Search for lepton number violating decays B+ → π- μ+ μ+ and B+ → K- μ+ μ+.

A search is performed for the lepton number violating decay B+ → h- μ+ μ+, where h- represents a K- or a π-, using an integrated luminosity of 36  pb(-1) of data collected with the LHCb detector. The decay is forbidden in the standard model but allowed in models with a Majorana neutrino. No signal is observed in either channel and limits of B(B+ → K- μ+ μ+) < 5.

Late effects in cancer survivors: “the shared care model”.

Advances continue to be made in the field of pediatric oncology ever since treatment for childhood cancer began in 1948. Since then, there has been exponential progress in the care for children with cancer as reflected in the current survival rates, which approach 90%. With such incredible survival rates, the number of childhood cancer survivors has increased significantly, with present estimates being above 300,000 in the United States alone.

Measurement of relative branching fractions of decays to (2) and / mesons.

The relative rates of -meson decays into / and (2) mesons are measured for the three decay modes in collisions recorded with the LHCb detector. The ratios of branching fractions ([Formula: see text]) are measured to be [Formula: see text] where the third uncertainty is from the ratio of the (2) and / branching fractions to .

Measurement of (2) meson production in collisions at [Formula: see text].

The differential cross-section for the inclusive production of (2) mesons in collisions at [Formula: see text] has been measured with the LHCb detector. The data sample corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 36 pb. The (2) mesons are reconstructed in the decay channels (2)→ and (2)→/, with the / meson decaying into two muons.

Measurement of production in collisions at [Formula: see text].

The production of (1), (2) and (3) mesons in proton-proton collisions at the centre-of-mass energy of [Formula: see text] is studied with the LHCb detector. The analysis is based on a data sample of 25 pb collected at the Large Hadron Collider. The mesons are reconstructed in the decay mode → and the signal yields are extracted from a fit to the invariant mass distributions.

Opposite-side flavour tagging of mesons at the LHCb experiment.

The calibration and performance of the opposite-side flavour tagging algorithms used for the measurements of time-dependent asymmetries at the LHCb experiment are described. The algorithms have been developed using simulated events and optimized and calibrated with →/, →/ and → decay modes with 0.37 fb of data collected in collisions at [Formula: see text] during the 2011 physics run.

Determination of f(s)/f(d) for 7 TeV pp collisions and measurement of the B0→D-K+ branching fraction.

The relative abundance of the three decay modes B(0)→D(-)K(+), B(0)→D(-)π(+), and B(s)(0)→D(s)(-)π(+) produced in 7 TeV pp collisions at the LHC is determined from data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35 pb(-1). The branching fraction of B(0)→D(-)K(+) is found to be B(B(0)→D(-)K(+)) = (2.01 ± 0.

Custom foot orthoses for rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review.

Objective: To identify and critically appraise the evidence for the effectiveness of custom orthoses for the foot and ankle in rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: Studies were identified in appropriate electronic databases (from 1950 to March 2011). The search term "rheumatoid arthritis" with "foot" and "ankle" and related terms were used in conjunction with "orthoses" and synonyms.

Analysis of acute-phase proteins, AHSG, C3, CLI, HP and SAA, reveals distinctive expression patterns associated with breast, colorectal and lung cancer.

Early detection, clinical management and disease recurrence monitoring are critical areas in cancer treatment in which specific biomarker panels are likely to be very important in each of these key areas. We have previously demonstrated that levels of alpha-2-heremans-schmid-glycoprotein (AHSG), complement component C3 (C3), clusterin (CLI), haptoglobin (HP) and serum amyloid A (SAA) are significantly altered in serum from patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Here, we report the abundance levels for these proteins in serum samples from patients with advanced breast cancer, colorectal cancer (CRC) and lung cancer compared to healthy controls (age and gender matched) using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits.

A review of mental health interventions in SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices.

Objective: This study identified and examined characteristics of mental health interventions listed in a registry of evidence-based behavioral health programs and practices.

Methods: Data were from the National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices (NREPP), which is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. All mental health interventions posted as of May 2010 were reviewed.

Mesenchymal stem cell responses to bone-mimetic electrospun matrices composed of polycaprolactone, collagen I and nanoparticulate hydroxyapatite.

The performance of biomaterials designed for bone repair depends, in part, on the ability of the material to support the adhesion and survival of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). In this study, a nanofibrous bone-mimicking scaffold was electrospun from a mixture of polycaprolactone (PCL), collagen I, and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles with a dry weight ratio of 50/30/20 respectively (PCL/col/HA). The cytocompatibility of this tri-component scaffold was compared with three other scaffold formulations: 100% PCL (PCL), 100% collagen I (col), and a bi-component scaffold containing 80% PCL/20% HA (PCL/HA).

Identification of bacteria in scuba divers' rinse tanks.

Scuba divers typically rinse equipment in communal tanks. Studies show these tanks are contaminated with bacteria, but the types of bacteria have not been studied. We sought to identify bacteria in rinse tanks at a dive facility at San Pedro, Belize, to determine the origin of the bacteria and determine whether the bacteria represented potential threats to human health.

Development and evaluation of an educational interactive CD-ROM for teens with cancer.

Background: Cancer is the number one disease killer of children and adolescents in North America. For adolescents, this diagnosis comes at a particularly vulnerable stage. Educating adolescents with cancer from diagnosis through treatment teaches and empowers them.

