A multi-chanel electrical impedance meter based on digital lock-in technology

Abstract The presented multichannel measuring system working on various frequencies is suitable either for electrical impedance spectroscopy or tomography. The authors of this paper have developed the complete measurement system and a graphical user interface platform. The accuracy of impedance amplitude and phase are 1 ppm and 0.01°, respectively. The basic instrument works with 8 channels and can be expanded to 64 channels with the application of multiplexing or multiple parallel connected instruments in the same system

Association between serum resistin level and outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.

Resistin is an adipocytokine that is associated with inflammation, coronary artery disease, and other types of cardiovascular disease among patients with normal kidney function. However, little is known about the association of resistin with outcomes in kidney transplant recipients. We collected socio-demographic and clinical parameters, medical and transplant history, and laboratory data from 988 prevalent kidney transplant recipients enrolled in the Malnutrition-Inflammation in Transplant-Hungary Study (MINIT-HU study). Serum resistin levels were measured at baseline. Associations between serum resistin level and death with a functioning graft over a 6-year follow-up period were examined in unadjusted and adjusted models. The mean±SD age of the study population was 51 ± 13 years, among whom 57% were men and 21% were diabetics. Median serum resistin concentrations were significantly higher in patients who died with a functioning graft as compared to those who did not die during the follow-up period (median [IQR]: 22[15-26] vs. 19[14-22] ng/ml, respectively; P < 0.001). Higher serum resistin level was associated with higher mortality risk in both unadjusted and fully adjusted models: HRs (95% CI): 1.33(1.16-1.54) and 1.21(1.01-1.46), respectively. In prevalent kidney transplant recipients, serum resistin was an independent predictor of death with a functioning graft

Long-term, prolonged-release tacrolimus-based immunosuppression in de novo kidney transplant recipients: 5-year prospective follow-up of the ADHERE study patients.

The objectives of this study were to assess long-term graft survival, patient survival, renal function, and acute rejections in de novo kidney transplant recipients, treated with once-daily prolonged-release tacrolimus-based therapy. The study was a 5-year non-interventional prospective follow-up of patients from the ADHERE study, a Phase IV 12-month open-label assessment of patients randomized to receive prolonged-release tacrolimus in combination with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) (Arm 1) or sirolimus (Arm 2). From 838 patients in the randomized study, 587 were included in the long-term follow-up, of whom 510 completed the study at year 5. At 1 year post-transplant, graft and patient survival rates were 93.0% and 97.8%, respectively, and at 5 years were 84.0% and 90.8%, respectively. Cox proportional hazards analysis showed no association between graft loss, initial randomized treatment arm, donor age, donor type, or sex. The 5-year acute rejection-free survival rate was 77.4%, and biopsy-confirmed acute rejection-free survival rate was 86.0%. Renal function remained stable over the follow-up period: mean ± SD eGFR 4-variable modification diet in renal disease formula (MDRD4) was 52.3 ± 21.6 ml/min/1.73 m2 at 6 months and 52.5 ± 23.0 ml/min/1.73 m2 at 5 years post-transplant. These findings support the role of long-term once-daily prolonged-release tacrolimus-based immunosuppression, in combination with sirolimus or MMF, for renal transplant recipients in routine clinical practice. ispartof: TRANSPLANT INTERNATIONAL vol:33 issue:2 pages:161-173 ispartof: location:England status: publishe

Les droits disciplinaires des fonctions publiques : « unification », « harmonisation » ou « distanciation ». A propos de la loi du 26 avril 2016 relative à la déontologie et aux droits et obligations des fonctionnaires

The production of tt‾ , W+bb‾ and W+cc‾ is studied in the forward region of proton–proton collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.98±0.02 fb−1 . The W bosons are reconstructed in the decays W→ℓν , where ℓ denotes muon or electron, while the b and c quarks are reconstructed as jets. All measured cross-sections are in agreement with next-to-leading-order Standard Model predictions.The production of $t\overline{t}$, $W+b\overline{b}$ and $W+c\overline{c}$ is studied in the forward region of proton-proton collisions collected at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.98 $\pm$ 0.02 \mbox{fb}^{-1}. The $W$ bosons are reconstructed in the decays $W\rightarrow\ell\nu$, where $\ell$ denotes muon or electron, while the $b$ and $c$ quarks are reconstructed as jets. All measured cross-sections are in agreement with next-to-leading-order Standard Model predictions

Observation of the B0 → ρ0ρ0 decay from an amplitude analysis of B0 → (π+π−)(π+π−) decays

Proton–proton collision data recorded in 2011 and 2012 by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb−1 , are analysed to search for the charmless B0→ρ0ρ0 decay. More than 600 B0→(π+π−)(π+π−) signal decays are selected and used to perform an amplitude analysis, under the assumption of no CP violation in the decay, from which the B0→ρ0ρ0 decay is observed for the first time with 7.1 standard deviations significance. The fraction of B0→ρ0ρ0 decays yielding a longitudinally polarised final state is measured to be fL=0.745−0.058+0.048(stat)±0.034(syst) . The B0→ρ0ρ0 branching fraction, using the B0→ϕK⁎(892)0 decay as reference, is also reported as B(B0→ρ0ρ0)=(0.94±0.17(stat)±0.09(syst)±0.06(BF))×10−6

A study of CP violation in B-+/- -> DK +/- and B-+/- -> D pi(+/-) decays with D -> (KSK +/-)-K-0 pi(-/+) final states

