University of Kansas

About: University of Kansas is a education organization based out in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 38183 authors who have published 81381 publications receiving 2986312 citations. The organization is also known as: KU & Univ of Kansas.

Searches for electroweak production of charginos, neutralinos, and sleptons decaying to leptons and W, Z, and Higgs bosons in pp collisions at 8 TeV

Abstract: Searches for the direct electroweak production of supersymmetric charginos, neutralinos, and sleptons in a variety of signatures with leptons and W, Z, and Higgs bosons are presented. Results are based on a sample of proton-proton collision data collected at center-of-mass energy sqrt(s) = 8 TeV with the CMS detector in 2012, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.5 inverse femtobarns. The observed event rates are in agreement with expectations from the standard model. These results probe charginos and neutralinos with masses up to 720 GeV, and sleptons up to 260 GeV, depending on the model details.

Subthalamic deep brain stimulation with a constant-current device in Parkinson's disease: an open-label randomised controlled trial.

Abstract: Summary Background The effects of constant-current deep brain stimulation (DBS) have not been studied in controlled trials in patients with Parkinson's disease. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of bilateral constant-current DBS of the subthalamic nucleus. Methods This prospective, randomised, multicentre controlled trial was done between Sept 26, 2005, and Aug 13, 2010, at 15 clinical sites specialising in movement disorders in the USA. Patients were eligible if they were aged 18–80 years, had Parkinson's disease for 5 years or more, and had either 6 h or more daily off time reported in a patient diary of moderate to severe dyskinesia during waking hours. The patients received bilateral implantation in the subthalamic nucleus of a constant-current DBS device. After implantation, computer-generated randomisation was done with a block size of four, and patients were randomly assigned to the stimulation or control group (stimulation:control ratio 3:1). The control group received implantation without activation for 3 months. No blinding occurred during this study, and both patients and investigators were aware of the treatment group. The primary outcome variable was the change in on time without bothersome dyskinesia (ie, good quality on time) at 3 months as recorded in patients' diaries. Patients were followed up for 1 year. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00552474. Findings Of 168 patients assessed for eligibility, 136 had implantation of the constant-current device and were randomly assigned to receive immediate (101 patients) or delayed (35 patients) stimulation. Both study groups reported a mean increase of good quality on time after 3 months, and the increase was greater in the stimulation group (4·27 h vs 1·77 h, difference 2·51 [95% CI 0·87–4·16]; p=0·003). Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale motor scores in the off-medication, on-stimulation condition improved by 39% from baseline (24·8 vs 40·8). Some serious adverse events occurred after DBS implantation, including infections in five (4%) of 136 patients and intracranial haemorrhage in four (3%) patients. Stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus was associated with dysarthria, fatigue, paraesthesias, and oedema, whereas gait problems, disequilibrium, dyskinesia, and falls were reported in both groups. Interpretation Constant-current DBS of the subthalamic nucleus produced significant improvements in good quality on time when compared with a control group without stimulation. Future trials should compare the effects of constant-current DBS with those of voltage-controlled stimulation. Funding St Jude Medical Neuromodulation Division.

Subgrouping Poor Readers on the Basis of Individual Differences in Reading-Related Abilities

Abstract: The present study investigated the use of the Reading Component Model to subgroup poor readers. A large sample of poor readers was identified in second grade and subgrouped on the basis of relative strengths and weaknesses in word recognition and listening comprehension. Although homogeneous subgroups were not identified, poor readers could be classified into four subgroups that differed significantly in reading-related abilities. Further analyses showed that poor readers' strengths and weaknesses in listening comprehension, and to a lesser extent in word recognition, were foreshadowed by their abilities on related kindergarten measures. Follow-up testing in the fourth grade indicated that poor readers' individual differences in word recognition and listening comprehension were consistent and that subgroups were moderately stable. The implications of these results for the assessment and remediation of reading disabilities are discussed.

