Theory and laboratory astrophysics

Science opportunities in the 1990's are discussed. Topics covered include the large scale structure of the universe, galaxies, stars, star formation and the interstellar medium, high energy astrophysics, and the solar system. Laboratory astrophysics in the 1990's is briefly surveyed, covering such topics as molecular, atomic, optical, nuclear and optical physics. Funding recommendations are given for the National Science Foundation, NASA, and the Department of Energy. Recommendations for laboratory astrophysics research are given

On the linear fractional self-attracting diffusion

In this paper, we introduce the linear fractional self-attracting diffusion driven by a fractional Brownian motion with Hurst index 1/2<H<1, which is analogous to the linear self-attracting diffusion. For 1-dimensional process we study its convergence and the corresponding weighted local time. For 2-dimensional process, as a related problem, we show that the renormalized self-intersection local time exists in L^2 if $\frac12<H<\frac3{4}$.Comment: 14 Pages. To appear in Journal of Theoretical Probabilit

Bromelain Inhibits Allergic Sensitization and Murine Asthma via Modulation of Dendritic Cells

The incidence of atopic conditions has increased in industrialized countries. Persisting symptoms and concern for drug side-effects lead patients toward adjunctive treatments such as phytotherapy. Previously, we have shown that Bromelain (sBr), a mixture of cysteine proteases from pineapple, Ananas comosus, inhibits ovalbumin (OVA)-induced murine model of allergic airway disease (AAD). However, sBr’s effect on development of AAD when treatment is administered throughout OVA-alum sensitization was unknown and is the aim of the present study. C57BL/6J mice were sensitized with OVA/alum and challenged with 7 days OVA aerosol. sBr 6 mg/kg/0.5 ml or PBS vehicle were administered throughout sensitization. Lung, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), spleen, and lymph nodes were processed for flow cytometry and OVA-specific IgE was determined via ELISA. sBr treatment throughout OVA-alum sensitization significantly reduced the development of AAD (BAL eosinophils and lymphocytes). OVA-specific IgE and OVA TET+ cells were decreased. sBr reduced CD11c+ dendritic cell subsets, and in vitro treatment of DCs significantly reduced CD44, a key receptor in both cell trafficking and activation. sBr was shown to reduce allergic sensitization and the generation of AAD upon antigen challenge. These results provide additional insight into sBr's anti-inflammatory and antiallergic properties and rationale for translation into the clinical arena

Treatment and Outcome of Osteoporotic Thoracolumbar Vertebral Fractures With Anterior or Posterior Tension Band Failure (OF 5): Short-Term Results From the Prospective EOFTT Multicenter Study.

STUDY DESIGN Subgroup analysis of a multicenter prospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE To analyse surgical strategies applied to osteoporotic thoracolumbar osteoporotic fracture (OF) 5 injuries with anterior or posterior tension band failure and to assess related complications and clinical outcome. METHODS A multicenter prospective cohort study (EOFTT) was conducted at 17 spine centers including 518 consecutive patients who were treated for an osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF). For the present study, only patients with OF 5 fractures were analysed. Outcome parameters were complications, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODI), Timed Up & Go test (TUG), EQ-5D 5L, and Barthel Index. RESULTS In total, 19 patients (78 ± 7 years, 13 female) were analysed. Operative treatment consisted of long-segment posterior instrumentation in 9 cases and short-segment posterior instrumentation in 10 cases. Pedicle screws were augmented in 68 %, augmentation of the fractured vertebra was performed in 42%, and additional anterior reconstruction was done in 21 %. Two patients (11 %) received short-segment posterior instrumentation without either anterior reconstruction or cement-augmentation of the fractured vertebra. No surgical or major complications occurred, but general postoperative complications were observed in 45%. At a follow-up of mean 20 ± 10 weeks (range, 12 to 48 weeks), patients showed significant improvements in all functional outcome parameters. CONCLUSIONS In this analysis of patients with type OF 5 fractures, surgical stabilization was the treatment of choice and lead to significant short-term improvement in terms of functional outcome and quality of life despite a high general complication rate

Georg Schmorl prize of the German spine society (DWG) 2022: current treatment for inpatients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar fractures-results of the EOFTT study

