Non-universal minimal Z' models: present bounds and early LHC reach

We consider non-universal 'minimal' Z' models, whose additional U(1) charge is a non-anomalous linear combination of the weak hypercharge Y, the baryon number B and the partial lepton numbers (L_e, L_mu, L_tau), with no exotic fermions beyond three standard families with right-handed neutrinos. We show that the observed pattern of neutrino masses and mixing can be fully reproduced by a gauge-invariant renormalizable Lagrangian, and flavor-changing neutral currents in the charged lepton sector are suppressed by a GIM mechanism. We then discuss the phenomenology of some benchmark models. The electrophilic B-3L_e model is significantly constrained by electroweak precision tests, but still allows to fit the hint of an excess observed by CDF in dielectrons but not in dimuons. The muonphilic B-3L_mu model is very mildly constrained by electroweak precision tests, so that even the very early phase of the LHC can explore significant areas of parameter space. We also discuss the hadrophobic L_mu-L_tau model, which has recently attracted interest in connection with some puzzling features of cosmic ray spectra.Comment: 29 pages, 13 figure

The role of tool geometry in process damped milling

The complex interaction between machining structural systems and the cutting process results in machining instability, so called chatter. In some milling scenarios, process damping is a useful phenomenon that can be exploited to mitigate chatter and hence improve productivity. In the present study, experiments are performed to evaluate the performance of process damped milling considering different tool geometries (edge radius, rake and relief angles and variable helix/pitch). The results clearly indicate that variable helix/pitch angles most significantly increase process damping performance. Additionally, increased cutting edge radius moderately improves process damping performance, while rake and relief angles have a smaller and closely coupled effect

Face-selective electrostatic control of hydrothermal zinc oxide nanowire synthesis

Rational control over the morphology and the functional properties of inorganic nanostructures has been a long-standing goal in the development of bottom-up device fabrication processes. We report that the geometry of hydrothermally grown zinc oxide nanowires can be tuned from platelets to needles, covering more than three orders of magnitude in aspect ratio (~0.1–100). We introduce a classical thermodynamics-based model to explain the underlying growth inhibition mechanism by means of the competitive and face-selective electrostatic adsorption of non-zinc complex ions at alkaline conditions. The performance of these nanowires rivals that of vapour-phase-grown nanostructures and their low-temperature synthesis (<60 °C) is favourable to the integration and in situ fabrication of complex and polymer-supported devices. We illustrate this capability by fabricating an all-inorganic light-emitting diode in a polymeric microfluidic manifold. Our findings indicate that electrostatic interactions in aqueous crystal growth may be systematically manipulated to synthesize nanostructures and devices with enhanced structural control.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (MIT Center for Bits and Atoms (NSF CCR0122419))Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Media LaboratoryKorea Foundation for Advanced StudiesSamsung Electronics Co. (research internship)Harvard University. Society of FellowsWallace H. Coulter Foundation (Early Career Award)Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (Young Investigator Award)National Science Foundation (U.S.)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Director’s New Innovator Award

Open radial artery harvesting better preserves endothelial function compared to the endoscopic approach

OBJECTIVES: Both the open and endovascular techniques are commonly used for harvesting the radial artery (ORAH and ERAH, respectively), and yet, very little is known about the effects of these 2 techniques on endothelial integrity and function of the radial artery (RA). The aim of this study was to assess the endothelial integrity and function of RA harvested using the 2 approaches. METHODS: Two independent surgical teams working in the same institution routinely use the RA for coronary artery bypass grafting exclusively employing either ORAH or ERAH. Thirty-nine consecutive patients were enrolled in this comparative study. Endothelial function after ORAH or ERAH was assessed by using the wire myograph system. The integrity of the RA endothelium was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining for erythroblast transformation specific-related gene. RESULTS: The vasodilation in response to acetylcholine was significantly higher in RA harvested with ORAH (P ≤ 0.001 versus ERAH). Endothelial integrity was not different between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: ORAH is associated with a significantly higher endothelium-dependent vasodilation. Further investigation on the potential implications of these findings in terms of graft spasm and patency as well as clinical outcomes are needed

Alcohol Schema Acquisition in Preschoolers: Differences Between Children of Alcoholics and Children of Nonalcoholics

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65209/1/j.1530-0277.1995.tb00982.x.pd

Comparison of Ciprofol-Based and Propofol-Based Total Intravenous Anesthesia on Microvascular Decompression of Facial Nerve with Neurophysiological Monitoring: A Randomized Non-Inferiority Trial

