New Structures in the J/ψJ/ψ Mass Spectrum in Proton-Proton Collisions at sqrt[s]=13 TeV

A search is reported for near-threshold structures in the J/ψJ/ψ invariant mass spectrum produced in proton-proton collisions at sqrt[s]=13  TeV from data collected by the CMS experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 135  fb^{-1}. Three structures are found, and a model with quantum interference among these structures provides a good description of the data. A new structure is observed with a local significance above 5 standard deviations at a mass of 6638_{-38}^{+43}(stat)_{-31}^{+16}(syst)  MeV. Another structure with even higher significance is found at a mass of 6847_{-28}^{+44}(stat)_{-20}^{+48}(syst)  MeV, which is consistent with the X(6900) resonance reported by the LHCb experiment and confirmed by the ATLAS experiment. Evidence for another new structure, with a local significance of 4.7 standard deviations, is found at a mass of 7134_{-25}^{+48}(stat)_{-15}^{+41}(syst)  MeV. Results are also reported for a model without interference, which does not fit the data as well and shows mass shifts up to 150 MeV relative to the model with interference.

Regional Lymph Node Metastases in Cutaneous Melanoma: A Single-Center Analysis from Southeast Europe

OBJECTIVE

Sentinel lymph node biopsy is the standard of care for nodal staging in clinically node-negative melanoma patients. Our goal was to present 10-year results of sentinel lymph node biopsy at our institution and to evaluate the clinicopathologic factors as potential predictors of sentinel lymph node and non-sentinel lymph node metastatic involvement in patients with cutaneous melanoma.

METHODS

We have analyzed clinicopathologic and lymphoscintigraphic characteristics in 420 patients with cutaneous melanoma who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy between 2010 and 2019. In addition, we have examined the results of group of patients with positive sentinel lymph node biopsy undergoing complete lymph node dissection.

RESULTS

The overall detection rate of sentinel lymph node biopsies was 97.1%, of which 18.8% was metastatic. Drainage to one regional basin was seen in 345 patients (83.1%) and to multiple drainage regions in 71 patients (17%). In-transit lymph nodes were detected in 20 patients. On univariate logistic regression analysis, male gender, primary tumor thickness with nodular histology, acral location, presence of ulceration, and the number of nodes harvested were significantly associated with sentinel lymph node biopsy status (p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, the Breslow thickness was the only independent predictor of sentinel lymph node biopsy status. The metastases in non-sentinel lymph node found in 26 patients with positive sentinel lymph node (35.6%) correlated on univariate, as well as on multivariate logistic regression, with tumor subtype and number of sentinel lymph node harvested.

CONCLUSION

In addition to the well-established primary tumor thickness as a predictor of sentinel lymph node biopsy positivity, we observed acral location and nodular melanoma subtype to significantly enhance the risk of metastases in sentinel lymph node(s). Primary tumor histology and number of nodes harvested were the only statistically significant variables predicting the non-sentinel lymph node status on multivariate analysis. Lymphoscintigraphy imaging characteristics were not significantly associated with sentinel lymph node status.

Liver transplantations in Bulgaria--initial experience

The filed of liver transplantation (LT) continues to evolve and is highly effective therapy for many patients with acute and chronic liver failure resulting from a variety of causes. Improvement of perioperative care, surgical technique and immunosuppression in recent years has led to its transformation into a safe and routine procedure with steadily improving results. The aim of this paper is to present the initial experience of the transplant team at Military Medical Academy - Sofia, Bulgaria. For the period of April 2007 - August 2014 the team performed 38 liver transplants in 37 patients (one retransplantation). Patients were followed up prospectively and retrospectively. In 36 (95%) patients a graft from a cadaveric donor was used and in two cases--a right liver grafts from live donor. The mean MELD score of the transplanted patients was 17 (9-40). The preferred surgical technique was "piggyback" with preservation of inferior vena cava in 33 (86%) of the cases and classical technique in 3 (8%) patients. The overall complication rate was 48%. Early mortality rate was 13% (5 patients). The overall 1- and 5-year survival is 81% and 77% respectivelly. The setting of a new LT program is a complex process which requires the effort and effective colaboration of a wide range of speciacialists (hepatologists, surgeons, anesthesiologists, psychologists, therapists, coordinators, etc.) and institutions. The good results are function of a proper selection of the donors and the recipients. Living donation is an alternative in the shortage of cadaveric donors.