A first study of CP violation in the decay modes $B^\pm\to [K^0_{\rm S} K^\pm \pi^\mp]_D h^\pm$ and $B^\pm\to [K^0_{\rm S} K^\mp \pi^\pm]_D h^\pm$, where $h$ labels a $K$ or $\pi$ meson and $D$ labels a $D^0$ or $\overline{D}^0$ meson, is performed. The analysis uses the LHCb data set collected in $pp$ collisions, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3 fb$^{-1}$. The analysis is sensitive to the CP-violating CKM phase $\gamma$ through seven observables: one charge asymmetry in each of the four modes and three ratios of the charge-integrated yields. The results are consistent with measurements of $\gamma$ using other decay modes

Study of the rare B-s(0) and B-0 decays into the pi(+) pi(-) mu(+) mu(-) final state

A search for the rare decays $B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ and $B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb detector in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5-1.3 GeV/$c^2$ and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay $B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ and the first evidence of the decay $B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ are obtained and the branching fractions are measured to be $\mathcal{B}(B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-)=(8.6\pm 1.5\,({\rm stat}) \pm 0.7\,({\rm syst})\pm 0.7\,({\rm norm}))\times 10^{-8}$ and $\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-)=(2.11\pm 0.51\,({\rm stat}) \pm 0.15\,({\rm syst})\pm 0.16\,({\rm norm}) )\times 10^{-8}$, where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay $B^0\to J/\psi(\to \mu^+\mu^-)K^*(890)^0(\to K^+\pi^-)$, used as a normalisation.A search for the rare decays Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and B0→π+π−μ+μ− is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb−1 collected by the LHCb detector in proton–proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV . Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5–1.3 GeV/c2 and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and the first evidence of the decay B0→π+π−μ+μ− are obtained and the branching fractions, restricted to the dipion-mass range considered, are measured to be B(Bs0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(8.6±1.5 (stat)±0.7 (syst)±0.7(norm))×10−8 and B(B0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(2.11±0.51(stat)±0.15(syst)±0.16(norm))×10−8 , where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay B0→J/ψ(→μ+μ−)K⁎(892)0(→K+π−) , used as a normalisation.A search for the rare decays Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and B0→π+π−μ+μ− is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb−1 collected by the LHCb detector in proton–proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV . Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5–1.3 GeV/c2 and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay Bs0→π+π−μ+μ− and the first evidence of the decay B0→π+π−μ+μ− are obtained and the branching fractions, restricted to the dipion-mass range considered, are measured to be B(Bs0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(8.6±1.5 (stat)±0.7 (syst)±0.7(norm))×10−8 and B(B0→π+π−μ+μ−)=(2.11±0.51(stat)±0.15(syst)±0.16(norm))×10−8 , where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay B0→J/ψ(→μ+μ−)K⁎(892)0(→K+π−) , used as a normalisation.A search for the rare decays $B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ and $B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ is performed in a data set corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb$^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb detector in proton-proton collisions at centre-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV. Decay candidates with pion pairs that have invariant mass in the range 0.5-1.3 GeV/$c^2$ and with muon pairs that do not originate from a resonance are considered. The first observation of the decay $B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ and the first evidence of the decay $B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-$ are obtained and the branching fractions, restricted to the dipion-mass range considered, are measured to be $\mathcal{B}(B_s^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-)=(8.6\pm 1.5\,({\rm stat}) \pm 0.7\,({\rm syst})\pm 0.7\,({\rm norm}))\times 10^{-8}$ and $\mathcal{B}(B^0 \to \pi^+\pi^-\mu^+\mu^-)=(2.11\pm 0.51\,({\rm stat}) \pm 0.15\,({\rm syst})\pm 0.16\,({\rm norm}) )\times 10^{-8}$, where the third uncertainty is due to the branching fraction of the decay $B^0\to J/\psi(\to \mu^+\mu^-)K^*(890)^0(\to K^+\pi^-)$, used as a normalisation

Search for the lepton flavour violating decay tau(-) -> mu(-)mu(+)mu(-)

A search for the lepton flavour violating decay $\tau^-\rightarrow\mu^-\mu^+\mu^-$ is performed with the LHCb experiment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb$^{−1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV and 2.0 fb$^{−1}$ at 8 TeV. No evidence is found for a signal, and a limit is set at 90% confidence level on the branching fraction, $\mathcal{B}(\tau^-\rightarrow\mu^-\mu^+\mu^-)<4.6\times10^{−8}$.A search for the lepton flavour violating decay τ$^{−}$ → μ$^{−}$ μ$^{+}$ μ$^{−}$ is performed with the LHCb experiment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 1.0 fb$^{−1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 7 TeV and 2.0 fb$^{−1}$ at 8 TeV. No evidence is found for a signal, and a limit is set at 90% confidence level on the branching fraction, $\mathrm{\mathcal{B}}\left({\tau}^{-}\to {\mu}^{-}{\mu}^{+}{\mu}^{-}\right)<4.6\times {10}^{-8}$ .A search for the lepton flavour violating decay $\tau^-\to \mu^-\mu^+\mu^-$ is performed with the LHCb experiment. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of $1.0\mathrm{\,fb}^{-1}$ of proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of $7\mathrm{\,Te\kern -0.1em V}$ and $2.0\mathrm{\,fb}^{-1}$ at $8\mathrm{\,Te\kern -0.1em V}$. No evidence is found for a signal, and a limit is set at $90\%$ confidence level on the branching fraction, $\mathcal{B}(\tau^-\to \mu^-\mu^+\mu^-) < 4.6 \times 10^{-8}$