For the subsequent analysis of complex samples such as plant extracts, which may contain hundreds of compounds, corresponding to thousands of features – a reliable feature detection is mandatory.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We developed a new feature detection algorithm <it>centWave </it>for high-resolution LC/MS data sets, which collects regions of interest (partial mass traces) in the raw-data, and applies continuous wavelet transformation and optionally Gauss-fitting in the chromatographic domain. We evaluated our feature detection algorithm on dilution series and mixtures of seed and leaf extracts, and estimated recall, precision and F-score of seed and leaf specific features in two experiments of different complexity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The new feature detection algorithm meets the requirements of current metabolomics experiments. <it>centWave </it>can detect close-by and partially overlapping features and has the highest overall recall and precision values compared to the other algorithms, <it>matchedFilter </it>(the original algorithm of <it>XCMS</it>) and the centroidPicker from <it>MZmine</it>. The <it>centWave </it>algorithm was integrated into the Bioconductor R-package <it>XCMS </it>and is available from <url>http://www.bioconductor.org/</url></p

Converting multilevel nonclassicality into genuine multipartite entanglement

Characterizing genuine quantum resources and determining operational rules for their manipulation are crucial steps to appraise possibilities and limitations of quantum technologies. Two such key resources are nonclassicality, manifested as quantum superposition between reference states of a single system, and entanglement, capturing quantum correlations among two or more subsystems. Here we present a general formalism for the conversion of nonclassicality into multipartite entanglement, showing that a faithful reversible transformation between the two resources is always possible within a precise resource-theoretic framework. Specializing to quantum coherence between the levels of a quantum system as an instance of nonclassicality, we introduce explicit protocols for such a mapping. We further show that the conversion relates multilevel coherence and multipartite entanglement not only qualitatively, but also quantitatively, restricting the amount of entanglement achievable in the process and in particular yielding an equality between the two resources when quantified by fidelity-based geometric measures

Pulmonary metastasectomy versus continued active monitoring in colorectal cancer (PulMiCC): a multicentre randomised clinical trial

BACKGROUND: Lung metastasectomy in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer has been widely adopted without good evidence of survival or palliative benefit. We aimed to test its effectiveness in a randomised controlled trial (RCT). METHODS: Multidisciplinary teams in 13 hospitals recruited participants with potentially resectable lung metastases to a multicentre, two-arm RCT comparing active monitoring with or without metastasectomy. Other local or systemic treatments were decided by the local team. Randomisation was remote and stratified by site with minimisation for age, sex, primary cancer stage, interval since primary resection, prior liver involvement, the number of metastases, and carcinoembryonic antigen level. The central Trial Management Group were blind to patient allocation until completion of the analysis. Analysis was on intention to treat with a margin for non-inferiority of 10%. RESULTS: Between December 2010 and December 2016, 65 participants were randomised. Characteristics were well-matched in the two arms and similar to those in reported studies: age 35 to 86 years (interquartile range (IQR) 60 to 74); primary resection IQR 16 to 35 months previously; stage at resection T1, 2 or 3 in 3, 8 and 46; N1 or N2 in 31 and 26; unknown in 8. Lung metastases 1 to 5 (median 2); 16/65 had previous liver metastases; carcinoembryonic antigen normal in 55/65. There were no other interventions in the first 6 months, no crossovers from control to treatment, and no treatment-related deaths or major adverse events. The Hazard ratio for death within 5 years, comparing metastasectomy with control, was 0.82 (95%CI 0.43, 1.56). CONCLUSIONS: Because of poor and worsening recruitment, the study was stopped. The small number of participants in the trial (N = 65) precludes a conclusive answer to the research question given the large overlap in the confidence intervals in the proportions still alive at all time points. A widely held belief is that the 5-year absolute survival benefit with metastasectomy is about 35%: 40% after metastasectomy compared to < 5% in controls. The estimated survival in this study was 38% (23-62%) for metastasectomy patients and 29% (16-52%) in the well-matched controls. That is the new and important finding of this RCT. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT01106261. Registered on 19 April 2010

Does prior acute exercise affect postexercise substrate oxidation in response to a high carbohydrate meal?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Consumption of a mixed meal increases postprandial carbohydrate utilization and decreases fat oxidation. On the other hand, acute endurance exercise increases fat oxidation and decreases carbohydrate utilization during the post-exercise recovery period. It is possible that the resulting post-exercise increase in circulating nonesterified fatty acids could attenuate the ability of ingested carbohydrate to inhibit lipid oxidation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether prior exercise attenuates the usual meal-induced decline in lipid oxidation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Six healthy, physically active young subjects (x age = 26.3 years, 4 males, 2 females) completed three treatments in random order after a ~10 h fast: (a) Exercise/Carbohydrate (Ex/CHO) – subjects completed a bout of exercise at 70% VO_2peak(targeted net energy cost of 400 kcals), followed by consumption of a carbohydrate-rich meal; (b) Exercise/Placebo (Ex/Placebo) – subjects completed an identical bout of exercise followed by consumption of a placebo; and (c) No Exercise/Carbohydrate (NoEx/CHO) – subjects sat quietly rather than exercising and then consumed the carbohydrate-rich meal. Blood samples were obtained before and during the postprandial period to determine plasma glucose, insulin, and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA). Respiratory gas exchange measures were used to estimate rates of fat and carbohydrate oxidation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Plasma NEFA were approximately two-fold higher immediately following the two exercise conditions compared to the no-exercise condition, while meal consumption significantly increased insulin and glucose in both Ex/CHO and NoEx/CHO. NEFA concentrations fell rapidly during the 2-h postprandial period, but remained higher compared to the NoEx/CHO treatment. Carbohydrate oxidation increased rapidly and fat oxidation decreased in response to the meal, with no differences in the rates of carbohydrate and fat oxidation during recovery between the Ex/CHO and NoEx/CHO conditions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The plasma NEFA concentration is increased during the post exercise period, which is associated with elevated fat oxidation when no meal is consumed. However, when a mixed meal is consumed immediately following exercise, the initially elevated plasma NEFA concentration decreases rapidly, and postexercise fat oxidation during this 2-h postexercise, postprandial period is no higher than that of the 2-h postprandial period without prior exercise.</p