Theory of the 2S-2P Lamb shift and 2S hyperfine splitting in muonic hydrogen

The 7 standard deviations between the proton rms charge radius from muonic hydrogen and the CODATA-10 value from hydrogen spectroscopy and electron-scattering has caused considerable discussions. Here, we review the theory of the 2S-2P Lamb shift and 2S hyperfine splitting in muonic hydrogen combining the published contributions and theoretical approaches. The prediction of these quantities is necessary for the determination of both proton charge and Zemach radii from the two 2S-2P transition frequencies measured in muonic hydrogen.Comment: 20 pages with 3 Tables summarising the contributions to the muonic hydrogen Lamb shift and hyperfine splittin

Mast Cell-Derived Histamine Mediates Cystitis Pain

Background: Mast cells trigger inflammation that is associated with local pain, but the mechanisms mediating pain are unclear. Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a bladder disease that causes debilitating pelvic pain of unknown origin and without consistent inflammation, but IC symptoms correlate with elevated bladder lamina propria mast cell counts. We hypothesized that mast cells mediate pelvic pain directly and examined pain behavior using a murine model that recapitulates key aspects of IC. Methods and Findings: Infection of mice with pseudorabies virus (PRV) induces a neurogenic cystitis associated with lamina propria mast cell accumulation dependent upon tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF), TNF-mediated bladder barrier dysfunction, and pelvic pain behavior, but the molecular basis for pelvic pain is unknown. In this study, both PRV-induced pelvic pain and bladder pathophysiology were abrogated in mast cell-deficient mice but were restored by reconstitution with wild type bone marrow. Pelvic pain developed normally in TNF- and TNF receptor-deficient mice, while bladder pathophysiology was abrogated. Conversely, genetic or pharmacologic disruption of histamine receptor H1R or H2R attenuated pelvic pain without altering pathophysiology. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that mast cells promote cystitis pain and bladder pathophysiology through the separable actions of histamine and TNF, respectively. Therefore, pain is independent of pathology and inflammation, an

FluidForming – Hydroforming reinvented

The FluidForming technology represents an alternative sheet metal forming approach as compared to the traditional, bladder based hydroforming, metal spinning, and sheet metal stamping processes. The machine construction allows for much higher forming pressures of up to 400 MPa/60,000 psi. The technology also enables material flow into the dies, thus, providing more material in potentially critical areas. Modular die construction allows for very cost effective solutions including plastic dies, 3D printed dies, die nesting, and split dies. This approach, in-turn, allows undercuts in the parts and generates scratch- and mostly distortion-free parts from pre-painted, pre-patterned, and pre-polished materials like AL, SS, CU, TI or any of the new high performance alloys. As a result, the technology enables a new product development approach that can focus on optimization and/or Time-to-Market while maintaining or lowering the overall Cost-to-Market. In fact, the development cycle can be accelerated to be less than a week from the CAD design to the production of highly accurate, repeatable metal parts that may not even be manufacturable with other technologies

FluidForming – Hydroforming reinvented

The FluidForming technology represents an alternative sheet metal forming approach as compared to the traditional, bladder based hydroforming, metal spinning, and sheet metal stamping processes. The machine construction allows for much higher forming pressures of up to 400 MPa/60,000 psi. The technology also enables material flow into the dies, thus, providing more material in potentially critical areas. Modular die construction allows for very cost effective solutions including plastic dies, 3D printed dies, die nesting, and split dies. This approach, in-turn, allows undercuts in the parts and generates scratch- and mostly distortion-free parts from pre-painted, pre-patterned, and pre-polished materials like AL, SS, CU, TI or any of the new high performance alloys. As a result, the technology enables a new product development approach that can focus on optimization and/or Time-to-Market while maintaining or lowering the overall Cost-to-Market. In fact, the development cycle can be accelerated to be less than a week from the CAD design to the production of highly accurate, repeatable metal parts that may not even be manufacturable with other technologies

FluidForming – Hydroforming reinvented

The FluidForming technology represents an alternative sheet metal forming approach as compared to the traditional, bladder based hydroforming, metal spinning, and sheet metal stamping processes. The machine construction allows for much higher forming pressures of up to 400 MPa/60,000 psi. The technology also enables material flow into the dies, thus, providing more material in potentially critical areas. Modular die construction allows for very cost effective solutions including plastic dies, 3D printed dies, die nesting, and split dies. This approach, in-turn, allows undercuts in the parts and generates scratch- and mostly distortion-free parts from pre-painted, pre-patterned, and pre-polished materials like AL, SS, CU, TI or any of the new high performance alloys. As a result, the technology enables a new product development approach that can focus on optimization and/or Time-to-Market while maintaining or lowering the overall Cost-to-Market. In fact, the development cycle can be accelerated to be less than a week from the CAD design to the production of highly accurate, repeatable metal parts that may not even be manufacturable with other technologies

Full scale wear study of polymer injection moulding tool surface

International audienc

HPV-associated anal lesions in HIV+ patients: long-term results regarding quality of life

