Simultaneous PIXE and RBS data analysis using Bayesian Inference with the DataFurnace code

The Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) and Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) techniques can be used to obtain complementary information about the characteristics of a sample but, traditionally, a gap has separated the available computer codes for analyzing data from each technique, being hard to simultaneously analyze data from the same sample. The recent development of a free and open source library, LibCPIXE, for PIXE simulation and analysis of arbitrary multilayered samples, has permitted to integrate this technique into the DataFurnace code which already handles many other IBA techniques such as Rutherford and non-Rutherford backscattering, elastic recoil detection, and non-resonant nuclear reaction analysis. The fitting capabilities of DataFurnace can therefore now be applied to PIXE spectra as well, including the Bayesian Inference analysis and the simultaneous and coherent fitting of multiple spectra from different techniques. Various examples are presented in which the simultaneous RBS and PIXE analysis allows us to obtain consistent results that cannot be obtained by independent analysis of the data from each technique.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures. Paper initially presented to IBA2005. Please cite the published version (DOI:10.1016/j.nimb.2006.03.190

LibCPIXE: a PIXE simulation open-source library for multilayered samples

Most particle induced X-ray emission (PIXE) data analysis codes are not focused on handling multilayered samples. We have developed an open-source library called "LibCPIXE", for PIXE data analysis. It is written in standard C and implements functions for simulating X-ray yields of PIXE spectra taken from arbitrary samples, including multilayered targets. The library is designed to be fast, portable, modular and scalable, as well as to facilitate its incorporation into any existing program. In order to demonstrate the capabilities of the library, a program called CPIXE was developed and used to analyze various real samples involving both bulk and layered samples. Just as the library, the CPIXE source code is freely available under the General Public License. We demonstrate that it runs both under GNU/Linux systems as well as under MS Windows. There is in principle no limitation to port it to other platforms

QCD sum rules with finite masses

The concept of QCD sum rules is extended to bound states composed of particles with finite mass such as scalar quarks or strange quarks. It turns out that mass corrections become important in this context. The number of relevant corrections is analyzed in a systematic discussion of the IR- and UV-divergencies, leading in general to a finite number of corrections. The results are demonstrated for a system of two massless quarks and two heavy scalar quarks.Comment: 15 pages, including two pictures to be found in an extra file. Latex neads epsf.st

Anti-apoptotic treatments prevent cartilage degradation after acute trauma to human ankle cartilage

SummaryObjectivesTo investigate the effect of anti-apoptotic agents on cartilage degradation after a single impact to ankle cartilage.DesignTen human normal tali were impacted with the impulse of 1Ns generating peak forces in the range of 600N using a 4mm diameter indenter. Eight millimeter cartilage plugs containing the 4mm diameter impacted core and a 4mm adjacent ring were removed and cultured with or without P188 surfactant (8mg/ml), caspase-3 (10uM), or caspase-9 (2uM) inhibitors for 48h. Results were assessed in the superficial and middle-deep layers immediately after injury at day 0 and at 2, 7 and 14 days after injury by live/dead cell and Tunel assays and by histology with Safranin O/fast green staining.ResultsA single impact to human articular cartilage ex vivo resulted in cell death, cartilage degeneration, and radial progression of apoptosis to the areas immediately adjacent to the impact. The P188 was more effective in preventing cell death than the inhibitors of caspases. It reduced cell death by more than 2-fold (P<0.05) in the core and by about 30% in the ring in comparison with the impacted untreated control at all time points. P188 also prevented radial expansion of apoptosis in the ring region especially in the first 7 days post-impaction (7.5% Tunel-positive cells vs 46% in the untreated control; P<0.01). Inhibitors of caspase-3 or -9 were effective in reducing cell death in the impacted core only at early time points, but were ineffective in doing so in the ring. Mankin score was significantly improved in the P188 and caspase-3 treated groups.ConclusionsEarly intervention with the P188 and caspase-3 inhibitor may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of cartilage defects immediately after injury

La prensa gratuita ante las elecciones generales de España del 9 de marzo de 2008: cobertura, politización y frames en contraposición a la prensa de pago.

Las elecciones generales de España del 9 de marzo de 2008 fueron cubiertas de un modo distinto por la prensa gratuita y la de pago. Esta es la principal conclusión obtenida tras realizar un análisis de contenido cuantitativo de las principales cabeceras de cada tipo de periódico (El País, El Mundo, ADN, Qué! y 20 minutos) durante la semana previa a la cita electoral. Se ha medido la importancia concedida a estos comicios por parte de los medios impresos mediante la observación sistemática y el análisis de las unidades redaccionales, los elementos gráficos y las valoraciones de los partidos y sus representantes. También se ha examinado el tratamiento partidista de la información en los distintos diarios, así como el uso de distintos enfoques (frames), en cada cabecera. Los resultados de este estudio proceden del proyecto de investigación titulado El modelo actual de diarios gratuitos en España: desarrollo, contenido, usos y gratificaciones percibidos por la audiencia, financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, dentro de la convocatoria del Plan i+d+i (SEJ2007-66380)

