8,339 research outputs found
Amyloidogenicity and cytotoxicity of recombinant mature human islet amyloid polypeptide (rhAPP).
Three-Dimensional Gravity with Conformal Scalar and Asymptotic Virasoro Algebra
Strominger has derived the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of the BTZ black hole
using asymptotic Virasoro algebra. We apply Strominger's method to a black hole
solution found by Martinez and Zanelli (MZ). This is a solution of
three-dimensional gravity with a conformal scalar field. The solution is not
, but it is asymptotically ; therefore, it has the asymptotic
Virasoro algebra. We compute the central charge for the theory and compares
Cardy's formula with the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy. It turns out that the
functional form does agree, but the overall numerical coefficient does not.
This is because this approach gives the "maximum possible entropy" for the
numerical coefficient.Comment: 26 pages, LaTeX; v2: minor correction
Measurement of the (90,91,92,93,94,96)Zr(n,gamma) and (139)La(n,gamma) cross sections at n_TOF
Open AccessNeutron capture cross sections of Zr and La isotopes have important implications in the field of nuclear astrophysics as well as in the nuclear technology. In particular the Zr isotopes play a key role for the determination of the neutron density in the He burning zone of the Red Giant star, while the (139)La is important to monitor the s-process abundances from Ba up to Ph. Zr is also largely used as structural materials of traditional and advanced nuclear reactors. The nuclear resonance parameters and the cross section of (90,91,92,93,94,96)Zr and (139)La have been measured at the n_TOF facility at CERN. Based on these data the capture resonance strength and the Maxwellian-averaged cross section were calculated
Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Pediatric Patients Living in Europe: Results of the EuroPedHP Registry 2013 to 2016
Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess clinical presentation, endoscopic findings, antibiotic susceptibility and treatment success of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infected pediatric patients.
Methods: Between 2013 and 2016, 23 pediatric hospitals from 17 countries prospectively submitted data on consecutive H. pylori-infected (culture positive) patients to the EuroPedHP-Registry.
Results: Of 1333 patients recruited (55.1% girls, median age 12.6 years), 1168 (87.6%) were therapy naïve (group A) and 165 (12.4%) had failed treatment (group B). Patients resided in North/Western (29.6%), Southern (34.1%) and Eastern Europe (23.0%), or Israel/Turkey (13.4%). Main indications for endoscopy were abdominal pain or dyspepsia (81.2%, 1078/1328). Antral nodularity was reported in 77.8% (1031/1326) of patients, gastric or duodenal ulcers and erosions in 5.1% and 12.8%, respectively. Primary resistance to clarithromycin (CLA) and metronidazole (MET) occurred in 25% and 21%, respectively, and increased after failed therapy. Bacterial strains were fully susceptible in 60.5% of group A, but in only 27.4% of group B. Primary CLA resistance was higher in Southern and Eastern Europe (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj] = 3.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.22-5.32, P < 0.001 and 2.62, 95% CI: 1.63-4.22, P < 0.001, respectively) compared with Northern/Western Europe. Children born outside Europe showed higher primary MET resistance (ORadj = 3.81, 95% CI: 2.25-6.45, P < 0.001). Treatment success in group A reached only 79.8% (568/712) with 7 to 14 days triple therapy tailored to antibiotic susceptibility.
