466 research outputs found
Observation of individual molecules trapped on a nanostructured insulator
For the first time, ordered polar molecules confined in monolayer-deep
rectangular pits produced on an alkali halide surface by electron irradiation
have been resolved at room temperature by non-contact atomic force microscopy.
Molecules self-assemble in a specific fashion inside pits of width smaller than
15 nm. By contrast no ordered aggregates of molecules are observed on flat
terraces. Conclusions regarding nucleation and ordering mechanisms are drawn.
Trapping in pits as small as 2 nm opens a route to address single molecules
Impact of an interatrial shunt device on survival and heart failure hospitalization in patients with preserved ejection fraction
Aims:
Impaired left ventricular diastolic function leading to elevated left atrial pressures, particularly during exertion, is a key driver of symptoms and outcomes in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Insertion of an interatrial shunt device (IASD) to reduce left atrial pressure in HFpEF has been shown to be associated with shortâterm haemodynamic and symptomatic benefit. We aimed to investigate the potential effects of IASD placement on HFpEF survival and heart failure hospitalization (HFH).
Methods and results:
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction patients participating in the Reduce Elevated Left Atrial Pressure in Patients with Heart Failure study (Corvia Medical) of an IASD were followed for a median duration of 739 days. The theoretical impact of IASD implantation on HFpEF mortality was investigated by comparing the observed survival of the study cohort with the survival predicted from baseline data using the Metaâanalysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure heart failure risk survival score. Baseline and postâIASD implant parameters associated with HFH were also investigated. Based upon the individual baseline demographic and cardiovascular profile of the study cohort, the Metaâanalysis Global Group in Chronic Heart Failure scoreâpredicted mortality was 10.2/100 pt years. The observed mortality rate of the IASDâtreated cohort was 3.4/100 pt years, representing a 33% lower rate (P = 0.02). By KaplanâMeier analysis, the observed survival in IASD patients was greater than predicted (P = 0.014). Baseline parameters were not predictive of future HFH events; however, poorer exercise tolerance and a higher workloadâcorrected exercise pulmonary capillary wedge pressure at the 6 months postâIASD study were associated with HFH.
Conclusions:
The current study suggests IASD implantation may be associated with a reduction in mortality in HFpEF. Largeâscale ongoing randomized studies are required to confirm the potential benefit of this therapy
Color flows for the process gg --> Bc + c + b-bar
The contributions of different color flows into the gluonic Bc-meson
production cross section has been calculated. This study is essential to
simulate Bc-meson production with the help of Pythia program. The essence of
matter is that in the frame work of the Lund model used by Pythia the
hadronization way of the final partons and hadronic remnants depends on the
color flow type. The modified method for calculation of the color flow
contributions has been proposed.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, RevTeX
Near-threshold boson pair production in the model of smeared-mass unstable particles
Near-threshold production of boson pairs is considered within the framework
of the model of unstable particles with smeared mass. We describe the principal
aspects of the model and consider the strategy of calculations including the
radiative corrections. The results of calculations are in good agreement with
LEP II data and Monte-Carlo simulations. Suggested approach significantly
simplifies calculations with respect to the standard perturbative one.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, minor corrections, references adde
The NLO QCD Corrections to Meson Production in Decays
The decay width of to meson is evaluated at the next-to-leading
order(NLO) accuracy in strong interaction. Numerical calculation shows that the
NLO correction to this process is remarkable. The quantum
chromodynamics(QCD)renormalization scale dependence of the results is obviously
depressed, and hence the uncertainties lying in the leading order calculation
are reduced.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figures; references added; expressions and typos ammende
Using Heavy Quark Spin Symmetry in Semileptonic Decays
The form factors parameterizing the B_c semileptonic matrix elements can be
related to a few invariant functions if the decoupling of the spin of the heavy
quarks in B_c and in the mesons produced in the semileptonic decays is
exploited. We compute the form factors as overlap integral of the meson
wave-functions obtained using a QCD relativistic potential model, and give
predictions for semileptonic and non-leptonic B_c decay modes. We also discuss
possible experimental tests of the heavy quark spin symmetry in B_c decays.Comment: RevTex, 22 pages, 2 figure
Decays of the Meson to a -Wave Charmonium State or
The semileptonic decays,
, and the two-body
nonleptonic decays, , (here and
denote and respectively, and
indicates a meson) were computed. All of the form factors appearing in the
relevant weak-current matrix elements with as its initial state and a
-wave charmonium state as its final state for the decays were precisely
formulated in terms of two independent overlapping-integrations of the
wave-functions of and the -wave charmonium and with proper kinematics
factors being `accompanied'. We found that the decays are quite sizable, so
they may be accessible in Run-II at Tevatron and in the foreseen future at LHC,
particularly, when BTeV and LHCB, the special detectors for B-physics, are
borne in mind. In addition, we also pointed out that the decays may potentially be used as a fresh window to look for the
charmonium state, and the cascade decays,
() with one of the radiative decays
being followed accordingly, may affect
the observations of meson through the decays () substantially.Comment: 24 pages, 3 figures, the replacement for improving the presentation
and adding reference
The Decays to -wave Charmonium by Improved Bethe-Salpeter Approach
We re-calculate the exclusive semileptonic and nonleptonic decays of
meson to a -wave charmonium in terms of the improved Bethe-Salpeter (B-S)
approach, which is developed recently. Here the widths for the exclusive
semileptonic and nonleptonic decays, the form factors, and the charged lepton
spectrums for the semileptonic decays are precisely calculated. To test the
concerned approach by comparing with experimental measurements when the
experimental data are available, and to have comparisons with the other
approaches the results obtained by the approach and those by some approaches
else as well as the original B-S approach, which appeared in literature, are
comparatively presented and discussed.Comment: 33 pages, 5 figures, 3 table
Antibacterial, Anti-HIV-1 Protease and Cytotoxic Activities of Aqueous Ethanolic Extracts from Combretum Adenogonium Steud. Ex A. Rich (Combretaceae).
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Records have shown that Combretum adenogonium Steud. Ex A. Rich (Combretaceae) is used in traditional medicine systems of several tribes in Tanzania. This study focused on the investigation of antibacterial activity, anti-HIV-1 protease activity, toxicity properties and classes of phytochemicals in extracts from C. adenogonium Steud. Ex A. Rich (Combretaceae) to evaluate potential of these extracts for development as herbal remedies. Dried plant material were ground to fine powder and extracted using 80% aqueous ethanol to afford root, leaf and stem bark extracts. The extracts were assayed for anti-HIV-1 protease activities, antibacterial activities using microdilution methods and cytotoxicity using brine shrimps lethality assay. Screening for major phytochemical classes was carried out using standard chemical tests. All extracts exhibited antibacterial activity to at least one of the test bacteria with MIC-values ranging from 0.31-5.0 mg/ml. Two extracts, namely, root and stem bark exhibited anti-HIV-1 PR activity with IC50 values of 24.7 and 26.5 ÎŒg/ml, respectively. Stem bark and leaf extracts showed mild toxicity with LC50 values of 65.768 ÎŒg/ml and 76.965 ÎŒg/ml, respectively, whereas roots were relatively non-toxic (LC50â=â110.042 ÎŒg/ml). Phytochemical screening of the extracts indicated presence of flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, tannins, glycosides and saponins. These results provide promising baseline information for the potential development of C. adenogonium extracts in treatment of bacterial and HIV/AIDS-related opportunistic infections
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