Remarks on the determination of the Landau gauge OPE for the Asymmetric three gluon vertex

We compute a compact OPE formula describing power corrections to the perturbative expression for the asymmetric $\widetilde{MOM}$-renormalized running coupling constant up to the leading logarithm. By the use of the phenomelogical hypothesis leading to the factorization of the condensates through a perturbative vacuum insertion, the only relevant condensate in the game is $$. The validity of the OPE formula is tested by searching for a good-quality coherent description of previous lattice evaluations of $\widetilde{MOM}$-renormalized gluon propagator and running coupling.Comment: 12 pages, 3 figures (2 generated by the macro: axodraw.sty

Effects of Osteopathic Visceral Treatment in Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Osteopathic manual treatment has been recommended as a non-pharmacological therapy for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). However, to date, no study has supported the effectiveness of this intervention with respect to the symptoms of the disease. Our goal was to assess the effect of an osteopathic manual technique for the lower esophageal sphincter on GERD symptoms, cervical mobility and on the C4 spinous process pressure pain threshold (PPTs). Methods: A randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial was performed. Sixty subjects suffering from GERD participated in this study and were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (EG) (n = 29), who received the osteopathic technique for the lower esophageal sphincter, or to a control group (CG) (n = 31), who received a manual contact, which mimicked the osteopathic technique without exerting any therapeutic force. Randomization was computer-generated, with allocation concealed by sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes. The GerdQ questionnaire was used to assess symptom changes the week after intervention. Cervical Range of Motion (CROM) and algometer were used to evaluate cervical mobility and PPTs before and after both treatments. Before-after between groups comparison (t-test) was used for statistical analysis of the outcome, with two measurement points (GerdQ), while repeated-measures ANOVA was used for those outcomes with four measurement points (CROM and PPT). Results: The application of the osteopathic manual treatment in subjects with GERD produced a significant improvement in symptoms one week after the intervention (p = 0.005) with a between-groups difference of 1.49 points in GerdQ score (95% CI: 0.47-2.49). PPT C4 improved in the EG after the treatment (p = 0.034; eta(2) = 0.048) (between-groups difference 8.78 Newton/cm(2); 95% CI: 0.48-17.09). CROM also increased in the EG compared to the CG (p < 0.001; eta(2) = 0.108) (between-groups difference 33.89 degrees; 95% CI: 15.17-52.61). Conclusions: The manual osteopathic technique produces an improvement in GERD symptoms one week after treatment, cervical mobility, and PPTs. This may mean that osteopathic treatment is useful for improving symptoms of GERD

Influence of irrigation and fertilization on the sterol and triterpene dialcohol compositions of virgin olive oil

The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of irrigation and fertilization with nitrogen and potassium on the sterol and triterpene dialcohol contents in two trials of cv. Arbequina in super-intensive orchards in Madrid and Lleida (Spain), using a completely randomized block design. No significant differences in total sterols between deficit and full irrigation treatments were observed. Under very dry conditions, the sterol levels from fully irrigated trees were higher than from rain-fed treatments and the triterpene dialcohol erythrodiol+ uvaol content was lower in the irrigated treatments in Lleida. In the fertilizer trial with full irrigation, total sterols were higher in the two N treatments compared to the unfertilized one; while erythrodiol + uvaol decreased. The application of K fertilizer had no effect on total sterol or triterpene dialcohol contents. A proper fertilization and irrigation are vital to obtain high quality EVOOs that meet the regulatory range in sterol and erythrodiol + uvaol contents.Influencia del riego y la fertilización en los esteroles y dialcoholes triterpénicos del aceite de oliva. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la influencia del riego y del abonado nitrogenado y potásico en los esteroles y los dialcoholes tritepénicos, en sendos ensayos de arbequina en superintensivo, con un diseño en bloques al azar, en Madrid y Lleida. No se observaron diferencias significativas de esteroles totales entre el riego deficitario y el riego completo. En condiciones de sequía extrema, los esteroles del riego completo fueron superiores al secano y los dialcoholes tritepénicos eritrodiol y uvaol fueron inferiores en los tratamientos de riego en Lleida. En el ensayo de abonado con riego completo, los esteroles totales fueron superiores en las dos aplicaciones de nitrógeno respecto al testigo no tratado y también disminuyeron el eritrodiol + uvaol. El abonado potásico no afectó a los esteroles totales ni a los dihalcoholes triterpénicos. Una fertilización y riego adecuados son de vital importancia para obtener AOVEs de alta calidad que cumplan con los límites legales del contenido en esteroles y eritrodiol + uvaol.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio