Search for anisotropic effects of hcp solid helium on optical lines of cesium impurities

The anisotropic effect of a hcp 4He solid matrix on cesium atoms has been proposed as a tool to reveal the parity violating anapole moment of its nucleus. It should also result in splitting the D2 optical excitation line in a way depending on the light polarization. An experimental investigation has been set up using oriented hcp helium crystals in which cesium metal grains are embedded. Atoms are created by laser sputtering from this grains. Optical absorption spectra of the D2 line have been recorded in the temperature range of 1.0 to 1.4 K at liquid/solid coexistence pressure by monitoring the fluorescence on the D2 line at 950 nm. No significant effect of the light polarization has been found, suggesting a statistically isotropic disordered solid environment for the cesium atoms.Comment: The original publication will be available at http://www.springerlink.co

Prevalence and factors associated with difficulty and intention to quit smoking in Switzerland

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Recent data indicate a slight decrease in the prevalence of smoking in Switzerland, but little is known regarding the intention and difficulty to quit smoking among current smokers. Hence, we aimed to quantify the difficulty and intention to quit smoking among current smokers in Switzerland. METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 607 female and 658 male smokers. Difficulty, intention and motivation to quit smoking were assessed by questionnaire. RESULTS: 90% of women and 85% of men reported being "very difficult" or "difficult" to quit smoking. Almost three quarters of smokers (73% of women and 71% of men) intended to quit; however, less than 20% of them were in the preparation stage and 40% were in the precontemplation stage. On multivariate analysis, difficulty to quit was lower among men (Odds ratio and 95% [confidence interval]: 0.51 [0.35-0.74]) and increased with nicotine dependence and number of previous quitting attempts (OR=3.14 [1.75-5.63] for 6+ attempts compared to none). Intention to quit decreased with increasing age (OR=0.48 [0.30-0.75] for [greater than or equal to]65 years compared to <45 years) and increased with nicotine dependence, the number of previous quitting attempts (OR=4.35 [2.76-6.83] for 6+ attempts compared to none) and among non-cigarette smokers (OR=0.51 [0.28-0.92]). Motivation to quit was inversely associated with nicotine dependence and positively associated with the number of previous quitting attempts and personal history of lung disease. CONCLUSION: Over two thirds of Swiss smokers want to quit. However, only a small fraction wishes to do so in the short term. Nicotine dependence, previous attempts to quit or previous history of lung disease are independently associated with difficulty and intention to quit

Clinical guideline for the treatment of dual pathology in the adult population

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Obese and fit adolescents have lower blood pressure levels than obese and unfit counterparts.

The aim of the study was to assess the effects of physical fitness on the relationships between body mass index (BMI) and body fat (BF) on blood pressure (BP) levels. Cross-sectional study conducted in 25 schools of Lisbon (Portugal), including 2041 boys and 1995 girls aged 10-18. BF was assessed by bioimpedance. Cardiovascular fitness was assessed by the 20-meter shuttle run and classified as fit/unfit. Obesity (BMI or BF defined) was defined according to international criteria. In both sexes, BMI was positively related with systolic and diastolic BP, while BF was only positively related with diastolic BP z-scores. No interaction was found between fitness and BMI categories regarding BP levels, while for BF a significant interaction was found. Being fit reduced the BF-induced increase in the Odds ratio (OR) of presenting with high BP: OR (95% confidence interval) 1.01 (0.73-1.40) and 0.99 (0.70-1.38) for overweight and obese fit boys, respectively, the corresponding values for unfit overweight and obese boys being 1.33 (0.94-1.90) and 1.75 (1.34-2.28), respectively. The values were 0.88 (0.57-1.35) and 1.66 (0.98-2.80) for overweight and obese fit girls, respectively, the corresponding values for unfit overweight and obese being 1.63 (1.12-2.37) and 1.90 (1.32-2.73) respectively. No interaction was found between fitness and BMI-defined overweight and obesity. Being fit reduces the negative impact of BF on BP levels and high BP status in adolescents. This protective effect was not found with BMI

