957 research outputs found
Previously clinically âsilentâ adrenal phaeochromocytoma presenting as hypovolemic shock with paradoxical hypertension
No Abstract Keywords: Phaeochromocytoma; Acute abdomen; Rupture; Hypovolemic shoc
Lorentz-violating vs ghost gravitons: the example of Weyl gravity
We show that the ghost degrees of freedom of Einstein gravity with a Weyl
term can be eliminated by a simple mechanism that invokes local Lorentz
symmetry breaking. We demonstrate how the mechanism works in a cosmological
setting. The presence of the Weyl term forces a redefinition of the quantum
vacuum state of the tensor perturbations. As a consequence the amplitude of
their spectrum blows up when the Lorentz-violating scale becomes comparable to
the Hubble radius. Such a behaviour is in sharp contrast to what happens in
standard Weyl gravity where the gravitational ghosts smoothly damp out the
spectrum of primordial gravitational waves.Comment: 14 pages, 3 figures, REVTeX 4.
Effect of magnesium sulphate added to lidocaine on inferior alveolar nerve block success in patients with symptoms of irreversible pulpitis: a prospective, randomized clinical trial
AIM: To investigate the effect of magnesium sulphate used as an adjuvant to lidocaine with epinephrine local anaesthetic on the success of inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANB) in patients with irreversible pulpitis undergoing root canal treatment. METHODOLOGY: In a double-blind clinical trial, following power calculation, 124 patients with symptoms of irreversible pulpitis in mandibular molar teeth were selected and initial pain data was collected using a Heft-Parker (Heft & Parker 1984) visual analogue scale. The first group (control) received IANB with 1.8 mL of a local anaesthetic solution containing 1.8% lidocaine with 1:88,000 epinephrine whist the second group (test) received IANB with 1.8 mL of an anaesthetic solution containing 1% magnesium sulphate, and 1.8% lidocaine with 1:88,000 epinephrine. Pain data was collected after access cavity and penetration of files in the canals using a Heft-Parker visual analog scale. Two patients were not included in the study as they did not consent and a further 54 patients were excluded as they did not report lip numbness within 15 minutes after IANB administration, thus the data presented in this study is related to 68 patients. The data were analyzed using chi-square and t- test (α=0.05). RESULTS: The success of pulpal anaesthesia with IANB was 82% for the magnesium sulphate group and 53% for the control group. There was a significant difference in the effectiveness of the IANB between the 2 groups (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the magnesium sulphate and control groups regarding gender (P =0.598) or age (P = 0.208) or initial pain scores (P = 0.431). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of 1% magnesium sulphate to 1.8% lidocaine with 1:88,000 epinephrine resulted in a positive impact for the success of IANB in patients with a diagnosis of irreversible pulpitis related to mandibular molar teeth undergoing root canal treatment. Thus magnesium sulphate may be used as adjuvant for achieving profound pulpal anaesthesia in challenging cases. However, more studies with larger sample size and different concentration doses must be carried out to establish an appropriate conclusion before its routine clinical use
Spatial heterogeneity of habitat suitability for Rift Valley fever occurrence in Tanzania: an ecological niche modelling approach
Despite the long history of Rift Valley fever (RVF) in Tanzania, extent of its suitable habitat in the country remains unclear. In this study we investigated potential effects of temperature, precipitation, elevation, soil type, livestock density, rainfall pattern, proximity to wild animals, protected areas and forest on the habitat suitability for RVF occurrence in Tanzania. Presence-only records of 193 RVF outbreak locations from 1930 to 2007 together with potential predictor variables were used to model and map the suitable habitats for RVF occurrence using ecological niche modelling. Ground-truthing of the model outputs was conducted by comparing the levels of RVF virus specific antibodies in cattle, sheep and goats sampled from locations in Tanzania that presented different predicted habitat suitability values. Habitat suitability values for RVF occurrence were higher in the northern and central-eastern regions of Tanzania than the rest of the regions in the country. Soil type and precipitation of the wettest quarter contributed equally to habitat suitability (32.4% each), followed by livestock density (25.9%) and rainfall pattern (9.3%). Ground-truthing of model outputs revealed that the odds of an animal being seropositive for RVFV when sampled from areas predicted to be most suitable for RVF occurrence were twice the odds of an animal sampled from areas least suitable for RVF occurrence (95% CI: 1.43, 2.76, p < 0.001). The regions in the northern and central-eastern Tanzania were more suitable for RVF occurrence than the rest of the regions in the country. The modelled suitable habitat is characterised by impermeable soils, moderate precipitation in the wettest quarter, high livestock density and a bimodal rainfall pattern. The findings of this study should provide guidance for the design of appropriate RVF surveillance, prevention and control strategies which target areas with these characteristics
Long distance transport of magnon spin information in a magnetic insulator at room temperature
The transport of spin information has been studied in various materials, such
as metals, semiconductors and graphene. In these materials, spin is transported
by diffusion of conduction electrons. Here we study the diffusion and
relaxation of spin in a magnetic insulator, where the large bandgap prohibits
the motion of electrons. Spin can still be transported, however, through the
diffusion of non-equilibrium magnons, the quanta of spin wave excitations in
magnetically ordered materials. Here we show experimentally that these magnons
can be excited and detected fully electrically in linear response, and can
