Proposal for a Precision Measurement of |Vub|

A new method for a precision measurement of the CKM matrix element |Vub| is discussed, which combines good theoretical control with high efficiency and a powerful discrimination against charm background. The resulting combined theoretical uncertainty on |Vub| is estimated to be 10%.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, RevTe

Local behavior of p-harmonic Green's functions in metric spaces

We describe the behavior of p-harmonic Green's functions near a singularity in metric measure spaces equipped with a doubling measure and supporting a Poincar\'e inequality

Tunneling resonances in quantum dots: Coulomb interaction modifies the width

Single-electron tunneling through a zero-dimensional state in an asymmetric double-barrier resonant-tunneling structure is studied. The broadening of steps in the $I$--$V$ characteristics is found to strongly depend on the polarity of the applied bias voltage. Based on a qualitative picture for the finite-life-time broadening of the quantum dot states and a quantitative comparison of the experimental data with a non-equilibrium transport theory, we identify this polarity dependence as a clear signature of Coulomb interaction.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Community use of oral glucocorticosteroids in Iceland and prophylactic treatment for steroid-induced osteoporosis in daily clinical pratice

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenObjective: The use of oral corticosteroids is one of the most common causes of iatrogenic osteoporosis. Recently, therapeutic guidelines dealing with the skeletal complication of corticosteroids have been published. Therefore, it is of interest to evaluate indication for long-term therapy with corticosteroids and the frequency of active intervention against steroid induced osteoporosis in daily clinical practise. Material and methods: After approval by the Committee on Medical Ethics and the Comission of Data Protection all recipes on corticosteroids in drugstores during two years period in the area of North-east Iceland (population 26,664) were gathered. Thereafter, information was collected from medical records at the Health Care Centres and the local Hospital. Patients who were taking corticosteroids for at least three months per year or in a repeated periods (totally three months annually) were included in the study. These patients also received a questionnaire concerning hormone relpacement therapy and dieatary consumption of calcium and D-vitamin. Results: One hundred and ninety-one patients were included in the study or 0.7% of the population. The mean age was 66 years (17-93) and 55% were females. Rheumatic and pulmonary disorders were the most frequent indication of the corticosteroid treatment. Twenty percents of the patients had expired an osteoporosis related fractures and 26% of the patients had supposed corticosteroids induced osteoporosis. Fifty-two percents of the patients were on sublimentary D-vitamin (fish liver oil) and 37% were taking calcium-tablets, while 91% of the patients were consuming milk products regularly. Nine percents of the patients were taking bisphosphonates and 21% of postmenopausal women were on hormone replacement therapy. Conclusions: Relatively few patients on long term corticosteroids are on primary prevention against corticosteroids induced osteoporosis, although several patients are on D-vitamin and calcium sublimentation. Specific treatment against osteoporosis was in most cases instituted secondary to osteoporotic complications. Thus, corticosteroids prescribing doctors are urged to applicate the new therapy alternatives against corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis to their patients.Inngangur: Ótímabær beingisnun er einn af aðalfylgikvillum langtímasykursterameðferðar. Með virkri forvörn er hægt að draga úr afleiðingum þessa fylgikvilla. Vaxandi þekking á þessu sviði vekur forvitni á því hvernig sykursterar eru notaðir og hvernig staðið er að forvörnum gegn beinþynningu tengdri langtímanotkun þeirra hér á landi. Efniviður og aðferðir: Upplýsingar voru fengnar frá apótekum á Norð-Austurlandi um allar lyfjaávísanir á prednisólón á árunum 1995 og 1996. Sjúklingar sem fengu að minnsta kosti þriggja mánaða samfellda meðferð með prednisólóni á tímabilinu eða styttri meðferðarkúra, þar sem meðferðartíminn var samanlagður þrír mánuðir á ári, voru teknir til rannsóknar. Upplýsingum var síðan safnað úr sjúkraskrám á Fjórðungssjúkrahúsinu á Akureyri og á viðeigandi heilsugæslustöð. Allir sjúklingar fengu spurningablað varðandi lyfjanotkun og neysluvenjur, meðal annars á kalki og D-vítamíni. Niðurstöður: Eitt hundrað níutíu og einn einstaklingur uppfyllti inntökuskilyrði (0,72% af íbúum svæðisins), 106 konur (55%) og 85 karlar (45%). Meðalaldur var 66 ár (17-93). Gigtar- og lungnasjúkdómar voru algengasta ábendingin fyrir meðferðinni. Samkvæmt sjúkraskrám voru 50 sjúklingar skráðir með beinþynningu (26%) og 39 einstaklingar höfðu hlotið beinbrot (20%), þar af höfðu 32 fengið samfall í hrygg. Alls neyttu 91% einstaklinganna reglulega mjólkurafurða, 52% tóku lýsi og 37% tóku reglulega kalktöflur. Tuttugu og fjórar konur voru á uppbótarhormónameðferð eða 21% þeirra kvenna er komnar voru á tíðahvörf. Sautján sjúklingar (9%) voru á meðferð með bísfosfónötum, 16 þeirra voru taldir hafa beinþynningu og höfðu fengið beinbrot áður en bísfosfónatmeðferðin var hafin. Ályktanir: Fylgikvillar eru algengir meðal sjúklinga á langtímasykursterameðferð, þar með talin meint beinbrot vegna beinþynningar. Stór hluti sjúklinga á langtímasykursterameðferð tryggir sér kalk- og D-vítamíninntöku, en annarri forvarnarmeðferð gegn beinþynningu er ábótavant. Þeir sjúklingar er fá sérhæfða meðferð gegn beinþynningu hefja hana fyrst eftir að alvarlegir fylgikvillar hafa gert vart við sig. Höfundar vilja hvetja lækna til að nýta sér nýja meðferðarmöguleika gegn beinþynningu í tengslum við sykursterameðferð. Með virkri forvarnarmeðferð strax í upphafi sykursterameðferðar, einkum hjá áhættuhópum, mætti ef til vill draga úr þessum alvarlega fylgikvilla og fækka þannig ótímabærum beinbrotum

