(ProQuest: ... denotes formulae and/or non-USASCII text omitted)Global fits for precision determinations of parton distributions, together with the highly correlated strong coupling alpha sub(s), are ...presented up to next-to-next-to-leading order (NNLO) of QCD utilizing most world data (charm and jet production data are used where theoretically possible), except Tevatron gauge boson production data and LHC data which are left for genuine predictions. This is done within the "dynamical" (valence-like input at ... GeV super(2)) and "standard" (input at ... GeV super(2)) approach. The stability and reliability of the results are ensured by including nonperturbative higher-twist terms, nuclear corrections as well as target mass corrections, and by applying various (Q super(2), W super(2)) cuts on available data. In addition, the ... dependence of the results is studied in detail. Predictions are given, in particular for the LHC, for gauge- and Higgs-boson as well as for top-quark pair production. At NNLO the dynamical approach results in ..., whereas the somewhat less constrained standard fit gives ...
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and lethal tumor of the central nervous system. The natural history of treated GBM remains very poor with 5-year survival rates of 5 %. Survival has not ...significantly improved over the last decades. Currently, the best that can be offered is a modest 14-month overall median survival in patients undergoing maximum safe resection plus adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Prognostic factors involved in survival include age, performance status, grade, specific markers (MGMT methylation, mutation of IDH1, IDH2 or TERT, 1p19q codeletion, overexpression of EGFR, etc.) and, likely, the extent of resection. Certain adjuncts to surgery, especially cortical mapping and 5-ALA fluorescence, favor higher rates of gross total resection with apparent positive impact on survival. Recurrent tumors can be offered re-intervention, participation in clinical trials, anti-angiogenic agent or local electric field therapy, without an evident impact on survival. Molecular-targeted therapies, immunotherapy and gene therapy are promising tools currently under research.
Protected areas (PAs) are a foundational and essential strategy for reducing biodiversity loss. However, many PAs around the world exist on paper only; thus, while logging and habitat conversion may ...be banned in these areas, illegal activities often continue to cause alarming habitat destruction. In such cases, the presence of armed conflict may ultimately prevent incursions to a greater extent than the absence of conflict. Although there are several reports of habitat destruction following cessation of conflict, there has never been a systematic and quantitative "before-and-after-conflict" analysis of a large sample of PAs and surrounding areas. Here we report the results of such a study in Colombia, using an open-access global forest change dataset. By analysing 39 PAs over three years before and after Colombia's peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), we found a dramatic and highly significant increase in the deforestation rate for the majority of these areas and their buffer zones. We discuss the reasons behind such findings from the Colombian case, and debate some general conservation lessons applicable to other countries undergoing post-conflict transitions.
Background and purpose
The aim was to investigate the clinical impact of the duration of artificial ventilation in stroke patients receiving mechanical thrombectomy (MT) under general anaesthesia.
...Methods
All consecutive ischaemic stroke patients who had been treated at our centre with MT for anterior circulation large vessel occlusion under general anaesthesia were identified over an 8‐year period. Ventilation time was analysed as a continuous variable and patients were grouped into extubation within 6 h (‘early’), 6–24 h (‘delayed’) and >24 h (‘late’). Favourable outcome was defined as modified Rankin Scale scores of 0–2 at 3 months post‐stroke. Pneumonia rate and reasons for prolonged ventilation were also assessed.
Results
Amongst 447 MT patients (mean age 69.1 ± 13.3 years, 50.1% female), the median ventilation time was 3 h. 188 (42.6%) patients had a favourable 3‐month outcome, which correlated with shorter ventilation time (Spearman’s rho 0.39, P < 0.001). In patients extubated within 24 h, early compared to delayed extubation was associated with improved outcome (odds ratio 2.40, 95% confidence interval 1.53–3.76, P < 0.001). This was confirmed in multivariable analysis (P = 0.01). A longer ventilation time was associated with a higher rate of pneumonia during neurointensive care unit/stroke unit stay (early/delayed/late extubation: 9.6%/20.6%/27.7%, P < 0.01). Whilst stroke‐associated complications represented the most common reasons for late extubation (>24 h), delayed extubation (6–24 h) was associated with admission outside of core working hours (P < 0.001).