Conclusions: Peptic ulcers are rare in dyspeptic H. pylori-infected children. Primary resistance to CLA and MET is markedly dependent on geographical regions of birth and residence. The ongoing survey will show whether implementation of the updated ESPGHAN/NASPGHAN guidelines will improve the eradication success.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Measurements of high-energy neutron-induced fission of (nat)Pb and (209)Bi
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial License 3.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any noncommercial medium, provided the original work is properly citedThe CERN Neutron Time-Of-Flight (n_TOF) facility is well suited to measure low cross sections as those of neutron-induced fission in subactinides. The cross section ratios of (nat)Pb and (209)Bi relative to (235)U and (238)U were measured using PPAC detectors and a fragment coincidence method that allows us to identify the fission events. The present experiment provides first results for neutron-induced fission up to 1 GeV. Good agreement is found with previous experimental data below 200 MeV. The comparison with proton-induced fission indicates that the limiting regime where neutron-induced and proton-induced fission reach equal cross sections is close to 1 GeV
Measurement of the radiative neutron capture cross section of 206Pb and its astrophysical implications
The (n, gamma) cross section of 206Pb has been measured at the CERN n_TOF
facility with high resolution in the energy range from 1 eV to 600 keV by using
two optimized C6D6 detectors. In the investigated energy interval about 130
resonances could be observed, from which 61 had enough statistics to be
reliably analyzed via the R-matrix analysis code SAMMY. Experimental
uncertainties were minimized, in particular with respect to (i) angular
distribution effects of the prompt capture gamma-rays, and to (ii) the
TOF-dependent background due to sample-scattered neutrons. Other background
components were addressed by background measurements with an enriched 208Pb
sample. The effect of the lower energy cutoff in the pulse height spectra of
the C6D6 detectors was carefully corrected via Monte Carlo simulations.
Compared to previous 206Pb values, the Maxwellian averaged capture cross
sections derived from these data are about 20% and 9% lower at thermal energies
of 5 keV and 30 keV, respectively. These new results have a direct impact on
the s-process abundance of 206Pb, which represents an important test for the
interpretation of the cosmic clock based on the decay of 238U.Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures, paper to be submitted to Phys. Rev.
Measurement of the neutron capture cross section of the s-only isotope 204Pb from 1 eV to 440 keV
The neutron capture cross section of 204Pb has been measured at the CERN
n_TOF installation with high resolution in the energy range from 1 eV to 440
keV. An R-matrix analysis of the resolved resonance region, between 1 eV and
100 keV, was carried out using the SAMMY code. In the interval between 100 keV
and 440 keV we report the average capture cross section. The background in the
entire neutron energy range could be reliably determined from the measurement
of a 208Pb sample. Other systematic effects in this measurement could be
investigated and precisely corrected by means of detailed Monte Carlo
simulations. We obtain a Maxwellian average capture cross section for 204Pb at
kT=30 keV of 79(3) mb, in agreement with previous experiments. However our
cross section at kT=5 keV is about 35% larger than the values reported so far.
The implications of the new cross section for the s-process abundance
contributions in the Pb/Bi region are discussed.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures, article submitted to Phys. Rev.
New measurement of neutron capture resonances of 209Bi
The neutron capture cross section of Bi209 has been measured at the CERN n
TOF facility by employing the pulse-height-weighting technique. Improvements
over previous measurements are mainly because of an optimized detection system,
which led to a practically negligible neutron sensitivity. Additional
experimental sources of systematic error, such as the electronic threshold in
the detectors, summing of gamma-rays, internal electron conversion, and the
isomeric state in bismuth, have been taken into account. Gamma-ray absorption
effects inside the sample have been corrected by employing a nonpolynomial
weighting function. Because Bi209 is the last stable isotope in the reaction
path of the stellar s-process, the Maxwellian averaged capture cross section is
important for the recycling of the reaction flow by alpha-decays. In the
relevant stellar range of thermal energies between kT=5 and 8 keV our new
capture rate is about 16% higher than the presently accepted value used for
nucleosynthesis calculations. At this low temperature an important part of the
heavy Pb-Bi isotopes are supposed to be synthesized by the s-process in the He
shells of low mass, thermally pulsing asymptotic giant branch stars. With the
improved set of cross sections we obtain an s-process fraction of 19(3)% of the
solar bismuth abundance, resulting in an r-process residual of 81(3)%. The
present (n,gamma) cross-section measurement is also of relevance for the design
of accelerator driven systems based on a liquid metal Pb/Bi spallation target.Comment: 10 pages, 5figures, recently published in Phys. Rev.
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