Tao Zhu,1 Fang Kang,1 Ming-Ming Han,1 Fang He,2 Sen Jiang,2 Li-Na Hao,1 Xiang Huang,1 Juan Li1 1Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Electrophysiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of life sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Juan Li, Department of anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of life sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China, Email [email protected]: Ciprofol is a recently developed short-acting gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor agonist with a higher potency than that of propofol. As a new sedative drug, there are few clinical studies on ciprofol. We sought to examine the safety and efficacy of ciprofol use for general anesthesia in neurosurgical individuals undergoing neurosurgical surgery with intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM).Patients and Methods: This single-center, non-inferiority, single-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted from September 13, 2022 to September 22, 2023. 120 patients undergoing elective microvascular decompression surgery (MVD) with IONM were randomly assigned to receive either ciprofol or propofol. The primary outcome of this study was the amplitude of intraoperative compound muscle action potential decline, and the secondary outcome included the indexes related to neurophysiological monitoring and anesthesia outcomes.Results: The mean values of the primary outcome in the ciprofol group and the propofol group were 64.7± 44.1 and 53.4± 35.4, respectively. Furthermore, the 95% confidence interval of the difference was − 25.78 to 3.12, with the upper limit of the difference being lower than the non-inferiority boundary of 6.6. Ciprofol could achieve non-inferior effectiveness in comparison with propofol in IONM of MVD. The result during anesthesia induction showed that the magnitude of the blood pressure drop and the incidence of injection pain in the ciprofol group were significantly lower than those in the propofol group (P< 0.05). The sedative drug and norepinephrine consumption in the ciprofol group was significantly lower than that in the propofol group (P< 0.05).Conclusion: Ciprofol is not inferior to propofol in the effectiveness and safety of IONM and the surgical outcome. Concurrently, ciprofol is more conducive to reducing injection pain and improving hemodynamic stability, which may be more suitable for IONM-related surgery, and has a broad application prospect.Keywords: anesthetics, abnormal muscle response, ciprofol, microvascular decompressio

Bisphenol A exposure in Mexico City and risk of prematurity: a pilot nested case control study

Abstract Background Presence of Bisphenol A (BPA) has been documented worldwide in a variety of human biological samples. There is growing evidence that low level BPA exposure may impact placental tissue development and thyroid function in humans. The aim of this present pilot study was to determine urinary concentrations of BPA during the last trimester of pregnancy among a small subset of women in Mexico City, Mexico and relate these concentrations to risk of delivering prematurely. Methods A nested case-control subset of 60 participants in the Early Life Exposure in Mexico to ENvironmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) study in Mexico City, Mexico were selected based on delivering less than or equal to 37 weeks of gestation and greater than 37 weeks of gestation. Third trimester archived spot urine samples were analyzed by online solid phase extraction coupled with high performance liquid chromatography isotope dilution tandem mass spectrometry. Results BPA was detected in 80.0% (N = 48) of the urine samples; total concentrations ranged from &lt; 0.4 &#956;g/L to 6.7 &#956;g/L; uncorrected geometric mean was 1.52 &#956;g/L. The adjusted odds ratio of delivering less than or equal to 37 weeks in relation to specific gravity adjusted third trimester BPA concentration was 1.91 (95%CI 0.93, 3.91, p-value = 0.08). When cases were further restricted to births occurring prior to the 37th week (n = 12), the odds ratio for specific-gravity adjusted BPA was larger and statistically significant (p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions This is the first study to document measurable levels of BPA in the urine of a population of Mexican women. This study also provides preliminary evidence, based on a single spot urine sample collected during the third trimester, that pregnant women who delivered less than or equal to 37 weeks of gestation and prematurely (&lt; 37 weeks) had higher urinary concentrations of BPA compared to women delivering after 37 weeks.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78251/1/1476-069X-9-62.xmlhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78251/2/1476-069X-9-62.pdfPeer Reviewe

Thermal, dielectrical and mechanical response of α and β-poly(vinilydene fluoride)/Co-MgO nanocomposites

Nanocomposites of the self-forming core-shell Co-MgO nanoparticles, which were of approximately 100 nm in diameter, and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) polymer have been prepared. When the polymer is crystallized in the α-phase, the introduction of the nanoparticles leads to nucleation of the γ-phase of PVDF, increasing also the melting temperature of the polymer. With the introduction of the Co-MgO particles, the dielectric constant of the material slightly increases and the storage modulus decreases with respect to the values obtained for the pure polymer

Quantum physics in inertial and gravitational fields

Covariant generalizations of well-known wave equations predict the existence of inertial-gravitational effects for a variety of quantum systems that range from Bose-Einstein condensates to particles in accelerators. Additional effects arise in models that incorporate Born reciprocity principle and the notion of a maximal acceleration. Some specific examples are discussed in detail.Comment: 25 pages,1 figure,to appear in "Relativity in Rotating Frame

Polymorphisms of toll-like receptors 2 and 9 and severity and prognosis of bacterial meningitis in Chinese children

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a crucial role in innate immunity, protecting the host from bacterial pathogens. We investigated whether bacterial meningitis (BM) in children was associated with gene polymorphisms in TLR2 (rs3804099), TLR3 (rs3775291 and rs3775290) and TLR9 (rs352139 and rs352140). Blood samples were taken from 218 child patients with confirmed BM and 330 healthy adult controls (HC) and polymorphisms of these genes were analyzed by PCR-based sequencing. For TLR2 rs3804099, frequencies of the minor allele C were markedly higher in patients with severe BM (defined as CSF glucose concentration <= 1.5 mmol/L and seizures) than those without (43.5% and 40.1% vs. 30.1% and 29.1%, p = 0.008 and p = 0.016, respectively). For TLR9 rs352139, patients who carried genotype AA and minor allele A developed seizures less often than those without (OR = 0.289, p = 0.003 and OR = 0.568, p = 0.004, respectively). However, for TLR9 rs352140, patients who carried genotype TT and minor allele T developed seizures more often than those without (OR = 3.385, p = 0.004 and OR = 1.767, p = 0.004, respectively). Our finding suggested that genetic variations in TLR2 and TLR9 are associated with severity and prognosis of bacterial meningitis in Chinese children. However, the results should be interpreted with caution since the number of subjects included was limited