First Report of Tomato spotted wilt virus on a New Host Leuzea carthamoides in Bulgaria and the World

The Siberian plant Leuzea carthamoides or maral root was introduced to Europe as a medicinal crop. Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), genus Tospovirus, family Bunyaviridae, caused a harmful outbreak on L. carthamoides in central Bulgaria near the town of Kazanluk in 2009. In 2011, TSWV was identified on young sprouts from the rootages of L. carthamoides in the same place near the town of Kazanluk, Bulgaria, by means of indicator (test) plants, double antibody sandwich (DAS)-ELISA, and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. Disease symptoms were small yellow spots on the young leaves grown from the tested sprouts and distortions of the leaf lamina. The old leaves had large yellow spots and necrosis, without deformations. Most of those L. carthamoides plants with such symptoms died in the second and third year. The number of the plants in the plantations decreased 20 to 40% during the 3-year period and some of these losses were from the virus disease except the environment conditions. DAS-ELISA was carried out with polyclonal TSWV antiserum of LOEWE Biochemica, GmbH, Germany. We obtained positive extinction values OD_{λ 405nm} 0.358 ± 0.091 compared to the negative 0.053 ± 0.016 and the positive control 0.510 at a confidential interval at P ≤ 0.05. TSWV symptoms were observed on the following indicator plants according to Antignus et al. (1) and DPV/412 (2): Chenopodium quinoa, Cucumis sativus, Datura stramonium, Nicotiana glutinosa, N. rustica, N. tabacum cv. Samsun NN, and Petunia hybrida. TSWV caused on C. quinoa and on cotyledons of C. sativus cv. Delikates local chlorotic lesions only. In this TSWV differed from CMV because CMV caused systemic mosaic symptoms. Local small necrotic lesions and no systemic symptoms were observed on P. hybrida. We noticed systemic symptoms caused from TSWV on D. stramonium, N. glutinosa, N. rustica, and N. tabacum cv. Samsun NN. The systemic symptoms were chlorotic spots, concentric ring spots, and line patterns proceeding to necrosis. RT-PCR, adapted by Mumford et al. (3), was carried out on samples of L. carthamoides. Oligonucleotide primer sequences were used in accordance with Mumford et al. (3). The DNA fragment was visualized by UV trans-illumination. A fragment of the TSWV genome with a length of 276 base pairs was found in three young L. carthamoides leaf samples taken from the sprouts (marker 100 bp). The PCR fragment was sequenced and deposited to NCBI with GenBank Accession No. KC918808. PCR master mix without RNA template was used as a negative control. L. carthamoides is a newly established TSWV host in the world. To our knowledge, this is the first report of TSWV in L. carthamoides identified by RT-PCR. References: (1) Y. Antignus et al. Phytoparasitica 25:319, 1997. (2) R. Kormelink. Descriptions of Plant Viruses, p. 412, 2005. (3) R. A. Mumford et al. J. Virol. Methods 57:109, 1996.

Carbon foams as catalyst supports for phenol photodegradation

A carbon foam using coal tar pitch as precursor was prepared and investigated as support for titanium oxide for the photocatalytic degradation of phenol. The performance of the carbon foam/titania composite was compared to those of unsupported titania and other activated carbon composites from the literature. The photodegradation rate of phenol over the catalysts under UV illumination was fitted to the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model; data showed that the apparent rate constant of the carbon foam supported titania was almost three times larger than that of bare titania, and comparable to that of other carbon supported composites. Considering the low porous features of the carbon foam, this suggests that large surface area supports are not essential to achieve high degradation rates and efficiencies. Moreover, when titania is supported on the carbon foam large amounts of catechol are detected in solution after UV irradiation, indicating a better degradation efficiency.

