Precise role of H pylori in duodenal ulceration

The facts that H pylori infection is commoner in duodenal ulcer (DU) patients than in the normal population, and that eradication results in most cases being cured, have led to the belief that it causes DU. However, early cases of DU are less likely than established ones to be infected. H pylori-negative cases are usually ascribed to specific associated factors such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), Crohn’s disease, and hypergastrinaemia, but even after excluding these, several H pylori-negative cases remain and are particularly common in areas of low prevalence of H pylori infection. Moreover, this incidence of H pylori negative DU is not associated with a fall in overall DU prevalence when compared with countries with a higher H pylori prevalence. In countries with a high H pylori prevalence there are regional differences in DU prevalence, but no evidence of an overall higher prevalence of DU than in countries with a low H pylori prevalence. There is no evidence that virulence factors are predictive of clinical outcome. After healing following eradication of H pylori infection DU can still recur. Medical or surgical measures to reduce acid output can lead to long-term healing despite persistence of H pylori infection. Up to half of cases of acute DU perforation are H pylori negative. These findings lead to the conclusion that H pylori infection does not itself cause DU, but leads to resistance to healing, i.e., chronicity. This conclusion is shown not to be incompatible with the universally high prevalence of DU compared with controls

Transformation properties of the transverse mass under transverse Lorentz boosts at hadron colliders

The transverse mass of semi-invisibly decaying particles, calculated from the transverse momenta of their decay products, has been used in a broad range of searches and measurements at hadron colliders, such as the LHC. This variable is invariant by construction under Lorentz boosts purely in the longitudinal (beam) direction, thereby minimising sensitivity to fluctuations in the fractions of the proton momentum carried by the colliding partons. In this paper we examine, by contrast, the properties of the transverse mass under boosts with a component also in the transverse plane perpendicular to the beam direction. We show that this variable is invariant under such boosts in cases where the boost is purely transverse and (a) the momenta of the decay products are confined to the transverse plane in the rest frame of the parent particle and/or (b) the transverse momenta of the decay products are perpendicular to the boost direction. We discuss the transformation properties of the transverse mass in the case of combined transverse and longitudinal boosts and identify the criteria under which the transverse mass in the laboratory frame can equal the rest mass of the parent particle, irrespective of its value in the rest frame of the parent.Comment: 7 pages double column, 7 figures, formatted for EPJ

Cultural competency: professional action and South Asian carers

Inequality and exclusion are characteristic of the experience of UK South Asian communities. In health care, community needs are often not addressed by health and social welfare services. An increase in cultural competency is now part of identified policy. The aim of this paper is to examine the extent to which there is evidence of cultural competency amongst professionals concerning South Asian parents caring for a person with cerebral palsy. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with respondents from 19 service organisations. Results are presented on perceptions of service delivery and on the dynamics of service development: evidence is found that inadequate service delivery continues despite professional knowledge that it exists. Conditions necessary for the achievement of cultural competence are discussed. We suggest that service development to meet the needs of South Asian carers must form part of an overall strategy geared to change at different levels within and outside service organisations

Next generation tyrosine-mutant AAV8 shows high mouse corneal endothelial transduction in vivo [abstract]

Purpose: Recently, point mutations in surface-exposed tyrosine residues have been shown to increase AAV transduction significantly. We examined the efficacy of conventional AAV8 and next generation tyrosine-mutant AAV8 vectors to deliver genes into corneal endothelium in vivo. Methods: The study, which used female C57BL/6 mice, was approved by the institutional animal care and use committee and experiments were performed inaccordance with the tenets of the ARVO statement for the use of animals. Ketamine and Xylazine hydrochloride were administered for anesthesia. Two microliters of AAV8 titer (~1010 vg/ml) was injected into the anterior chamber of the eye from four different clock-positions with the Hamilton Microinjection Syringe System under an operating microscope. Eyes were then washed with water and sponge-dried. Slit lamp microscopy was utilized for clinical eye exam. Stereomicroscopy and immunocytochemistry techniques measured the levels and location of transgene. Delivered-transgene expression was quantified with real-time PCR and western blot analyses. Results: Both, conventional and tyrosine-mutant AAV8 vectors successfully transduced mouse corneal endothelium in vivo. Mutant AAV8 showed significantly higher transgene delivery into corneal endothelium than the conventional AAV8. Injections performed from 12 or 3 o'clock position showed highest targeted transgene delivery into corneal endothelium. Low-to-mild transgene delivery was also detected in the stroma. The tested AAV8 showed no apparent side effects or toxicity. Conclusions: Tested AAV8 vectors are efficient to treat corneal endothelial dystrophies via gene therapy. Future studies will determine optimal doses of conventional and tyrosine-mutant AAV8 vectors to deliver therapeutic genes into corneal endothelial in vivo

Inclusive SUSY Searches and Measurements at ATLAS

Results of a new study of the discovery potential within mSUGRA parameter space of inclusive searches for SUSY at ATLAS are presented. These results indicate that superior performance is provided by the jets + missing ET channel in which no requirements are placed upon lepton multiplicity. The sensitivity of this and other channels is mapped in m0 - m1/2 parameter space for four different values of tan(beta) with similar performance being obtained in all cases Inclusive measurements of the effective mass scale and total production cross-section of supersymmetric particles are also discussed and results presented of a study of the likely measurement precision

The Use of Telegraphic Reading Material by Aphasic Patients

The purpose of this study was to determine if aphasic patients have significantly more correct answers for telegraphically written material when compared to normally written material. Twenty subjects from the greater Portland metropolitan area were selected to be included in this study. The ages or the subjects ranged from forty-two through sixty-five years with a mean of fifty-four years. The test material consisted of two paragraphs controlled for fourth grade grammar and vocabulary and two paragraphs controlled for sixth grade grammar and vocabulary. A normally written and a telegraphically written paragraph were used for each of the four paragraphs for a total of eight test paragraphs. The results or this study revealed no statistically significant difference for the magnitude of correct answers for the telegraphically written material; however, a significant number of subjects gave more correct answers for the telegraphic material at both the fourth and sixth grade levels. These results demonstrate that it is easier for some aphasic patients to comprehend telegraphically written material than normally written material. Therefore, telegraphically written material may be of value for patients with aphasia who are relearning to read. This type of material may also be used for recreational reading when requested by aphasic patients

Evaluating complementary medicine: methodological challenges of randomised controlled trials

Complementary medicine has a different philosophy from conventional medicine, presenting challenges to research methodology. Rigorous evaluation of complementary medicine could provide much needed evidence of its effectiveness. Good design of randomised controlled trials will avoid invalid results and misrepresentation of the holistic essence of complementary medicine. Practitioners need to be recognised as a component in or contributor to complementary treatment. Both specific and non-specific outcome measures with long follow up are needed to adequately encompass the essence of complementary medicine

Cold Dark Matter and the LHC

The recent determination of the dark matter density in the Universe by the WMAP satellite has brought new attention to the interplay of results from particle physics experiments at accelerators and from cosmology. In this paper we discuss the prospects for finding direct evidence for a candidate dark matter particle at the LHC and the measurements which would be crucial for testing its compatibility with cosmology data.Comment: 33 pages, 15 eps figures, J. Phys. G topical review (documentclass iopart