Magnetic polarizability of hadrons from lattice QCD in the background field method

We present a calculation of hadron magnetic polarizability using the techniques of lattice QCD. This is carried out by introducing a uniform external magnetic field on the lattice and measuring the quadratic part of a hadron's mass shift. The calculation is performed on a $24^4$ lattice with standard Wilson actions at beta=6.0 (spacing $a=0.1$ fm) and pion mass down to about 500 MeV. Results are obtained for 30 particles covering the entire baryon octet ($n$, $p$, $\Sigma^0$, $\Sigma^-$, $\Sigma^+$, $\Xi^-$, $\Xi^0$, $\Lambda$) and decuplet ($\Delta^0$, $\Delta^-$, $\Delta^+$, $\Delta^{++}$, $\Sigma^{*0}$, $\Sigma^{*-}$, $\Sigma^{*+}$, $\Xi^{*0}$, $\Xi^{*-}$, $\Omega^-$), plus selected mesons ($\pi^0$, $\pi^+$, $\pi^-$, $K^0$, $K^+$, ${K}^-$, $\rho^0$, $\rho^+$, $\rho^-$, $K^{*0}$, $K^{*+}$, $K^{*-}$). The results are compared with available values from experiments and other theoretical calculations.Comment: 30 pages, 23 figures, 5 table

Urinary iodine concentration during pregnancy in an area of unstable dietary iodine intake in Switzerland

We prospectively investigated urinary iodine concentration (UIC) in pregnant women and in female, non-pregnant controls in the canton of Berne, Switzerland, in 1992. Mean UIC of pregnant women [205±151 μg iodine/g creatinine (μg I/g Cr); no.=153] steadily decreased from the first (236±180 μg I/g Cr; no.=31) to the third trimester (183±111 μg I/g Cr, p<0.0001; no.=66) and differed significantly from that of the control group (91±37 μg I/g Cr, p<0.0001; no.=119). UIC increased 2.6-fold from levels indicating mild iodine deficiency in controls to the first trimester, demonstrating that high UIC during early gestation does not necessarily reflect a sufficient iodine supply to the overall population. Pregnancy is accompanied by important alterations in the regulation of thyroid function and iodine metabolism. Increased renal iodine clearance during pregnancy may explain increased UIC during early gestation, whereas increased thyroidal iodine clearance as well as the iodine shift from the maternal circulation to the growing fetal-placental unit, which both tend to lower the circulating serum levels of inorganic iodide, probably are the causes of the continuous decrease of UIC over the course of pregnancy. Mean UIC in our control group, as well as in one parallel and several consecutive investigations in the same region in the 1990s, was found to be below the actually recommended threshold, indicating a new tendency towards mild to moderate iodine deficiency. As salt is the main source of dietary iodine in Switzerland, its iodine concentration was therefore increased nationwide in 1998 for the fourth time, following increases in 1922, 1965 and 198

Effectiveness of a procalcitonin algorithm to guide antibiotic therapy in respiratory tract infections outside of study conditions: a post-study survey

All published evidence on procalcitonin (PCT)-guided antibiotic therapy was obtained in trials where physicians knew that they were being monitored, possibly resulting in higher adherence to the PCT algorithm. This study investigates the effectiveness of PCT guidance in an observational quality control survey. We monitored antibiotic therapy and algorithm adherence in consecutive patients with respiratory tract infections admitted to the Kantonsspital Aarau, Switzerland, between May 2008 and February 2009. The results were compared to the site-specific results of the former ProHOSP study. Overall and more pronounced for patients with community-acquired pneumonia, the median duration of antibiotic treatment in this survey was shorter than the ProHOSP control patients (6 vs. 7days, P = 0.048 and 7 vs. 9days, P < 0.001). In 72.5% of patients, antibiotics were administered according to the prespecified PCT algorithm. No significant differences concerning adverse medical outcome could be detected. This study mirrors the use of PCT-guided antibiotic therapy in clinical practice, outside of trial conditions. If algorithm adherence is reinforced, antibiotic exposure can be markedly reduced with subsequent reduction of antibiotic-associated side effects and antibiotic resistance. The integration of the PCT algorithm into daily practice requires ongoing reinforcement and involves a learning process of the prescribing physician

THE PREVALENCE OF PALPABLE FINGER JOINT NODULES IN DIFFUSE IDIOPATHIC SKELETAL HYPEROSTOSIS (DISH). A CONTROLLED STUDY

The presence of clinically palpable finger joint nodules a(Heberden's and Bouchard's nodes) was documented in 123 consecutive cases with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) of the thoracic spine and 191 matched DISH negative controls. The prevalence of palpable finger joint nodules was almost twice as frequent in cases with spinal DISH compared to controls (46% versus 31%, X2 = 7.67, P<0.01; multivariate adjusted odds ratio OR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.14-2.98). This increase was most marked at the proximal interphalangeal joint, in males and in patients up to the age of 65 years. In addition and independent of other variables such as hyperostotic features, age and sex, the prevalence of palpable finger joint nodules was about twice as high in probands with a history of physically heavy work compared to those without (43% ver sus 26%, X = 9.18, P<0.005; multivariate adjusted odds ratio OR = 2.10; 95% CI: 1.26-3.52). From these results we con clude that DISH should be considered as an independent risk factor in the development of finger joint nodule

