Z radiation off stops at a linear collider

We calculate e+e- --> stop/stop/Z at a linear collider. For large splitting between the two stops the cross-section is sensitive to the value of m(stop2) when this particle is too heavy to be directly produced. The results are compared to e+e- --> stop/stop/h.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figure

New Physics with three-photon events at LEP

The effect of the most general \z3gt vertex in the reaction e^+e^- \ra 3\gamma is studied with a particular attention to LEP searches. We give exact analytical expressions including realistic cuts for the signal and present a detailed analysis based on a Monte Carlo that includes the effect of the irreducible $3\gamma$ QED cross section. As special applications we discuss the effect of heavy scalars, fermions and gauge bosons and comment on the ``monopole" connection.Comment: No changes made from previous version, 34 pages, LateX, uses epsf, 11 .eps figs., full paper (including figs) is also available via WWW at http://lapphp0.in2p3.fr/preplapp/psth/lastee3g.ps.gz or via anonymous ftp at ftp:///lapphp0.in2p3.fr/pub/preprints-theorie/ftpee3g.u

Spin and spin-spin correlations in chargino pair production at future linear e+e- colliders

A possibility to measure the spin and spin-spin correlations of a chargino pair is investigated in the process electron positron -> chargino_1 anti-chargino_1 -> (neutralino_1 quark anti-quark) (neutralino_1 quark anti-quark) at future linear-collider energies. The total and the differential cross sections are calculated by the GRACE system which allows for the full spin correlation. Experimental sensitivity of the measurements are examined by assuming the limited detector resolution, the initial state radiation and the beam-beam effect (beamstrahlung). It is found that generally the spin-spin correlation can only be measured with a lower sensitivity than the chargino spin itself. The dependence of the correlation measurements on the relevant SUSY parameters can be seen for a light sneutrino case, but the situation becomes worse for a heavier sneutrino.Comment: 23 pages, 7 figures, 6 tables; added reference for section

Cervical spine alignment following surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS): a pre-to-post analysis of 81 patients

Background: Several studies have emphasized the importance of restoring thoracic kyphosis (TK) in the setting of AIS, but very few have discussed changes in cervical spine alignment following surgery. Aim of this study was to evaluate reciprocal cervical alignment change after modification of global and regional thoracolumbar alignment with surgery in the setting of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Methods: Baseline and 2-yrs follow-up radiographs of AIS patients (n = 81) were analysed measuring cervical parameters (upper cervical: C2-C0, McGregor Slope; lower cervical: C2-C7, C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis (SVA), C2-T3, C2-T3SVA, C2-T1Harrison (C2-T1Ha), T1 Slope (T1S)), thoracic, lumbar, pelvic and global alignment parameters. Post-operatively, patients were grouped twice; based on changes in TK and SVA. Cervical alignment was compared between groups. Pearson correlation was conducted to examine the relationship between changes in TK, SVA, and cervical alignment. Results: Stratification by change in TK, revealed significant alteration of lower cervical alignment T1S [p < 0.001]), C2-T3 [p = 0.019], C2-T1Ha [p = 0.043]), but there was no reciprocal change in the upper cervical spine. Stratification by SVA revealed a significant coexisting change in the lower cervical spine (T1S [p < 0.001], C2-C7SVA [p = 0.034], C2-T3 [p = 0.023], C2-T3SVA [p = 0.001]). SVA change was not associated to a change in the upper cervical spine. The correlation analysis showed that with a post-operative increase in TK, the cervical spine became more lordotic. Changes in TK were significantly correlated with: ΔT1S, ΔC2-C7, ΔC2-T3, and ΔC2-T3SVA. Similarly, increased cervical kyphosis was found when SVA was decreased post-operatively. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between change of SVA and both ΔC2-T3 and ΔC2-T3SVA. Conclusions: In surgically treated AIS patients, changes in global and regional alignment of the thoracolumbar and cervical spinal segments exhibit interdependence. Thus, surgical planning with regard to sagittal deformity in AIS patients should account for the post-operative impact on cervical alignment

Is There a Patient Profile That Characterizes a Patient With Adult Spinal Deformity as a Candidate for Minimally Invasive Surgery?

Study designRetrospective review.ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to evaluate the baseline characteristics of patients chosen to undergo traditional open versus minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for adult spinal deformity (ASD).MethodsA multicenter review of 2 databases including ASD patients treated with surgery. Inclusion criteria were age >45 years, Cobb angle minimum of 20°, and minimum 2-year follow-up. Preoperative radiographic parameters and disability outcome measures were reviewed.ResultsA total of 350 patients were identified: 173 OPEN patients and 177 MIS. OPEN patients were significantly younger than MIS patients (61.5 years vs 63.74 years, P = .013). The OPEN group had significantly more females (87% vs 76%, P = .006), but both groups had similar body mass index. Preoperative lumbar Cobb was significantly higher for the OPEN group (34.2°) than for the MIS group (26.0°, P < .001). The mean preoperative Oswestry Disability Index was significantly higher in the MIS group (44.8 in OPEN patients and 49.8 in MIS patients, P < .011). The preoperative Numerical Rating Scale value for back pain was 7.2 in the OPEN group and 6.8 in the MIS group preoperatively, P = .100.ConclusionsPatients chosen for MIS for ASD are slightly older and have smaller coronal deformities than those chosen for open techniques, but they did not have a substantially lesser degree of sagittal malalignment. MIS surgery was most frequently utilized for patients with an sagittal vertical axis under 6 cm and a baseline pelvic incidence and lumbar lordosis mismatch under 30°

Full-Body Radiographic Analysis of Postoperative Deviations From Age-Adjusted Alignment Goals in Adult Spinal Deformity Correction and Related Compensatory Recruitment.

