We report a study of the process γ γ → X → η c π + π − , where X stands for one of the resonances χ c 2 ( 1 P ) , η c ( 2 S ) , X ( 3872 ) , X ( 3915 ) , or χ c 2 ( 2 P ) . The analysis is performed ...with a data sample of 473.9 fb − 1 collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy electron-positron collider. We do not observe a significant signal for any channel, and calculate 90% confidence-level upper limits on the products of branching fractions and two-photon widths Γ X → γ γ B ( X → η c π + π − ) : 15.7 eV for χ c 2 ( 1 P ) , 133 eV for η c ( 2 S ) , 11.1 eV for X ( 3872 ) (assuming it to be a spin-2 state), 16 eV for X ( 3915 ) (assuming it to be a spin-2 state), and 18 eV for χ c 2 ( 2 P ) . We also report upper limits on the ratios of branching fractions B ( η c ( 2 S ) → η c π + π − ) / B ( η c ( 2 S ) → K 0 S K + π − ) < 10.0 and B ( χ c 2 ( 1 P ) → η c π + π − ) / B ( χ c 2 ( 1 P ) → K 0 S K + π − ) < 32.9 at the 90% confidence level.
We have developed a silicon nanowire field-effect transistor (NWFET) that allows deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) biosensing. The nanowire (NW) was fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator wafer to provide ...effective ohmic contact. The NWFET sensor displayed n-channel depletion characteristics. To demonstrate the sensing capacity of the NWFET, we employed the BRAFV599E mutation gene, which correlates to the occurrence of cancers, as the target DNA sequence. The threshold voltage of the NWFET increased when the mutation gene was hybridized with the capture DNA strands on the nanowire, and decreased to the original level after de-hybridization of the gene. The shift in the drain current–gate voltage (ID–VG) curves revealed that the electrical signal had a logarithmic relationship with respect to the concentration of the mutation gene of up to six orders of magnitude, with the detection limit in the sub-femtomolar level. The detection results of mismatched DNA sequences, including one- and five-base-mismatched DNA strands, could be distinguished from complementary DNA gene by this sensor. The excellent electrical results obtained using this label-free NWFET sensor suggest that such devices might be potentially useful tools for biological research and oncogene screening.
In the past decade, the retailer trade shifted from brick-and-mortar store to multi-channel, making time-based logistics strategies a necessity to shorten the delivery time for warm foods, fresh ...product, and fast-moving consumer goods. In this study, a task dispatching approach is developed to sort and consolidate omni-channel commodities for the purpose of mutual delivery in consideration of time windows constraints. The hidden pattern and correlation of data can be mined from uncertain, incomplete, or vague consumer preferences within channels analyzed by the measurement table and reducts using the rough set theory. As the result, valuable dispatching rules are revealed to simulate the sorting, consolidation, and packing processes of commodities with overlapping region of temperature for delivery. To balance the workload of staff and material handling facilities within zones in the cross-dock, the advanced receiving activities is arranged based on the information decision table and the simulated annealing metaheuristic is used to design goods assignment towards outbound docks. It is our hope that the proposed method from this study can assist e-commerce to run their logistics operation more efficiently in the last mile delivery of commodities.
White shrimp
Litopenaeus vannamei which had been immersed in seawater containing the hot-water extract of
Gracilaria tenuistipitata at 0 (control), 200, 400, and 600 mg L
−1 for 3 h, were challenged ...with
Vibrio alginolyticus at 4.6 × 10
6 colony-forming units (CFU) shrimp
−1 and then placed in normal seawater (34‰). The survival rates of shrimp immersed in 200, 400, and 600 mg L
−1 of the hot-water extract were significantly higher than those of control shrimp over 48–120 h. In another experiment,
L. vannamei which had been immersed in the hot-water extract at 0, 200, 400, and 600 mg L
−1 for 3 h, were challenged with
V. alginolyticus at 4.0 × 10
6 CFU shrimp
−1, and the immune parameters examined included the haemocyte count, phenoloxidase (PO) activity, respiratory burst (RB), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity at 12–120 h post-challenge after shrimp had been released into normal seawater. Shrimp not exposed to the hot-water extract or
V. alginolyticus served as the background control. Results indicated that the haemocyte count, PO activity, RB, and SOD activity of shrimp immersed in 600 mg L
−1 were significantly higher than those of control shrimp at 12–72 h post-challenge. Results also indicated that total haemocyte count (THC), PO activity, RB and SOD activity of shrimp immersed in 400 and 600 mg L
−1 of the hot-water extract returned to the background values at 96, 48, 48, and 72 h, whereas these parameters of control shrimp returned to the original values at >120, >120, 96, and 96 h post-challenge, respectively. It was therefore concluded that
