Enabling 3D CT-scanning of cultural heritage objects using only in-house 2D X-ray equipment in museums

Visualizing the internal structure of museum objects is a crucial step in acquiring knowledge about the origin, state, and composition of cultural heritage artifacts. Among the most powerful techniques for exposing the interior of museum objects is computed tomography (CT), a technique that computationally forms a 3D image using hundreds of radiographs acquired in a full circular range. However, the lack of affordable and versatile CT equipment in museums, combined with the challenge of transporting precious collection objects, currently keeps this technique out of reach for most cultural heritage applications. We propose an approach for creating accurate CT reconstructions using only standard 2D radiography equipment already available in most larger museums. Specifically, we demonstrate that a combination of basic X-ray imaging equipment, a tailored marker-based image acquisition protocol, and sophisticated data-processing algorithms, can achieve 3D imaging of collection objects without the need for a costly CT imaging system. We implemented this approach in the British Museum (London), the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles), and the Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam). Our work paves the way for broad facilitation and adoption of CT technology across museums worldwide.

Analysing cause of death during follow-up for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: is there a role for watchful waiting?

INTRODUCTION

Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients often require multiple invasive procedures during follow-up. Surveillance guidelines do not adjust for increasing frailty or competing comorbidity. We aim to evaluate the influence of these factors on the natural history of NMIBC and whether this may have implications for appropriate follow-up schedules.

METHODS

NMIBC patients who died in a 3-year period while on cystoscopic surveillance were identified. Frailty was assessed using the Rockwood Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS): 1-3, no frailty; 4, vulnerable; 5-9, mild/severe frailty. Similarly, three-tier categorisations were performed for comorbidity (Charlson Comorbidity Index) and for anaesthetic risk (American Society of Anesthesiologists' [ASA] score).

RESULTS

Of the 69 patients, 26 were categorised as no frailty, 20 as vulnerable and 13 as frail. There was no difference in the proportions of those with higher risk NMIBC between the categories. Increasing frailty was associated with reduced overall survival (median 59, 29 and 13 months; p < 0.05) but not recurrence-free survival (p = 0.98) or progression-free survival (p = 0.58). Similar results were obtained using the Charlson Comorbidity Index or ASA score. No frail patients with low/intermediate-risk NMIBC had clinically significant disease progression prior to death. Frail patients with CFS ≥ 4 were found to have similar complications due to bladder cancer itself (p = 0.48) yet almost three times as many complications following cystoscopic procedures during follow-up (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

For frail patients with low risk of progression, protocol-driven cystoscopic surveillance may not improve survival and watchful waiting may be more appropriate. Further investigation is required to determine the feasibility of this approach.

ICARUS at the Fermilab Short-Baseline Neutrino program: initial operation

The ICARUS collaboration employed the 760-ton T600 detector in a successful 3-year physics run at the underground LNGS laboratory, performing a sensitive search for LSND-like anomalous ν e appearance in the CERN Neutrino to Gran Sasso beam, which contributed to the constraints on the allowed neutrino oscillation parameters to a narrow region around 1 eV2 . After a significant overhaul at CERN, the T600 detector has been installed at Fermilab. In 2020 the cryogenic commissioning began with detector cool down, liquid argon filling and recirculation. ICARUS then started its operations collecting the first neutrino events from the booster neutrino beam (BNB) and the Neutrinos at the Main Injector (NuMI) beam off-axis, which were used to test the ICARUS event selection, reconstruction and analysis algorithms. ICARUS successfully completed its commissioning phase in June 2022. The first goal of the ICARUS data taking will be a study to either confirm or refute the claim by Neutrino-4 short-baseline reactor experiment. ICARUS will also perform measurement of neutrino cross sections with the NuMI beam and several Beyond Standard Model searches. After the first year of operations, ICARUS will search for evidence of sterile neutrinos jointly with the Short-Baseline Near Detector, within the Short-Baseline Neutrino program. In this paper, the main activities carried out during the overhauling and installation phases are highlighted. Preliminary technical results from the ICARUS commissioning data with the BNB and NuMI beams are presented both in terms of performance of all ICARUS subsystems and of capability to select and reconstruct neutrino events.

COVID-19 ethnic inequalities in mental health and multimorbidities: protocol for the COVEIMM study

PURPOSE

The COVID-19 pandemic may have exacerbated ethnic health inequalities, particularly in people with multiple long-term health conditions, the interplay with mental health is unclear. This study investigates the impact of the pandemic on the association of ethnicity and multimorbidity with mortality/service use among adults, in people living with severe mental illnesses (SMI).