Conclusions
Prolonged ventilation time after stroke thrombectomy independently predicts unfavourable outcome at 3 months and is associated with increased pneumonia rates. Therefore, extubation should be performed as early as safely possible.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease that can involve nervous system commitment known as neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE). The diagnostic of ...NPSLE is complex because the symptoms range from focal symptoms (e.g., strokes, thrombotic events) to diffuse disorders affecting cognition, mood and level of consciousness (e.g. acute confusional state, psychosis). Both type of manifestations of NPSLE differ in their pathological mechanisms. The focus of this review will be on the mechanisms that lead to the blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption and to the neuroinflammation related with the diffuse manifestations of NPSLE.
•The breakdown of the blood brain barrier involves the direct effect of cytokines and complement proteins.•TWEAK plays an important role in BBB disruption through the induction of cytokines in endothelial cells (ECs).•The complement protein C5a promotes a cytoskeletal remodeling that destabilizes the tight and adherens junctions of ECs.•The anti-NMDAR and anti-RP antibodies are key effectors of neuronal damage by induction of apoptosis.•The diffuse manifestations of NPSLE result in increased intrathecal production of cytokines, specially IL-6
Shape memory alloy (SMA) micro cables have a wide potential for attenuation of vibrations and structural health monitoring due to energy dissipation. This work evaluates the effect of SMA ...thermomechanical coupling during dynamic cycling and the fatigue life of NiTi SMA micro cables submitted to tensile loadings at frequencies from 0.25 Hz to 10 Hz. The thermomechanical coupling was characterized using a previously developed methodology that identifies the self-heating frequency. When dynamically loaded above this frequency, the micro cable response is dominated by the self-heating, stiffening significantly during cycling. Once above the self-heating frequency, structural and functional fatigues of the micro cable were evaluated as a function of the loading frequency for the failure of each individual wire. All tests were performed on a single wire with equal cross-section area for comparison purposes. We observed that the micro cable’s functional properties regarding energy dissipation capacity decreased throughout the cycles with increasing frequency. Due to the additional friction between the filaments of the micro cable, this dissipation capacity is superior to that of the single wire. Although its fatigue life is shorter, its delayed failure compared to a single wire makes it a more reliable sensor for structural health monitoring.
We present a new global QCD analysis of parton distribution functions, allowing for possible intrinsic charm (IC) contributions in the nucleon inspired by light-front models. The analysis makes use ...of the full range of available high-energy scattering data for Q^{2}≳1 GeV^{2} and W^{2}≳3.5 GeV^{2}, including fixed-target proton and deuteron cross sections at lower energies that were excluded in previous global analyses. The expanded data set places more stringent constraints on the momentum carried by IC, with ⟨x⟩_{IC} at most 0.5% (corresponding to an IC normalization of ∼1%) at the 4σ level for Δχ^{2}=1. We also critically assess the impact of older EMC measurements of F_{2}^{c} at large x, which favor a nonzero IC, but with very large χ^{2} values.
Although youth activism often is sparked by unexpected events, the seeds of activism are planted in learning environments that cultivate community, critical reflection, and sociopolitical action. ...Recent studies suggest promising outcomes from transformative student voice (TSV) programming, but more work is needed that assesses the impact of TSV participation for youth of color. We surveyed 294 students from 12 public high schools and found that students in TSV activities reported more critical reflection, sociopolitical efficacy, and participation in sociopolitical action than their non‐TSV peers. Additionally, using regression analysis, we found that years of involvement in TSV activities predicted participation in sociopolitical action. These findings are significant, as they indicate how multiyear engagement in TSV activities can facilitate sociopolitical action in the youth of color.
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