Elastic p-p cross-section and multiple scattering of quarks

The elastic p–p cross-section is calculated in the quark model using Glauber multiple scattering expansion. We find that: (a) recoil effects are crucial for momentum transfers higher than 2(GeV/c)$^{2}$; (b) multiple scattering terms are larger than required by the data. We interpret this last result as evidence for negative correlations at short distances (in the impact parameter plane) between quarks in the proton

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) ― common practice in Poland before the “antifibrotic drugs era”

  INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive and debilitating lung disease with a median survival time of 3–5 years. For now, pirfenidone (PIR) and nintedanib (NTB) are the only drugs that can slow down the disease’s progression. In Poland, these drugs, although registered for legal use, had not been reimbursed for IPF patients until the end of the year 2016. Aim of the study was to assess what was common practice in terms of diagnosis and treatment in the period before antifibrotic drugs became available for IPF patients in Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed a survey among participants of two nationwide pulmonological congresses held in 2016. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty physicians took part in the study. Only 55% of respondents would reach their final diagnosis in collaboration with a radiologist. Just 40% of those sending patients for surgical lung biopsy (SLB) would discuss the case directly with a pathologist. 22% would never refer the patient suspected of having IPF for SLB. 85% believed that bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) may be useful for diagnosis. 41% of respiratory professionals would not use any drug for the treatment of IPF patients. 23% of physicians would prescribe corticosteroids in high doses (CS), either in monotherapy or in combination with other drugs. Only 43% of respondents would use antacid drugs in case of symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and only 11% would prescribe these drugs regardless of GERD diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of Polish pulmonologists were not supported by radiologists and pathologists in the diagnostic process. Treatment standards were unsatisfactory, mostly due to a lacking of reimbursement regulations. Further education is necessary to improve management of IPF patients in Poland.

Thyroid gland in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

The risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as thyroid diseases increases with age. COPD is a common systemic disease associated with chronic inflammation. Many endocrinological disorders, including thyroid gland diseases are related to systemic inflammation. Epidemiological studies suggest that patients with COPD are at higher risk of thyroid disorders. These associations are not well-studied and thyroid gland diseases are not included on the broadly acknowledged list of COPD comorbidities. They may seriously handicap quality of life of COPD patients. Unfortunately, the diagnosis may be difficult, as many signs are masked by the symptoms of the index disease. The comprehension of the correlation between thyroid gland disorders and COPD may contribute to better care of patients. In this review, we attempt to revise available literature describing existing links between COPD and thyroid diseases.The risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as thyroid diseases increases with age. COPD is a common systemic disease associated with chronic inflammation. Many endocrinological disorders, including thyroid gland diseases are related to systemic inflammation. Epidemiological studies suggest that patients with COPD are at higher risk of thyroid disorders. These associations are not well-studied and thyroid gland diseases are not included on the broadly acknowledged list of COPD comorbidities. They may seriously handicap quality of life of COPD patients. Unfortunately, the diagnosis may be difficult, as many signs are masked by the symptoms of the index disease. The comprehension of the correlation between thyroid gland disorders and COPD may contribute to better care of patients. In this review, we attempt to revise available literature describing existing links between COPD and thyroid diseases

Torqued fireballs in relativistic heavy-ion collisions

We show that the fluctuations in the wounded-nucleon model of the initial stage of relativistic heavy-ion collisions, together with the natural assumption that the forward (backward) moving wounded nucleons emit particles preferably in the forward (backward) direction, lead to an event-by-event torqued fireball. The principal axes associated with the transverse shape are rotated in the forward region in the opposite direction than in the backward region. On the average, the standard deviation of the relative torque angle between the forward and backward rapidity regions is about 20deg for the central and 10deg for the mid-peripheral collisions. The hydrodynamic expansion of a torqued fireball leads to a torqued collective flow, yielding, in turn, torqued principal axes of the transverse-momentum distributions at different rapidities. We propose experimental measures, based on cumulants involving particles in different rapidity regions, which should allow for a quantitative determination of the effect from the data. To estimate the non-flow contributions from resonance decays we run Monte Carlo simulations with THERMINATOR. If the event-by-event torque effect is found in the data, it will support the assumptions concerning the fluctuations in the early stage of the fireball formation, as well as the hypothesis of the asymmetric rapidity shape of the emission functions of the moving sources in the nucleus-nucleus collisions.Comment: Grant reference adde

Effect of exogenously added rhamnolipids on citric acid production yield

The influence of a biosurfactant (rhamnolipids) on the effectiveness of citric acid production by Yarrowia lipolytica from sunflower oil was studied. The surfactant-mediated solubilization of the hydrophobic substrate was assessed by particle size distribution characteristics with and without the presence of sunflower oil hydrolization products. The presence of rhamnolipids contributed to a decrease of the oil droplet size, most notably for samples containing sunflower oil and its hydrolization products. The citric acid yield for cultures not supplemented with rhamnolipids was at 82.9 g/l, with a 1:0.04 citric acid to isocitric acid ratio (CA:ICA). The addition of rhamnolipids at 1 g/l resulted in a 5% increased citric acid yield (87.1 g/l), however a decrease (79.0 g/l) was observed for samples containing 5 g/l of rhamnolipids. The rhamnolipids-induced emulsification of sunflower oil did not seem to influence the citric acid production efficiency. Additional research revealed that the biosurfactant was degraded by yeast cells during the bioconversion process. The possible explanations of this phenomenon include the utilization of rhamnolipids as an alternative carbon source or microbial destabilization of micelles formed by this biosurfactant due to potential bioavailability issues.Keywords: Yarrowia lipolytica, citric acid, rhamnolipids, sunflower oilAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(21), pp. 3313-332

Synchronous extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma/PNET and gallbladder carcinoma : a case report and literature review

Ewing’s sarcoma (ES) and primitive neuroectodermal tumour (PNET) are now considered to be the same tumour and usually occur in long bones. Extraskeletal Ewing’s sarcoma is an extremely rare neoplasm, accounting for 1% of soft tissue sarcomas, with most common location in the thorax. Gallbladder cancer (GBC) represents the most common type among the biliary tract cancers with a poor prognosis even among patients undergoing aggressive therapy. We present study of extraskeletal ES/PNET found in the hilus of the liver of an elderly, diagnosed one month prior with GBC woman. The patient underwent two cycles of chemotherapy SAIME/SAVAC for ES and thereafter was operated. During three-year follow-up no recurrence of ES/PNET has been reported. However, two years after chemotherapy the patient suffered a relapse of adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder and thus received palliative chemotherapy of gemcitabine and cisplatin. After 16 months of recurrence she died. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of ES/PNET located in the hilus of the liver and as a synchronous neoplasm

Adenomatoid tumour of the adrenal gland : a case report and literature review

Adenomatoid tumour (AT) is a rare, benign neoplasm of mesothelial origin, which usually occurs in the genital tract of both sexes. Occasionally these tumours are found in extra genital locations such as heart, pancreas, skin, pleura, omentum, lymph nodes, retroperitoneum, intestinal mesentery and adrenal gland. Histologi cally ATs show a mixture of solid and cystic patterns usually with focal presence of signet-ring like cells and scattered lymphoid infiltration. The most important thing about these tumours is not to misdiagnose them as primary malignant or metastatic neoplasms. We present a case of an adrenal AT in a 29-year-old asymptomatic male. The tumour was an incidental finding during abdominal CT-scan for an unrelated condition. We also present a review of the literature concerning adrenal gland AT and give possible differential diagnosis