METHODS

This study will utilise secondary mental healthcare records via the Clinical Record Interactive Search (CRIS) and nationally representative primary care records through the Clinical Practice Interactive Research Database (CPRD). Quasi-experimental designs will be employed to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on mental health service use and excess mortality by ethnicity, in people living with severe mental health conditions. Up to 50 qualitative interviews will also be conducted, co-produced with peer researchers; findings will be synthesised with quantitative insights to provide in-depth understanding of observed associations.

RESULTS

81,483 people in CRIS with schizophrenia spectrum, bipolar or affective disorder diagnoses, were alive from 1st January 2019. Psychiatric multimorbidities in the CRIS sample were comorbid somatoform disorders (30%), substance use disorders (14%) and personality disorders (12%). In CPRD, of 678,842 individuals with a prior probable diagnosis of COVID-19, 1.1% (N = 7493) had an SMI diagnosis. People in the SMI group were more likely to die (9% versus 2% in the non-SMI sample) and were more likely to have mental and physical multimorbidities.

CONCLUSION

The effect of COVID-19 on people from minority ethnic backgrounds with SMI and multimorbidities remains under-studied. The present mixed methods study aims to address this gap.

Compositional and Micro-Morphological Characterisation of Red Colourants in Archaeological Textiles from Pharaonic Egypt

When the imagination conjures up an image of an Egyptian mummy, it is normally one of a human body wrapped with undyed linen bandages. However, the reality was much more colourful, as shown by the set of red mummy shrouds and textile fragments from Pharaonic Egypt considered in this work. The textiles were subjected to scientific investigation with the main aim of shedding light on the sources of red colour and on the possible reasons for the different levels of colour fading. The red colourants were investigated using various non-invasive and micro-invasive approaches. The results pointed towards the presence of three sources of red colour, which, in increasing order of lightfastness, are safflower (Carthamus tinctorius), madder (Rubia spp.), and red ochre. Micro-morphological observations and elemental analyses also enabled some hypotheses to be formulated regarding the application of these colourants to the textiles. The results not only deepen our knowledge of dyeing technologies in ancient Egypt and shed new light on the function of red shrouds and textiles as part of the funerary practices of Pharaonic Egypt, but are also essential in planning the display and future preservation of these mummies and their associated textiles.

Content of First Prenatal Visits

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the content of the first prenatal visit within an academic medical center clinic and to compare the topics discussed to 2014 American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists guidelines for the initial prenatal visit. Methods Clinical interactions were audio recorded and transcribed (n = 30). A content analysis was used to identify topics discussed during the initial prenatal visit. Topics discussed were then compared to the 2014 ACOG guidelines for adherence. Coded data was queried though the qualitative software and reviewed for accuracy and content. Results First prenatal visits included a physician, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, medical assistant, medical students, or a combination of these providers. In general, topics that were covered in most visits and closely adhered to ACOG guidelines included vitamin supplementation, laboratory testing, flu vaccinations, and cervical cancer screening. Topics discussed less often included many components of the physical examination, education about pregnancy, and screening for an identification of psychosocial risk. Least number of topics covered included prenatal screening. Conclusions for Practice While the ACOG guidelines may include many components that are traditional in addition to those based on evidence, the guidelines were not closely followed in this study. Identifying new ways to disseminate information during the time constrained initial prenatal visit are needed to ensure improved patient outcomes.

Severe lower limb cellulitis: defining the epidemiology and risk factors for primary episodes in a population-based case-control study

OBJECTIVE

To describe the epidemiology and risk factors for primary episodes of severe lower leg cellulitis (LLC).

METHODS

This was a longitudinal cohort study using state-wide data linkage of adults presenting to Western Australian (WA) hospitals with a first ever LLC from January 2002 to December 2013. The study aimed at determining risk factors, medical records from the index patient, together with comparable data from controls matched by age, sex, postcode, and month of admission.

RESULTS

During the period, 36 276 patients presented with their first episode of LLC. The incidence increased by 4.7% per annum, reaching 204.8 (95% CI 198.6-211.1) per 100 000 population by December 2013. Analysis of 29 062 case-control pairs showed several conditions with lower limb pathology were independently associated with LLC, including varicose veins (AOR 2.95, 95% CI 2.50-3.48, p < 0.001), lymphoedema (AOR 2.65, 95% CI 1.71-4.10, p < 0.001), tinea pedis (AOR 3.05, 95% CI 1.45-6.42, p 0.003), and saphenous vein harvest during coronary artery bypass grafting (AOR 1.74, 95% CI 1.32-2.30, p < 0.001). Also associated with LLC was obesity (AOR 2.05, 95% CI 1.82-2.31, p < 0.001), renal disease (AOR 1.28, 95% CI 1.14-1.44, p < 0.001), rheumatologic conditions (AOR 2.12, 95% CI 1.72-2.60, p < 0.001), hemiplegia/paraplegia (AOR 1.31, 95% CI 1.13-1.52, p < 0.001), and liver disease (AOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.51-2.06, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

LLC presents a major burden to the health sector and is increasing with an ageing population. Given the high rates of recurrence, long-term morbidity, and economic impact, efforts to reduce primary episodes should be incorporated into the infectious diseases and healthy ageing research agenda.

