First proton-proton collisions at the LHC as observed with the ALICE detector: measurement of the charged-particle pseudorapidity density at root s=900 GeV

On 23rd November 2009, during the early commissioning of the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC), two counter-rotating proton bunches were circulated for the first time concurrently in the machine, at the LHC injection energy of 450 GeV per beam. Although the proton intensity was very low, with only one pilot bunch per beam, and no systematic attempt was made to optimize the collision optics, all LHC experiments reported a number of collision candidates. In the ALICE experiment, the collision region was centred very well in both the longitudinal and transverse directions and 284 events were recorded in coincidence with the two passing proton bunches. The events were immediately reconstructed and analyzed both online and offline. We have used these events to measure the pseudorapidity density of charged primary particles in the central region. In the range vertical bar eta vertical bar S collider. They also illustrate the excellent functioning and rapid progress of the LHC accelerator, and of both the hardware and software of the ALICE experiment, in this early start-up phase

siRNAs targeted to Smad4 prevent renal fibrosis in vivo

Edited by Rev. Dr. A. Schowalter."Mr. Kruger dictated these memoirs to Mr. H. C. Bredall, his private secretary, and to Mr. Piet Grobler, the former Under Secretary of State of the South African Republic ... The English and American edition is translated by Mr. A. Teixeira de Mattos."--Publisher's note.Mode of access: Internet

Expectant management of a herniated amniotic sac presenting as silent uterine rupture: a case report and literature review

Foetal membranes bulging into the abdominal cavity is a unique initial manifestation of silent or complete uterine rupture during pregnancy. Since silent uterine rupture has potential risk for complete uterine rupture, which leads to acute life-threatening complications for both the mother and baby, it is difficult to determine whether to manage expectantly or surgically, including repair of the uterine wall or termination of the pregnancy, especially in the early second trimester. We present here a case of a herniated amniotic sac with overstretched uterine wall of the fundus presenting as silent uterine rupture, which was incidentally detected on routine ultrasonography at 18 weeks' gestation in a 38-year-old primigravida with a history of myomectomy for diffuse uterine leiomyomatosis. Magnetic resonance imaging examination revealed that the myometrium thickness was fully maintained at the site of the foetal membranes ballooning. The pregnancy was therefore managed expectantly and continued to successful delivery at 30 weeks' gestation. The precise assessment of the uterine wall may be essential to manage a herniated amniotic sac presenting as silent uterine rupture and to optimise the outcome of the pregnancy. We review all cases of a herniated amniotic sac out of focally overstretched uterine wall before 34 weeks' gestation