AIM Osteoporotic thoracolumbar fractures are of increasing importance. To identify the optimal treatment strategy this multicentre prospective cohort study was performed. PURPOSE Patients suffering from osteoporotic thoracolumbar fractures were included. Excluded were tumour diseases, infections and limb fractures. Age, sex, trauma mechanism, OF classification, OF-score, treatment strategy, pain condition and mobilization were analysed. METHODS A total of 518 patients' aged 75 ± 10 (41-97) years were included in 17 centre. A total of 174 patients were treated conservatively, and 344 were treated surgically, of whom 310 (90%) received minimally invasive treatment. An increase in the OF classification was associated with an increase in both the likelihood of surgery and the surgical invasiveness. RESULTS Five (3%) complications occurred during conservative treatment, and 46 (13%) occurred in the surgically treated patients. 4 surgical site infections and 2 mechanical failures requested revision surgery. At discharge pain improved significantly from a visual analogue scale score of 7.7 (surgical) and 6.0 (conservative) to a score of 4 in both groups (p < 0.001). Over the course of treatment, mobility improved significantly (p = 0.001), with a significantly stronger (p = 0.007) improvement in the surgically treated patients. CONCLUSION Fracture severity according to the OF classification is significantly correlated with higher surgery rates and higher invasiveness of surgery. The most commonly used surgical strategy was minimally invasive short-segmental hybrid stabilization followed by kyphoplasty/vertebroplasty. Despite the worse clinical conditions of the surgically treated patients both conservative and surgical treatment led to an improved pain situation and mobility during the inpatient stay to nearly the same level for both treatments

Clinical Evaluation of the Osteoporotic Fracture Treatment Score (OF-Score): Results of the Evaluation of the Osteoporotic Fracture Classification, Treatment Score and Therapy Recommendations (EOFTT) Study.

STUDY DESIGN Multicenter prospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE The study aims to validate the recently developed OF score for treatment decisions in patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF). METHODS This is a prospective multicenter cohort study (EOFTT) in 17 spine centers. All consecutive patients with OVCF were included. The decision for conservative or surgical therapy was made by the treating physician independent of the OF score recommendation. Final decisions were compared to the recommendations given by the OF score. Outcome parameters were complications, Visual Analogue Scale, Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, Timed Up & Go test, EQ-5D 5 L, and Barthel Index. RESULTS In total, 518 patients (75.3% female, age 75 ± 10) years were included. 344 (66%) patients received surgical treatment. 71% of patients were treated following the score recommendations. For an OF score cut-off value of 6.5, the sensitivity and specificity to predict actual treatment were 60% and 68% (AUC .684, P < .001). During hospitalization overall 76 (14.7%) complications occurred. The mean follow-up rate and time were 92% and 5 ± 3.5 months, respectively. While all patients in the study cohort improved in clinical outcome parameters, the effect size was significantly less in the patients not treated in line with the OF score's recommendation. Eight (3%) patients needed revision surgery. CONCLUSIONS Patients treated according to the OF score's recommendations showed favorable short-term clinical results. Noncompliance with the score resulted in more pain and impaired functional outcome and quality of life. The OF score is a reliable and save tool to aid treatment decision in OVCF

Lattice permutations and Poisson-Dirichlet distribution of cycle lengths

We study random spatial permutations on Z^3 where each jump x -> \pi(x) is penalized by a factor exp(-T ||x-\pi(x)||^2). The system is known to exhibit a phase transition for low enough T where macroscopic cycles appear. We observe that the lengths of such cycles are distributed according to Poisson-Dirichlet. This can be explained heuristically using a stochastic coagulation-fragmentation process for long cycles, which is supported by numerical data.Comment: 18 pages, 14 figure

Search for squarks and gluinos in events with isolated leptons, jets and missing transverse momentum at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The results of a search for supersymmetry in final states containing at least one isolated lepton (electron or muon), jets and large missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider are reported. The search is based on proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy s√=8 TeV collected in 2012, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 20 fb−1. No significant excess above the Standard Model expectation is observed. Limits are set on supersymmetric particle masses for various supersymmetric models. Depending on the model, the search excludes gluino masses up to 1.32 TeV and squark masses up to 840 GeV. Limits are also set on the parameters of a minimal universal extra dimension model, excluding a compactification radius of 1/R c = 950 GeV for a cut-off scale times radius (ΛR c) of approximately 30