Epidemiology and risk factors for recurrent severe lower limb cellulitis: a longitudinal cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To describe the epidemiology and risk factors for recurrence of severe lower leg cellulitis (LLC).

METHODS

A longitudinal cohort study using state-wide data of adults presenting with recurrent LLC following a primary episode occurring between January 2002 and December 2013. The incidence of recurrent LLC was estimated using the cumulative incidence function, accounting for mortality. Independent risk factors for recurrence were identified using Fine-Gray sub-distribution and Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

Of 36 276 patients presenting with their first episode of LLC, 4598 had at least one recurrence during the follow-up period. The cumulative incidence of first, second, and third recurrences at 12 months since previous infection was 6.3% (95% CI 6.0-6.5), 17.2% (95% CI 16.1-18.4), and 29.4% (95% CI 26.8-31.9), respectively, and at 5 years was 13.9% (95% CI 13.5-14.3), 35.9% (95% CI 34.2-37.5), and 52.9% (95% CI 49.5-56.2), respectively. The length of hospitalization increased from 3 days for the primary episode to 4 and 5 days for first and all subsequent recurrences, respectively. Independent risk factors for recurrent LLC included age, ethnicity (Indigenous Australian), local factors relating to lower leg pathology, conditions that commonly result in peripheral oedema, and systemic conditions that may be associated with increased leg size.

CONCLUSIONS

LLC recurrences are frequent, and each episode increases the likelihood of subsequent recurrence and length of hospitalization. These data provide context and scope to develop workable and effective strategies to prevent secondary episodes for all cases of primary LLC.

Should old age psychiatry develop memory clinics? A comparison with domiciliary work

Aims and Method

Memory clinics have become very popular in old age psychiatry and there is some pressure for them to be developed in old age services. However, there is little evidence to suggest that they are more advantageous over the traditional domiciliary visits or who should be seen in clinic. This was a naturalistic comparison of 76 consecutive new referrals to a memory clinic, with 74 consecutive new domiciliary requests within the same service over the same period of time. A retrospective case note review collected the clinical features and an 18-month prospective follow-up examined the subsequent clinical management.

Clinical Implications

The two groups were characterised more by their similarities than their differences. However, the domiciliary group had greater behavioural and psychological complications. The memory clinic patients were less likely to receive psychotropic medication and here more likely to be followed up.

Results

We conclude that memory clinics might be less suitable for patients with prominent psychiatric complications. Memory clinics could complement the domiciliary model by providing early psychosocial/neuropsychiatric approaches, although this is likely to lead to an increased clinical case-load.

Effect of a Mediterranean Type Diet on Inflammatory and Cartilage Degradation Biomarkers in Patients with Osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the effects of a Mediterranean type diet on patients with osteoarthritis (OA).

PARTICIPANTS

Ninety-nine volunteers with OA (aged 31 - 90 years) completed the study (83% female).

SETTING

Southeast of England, UK.

DESIGN

Participants were randomly allocated to the dietary intervention (DIET, n = 50) or control (CON, n = 49). The DIET group were asked to follow a Mediterranean type diet for 16 weeks whereas the CON group were asked to follow their normal diet.

MEASUREMENTS

All participants completed an Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS2) pre-, mid- and post- study period. A subset of participants attended a clinic at the start and end of the study for assessment of joint range of motion, ROM (DIET = 33, CON = 28), and to provide blood samples (DIET = 29, CON = 25) for biomarker analysis (including serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (sCOMP) (a marker of cartilage degradation) and a panel of other relevant biomarkers including pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines).

RESULTS

There were no differences between groups in the response of any AIMS2 components and most biomarkers (p > 0.05), except the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1α, which decreased in the DIET group (~47%, p = 0.010). sCOMP decreased in the DIET group by 1 U/L (~8%, p = 0.014). There was a significant improvement in knee flexion and hip rotation ROM in the DIET group (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The average reduction in sCOMP in the DIET group (1 U/L) represents a meaningful change, but the longer term effects require further study.

Maggots as a wound debridement agent for chronic venous leg ulcers under graduated compression bandages: A randomised controlled trial

Objectives

Slough in chronic venous leg ulcers may be associated with delayed healing. The purpose of this study was to assess larval debridement in chronic venous leg ulcers and to assess subsequent effect on healing.