L. vannamei that had been immersed in seawater containing the hot-water extract of
G. tenuistipitata exhibited protection against
V. alginolyticus as evidenced by the earlier recovery of immune parameters.
We report on a search for direct C P violation in the singly Cabibbo-suppressed decay D + → K + K − π + using a data sample of 476 fb − 1 of e + e − annihilation data accumulated with the BABAR ...detector at the SLAC PEP-II electron-positron collider, running at and just below the energy of the Υ ( 4 S ) resonance. The integrated C P -violating decay rate asymmetry A C P is determined to be ( 0.37 ± 0.30 ± 0.15 ) % . Model-independent and model-dependent Dalitz plot analysis techniques are used to search for C P -violating asymmetries in the various intermediate states. We find no evidence for C P -violation asymmetry.
Chemical investigation on the whole plant of Houttuynia cordata has resulted in the isolation of two new compounds, named as houttuynoside A (1) and houttuynamide A (2), together with thirty-eight ...known compounds. The structures of 1 and 2 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. In the inhibitory effects on herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) assay, norcepharadione B (10) showed good inhibitory activity against the replication of HSV-1. In addition, the antioxidant and antityrosinase activities of some isolated compounds were also evaluated. Among these compounds, quercitrin (25) and quercetin-3-O-β-D-galactopyranoside (26) showed excellent 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging property with IC50 values of 31 and 63 μM, respectively. Cepharadione B (9) exhibited strong tyrosinase inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 170 μM.
An efficient and robust ECH (electron cyclotron heating)-assisted plasma start-up scheme with a low loop voltage and low volt-second consumption utilizing the trapped particle configuration (TPC) has ...been developed in the versatile experiment spherical torus (VEST). The TPC is a mirror-like magnetic field configuration providing a vertical magnetic field in the same direction as the equilibrium field. It significantly enhances ECH pre-ionization with enhanced particle confinement due to its mirror effect, and intrinsically provides an equilibrium field with a stable decay index enabling prompt plasma current initiation. Consequently, the formation of TPC before the onset of the loop voltage allows the plasma to start up with a lower loop voltage and lower volt-second consumption as well as a wider operation range in terms of ECH pre-ionization power and H2 filling pressure. The TPC can improve the widely-used field null configuration significantly for more efficient start-up when ECH pre-ionization is used. This can then be utilized in superconducting tokamaks requiring a low loop voltage start-up, such as ITER, or in spherical tori with limited volt-seconds. The TPC can be particularly useful in superconducting tokamaks with a limited current slew-rate of superconducting PF coils, as it can save volt-second consumption before plasma current initiation by providing prompt initiation with an intrinsic stable equilibrium field.
To evaluate and compare prospectively the convalescence of patients after laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) and open radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) in a standardized clinical care ...pathway at a single institution by two surgeons of equal experience and training.
The study included all 60 patients undergoing LRP and RRP by two fellowship-trained surgeons in their first year of practice. The postoperative care of these patients was uniform and standardized. The medical records were reviewed and convalescence data obtained by an independent urologist and physician’s assistant.
Of the 60 patients, 24 underwent RRP and 36 underwent attempted LRP; 3 patients were converted from LRP to RRP. The differences in mean age, preoperative prostate-specific antigen level, Gleason score, in-hospital morphine equivalent requirement, time to oral intake, and hospital stay were not statistically significant between the LRP and RRP groups. The operating room time was significantly longer (5.8 ± 1.2 hours versus 2.8 ± 0.55 hours,
P <0.0001) and the estimated blood loss was significantly lower in the LRP group (533 ± 212 mL versus 1473 ± 768 mL,
P <0.0001) than in the RRP group. Pain medication use at home was significantly less in the LRP group (9 ± 13 versus 17 ± 15 oxycodone tablets,
P <0.04), as was the time to complete convalescence (30 ± 18 days versus 47 ± 21 days,
P <0.002).
Although LRP took almost twice as long to complete as RRP in our initial clinical experience, the patients had a similar hospital course. LRP patients required less pain medication after discharge and had a shorter time to complete recovery than did RRP patients. Additional studies are needed to address long-term cancer control, potency, and continence outcomes to determine the precise role of LRP in the treatment of men with clinically localized prostate cancer.
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