DIFFUSE IDIOPATHIC SKELETAL HYPEROSTOSIS (DISH) OF THE SPINE: A CAUSE OF BACK PAIN? A CONTROLLED STUDY

This is the first controlled study of the frequency of back pain in a European caucasian population with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). Elderly patients admitted to hospital for reasons other than back pain were assessed for the presence of spinal DISH using the routine lateral chest radiograph films. A total of 106 probands (82 males, 24 females) with a mean age of 70 years fulfilled the criteria for DISH as defined previously. One hundred and seventyeight patients (117 males, 61 females) not meeting these criteria were used as controls. The prevalence of back pain was assessed by a blinded interviewer using a structured questionnaire. Our primary hymthesis was that spinal DISH positive probands had not had back pain more often than controls. The controlled study showed no statistically significant difference in pain frequency between spinal DISH positive probands and controls at any spinal level. We conclude that back pain does not occur more often in radiographically defined DISH positive probands than in controls. The radiological finding of spinal DISH, as far as it does not lead to stenosis of the spinal canal or dysphagia, thus seems to be a finding without clinical relevanc

Two-point function of strangeness-carrying vector-currents in two-loop Chiral Perturbation Theory

We calculate the correlator between two external vector-currents having the quantum-numbers of a charged kaon. We give the renormalized expression to two loops in standard chiral perturbation theory in the isospin limit, which, as a physical result, is finite and scale-independent. Applications include a low energy theorem, valid at two loop order, of a flavor breaking combination of vector current correlators as well as a determination of the phenomenologically relevant finite $O(p^6)$-counterterm combination $Q_V$ by means of inverse moment finite energy sum rules. This determination is less sensitive to isospin-breaking effects than previous attempts.Comment: 24 pages, revtex, 4 figures, 2 tables, revised version, one ref. adde

Virtual Compton Scattering off the Pseudoscalar Meson Octet

We present a calculation of the virtual Compton scattering amplitude for the pseudoscalar meson octet in the framework of chiral perturbation theory at ${\cal O}(p^4)$. We calculate the electromagnetic generalized polarizabilities and compare the results in the real Compton scattering limit to available experimental values. Finally, we give predictions for the differential cross section of electron-meson bremsstrahlung.Comment: 9 pages, Latex, uses cjp3.sty (included), 4 eps figures, to be published in the proceedings of the 13th Indian-Summer School "Understanding the Structure of Hadrons," August 28 - September 1, 2000, Prague, Czech Republi

DIFFUSE IDIOPATHIC SKELETAL HYPEROSTOSIS (DISH) OF THE SHOULDER: A CAUSE OF SHOULDER PAIN?

Shoulder pain is a common complaint and shoulder hyperostosis a frequent radiological condition. However, little is known about the association between the clinical and radiological findings. To evaluate the clinical relevance of shoulder hyperostosis we performed a controlled, blind study of 99 hospitalized probands with and without thoracospinal hyperostosis on lateral chest X-rays. The study included grading of the shoulder hyperostosis on the basis of three bilateral standard radiographs, assessing shoulder pain in a standardized way by an interviewer and recording extraskeletal causes of shoulder pain. The prevalence of shoulder hyperostosis was doubled in probands with thoracospinal hyperostosis compared to controls (X2= 5.90, F>0.025, n = 99). Shoulder hyperostosis, irrespective of thoracospinal hyperostosis, predisposed to shoulder pain (40% versus 18%, x2 = 4.06, F>0.05, n = 74). Shoulder hyperostosis in combination with thoracospinal hyperostosis (shoulder DISH) predisposed to shoulder pain to an even greater extent (46% versus 12%, x2 = 6.64, P>0.01, n = 47). We conclude that shoulder hyperostosis is a radiological finding of potential clinical relevanc

DIFFUSE IDIOPATHIC SKELETAL HYPEROSTOSIS (DISH) OF THE ELBOW: A CAUSE OF ELBOW PAIN? A CONTROLLED STUDY

Elbow pain is a common complaint and elbow hyperostosis a frequent radiological condition. However, little is known about the association between the clinical and radiological findings. To evaluate the relationship between spinal and extraspinal hyperostotic features and the clinical relevance of elbow hyperostosis we have performed the first controlled, double-blinded study of 85 hospitalized probands, 33 with and 52 without thoracospinal hyperostosis on lateral chest X-ray. Elbow and shoulder hyperostosis were graded on bilateral standard radiographs. Elbow pain was assessed by an interviewer using a standardized questionnaire and extraskeletal causes of elbow pain were recorded. The prevalence of elbow hyperostosis was increased in cases with thoracospinal hyperostosis compared to controls (82% versus 58%, X2 = 5.32, P<0.025, n = 85, odds ratio (OR) 3.30 (95% Cl 1.16-9.35)). Similarly, the prevalence of elbow hyperostosis was increased in cases with shoulder hyperostosis compared to controls (83% versus 60%, x2 = 4.51, P<0.05, n = 84, OR = 3.20 (95% CI 1.06-9.66)), emphasizing the multifocal nature of hyperostotic features. Elbow pain was only slightly more prevalent in cases with elbow hyperostosis compared to controls (21% versus l3%, x2 = 0.75, NS, OR = 1.84 (95% CI 0.46-7.44)). We conclude that elbow hyperostosis is a radiological finding of doubtful clinical relevanc