Methods

All patients with chronic leg ulcers presenting to the leg ulcer service were evaluated for the study. Exclusion criteria were: ankle brachial pressure indices <0.85 or >1.25, no venous reflux on duplex and <20% of ulcer surface covered with slough. Participants were randomly allocated to either 4-layer compression bandaging alone or 4-layer compression bandaging + larvae. Surface areas of ulcer and slough were assessed on day 4; 4-layer compression bandaging was then continued and ulcer size was measured every 2 weeks for up to 12 weeks.

Results

A total of 601 patients with chronic leg ulcers were screened between November 2008 and July 2012. Of these, 20 were randomised to 4-layer compression bandaging and 20 to 4-layer compression bandaging + larvae. Median (range) ulcer size was 10.8 (3–21.3) cm2 and 8.1 (4.3–13.5) cm2 in the 4-layer compression bandaging and 4-layer compression bandaging + larvae groups, respectively (Mann–Whitney U test, P = 0.184). On day 4, median reduction in slough area was 3.7 cm2 in the 4-layer compression bandaging group ( P < 0.05) and 4.2 cm2 ( P < 0.001) in the 4-layer compression bandaging + larvae group. Median percentage area reduction of slough was 50% in the 4-layer compression bandaging group and 84% in the 4-layer compression bandaging + larvae group (Mann–Whitney U test, P < 0.05). The 12-week healing rate was 73% and 68% in the 4-layer compression bandaging and 4-layer compression bandaging + larvae groups, respectively (Kaplan–Meier analysis, P = 0.664).

Conclusions

Larval debridement therapy improves wound debridement in chronic venous leg ulcers treated with multilayer compression bandages. However, no subsequent improvement in ulcer healing was demonstrated.

Assessing participatory practices in community-based natural resource management: experiences in community engagement from southern Africa

The emphasis on participatory environmental management within international development has started to overcome critiques of traditional exclusionary environmental policy, aligning with shifts towards decentralisation and community empowerment. However, questions are raised regarding the extent to which participation in project design and implementation is meaningful and really engages communities in the process. Calls have been made for further local-level (project and community-scale) research to identify practices that can increase the likelihood of meaningful community engagement within externally initiated projects. This paper presents data from three community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) project case studies from southern Africa, which promote Joint Forest Management (JFM), tree planting for carbon and conservation agriculture. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, community-level meetings, focus groups and interviews. We find that an important first step for a meaningful community engagement process is to define 'community' in an open and participatory manner. Two-way communication at all stages of the community engagement process is shown to be critical, and charismatic leadership based on mutual respect and clarity of roles and responsibilities is vital to improve the likelihood of participants developing understanding of project aims and philosophy. This can lead to successful project outcomes through community ownership of the project goals and empowerment in project implementation. Specific engagement methods are found to be less important than the contextual and environmental factors associated with each project, but consideration should be given to identifying appropriate methods to ensure community representation. Our findings extend current thinking on the evaluation of participation by making explicit links between the community engagement process and project outcomes, and by identifying further criteria that can be considered in process and outcome-based evaluations. We highlight good practices for future CBNRM projects which can be used by project designers and initiators to further the likelihood of successful project outcomes.

Hospital Episode Statistics data analysis of postoperative venous thromboembolus in patients undergoing urological surgery: a review of 126,891 cases

Introduction

Current guidelines on venous thromboembolism (VTE) prevention do not reflect the potential varying risk for patients undergoing different urological procedures. Our study aimed to establish the procedure specific rate of postoperative VTE in patients undergoing urological surgery.

Methods

Hospital Episode Statistics were obtained for all patients undergoing common urological procedures between April 2009 and April 2010. This cohort was followed up to identify all patients reattending with either deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or pulmonary embolism (PE) within 12 months.

Results

A total of 126,891 individuals underwent urological surgery during the study period. This included 89,628 men (70.6%) and 37,236 women (29.3%) with a mean age of 65.2 years. At the 12-month follow-up, 839 patients (0.66%) were readmitted with VTE. Of these, 373 (0.29%) were admitted with DVT and 466 (0.37%) with PE. The procedure-specific rate of VTE varied significantly between 2.86% following cystectomy and 0.23% following urethral dilatation. Procedures performed in the lithotomy position carried a significantly lower risk of VTE than those performed in the supine position (0.60% vs 1.28%, p<0.0001). Furthermore, of all procedures performed in the lithotomy position, those performed on benign conditions carried a significantly lower risk than those performed on malignant disease (0.52% vs 0.79%, p<0.0001).