Purpose!#!HIV infection and concomitant HPV-associated anal lesions may significantly impact on patients' quality of life (QoL), as they are predicted to have negative effects on health, psyche, and sexuality.!##!Material and methods!#!Fifty-two HIV+ patients with HPV-associated anal lesions were enrolled in a survey approach after undergoing routine proctologic assessment and therapy for HPV-associated anal lesions if indicated over a time span of 11 years (11/2004-11/2015). Therapy consisted of surgical ablation and topic treatment. QoL was analyzed using the SF-36 and the CECA questionnaires.!##!Results!#!Fifty-two of 67 patients (77.6%) were successfully contacted and 29/52 provided full information. The mean age was 43.8 ± 12.8 years. The median follow-up from treatment to answering of the questionnaire was 34 months. Twenty-one percent (6/29) of the patients reported suffering from recurrence of condyloma acuminata, three patients from anal dysplasia (10.3%). In the SF-36, HIV+ patients did not rate their QoL as significantly different over all items after successful treatment of HPV-associated anal lesions. In the CECA questionnaire, patients with persisting HPV-associated anal lesions reported significantly higher emotional stress levels and disturbance of everyday life compared to patients who had successful treatment (71.9/100 ± 18.7 vs. 40.00/100 ± 27.4, p = 0.004). Importantly, the sexuality of patients with anal lesions was significantly impaired (59.8/100 ± 30.8 vs. 27.5/100 ± 12.2, p = 0.032).!##!Conclusion!#!HPV-associated anal lesions impact significantly negative on QoL in HIV+ patients. Successful treatment of HPV-associated anal lesions in HIV+ patients improved QoL. Specific questionnaires, such as CECA, seem to be more adequate than the SF-36 in this setting

Predictors of serofast state after treatment for early syphilis in HIV-infected patients

Objectives Non-treponemal serological tests are used to monitor treatment response during syphilis infection. Syphilis- and HIV-coinfected patients may experience incomplete resolution in non-treponemal titres, which is referred to as the serofast state. The goal of this study was to evaluate risk factors for serofast state in HIV-infected patients. Methods From November 2015 to June 2018, 1530 HIV-positive patients were tested for syphilis using a Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) assay. Among TPPA-positive patients, medical records were reviewed for early syphilis infection. Serofast state was defined as a less than four-fold decrease in non-treponemal antibody titres during a 6-month follow-up period in the absence of symptoms of syphilis. Baseline characteristics were tested as predictive factors of serological response. Results In all, 515 patients (33.7%) tested positive in TPPA assays, and in 163 patients at least one previous syphilis infection was documented. A total of 61 out of 163 patients (37.4%) were in a serofast state. A history of previous syphilis infection (61 vs. 43%; P = 0.04) was more common in serofast patients than in patients with serological cure after 6 months. Non-treponemal titres >= 1:32 before therapy (47 vs. 25%; P = 0.005) and adjunctive corticosteroids to prevent the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction (35% vs 15%; P = 0.006) were associated with serological cure after 6 months, but corticosteroid therapy had no influence at 12 months. The intensity of syphilis treatment did not affect serological cure. Conclusion Corticosteroids for prevention of the Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction were associated with earlier serological cure. Although serological response is the accredited surrogate method to monitor syphilis treatment, the biological significance of the serofast state remains unclear

Effect of gabapentin on sexual function in vulvodynia: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial

Background: Sexual dysfunction is common in women with vulvodynia. Objective: The purpose of this study was (1) to evaluate whether extended-release gabapentin is more effective than placebo in improving sexual function in women with provoked vulvodynia and whether there is a relationship between treatment outcome and pelvic pain muscle severity that is evaluated by palpation with standardized applied pressure and (2) to evaluate whether sexual function in women with provoked vulvodynia would approach that of control subjects who report no vulvar pain either before or after treatment. Study Design: As a secondary outcome in a multicenter double-blind, randomized crossover trial, sexual function that was measured by the Female Sexual Function Index was evaluated with gabapentin (1200–3000 mg/d) compared with placebo. Pain-free control subjects, matched by age and race, also completed Female Sexual Function Index for comparison. Results: From August 2012 to January 2016, 230 women were screened at 3 academic institutions, and 89 women were assigned randomly to treatment. Gabapentin was more effective than placebo in improving overall sexual function (adjusted mean difference, 1.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.4–2.2; P=.008), which included desire (mean difference, 0.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.0–3.3; P=.04), arousal (mean difference, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.1–0.5; P=.004), and satisfaction (mean difference, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.04–0.5; P=.02); however, sexual function remained significantly lower than in 56 matched vulvodynia pain-free control subjects. There was a moderate treatment effect among participants with baseline pelvic muscle pain severity scores above the median on the full Female Sexual Function Index scale (mean difference, 1.6; 95% confidence interval, 0.3–2.8; P=.02) and arousal (mean difference, 0.3; 95% confidence interval, 0.1–0.6; P=.01) and pain domains (mean difference, 0.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.02–0.9; P=.04). Conclusion: Gabapentin improved sexual function in this group of women with provoked vulvodynia, although overall sexual function remained lower than women without the disorder. The most statistically significant increase was in the arousal domain of the Female Sexual Function Index that suggested a central mechanism of response. Women with median algometer pain scores \u3e5 improved sexual function overall, but the improvement was more frequent than the pain domain. We hypothesize that gabapentin may be effective as a pharmacologic treatment for those women with provoked vulvodynia and increased pelvic muscle pain on examination