Background: Full-body stereographs for adult spinal deformity (ASD) have enhanced global deformity and lower-limb compensation associations. The advent of age-adjusted goals for classic ASD parameters (sagittal vertical axis, pelvic tilt, spino-pelvic mismatch [PI-LL]) has enabled individualized evaluation of successful versus failed realignment, though these remain to be radiographically assessed postoperatively. This study analyzes pre- and postoperative sagittal alignment to quantify patient-specific correction against age-adjusted goals, and presents differences in compensation in patients whose postoperative profile deviates from targets. Methods: Single-center retrospective review of ASD patients ≥ 18 years with biplanar full-body stereographic x-rays. Inclusion: ≥ 4 levels fused, complete baseline and early (≤ 6-month) follow-up imaging. Correction groups generated at postoperative visit for actual alignment compared to age-adjusted ideal values for pelvic tilt, PI-LL, and sagittal vertical axis derived from clinically relevant formulas. Patients that matched exact ± 10-year threshold for age-adjusted targets were compared to unmatched cases (undercorrected or overcorrected). Comparison of spinal alignment and compensatory mechanisms (thoracic kyphosis, hip extension, knee flexion, ankle flexion, pelvic shift) across correction groups were performed with ANOVA and paired Results: The sagittal vertical axis, pelvic tilt, and PI-LL of 122 patients improved at early postoperative visits ( Conclusions: Global alignment cohort improvements were observed, and when comparing actual to age-adjusted alignment, undercorrections recruited pelvic and lower-limb flexion to compensate. Level of Evidence: 3

Radiographic Outcomes of Adult Spinal Deformity Correction : A Critical Analysis of Variability and Failures Across Deformity Patterns

International audienceStudy Design: Multicenter, prospective, consecutive, surgical case series from the International Spine Study Group.Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of surgical treatment in restoring spinopelvic (SP) alignment.Summary of Background Data: Pain and disability in the setting of adult spinal deformity have been correlated with global coronal alignment (GCA), sagittal vertical axis (SVA), pelvic incidence/lumbar lordosis mismatch (PI-LL), and pelvic tilt (PT). One of the maingoals of surgery for adult spinal deformity is to correct these parameters to restore harmonious SP alignment.Methods: Inclusion criteria were operative patients (age greater than 18 years) with baseline (BL) and 1-year full-length X-rays. Thoracic and thoracolumbar Cobb angle and previous mentioned parameters were calculated. Each parameter at BL and 1 year was categorized as either pathological or normal. Pathologic limits were: Cobb greater than 30 , GCA greater than 40 mm, SVA greater than 40 mm, PI-LL greater than 10 , and PT greater than 20 . According to thresholds, corrected or worsened alignment groups of patients were identified and overall radiographic effectiveness of procedure was evaluated by combining the results from the coronal and sagittal planes

The three-dimensional easy morphological (3-DEMO) classification of scoliosis, part II: repeatability

BACKGROUND: In the first part of this study we proposed a new classification approach for spinal deformities (3-DEMO). To be valid, a classification needs to overcome the repeatability issue which is inherent both in the used classificatory system and in the measured object. AIM: The aim of this study is to present procedures and results obtained within the repeatability of 3-DEMO classification for scoliosis analysis. METHOD: We acquired the data of 100 pathological and 20 normal spines with an optoelectronic system (AUSCAN) and of two dummies with simulated spine deformity. On the obtained 3D reconstruction of the spine, we considered the coronal view with a spinal reference system (Top View) and its three related parameters, defined in part I, constituting the 3-DEMO classification. We calculated the repeatability coefficient for the subjects (two acquisitions for each subject with a time interval of 26 ± 12 sec), whereas we evaluated the system measurement error calculating the standard deviation of 50 consecutive acquisitions for each dummy. RESULTS: Comparing the results of the two types of acquisition, it emerged that the main part of parameters variability was due to postural adjustments The proportion of agreement for the 3-DEMO parameters gives a k value above 0.8; almost 10% of patients changed classification because of postural adjustments, but none had a "mirror-like" variation nor a change in more of one parameter at a time Repeatability coefficient is lower than the previously calculated normative limits. DISCUSSION: The 3-DEMO classification has a high repeatability when evaluated with an optoelectronic system such as the AUSCAN System, whose systematic error is very low. This means that the implied physiological phenomenon is consistent and overcomes the postural variability inherent in the measured object (normal or pathological subject)

Two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at sNN\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76 TeV

The first measurement of two-pion Bose-Einstein correlations in central Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV at the Large Hadron Collider is presented. We observe a growing trend with energy now not only for the longitudinal and the outward but also for the sideward pion source radius. The pion homogeneity volume and the decoupling time are significantly larger than those measured at RHIC.Comment: 17 pages, 5 captioned figures, 1 table, authors from page 12, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/388