On search for new Higgs physics in CDF at the Tevatron

We discuss the Higgs boson mass sum rules in the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model in order to estimate the upper limits on the masses of stop quarks as well as the lower bounds on the masses of the scalar Higgs boson state. The bounds on the scale of quark-lepton compositeness derived from the CDF Collaboration (Fermilab Tevatron) data and applied to new extra gauge boson search is taken into account. These extra gauge bosons are considered in the framework of the extended SU(2)_h \times SU(2)_l model. In addition, we discuss the physics of rare decays of the MSSM Higgs bosons in both CP-even and CP-odd sectors and also some extra gauge bosons.Comment: 24 pages, LaTeX, 8 figure

War and Peace: the difficult treatment of urinary tract infections and fosfomycin trometamol

The title of this review “War and peace” is not accidental and the analogies with a well-known literary masterpiece have absolutely justified ground. As in the case of Lev Tolstoy’s novel this title has a profound philosophical meaning, although at first glance it may seem quite obvious. The word «war» may well correspond to those hostile changes of microorganisms leading to the current problem of antimicrobial resistance recognized worldwide. This is the “war” we have to wage against the antibiotic-resistant bacteria today. And the «peace» in this context is considered as the world, the entire universe, all people, the whole society and its reaction to what is happening. On the other hand, the word «peace» means something opposite in meaning to the word «war». Thus, the essence of the title bears a sharp contrast between military actions and peacetime, between something that carries a threat to life and peace, or illness and recovery. Preserving original novel’s structure the authors of this review consistently consider justification of fosfomycin trometamol as a first-line drug in the treatment of acute uncomplicated cystitis in women taking into account the latest research, publications and global trends

Покрытия на основе двумерно упорядоченного линейно-цепочечного углерода для защиты титановых имплантатов от микробной колонизации

Purpose of the study – to evaluate the antibacterial activity and biological compatibility of alloy coatings based on two-dimensionally ordered linear chain carbon (TDOLCC).Materials and Methods. Coatings based on TDOLCC were synthesized using alloying additions like nitrogen (TDOLCC+N) and silver (TDOLCC+Ag) on the surfaces of titanium plates and polystyrene plates by the ion-stimulated carbon condensation in a vacuum. The authors examined the superficial bactericidal activity of the coatings and its resistance to mechanical effects. Coated plates were evaluated in respect of rate of microbial biofilms formation by clinical isolates with multiple and extreme antibiotic resistance. Specimens were colored with crystal violet solution to visualize the biofilms. Cytotoxic effect of coatings was evaluated in respect of primary culture of fibroblasts and keratinocyte cell line HaCaT.Results. The authors observed pronounced superficial bactericidal effect of TDOLCC+Ag coating in respect of microorganisms of several taxonomic groups independently of their resistance to antibacterial drugs. TDOLCC+Ag coating proved capable to completely prevent microbial biofilm formation by antibiotic resistant clinical isolates of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Silvercontaining coating demonstrated mechanical resistance and preservation of close to baseline level of superficial bactericidal activity even after lengthy abrasion treatment. TDOLCC based coatings did not cause any cytotoxic effects. Structure of monolayers formed in cavities coated by TDOLCC+N and TDOLCC+Ag was indistinguishable from the monolayers in cavities of control plates.Цель исследования — оценить антибактериальную активность и биологическую совместимость легированных покрытий металлоконструкций для остеосинтеза на основе двумерно упорядоченного линейно-цепочечного углерода (ДУ ЛЦУ).Материал и методы. Методом ионно-стимулированной конденсации углерода в вакууме на поверхностях титановых пластин и полистироловых планшетов синтезированы покрытия на основе ДУ ЛЦУ с легирующими добавками: азотом (ДУ ЛЦУ+N) и серебром (ДУ ЛЦУ+Ag). Изучена поверхностная бактерицидная активность покрытий и ее устойчивость к механическим воздействиям. На пластинах с покрытиями оценена интенсивность формирования микробных биопленок клиническими изолятами микроорганизмов со множественной и экстремальной антибиотикорезистентностью, для визуализации сформированных биопленок выполнено окрашивание образцов раствором кристаллического фиолетового. Оценка цитотоксичности покрытий выполнена в отношении первичной культуры фибробластов и клеточной линии кератиноцитов HaCaT.Результаты. Выявлен выраженный поверхностный бактерицидный эффект покрытий ДУ ЛЦУ+Ag в отношении микроорганизмов нескольких таксономических групп, не зависящий от их устойчивости к антибактериальным препаратам. Для покрытия ДУ ЛЦУ+Ag установлена способность полного предотвращения формирования микробных биопленок антибиотико-резистентными клиническими изолятами S. aureus и P. aeruginosa. Показана механическая устойчивость серебросодержащего покрытия с сохранением уровня поверхностной бактерицидной активности, близкого к исходному, даже после продолжительной абразивной обработки. Покрытия на основе ДУ ЛЦУ не вызывали цитотоксических эффектов. Структура монослоя, сформированного в лунках с покрытиями ДУ ЛЦУ+N и ДУ ЛЦУ+Ag, была неотличима от лунок контрольных планшетов