Conclusions

Procedure specific rates of postoperative VTE vary widely among patients undergoing urological procedures. These findings suggest the potential benefit of prolonging the use of thromboprophylaxis in high-risk patients but also exploring the apparent lack of need for routine thromboprophylaxis in patients undergoing low-risk procedures.

Is CTKUB the gold standard in assessing flank pain with diagnostic uncertainty? A one-year review of 228 cases

The use of computed tomography of the kidneys, ureters and bladder (CTKUB) in a "renal colic pathway" has been reported to yield high diagnosis rates and also identifies other non-urological pathology accounting for patients’ symptoms. Our study explores the diagnostic yield of CTKUB as the first-line investigation for suspected renal colic with regard to urolithiasis and additional findings. All CTKUB performed in cases of suspected renal colic were extracted from our radiology database from 1 April 2010 to 1 April 2011. Extracted information included: demographics, the department ordering the investigation, presence of ureteric calculi, presence of renal calculi and any additional findings that could account for patients’ symptoms, or otherwise. During the study 228 CTKUB were performed. The diagnosis rate of ureteric calculi was 33.7%. In the absence of a ureteric stone, additional findings as well as alternative diagnoses were higher (additional finding 49.7% ( n=75) vs. 35% ( n=27); alternative diagnosis 33.1% ( n=50) vs. 15.6% ( n=12) p < 0.05). In patients with ureteric calculi, the alternative diagnosis yield of 15.6% falls within the range of that previously documented. This study illustrates that when diagnostic clarity is not reached, CTKUB is being overused. This leads to unnecessary radiation exposure and resource wastage.

The incidence of post operative venous thromboembolism in patients undergoing varicose vein surgery recorded in Hospital Episode Statistics

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to establish the incidence of post-operative venous thromboembolism (VTE) following varicose vein treatment.

METHODS

Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data were obtained for all patients undergoing varicose vein treatment between April 2006 and April 2007 to identify those reattending with either deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism within 12 months.

RESULTS

The incidence of VTE was 0.51%, which was comparable with the incidence for those undergoing open surgery (0.54%), sclerotherapy (0.19%) and endovenous laser therapy (EVLT) (0.47%). The incidence of VTE in those undergoing combined EVLT and phlebectomy was 1.26% (p=0.01). In contrast to unilateral treatment (all modalities), where bilateral treatment was performed an increase in the incidence of VTE was seen in those undergoing redo (1.62%) and short saphenous system (1.16%) treatments. Overall, 1.02% of cases were performed under local anaesthesia with zero incidence of VTE in this cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall incidence of VTE recorded in HES was 0.51% and appears to be highest in those undergoing bilateral redo or short saphenous system surgery as well as those undergoing a combination of EVLT and phlebectomy. The use of VTE prophylaxis, particularly in these groups, is recommended.

Excited state dependent electron transfer of a rhenium-dipyridophenazine complex intercalated between the base pairs of DNA: a time-resolved UV-visible and IR absorption investigation into the photophysics of fac-[Re(CO)3(F2dppz)(py)]+ bound to either [poly(dA-dT)]2 or [poly(dG-dC)]2

The transient species formed following excitation of fac-[Re(CO)(3)(F(2)dppz)(py)](+) (F(2)dppz = 11,12-difluorodipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine) bound to double-stranded polynucleotides [poly(dA-dT)](2) or [poly(dG-dC)](2) have been studied by transient visible and infra-red spectroscopy in both the picosecond and nanosecond time domains. The latter technique has been used to monitor both the metal complex and the DNA by monitoring the regions 1900-2100 and 1500-1750 cm(-1) respectively. These data provide direct evidence for electron transfer from guanine to the excited state of the metal complex, which proceeds both on a sub-picosecond time scale and with a lifetime of 35 ps, possibly due to the involvement of two excited states. No electron transfer is found for the [poly(dA-dT)](2) complex, although characteristic changes are seen in the DNA-region TRIR consistent with changes in the binding of the bases in the intercalation site upon excitation of the dppz-complex.