transport spin angular momentum through the magnetic insulator yttrium iron
garnet (YIG) over distances as large as 40 micrometer. We identify two
transport regimes: the diffusion limited regime for distances shorter than the
magnon relaxation length, and the relaxation limited regime for larger
distances. With a model similar to the diffusion-relaxation model for electron
spin transport in (semi)conducting materials, we extract the magnon relaxation
length lambda = 9.4 micrometer in a 200 nm thin YIG film at room temperature
Treatment of eccrine porocarcinoma with metastasis to the parotid gland using intensity-modulated radiation therapy: a case report
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Cutaneous eccrine porocarcinomas are uncommon malignant tumors of the sweat gland.</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>A 76-year-old Caucasian man presented to our hospital with a left temporal mass. We describe a case of eccrine porocarcinoma with metastasis to the parotid gland with special emphasis on the role of surgical resection and adjuvant radiation therapy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Besides surgical resection, little is known about the role of adjuvant therapy in managing eccrine porocarcinomas. Radiation therapy should be considered within a multidisciplinary approach in patients with primary or recurrent eccrine porocarcinomas.</p
Search for High Mass Photon Pairs in p-pbar --> gamma-gamma-jet-jet Events at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV
A search has been carried out for events in the channel p-barp --> gamma
gamma jet jet. Such a signature can characterize the production of a
non-standard Higgs boson together with a W or Z boson. We refer to this
non-standard Higgs, having standard model couplings to vector bosons but no
coupling to fermions, as a "bosonic Higgs." With the requirement of two high
transverse energy photons and two jets, the diphoton mass (m(gamma gamma))
distribution is consistent with expected background. A 90(95)% C.L. upper limit
on the cross section as a function of mass is calculated, ranging from
0.60(0.80) pb for m(gamma gamma) = 65 GeV/c^2 to 0.26(0.34) pb for m(gamma
gamma) = 150 GeV/c^2, corresponding to a 95% C.L. lower limit on the mass of a
bosonic Higgs of 78.5 GeV/c^2.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures. Replacement has new H->gamma gamma branching
ratios and corresponding new mass limit
Limits on WWZ and WW\gamma couplings from p\bar{p}\to e\nu jj X events at \sqrt{s} = 1.8 TeV
We present limits on anomalous WWZ and WW-gamma couplings from a search for
WW and WZ production in p-bar p collisions at sqrt(s)=1.8 TeV. We use p-bar p
-> e-nu jjX events recorded with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron
Collider during the 1992-1995 run. The data sample corresponds to an integrated
luminosity of 96.0+-5.1 pb^(-1). Assuming identical WWZ and WW-gamma coupling
parameters, the 95% CL limits on the CP-conserving couplings are
-0.33<lambda<0.36 (Delta-kappa=0) and -0.43<Delta-kappa<0.59 (lambda=0), for a
form factor scale Lambda = 2.0 TeV. Limits based on other assumptions are also
presented.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, 2 table
Search for New Physics in e mu X Data at D0 Using Sleuth: A Quasi-Model-Independent Search Strategy for New Physics
We present a quasi-model-independent search for the physics responsible for
electroweak symmetry breaking. We define final states to be studied, and
construct a rule that identifies a set of relevant variables for any particular
final state. A new algorithm ("Sleuth") searches for regions of excess in those
variables and quantifies the significance of any detected excess. After
demonstrating the sensitivity of the method, we apply it to the semi-inclusive
channel e mu X collected in 108 pb^-1 of ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.8 TeV
at the D0 experiment during 1992-1996 at the Fermilab Tevatron. We find no
evidence of new high p_T physics in this sample.Comment: 23 pages, 12 figures. Submitted to Physical Review
Quality of Type 2 Diabetes Management in the States of The Co-Operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf: A Systematic Review
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a growing, worldwide public health concern. Recent growth has been particularly dramatic in the states of The Co-operation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), and these and other developing economies are at particular risk. We aimed to systematically review the quality of control of type 2 diabetes in the GCC, and the nature and efficacy of interventions. We identified 27 published studies for review. Studies were identified by systematic database searches. Medline and Embase were searched separately (via Dialog and Ovid, respectively; 1950 to July 2010 (Medline), and 1947 to July 2010 (Embase)) on 15/07/2009. The search was updated on 08/07/2010. Terms such as diabetes mellitus, non-insulin-dependent, hyperglycemia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and Gulf States were used. Our search also included scanning reference lists, contacting experts and hand-searching key journals. Studies were judged against pre-determined inclusion/exclusion criteria, and where suitable for inclusion, data extraction/quality assessment was achieved using a specifically-designed tool. All studies wherein glycaemic-, blood pressure- and/or lipid- control were investigated (clinical and/or process outcomes) were eligible for inclusion. No limitations on publication type, publication status, study design or language of publication were imposed. We found the extent of control to be sub-optimal and relatively poor. Assessment of the efficacy of interventions was difficult due to lack of data, but suggestive that more widespread and controlled trial of secondary prevention strategies may have beneficial outcomes. We found no record of audited implementation of primary preventative strategies and anticipate that controlled trial of such strategies would also be useful
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