Improved phenol adsorption on carbons after mild temperature steam reactivation

The purpose of this work is to explore steam reactivation at moderate temperatures of activated carbon exhausted with phenol, a highly toxic compound frequently present in industrial wastewater. The spent carbon was treated with steam at various temperatures (450, 600 and 850 degrees C) and times (from 5 to 60 min). Promising results were obtained by applying moderate temperatures and times. Whereas at low temperatures the complete regeneration of the carbon is not accomplished, an almost quantitative desorption of the pollutant was achieved at 600 degrees C after exposure times below 30 min, with minimal damages in the porous network of the carbon. Further reutilization of the regenerated carbon resulted in a superior performance towards phenol uptake. The regeneration efficiency at 850 degrees C strongly depends on the time of reactivation, with an enhanced phenol uptake when short treatment times are applied. Prolonged duration of the regeneration treatment reduced phenol adsorption capacities, due to overreactivation of the carbon in the steam atmosphere, and to the blockage of the porous carbon network.

[Associated severe head injury]

OBJECTIVE

Rarely do head and spinal cord injuries occur as isolated injuries. The associated injuries are well known. Multitraumatized patients are assessed and treated on a priority principle, based on the nature of injuries and stability of vital signs. Neurosurgeons are frequently faced with diagnosing and treating head injury in multitraumatized patients. The authors studied the incidence, diagnosis and treatment of patients with head injuries in cases with multiple trauma.

METHODS

The authors conducted a retrospective review of 45 patients with severe head injuries in cases with multiple trauma. All patients were assessed after the GCS and GOS scoring system. All had CT scan. 32 patients were operated in our department.

RESULTS

29 patients died, 4 developed vegetative state and in 8 achieved a complete recovery. The highest rate of mortality was observed in patients with severe head injury, associated with pulmonary injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Associated injuries constitute a serious problem with progressively increasing car accident traumatism. Being familiar with the assessment and management protocols for multitrauma patients gives neurosurgeons a better appreciation of the interrelationship in multisystem injury and an effective sequence of diagnostics and treatment of associated head injuries.

Removal of mercury (II) from aqueous solution by activated carbon obtained from furfural

The adsorption of Hg(II) from aqueous solution at 293 K by activated carbon obtained from furfural is studied. The carbon is prepared by polymerization of furfural following carbonization and activation of the obtained polymer material with water vapor at 800 degrees C. Adsorption studies of Hg(II) are carried out varying some conditions: treatment time, metal ion concentration, adsorbent amount and pH. It is determined that Hg(II) adsorption follows both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The adsorption capacity of the carbon is 174 mg/g. It is determined that Hg(II) uptake increases with increasing pH. Desorption studies are performed with hot water. The percent recovery of Hg(II) is 6%.

Focusing of beams into subwavelength area in an inhomogeneous medium

Propagation and focusing of nonparaxial Gaussian beams with spherical wavefront in a graded-index medium are investigated using quantum-theoretical method of coherent states. Explicit expressions for the trajectory and width of a beam taking into account all correction terms to the paraxial approximation have been obtained. Electromagnetic field distributions in longitudinal and lateral directions are simulated. Diffraction of strongly focused high-aperture wave beams is investigated theoretically. The ratio of intensities of evanescent and propagating fields is calculated for different values of focused spot.

[A triple association: renal malacoplakia, bilateral vulvar hypertrophy, upper limb algodystrophy]

The authors report a case of malakoplakia of the left renal parenchyma, an uncommon site for an inflammatory disease first described in the bladder by Michaelis and Guttmann in 1902 and Von Hansmann in 1903. This case was observed in a 24-year-old girl with no urological history, presenting with bilateral vulval hypertrophy and reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the upper limbs, in whom malakoplakia of the left kidney was discovered incidentally. Intravenous urography showed two large kidneys with a stretched appearance of the renal pelvis. Pathological examination of the partial nephrectomy specimen revealed the diagnosis of malakoplakia, an inflammatory diseases of the renal parenchyma. The pathogenesis has been only partially elucidated, but probably involves a disorder of macrophage function.

An associative interpretation of the indirect McCollough effect

Following an induction procedure in which a coloured grid is alternated with a square of a complementary colour, subjects report colour after-effects on both the grid orientation present during induction and the orthogonal non-induced grid orientation. The after-effect reported on the induced grid orientation is called the McCollough effect (ME). The after-effect reported on the non-induced grid orientation is called the indirect ME. There is evidence that the ME represents an instance of Pavlovian conditioning. The present results support a conditioning interpretation of the indirect ME and are inconsistent with interpretations of the indirect ME that attribute the phenomenon to special orthogonal coding mechanisms within the visual system.

