Model independent study of the Dirac structure of the nucleon-nucleon interaction

Relativistic and non-relativistic modern nucleon-nucleon potentials are mapped on a relativistic operator basis using projection techniques. This allows to compare the various potentials at the level of covariant amplitudes were a remarkable agreement is found. In nuclear matter large scalar and vector mean fields of several hundred MeV magnitude are generated at tree level. This is found to be a model independent feature of the nucleon-nucleon interaction.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, results for V_lowk added, to appear in PR

Relativistic Effects in Nuclear Matter and Nuclei

The status of relativistic nuclear many-body calculations of nuclear systems to be built up in terms of protons and neutrons is reviewed. In detail, relativistic effects on several aspects of nuclear matter such as the effective mass, saturation mechanism, and the symmetry energy are considered. This review will especially focus on isospin asymmetric issues, since these aspects are of high interest in astrophysical and nuclear structure studies. Furthermore, from the experimental side these aspects are experiencing an additional boost from a new generation of radioactive beam facilities, e.g. the future GSI facility FAIR in Germany or SPIRAL2 at GANIL/France. Finally, the prospects of studying finite nuclei in microscopic calculations which are based on realistic $NN$ interactions by including relativistic effects in calculations of low momentum interactions are discussed.Comment: 57 pages, 16 figure

Alternative antibody for the detection of CA125 antigen: a European multicenter study for the evaluation of the analytical and clinical performance of the Access (R) OV Monitor assay on the UniCel (R) Dxl 800 Immunoassay System

Background: Cancer antigen CA125 is known as a valuable marker for the management of ovarian cancer. Methods: The analytical and clinical performance of the Access OV Monitor Immunoassay System (Beckman Coulter) was evaluated at five different European sites and compared with a reference system, defined as CA125 on the Elecsys System (Roche Diagnostics). Results: Total imprecision (%CV) of the OV Monitor ranged between 3.1% and 8.8%, and inter-laboratory reproducibility between 4.7% and 5.0%. Linearity upon dilution showed a mean recovery of 100% (SD+8.1%). Endogenous interferents had no influence on OV Monitor levels (mean recoveries: hemoglobin 107%, bilirubin 103%, triglycericles 103%). There was no high-dose hook effect up to 27,193 kU/L. Clinical performance investigated in sera from 1811 individuals showed a good correlation between the Access OV Monitor and Elecsys CA125 (R = 0.982, slope = 0.921, intercept = + 1.951). OV Monitor serum levels were low in healthy individuals (n = 267, median = 9.7 kU/L, 95th percentile = 30.8 kU/L), higher in individuals with various benign diseases (n = 549, medians = 10.9-16.4 kU/L, 95th percentiles = 44.2-355 kU/L) and even higher in individuals suffering from various cancers (n = 995, medians= 12.4-445 kU/L; 95th percentiles = 53.4-4664 kU/L). Optimal diagnostic accuracy for cancer detection against the relevant benign control group by the OV Monitor was found for ovarian cancer {[}area under the curve (AUC) 0.898]. Results for the reference CA125 assay were comparable (AUC 0.899). Conclusions: The Access OV Monitor provides very good methodological characteristics and demonstrates an excellent analytical and clinical correlation with Elecsys CA125. The best diagnostic accuracy for the OV Monitor was found in ovarian cancer. Our results also suggest a clinical value of the OV Monitor in other cancers

Making Europe go from bottles to the tap: Political and societal attempts to induce behavioral change

In several European countries and at the level of the European Union, we can observe political and societal attempts to promote the use of tap water. Most prominently, the European Commission proposed revisions for the Drinking Water Directive, which includes strategies for promoting the consumption of tap water. The strategies comprise the following: improving access to tap water, upgrading quality standards for tap water, and enhancing transparency concerning the benefits of tap water. National initiatives in European countries pursue similar strategies that concentrate on enhancing access to tap water and communicating its economic, environmental, and social benefits. By drawing on existent literature in different disciplines, we assess how promising these strategies are for inducing individuals to drink tap water rather than bottled water. Our overview reveals that our knowledge regarding the quality dimension is very good: numerous studies on European countries have shown that dissatisfaction with the sensory properties and health-related concerns prevent individuals from drinking (more) tap water and opting for bottled water instead. The body of research with a specific focus on Europe is significantly smaller concerning the other two dimensions: access to tap water and the benefits of tap water. Nonetheless, there is indicative and preliminary evidence that improved access to tap water and a better communication of the benefits of tap water could positively affect consumption patterns. This article is categorized under: Engineering Water > Sustainable Engineering of Water, Human Water > Water Governance, Human Water > Water as Imagined and Represented

Plasma and whole blood exchange in meningococcal sepsis

Contains fulltext : 4755.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Correlation between proinflammatory cytokines and antiinflammatory mediators and the severity of disease in meningococcal infections

Contains fulltext : 4804.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access