Lamb Shift of Unruh Detector Levels

We argue that the energy levels of an Unruh detector experience an effect similar to the Lamb shift in Quantum Electrodynamics. As a consequence, the spectrum of energy levels in a curved background is different from that in flat space. As examples, we consider a detector in an expanding Universe and in Rindler space, and for the latter case we suggest a new expression for the local virtual energy density seen by an accelerated observer. In the ultraviolet domain, that is when the space between the energy levels is larger than the Hubble rate or the acceleration of the detector, the Lamb shift quantitatively dominates over the thermal response rate.Comment: 20 page

The Embedded Local Monitor Board (ELMB) in the LHC Front-end I/O Control System

The Embedded Local Monitor Board is a plug-on board to be used in LHC detectors for a range of different front-end control and monitoring tasks. It is based on the CAN serial bus system and is radiation tolerant and can be used in magnetic fields. The main features of the ELMB are described and results of several radiation tests are presented. I

The Mectizan(® )Donation Program – highlights from 2005

Through the Mectizan(® )Donation Program, Merck & Co., Inc. has donated Mectizan (ivermectin, MSD) for the treatment of onchocerciasis worldwide since 1987. Mectizan has also been donated for the elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF) since 1998 in African countries and in Yemen where onchocerciasis and LF are co-endemic; for LF elimination programs, Mectizan is co-administered with albendazole, which is donated by GlaxoSmithKline. The Mectizan Donation Program works in collaboration with the Mectizan Expert Committee/Albendazole Coordination, its scientific advisory committee. In 2005, a total of 62,201,310 treatments of Mectizan for onchocerciasis were approved for delivery via mass treatment programs in Africa, Latin America, and Yemen. Seventy-seven percent and 20% of these treatments for onchocerciasis were for countries included in the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) and the former-Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa (OCP), respectively. The remaining 3% of treatments approved were for the six onchocerciasis endemic countries in Latin America, where mass treatment is carried out twice-yearly with the goal of completely eliminating morbidity and eventually transmission of infection, and for Yemen. All 33 onchocerciasis endemic countries where mass treatment with Mectizan is indicated have ongoing mass treatment programs. In 2005, 42,052,583 treatments of co-administered albendazole and Mectizan were approved for national Programs to Eliminate LF (PELFs) in Africa and Yemen. There are ongoing PELFs using albendazole and Mectizan in nine African countries and Yemen; these represent 35% of the total number of countries expected to require the co-administration of these two chemotherapeutic agents for LF elimination. In Africa, the expansion of existing PELFs and the initiation of new ones have been hampered by lack of resources, technical difficulties with the mapping of LF endemicity, and the co-endemicity of LF and loiasis. Included in this review are recommendations recently put forward for the co-administration of albendazole and Mectizan in areas endemic for LF, loiasis, and onchocerciasis

The wave nature of biomolecules and fluorofullerenes

We demonstrate quantum interference for tetraphenylporphyrin, the first biomolecule exhibiting wave nature, and for the fluorofullerene C60F48 using a near-field Talbot-Lau interferometer. For the porphyrins, which are distinguished by their low symmetry and their abundant occurence in organic systems, we find the theoretically expected maximal interference contrast and its expected dependence on the de Broglie wavelength. For C60F48 the observed fringe visibility is below the expected value, but the high contrast still provides good evidence for the quantum character of the observed fringe pattern. The fluorofullerenes therefore set the new mark in complexity and mass (1632 amu) for de Broglie wave experiments, exceeding the previous mass record by a factor of two.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure