Direct Measurements of Absolute Branching Fractions for D0 and D+ Inclusive Semimuonic Decays

By analyzing about 33 $\rm pb^{-1}$ data sample collected at and around 3.773 GeV with the BES-II detector at the BEPC collider, we directly measure the branching fractions for the neutral and charged $D$ inclusive semimuonic decays to be $BF(D^0 \to \mu^+ X) =(6.8\pm 1.5\pm 0.7)$ and $BF(D^+ \to \mu^+ X) =(17.6 \pm 2.7 \pm 1.8)$, and determine the ratio of the two branching fractions to be $\frac{BF(D^+ \to \mu^+ X)}{BF(D^0 \to \mu^+ X)}=2.59\pm 0.70 \pm 0.25$

Clustering of metabolic syndrome factors in Malaysian population: Asian criteria revisited

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) had been known as clustering of risk factors for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Over the years, clinical criteria had been revised to highlight importance of various risk factors in defining MetS. Studies had reported different clustering of factors based on different population characteristics. Objective: Our study aimed to identify the clustering factors among our Malaysian population based on sexes and 4 major ethnic groups namely Malay, Chinese, Indian and other minor ethnic Methods: A national cross sectional study was done covering both Peninsular and East Malaysia. Subjects� sociodemographic, body mass index (BMI), waist, hip and neck circumference, blood pressure, fasting triglycerides (TG) and HDL-cholesterol and glucose, urine microalbumin and serum insulin were taken. Principal component factor analysis with Varimax rotation was done to identify the clustering based on sex and ethnic groups. Results: One thousand two hundred and sixty eight male and 2355 female subjects were recruited. Majority of subjects were Malays (63.0) followed by Chinese (13.3), Indian (7.4) and other ethnic groups (13.8) which followed the population composition in Malaysia. Four factors were identified for both men and women. The factors were anthropometry, glycemia, blood pressure and dyslipidemia given the cumulative percent of variance of 69.4 and 65.9 respectively. There are 4 factors identified for Malay, Chinese and Aborigines but 5 factors for Indian ethnic groups given cumulative percent of variance explained ranged from 65.1 to 77.7. Discussion and Conclusion: BMI, neck circumference, blood pressure, Fasting TG and HDL had a high factor loading in both sexes suggesting that for field screening, diagnostic criteria would be adequate criteria. These factors also showed a similar pattern of loading by different ethnic groups. In conclusion,in Malaysian population, at least one measurement from each components namely anthropometric, blood pressure, glycemia and dyslipidemia is adequate to diagnose MetS

The robustness of resource allocations in parallel and distributed computing systems

Abstract. This corresponds to the material in the invited keynote presentation by H. J. Siegel, summarizing the research in [2, 23]. Resource allocation decisions in heterogeneous parallel and distributed computer systems and associated performance prediction are often based on estimated values of application and system parameters, whose actual values are uncertain and may be differ from the estimates. We have designed a model for deriving the degree of robustness of a resource allocation—the maximum amount of collective uncertainty in parameters within which a user-specified level of system performance can be guaranteed. The model will be presented, and we will demonstrate its ability to select the most robust resource allocation from among those that otherwise perform similarly (based on the primary performance criterion). We will show how the model can be used in off-line allocation heuristics to maximize the robustness of makespan against inaccuracies in estimates of application execution times in a cluster.

Supplementary Material for: Smoking Prevention and Cessation in the Africa and Middle East Region: A Consensus Draft Guideline for Healthcare Providers – Executive Summary

Despite the abundance of scientific evidence confirming the health consequences of smoking and other forms of tobacco use, the tobacco epidemic remains an important public health problem and by 2030 it is predicted that more than 80% of tobacco deaths will be in developing countries. In Africa and the Middle East, many local factors contribute to the initiation and maintenance of tobacco use. Although efforts to reduce the mortality and morbidity associated with smoking and tobacco dependence are underway, there is a need for guidance on how to utilize appropriate tobacco control policies and psychology- and pharmacology-based therapies to counter tobacco dependence as recommended by the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). A group of tobacco cessation experts from public health services and/or academic institutions in Africa and the Middle East participated in a series of four meetings held in Cairo, Cape Town, and Dubai between May 2008 and February 2011 to develop a draft guideline tailored to their region. This article provides the background to the development of this draft smoking cessation guideline and discusses how the recommendations can be implemented and progress monitored to promote both primary prevention and cessation of tobacco use within our countries. The draft guideline for Africa and the Middle East provides an important resource in combating the devastating effects of tobacco use in these regions which can be further localized through engagement with local stakeholders in the countries of the region

Pharmacologic Reduction of Mitochondrial Iron Triggers a Noncanonical BAX/BAK-Dependent Cell Death

International audienceAbstract Cancer cell metabolism is increasingly recognized as providing an exciting therapeutic opportunity. However, a drug that directly couples targeting of a metabolic dependency with the induction of cell death in cancer cells has largely remained elusive. Here we report that the drug-like small-molecule ironomycin reduces the mitochondrial iron load, resulting in the potent disruption of mitochondrial metabolism. Ironomycin promotes the recruitment and activation of BAX/BAK, but the resulting mitochondrial outer membrane permeabilization (MOMP) does not lead to potent activation of the apoptotic caspases, nor is the ensuing cell death prevented by inhibiting the previously established pathways of programmed cell death. Consistent with the fact that ironomycin and BH3 mimetics induce MOMP through independent nonredundant pathways, we find that ironomycin exhibits marked in vitro and in vivo synergy with venetoclax and overcomes venetoclax resistance in primary patient samples. Significance: Ironomycin couples targeting of cellular metabolism with cell death by reducing mitochondrial iron, resulting in the alteration of mitochondrial metabolism and the activation of BAX/BAK. Ironomycin induces MOMP through a different mechanism to BH3 mimetics, and consequently combination therapy has marked synergy in cancers such as acute myeloid leukemia. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 58