Endoluminal intervention in the salivary duct: clinical outcomes at a district general hospital

Our aim was to assess the preliminary clinical outcomes of interventional radiology for salivary duct obstruction in relation to salivary duct strictures or calculi. A retrospective analysis of consecutive patients referred for endoluminal procedures by ENT surgeons during a 4-year period were identified. The procedure was performed by a single interventional radiologist under fluoroscopic guidance using wire baskets and angioplasty balloons. Between June 2004 and October 2008, 50 sialoplasties were performed in 43 patients (30 female and 13 male). Twenty-six patients were prepared for 32 procedures for extraction of calculi (13 submandibular and 13 parotid), and 17 patients had 18 procedures for strictures (16 parotid and 1 submandibular). One patient in the group with calculi was judged unsuitable for intervention because the stone had migrated outside the salivary duct. Information was collected regarding the clinical indication; duration and type of symptoms; technical factors; follow-up; and success or failure of reintervention. Complete stone removal was achieved in 18 of the 26 patients (69%), with success on the first attempt in 14 patients (54%). Redo procedures were required in 4 patients (15%), with subsequent complete clearance of calculi. In this cohort, 20 patients were symptomatically improved (77%). Of the 6 patients (26%) with continuing symptoms, 2 patients had mild symptoms; two had moderate symptoms; and two patients opted to have surgery for unremitting symptoms. In the stricture group, 18 procedures were performed in 17 patients, with a successful outcome in 16 patients after the initial sialoplasty. Only 1 patient required repeat intervention (6%) and later opted to have surgery for continuing symptoms. In this group, 14 patients (82%) were symptomatically improved, and 3 remained symptomatic despite a good immediate result due to restenosis. Two patients experienced early complications: One had a transient facial nerve palsy, and the other had sialadenitis treated with antibiotics. Preliminary results suggest that symptom resolution at first intervention is higher in patients with acalculous strictures. Patients with calculi are more likely to require a repeat procedure for complete clearance.

Search for resonant diphoton production with the D0 detector

We present a search for a narrow resonance in the inclusive diphoton final state using approximately 2.7 fb(-1) of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp Collider. We observe good agreement between the data and the background prediction, and set the first 95% C.L. upper limits on the production cross section times the branching ratio for decay into a pair of photons for resonance masses between 100 and 150 GeV. This search is also interpreted in the context of several models of electroweak symmetry breaking with a Higgs boson decaying into two photons.

Highlights of recent progress in plant lipid research

Raw fossil material reserves are not inexhaustible and as prices continue to raise it is necessary to find new sources of alternative and renewable energy. Oils from oleaginous field crops (sunflower and rape) with properties close to those of fossil fuel could constitute an alternative source of energy for the production of raw materials. This is the context in which the 18th International Symposium on Plant lipids (ISPL) was held in Bordeaux from 20th to 25th July 2008 at "La Cité Mondiale". The 18th ISPL gathered 270 researchers from 33 countries. Sixty nine oral communications and 136 posters were presented during the 12 sessions of the Symposium. The sessions have covered all the different aspects of the Plant Lipid field including: Surface lipids: suberin, cutin and waxes, Fatty acids, Glycerolipids, Plant lipids as renewable sources of energy, Seed oils and bioengineering of metabolic pathways, Lipid catabolism, Models for lipid studies: lower plants, micro-organisms and others, Modifications of proteins by lipids, Sphingolipids, sterols and isoprenoids, Lipid signaling and plant stress responses, Lipid trafficking and membrane dynamics, New methods and technologies: functional lipidomics, fluxome, modelling. During the ISPL 2008 Bordeaux, important and new information was reported in the different fields. A selection of these results is presented here.

Search for charged higgs bosons decaying into top and bottom quarks in pp[over ] collisions

We describe a search for production of a charged Higgs boson, qq[over ];{'}-->H;{+}, reconstructed in the tb[over ] final state in the mass range 180< or =M_{H;{+}}< or =300 GeV. The search was undertaken at the Fermilab Tevatron collider with a center-of-mass energy sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV and uses 0.9 fb;{-1} of data collected with the D0 detector. We find no evidence for charged Higgs boson production and set upper limits on the production cross section in the types I, II, and III two-Higgs-doublet models (2HDMs). An excluded region in the (M_{H;{+}}, tanbeta) plane for type I 2HDM is presented.

Measurement of gamma+b+X and gamma+c+X Production Cross Sections in pp[over ] Collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV

First measurements of the differential cross sections d;{3}sigma/(dp_{T};{gamma}dy;{gamma}dy;{jet}) for the inclusive production of a photon in association with a heavy quark (b, c) jet are presented, covering photon transverse momenta 30<p_{T};{gamma}<150 GeV, photon rapidities |y;{gamma}|<1.0, jet rapidities |y;{jet}|<0.8, and jet transverse momenta p_{T};{jet}>15 GeV. The results are based on an integrated luminosity of 1 fb;{-1} in pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV recorded with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The results are compared with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD predictions.

Search for long-lived charged massive particles with the D0 detector

We search for long-lived charged massive particles using 1.1 fb;{-1} of data collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp[over ] Collider. Time-of-flight information is used to search for pair produced long-lived tau sleptons, gauginolike charginos, and Higgsino-like charginos. We find no evidence of a signal and set 95% C.L. cross section upper limits for staus, which vary from 0.31 to 0.04 pb for stau masses between 60 and 300 GeV. We also set lower mass limits of 206 GeV (171 GeV) for pair produced charged gauginos (Higgsinos).