Ataluren treatment of patients with nonsense mutation dystrophinopathy

Abstract: Introduction: Dystrophinopathy is a rare, severe muscle disorder, and nonsense mutations are found in 13% of cases. Ataluren was developed to enable ribosomal readthrough of premature stop codons in nonsense mutation (nm) genetic disorders. Methods: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study; males ≥5 years with nm-dystrophinopathy received study drug orally 3 times daily, ataluren 10, 10, 20 mg/kg (N = 57); ataluren 20, 20, 40 mg/kg (N = 60); or placebo (N = 57) for 48 weeks. The primary endpoint was change in 6-Minute Walk Distance (6MWD) at Week 48. Results: Ataluren was generally well tolerated. The primary endpoint favored ataluren 10, 10, 20 mg/kg versus placebo; the week 48 6MWD Δ = 31.3 meters, post hoc P = 0.056. Secondary endpoints (timed function tests) showed meaningful differences between ataluren 10, 10, 20 mg/kg, and placebo. Conclusions: As the first investigational new drug targeting the underlying cause of nm-dystrophinopathy, ataluren offers promise as a treatment for this orphan genetic disorder with high unmet medical need. Muscle Nerve 50: 477–487, 2014

Observation of a narrow resonance of mass 2.46 GeV/c2 decaying to D*s+π0 and confirmation of the D*sJ(2317) state

Abstract: Using 13.5 ${\mathrm{fb}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ of ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ annihilation data collected with the CLEO II detector, we have observed a narrow resonance decaying to ${D}_{s}^{*+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ with a mass near $2.46\mathrm{GeV}{/c}^{2}.$ The search for such a state was motivated by the recent discovery by the BaBar Collaboration of a narrow state at $2.32\mathrm{GeV}{/c}^{2},$ the ${D}_{\mathrm{sJ}}^{*}{(2317)}^{+},$ that decays to ${D}_{s}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}.$ Reconstructing the ${D}_{s}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ and ${D}_{s}^{*+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ final states in CLEO data, we observe peaks in both of the corresponding reconstructed mass difference distributions, $\ensuremath{\Delta}{M(D}_{s}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}{)=M(D}_{s}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0})\ensuremath{-}{M(D}_{s})$ and $\ensuremath{\Delta}{M(D}_{s}^{*}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}{)=M(D}_{s}^{*}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0})\ensuremath{-}{M(D}_{s}^{*}),$ both of them at values near $350\mathrm{MeV}{/c}^{2}.$ We interpret these peaks as signatures of two distinct states, the ${D}_{\mathrm{sJ}}^{*}{(2317)}^{+}$ plus a new state, designated as the ${D}_{\mathrm{sJ}}{(2463)}^{+}.$ Because of the similar $\ensuremath{\Delta}M$ values, each of these states represents a source of background for the other if photons are lost, ignored or added. A quantitative accounting of these reflections confirms that both states exist. We have measured the mean mass differences $〈\ensuremath{\Delta}{M(D}_{s}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0})〉=350.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.2(\mathrm{stat})\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.0(\mathrm{syst})\mathrm{MeV}{/c}^{2}$ for the ${D}_{\mathrm{sJ}}^{*}{(2317)}^{+}$ state, and $〈\ensuremath{\Delta}{M(D}_{s}^{*}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0})〉=351.2\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.7(\mathrm{stat})\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.0(\mathrm{syst})\mathrm{MeV}{/c}^{2}$ for the new ${D}_{\mathrm{sJ}}{(2463)}^{+}$ state. We have also searched, but find no evidence, for decays of the two states via the channels ${D}_{s}^{*+}\ensuremath{\gamma},{D}_{s}^{+}\ensuremath{\gamma},$ and ${D}_{s}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}.$ The observations of the two states at 2.32 and $2.46\mathrm{GeV}{/c}^{2},$ in the ${D}_{s}^{+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ and ${D}_{s}^{*+}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ decay channels, respectively, are consistent with their interpretations as $c\overline{s}$ mesons with an orbital angular momentum $L=1$ and spin and parity ${J}^{P}{=0}^{+}$ and ${1}^{+}.$