Current status of robotic surgery for rectal cancer: A bird′s eye view

Minimally invasive surgery for rectal cancer is now widely performed via the laparoscopic approach and has been validated in randomized controlled trials to be oncologically safe with better perioperative outcomes than open surgery including shorter length of stay, earlier return of bowel function, better cosmesis, and less analgesic requirement. Laparoscopic surgery, however, has inherent limitations due to two-dimensional vision, restricted instrument motion and a very long learning curve. Robotic surgery with its superb three-dimensional magnified optics, stable retraction platform and 7 degrees of freedom of instrument movement offers significant benefits during Total Mesorectal Excision (TME) including ease of operation, markedly lower conversion rates and better quality of the specimen in addition to shorter (steeper) learning curves. This review summarizes the current evidence for the adoption of robotic TME for rectal cancer with supporting data from the literature and from the authors′ own experience. All relevant articles from PubMed using the search terms listed below and published between 2000 and 2014 including randomized trials, meta-analyses, prospective studies, and retrospective reviews with substantial numbers were included

High-throughput optimization of adhesion in multilayers by superlayer gradients

International audienceFor adhesion measurements, the superlayer method has recently been developed an overlayer under high compressive stress provides the loading and drives interface delamination. We combined the superlayer method with thickness gradients for high-throughput adhesion measurements In this way, the effect of small modifications of interface chemistry on adhesion in multilayers was assessed in a single test. We used this methodology for an optimisation of the Ti interlayer thickness for adhesion at the SiO2/Ag interface. In addition, we have shown that the method is particularly useful for in-depth investigation of buckling phenomena in connection to interfacial toughnes

Wpływ otyłości na wyniki okołooperacyjne, klinicznopatologiczne oraz onkologiczne całkowitego wycięcia mezorektum w nowotworze odbytnicy metodą chirurgii wspomaganej robotowo

Cel pracy: Analiza możliwości przeprowadzenia oraz wyników operacji robotowej w nowotworze odbytnicy u otyłych pacjentów. Metody: Od 2005 do 2012 roku do rejestru prospektywnej bazy danych wpisano 101 kolejnych przypadków nowotworów odbytnicy operowanych metodą chirurgii robotowej. Pacjentów rozdzielono do grup z otyłością (BMI≥30 kg/m2) oraz bez otyłości (BMI<30 kg/m2). Porównano parametry operacyjne, okołooperacyjne oraz wyniki patologiczne. Dane analizowano przy użyciu programu SPSS 22.0, zaś istotność statystyczną zdefiniowano jako wartość p≤0,05. Wyniki: W badaniu uczestniczyło 33 otyłych pacjentów (średnia wartość BMI – 33,8 kg/m2). Pacjentów porównano, biorąc pod uwagę płeć, stopień zaawansowania nowotworu (faza T) oraz typ operacji. Czas trwania zabiegu i utrata krwi były większe w grupie pacjentów otyłych; jedynie czas trwania zabiegu był istotny statystycznie. Częstotliwość konwersji, czas trwania hospitalizacji oraz częstotliwość występowania przecieków zespolenia były podobne. Dodatni margines obwodowy oraz liczba usuniętych węzłów chłonny były porównywalne. Odsetek pacjentów wolnych od choroby oraz odsetek przeżyć po okresie 3 lat wyniosły odpowiednio w grupach z otyłością i bez: 75,8% vs 80,9% oraz 84,8% vs 92,6%. Wnioski: Zabieg chirurgii robotowej w leczeniu nowotworu odbytnicy u osób otyłych jest bezpieczny i możliwy do przeprowadzenia. W zabiegach z użyciem zautomatyzowanej platformy BMI nie wpływało na częstotliwość konwersji, czas trwania hospitalizacji, powikłania pooperacyjne oraz jakość preparatu lub przeżywalność