Looking through the 'window of opportunity': is there a new paradigm of podiatry care on the horizon in early rheumatoid arthritis?

Over the past decade there have been significant advances in the clinical understanding and care of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Major paradigm changes include earlier disease detection and introduction of therapy, and 'tight control' of follow-up driven by regular measurement of disease activity parameters. The advent of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors and other biologic therapies have further revolutionised care.

Explanation of photon correlations in the far-off-resonance optical emission from a quantum-dot-cavity system.

In a coupled quantum-dot-nanocavity system, the photoluminescence from an off-resonance cavity mode exhibits strong quantum correlations with the quantum-dot transitions, even though its autocorrelation function is classical. Using new pump-power dependent photon-correlation measurements, we demonstrate that this seemingly contradictory observation that has so far defied an explanation stems from cascaded cavity photon emission in transitions between excited multiexciton states. The mesoscopic nature of quantum-dot confinement ensures the presence of a quasicontinuum of excitonic transitions, part of which overlaps with the cavity resonance.

Polymorphism in endostatin, an angiogenesis inhibitor, and prostate cancer risk and survival: A prospective study.

Endostatin inhibits endothelial cell proliferation and migration, prerequisites of angiogenesis. A functional missense mutation (D104N) in endostatin was associated with an increased prostate cancer risk in a small study. We undertook a larger, prospective study within the Physicians' Health Study to examine D104N and prostate cancer risk and progression among 544 incident prostate cancer cases (1982-1995) and 678 matched controls.

Delivery of excellent mental health care and acceleration of research: federal activities since the President's Commission report.

The report of the President's New Freedom Commission set forth six goals and related recommendations to enable adults with serious mental illness and children with serious emotional disturbance to participate fully in their communities. This article focuses on goal 5--"Excellent mental health care is delivered and research is accelerated"--and its four related recommendations. The authors describe federal government activities undertaken since the report was released.

The effect of collagen I mimetic peptides on mesenchymal stem cell adhesion and differentiation, and on bone formation at hydroxyapatite surfaces.

Integrin-binding peptides increase cell adhesion to naive hydroxyapatite (HA), however, in the body, HA becomes rapidly modified by protein adsorption. Previously we reported that, when combined with an adsorbed protein layer, RGD peptides interfered with cell adhesion to HA. In the current study we evaluated mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) interactions with HA disks coated with the collagen-mimetic peptides, DGEA, P15 and GFOGER.

Supporting fathers in the transition to parenthood.

Knowledge of the experience of parenthood is usually from a woman's perspective. The resulting outcome is that knowledge about the experience of fatherhood has been limited. Fathers are starting to change this situation by sharing their experience as is evidenced by the overall response of 267 fathers to this study.

Quantum dot spectroscopy using cavity quantum electrodynamics.

We show how cavity quantum electrodynamics using a tunable photonic crystal nanocavity in the strong-coupling regime can be used for single quantum dot spectroscopy. From the distinctive avoided crossings observed in the strongly coupled system we can identify the neutral and single positively charged exciton as well as the biexciton transitions. Moreover we are able to investigate the fine structure of those transitions and to identify a novel cavity mediated mixing of bright and dark exciton states, where the hyperfine interactions with lattice nuclei presumably play a key role.

Tumor cell migration and invasion are regulated by expression of variant integrin glycoforms.

The ST6Gal-I glycosyltransferase, which adds alpha2-6-linked sialic acids to glycoproteins, is overexpressed in colon adenocarcinoma, and enzyme activity is correlated with tumor cell invasiveness. Previously we reported that forced expression of oncogenic ras in HD3 colonocytes causes upregulation of ST6Gal-I, leading to increased alpha2-6 sialylation of beta1 integrins. To determine whether ras-induced sialylation is involved in promoting the tumor cell phenotype, we used shRNA to downregulate ST6Gal-I in ras-expressors, and then monitored integrin-dependent responses.

The Werner's syndrome 4330T>C (Cys1367Arg) gene variant does not affect the in vitro cytotoxicity of topoisomerase inhibitors and platinum compounds.

Purpose: Werner's syndrome (WS) is a recessive disorder of premature onset of processes associated with aging. Defective DNA repair has been reported after exposure of cells isolated from WS patients to DNA-damaging agents. The germline 4330T>C (Cys1367Arg) variant in the WS gene (WRN) has been associated with protection from age-related diseases, suggesting it has a functional role.

Comparison of mesenchymal stem cell and osteosarcoma cell adhesion to hydroxyapatite.

Immortalized cells are often used to model the behavior of osteogenic cells on orthopaedic and dental biomaterials. In the current study we compared the adhesive behavior of two osteosarcoma cell lines, MG-63 and Saos-2, with that of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on hydroxyapatite (HA). It was found that osteosarcoma cells demonstrated maximal binding to fibronectin-coated HA, while MSCs alternately preferred HA coated with collagen-I.

Producer or purchaser: different expectations may lead to equine wastage and welfare concerns.

Horses are individual, each having differential characteristics such as height, color, breeding, conformation, and temperament. These bio-characteristics often influence potential purchasers when buying horses. This study sought to investigate if producers and potential purchasers placed similar emphasis on equine bio-characteristics.