Evidence of WW and WZ production with lepton + jets final states in pp collisions at square root s=1.96 TeV

We present first evidence for WW+WZ production in lepton + jets final states at a hadron collider. The data correspond to 1.07 fb-1 of integrated luminosity collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron in pp collisions at square root s=1.96 TeV. The observed cross section for WW+WZ production is 20.2+/-4.5 pb, consistent with the standard model and more precise than previous measurements in fully leptonic final states. The probability that background fluctuations alone produce this excess is <5.4 x 10-6, which corresponds to a significance of 4.4 standard deviations.

A covalently linked phenanthridine-ruthenium(II) complex as a RNA probe

A phenanthridine derivative covalently linked to a ruthenium complex yields an imaging probe whose fluorescence intensity and lifetime change substantially in the presence of RNA.

Search for anomalous top-quark couplings with the D0 detector

Anomalous Wtb couplings modify the angular correlations of the top-quark decay products and change the single top-quark production cross section. We present limits on anomalous top-quark couplings by combining information from W boson helicity measurements in top-quark decays and anomalous coupling searches in the single top-quark final state. We set limits on right-handed vector couplings as well as left-handed and right-handed tensor couplings based on about 1 fb(-1) of data collected by the D0 experiment.

Measurement of the lifetime of the Bc+/- meson in the semileptonic decay channel

Using approximately 1.3 fb(-1) of data collected by the D0 detector between 2002 and 2006, we measure the lifetime of the Bc+/- meson in the Bc-/+-->J/psimicro+/-+X final state. A simultaneous unbinned likelihood fit to the J/psi+micro invariant mass and lifetime distributions yields a signal of 881+/-80(stat) candidates and a lifetime measurement of tau(Bc+/-)=0.448(-0.036)(+0.038)(stat)+/-0.032(syst) ps.

Evidence for the decay Bs0-->Ds(*)Ds(*) and a measurement of DeltaGammasCP/Gammas

We search for the semi-inclusive process Bs0-->Ds(*)Ds(*) using 2.8 fb(-1) of pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV recorded by the D0 detector operating at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. We observe 26.6+/-8.4 signal events with a significance above background of 3.2 standard deviations yielding a branching ratio of B(Bs0-->Ds(*)Ds(*))=0.035+/-0.010(stat.)+/-0.011(syst.). Under certain theoretical assumptions, these double-charm final states saturate CP-even eigenstates in the Bs0 decays resulting in a width difference of DeltaGammasCP/Gammas=0.072+/-0.021(stat.)+/-0.022(syst.).

Search for neutral Higgs Bosons at high tanbeta in the b(h/H/A)-->btau;{+}tau;{-} channel

The first search in pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV for the production of neutral Higgs bosons in association with bottom quarks and decaying in two tau leptons is presented. The cross section for this process is enhanced in many extensions of the standard model, such as its minimal supersymmetric extension (MSSM) at large tanbeta. The data, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 328 pb;{-1}, were collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. An upper limit is set on the production cross section of neutral Higgs bosons in the mass range of 90 to 150 GeV, and this limit is used to exclude part of the MSSM parameter space.

Search for associated W and Higgs Boson production in pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV

We present results of a search for WH-->lnubb[over ] production in pp[over ] collisions based on the analysis of 1.05 fb;{-1} of data collected by the D0 experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron, using a neural network for separating the signal from backgrounds. No signal-like excess is observed, and we set 95% C.L. upper limits on the WH production cross section multiplied by the branching ratio for H-->bb[over ] for Higgs boson masses between 100 and 150 GeV. For a mass of 115 GeV, we obtain an observed (expected) limit of 1.5 (1.4) pb, a factor of 11.4 (10.7) times larger than the standard model prediction.

Measurement of the semileptonic branching ratio of B_{s};{0} to an orbitally excited D_{s};{**} state: Br(B_{s};{0}-->D_{s1};{-}(2536)mu;{+}nuX)

In a data sample of approximately 1.3 fb;{-1} collected with the D0 detector between 2002 and 2006, the orbitally excited charm state D_{s1};{+/-}(2536) has been observed with a measured mass of 2535.7+/-0.6(stat)+/-0.5(syst) MeV/c;{2} via the decay mode B_{s};{0}-->D_{s1};{-}(2536)mu;{+}nu_{mu}X. A first measurement is made of the branching ratio product Br(b[over ]-->D_{s1};{-}(2536)mu;{+}nu_{mu}X)xBr(D_{s1};{-}-->D;{*-}K_{S};{0}). Assuming that D_{s1};{-}(2536) production in semileptonic decay is entirely from B_{s};{0}, an extraction of the semileptonic branching ratio Br(B_{s};{0}-->D_{s1};{-}(2536)mu;{+}nu_{mu}X) is made.