In vitro activity of thiamphenicol against Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes clinical isolates

Objective. To determine in vitro activity of thiamphenicol and other clinically available antimicrobials against clinical isolates of Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Streptococcus pyogenes. Materials and Methods. We included in the study 875 clinical isolates from 20 Russian cities during 2018–2019. Among tested strains, 126 were H. influenzae, 389 – S. pneumoniae, 360 – S. pyogenes. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using broth microdilution method according to ISO 20776-1:2006. AST results were interpreted according to EUCAST v.11.0 clinical breakpoints. Results. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of thiamphenicol did not exceed 2 mg/L for 94.4% of H. influenzae strains (MIC50 and MIC90 were 0.5 and 1 mg/L, respectively). Thiamphenicol was active against 76.9% of ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae strains (MIC of thiamphenicol 0.06 mg/L) did not exceed 2 mg/L. A total of 88.1% of S. pneumoniae strains resistant to erythromycin were highly susceptible to thiamphenicol (MIC < 2 mg/L). The MIC of thiamphenicol did not exceed 8 mg/L for 96.1% of S. pyogenes strains (MIC50 and MIC90 were 2 and 4 mg/L, respectively). Conclusions. Thiamphenicol was characterized by relatively high in vitro activity, comparable to that of chloramphenicol, against tested strains of H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae and S. pyogenes, including S. pneumoniae isolates with reduced susceptibility to penicillin

Pulse-Shape discrimination with the Counting Test Facility

Pulse shape discrimination (PSD) is one of the most distinctive features of liquid scintillators. Since the introduction of the scintillation techniques in the field of particle detection, many studies have been carried out to characterize intrinsic properties of the most common liquid scintillator mixtures in this respect. Several application methods and algorithms able to achieve optimum discrimination performances have been developed. However, the vast majority of these studies have been performed on samples of small dimensions. The Counting Test Facility, prototype of the solar neutrino experiment Borexino, as a 4 ton spherical scintillation detector immersed in 1000 tons of shielding water, represents a unique opportunity to extend the small-sample PSD studies to a large-volume setup. Specifically, in this work we consider two different liquid scintillation mixtures employed in CTF, illustrating for both the PSD characterization results obtained either with the processing of the scintillation waveform through the optimum Gatti's method, or via a more conventional approach based on the charge content of the scintillation tail. The outcomes of this study, while interesting per se, are also of paramount importance in view of the expected Borexino detector performances, where PSD will be an essential tool in the framework of the background rejection strategy needed to achieve the required sensitivity to the solar neutrino signals.Comment: 39 pages, 17 figures, submitted to Nucl. Instr. Meth.

New limits on nucleon decays into invisible channels with the BOREXINO Counting Test Facility

The results of background measurements with the second version of the BOREXINO Counting Test Facility (CTF-II), installed in the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory, were used to obtain limits on the instability of nucleons, bounded in nuclei, for decays into invisible channels ($inv$): disappearance, decays to neutrinos, etc. The approach consisted of a search for decays of unstable nuclides resulting from $N$ and $NN$ decays of parents $^{12}$C, $^{13}$C and $^{16}$O nuclei in the liquid scintillator and the water shield of the CTF. Due to the extremely low background and the large mass (4.2 ton) of the CTF detector, the most stringent (or competitive) up-to-date experimental bounds have been established: $\tau(n \to inv) > 1.8 \cdot 10^{25}$ y, $\tau(p \to inv) > 1.1 \cdot 10^{26}$ y, $\tau(nn \to inv) > 4.9 \cdot 10^{25}$ y and $\tau(pp \to inv) > 5.0 \cdot 10^{25}$ y, all at 90% C.L.Comment: 22 pages, 3 figures,submitted to Phys.Lett.

Observation of a Coherence Length Effect in Exclusive Rho^0 Electroproduction

Exclusive incoherent electroproduction of the rho^0(770) meson from 1H, 2H, 3He, and 14N targets has been studied by the HERMES experiment at squared four-momentum transfer Q**2>0.4 GeV**2 and positron energy loss nu from 9 to 20 GeV. The ratio of the 14N to 1H cross sections per nucleon, known as the nuclear transparency, was found to decrease with increasing coherence length of quark-antiquark fluctuations of the virtual photon. The data provide clear evidence of the interaction of the quark- antiquark fluctuations with the nuclear medium.Comment: RevTeX, 5 pages, 3 figure