Shot-gun sequencing strategy for long-range genome mapping: a pilot study

We have recently proposed a strategy for construction of long-range physical maps based on random sequencing of NotI linking and jumping clones. Here, we present results of sequence comparison between 168 NotI linking (100 of them were sequenced from both sides) and 81 chromosome 3-specific jumping clones. We were able to identify 14 NotI jumping clones (17%), each joined with two NotI linking clones. The average size of chromosomal jumps was about 650 kb. The assembled 42 NotI genomic fragments correspond to 12-15% of chromosome 3. These results demonstrate the value of random sequencing of NotI linking and jumping clones for genome mapping. This mapping proposal can be used for connecting physical and genetic maps of the human genome and will be a valuable supplement to YAC and cosmid library based mapping projects.

NotI linking clones as a tool for joining physical and genetic maps of the human genome

To study the connection among NotI linking clones, CpG islands, and genes, the sequence surrounding 143 NotI sites was determined. These NotI linking clones were isolated from human chromosome 3-specific libraries and contain an average C + G content of 65%. These clones represent sequence-tagged sites that can be positioned onto chromosome maps and used for generating a long-range NotI map of the human genome. A majority (about 90%) of these clones contain transcribed sequences, as detected by Northern blot hybridization, providing an efficient link between physical and functional (genetic) maps. The GenBank nucleotide database was searched with sequences from these NotI linking clones. For many clones, homology was found to human and other vertebrate genes. About 20 clones contained various repeats in their sequences and may represent microsatellite loci. Most of these NotI linking clones therefore represent evolutionarily conserved DNA fragments and also can be used for comparative genome mapping of other mammalian species. In addition, approximately 20% of all sequenced human CpG island-containing genes and more than 12% of all well-characterized human genes were found to possess NotI restriction sites. This is at least 2-5 times more than has been previously estimated and suggests that NotI sites have a much stronger association with genes.

A discrete model for streaming potentials in a single osteon

A mathematical model for streaming potentials in an osteon is proposed, taking into account the microstresses in the vicinity of the Haversian Canal. With the help of the finite element method, a boundary problem for the fluid pressure amplitude in the osteon is investigated when the bone sample is subjected to harmonic loading. A numerical analysis of the intra-osteonal potential is performed. It is found that there exists an azimuthal asymmetry which increases with the enlargement of the Haversian Canal. The results of the numerical modeling of the intra-osteonal potential are in accordance with the available experimental data.

Electromechanical potentials in cortical bone--I. A continuum approach

An electrokinetic model to characterize the electromechanical effect in cortical bone has been developed using the basic principles of the biphasic theory of porous materials and a simple model for permeability and charge distribution for cortical bone. The model is developed analytically in Part I of this paper and is shown to account qualitatively for the principal experimental results reported to date. Part II of this paper concerns experimental analysis of this model, reporting results of low frequency testing of the dynamic characteristics of stress-generated potentials. Quantitative analysis of these results indicates that the microporosity of bone, made up of the channels around the hydroxyapatite encrusting the collagen matrix, is the compartment responsible for the electromechanical effects in fluid-saturated cortical bone. This microporous compartment would seem to be the obvious source of the electrokinetic effect, because it has the greatest surface area in bone and constitutes the rate limiting fluid flow compartment in deformation-induced fluid flow at low frequency.

An anatomical model for streaming potentials in osteons

An anatomical model for streaming potentials in osteons is developed to characterize the electromechanical effect in bone. The model accounts for the microstructure of the osteon and is based upon first principles of electrochemistry, electrokinetics, continuum mechanics and fluid dynamics. Intra-osteonal potentials and their relaxation times are numerically evaluated. Many of the previously reported observations of potentials in osteons and across macroscopic specimens are explained for the first time in terms of an electrokinetic model. The cusp-like behavior of intra-osteonal potentials is explained, the dependence of the potentials on solution viscosity and conductivity is demonstrated, and insight is gained relative to the time dependence of stress generated potentials.

A Thermodynamic Model of Biological Body: Muscle Mechanics

The paper is an application of the theory of chemically reacting mixtures to the mechanics of active muscle. It is indicated that some empirical rheologic models can be obtained as particular cases. Viscoelastic properties of the tissue are obtained as a result of a relaxation in the binding of actin and miosin molecules.