Search for large extra spatial dimensions in the dielectron and diphoton channels in pp[over ] collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV

We report on a search for large extra spatial dimensions in the dielectron and diphoton channels using a data sample of 1.05 fb;{-1} of pp[over ] collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 1.96 TeV collected by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider. The invariant mass spectrum of the data agrees well with the prediction of the standard model. We find the most restrictive 95% C.L. lower limits on the effective Planck scale between 2.1 and 1.3 TeV for 2 to 7 extra dimensions.

Measurement of the angular and lifetime parameters of the decays Bd0-->J/psiK*0 and Bs0-->J/psiphi

We present measurements of the linear polarization amplitudes and the strong relative phases that describe the flavor-untagged decays Bd0-->J/psiK*0 and Bs0-->J/psiphi in the transversity basis. We also measure the mean lifetime taus of the Bs0 mass eigenstates and the lifetime ratio taus/taud. The analyses are based on approximately 2.8 fb(-1) of data recorded with the D0 detector. From our measurements of the angular parameters we conclude that there is no evidence for a deviation from flavor SU(3) symmetry for these decays and that the factorization assumption is not valid for the Bd0-->J/psiK*0 decay.

Search for the standard model Higgs boson in the missing energy and acoplanar b-jet topology at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV

We report a search for the standard model Higgs boson in the missing energy and acoplanar b-jet topology, using an integrated luminosity of 0.93 fb;{-1} recorded by the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron pp[over ] Collider. The analysis includes signal contributions from pp[over ]-->ZH-->nunu[over ]bb[over ], as well as from WH production in which the charged lepton from the W boson decay is undetected. Neural networks are used to separate signal from background. In the absence of a signal, we set limits on sigma(pp[over ]-->VH)xB(H-->bb[over ]) at the 95% C.L. of 2.6-2.3 pb, for Higgs boson masses in the range 105-135 GeV, where V=W, Z. The corresponding expected limits range from 2.8 to 2.0 pb.

Search for third generation scalar leptoquarks decaying into taub

We have searched for third generation leptoquarks (LQ3) using 1.05 fb(-1) of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider operating at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV. We set a 95% C.L. lower limit of 210 GeV on the mass of a scalar LQ3 state decaying solely to a b quark and a tau lepton.

Measurement of Bs0 mixing parameters from the flavor-tagged decay Bs0-->J/psiphi

From an analysis of the flavor-tagged decay Bs0-->J/psiphi we obtain the width difference between the Bs0 light and heavy mass eigenstates, DeltaGammas = 0.19+/-0.07(stat)(-0.01)+0.02(syst) ps(-1), and the CP-violating phase, phi s= -0.57(-0.30)+0.24(stat)(-0.02)+0.08(syst). The allowed 90% CL intervals of DeltaGammas and phi s are 0.06 < DeltaGammas < 0.30 ps(-1) and -1.20 < phi s < 0.06, respectively. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 2.8 fb(-1) accumulated with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron collider.

Observation of the doubly strange b baryon Omegab-

We report the observation of the doubly strange b baryon Omegab- in the decay channel Omegab(-)-->J/psiOmega-, with J/psi-->mu+mu(-) and Omega(-)-->LambdaK(-)-->(ppi-)K-, in pp collisions at sqrt[s]=1.96 TeV. Using approximately 1.3 fb(-1) of data collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron Collider, we observe 17.8+/-4.9(stat)+/-0.8(syst) Omegab- signal events at a mass of 6.165+/-0.010(stat)+/-0.013(syst) GeV. The significance of the observed signal is 5.4sigma, corresponding to a probability of 6.7 x 10(-8) of it arising from a background fluctuation.

Search for anomalous Wtb couplings in single top quark production

In 0.9 fb(-1) of pp[over] collisions, the D0 Collaboration presented evidence for single top quark production in events with an isolated lepton, missing transverse momentum, and two to four jets. We examine these data to study the Lorentz structure of the Wtb coupling. The standard model predicts a left-handed vector coupling at the Wtb vertex. The most general lowest dimension, CP-conserving Lagrangian admits right-handed vector and left- or right-handed tensor couplings as well. We find that the data prefer the left-handed vector coupling and set upper limits on the anomalous couplings. These are the first direct constraints on a general Wtb interaction and the first direct limits on left- and right-handed tensor couplings.